Meanwhile, In Kilkenny

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Save Kilkenny protestor Lucy Glendenning

This morning.

Aisling Hurley writes:

“Heavy handed tactics by guards as they escort piles onto site earlier….”

Previously: The Lady In The Raft

Pic: Darragh Byrne

UPDATE:

Screen Shot 2014-08-06 at 11.45.02

Screen Shot 2014-08-06 at 11.47.18

Screen Shot 2014-08-06 at 11.47.47

Pics via HM Murray and Iain Mullen

Update:

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This evening..

Aisling Hurley writes:

“Guards pay second visit to CAS protest in one day. Heavy-handed? ”

 

 

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40 thoughts on “Meanwhile, In Kilkenny

    1. Martin

      Majority of people don’t want this new bridge/road.

      Anyone i know of taking part in the protests (I’m not myself) are retired, people taking holidays from work to protest or are teachers and the like.,

  1. Jimmy Jazz

    It is madness to be putting a big road like that through the middle of a medieval city. It would be different if it was outside the city, but Kilkenny is a lovely place and this is seriously going to do damage to the city for visitors and residents alike.

    1. munkifisht

      Welcome to your democracy. It would seem that most people are vehemently against this scheme but the local authority continue to push ahead with it. It would make sense to preserve the majesty of that fine city and go around it, but they pointedly refuse to do so. The corruption on display here is so blatant it’s sickening.

      1. scottser

        has anyone got a link to the planning decision? there must have been a hape of objections. was it referred to an bord pleanala?

  2. Mister Mister

    FFS, Heavy handed ? I’m sure they were asked more than once to move. Are the gardai supposed to say, ok then, that’s my job done, can’t do any more here.

    (This is not a comment on the rights or wrongs of the bridge, but the usual guff you read about protesters being physically move from somewhere that all of a sudden becomes policy brutality.)

    1. Am i still On this Island

      Spot on, when you ignore multiple requests or instructions of the Gardaí do you expect them to go right so or actually do their job

  3. Clampers Outside!

    Heavy handed? Where?

    Nothing heavy handed in those pics, the woman in the first pic appears to be with gritted teeth determination to not be moved and looks like she’s about to lash out, but the Garda looks calm restraining her.

    I know, it’s just one pic, but that’s what I see….

      1. ReproBertie

        No, because
        1: Serve the public trust
        2: Protect the innocent
        3: Uphold the law
        4: [CLASSIFIED]

        1. Domestos

          Rents are on the rise in downtown Detroit, OCP are doing a good job. No sign of ED-209 though, perhaps he’s in Gaza.

      1. ReproBertie

        No, the garda in question is a huge fan of big trucks.

        And possibly of females in white dresses.

      2. Mister Mister

        More likely to protect themselves from such outlandish claims as unnecessary heavy handed tactics.

    1. Eoin

      No, you have it backwards. That’s just after they settled all their differences and did a big group hug.

  4. pissedasanewt

    Doesn’t look heavy handed to move somebody obstructing legal activity.

    However, its a disgrace that this road is allowed to go ahead or even got planning. Its like Owen Keegan has a brother on KK council. We’ll look back in years to come and wonder it was allowed to happen and never again, shortly before deciding that the likes of Dublin and KK castle are old now and should be replaced with big glass skyscrapers.

    1. Mister Mister

      Eh, a brother of Owen Keegan in the council ? You’re obviously just jumping on the Owen Keegan name when in fact you’ve no idea of anything about him apart from the fact he had something to do with a fat cowboys concert.

      1. ReproBertie

        The decision was made before the elections and newly elected councillors were told at their first meeting that they had no power to change it.

  5. Clampers Outside!

    I asked a friend living in Kilkenny what his take on this debacle was….

    Warning: May cause outrage as contains speculation regarding a new Tesco store that has not been confirmed

    “The Bridge does seem very wide in comparison to the bridge beside it that’s for sure. People who work in the tourism trade (a lot of people in KK) are quite exercised about it. The rumour around the town is that the bridge needs to be put in place so that Tesco can develop a site around the former brewery site, and that is pissing people off if that is the reason, as we don’t need a massive Tesco in the middle of town. As with any project, people are asking the question – who benefits…. And its an open question. The protesters are saying that ruins of derelict houses are “architecturally important”… but I don’t really believe that to be honest.

    On the other hand for other people its just another bridge and the sky won’t fall in over it..The council are saying that despite a long running public consultation process, the anti –CAS (Central Access Scheme) didn’t get mobilized until it was effectively too late and the project was at the boots on the ground phase, and construction workers were in place to start work., so tough shyte lads. The council have decided that it can’t roll back on a decision made a year and a half ago after a two year consultation process. And it had been approved unanimously by every council meeting over the last few years.. The people supporting the protest are very vocal though and the support seems to be growing, so who knows what will happen.

    In our house herself is against it, I’m not that bothered to be honest.”

    So…. the objectors it would appear sat on their arses for far too long.

      1. Clampers Outside!

        True.

        But take that out and the rest seems pretty much balanced for either argument. And if correct, then the objectors left it a couple of years late to do something about it in fairness.

        1. Mister Mister

          Yeah, take the Tesco element out of it and the rest seems a reasonable summation of the situation.

  6. Hosanna in the Hiace

    “heavy handed”?

    Is there any rent a mob that doesn’t use this line?

    “My cause is poo – so I’m making stuff up about the Guards and those those clowns on Broadsheet haven’t the integrity or balance to question it”

  7. Murtles

    Back to hugging the trees Aisling, a Guard removing someone that’s on a public road obstructing traffic, does not a heavy hand make. Blame your councillors instead of the Guards.

    I do sympathise with Killkenny as here in Sligo we got a bypass that cut right through the town. Like the U2 song, we are now the city of blinding (traffic) lights with no fewer than 8 sets within a mile. Really helps the flow.

  8. Held

    Just to put people in the picture, this bridge is part of a thirty year old plan, called a central access scheme. It’s been stopped numerous times over the years in different guises. I’ve been involved in this current campaign for two years, not too late. The contracts were rushed through in June, we couldn’t get our hands on the contracts for weeks and there is still debate into whether the contracts we got are valid as there is no council signature. I personally am opposed to bridge on a number of reasons, I feel as a tourist town we should prioritise Kilkenny’s uniqueness, it is a hugely important stop on the tourist trail and most of our sustainable business comes from this sector. If, as rumoured and as has happened in other towns under the control of certain council executives, a retail development goes into this site, Kilkennys high street will be hugely effected. On another side I’m opposed to it visually, its a motorway style bridge through a medieval city, between two beautifully constructed bridges. Thirdly from a planning aspect I do not see the logic in this scheme, roads to and from this bridge/CAS will not be widened, traffic will be backed up all over the city on all access roads. Our council exec have changed their minds on numerous occasions over the reason for this bridge/scheme, it was originally for Smithwicks Brewery trucks, the brewery is now closed. There are lots of people in opposition to this road, there is a logical alternative, finish the ringroad and bring traffic out of the centre as per most cities nowadays. There are numerous high value sites linked to this road and I feel questions need to be asked? We’ve asked a lot have have received little or no answers….

    Another point highlighted by this campaign is new legislation brought in by Phil Hogan in June of this year, it’s being tested in Kilkenny and I feel must be challenged. Our councils now have very little power, most decision making power is now in the hands of the council executives who are not elected. We, the people, now have no say as the councillors, our elected voice, have no say. We’re paying councillors who have the power to do nothing.

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