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Samuel Little, who often went by the name Samuel McDowell, leaves the Ector County Courthouse after attending a pre-trial hearing.

Convicted murderer admits killing 90 people, may be 'most prolific serial killer in US history'

Samuel Little preyed mainly on drug addicts and prostitutes during a decades-long murder spree.

A 78-YEAR-OLD DRIFTER in prison in Texas has confessed to 90 murders and is being investigated as possibly the most prolific serial killer in US history.

Samuel Little preyed mainly on drug addicts and prostitutes during a decades-long murder spree that stretched from coast to coast, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said in a report.

Little, a 6ft 3in former boxer also known as Samuel McDowell was arrested at a homeless shelter in Kentucky in 2012 and extradited to California to face drug charges.

Once there, DNA evidence linked him to three cold cases and Little was convicted in 2014 of murdering three women in Los Angeles between 1987 and 1989.

All three had been beaten and strangled.

Sentenced to life in prison, Little was transferred to Texas in connection with the investigation into another murder.

Bobby Bland, district attorney of Ector County where Little is being held, said he eventually confessed to the 1994 murder of Denise Christie Brothers in Odessa, Texas.

And after a Texas Ranger named James Holland gained his trust, Little began confessing to dozens of other murders committed between 1970 and 2005, Bland said.

FBI crime analyst Christina Palazzolo said during the course of an interview in May 2018, Little “went through city and state and gave Ranger Holland the number of people he killed in each place.

“Jackson, Mississippi — one; Cincinnati, Ohio — one; Phoenix, Arizona — three; Las Vegas, Nevada—one…” Palazzolo said.

A total of 90 murders in all, of which law enforcement has so far verified 34 killings.

PastedImage-78447 These incidents are either linked to victims who have not yet been identified (Jane Does) or to murders described by Samuel Little that have not yet been definitively corroborated by law enforcement (unmatched confessions). FBI / Google FBI / Google / Google

“Little will be confirmed as one of, if not the most, prolific serial killers in US history,” Bland said in a statement.

The deadliest known US serial killer is believed to be Gary Ridgway, the so-called “Green River Killer” convicted of 49 murders who is serving a life sentence in Washington state.

The FBI said it was working with the Department of Justice, Texas Rangers and dozens of state and local agencies to match Little’s confessions to unsolved murders across the country. 

Not classified as homicides 

According to the FBI, Little “remembers his victims and the killings in great detail” but is “less reliable, however, when it comes to remembering dates”.

Because his victims were mostly drug addicts and prostitutes, in some cases the women were never identified and their deaths were not investigated.

“Little’s method of killing also didn’t always leave obvious signs that the death was a homicide,” the FBI said.

“The one-time competitive boxer usually stunned or knocked out his victims with powerful punches and then strangled them,” it said.

With no stab marks or bullet wounds, many of these deaths were not classified as homicides but attributed to drug overdoses, accidents, or natural causes.

Serial Killer Investigation Odessa American / Mark Rogers Odessa American / Mark Rogers / Mark Rogers

Little grew up in Ohio, dropped out of high school and lived a “nomadic life,” shoplifting or stealing to buy alcohol and drugs, the FBI said.

His criminal record dates back to 1956 with arrests for shoplifting, fraud, drugs and breaking and entering.

He was accused of murdering women in Mississippi and Florida in the early 1980s but was not convicted.

The FBI said Little is in poor health and is likely to spend the remainder of his days in prison in Texas.

The FBI did not say what ailments he suffers from but The New York Times said he is wheelchair-bound and has heart disease and diabetes.

Sergeant Michael Mongeluzzo, a Florida detective, told the Times that he had asked Little during an interrogation how he managed to avoid arrest for all these years.

“I can go into my world and do what I want to do,” Mongeluzzo recalled Little as saying. “I won’t go into your world.”

© AFP 2018

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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ron Burgundy
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:11 AM

    2000 people, that’s a lot of tracksuits and linden village in one gathering.

    391
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    Mute Montys Moonshine
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:21 AM

    And sovs. Sovs everywhere

    68
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    Mute John O'Neill
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:55 PM

    Surfin’ Facebook during work and gettin’ free drink…cute hoors them Guards….

    8
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    Mute bob®
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    Jun 21st 2013, 6:43 AM

    Start setting up loads of bogus raves lads, everywhere! That should keep en busy!

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    Mute Paddy
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:42 AM

    Haha yeah, genius;-)

    81
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    Mute J. Dunn
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:04 AM

    We managed just fine with word-of-mouth 20 years ago.

    160
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    Mute Jonathan Stapleton
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    Jun 21st 2013, 6:43 AM

    So ill be alright on Twitter…Sorted

    143
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    Mute Martin St John
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    Jun 21st 2013, 6:51 AM

    So Cops chasing dancers is all The Rave now?

    73
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    Mute Damocles
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:10 AM

    Google+ should do it I’d think.

    Although there’s a possibility no one would turn up.

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    Mute Gavin Lawlor
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:39 AM

    Don’t they know the difference between a rave and a piss up??

    54
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    Mute Joe Stodge
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    Jun 21st 2013, 11:03 AM

    Who invited them in the first place?

    25
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    Mute bob moloney
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:11 AM

    Great job for 1 Guard anyway ….look at Facebook all day !

    132
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    Mute Michelle Philpot
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:38 AM

    Yeah…. Lets chase down those evil dancing ravers while the real criminals are doing serious damage

    112
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    Mute Seán Parker
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    Jun 21st 2013, 11:05 AM

    # Michelle that’s a very naive comment , Take a look at the ” rave” in the phoenix park last year , which was professionally organised to some degree and still ended up in stabbings and even death, Look at the bigger picture before you prioritise with the typical childish comment ” go out and catch the real criminals”

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    Mute Julian King
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    Jun 21st 2013, 11:29 AM

    So death to all music gigs Sean is it?
    We’ll be safe then, surr don’t we all have radios.

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    Mute Seán Parker
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    Jun 21st 2013, 12:38 PM

    No that’s not what I’m dying at all Julian. I regularly attend concerts and enjoy em, and I play live music too I more aiming at youths drinking irresponsibly in public places , which usually end in violence

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    Mute the lost lenore
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    Jun 21st 2013, 1:12 PM

    Sean, there was a time not to long ago when most people under 35 weren’t right-on stuck up jobsworths and could have a good time. I went to numerous illegal raves back in the day and I’d a marvellous time at them, an absolute blast. These young people need to fight the power and next time try having the rave out in the woods or somewhere you can’t drive a squad car without considerably difficulty. That usually ensures the coppers leave well enough alone.

    Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

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    Mute Seán Parker
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    Jun 21st 2013, 2:06 PM

    *saying

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    Mute Seán Parker
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    Jun 21st 2013, 2:26 PM

    Yeah good man , Yeah that would be a better idea, I think it would be great if there was no problems. I’m all about the Craic. But unfortunately there is problem, For example the cliff rave in Howth which was a secluded one but had do be forcibly cancelled because it ended in injurys and sexual assaults. It’s not the events that are bad but the people who nowadays can’t have fun without trouble ,
    This article. Is also about one event on a very busy public beach. And it’s would not be fair on the rest of the public to be intimidated by drunk youths ,

    Now stick that up your ar*e and suck it

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    Mute Lord Loverocket
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    Jun 21st 2013, 2:43 PM

    Sean, the gig in the park was a concert, not a rave. Obviously you do not know the difference. How can I go to Electric picnic or Body and Soul and not see any trouble or arrests, just young people enjoying the music? It’s not wise Sean to debate something you seem to know nothing about. Just makes you look stupid.

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    Mute Seán Parker
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:10 PM

    Maybe you should read my comments before critiquing. I hate the word ‘race’. And my use of it was in quotation marks as I was re using it from the prior comment, I am not insulting that concert. In fact I have gone to see the Swedish house mafia 5 times, I also am very aware of the topic as I am working in a job dealing with it first hand 5 years now,
    Leave your petty insults and actually debate Idiot

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    Mute Seán Parker
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:12 PM

    Critising*

    My mention of the ‘concert ‘in the park. Was just an example of youths drinking too much. It wasn’t a dig at the concert or any other music festival for that matter, c I was just highlighting excessive drinking with youths and used that congregation as an example

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    Mute Seán Parker
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:13 PM

    Urrghhh!! Criticising

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    Mute Lord Loverocket
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:01 AM

    Killjoys. So ye can’t even dance your cares away in this country anymore? Lets kill the buzz for everyone because a handful of eejits can’t handle their drink!!

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    Mute Seán Parker
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:17 PM

    So does that mean your support over a 1000 kids drinking on a public beach around family’s and children , I know first hand the types of people getting off those trains. People would be complaint if it was let happen and then ended in carnage ,
    Don’t speak what you know nothing of

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    Mute _doesnotcompute
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    Jun 21st 2013, 10:27 AM

    “We don’t know who you are; we don’t know what you want; but if you advertise a rave on Facebook, we will find you, and we will kill you”

    :-)

    72
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    Mute Kevin Cooney
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:33 AM

    Wonder if the Gardai will block all roads to Dublin the next time farmers want to bring their tractors on mass to the capital to share sambo’s? As the same principle applies. Come on red thumbers think!

    68
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    Mute Trevor Nolan
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:56 AM

    Last time I checked, “eating sambos” didn’t constitute as being underage alcohol consumption or as consumption of alcohol in a public space. My guess is the farmers will be grand, don’t worry!

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    Mute Gerard Collins
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:59 AM

    Last time the farmers attended a protest they cleaned up after them selves. Caused little to no traffic disruption except in the actual area of their protest. Nothing wrong here

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    Mute Paul Wallace
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:00 AM

    Who says “rave” anymore LOL it’s not 1989 !!

    61
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    Mute JayK
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    Jun 21st 2013, 10:59 AM

    Someone clearly doesn’t get invites anymore.

    51
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    Mute Paul Wallace
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    Jun 21st 2013, 11:05 AM

    I’m a bit old now :-) done it all a long time ago !

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    Mute Kathryn Lonergan
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    Jun 21st 2013, 10:06 AM

    It would be fine if the were only meeting up for a drink, dance and a bit if Craic but everyone knows drugs get involved, people end up getting stabbed and the place is left in a tip. Normally I’m against any Big Brother stuff like this but after seeing what happened at Portmarnock, these people can’t be trusted to “just have a good time”

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    Mute Sandbag
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    Jun 21st 2013, 10:51 AM

    How can looking at stuff posted publicly on a website be classed as ‘Big Brother stuff’?

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    Mute Jim Byrne
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    Jun 21st 2013, 2:06 PM

    Get a grip the problem is Alcohol and too much of it . I can assure you the cops would have a much easier time if all they had to do was deal with stoners.

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    Mute Kevin Cooney
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:01 AM

    Freedom of association?

    34
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    Mute Paddy O'Reilly
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:00 AM

    Sure people can freely associate, but what about public order, health & safety, consumption of alcohol in a public place, public urination, drugs.
    Plus the biggest crime of all, calling that sh*te music.

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    Mute Lord Loverocket
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    Jun 21st 2013, 2:34 PM

    Yeah but what about the bad points Paddy?

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    Mute John Byrne
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    Jun 21st 2013, 10:03 AM

    Back to a pen and paper and word of mouth . Everyone is obsessed with social media , people were having raves long before Facebook . Nice one shatter :)

    30
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    Mute Patrick
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    Jun 21st 2013, 12:10 PM

    Anybody who organises a “Rave ” event on facebook is an amateur. It mad me lol actually.Acccieeed

    29
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    Mute simonjblake
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:03 AM

    They’re only doing it so they can confiscate all the booze.

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    Mute Seán Parker
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    Jun 21st 2013, 10:59 AM

    Grow up you fool

    32
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    Mute Daniel Wilson
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    Jun 21st 2013, 12:42 PM

    Well that escalated quickly

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    Mute Neil Quinlan
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:38 AM

    Really, do they not have anything better to do?

    25
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    Mute The Red Devil
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    Jun 21st 2013, 6:59 AM

    Cops like raves to……..another free rave boys wooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    22
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    Mute mindyerbusinessyou
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:46 AM

    Taking tips from the NSA now?

    22
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    Mute Sandbag
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    Jun 21st 2013, 11:11 AM

    Tip one: look at what people have put on the internet for all to see.
    It’s hardly Prism or Echelon.

    40
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    Mute John Teevan
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    Jun 21st 2013, 12:39 PM

    swedish house mafia in the phoenix pk not a cop in sight

    20
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    Mute beansy
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:18 AM

    The Gardai are now cracking down on having a party and a bit of craic.
    Next thing they won’t allow me scratch my nuts

    19
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    Mute John O'Neill
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:58 PM

    I’d get that itch checked out if I was you…

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    Mute Mind of Logic
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:51 AM

    It’s not hard to find this kind of “Rave” as they’re made as public events and literally everyone is invited within a matter of hours. Really doesn’t require detective skills to spot that kind of thing. They weren’t on the ball for the “Rave” down in Portmarnock which was advertised a similar way.

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    Mute BadDrivingIreland
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:45 AM

    Social media silencing again. Ohhh shatter….

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    Mute Trevor Nolan
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:52 AM

    Who said anything about social media silencing?

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    Mute BadDrivingIreland
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    Jun 21st 2013, 10:40 PM

    In case you have not noticed, Facebook is a social media outlet.

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    Mute the lost lenore
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    Jun 21st 2013, 1:06 PM

    THIS is what’s wrong with Ireland. We need to drop the nanny-knows-best rubbish. Young people have parties on beaches throughout the world and have done for centuries. In this benighted nation, however, the thought of anyone other than American tourists enjoying themselves fills the Joe Duffy set with dread.

    Note to the organisers: next time, advertise your event somewhere other than Facebook.

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    Mute JayK
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    Jun 21st 2013, 11:00 AM

    A party on a beach, clearly a major crime.

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    Mute Seafra O'Cathain
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    Jun 21st 2013, 2:14 PM

    June 29th, massive party at my place. Couple bands, bar sorted, lots of room for tents. It’s on private property so the Gardai can f*ck off. Open invite. Contact me via Facebook for details.

    So there.

    6
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    Mute John Teevan
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    Jun 21st 2013, 12:18 PM

    just another cop wasting time ,who fancys the beach boys ?

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    Mute Clara Morgan
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    Jun 21st 2013, 2:24 PM

    This happens in portmarnock all the time. they advertise these gatherings on boards.ie also. I had the misfortune to end up on the dart with hundreds or these drunk rowdy teens. Very scary experience!! The cops were just standing in the station taking down fake names on their notepads!! Waste of time!!

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    Mute Denise O Toole
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    Jun 21st 2013, 1:07 PM

    ‘The Gathering’ ………nearly made sutton … Hope no tourists got confused ;-)

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    Mute Kamil Che
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    Jun 21st 2013, 12:24 PM
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    Mute Andrew Nolan
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    Jun 21st 2013, 12:52 PM

    ‘advertising a rave at Burrow Beach, to which 7,000 people had been ‘invited’. Over 2,000 Facebook users said they were planning to attend the event.’

    How dumb are they expecting the number of people that say they are going, to actually count for anything? People click they are going, but if even half of those people turn up you’d be lucky. People visibly saying they are going is mostly to be seen as having a life, but the numbers that attend will pale in comparison to what the event page was saying.

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    Mute Matt Burns
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    Jun 21st 2013, 12:36 PM

    ‘Shatter’ is an unfortunate name.

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    Mute John O'Neill
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    Jun 21st 2013, 10:00 PM

    Matt Burns could be an unfortunate name too if you’re an incompetent pyromaniac…

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    Mute steve white
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    Jun 21st 2013, 3:24 PM

    operation irene starts june 1st portmarnock gathering and fight may 30th whoops

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    Mute Mjhint
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    Jun 21st 2013, 2:47 PM

    Reach for the lazers. Safe as f##k.

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