Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE ANTI-TRUMP demonstration on the outskirts of Shannon had been well flagged – anti-war group Shannonwatch had been publicising what it described as a family-friendly protest to coincide with Donald Trump’s first visit to Ireland as US President. A range of other groups, including environmentalists and pro-Palestine organisations, would also take part.
The presence of the pro-Trump demonstrators came as something of a surprise, however.
There were just a handful of them as TheJournal.ie arrived at the protest site, on the edge of the Shannon Free Zone, shortly after Air Force One landed this afternoon.
By 7pm, there were around 30 pro-Trumpers gathered on the side of the road opposite the Shannonwatch demonstration and peace camp – their ‘God Bless Trump’ signs and Israeli flags at odds with the ‘Not Welcome’ placards and Palestinian colours across the divide.
“I came here to welcome President Trump because he’s being lambasted everywhere, and he’s a great man for Christians – a great man for Christian values,” Tipperary woman Katherine Purcell said as she stood draped in an Israeli flag.
Asked what she made of accusations of sexism and racism against the President she said she didn’t care about his past, he had proven he was for Christian values by “walking the walk”, she said, going on to pay tribute to his pro-life stance.
Helen O’Brien, from Co Limerick, said she disagreed with a narrative set down by the media painting Trump as anti-woman, pointing out that he had hired women and promoted women during his time as a businessman and developer.
She also hit out at President Michael D Higgins for his intervention ahead of Trump’s arrival: in a speech yesterday Higgins described the US decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord as “regressive and pernicious”.
The Irish President’s words were hypocritical, she insisted – arguing that if he really wanted to make a point about climate change he should stop using air transport himself.
“I can’t understand why the president of our country is not here today when he actually sent his condolences to a very dangerous man who died recently [Fidel Castro] … So where’s the hypocrisy here? It’s not with Donald Trump. He should be here today… He talks about inclusion, he’s the hypocrite.”
The pro-Trump demonstrators said they weren’t from any specific organisation – but had arranged the protest at short notice on Facebook in recent days. Many knew each other from various pro-life groups, one woman explained.
They were mostly from Limerick, Tipperary and Clare, they said – although one woman had taken a bus from Waterford specifically to show her support for the President.
The peace camp
It was a different story altogether across the road – with representatives, according to organisers, from a long (long) list of groups including: Extinction Rebellion Clare, Futureproof Clare, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), Gaza Action Ireland, the Peace and Neutrality Alliance, the Irish Anti-War Movement, Veterans for Peace, and Galway Alliance Against War.
The anti-Trumpers far outnumbered their rival demonstrators across the road, with newly-elected MEP Clare Daly among the crowd of just over 200.
Two US women, who now live in Ireland, said they felt compelled to turn out to show that Trump doesn’t represent all Americans. Asked what message she hoped the President would pick up if he happened to catch the protest on the news one of them, Joanna, said “I really don’t think he’s of this planet so there’s really no point in trying to get a message through to him, because he doesn’t respect the message other than what he believes”.
Asked why they had decided to turn out, other protesters listed a familiar litany: his sexist views, his apparent racism, US-led wars, his attitude towards migrants. The messages on the anti-Trump signs, as you might imagine, ran the gamut from the humorous to the unrepeatable. At one side of the protest site, someone had set up a makeshift swing with a sign making reference to the much publicised travails of a certain Fine Gael TD.
Despite the presence of the rival groups the atmosphere, for the most part, was reasonably good-natured: A woman in a pro-life ‘Love Both’ high-vis did a little jig at one point, as a young musician played her fiddle on the stage across at the larger demonstration. Another woman in the pro-Trump contingent said she respected everyone’s right to assemble peacefully.
On the far side of the road, stewards occasionally asked some of the more enthusiastic demonstrators to refrain from engaging with the pro-Trumpers, after a handful shouted at them across the divide.
At one point a middle-aged man in a Cure t-shirt walked towards the ‘pro’ demonstrators with two middle fingers raised. A garda told him to “stop that now”.
“I’m sorry, I’m American,” he offered.
Later, boos rang out from the anti-Trump side as a convoy of around a dozen official-looking vehicles sped by under Garda escort. There were cheers from across the road.
The President, however, had already departed by air. He boarded Marine One shortly after his meeting with the Taoiseach to head directly to his Doonbeg resort on the Co Clare coast.
A peace camp will be maintained by the anti-war protesters for the duration of this presidential visit. Tents had already been pitched and a campfire set up by this afternoon.
The evening’s anti-Trump protest culminated with the handing over to gardaí of two Shannonwatch petitions – one for Trump, the other for Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
The bigger issue is that the teachers are not being adequately trained to work with these populations, while the sna’s have virtually no traing at all. This along with the complete refusal of the state to utilise behaviour analyst in these units means that many of the kids going into these classes will be worse off than they are now
Wondering where these places are opening up , it doesn’t say
Are too many children being put in this ‘special needs’ category ?
No, to put it simply.
No would not think so but understand what you mean about labelling people with names that weren’t around when I was growing up
@Laurie, labels that will travel with them forever when all they may have is a temporary hitch in their development.
@morticia
It’s not a label it’s part of them whether its a big part or not and only by “labelling” it will you help it
Yes thats for sure
That’s a very sweeping statement Morticia. The methods and incidences of diagnoses have come a long way in the last 20 years. That’s why we are seeing more children being diagnosed with ASDs, GDD, ADD, dyslexia etc. A label and the required interventions at the right time certainly trumps a child not being able to realise the full of their potential and function well in this world as an adult. Everyone remembers at least one child in their class who was always on the margins and not included because they were ‘odd’ or didn’t learn in the way the curriculum demanded. These children never had a chance and usually left school early, with no qualifications at best. At worst, I know one exceptionally intelligent boy who has spent most of his adult life involved with psychiatric services. Wasted talents.
Anyway, labels can be peeled off.
A temporary hitch? Do you think a temporary hitch would be given such tailored treatment? It’s so hard for many parents to get a diagnosis for their which will open doors to interventions that most gladly welcome labels. It’s mostly people who don’t have a clue that make statements about having labels and that being a bad thing. These children no matter what their special need are not suited to mainstream learning and are entitled to be educated in the way they learn best. Some children transition to mainstream and many more never do. Please don’t talk about things you know little about
And how will we find out about this new ideology if we follow your advice to “Please don’t talk about things you know little about” ?
Well you could try Informing yourself before making sweeping statements . Lots of literature out there on the subject. Ill informed comments from those who feel the need to chime in regardless without any knowledge on the subject especially in relation to ones children will no doubt provoke a reaction.
OK lets start again. Are too many children being put in this ‘special needs’ category ? What is the criteria for claiming that a child has special needs
A special need is based on the diagnosis of a team of professionals usually. Psychologist speech and language therapist physio and so on depending on the child’s needs. It’s not something you claim . It’s something that you have to do for the benefit of your child so they can the resources they need to enable them to learn in the way they do best. There are a wide range of special needs out there and the diagnostic criteria is different for each. No parent in The world wants there child to have a special need or a disability . For most its a hard road to get a diagnosis and /or services for their child. It’s never something embarked upon lightly. So if your child has a difficulty in learning or development that needs addressing you just push ahead and get them everything you can in your power to help them. So no there are not too many kids in this category in fact due to red tape staff shortages and reduced funding there are very many more kids out there without their official diagnosis . Which likely means they can’t access the educational supports they need. It’s a big subject and there is lots of Info out there on the web
Good explanation Catherine.
Very well said but there are some people out there who have mild development issues and need some extra help in school say but you all know well how labels stay with that person for ever even if they don’t need help any more I think that is what she means about it
You even asked it yourself did we all remember someone falling through the cracks in school. So just proves that we all knew someone cause they stood out they were different in someway
Thank you ladies for your comments, I asked the thorny question because so many of our efforts to improve the lives of people in this tin-pot country are abused. I have very little faith in the ‘experts’ who meddle so much in folks lives and tend to question the methods and motivations especially when you dig down and find that the expert has done a six week course somewhere or other. Laurie has hit on the point I raised regarding mild development issues because I knew some familes who had children whose ‘problems’ vanished in a matter of months and I wonder if they had gone into the system would they have been stigmatised down the line because of this? It is astonishing to see the amount of information stored on people and how easy it is to gain access to it.
Well put
With the greatest of respect I sense you have never been down this path with a child of your own? If you have you would understand it is a very long process full of red tape and even longer waiting lists. No child is diagnosed who display only temporary issues / problematic behaviour etc. However early intervention DOES hugely help with these behaviours as well as the child’s development and potential. Every parent (whether their child has special needs or not) wants their child to reach their own potential and be an accepted and happy person, be it in school or later in life in the workplace etc. These services are vital for children with special needs. Often it is a relief when they are diagnosed as finally some help and resources are available after a long hard battle to get to that point.
“Often it is a relief when they are diagnosed as finally some help and resources are available after a long hard battle to get to that point.”
That long hard battle excludes the temporary difficulties that children often experience. I fought a short sharp one many years ago when I realised that I was dealing with [less said the better] and paid for a visit to a consultant who sorted things out in jig time
Morticia, the only person confusing ‘temporary glitches’ and longterm, permanent special needs is you. I’m sure there are many parents out there who wish their child’s challenges could be sorted out with a quick visit to a consultant. The truth is staring them in the face every day and keeping them from their sleep every night. It has them fighting like dogs for every measly scrap they can get to improve their childrens’ lives. It has raised their stress levels and alienated them from friends and family.
Do not come here and make little of the lives of others and question the diagnoses they have had to fight tooth and nail for. Not because it was ‘cool’ or they needed the attention or someone who had done a six-week course told them to. Because there was something wrong with their child and it wasn’t going away and it still hasn’t gone away. Ok?
You have high jacked this article for your own kicks and upset people by belittling the decisions they have made for their precious children. You must have little to do.
Thank you Denise for failing to see the point I am making. I have not come here to ‘make little of the lives of others and question the diagnoses they have had to fight tooth and nail for” Your attack on me is unwarrented.Calm down and look outside of your own problem
Morticia, are you for real?
You have made your point. Over and over again. We get it.
You however, don’t seem to get anyone else’s even after detailed explanations.
You continue to apply your own limited experience and cynicism to the experiences of parents with genuine problems. Go troll somewhere else.
Well said Denise
Once again, Limerick very poorly catered for. Up until now, Limerick was the only county in Ireland without a dedicated autism unit / classroom. Two schools in the whole county, both in NCW. Delighted for NCW but what about the rest of the county?
Red hill is not in NCW and its a dedicated Autism School its just beyond Raheen but nothing for secondary students though in the city.
It’s also been around for a few years
I know that Catherine but this article is about dedicated classes in mainstream schools.
See http://www.specialneedsparents.ie/the-facts/education/asd-units/#.Ui2xJ8Z02So for a list of existing and newly announced special classes.
There’s a list of all special classes on ncse.ie
There is no mention of increasing numbers of clinical supports offered to the children in these units. Whilst education can set up new units the hse is precluded from increasing the number of clinicians to support the units so most these units will have no slt or ot psychology etc
Just that Catherine x
This is good news but all I see is complaining from people that they are not getting services and moaning about labels. You lot are so lucky to have these services now for your children.
There were no support services 20 years ago. That is a fact of life. Early intervention is good and the best way to go.
I was commenting on the comment by Catherine sims which I thought was well put spent a lot of my pre retirement years working with special young people
There wasn’t no services even 14 years ago when my son was born . They did come on line but by bit. The parents of today should not be grateful for the bits of services they get. They should fight for everything their children needs and not settle for less and this is what they are doing. Our kids deserve the same chances in life as every other child. We are vocal about this and we are going away.
Was commenting on Catherine sims comment
have your say