VOLUNTEERS ARE maintaining a 24-hour guard at the home of a Co Limerick farmer who barricaded himself into his house after receiving an eviction notice over unpaid bank loans.
Seamus Sherlock, an unemployed separated father of five, has not left his property since he was served with the eviction notice on August 16th. Using 40 bales of silage, he blockaded the main driveway leading to his two-storey farmhouse in Feohanagh.
Mr Sherlock, who ran as an Independent “Life after Debt” candidate in Co Limerick in the last general election, said his campaign had received “incredible” support from across Ireland, and claimed hundreds of people have been calling to his home to back him. “A family from Kerry who were going on their holidays up the country arrived today with five shopping bags full of food. They said instead of going for two weeks’ holidays, they would go for one and bought the groceries for us.”
He said a Co Limerick company had donated a log cabin that could sleep 12 people. “There are people manning the property 24 hours a day and at least 30 people on site at all times,” he said.
Mr Sherlock said he had been trying to reach a settlement with his financial institution, Bank of Scotland. He claimed to have lodged a large sum of money with his solicitor as part of a rescue package he is trying to work out with the bank. And he said he was determined to lodge a similar amount by October 1st.
He would not say exactly how much was outstanding on his mortgage, but said it was not more than €300,000. Bank of Scotland said it did not comment on its banking relationship with customers.