'I feel very sorry for the Quinn family'

THE LOCAL people in the home base of Seán Quinn and his family are backing the man who created jobs for them and their families in a deprived region.

Walking the streets of Ballyconnell on Saturday and visiting the village of Derrylin across the Border in Fermanagh beside the myriad companies he founded, there is anger at what locals perceive as the bankers not being made accountable for their actions.

Locals also say the area would have been a wasteland.

They fear that the empire built by Quinn may disintegrate in time. further compounding the economic woes of the area.

TOIRBHEALACH LYONS

Dublin native living in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan of the Molly Maguire pub in Ballyconnell

“Here’s a businessman who has done everything for this community. He was great with the GAA club and gave them land. All of the politicians got their picture taken with him when things were going good but not one of them from the Cavan-Monaghan area has stuck beside him.

“Why isn’t the original financial regulator, Pádraic Neary, being brought before the Dáil and questioned? Why haven’t the five TDs for Cavan-Monaghan been called for this? It is disgraceful that they’re being sent to jail but what they did was wrong.

“They only did it because the Government moved in on them like the Mafia and took all his businesses off him when he went to Dublin to negotiate. They are holding Seán and the son to ransom and are using his family against him. He’s a man of the people. He wore an open shirt and he went to the GAA matches. He supported the local community and everybody looked to him for sponsorship.

“He sponsored the Lady of the Erne competition when Irish Distillers pulled out. That man did more for charity in this area than you would not believe.

“The Cavan people should have risen up more. I’m a Dublin man and I think he should have gotten more support from his own community. In Fermanagh he has great support – it doesn’t matter if they are Protestant or Catholic, they’re behind him because of the jobs he brought to the area.

“Only for him, this area would be nothing. Lisnaskea, across the Border [in Co Fermanagh] had nothing and he brought jobs. People laughed at him when he went to build the Slieve Russell Hotel in Ballyconnell but look at it now and the amount of people it employs.

“He no longer owns it but it wouldn’t have been there if it wasn’t for him; it would have been a field. The man has never said he didn’t want to pay back the money. Why could they not have worked with him? He shouldn’t get jail; he should get a medal for all he has done for the area.”

SÉAMUS CURRY

Derrylin, Co Fermanagh

“I think it’s an absolute disaster what has happened and that his son is in jail. It is an outrage. He has done so much for this area and in Fermanagh, Meath, Cork and Dublin.

“Members of my family have worked for the Quinns and continue to do so but they wouldn’t have the same heart going into it now. Once you did a job for Quinn you were guaranteed your money and he was good to work for.

“It’s an awful pity there wasn’t a dozen more employers like him in this country.”

MARGARET McCAUL

Newtowngore, Co Leitrim

“I think it is terrible what has happened to the Quinn family. It’s just not right. It shouldn’t have come to this. Seán Quinn jnr could spend a long time in jail and I think it’s very unfair. I worked myself for him in the Slieve Russell Hotel.

“He’s a lovely man and he would always speak to staff and have a chat. Him and his dog would come in every Saturday to the hotel and go round chatting to everyone. I work in the Réalta Centre cafe in the town [Ballyconnell] and from talking to customers, people are very angry at what has happened to Quinn.”

JIMMY CURRY

Teemore, Co Fermanagh

“I think it’s absolutely ridiculous the way the whole thing has been handled with Quinn. At the end of the day I think Anglo Irish are as much to blame and I don’t see any of them being brought to court yet. He has kept this end of the country in work for years.

“The future of this area in 10 years’ time is likely to be very bleak. Everyone in this area knows someone or is someone who works for a business that was started by Quinn.”

MARY DONOHOE

Proprietor of Supervalu, Ballyconnell

“The whole thing is so sad, really. I feel very sorry for the Quinn family because of all the employment that Seán Quinn created over the years. The Government have taken him to task and want to clean him out. There’s all this talk about how much he has cost the ordinary taxpayer but the Government are going to probably keep having these inquiries and that is what will cost the taxpayer.

“There’s so many other people that should have been taken to task but it seems like Seán Quinn is being made the scapegoat. I dread to think what this area will be like in a decade. The people who have taken over his businesses may well close them down in this area. They will keep them here for the next five years at most but then that will be it.

“They don’t intend to leave Seán Quinn with one penny because they don’t want to see him pick up again. They may as well shoot him now. It’s my opinion and it is how a lot of people in the area feel.

“There is a lot of anger in the area because of it. Most of my business comes from his business, as the people working here spend their money here, so it all has a domino effect.”

BREEGE FAY

Ballyconnell, Co Cavan

“Seán Quinn did so much for this area. There was nothing in Ballyconnell. I lived in England for most of my life and moved here several years ago. A lot of my friends have worked for Quinn.

“The man took the wrong advice. The hotel was his baby. When they took that it was sad. I honestly don’t go in there now because I feel that there is a coldness and an emptiness there now. It was our local.

“Seán and Patricia were my neighbours for years until I moved to my current house. They are lovely people. He is the most ordinary man, he comes into Ballyconnell to go to Mass. I think it’s awful that Seán jnr was sent to jail but I think Peter made a mistake by not turning up to court. It would have made things less complicated for Seán snr.

“Quinn products were all over the world. My two sons work as carpenters in England and they tell me they see Quinn radiators or whatever when renovating houses.