"It took us 100 years, but we finally got our b***s back!!"
A statement which was roared across O'Connell Street from The GPO yesterday, as tens of thousands protested against the water charges across the entire country. Attending the protest with my dad, I was overwhelmed by the passion and determination displayed by the people around me. Surrounded by people of all ages; from newborns in prams to elderly couples struggling to hold up their banners, there was definitely no shortage of water as we slogged through the pouring rain.Arriving at 1 o'clock, my dad and I joined the protest at Pearse Street, with a group that had come from
Ringsend. We were disappointed to see the group had a small number of about 100, however as we traveled towards College Green and up Georges Street towards the Dáil the march had expanded. I watched as people ran out shops, down the steps of their apartments, or simply stepped off the footpath onto the road to join the protest. A sense of pride washed over me as I witnessed the Irish people finally joining together to fight against the corruption in the Government. Studying the history of our country, it deeply angers me to watch the people sit back and do nothing as the government makes decisions for a nation. Not only that, but there are a very small percentage of young people involved in the politics of this country. Turning 18 in the 21st century means anything but the right to vote. There are people at the age of 25 who haven't even registered to vote. Their excuses usually center around "They (the political parties) are all the same anyway!" They claim not to care, but there is no doubt, once they are forced to pay the endless taxes and bills posted through their door, it will suddenly become a serious issue. Wouldn't it be better to fight from the very beginning, to voice your opinion and make a difference?
Growing up in a republican ghetto in Newry, Co.Down, one of my dad's first memories was of a mass Civil Rights Demonstration in 1969. A hundred thousand people came from all over Ireland to march. Local people opened their doors to feed them, as a nation joined together to fight for their rights, 'One man. One vote.' As a man who grew up during the Troubles, it deeply frustrates him to witness the nation sit back and allow the Government to dictate every decision inflicted on the country.
As we walked, I listened to the various chants "Power to the People," "From the river to the sea, Irish water will be free," "Look up high and see the water falling from the sky," I was curious to discover the various reasons people had for marching. In general the responses were the same - the Irish people have had enough, the Government take and take and take but we've nothing left to give! The household charge, the property tax and the income tax were all supposed to include taxes on water, yet now they want us to pay for it again. When will it end?As we walked we met a woman who had worked in the civil service for over thirty years. She turned to me and asked me why I was participating in the protest. It took me a few moments to reply (I hadn't quite prepared an answer, even though I was expecting everyone else to reply to my question) I joined the march yesterday as a young person who wants to get involved in the decisions regarding the future of my country. I disagree with the notion that turning 18 in this country is simply a right to drink! It's so much more than that and the youth are ignoring this major fact. Some people may argue that we are too young to make life changing decisions, but you tell me... What is the right age? If we don't start to make decisions from an early age we never will.
Attending that protest yesterday has truly opened my eyes to the serious hardships that reek this nation at the moment. The Right2Water campaign are working with determination to spread the message across the country. A petition is available on the website. If you can't attend the planned march on 10 December, signing the petition is a step in the right direction.
Water is a human right and a public good, not a commodity...
