Mayo no events posted in last week
Ukraine Buys Huge Amounts of Russian Fue... Fri Jan 20, 2023 08:34 | Antonia Kotseva
Turkey Has Sent Ukraine Cluster Munition... Thu Jan 12, 2023 00:26 | Jack Detsch
New Israeli Government Promises to Talk ... Tue Jan 10, 2023 21:13 | Al Majadeen
Russia Training Iranian Pilots Ahead of ... Tue Jan 10, 2023 15:19 | The Times of Israel
Lukashenko Abolishes Copyright Protectio... Tue Jan 10, 2023 15:05 | Nikki Main Anti-Empire >>
A bird's eye view of the vineyard
What Becomes of NATO After The Loss In Ukraine (Gonzalo Lira) Fri Feb 03, 2023 23:15 | The Saker
NATO warns that Putin?s MASSIVE attack is happening now, send weapons | Redacted with Clayton Morris Fri Feb 03, 2023 22:47 | The Saker
OH SH*T, HERE WE GO (Douglas Macgregor) Fri Feb 03, 2023 22:12 | The Saker
When Numbers Lie Fri Feb 03, 2023 21:41 | The Saker Please visit Andrei?s website: https://smoothiex12.blogspo... and support him here: https://www.patreon.com/beP...
Various important updates about the blog shutdown Fri Feb 03, 2023 16:59 | The Saker Dear friends I want to share a few updates about the blog shutdown with you: Archiving the blog I have been contacted by several people offering to host an archive The Saker >>
80,000 Students Take Their Universities to Court For Refunds on Degrees Disrupted by Lockdown Sat Feb 04, 2023 09:00 | Will Jones Almost 80,000 students are taking legal action and demanding refunds over the costly courses disrupted by Covid that left many without the skills they need for the fields they wish to work in.
The post 80,000 Students Take Their Universities to Court For Refunds on Degrees Disrupted by Lockdown appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
The Fightback Against the Woke Capture of Scottish Schools Begins Sat Feb 04, 2023 07:00 | Stuart Waiton Stuart Waiton writes for the Daily Sceptic about his new group, the Scottish Union for Education, which aims to push back against the political indoctrination of Scottish schoolchildren.
The post The Fightback Against the Woke Capture of Scottish Schools Begins appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
News Round-Up Sat Feb 04, 2023 00:34 | Will Jones A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the virus and the vaccines, the ?climate emergency? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
94% of Claims to the Government?s Vaccine Injury Payment Scheme Are Rejected, Many Because They Are ... Fri Feb 03, 2023 17:02 | Claire Hibbs 94% of claims to the Government's vaccine injury payment scheme are rejected, many because they are not "60% disabled". Mark Kerry, whose pre-vaccine life is gone forever, is one of them ? read his story.
The post 94% of Claims to the Government’s Vaccine Injury Payment Scheme Are Rejected, Many Because They Are Not “60% Disabled”. Mark Kerry is One of Them appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Vitamin D Cuts COVID-19 Risk of Death in Half, New Study Finds. So Why Isn?t it Recommended? Fri Feb 03, 2023 13:00 | Will Jones Vitamin D cuts the risk of death from COVID-19 by 51% and the risk of ICU admission by 72%, a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials has found. But it's still not recommended for use in the U.K. Why not?
The post Vitamin D Cuts COVID-19 Risk of Death in Half, New Study Finds. So Why Isn’t it Recommended? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic. Lockdown Skeptics >>
Voltaire, international edition
Voltaire International Newsletter N°26 Sat Feb 04, 2023 05:43 | en
EU mulls ways to censor Russian views Thu Feb 02, 2023 04:34 | en
Zelensky's sponsor and Hunter Biden fall from grace Wed Feb 01, 2023 03:30 | en
Two perceptions of the war in Ukraine, by Thierry Meyssan Tue Jan 31, 2023 07:03 | en
Pfizer modified Covid virus ahead of pandemic Mon Jan 30, 2023 13:28 | en Voltaire Network >>
|
Day Three in the TBM House
mayo |
rights, freedoms and repression |
news report
Thursday August 02, 2012 12:07 by resting camper

Somewhere in Erris idiots at are work...
Day three and things are still looking bad for Shell. Protesters and the Irish bog have the upper hand, with Shell receiving flack and Gardai humbled as crane sent packing. Most of the day was quiet around the TBM itself. Fencing was put up and IMRS formed a cordon around it. We are able to walk up and around the TBM - in places you can reach out and touch the Fionnuala. The turning wheels have caused the tarmac to scrunch up in quite a few places. The front of the truck has pushed the ditch out two foot, the back axles sitting in a pool of water and looks like one of them has buckled. The road is pretty badly damaged and it is easy to see why the driver was not going any further. The load on the back is also pushing the frame of the trailer down onto the tires.
Most work was on finishing bypasses around the TBM so vehicles could get in and out of Rossport. Cars are able to get to Rossport, but the direct route is still not possible, meaning the road through Glenamoy village is still being used, causing damage to locals gardens and the road surface is being destroyed by turning lorries from Barretts & Lennons. Local councillors moaned about it and asked for reports from Shell's pet Mayo County Council.
However, one of the Rossport 5 and Goldman Prize winner Willie Corduff did something about the haulage trucks coming through the village, standing in front of one truck coming through. Unfortunately arrested, but released without charge two hours later.
Locals and campers monitored the situation all day, everyone in good spirits enjoying the sight. Even though it underlines Shell's idiocy in attempting the whole project in the first place, it is awesome to see the unbelieveable.
Elsewhere, the two arrested for the Crossmolina lock-on pleaded guilty in Ballina court. One was fined 200 euros on the spot and the other had their punishment deferred to the September hearing in Belmullet, when many others arrested on previous protests are also having their cases heard.
Gardai were around all day, but in small numbers. Amazing given how much was spent on escorting it a day or so ago that they've pretty much abandoned it now. Definitely a question or two to be asked there about a colossal waste of money. Maybe they were getting the bollocking they truely deserved as the trucks could only have been on that road with their permission.
Some people did a bit of digging and it turns out that not only was there a major failure of judgement among experienced people who should have known better about taking a heavy load up a rural road through bogland, but it may also been illegal. According to the road traffic managment plan, the approved haulage route ends at the Ballyscally junction to Aghoos. Peter Hynes, the Mayo County Council Director of Services / County Manager who always bends over backwards to help Shell, has said that Shell had all the necessary permissions, which, to put it politely is disassembling somewhat. Did he really give permission for Shell to go up to Glenamoy? Maybe people should ring his office ((094) 90 24444) and ask to see the documents. Heads need to roll on this one.
In answer to someone's question, the trucks came the designated route, on the main route past Ballinaboy to the Aghoos compound. They failed to make the turning at the Ballyscally turning where the animal labs are, so continued up to Glenamoy / Rossport junction - to turn around and try from the other direction.
But back to the direct action bit. In the evening reports started coming in (and this is the beauty of a community wide campaign - eyes and ears everywhere) that a crane was on its way. Shell were saying that the TBM was going to be moved. Mmmh, a lot of people thought otherwise. Infact, some turned thought into action. Maura was there with her car across the road at Bellinaboy bridge, holding it up. More sped down there to give support, and before you could blink another protester was up on the crane.
The whole road was blocked. Shell workers from the refinery had to go the long way around, gridlocking the road out from Pullathomas - and, we are told, made to wait by some local residents none too happy at the sight of them.
Maura's car was pulled out of the way, but the gardai ended up crashing it into the side of the bridge, causing them to abandon the effort. After a while it was back in place, making sure the cherrypicker to take down the person on the crane could not reach them.
Several hours later somewhere between sixty and hundred people came to enjoy the sight of the the crane stuck in the middle of the road. While some might moan about the blockage or emergency services, the fact remains that these are the roads of the local community and it is they who are making the decisions that Shell needs to be kicked out - and taking action. This was not a local community annoyed by the road being blocked, but happy to see Shell taking another poke in the eye.
Gardai arrived - then called for backup as they realised they were struggling to contain the situation. You could see they were loosing it, dragging out various old faces including Brett and other faces familiar from baton charges several years ago; some even thought pushing young girls around with their heavy hands was appropriate. They were met with fury.
There was a stand-off, with the gardai isolating Maura and the crane. More scuffles. The cherrypicker was temporarily occupied with the Gardai assaulting a number of people to get it back, including pressure-pointing - the usual over-reaction from the likes of Butler and Gill from the Public Order Cutting Team. At least one gardai had his pepper spray out and Brett was trying to use his torch as a baton.
For pictures, see here http://shelltosea.com/content/pictures-last-night-block...crane
Maura's car was toed out of the way once more and the person from the crane arrested - and given a cheer. The cherrypicker itself started listing dangerously as one of its tires deflated.
Then as we readied ourselves for the crane to come through, it reversed and disappeared into the night, last seen somewhere beyond Bangor... They gardai had lost the stomach for the fight, it seems. You could hear the happiness in the voices of the people all around us. Eleven years on in this long fight, victories were still possible in the face of Shell's invasion. This part of Erris remains free in the hearts of the people there.
Afterwards, people went back up to Glenamoy to keep vigil there. People continue to arrive at camp. This is not over yet.
For a good video of some of the resistance of previous knights see http://shelltosea.com/content/youtube-videos-shell-sea-...7-201
Some other reports
http://shelltosea.com/content/councillor-appalled-over-...namoy
http://shelltosea.com/content/rossport-farmer-arrested-...lorry
|
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (12 of 12)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12Some photos of damage to the road done by the TBM lorry as it attempted to turn at the Rossport / Glenamoy junction.
Local campaigner Terence Conway expresses community sentiment
Truck in ditch with ripped up road
Toad surface buckling under turning wheels
More road damage
Truck listing into ditch
The beauty of this situation is that gravity is doing our work for us. They can't get that heavy thing out without more heavy things and the more heavy things they put in there the longer they will be stuck. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
But I love the law of gravity.
I agree with John, It is going to be near impossible to move the heavy thing. Attempts to do so might damage it and hopefully it will not finish its journey to Aghoos. A sad ending for Fionnuala but a happy one for the locals!
With so little in the media about this it's great to have this first hand account of everything that is going on. Half of what you write wouldn't be reported in the mainstream anyway.
I commend your passion and bravery. My full support is with you all.
Keep the reports coming!!
..fastrack to Melbourne...tunnel vision finally pays off.
That,s not Fionnuala from the old irish legend The Children Of Lir
That,s shells TBM, The" Beast Machine"
Well done the real Fionnula ,dont let SHELL insult your memory!
Sink her in the bog
You're right, its an imposter.
May The Morrigan strike it down!
Turf-Bogged Monstrosity?
I think that describes Phil Hogan.
yes! Phil hogan is definitely a "boring machine" and guilty of sinking out of sight!! ;-D
At the exact time of movement of Shell,s TBM,The Beast machine a flash of lighting struck,
thunder roared followed by more flashes and deluge.The Celtic Goddess Morrigan has spoken.
Well done Fionnula of LIR you have woken our Celtic spirit.