Our Goldman Winner

mayo | environment | news report Sunday May 06, 2007 08:32 by The Goldman Environmental Award

Happy Day in mayo

Willie and Mary Cordullf arrive with Goldman Award

Willie and Mary Corduff atrrved exactly on time in Knock Airport, 11.05am on Wednesday last. To a huge welcoming party. There was the extended family with all the bunches of flowers in the immediate centre space in front of the arrival door. And then there were the people from Erris and their friends and supporters from around the country. Shell to Sea Galway had a representation and the Rossport Solidarity Camp was very prominent with its banners as seen in the Irish Times photgraph. Pat Doherty was one of the very few big politicians present . What a journey form Erris to Knock and back again. The cavalcade was a happy trip on a very beautiful day through Charlestown, Swinford. Pulled up to deliver a letter at the Mayo County Council offices in Castlebar. The flying tricolours and Mayo flags with loads of balloons made Willie and Mary special returnees and showed the support and goodwill of their supporters.Other supporters joined at each town. A catch -up stop in Killalla.On to Ballina and to Bangor Erris circling the town and flying past Bellanaboy on the way there going in and coming out of Bangor.
Then with haste to Belmullet which was also circled before pulling into the Broadhaven Bay Hotel perched on the magnificent bay which is so very threatened by big business.
In the conference room around 5pm other Shell to Sea members were struggling away with the opposition to the EPA Licence application of Shell. These people had been there every day for two weeks. Two members of Rossport Solidarity Camp had made submissions alongside their hosts, the people of Rossport. Willie took a seat at the front and was well-ackowledged--with his Goldman trophy firmly perched on the table in front of him. The cavalcade joined him and other than 2 policemen at the hotel doors there was no feeling of aggravation. Spent an hour there. Gathered in the coming dusk for a barbeque at the refinery gate where the only physical discomfort were the midges - in their milions. So many people caught up at the hearing has meant that the photographic celebration of such events on Indymedia is sadly missed.