Cork Shell to Sea leaflet Naval Base

by kaggen Mon Jun 22, 2009 19:26

More photographs...

Shell's Navy?

Whoose Navy?

Talking To Sailors

The Chief

by Billy idle Mon Jun 22, 2009 19:43

I fully believe this state will stop at nothing to facilitate Shell. The evidence of the past few years in Mayo is proof of that. At a minimum over the coming months I expect people to be seriously injured or worse at the hands of state/shell militas in Mayo. The question is whether this will stop the project. I'm not so sure, the parallels with Nigeria grow by the day, as Shell attempt to pump their oil/gas, stolen from the irish public via corrupt deals, through an increasingly impoverished country as the economic miss-management by FF bites down on everyone except the elite. Be prepared for some bloody grim times ahead folks!!

by John Mon Jun 22, 2009 22:59

Was a nice day out. Very hot!
Nothing dramatic but varied reactions from the public and the navy. The one's that interest me are the folk who refuse to read or hear what you have to say. Since my last visit to Erris I find myself less polite and trying harder to penetrate the bubbles of illusion that so many people seem to live in. We certainly managed to impact a bit on the consciousness of Cobh today. I had a sense that with actions like this we are little by little eroding the cosy comfortable consensus that allows people not to see and that allows Shell and their like to operate on this planet.

by Billy idle Mon Jun 22, 2009 23:27

To quote a line from a famous film "theres some people you just can't reach". Probably FF et al voters who are still in denial about how their buddies have crashed the country!!

by anon Tue Jun 23, 2009 09:05

I have heard Navy bosses are not at all happy to be sent to Mayo in these circumstances ,what was the reaction from the sailors to the protest?

by eld Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:00

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0623/1....html

by Chrissie - Shell to Sea Cambridge Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:54

It's OK then, that they sink a boat & all but murder the crew - they're monitored!

by John Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:11

Hi Anon. Hard to say.
We stood at the top of the steps as the launch from Haulbowline came in with pictures of Pat O'Donnell and handed out leaflets. Some people took them, (not all who would have been navy but some who definitely were) some didn't. I felt there was an atmosphere of unease at what we were saying, not all of whom would have been navy. Around the town a few people who more or less identified themselves as navy, appearing to be fairly senior, gave an initially hostile response and then refused to communicate at all. Conversely in one instance a woman who claimed to have heard nothing of events in Mayo took a leaflet and then came back for another for her husband who she said was in the navy. Hostile or not among the navy people seemed to understand why we were there.
I'd imagine that as in the cops it would be hard for dissenters to open their mouths for fear of being ostracised, threatened, hurting their careers etc.
There is a dynamic at work here, as elsewhere, where people shut down and won't take in any information that would cause them to question their beliefs. In the case of Mayo it is so clear that if you see through one lie you then have to question everything and the foundations that you have built your life on collapse underneath you and then you have to do something about it and you can't ever go back to where you were before. Not a comfortable feeling and one it seems many people are not able for right now. I think our job has to be to keep making them uncomfortable and then if they're willing to move, help them through what comes after to a place where they can take some effective action.
That's my opinions, others who were on the action may have more to add.