Chay Bowes

Not to be confused with Chad Bowes.

Chay Bowes is an Irish businessperson, journalist and internet personality. He was a co-founder of The Ditch website. His writing, primarily posted on Twitter, takes a pro-Russian and anti-West position.^[2]

Chay Bowes
Bowes in 2021
Born	Dublin, Ireland
Education	Master's degree in strategic studies[1]
Years active	2021–present
Known for	Co-founder of The Ditch

Career

After completing school, Bowes joined the Irish Army medical corps in 1988.^[3][4] In 1993, he was a phlebotimist in St. James's Hospital and following this, he set up a mobile phlebotomy service.^[4][5] 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.^[4][6][5] This company was an early provider of home treatments for complex illness in Ireland and won valuable state contracts. The HSE was criticised for using Tara Healthcare for providing services that were already available in the public system at a lower cost.^[7] 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.^[6][8]

Around 2017, Bowes founded Community Hospital Ireland with Neil Pope.^[4] 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 released information showing Leo Varadkar had provided a copy of a confidential document on GP contracts to Ó Tuathail, in a story which was broken by Village magazine in 2020.^[9]

In 2020, right-wing media outlet Gript published an article linking Bowes to an anonymous Twitter account that had expressed views supportive of Vladimir Putin, urged Russia to slaughter Ukrainians and made homophobic comments. In 2021, Bowes initiated a lawsuit against Gript writers John McGuirk and Gary Kavanagh over the article.^[10][11]

In April 2021, Bowes co-created the Irish political news website The Ditch, alongside journalists Eoghan McNeill and Roman Shortall and his personal friend,^[9] businessman Paddy Cosgrave.^[12][13]

Bowes resigned his directorship at The Ditch in June 2022.^[14] He denied allegations that the Russian government was involved in the website.^[15]

Connections to Russia

Bowes addressed the UN Security Council at Russia's invitation in 29 June 2023.^[16] He was introduced as a "scholar specialising in small arms and munitions" and criticized NATO's role in the Russo-Ukrainian war.^[2] He described the war as a NATO-driven proxy conflict, warning of unregulated arms flooding into Ukraine.^[2] Russia defended Bowes, while Ukraine's ambassador dismissed him as a "Russian stooge".^[2] His UN appearance was part of Russia's effort to shift blame for the war onto the West.^[2]

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.^[1][17] Following the invasion of the Kursk Oblast by Ukrainian troops, Bowes described it as "Ukraines last ditch roll of the Dice" (sic). He also said that the invasion by the "corrupt Kiev elites" was ordered by "their masters in London and Washington".^[18]

Bowes lives in Russia.^[1]

2025 Romanian presidential election

Bowes was detained on 1 May, 2025, on his arrival at Bucharest airport on his way to Romania, to cover the presidential election.^[19] He was prevented from entering under a law that prevents foreign interference in Romanian politics.^[20] He was provided with information how to challenge the charges, but decided to book a flight to Turkey instead.