Carrickmines families move into temporary south Dublin site

Travellers rehoused in car park after residents blocked access to Rockville Drive site

The entrance to the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Council Ballyogan Depot car park, on the Ballyogan Road, where a temporary halting site for the survivors of the Carrickmines fire is being set up. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins
The entrance to the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Council Ballyogan Depot car park, on the Ballyogan Road, where a temporary halting site for the survivors of the Carrickmines fire is being set up. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins

The 15 people left homeless by the Carrickmines fire in south Dublin earlier this month have moved into a temporary site provided for them by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

The move to the site, a council-owned car park on the Ballyogan Road, follows failed attempts by the council to provide emergency accommodation at Rockville Drive which is closer to the scene of the fire in which 10 Travellers died.

The proposed move to the site on Rockville Drive drew media attention after local residents blocked access to the site preventing any preparation work from taking place.

Earlier this week, a council spokesman told The Irish Times the decision on the Ballyogan site was taken “with great reluctance” and that the Ballyogan site was “not ideal” as it did not have full access to basic services available at Rockville Drive.

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Southside Travellers' director Geraldine Dunne issued an appeal to give the families desire for privacy to begin the process of rebuilding their lives.

The funerals of Willie Lynch (25), his partner Tara Gilbert (27) and their children Jodie (9) and Kelsey (4) took place in Bray, Co Wicklow, on Tuesday.

The funeral of Willie’s brother Jimmy Lynch (39) also took place in Bray on Tuesday.

The funerals of Thomas Connors (27), his wife Sylvia Connors (25) and their children Jim (5), Christy (2) and Mary (five months) took place in Wexford town on Friday.

Éanna Ó Caollaí

Éanna Ó Caollaí

Iriseoir agus Eagarthóir Gaeilge An Irish Times. Éanna Ó Caollaí is The Irish Times' Irish Language Editor, editor of The Irish Times Student Hub, and Education Supplements editor.