A member of Ógra Shinn Féin from west Tyrone had been jailed for 3 days in the past week.

Danny Turnbull from Omagh was held in Maghaberry jail in Co. Antrim from Monday 20th until Thursday 23rd. He was jailed after he refused to pay a fine relating to the greening of a number of post-boxes in the Tyrone area.

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The myth of the five roads to Tara comes alive and is found to be the truth and a treasure is returned to the Celtic World. The centre of Tara is found in the triangle where these five roads meet. The attached image shows the five ancient roads to Tara in red. The line of red dots on the photograph shows where there used to be a road to the east coast. This road to the east coast is clearly shown on the 1830's map inset in the circle - the map has been turned to align with the photo - see http://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/809109 ... read full story / add a comment

The Revenue Office off O'Connell Street is a glaring example of how the State treats its workers.
We toil long and hard for undervalued wages and all we ask in return is that we be paid on time and in full for the services rendered.
Often,tax is unnecessarily deducted form ones pay packet,for varying reasons,including emergency tax,incorrect bracketing etc.
One would imagine that such mistakes would be easy to report and a quick resolution to the matter be had.
That isnt,for many people the case.
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A large group of Shell to Sea activists gathered at the Four Courts at 10AM this morning to show support for the Rossport 5, whose case was set for a hearing.

Mr Justice Joseph Finnegan, President of the High Court, was set to deliver his final judgement on the matter of the men refusing to "purge their contempt", when they did not agree to abide by an injunction brought by Shell Exploitation Ireland Ltd, which would have prevented protests against the company's scheme to install a dangerous experimental pipeline through the small village of Rossport in North Mayo.

Since the injunction was dropped by Shell on September 30th last year, the men applied to be released from prison where they had been held for 94 days in high security conditions. They were granted temporary release, but Mr Justice Finnegan has said that he will give a final judgement on whether the men should have some sanction applied to them for refusing to obey a high court injunction.

Lawyers for the five have already argued that it would be inhumane to impose a punitive sanction as the men have already served such a long time in prison.

The matter was again adjourned, this time set for April Seventh, the last day of the legal term.

A large contingent of corporate media were present this morning at the court. Supporters of Sinn Féin, the Green Party and the Socialist Workers Party were also in attendance.

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Members of Rossport Solidarity Camp and Shell to Sea campaigners picketed the Fianna Fail selection conference in Castlebar today at which Minister for Marine and Natural Resources Noel Dempsey was in attendance. ... read full story / add a comment

At least 500,000 people marched in downtown LA to protest the Sensenbrenner (senate) bill that would recreate the bracero class of indentured semi-illegal immigrants in the USA. ... read full story / add a comment

The March For Free Expression took place on Saturday 25 March in Trafalgar Square, London. This is the Statement of Principle of the organidsation:

"The strength and survival of free society and the advance of human knowledge depend on the free exchange of ideas. All ideas are capable of giving offence, and some of the most powerful ideas in human history, such as those of Galileo and Darwin, have given profound religious offence in their time. The free exchange of ideas depends on freedom of expression and this includes the right to criticise and mock. We assert and uphold the right of freedom of expression and call on our elected representatives to do the same. We abhor the fact that people throughout the world live under mortal threat simply for expressing ideas and we call on our elected representatives to protect them from attack and not to give comfort to the forces of intolerance that besiege them. "

The rally was a success with 600 people attending. These included Muslims, Christians and atheists, Britons, Americans, Danes, Iraqis and Iranians, socialists, liberals conservatives and libertarians. The one thing which united them was support for the principle of Free Speech. The extremists kept away: No BNP and just a few Islamofascists.

As the group put it: "It was a victory for tolerance, reason and freedom. If you want to know how badly this hurts the extremists, read some of the comments on this blog. This was just the beginning, but it was a very good beginning. "

Theres another extract from the report below and the full story is at the link.
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Anarchists and Indymedia activists have made calls for solidarity with the anti-Lukashenko protesters in Minsk. Demonstrators were cleared form October Square on Friday March 24th but are back on the streets today ... read full story / add a comment

Pictures from today's anti racism protest organised by Residents Against Racism ... read full story / add a comment

Last week in the European Parliament we voted strongly to eliminate Mercury from our food, air, water and soil in as far as we can. Of course deciding to do it and doing it are different things but it is a start and I am hopeful that even if the elimination is not complete, people will at least benefit from a reduction. In California, thermerisol which contains mercury has been removed from pediatric vaccines. As the children who got thermerisol free vaccines are reaching preschool age, the state is reporting the first slowing down of the rate of increase in the numbers of children becoming autistic.
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A small group of dedicated volunteers descended on Drimnagh Castle early on Friday morning in order to ready the building for that evenings benefit banquet. ... read full story / add a comment

Anyone listening to Morning Ireland on RTE Radio One would have been astonished to hear about an American franchise company setting up to provide home help care in Ireland for €21 per hour. ... read full story / add a comment

Channel 4 to broadcast what it claims is new info on so-called 'rendition' flights through British airports. Don't know whether they've any info on Irish airports, but might be worth a look. ... read full story / add a comment

Today’s demonstration against the Canadian seal hunt went great, better than expected! We had a wonderful turn out, people just kept coming and going from 12noon til 2pm today Thursday March 23rd 2006! Volunteers from ARAN came from Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Meath and joined with our friends in Dublin! Many other caring people could not make it due to work commitments but called, written and emailed the Canadian embassy on the day, we also had a wonderful member of the Canadian public at this demo too and she now speaks out against this hunt and much more on animal cruelty. ... read full story / add a comment

Last Saturday the third anniversary of the US-led imperialist invasion of Iraq was marked in Dublin by a demonstration and march of up to 1000 people through the city centre. This turnout was a major disappointment and highlighted the inertia which has affected the antiwar movement since the highpoint of February 2003 when over 100,000 people took to the streets of the nation’s capital. Here you can read the report and find out how to download the flyer from Workers Power. ... read full story / add a comment

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams was today joined by former Long Kesh O/Cs Brendan McFarlane and Seando Moore for the launch of a commemorative candle to remember the 25th Anniversary of the 1981 Hunger Strike.

Speaking at the launch at the Roddy McCorley Club in Belfast, Bik McFarlane urged people to place the candle in their window this Sunday, March 26th, Mothers Day. ... read full story / add a comment

Sinn Fein Education Spokesperson Michael Ferguson commenting following the BELB meeting with Direct Rule Minister Angela Smith said,

" The British Government Direct Rule Minister Angela Smith is now trying to tell us that we are not being accurately informed by our own Education Boards and that we should make the cuts and wait on some small funding streams that may become available later".

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On Wednesdays 22nd Ógra Shinn Féin called a day of action on its latest national Campaign for Suicide prevention. Like many others areas across the country Dundalk Ógra Shinn Féin went out on the street on the day, to highlight the issue and hand out leaflets.
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Images and Video from earlier today. ... read full story / add a comment

Check out the series of programmes on more4 and gain insight into 'modern' Russia. ... read full story / add a comment