Intending passengers were forced to abandon busses and even their own vehicles after protesters blocked the main N19 route into Shannon Airport this afternoon.
Gardaí and Airport Police officers used their vehicles to transport passengers and airport staff arriving for work, from the protest location the almost 2 kms to the airport.
What organisers had called a “major national mobilisation” against the US military’s use of Shannon Airport was held this afternoon. Protesters mounted the action to call for an immediate end to US troops and planes passing through the Mid-West airport.
Protesters gathered along both sides of the main route into the airport carrying flags and banners and chanting before moving to where Gardaí and Airport Police officers were monitoring the event. There, the protesters sat on the road blocking both lanes of the only access route to the airport.
Vehicles arriving at and leaving the airport were brought to a standstill resulting in a backlog of traffic for around an hour. Passengers arriving at Shannon by bus were forced to grab their bags and begin walking towards the terminal. Others abandoned their vehicles in nearby carparks or on the roadside and also began to make their way to the airport on foot.
Gardaí and Airport Police officers stepped in and used their own vans and cars to ferry passengers from the protest site to the airport so they could catch their flights.
Vehicles leaving Shannon were left backed up for over a kilometre as drivers vented their frustration by using their car horns.
Shannon Airport posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Due to a protest on the N19 approach road to the airport, passengers are advised to allow extra time travelling to the airport this afternoon. Passengers may experience some delays getting to & from Shannon Airport. All flights are operating as per schedule.”
Gardaí later moved in and forcibly removed protesters from one lane of the route so that it could be reopened to traffic. Some demonstrators continued to stage a sit-in in the other lane but eventually moved off and traffic flow returned to normal.
One bus driver said: “I have no issue with people protesting but this shower are just taking the p***. They may have an argument with the government and maybe they think they have an argument with the airport but my passengers shouldn’t be put out by this carryon. Whatever public support they may have had, is gone out the window today. All they did was screw up people’s day.”
He added: “My passengers just hopped off, took their bags and start walking. It was my job to get them to their final destination but there was nothing I could do for them. I can only hope they made their flights.”
A motorist let his feelings be known by roaring some expletives at the protesters many of whom had travelled from Cork by coach.
No arrests were made.
