Arson threat at wind farm formerly owned by Seán Quinn condemned

The owner of a crane hire company was warned to remove his equipment from a Fermanagh wind farm formerly owned by ex-billionaire Seán Quinn or else it would be “burnt to the ground”.

East Cork Crane Hire was working at the Slieve Rushen wind farm, carrying out maintenance on two of the 26 turbines scattered across the Cavan-Fermanagh border yesterday.

“The owner was invited to meet someone face to face yesterday evening. He did and was handed a list of all his equipment. He was told that if he didn’t remove all of his equipment it would be burnt to the ground,” said a spokesman. “This person told him: ‘We are serious, we are very good at this, we do a good job’.”

Faced with the threat, the owner, Aidan Kelleher, instructed his employees to leave because he was not prepared to put them in danger. A convoy of lorries left Derrylin in Co Fermanagh around lunchtime yesterday.

Ulster Unionist MP Tom Elliott said the latest incident surrounding the company once owned by discharged bankrupt businessman Seán Quinn was "inexcusable".

Sinn Féin’s Seán Lynch said: “Those responsible are seeking to cause fear and intimidation.”