Ballybofey: Donegal-Nigerian activist priest talk+video + BIG FUNDRAISING GIG

donegal | miscellaneous | event notice Thursday July 13, 2006 17:17 by Donegal - Shell to Sea network

Get yer arses up to Donegal!

In perhaps one of the most important public talks in recent years, Donegal Shell to Sea are organising a public awareness and fundraising gig next Thursday night, at 8pm, in Jacksons Hotel, Ballybofey.

Fr. Kevin O’Hara, a native of Stranorlar and highly respected human rights activist who has been living and working in Nigeria for 26 years will show a special screening of a documentary about Shell oil’s activities in Nigeria. The 20 minute film short, 'The Goat in the flow station', will set the context for the evening reveals all to clearly the massive social, environmental and economic effects of major Oil multinationals in Nigeria, particularly Shell.

Fr Kevin O' Hara, founder of the Centre for Social and Corporate
Responsibility in Port Harcourt, Nigeria and maker of the documentary, will further discuss these issues, reinforcing the link between Shell Nigeria and Shell Ireland.

Our special guests, the Rossport 5 will then give a talk on their campaign, highlighting their struggle against Shell and the Irish Government. It is now just over 12 months since the Rossport 5 were jailed for refusing to allow Shell build a high-pressure gas pipeline close to their homes. Now freed, they continue to resist pressure from Shell and other interest groups and wish to share their experiences and highlight the potential safety risks of a similar type project in Donegal.

The talk will also discuss the upcoming sale of oil exploration rights off the Donegal coast of which Shell are one of the leading contenders for to receive licences. The oil estimated at billions of euros could help revitalise Donegal and the entire Northwest as well as kick-start real investment in renewable energy’s such as wind and wave power for when the oil runs out. Instead, we, the people of Donegal are been ignored as our natural resources are been literally given away because of a lack of vision. At the same time Donegal has one of the highest levels of unemployment and social economic disadvantage in the country. These terms offered by the Irish Government may lead to a massive missed windfall that will go to Shell or other oil multinationals stakeholders instead. Donegal County Councillors were scheduled to meet representatives of the multi-national oil giant Shell in Lifford recently, a meeting, which has since been postponed to a later date.

Donegal Shell to Sea, a non-aligned group of young concerned community workers, hopes that Councillors and all interested citizens will make every effort to attend the talk in Ballybofey next Thursday to find out more about Shell Oil and the Government’s plans for Donegal’s offshore oil and take part in the questions and answers debate to follow.

The talk is due to finish at 9.30pm and the second half of the night will be given to a fundraising gig, which has a colourful and diverse line up of musical treats confirmed. The night will include a trad session with members of the Rossport 5 performing, an African drumming session, songs from Nigeria, the highly acclaimed Fracas trad/rock band and a world music DJ to finish of the night. A limited number of tickets will be available on the door at next Thursday’s event and for further info or ticket bookings, please contact Amanda on 086-3622378. Tickets are 10 Euro each and all proceeds will go towards the ongoing Rossport 5 campaign.

Press contacts

Vincent McGrath: Member of the Rossport 5 097-80026

Kevin O’Hara: 087-9763919

Keith Corcoran, Donegal Shell to Sea Campaign 087-9213200