Tag Archives: US military

A SINN Fein senator has said he believes the party will be able to stop the transit of American troops through Shannon if it does take power. At last week’s Sinn Féin Ard Fheis amotion was passed recognising “those protesting the use of Shannon airport by the US military, in highlighting attempts to erode our neutrality”. While there have been protests against the US use of the airport for many years, the fact the Sinn Féin endorses them is potentially significant, with the party topping opinion polls consistently. Speaking to the Clare Champion this week Limerick-based Senator Gavan said, “I want to see a thriving commercial airport at Shannon and I’ve been on record, along with others in Sinn Féin, for a number of years, in putting forward positive proposals in giving Shannon a far better, brighter future. We’re very focused on that. “We’re equally clear that the US military shouldn’t be using Shannon Airport. We’re a neutral country and …

SHANNONWATCH has organised a peace protest for this Sunday at 2pm against the ongoing US military use of the airport. The event takes place two days after Armistice Day which is intended to mark the end of fighting in World War I and to honour those killed in it. Shannonwatch says Sunday’s protest will draw attention to how little peace there is in the world today and how Ireland’s increasing support for militarization is escalating global instability. Armed US troops pass through Shannon on a daily basis, despite the fact that the country claims to be neutral. “What is happening at Shannon Airport is in breach of international laws on neutrality and makes the Irish people complicity in US war crimes and torture,” said Edward Horgan of Shannonwatch. The group has been protesting at the airport on the second Sunday of every month since 2008, while they say that the human and financial costs of the military movements through Sahnnon …

WHILE Shannon Airport has faced numerous crises over the last 20 years, one of its steady sources of revenue has been the ongoing business provided by the US military. How clearly this military use meant the alignment of Ireland with US policies has been hotly debated, with many protestors arguing it has left Ireland implicated in numerous human rights abuses, while successive Governments have argued neutrality is not compromised. Every Government that has allowed the US military use has been led by either Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael, but as time goes by it looks like that may not happen after the next election, with opinion polls showing Sinn Féin are likely to be the biggest party. The party is a staunch critic of the US military use of the airport, and while other parties have raised concerns before entering Government, if Sinn Féin does enter government it is very likely to be as the senior rather than junior party …

PASSENGERS on a US military flight were allowed to enter Ireland at Shannon Airport despite not having been tested for Covid, the Dáil has heard. In response to the breach gardai instructed the passengers to isolate in a Limerick hotel, which they did – not without leaving their quarantine to obtain food however. Speaking in the Dáil, following a question from Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan, Minister Simon Coveney said, “The landing in question was by a US military aircraft, with five crew and 48 passengers on board. “It had sought and received prior diplomatic clearance to land subject to our routine stipulations, including that it did not carry arms or ammunition. The US authorities have confirmed that this condition was met.” The Minister added, “As regards public health measures, Statutory Instrument 11/2021 was the applicable regulation on that date, which stipulated that all passengers should present negative PCR tests on arrival and complete a passenger location form. “Due to …

THE US army’s continuing use of Shannon Airport should be encouraged, according to Clare County Council. In the past, thousands of people have protested against the US transiting through the airport but, last Friday, members of the local authority passed a motion, proposed by Councillor Pat McMahon, that “In view of the substantial threats posed by Brexit and the uncertainty surrounding immigration and the pre-clearance facility at Shannon Airport, that this council reaffirms its support for American military transiting the airport”. Introducing the motion, the veteran Newmarket councillor said, “Since I was seven or eight-years-old, military aircraft have been going through Shannon and I don’t think anything has changed”. He described the US as “a friendly nation” and while he was in disagreement with those who have protested against the US military use of Shannon, he said he fully recognises their right to do so and that protests have been carried out in the right manner. Councillor McMahon’s motion mentioned …

  A FILE is to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions after a veteran peace activist allegedly attempted to approach US military planes on the tarmac at Shannon Airport yesterday morning. The man in question has been very active in the campaign against the US use of the airport and he is a former member of the Irish army. On Saturday morning he was due to travel to the UK to attend a conference organised by the Veterans For Peace organisation. A spokesman for peace group Shannonwatch, with which the man is associated, claimed that he had seen four Hercules aircraft parked close to the runway with no apparent oversighted and felt obliged to inspect them for weapons. The man was detained initially by Airport Police, before the Gardai were called. Shannon has seen a number of similar incidents over the last number of years, including one involving TDs Clare Daly and Mick Wallace last summer. A case …

TDs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly addressed Ennis District Court at some length today, claiming that official failures had left them with no option but to enter restricted areas of Shannon airport without permission. [doptg id=”49″] They said they had done so as the powers that be refused to address their complaints about the US military aircraft use of Shannon and put the onus on those seeking checks on military aircraft to provide evidence. Today was the second day of the hearing and the matter has now been adjourned until April 15. The first witness today was John Lannon of peace group Shannonwatch. Mr Lannon is a lecturer in UL, and holds expertise in human rights. He said that while he didn’t know precisely how many times specific concerns about the US use of Shannon have been expressed to gardaí, it is “well over 100”. Mr Lannon added that the Garda response had been “to essentially do nothing”. It was …

WEAPONS have been routinely carried through Shannon by the US military, it was claimed at Ennis District Court on Tuesday, during a hearing into a case against TDs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly. During evidence, Irish Times security analyst, Tom Clonan played a recording taken from a plane at Shannon, which advised soldiers to leave their weapons on board. Also, a former Irish army officer warned that missiles that were brought through the airport on one occasion could have resulted in it being blown up, along with much of the adjacent Shannon Industrial Estate. Mr Wallace, 59, of Clontarf Road, Dublin 3, and Ms Daly, 46, of Elmwood Drive, Swords, Dublin, are accused of climbing a perimeter fence at Shannon Airport and entering a part of the airport to which they were not permitted on July 22 of last year, contrary to the Airport Bylaws of 1994. While the case is being contested, neither have denied that they entered restricted …