3,000 Monaghan People March Against Hospital Closure

national | miscellaneous | news report

Wednesday July 31, 2002 14:24

by Justin - Sinn Fein

There was a massive turnout of over 2,000, possibly close enough to 3,000 people at a march in Dublin city centre today to protest against the government’s policy on Monaghan Hospital, which is facing closure.

There was a massive turnout of over 2,000, possibly close enough to 3,000 people at a march in Dublin city centre today to protest against the government’s policy on Monaghan Hospital, which is facing closure. Talking to people on the march it was clear that many of them had never demonstrated before but after months of campaigning, petitions, postcards and the election of an Independent Hospital candidate they still have got nowhere.

The crowd was very enthusiastic and angry as it was led off from the Garden of Remembrance after listening to speeches from women whose lives had been affected by the downgrading of Monaghan Hospital including one woman whose father is dieing in Cavan Hospital as a result of the inept management and bureaucracy of the North Eastern Health Board. The march proceeded down O’Connell St and the tail end of the march was still coming on to the street as the truck leading the march was already crossing the bridge. The march headed on to the Department of Health but, being a recent hospital visitor myself I wasn’t able to go on much further so for all I know they’ve seized the Department HQ and are holding Martin hostage. Interestingly, among the multitude of banners and placards from GAA clubs, residents associations, farming groups, Union groups were many with the slogan ‘Michael Martin, NO to Monaghan Hospital, then NO to Nice’

By common agreement party political banners and spokespersons were not allowed (Though Fine Gael snuck in a banner, maybe the establishment right isn’t all that different from the sectarian left ;) ) but Sinn Féin TDs Caoimhghin O’Caolain, Sean Crowe and Arthur Morgan joined Independent Hospital TD Paudge Connolly and councillors from across party lines in Monaghan, including three Dublin Sinn Féin councillors.