Up to 700 protest against water charges in nenagh

A crowd of approximately 700 people took part in a march in Nenagh this Saturday afternoon to protest over water charges.

The march, which started at the town's Raiway Station, and was led out by four pallbearers carrying a black coffin with a  drape carrying the words 'Irish Water', proceeded through Kenyon Street and Pearse Street before organisers addressed the gathering at Banba Square.

The Government and the locally based Environment Minister Alan Kelly were criticised over plans to press ahead with implementing charges for water.

The crowd chanted slogans, 'Kelly Kelly Kelly Out Out Out' and 'Kelly In Your Ivory Tower, this Is Called People Power.'

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was also given a stark message by a crowd intent on not paying: 'Enda Kenny Not a Penny', they chanted in unison, before more chants of: 'From the Rivers to the Sea Irish Water Will Be Free'.

Addressing the crowd at Banba Square, Andrea de Vito, a spokeswoman for the group, Nenagh & District Against Unjust Water Charges, called on people not to pay water charges. 'What we want is mass non-payment. Do not pay; resist, revolt against Irish Water,' she urged, to resounding applause and cheers.

The organisers said they were delighed that so many people turned out in the persistent rain that fell from the start to the end of the demonstration.

Similar demonstrations took place in four other Tipperary towns: Roscrea, Cashel, Carrick-On-Suir and Tipperary Town. There were approximatley 80 protests nationwide.

 

A full report  of events will be published in next Wednesday's issue of The Guardian.

 

Photo shows some of the large crowd of protesters marching back down to the centre of Nenagh after campaign organisers addressed them at Banba Square.

Also shown is pallbearers carrying the black 'Irish Water' coffin at Banba Square.