Shannon Sees The Triumphant Return Of Miami Air
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Monday April 21, 2003 09:59
by Tim Hourigan
But, hey where’s the marching band?
Earlier this year we saw some airlines leave Shannon following some spectacular direct action. “Good, Law-abiding” ‘ordinary’ airlines like World, North American and Miami Air. Just the folks you want to move your troops, DU and high grade explaosives. At the time we had Aer Rianta and some of the Chamber of Commerce lamenting their departure as tragic.Well- Good news ! One of them is back!
That’s right, Miami Air may have made an announcement that they were leavng but, now, without fanfare, they are back at Shannon.
I was out plane-spotting at Shannon industrial estate with a film crew on Wednesday 9th.
There were no obviously dodgy planes around as we set up, so they started filming background shots.
Within minutes we got the usual Garda attention. Three of us and loads of them.
(it’s amazing how many Gardai it takes to ask three people their names and addresses before watching them like fluorescent yellow hawks)
After about half an hour of filming nd watching from there we moved to the back road by Gate 17.
It was about 7:15pm, still bright out, and there were locals parked by the fence watching planes land.-
The great thing about gate 17 in daytime? Not only is it easier to see the planes, and impossible for “some people” to blind you with spotlights, but the mere presence of local people means the cops don’t put on the big display to intimidate you.
As we drive up to our spot, I see a plane come in to land.
The camera starts to roll, and I can read the markings on the lane.
It’s a Miami Air 727, clear as day and only about 150 ft from me.
Well, this is a scoop and where’s RTE eh?
So we pull up , get out all the gear, the tripods for the cameras and telescope.
The jet taxis over to the passenger terminal, accompanied by two airport police vehicles and a Garda van.
It parks in the usual spot for bandits. Down by air-bridge 14) and members of the Garda Siochana help to erect a temporary metal fence around it (like construction site barriers you can still see in)
Some of the Gardai are wearing those red bibs that normaly designate them as carrying automatic weapons.
Two Shannon Catering trucks come over to load up the plane, and the airport police vans move about while the Gardai keep vigilant watch on the airfield.
We watch, note and record all of this on broadcast quality tape.
I explain it all for the camera. The number of Gardai (about 10) the vehicles AP10 and AP15 and a Garda transit van.
But something is missing.
Why did the crew get off via the airbridge?
Why was there no red carpet to the tarmac facing a marching band?
Surely this prodigal son deserves a big welcome back?
Fattened calves are out of fashion since Foot and Mouth but some hampers of duty free wouldn’t go amiss?
Instead, it’s almost like they are sneaking them in unannounced and guarding them jealously from the attentions of the public.
More like an unwanted child than a prodigal son methinks.
But hey, in the strange world of military aviation, maybe a movable fence IS a ceremony?
I mean it’s not like Aer Lingus gets this kind of treatment whenever they land.
Hopefully Miami Air won’t be too put out by the lack of flair. After all the security welcome must have been a nice gesture put on solely for them.
Now where else would you get that type of reception put on for you?
Like the slogan says – It’s easier from Shannon”
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Comments (21 of 21)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21if you saw it on the 9th, why has it taken you so long to post it up. it can't have taken you nearly 2 weeks to type all that.
My sides! You must pass this on to friendly journalists in the mainstream media Tim - this is class. :-)
The fence around the aircraft is such a stupid show. All "security" at the airport is just a studip show... as Jenny and Martin illustrated with their recent action so well.
Well done Tim. Your hard work is to be commended. At least your efforts are effective. Those Catholic Worker Martyrs spud weilding idiots are only making the anti-war movement a laughing stock.
Tim kicks ass, Jenny kicks ass, the Catholic Workers kick ass, mary Kelly kicks ass, potatoes kick ass. Any and all actions taken to evict the despicable US military murder machine from fair Shannon are to be commended, celebrated and most importantly continued.
Well done Tim. Keep up the valuable work. And to 'Holy Mugger', I'm tempted to ignore your remarks as you hadn't the backbone to identify yourself but I think the act of sowing potatoes at Shannon Airport was a stroke of pure genius and worth trying to interpret. As I understand it Martin's act responds to the desecration of Shannon soil by the passage of death dealing weapons through its perimeters. The simple, organic, yet very powerful act, of sowing potatoes attempts to reclaim the soil of Shannon back to proper relationship with God. As Irish people we surely don't need to be reminded of the evocative power of the potatoe to kindle memories of the suffering we were once subjected to by an oppressive power. The deaths we endured because of the absence of the potatoe. The deaths which resulted from decisions made on the other side of the sea. Again decisions made on the other side of the sea are causing death but today it's not we who are dying but it is we who are now complicit in those decisions.
Reads like a day out with the Famous Five.
thank's dude for exposing the hypocripsy and also for being a great freind. karen
Apparently there has been a huge increase in US military stopovers at Dublin Airport. Why is there no publicity about this ? Why is there no one protesting there ? After all North Dublin is the horticultural capital of Ireland is it not ? Go on Karen, get the bus out there and sow some spuds.
To Dave Donnellan: How do we know that your real name is "Dave Donnellan" ? And by the way, the soil of Shannon has no relationship with god nor did it ever. What fantasy ! Are you also one of those sanctimonious ones ?
Holy Mugger obviously has a bone to pick with the Catholic Worker - are they too radical? Too active? Or perhaps the real contention is that they have made inroads into a some people's 'action space' - a space that until recently has been very bland, mundane and ineffective..... Don't let the ego land!
Indymedia policy on anonymous persoanl attacks?????
by Ciaron O'Reilly - Dublin Catholic Worker Mon, Apr 21 2003, 8:16pm
Really don't know about the ethics of publishing personal attacks by anonymous folks....until you exhibit some integrity by displaying an identity I can't relly dignify your drivel with a response.
And that;'s what it comes down to in this dis course doesn't it U.M...dignity, honesty, courage...that's whay we do what we do openly and honestly and you're reduced to doing what you do anonymously.
If on the other hand it's the boyz from the Branch, howzitgoin' lads....you had me goin' there dudes!!!!!!!
related link: www.ploughsaresireland.org
***My understanding is a lot of the theme of the Good Friday action was restoration of the land from a pit stop of death to it's origiinal purpose of nourishing and sustaing life. That part of the action came form Martin a sligo farmer who works the land...so it seemed like an authentic act to me if not U.M. who maybe needs to drag himself away from playing sniper on the internet, get outta town and run around in a field for a while.
Where we disarmed the B-52 Bomber in 1991 - Griffiss Air Force Base, Rome, New York...was closed down, runway taken up and they had Woodstock '99 there....now that's a start too after 40 years of hosting nuclear weapons...the beginnings of restoring and healing the land........
Anonymous personnal attacks provided they don't turn into abuse are allowed.
It's not a perfect world.
Ciaron,
You could chill out too. Maybe now you have learnt your lesson. Your action at Shannon in disarming a plane which had already been disarmed was plain silly or simply a publicity seeking excercise for your group. It was criticised by others in the movement because it was seen as damaging to the cause. It achieved nothing. No matter what anyone sayes it diminished the power and symbolism of Mary Kellys action. Maybe it was plain selfish on your part. It certainly alienated alot of public opinion against the anti-war movement in general. It also led to the closure of the peace camp at Shannon, probably the worst thing to happen in the campaign. The peace camp was a focus for everyone. A centre of debate, an international symbol. It never reached it's full potential.
The new Irish peace movement is very split.
These fractured groups have all grappled for the moral high ground/ the leadership of the anti-war campaign. It's great though that we now have the basis for something strong, something united. We now need to come together and fight on common ground with no religion, no politics. That doesnt mean publicly slagging off the politicians who are on the same side, Ciaron. We need them.
The slagging from me is now over. The Holy Mugger will now go back to confession. Peace to you Ciaron.
What damages the peace movement more than anything are groundless personal attacks like that from the annonymous 'Holy Mugger'. Encouraging though that he/she/it lost the stomach for it so quickly.
"It was criticised by others in the movement because it was seen as damaging to the cause."
Yes, the great cause, marching around Dublin in circles singing rediculous chants, selling papers (very important cause), building the party(equally important) and not to mention negotiating with the cops where we can go, yay!
Be real the only reason the CW, GNAW and others are so criticised by the "anti-war movement" is because we have the balls to actually do shit. And when we do, oh, gosh Richard cant get his mug on the TV!
Jesus this is the GREATEST LOAD OF SAD BOLLOXOLOGY ever to pose as a post !
where to start......
Slagging Over
by The Holy Mugger Mon, Apr 21 2003, 9:33pm
Ciaron,
You could chill out too. Maybe now you have learnt your lesson. Your action at Shannon in disarming a plane which had already been disarmed was plain silly or simply a publicity seeking excercise for your group.
me:Any one who risks long prision sentences destroying a US Navy plane deserves our support not our condemnation - and the publicity had an excellent result it caused the with drawl of 2 charter companies - direct action gets the goods
HC: It was criticised by others in the movement
me: "the movement"
no because - in so far a there was a mass movement -it had no voice -
it was welcomed by an amazing section of "ordinary" people I talked to. I was actuatlly shocked - people at work were shaking my hands (even though I had nothing to do with it!!!)
EVEN people who SUPPORTED THE WARS in Bosnia and Aphgahanistan - were saying well done
IT was ATTACKED by self-appointed, full time spokespersons of the Anti War Movement - the Greens, PANA and the likes - the ones who always fight through the media and usually against their own side....
- in absolute fairness the IAWM DID STAND by Catholic Worker at the time or at least refused to condemn them
HR: because it was seen as damaging to the cause. It achieved nothing.
me: see above
HR: No matter what anyone sayes it diminished the power and symbolism of Mary Kellys action.
me: It very obviously reinforced it as far as the companies that pulled out were concerned !
In fact the timing was superb..
HR: Maybe it was plain selfish on your part. It certainly alienated alot of public opinion against the anti-war movement in general.
me: Did it?
I've never seen ANY PROOF of this. what is obvious is that JUST MARCHING with the same old speeches quickly enough led to a mass bleeding away of support (OK the end of the war helped lets be honest !! - but the numbers were dropping well before this)
HR: It also led to the closure of the peace camp at Shannon,
me: well from what I heard they were under all sorts of pressures and it wasn't just one particular action that led to this. Some in the Peace Camp eg Caoimhe Butterly certainly supported it despite the media pressure and pressure from erst while "comrades" like your self
HR: probably the worst thing to happen in the campaign.
me: No it was undubtledly a high light and one that had a real and clear material effect
HR:The peace camp was a focus for everyone. A centre of debate, an international symbol. It never reached it's full potential.
me: well the people there had enough and moved on to something else - I'm sure THEY never wanted to be unappointed spokes persons and felt uncomfortable in this poisition
HR:The new Irish peace movement is very split.
me:
there is no peace movement!!
and attempts to build one through pre existing "vanguardist" groups have failed - movements "arise" and "grow" from real conditions and events they aren't stage armies that can be called into existence at the whims of mis leaders
HR:These fractured groups have all grappled for the moral high ground/
me:some actually obtained and are an example to all of us in my view - Catholic Worker in particular
HR:the leadership of the anti-war campaign.
me: There was no grappling for leadership - the full time leaders are the EXACT same as they were at the start of the war - Roger Cole, RBB etc etc
HR:It's great though that we now have the basis for something strong, something united. We now need to come together and fight on common ground with no religion, no politics. That doesnt mean publicly slagging off the politicians who are on the same side, Ciaron. We need them.
me:
mean time on planet student the meaningless cliches flowed like wine at the wedding feast..........................
we need em (politicians) like a hole in our collective noggins!
i don't suppose it ever struck you that the war is over - so such minute temporary unity as once existed will vanish .............
- personally after March 1st - there are certain people I will never "be united" even on the most temporary basis with again
- when basic left solidarity dissappears down the toilet its time to build some thing OUTSIDE of the SAME OLD FACES (but this is another argument with another "tendency")
HR: The slagging from me is now over. The Holy Mugger will now go back to confession. Peace to you Ciaron.
me:may be you could at least develope a semi coherent political analysis while you're in the confessional
Conor
......only to say that the peace movement will collapse, because resisting the war was only 3rd. 4th. or 5th. on the priority list of those who seized leadership in the movement......recruitment, self promotion, labour party pre-selection for some etc etc...it was a slash and burn approach to the "movement"....the movement remained stunted in Ireland, rich opportuniites missed to move from co-dependent protest to reistance............the war isn't over for the kids napalmed, the military resisters in brig and fokls like ourselves who are going to trial, come with us........Irish complicity in the U.S. war machine is as deep as ever...a little more exposed since our and other folks resistance actions
Thanx
Ciaron
Terence Shaughnessy you forgot to mention that you are one of The Catholic Workers (according to their website). By the way, I didnt lose the stomach for anything. You have interpreted an attack on a group as a personal attack. I dont regret anything I have said. I'm just finished saying it now.
...Oops! thanks for reminding me mugger. Sweet dreams.
Any one who is interested there's a meeting in the Teachers Club Tuesday 29th april with speakers from the ISN (who had the misfortune to be also in the IAWM committee), GNAW (who had the good fortune to be "not allowed" in the IAWM committee) and Catholic Worker
Of interest to anyone wanting to oppose war and learn from what worked and what didn't
- less so for party/front builders
exact details should be posted in the next day or so
Conor
Westchester County, NY Miami Air International 123 10:29 AM Landed in SHannon today on October 6th 2008. Same story 5 years later.
Just as well, then, that the government has asked citizens and gardaí to be on the look out for suspicious goings on at small airports in case illegal transporting of drugs (as opposed to people, which is OK) is going on. The hypocrisy is breathtaking. Writers - to your pens!