The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
AS A decision is awaited on proposals to grant a licence for mineral prospecting in East Clare, a new song and music video has been launched to highlight concerns about mining.
Keep Tulla Untouched, which is made up of landowners in the affected townlands around Tulla and Bunratty Upper, joined forces with TAU and the Drones of Praise to launch a track featuring Dempsey and Clannad’s Pól Brennan.
The video for ‘Eist le Ceol ón Chré’, includes Dempsey and Brennan, as well as nine-year-old Joris and seven-year-old Thuan Ligtvoet. The boys are sons of founder members of Keep Tulla Untouched.
The video takes inspiration from a line in the song, ‘It’s a dream for the children’, and features Dempsey dressed as a mystical warrior figure, calling on people to protect the land.
“The video is beautiful,” said Jacintha van Roij of Keep Tulla Untouched. “It was shot in Leitrim, where our friends are protecting 47 townlands from gold mining. The song is powerful in its message to consider the earth and our heritage. In 2023, we are planning an awareness gig with the support of TAU, Pól Brennan and Damien Dempsey in Clare. We’re very proud that our sons took part in this.”
Meanwhile the campaign group is awaiting the decision from the Department of the Environment, which gave notice in January of its intention to grant a licence to a Meath-based company for mineral prospecting in parts of Tulla and Bunratty Upper.
The move prompted considerable controversy and following an intervention by Green Party Senator, Róisín Garvey, the public consultation phase was extended by a fortnight to January 23.
Over 2,000 people signed a petition to oppose the prospecting licence and objections were made by groups including Keep Tulla Untouched and Future Proof Clare. Concerns focused on the impact on protected landscapes, including a number of Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), NHAs and the Slieve Aughty SPA.
Fears were also expressed about potential emissions and the impact of any future mining on farming and tourism, as well as on water, air, biodiversity and soil quality.
‘Eist le Ceol ón Chré‘ was launched on Wednesday (September 21) on YouTube.
