House in Tullamore targeted by Roscrea protesters on Monday night

A protest involving people from Roscrea took place outside a private residence in Tullamore on Monday night.

About 15 people stood on a footpath near the entrance to a house and one of them, Maria Phelan, said the protest was connected with “asylum seekers” being housed in Roscrea.

Ms Phelan told the Tullamore Tribune the group comprised “only peaceful protesters”. “We don't have facilities and stuff for all of these people to be in our town,” said Ms Phelan.

Asked if an attempt had been made to make contact by post instead of standing outside the house, Ms Phelan replied: “I haven't but some of the other lads or girls might have, I don't know.”

One woman, who did not give her name, said emails had been sent.

Ms Phelan said: “We just said that we were going to come up and make a little bit of noise, I suppose, to protest outside.”

“The majority of us here, all of us here are part of the protest in Roscrea. The services and stuff in our town are just not there.”

A garda car arrived at the scene of the protest shortly after 9pm and guards spoke to a number of the people taking part.

Some of the protesters were holding placards and one placard was placed near the entrance to the house. The message on it said: “The Power Of The People, Is Stronger Than The People In Power.”

The protesters also brought a number of flags, which one woman said were “Roscrea flags”.

Shortly before 10pm the protesters walked back to their cars nearby and left the area but as they drove by the house some of them sounded car horns.

A spokesman for An Garda Siochana said gardai were alerted shortly after 8.30pm “after a group of individuals gathered outside a private residence in Tullamore”.

The spokesman added: “The group dispersed peacefully a short time later. No policing intervention was required.”