LOCK up your daughters and your livestock, the Vikings are coming. But don’t panic, it’s only Gerben Uunk, co-founder and secretary of the Party for Animal Welfare, after Limerick’s mayoral chain. Despite 10 appearances in TV drama series Vikings under his tunic, he most definitely comes in peace.
An extra in the hit show that transports audiences to the brutal and mysterious world of Viking warrior and farmer Ragnar Lothbrok, the towering 6’6” hulk is certainly perfectly cast.
He looks the part, but as I quickly learn on catching up with Gerben (pronounced Jerben) in the People’s Park, he is most definitely a gentle giant.
Now running for Limerick’s first directly-elected mayor, the former Dutch Green Party councillor does, however, want to return Limerick to its Viking roots.
“I want to bring Limerick back to the time of Vikings. If I can take over Limerick, I am thinking, why not?” he muses.
“Limerick was founded by Vikings in 922 and I think there should be a Viking Quarter on the Shannon Estuary. It would be a great idea. We could bring the longboats from the Isle of Man or Northern Ireland from the set of Vikings. It would be great for the community and maybe University of Limerick could be involved as well,” he suggests.
When not raiding and plundering on the set of the historical drama television series, Mr Uunk works to be a voice to all the voiceless. Limerick animal lovers are sure to get on board with his plan to put an end to animal cruelty across the city and county.
“Animal cruelty is at an all-time high in Limerick City and County,” Gerben claims.
”I challenge whoever is elected to the highest office in Limerick to prioritise measures to tackle ever increasing anti-social behaviour towards animals and all sentient beings, which include humans.
“A horse was found dead on the side of a road with a sulky attached outside Newcastle West on St Patrick’s Day after reportedly having a heart attack. The sulky racers left the sulky behind as well. It’s certainly not the first time. If elected mayor, I want sulky racing to cease immediately,” he insists.
As well as banning sulky racing, Mr Uunk believes that funding to all bloodsport facilities should be stopped immediately.
He would also like to see Limerick Racecourse and Limerick Greyhound Stadium, as well as hare coursing tracks, converted to building much-needed housing. Housing, he points out, is far more important than facilitating State-sponsored “evil bloodsports”.
“I challenge all election candidates for Mayor of Limerick to come out very strong against all forms of blood sports, for example greyhound racing and horse racing, and hare coursing and fox hunting.”
Photo: Brendan Gleeson.
‘Are you vegan, Alan?’
The Newcastle West-based animal rights activist also wants to see an Animal Welfare Enforcement Officer to be installed by Limerick City and County Council.
“Animal rescues are over full with puppies surrendered which were mostly sold by evil, greedy puppy farmers around Christmas. ‘Adopt don’t buy’ should be the ethos.”
Mr Uunk, a mature horticulture student at the Organic College in Dromcollogher also wants to see the Limerick Mayor focus to only cater for plant-based diets in all public facilities and schools alike.
”Are you vegan, Alan?” he asks.
“I’m not even vegetarian,” I warily reply.
“That’s okay, nobody’s perfect,” Gerben assures me.
Having previously worked in IT and nursing before that, he is now calling for a more plant-based lifestyle to be prioritised.
“Post-pandemic, everyone got more health and diet conscience. The silver lining is the amount of vegetarians and vegans grew more than doubled in Ireland,” he says.
“I think it is important to sign up to the plant-based treaty. There’s a lot of good feedback from culinary places. You could have breakfast shops here which would slowly help the shift away from eating animals. I am not saying that people can’t eat meat. I’m a vegan, but I am not saying that everyone should become vegan overnight, just introduce them to a plant-based diet. In my view, it’s a healthier option.”
Gerben wants to be a mayor for a more caring Limerick. He isn’t, he tells me, doing this for the money.
“That’s the last thing I want to be, a mayor that makes promises but doesn’t come good on them when the money is in their pocket. If I was elected, I would love to appoint a deputy mayor like has been done in London. So, maybe my question to the other parties is – would you be open to this?”
As well as tackling housing and the hospital, Gerben also sees a light rail system as part of his vision for Limerick. This, he insists, would be less noisy and have less impact on animals.
