The 2003 Derrybrien landslide occurred on 31 October 2003, on the side of Cashlaundrumlahan, a hill near Derrybrien in County Galway, Ireland. It was focused around turbine 68 in the Derrybrien wind farm, and disrupted further construction.
The landslide dislodged 450,000 cubic metres (16,000,000 cu ft) of peat after days of dry weather. [1] While initially coming to rest 2.50 kilometres (1.55 mi) away, it moved further three weeks later when rains came, entering the Derrywee River (Abhainn Da Loilioch), [2] and eventually spilled 20 kilometres (12 mi) away into Lough Cutra. [3] The lake was also the source of the townland of Gort's drinking water, and this caused disruptions to supply. [2] An impact assessment on the wildlife within the lake determined that more than 50 percent of fish in the lake had been killed due to this pollution, about 50,000 fish of all ages and species groups had perished. A smaller peat slide near turbine 17 had occurred prior to the main movement on the 16th but it did not result in the suspension of the construction of the wind turbine farm. [3]
In 2004, the engineering and construction companies (associated with the wind farm development) were convicted of being responsible for the pollution, [4] while the charges against the wind farm company itself were dismissed. [5] In 2008, the European Court of Justice ruled against the Irish government, noting that an environmental impact assessment should have been undertaken before the project was allowed to proceed. [1]
Ireland is an island in Northern Europe in the north Atlantic Ocean. The island, of up to around 480 km (300 mi) north-south, and 275 km (171 mi) east-west, lies near the western edge of the European continental shelf, part of the Eurasian Plate. Its main geographical features include low central plains surrounded by coastal mountains. The highest peak is Carrauntoohil, which is 1,039 metres (3,409 ft) above sea level. The western coastline is rugged, with many islands, peninsulas, headlands and bays, while the southern and northern coasts feature a smaller number of substantial sea inlets, such as Lough Foyle and Cork Harbour; no part of the land is more than around 110 km (68 mi) from the sea. It was administratively divided into 32 counties, gathered in 4 provinces, though current arrangements, especially in Northern Ireland, differ from this model. The island is almost bisected by the River Shannon, which at 360.5 km (224 mi) with a 102.1 km (63 mi) estuary is the longest river in Ireland and flows south from County Cavan in the province of Ulster to form the boundary between Connacht and Leinster, and later Munster, and meet the Atlantic just south and west of Limerick. There are a number of sizeable lakes along Ireland's rivers, of which Lough Neagh is the largest.
Events from the year 2003 in Ireland.
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The primary natural resources of the Republic of Ireland include natural gas, petroleum, peat, copper, lead, dolomite, barite, limestone, gypsum, silver and zinc. Key industries based on these and other natural resources include fishing, mining, and various forms of agriculture and fish farming. The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is charged with the legislative protection of Ireland's natural resources.
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Derrybrien is a tiny village in County Galway, Ireland. It lies along the R353 road in the Slieve Aughty Mountains. The village church is dedicated to Saint Patrick and is part of the Roman Catholic Parish of Ballinakill and Derrybrien.
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Killeenadeema is a civil parish in County Galway, Ireland. It contains most of the Derrybrien mountains, which hold the Derrybrien Wind Farm.
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