Roscommon siblings back home, “traumatized” after violent eviction

Two McGann siblings have returned to their Roscommon home

Two of the three McGann siblings, who were evicted from their Roscommon home last week, have returned to the home in Strokestown.

Read More: Rural Ireland ablaze after eviction by vulture bank KBC of three elderly siblings

Donal Hanley, friend of the McGanns, told the Irish Independent that the siblings are "traumatized" by the events, and are hoping for things to calm down.

Retired garda Kevin Taylor, who was present and subsequently injured at the eviction that turned violent last week, said to the Irish Mirror that David and Geraldine McGann "just drove in as homeowners and put their key in the door and let themselves in" on Tuesday.

The third sibling, Anthony, is said to be staying elsewhere with friends but is planning on being in the home for Christmas if the family can still remain there.

The McGann's return to their Strokestown, Roscommon home follows a week's worth of incidents and a resulting media storm.

Last Tuesday, a private security firm arrived at the McGann house in order to evict the three siblings living there. The firm is said to have been hired by KBC Bank.

The eviction turned violent as David McGann, as well as retired garda Kevin Taylor, sustained injuries at the hands of the private security firm, who are said to be British.

Video of the eviction quickly went viral on Facebook.

*Warning: graphic language:

In response, a crowd of about 50 people descended upon the McGann family home in the early hours of Sunday morning to drive out the security forces who had been staying there. In the process, 8 people were injuries, several cars were set alight, and a dog was killed.

The McGann siblings were said to have not been involved in the response attack.

Read More: Three elderly Irish evicted by KBC bank heavies but locals drive eviction gang out

Close family friend Anna Kavanagh, who has been posting video updates to her Facebook page, said two of the three McGanns have returned to the home.

She said the siblings are "overwhelmed" by both the media storm that has ensued as well as the outpouring of support they have received from not only their local but from the national community as well.

In her latest video, posted on Tuesday, Kavanagh said that David and Geraldine McGann are back in the house and wishing for things to “calm down”:

Kavanagh said that family and friends are with the siblings in the home and that several people from further abroad in the country have traveled to Strokestown to stand in solidarity.

According to Kavanagh, the family feels confident that they will be in their home for Christmas and New Years.

Media coverage

Kavanagh, who has become the mouthpiece for the McGann siblings, said the family is upset with some of the “mainstream media” reports surrounding the incident.

In particular, the family is upset about the lack coverage of the injuries that David McGann, an elderly man who suffers from chronic illness, and retired gardai Kevin Taylor received at the hands of the men forcing the eviction in Strokestown last week.

Geraldine McGann is said to be “deeply distressed” about the treatment of her late mother’s “sacred space” in the family home. As per tradition, when someone within the family dies, their bedroom is locked and the key hidden. When the McGann’s returned to the home, the door to the siblings’ late mother’s bedroom, which had been locked since 2015, had been smashed open.

A beloved calf that was kept in a shed nearby to the house was also let loose in a nearby field during the eviction.

Kavanagh said: “The family have asked me to make it very clear, that the family want the spotlight turned off this now."

"This has become a legal matter for the courts to decide which will be dealt with through the courts.”