GARDAÍ WERE CALLED after protesters attended an event in Dublin city centre where former Ireland rugby captain Brian O’Driscoll was the keynote speaker at a cyber-security conference with links to a former Israeli officer yesterday. 

O’Driscoll spoke at the summit at the five-star Westbury Hotel at Balfe St in Dublin city centre.

The Cyber Leader Summit Dublin 2025 was organised by Check Point, a cybersecurity company with offices in Tel Aviv and California.

As promoted in the notes for the event, O’Driscoll was due to “draw powerful parallels between the world of elite rugby and cyber defence… showing how teamwork, resilience, and strategy are just as critical on the digital front lines as they are on the pitch”.

One of the cyber security experts in attendance was Yochai Corem, a former intelligence officer in Israel’s Unit 8200, which has used AI to select bombing targets in Gaza and was recently kicked off Microsoft servers following an exposé by Israeli magazine +972 and The Guardian.  

Jude Farrell, a member of Mothers Against Genocide and founder of protest group Your Tech Their Death, was one of two protesters in attendance at the summit yesterday.

Farrell told The Journal that she entered the conference room where the summit was taking place shortly after O’Driscoll began his speech, and attempted to disrupt him by “shouting” at him.

She said that she was “dragged” out of the room by a man shortly after she had began her protest.

Once she was escorted out, the second protester also shouted at Brian O’Driscoll from the audience.

“Shame on you, what are you doing here,” the protester could be heard saying in footage seen by The Journal.

This protester was also escorted from the room.

A small protest at the Westbury Hotel took place after Jude and the second protester were escorted outside.

Gardaí said officers were called to a public order incident outside the hotel at around 3.30pm.

“Those involved dispersed peacefully,” a spokesperson said. No arrests were made.

A spokesperson for Check Point confirmed that the event went ahead, but would not give any more information about what happened.

“We have nothing further to add,” they told The Journal. 

Farrell said that she was “extremely disappointed” by O’Driscoll’s attendance at the event.

“I’m absolutely horrified. I don’t understand it,” Farrell said.

O’Driscoll’s appearance was also criticised by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which said it was “terrible to see Brian O’Driscoll speak at an event hosted by Israeli cyber sec company, Check Point, closely linked with the Israeli military and security services”.

“He cannot say he didn’t know. Completely out of step with the majority of us who stand with Palestine,” the group said.

Brian O’Driscoll’s booking agent has been asked for comment. 

With reporting from David Mac Redmond and Andrew Walsh

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