TRAVELLERS TO MARCH ON KILLARNEY
PROTEST PLANNED AT KILLARNEY’S ST PATRICK’S PARADE OVER ALLEGED REFUSAL TO SERVE TRAVELLING COMMUNITY
A MEMBER of the Travelling Community spearheading the ‘ Tom Rights’ campaign has said he expects ‘ thousands’ to participate in a protest planned for Killarney from 1pm to 9pm on Saint Patrick’s Day to coincide with the town’s parade.
The Tom Rights Facebook page, which ‘aims to secure human rights for Travellers in Killarney,’ started up on Sunday, March 5, in response to alleged refusal by establishments in Killarney to serve members of the Travelling community. The page had over 1,200 ’friends’ at time of print.
Since it was set up, three meetings addressing the concerns of Travellers – who say they have been refused service at pubs, restaurants and shops in Killarney – have taken place at Ballyspillane Community Centre and Killarney Court Hotel.
The Tom Rights campaign now plans to protest on Saint Patrick’s Day against alleged discrimination, with groups of protestors departing from outside Fitzgerald Stadium, St Mary’s Cathedral, The Franciscan Friary and The Gleneagle.
“This peaceful protest is not a statement against the general public of Killarney and I hope the protestors will include members of both the settled and Traveller communities from all over the county, the country, and elsewhere,” a Tom Rights spokesperson told The Kerryman.
“It’s absolutely not something we wanted to do, but we’ve been left with no other choice by businesses in the town. My daughters have to travel to Dingle for nights out because they’d be refused admission around Killarney.
“Tom Rights is doing this for future generations: our children and our grandchildren.”
Organisers have arranged t-shirts and banners for the protest and the group said it is prepared to protest again in future if its concerns are not addressed.
A meeting was held at the Killarney Court Hotel last Friday, March 10, and was attended by Deputy Michael Healy Rae; councillors Toiréasa Ferris and Donal Grady; and Brian Finucane of People Before Profit.
Cllr Ferris said a protest is ‘not in the interest of Killarney, or Kerry’, and has called for the relevant parties to reach a resolution to prevent a protest.
“I fear a protest has the potential to worsen the situation rather than improve it, and in fairness to the members of the Travelling community who organised Friday night’s meeting, they seem open to the idea of reaching a resolution,” she said.
Cllr Grady also said he did not agree with holding a protest on Saint Patrick’s day and called for the protest to be averted. He added however that ‘if people who have done nothing wrong in Killarney,” he said. are being denied services, that Killarney Chamber of Tourism is wrong’. and Commerce, which is
Tom Rights said it has not organising this year’s St Patrick’s been contacted by any business Day Parade on behalf of interests in Killarney ahead of the Municipal District Council, the protest, but said it’s ‘willing has released a statement in to sit down and talk.’ which it said ‘it does not, and
The theme of this year’s St will not, condone any form of Patrick’s Day Parade is ‘Diversity,’ restriction for any social group and Cllr Michael Gleeson or discrimination of any sort.’ suggested an ideal situation It added that ‘it is however up would be to get the Travelling to every individual business to community to participate in manage their business as they the parade. see fit.’ The chamber explained
“Killarney is a diverse place, it represents most of, but not and I think it would be a nice all, the businesses in Killarney. way forto showthe Travellingtheir willingness community The is statementexcluded from also celebratingsaid ‘nobody to be involved in the local communityour Patron Saint’s Day.’