Wind Awareness Group Raises Flag for Sliabh Luachra

Fred O’Sullivan, Gneeveguilla is the chairman of the Ballinahulla Battery Awareness Group and he’s pictured at the protest at Áras an Chontae in Tralee last May. ©Photograph: John Reidy 20-5-2019 
Cllr. Jackie Healy Rae glad to be in the Sliabh Luachra corner in the David V Goliath scrap – the adjudication of which was made known today.

Cllr. Jackie Healy Rae has congratulated the Sliabh Luachra Wind Awareness Group members who were successful in their high court case against the construction of wind turbines in their community.

This was a big issue on the doorsteps in the local area last May and the eventual Cllr. Healy Rae cleaned the place out with the volume of the vote he got in and around the area.

Determination of Locals

“With the determination of locals who fund raised hundreds of thousands of euro to take on this huge corporation it just goes to show that hard work does pay off,” said Cllr. Healy Rae.

“The group chairman, Fred O’Sullivan put endless hours into this and I’ve got to know him well throughout this process and it truly is a win for the community.

Support and Advice

“For my part, while coming in at the latter stage of this case after being elected in May, I was glad to lend my support and advice to the group where possible.

“I will continue to do so at council level especially now with the new draft development guidelines for turbines being published by the Government,” Cllr. Healy Rae concluded.

Grown Men Crying

Fred O’Sullivan said this evening that the impact of the high court verdict had to be seen to be believed.

“There were grown men crying and we were all dancing around the kitchen today when we heard the news.

“We’ve been campaigning for this day since April 2017 and we had to fight every step of the way,” said Fred who hails from the music rich area of Lisheen, Gneeveguilla.