No Knock halting site

No halting site to accommodate Travellers at Novena


Emer Gallagher

NO TEMPORARY halting site will be made available to the Travelling community for the Novena in Knock this year, despite efforts to avoid the chaos that led to a blockade of the streets last year.
This week will see up on 150,000 pilgrims flock to the nine-day religious festival. The lack of an agreement from local residents over a possible site for a temporary halting site has meant that a solution to last year’s problem could not be found, according to Peter Hynes, Director of Services for Housing, Mayo County Council.
A group was set up to to resolve issues arising from large groups of Travellers arriving in the county for the annual Novena. The group included Mr Hynes, Ms Mona Munywika from Mayo Traveller Support Group (MTSG), members of the Knock Area Development Association (KADA) and residents from the area.
“I’m afraid there was no agreement reached. The group was useful but not hugely successful. At the end of the day we couldn’t get local temporary services, which would have been the best way to deal with [the problem], in place. Without the ‘buy-in’ of the local people we were not in a position to move forward. The Council, the Gardaí and the Church were willing to give it a test run, but with no agreement we can’t do anything,” said Mr Hynes.
The group had endeavoured to identify a temporary halting site in the Knock area for the duration of the festival that begins on Thursday. Last year tensions reached a climax after about 30 vans and caravans blocked houses and retail premises during the Novena. After a number of days, residents set up a blockade on the village’s Main Street and forced the Travellers to leave.
Superintendent Padraic O’Toole, Claremorris Garda Station, said a policing plan would be in place for the duration of the festival. “We put a policing plan in place each year for the Novena and review and amend it as is necessary,” he said. 
One of the main problems behind the Travellers arriving in Knock for the festival was the vans blocking the streets, footpaths, shops and guesthouses that occurred last year.
Ms Mona Munyikwa, co-ordinator of Mayo Traveller Support Group, said the situation ‘boils down to a lack of understanding of nomadism and the nomadic culture.’
“A number of meetings were held between the Council and the MTSG. It was difficult to get residents to come along, there was ferocious resistance [to any temporary measures], but they were very adamant that they were not racist.
“It is sad that there is a breakdown of understanding between the local people and the Traveller community. It is particularly sad at this time of year when people should be praying together.”
Ms Munyikwa said that local upset, over the situation that arose last year, was understandable but that the Travellers were equally upset to come into the town and see it ‘bouldered up’. It sent the message out that ‘we don’t want you’ and it had very negative implications.
Ms Munyikwa commended Mayo County Council, who ‘did everything in their power’ to resolve the issue.