Racist comments condemned as Yousuf Janab Ali defies bigots and vows to get on with the job.

Clonakilty’s new Mayor has faced a wave of racist online abuse in his first week in office, with the town standing together in support of him.

Mayor Yousuf Janab Ali officially took up his new role last week.

Racist comments and Islamophobic hate speech were levelled at him online after photos of the Asna Square event were posted on Facebook, Instagram and X.

‘It doesn’t matter what they say, they cannot bring me down,’ said the Mayor in defiance.

‘If it’s not me who gets abused, it’s someone else. The people who made those comments try to upset me but they don’t know how much I’m involved with the community. I love Clonakilty.’

He added: ‘They should look in the mirror and take a look at themselves. They don’t know our town or our community and how unique it is.’

One photo of last week’s handover ceremony showed Mayor Ali alongside Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins TD and party colleague Cllr Daniel Sexton. It attracted 2,000 comments on Deputy Collins’ official Facebook page, with the majority of them racist, Islamophobic, or both.

‘I have seen some of the vitriol directed at both myself and Mr Ali online,’ said Deputy Collins. ‘Some have called me a ‘sell-out’ and far worse, while attempting to use a single photograph to somehow suggest that either I, or Independent Ireland, have abandoned our policies on immigration. I find that incredible.’

Deputy Collins, who was branded a ‘turncoat’ by some of the commentators, said he had consistently spoken out ‘about the failures of our immigration system’.

He added in all his years in politics he had never refused to help someone, meet someone, or stand alongside someone because of where they come from or the colour of their
skin.

‘I will continue to engage with and support anyone who is making a positive contribution to their community,’ said Deputy Collins.

Asked if he planned to switch off abusive and racist comments on his Facebook post, the Independent Ireland leader said no because he never turns comments off.

The barrage of online abuse against father-of-four Mayor Ali has been widely condemned.

Cllr Sexton said: ‘I want to make it clear that I condemn the racist remarks being made towards Yousuf. Yousuf has lived and worked in Clonakilty for over 28 years and is a part of the community here. He was democratically elected by the people of Clonakilty to serve in this honorary, voluntary position. We should not tolerate these racist comments.’

Minister Christopher O’Sullivan (FF), TD for Cork South West, called the abuse ‘nothing short of disgusting’.

‘It certainly does not reflect this wonderful town that we live in, or indeed West Cork,’ he said. ‘It was a proud day for Clonakilty when Yousuf was elected to the mayoral council and even more so when he took up the mayoral chains.’

Senator Noel O’Donovan (FG) said he was ‘appalled’ to see such comments levelled at Yousuf who is the Intercultural Officer for Fine Gael in Cork South West.

‘Our community and our country have no place for this kind of vile behaviour.’

The Mayor, who was born in Bangladesh, runs a spice business and worked for many years at the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery and at O’Donovan’s hotel, Clonakilty. His children all attended Clonakilty’s Gaelscoil and speak Irish.   

Cllr Isobel Towse (SD) said the comments did not reflect the views of people in Clonakilty.

‘I am proud to be part of a diverse community that elects people to reflect that diversity,’ said Cllr Towse. ‘We all have a duty to call out racism when we see it.’

The community elected the current Mayor in June 2024 to the voluntary role in its third election since the abolition of Clonakilty Town Council. He received the third highest number of votes (241) as part of a rotating mayoral system where five mayors serve one-year terms.

Mayor Ali is a Commissioner of Oaths and on the committee of the Tidy Towns and Clonakilty Old Time Fair. One of his first events was the Street Carnival.

‘The people who made the comments are not from the area. I call Clonakilty my home town. I love this town and West Cork,’ said the Mayor, who will be in office until June 2027.