Dreadlocked Campaigner vows to shave head to protest against Shell in Ireland

national | environment | press release Saturday July 22, 2006 03:38 by shell to sea dublinshelltosea at gmail dot com

dreadlocks will go if sponsorship target is reached.

Eoin Ó Broin, noted environmental and political campaigner, and one of the founders of the Shell to Sea campaign, has vowed to cut off his dreadlocks to raise money for the rossport Solidarity Camp.

If he reaches his target of €2,000, his hair will be publicly cut on Grafton Street in Dublin on July 29th.

Eoin claims he can't remember his last haircut, and his dreadlocks represent "about six years" growth.

By this drastic action he is seeking to draw attention to the fact that the Shell to Sea campaign is continuing, and the lengths that people are prepared to go to resist Shell and the Irish government's scheme to install a dangerous, high pressure gas pipeline and a huge onshore refinery in rossport, County Mayo.

People can donate money at pledgebank www.http://www.pledgebank.com/cutthedreadsoff (€10) or http://www.pledgebank.com/cutthedreads (€25) or in person at Connolly Books, the Sinn Féin Shop, Barracka Books in Cork or Charlie Byrne's Bookshop on Middle Street in Galway City.

Or look out for Eoin on Grafton Street or in Temple Bar next Thursday and Friday.
He'll be raising funds in person.

Bob Kavanagh, of the rossport Solidarity Camp said:
"In the light of Shell's intransigence, and the failure of the government-appointed mediator to find a basis for a solution, the use of force by the Gardaí on behalf of the Shell Oil company is the only way the construction of the polluting refinery and high pressure pipeline can be attempted.”

“The Solidarity Camp is playing a vital role on the frontline of the struggle against the combined forces of big business and government, who are prepared to put the local community in danger, while denying the ordinary people of Ireland any benefit from the country's natural resources".

The public hair cutting on July 29th will coincide with the beginning of "the long walk", whereby a number of people plan to walk from rossport to Dublin to raise awareness of the campaign in towns along the way.

Sponsorship money for Eoin is being collected at the following locations:
Dublin: The Sinn Féin Shop in Parnell Square,
and Connolly Books, Blooms Walk, off Ormond Quay.

Cork: Barracka Books, 61 Barrack Street, Cork City

Galway: Charlie Byrnes Bookshop, Middle Street, Galway

Sponsorship money can also be paid directly into the following account:

ACCOUNT: The rossport Solidarity Camp Account
BANK: Bank of Ireland
SORT CODE: 905299
A/C NUMBER: 24306733
Narrative: HAIRCUT

BANK ID: BOFIE2D
IBAN number: IE83 BOFI 9052 9924 3067 33

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