Community in Leitrim vows to continue fight against gold mining

A well attended Treasure Leitrim organised public meeting in Manorhamilton's Bee Park Community Centre took place on Monday night to discuss the granting of gold mining prospecting licences to Flintridge Resources.

The public meeting's Chairperson Brian Smith told those gathered, “We can learn from the gold mining experiences in the Sperrins and not let it happen here.”

Local farmer, James Gilmartin, Pullboy, told the meeting that he first learned on October 7 last year that a prospecting licence for mining had been applied for in his own townland and 46 other townlands nearby from a friend, who had read it in the “Leitrim Observer.”

James believes that everyone has to take “a role in opposing mining.” He also added that Minister Eamon Ryan had granted prospecting licences to Flintridge Resources “despite 2,500 objections from local people as well as from all from the Leitrim County Councillors and all local TDs.”

Members of the Treasure Leitrim Group, local politicians and guest speakers at the mining information meeting at the Bee Park Community Centre on Monday night

Mr Gilmartin encouraged all residents in the 47 townlands to put up Treasure Leitrim signs that state “No Access for Mineral Prospecting.”
Landowners have to give Flintridge Resources permission to enter their land for the mining companies representatives to go onto that land for the purpose of carrying out mining prospecting.

Dr Fidelma O'Kane from Omagh, who was representing the “Save Our Sperrins” campaign, told the meeting that Dalradian Gold, a Canadian mining company, had got prospecting licences for 300,000 acres in Tyrone and Derry.
Ms. O'Kane said that “gold mining has caused a lot of friction and splits in the local community”

Addressing Monday night's meeting engineer, Gordon Dunne from Omagh stated “it is absolutely sickening to see how the area's landscape has been damaged by mining, which is open cast as well as underground.”
Local farmer and IFA Environmental and Rural Affairs Committee member, Eddie Mitchell, said “farmers will play a big role in preventing mining here since the mining companies will need permission to come onto their land.

Mr Mitchell, who played a major role in having fracking banned in Ireland, stated “Pullboy and Faughery are two townlands where it is highly probable there are gold deposits.” But Eddie confidently added at the end of the meeting “this is going to end well for Leitrim” and gold mining will be stopped.

Emma Mincks from Rapid City, South Dakota, near the Black Hills, informed the meeting of her personal experience of gold mining near where she lives and encouraged everyone in North Leitrim to strive to prevent gold mining starting in the area.
Aris Klaras from Greece said at the meeting that “gold mining has caused serious communal conflict in Northern Greece.

Jacintha Van Roij and her partner, Thomas Lightwood, from Tulla, Co Clare, came along to Manorhamilton to back the local people who are trying to stop gold mining starting in Leitrim.
Thomas said “we are here to support you from Clare, where gold mining prospecting licences have also been granted.”
Councillor Mary Bohan told the meeting that all Leitrim Councillors had backed a motion to stop gold mining starting in Leitrim.

TDs Marian Harkin and Martin Kenny explained how they had both raised the issue of preventing gold mining starting in Leitrim on a number of occasions in the Dáil.

Dromahair Green Party member, Johnny Gogan, said he “was very disappointed that Minister Eamon Ryan had granted prospecting licences to Flintridge Resources to start mining prospecting in Leitrim.”
He assured the meeting that all local Green Party members would do everything possible to prevent gold mining going ahead.