CONOR MCGREGOR and Sinead O'Connor have come to blows on Twitter following a disagreement over coronavirus ideologies.
O'Connor accused McGregor of racism and xenophobia after taking issue with a tweet from the Dublin-born fighter which encouraged Irish natives to fill 1,500 farming job openings in the country.
McGregor was responding to an article by the Irish Independent which claimed that the farm sector was planning to fly in over a thousand overseas workers to save the fruit and veg harvest.
Men and Women, WE ARE HIRING ☘️
I need 1,500 labourers ready to work in our amazing food and agriculture industry.
Please send all C.V’s to @LeoVaradkar and @michaelcreed.
Flying in 1,500 people from the outside world, at this point in time, will break the chains of all command. https://t.co/CQXbtkdFNx— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 15, 2020
"I need 1,500 labourers ready to work in our amazing food and agricultural industry," McGregor wrote.
"Flying in 1,500 people from the outside world, at this point in time, will break the chains of all command."
O'Connor responded to the post in a series of tweets, appearing vastly unimpressed with McGregor's inference that immigrant workers coming to Ireland would be a bad idea.
"Could you please elucidate me as to what exactly you are referring when you say 'the chains of command?' Which you say will be broken if immigrant workers come to help farmers. What exactly are the chains of command?" O'Connor said.
The Nothing Compares 2 U star then took her response further, accusing McGregor of racism and "sounding like a slave owner."
"Are you on something?" She asked, before continuing, "because you sound like a slave owner more with each passing year. I mean, I love you an all, but like, what the fuck racist shit you been swallowing? Where has the real Conor gone? Because I know your mama didn't raise you to be any kind of racist."
McGregor eventually responded, denying accusations of racism, insisting that all travel into the country must be halted.
"Nothing whatsoever to do with immigrants. At this time it is crazy to even suggest anything other than essential medical equipment/personnel be flown in. Everything else must be halted. Even food. We have food here. We must shut shop Sinead. For now, not forever." He wrote.
The fighter added that flying in 1,500 workers was far too big a risk, particularly as there are likely just as many out of work labourers in Ireland ready and willing to do the same job.
On top of this, there are now 1500 labourers being sourced to fly in from abroad to work in our agriculture industry. At this time?
Too dangerous. Too risky.
Also, I’m sure we have 1500 out of work labourers at the ready. On soil.
It simply makes no sense what is being touted.— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 15, 2020
His explanation though didn't appear to satisfy Ms O'Connor, who later posted a tweet without tagging McGregor, though given the context, it was likely referring to him.
"Man, I just get pissed about people going on about immigrants. Always full of gas lighting excuses. Saying they aren't xenophobic when they clearly are," she wrote.
McGregor and O'Connor, two of Ireland's most globally recognised exports, are used to being at each other's side, with the UFC star famously walking out to O'Connor's version of The Foggy Dew before his fights.
Since the coronavirus outbreak, McGregor has been particularly vocal about he believes are the appropriate safety precautions for the country to take. He's taken to social media numerous times to encourage social distancing, quarantining and closing Ireland's borders, while he's also made a sizeable donating to the country's health service to aid in the fight against Covid-19.
