Dreadlocked Campaigner vows to shave head to protest against Shell in Ireland

by Shell to Sea - Dublin Shell to Sea Sat Jul 29, 2006 10:30 Dublinshelltosea at gmail dot com c/o 134 Phibsborough Road, Dublin 7 0876181620

Demonstration outside Shell's Office in Dublin
News that the supposedly independent mediator Peter Cassell's had issued a report on the Corrib Gas dispute was greeted with wary scepticism by Anti-Shell campaigners today. A small group gathered to talk to the media outside Shell's Headquarters in Dublin at 52 Lower Leeson Street.

What really worries the local community in Erris is that Shell will use this report to justify resuming work on the refinery site at Bellinaboy, since no matter what route the pipeline takes it'll still terminate there. Locals are adamant that the refinery will never be built, and want to spread the word that the campaign is not just about a pipeline, but also about the effect Shell's plans will have on the environment in general if they get to build the refinery.

If Shell tries to resume work, they'll be met by stiff opposition from the local people and the activists at the Rossport Solidarity Camp. One campaigner is raising money for the camp by offering to cut off his dreadlocks in return for sponsorship (see www.pledgebank.com/cutthedreadsoff for more details).

He will cut his dreads off publicly on Grafton Street on Saturday 29th of July at 3PM.

Readers of this site will remember that it was reported on the day the so-called independent mediator was appointed, that he had recently canvassed for the Fianna Fáil candidate in the Meath By-Election, where his boss was Noel Dempsey. Since the two obviously have a history of working together to further Fiann Fáil interests, his views on Corrib must be taken with reservation.

Sure enough, he has suggested a re-route of the pipeline, which will mean a different community is threatened, but Dempsey and Shell will be pleased because the word "Rossport" will be out of the headlines.

Re-routing the pipeline won't make it safer. It'll still be a dangerous, experimental pipe pumping raw, odourless gas at extremely high pressure across a bog.

Involving Bord Gais in the scheme won't make it safer either. A high-pressure pipeline with a Bord Gais Éireann sticker on it will make just as big a bang as one with a Shell logo on the side.

All money raised will go to the Rossport Solidarity Camp

by Tadhg McGrath - Shell to Sea Thu Jul 27, 2006 17:11

A few of us are going to see if we can raise the profile of Eoin's haircut and the walk from Mayo by leafleting outside the Shell HQ at 52 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin at 1 o'clock tomorrow. Please try to join us if you are in town.

by s2s Wed Jul 26, 2006 12:15

we should be selling advertising - here's what comes up when people reply to the email sent out from dublinshelltosea@gmail.com:

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by save the dreads Wed Jul 26, 2006 03:31

-who's cutting the dreads? Are you doing it yourself?

by John Carmody - Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN) Tue Jul 25, 2006 13:33 arancampaigns at eircom dot net ARAN, Po Box 722, Kildare, Ireland 087-6275579

Eoin, nice one mate hope it all goes great and well done for all the wonderful hard work your doing.

by ntl cable user - home user Sat Jul 22, 2006 22:44 pplgbnf at eircom dot net

dont cut. tie it up..... kiev.

by Ciaron Sat Jul 22, 2006 13:48 At Large!

Gnasher baby,

I think you could raise more money if we get some tension going....you always get a much bigger crowd at Speakers Corner when you get a debate. So you set up two funds "Don't do it Eoin" and "Do do it Eoin"...you get the auction vibe going and drive it up. I'll kick off the "Don't do it" with a €20, there you go!

People have dreads for all sorts of reasons. Rasta partly as a celebration that black (& curley) is beautiflul and rejecting Imperial concepts of beauty. Me because I grew up in the racist state of Queensland where the aboriginal kidz I met believed they were ugly and defeated (Jamacins don't have this problem, because most of 'em thought everyone was black until later in life!). They are great folks to do jail time with...very laid back - generally speaking.

So I didn't want any white boy favours (hey aren't we still "the blacks of europe" ) and stopped combing my hair (ironing clothes/eating meet) in '77. in '88 I was held down in Boggo Rd. Jail and shorn (that took a lot of weight off my shoulders), In '98 I won my case in Berimah Prisno .after many threats...and was the first person to avoid a haircut in the history of the Northern Territory prison system. (Screws very disappointed!)

They were so keen to cut my hair at school & in prison, I concluded their must be something in it. I also grew up during the Vietnam War when long hair was aprotest about killing 2 1/2 million Indo-Chineseand the draft. (abuse removed - ed) Fair play to Eoin whatever he does. good for him for showing solidarity here.

by Quality Control Sat Jul 22, 2006 12:58

Ciaron is blessed with a fuller head of hair on top. Eoin's crown is, ahem, thinning, a little bit. Mixing long hair and baldness is surely an insurrmountable political obstacle. Eoin is acting for the greater good.

by Gnasher Sat Jul 22, 2006 12:45

Why don't you get out the sheep shears too Ciaron. I dont think the dreadlocks are 'spiritual antennae', i think that is our mind. I think they are a fashion accessory or stage make-up prop perhaps. i think we should all be able to face the world without any such prop. There is a saying in psychology "people pretend to be what they are not".You know, like a con man pretends to be a businessman or Madonna pretends to be a cross wearing 'virgin'. In a world where illusion is sold and controlled by the evil empire of the US, Israel et al perhaps our best revolutionary act of resistanc might be realism, truth and justice.

Chop 'em off lads! (The dreads)

by Ciaron O'Reilly - Catholic Worker/Ploughshares(personal caopactiy) Sat Jul 22, 2006 08:40

Don't do it dude!!!!!!

Your hair is your spiritual antennae......and you have been gifted with cable!

Start a fund for those who want you to stick it with it. I'll donate.

You'll make more by taking the dreadies hostage...."if I don't get x amount of money by x anount of time then dradies get it!" (see "Blazing Saddles" movie it worked for the black sherrif surrounded by Klansmen).