West Cork’s wild mountain ridges are under attack by industrial wind giant, Enerco, who have announced their intention to build 14 or more massive wind turbines on our unspoilt hillsides above Bantry, Keakill, and the Mealagh Valley. We are asking for your help as we rally together to stop this exploitation of our shared natural & cultural heritage.
These giant monstrosities are expected to reach a height of 169 metres high (554 ft.) with each one blighting the skies at two and a half times higher than the Elysian building in Cork City. This proposed large-scale wind farm will destroy the beautiful unspoiled Maughanaclea Hills and the rural lands of Kealkill, Coomclogh, Cousane and the Mealagh Valley.
While we support renewable energy, this development spells destruction for West Cork’s biodiversity. Maughanaclea’s hills are home to many protected wildlife species of birds, bats, amphibians, insects, and mammals. Our goal is to protect the fragile ecosystems on our beautiful mountainsides.
Industrialisation on this huge scale will take place with forests and hedgerows razed to the ground, valleys blasted, massive concrete foundations laid and permanent scars left by the construction of these destructive turbines, power substations, roads and cable trenches.
This energy is not for the Irish people. While Enerco’s industrial wind developments are subsidised by Irish taxpayers and paid for by the Irish communities, the energy produced by these turbines is not bound for Irish households. The energy goes to European data centres. The profits go, not to local communities or to the Irish state, but to huge multinational corporations backing Enerco.
The destruction of our ancient bogs, heartlands, archaeological sites and the visual integrity of these precious landscapes could be lost forever.
Our West Cork tourism is centred around unspoiled landscapes, panoramic beauty, cultural heritage, hillwalking, eco accommodation, peace, and tranquility. Now, the community of Maughanaclea has launched a grassroots campaign: ‘Stop The Spin’.
We urgently need to raise funds to strengthen our objections to An Bord Pleanála, seek expert assessments on the negative impacts on human, environmental, wildlife, archeological, cultural, heritage, tourism, visual and landscape. Plus campaign funds are needed for posters, flyers, road signage etc. – everything to help us fight this destructive industrial wind turbine development!
The community is asking the public to raise this issue with their local TD’s, to make submissions to An Bord Pleanála when the formal application is lodged and to support the campaign through GoFundMe and spread the message ………… ‘Stop The Spin’.
Email: info@stopthespin.ie
Website: www.stopthespin.ie
GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/1e41fdcd
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Media Contact: Noelle Aller Ontalba
086 806 7474
noelle.aller.ontalba@icloud.com
