Northern Ireland

Fr Joe McVeigh left feeling threatened after goldmine Mass approach

Fr Joe McVeigh said he felt threatened after being approached by a man during Mass who said he works for Dalradian Gold
Fr Joe McVeigh said he felt threatened after being approached by a man during Mass who said he works for Dalradian Gold Fr Joe McVeigh said he felt threatened after being approached by a man during Mass who said he works for Dalradian Gold

A Catholic priest who voiced concerns about a proposed gold mine in Co Tyrone says he was left “trembling” after being approached during Mass by a man claiming to work for the firm behind the plan.

Fr Joseph McVeigh said he felt “threatened” during the encounter while he was saying Mass at St Michael’s Church in Enniskillen on Wednesday.

The incident took place on the same morning as the Irish News carried a story highlighting Fr McVeigh’s concerns about a goldmine at Greencastle, Co Tyrone, proposed by Canadian based firm Dalradian Gold

Fr McVeigh, said the man whom he knew, approached him while he was distributing Holy Communion and asked him if he could speak to him.

He said that after Mass the man followed him into the sacristy and claimed he worked for Dalradian.

A spokesman for Dalradian last night said the man does not work for them.

“This person is not an employee of Dalradian,” said the spokesman.

“As such we are unable to comment on a private conversation between two individuals.”

Fr McVeigh said he didn't give the man "much of a hearing" as he was "very annoyed and upset."

“I said ‘look, I don’t want to discuss this with you’.

“I said ‘please leave and don’t come back here again’

“I found it very threatening and upsetting.”

Fr McVeigh said the incident was unusual.

“I will be 50 years a priest in two year’s time and never had anything like that,” he said.

“I was standing shaking and trembling after it.”

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin deputy leader Michelle O’Neill, who met with Dalradian representatives yesterday, said “We are opposed to the use of cyanide in mining due to its environmental and health implications,” she said.

“And we recognise the environmental damage caused by precious metals mining and the extraction of Ireland's non-renewable natural resources.”

She said that party groups in several council areas are set to bring motions forward opposing the development of “goldmine and processing plant in the Sperrins”

A spokesman for Dalradian said: “We too, like Sinn Fein, support a public inquiry which is the responsible way of looking at all the issues involved and allowing all parties to share their views, including those who have questions and concerns about it, particularly from an environmental perspective.”