Thousands show support for Sean Quinn

A crowd, estimated by local Gardaí at 5,000, thronged the main street of Ballyconnell on Sunday evening last to show their support for Sean Quinn, once a major employer in the area.
The event, based on the theme, ‘justice for Quinn,  was addressed by major GAA figures, among them Tyrone manager, Mickey Harte and Fr Brian D’Arcy.
Posters promoting the event carried the slogan: “We ask that in the interest of natural justice, Anglo Irish Bank go into court and seek the suspension of the contempt order against Sean Quinn, Young Sean Quinn and Peter Darragh Quinn, and meaningfully engage with the Quinn Family to resolve the present impasse, and that all pending and additional court proceedings by Anglo be suspended until the legitimacy of the €2.3bn debt is clarified.”
Each speaker, in turn, was loudly applauded, but, the biggest ovation of the night was reserved for Sean Quinn himself when he arrived with his wife, Patricia near the end to join his daughter, Colette on the stage. She had represented the family until that point, and was one of the speakers.
Clearly red-eyed before taking the stage, he thanked the people for their support since Quinn Direct was placed in administration in March, 2010.
“I can see very good reason”, he said, “with all the propaganda that has been built up over the last 28 months, why it is very difficult for people to support us. There is a story told, but it’s not a true story and, hopefully, the more intelligent people do understand what the position was and is, that we always paid our way.”
Mr Quinn broke down at this point, but having composed himself, he referred to the presence on the platform of Mickey Harte.
“He knows what injustice is about. I hope we can go through with half the dignity what he and his family went through.”
He thanked the organisers, the local communities, the ‘whole GAA country’, the staff of the Quinn Group who, he said, for the past 38 years, had been ‘phenomenal supporters of me’, and his family.
In that regard, he named his nephew, Peter: “I have to say a special word of thanks to young Peter who is getting a bad reputation. He has been a huge supporter of me and my family. The Quinns will continue to be the Quinns. We stand up for each other.”
Concluding, he said he hoped justice would prevail in the long-term and that business would continue in the local area, ‘whether I am involved or not involved’.
Padraig Donohue, who chaired the three-hour event, then declared that there would be more public events, all aimed at securing justice for Sean Quinn and his family.