Friends rally at Mountjoy for jailed trees protester

FRIENDS and neighbours of a 65-year-old woman who has been jailed for trying to save her beloved trees, gathered outside Mountjoy Prison in Dublin last night in an act of solidarity.

Teresa Treacy from Tullamore, Co Offaly, was sent to prison almost two weeks ago after refusing to obey orders allowing the ESB and EirGrid to access her land.

The woman, who lives on the property with her older sister, Mary, claimed she was acting out of concern that her trees would be destroyed.

Ms Treacy wants the power line to be laid underground.

The ESB and EirGrid bought High Court proceedings against Ms Treacy, who earlier this month locked the gates of her property and refused to stand aside when workers attempted to cut the locks.

The ESB and EirGrid had offered to compensate Ms Treacy and to plant new trees to replace any that might be damaged. They claimed it was not possible to bury the wires.

Cormac Lally from Tullamore, who helped organise the demonstration, said he had never met Ms Treacy, and had visited her property after learning of the court case.

“When we met Teresa last Saturday she had no intention of purging her contempt any time soon and is willing to stay in jail as long as it takes,” he said.

An ESB spokesperson said it was with the greatest reluctance that ESB and EirGrid brought Ms Treacy before the courts. “ESB and EirGrid have, over the past three years, attempted to reach an amicable settlement with this particular landowner and it is regrettable that thus far those efforts have yet to yield a successful outcome,” the spokesperson said.