Masked Poets Seem to be unstoppable in Shannon Warport

wags and activists may be unseen and silent in modern ireland
but na filid gather crowds to hear their message even in 2008 Shannon

“O come all ye travellers & give ear to what I say:
Where do you go and why, upon this St Bridget’s Day?
… Let me carry my tale
To the horrors that lie here,
Here, here, behind the veil.
How many planes
Full of captives in chains?
Where will they go?
To the cages of Guantánamo?
Will government try
To discover where and why?
… What would Bridget have said, had it entered her head
That this would be the destiny of the land where she lies dead?”

The Shannon Rhyming Subversives

bridgets_day_leaflet.jpg 0.14 Mb

A short report describing the harassment experienced by protestors while displaying an anti-war banner at Shannon airport. The report highlights the fact that the Gardaí are either unaware of the law or do not practice it. This contrasts strongly with the claims by the government that gardaí are upholding civil and human rights at Shannon while at the same time facilitating the transport of US military supplies and CIA planes that are used for the transportation of torture victims.

Related Links: Report on the 2008 Shannon Peace Camp — Report of Oireachtas Committee Debate on Extraordinary Rendition — Other Anti-War Features on Shannon

A small group of Shell to Sea activists scaled the heights of the Department of Natural Resources today, to place a banner reading PROTECT IRISH NATURAL RESOURCES on the balcony outside Eamon Ryan's office.

Splitting into two small teams, the protesters used advice from GreenPeace to distract the security and gain access to the Minister's top floor office and leave a message for him.

Related Link: Prominent Shell to Sea activist to oversee Corrib project

CIA Rendition Plane N71PG at Shannon 3 Dec 2007

A first-hand account of a meeting of the Department of Foreign Affairs Select Committee on Wednesday 19th December to discuss the issue of Extraordinary Rendition (the transport of abducted prisoners for the purpose of torture in another country) through Irish air-space.

Related Links: Wikipedia Article on Extraordinary Rendition — Extraordinary Rendition stories on Indymedia Ireland

Seomra Spraoi is a large and vibrant social centre, just off Capel St in Dublin. It is used by small campaign and informal groups for meetings, workshops and is also a place where arts, crafts and children's activities take place.

For a community of people engaged in seeking positive social change, it is a point of contact, a source of resources and information and a base for skills and knowledge sharing. Recently, the gardai have succeeded in having the place temporarily shut down, presenting the collective that runs the centre with a complex legal and bureaucratic situation. Maybe you can be of some assistance.

Related Links: Give Us Some Space - first Seomra Spraoi event in Dec 2004
We got us some space - feature to mark launch of Mary's Abbey space
Seomra Spraoi blog (includes Paypal Donate button)
Totally Dublin article — Seomra Spraoi on MySpace