One man's protest outside IDA offices

A Mullingar pensioner spent last week’s sunny days staging a one-man protest outside the IDA head office in Dublin to highlight what he sees as the lack of interest in attracting foreign direct investment to his home town.

Last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Jack Kiernan stood outside the front entrance of the IDA office in Dublin 2, wearing a T-shirt and holding a placard displaying a map of Ireland with an arrow pointing at Mullingar.

On the last day of his protest, Mr Kiernan, who says that he received a lot of interest from passers-by, says he was invited in for a refreshment and a chat by a representative from the IDA, who also said that they would arrange a meeting for him with the IDA’s regional representative in the midlands.

When inside he voiced his frustration at what he sees as the state’s neglect of Mullingar, which is reflected in the small number of IDA visits with potential investors to the town in recent years.

“I told them that Mullingar has brought more enjoyment to this country than almost any other town – from boxer Chris Cole defeating Jack Doyle in Dalymount Park in 1943.

“The first Irishman to win a European title was Maxi McCullagh from Mullingar and we had boxers at the Beijing, London and Rio Olympics.

“Joe Dolan brought joy to so many music fans, while today you have Niall Horan and Bressie entertaining people.

“Not many towns can boast such talent, but we have been ignored for investment

“They keep taking, taking, taking from Mullingar. I say that we are living in our own version of the Bermuda triangle. Longford, Athlone and Tullamore all have government buildings based there and we have none.

“Even the IDA regional office is in Athlone.”