In September I travelled to Boyle, Roscommon, to visit a community group which is opposing a 35 mile, 220 kv, 110 feet, ESB pylon line, in favour of an alternative which would put the powerlines underground. Hence the campaign slogan ‘Bury the Powerlines not the People’.

Early in June I had heard of what was going on there, due to reports in the Western papers about threatened high court injunctions. On the 21st of June the ESB arrived at the Roddy household.

As Martina Roddy relates: “Well let’s see this was our fifth letter from the ESB, and three of them, including the one of the 14th of June, threatened us with the High Court if we didn’t grant access on the 21st of June, so basically through our solicitor we were informed that there was ESB personnel coming to our house to seek access. So the people of the group and friends and neighbours gathered at the house, and the ESB came to the door, asked for Michael, and were refused access. As I say we were threatened with a high court injunction on that day, and we refused them access and we will continue to refuse.”

The group cites the work of Professor Henshaw of Bristol University, who has spoken of a link between childhood leukaemia, brain tumours, miscarriages and overhead power lines. They point out the intense difference between a heavily insulated underground powerline and the open nature of pylons. A number of local protests at the ESB were organised over the summer, in Carrick on Shannon and Sligo, these gained a lot of publicity and spurred on more people to get involved.

A national demonstration took place at the ESB HQ on July 25th , involving groups from around the country which have problems with ESB developments. The group in Boyle is well networked with other similar groups across the island, including ones in Cork, Dublin, Donegal and Galway.

The following article consists of two parts; an interview with Frank, community activist and organic farmer, and parts of a timeline presentation made by Martina Roddy for the 10th Grassroots Gathering.

Related Link:
Donegal Alternatives to Pylons