Programme and Travel Information for Solidarity Gathering in Erris, Co.Mayo

mayo | environment | news report Tuesday May 17, 2005 16:24 by Terry - Shell to Sea info at shelltosea dot com

More details and information on June Bank Holiday Weekend Reclaim the Beach Solidarity Gathering in Erris, Co.Mayo, including programme of events and information on travelling from Castlebar, Ballina, Galway, Dublin, and Munster.

Take a stand against Shell’s destruction in North West Mayo.

The aim of the planned gathering is to show solidarity with the local people who are opposing Shell, Statoil and the Irish government.

There has been, and is, a long saga ongoing in the courts and planning appeal process.

On Good Friday there was a 200 strong march of local residents, that day being the 10th anniversary of the first action of Ogoni Solidarity Ireland, which supports communities in Nigeria in their battle against Shell.

During the gathering there will be live music, workshops about the issues and the area, a rally, and ongoing discussion about what to do next.

When you arrive on Saturday after making camp and eating lunch you will be taken on a tour of the area, shown the pipeline route and given the low-down on what is happening by local opponents of what Shell, Statoil and the Irish state are doing.
This will be organised in small groups.

After dinner, there will be some discussion about how people can contribute to the campaign.

Playing on Saturday night, on stage one no less, either in the open air or in a big tent, will be:

Foreveraftermath (from Ballina)
- Old school sing-along streetpunk.

Riastradh (from Ballina)
- Weird noise.

Quarterfight
New rock band from Galway.

Sherman M4
Dirty metal from Castlebar.

Puget Sound (Dublin)
- Progressive punk from Dublin

Plus DJ Dan from Sally Longs’ Wednesdays’ metal night.

While in the pub there will be local traditional musicians and singers.

On Sunday there will be further discussion circles about what to do next, but the main focus on Sunday is the solidarity rally. This will take place at the pier in Rossport and will feature speakers who are campaigning in Rossport against Shell’s pipeline, as well as speakers from other communities facing similar problems of environmental hazards being inflicted on them by big business and the state.
This will take place at 2pm, Sunday, June 5th, and we are encouraging everyone who cannot make it to the whole gathering to get to this part.

Later that day there will be more music.

Be aware this is taking place in a rural hamlet in North-west Mayo, not only beyond Newlands Cross, but well beyond it. Do not look for the ATM, 24 hour shop, delis, etc…, bring your provisions with you.

Bring your tent, be ready to rough it, and be as self-sufficient and as self-organised as possible. Volunteers will be needed to row in with making this event work.

things to bring:
rain gear, it is Ireland after all
wellies
sleeping bag
tent
torches
fork/ spoon and bowl
video cameras
musical instruments and ...
good humour!


How to get there by public transport:

We will be running buses from Castlebar to the venue site in Rossport, Erris on Saturday June 4th, at 2 pm. They will return to Castlebar on Monday June the 6th by 5 pm. You must tell us in advance that you are coming to get a place on these buses; the price will be 10 euro.
Castlebar is well served with public transport from elsewhere in the country.
Rossport is not on any Bus Eireann route. In addition to these feeder buses should there be sufficient interest we will run buses from Cork, Limerick and Galway. If you are coming from Castlebar (or elsewhere in Mayo) and you want a place on the Castlebar-Rossport bus, contact info@shelltosea.com . Please do the same if you are coming from anywhere else not listed below and making your own way to Castlebar. If you are coming from Dublin or via Dublin see below for the details of who to contact for a place on the bus from Castlebar to Rossport.
If Ballina is more convenient to you, reserve a place on the bus from there by contacting Bob at 086 3201612.

From The Pale:

We are encouraging people travelling from Dublin on public transport to take the same train or bus on Saturday morning.
Train: 8.05am from Heuston station to Castlebar, arrival 11.25
This costs €39 return and €28.50 for students.
Bus: 8.00am, arrival in Castlebar 13.10, costs €24 return (students
€20).

As said above when you get to Castlebar there will be a private bus to take you to the venue site in Rossport, Erris, to get your place on this bus, as a person travelling from Dublin or via Dublin contact us at: Mags 087-649-3485, Clare 086-309-7622 or email
eoghan999@hotmail.com

A number of people will be travelling from Dublin by car. If you are on a low income and/ or are travelling with children, space will be available in cars. Please contact us: Mags 087-649-3485, Clare 086-309-7622 or email
eoghan999@hotmail.com

If you have space in your car and would like to offer it to someone,
Please contact Mags 087-649-3485, Clare 086-309-7622 or email
eoghan999@hotmail.com

There will be a public meeting outlining further what is happening in Dublin on Wednesday the 25th, at 8pm in Taylors Hall, across the road from Mother Redcaps, near Christchurch.

From Galway:

If you want to get a bus from Galway, contact: galwaygrassroots@yahoo.com or phone Cormac at: 087 6941533 (after 6pm). A seat on the bus costs 10 euro.
You must phone or e-mail to book a place.
This bus would leave on Saturday June 4th at 12pm and leave Rossport to return on Monday at 3pm.


From Munster:

There is a possibility of a bus from Munster, picking people up along the way,

For Clare: Contact: Roisin at 086 1043528 or e-mail roisinnig@yahoo.com

For Limerick: e-mail freeflowing@wildmail.com or phone Tracey at 087 6543425 or e-mail her at bobssista@care2.com

For Cork: Phone Tracey at 087 6543425 or e-mail her at bobssista@care2.com


By Car:

There is a map here:
http://www.visitmayo.com/pages/maps.html
Note this does not have all the roads marked that you will have to travel on.

From Ballina:

Take the N59, the road going to Belmullet, first town you meet is Crossmolina, after Crossmolina you come to Bellacorick Power Station, which is disused turf burning station, you will also notice a wind farm here, there is a sharp right hand turn in the road, you are continuing on the N59, travelling in the direction of the village of Bangor Erris, also known just as Bangor.
You go through Bangor Erris until on the other side of the village you come to the oil road, on your left is Srahmore, this is the site Shell are using to store removed peat from where they are building their refinery, there is a fork in the road, and just in front is a Marian grotto, the road on the right looks like it isn’t in Mayo, this is the ‘oil road’, you go up the ‘oil road’. At the end of this road you should see some concrete sheep. This is Ballinaboy, where the refinery is being built. You turn right to Glenaboy bridge and from there left to Rossport. At Ballinaboy, Glenaboy and Rossport we will have flagmen on the Sunday, for people coming to the rally. We will have a phone number for people to call if they get lost.

From Castlebar:

Follow signs for Achill, a few miles outside Castlebar you turn right up the R312, follow this road straight for about 25 miles, passing through the villages of Beltra and Derreen, and you arrive at Bellacorick power station, at which point you follow the same directions as if you were coming from Ballina.