Written by Eoin Buckley.
Back in November of 2023, Tipperary Senator Garret Ahearne, and a number of Tipperary County Councilors and TDs became aware of the sale of the 200 year old historically significant Building Hearns hotel situated in the middle of Clonmel, on the towns busiest street.
They were also made aware of who the prospective new owners would be, a company called "Moshin Manzoor Hospitality Limited" and what their intended use of that building would be. indeed they had "concerns" or at least they claim to have at the time. You can read for yourself about this companies chief business activity here.
Now we all know what has happened since, and the various events that lead us up to where the current situation lays. The doors of the hotel remain closed, and the general public has no clue as to the numbers of "refugees" that reside within it, or what the demographic of males / females / chidren are. in fact it is safe to say the people of Clonmel like to remain "blissfully unaware" or happily ignorant to such things that take place within the town. The general consensus seems to be, once it is not on their door step or backyard not one fuck is given, meaning the corrupt county council, business people, and politicians can do what they like, you could argue this is an example of the mindset of the majority of the people across Ireland, and not just exclusive to Clonmel.
The thing is, not only do the People of Clonmel not care about the human trafficking for profit operation that is hearns hotel, it seems they whole heartedly support it, you see the new owners also acquired the adjourning nightclub, formerly O' Keffes, which they have operated as business as usual, despite the fact this is illegal under the current Ipas accommodation law, which states the need for quiet due to the children staying in the Ipas center. But the people of Clonmel pay their money every weekend to gain admission to the nightclub, which as all nightclubs do, has loud music going into the early hours of the morning, so how any children can sleep with that, or adults for that matter, is a question only those people can answer.
Back in may, we as a group, tried to highlight this, we staged several protests outside this building, while people looked on from the nearby streets and windows of various buildings, with every protest we would have, it was always the same people turning up, perhaps with one or two new brave faces joining us, but there would be always people looking on, perhaps intrigued, Perhaps aghast, who knows. It makes no difference now, the building is lost, it's history, it's decor indeed it's very ownership. It's really very sad.
The inaction of the people of Clonmel, to this situation, like other similar situations in other parts of the town, have enabled the profiteering and enrichment of Individuals by the trafficking of women and children, in to hearns hotel, eventually moving them on into other places and taking in more in a never ending cycle of humans. So yes this is the very definition of human trafficking.
And the people of Clonmel fully support it from the looks of things.
For shame.