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 — and his focus — goes from here.
This is a story about courage, community, and what can happen when one determined voice refuses to be silenced.
SOCIAL MEDIA
https://www.facebook.com/SaveOurSperrins
https://www.instagram.com/save_our_sperrins/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/save-our-sperrins
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-our-sperrins-108907
https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins
https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-n32q3-1939c83
LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCES
http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/
Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Ireland’s 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://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 Ireland 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
GOOGLE LINK TO Greencastle People’s Office -
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