Irish TV presenter ‘punched to ground’ in Dublin city attack

The TV star said he was assaulted by a group of men in what he felt was a homophobic attack.

The fashion designer opened up on social media about the horrifying incident that occurred at the junction of Ushers Street and Queen Street.

Courtney said: "Last night at 9 o'clock on my way home with some food, crossing the traffic lights just outside my apartment on the quays, three lads pulled up in a car and jumped out, they jumped on me, attacked me, and punched me to the ground.

"They cut my f***ing ear, there was a load of blood, I have a little gash. I'm lucky actually, but I'm all sore because they kicked me in the head a couple of times."

Brendan confirmed that a kind American couple and a local bar manager came to his rescue but that his attackers fled the scene before the police arrived.

He told his followers: "An amazing American couple walking by started screaming, and the manager from the place on the corner came out, and the police were there in seconds.”

"That happened to me yesterday, so be careful. Dublin, what’s going on?" he said.

The presenter said we can do better and attacks like this should never happen.

"Thank you everybody for the messages. It's not good enough to be set upon on the street where you live and end up on a Friday in A&E. It's not good enough. We can do better," he said.

Brendan visited A&E with a suspected mild concussion.

"I’m sure I’m fine, just I reckon I have a mild concussion, my head is thumping," he told his supporters.

Courtney told RTÉ's Liveline that he felt the incident was an opportunistic homophobic attack and that the perpetrators were "on the hunt".

He said he fears there is an "anti-gay rhetoric" building in Ireland and stressed that we can and must do better.