Claims that Britain owns all of the rights to Lough Foyle have received a frosty
reception from people in Inishowen.
British Secretary of State James Brokenshire said this week that London owned the entire of Lough Foyle right up to the many Inishowen villages which border the water.
The claim led to outcry by Donegal Senator Padraig Mac Lochlainn who accused the British Government of being arrogant as a result.
But yesterday, as snow fell across coastal towns and villages dotted along the Peninsula, the reaction of locals was equally as cool.
In Gillen’s Gala supermarket on Moville’s Main Street, owner Paddy
Gillen was busy stocking his vegetable aisle.
His shop is just a couple of hundred yards from the local pier.
Paddy says it’s a topic which rears its head every now and again but
he fears Brexit may bring a position where Britain is trying to claim
the rights to Lough Foyle once and for all.
The one thing he never wants to see is a return to a hard border – on
land or sea.
He local fishermen get on well with their counterparts across the
Foyle and work well with the Lough’s Agency.
He said perhaps Britain should remain silent on the issue and allow
the fishermen who work the waters to work things out amongst
themselves.
“There is an old saying which goes ‘The least said, the easier
mending’ and I think it’s very true in this case.
“I honestly don’t think the British Government need to be shouting
about we own this and we own that. The shoreline around Lough Foyle
will look after itself and the fishermen will work things out with the
Loughs Agency because they have a good working relationship.
“I fear that overall if they begin talking like this then it will only
talk up a hard border and that’s the last thing we need again along
the border.
“That simply would be a disaster for everyone,” he said.
Very few fishermen we tried to speak to will speak on record as they
have traditionally tried to work with the Loughs Agency in Northern
Ireland.
One fisherman did point out “When you see a traditional map of
Northern Ireland along with Britain, they never include the Lough as
well so why are they claiming it now?”
The North’s First Minister Arlene Foster said nobody wanted a ‘hard’
border across Lough Foyle and said it was important to find a solution
that was agreeable to everyone.
She was speaking at a meeting of the North South Ministerial Council
in Armagh yesterday.
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness quipped “Here, here Arlene. No
hard border on the land, no border on the sea.”
Businessman Jim McLaughlin in nearby Muff owned one of the most
popular bars on the Inishowen , Mary Deeneys.
Jim said this is an issue which comes up from time to time.
He feels that Brexit could yet pose a serious threat to the
livelihoods of Donegal fishermen who have fished Lough Foyle for
generations.
“My heart goes out to these men because theirs is a very hard living
and now this is hanging over them if Brexit happens.
“I do feel it could be a major issue for them and the Irish Government
needs to stand up and be counted on this issue,” he said.
One man who knows like Foyle like the back of his hands is the former
owner of the Lough Foyle Ferry, Jim McClenaghan.
Former Foyle Ferry operator Jim McClenaghan in Greencastle on the banks of Lough Foyle. (North West Newspix)
A former fisherman, Jim knows all too well the hardships facing those
making a living from the sea.
He blames those in Government for once again stoking up the ownership
issue around Lough Foyle.
He recalls being asked to pay for having to use the waters around
Lough Foyle by the British Government, a request he said he never
complied with.
But he says race, religion or background do not matter to those out
scratching a living from the sea around the North-West.
“When I started fishing back in the 1970s a man took me aside and said
to me that religion or background should not matter because we are all
equal out at sea.
“If a mayday signal comes through then we are all equal and we should
help eachother regardless of our nationality or background.
“I think the Governments should work together and share the ownership
of the Lough and not to be claiming overall rights to it. Those who
want to work the Lough should be allowed to work with eachother and to
work things out with eachother,” he said.