The Right2Water movement began in 2014 as a tripartite trade union, political and community campaign in response to the establishment of Irish Water, a new statutory organisation set up with responsibility to manage Ireland’s public water supply. After years of grinding austerity Irish Water was beginning to charge the public for water. This was a step too far for many and seen as part of a wider agenda to commodify and privatise public water. A mass campaign of non payment emerged across the country. The protest documented in this archive was the second national rally, organised by Irish Water.
The rally took place at Merrion Square in Dublin at the back of government buildings and lasted over 4 hours on a bitterly cold December Saturday. People came out from all over the island to participate.
Musicians, politicians, trade unionists, poets, historians, community activists and campaigners all addressed the assembled crowds over the day. There was an international dimension also as members of the Detroit Water Brigade, a community organisation in Detroit, USA, that supports people who have been cut off from water supplies due to nonpayment as a result of unaffordability.
Photographer Paula Geraghty had three cameras operating at the rally. The Canon C100 Mk2 on a stationary tripod was operated by Mike de Silva. Two Canon 5D Mk2s were also used, one on a monopod was to film B Roll and take photographs and the second was purely to take photographs. The three lenses used were two Canon EF 24-105 F4 lenses and an F2.8 70-200.
