91-year old Lelia Doolan walks from Shannon to Dublin for peace
At 91 years, (national institution) Lelia Doolan has seen too much of the devastation caused by wars, apartheid and genocide and will walk for peace from Shannon to Dáil Éireann. She will be joined by community groups and peace activists along the old road to Dublin as they express the frustration, shame and anger felt by the many Irish stalwarts who have for over 30 years (since 1981), regularly protested at Shannon against the use of the airport by US military planes – whose personnel and cargos the Irish government refuses to inspect. Starting on March 31st from Shannon Airport, the walk should arrive in Dublin around April 14th/15th. This is a walk for peace, for closing Shannon Airport to US military planes and personnel, for passing the Occupied Territories Bill, and for protecting Irish neutrality from war mongers.
The route is Shannon – Cratloe – Limerick – Birdhill – Nenagh – Moneygall – Roscrea – Mountrath – Portlaoise – Monasterevin – Newbridge – Naas – Rathcoole – Dáil Éireann. All are welcome to join for a step, a mile, a song…. Email walkwithlelia@proton.me for a sign-up form; Follow the walk on socials @walkwithlelia Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/walkwithlelia?igsh=eGlveXczdGFnYWVx Upscrolled – https://share.upscrolled.com/en/user/d02bcbbf-48a9-4052-90f2-e24423a03d3c/
Vigils at Shannon & Aldergrove USA war supporting airports
Regular vigils take place to protest at US military use of Shannon Airport and Belfast International Airport at Aldergrove (15 miles west of Belfast) – and resultant complicity in war, death and destruction. Currently there is very significant US military traffic through Aldergrove with the supposition that to some extent Aldergrove is replacing Shannon – because of protests there – as a primary route for the US military (see e.g. Belfast Telegraph 27/3/26) with some planes heading on directly to the Gulf. lThe oldest vigil for peace is a Shannonwatch one at Shannon Airport on the second Sunday of the month from 2 – 3pm. www.shannonwatch.org (see also round up on Shannon court cases on this website). lAt the same time (2pm on second Sunday of the month) a vigil takes place at Aldergrove; about this you can contact +44 7766 168083 or email cairdepalestine@riseup.net lMeanwhile there is now a weekly vigil at Shannon organised by Shannon Vigil Group, 9.30am – noon except on the 2nd Sunday of the month when the Shannonwatch one happens; you can join their WhatsApp group for this at https://chat.whatsapp.com/EdDacVu9s3e9Bmy3PkJSJe?mode=gi_t
l Look out for a national pro-neutrality demonstration in Dublin on 18th April organised by the Irish Neutrality League.
Corrymeela An unfinished journey towards peace exhibition, Belfast
The Corrymeela Community has an exhibition (free entry) with the above title running at the Linen Hall Library, Vertical Gallery, in Belfast from 1st April to 15th May (open 9.30am – 5.30pm Monday – Friday). Corrymeela is the oldest peace and reconciliation body in Northern Ireland – 60 years old last year – and this exhibition explores Corrymeela’s six decades of quiet, sustained peacebuilding and reconciliation work — and poses a question that feels especially urgent in the current moment: who actually builds peace, and how? An Unfinished Journey Towards Peace traces the origins and founding vision of Corrymeela in 1965; the role of everyday peacebuilders alongside the formal political process; Corrymeela’s response to key moments in Northern Ireland’s history, from the Troubles to the peace process and beyond; and the challenges of peacebuilding today — including the rise of nationalism and authoritarianism globally, and how Corrymeela’s current programmes respond. The exhibition also foregrounds the voices and stories of young people and next-generation peacebuilders.
A variety of lunchtime supporting events take place (and one in the evening) – booking necessary. See https://linenhall.com/event/corrymeela-an-unfinished-journey-towards-peace-exhibition/ for more details and also on Corrymeela’s own website at www.corrymeela.org where you can also sign up to receive their monthly newsletter.
MNI & Glencree border training in mediation and conflict
Mediation Northern Ireland (MNI) and Glencree are working together on a Peaceplus funded programme in the border region. The project aims to build and sustain a regional network of diverse grassroots peacebuilders by delivering conflict resolution, mediation, restorative practice and dialogue training to marginalised communities across Northern Ireland and the six border counties of the Republic. Staff recruitment has been taking place (applications now closed). https://mediationni.org/ and https://glencree.ie/
l Glencree is recruiting a new CEO to replace Naoimh McNamee who has been in post for 8 years. Closing date for applications is 8th April.
Report on protest policing in Republic
The Irish Network of Legal Observers has published its first annual report on the policing of protest in Ireland in 2025. The Network observed 70 protests around Ireland in 2025 [Quite some going – Ed]. While the report finds that most of the protests observed by the Network were policed in a human rights-compliant manner, it also identifies issues of concern which include excessive use of force, misuse of Section 8 of the Public Order Act and gardaí not wearing badge numbers when policing protest. “Protests observed outside Dublin were generally policed in a friendly, accommodating manner. However, observers reported more aggressive policing of protests at Shannon Airport…..In Dublin, while the majority of protests were facilitated without significant intervention, legal observers documented a higher tendency for gardaí to intervene and to use force……” The Irish Network of Legal Observers was established by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) and Dr Illan rua Wall of the Irish Centre for Human Rights, University of Galway, in late 2024. See https://www.iccl.ie/press-release/new-legal-observers-report-policing-of-protest-2025/ for the report and info about the network at https://www.iccl.ie/iccl-irish-network-of-legal-observers/
Falls Troubles exhibition
Falls Community Council has recently opened a new permanent exhibition entitled The Falls – Where The Troubles Began. It is located in St Comgall’s – Ionad Eileen Howell on Divis Street, a short distance from the city centre. This exhibition opens a unique window into one of the most pivotal chapters of Irish political history. It tells the story of the outbreak of the conflict on the streets that surrounded this old school from August 1969 to July 1970 when the area was devastated by destruction of homes and businesses, loss of life and military curfew. The exhibition also recounts the development of the peace process in the area. The exhibition can be booked through the website https://wherethetroublesbegan.com or through Visit Belfast or directly through St Comgall’s – Ionad Eileen Howell, Divis Street, Belfast BT12 4AQ.
Good Relations Awards 2026
The Community Relations Council (CRC) Good Relations Awards for Northern Ireland were announced at an event in late March. Community Relations Council Exceptional Achievement Award – Brian Dougherty; Volunteer of the Year – Jesus Castaneda; Good Relations Youth Award – Jordan Doran; Community Champion Award – Dr Marianne Doherty; Connecting Communities Award – Newry Mela 2025 (Newry Indian Arts Club); Sport for Good Award – TAMHI – Tackling Awareness of Mental Health Issues; Housing for All Award – Valerie Walker. Full details at https://www.community-relations.org.uk/news-centre/community-champions-recognised-good-relations-awards-2026
Earth Day 2026 is 18th April
Earth Day is Saturday 18th April and Friends of the Earth (FOE) is encouraging people to host a Cuppa for Climate around then, to talk about climate issues and fundraise and funds raised will go to “power work pushing for a fast and fair transition away from fossil fuels, challenging harmful data centre expansion, opposing LNG, and fighting for warm, affordable homes for all”. https://www.friendsoftheearth.ie/cuppa-for-climate/signup
Dichotomies and dualities in decision making
On Monday 13th April, at 4 pm, INCORE is hosting a talk by Peter Emerson of the de Borda Institute, online, on the theme: “Majority voting may be fair if, and only if, its dichotomy is a duality”. https://tinyurl.com/y2v95w8c “’Shall we drive on the left or the right?’ Is fine…..In contrast, “Do you support Yīn or Yáng?” would be just silly; the two are not a duality, more a unity…..Pluralism is possible. An egalitarian society needs an egalitarian voting procedure! And one was devised in 1770.” https://www.ulster.ac.uk/incore The de Borda Institute website is at http://www.deborda.org/
Antimilitarist campaigning for younger people
WRI/War Resisters’ International is organising an online training in 8 participatory sessions from 15 April to 3 June 2026 for young activists (18–35) who want to strengthen their organising skills, connect with activists around the world, and take action for antimilitarism, for conscientious objection, and against the arms trade. Details at https://wri-irg.org/en/story/2026/third-cycle-antimilitarist-campaigning-lab-call-applications
Videos: Neutrality, Troubles violence, NATO warships in Cork
l A video of Lex Innocentium’s recent conference speakers on Irish neutrality with numerous excellent contributions is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEkw7PJ20Ug This includes a hugely important contribution by senior Fianna Fáil figure Éamon Ó Cuiv strongly backing neutrality and the Triple Lock – his talk has been pointedly ignored by the mass media….. 105 minutes. A second part will follow with more informal discussion from the conference.
lThe video of INNATE’s recent online discussion as part of the Imagine! Festival, “Was nonviolence an option in 1969?” regarding Northern Ireland, with Felicity McCartney and Niall Fitzduff, is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJsHwKvoR5I 73 minutes. This explores the situation at the start of the Troubles and what was lacking in nonviolence being effective as well as community and peace initiatives.
lFrench NATO warships in Cork, see 6 minute video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRf4YuPPUrI
Chernobyl is forever exhibition, Cork
Presented by Chernobyl Children International, this exhibition is a tribute to the strength of survivors and a reminder that the story of Chernobyl is not confined to the past… It is on at Cork City Library, 57 – 61 Grand Parade for the month of April, open 10.00 – 17.30. https://www.chernobyl-international.com/
Carnsore anti-nuclear festivals
Village magazine has recently published a report by Caroline Hurley on a sold-out event organised in the Project Arts Centre, Dublin, in March to mark free festivals protesting Irish government nuclear energy plans back in the late 70s. See https://villagemagazine.ie/back-to-the-point-of-carnsore/ An edited version of Simon Dalby’s account of the anti-nuclear movement of the time (referred to in Caroline Hurley’s text) is available in the pamphlet section of INNATE’s website https://innatenonviolence.org/wp/pamphlets/ and INNATE’s photo site has an album on the anti-nuclear power movement at https://www.flickr.com/photos/innateireland/albums/72157607158367565/