Sinead O’Connor and Conor McGregor's COVID-19 spat

Sinead O'Connor and Conor McGregor clashed on Twitter after Keeling's Fruit, a farm in North Dublin, reportedly flew in foreign workers to pick fruit amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus seems to have punctured the friendship between Sinead O’Connor and Conor McGregor, who are now feuding – via Twitter, of course – about the recent arrival in Ireland of hundreds of temporary workers to pick fruit at Keelings, a top Irish farm in Dublin.

Five years ago in Las Vegas, Sinead sang “The Foggy Dew” as Conor entered the ring en route to a UFC victory over Chad Mendes, and her rendition of the classic song has been played at his other fights. But they’ve parted ways over the import of the strawberry pickers into Ireland – a common practice every year – during the COVID-19 crisis, with Sinead claiming that Conor’s an anti-immigrant racist.

The rupture started with a tweet last week from Conor saying:

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

McGregor's tweet was in reference to Keeling's Fruit, who had flown in people from Bulgaria to work as fruit pickers on their Dublin farm. The move drew criticism, as travel is meant to be limited amidst the coronavirus pandemic, and questions were raised as to why Keeling's didn't opt for Irish labor.

However, Keeling's later clarified that it only received a handful of applications from Irish applicants for its fruit picking openings. And that’s been the way for many years, hence the need for workers from abroad.

Sinead didn’t take too kindly to The Notorious’s offer. “@TheNotoriousMMA 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?"

@TheNotoriousMMA 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?

— Sinead O'Connor (AKA Shuhada Sadaqat) (@MagdaDavitt77) April 15, 2020

She followed up with:

@TheNotoriousMMA Are you on something?
— Sinead O'Connor (AKA Shuhada Sadaqat) (@MagdaDavitt77) April 15, 2020

@TheNotoriousMMA 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.
— Sinead O'Connor (AKA Shuhada Sadaqat) (@MagdaDavitt77) April 15, 2020

@TheNotoriousMMA I mean for fuck sake like, the chains of all command ? #WhateverYouBeenReadingYouNeedToPutItDown
— Sinead O'Connor (AKA Shuhada Sadaqat) (@MagdaDavitt77) April 15, 2020

@TheNotoriousMMA If you think you're helping Irish people by stoking xenophobia, you seriously need help yourself. Your remarks to Mayweather. made me ashamed of you to be honest. But I said nothing. But this "chain of all command remark" is dangerous. You ought withdraw it.

— Sinead O'Connor (AKA Shuhada Sadaqat) (@MagdaDavitt77) April 15, 2020

@TheNotoriousMMA Not to mention you're an immigrant worker your self!
— Sinead O'Connor (AKA Shuhada Sadaqat) (@MagdaDavitt77) April 15, 2020

McGregor replied:

I will refuse to listen to “don’t move more than 2k from home” yet air and sea ports, where the virus first entered, remain fully open. With upwards of 1k passengers in and out daily. It is equivalent to pushing and pulling at the same time.
That command cannot be followed. How?
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 15, 2020

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.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 15, 2020

O'Connor retorted:

You must be very careful what language you're using. It's offensive. Especially in light of your previous racist remarks.
— Sinead O'Connor (AKA Shuhada Sadaqat) (@MagdaDavitt77) April 15, 2020

O'Connor later tweeted, without tagging McGregor:

Man, I just get pissed about people going on about immigrants. Always full of gaslighting excuses. Saying they aren't xenophobic when they clearly are. We ought be grateful any human being fleeing for their life thought we were worth coming to.

— Sinead O'Connor (AKA Shuhada Sadaqat) (@MagdaDavitt77) April 15, 2020

The sparring continued into the following day:

I don't think your history of racist remarks makes you a helpful spokesperson on the issue.
— Sinead O'Connor (AKA Shuhada Sadaqat) (@MagdaDavitt77) April 16, 2020

To which McGregor said:

Sinead, God bless you. You are on record “hating White people” while babbling this nonsense to me.
You are also on record singing other people’s songs for profit. Over and over.
“Nothing compares to U” is Prince.
Write a classic for yourself for a change, sweet vocalist.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 16, 2020