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Occupy Cork

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Not to be confused with Vita Cortex sit-in.

Occupy Cork
Part of the Occupy movement and anti-austerity protests in Ireland
DateFrom 15 October 2011 to 13 March 2012
Location
Cork
Caused byEconomic inequality, corporate influence over government, Populism, inter alia.
Methods
StatusEnded

Occupy Cork was a peaceful protest and demonstration against alleged economic inequality, social injustice and corporate greed taking place on the junction of the Grand Parade and South Mall and at the NAMA-listed Stapleton House on Oliver Plunkett Street in the Irish city of Cork.[1] The group occupied Stapleton House after receiving the keys to the building on 25 December 2011.[2] The camp was dismantled on 13 March 2012.[3][4]

Timeline

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The protest at its original location had been going on for months,[5] with a camp at the junction of the Grand Parade and South Mall in the city centre since summer 2011.[6]

On 15 October 2011, simultaneous protests took place in Cork and Galway regarded by local and national media as having mimicked Occupy Wall Street (New York) and Occupy Dame Street (Dublin).[7][8] The protestors organised a number of demonstrations, including a 'teach-in' in AIB's branch on the South Mall; where a local schoolteacher held a maths class with primary school children in the front lobby of the bank, before the arrival of the police precipitated a 'recess'.[9]

On the evening of 3 January 2012, it was announced that a vacant six-storey[1] NAMA-listed building on Oliver Plunkett Street had been taken over after it was gifted to the people of Cork.[10] An anonymous donor reportedly left the keys to the building under the Christmas tree on Grand Parade on 25 December.[6][11] The Garda Síochána (police) visited the occupied building, and then left again soon afterwards.[2]

The building, unused since a part-demolition and refurbishment undertaken in 2008, had been cleaned by its occupiers.[6] The occupiers released an online video chronicling their takeover of the building.[12]

On 8 January 2012, there was a céilí mór (a "big" céilí) in the afternoon to raise funds.[2]

The Cork City Community Resource Centre intended to open in the occupied building on Monday 23 January 2012, after an open day. The facility was expected to include classrooms, a music school, health facilities, a library, a bookshop, a café, a crèche, and a number of free initiatives for the public, including internet access, advisory and counselling services.[2][10][13]

The camp was dismantled on 13 March 2012.[14]

Responses

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Fine Gael politician Des Cahill described the protest as "attention seeking".[15] Former Green Party senator and party chairman Dan Boyle described the manoeuver of 3 January as an "interesting development" and suggested that it was a legal and "legitimate protest".[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b O'Connell, Brian (3 January 2012). "Protesters take empty offices for community use". The Irish Times. Irish Times Trust. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d Hayes Curtin, Brian (5 January 2012). "Occupy squatters plan to be 'an example to the country'". Cork Independent. Archived from the original on 12 May 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  3. ^ "Occupy Cork announces voluntary dismantling of protest camp". The Journal. 12 March 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  4. ^ O'Connell, Brian (13 March 2012). "Occupy Cork protesters dismantle camp". The Irish Times. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  5. ^ O'Carroll, Daniel (4 January 2012). "Occupy Cork moves camp, as local councillor calls them attention seekers - VIDEO". Irish Central. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
  6. ^ a b c Riegel, Ralph; McQuinn, Cormac (4 January 2012). "Protesters say Secret Santa gave them keys of empty €1m offices". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
  7. ^ Hayes Curtin, Brian (13 October 2011). "Occupy Cork protests to begin this Saturday". Cork Independent. Archived from the original on 5 January 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  8. ^ "Protests held in Dublin, Cork". The Irish Times. Irish Times Trust. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  9. ^ "Occupy protest holds maths class in bank". Irish Examiner. 4 November 2011.
  10. ^ a b "Occupy movement takes over Cork building". RTÉ News. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 3 January 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  11. ^ "Group 'liberate' Nama building to become community centre". TheJournal.ie. 2 January 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  12. ^ "Video: Cork protesters 'liberate Nama building'". TheJournal.ie. 3 January 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  13. ^ Allen, Christine (3 January 2012). "Group occupies 'NAMA' building". Cork Independent. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  14. ^ "Occupy Cork protesters dismantle camp". The Irish Times.
  15. ^ a b "Councillor: Occupy Cork group are 'attention seeking'". Irish Examiner. Thomas Crosbie Holdings. 4 January 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
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