People's Picnic at the Old Head of Kinsale

cork | rights and freedoms | feature

Wednesday August 29, 2007 23:48

by Old Header - Free the Old Head of Kinsale Campaign

Another successful people's picnic

Protesters at locked gates

Report from the Free the Old Head of Kinsale campaign's "People's Picnic" at the Co. Cork headland, Sunday 26th August 2007.

Previous Indymedia Coverage: Announcement for this Event · 2006 Event Announcement · 2004 Article · Photos from 2003 · Report from 2003 · Court Report from 2003 · Report of Supreme Court Decision of March 2003 · All Related Stories
Related Links: Report from WSM of the 2002 Picnic · Official Record of Supreme Court Decision

It was another successful People's Picnic at the Old Head of Kinsale on Sunday, 26th August 2007. Despite one of the wettest summers since records began, the weather came right for the picnic protest and this time the Old Head picnic was blessed with glorious sunshine and only a light breeze. Doubtless many would have wanted to go to the beach but after a slow start a good crowd gathered at the gates of the Old Head Golflinks which were as usual barred with security and up to ten gardaí, uniformed and plain clothes. People had flasks of tea or bottled water to wash down their sandwiches and a good time was had by all.

Then the crowd were addressed with a rousing speech by Pat the Picket who had climbed the battlements to put up his flags. He spoke passionately about how on Heritage Week the Old Head of Kinsale could be closed off, what kind of heritage could that be? Then he climbed over the barbed wire and was behind the gate where he made another speech to the bemused looks of gardai and sour faces of the club officials and security. The Old Head had been walked again, even if it was only a token presence, the point had been made. Over 200 leaflets were given out to those who had travelled to support the protest and every reaction was positive, people were really annoyed that they couldn't get onto the headland, even though some of them had been directed down to the Old Head by the tourist office. Among the nationalities we met were Spanish, German, Polish, US, English, Brazilian, French and Italians.

In one amusing aside, a large Cork registered car pulled up at the gates and the male occupant was heard telling the gate operator that he wanted to go in to book a days golf for a large party of wealthy US lawyers. He too was turned away from the gates however and told, "You'll have to book it over the phone, we only allow people in if they're booked to play here". Later two young men with fishing rods who had been told that the fishing off the Old Head was very good were turned away too.

Free the Old Head of Kinsale! Protesters at locked gates