A Sligo County Council spokesperson has said the council had been “inundated with calls” after a massive “No” sign was erected on the side of Ben Bulben this morning.
The sign appeared in the early hours of Thursday morning, eight days before the Irish public will go to the polls to decide the matter of the country’s Eighth Amendment.
In a live interview with Ocean FM this morning, Tommy Banks of Sligo for Life said: “Well, there’s a huge No sign placed on Ben Bulben at the moment and the height of the N is 100 metres. And it’s horrific to think that we have to do this—”
Host Niall Delaney cut across to tell Banks: “You don’t have to this. People are outraged, on both sides, be it Yes or No, that anybody could see fit to deface an iconic mountain like Ben Bulben.”
Banks attempted to justify the move by saying, “It’s only a temporary thing. We have all the permission from all the landowners, local landowners helping us out. There are several teenaged young men helping out, men of all ages, and women as well.”
“It’s a cry from the mountain to save Ireland’s babies because no-one is listening. We want to stop this horrific, barbaric plan of the government.”
Asked if he was confident what they were doing was legal, Banks said “We are. We had a nice visit here from a nice Sergeant and he was very courteous, he was very happy with what’s going on, he came out to see.”
Sligo County Council has since issued a brief statement on Twitter, writing: “As the land where the lettering was placed is commonage, Sligo County Council has no role in this matter.”
As the land where the lettering was placed is commonage, Sligo County Council has no role in this matter
— Sligo County Council (@sligococo) May 17, 2018
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