Workers Solidarity Movement

In any country with a half way critical media, the last few months would have been disastrous for Shell. In a crucial period in Shell’s imposition of an experimental gas pipeline on the people of Erris it emerges that Michael Dwyer, one of the security guards on this project, was part of an attempt to trigger a civil war in Bolivia. Soon after that it became clear that at least three others who had worked as security guards at the Shell compound had travelled to Bolivia with Dwyer and were wanted there for questioning. Some, it emerged, had links to fascist organizations in Eastern Europe.

This is a 10 minute interview with Fin conducted as a lock on was in progress on the road blocking a Shell convoy.

This is an 8 minute audio interview with Fin who arrived at the Rossport Solidarity camp in June 2009 as Shell's ship the Soliaire started lying pipe. It's about getting there, what is going on, the events of this morning, the level of policing and what is to come.

Warships and other Irish navy vessels today escorted the world's largest pipe-laying ship, the Solitaire, into Broadhaven Bay in north Mayo, where it will attempt to lay part of the offshore section of the Corrib Gas pipeline. The community around Shell's operations is now besieged and intimidated by hundreds of Gardaí, Shell security and naval vessels, all in the cause of giving away Irish gas to multinational companies.

Five kayakers breached the Solitaire's unilaterally declared 500 metre exclusion zone yesterday evening (Thursday) in a daring offshore action. Despite the presence of Navy warships, Garda water units and private security vessels in Erris waters, the determined fishing boat approached the vessel. The kayakers made directly for the Solitaire, dodging Shell and safety boats, and came within 100 metres of the pipelaying ship which immediately left the area, roughly ten miles off the Mayo Coast. This was the culmination of a day of action against the Solitaire.

Five a side football tournament to raise funds for Shell to Sea followed by trad session in town

At 2am on Thursday morning, Pat O'Donnell's boat the 'Iona Isle' was boarded by four masked men and sunk out at sea, near where Mr. O'Donnell lays his fishing pots off Erris, North Mayo. Mr. O'Donnell and crewman Martin McDonnell were attacked and held down by some of the men, while others went below deck, where they proceeded to sink the boat. Both local men have been taken to Castlebar General Hospital, where they are recovering.

Over the June Bank Holiday weekend dozens of people traveled from all over Ireland to Erris to join locals in ongoing resistance to Shell's project of imposing an experimental gas pipeline on the local community.

We won’t guarantee summer...

But you can expect...

Event: Rossport June Bank Holiday gathering
Date: Friday May 29th to Monday June 1st
Location: Glengad, Pollathomais, Erris, Mayo.
Format: Camping, workshops, music.