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February 2010

Pat O'Donnell, a Hero

By: 
Lorna Siggins, The Irish Times,An Irishwoman's Diary, Sat 28th Oct 2006

Here's a story which illustrates the impact that a controversial project is having on a close-knit community. Nine years ago this week, emergency services received a report that four people had not returned from a boat trip to Belderrig pier in north Mayo.

Pipe Down: New Documentary on the Corrib Gas Project

By: 
Cian O

* Winner - Best Feature Documentary - Waterford Film Festival 2009 *

Pipe Down is an hour long documentary that tells the story of a rural community in Co. Mayo in Ireland, who have been battling the oil giant Shell over their plans to put a dangerous raw gas pipeline through the community and complete construction of a gas processing terminal that is a threat to their delicate environment.

Press Notice: Community of Erris to rally to the support of jailed fisherman Pat ‘The Chief’ O’Donnell

Press Notice
Rally, 12 noon, Sunday 28th February 2010
Porturlin Pier to Ballyglass Pier
Issued by Shell to Sea

Community of Erris to rally to the support of jailed fisherman Pat
‘The Chief’ O’Donnell

Tomorrow, Sunday 28th February, will see a rally in support of Pat
O’Donnell, who is in Castlerea Prison for seven months, for opposing
Shell’s destruction of his traditional fishing grounds and the
giveaway of Ireland’s oil and gas resources.

130 objections lodged against Shell licence application

By: 
Lorna Siggins & Áine Ryan - Irish Times

THE DEPARTMENT of the Environment has received more than 130 submissions in response to a foreshore licence application by Shell EP Ireland for investigative work in north Mayo’s Sruwaddacon estuary.

The company aims to drill up to 80 boreholes in the estuary, which is a candidate Special Area of Conservation (SAC), as part of site investigation work for the Corrib gas onshore pipeline route.

The work, costing between €5 million and €10 million according to the company, will take place over a five- to seven-month period in the narrow intertidal estuary running between the communities of Rossport, Glengad and Pollathomas.

Late last year, An Bord Pleanála suggested that the Corrib gas developers might explore the estuary as an alternative to a modified onshore route. The board found half of the modified 9km route to be “unacceptable” on safety grounds, due to proximity to housing in Rossport and between Glengad and Aughoose.

Shell consultants RPS had ruled against running the high-pressure pipeline through Sruwaddacon on environmental and technical grounds two years ago.

Another Shell to Sea Campaigner Imprisoned.

By: 
Niall Harnett - Indymedia

Eoin O'Leidhin of the Rossport Solidarity Camp has been imprisoned for non-payment of a 250 euro fine.

Eoin O'Leidhin has joined fisherman Pat 'the Chief' O'Donnell at Castlerea prison today. Eoin was convicted of Section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 for 'failure to comply with the directions of Garda' at a protest outside the Shell site Glengad on 30th August 2008.

Shell to Sea call on Minister for Environment to protect estuary

By: 
Mayo Advertiser

Shell to Sea has called on the Minister for Environment John Gormley to protect the environment and turn down Shell's application for a foreshore license which would entail carrying out destructive surveying works in Sruwaddacon estuary.

“Sruwaddacon estuary is a very important part of the local landscape, as well as being both an environmentally protected SAC and an SPA,” said Shell to Sea spokesperson Terence Conway. “The proposed works would have a very damaging effect on the protected salmon and bird-life that populate the area.

O'Toole responds to Gerry Gregg

By: 
Fintan O'Toole

I would invite anyone interested in this issue to do two things before making up their minds. The first is to view Gerry Gregg's extraordinary documentary on the Corrib conflict. The very fact that it is presented by Paul Williams, whose regular beat is writing sensational crime stories for The News of the World, says a lot. The issue is framed from the start as one of organised criminality, on a par with Williams's usual stories about Fat Freddy and the like.

A Journey to Ireland

By: 
Patrick Naagbanton - FrontLine Human Rights Defender from Nigeria

I have a particular interest in any news or story about the land and people of Ireland, whether the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. I always have a longing to undertake an expedition to the place. The former is located in the northwestern Europe, with its headquarters at Dublin, while the latter edges on the southern and western axles of the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland is one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom (UK) with its capital at Belfast. The two countries (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) are just one people and one country.

Controversy over Corrib Gas

By: 
Irish Times letters

Madam, – Gerry Gregg’s diatribe (Opinion, February 23rd) against opponents of the Corrib Gas project in Co Mayo is an insult to peaceful and principled protesters. It is also deeply inaccurate.

Mr Gregg says that An Bord Pleanála has not rejected the onshore pipeline route, but has merely requested that Shell explore an alternative route. In fact, An Bord Pleanála stated that Shell had failed to establish that its proposed route for the pipeline “does not pose an unacceptable risk to the public”.

Erris fishermen talk to Ó Cuív about The Chief’s jailing

By: 
Áine Ryan, Mayo News

Tuesday, 23 February 2010