The Tide Is High

The lads…

t all should be sorted by 4.30pm,” says Ivan, “so swing by then, and we’ll have a chat…”

When it came to guessing just how long this afternoon’s long overdue meeting between all interested parties in the ongoing fishermen’s dispute at Greystones harbour, Ivan was a little off the mark.

Something we became sorely aware of as we paced up and down – and around – outside the Greystones Municipal Council District office, waiting and waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

The meeting ended at 6.20pm. After starting at 4pm.

Then again, there is a lot at stake here.

This crucial and long overdue meeting was between Greystones fishermen, Wicklow County Council, local councillors, marina developers SISK, and a representative from BJ Marina, who effectively run the new harbour. Following a fresh protest on May 11th, a bunch of local fishermen, led by young Ivan, had decided to start unloading their catches in their hometown, just as the original 2008 plans for the new harbour had promised. That naturally led to a barney or two with the local harbour master, with the gardaí getting involved at one point.

And now, following last Saturday’s blockade of the harbour by fishing boats, the meeting that should have happened at least 10 years ago has finally happened. And despite the pipe of peace being passed around, the meeting itself left a few unanswered questions. So, there’s a second sitdown happening in three weeks – which means there’s very definitely a lighthouse at the end of all this trouble.

Just how far away that lighthouse might be we decided to find out, as young Mr Toole came blinking into the bright sunlight… 

Now go get the banjo out and revisit the old harbour here.