OCCUPY GALWAY has agreed to relocate following successful negotiations with the organisers of the city’s Christmas market.
The camp, which has attracted growing support since it was established just over a month ago, is to move to a better location at the top of Eyre Square.
Under the agreement involving the Galway Continental Christmas market organisers and city officials, the market’s boundary on Eyre Square will be redrawn to allow the camp to occupy the northeast corner, which includes four fixed benches.
The market organisers, who hope to begin setting up early next week, will also ensure Occupy Galway has access to a water supply set up by Galway City Council for the use of traders. Bicycle stands will also be moved.
The organisers say Galway City Council officials and the Garda Síochána “have been informed of this consensus and have welcomed it”.
Maria Moynihan Lee of Milestone Inventive and Vanessa Clarke of VSC Events, who are joint organisers, said they believed a “strong foundation for positive working relations and co-existence had been built”.
In an open letter to the people of Galway, the camp said it had been “truly humbling to see the level of support for our movement from the people and small businesses of Galway with supplies and support arriving on a daily basis”.
“On a nightly basis, however, the scenario darkens as the hordes of frustrated youth spill drunkenly on to the street and lay siege to our camp,” it said. “Some tell us we are wasting our time,” it said, while “others ask questions, engage in debate, share their stories of financial struggles and concerns for the future which awaits them before leaving with a warm handshake”.
The camp said it had no desire to block the many local traders involved in the market, and the recent discussions to move had been “a perfect example of participatory democracy in full effect”.
The market, now in its second year, runs from November 25th to mid-December at Eyre Square, while the traditional St Nicholas’s market extends its hours ahead of the festive season.
