About 200 anti-abortion protesters jeered and heckled Taoiseach Enda Kenny as he unveiled a statue of Gen Seán Mac Eoin in Co Longford yesterday.
Protesters carrying placards displaying aborted foetuses and anti-abortion slogans declined a request from the Taoiseach for quiet as he read the names of the North Longford Flying Column in Ballinalee. Having heckled the Taoiseach when he arrived, the demonstrators chanted “keep your promise” during Mr Kenny’s 10- minute speech.
“Right of legitimate protest in our country of course is a right that is available to everybody and we respect that that should be a peaceful right at all times,” Mr Kenny told the protesters.
“But I would like to say to those people across the road: it is my privilege to read out the 49 names of those of the flying column of Longford and I would respectfully request that they remain silent while these names are being read.” Protesters continued to chant and shout at the Taoiseach as he read the names.
Despite the protests, Mr Kenny remained on to greet locals and praise Gen Mac Eoin, who he described as an “inspirational and motivational personality”.
