Terminal Commissioned But Community Still Divided

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The Corrib Gas field started to pump gas on to shore at the North Mayo terminal built by Shell.

The project one of the largest undertaken in the Irish state was also one of the most contentious. Protest initially passive eventually turned to violence and that violence was on both sides but with an overwhelming emphasis on Shell its security staff and the Irish State. Large numbers of police were deployed and in the end also the military to confront those in the small community who opposed the project.

Protesters were jailed their property vandalised and in the case of one fisherman his boat sunk.

Celtic League both via the Irish branch and through the broader inter-Celtic movement supported the protesters of ‘Shell to Sea’ from day one.

Now the project is complete and only time will tell whether the fears of economic and environmental impact will be realised.

You can find details on Celtic League involvement in opposition to the project by typing ‘Shell’ ‘Mayo’ or ‘Corrib’ into the search engine on our main site.

This Irish Times video published this week gives an overview of the project:

http://www.irishtimes.com/…/the-corrib-impact-business-boom…

Shell and the State won. The local people who opposed it were pushed to one side by a combination of big business and politicians with vested interests. It’s a familiar story but as yet we don’t know what the real ending will be. What is clear is that a small community in an unspoiled environment is not a divided community that will have to live with the consequences of Shells development for 30years and shell does not have a good environment record!

Related item – documentary on Vimeo

https://vimeo.com/8668733

BERNARD MOFFATT

Issued by: The Celtic News

28/01/16

THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE.

The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues

http://celticleague.net