Homeless man’s threats to Council

November 1983

Enniscorthy Urban Council’s montly meeting was again disrupted on Monday night by an individual who entered the Council Chamber uninvited and without permission, and proceeded to abuse, intimidate and threaten the elected members. He caused two adjournments of the meeting, just as he had also done last month.

But his amazing outbursts obviously had an effect on the membership, and caused them to take steps to provide accommodation for him, when they have chosen to ignore the claims of others in similar and worse circumstances.

The man concerned is [NAME WITHELD], of no fixed abode, who is a native of the town.

Having entered the Council Chamber, he was approached by the Town Clerk, Mr. Ger Griffin, as the Chairman, Mr. Sean Sheahan, adjourned the meeting.

Just five minutes elapsed when the Clerk told the Chairman that the ‘visitor’ had agreed to be quiet. He had seated himself in a position opposite the Chairman and officials. The business of the meeting then proceeded.

Within a very short time, however, the man was tripping to and fro between Councillor Andy Doyle and Deputy John Browne. The activity was ignored by the Chairman, but he then began to interrupt speakers.

The meeting was adjourned again – this time for a period in excess of twenty minutes.

Officials and some members coaxed, cajoled, pleaded with, and finally threatened the man with the Gardaí, in their attempts to get him to leave.

The man cursed and swore in response, and singled out Deputy Ivan Yates for particularly vicious name-calling.

The point he made amidst his abuse was that he was a native and was entitled to sleeping accommodation. He said that he wanted ‘action’ and not ‘bull____’.

He repeated the threat he made at the October meeting that he would burn down some people’s homes if he was not accommodated.

‘If you do not give me somewhere to sleep, some of you may have no homes before Christmas,’ he declared.

Mr. Tommy Owens wanted to use physical force to eject him.

When he eventually left, coaxed down the stairs by Deputy John Browne, aided by Mr. Owens, there was a debate on the man’s circumstances.

The astonishing aspect of the incident was the apparent willingness of the Council to accommodate the man.

Of course it is the duty of the Council to provide housing for people in certain circumstances. But Enniscorthy has several others in need too. They come in all age groups. They are old and infirm, timid, innocent. They have been homeless and living in the most wretched conditions for years.

As Deputy John Browne urged the purchase of a caravan for the man, and Mr. Andy Doyle sought (as he previously done) the provision of a ‘tigín’ at Drumgoold for him, the single voice against the proposal was that of Mr. Charles Kavanagh.

He objected strongly to the Council bending before the threats and intimidation they had heard that night.

Quite apart from the fact that the Council had no money to purchase a caravan for the man, caravan dwelling is also illegal in the urban area under the Council’s bye-laws, and the Town Clerk pointed out there is no site on which to put one.

Wexford County Council have their own problems. They may or may not accede to the ‘strong recommendation’ that the man be accommodated in a Drumgoold ‘tigín’ that is currently vacant.

If they refuse, it may be necessary for Enniscorthy Urban Council to look their front door for their December meeting.