Wicklow man tells how ‘constant, constant harassment’ campaign left him isolated, anxious and underweight

By Darragh McCann, The Wicklow People

For more than six years, Marcus Doyle says he lived with a campaign of harassment which slowly consumed his professional and personal life, leaving him afraid to apply for jobs, withdrawing from family and losing substantial weight as it dominated his life.

What began as a relationship between a golf manager and a member of the golf club became a sustained campaign of harassment against the former Druids Glen golf manager.

The businessman had become embroiled in a dispute with the club, which began before Mr Doyle arrived, but as a customer-facing employee, it was the manager who became the target of the member’s anger.

Now, with the member, Niall Barry, given a fully suspended 18-month prison sentence in June, Mr Doyle has come forward to share the harrowing details of the impact his actions had on his life.

Something changed in me. I became so strong. Once I gave my statement to gardaí, it was just a case of keeping my dignity and my sanity

Behind the professional image, a once-fit golfer saw his weight drop to nine stone during the ordeal, as he was taking Xanax and medication for anxiety, while continuing to put on a brave face in public.

In 2019, Mr Doyle began a relationship with his girlfriend, but as the campaign intensified, his personal life began to unravel. By 2021, he said he wanted nothing more than to be at home by himself, with the pressure of what was happening at work beginning to affect his relationship.

“I wanted to be at home by myself,” he said, explaining that he felt like he was letting his girlfriend down. The relationship came to an end due to the impact of the harassment.

At the same time, he said he was working every hour he could at Druids Glen, while worrying about keeping his job and the impact the ongoing campaign could have on his career.

He said he eventually became reluctant to pursue other employment opportunities because he feared Mr Barry would interfere with his prospects, having already contacted numerous golf clubs nationwide with negative comments about him.

The pressure began to turn inwards, with Mr Doyle describing a growing sense of social anxiety that led to him even avoiding family gatherings.

Looking back now, Mr Doyle says there is little advice he could give his younger self.

“I lost five or six years,” he said. “I didn’t even golf.”

Originally from Arklow, Mr Doyle attended school in New Ross, Co Wexford before going on to college in the UK, where his love of golf continued to develop.

When he returned to Ireland he took up a role at Castleknock Golf Club in Dublin, before making the move to Druids Glen in Newtownmountkennedy at the age of 29.

By then, Mr Doyle had his sights firmly set on achieving great things in the golf industry. But he believes the campaign of harassment against him created a vicious circle which severely damaged his career prospects.

Money was never his motivation, he insists. Instead, he describes himself as passionate and diligent, someone who simply wanted to work hard and build a good career.

Despite everything that happened, Mr Doyle said he still believes that he has come through the ordeal with a stronger sense of who he is.

“I suppose I’m a big believer in silver linings,” he said. “Something changed in me. I became so strong. Once I gave my statement to gardaí, it was just a case of keeping my dignity and my sanity.”

Once gardaí moved in and arrested Mr Barry, Mr Doyle decided it was time for a new chapter and made the move to Woodbrook Golf Club in Bray.

“I disclosed it in my interview, they have been great to me,” he said. “I think to myself, ‘I want to retire here’. I want to thank them for taking a chance on me, with this hanging over me.”

Mr Doyle said he was never made to feel like a burden at Woodbrook, even after receiving correspondence from Mr Barry advising them against hiring Mr Doyle.

After his move to Woodbrook came the court case against Mr Barry, another chapter in an ordeal which had already consumed years of his life.

The court heard that the campaign included hundreds of social media posts and emails, and even went as far as Mr Barry contacting potential employers after Mr Doyle left his role at Druids Glen.

In the social media posts, Mr Barry repeatedly referred to his victim as “the Weasel Doyle” or “the weasel”, while accusing him of being a “liar” and “untrustworthy”.

Sentencing Mr Barry, Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin remarked that Mr Barry had engaged in a deliberate campaign of intimidation and harassment against Mr Doyle over a prolonged period.

“The conduct was intended, it wasn’t accidental,” said Judge Ní Chúlacháin, adding that Mr Doyle was not “collateral damage” but the specific target of the campaign.

Mr Barry (74), of Coolnavee, Hillside, Greystones, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in June for his campaign of harassment against Mr Doyle, with the sentence suspended it in its entirety for five years

Mr Doyle said he feels that Mr Barry’s wealth also played a role in how he handled the situation.

“Because he was so wealthy, various solicitors told me it would cost me a lot of money to take him on,” he said.

When asked why he believed he was targeted, Mr Doyle expressed his view forcefully: “In typical bully fashion, he thought I was the weakest link in the organisation. He felt like I might crack, but unfortunately for him he picked wrong.”

Even moments which should have been highlights in Mr Doyle’s career became another source of abuse. In 2019, he was named Golf Manager of the Year, an achievement which should have been a proud moment.

Instead, he said it triggered another barrage of tweets from Mr Barry, who claimed the award had only been given to him because the dinner had been held at Druids Glen.

All I could think about was my dad. He was 79 when he died. When he was in St Vincent’s dying, we were talking about this

Around 2021, the campaign stepped up and eventually became overwhelming for Mr Doyle.

“People would joke about what was happening, but behind the scenes I was struggling with the constant pressure,” he said.

Mr Doyle also played a significant role in the €10 million makeover project at Druids Glen in 2023, which he says prompted Mr Barry to harass him further.

What made the campaign particularly difficult was how far-reaching it became. Mr Doyle described the campaign as “vindictive and far-reaching”.

Friends and family would see what was happening and try to help by sharing material with Mr Doyle. As the social media posts continued, he began gathering evidence of the campaign, including more than 450 social media posts.

“It was constant, constant harassment,” Mr Doyle said.

Speaking about the court process that followed, which can be a daunting experience for anyone involved, Mr Doyle became emotional as he recalled his late father.

He said that he feels the all-consuming nature of the harassment meant he lost precious time with him.

“All I could think about was my dad,” he said. “He was 79 when he died. When he was in St Vincent’s dying, we were talking about this.”

He added: “All I could think was how proud of me he would have been. I wore his ring for good luck throughout the proceedings.”