Social Democrats TD Eoin Hayes apologises for dressing up as Barack Obama in brown make-up

A Social Democrat TD has apologised for wearing “brown makeup” on his face while dressing up as Barack Obama for Halloween 16 years ago.

Eoin Hayes said a newspaper intended to publish the images on Tuesday and described the incident as a “huge mistake”.

In a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter, Mr Hayes wrote: “At a Halloween party 16 years ago, while President of the Students’ Union in University College Cork, I dressed up as someone I greatly admired at the time, US President Barack Obama - whose re-election campaign I went on to work for in 2012.

“I have been told that a news outlet has photographs of this evening, which they will publish tomorrow (Tuesday).

“While I didn’t have an understanding of how hurtful it was at the time, I came to recognise that in the intervening years and I am so profoundly sorry. What I did was completely inappropriate and a huge mistake.

“I condemn racism in all its forms and do not condone that behaviour under any circumstances.

“I take full responsibility for my actions and from the bottom of my heart, I apologise for any and all hurt caused by what I did and the images of that night.”

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