Ep. 93 – Preventing Mining & Sink Holes in Monaghan with Sophia McConnon
Sophia McConnon is a youth activist I saw speaking at a climate conference over the summer. She was raising awareness of the detrimental effects mining has had on her community, which began with a large sinkhole that destroyed the local GAA playing field, community centre, and 3 surrounding fields. New mines are constantly being explored across the country, but Sophia and the rest of Magheracloone Against Mining are trying to keep communities and our environments safe. Support them on ‘X’ @MiningAgainst and Instagram @magheracloone_against_mining or Facebook.
- [05:25] Sophia introduces herself
- [06:35] The sinkhole
- [12:40] What the relationship between the community and the mining group is like
- [18:05] What are their aims and what’s been happening since they started as well as advice for other groups
- [21:05] What non locals can do to help the Magheracloone community
- [23:15] How landowners can prevent mining under their land
- [24:55] Was this the main inspiration for Sophia to become and activist or did she have a relationship to the environment before?
- [29:05] Tips for older activists when interacting with youth activists, & mental health
- [35:55] Imagining the future
CAIM – Communities against the injustices of mining
