Farmer facing eviction hopeful of settlement

A Limerick farmer who has blockaded the entrance to his home with tonnes of baled silage has said there are fresh hopes a settlement can be secured with Bank of Scotland, which got a court eviction order against him over an unpaid debt.

Seamus Sherlock, who farms at Feohanagh, near Newcastle West, received a letter last week from the county registrar’s office advising him he faced eviction.

He said the bank had secured a court order over borrowings on his home and land for a sum in the region of €250,000. After he got the warning letter, he blocked the entrance to the farm with about 40 half-tonne bales of silage.

Mr Sherlock said he had endeavoured to come to a settlement with the bank and had lodged a large sum with his solicitor.

Up to 100 people a day have been calling to lend him their support and maintain night-time vigils.

Mr Sherlock, 46, a father of five, said yesterday: “My solicitor told me this morning the bank are now reconsidering the offer I made them.”

Mr Sherlock said he had proposed to pay back lump sums every October to sort out the debt.

The farmer said he had been deeply moved by the support he has been receiving, with big numbers calling to offer support and staying through the night.

“I have got a huge swell of support from the people of Co Limerick and from all over Ireland. I don’t think I could explain the support I have got over recent days, to see up to 90 people congregate at my front gate, it’s incredible.

“We just want to say a sincere thank you to all the people. We have shops sending up food and people have brought up portable buildings in case it will rain. They are talking about the country on it’s knees, but this country has risen up here in the past few days. These kids of mine said they were not standing behind me, they were standing beside me. I just think there is great hope for the future.”