THE NEWLY-FORMED Land League prevented the sale of land which is subject to an ongoing legal dispute in Leitrim yesterday.

Along with various anti-eviction groups, the group met at the Bush Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon to protest against the sale of a local family’s land.

On hearing of the situation at his property, owner Joe Dolan cancelled the auction.

“I have a lot of family-owned property and how they progress into the future,” he said on his decision to stop the sale.

“I was very uncomfortable about the whole issue – not just because of who it was and what it was…but because of the way it was parachuted upon our business here.

“These events may be common in the Shelbourne Hotel and likeminded but they are not common in Leitrim. We are very much part of our community. Our community are very good to us…It’s a small, rural community.

We look out for each other. We share each other’s pain, we share each other’s happiness. We all work together for a common goal.

He added that he was “glad this event did not happen”.

“I was disappointed it was. I was embarrassed it ended up in this hotel. I apologise to the community…we very much compromised. I hope that’s the end of it.”

He noted that the behaviour of the protesters was “impeccable”.

The New Land League was established recently with an aim to stop evictions and auctions of disputed land or property taking place across the country.

Its members say they will engage in peaceful demonstrations at sites where attempted evictions are planned.

According to reports last weekend, there is a database of supporters being drawn up so that text alerts can been sent out.

Organiser Jerry Beades told the Sunday Independent that their presence is often enough to stop the evictions or the sales – as is evident from yesterday’s events.

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