John McGuirk
John McGuirk is a contributor to the Irish Catholic and editor of the conservative news, opinion, and commentary website Gript..
McGuirk was elected, unopposed, as Eastern Area Officer of the Union of Students in Ireland in 2006. The following year, he unsuccessfully sought the position of president of the USI.
He was communications director for the Libertas Institute during its 2008 campaign against the twenty-eighth amendment of the constitution of Ireland. Turnout was 53.1% and the amendment was rejected by a 53.4% majority. McGuirk's involvement with Libertas continued through 2009, when the amendment was revised and approved by a 67.1% majority nationally with 59% turnout.
In the 2011 Irish general election, McGuirk ran as the New Vision candidate for Cavan–Monaghan. He received 2.4% of first preferences and was eliminated on the second count.
He was spokesman for Save the 8th, which campaigned against the thirty-sixth amendment of the constitution of Ireland. During the campaign, McGuirk stated "If Dublin Central is 75% yes on the day, I will never take a political job again". Turnout was 64.1% and the amendment was approved by a 66.4% majority nationally, with 76.5% approving in Dublin Central.
He has appeared as a guest in Irish broadcast media, including The Last Word, Tonight with Vincent Browne, the Tonight Show and The Right Hook. McGuirk spoke at the 2017 Kennedy Summer School. He has also contributed to some international publications such as The Critic in the UK.
