The Sperrins: Mining, Power & Community in Northern Ireland

#63 🎙️|Public Inquiry Week Beginning 19th May 2026 | Day 3

10 min · 20. mai 2026
episode #63 🎙️|Public Inquiry Week Beginning 19th May 2026 | Day 3 cover

Beskrivelse

• Extraordinary scenes from the Roads Inquiry into the proposed abandonment of the U1244 road • Retired senior roads engineer Doug Hill challenges the integrity and compliance of the process • Concerns raised around road safety, visibility, drainage, heavy traffic and emergency access • Questions over democratic accountability, procedural fairness and public confidence • Discussion around the erosion of standards, compliance and duty of candour within public institutions • The growing influence of big business, lobbying and political pressure in Northern Ireland • Why Doug Hill’s intervention became the defining moment of the day • Plus: applications officially open for the completely fictional role of DfI / PAC whistleblower An example of some of Doug's accreditations relevant to the roads inquiry  Accrediated Lead Assessor with HIS (British Standards Institute) For BS 5750 series I SO 9001 & iSO 14001. Quality Management System & Environmental Management System. International Standard Organisation. As a consultant I mentored organisations implementing these standards. I also carried out external audits on companies for BSI. Actually I have carried out a number of audits for Roads Service headquarters in the one plus million West Link DBFO package 1 project. I was the DNSR. Department Nominee Site Representive. I carrying out many internal Audits for Roads Service A4 dialling 118 million project. I was a consultant to roads service and acted as Project Manger. We developed this Scheme and presented to the 2 week Roads Service Public Inquiry. We were hugely successful and the Independent Inspector except our proposal in in entirety and only made two minor recommendations. Roads Service Divisional Roads Manger Mr Pat Doherty described us as his dream team and he thanked me and complimented me frequently by word and by letter. Another relevant professional training was a 3 or 4 day residential Public Inquiry training course in Dublin which I completed with credits. SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)  https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrinsing [https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins] Sign up to the newsletter here  [https://dontmineus.com/newslatter/]   #Sperrins #PublicInquiry #RoadSafety #PlanningAppealsCommission #DFI #NorthernIreland #Democracy #Goldmine #Community #Infrastructure

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episode #81🎙️ |Public Inquiry Week Beginning 29th June 2026 Day 3 | cover

#81🎙️ |Public Inquiry Week Beginning 29th June 2026 Day 3 |

Public Inquiry – Final Day Before Summer Recess Today's hearing focused on some of the most important public health issues considered at the Inquiry so far. In this episode I look at the evidence presented on air pollution, radiation, electromagnetic fields and the potential health implications of the proposed mine. I also explain some of the technical terms that seem to have become part of the Inquiry's own language. In this episode: * Blasting, Radon, NORM and what they actually mean. *  ICNIRP  today's acronym of the day. * Expert medical evidence on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and environmental exposures. * Public health concerns raised during the hearing. * The summer recess. If you're following the Dalradian Public Inquiry, this episode provides a clear, accessible summary of the day's proceedings. 🎧 Listen, subscribe and share to help more people understand what's happening at the Public Inquiry. SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)  https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins [https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins] Join our newsletter https://dontmineus.com/newslatter/ [https://dontmineus.com/newslatter/]

I går11 min
episode #80🎙️ |Public Inquiry Week Beginning 29th June 2026 Day 2 | cover

#80🎙️ |Public Inquiry Week Beginning 29th June 2026 Day 2 |

When the public inquiry  starts to obscure the bigger picture, sometimes it's worth stopping to remember what we're actually trying to protect. This week's podcast steps back from the technical evidence of the Public Inquiry to reflect on why so many people have devoted years of their lives to this process. Alongside that, I examine another week inside the Inquiry, where procedural decisions, witness management and an increasingly tense atmosphere continue to raise difficult questions. In this episode: * Why I decided to read excerpts from The Sperrins Declaration * The importance of remembering what this Inquiry is really about * The latest developments inside the Public Inquiry * Questions surrounding witness examination and procedural fairness * Growing frustrations among community participants * Why many believe the process is becoming increasingly tightly controlled 🎧 Listen now and, if you enjoy the podcast, please follow, subscribe and share it. Every share helps more people understand what's happening inside the Public Inquiry.

30. juni 20269 min
episode #79🎙️ |Public Inquiry Week Beginning 29th June 2026 Day 1 | cover

#79🎙️ |Public Inquiry Week Beginning 29th June 2026 Day 1 |

Today's Public Inquiry was about blasting, but it began with something entirely different. Warnings about the podcast itself, questions about freedom of expression, and another confirmation that Cormac remains excluded from the Inquiry. As the evidence unfolded, new information continued to emerge orally rather than through the Environmental Statement, raising further concerns for Third Parties trying to scrutinise the application. In this episode I discuss: * The warning issued about the podcast and why I refuse to be silenced. * Cormac's continued exclusion from the Public Inquiry. * Dalradian's revised blasting proposals – now 16 blasts every day. * Concerns that crucial technical information is still being presented orally rather than in the application documents. * Questions over vibration modelling, trial blasting and missing environmental information. * Powerful evidence from local residents describing their previous experience of blasting. * The revelation that approximately 42,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate could be used over the life of the mine. * Why today's evidence leaves more questions than answers. 🎙️ If this episode gives you something to think about, I'd love to hear your views. Please leave a comment, share the episode, and help others follow what is happening at the Public Inquiry.

29. juni 202610 min
episode #78 🎙️ Bonus Podcast - The Gathering 2026 cover

#78 🎙️ Bonus Podcast - The Gathering 2026

This episode takes a step away from the Public Inquiry and into the heart of the Sperrins for the 21st annual Gathering at Silverbrook Mill, Donemana. Set in one of Ireland's most unique historic mill complexes, The Gathering brings together people, communities and campaigns from across Northern Ireland and beyond. It is a day of conversation, learning, music, connection and shared experience. In this episode: • The story of Silverbrook Mill and its remarkable heritage • What The Gathering is and why it has endured  • The importance of connection in  community and environmental campaigns • The challenges of isolation faced by  campaign groups • Reflections on community, resilience and shared values • A conversation with fellow co-organisers Mary McGuiggan and Anna Louise Bresnahan  about this year's Gathering If you enjoy these conversations exploring community, heritage and the future of the Sperrins, please subscribe, share the podcast and help others discover the stories that often go unheard.

24. juni 202640 min
episode #77🎙️ |Public Inquiry week in review 18th June 2026| cover

#77🎙️ |Public Inquiry week in review 18th June 2026|

This week at the Public Inquiry, noise may have been the official topic, but questions of fairness, participation and whose voices are heard often dominated proceedings. In this episode I discuss: • A further 33 days being added to the Inquiry timetable. • The internet outage that left third parties unable to access key documents while others remained connected. • Whether a process can be fair when participants are operating on unequal terms. • The continuing debate around noise impacts and mining assessments. • The value of lived experience versus so-called professional expertise. • How ordinary members of the public continue to identify weaknesses in complex technical evidence. • Mary Brolly's application seeking the readmission of campaigner Cormac McAleer. • The Commissioners' decision to reserve their ruling until the Inquiry resumes. If you have found value in this podcast,  please subscribe, share , write a review  and help others stay informed about what is happening inside the Public Inquiry room. SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)  https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins [https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins] https://dontmineus.com/newslatter/ [https://dontmineus.com/newslatter/]

20. juni 20266 min