Occupy Galway Group (mod note added)

dilallio

I've just spotted a link in facebook to a group which has been set up to do in Galway what similar groups have done in Wall St and Dame St.

Here's the link

and here's what it says

We are showing solidarity with #Occupy movements around the world.

Since the#OccupyWallStreet movement started on 17th September, #Occupy movements have sprung up around the globe. Our aim is to show solidarity with these movements and express a growing sense of frustration with social inequality and corporate greed among the people of Ireland. Austerity measures and mass unemployment are inflicting a lasting damage upon this country and still no one has been brought to justice for the greatest of crimes.

#OccupyGalway begins on Eyre Square at 12:00 P.M. on Saturday 15th October.

#OccupyGalway #OccupyEyreSquare #OccupyDublin #OccupyDameStreet #OccupyWallStreet #OccupyEverywhere

I'm not part of this group, and I can't really see the point in what they are doing. I hope though, that the weather improves for them, and the late-nite revellers will leave them alone.

What do the Galway boardsies think of this? Will they stay the course, or give up after a day?


Update:
Do discuss the politics of the occupy movement (particularly in Galway) and whether it's even a good idea - but any attempts at non adult civil discussion will get you banned. Edit, not just banned from thread as tried before but banned from the forum.
If you try to personalise this discussion it will get you banned.
Insulting other members will get you banned.
Straying off topic will get you banned.
Stupid jokes will get you banned.
Calling the occupy members names (crusties, hippies, losers) or trying to belittle them will get you banned.

ronnie3585

Bunch of ****.

biko

Don't post in this thread any more Ronnie.

Sponge Bob

Time for the Galway Alliance Against Occupation to step up to the plate.

dilallio

Sorry Biko - the thread title reference to heroes / nutjobs wasn't well thought out, and could possibly draw silly responses. I've amended the title.

However good-intentioned / misinformed, this group's motives are, having a camp-site in Eyre Square is crazy unless there are enough of them and they are very well organised.

Will they expect the gardai to have someone there at night to stop the drunks messing with them? Hopefully not.

c_man

dilallio wrote: »

#OccupyGalway begins on Eyre Square at 12:00 P.M. on Saturday 15th October.

Being pedantic, there's no such time as 12 p.m. How can we take the rest of what they have to say seriously if they can't even get that correct :pac:

If they stay into the night, there's no way they'll be left alone. C'mon like.

irisheddie85

c_man wrote: »

dilallio wrote: »

#OccupyGalway begins on Eyre Square at 12:00 P.M. on Saturday 15th October.

Being pedantic, there's no such time as 12 p.m. How can we take the rest of what they have to say seriously if they can't even get that correct :pac:

If they stay into the night, there's no way they'll be left alone. C'mon like.

Of course there is such a thing as 12 pm it's midday how else would you refer to it on a 12 hour clock?

c_man

irisheddie85 wrote: »

Of course there is such a thing as 12 pm it's midday how else would you refer to it on a 12 hour clock?

You don't know what p.m. means do you...



Edit: After some brief wiki-ing, let's agree to disagree. Be of more use to argue about dividing by 0.

And get back to more important topic, can Galway serve as the hub for the overthrow of capitalism in its current form? Stay tuned

irisheddie85

At any fraction of a second after 12 it is pm so there is 12pm for at least 59 seconds before you get to 12.01pm

Edit:
Ok agreed.

Bunch of hippies won't achieve anything but getting their tents pissed on

c_man

irisheddie85 wrote: »

At any fraction of a second after 12 it is pm so there is 12pm for at least 59 seconds before you get to 12.01pm

But they didn't specify how many seconds after midday.

I think I'll pop down to them tomorrow and air my grievances about this matter.

JONJO THE MISER

The usual bunch of hippies crusties and idealistic students, all of whom want the downfall of big corporations except of course the ones that make there phones computers music and trendy clothes.

JONJO THE MISER

Just looking at the occupy Galway facebook page.
One of the posts show a video of Steve Jobs saying he was a great man and they loved him.
Was he not head of one of these big bad evil companies that these clowns want to get rid off.
You could not make it up.

biko

On the other hand they are actually out there protesting and doing something real instead of moaning on the internet and expecting/hoping someone else will fix the mess we're in.

skelliser

c_man wrote: »

But they didn't specify how many seconds after midday.

I think I'll pop down to them tomorrow and air my grievances about this matter.

are you sure its 12 noon?

12pm can also mean midnight!

to be save il meet you at both times and we can both demand justice for the 12 hour clock!

xflyer

Jim Corr supports it, enough said:pac::rolleyes:

It makes me almost nostalgic, Quixotic protests against 'the Man' by a loose coalition of hippies, lefties and naive middle class students feeling guilty about their affluence. Just like the sixties and seventies.

All totally pointless of course. The most likely result is a litter problem and more expense for the hard pressed taxpayer.

Tabnabs

c_man wrote: »

Being pedantic, there's no such time as 12 p.m. How can we take the rest of what they have to say seriously if they can't even get that correct :pac:

If they stay into the night, there's no way they'll be left alone. C'mon like.

Being even more pedantic, (solar) noon is not until 13.22 in Galway tomorrow.

GalwayGaillimh

They have some heavy hitting fans on their facebook with the likes of U2, NUI Galway Students Union, GMIT and the Galway Advertiser "liking there facebook page", wonder will any of our presidential candidates vote for the revolution? Be gas to see Michael D down there canvassing tomorrow!

kinetic

Ronnie...........thanks for making me laugh.

galwayrush

What are they going to occupy, a disappearing roundabout perhaps?

JONJO THE MISER

Are the idiots down there yet?

cheesemaker

What can ya say.


Some people just love getting rode by the banks

Head The Wall

Good Thread on the Dame St group in the Irish Economy Forum.

General opinion is that yes they are out protesting but for the wrong things i.e unrealistic goals, 540 Billion in OIl and Gas to be returned to the Irish people

hmurray3

Touching on a slightly different issue...why is it only ever the same (generally close-minded) hippies and crusties at every protest in Galway? I find myself shying away from today's Occupy Galway movement even though I agree with all the underlying principles (and would protest in my home country) just because I do not want to be associated with this group. It's a shame. I have run into these people on several occasions (at other protests, and my own kitchen table) and I can say that the majority of the time they have no idea what they are talking about and only pick up issues just for the sake of arguing. Anyways, I guess what I am asking is that if you agree with the Occupy movements and would like to peacefully protest would you please please join me today? So that I'm not left with the usual suspects? Afterall, protests shouldn't belong to just 1% either. Lets change the way the people of Galway view protests by bringing out a more diverse group with legitimate concerns and demands.

inisboffin

hmurray3 wrote: »

Touching on a slightly different issue...why is it only ever the same (generally close-minded) hippies and crusties at every protest in Galway? I find myself shying away from today's Occupy Galway movement even though I agree with all the underlying principles (and would protest in my home country) just because I do not want to be associated with this group. It's a shame. I have run into these people on several occasions (at other protests, and my own kitchen table) and I can say that the majority of the time they have no idea what they are talking about and only pick up issues just for the sake of arguing. Anyways, I guess what I am asking is that if you agree with the Occupy movements and would like to peacefully protest would you please please join me today? So that I'm not left with the usual suspects? Afterall, protests shouldn't belong to just 1% either. Lets change the way the people of Galway view protests by bringing out a more diverse group with legitimate concerns and demands.

Just wondering how you know it is always 'the same group' at every protest, unless you too are at it and talking to people themselves? Is it by the 'look' of people you're assuming they're all the same type?
To be honest I find that pretty closed minded in itself.

If people want to protest something or feel strongly enough aboutan issue, why not just do it for those reasons, and not for who you are or aren't 'seen associated with.

softmee

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

Are the idiots down there yet?

Have some respect. Even if they are not 100% right, they care about how thing are and they are trying to change something.

(instead of only trying to be smart on some silly internet forum)

Gal pal

biko wrote: »

On the other hand they are actually out there protesting and doing something real instead of moaning on the internet and expecting/hoping someone else will fix the mess we're in.

Getting really tired of that point!

I don't have the friggin time to sit around the street protesting about the IMF and '*anker bankers' and blah, blah, blah.

Like many I've been affected by the recession too, but I'm working my butt off to keep my job, studying on the side to improve my qualifications, and am just trying to get on with my life.

Seriously can't stand people comparing us to the Greeks, and how we are push overs, and should be out on the street protesting.

Personally I thought the protest/riots in Greece looked disgraceful, it made them as a country look violatile and from the point of view of a foreign company looking to invest, it wouldn't have made a great impression at all.

You can kid yourself all you want with your homemade placards and banners but the real power is the money in your pocket and where you spend it.

If you don't agree with huge, multi-national companies, ie Apple, Arcadia and what ever group owns Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, etc (think its Walmart?) Spars/Centras, THEN STOP GIVING THEM YOUR MONEY!!!

It's called buying power and it is a lot more effective than protesting on the street.

As a country I think we look a lot more appealing to foreign companies than Greece, Spain, etc.

We work hard, (contrary to what you often read on boards) and in generally we just look like we have accepted our problems and are moving on and dealing with them.

We may not have gone mental on the streets, but we made our voices heard when we kicked FF out, and I also think we will be a lot more demanding of our politicians in the future (well I hope!!)

Ficheall

inisboffin wrote: »

Just wondering how you know it is always 'the same group' at every protest, unless you too are at it and talking to people themselves? Is it by the 'look' of people you're assuming they're all the same type?
To be honest I find that pretty closed minded in itself.

If people want to protest something or feel strongly enough aboutan issue, why not just do it for those reasons, and not for who you are or aren't 'seen associated with.

To be fair, it very often is the same group at every protest.
And it's quite reasonable to consider who one is seen or associated with. There's a bit of "boy who cried wolf" about those who protest at the drop of a hat, or social welfare payment as the case may be, and one is certainly justified in not wanting to let those people think that one approves of their actions. I'm sure there were plenty of well-intentioned protestors at the outset of the London riots, for example, but I wouldn't to be associated with any of that crowd.

FlashD

I don't understand why they are copying americans?

Why was it american protests that inspired them to do this and not protests in other countries?

Surely the problems that exist in America are different to those in Europe. Last time I looked Wall St was in New York and we were part of the EU.

Completely confused.

Red_Wake

I was just down there, and they're stinking out Eyre Square.

You'd swear they were protesting against personal hygiene ffs.

Mod note - banned

JONJO THE MISER

FlashD wrote: »

I don't understand why they are copying americans?

Why was it american protests that inspired them to do this and not protests in other countries?

Surely the problems that exist in America are different to those in Europe. Last time I looked Wall St was in New York and we were part of the EU.

Completely confused.

Its to be all trendy, they havent got a clue what there protesting at, i bet you most of them have I phones and laptops and trendy clothes down there, made my the very companies they want to overthrow.

JONJO THE MISER

Red_Wake wrote: »

I was just down there, and they're stinking out Eyre Square.

You'd swear they were protesting against personal hygiene ffs.

Hopefully the fire brigade go down and hose them outta it.

Mod note - banned

JohnCleary

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

Hopefully the fire brigade go down and hose them outta it.

Who'll pay for their call-out? :pac:

mikemac

Well they have to keep themselves occupied, GAAW have not a lot to do these days

Probably the same people

skelliser

3 years to late!

bailouts happened in 2008!

cheesemaker

See you all budget day. I trust you won't be having a 'pointless' moan online about it.

Your Income tax is going up
Your Universal social charge
Your Pension levy
Your Water charges, followed by privatising Ireland's supply
Your Household tax
Kiss bye bye to your job & wages if you work for the state
More cuts for your children's school and our record breaking hospital
I hope you're not planning on sending your kids to college, if they've already been I hope you know how to work skype.
Oh they'll cut social welfare too but that's grand, sure it was them that wrecked the country.
ESB, Eirgrid, Board na Mona Coilte we're flogging them too, not for jobs for family though.

Along with everything above all that is going to the banks.


Over €70 million this month, 700,000,000 at the start of next month. A drop in the ocean over the next 30 years.

Feck it though, I thought it would be good to find some common ground and start from there but I think Il wait till there are protester out who I agree with on absolutely everything. There will only be about 70 billion sucked out of the country by then. No half as costly as a fire brigade call out you see.

skelliser

no need for the lecture!

alot of people myself included flagged this things when they were announced, myself especially NAMA.
but of course they were ignored.

Its great that your protesting but its way too late.
were was this protest before the election, lisbon 2 etc?

tis only now when people are starting to feel the pain in there pockets do they sit up and look around.


The bailouts have failed anyways so these protests are pointless. Its a insolvency issue not liquidity.

inisboffin

Ficheall wrote: »

inisboffin wrote: »

Just wondering how you know it is always 'the same group' at every protest, unless you too are at it and talking to people themselves? Is it by the 'look' of people you're assuming they're all the same type?
To be honest I find that pretty closed minded in itself.

If people want to protest something or feel strongly enough aboutan issue, why not just do it for those reasons, and not for who you are or aren't 'seen associated with.

To be fair, it very often is the same group at every protest.
And it's quite reasonable to consider who one is seen or associated with. There's a bit of "boy who cried wolf" about those who protest at the drop of a hat, or social welfare payment as the case may be, and one is certainly justified in not wanting to let those people think that one approves of their actions. I'm sure there were plenty of well-intentioned protestors at the outset of the London riots, for example, but I wouldn't to be associated with any of that crowd.

I'm sure there is a crossover at a lot of 'protests'. I'm sure there are a few who are p*seed off at everything. My point is though, that it's crazy to assume every single person on every single protest is the same or indeed there for the same reason. We can be very sheep like at times. Remember the abortion referendum? There were plenty of people protesting and indeed voting the same way, but for very different reasons. Again, if you feel strongly enough to protest, it shouldn't matter to your personal views who you stand next to, if you have the same aim. If you disagree with *how* the protest is staged, then organise one your own way, no?

skelliser

oh and not to be accused of moaning and whinging here is my solution/protest.

Its pretty simple actually.

Instead of occupying streets in ireland and copying the yanks and marching around in circles, why not have an irish take on it.

Occupy NAMA houses!!

You know those ghost estates, why not march up to the estate with a couple of hundred people who are on social housing lists. Enter the premises.
Fix them up, get ESB connections etc. and then block the entrances with your little camps.

The onus will then be on the developers and NAMA to call the Gaurds and arrest everyone for trespass.

Would it come to that? a gov agency, NAMA, owned by us dragging people outta of derelict and worthless houses? explain the justice in that Mr. Kenny!!

Keyser Söze

I only read the comments people have thanked, waste of time and effort reading the rest.

Irishgoatman

There are, IMO, some really weird views being posted here.

My Daughter and her Husband have gone to Galway to join the protest.
They are not left wing, not students, not hippies just 2 people who think that the people who put this country into the financial mess that we now have should take responsibility for it.

Bankers, property developers including T.D's who owe banks millions of euros that will, probably never be re-paid, and at the same time received large bonuses/pensions.

People, including musicians, who register their company abroad to avoid paying tax here or claim crazy amounts on expenses.

I, by the way, am considered, quite rightly, to be very right wing.

All those who think that what THOSE people did to the country is acceptable please stand up. I hope you won't be too lonely.

My Daughter, by the way, has 3 children all of whom are now unemployed and this is another concern for her and myself.

Mrs OBumble

In fairness, I don't think they make Eyre Square smell any worse than it usually does.

Fairly small group (maybe 20-30 people). About 6-8 dome-style tents, all pitched together in the area near the Browne Doorway, at the top of the steps with a bit of wall behind them. Making them just across the road from Supermacs. If they don't pack up by 10pm, then I'll be surprised. And if they're still there at 2am they'll get hell.

Mostly student / crusty types, I didn't spot anyone who looked old enough to have grandchildren, or adult children.

Home made posters all over the wall around the doorway - pic attached. (I decided not to take any of the tents / people - I'm no journalist.)




My own take on this: people actually need to take responsibility for their own actions. Yes the banks / property developers / politicians / etc did some wrong things. But so did individuals who signed up to loans that they couldn't afford, without thinking about the consequences if they lost their jobs or if interest rates rose. (And yes, I do know people who had to resist pressure from bank officers keen to make loan targets ... the smart ones had no difficulty doing it.)

Taking responsibility is not popular here: it's always someone else's fault, the Vikings, the British, the church, the banks, the council, the travellers, etc etc.

I'll be a bit more sympathetic when I hear individuals saying "I fcuked up: I need to face the consequences". So far am not hearing that pretty much anywhere.

An re the idea of occupying ghost estate: it appears it's not even illegal, so the guards won't be able to do anything if the squatter plays their cards right.

Ficheall

One of their posters instructs people to "google it" to find out what out the protest is about... :rolleyes:

JONJO THE MISER

Ficheall wrote: »

One of their posters instructs people to "google it" to find out what out the protest is about... :rolleyes:

Doesnt surprise me, half these people dont know there arse from there elbow, a good kick up the arse is what they would want.

inisboffin

Ficheall wrote: »

One of their posters instructs people to "google it" to find out what out the protest is about... :rolleyes:

While I a see a certain nod to kicking apathy out the door there, I'd have to agree that it would be no harm to post some more info about what the people *there* want, or even "ask US".

inisboffin

JustMary wrote: »

I


Mostly student / crusty types, I didn't spot anyone who looked old enough to have grandchildren.

I popped up earlier today. Definitely some 'hippies' but I saw about 1/3 older folks and a 'straighter' demographic. Think as evening wears on the crowd got younger.

cheesemaker

It's like a UFO just landed and all the apes are running round scratching their heads waiting for the door to open. It's obvious what "they" want. Same as what Wall St, Dame St and every other one around the world want.

They want better. What is the point of sneering at people for it?

Sponge Bob

inisboffin wrote: »

Think as evening wears on the crowd got younger.

Do tell me when An Taisce write a letter complaining about this mess to the Galway papers.

Eviledna

JustMary wrote: »

Taking responsibility is not popular here: it's always someone else's fault, the Vikings, the British, the church, the banks, the council, the travellers, etc etc.

I'll be a bit more sympathetic when I hear individuals saying "I fcuked up: I need to face the consequences". So far am not hearing that pretty much anywhere.

I gotta say, I find this a very prejudiced and unfair view. Those who are taking the pay cuts and paying the taxes and putting up with the lesser services best they can are the ones facing the consequences, not only for their own actions, but for others actions too.
There is a reason why we are slowly regaining the respect of the international community, the lack of pointless self-soothing protest has meant we have gotten the IMF bailout we needed and are making progress in meeting the terms, why we rid ourselves of the tyranny of the last government and elected a better more capable government that is prepared to lie in the poop-stained bed the last one left us all to clean up. There are millions of ordinary Irish people suffering through day by day making the best of this very bad situation, taking the responsibility and the cuts that come with it, and trucking on, starting businesses and trying to create jobs or taking any job going, all with barely two cents to rub together.

It's incredibly unfair to say we are blaming anyone else, ffs the banks,church, travellers and council of which you speak are all Irish. They are our problems to face together and like the black sheep cousin who's in jail again, it's time for us all to get together and bail him out. But this is our home, our mess to clean up and I think as a country and a group of only 4.5ish million people we are doing our best.

It's a credit to the nature of our democracy that these folks can protest about what they believe in and I hope they can make a difference, but Ireland has elbow-greased itself out of many bad times before, and we'll get there again.

Sometimes we have to appreciate the positives about us as a people too.

Ficheall

inisboffin wrote: »

While I a see a certain nod to kicking apathy out the door there, I'd have to agree that it would be no harm to post some more info about what the people *there* want, or even "ask US".

I wasn't referring to that at all - moreso the fact they're advocating the use of the services of those horribly wealthy multi-national companies.
A bit like the guy on posting on their facewank about how great Steve Jobs was. Not that I'm not saying Jobs wasn't great, but they could easily have used someone like Dennis Ritchie who also died, somewhat overshadowed by Jobs, during the week. Ritchie was one of the main developers of C and Unix, and surely more in keeping with the slightly "communist" view they seem to be trying to promote.

cheesemaker wrote: »

It's obvious what "they" want. Same as what Wall St, Dame St and every other one around the world want.
They want better. What is the point of sneering at people for it?

Better what? Better cars? Better tents? Better weather? Without some sort of demands or wishes, they're just protesting for protesting's sake, and thus provide no incentive to anyone to try to do anything to appease them, as they can and will always say that it is not enough - because it won't be.

biko

The only people I can see not wanting to protest would be the people in the red line below.

Eviledna

Really? The turnout at these events would suggest otherwise.

I reckon most people either can't identify with this group or feel there are other ways to protest/express their dissatisfaction using the systems already in place.

To denote only rich folk aren't happy with the status quo is unfounded. It's that kind of attitude that alienates these protests.