Pallaskenry Women - Two More Prepared For Jail.

limerick | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Tuesday June 13, 2006 23:24

by Niall Harnett - Gluaiseacht.

Joan Hayes (Orla Kaiser's mum) & Breda Clarke vow they will go to jail if necessary, with Orla, to protect their families, their community and their Spring Water. Get Real - No Deel.

"Mass clearances during the Irish Famine were made possible by the landlords' use of the infamous bailiffs - The Crowbar Brigade. Their actions combined with the presence of police were likely to quell any thought of serious resistance by tenants / indigenous people who 'must be taught by the strong arm of the law that they have no power to oppose or resist'." http://www.nde.state.ne.us/SS/irish/unit_3.html

Well, is that right?

Limerick County Council brought in their own Cro-bar Construction Brigade accompanied by An Garda Síochána again this morning in a staged attempt to push the polluted River Deel water pipeline past the 'white line', which was held again this morning by local residents, mostly women, including Orla Kaiser's mother Joan Hayes and Tom Clarke's wife Breda Clarke. Joan and Breda showed no fear in a powerful statement to Gardaí, Limerick County Council and national media, saying they are prepared to go jail if necessary, with Orla, to defend their rights and their Spring Water.

Joan Hayes & Breda Clarke - Strong & Defiant.

Yesterday in the high court in Dublin, Orla Kaiser refused to give an undertaking that she would abide by a court order injuncting/restraining her from 'interfering' with the construction of this water pipeline. Her case has been adjourned till Thursday 15th June, scheduled to be heard just after the judicial review of the whole pipeline saga and Limerick County Council’s behaviour, a review instigated by the Bleach Lough Spring Water Retention Committee last February.

Orla wasn't expecting to be 'at liberty' to be a part of last night's rally on the green in Pallaskenry which saw a large turnout in support of her and the campaign. Speakers included Orla herself, Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party who has been very supportive, and Orla's husband Stefan who made an emotional appeal to the people of Pallaskenry and Kildimo to commit to supporting them and their white line protest. Then everyone walked through the village out to the white line for a symbolic moonlit protest - Get Real, No Deel.

This morning at about 8am local residents started to arrive again at the white line. Cro-bar construction made a couple of drive-by's just to check out the resistance. Then they pulled up in numbers with trucks, vans, machinery, traffic lights and cones and began to set up. They were accompanied at this stage by LCC's Executive Engineer Colm Morrissey and proceeded to 'start work' by turning on the road-cutter con-saw close to the white line and cutting towards the line where they were met by some of the group standing firm and holding hands on the line. The con-saw was turned off, the contractors went for breakfast, Colm Morrissey got on the phone and everybody waited until ...

... later when Senior Engineer Donal Brennan arrived with the Gardaí, Colm Morrissey again and a refreshed Cro-bar brigade. They re-started the saw and were met once more at the white line with the usual resistance, this time photographed by Engineer Colm Morrissey. Senior Engineer Donal Brennan signalled for the saw to be stopped and for the Gardaí to move in. The Gardaí took the names and addresses of four people on the line and got into the squad car accompanied by LCC Engineer Donal Brennan to exchange notes!

It's important to note here that neither of these attempts by the Limerick County Council's Cro-bar Brigade to cross the line were legitimate attempts to start work, more to deliberately set the stage for a stand-off where more names can be added to the list of 'injunctees' for the purposes of bringing them back to the high court and seeking their committal to jail.

Immediately after that, while being interviewed on camera by a number of media crews, including RTE, both Breda Clarke and Joan Hayes expressed their disgust at these intimidatory tactics by Limerick County Council and vowed that they were prepared to continue to stand firm in their protest even if it meant their having to go jail.

If Limerick County Council remain true to form, then today’s protesters can expect hastily delivered summonses requesting the pleasure of their company at the high court in Dublin this Thursday 15th June at 11am.

Limerick County Council Public Persecution Engineers Donal Brennan & Colm Morrissey.

The Cro-bar Brigade.

A strong presence - in whose favour?

Darragh O’Brien, standing in at the rally for his Dad Donal, injuncted and in hospital.

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Comments (11 of 11)

Update from Pallaskenry today Wed 14th.

by Niall Harnett.

Thu Jun 15, 2006 00:59

Yesterday's antics were repeated today with contractors moving in early again this morning. Once more, the same group of local protesters as yesterday, including Joan and Breda, were there to greet them at the white line. Limerick County Council's Donal Brennan asked them to move away but they stayed put.

Joan Hayes asked Donal Brennan this question: "Who wants the Bleach Lough water?" She got no answer.

Donal Brennan was overheard asking the Gardaí to 'do something'. The Gardaí were heard to say 'they were only there to keep the peace', even though there has never been any question about the peaceful nature of this protest of resistance.

Significantly no summonses were issued to anyone who's names were taken at the white line yesterday and no names were taken today.

So Joan Hayes, Breda Clarke and others will not be in the high court tomorrow as anticipated.

The question now is what approach will Limerick County Council take towards Orla Kaiser tomorrow in court.

Will they seek Orla's committal to jail or will they command their legal dogs to back off?

HSA and something smells

by Seán Ryan

Wed Jun 14, 2006 00:41

Sorry about the staggered posts. Tiredness is catching up.

Methinks the HSA (Health and Safety Authority) needs to be called. Check out the Cro-Bar worker with the saw. He's using cutting equipment. Where are his safety goggles? And to a lesser extent his gloves and helmet. Are those shoes he's wearing steel toe-capped?

And Donal.......I know the HSA may not be too concerned, but think of the others that must have to put up with the fact that you've been wearing the same suit for more than a week now!!

Men can do the laundry too. (Empower yourself)

Jaysus we dunno whether the smell is you or the Deel.

No bother Seán.

by Niall

Wed Jun 14, 2006 00:33

I suppose they'd be ESB/Telegraph poles.

Must be awful to have that Garda in your face

by Jimmy - In solidarity

Wed Jun 14, 2006 00:23

What a shame to be ignorantly blocked by an Garda Siochana from protecting their community from polluted water. They are brave women and I commend them. At least they had the courage to stand up to LCC accompanied by their Garda friends.

More pics.

by Niall.

Wed Jun 14, 2006 00:22

“My name is Breda Clarke.”

Job done.

“Yes, I’m prepared to go to jail.”

“Why is my husbands name nailed to that pole like a criminal when the paedophiles go free and anonymous? Yes, I’m prepared to go to jail.”

A collaborative effort - nice work lads!? “I’m happy with that” says Donal Brennan to the Gardaí.

Let's see if Donal is still smiling after Thursday

Wed Jun 14, 2006 00:21

Excellent article Niall, sorry about dumping in between your posts.

By any chance would you have a picture that shows the full length of the pole the injunctions were posted on?

The prosecution on Monday, pointed out on no less than three occasions that the injunctions were posted on 'lampposts.'

Methinks that if any of us were to take such liberties in a Court, and particularly in the High Court, that there'd be ramifications.

Wed Jun 14, 2006 00:12

Here we go again.

Fine job you have Garda LK366.

Morrissey again - gathering intelligence!

Sad, isn’t it.

“My name is Joan Hayes.”

Wed Jun 14, 2006 00:04

Pause for prayer …

… and calculation.

Here he comes, our lord Donal Brennan with disciple Colm Morrissey ...

... and their angels!

Smug as a bug - it’s all going to plan for you isn’t it Donal Brennan, more women for you to punish.

Irony

Tue Jun 13, 2006 23:51

The courts recently freed a paedophile who had admitted to getting a child intoxicated and then raping her.

Paedophiles have rights you know!

Anyway, it strikes me as incredible that the courts might now be thinking of locking up three generations of the same family. Orla, Orla's mother and Orla's baby.

What is it that we are becoming, when it comes to this?

Tis excellent to see support growing despite the Council's efforts to ensure otherwise.

I pray the Judge peers beyond the red tape to focus on Justice, this coming Thursday. The Judge on Monday was a decent sort, so I'm not pessimistic.

From last night and into the morning.

Tue Jun 13, 2006 23:45

Cork Shell to Sea’s John & Elinor show welcome solidarity.