Courts / Mayo / Report
'Most people come here to bring a little bit of calm into their lives': discrimination claim over yoga studio ban after anti-Christmas 'outburst' rejected
Summary
A man from Enniscrone, County Sligo, has lost a religious discrimination claim at the Workplace Relations Commission following his lifetime ban from a yoga studio in Ballina, County Mayo. Peter McKeon had pursued a complaint under the Equal Status Act 2000 against yoga teacher Niamh Glackin, who trades as Roots Wellness, over his exclusion in 2024. Mr McKeon alleged discrimination after Ms Glackin banned him following an incident on 16 December 2024. During the hearing, the parties disputed what occurred, with Mr McKeon claiming he expressed opposition to Christmas, whilst Ms Glackin described an aggressive outburst involving explicit language about child abuse and paedophilia. Adjudication officer Brian Dolan found that whilst Mr McKeon was entitled to hold and express his religious views without discrimination, his language and manner were inappropriate for the yoga studio setting. The officer concluded that Ms Glackin's decision to ban him was based on his behaviour rather than his beliefs, and dismissed the complaint accordingly.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Most people come here to bring a little bit of calm into their lives': discrimination claim over yoga studio ban after anti-Christmas 'outburst' rejected. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- 16 December 2024 Other
- 26 January Hearing Or Sentence
- Christmas Incident
- 2026-05-07 Publication
Why: Banning Mr McKeon was "my right as a business owner" in order to ensure "my safety and the safety of my clients", Ms Glackin added. CNI source report
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