PICTURES: Protesting women in Roscrea block Main Street outside Garda Station

A demonstration held by approximately 120 women from the Roscrea area blocked the town's Main Street outside the local Garda Station last night (Monday, Feb 19).

The women say they plan to repeat their protest outside the Garda Station to draw attention to concerns about safety and lack of Garda manpower and resources in Roscrea.

The impromptu protest was organised on social media on Monday afternoon after news of an alleged incident involving a local mother and her two children at a residence in the town centre on Sunday.

The Midland Tribune contacted the Garda Press Office for comment about the alleged incident. "Gardaí are investigating a number of alleged incidents which occurred on Limerick Street in Roscrea on Sunday evening, 18th February 2024.

"Investigations are ongoing" the Garda Press Office said.

The group of protestors gathered outside the local Garda Station before they blocked the Main Street. Photo: PJ Wright

During Monday night's protest the large group of mostly local women and their family members brought the Main Street to a standstill from 7:30 to 9pm, where they walked in circles on the main thoroughfare waving Roscrea flags and banners and chanting slogans voicing their concerns about safety.

Local woman and organiser of the ongoing six-week protest at the former Racket Hall Hotel, Maria Phelan, addressed the crowd and called on women from the area to come to her and share their personal stories of experiences living and working in Roscrea.

Local woman Maria Phelan addresses the crowd outside Roscrea Garda Station. Photo: PJ Wright

Ms. Phelan said she was "standing in solidarity with every woman in Roscrea who had a run-in, or has been followed, or intimidated, frightened, or terrified to walk the local streets or walk on the bypass or go for a run".

"We're standing outside the barracks because we don't have Gardaí patrolling the streets, because we simply don't have them. We were told a couple of weeks ago that we have three guards coming to the town - but these three guards aren't permanent in our town, they're here for 24 weeks", Ms. Phelan said.

"What good is three extra guards in our town for 24 weeks? It is not ok. Our message from outside the local barracks is not against our guards in Roscrea - it goes back to the government the same as our protest for the last six weeks from our protest out at Racket Hall", Ms. Phelan said.

Protestors block the Main Street outside Roscrea Garda Station. Photo: PJ Wright

"Everything we're doing out at Racket Hall goes back to our government because they've turned their backs on Roscrea for years and years and I think it's time we get the whole of Roscrea out and send a message to this government that us Irish people in Roscrea are sick to the teeth of being forgotten about.

"I don't know what else we have to do. We have sent emails to the government and there is nobody listening and nobody coming back to us with answers and I think until the streets are blocked in Roscrea and the streets are even blocked in Dublin if that's what it takes, we aren't going to be listened to. 

"I think we need to start standing up and making noise and lets be heard for once. For 20 years we've been forgotten about", Ms. Phelan said.

A garda van stopped traffic from proceeding along Roscrea's main thoroughfare while protestors held their demonstration. Photo: PJ Wright

Meanwhile, the new committee formed from the Racket Hall protest, Roscrea Community Action Group, met with local Gardaí at Roscrea Garda Station for a meeting arranged before the protest.

The new group also met with elected representatives from the local authority and Dáil to explore what additional resources can be secured for Roscrea. 

A small demonstration is also continuing outside the carpark of the former Racket Hall Hotel and will reach the six week milestone on Thursday. 

Demonstrators pictured outside Roscrea Garda Station. Photo: PJ Wright