Irish UFC star Conor McGregor's lavish lifestyle has been described as "disgusting". Photo / Photosport
Conor McGregor lives a life most of us can only ever dream of replicating.
He flies to lavish locations around the world whenever he wants, drives the most expensive cars on the planet and throws money around like it's confetti.
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Pictures from luxurious parties often flood his social media channels.
The 29-year old Irish phenom has become the biggest drawcard in not only the UFC, but fighting in general.
McGregor was born and raised in the inner city town of Crumlin, Dublin, and while he claims "that's my people", he has been slammed by another homegrown local for "smearing" the town.
Fintan O'Toole is one man who has made a name for himself out of the small town and the award-winning journalist has taken aim at McGregor for his "disgusting" life and bringing the reputation of Crumlin down.
O'Toole grew up in their shared hometown during the 1960s and 70s and revealed people from the poor, working class area were viewed as less respectable than everyone else.
While the stigma surrounding the town was bad, over time it all began to change.
But O'Toole thinks McGregor may be bringing that reputation back.
"It's back, thanks to a single clown," O'Toole said in the Irish Times.
Stories surrounding McGregor's extravagant parties are now more common than the sun rising since his defeat to Floyd Mayweather in August.
His latest efforts include a cosy snap with pop star Rita Ora, along with his entourage hosting 10 women at his hotel, and O'Toole said the reputation McGregor has cultivated for himself does no good for the kids from Crumlin who look up to him.
"Last week, we had the Instagram images of McGregor throwing £20 notes from a large wad at the twerking backsides of scantily-clad lap dancers, while his pals, described in the tabloids as 'Crumlin criminals', made lewd gestures," O'Toole wrote.
"It is all part of the gangsta image that McGregor seems determined to foist on his native place.
"This is a disgusting kind of life, but McGregor makes it both desirable and apparently attainable by branding himself as just another kid from the estate."
O'Toole said the majority of kids from Crumlin can only aspire to match McGregor's level of glitz and glamour by "carving their way to the top of the drug-dealing business.
"For the vast majority of them, there is just one viable route to driving a BMW i8 and throwing wads of cash at lap dancers, to the private plane and the magnums of champagne.
"And for the vast majority of those who take that route, it will lead to addiction, squalor, chaos and misery. They are infinitely more likely to die tryin' than to get rich.
"Conor McGregor purports to love Crumlin, to see its people as his people.
"If he does, he has a funny way of showing it — by smearing the place in the lurid ghetto glitz of the Get Rich or Die Tryin' culture.
"Crumlin kids need that allure like the hole in the head that is its ultimate outcome."
Recently, McGregor has been in the spotlight after an alleged run-in with figures connected to the Irish mafia.
Various reports from Ireland and the UK claimed McGregor had a threat made against his life after a barroom brawl in Dublin.
The reports claimed senior members of Ireland's infamous Kinahan crime cartel are seeking retribution against the UFC lightweight champion.
Irish police are aware of claims McGregor allegedly assaulted a man with ties to Kinahan lieutenant Graham "The Wig" Whelan — one of the country's most feared gangsters who was a key player in a long-running feud which claimed 16 lives in the early 2000s.
While McGregor is reportedly in "very, very serious danger" following the encounter, O'Toole believes his lifestyle is setting local kids up for failure.
But don't expect McGregor to apologise for the way he goes about living his life anytime soon.
Actually, don't expect McGregor to apologise for anything he does, ever.
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