Hundreds of people turned out for a peaceful demonstration in Lismore on Sunday afternoon.
It was organised in response to a WLR report on Monday last that the former Lismore House Hotel will not be reopening as a functioning hotel but will instead become a direct provision centre from as early as February.
Since the news broke, business people and residents have expressed their concerns over the loss of the hotel - which is the oldest purpose-built hotel in Ireland.
Local business owners and locals are lining the streets of Lismore to say ‘No consultation, No consideration.’ News that a Direct Provision is to open on the Main Street has brought people out in significant volumes today. Speeches are currently underway from Bryan Buckley pic.twitter.com/XReAHpIBHA
— WLR (@wlrfm) January 29, 2023
Organisers of Sunday's protest stressed to WLR News that it was not being done with any kind of anti-immigrant sentiment, but was purely meant as a means by which Lismore people could show how badly the town wants that particular building to be available to visitors in order to boost the tourism trade and the local economy.
Some estimates put the figure for the number of people who attended the demonstration as high as 400.
Tune in to WLR's Déise Today on Monday morning to hear a report from the event.
