Man, 70, to walk 70 miles in safe electricity campaign
SEAT Committee Members: back l-r: Julianne Denvir, Sarah Murphy, Isobel Todd, Patricia O'Neill, William Anderson, Mary Finnegan (front): Ruby Denvir, John Woods and Molly Denvir with Thomas McAllistair in pram. INTT3712-054X
LOCAL campaign group, SEAT (Safe Electricity for Armagh and Tyrone), is now literally walking the walk, as well as talking the talk, in a bid to persuade Eirgrid in the Republic of Ireland and NIE in Northern Ireland to underground the proposed cross border 400KV (400,000 volt) Interconnector.
The five-year campaign is stepping out in a new direction thanks to local businessman, John Woods, who is taking the message on the road in a bid to further boost awareness of the threats posed by the project, and to help raise funds for the group.
John, the 70 year-old co-founder of the SEAT campaign, is matching his age with miles as he prepares to do a sponsored walk at the end of this month, taking a route that will encompass the whole 70-mile length of the proposed overhead Interconnector route from Meath to Moy.
John, who has been an ardent driving force for the campaign since its inception, said; “For the past five years we have been hammering home a valid and substantial argument: that the proposed overhead powerline will have very real and potentially damaging effects on 50,000 local families, homes and businesses that will fall under its shadow.
“The impact would be multi-fold with imminent health, environmental and economic issues as a result. We encourage everyone to find out the facts at www.seatactiongroup.com which outlines our campaign objectives, arguments and highlights substantial supportive research. The SEAT campaign has brought us down a long and difficult road but thankfully, because of immense local support, we have been successful at keeping the threat at bay - so far.
“Significantly both Eirgrid and NIE have failed to secure planning permission approval at two Public Inquires held during the last 12 months in Carrickmacross and Armagh.
“However, we cannot rest on our laurels - this is a threat too big to ignore. If an overhead Interconnector goes ahead, it will seriously and irrevocably impact on thousands of local lives and livelihoods.
“There is a job of work still to be done to win our case and we are calling loudly and clearly for local support. I am undertaking the 70 mile walk to help drive forward this vitally important community campaign and I’m hoping for backing every step of the way.” Many local sports clubs have already pledged their support and SEAT is calling on community groups, clubs, schools, businesses and individuals to back John in his sponsored walk.
John added: “I must stress that we are not campaigning for the Interconnector project to be abandoned; we simply want a safe and reasonable electricity alternative to dangerous overhead Pylons and the solution we propose is undergrounding.
“The undergrounding of the Meath/Tyrone high voltage interconnector would set a precedent for all future high voltage projects in Ireland North and South. SEAT must succeed in its campaign or pylons will be coming to a place near all of us soon.”
If you would like to sponsor John you can email donations@seatactiongroup.com
For more information contact Sarah Murphy on 028 3756 9370 or 07549171023.
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Thursday 20 June 2013
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