Decision day for pipeline protesters

The so-called Rossport Five, jailed for their contempt of a court order over protests against a controversial gas pipeline, will learn today whether they face further penalties.

The Mayo men, who served 94 days in jail during the summer, will appear in the High Court and could be hit with fines or another stretch behind bars.

The five men spent more than three months in Cloverhill Prison for failing to abide by an injunction preventing them from protesting against the high-pressure pipeline.

The 70km pipe runs through some of men’s land, only metres from their homes, from the Corrib gas field in the Atlantic to an onshore refinery at Bellanaboy.

The Rossport Five, Micheal O’Seighin, Wille Corduff, Philip McGrath, Vincent McGrath and Brendan Philbin, were released at the end of September.

But today they will be back in the High Court to hear if they are to suffer any further punishment for their contempt.