Coast Guard sides with millionaire landowners

cork | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Thursday August 26, 2004 13:28

by Jim - Free the Old Head of Kinsale Campaign

Just who does Mr. Eddie Butler represent?

A representative of the Irish Coast Guard went on West Cork 103FM radio this morning and launched an attack on a long-running campaign to restore public access to the Old Head of Kinsale.

Mr. Eddie Butler, who was introduced as being from the local Coast Guard, described the campaigners as "criminals" and launched a verbal assault on the people from all walks of life who merely want to enjoy the beauty of the Old Head of Kinsale.

The Old Head, as most of you will know, is a place of spectacular beauty, a unique historical location and a sanctuary for flora and fauna. For centuries people have been able to stroll along the Old Head, fish from it, whale-watch, picnic and generally take in the breathtaking scenery of West Cork. In recent years an exclusive Golf Links was built on the headland and the way has been barred to the public by razor wire, barbed wire, high fences, CCTV cameras and intimidating security personneland gardai.

This morning John Jefferies of the Free the Old Head Campaign was being interviewed on West Cork 103FM when Mr. Butler was introduced to the programme.

John Jefferies questioned the remit Mr. Butler had to speak on behalf of the Coast Guard but Butler continued with his diatribe which accused the campaigners of everything from "endangering local jobs" to "urinating on the greens".

So exactly what remit does the Coast Guard have to speak up for the wealthy O'Connor brothers? What connection does he have with them or their company Ashbourne Holdings or with the Old Head Golflinks?

The Coast Guard is a state body funded by the Irish taxpayers. They have every right to be at the Old Head of Kinsale to perform their job of protecting the public, but they have no right to take sides in a dispute which has nothing to do with them. Is Eddie Butler speaking for the Coast Guard or for Mr. O'Connor? Does the Coast Guard have an official position in relation to public access to the Old Head of Kinsale (and other coastal headlands) or is Mr. Butler speaking for himself.

When challenged he backtracked and said he was speaking as a "civilian". Does anyone know the truth?

The Free the Old Head of Kinsale Campaign certainly intend to seek answers from the Coast Guard and the Minister for the Marine.

It's less a case of "what the butler saw" than "who the butler represents"

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Comments (6 of 6)

Resign

by RDS

Thu Aug 26, 2004 14:02

Looks to me like this person should "fall on his sword". He was definitely out of order. A representative of a state organisation should be strictly neutral in such a dispute.

What Goes Around Comes Around

by pat c

Thu Aug 26, 2004 14:09

Careful now. Its better to let this precedent stand for the time being. If in the future an attempt is made to discipline a civil servant for making radical statements or actions then this example can be used.

Civil Servants should have full political rights.

Agree with Pat

by Joe

Thu Aug 26, 2004 14:17

If you removed the right of civil servants to disagree with us you also remove their right to agree with us. Incidentally this could explain why at the OHK tresspass I was on a couple of years back I saw a parked Coastguard van with 'Locals for the golf course' placards in it.

The poor mans a fool anyway this is what golf-club co-owner Patrick O'Connor thinks of him and other locals

""Don't need 'em. They don't play Old Head -- can't afford it. It wasn't built for them anyway. It's for the international market. We have an annual day for Kinsale's police and fire -- keeps 'em sweet. That's about it."
see http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=66254 for source

Ouch!

Representative or private individual?

by Poseidon

Thu Aug 26, 2004 14:19

It seems to come down to whether he was there as a representative of the coastguard or as a private citizen.
If he was on the programme as a representative of the coastguard then he was definitely misrepresenting that body. If he was there as a private individual then he should not have been presented as a rep of the coastguard.
So which is it?

Funny that

by Woz - independent trespassers collective

Thu Aug 26, 2004 15:05

There we are, campaiging for the right to go to the lighthouse, which is presumably something the Coast Guard need to do now and then.

he is just looking for attention......

by john paul connolly-a neighbour of mr. butlers

Thu Aug 26, 2004 15:34

he is a failed local and dail election candidate probably just looking for the oxygen of publicity in advance of his next campaign where no doubt he'll finish a lomg way short again,unlucky mr. butler,unlucky

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Coast Guard sides with millionaire landowners

Comments (6 of 6)