Thousands gather with white flowers at short notice

Dublin protest: Up to 2,000 people gathered outside Leinster House, Dublin, yesterday to protest at the current crisis around child protection legislation in the wake of last week's Supreme Court ruling and the release from prison on Tuesday of Mr A.

The turnout exceeded expectations with gardaí forced to close Kildare Street to traffic after the crowds spilled on to the road from Molesworth Street. Some in the crowd taunted gardaí who tried to keep them behind barriers in an effort to keep Kildare Street open to traffic.

Many had brought white flowers and hung them on the railings of Leinster House. Most of the protesters were middle-aged women. They remained on Kildare Street from the noon start until after 3pm.

Joe Duffy's Liveline programme was broadcast over the public address system. Many of the contributors spoke to Duffy from an RTÉ broadcasting point set up on Molesworth Street. Their comments were greeted with loud cheers. "Three cheers for Joe and Gerry," shouted one demonstrator referring to presenters Duffy and Gerry Ryan, on whose radio programmes the idea for yesterday's protests galvanised.

The demonstration in Dublin was the biggest of a number of events around the State. Hundreds more people attended gatherings in Galway city, Wexford town, Kilkenny city, Dunboyne, Castlebar, Waterford, Tralee, Ennis and Limerick.

Many were organised at short notice with groups of friends contacting each other as late as yesterday morning and arranging events in their localities. Some of the victims of the men who feared would be released were at the protest in Dublin, including sisters Fionnuala Amrein, Bridgeen Doherty and Jackie Sweeney. The three sisters are from the village of Falmore near Dungloe, Co Donegal.

They were abused by Michael O'Donnell, a first cousin, who lived in their village. He pleaded guilty in May 2005 to 19 sample counts of sexual assault and unlawful carnal knowledge of his cousins from 1978 to 1987. He was sentenced to five years and is currently in Castlerea Prison, Co Roscommon.

O'Donnell was 14 when he began abusing the elder of the girls, Fionnuala, then aged four. Bridgeen was 4½ when he began abusing her. The abuse stopped when he was 23.

Ms Doherty said she believed the current crisis represented an opportunity for the Government, Garda and other agencies to conduct a review of the entire system dealing with child sex abuse.

She said the prospect of the imminent release of the man who abused her and her sisters was of grave concern.

"He's going to be a neighbour of mine again. We live in a village with no more than 15 to 20 houses. I'm not sure how it's going to affect me. I don't think it's hit us yet."

The nationwide events were sparked when Dublin woman Monica Rowe rang the Gerry Ryan Show on 2FM on Wednesday and urged people to take to the streets.

Ms Rowe, from Cabinteely, Dublin, expressed her satisfaction at the turnout in the city centre. "I was just angry with what was going on so I rang in," she said. "If I hadn't done it somebody else would.

"Mr A knew he had a chance of being released and he got a court appearance organised at very short notice. Why didn't the Government know?"

She urged those gathered to lobby their elected representatives until the Oireachtas reformed child sex abuse legislation. The current approach "needs to be turned on its head", she said.

Elsewhere . . .

Galway

An impromptu protest hosted by the Galway Rape Crisis Centre took place in Galway yesterday afternoon with a hastily assembled crowd of 100 swelling to several hundred by the time it reached Eyre Square. Kate Mulkerrins of the Rape Crisis Network Ireland told the gathering, which walked from Galway courthouse to the city centre plaza: "The message to all these people is that we have not forgotten."

Waterford

Up to 400 people gathered at John Robert Square shortly before 1pm in support of the victims of child abuse and rape. Most carried a single white flower. Shoppers and workers on lunch breaks stopped during a five-minute silence to honour the protest. Many more sat in the square and gathered around various shopfronts to observe the silence.

Kilkenny

The lunchtime demonstration, organised by the local Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre, brought the city centre to a brief standstill. The marchers passed silently through the High Street and gathered at the court house. Gardaí estimated about 150 participants, of which about 80 per cent were women, many with young children. Some had travelled from neighbouring Tipperary and Carlow.

Ennis

The Ennis protest was spontaneously planned through e-mails, phone calls and text messages overnight and 300 people lined the steps of the 19th-century Ennis court building to hear Rape Crisis Centre speakers and sex abuse victims. White lilies and other white flowers were laid at the closed doors of the court which was in session.

Wexford

Nearly 200 people attended a rally in Wexford town's centre yesterday afternoon, standing in silence in support of children. Liz McBride of the Wexford Rape Crisis Centre encouraged participants to "march on the quays" to make their point known to passing motorists, while John Barrett, of the South-East Second Chance Organisation, spoke angrily at the prospect of young sex abuse victims facing cross-examination in court under new legislation.

Limerick

Because of a mix-up over times, two rallies took place yesterday afternoon at City Hall in Limerick, attracting more than 200 people. Supporters including representatives from the Limerick Rape Crisis Centre, Cari Limerick and the Limerick Youth Service Centre. Each person held a white flower. A Limerick solicitor who was the victim of a paedophile ring when he was a child called for the immediate resignation of the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, and the Minister for Justice. John Devane told more than 100 people that he was repeatedly raped by members of a paedophile ring, one of whom was his neighbour, when he was between eight and 14.

Kerry

More than 200 people took part in a protest from Tralee Town Square to the court house shortly before lunchtime yesterday. White flowers were left on stands and laid out on the steps of the court house. Among those taking part were members of the Kerry Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre. About 100 people turned out to protest in Killarney town centre yesterday afternoon.

Cork

The tiny village of Carrignavar in west Cork held the county's only protest to mark their support for the victims of statutory rape. Thirty people gathered in the village green in mid-afternoon. Many brought children to show their anger at what they claim is the Government's failure to protect their loved ones. A protest is also planned for Daunt Square in Cork city centre at 3pm today.