Trident Ploughshare and Catholic Worker groups are accepted as organising high publicity protests usually with arrests and ensuing trials world wide. Their actions in Ireland were the first time the group chose to hit a target in a predominantly (post) Roman Catholic culture. The Irish enjoyed to a varying degree the trial process which included Buddhist monks and endless quotation from Isaiah and good words from the fringe of Roman Catholic theology whilst in parallel grass root resistance to the use of Irish airports to service the USAF in its acitivities in both Iraq and Afghanistan as well as in the now proven network of CIA rendition collapsed. All credit is due to the Catholic Workers of Ireland, all except for one (Deirdre Clancy) who chose in the aftermath of the trial and their acquital to quit the island. It was without doubt or any sneering a wonderful action, which in time would be misreported as including a blood ritual. But important questions remain : if the organised resistance to Irish involvement and support of the illegal war and occupation of Iraq had continued (as before) to be figure-headed by secular anarchists or former military officers - would the issue, which remains to this day, have garnered more widespread generational support?

Less dredded rosary bead holding piety and more pro-abortion information types defying Garda no-go orders might have ensured not only that Irish society became aware (through constant friction and arrests) of a collective rejection of the contempt its neutrality was held in & also helped develop anarchistic and left wing "anti-war" organisation and development in that country.

But that said, we must be glad that not only did they get their such valuable hammers back to yet again beat swords into ploughshares - but they continue to make headlines so many years on for being the only brave types pissed off enough to take direct action.

@ least they had God on their side & will go to Heaven nonetheless.

Where to start with a repsonse to this confused muddle of a comment....seems like a confused mix of admiration, bgotry and ignorance. Why bother...oh well as they say in Ireland "God loves a tryer and hates a chancer!"

"protests usually with arrests and ensuing trials world wide. Their actions in Ireland were the first time the group chose to hit a target in a predominantly (post) Roman Catholic culture."

Hardly a choice we resisted the war where we found ourselves, in a supposedly neutral country hosting the major refueling hub in getting U.S. troops from North America to the invasion of Iraq.

"The Irish enjoyed to a varying degree the trial process which included Buddhist monks and endless quotation from Isaiah and good words from the fringe of Roman Catholic theology whilst in parallel grass root resistance to the use of Irish airports to service the USAF in its acitivities in both Iraq and Afghanistan as well as in the now proven network of CIA rendition collapsed."

We were slandered by the government (eg. "a gardai was assaulted and hospiatlised during the action" REALITY the said Gardai got up in three trials under oath and testified that I comforted him while he had a stress attack i the hangar and "that we cost the Irish taxpayer $U.S. 2.5 million" REALITY evidence given at trial under oath by U.S. military that they picked up the tab. We were marginalised by the SWP controlled Irish Anti War Movement (IAWM) and mainstream political parties (like The Greens who have since joined the government and are now facilitaing the militarisation of Shannon Airport). Most of our financial support came from the U.S. Catholic Worker and Plowshares movement. 100 people from the U.S. and Europe travelled to Ireland to support us at our fist trial March 05. We scored more support from U.S. celebrities such as Martin Sheen, Kris Kristoffersen, Joan Baez and English Alex Cox, Mark Thomas and African Bishop Tutu than we did from Irish artists concerned about access to the U.S. market.

"All credit is due to the Catholic Workers of Ireland, all except for one (Deirdre Clancy) who chose in the aftermath of the trial and their acquital to quit the island."

The three of the five activists who had experience with NVDA came from the Irish diaspora in Glasgow, U.S.and Australia. For the first two years we were not allowed to return home to family and had to sign on daily at a specific Garda station as part of our bail conditions. Deirdre adn Damien were from Ireland, this was their first arrest. At the conclusion the the third trial, three from the diaspora returned home to family and remained active against the war...not sure what point you are making here. Damien relocated with his partner to her hometown of Warsaw where they were key in organising against the proposed U.S. Star Wars base. Deirdre remained in Ireland active with the libertarian alternative to the SWP front IAWM - Anti War Ireland. The point you make here is silly and pathetic.

"It was without doubt or any sneering a wonderful action, which in time would be misreported as including a blood ritual. But important questions remain : if the organised resistance to Irish involvement and support of the illegal war and occupation of Iraq had continued (as before) to be figure-headed by secular anarchists or former military officers - would the issue, which remains to this day, have garnered more widespread andsupport?"

As Roy Keane is often says after another Sundeland F.C. defeat "IF my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle!" didn't happen - who was holding the secular anarchists and former military officers" from resisting at Shannon?

"Less dredded rosary bead holding piety and more pro-abortion information types defying Garda no-go orders might have ensured not only that Irish society became aware (through constant friction and arrests) of a collective rejection of the contempt its neutrality was held in & also helped develop anarchistic and left wing "anti-war" organisation and development in that country. "

See RoyKeane quote in relation to the big IF above....

"But that said, we must be glad that not only did they get their such valuable hammers back to yet again beat swords into ploughshares - but they continue to make headlines so many years on for being the only brave types pissed off enough to take direct action."

I'll take that as a compliment and wish you well.... I suggest you read Harry Browne's forthcoming book (to be published by Counterpunch and distributed by AK press) "Hammered by the Irish - How the Pitstop Plougshhares disarmed a U.S. Navy War Plane with Ireiland's Blessing!" for a deeper understnding of the issues you have commented on here!

"@ least they had God on their side & will go to Heaven nonetheless.#"

heaven is already here just turn on, tune in, celebrate it and resist the warmaking state



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Total Respect due to Ciaron and all the Catholic Workers/ Ploughshares Crew!!

Propaganda of the Deed!

Bob Blanko (1st Commander Atheist Rewind Non Commital Wishful Thinking Block)

This wee story has made my day. Getting your hammers returned by the Police? Wonderful.
I and my colleagues in the Tamarians affinity group would like to congratulate the Pitstop Ploughshares on a superb piece of work. You have been truly inspirational. More power to your elbows.

Peace out

John aka freeluncher