Updates:
*Traffic travelling on the N19 towards Shannon Airport has been reduced to one lane.
*Gardaí are redirecting airport traffic through the Shannon Industrial Estate.
Management at Shannon Airport have issued an advisory to passengers scheduled to travel from the airport today (Saturday).
An anti-war protest is planned for the airport this afternoon at 1.00pm prompting airport authorities to warn travellers of possible delays and to ensure they allow additional time for their journey.
It’s not yet clear how large the planned protest will be or how it might affect the travelling public. Airport bosses say however all flights are scheduled to operate on schedule.
The event is being organised to highlight opposition to the use of Shannon Airport by the US military and is being supported by a number of well-known Irish artists, musicians and actors.
There is some concern however that protesters may block the main and only access road to the airport which would have a knock-on effect for traffic including buses taking passengers to their flights.
A protest at the airport on April 14th last resulted in the N19 being blocked by persons, believed to have to travelled to Clare from outside the county. Some local anti-war protestors later distanced themselves from those actions.
The protesters, who sat down on the roadway, were later forcibly removed from one lane initially however by then significant tailbacks in and out of the airport had grown. When traffic began moving again, protestors were met with an angry reaction from passengers and airport workers who had been held by their actions.
Gardaí and Airport Police officers transported passengers from the blockade to the airport in personnel carriers to ensure they could catch their flights.
A brief statement on X (Twitter) said: “Passengers are advised to allow extra time when travelling to the airport on Saturday 12th October due to a planned protest scheduled to take place on the N19 approach road from 13.00 hrs.
Diversions may be in place on approach to the airport. All flights are planned to operate as per the schedule. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
Following the protest on April 14th, 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 started 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.
