Today a group of our friends gathered at the Peace Roundabout at Shannon, as they do most Sundays. Here's how they described the gathering.

"We gathered together today, on Brigid’s Day, to mark Imbolc, the ancient Celtic celebration of the turning from winter toward spring. Surrounded by such wonderful people, shared purpose, and gentle, hopeful energy, we came together to honour Ireland’s tradition of peace and neutrality, to call for an end to U.S. military use of Shannon, and to stand in solidarity with Palestine. We hung Brigid’s crosses in the Garden of Peace and had beautiful singing from Éisteacht. We also held a minute of silence."

Éisteacht are a group of Clare based activists who have come together to sing & amplify the voices of the marginalised through song. We always value their presence at our Shannonwatch events at the airport.

Meanwhile there were at least three US military planes at the airport over the course of today. 

US Navy Hercules C130J registration 16-5349 landed at about 23.25 on Saturday, 31st Jan, coming from Camp Springs Washington DC and Newport NAS VA. It took off about 13.52 on its way to Stuttgart in Germany.

National Air N828CA on contract to the US military landed at about 05.06 coming from Kuwait and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. It took off at about 07.39 with the call-sign CMB302 and flew on to Indianapolis International Airport in the US.

Another US troop carrier that is a regular visitor to Shannon, Omni Air N846AX, landed at 16.19 from Kuwait with call-sign CMB576.

With the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the threat of war looming in Iran due to the US military build-up, it is as important as ever to maintain the opposition to the use of Shannon Airport by the US military.