TUESDAY, 02 July 2013
The controversial Shell Corrib gas project takes centre stage when the theatrical force that is Donal O’Kelly returns to the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar with his latest work, Benbo Productions’ surreal and heartfelt ‘Ailliliú Fionnuala’ tomorrow night, Wednesday, July 3.
Written and performed by O’Kelly, directed by Sorcha Fox and designed by Robert Ballagh, ‘Ailliliú Fionnuala’ centres on Ambrose Keogh, who works for Shell. When the tunnel-boring machine he named Fionnuala sinks into the bog in Erris, he is magically confronted by the legendary Fionnuala of the Children of Lir. Fionnuala puts a geas on him – he’s bound to tell the truth about Shell’s operations. During his ordeal, Ambrose meets his school classmate, Malachy Downes, a Shell-to-Sea activist, and echoes from the past resound.
Donal O’Kelly’s award-winning solo plays include ‘Catalpa’, ‘Joyced!’, ‘The Cambria’, ‘The Adventures Of The Wet Señor’ and ‘Vive La’. He has performed his shows in cities all over the world, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Melbourne, London, Paris, Rome, Helsinki, Warsaw, Harare, Lusaka and most recently Belgrade. He is also well known on screen as Bimbo in Roddy Doyle’s ‘The Van’, and Jap in the bilingual film ‘Kings’.
‘Ailliliú Fionnuala’ has received rave reviews, with The Irish Times saying the play ‘Digs for truth beneath the controversies’. O’Kelly’s performance has been described as ‘superb’ (Sunday Independent) and ‘Stirring’ by Irish Theatre Magazine.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
