Around 25 activists have set up 2 blockades around the Shell Gas terminal in Bacton, Norfolk, UK in solidarity with Pat O'Donnell & the community in Rossport, Mayo and against the destruction of environment and communities by Shell world-wide. read full story / add a comment

---Corrib project has been imposed through 'harassment' of the local community---

409 letters have been delivered from members of the community of Kilcommon to Shell's Belmullet offices today Monday. The letter outlines their refusal to meet with representatives of the company while Pat O'Donnell remains in jail and the imposition of the Corrib gas project continues without community consent. The letters detail a large number of grievances that the local community have with the imposition of the project, and state that people are refusing to meet with Shell while what “effectively amounts to ongoing and escalating physical and psychological harassement” continues in the area.

The letters dismiss as hollow Shell's proposed 'consultation', in the context of the fact that the current and previous Managing Directors of the company have publicly stated that the project will not be changed in any way in response to community concerns. read full story / add a comment

Activists from Bristol and Bath Rising Tide visited the Shell garage in Muller Road, Eastville at 8.30am on Thursday 1st April to highlight the repression experienced by communities in County Mayo, Ireland who are trying to stop Shell building an onshore high pressure pipeline and gas refinery. read full story / add a comment

Around the time of the visit of Shell’s pipe-laying ship the Solitaire in June it became clear that the Gardai had been told that they could do anything to remove Shell to Sea campaigners from the scene and they would be looked after. Rulings from the district court, in particular the denial of bail to 7 campaigners charged with the most minor of public order offences removed people with vital water skills from the area by interning them in Mountjoy and Castlerea prisons. Local fisherman Pat O’Donnell had one of his boat sunk from under him when four masked men boarded the boat in the middle of the night and held Pat and the other crew member at gun point while they sabotaged the boat leading to its sinking. When Pat took to sea in another boat as the Solitaire arrived he was arrested under the Public Order Act for loitering and once more sent to prison leaving the way clear for the Solitaire. read full story / add a comment

On Thursday 25th March 2010 at Belmullet District Court, charges against 9 Shell to Sea protesters were withdrawn or dismissed by Judge Gerard Haughton, because the '9' had been unlawfully detained following their arrest and they were not brought to court 'as soon as practicable', amounting to a 'conscious and deliberate violation of their constitutional rights'.

In the 'test' case of Mr Eoin Lawless, potentially effecting all of the 9, the court ruled that the accused was/were held for an unreasonable amount of time before being charged, they were denied 'station bail' and were unreasonably delayed before being brought to court to allow them to apply for release on bail. Barrister Leo Mulrooney, acting for the 9, had put it to Garda Superintendent Michael Larkin that he had failed in his duty to vindicate the rights of the prisoners, and when asked to account to the court for his inaction, Judge Gerard Haughton expressed dissatisfaction with Supt. Larkin's explanation. read full story / add a comment

After a week when nearly all the court cases against Shell to Sea campaigners were defeated, withdrawn or thrown out, over a hundred opponents of the Great Oil & Gas Robbery from all around the country gathered outside the gates of Castlerea Prison this Saturday afternoon to protest the continuing imprisonment of their good friend and Shell to Sea colleague Pat O'Donnell. read full story / add a comment

This week as it was revealed in the Irish Times that 20 months after entering into a legal agreement with local fishermen Shell has still not submitted an application as required to the Environmental Protection Agency to review the emissions licence for the experimental gas pipeline it is imposing on the people of Erris. Yet this week 27 Shell to Sea campaigners are being prosecuted on behalf of Shell in the local courts and today one of them received three five month sentences. read full story / add a comment

Next week 27 people will face hearing in court in relation to protesting against the Shell's inland refinery and experimental pipeline. A week has been put aside in Belmullet District as a Shell to Sea "special sitting" but as Judge Devins said when putting some in some people for hearing dates, “no preduice can be seen because of its being put into the special sitting”. read full story / add a comment

Musicians and singers, residents of Erris and Shell to Sea supporters from around the country gathered together at Castlerea prison on Saturday 13th March for a public demonstration of solidarity and support for prisoner Pat O'Donnell.

Special thanks to Frances Black for the pleasure of her company and her singing, and to all the musicians which included Gregory Daly on flute, Gerry Harrington on fiddle, Ciara Daly on flute, Seamus and Fiachna O'Mongain on concertina and accordion, Joe Carey on accordion, Rob O'Foghlu on bodhran, Seamus Mac Mathuna on flute, Ide Nic Mhathuna on concertina, Mystery Guest on guitar, singers Naoise O'Mongain, Astrid Ni Mhongain, Brid Smith and Finbar Cafferkey …

… And to Benny Canavan on the pipes who led a march from the prison gates along the prison walls to the prison doors.
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Pictures and video of actor/writer Malachy McCourt, US Senate candidate Randy Credeico, Radop Free Eireann Hosts John McDonagh and Sandy Boyer along with various activists from the NIFC holding the 'FREE PAT - HELD HOSTAGE BY SHELL'' banner, as well handing out information about S2S can be viewed at the website linked below. Don't know how to get them posted here but if anyone else does please feel free to do so. Victory to the people of Mayo! read full story / add a comment

100 cars gathered today at noon in the fishing village of Porturlin, Pat O'Donnell's home, for a rally to Ballyglass pier on the Mullet peninsula in support of 'the Chief' who has been in Castlerea prison since 10th February.

The cavalcade travelled from Porturlin, out by Rossport, over to Glengad, up by Bellanaboy, into Belmullet and out to Ballyglass pier. read full story / add a comment

Eoin O'Leidhin has joined fisherman Pat 'the Chief' O'Donnell at Castlerea prison today. Eoin was convicted of Section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 for 'failure to comply with the directions of Garda' at a protest outside the Shell site Glengad on 30th August 2008.

Garda Sean Cunnane, who likes to ham it up as he whinges to the courts, convinced Judge David Anderson that Eoin's behaviour was a crime.

The short video below shows the true flavour of the occasion. read full story / add a comment

The week before last Erris fisherman Pat O'Donnell was jailed for seven months for his part in the communities ongoing resistance to Shell's attempt to impose an experimental gas pipeline on them. Across the country local Shell to Sea groups have been holding solidarity protests and other events for Pat. In Dublin this has included two protests and a public meeting in UCD. Meanwhile Shell have been forced to admit a temporary defeat in the face of local opposition and call off the construction they have planned for Glengad this year. read full story / add a comment

Yesterday in Castlebar circuit court, appeals involving Shell to Sea campaigners were concluded or deferred, with no further prison sentences being handed out. This follows the jailing on Wednesday of local fisherman Pat O’Donnell, who was sentenced to 7 months in jail for convictions of “breach of the peace” and of "obstructing a Garda".

In total 21 people appeared before Mayo courts this week in relation to protests against the Corrib Gas Project. On Wednesday all fourteen campaigners who appeared before Belmullet district court had their cases adjourned until the special Shell to Sea sitting scheduled for March. From Tuesday to Thursday seven campaigners were involved in appeal cases before Judge Raymond Groarke in Castlebar Circuit Court. read full story / add a comment

A number of high profile Shell to Sea campaigners including 'the Chief' Pat O'Donnell and Maura Harrington sought to appeal certain criminal convictions in cases heard last week at Castlebar Circuit Court from 9th - 11th February. A few of the appeals were successful but some of the convictions were upheld by the court.

Judge Raymond Groarke concluded that Pat O'Donnell is a thug and a bully, and Maura Harrington is a vigilante.

This article has a look at the reality. read full story / add a comment

Shell plan massive maritime activity for 2010, in Broadhaven Bay to secure the off-shore pipeline, and in Sruth Fhada Chonn estuary to survey a new route for the onshore Corrib gas pipeline. Submissions on the foreshore application close on Feb 23rd.

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From Wednesday the 27th to Sunday the 31st of January, the Rossport Solidarity Camp hosted a wind power workshop. Local people and campers united to learn metal work, wood work and electronics to produce a fully functional 2.4 meter diameter wind turbine, now supplying power to the off-grid Rossport Solidarity House. The use of farmer's shed for the week was kindly by donated which was the perfect base for the workshop. The course was led by V3 Power, a workers co-operative based in Nottingham specialising in teaching courses in how to build DIY wind turbines.

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Shell to Sea members have challenged Ministers Ryan and Ó Cuív to ensure the dismantling of 92 metres of pipe which has been laid onshore at Glengad without any planning, as stated by An Bord Pleanála [1]. They also called for the resignation of Bob Hanna of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), within Eamon Ryan's Department, for his completely inappropriate attempt to unduly influence the board at a time when the application is under consideration and the board is not accepting submissions. read full story / add a comment

Michael Feeney is becoming an M-MBE for organising a war park that is called, not surprisingly, a ‘peace’ park. It celebrates soldiers who helped put down India’s first fight for independence, and who fought and died in the British and US armies. It is a celebration of those who killed people struggling for their freedom against imperialism and colonialism.

The only qualification the killers meet is having been born in Ireland. Feeney's Member of the British Empire (MBE) medal also states, 'For God and the Empire.'
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Don't get stuck into a fake discourse of humanitarian emergency - Slavoj Zizek. read full story / add a comment