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"F***** from a great height": Liam Neeson's not the first Irish celebrity to weigh in on water charges

Everyone from Damien Dempsey to the Rubberbandits has been getting involved.

SEEN THE FRONT-PAGE of the Irish Sun this morning?

For some reason, Liam Neeson has chosen this week to get involved in the Irish Water row.

According to the paper, the Taken star has ditched plans to move home from New York because of the new charging regime.

“We’ve been F***** from a great height by these bankers and it’s the final straw,” Neeson told the paper.

“I just think — come on, don’t F****** insult the Irish people any more.

I really hope the Government is doing something about it now and listening to the people and finding a solution. They f****** better listen to the opposition.

The actor, apparently, had been thinking of relocating away from the US now that his two sons are in college. The latest controversy, however, turns him “completely off”.

jackmorrissy / YouTube

Of course, Neeson’s not the first well-known Irish person to voice an opinion on the contentious issue over the last few months.

A variety of actors, comedians and musicians (some of whom you might expect to hear from — others, perhaps not) have been weighing in…

Including…

Glen Hansard

The Frames’ frontman addressed a crowd of thousands at the last mass protest against the charges, earlier this month.

“I’m not political, but the Irish nation has now been forced to be (political) and to come out on the streets,” he said, according to the Irish Times.

It feels like there are more and more screws being put on the people, to pay taxes for this, that and the other… I think there is a general sense of anger, a seething dissatisfaction and I’m just like anyone else.

Damien Dempsey

The Donaghmede man joined Hansard on stage at the Right2Water event, telling the crowd…

You can see the rebellion in people’s eyes – you can see the spirit coming back into the Irish people.

iDirectMovies / YouTube

Sinead O’Connor 

Never a woman to hold back on giving her opinion (remember when she likened U2′s iTunes album release to an act of terrorism?) Sinead has had more than a thing or two to say about the new charging regime.

The singer’s been increasingly vocal on political issues in recent months — and even joined Sinn Féín a few weeks ago.

In a blog post on 2 December, she warned protesters against bringing children into environments where there was a possibility of violence.

She also hit out at organisers of the 10 December Right2Water protest — for not assigning a special area for children at the Merrion Square event.

More recently, she’s unveiled a new version of the National Anthem…

Sonya Mulligan / YouTube

Martin Moloney (of the Hardy Bucks) 

Niall Carson Niall Carson

“My grandparents built the roads in England and the railways, and why we cannot build our own country in this day and age astounds me,” the TV star told protesters at the 10 December rally.

The Rubberbandits

Blindboy Boatclub and Mr Chrome pledged their support for an anti-charges protest in Limerick last month via Facebook.

“‘I don’t care what happens because I have a job and money in my pocket’ is one of the reasons the recession hit Ireland as bad as it did,” they said.

Barbecues, Range Rovers and decking are a great distraction from injustice.

Rubberbandits. Photocall Ireland Rubberbandits. Photocall Ireland

The celebrity with most to say on Irish Water, of course, isn’t even Irish…

Russell Brand / YouTube

Read: Protester removed from 1916 event after she called Enda Kenny the C-word

More: This Irish college has been getting fierce hassle because of Irish Water

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