Christy Moore locked in room at Holyhead Port in 2004

Updated / Saturday, 27 Dec 2025 00:01 Christy Moore made a complaint about his treatment during a security stop at Holyhead Port in 2004 By Fiachra Ó Cionnaith Harry Manning Evelyn O'Rourke Legendary Irish folk singer Christy Moore was at the centre of a previously unknown diplomatic incident in 2004 when he was locked in a room and questioned over why he was travelling to England by boat by UK officials. The case is outlined in a summary of a meeting between the Department of Foreign Affairs and the British Home Office in London on 1 December 2004, which included a discussion over a rise in complaints about the treatment of Irish people in the Common Travel Area (CTA). According to files released as part of this year's State Papers, the department highlighted three main areas of concern: Irish passengers being unwittingly photographed at ports and airports, authorities carrying out stops and examinations under the Terrorism Act 2000, and people being asked to fill in personal information on a landing or embarkation card, an act known at the time as "carding". In relation to Mr Moore's "high-profile" case, the document shows that he had made a complaint about an inappropriate line of questioning and the locking of an examination room after his vehicle was stopped by port officials at Holyhead alongside his friend Michael Devine earlier that year. While the Home Office made clear that it could not comment on individual cases, several points were made by Eamonn McKee of the Anglo-Irish Division to Commander Bob Milton, who was the UK's National Co-Ordinator of Ports Policing, that had a bearing on Mr Moore's case. "Mr McKee brought up the issue of inappropriate lines of questioning and the damage that can be done should a person feel that they are being questioned for entertainment or curiosity value. "Commander Milton stated that this is a training issue. However, should a person feel that the line of questioning was inappropriate, he should make a complaint to the chief constable of the force in question, as it would be up to him or her to address any disciplinary or training questions," the summary read. "As regards locking the room Mr Moore was detained in, Milton considered that it was up to the officer to decide whether it was necessary to lock an examination room based on whether the person was likely to leave. He did acknowledge that there could be a health and safety issue." In a statement released through his publicist at the time, Mr Moore said none of his equipment, bags or his car was searched by police. He said it was saddening to think that this kind of treatment of Irish people travelling to the UK was not a thing of the past. He said he was questioned about his song lyrics and the contents of his briefcase. Mr Moore said other cars in the queue off the ferry had been searched, but maintained his own vehicle had not been inspected....

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