The Pipe

Last night I saw a documentary called The Pipe, about the controversy surrounding Shell Oil's efforts to lay a gas pipeline in a remote part of Ireland. The documentary was from the perspective of the residents of Rossport, who oppose the pipeline and accuse Shell and the Irish government of colluding to generally stomp on the locals' constitutional rights in order to make a profit. After finishing the documentary, I really can't say I blame them...

I remember seeing the Solitaire, the pipe-laying ship, parking up in the Clyde back in 2008 before it went on to Ireland:

It caused quite a stir round here from tourists and sightseers blocking up the roads to take photos, though not much was made of the controversy itself. Huge amounts of security about though, and no wonder, having seen the documentary now.

Folks across the Pond probably won't be able to watch the documentary at 4OD, but if you can get hold of it, I'd recommend it - well worth a watch, even though it's saddening and maddening at the same time. You can watch the trailer here: