Hunger Strike Enters 61st Day

cork | miscellaneous | news report

Sunday November 09, 2003 17:44

by Concerned

Co. Cork man on hunger strike against what he claims is a systematic campaign of garda harrassment

Frank Collins of Ballinspittle, Co. Cork has entered the 61st day of a hunger strike. Mr Collins says he undertook the hunger strike in protest at what he considers to be a campaign of harassment by gardaí over a period of thirty years. Mr Collins has engaged in three previous hunger strikes; on the third occasion, the Garda Commissioner, Pat Byrne, and the Minister for Justice, John O’Donoghue, persuaded Mr Collins to end his hunger strike with a promise of an enquiry into his allegations. However, according to Mr Collins, the enquiry failed to materialise.
Mr Collins is currently resident in a caravan hitched to a car, which is located outside the parish church of Ballinspittle. His hunger strike has been reported by the Sunday Tribune and the Evening Echo (Cork). Though the Irish Times dispatched a reported and photographer, a report did not appear in the paper, apparently due to legal fears on the part of the newspaper.
Mr Collins says he fears for his safety and will continue his hunger strike until he dies unless his grievances are addressed by the Minister for Justice.

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Comments (4 of 4)

Hunger strike.

by edmund butler - parishioner

Mon Nov 10, 2003 16:08

edmundbutler at vodafone dot ie

Garrettstown, Kinsale, Co.Cork

021/4778334, 087/8501805

The minister for justice has been contacted on numerious occasions by me and has flatly refused to engage in this protest. He is prepared to let this man die and hopefully the problem dies with him. The only other person in recent history to behave in this way was Margaret Thatcher. I do believe that our present minister for justice takes his lead from her and I have told him so.
It is disgraceful that we go to so much trouble in this country to save a single life, but this public representative would not lift his finger to save a single life. In my oppinion he is not fit to hold any public office. Minister please wake up and take notice, this mans blood will be on your hands and it wont wash off so easily.

please publish more details of this here.

by ec

Mon Nov 10, 2003 16:16

We don't know what it is about

The same Frank Collins?

by Curious Chap

Mon Nov 10, 2003 17:39

Out of curiosity, is this the same chap who had himself buried alive to beat the world record for living in a coffin in 1999 as part of a publicity stunt before the Local Elections? If it is, one cannot help but be a little dubious about his clear desire to end up in a coffin one way or the other.

See http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1999/03/27/ihead.htm

Must be getting a bit peckish

Tue Nov 11, 2003 01:26

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Hunger Strike Enters 61st Day

Comments (4 of 4)