Unique presentation of Radio Play ‘Fionnuala’

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Donal O'Kelly performs 'Fionnuala'
Donal O’Kelly performs ‘Fionnuala’

Afri is delighted that Donal O’Kelly’s radio adaptation of his award-winning show Fionnuala, produced by the Norwegian state broadcaster NRK in Norwegian, made the shortlist of five for the famous Prix Italia in Radio Drama, whittled down from an original 35 productions.

Next week, Fionnuala competes as NRK’s nominated entry in the Radio Fiction category at the Prix Europa in Berlin with results to be announced on Friday 21st October.

On that night, October 21st, the production will be played, with dialogue in English projected on a screen, in Glenamoy Parish Hall, Erris Co. Mayo starting at 8pm sharp, duration one hour. Doors 7.30pm.

Afri is proud to host this event in Glenamoy Hall, where the first reading of Fionnuala took place during the Afri Hedge School in August 2012. News from Berlin will be communicated as it happens and refreshments will be provided.

Donal O’Kelly’s live solo show about the Shell/Statoil gas project in Mayo won a Scotsman Fringe First award in Edinburgh, and has been performed all over Ireland, as well as Edinburgh, Geneva, Oslo and Rapid City, South Dakota.

Continue reading “Unique presentation of Radio Play ‘Fionnuala’” →

‘If I could say one thing to other communities…’

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Other communitiesAfter 14 years of challenging the oil and gas industry in north Mayo, what knowledge does the community there have to share? What questions might other communities have and how might they benefit from the experiences of those standing up to Shell and the State?

A four-year CEESA research project (2010-2014) in the parish of Kilcommon, northwest Mayo, sought to identify and share useful knowledge from the experiences of challenging the Corrib Gas project. This has been used to create an exhibition in which people respond to the question: If you could say one thing to other communities facing an unsafe development planned for their area, what would it be?

On Friday 30th January some of the 51 campaigners who took part in the research will speak about what they are learning through challenging the Corrib project. The creators of the exhibition will also talk about the research and photography behind the exhibition. Continue reading “‘If I could say one thing to other communities…’” →

Call for a Public Inquiry into the Policing of the Shell/Corrib Gas Project

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We support the recent demands for an inquiry into allegations of systemic Garda corruption and violence. We believe any such inquiry should include the Shell/Corrib pipeline police operation in North West Mayo. This is one of the longest running police operations in the history of the Irish state and has drawn critical attention from national and international human rights organisations [1] since 2006 over the alleged violence and intimidation used by Gardaí against campaigners.

In 2007, campaigners submitted complaints en masse against the Gardaí to the newly established Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC). Out of the 111 complaints received by GSOC between May 2007 and November 2009, 78 were deemed admissible and 7 sent to the DPP. The DPP rejected prosecution in all 7 cases. The majority of campaigners have since stopped submitting complaints to GSOC. In 2010, complaints from 400 Kilcommon residents were submitted to Shell’s Belmullet office detailing the “escalating physical and psychological harassment” continuing in the area. In 2012, residents again submitted a mass complaint, this time to Mayo County Council, outlining serious grievances arising out of the project, including experiences of private security and state policing, with no result. Any inquiry into the policing of the Shell/Corrib Gas Project cannot ignore the following extract from the minutes of the Shell Committee of Managing Directors meeting held in London 22/23 July 2002: “It was noted that development of the Corrib field may be delayed until 2004 as planning consent had been refused for the terminal. The committee queried whether the Group had sufficiently well placed contacts with the Irish government and regulators. Paul Skinner undertook to explore this issue further in consultation with the Country Chairman in Ireland”. [2]

In 2007, GSOC requested to conduct a “practice, policy and procedure” investigation into the police operation but this was turned down by the then Minister for Justice, Brian Lenihan. In 2009, the then Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy ignored recommendations from GSOC that a senior Garda on the operation face disciplinary action. The following year, two officers on secondment to GSOC tasked with addressing the body of complaints in relation to the policing of the Shell/Corrib gas project gave their apologies to campaigners before returning to New Zealand. In 2011, following the tape controversy, in which members of the Gardaí were recorded joking about raping and deporting female protestors, campaigners publicly stated that they believed GSOC’s response to the controversy amounted to “blame the victim” tactics through a campaign of spin and misinformation. Quite understandably, there is now no faith in GSOC as it currently exists and any inquiry by GSOC into the Shell/Corrib gas police operation would be dysfunctional, particularly as this inquiry should include the failings of GSOC. Continue reading “Call for a Public Inquiry into the Policing of the Shell/Corrib Gas Project” →

Date for your Diary: Airing Erris 3, 6th July 2014

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glengadfrommtnLook out for the 3rd installment of the series of events entitled “Airing Erris”. This event will focus on the policing of the Corrib Gas project and will take place in An tSeanscoil, Ceathrú Thaidhg, Co. Mayo at 1pm on Sunday July 6th.

Further information to follow.

To find out more about the other events in the Airing Erris series:

Airing Erris 1: http://www.afri.ie/news-and-events/airing-erris-the-media-and-shell-corrib-2/

Airing Erris 2: http://www.afri.ie/news-and-events/airing-erris-journalism-has-been-infected-by-corporate-public-relations/

Shatter rejects Corrib policing probe

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An Afri statement, supported by Desmond Tutu, Denis Halliday, Ed Vulliamy and others, calling for an urgent and comprehensive enquiry into the policing of the Corrib Gas project has been rejected by Minister Shatter. Despite what Archbishop Tutu described as the “many disturbing incidences” highlighted in the statement and growing concern in relation to Garda activity in general, Minister Shatter has claimed that a public enquiry is unnecessary.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/alan-shatter-rejects-corrib-policing-probe-264258.html

 

Call for Independent Enquiry into Policing of Corrib Gas Project

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Afri International Patron, Desmond Tutu. Photo: Derek Speirs
Afri International Patron, Desmond Tutu. Photo: Derek Speirs

In light of ongoing controversies concerning lack of accountability of the Gardaí, and serious shortcomings on the part of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), Afri, supported by the undersigned, wishes to draw renewed attention to serious concerns around the policing of the Corrib Gas Project. Local residents have exhausted all available means of redress – including reports to GSOC, the Minster for Justice and the Garda Commissioner – without receiving satisfactory responses. Therefore, we now call for an independent and comprehensive enquiry into all aspects of the policing of the Corrib Gas Project to seek redress and accountability in relation to abuses which are, sadly, ongoing.

These concerns include, for example, the verbal and physical abuse of Willie Corduff by Gardaí as he took part in a peaceful protest in Glengad on April 22nd and 23rd 2009.This was followed by an attack by a group of men in dark clothes with their faces covered. During this attack Mr. Corduff was struck on the head by a blunt leather-covered object and then beaten until he lost consciousness. Mr. Corduff was removed to hospital and suffered serious pain and distress for many weeks afterwards. This attack occurred while Gardaí were in close proximity and no satisfactory investigation into the attack has ever taken place.

There are concerns also about the sinking of Pat O’Donnell’s boat the Iona Isle, which was boarded by masked men in June 2009. Pat O’Donnell, recipient of a state bravery award in 2013, and his crewman Martin O’Donnell were attacked and held down while the Iona Isle was holed and sunk under cover of darkness. Some hours later men fitting the description of those who boarded the boat were reported to have been picked up in Killala harbour by a transport vehicle used by the Shell Corrib Gas project. Both Mr. O’Donnell and his crewman were later admitted to Castlebar General hospital. Continue reading “Call for Independent Enquiry into Policing of Corrib Gas Project” →

Airing Erris: Journalism has been “infected” by “corporate public relations”

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At “Airing Erris 2” from left to right: Award winning journalist Ed Vulliamy, Joe Murray (Afri Co-ordinator), and Donal O’Kelly (actor and playwright).

The distinguished Guardian and Observer journalist, Ed Vulliamy, paid warm tribute to the community in Erris who have been resisting the imposition of the Gas Corrib project on their community since 2000, when he spoke at Airing Erris 2 in Ceathrú Thaidhg on Sunday, March 16th. Mr. Vulliamy, the journalist who broke the story of Shell’s supplying large quantities of alcohol to Gardaí in Belmullet, said he was inspired by the courage and commitment of the community and the way in which they have ‘ joined the dots’ in terms of the project and its wider implications. He also described the alcohol to Gardaí in Belmullet story as an interesting bagatelle in context of UN Rapporteur’s claim of excessive use of force by Gardaí against peaceful protesters.

Journalist William Hederman outlined examples of media distortion in relation to the project. For example, the ‘rape tapes’ issue was shamefully mishandled by Gardaí and GSOC and those against whom rape was ‘jokingly’ threatened were utterly failed, let down and undermined by elements of the media.

Richie O’Donnell, whose company Atlantic Stream broadcast the event on line, spoke about plans to ‘be our own media’ of which ‘Airing Erris’ is a very good example.

Airing Erris was hosted by Afri is collaboration with Atlantic Stream. You can watch this event online here. Lorna Siggins wrote a piece about this event in the Irish Times, which can be read here.

Airing Erris 2

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Sunday, March 16, 2014 – 3pm – 6pm – An Seanscoil, An Ceathrú Thaidhg, Erris, Co. Mayo

This is the second installment of “Airing Erris”, a seminar on the media treatment of the Shell Corrib issue.

The discussion is evolving to examine the relationship between vested interests and the media and their increasing control and interference in civil issues.

Furthermore, could technological advances spell the end of traditional media and our reliance on them for our news?

Speakers include:

– Ed Vulliamy (The Observer/Guardian)

– Richie O’ Donnell (Director, The Pipe)

– William Hederman (Journalist)

– Andy Storey (Afri chairperson)

You can also join the conversation by tuning into our livestream event at https://new.livestream.com/AtlanticIRL/AiringErris and follow the event on twitter using #atlantic.

More details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1385124438428044/

Airing Erris: The Media and Shell Corrib

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From Left to Right: Betty Purcell (former Editor of Features and Current Affairs RTE), Harry Browne (Journalist and lecturer in Media Studies DIT), Joe Murray (Afri Co-ordinator), Lelia Doolan (documentary-maker and former CEO of the Irish Film Board), and Liamy McNally (Mayo-based freelance journalist) at Airing Erris in Co. Mayo on Saturday 18th January.
From Left to Right: Betty Purcell (former Editor of Features and Current Affairs RTE), Harry Browne (Journalist and lecturer in Media Studies DIT), Joe Murray (Afri Co-ordinator), Lelia Doolan (documentary-maker and former CEO of the Irish Film Board), and Liamy McNally (Mayo-based freelance journalist) at Airing Erris in Co. Mayo on Saturday 18th January.  Photo: Dave Donnellan

By Harry Browne

By honoured tradition, we journalists still half-jokingly call public-relations (PR) professionals “the enemy”. But we know they have a job to do, we know they often help us do their job – and we know that if we’re really at war with them, we’re losing.

The basic reason is pretty simple: they’ve got more and more resources (money, time, people) to push the corporate or government line, and we’ve got fewer and fewer with which to filter out the truth from the propaganda.

And when PR people are good and do their job really well, they get the ears of our bosses and make our jobs even harder. Continue reading “Airing Erris: The Media and Shell Corrib” →