Galway dairy farmer Fintan Murphy is protesting the forced sale of his land by so-called vulture fund Promontoria.

Murphy took a loan out with Ulster Bank to buy the 130ac farm after being introduced to its Athenry bank manager by a local political figure in 2010.

Sign erected by Fintan Murphy on his farm in Temple Gurteen, Co Galway. He originally put up a sign saying 'Forced sale of our family farm by vulture fund', but this was removed by persons unknown.

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“We were paying back €3,000/month, but milk prices went bad and we were only able to pay up to €2,000/month,” Murphy said.

On top of this, he went through a number of close family bereavements.

“I was just thinking about the funerals – the bank kept talking and I couldn’t make sense of what it was saying.”

Despite attempts to deal with Ulster Bank, his loan was sold to Promontoria in March 2017. Currently 47ac of his farm, “including the milking parlour and shed”, is being advertised on DoneDeal.ie for €282,000. Murphy said the situation is hard on his family.

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