A permanent peace camp is to be established at Shannon Airport to protest at the continuing use of the facility by the US military.
This follows what organisers of a women's peace camp at the airport over the weekend described as the "overwhelming support received from the general public for the camp".
Speaking after a night of braving sub-zero temperatures in a tent at the entrance to the airport, camp organiser Ms Kay Whyte said yesterday: "We feel very, very positive over this and a permanent peace camp at the airport perimeter will now be set up. The support and commitment is there."
Ms Whyte, a local woman, was one of a number of women to set up the 24-hour women's peace camp on Saturday afternoon.
Located on a green area 20 metres from the airport entrance, the area was festooned yesterday with placards stating "Invest in Caring, Not Killing" and "Americans Against War, We Love You" while a camp fire burned brightly keeping the women warm.
Ms Whyte said: "We have had a core group of around 20, but have had loads of people coming and going bringing food and blankets and fire wood for the fire."
Shortly after midday yesterday in the bright January sun, novelist Ms Jennifer Johnston and broadcaster Ms Leila Doolan arrived at the camp from Galway to offer their support.
Laden with refreshments for the women around the camp-fire, Ms Johnston said: "I am here to support the notion that we don't want a war and we don't want our Government helping the people who do want war. It is quite straightforward, I feel very strongly that this war should not happen."
Ms Doolan said: "I have always felt that the use of Shannon as a staging post for US troops is not warranted without a proper discussion. It seemed the natural thing to do to come down and offer one's support in a small way."
Ms Whyte said that "the idea of a women's peace camp came out of discussions amongst women in the anti-war movement and we thought it appropriate to hold it on Women's Little Christmas or "Nollaig na mBan". Passing motorists offered their support for the camp by beeping their horns and long-time peace activist Ms Margaretta D'Arcy said: "We feel that it is very, very important that women's voices should be heard, because when war happens, it is innocent women and children that are killed."
During the early hours of yesterday morning, the latest group of US troops en route to the Gulf made a stopover at Shannon and local woman Ms Deirdre Vallely said: "We don't know what is on the US planes and the authorities admit they don't know themselves which is disgraceful."
Ms Mary Kelly, from west Cork but now living in Shannon, said: "I feel very strongly about our Constitution being cast aside where we are all being forced to get involved in the bombing of Afghanistan and Iraq."
According to the latest figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs, 523 foreign military planes were given permission to land at Irish airports to the end of November 2002 - most of these are believed to be US aircraft landing at Shannon.
This compares to 447 foreign military aircraft landing at Irish airports in 1990 in the build-up to the 1991 Gulf War. The number of military aircraft using Irish airports last year is the highest in the past 12 years.
A further anti-war rally is planned for January 18th at the airport.
