Ward family say they will have to move onto roadside if works go on
PATRICK and Nora Ward, their five children, three married sons, three daughters-in-law and three grandchildren currently live in Glenview Halting Site. They are not happy at the prospect of their halting site being refurbished for another Traveller family.
They have remained quietly in the background up until this Monday when Nora Ward and four family members felt compelled to join the McGinley family on the steps of Sligo County Council headquarters to voice their opposition to the plan.
Speaking to The Sligo Champion during the protest, Nora explained why she was there:
“I live in Glenview Park. I’ve been there 15 years. I’m here today because I’m against this for the reason my family is overcrowded in one bay and they want to refurbish six bays, put a family in and put a ten foot wall around a family that doesn’t want to come in,” she said.
“Five or six years ago I seen [sic] the plans for group housing for my own family. Now them plans is gone and they went ahead with these new plans and never even informed or told us about them,” she said.
“If this goes ahead today me and my husband and all my family will be moving out of Glenview Park and going out on the roadside,” she said.
“I can’t wait there with that family (the McGinleys). We don’t get on at all,” she said.
Her message for the councillors was to “stop it, stop what they’re at. It’s only nonsense.”
“Leave me and my family where we are and give us the houses we were promised,” she said.
Speaking afterwards, a visibly upset Nora said: “I am very, very upset. Myself and my children will be put out on the side of the road today.
“We’re moving out. I can’t live with a family I don’t get on with,” she said. “Glenview is only big enough for one family. I reared all my family in a small one bedroom,” she said. “How can I let all this work go ahead with all my small children about? I am letting no machinery into Glenview Park so they better re-think their decision made here today.”