After 161 days, Vita staff’s ‘emotional rollercoaster’ ends

There were hugs, kisses, the odd tear, and a determined message that the Government must ensure workers get their just entitlements as one of the longest sit-ins in industrial relations history ended.

Many of the 23 who had occupied the Vita Cortex plant in Cork for 161 days since Christmas said it had been “an emotional rollercoaster of highs and lows” as they fought to get redundancy payments of €1.2m from owner Jack Ronan.

During the sit-in, Henry O’Reilly, 59, was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer and told he had tumours in the liver, spleen, and pancreas.