éirígí Dublin Northeast activists with Wesam Al-Khatib of the PFLP.

Coolock Community Organises

Several weeks ago éirígí Dublin Northeast organised a public meeting in Kilmore/Coolock in response to the upcoming water tax. The meeting was addressed by éirígí Dublin Northeast Representative Ciaran Heaphey and local community residents. This meeting went on to become a foundation for protest, further community meetings and more importantly, action.

The meeting, held in late September was a huge success, with up to 80 in attendance, with discussion on matters relevant to their community. Due to an epidemic of burglaries in the Coolock area, the burglary issue became a major section of the meeting’s agenda. The total lack of response from local Garda to the community was a major point of discussion and anger. The meeting ended, with much agreed upon and follow up  actions.

 Since this meeting in Kilmore, a further two community meetings have been organised by éirígí Dublin Northeast, to give local residents an update on the burglary  and other local issues. These meetings were again addressed by Ciaran Heaphey. Due to a lack of any meaningful response from the Garda, the local residents decided to organise a protest outside of Santry Garda Station in order to get their voices heard.

On Saturday 12^th October up to 50 Kilmore residents travelled over to Santry to picket their local Garda station. Residents were granted a meeting with Garda. However since this meeting there has been little Garda action or response. Undeterred by this, local residents have distributed thousands of newsletters regarding the neighbourhood watch begun by some residents.

Speaking about these community forum meetings, Ciaran Heaphey said: “These meetings have facilitated community discussion and community action. There is a strong sense of community in Kilmore and the wider Coolock communities and we in éirígí Dublin Northeast are delighted to play our role and work with the local community. éirígí has argued from its foundation that effective change will only come through mass political action organised at a community and work-place level. These community meetings will continue on a regular basis. We look forward to discussion and organising with local residents at these meetings. "

Heaphey organises Darndale/Belcamp Public Meeting

éirígí Public Meeting

On Water Tax and Local Issues.

(including community response to house break ins)

7.30pm Wednesday 27^thNovember

Darndale/Belcamp Village Centre.

Speakers: éirígí Dublin Northeast Representative Ciaran Heaphey and local community speaker.

All welcome

Update on Burglaries

After a huge spike in home burglaries in the Coolock area, the local community have decided enough is enough and began to organise to begin tackling the issue. A protest by the community was recently held at Santry Garda Station regarding the poor Garda response burglaries in the area. Protesting residents had a meeting with the Garda afterwards. Other residents have begun a local neighbourhood watch scheme. A full update will be given at the meeting by Ciaran.

Water Tax

The water tax installation point is fast approaching for the people of Dublin Northeast. The only successful way to defeat this outrageous charge is to mobilise locally, and to have a united community front ready to resist the water tax. éirígí have held a successful meeting on the topic, in September attended by near 80 residents, and are now looking at taking the next steps of growing a strong community alliance, intent on smashing the water tax.

éirígí Dublin Northeast representative Ciaran Heaphey, commenting on the upcoming meeting said: “It is a time for residents to take a stand against the crippling policies being pushed upon on them by the government in Leinster House, who continue to attack the most vulnerable in society. It also gives the local community a chance to talk about local issues of concern to them. Hope to see you on 27th November.''

éirígí Dublin Northeast activists hard at work recently.

Heaphey Organises Local Meeting

A local meeting aimed at giving residents an update on recent local issues has been organised by local éirígí representative Ciaran Heaphey. The meeting will take place in the Kilmore West Community Centre on 30^th October starting at 7.30pm. The speakers on the night will include éirígí Dublin Northeast spokesperson Ciaran Heaphey and local residents. The meeting will serve as a platform to explain the progress made into local issues including home burglaries in the area. The meeting will also give an update on the future in resisting the water tax.

Update on Burglaries

After a huge spike in home burglaries in the greater Kilmore area the local community have decided enough is enough and began to organise to begin tackling the issue. A protest was recently held at Santry station protesting the poor Garda response to the criminal activity and successfully got a meeting with Gardai. Other residents have begun a local neighbourhood watch scheme. Full update at meeting.

Water Tax

The water tax installation point is fast approaching for the people of Dublin Northeast. The only successful way to defeat this outrageous charge is to mobilise locally to have a united community front ready to resist the water tax. éirígí have held a successful meeting on the topic in September attended by near 80 residents and are now looking at taking the next steps of growing a strong community alliance intent on smashing the water tax.

The local meeting on the 30^th October is a chance to continue the momentum against austerity at a grassroots level. éirígí Dublin Northeast spokesperson, commenting on the upcoming meeting Ciaran Heaphey said: “It is a time for the residents to take a stand against the crippling policies being pushed upon on them by the government in Leinster House who continue to attack the most vulnerable in society in particular with the upcoming water tax. It also gives the local community a chance to talk about local issues of concern to them and speak of any progress being made to stop certain problems they face.”

Coolock Prepares for Water Tax Fight Back

On Wednesday, September 25, éirígí Dublin North East held a successful community meeting in the Kilmore West Community Centre in Coolock. It was standing room only as up to 75 local residents packed into the room to listen to speakers and to discuss the next steps for a local campaign of resistance to the new Twenty-Six County water tax. The meeting also provided an opportunity for local residents to discuss a spate of home burglaries which have taken place in the area in recent months.

The meeting was chaired by Martin Farrell, who introduced the main speaker, éirígí’s Dublin North East representative, Ciaran Heaphey. A local resident and community activist from Kilmore also spoke from the platform.

In his contribution Ciaran informed the crowd of the hypocrisy of the Twenty-Six County Labour Party in government, of how they have sold out everything they once stood for and how they can no longer claim to represent working people. Ciaran went on to talk about the necessity of a strong community campaign to fight the water tax. He argued that that resistance cannot come from political parties or groups alone. The fight back has to involve everybody in the community standing up to austerity.

Questions were then taken from the floor, leading to a prolonged and lively discussion. Many amongst the crowd supported the building of some form of community-based campaign to stand against the water tax and other austerity measures.

The meeting then turned its attention to the issue of home burglaries in the surrounding Kilmore area. A local resident spoke from the floor about her and other locals’ concerns over the recent spate of break-ins. éirígí has helped to highlight this issue by disturbing hundreds of leaflets to households in the area advising residents to be vigilant. The local resident outlined how their fears were not being taken seriously by the Gardaí and how like the water tax the community needed to be strong and organised in the face of this problem.

Speaking after the meeting, Ciaran Heaphey said, “Tonight was a massive success. It was a triumph to get such a huge crowd to the meeting in the first place, particularly at a time when we are being told the Irish people have no fight left in them. The fact that the crowd had such a positive reaction to the idea of building a locally anchored campaign of resistance to the water tax was inspiring.

“I believe that the building of a network of such locally-controlled campaigns will be key to defeating the water tax. The recent experience of the anti-home tax campaign has shown the dangers that lie in centrally organised campaigns that are effectively controlled by one political party or another. éirígí has argued from its foundation that effective change will only come through mass political action organised at a community and work place level. Whether in Rossport, Belfast or Coolock our activists will do all that they can to support communities that are willing to stand up for their rights.

“We now need to push on from here and take the next step into building radical resistance within our communities. We can take inspiration from the high numbers who attended the meeting. It represented a good start for an anti-water tax campaign in this area. Working class communities have had enough and we hope that we are now seeing a willingness to fight back starting to emerge.”

Getting ready for Wednesday's Public Meeting, Fight the Water Tax !

éirígí Dublin Northeast activists have been busy over the past week publicising tomorrows public meeting in the Kilmore community centre. 

Over the past few days éirígí members have delivered hundreds of leaflets advertising the meeting to households throughout the greater Coolock area and also advertised the upcoming meeting through our regular stall at the Northside shopping centre. 

The meeting will give the people of the Dublin Northeast community a chance to discuss the next step in the fight against the water charges and listen to the speakers including éirígí Dub Northeast spokesperson Ciaran Heaphey speaking on the topic.

All welcome.