Sheffield Rossport Solidarity Newswire Archive

There will be a film and talk about the struggle against the Corrib gas project on Tuesday 10th of January at 7pm at the Space Project in Leeds.

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Shell's Belmullet office was once again shut down by protesters to highlight the ongoing concerns by local residents and supporters about Shell's proposed Corrib gas project. This morning (wed 25th may) the blockade began at 7.30am and for 2 1/2 hours protesters were able to stop Shell workers entering the building. IRMS arrived around10am to end the blockade.

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Account of a visit to the Rossport Solidarity Camp in Ireland by six campaigners from Leeds

Last week, six of us from Leeds sorted out a van, picked up a marquee, and headed to the Rossport Solidarity Camp in western Ireland. And had a great time working and playing hard. Rossport is a campaign supporting a local community based around Broadhaven Bay fight a refinery and pipeline being put in through Shell in an area where outstanding natural beauty is a phrase that does not do the place full justice. The pipeline, being put through a bog and the land of local farmers, will put people's lives at risk and threaten the local ecology.

The camp has moved to a field at Aghoos, opposite the latest bit of ground where Shell are laying the next stage of pipe to bring the gas inland to the Bellinaboy refinery - semi-mothballed because of the huge delays the campaigns by the local and the camp have been imposing. We spent the first half of the week helping set it up the new camp so it would be ready for the mini-festival at the weekend. We built grey-water systems and benders, put up marquees and cooked for the masses, gave massages to the wonderful locals and helped with the bar.

A few of us had been to Rossport before so it was great to catch up with old friends. Given how friendly people were it was very easy to make many new ones as well. There was, refreshingly, a large amount of politics forming part of the general life on camp, both in action and disussion. It would be the first to say that it is far from perfect, but it is a good place to learn from.

At the weekend, 30 people walked over to the Shell compound and lifted up all the bog mats which had been put down to allow heavy machinery to move across and put in boreholes. For over an hour all you could hear was the steady thud of them being systematically lifted and rolled out of the reach of the machines. The police could do nothing, and security was outnumbered. Other actions happened as well. See the account, pictures (of action and camp) and video of action at  http://www.wsm.ie/c/shell-bog-road-rossport-solidarity-camp

While we were there, there was also a ceremony for the new boat of Pat O'Donnells - another bit of local defiance against the power of Shell. His last one having been deliberately sunk by armed, masked men following his determined resistance.

We also send our solidarity and best wishes to those who did the lock-on to the compound -  http://www.indymedia.ie/article/99686

The mixture of action and discussion, of friendship and partying worked really well; we all had a wicked time and were sorry to leave. Some of us will be back. We encourage everyone to go if they get a chance - the camp is open all the time on a beautiful site surrounded by amazing mountains. From 4-6th June it his hosting a Party Against The Pipe - for more details see the website at
 http://www.rossportsolidaritycamp.org/content/party-against-pipe-festival-june-bank-holiday-4-6th

With luck, there will be a public event in Leeds this month to talk more about the campaign. Keep your eyes posted.

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Just before midnight on Monday night some angry souls with paint descended upon the Shell offices at Duckmaster near Bolsover (not far from Chesterfield), They proceeded to paint the doors and windows in red and black, with a hint of green for good measure.

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The weekend of 19th/20th February saw over 40 women and trans people and lots of children gathered at the Rossport Solidarity Camp house for a few days of workshops, discussions and skillsharing.

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Any day now Shell will find out whether it will be able to continue with the dangerous Corrib Gas Project in Co. Mayo, Ireland

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Yesterday at about 2.30pm Shell began to lower "Jack - 1" - one of two survey barges currently in Sruth Fhada Chonn estuary SAC (Special Area of Protection) - in order to tug it to another part of the estuary.

The Rossport Solidarity Camp was ready and willing to claim free passage of the public estuary and in the process upset the operation. Over a dozen Shell security boats and two Garda RIBS couldn't keep the 6 kaykers out, with two of them reaching the moving barge after an hour and a half of chase.

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Yesterday morning 11 people from Rossport Solidarity Camp waded and kayaked out from the camp to again delay Shell’s survey work in Sruwaddacon Estuary. Overall drilling work was stopped for over 5 hours, with one person climbing up one of the legs of the drilling platforms. Several people also attached themselves to the 2 outer drilling poles which are under the platforms.

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Today at 16:00 a peaceful demonstration was held at the Shell Garage on Hoyle Street, Netherthorpe in Sheffield.
This demonstration was an act of solidarity with the people of Rossport, County Mayo, Ireland and the campaign ShelltoSea, who are opposing Shells plans to build a potentially lethal high pressure gas pipe line and refinery in a marine special area of conservation.

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On Saturday 16th December potential customers at a Shell petrol station in Barnsley were given information about the activities of Shell in Mayo and encouraged to boycott the company.

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Following the successful Rossport Solidarity meeting earlier this month, around 20 of us went to picket the Shell petrol station at Salford Quays. Among our number were the brilliant Rhythms of Resistance samba band who kept our spirits up on a cold winter's day.

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Shell Gas offices near Chesterfield were occupied today, while a simultaneous noise demo outside woke up Shell staff to our feelings about the multinational’s abuse of the Rossport people and their environment.

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Two speakers from Rossport will be in Manchester on 2nd November. Also here are pictures from the solidarity demo on 26th October at Manchester University.

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A call for solidarity with the people of Rossport and Erris in County Mayo, Ireland in their fight against Shell Oil's attempts to destroy their community and environment.

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A round up of news from Rossport Solidarity Camp and the Shell to Sea campaign; re-routed pipelines, plans by Shell to restart work, a meaningless recommendations from a government appointed mediator, thirteen months of blocking Shell and counting, a gathering at the camp and a wee walk to Dublin...

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