Donegal anti-war activity

by Activist Wed Jan 22, 2003 11:51

There have been a number of rumors floating about that US warplanes
have been seen at Knock Airport.

I would encourage anyone who lives near the area or knows anyone living
there to be on the lookout and to confirm if this is the case.

If it turns out to be true, I suggest that at the next Shannon Protest,
a simultaneous protest be held at Knock Airport. The people living in
Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Donegal and other surrounding counties would be well
placed to attend this as it is not too far away for them and for those who
did not want to go all the way to Shannon, it would be a viable alternative.

A few pictures of warplanes at Knock would be an excellent start. And I have
also heard that during the last Gulf War, B-52 bombers were seen flying
into and out of Knock, so it not as if they aren't aware of the facilities.

What do people think? Please pass this idea around and get people thinking
about it.

by pete ranks Wed Jan 22, 2003 12:20

I don't think Knock is being used at present. US military aircraft have used it in the past(and will probably do so in the future), but it all seems to be just rumours. Some people have said that there have been unusual nocturnal movements up there, and perhaps a few suspect aircraft have touched down up there, there is a lot of second hand info about the US airmen not even popping into the terminal when they land to refuel at night, which upset some people cos they'd like to have a chat with 'wan o da yankees', so I think a protest at Knock would be a bit premature to say the least, however there are people keeping an eye on the place, so if there were to be any major movements through it, it would be noticed.
But anyway, tis good to see a Donegal movement popping up, but instead of going to Dublin for the 15th and listening to speeches an all that jazz, why not go to shannon on the same day? I'll probably get stick for suggesting that, but i personnally think its the better option, as there ain't no planes landing in Dublin(yet). Also there is some sort of anti war thang going on in sligo, so maybe buses etc. for whatever demo can be organised with both areas in mind?

by Ruairi Wed Jan 22, 2003 13:34

I think Donegal is as close to Knock as Dublin is.

Pete, I am liaising with the Letterkenny Green heads as a South Donegal head and we could possibly tie in the Sligo mob someway or another.

Anyone in the north west get in touch!

[email protected]

Local Garda welcome!!!!

by tricky bricky Wed Jan 22, 2003 13:51

I dtosach na h-aicíde is fusa í a leigheas.

have a look to the fjörd.
there are three fjörds in Ireland.
still deep waters.
Dun na nGall knows the still deep waters.
and the fjörd.
tricky bricky says
Knock knock lough lough.

by Ken McDonnell - SP Wed Jan 22, 2003 14:11

The Greens are jumping on the bandwagon here, trying to look left. In reality they are no different from the other capitalist parties. They support local charges.

by Ray Wed Jan 22, 2003 14:21

Yeah, the Greens support local charges, and its fair enough to criticise them for it. But its possible to oppose the war without signing up to the SP's transitional programme, and the Greens have been involved for ages.
Do you not want the support of capitalist parties?
Would you rather the war went ahead but the anti-war movement was purified of all non-revolutionaries?

by pete ranks Wed Jan 22, 2003 15:19

sheesh you guys, whats wrong with you? does everything on this site have to descend into bullshit bickering between parties? what is needed not only in ireland is an anti war movement, with its purpose being to stop the war, and wars in general, but if we can't even give out info without it being questioned and suspected then we're buggered. Lets all forget our parties, well i don't got one, and don't want one, lets focus on trying to stop this fucking war, not playing oneupmanship, whatever you are, be it green, black, left, right, commie or capitalistas, if you think war is wrong then try to stop it, but leave your other beliefs at the door. I too think there is a fair bit of bandwagon jumpin goin on by the main political parties, but its the folk who make up the party that make the difference, before we even think about trying to stop a war in Iraq, we have to stop the bickering here, capiche?

by Ruairi Wed Jan 22, 2003 15:33

well said Pete.

I'm not a great fan of the Greens but I am prepared to work with them on this. And why wouldn't I be.

If we wait for everyone to be as PURE and ENLIGHTENED as some, we'll be waiting a long, long time.

Time to knock the inner bitching, bickering and banter on the head and focus on the main obstacle - those in power!

by Pat C Wed Jan 22, 2003 15:44

It looks as if the SP (or at least those who contribute to indy) want to drive SF, LP & GP out of the anti war movement. They seem to have no conception of what a single issue campaign is.

by Room 101 - Anarchist Federation Wed Jan 22, 2003 16:27

and when it comes to the crunch some Greens are more radical than SP et al anyways.....
(and even Labour Yoof call for direct action....)
Now who are the "revolutionaries" and who are the "reformists"!!!

by ... - ... Wed Jan 22, 2003 16:37

Yeah I checked out Knock Airport the weekend before last. Went along asked questions etc and snooped a bit. To be honest I don't think it is being used at present. Also I know people around there and will probably know if it starts to be used...

by tricky bricky Wed Jan 22, 2003 17:24

Most of the iconic tittat sold at Knock is made through sweat shop labour.

A lot of apologies are due.

by Room 102 Wed Jan 22, 2003 18:01

All talk - no action?

by trotsky never died Wed Jan 22, 2003 19:31

And, may I ask, what makes you think he is a member of the Socialist Party ..... because he says he is???? come on lads that could beBrian Cowan for all any one knows. Users of this site should be aware that just because someone who claims to be a member of the SP says something, it doesn't mean that that's the party line.
I have no problem working with the Greens in the Anti-war movement but I will not hide my disagreements with them or Labour for that matter

by King Mob Wed Jan 22, 2003 20:21

This kind of of "EVERY ASIDE FROM US ARE ANTIREVOLUTIONARY SPLITTERS" attitude is reaking from every SP post at the moment. From Cahills, "this is why the SP are the only truly revolutionary party" on the bin tax, to his crap on the north.

And through gritted teeth, Pat is right, the SP like to hijack campaigns.

Lets recap you slimy fucking leeches, who has spent the last year cycling from fucking Limerick to Shannon nearly every night, to tell you everything you know about shannon? Tim Hourigan. Who has spent monthes studying up on the consitution and faced intimidation arrest and haressment every night at shannon. tim hourigan. And what party is Tim a part of THE FUCKING GREENS

Oh and Dubsky, the kind of nerdish student liberal you despise with your working classic revolutionary ethics, is the one who climbed a fucking fence that'd make you little shits in the SP wet themselves and struck a symbolic blow for the peace movement. WHILE AT THE SAME TIME fighting the government hard and fast on their home turf in the high court. AND GUESS WHAT? HE'S a FUCKING GREEN.

The greens, their members built the bandwagon you're standing on, and to accuse them of hijacking it is beyond contemptable....

And no I'm not a green, but the fact is, a few solitary greens, gave monthes of their lives to spotting and documenting every movement at shannon and made the anti war campaign in Ireland.

You and your party are dispical....

Oh and are you fucking listening Richard Boyd Barrett (The Garreth Lambert Smith of the left)
Well are YOU ARSEHOLE?????????????

by Brian Cahill Wed Jan 22, 2003 23:56

Various members of the Socialist Party have different views on different issues (Shock! Horror!). Ken is entitled to his view of the Greens but I would disagree with him that they are just jumping on the anti-war bandwagon. That's a fair assesment of the Labour leadership and of Fine Gael but the Greens have quite obviously been involved in the anti-war campaign from the beginning and their members have done a lot of the hard work in getting it off the ground.

They were also involved heavily in the Anti-Nice Treaty campaign. On the other hand they play a poisonous role in the bin-tax struggle. Well, we shouldn't expect to agree with them on every issue - and we don't.

On those issues where we have something in common we are more than willing to work with them - as in the Alliance Against Nice and in the anti-war movement. Still we have a right to disagree with them even on those issues - I think that many people on Indymedia would feel that the Greens have a lot of illusions in the United Nations and Neutrality.

On issues like the bin tax we are mercilessly critical of them... and quite rightly.

by Brian Cahill Thu Jan 23, 2003 00:02

As for the suggestion that anything I posted on the bin tax issue claimed that only the Socialist Party were doing anything on the bin tax, that is quite clearly untrue. I pointed out that a range of organisations from the WSM to the ISN and many between were doing good work on the issue.

I did criticise three organisations on their record: the Greens because of their open support for the bin tax and Sinn Fein and Labour for their half-hearted opposition.

If you disagree with the way I portrayed the stances of any of those organisations, fine. Feel free to point out where I was wrong. But don't pretend that I attacked everybody apart from the Socialist Party.

by pat c Thu Jan 23, 2003 11:14

"But don't pretend that I attacked everybody apart from the Socialist Party."

I merely pointed out that the SP had attacked LP, SF and GP. This is a fact.

Some members of your party seems intent on driving LP, SF & GP out of the anti war movement.

You also seem intent on driving LP & SF out of the anti charges campaign.

You have no understanding of what working in a single issue campaign with other forces entails.

by Brian Cahill Thu Jan 23, 2003 18:44

Pat, I wasn't referring to your post, but to King Mob's below it where he implied that I had laid into everyone on the left over the bin tax issue. Quite clearly, I did not.

As for "driving people out of the anti-war movement", nobody has any intention of doing so. I'm happy for the likes of Labour or even Fine Gael to get involved in the movement - they can bring useful publicity. On the other hand we have every right to point out that Labour and FG are right-wing parties who are using the issue because they recently smelled votes in it.

By the way, we could hardly "drive Sinn Fein or Labour out of the anti-bin tax campaign". Labour is opposed to non-payment - and given that the campaign is about non-payment that rather limits their possibilities for involvement! SF also take no part in the campaign beyond issuing the odd press release and sending out some leaflets from the Dail. We would like nothing more than for SF to get involved in the actual running of the campaign, but they refuse to.

You seem to be confusing criticism - which given the actual records of GP, SF and Lab on the bin tax is perfectly justified - with trying to get rid of them. On the contrary - while there is no chance whatsoever of Labour or the Greens getting involved, criticising SF is partially intended to force them to get off their arses and to make it impossible for them to get away with voting for the tax again.

by pat c Fri Jan 24, 2003 11:58

i'll let sf & lp members reply as to their involvement or otherwise in the anti-charges campaign.

my point is that you seem to have a difficulty in understanding what single issue campaigns are. the anti gulf war campaign is just that. it has nothing to do with bin charges, health cuts etc.

this doesnt mean that you forget these differences, its just that they are irrelevant inside the anti gulf war movement.

raise them on seperate threads. even create seperate threads about them.

if everyone screamed at each other about all of their differences on every occasion, then joint work would be impossible