41 Comments

• joycean | Jan 09, 2012, 10:28 AM EST

  It may be that Bryom's heckler is actually someone who lost a gig to him. .For performers, that can be a serious blow. Jobs are scarce

• jamieLM | Jan 09, 2012, 09:45 AM EST

  Sorry, that would be "Byrom." I work with a Dr. Byron on a daily basis.

• jamieLM | Jan 09, 2012, 09:43 AM EST

  Oh, please. TWO people in NYC are giving Byron a hard time? When one is in the public eye, the looneys come out of the woodwork. I think of all the rude people that waitresses and cashiers have to put up with on a daily basis. It's very annoying, but he'd better develop a thick skin. Byron - not everyone in the world is going to like you, no matter how talented you are or what your ethnic background is. Brad Pitt, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga all have their detractors. Not all the Irish like Jonathan Rhys Meyers and have nasty things to say about him. Unless anyone threatens to physically harm him, Byron needs to blow them off and move on. If he can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. The title of this article is best described as "making a mountain out of a molehill."

• joycean | Jan 09, 2012, 09:40 AM EST

  Irelandorth, American Indians do not like to be referred to as Native Americans. That is revisionist history. Indians feel anyone born here is a "native American." As far as what the white men did, the Indians gave as good as they got until they were numerically outnumbered by immigrants. One reason the Irish should stop thinking that emigration is the answer to their problems.

• IrelandNorth | Jan 09, 2012, 06:59 AM EST

  Probably less anti-Irish than good old fashioned honest to God begrudgery. As a talented singer/performer, it's inevitable that one will draw-out some fairly toxic jealously and resentment, like a lightning conductor. The "native American" jibe is pretty rich with what the white man/pale face did to the real native American, sadly including many early Irish 'warriors' killing women and children, (like Lt. Myles Keogh, 5 th. Cavalry, U.S. Army) last man standing at the Little Big Horn, South Dakota.

• beachcomber | Jan 08, 2012, 02:50 PM EST

  who is monique and does she know about dominique?!?! and while harassment is unpleasant, when one steps into the spotlight, one attracts all kinds of followers...welcome to the gilded cage, it could have happened anywhere in the world. grow a pair, young irishman, and carry on.

• joycean | Jan 08, 2012, 12:16 PM EST

  merefalow, The Indians weren't a bother to the Pilgrims because there was a plague in MAssachusetts a year or so before the Pilgrims arrived which wiped out most of the Massachusetts Indians. Also, the Indians had other ways of instilling fear: scalping, torture worse than the Spanish Inquisition, cannabalism. It looks to me as though Byrom has a couple of detractor. Not uncommon for public figures.

• merefalow | Jan 08, 2012, 12:03 PM EST

  pity the indians didn't have computers for the pilgrim fathers,sitting bull could have had the 7th cavalry to Upset to fight.not.bullying, any BULLYING IS EVIL AND COWARDLY. ITS NOT immigrants fault for coming but the fault of the government ministers that allow mass uncontrolled emigration for the sake of politics and cheap labour.nationalism is a joke to big business and governments except to whip up war fever.

• citizen69 | Jan 08, 2012, 05:50 AM EST

  It's no worse than some of the stupid comments that appear on this website everyday!

• hooligan6a | Jan 08, 2012, 03:48 AM EST

  This guy is full of crap. Just looking for some cheap publicity.

• zyxwvutsrqponml | Jan 08, 2012, 01:53 AM EST

  This is a totally misleading article that spins a story about nasty letters from "one guy in particular and his sister" into a headline that makes it sound like the singer is getting racially abused by people in New York. What the hell does New York have to do with it when Byrom was receiving the letters in the mail? He could have been anywhere. The writer of this crap, Antoinette Kelly, needs to get some integrity as a journalist though I see that this is top of the most e-mailed list so your bogus journalism is now circulating. Must be proud.

• Dailearie | Jan 08, 2012, 01:34 AM EST

  I think this is awful! And, how is he taking a job away from any American? I know that there are jobs being taken away by immigrants, but I don't think Irish are significant. And, unless one is an American Indian, everybody is an immigrant.

• JohnnyMac | Jan 07, 2012, 11:49 PM EST

  Well, I don't know what part of New York he's settled into. But with millions and millions of people in this city of New York (only a small part of the great big state) and even more in the much much bigger state of New York, I'd bet a year's wages that the unfortunate words dealt to him do not represent even 1 percent of the rest in New York. He's a very talented man and I along with millions of others say he is most welcome.

• joan1954 | Jan 07, 2012, 11:31 PM EST

  Love your music as well. Why not move to Texas? We love the Irish.

• djroche | Jan 07, 2012, 08:57 PM EST

  I & my family love your talent & we are lucky to have such talent & your Irish to boot in the USA God Bless him & his lady

• pmulvihill | Jan 07, 2012, 08:49 PM EST

  oTuachair could not have said it better. Absolutely right on.

• milfordmama | Jan 07, 2012, 08:47 PM EST

  I'm actually quite surprised, New York has so many people from everywhere else, they almost seem to outnumber the "native born" at times. It just seems to me that these harassers are two obnoxious fools who for some reason have decided it would be fun to torment. Maybe they are jealous or have a fantasy love going on, who knows. There are strange people everywhere, these two sound like they are off their meds. Perhaps a restraining order is needed, but I have never felt any anti-Irish sentiment wherever I have lived in the USA.

• oTuachair | Jan 07, 2012, 07:59 PM EST

  I hope he understands this is not typical, especially in a city like NY that has such a large Irish-American population. The stupidity of two people does not define the sentiment of a nation of over 300 million (40 million of whom claim Irish ancestry). He should report this matter directly to the NYPD Commissioner, one Mr. Raymond KELLY.....Note to Antoinette Kelly, the author of this piece: The headline on this story implies an epidemic, rather than an isolated incident. It would be like me coming home after being called a "plastic paddy" in a couple of places in Ireland and writing a story titled: "Irish-Americans known by slanderous nickname throughout Ireland.":)

• canadianirish | Jan 07, 2012, 07:23 PM EST

  Note: New York isn't all it's cracked up to be. I would urge him to relocate to Toronto :)

• jfoynyc | Jan 07, 2012, 07:16 PM EST

  In the past any comment that I submitted questioning the diligence of the editorial staff was not shown. I'll try however. Either the story is under-reported or does not deserve to be aired. If the perps are just two, do not run the story; if a significant number of them, then give the reader some feel for the scope of the disgusting behavior. I agree with the majority that commented that there should be no place in any society for threatening or intimidating others.

• joycean | Jan 07, 2012, 05:30 PM EST

  eileend, American Indians prefer to be called that to "Native Americans" becaause they feel anyone born here is a native American.

• teddybear | Jan 07, 2012, 04:54 PM EST

  God Bless you Paul and DON'T LET THESE IDIOTS GET YOU DOWN they aren't worth it.

• eileend | Jan 07, 2012, 04:35 PM EST

  First of all,I love the point about leaving jobs to 'native Americans.' Which means that everybody who showed up after Columbus is out. Second, really, cillowen? Your idea of responding to racial attacks is by making another racial attack? I think the point of the article is for everybody who's doing that to knock it the f* off.

• manhattan | Jan 07, 2012, 04:31 PM EST

  We need more people like Paul and his girlfriend. There a breath of fresh air compared to what is coming in here. He is much gentler then the Irish guys I know who would not complain to the Police no, they would handle it themselves and those bums would never be heard of again. I'm really sad at this I thought Irish bashing went out many years ago. Cillowen, you are so right.

• jmspringer | Jan 07, 2012, 03:32 PM EST

  We don't know how many people have harrassed Paul and Dom. The article says "Two people in particular." The fact that fellow musician Ryan Kelly from Celtic Thunder went through something simular I think it wise that Paul has reported this. I find it shameful that anyone from America would level personal attacks against anyone leaving the victims of their abuse feeling shaken. Some folks have said here that they need to "toughen up." How about instead the bullies need to knock it off.I am always amazed that people expect the reciever of to "get over it." Just look at our school shootings here in America. When no one makes an effort to stop harrassement sometimes it ends very badly... No one should ever have to put up with someone else's ill behavior! If you can't say something nice then don't say anything at all!

• cillowen | Jan 07, 2012, 03:25 PM EST

  I'm sure its not just two aholes that are involved in this. The controllers may think he is perhaps, Ronan Tynan who was chased out of Yankee Stadium by our master class. They can spout at will but dare a goy direct a joke their way and its curtains. I had to endure their ridicule of our tribe for years, and in the workplace, no less. They'll target anyone, their own too, were they to display a reasoned human trait.

• kinvara7 | Jan 07, 2012, 03:23 PM EST

  Many US states have enacted cyber-bullying and cyber-harassment laws: In New York I believe cyber-harrasment is dealt with under Penal Law § 240.30 and deals with sending messages anonymously or otherwise with an 'intent to harass, annoy, threaten or alarm another person'. If they have been receiving such messages over a couple of months then they should take action.

• alisaann | Jan 07, 2012, 02:32 PM EST

  we have NO way of knowing if their just being told to LEAVE the country or if their also being threatened with bodily harm.....and if they ARE making life threatening comments on the internet, it's a FEDERAL offense....a man was recently sentenced to 5 years for making death threats to the sister of his missing ex-wife over the internet.....if they've gone to the police....it sounds like MORE then , "just the country" to me. alisa

• CitizenWhy | Jan 07, 2012, 01:40 PM EST

  Do not be too sure that the police/law can do anything against these people. The record indicates otherwise. They are not threatening harm, only snarling that the Irish couple should leave the USA. American law is not very authoritarian on these kinds of matters, with free speech rights taking precedence. European law is stricter, less concerned with free speech. Aggressive speech is not a hate crime.

• bob40wil | Jan 07, 2012, 01:23 PM EST

  There are two people harrasing him, why does the headline make it appear that crowds are outside his home with torches and pitchforks.

• borefield | Jan 07, 2012, 12:59 PM EST

  No one looks for this kind of attention. If he was Muslim or middle eastern the law would promptly step in. They are Irish, oh well they are fair game and no one will step in. Remember Mayor Bloomberg's insult to the Irish, he got away with it. Ronan Tynan made a slight joke about the Jews, he was driven out of town. The Irish for the most part are a peace loving bunch. They should make more noise and perhaps someone will take notice.

• Springfield9 | Jan 07, 2012, 11:48 AM EST

  New York has "anti-Irish" abuse? It's true that there was a certain "oh no, Irish" until WW 2. My father once told me "Don't talk too much about being Irish. Some of them don't like us". He was born in 1915 (for reference). As for these two anti-Irish birds - I'd have a restraining order and law suit on them in a moment.

• AmericanGirl83 | Jan 07, 2012, 11:26 AM EST

  I agree with what someone else said. Come down south. We welcome the Irish quite well here. In fact, I am proud to embrace the Irish heritage from my ancestors and I think the dumbass Anti-Irish fools need to be tossed on a ship and sent to a third world country in which they are stripped from their freedom. I bet the two idiots are probably on welfare and living off the government handouts. No worries Paul, We love your music. Don't let some American idiot ruin it for you.

• irishcoffeekid | Jan 07, 2012, 10:54 AM EST

  I love Paul's music but i have to say if they know who the two main individuals are then the cops can do something about it right away and it should end. People are easily traced on the internet using their isdn addresses (note to all you can be found!) so its a simple matter of pinning them down and finding out what their grief is and giving them a warning or else!!

• CitizenWhy | Jan 07, 2012, 10:47 AM EST

  The tenor is being harassed by just two people. Frightening as their nastiness can be it is not a trend.

• colkelley | Jan 07, 2012, 10:37 AM EST

  C'mon down South where we don't have these morons.

• joycean | Jan 07, 2012, 10:32 AM EST

  Pugsmom, EXACTLY! I went to his website. He is complaining about TWO people, members of the same family. Get over it! I've got neighbors like that.

• wyalusingjohn | Jan 07, 2012, 10:27 AM EST

  I too have seen him perform and he is quite good. It's a shame that one or two demented persons can make you miserable.

• pugsmom | Jan 07, 2012, 10:22 AM EST

  Seriously? How many "tenor" jobs are actually open to ANYONE? Must be a couple of music critics, as it seems more like an attack on his singing (which I quite like) than his being Irish! And, if only one or two people are doing this, and he and his girlfriend are in conniptions over it....well, you just need to toughen up a bit and ignore them!!!

• tammeeshca | Jan 07, 2012, 09:59 AM EST

  THIS GUY is awesome. I have seen many of the Celtic Thunder shows online and on PBS. I only hope that they resolve the problems they are finding in NY. Seems to me where I live, it is mostly ILLEGALS taking American jobs/money

• gobdawpaddy | Jan 07, 2012, 09:39 AM EST

  Sinead O'Connor or Charlie Bird syndrome perhaps. I have never heard of this guy. Maybe he just is in need of some attention.