This report by Lynda Walker first appeared in Unity, the weekly publication of the Irish Communist Party.
GALWAY Alliance Against War (GAAW) is one of the very active groups in support of Palestine and opposed to other forms of war and oppression.
On their Facebook they describe themselves as: “a group for anyone in Galway who stands opposed to war and military imperialism. We aim to highlight, educate, protest imperialist wars and arms/nuclear weapons; defend Irish neutrality.”
On Saturday 23rd August GAAW organised a Memory Blanket Display for Murdered Palestinian Children.
GAAW Facebook shows :
“Some images and videos of today’s (Sat-23rd) demonstration in Galway by local activists and “Craftivism for Palestine” who made and have brought this blanket to 10 towns and cities so far around Ireland.
The blanket contains 2,300 squares each square represents ten Palestinian children murdered by the IDF in Gaza over the last two years, it was an affective action which I noticed did bring out an emotional response from many people present and passing (only one old bitter Christo-fascist told us we would all burn in hell apparently but there is always one as you know), a visual representation like this, to see the numbers represented was powerful, a number is just a number to some people so well done to all that took part and held it (up for over three hours.” (Sol Tierney Galway Alliance Against War )
The group which was established in 2010 has held many protests over the years, including helping to expose the use of Shannon airport by US military flights.
Down the years many protests were organised and Shannon Watch was established to monitor the use of the US military and to challenge the Irish Government regarding the absence of neutrality. In 2012 two of the group were arrested in 2012 on the runway of the County Clare airport.
The group said the protest was to mark the 11th anniversary of the war in Afghanistan. It claimed in those years Shannon had been turned into “a US military base”. Activist Niall Farrell was one of those arrested along with Ms D’Arcy, 78, who said they wanted to have their say in court. “We want to go to court. You might say the reason we did it is: we want conversation and dialogue,” she said.
“What we need is conversation in the public places.” She was arrested a second time in 2014.
Many groups have joined in the protests in particular focusing on Palestine and peace and neutrality. Shannonwatch have made it clear that in 2025 the US military continue to use Shannon as if it is one of the Pentagon’s military bases.
At the national gathering in Shannon on August 9th, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Shannonwatch presented a letter for the Garda Commissioner received by the Superintendent in charge.
The demands were to investigate airlines illegally transporting munitions of war through Irish territory to Israel, and to inspect all US military and military contracted aircraft that land at Shannon. Any support for the US military is support for the genocide in Gaza.
So it’s time this support was ended. But in the meantime the planes cannot pass through uninspected. Here is the full text of the letter. The full text of the letter is copied below:
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To the: Garda Commissioner Mr Drew Harris, An Garda Síochána Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin, D08 HN3X
Demand that Gardai Inspect US Military Planes
Subject: Prevention of Complicity in War Crimes and Genocide
Dear Commissioner Harris,
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) have issued a number of rulings, advisory opinions and requests for arrest warrants in connection with war crimes, plausible genocide and illegal occupations, committed by Israel against the Palestinian people.
This creates obligations on all member states of the United Nations, and on their officials and citizens to fully cooperate with the ICJ and the ICC, and to avoid complicity with these crimes.
Bunreacht na hÉireann and international laws on neutrality also impose obligations on the Irish Government to avoid participation in wars of aggression, and not to allow foreign military forces that are involved in such wars to transit through Irish airports or territory or Irish airspace.
The United States has been by far the primary supporter of the Israeli government and its military forces in recent decades and especially since October 2023.
Since 7th October 2023, thousands of aircraft on contract to or operated by the US military have passed through Shannon Airport and Irish airspace. Most of these aircraft have been going to and from the Middle East, and some have landed in Israel.
This makes the Irish Government, its ministers, and its officials potentially complicit in the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
Shannonwatch, The Ditch and others have brought specific flights to the attention of An Garda Siochana and the Government, but no effective actions have been taken to end such complicity.
No US military aircraft should be allowed to transit through Irish territory or airspace given their support for the genocide in Gaza.
But until such time as these flights are stopped by the government, we call on An Garda Siochána to:
Investigate airlines illegally transporting munitions of war through Irish territory to Israel;
Inspect all US military and military contracted aircraft that land at Shannon, as these are potentially carrying weapons or otherwise in breach of Irish air navigation law.
By not doing so, An Garda Siochána are failing to carry out their duties of crime prevention, and their duties to investigate and prosecute individuals involved in serious crimes being committed at and/or facilitated.
We await your response.
Yours John Lannon, Shannonwatch, Raheen, Ballyneety, Co. Limerick.
Zoë Lawlor, Chairperson, Ireland-Palestine Solidarity
Campaign, Ashbourne Avenue, Limerick.
This letter is signed on behalf of all those participating in the peaceful protest at Shannon Airport on 9th August 2025, and in support and solidarity with the people of Palestine who are being murdered on a daily basis by weapons supplied by the United States of America.
Thanks to Sol Tierney and others in GAAW for taking the action and providing reports that can be shared