Land League to step up campaign in west with Castlebar protest

The Land League, a movement claiming to support families threatened with the loss of their homes through repossession, plans to step up its campaign in the west.

The group has embarked on a policy of demonstrating outside courthouses where civil bills claiming repossession of family homes are being fought legally.

Supporters will gather outside Castlebar courthouse on Monday morning where 169 civil bills claiming repossession are up for decision.

Some 206 actions were lodged in Mayo last year, and 37 repossession orders granted. The remainder are awaiting adjudication by the court.

The Land League is also planning to continue its practice of reciting a decade of the rosary in memory of those who have died through suicide as a result of the loss of their homes.

Spokesman Gerry O’Boyle claimed that up to 120 people had joined the demonstration outside Roscommon courthouse last week and he expected at least a similar figure in Castlebar.

Other groups

Mr O’Boyle, who is chairman of Land League Mayo, secretary of Land

League West

and on the organisation’s national executive, said a number of other groups had been in touch with him, confirming that they would also support Monday’s demonstration.

More than 60 families had been in touch with Land League West already seeking help in dealing with the threat of the loss of their homes through court repossession orders, he said.

“The phone just never stops. It’s rampant,” he said.

Mr O’Boyle said four people with whom he had dealt since last September had taken their own lives.

"Enda Kenny and the Government tell us that they're looking for a solution, but there's no solution in the courts as 70 of the mortgages are with sub-prime lenders and have been sold to vulture funds."