’ – Secretary s Report AGM 17 December 2023
Meetings: During the past financial year ( ie. 1st October 2022- 30th September 2023, we had 11 meetings (with August being the only month missed). the main events are outlined below: OCTOBER 2022:
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Save Our Sperrins was invited to a roundtable conference in Dublin by Dunja Mijatovic, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. Cormac attended and had a meeting with Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur for Environmental Protectors and a meeting with Mary Lawlor, United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders.
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Cormac met with CAJ & FoE solicitor in Derry.
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Malin Hemphill, a university student, produced a short film called “Monster” about the anti goldmining campaign.
NOVEMBER 2022 :
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The UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor, tweeted that she was concerned about the human rights for those involved in Save Our Sperrins campaign.
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Flintridge Galantas was fined £120,000 for breaches of Health & Safety at their mine at Cavanacaw.
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EJNI launched a film on the rights of Nature Ireland which included SOS.
DECEMBER 2022 :
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SOS & CAMIO produced & sold 500+ calendars ‘Journey through the Sperrins’ as the launch of our fundraising campaign to raise money to employ experts to help us present our case at the forthcoming Public Inquiry into Dalradian’s planning application.
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V’cenza Cirefice, a PhD researcher, held a photovoice exhibition from 12-17th December in the Playhouse, Derry, called ‘Resistance to Extractivism in the Sperrins’.
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SOS & CAMIO held a 24 hour sit out at Omagh Courthouse to raise awareness about the campaign.
JANUARY 2023:
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Cormac & Fidelma met with Community Places, Belfast to ask for help for the Public Inquiry only to be told that another group supporting gold-mining had already been in touch with them and they had decided not to get involved with either side but would produce a simplified guide to the Public Inquiry Process.
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Anton, Fidelma & Cormac met with Gerry Murphy, Irish Congress of Trade Unions in Belfast to ask for assistance towards the Public Inquiry.
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Love Screen Stop Mining group in Draperstown folded up and gave Save Our Sperrins a share of their money - £340
FEBRUARY 2023 :
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Fidelma participated in a Zoom meeting with people from Co Clare where Dalradian’s subsidiary company, MINCO, was granted a prospecting licence.
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SOS Participated in a Zoom meeting with staff of the office of UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders.
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Cormac attended a meeting at QUB about FoI hosted by Public Interest Litigation Services (PILS).
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SOS featured in an art exhibition in Pilot’s Row Community Centre. Lucy Young, an art student at NWIFHE, had interviewed us during the 24 hour sit-out & fast in December 2022 & had done 2 paintings as a result.
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Fidelma did a talk about the campaign at a conference in Armagh on Critical Labour Studies.
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Fidelma did an interview for a podcast about the campaign with an author, Gerry McGovern.
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Fidelma participated in a zoom meeting with Yes To Life, No To Mining about “Putting Rights First in the Green Transition”
MARCH 2023 :
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We held our first zoom meeting with the experts we have got so far to help us for the Public Inquiry.
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We organised a forum entitled “Mining The Public Inquiry” in the Mellon Country Hotel. It was sponsored by Turas Na nDaoine, Fermanagh. * Save Our Sperrins participated in a protest outside the Europa Hotel, Belfast, at a Sustainability event that GSNI sponsored. * DAMN organised a concert in Dungiven to raise money to help us employ experts for the Public Inquiry.
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CAMIO merged with SOS. APRIL 2023 : * SOS participated at a protest in Belfast during the visit of US President Joe Biden, because of an American company, Orion Mine Finance, financing Dalradian. * PARC organised an art exhibition and 2 coffee mornings in order to raise money to help us employ experts for the Public Inquiry. MAY 2023:
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SOS (Marella) gave a talk at a conference on Climate Struggles in Ireland at Dublin Anarchist Book Fair.
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Cormac spoke at Protecting the Protectors event in Belfast.
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SOS hosted 3 native Americans Indian leaders for 2 days, including Chas Jewett who had visited us in 2018. JUNE 2023 : * Launch of SOS Crowdfunder with videos of local people. * SOS meeting with Maria McCluskey, Kate Barry and Hilary Perry of PILS re Dalradian’s 2 new applications.
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Fidelma spoke at a Public Meeting in Tulla, Co Clare about the dangers of goldmining.
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SOS hosted a group of 10 young Native American Indians to food and a concert in Greencastle on the first evening of their water walk along the River Foyle from its source to the sea. Reception event for the group in Dunamanagh on second evening.
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SOS attended a Climate festival in Derry.
JULY 2023: Fidelma started Planning of the Millennium Forum fundraising Concert in Derry. AUGUST 2023 :
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SOS attended a Rights of Nature event at QUB
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SOS attended a Climate Festival in Leitrim where Fidelma spoke about the campaign.
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Marella & Fidelma met with the editor and assistant editor of the Ulster Herald to discuss coverage of the campaign.
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SOS hosted a group of people from the Waterside, Derry (in Jacqueline’s house as it was raining heavily at the GPO) & Fidelma did a talk for them. SEPTEMBER 2023:
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SOS hosted members of IWW union at the GPO.
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SOS hosted Niall McCarroll & members of UNISON at the GPO.
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SOS attended a fundraising concert for Save Our Sperrins organised by “Keep Tulla Untouched” in Co Clare. Fidelma did a talk at it.
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SOS attended a fundraising concert in Derrytresk Community Centre for SOS, organised by members of Tyrone Dail.
Fidelma O’Kane 17[th] December 2023.
The above report is a true account of the activities of Save Our Sperrins for the financial year 20222023
Trustees of Save Our Sperrins
Marella Fyffe, Chairperson Cormac B McAleer, Vice-chair Jacqueline Keenan, Treasurer Martina Hollywood, Assistant Treasurer Fidelma O’Kane, Secretary Paul Morrison, Committee Member Niall McAleer, Committee Member Anton McCabe, Assistant Secretary Louise Taylor, Committee Member
17 December 2023