Coffin left at Ulster Bank branch in closure protest

A coffin was brought along to a protest in Co Limerick yesterday where over 200 residents warned their town faces a death sentence.

Locals are fearful that Croom will suffer badly as a result of the closure of the Ulster Bank branch in the town in March.

They will have to travel to Adare or Limerick to access a bank or ATM

Croom undertaker, Donie Daffy brought along a coffin to signal what they fear are grim times ahead.

He said: “It is like a funeral here today with this impending huge loss to the community. It will be big blow to local business and force people to shop in other towns. We won’t even have an ATM. It is a very serious situation. Small towns are fighting hard to hold on to existing trade. But without a bank or even at ATM you have the odds stacked against you.”

Protestors placed the coffin outside the bank branch and held up banners stating that Ulster Bank “doesn’t care about rural Ireland”.

Resident, David Hurley, a journalist with the Limerick Leader, said that he is a customer of the Ulster Bank in Croom.

“This is another blow following and we will have to travel to Dooradoyle to do any banking business.

“It is big setback for a town which is doing it’s best to get business and keep locals shopping at home.

“It is even worse for people who don’t have their own transport and will now have to travel 14km to the nearest bank. A simple transaction will now take people hours to complete.”