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Updated at 11.45am
EDWARD HORGAN, THE veteran Shannonwatch peace campaigner, was detained at Shannon Airport after he tried to inspect a US military plane.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie from the airport earlier, he said he had seen four Hercules C-130 aircraft across the tarmac as he boarded a flight to London.
“I had been about to board a flight for Heathrow to attend the AGM of the Veterans for Peace organisation.
“I felt obliged to go and search them as I believed they were carrying munitions to the Middle East.”
He said he was in “no doubt” there were weapons on board the planes, and said that it was “very unusual” to see four of the craft at the facility.
Horgan, who is a former Army commandant and UN peacekeeper, said he was intercepted by a member of the airport police as he attempted to board one of the planes at around 8.30am.
He was released after being held for around an hour.
Gardaí confirmed that a man in his 60s was detained by airport police, and that gardaí at Shannon were later informed of the incident. A file on what happened is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions, a spokesperson said.
A Shannon Airport spokesperson confirmed that a man was detained “after diverting from the Heathrow aircraft he was due to board”.
“A member of airport staff swiftly apprehended the man as he strayed from the designated approach to the aircraft steps. He was handed over to An Garda Siochána. The flight departed on schedule.”
Horgan wasn’t actually taken into garda custody this morning. He said he had been treated “with civility” by members of the airport police who intercepted him.
The Government has repeatedly insisted that foreign military planes using Shannon are not allowed to carry weapons. In a recent Dáil answer on the subject, Defence Minister Simon Coveney said that permission for aircraft to land in Ireland was governed by strict conditions.
“These include stipulations that the aircraft must be unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives and must not engage in intelligence gathering, and that the flights in question must not form part of military exercises or operations.
“Requests to permit the landing of foreign military aircraft are considered by the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade on the basis of these conditions. Permission is not granted for the conduct of foreign military operations in Irish airspace.”
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The Crane Bar Galway, more locals than tourists has to be in top 9.
The Glen Tavern, Glenties, Donegal is definitely worth checking out!
@cníchi: This is The Journal. Venturing as far north as Sligo for a feature like this is a feat on its own.
The Crane bar in Galway.
Cryan’s, Carrick on Shannon is missing.
Peadar Browns Clanbrassil Street
Piper’s Corner should have made the list.
@Dublin By Pub: I’ve been there only two or three times (more a Briody’s fan) but had no idea they hosted trad sessions.
Mad how Matt Molloys in Westport didn’t get a mention considering there’s a trad session every night of the year and him and the other members The Chietains play together there regularly
@John Lally: very fair point. I was there about 6 years ago and it was one hell of a night.
@John Lally: great craic, but headline includes ‘without the tourists’ and Molloys gets lots of tourists.
Good to see Shoot The Crows, Sligo, there. Rustic Inn, Abbeyshrule, Longford very good too.
Wednesday nights Larkin’s pub in Corbally, Limerick
Thursday nights, HiB in Mallow, Co. Cork
two really nice authentic weekly sessions.
This is a local pub for local people!
An Spailpin in Cork is a great spot.. Like stepping out of the city into the countryside.
@Rob Cahill: nice pint of Beamish in there too
Nothing in Belfast?
@Brendan M:
They don’t seem to regard Belfast as being in Ireland on this site.
McNeill’s on Capel Street in Dublin
Jim O the mills is a great place to go
Imagine no pub in Co Clare included in s list of traditional music venues….I’d say there was a lot of research done for that report. Fake news ????
@Pat Duggan: corofin is in clare !!
The CIE Hall/Inchicore Sports and Social Club has a very serious session on the last Friday night of every month too. Absolutely no tourists anywhere near the place, and no leprauchans or tat at all! https://www.facebook.com/InchicoreSportsAndSocialClub/
The Cobblestone, Smithfield.
James griffens bar (Lenehans) in trim co.meath should be on the list too
Whats the best pub in Killarney? Bringing the American cousins down on Monday for a couple of day’s.
@Jim Jiminy: You will be spoilt for choice in Killarney, get there early and walk around town, most places will have signs up if they have music that night. A great pub is Reidy’s lovely atmosphere there. Also Tatler Jack, O’Connor’s, O’Donoghue’s, Dunloe Lodge, ah the list goes on and on so my advice is to call to a few & get chatting to the locals & you can’t go far wrong in finding plenty ceol & craic for your American cousins. Enjoy it all of you.
@Mary Cullinane: Thank’s Mary
@Jim Jiminy: Reidy’s on Main St. This spot alone is worth a visit to Killarney, and there’s proper music every night.
Tuohys in Rathdowney Co Laois. Once owned by 2 sisters, bought some years ago by a Dublin musician, who didn’t change a thing. It only holds about 30 people but the Sat and Mon night open mic sessions are legendary!
Mccarthys bar in Buttevant every Friday night. Craicing music. Lovely old world bar.
Hughes’ has a very nice ‘general’ folk, singer-songwriter, americana etc session in the Snug on Wednesday nights….
and no mention of wexford…
Traynors in Oldcastle any Sat night
Drogheda has #MusicAtTheGate each month and sessions every week. The best one is in the Grey Goose every Monday from 9.
have your say