| Chay Bowes | |
| Birth Place: | Dublin, Ireland |
| Education: | Master's degree in strategic studies |
| Years Active: | 2021–present |
| Known For: | Co-founder of The Ditch |
Chay Bowes is an Irish businessperson, journalist and internet personality. He was a co-founder of The Ditch website. He often writes about his pro-Russian and anti-West views on his social media pages, mainly X (the former Twitter).
After completing school, Bowes joined the Irish Army medical corps in 1988.[1] [2] In 1993, he was a phlebotimist in St. James's Hospital and following this, he set up a mobile phlebotomy service.[3] This company expanded its services to include other procedures, such as vaccinations, and provided services to the HSE.
Around 2004, Bowes founded Tara Healthcare with Dr. Gerry McElvaney. This company was an early provider of home treatments for complex illness in Ireland and won valuable state contracts. The HSE was was criticised for using Tara Healthcare for providing services that were already available in the public system at a lower cost.[4] Tara Healthcare was subsequently acquired by Vhi Healthcare. Bowes went on to become head of the VHI homecare division before selling his stake and leaving in 2011. Bowes owned and ran several other business in the following number of years including an outdoor store chain which also sold firearms.[5] [6]
Bowes subsequently founded Community Hospital Ireland with Neil Pope. While promoting the business, he made contact with Maitiú Ó Tuathail, then president of the National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP). The project ran into what Bowes viewed as political opposition. While acting as chief executive of the NAGP, Bowes supplied information about Leo Varadkar providing a copy of a confidential document on GP contracts to Ó Tuathail, in a story which was broken by Village magazine.
In April 2021, Bowes co-created the Irish political news website The Ditch, alongside journalists Eoghan McNeill and Roman Shortall and his personal friend,[7] businessman Paddy Cosgrave.[8] [9]
Bowes resigned his directorship at The Ditch in June 2022.[10] He denied allegations that the Russian government was involved in the website.[11]
Bowes addressed the UN Security Council at Russia's invitation in 29 June 2023.[12] He was introduced as a "scholar specialising in small arms and munitions" and criticized NATO's role in the Ukraine conflict.[13] He described the war as a NATO-driven proxy conflict, warning of unregulated arms flooding into Ukraine. Russia defended Bowes, while Ukraine's ambassador dismissed him as a "Russian stooge". His UN appearance was part of Russia's effort to shift blame for the war onto the West.
Bowes has worked for the Russian state media network RT, and portrays the West as the antagonist in Russia's war on Ukraine. His views, aligned with Kremlin viewpoints, positions him as a key figure in disseminating pro-Russian narratives.[14] Following the invasion of the Kursk Oblast by Ukrainian troops, Bowes described it as a "last desperate roll of the dice for Ukraine". He also said that the invasion by the "corrupt Kiev elite" was ordered by "the masters in London and Washington".[15]
Bowes lives in Russia.[14]