Irish Network of Legal Observers
This network is an initiative led by ICCL/Irish Council for Civil Liberties and the University of Galway; it is a group of people who have been trained to carry out legal observing of protests in Ireland. The Irish Network of Legal Observers is overseen by a Steering Committee comprised of international experts and academics working in the area of protest, public order policing, civic space and human rights. Legal observers are trained to monitor the policing of protest to ensure that Gardaí are operating within the law. Legal observers work to strengthen existing accountability mechanisms by having a visible presence at protests and monitoring, documenting, and filming actions of Gardaí and private security.
Legal observers are recognised human rights defenders according to the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and the UN Human Rights Committee. There is an international obligation to permit legal observers to fulfil their role unhindered. Legal observers are independent and do not take part in the protest or in the organisation of the protest. Legal observers focus on the protest rights of those involved, rather than the issue that is being protested.
ICCL conducts legal observer trainings on a quarterly basis. Anyone who attends one of the trainings (three to four hours long held in different parts of the country), and upholds the terms of participation can be a legal observer; the next training is on 2nd October in Dublin. If interested in attending training contact Emily Williams of ICCL emily.williams@iccl.ie – she is also an organiser of the Network along with Dr Illan Wall, Irish Centre for Human Rights and School of Law, University of Galway, illan.wall@universityofgalway.ie if you want to request legal observers for a protest. For more info see https://www.iccl.ie/iccl-irish-network-of-legal-observers/
Corrymeela 60 autumn events
There are a variety of events in different places commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of Corrymeela in 1965, making it the only peace and reconciliation group to pre-date the Troubles in Northern Ireland – and still going strong. Thursday 30th October: Luncheon at the Centre followed by An Anniversary Celebration in the Croí with Readings & Songs reflecting 60 years of Corrymeela. 1-2 Nov 2025: Shelter in the Storms Dublin programme in a collaborative learning experience for Corrymeela’s 60th, Glencree’s 50th, and Dublin’s North inner city community. Saturday 22nd November: Sounds Connected Fundraiser Concert featuring the premiere of ‘A Season to Sing’, a choral reimagining of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons in Belfast Cathedral https://www.corrymeela.org/news/263/spectacular-choral-concert-a-season. Meanwhile Corrymeela has a summer fundraising appeal marking the 60th anniversary https://www.corrymeela.org/donate/donate-to-our-summer-2025-appeal You can also sign up on the website to receive Corrymeela’s monthly Community News with reports and news of upcoming events – and/or visit the website to find out more.
Adi Roche at Hiroshima commemoration
Commemorations of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings were held in Dublin, Galway and Tralee, see https://www.flickr.com/photos/innateireland/54704583635/in/dateposted/ and another six photos beside that. The keynote speaker at the Dublin event was Adi Roche, Voluntary CEO of Chernobyl Children International https://www.chernobyl-international.com/ Included in a wide ranging talk she said “Current tensions around the globe show us that nuclear escalation is not a relic of the Cold War, but an increasing clear and present danger. Recent attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities is a very real example of such danger. We are regressing into a world in which the ‘rule of law’ is replaced by the ‘rule of power,’ with a destabilising new nuclear arms race. There can be no compromise on the issue of nuclear weapons…we either put an end to nuclear weapons, or they will put an end to us……Let us say loudly today on this 80th anniversary: ‘No to War! No to Nuclear Weapons! And Yes to Peace! Yes to Disarmament. Today we are taking a side. For we declare today we are taking the side of peace. No more Hiroshima’s! No more Nagasaki’s!” https://irishcnd.blogspot.com/
Amnesty International NI on criminalisation of peacful protest
In mid-August, Amnesty International (AI) NI director Patrick Corrigan said “The PSNI must uphold people’s right to protest against the genocide being perpetrated in Gaza.The police must be clear that they have obligations under the Human Rights Act and international law to facilitate the right to peaceful protest. Carrying out arrests for peaceful expression on this issue would be a violation of international human rights law. Instead of criminalising peaceful demonstrators, the UK Government should be focusing on taking immediate action to put a stop to Israel’s genocide.” This followed the arrest of a woman in Belfast for supposedly supporting UK terror law banned Palestine Action. https://www.amnesty.org.uk/issues/Northern-Ireland AI subsequently launched a global ‘urgent action’ to protect the right to protest of over 700 people arrested for peacefully protesting in the UK in support of Palestine Action.
Manifesto for Peace and Recognition for Palestine
The European Peace Project (EPP), a loose network of groups and individuals, is organising a Manifesto for Peace and Recognition for Palestine to be read or declared across Europe at 5.00 p.m. on the 3rd of October. Again, Lex Innocentium will arrange a public event to read this manifesto (as it did with the Declaration of a Manifesto for Peace in Europe on 8th May). See https://europeanpeaceproject.eu and you can contact Lex Innocentium 21st Century at lexinnocentium21@gmail.com
Ireland must join the Hague group – Afri and Comhlámh
Afri and Comhlámh are asking all civil society organisations to sign up to an urgent open letter to TDs and Senators calling on Ireland to join the Hague Group to end complicity in the genocide of the Palestinian People. A coalition of nations, the Hague Group led by South Africa and Colombia, has pledged to take concrete steps to end complicity in genocide and uphold international law, with specific concrete steps to end arms transfers, stop military transit, enforce shipping control, cut state support for occupation, pursue justice and enable domestic prosecutions. Thirteen countries have already signed up. Your organisation can sign the letter before 10th September with 20th September a deadine for Ireland to join. Go to https://www.afri.ie/ and then to ‘News and events’ on the home page, or go to https://comhlamh.org/ and scroll down to ‘News’.
Foreign military bases are spreading – as is resistance to them
World Beyond War (WBW) has issued a new report on foreign military bases https://worldbeyondwar.org/basesreport2025/ “While U.S. bases are in 95 foreign countries all over the globe and virtually encircling the borders of Russia and China, the nation with the second-most foreign bases, Türkiye, has them all near Türkiye, with the exception of one base in Somalia, and the majority of them in Syria and Iraq where Türkiye has been waging wars. During U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States added, and later closed, hundreds of bases. Türkiye and the U.S. are allied members of NATO and weapons traders, and the United States maintains a military presence at nine bases within Türkiye, at one of which it keeps nuclear weapons. The only other nation on Earth with even a tenth as many foreign military bases as the United States is the United States’ very closest military ally, the United Kingdom, some of whose bases are joint U.S.-UK operations. The combined foreign military bases of the top three nations on the list, NATO members all, total 1,127. The fourth nation on the list, NATO’s raison d’être, Russia, has 29 foreign military bases. These are all found in 10 countries, all of which are near Russia, apart from one base in Sudan.”
As WBW states “Bases are often on stolen land and often perpetuate systems of segregation and colonialism. They do incredible environmental damage, tend to increase sexual violence and drunkenness, cost a financial fortune, prop up brutal governments, and facilitate drone attacks and wars.“ The full report is available at the above link, with other news on their website including their #NoWar2025 conference, 24th-26th October on Zoom, exploring abolition movements.
Tools for Solidarity: In the van-guard
Global solidarity organisation Tools for Solidarity is crowd-funding to acquire a new electric van as they use a van for ‘everything’ and their old one’s durability has van-ished. Tools for Solidarity is a not for profit voluntary charitable organisation based in Belfast and relies on donations of tools, sewing machines and volunteers to sustain the work of supporting artisans in sub Sahara Africa to increase their income generation and improve the quality of their lives and that of their communities. They are also involved in other work locally. See https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/tools-for-solidarity-3
FOE UK: Planet Protectors pack for children
Friends of the Earth UK has a Planet Protectors Pack for children with activities, games and stickers, and plastic free. It is available for a donation at https://friendsoftheearth.uk/donate/have-fun-together-get-your-planet-protectors-pack-today?dm_i=78W4,2O2ZK,1RRHI4,7BK2U,1 and any profits go to FOE work. If ordering from outside the UK postal area please be aware of high UK international postage charges, or enquire about postage.
PCI: Materials on the conflict in Sudan and role of women
The conflict and war in Sudan with its huge and devastating effects trundles on, mainly unreported in the media, mainstream or social. Materials from Pax Christi International programme about the situation, “Sudan Speaks: Voices from a Forgotten Crisis and Hopes for Peace” can be found on the Pax Christi International website with video and downloadable slides; the final webinar of the series of three is on 22nd September. Go to https://paxchristi.net/webinars-sudan-speaks The Pax Christi annual report for 2024 is also available on their website at https://paxchristi.net/2024-annual-report-standing-together-for-nonviolence-and-just-peace/ while you can also read about the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative by clicking that title on the menu bar of the home page.
FOE NI: A5, Lough Neagh
Friends of the Earth in Northern Ireland welcomed the court judgement on the A5 upgrade and argue that “Nearly £2 billion is far too much money to waste on one new road project. That money should be used in a more clever and strategic way. Around £1 billion can fund better transport. Firstly to upgrade the existing A5 and secondly to open up new rail and bus services to connections to the west of Northern Ireland.” The dire state of Lough Neagh and political ineffectiveness in dealing with the issue is the subject of a petition to the First Minister and Deputy First Minister demanding community ownership and real protection and restoration https://action.friendsoftheearth.uk/petition/help-save-uks-largest-lake-lough-neagh?dm_i=78W4,2O4TS,1RRHI4,7BQX5,1 And see https://friendsoftheearth.uk/northern-ireland
Neutrality and Triple Lock session at Desmond Greaves
The Desmond Greaves weekend summer school in central Dublin, 5th – 7th September, sees the session on Saturday afternoon, 6th September at 2.30pm, on the future of Irish neutrality with representatives of political parties opposing the abolition of the Triple Lock, and the chair for the session will be Stephen Kelly, chair of PANA/Peace And Neutrality Alliance. Individual sessions are €10, concessions half price. See https://www.greavesschool.ie/ for details.
CRIS fun and fundraiser
CRIS/Community Relations in Schools has a fundraiser at the Balmoral Hotel, Belfast on Friday 17th October with a fancy dress quiz and disco and night of trivia, dancing, themed decor, treats and prizes; proceeds will support CRIS’ ongoing peacebuilding work. See https://www.tickettailor.com/events/communityrelationsinschools/1826574 and the CRIS website is at https://www.crisni.org/