The Sperrins: Mining, Power & Community in Northern Ireland

#No.6 This Is Our Land: The Hollywoods on Farming, Family and the Fight for the Sperrins

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 threat—day in, day out. This episode is about place, memory, and the quiet courage it takes to protect what you love. 
📣 Share, review, and help amplify our story
#dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicmining 
#EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast
#ActivismPodcast
#IrishPodcast
#HumanRights
SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media) 
https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins
 
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://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 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
 
LINKS TO Greencastle People’s 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 ) 
 
 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about
 
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc

#No. 5 Bridging Divides - Nature , Healing and Protecting the Sperrin Mountains

In this thoughtful and quietly powerful conversation, we speak with Dr Louise Taylor — a political researcher, eco-therapist, and  member of the Unionist community — 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 — 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 — across backgrounds and beliefs — to reconnect with the land and one another.
Whether you’re new to the story or have been walking this path for years, Louise’s voice brings depth, hope, and welcome.
📣 Share, review, and help amplify our story
#dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicmining 
#EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast
#ActivismPodcast
#IrishPodcast
#HumanRights
LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEW 
http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/
https://yestolifenotomining.org/
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abcs-of-green-politics/id1535697681?i=1000494627519
 
SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media) 
https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins
 
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://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 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
 
LINKS TO Greencastle People’s 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 ) 
 
 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about
 
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc
Louise's poem that she refers to in the podcast 
Wasps in December 
She had not been stung since her childhood. 
That was decades ago. 
Her house on the hill had facilitated wasps. 
Not homed them
Not supported them
Entertainment had happened. 
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. 

#No. 4 Ten Years On: Reflections from the Heart of the Sperrins

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  said no to a proposed goldmine — and yes to something much more powerful: community, care, and commitment to place.
In this heartfelt reflection, Marella Fyffe , a  member of Save Our Sperrins team , traces the arc of the campaign. This isn’t just a recap — it’s a living memory of what resistance looks like from the inside. It honours both the highlights and the heartbreaks:
🔆 Highlights include:
Early public meetings and the forming of SOS
Major protests in Dungannon, Omagh, and Greencastle
Legal wins, including the 2018 judicial review
International support from the UN and NI Human Rights Commission
Creative resistance: music, art, school projects, storytelling
The Salmon Songs concert and intergenerational action
🌑 And it doesn’t shy away from the lows:
Bureaucratic obstruction and planning fatigue
The emotional toll of organising, burnout, and surveillance
The collapse of the 2025 Public Inquiry
Feeling unheard, misrepresented, and dismissed
Whether you’ve been walking this road with us from the start, or you’re new to the story, this episode is an invitation to listen — and to remember that gold isn’t always what glitters.
SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media) 
https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins
 
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://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 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
 
LINKS TO Greencastle People’s 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 ) 
 
 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about
 
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc

# No. 3 Ten Years On: Fidelma, Cormac, and the Power of Community

In this episode, we hear from two key voices in the Save Our Sperrins campaign — Fidelma O’Kane 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  strength, staying the course, and the quiet determination of people who refuse to back down.It’s also a reminder that the global extractivism of the past must become history — 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) 
https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins
 
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://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 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
 
LINKS TO Greencastle People’s 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 ) 
 
 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about
 
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc
 

#No. 2 Save Our Sperrins Podcast Special: What Happened at the Public Inquiry January 2025

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 day’s dysfunction to its sudden collapse just three days later, this episode tells the full story of what happened—and why it matters.
📣 Share, review, and help amplify our story
SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media) 
https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins
 
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://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 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
 
LINKS TO Greencastle People’s 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 ) 
 
 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about
 
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc

#No.1 Introduction to Save Our Sperrins Podcast

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 place—it’s about safeguarding our environment, community, and future. Join us to learn, reflect, and take action for the Sperrins.
📣 Share, review, and help amplify our story
Save Our Sperrins - SOCIAL MEDIA 
https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins
 
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
Greencastle People's Office Blog 
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613
GOOGLE LINK TO Greencastle People’s Office -
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc