People power once again came to the fore in Enniskillen as thousands gathered to support the Save Our Acute Service (SOAS) campaign on Friday night.

The Lakeland Forum was the setting but as the main hall filled to capacity with hundreds inside, an overspill of an estimated 1,000 people stood outside in the cold December night.

Inside the hall, those attending were addressed by Reggie Ferguson, SOAS Chair, Barry McElduff, Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council ; Helen Hamill, Secretary of SOAS; Councillor Eamonn Keenan, Independent; Councillor Paul Blake SDLP; Tom Elliott, UUP MLA; Deborah Erskine, DUP MLA; Jemma Dolan, Sinn Fein MLA; Padraig Mulholland, NIPSA; Councillor Donal O'Cofaigh, CCLA; Fr. Brian D'Arcy and Dylan Quinn, SOAS. 

At various points in the meeting, members of the panel called for Neil Guckian, Chief Executive of the Western Health and Social Care Trust to resign. Councillor Keenan asked for a show of hands in the hall for who believed Mr. Guckian should resign. Almost every hand in the hall was raised.

Impartial Reporter: A show of hands for Neil Guckian to resign at tonight’s rally over SWAH cutsA show of hands for Neil Guckian to resign at tonight’s rally over SWAH cuts (Image: Victoria Johnston)

Outside the crowd was addressed by Dylan Quinn, Councillor Adam Gannon and Padraig Mulholland. At one point they were led in a passioned cry of 'Save our SWAH'.

For more videos and photos from the rally including some of the speeches see The Impartial Reporter's Facebook page here.