‘Final Preparations Were Being Made For Their Arrival’

at

From top: The Shannon Key West Hotel, Rooskey, County Roscommon this morning; Rooskey this morning; Statement from the Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan

Last night.

Rooskey, County Roscommon

The 39-bedroom hotel has been the subject of significant controversy since the Department of Justice confirmed proposals before Christmas to provide accommodation for 80 asylum seekers there.

When gardaí and the emergency services arrived at the scene, they found the building reception enveloped with smoke.

It is understood a security operative was present on the first floor of the premises when the fire began.

Gardaí will investigate claims that a number of individuals broke into the premises to spread flammable liquids in the hotel.

Fire at Rooskey hotel marked as possible direct provision centre (RTÉ)

UPDATE:

Anticipointment tweetz:

Key West Shannon, a hotel which was to become home to 80 asylum seekers is on fire. Here are screenshots from a far right youtubers video about the hotel where numerous people advocate arson and racial violence.

UPDATE:

On November 7, 2018, in the Dáil.

Fianna Fáil TD Eugene Murphy said:

“Over the weekend in the village of Rooskey, which is eight miles from my place on the County Leitrim side, we were told that a refugee centre was moving to the old Shannon Key West Hotel. No one in the community has been informed.

“A meeting has been organised by some of the people involved with community groups only. They have picked special people to go into it. As a local Deputy, I was not even asked. I imagine Deputy Martin Kenny, as the Deputy on the Leitrim side, was not asked.

“Why is the Government doing this under a secret type of cover? Why is the Government not coming to the communities? By the way, the communities will take on this challenge and support those people. The people who are bringing this in are saying we are going to have extra teachers in the school and extra support for the doctors, but these things are not happening.

“They did not happen in Ballaghaderreen either. Communities are prepared to support these people but I appeal to the Government to give back-up to communities to help and assist them.”

Transcript via Kildarestreet.com

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59 thoughts on “‘Final Preparations Were Being Made For Their Arrival’

  1. Rep

    What a shock that the same people that don’t like women’s rights and gays rights also happen to not be fans of brown people.

    1. scottser

      ironic that they share these sentiments with the same loyalist ‘security personnel’ who perform the evictions in that neck of the woods. see, if they sat around and discussed things they’d see they have more in common that they think..

    2. dylad

      Most of them are over on theliberal.ie. The sort of people who actually hate the homeless too, but prefer them to ‘outsiders’, as Bob Ballagh calls them.

  2. Eoin

    The fact that the minister or his Department can’t spell “Rooskey” is probably a good clue to the hostility to the plans to have 80 asylum seekers plonked in a village with a population of 600 in a very rural location which is a minimum of 2 hours from Dublin (and probably double that by public transport, if available) where asylum admin services, like interviews, hearings and court challenges are dealt with.

    1. TheQ47

      a minimum of 2 hours from Dublin (and probably double that by public transport, if available)
      Two hours by train from Dromod to Dublin, and Dromod train station is less than 5 minutes from this hotel.

  3. Bort

    You’d wonder why Roscommon is one of the cheapest place to buy property in the country, it’s the worst!
    And I’m just throwing this out there, they drive like maniacs!

  4. Murtles

    The whole “let’s look after our own first” crew throw out the same old same old rhetoric “they’ll get houses, medical cards, social welfare etc” which is bullsh-eye-tea. So if the Shannon Key West Hotel was made available to Irish homeless people, how many do you think would sign up to live in Rooskey (up the main street down the same street)? I felt sorry for the Syrians to be honest, flee Syria then have to flee Ireland.

    1. Boules

      You will never understand
      How it feels to live your life
      With no meaning or control
      And with nowhere left to go.
      You are amazed that they exist
      And they burn so bright,
      Whilst you can only wonder why….
      You’ll never live like Roscommon people
      You’ll never do what Roscommon people do

  5. SOQ

    Firstly I am NOT justifying this sort of behaviour but I do see both sides.

    On one hand is a small rural community, who wouldn’t be the most liberal in the first place, having a group of foreigners (their words) dumped on them, probably without the support services or even translators to rely on.

    Then you have these poor people who are probably already traumatised with nowhere to go being subjected to what appears to be out and out racism. While there may be some social issues, they just want to be left alone to live as best they can and nobody should have a problem with that.

    The real fault lies with those who are making these decisions because you can be certain they are not living anywhere near that hotel or community, Both the refugees and the locals are victims of this situation because neither appeared to have any say in it.

        1. Rep

          Just to confirm, are you using Grand Torino as part of your defense for excusing the arsonists?

          I am not justifying BUT…. I am not racist BUT….

      1. SOQ

        If they had no say in the decision then what else would they be? Does the fact that a few thugs set fire to the hotel render all criticism of the decision somehow invalid to you? When they arrived, what were these people supposed to do all day, sit in a hotel room eh?

        But no, it is easier just to label people racist because then you don’t have to think about it. Whether they are from is irrelevant. If the amenities were not in place then it was not fair on the locals and definitely not fair on the refugees.

        1. Rob_G

          Ask any ‘locals’, anywhere, if they want any social housing/sheltered accommodation of any description near them, and they will come up with reasons why their area isn’t appropriate.

          There is a housing crisis in most of the large urban centres in Ireland; there is none in Rooskey. Ergo, it is a much more appropriate place to provide housing for asylum seekers at this current time.

          1. SOQ

            it is a much more appropriate place to provide housing for asylum seekers at this current time, especially as we want to make them feel as unwelcome as possible.

            You forgot the last bit.

            Ireland’s record on the treatment of asylum seekers is borderline criminal so there is no reason to assume refugees will be treated any differently. Sorry if that does not fit you anti cuclhie racist sloganeering but it is pretty much the truth. .

          2. Rob_G

            If you extend your reasoning to its logical conclusion, no asylum seekers would be housed anywhere in this country.

    1. A Person

      Seriously.. it’s the decision makers fault as opposed to the people who burnt the building down… Are you for real?

      1. SOQ

        Where did I say that please?

        God the internet is getting worse with every week. No grey areas, black and white, we DEMAND black and white. .

  6. Dhod

    A chap I went to school with many moons ago now lives in Keadew in Roscommon. We are friends on FB and recently I saw he ‘liked’ a page which was against turning this hotel into a direct provision centre. The comments/posts on this page were mind boggling. Most feared sexual assault, rape and kiddie fiddling were part of the deal with any asylum seeker. Many others feared being robbed.
    When I heard the place was set on fire this morning my heart sank. Morons

  7. Shayna

    I’m no stranger to Roscommon – to be fair it was a GAA match(s) that I visited. It’s a very bleak county. Perhaps it’s got better whatwith, Moone Boy – Chris O’Dowd etc. It’s interesting that the Irish Government – fulfilling their EU duties to “deal” with refugees – they end up in Roscommon – oh, look at the welcoming.

  8. millie st murderlark

    Nice job lads.

    I hope ye get a nice cozy stint in gaol for your trouble. Shameful business altogether.

  9. Dub Spot

    An attack like this is unacceptable, wrong, and to be condemned. Disgusting.
    It is also wrong that the Government did not first consult and then tell local people of the decision when it was made. FOI the date of the decision of this and other centres planned. That the Government did this is no surprised. It’s part of the same mentality that has one of their own cabinet being appointed without competition on the basis of them “being uniquely qualified for the job”.

    Was Rooskey “uniquely qualified for the job” too?

    The Gardai need to investigate and prosecute. The courts need to convict the idiots and racists involved.

  10. rotide

    Sure the mob got so much support from people round these parts when they burned out the security guards at the repossession, they turned their attention to something else.

    No one finds it in the LEAST bit surprising that this happens in the same bloody county that mob vigilanteism was lauded so heavily?

  11. phil

    I grew up in Kerry , in around 2000, the government decided to house 12 asylum seekers in Glenbeigh , there was a lot of concern in Killorglin , from the ‘good’ people of the town , and then this happened https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/news/thugs-smash-window-in-anti-refugee-outrage-27374350.html
    A lot of people seemed to be embarrassed by the violence. It looked really bad for our area, people in dublin were reading about us. Things seemed to calm down then, I was told by a mate who was in the pub the night they arrived, a fella ran into the pub shouting,
    ‘ They have arrived , the bus just pulled up’. Someone in the bar shouted ‘Are they BLACK?’ , the first guy replied ‘ As the ace of spades’ , the place exploded into laughter, I suspect more from the turn of phrase rather than the racism, but yes depressing reaction.

    That was the last I heard of it, I went to college. but I did ask a few yrs later how it all they panned out, I was told they were great ‘fine people’, it was a lot of fuss about nothing, people were very curious about them, loved talking to them, they were able to find out about the places they came from and loved introducing them to ‘Irish Culture’ the non racists parts , even went so far as to hassle the government to allow them to engage in paid work … there was much more positive stuff but I wont bore you…

    years later this is what was exercising them https://www.radiokerry.ie/accommodation-centres-for-asylum-seekers-in-kerry-paid-almost-16-million-euro-between-1999-and-2011/

    1. Otis Blue

      I’d say they’re supping pints of Puc in Falvey’s as we speak, having put in a shift at Fexco.

      Grand part of the world.

      1. Cian

        in fairness, what would you do if you had escaped from the hellhole of Syria and found out you were going to Leitrim/Roscommon?

        1. millie st murderlark

          Actually, fair point. Seems cruel to send them there after all that.

          Simon, I take it back. All is forgiven, friend!

  12. Custo

    Gemma O’Doherty has lost the plot completely. She’s tweeting about this being fake news and a government false flag. Mental.

    1. SOQ

      The only thing we can reasonably infer is that a insurance policy had been taken out on that building. It would have to had been, before the preparations started, so who owns it?

  13. A Person

    “The real fault lies with those who are making these decisions” your quote… Gamma O’D fan are you?

    I look forward to you response…

    1. SOQ

      If thinking that sticking 82 people with no English, from a very different culture, without any consolation to a rural Irish community of 600 makes me a GO’D fan then so be it. I just call it stupid.

      Who exactly is the racists or xenophobes here? Those clutching the pearls or those who think refugees should be accommodated somewhere which is not a prison in all but name?

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