Cancantata, Camilla

Camilla Cancantata

Reflections on Rossport

1 February 2007Feature Camilla Cancantata

Over the past six years, the inhabitants of a remote corner of Ireland have been fightingone of the world's largest companies. They have forged links with other communities in similar struggles around the world and, despite post-colonialism, are fighting once morefor their land and way of life. Camilla Cancantata reflects on the fossil fuel industry and communities in crisis.

Last year myself and filmmaker Mayyasa Al-Malazi spent several weeks interviewing and filming people involved in the Shell to Sea campaign, including the Rossport Solidarity Camp, in the region of Erris, county Mayo, south-west Ireland. We got to know and love the area and had the privilege of being welcomed by a warm and open-hearted local community, who until recently led quite settled and tranquil lives. (“We used to be so boring...” they laugh,”Now the telephone hardly stops ringing…