Recent discussions about the safety or otherwise of having the US military flying in and out of Shannon Airport gave us reason to recall an incident in March 2008 in which a Murray Air aircraft was involved in an emergency landing at Shannon. This was after it was seen flying over Askeaton, which is across the River Shannon estuary from the airport, with flames coming from one of its engines. Residents of the County Limerick town described their windows rattling and houses shaking as the cargo plane flew low over a housing estate in the town.

The October peace vigil at Shannon on Sunday 9th was a peaceful, dignified affair as always. Almost 20 people gathered to express their opposition to the ongoing US military use of the airport. Some were local, while others travelled from Cork, Galway and elsewhere to join the protest.

A group of the peace vigil attendees at Shannon

A brief report on todays events at Ennis District Court involving the Shannon 4, Dave, Colm, Dan and Edward from our court correspondent. For background see Shannon Four to Appear in Ennis Court on Monday Sept 25th.

Dave and Dan were represented by Shane O'Callaghan Solicitor and sought and got approval for Free Legal Aid for both. Colm and Edward were representing themselves assisted by Mckensie Friend Sean. Dave and Colm's case came up first and their solicitor Shane applied on their behalf to have their trial transferred to the Dublin, so as to ensure the likelihood of a fair jury trial, which could not be guaranteed in Co Clare due to bias over Shannon Airport issues. The Judge ruled that this issue could be brought forward at the next hearing which will be on 31 October 2017.

On Monday Sept 25th four peace activists will be before Ennis Circuit Court on charges related to peaceful protests at Shannon Airport. These Shannon Four include Colm Roddy, Dave Donnellan, Dan Dowling and Edward Horgan. Dave and Colm are both up on charges for allegedly causing alleged criminal damage at Shannon Airport on 25th May 2016, which is 16 months ago. They went into the airport to search a US military aircraft because they believed it was involved in unlawful wars and killings in the Middle East, and they also knew that The Gardaí at Shannon would not search or investigate it or any other US military or CIA aircraft at Shannon. Dan and Edward are both up on charges of allegedly writing graffiti on the right hand engine of a US warplane at Shannon Airport on 25 April 2017.

Press release from Galway Alliance Against War

The German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung is reporting today (13/9/17) that the US base in Ramstein, Rheinland-Pfalz was used for the illegal transport of weaponry to Syrian "rebels".

A spokesperson for the Galway peace group, Galway Alliance Against War, said "this revelation raises once more serious doubts over Washington's assurances that no illegal activity is being conducted by the US military in Shannon airport. There is only one way that illegal activity by the US military can be prevented - whether it's the transfer of the weapons of war or prisoners of war - and that is to stop allowing the US Air Force  permission to use Shannon airport or Irish airspace."

The following is a statement issued by the Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM). The Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA) have also issued a press release on the topic - we wholehearedly agree with both of them.

The IAWM condemns the use of the Irish Naval Service patrol vessel, the LE Samuel Beckett, to sell arms at the London Arms Fair.

The Irish Naval Service patrol vessel LE Samuel Beckett left its home port of Haulbowline Co Cork on Friday evening and headed for London to participate in the infamous DSAI Arms Fair. Its expected time of arrival in London Port is 11.45 am on Sunday 10 September.

This ship was purchased in 2014 at a cost of about €71 million and two other almost identical ships have been purchased in the meantime bringing the cost of the three vessels to about €213 million Euro. €213 million would build a lot of social housing for the homeless, even if we do need some naval patrol vessels.

A US military cargo plane that exploded at 20,000 feet and crashed in Mississippi on July 10th, killing the 16 people on board, landed at Shannon Airport last December. The KC-130T Hercules transport tanker erupted in a fireball as it suffered what the US Marine Corps called a "mishap" on Monday evening. The crash occurred in a rural area, but if it has occurred as the plane was landing or taking off at Shannon the consequences would have been lethal and devastating.

In light of the serious risk to life presented by these aircraft, Shannonwatch calls on the Minister for Foreign Affairs to immediately suspend all US military landings at Shannon and all US military flights through Irish airspace.

Shannonwatch welcomes the celebration of aviation at Foynes Air Show this weekend but condemns the inclusion of military aircraft. The event, which was enjoyed by over 30,000 people, included the Spanish and Swedish air forces, a Norwegian MIG fighter jet, and other aircraft whose primary purpose is to engage in aerial combat. These have no place in family fun events, as their participation ignores the reality of war and attempts to normalise military aggression.

"While entertainment and tourist attractions like the Foynes Air Show are important during the holiday period, including the type of military aircraft that are involved in killing thousands of people in Syria, Iraq and other parts of the Middle East at present sends the wrong message to children in particular." said John Lannon of Shannonwatch.

Report from our own court correspondant.

Well, as the Seanachai (storyteller) used to say, "things rested so" ...

This was the case at Ennis District Court on 20th July, as four peace activists were once again before the courts. Dave Donnellan's case came up first. He and Colm Roddy are charged with causing criminal damage when they entered Shannon Airport to search some US military aircraft on 25 May 2016, 14 Months ago. Dave and Colm were today given the "book of evidence" and Judge Durcan went through the process of referring their cases up to the Circuit Court level. Their next court appearance date at Circuit Court level will be Monday 25th September 2017. This will be for an eventual trial by Jury. There was a discussion about Free Legal Aid for Dave which was not fully resolved as Dave's suggested solicitor was not from the Clare court area list of Free Legal Aid Solicitors.

The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) has recently started to publish a Monthly Report on Munitions of War Exemptions issued under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order, 1973 on its website. It can be be accessed via the following link http://www.dttas.ie/aviation/publications/english/statistics-munitions-war.

As the latest figures available show, a total of 427 permits were granted for civilian aircraft to take munitions through Irish airspace or airports in the first 6 months of this year. 149 of these were for flights with personal weapons of troops on board landing at Shannon Airport. Ten were for flights landing in Ireland with munitions classified as dangerous goods on board, and there were 260 flights classified as "other overflights in Irish airspace with munitions on board". The remaining ten were for flights by Irish Registered aircraft not entering Irish airspace