Dean Blackwood grew up “reared on the River Faughan” – now he’s one of the most persistent voices fighting to stop it being poisoned. From childhood mornings fishing with his great‑uncle Albert to uncovering one of Europe’s biggest illegal landfills at Mobuoy, his life tracks the story of how Northern Ireland treats its rivers and lakes.
In this episode we walk through the Mobuoy illegal dump scandal, wider pollution and planning failures, and what Lough Neagh and the Faughan are telling us about power, accountability and environmental justice in the North.
What we explore
Dean’s early memories on the river: being taken fishing as a young child, homemade “sally rod” from willow, lemon curd sandwiches and how that created a lifelong attachment to the Foyle and Faughan catchments.
His career inside the planning system as a civil servant in the former Department of the Environment, and the moment he realised public authorities were turning a blind eye to developments causing serious harm.
The Mobuoy illegal dump: how quarrying without permission and a so‑called recycling plant combined to bury an estimated 1.6 million tons of mixed and dangerous waste in pits beside the River Faughan – an area the size of roughly 64 football pitches.
How concerns from River Faughan Anglers were first raised formally in 2008 and 2009, and then “disappeared” from government records, and what that says about regulatory culture.
What environmental justice means in practice in Northern Ireland: The Gathering, the Environmental Justice Network Ireland, and why ordinary people end up standing up for nature when institutions stay quiet.
The bigger picture: how Mobuoy connects to pollution crises like Lough Neagh, and why legal frameworks, planning decisions and waste contracts are as important as personal behaviour.
Who this episode is for
People in Northern Ireland (and beyond) trying to understand what is actually happening at Mobuoy, on the Faughan and around Lough Neagh.
Anyone curious how a town planner becomes a full‑time environmental campaigner, and what that costs and gives back.
Listeners drawn to stories where local rivers, bureaucracy and community action collide.
Why it matters
This isn’t a distant climate story. It’s about drinking water, salmon rivers, public money, quiet decisions on planning files and how long‑running pollution crises are allowed to build in plain sight. Dean brings both insider knowledge of the system and the stubbornness of someone who still feels responsible to the river he grew up on.
Micro‑FAQ
What is the Mobuoy illegal dump?
A huge illegal landfill outside Derry, where quarry pits were filled with shredded municipal, builders’ and other potentially dangerous waste without proper permissions or environmental assessment, close to the River Faughan.
How big is it?
Dean cites around 1.6 million tons of waste, spread over an area equivalent to about 64 football pitches.
Was nobody regulating it?
There was historic permission for a quarry and a recycling centre, but later operations breached regulations, lacked proper planning and were effectively treated as legitimate until campaigners forced the issue.
How does this connect to Lough Neagh and other pollution?
Mobuoy is one extreme example of wider problems: weak enforcement, fragmented responsibility and political reluctance to confront powerful interests – all of which show up in the health of rivers and lakes.
