The right of Travellers to basic facilities such as water and electricity can still not be taken for granted apparently. To find out more I called over to the Traveller's Site in Ballyfermot for the first time recently. I was a bit nervous walking in but was immediately made to feel very welcome by the residents. I met sisters Breda and Tina who told me their stories...

On Sunday 6th July, the Salthill airshow came to town, bedecked in all its military grandeur. Billed as an airshow, it is in fact a military show, glamourising the machines of war and desensitising people to their awful capabilities. Anti-war protestors were among the visitors to this 'family event', staging a 'die-in' on the beach.

Tuairisc as Gaeilge (Irish language report)

On Thursday, the 3rd of July, Mary Kelly walked out of Kilrush Circuit Court a free woman, to the sound of the loud cheers of a crowd of delighted anti-war activists and supporters. She had been charged on two counts – trespass (by going over the perimeter fence at Shannon) and criminal damage to a U.S. Naval aircraft that had landed at Shannon for refueling. The jury found her guilty on the much less serious charge of trespass, with the judge adjourning sentencing until October. They could not, however, reach the required ten-two majority verdict on the criminal damage charge, finally stating that they had reached deadlock and that there was no prospect of reaching agreement. Despite strenuous efforts by the prosecuting counsel throughout the four-day trial to discredit the defence, a significant portion of a jury made up of ordinary members of the Irish public could not find it in their hearts to criminalise Mary Kelly.

A report in the Sunday Business Post on April 29th stated that the Starbucks chain of coffee shops intended on opening up several outlets in Ireland. I took a dictaphone out to some independent cafes in Dublin and asked people what they thought about the potential arrival of this cocoa behemoth.

Continue to full report here
Off site Links
Starbucks
I hate Starbucks
Organic Consumers campaign against Starbucks
Global Exchange Starbucks Campaign
Starbucks and Union Busting
Onion Article on Starbucks

Shannon Airport is the destination again on Saturday 21st of June for a National Demonstration called by the Cork Anti-War Campaign against the continued US Military use of the Airport. Buses are travelling from Cork and Dublin.

The demonstration will be complimented by a party/gathering called by SOS at what was previously the site of the Shannon Peace Camp and by a Catholic Worker Peace Walk. SOS have issued an open invitation for people interested in contributing to the party and in a statement and interview have outlined their novel approach.

Court cases centring on events at previous Shannon demonstrations and direct actions continue, as do efforts to raise funds for those facing charges and fines. These include a pub quiz in Dublin on Thursday 19th June, and a concert in Dublin on Tuesday 17th.

An abundance of material continues to be published on Indymedia on the subject of the ongoing war in Iraq and protests and actions in opposition to it including these audio interviews with Caoimhe Butterly, who has recently travelled there.

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