Protesters brave the elements during stormy conditions at the national pylon protest in Vinegar Hill. Pic: Jim Campbell

ANTI-PYLON groups from all over the country descended upon Vinegar Hill on Sunday as they staged their own form of rebellion.

Hundreds of people gathered on the historic hill as part of a series of national marches fighting pylons and wind turbines.

Heavy winds and inclement weather didn’t deter determined protestors from over 30 groups throughout Ireland to get their message across – ‘We say no!’

Organisers had hoped to attract 2,000 people but a weather alert for the region was blamed for people being unwilling to travel to Enniscorthy.

The march, which was described as a walk up a hill to move a mountain, marked what organisers said was the beginning of a year of fighting against pylons and wind farms.

It was part of a campaign by rethinkpylons.org that hopes to mobilise 500,000 people to unite and stick up for what they believe in.

The protest in Enniscorthy on Sunday began as St Colman’s Pipe Band from Ballindaggin led the group up the hill in the driving rain and wind.

They carried placards opposing turbines, pylons and substations in places such as the Co. Laois, Carlow and Kildare.

One banner declared: “You can bring pylons, we’ll bring pikes”, in reference to the Battle of Vinegar Hill in 1798, when rebels carried pikes because they did not have weapons.

“Bury the cable, not the people,” stated another banner, while another said “Power to the people, not through the people.”

While some groups at the protest were opposing overhead power lines and pylons, others were against wind turbines, the entire Grid 25 project and the Government’s wind energy export policy.

When the marchers reached the top of Vinegar Hill, local protestor Des O’Neill spoke passionately about how the public is still in the dark about the costs of these projects and it is unclear how the investment would benefit ordinary people.