Explore every episode of the podcast The Sperrins: Mining, Power & Community in Northern Ireland
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #No.42 Dalradianās New Marketing Campaign: A Reality Check | 11 Apr 2026 | 00:09:42 | |
In this solo episode of the Save Our Sperrins Podcast, Save Our Sperrins responds to the latest marketing campaign released by Dalradian Gold, offering a calm and forensic examination of the claims being made about jobs, prosperity, and regional regeneration. Set against rising living costs, pressure on public services, and growing climate instability, this episode explores how extractive industries use narrative, timing, and emotion to position private mining projects as solutions to public crises. The episode contrasts promotional messaging with documented evidence from Ireland, highlighting what is often omitted from corporate storytelling: environmental risk, public cost, long-term liability, and community impact. Sos is calling for Ā honesty, evidence, and long-term thinking in decisions that will shape landscapes, water systems, and communities for generations.It is if you like, a Ā clear-eyed reality check Ā and a reminder that some lines are worth holding. #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story -Have a listen, and if you have timeĀ hit theĀ follow buttonĀ 5 stars and a review on the podcast app , and please share if you can. it really makes a difference to the algorithmĀ SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā Ā | |||
| #No.41 Public Inquiry Begins: What Happens Next | 07 Apr 2026 | 00:01:44 | |
The public inquiry into gold mining in the Sperrins is about to begin Ā and this podcast is entering a new phase. After 40 episodes building the story, trust, and understanding behind the campaign, weāre now moving into real-time coverage of what happens next. From here on, expect short, regular updates from the inquiry:
Follow the podcast to stay informed throughout the inquiry Ā and share it with anyone trying to make sense of whatās happening. This podcast follows the campaign to protect the Sperrin Mountains from proposed gold mining. SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā Ā | |||
| #No.32 From the High Ground with Cahal Keenan | 07 Feb 2026 | 00:56:11 | |
This episode sits at the start of a series of conversations about water in the Sperrins Ā where it comes from, how it moves, and what happens when itās put at risk. Cahalās family has lived for generations in and around Greencastle. He farms part-time, runs a plumbing business, and knows the land . He speaks about water, ground, and responsibility in the way people do when theyāve spent their lives paying attention. What you hear here comes out of day-to-day reality, from a place carrying a lot of unanswered questions, and from someone thinking carefully about whatās being handed on. #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story Have a listen, and if you have timeĀ hit theĀ follow buttonĀ 5 stars and a review on the podcast app , and please share if you can. it really makes a difference to the algorithmĀ Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ website https://www.dontmineus.comĀ Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā | |||
| # No. 31 99th Day: The Cost of the New Mining Rush with Gerry McGovern | 31 Jan 2026 | 01:24:57 | |
In this episode, Iām joined again by Gerry McGovern to talk about his new book, 99th Day. We stay with what the book is really about, Ā the mining being driven by the energy transition, the waste that follows modern technology, and the communities who end up living with the consequences long before any promises are made, and long after the attention moves on. Itās not an easy conversation, and it doesnāt try to be. We talk about scale, about damage, and about the uncomfortable feeling that comes from understanding how we in the Global North are causing pain and suffering to those in the Global South .Ā For anyone living in a place under pressure or trying to make sense of what progress is imposing on Ā ordinary communities Ā this one will stay with you. #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ
š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story -Have a listen, and if you have timeĀ hit theĀ follow buttonĀ 5 stars and a review on the podcast app , and please share if you can. it really makes a difference to the algorithmĀ LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ https://gerrymcgovern.com/books/99th-day/ Gerry's tour dates Ā in Ireland February 2026 ā¢Monday 2nd Launch in Feakle, Clare 12noon to 5pm ā¢Tuesday 3rd Galway City, Tonn an ClĆ© ā¢Wednesday 4th Cork, tbd ā¢Thursday 5th Louisburgh, Mayo BooksatOne ā¢Friday 6th Sligo, tbd ā¢Saturday 7th Navan, Meath, CAIM social ā¢Sunday 8th Baile Ghib, Meath??? 3pm to 5pm ā¢Monday 9th Dublin, tbd ā¢Tuesday 10th Belfast, Antrim, Queen's University ā¢Wednesday 11th Tyrone, book signing event, An CreagĆ”nĀ ā¢Thursday 12th Inis Eoghain, Inishowen DP - Change makers, tbd ā¢Friday 13th, Leitrim, tbd ā¢Saturday 14th, Cloughjordan, Tipperary, Ecovillage ā¢Sunday 15th, Wicklow Ā tbdĀ SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā Ā | |||
| #No.30 At the Turning of the Year: A 2025 Round-Up | 31 Dec 2025 | 00:16:06 | |
End of Year Round-Up: 2025 | Save Our Sperrins In this special end-of-year episode, Save Our Sperrins looks back over a pivotal year in the campaign to protect the Sperrin Mountains from gold mining. From the suspension of the Public Inquiry in January, through moments of international solidarity, creative resistance and legal challenge, to the relinquishing of mineral prospecting licences in October, this episode traces the key events of 2025 month by month. We also reflect on the launch of the Save Our Sperrins podcast itself ā why we started it, what weāve learned about the importance of telling our own story, and how it has become both a source of ongoing updates and a living archive for communities facing extractive pressure. The episode closes by looking ahead to Season Two, and sharing why the podcast will pause during January to prepare for the next phase of conversations and solidarity.Ā Ā #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story -Have a listen, and if you have timeĀ hit theĀ follow buttonĀ 5 stars and a review on the podcast app , and please share if you can. it really makes a difference to the algorithmĀ SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā | |||
| #No.29 Extractivism, Emissions and the Reality Behind COP30- A Conversation with Lynda Sullivan | 27 Dec 2025 | 00:42:52 | |
In this episode of the Save Our Sperrins Podcast, Iām joined again by writer and activist Lynda Sullivan, fresh from COP30 in Brazil. Lynda spent just one day inside the official Blue Zone, focusing instead on the Peopleās Summit and the global gatherings organised by Yes to Life, No to Mining, alongside thematic forums examining the mining and extractive economy. She reflects on the stark contrast between these spaces ā one dominated by lobbying and polished messaging, the other grounded in lived experience, solidarity and shared concern. We talk about what she witnessed, the limits of the COP process, and the growing understanding among frontline communities that responsibility cannot be endlessly deferred. When governments fail to act with urgency, communities are left to stand up and act where they live. Ā #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #Cop30 #BelemĀ #ThePeoplesSummitĀ #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story -Have a listen, and if you have timeĀ hit theĀ follow buttonĀ 5 stars and a review on the podcast app , and please share if you can. it really makes a difference to the algorithmĀ Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEW with Lynda Sullivan https://cupuladospovoscop30.org/en/final-declaration/ Lynda's writing Ā from the Ā An Taisce blog Ā from Belem - https://www.antaisce.org/blog/an-taisce-at-cop30-first-impressions https://www.antaisce.org/blog/reporting-from-the-peoples-summitcupla-dos-povos-at-cop30 The People's Summit Website -https://cupuladospovoscop30.org/en/ Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā | |||
| #No.28 One Landscape, One Fight: Cross-Border Resistance to Fracking & Mining | 20 Dec 2025 | 01:12:37 | |
In this episode, we sit down with two men who helped shape one of the most remarkable grassroots movements on the island of Ireland: the cross-border resistance to fracking along the LeitrimāFermanagh border. Back in 2012, when few understood the scale of the threat, farmers, families and community organisers began to join the dots between their wells, their rivers, their land and the industrial plans unfolding around them. Eddie Mitchell and Michael Gallagher were among those who stepped forward early Eddie through community organising and later political leadership, Michael through the farming networks that became central to the campaignās power. Together, they helped build a movement that reached across a border steeped in history and division, creating a unity that old politics could never have achieved. What mattered was the land, the water, and the shared responsibility to protect what could not be repaired once damaged. More than a decade on, the same regions are now facing the prospect of gold mining and the new pressures brought by the Critical Raw Materials agenda. Eddie and Michael reflect on the parallels between then and now, what legislation helped and what failed during the fracking years, and how communities can once again find their strength in each other. What happened in Leitrim and Fermanagh became a blueprint for us in the Sperrins: act early, work together, ignore old divisions, and build a movement stronger than the industries trying to divide us. This is an episode about solidarity, courage and the extraordinary power of rural people when they refuse to be divided. Itās a reminder that borders may exist on maps, but the land tells a very different story. Ā #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story -Have a listen, and if you have timeĀ hit theĀ follow buttonĀ 5 stars and a review on the podcast app , and please share if you can. it really makes a difference to the algorithmĀ Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ Eddie Mitchell's emailĀ eddiejmitchell@gmail.com ĀSAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā Ā | |||
| #No.27 Raised by the Hills ā A Conversation with Kelan Grant | 13 Dec 2025 | 00:54:39 | |
This weekās podcast features Kelan Grant, a successful professional mountain biker ā and a childhood friend of my own children, with family ties that stretch back over forty-five years. Kelan has been on bikes almost since he could walk. He grew up in Knockmoyle, at the edge of the Sperrins, and now lives and races professionally Ā out of Morzine in the French Alps. Iāve watched his phenomenal progress over the years, from those first tentative wobbles to the accomplished rider he is today. He has competed on some of Europeās toughest enduro trails, and, in his own words, āthe freedom, resilience and discipline the Sperrin uplands gave me as a young person is what sustains me today in my professional career.ā Kelanās story is one of courage, connection, and deep respect for the land that raised him.Ā He speaks candidly about the serious back injury he suffered earlier this year, and how it made him see the importance of that connection in a new light. His voice is a powerful reminder of why wild, open spaces matter ā for health, for hope, and for the spirit of the next generation. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ https://www.facebook.com/KelanGrantRacing https://www.instagram.com/kelangrant/ Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā Ā | |||
| #No.26 Business, Human Rights and the Battle for Accountability a Conversation with Chris O Connell TrĆ³caire . | 07 Dec 2025 | 01:05:17 | |
Chris OāConnell, TrĆ³caire
In this episode of Protecting the Sperrins ā Voices from the Frontline, Marella Fyffe speaks with Chris OāConnell, Senior Policy Advisor at TrĆ³caire, about the growing global movement for a UN Treaty on Business and Human Rights. From decades of work across the Global South, Chris brings a deep understanding of how deregulation benefits corporate power, how trade agreements can quietly undermine democracy and the environment, and why binding rules for business are urgently needed. Their conversation moves from the global to the local ā from Geneva to the Sperrins ā exploring how these issues touch the lives of communities here at home who are already facing the consequences of corporate freedom without accountability. Chris also reflects on the rising tide of social movements and āchange electionsā taking place across the world, offering insight ā and hope ā for those standing up to power in their own backyards. A wide-ranging, grounded, and deeply relevant conversation about justice, responsibility, and the kind of future we choose to create.Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicmining #BusinessAndHumanRights #UNTreatyOnBusinessAndHumanRights #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast#ActivismPodcast#IrishPodcast#HumanRights LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ https://www.trocaire.org/news/why-we-need-a-business-human-rights-treaty/https://yestolifenotomining.org/ Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā | |||
| #No.25 How Small Food Producers Strengthen a Rural Economy: Dart Mountain Cheese | 29 Nov 2025 | 01:03:55 | |
In this weekās episode, I sit down with Julie from Dart Mountain Cheese, an artisan cheesemaking company rooted deep in the foothills of the Sperrins. What begins as a story about cheese quickly becomes something much bigger: a conversation about place, sustainability, and how to build a meaningful livelihood in a rural landscape often written off as economically limited. Julie Ā shares how Dart Mountain Cheese began, why the Sperrins were the only place that felt right, and how clean air, clean water and healthy soil are at the heart of everything they produce. We talk about the realities of small-scale food production, the challenges and rewards of adding value locally, and how collaboration with other local producersāfrom goat farmers to craft food makersācan create a thriving network and even a genuine food trail in the region. We also explore a counter-story to the dominant narrative of extraction: what a regenerative, long-term rural economy can look like when it grows from skill, craft, community and the land itself. This is a gentle, grounded and surprisingly expansive conversation about food, landscape and the future of rural life in the Sperrins. #SaveOurSperrins #DartMountainCheese #LocalFoodEconomy #SustainableSperrins #RuralResilience š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ https://www.facebook.com/dartmountaincheese https://www.instagram.com/dartmountaincheese Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā Ā Ā | |||
| #No.24 UK Critical Minerals Strategy 2035: What It Means for Communities and the Environment | 23 Nov 2025 | 00:09:27 | |
In this bonus episode, I dig into the UKās newly published Critical Minerals Strategy 2035 ā a document dressed up as environmental responsibility, yet rooted in the same extractive logic that has driven ecological breakdown for decades. Behind its polished language lies a blueprint for expanded mining, weakened planning protections and a deeper entanglement between government, finance and the arms industry. Communities are reduced to footnotes; ecosystems are treated as expendable; and the climate crisis is used to justify fresh harm. This episode unpacks what the strategy really means for places like the Sperrins. It exposes the quiet convergence of political power and corporate interests, the gap between rhetoric and reality, and the way decisions of enormous consequence are made far from the landscapes that will pay the price. If you want to understand the forces shaping our hills, our water and our future, this is essential listening. #CriticalMineralsStrategy #UKMining #CommunityRights #EnvironmentalJustice #SaveOurSperrins #MiningImpacts #GreenTransition Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ Ā UK Critical Minerals Strategy 2035 - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-critical-minerals-strategy/vision-2035-critical-minerals-strategy Ā Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā | |||
| #No.23 Dr Steven H. Emerman ā The Science of Failure: Truth, Risk, and Responsibility | 22 Nov 2025 | 01:21:17 | |
In this episode, Marella speaks with Dr Steven H. Emerman, hydrologist, geophysicist, and one of the worldās leading independent experts on mine tailings storage facilities. Dr Emerman brings decades of research and international experience to a conversation that cuts through technical jargon and gets to the heart of whatās at stake in the Dalradian Gold planning application for the Sperrins. He explains that the standard industry position is that all tailings dams will eventually fail and that every one requires maintenance in perpetuity ā creating a permanent burden for future generations. Even more alarming, tailings dams are never insured; they are considered uninsurable risks. Yet within the Dalradian application there is no analysis of the consequences of failure ā no clear modelling to show what would happen if the incorrectly termed Ā āDry Stack Facilityā were to give way. Dr Emerman outlines what such an event would mean for the people of Greencastle, for everyone living, farming, or fishing along the Pollanroe Burn, Owenreagh, Owenkillew, and Foyle river corridors, and for the Donegal seafood industry downstream. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā Ā | |||
| #No.40 Voice, Value and Who Gets Heard: A Conversation with Dermot Devlin | 05 Apr 2026 | 00:52:02 | |
In this episode, I sit down with disability rights advocate, TEDx speaker, and campaigner Dermot Devlin to explore what it means to be heard in systems that arenāt always designed to listen. Originally from Greencastle, Dermot brings a powerful mix of lived experience, sharp insight, and every day honesty Ā working across grassroots activism, practical change, and policy influence. This conversation Ā opens up bigger questions about voice, power, and participation in society. š In the Ā episode, we explore:
š§ Listen now and share this episode with anyone interested in environmental justice, public participation and the future of the Sperrins. š¬ Share your thoughts on the public inquiry processĀ ā Ā Follow the podcast by hitting the follow button š Repost to raise awareness #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ https://youtube.com/@mywayaccess?si=St0MI6ygdj5iN9qN Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā Save Our Sperrins YouTube ChannelĀ Ā https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā | |||
| #No.22 Mining the Truth: A Conversation with Lynda Sullivan | 15 Nov 2025 | 00:51:02 | |
Lynda Sullivan has spent years working with communities affected by mining, from the Andes to the Sperrins. She speaks about how Ireland became a āgreen sacrifice zoneā, the myth of mining as a climate solution, and what happens when governments trade nature for profit. Her work with CAIM and the Yes to Life, No to Mining network connects local struggles into a wider movement for protection and change. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ https://yestolifenotomining.org/ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abcs-of-green-politics/id1535697681?i=1000494627519 Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā | |||
| #No.21 Butterlope Farm ā A Different Kind of Progress | 08 Nov 2025 | 00:57:11 | |
In this episode, we visit Butterlope Farm near Plumbridge, in the heart of the Sperrin Mountains, where Annie and Vincent Mullan have built a life rooted in care ā for land, people, and community. Annie, with her background in environmental education, and Vincent, a lifelong farmer, have created a social farm that shows how upland farming can be both sustainable and deeply human. Their approach offers a living contrast to the industrialisation creeping across the Sperrins ā mining, wind farms, and so-called āprogressā that too often leave behind scarred land and divided communities. Through their stories, we explore what real progress might look like when measured not in profit, but in connection and continuity. We talk about ancient clochans still standing on their fields, the rhythm of the seasons, and the ethics that guide their work ā equality, inclusion, and a belief that upland bog is more precious than gold. This is an episode about stewardship, resilience, and the quiet power of living in right relationship with the land ā a reminder that true sustainability begins at home, in the hands of those who tend and protect it. Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ https://www.butterlopefarm.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/ButterlopeFarm https://www.instagram.com/butterlopefarm/ https://www.soengage.eu/introduction-to-soengage/ Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā | |||
| #No.20 From the Sperrins to COP 30: Dr Lorna Gold on Caring for Creation | 01 Nov 2025 | 00:43:50 | |
In this episode, Marella speaks with Dr Lorna Gold, Executive Director of the Laudato Siā Movement ā a global network inspired by Pope Francisās call to care for our common home. From her long experience in climate justice and faith-based environmental work, Lorna brings insight into how moral and spiritual leadership can shape our collective response to the ecological crisis. As she prepares to travel to COP 30 in Brazil in November 2025 , Lorna reflects on the tensions between the drive for critical minerals and the urgent need to protect communities and ecosystems. Together, we explore how faith, conscience, and compassion can guide us through these times of profound change ā and how local struggles, like the one here in the Sperrin Mountains, connect to a global movement for justice and renewal. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights LINKS FOR DR.LORNA GOLD Ā INTERVIEWĀ Laudato Si website : https://laudatosimovement.org/ COP 30 website : https://cop30.br/en Lorna's books : Climate Generation Awakening Our Children's FutureĀ The Emergence of and Economy of CommunionĀ Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā Ā Ā | |||
| # No 19. Sacred Sperrins Living Land :A Conversation with Kerry McCory | 25 Oct 2025 | 00:53:01 | |
In this episode, I speak with Kerry McCrory, who lives in Coneyglen in the heart of the Sperrins. Through her holistic practice, Kerry helps people reconnect with balance, colour, and the deeper rhythms of nature ā but over the years, her care for human well-being has become inseparable from her care for the land itself - through her Ā opposition to the gold mine Ā to challenging the spread of industrial wind farms. Ā Kerry Ā speaks movingly Ā about the sacred relationship between people and place.This is a conversation about the sacred, in its truest sense: the everyday holiness of the hills, the quiet power of community, and the call to protect what we love before itās gone. For the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil we grow from ā together, we hold the line. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā Links for Kerry Kerry's new websiteĀ www.sacred-rainbow-weave.comĀ The summit that Kerry organised can be found here:Ā www.sacredrainbowcurrent.comĀ Facebook page Kerry https://www.facebook.com/kerry.mccrory.79 Facebook page Coneyglen https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064599586019 Email light@sacred-rainbow-weave.comĀ Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā Ā | |||
| #No.18 Frontlines of Justice:James Orr on Power, Place and the Politics of Extraction | 18 Oct 2025 | 01:16:30 | |
In this conversation, James Orr ā Director of Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland ā joins us to reflect on decades of environmental work, solidarity, and vision for change. From his long-standing support for the Save Our Sperrins campaign to his calls for an independent environmental agency and a just settlement for Lough Neagh, James brings a rare combination of grounded experience and deep ecological thinking. We talk about what it means to move beyond extractivism, how communities can stand together in the face of corporate power, and the urgent need to reimagine how we live with and care for the land and water that sustain us all. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ https://friendsoftheearth.uk/latest/northern-ireland Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā | |||
| #No.17Divided by Gold, Rooted in Place: Emma Conway on Family, Land and Belonging | 11 Oct 2025 | 00:52:26 | |
In this conversation, Marella speaks withĀ Emma Conway, founder ofĀ Sperrin Soul Forest SchoolĀ ā a mother, educator, andĀ member of an extended Ā local family whose differing views on the goldmine mirror the wider divisions playing out across this rural community While parts of Emmaās family have engaged with Dalradian, others, including Emma herself, have spoken out against the mine. Ā Itās a story that runs deep ā of love and loyalty, of belonging and belief ā and of what it means to keep connection alive when the land beneath you becomes contested. Together, they talk about Ā how extractive projects fracture communities, and why Emma continues to plant hope ā quite literally ā in the living soil of these hills and bogs This episode invites us to listen for the smaller quieter acts of resistance: nurturing childrenās wonder, teaching care for the more-than-human world, and remembering that healing the land begins with how we treat one another. For the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil we grow from ā together we hold the line. #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #DividedByGold #RootedInTheSperrinsĀ #StoriesFromTheHillsĀ š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ Sperrin Soul Forest SchoolĀ linktr.ee/sperrinsoulinstagramĀ sperrinsoul_forestschoolĀ https://irishforestschoolassociation.ie/ Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrinsĀ Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. Ā https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā | |||
| #No.16 Hope is a Luxury, Resistance is Intergenerational ā Gerry McGovern Speaks Out | 04 Oct 2025 | 00:58:25 | |
What happens when the drive for endless growth leaves nothing but waste behind? Gerry McGovern, author of the After the Goldrush podcast , joins me to explore how mining ā and the mindset that fuels it ā mirrors the same destructive patterns we see in the digital world. Our conversation looks at what it means for communities like ours in the Sperrins to stand against extraction, and how waste is never an accident but the direct outcome of a system built on taking without giving back. Gerryās clarity cuts through the spin, reminding us that resistance is both urgent and intergenerational ā carried by parents, children and grandparents together. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ Gerry Mc Governs Website -https://gerrymcgovern.com/ After the Goldrush Podcast -https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā | |||
| #No. 15 SinĆ©ad NĆ MhearnĆ³g : Language, Community and Courage | 27 Sep 2025 | 00:52:11 | |
In this episode I speak with SinĆ©ad NĆ MhearnĆ³g UĆ GhĆ©ibheannaigh, a young mother, poet, and advocate for the Irish language from ConyGlen near Greencastle. SinĆ©ad works with GlĆ³r na nGael, supporting communities to keep the language alive, and has long been a passionate voice in the Save Our Sperrins campaign. We talk about her roots in the Sperrins, the role of language in shaping identity, and how culture and community sustain resilience. SinĆ©ad reflects on her poetry, her hopes for her children, and her fears for what mining could do to the fabric of her community. She also recalls a pivotal moment in 2018, when she travelled to Toronto to attend the PDAC mining conference and spoke out against Dalradianās plans for a goldmine in the Sperrins ā a moment of truth-telling that sent ripples far beyond Greencastle. This is a conversation about language, courage, and the power of ordinary communities to hold the line. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ https://www.glornangael.ie/teangati/Ā SinĆ©ads workĀ https://www.facebook.com/GreencastleourhistoryĀ A page about the history of Greencastle and MunterloneyĀ
Correction : In the introduction I mentioned that Gaeltacht Mhuintir Luinigh was the last Irish-speaking area in Ulster. Of course, I should have said that it was the last Irish-speaking area in what is now Northern Ireland, as Donegal ā also part of Ulster ā still has a vibrant Gaeltacht community today. Ā The poem SinĆ©ad read out on the podcast .Ā Faoiseamh a Gheobhadsa Le MĆ”irtĆn Ć DĆreĆ”in Ā Faoiseamh a gheobhadsa Seal beag gairid I measc mo dhaoine Ar oileĆ”n mara, Ag siĆŗl cois cladaigh Maidin is trĆ”thnĆ³na Ć Luan go Satharn Thiar ag baile Faoiseamh a gheobhadsa Seal beag gairid I measc mo dhaoine Ć chrĆ” chroĆ, Ć bhuairt aigne, Ć uaigneas dhuairc Ć chaint ghontach Thiar ag baile I would find peace For a short while Amongst my people On an island in the sea Walking on the beach From morning to evening From Monday to Saturday At home in the West I would find peace For a short while Amongst my people Free from heartache From miserable loneliness From hurtful talk At home in the west.Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā | |||
| #No.14 Law, Land, and Justice: Dr Amy Strecker on the Sperrins | 20 Sep 2025 | 00:37:04 | |
In this episode, I speak with Dr Amy Strecker, Associate Professor at the Sutherland School of Law in UCD and one of the volunteer expert witnesses supporting the Public Inquiry into goldmining in the Sperrins. Amy brings her expertise in land law, justice, and cultural landscapes, helping us understand how law can both protect and endanger communities and the places they call home. She speaks about the Sperrins in the wider European and global frame, the clash between cultural heritage and extractive industries, and what a fairer vision of land justice could look like. We are hugely grateful for Amyās time, intellect, and generosity in supporting the campaign, and for the clarity she brings to this vital struggle. Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicmining #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEW with Dr. Amy Strecker (books mentioned in the podcast )Ā https://academic.oup.com/book/11066 Ā https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-31994-5Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā | |||
| #No.13 Council Stands with the People, Not Dalradian | 18 Sep 2025 | 00:05:50 | |
This update brings you inside the Council chamber as Fermanagh and Omagh District Council refused Dalradianās latest attempts to delay site restoration until 2025. From explosive claims that their works are āminisculeā to councillors openly admitting unfamiliarity with the site, it was a meeting that laid bare the contradictions and the politics around mining in the Sperrins. Tune in to hear what happened, why it matters, and what comes next.Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā Ā LINKS FOR THIS PODCASTĀ Watch the council meeting here : https://youtu.be/6eVkPU24iI8 Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā | |||
| #No.39 Public Inquiry, Private Barriers | 28 Mar 2026 | 00:41:13 | |
What does public participation actually mean when major environmental decisions are being made? In this episode Iām joined by Laura Neale, Ā a senior Ā lawyer with Friends of the EarthĀ . She is based in the organisationās Belfast office and works on strategic litigation relevant to the issues that affect Northern Ireland. She is passionate about working alongside communities in the region to protect people, planet and place. Today Laura Ā unpacks two international agreements that are designed Ā to protect the publicās role in environmental decision-making: the Aarhus Convention and the Espoo Convention. In this conversation we explore:
At its heart, this episode asks a simple question: When decisions affect the air people breathe, the water they drink and the land they live on Ā who gets to be in the room? š§ Listen now and share this episode with anyone interested in environmental justice, public participation and the future of the Sperrins. š¬ Share your thoughts on the public inquiry processĀ ā Ā Follow the podcast by hitting the follow button š Repost to raise awareness #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ links to the Aarhus Convention and the Espoo Convention Hereās a briefing on FoEās recent complaint to the Aarhus Compliance Committee. Although it relates to the specifics of that complaint, thereās some interesting overview points that might be of use. You can find it here. Also, here is a recent response from the NI Department of Justice on the issue of Aarhus Compliance in Northern Ireland. Ā If this topic interests you, you might also want to check out: Episode #7 ā Human Rights in the Hills: Defending the Defenders https://buttonsoptions4u.podbean.com/e/human-rights-in-the-hills-mary-lawlor-on-defending-the-defenders/ Episode #35 ā When Public Isnāt Public https://buttonsoptions4u.podbean.com/e/no35-when-public-isn-t-public-a-conversation-with-gerard-moyne-and-sean-harkin/ Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā Save Our Sperrins YouTube ChannelĀ https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā | |||
| #No.12 Dancing with the Earth: Mary McGuiggan on Rights of Nature and Connection | 13 Sep 2025 | 00:43:05 | |
In this episode, I sit down with Mary McGuiggan ā A Derry woman, retired primary school teacher, renowned Irish dancer and dance teacher, activist, mother, grandmother, and Ā Gaelic speaker are just some of her many talents . Mary has been at the heart of building the Rights of Nature campaign in Northern Ireland and is one of the founders of The Gathering, which brings activists together from across Ireland to share struggles, strengthen connections, and support one another. We talk about what inspired her to this work, how The Gathering has become a space for solidarity and creativity, and why international links ā from CELDF in the United States to the Atrato River Guardians in Colombia ā matter here at home. Mary speaks with joy, wisdom, and humour, reminding us that defending the earth is not just resistance but also culture, music, dance, and powerful relationships. Listen in as we explore the roots of Rights of Nature, the resilience of communities across Ireland, and the vision of a future where the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil we grow from are honoured and protected. Ā In this episode, I sit down with Mary McGuiggan ā A Derry woman, retired primary school teacher, renowned Irish dancer and dance teacher, activist, mother, grandmother, and Ā Gaelic speaker are just some of her many talents . Mary has been at the heart of building the Rights of Nature campaign in Northern Ireland and is one of the founders of The Gathering, which brings activists together from across Ireland to share struggles, strengthen connections, and support one another. We talk about what inspired her to this work, how The Gathering has become a space for solidarity and creativity, and why international links ā from CELDF in the United States to the Atrato River Guardians in Colombia ā matter here at home. Mary speaks with joy, wisdom, and humour, reminding us that defending the earth is not just resistance but also culture, music, dance, and powerful relationships. Listen in as we explore the roots of Rights of Nature, the resilience of communities across Ireland, and the vision of a future where the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil we grow from are honoured and protected. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEW with Mary McGuigganĀ On the Zero Waste North West website you can find the link to the monthly meetings for the GatheringĀ https://zerowastenw.org/projects/the-gathering/ and the Community Environment Legal Defence Found committed to nature dedicated to communityĀ SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā | |||
| #No.11 Hard-Earned Wisdom from Navan: A Conversation with Nuala and MairƩad Heaney | 06 Sep 2025 | 01:23:37 | |
What is it really like to live beside a mine? In this episode of the Save Our Sperrins Podcast ā Voices from the Frontline, we hear from sisters Nuala and MairĆ©ad Heaney of Navan, County Meath. Their family home sits in the shadow of the Randalstown tailings dam ā a toxic reservoir that has grown stage by stage since the late 1970s. For communities across Ireland facing the threat of new prospecting licences and goldmining projects, their story is both warning and wisdom. Nuala, once secretary of Residents Against Tailings Extension (RATE), reflects on years of campaigning and promises unmet. MairĆ©ad, now active with SENT ā Saving the Environment of Navan Townlands, explains how she picked up the thread to carry the struggle forward. From the Greencastle community in the Sperrins to townlands in Donegal, Wicklow, and beyond, people are asking the same questions: what will mining really mean for our land, our water, and our health? The Heaney sistersā testimony offers a glimpse of that future ā and a reminder that communities must stand together if they are to resist. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicmining #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ Ā Saving the Environment of Navan Townlands SENT Facebook pageĀ https://www.facebook.com/share/1GAi3uDSiH/?mibextid=wwXIfr Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā | |||
| #No.10 From Greencastle to the Council: Emmet McAleer on Speaking Truth to Power | 30 Aug 2025 | 00:53:35 | |
From community halls to the council chamber, Emmet McAleer carried the voice of the Sperrins into local government. Here he reflects on that journey. In 2019, Emmet made history when he was elected to the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council on a single issue: stopping the goldmine. Against the odds, he unseated a sitting SDLP councillor and became a strong, independent voice for Mid Tyrone over the next four years. In this conversation, Emmet speaks about his roots in a family deeply tied to the campaign, what it was like to challenge party politics as an Independent, the highs of election victory, and the challenges of holding his ground in the council chamber. He also shares what it meant to lose his seat in 2023, and where the fight ā and his focus ā goes from here. This is a story about courage, community, and what can happen when one determined voice refuses to be silenced. Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ https://www.facebook.com/McAleerOne SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā | |||
| # No.9 Drawing the Line: Counter-Mapping the Sperrins with Vācenza Cirefice | 24 Aug 2025 | 00:35:44 | |
In this episode I sit down with Vācenza Cirefice ā activist, researcher and long-time supporter of Save Our Sperrins. Vācenza has been a constant presence in the campaign, bringing not only her energy on the ground but also her skills in counter-mapping and visual storytelling. We talk about how these creative tools give power back to communities, helping people to see the land differently, to challenge the official narratives of industry, and to protect what matters most. Alongside this, Vācenza shares her own journey into activism, the lessons learned along the way, and the deep importance of imagination in resistance. Itās a thoughtful and inspiring conversation, full of heart, insight and the spirit of community.Ā Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā | |||
| #No.8 At the Doorstep of the Mine: Olivia and Tish on Protecting Greencastleās Future | 17 Aug 2025 | 00:43:53 | |
In this episode I talk with Olivia and Tish, two young mums living just a stoneās throw from where the mine and processing plant are planned. Their concerns go far beyond their own families ā they speak about the heart of Greencastle itself, where neighbours lean on each other, traditions are carried on, and community is the lifeblood of village life. They share, with warmth and fighting spirit, how the mine threatens not only their childrenās health and future, but also the very fabric of this close-knit community. What comes through is their deep love for Greencastle and an unshakable determination to protect both their families and the village they call home.Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā | |||
| #No. 7 Human Rights in the Hills: Mary Lawlor on Defending the Defenders | 10 Aug 2025 | 00:39:12 | |
Human Rights in the Hills: Mary Lawlor on Defending the Defenders What happens when a rural community stands its ground for ten yearsāand the world begins to take notice? In this special anniversary episode, weāre joined by Mary Lawlor, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, to reflect on the ongoing campaign to protect the Sperrin Mountains from gold mining. Mary shares her insights on the global patterns of repression facing environmental defenders, the right to protest, and why the Sperrins have become a case study in grassroots resistance. We explore her past interventions, including her 2020 response to concerns about policing of peaceful protest in the region, and discuss new challenges in the post-Brexit legal landscapeāincluding the recent NIHRC report on environmental rights and the Windsor Framework. Recorded to mark the 10th anniversary of Save Our Sperrins, this episode is a reminder that the struggle for clean air, pure water, and respect for community voices is not just localāitās universal. Listen in as we connect the hills of Tyrone to the halls of the United Nations. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ https://www.facebook.com/MaryLawlorHRDs https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/ Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā | |||
| #No.6 This Is Our Land: The Hollywoods on Farming, Family and the Fight for the Sperrins | 03 Aug 2025 | 00:50:02 | |
The Hollywood family have lived and farmed in the Sperrins for generations. But now, their home lies in the shadow of a proposed goldmine. In this moving conversation, they share what it feels like to live with that looming threatāday in, day out. This episode is about place, memory, and the quiet courage it takes to protect what you love.Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā | |||
| #No. 5 Bridging Divides - Nature , Healing and Protecting the Sperrin Mountains | 27 Jul 2025 | 00:48:01 | |
In this thoughtful and quietly powerful conversation, we speak with Dr Louise Taylor ā a political researcher, eco-therapist, and Ā member of the Unionist community ā about her journey into the heart of the Save Our Sperrins campaign. With a PhD exploring the relationship between nature and mental health, Louise brings a deeply informed and personal perspective to the importance of protecting places like the Sperrins ā not just for environmental reasons, but for our collective wellbeing. She speaks about her love of the land, the healing power of the more-than-human world, and what it means to stand up for something that transcends politics. This episode gently unpicks assumptions about who the campaign is for and offers a wider invitation ā across backgrounds and beliefs ā to reconnect with the land and one another. Whether youāre new to the story or have been walking this path for years, Louiseās voice brings depth, hope, and welcome. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ https://yestolifenotomining.org/ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abcs-of-green-politics/id1535697681?i=1000494627519 Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Louise's poem that she refers to in the podcastĀ Wasps in DecemberĀ She had not been stung since her childhood.Ā That was decades ago.Ā Her house on the hill had facilitated wasps.Ā Not homed them Not supported them Entertainment had happened.Ā She saw them as gifts. Stings unwanted, but a sign of things to come. Blissful Armageddon. She noticed on her return, almost a decade ago. There were lots of wasps North. Not usually a fan, she liked this one. Peace with it all.Ā | |||
| #No. 4 Ten Years On: Reflections from the Heart of the Sperrins | 19 Jul 2025 | 00:10:11 | |
About this episode: This solo podcast marks a major milestone: ten years since a group of ordinary people in the Sperrin Mountains in Northern Ireland Ā said no to a proposed goldmine ā and yes to something much more powerful: community, care, and commitment to place. In this heartfelt reflection, Marella Fyffe , a Ā member of Save Our Sperrins team , traces the arc of the campaign. This isnāt just a recap ā itās a living memory of what resistance looks like from the inside. It honours both the highlights and the heartbreaks: š Highlights include:
š And it doesnāt shy away from the lows:
Whether youāve been walking this road with us from the start, or youāre new to the story, this episode is an invitation to listen ā and to remember that gold isnāt always what glitters. SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā | |||
| # No. 3 Ten Years On: Fidelma, Cormac, and the Power of Community | 10 Jul 2025 | 00:48:12 | |
In this episode, we hear from two key voices in the Save Our Sperrins campaign ā Fidelma OāKane and Cormac McAleer. While many played a part in founding SOS, Fidelma and Cormac have remained a steady presence throughout. Ten years on, they reflect on what sparked the movement, how the community has held strong, and why the campaign to protect the Sperrins continues. This is a conversation about community Ā strength, staying the course, and the quiet determination of people who refuse to back down. Itās also a reminder that the global extractivism of the past must become history ā and that the future lies in a new story rooted in clean air, pure water, and healthy soil for all life, everywhere. SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā | |||
| #No.38 The Bog Is Not Empty A Conversation with Artist Emily McFarland | 21 Mar 2026 | 01:02:11 | |
What if the land we call empty is anything but? In this episode, artist Emily McFarland brings the bog into focus, as a living archive of memory, water and deep time.
š If this episode resonates, follow the podcast and share it with others Ā itās how these conversations travel. LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ Links to the Ā exhibition at the Void and a reading list that might be interesting for listeners too.Ā www.derryvoid.com/exhibitions/pollanroeburn-emilymcfarland/ www.derryvoid.com/reading-list-pollanroe-burn-emily-mcfarland/ Contact: emilymcfarland.studio@gmail.comĀ SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā Save Our Sperrins YouTube ChannelĀ Ā https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā Ā | |||
| #No. 2 Save Our Sperrins Podcast Special: What Happened at the Public Inquiry January 2025 | 08 Jul 2025 | 00:08:32 | |
In this special episode of the Sperrins Podcast, we take you inside the short-lived but revealing Public Inquiry into the Dalradian goldmine proposal. From the opening dayās dysfunction to its sudden collapse just three days later, this episode tells the full story of what happenedāand why it matters. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā | |||
| #No.1 Introduction to Save Our Sperrins Podcast | 11 Jan 2025 | 00:05:03 | |
In our debut episode, we explore the breathtaking beauty and profound significance of the Sperrin Mountains. Discover why this unique landscape, rich in history, biodiversity, and cultural heritage, is worth protecting. We delve into the threats posed by gold mining and why this campaign is about more than just a placeāitās about safeguarding our environment, community, and future. Join us to learn, reflect, and take action for the Sperrins. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story Save Our Sperrins - SOCIAL MEDIAĀ https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ Ā http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Ā Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. Ā Ā https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Ā Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Greencastle People's Office BlogĀ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613 GOOGLE LINK TO Greencastle Peopleās Office - https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā Ā | |||
| #No. 37 The Sperrins at a Crossroads: Wind Power , Extraction and the Green Transition | 14 Mar 2026 | 00:52:20 | |
Ann-Louise Bresnahan of Save The Moat ā Save The Sperrins joins me to talk about the proposed industrial-scale wind development on the Moat, part of the Mullaghs in the central Sperrins , Ā an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty now facing major upland industrialisation. What begins as a conversation about turbines opens out into something much wider. We discuss peatlands and carbon capture, water, grid infrastructure, data centres and the rising energy demands of Big Tech. We look at extractivism in its modern form, Ā how rural landscapes are being redesignated as energy zones and what that means for biodiversity, cultural heritage, community health and democratic process. This episode asks difficult but necessary questions about the so-called green transition: who benefits, who carries the burden, and what kind of future is being shaped for the Sperrins. #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story -Have a listen, and if you have timeĀ hit theĀ follow buttonĀ 5 stars and a review on the podcast app , and please share if you can. it really makes a difference to the algorithmĀ Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ 1. Mullaghclogher/ Save The Moat objection link Mullaghclogher Wind Factory ā Save The Moat campaign. Background on the proposed Mullaghclogher wind factory in the central Sperrins, why local people are opposing it, and how to submit an objection or get involved. www.savethemoat.com2.Ā Petition ā No New Data Centres in NI No New Data Centres in NI ā petition Iāve signed this petition calling on the NI Executive to stop power-hungry data centres in Northern Ireland and put communities, climate and energy security first. https://my.actnowni.org/petitions/no-power-hungry-data-centres-in-northern-ireland?source=web_share_api&utm_source=web_share_api&share=e0c049e5-5164-467a-9cee-34755f58def9Ā 3. Save The Moat ā Facebook and Instagram pages Updates, events and resources from our community-led campaign to protect The Moat and the wider Sperrins from industrialisation. https://www.facebook.com/share/18Hw3CMqhb/?mibextid=wwXIfr Instagram -Ā https://www.instagram.com/save_the_moat?igsh=MWY5bjVyaWcxbm10cA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr Ā Ā A podcast to link to; is my conversation with Gerry McGovern where he talks about the myth of the green transition in more detail . Episode No. 31Ā ĀThe Cost of the Green Transition Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrinsĀ Ā Ā Ā Save Our Sperrins YouTube ChannelĀ https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā Ā | |||
| #No.36 Mount Polley, Indigenous Land Rights and the Real Cost of Mining ā with Nuskmata | 07 Mar 2026 | 00:51:47 | |
In this episode, I speak with Nuskmata , Jacinda Mack Ā Indigenous land defender from the Nlakaāpamux and SecwĆ©pemc peoples, and a long-standing advocate for reform in the global mining industry. We return to the 2014 Mount Polley mine disaster, when a tailings dam collapsed into the Fraser River watershed. More than a decade on, the consequences are still unfolding. Communities lost food sources that had sustained them for generations. Questions remain about water quality. How the clean up is only partial and the effects of the dam burst that will last for hundreds of years if not for ever .Ā We talk about what it means when a mine waste tailings facility Ā within twenty years. How the promised prosperity for the mine Ā did not materialise in the way it was sold. Higher-paid jobs largely went to those flown in and out, while local people were left with the social strain Ā increased alcohol, drugs, prostitution Ā and the fracture of community life. Nuskmata shares her experience as spokesperson for the Northern SecwĆ©pemc Tribal Council after the disaster, her work shaping Indigenous mining policy, and her ongoing efforts to centre Indigenous rights, environmental protection and accountability in extractive industries worldwide. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story -Have a listen, and if you have timeĀ hit theĀ follow buttonĀ 5 stars and a review on the podcast app , and please share if you can. it really makes a difference to the algorithmĀ Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ https://open.spotify.com/album/78aNBVp2xfXkqjH4VM72Ew?si=YLUsqAj8S5acC4rnop91nQ Link to album with which Nusmaka collaborated with on Ā - specifically tracks 2,4, 9Ā https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4Iwf1AuZCQ Dr. Ray Kostaschuk, a geoscientist specialising in sedimentary processes in rivers, lakes and estuaries, presented to the PH Wildlife Society on February 21st, 2023 the environmental impacts of the Mount Polley Mine tailing dam catastrophe. https://youtu.be/P2dUNMcvDLI?si=T6MO8Tl4jXjbiJq9Ā Ā Mount Polley Ā is the most significant environmental mining disaster in Canadian history. Seven years later, there have still been no charges or fines issued against Mount Polley for the disaster. Instead, Mount Polley has received permits to pollute by being allowed a mine wastewater discharge pipe into Quesnel Lake. Concerned Citizen of Quesnel Lake want the pipe removed. Ā Link to Dr Steven Emerman podcast No.23Ā https://buttonsoptions4u.podbean.com/e/dr-steven-h-emerman-%e2%80%93-the-science-of-failure-truth-risk-and-responsibility/ Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights | |||
| #No.35 When āPublicā Isnāt Public . A conversation with Gerard Moyne and Sean Gallagher | 28 Feb 2026 | 00:56:45 | |
In this episode, I speak with Gerard Moyne and Sean Gallagher, residents of Donegal living downstream from the proposed Dalradian gold mine in the Sperrins. Our conversation centres on the transboundary issues that led to the suspension of the recent Public Inquiry Ā and what that moment reveals about fairness, participation and environmental governance. We explore the principles behind the Aarhus Convention and the Espoo Convention, and what they require when a project in one jurisdiction may affect communities in another. What does meaningful public participation actually look like? When is a Public Inquiry truly public? Gerard and Sean share their experience of preparing a submission on potential cross-border impacts and the decision to bring that submission directly to the Planning Appeals Commission in order to highlight what they believed were gaps in the consultation process. We also reflect on a deeper question that has surfaced repeatedly during this planning application: why are ordinary citizens so often the ones raising concerns about compliance with environmental law? Why does it fall to members of the public to scrutinise the fundamentals Ā the safety of water, land and air? Ā #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story -Have a listen, and if you have timeĀ hit theĀ follow buttonĀ 5 stars and a review on the podcast app , and please share if you can. it really makes a difference to the algorithmĀ Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ #No.23 Dr Steven H. Emerman ā The Science of Failure: Truth, Risk, and Responsibility link belowĀ https://buttonsoptions4u.podbean.com/e/dr-steven-h-emerman-%e2%80%93-the-science-of-failure-truth-risk-and-responsibility/ Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā Ā Ā | |||
| #No.34 Peatlands, Carbon, and the Public Inquiry with Alessandra Accogli & Elena Aitova | 21 Feb 2026 | 00:48:49 | |
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Ā Alessandra Accogli and Elena Aitova Ā post graduate researcher to talk about peatlands, carbon, and the role of evidence in the public inquiry process. Between them, theyāve contributed legal analysis and scientific work to submissions examining how peatlands are treated within planning decisions, and how those decisions line up with climate commitments. Elena brings her research on measuring greenhouse gas emissions from Irish raised bogs, and on what restoration and re-wetting actually change over time. Alessandra brings a legal perspective, looking at how policy, climate obligations, and planning processes intersect Ā and where the gaps can open up. š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story -Have a listen, and if you have timeĀ hit theĀ follow buttonĀ 5 stars and a review on the podcast app , and please share if you can. it really makes a difference to the algorithmĀ Ā Alessandra Accogli Ā is a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at Dublin City University, School of Law and Government. She currently teaches Climate Change Politics and International Human Rights Law. Prior to joining DCU, she completed her PhD at University College Dublin, Sutherland School of Law, where her research focused on the legal protection of peatlands as ecosystems that function as carbon sinks. In addressing this issue, Alessandra adopted a holistic approach, examining peatlands not only as carbon stores but also as spaces of ecological, social, and cultural importance. Through her work, she seeks to promote an approach in which climate change mitigation measures go hand in hand with ecological integrity, social justice, and human rights considerations. Building on her research on peatlands, Alessandra contributed to the rebuttal submitted to the Save Our Sperrins Public Inquiry by co-authoring an expert report with Elena. The report highlighted the inconsistency between Dalradianās claim of climate neutrality and the significant impact that its proposed mining activities would have on peatland ecosystems. Elena Aitova, PhD Researcher and Senior Scientist in Tetra Tech RPS Elena Aitova is a peatland scientist specialising in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from peatlands. During her PhD, she monitored COā and CHā at Cloncrow Bog (a domestic peat-extraction site in Co. Westmeath) and All Saints Bog (an industrial cutaway in Co. Offaly). She now works at Tetra Tech RPS, supporting peatland restoration projects across Ireland. She published a national review of Irish peatland GHG studies that is now used at the Irelandās National Inventory Report. For Save Our Sperrins, Elena contributed to the Curraghinalt/Dalradian submission by assessing potential carbon losses and restoration measures. In addition to her research, Elena is also actively engaged in local and regional outreach and education incentives related to peatland use. Elena and Alessandra are members of the interdisciplinary Irish Peatlands Early Career Research (ECR) Action Team, within the international PeatECR network (peatecr.com) SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā Ā | |||
| #No.33 Pat and Nuala: Living 5 Miles from Europeās Largest Aluminium Plant | 14 Feb 2026 | 01:49:53 | |
In this episode, I speak with Pat Ā and Nuala Gheoghegan, who share the story of their lives, their farm, and their community. They talk about what it meant to live just five miles from the Aughinish Alumina Refinery, and how its presence shaped everyday life over many years. The conversation moves through memory, place, and experience, and was recorded in more than one setting, with others present at moments. Those sounds and interruptions remain part of the episode. It is longer than usual, and I chose to let it run as one piece, allowing the story to unfold in its own time. What Pat and Nuala share is carried with great care and honesty. The effects they speak of are still present in their lives today, and this episode holds that with respect. #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicminingĀ #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast #ActivismPodcast #IrishPodcast #HumanRights Ā š£ Share, review, and help amplify our story -Have a listen, and if you have timeĀ hit theĀ follow buttonĀ 5 stars and a review on the podcast app , and please share if you can. it really makes a difference to the algorithmĀ Ā LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEWĀ https://youtu.be/DxTt3G5G7y0?si=R7dR1JohSyEAyjUfĀ Links to The Aughinish Incident is a hard-hitting investigative documentary uncovering the hidden risks, missing oversight, and decades of unanswered questions surrounding Aughinish Island. If you are interested in this conversation you might like to learn more about Ā tailings dumps by listening Ā to episode 23, a conversation with Dr Steven H. Emerman, The Science of Failure: Truth, Risk, and Responsibility. In that episode, Steven speaks in detail about mine tailings dams and slag heaps, and about the long-term risks they carry for people and places. Ā SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)Ā https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins Ā https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins Ā LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCESĀ http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Irelandās land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell IrelandĀ to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this Ā LINKS TO Greencastle Peopleās Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )Ā Ā Ā https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about Ā https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc Ā | |||