Judge refuses bail to Shannon protesters

The combined intervention of Sister Stanislaus Kennedy and a Benedictine monk failed yesterday to secure bail for anti-war activists charged with damaging a US military aircraft at Shannon Airport last month.

At Ennis District Court yesterday, Judge Joseph Mangan refused bail to Scottish woman Ms Karen Fallon (30) and Dubliner Mr Ciaran O'Reilly (42).

The two, along with Mr Damien Moran (22), Ms Nuin Dunlop (31) and Ms Deirdre Clancy (32) are charged with the criminal damage without lawful excuse of a US navy aircraft at Shannon on February 3rd, contrary to Section Two of the Criminal Damage Act.

At the previous hearing of Ennis District Court, Mr Moran, Ms Dunlop and Ms Clancy were remanded with consent to bail on condition that they do not go within one mile of the US embassy in Dublin, stay out of Co Clare and surrender their passports.

However, over the past two weeks they have remained in prison with Mr O'Reilly and Ms Fallon in an act of solidarity with their two Catholic Worker movement colleagues who failed to secure bail. Yesterday, Mr Joe Noonan, for Mr O'Reilly and Ms Fallon, showed a letter from Sister Stanislaus, in which she gives a commitment to provide accommodation to Ms Fallon and offers accommodation to Ms Dunlop.

However, Insp Tom Kennedy objected, saying Sister Stanislaus was not in court to give evidence, and claiming that the provision of accommodation for Ms Fallon was farcical given the seriousness of the charge.

The court was also told that well-known East Timor peace campaigner, Mr Tom Hyland, had offered to provide Mr O'Reilly accommodation if released. Mr Noonan said Brother Anthony Keane, from Glenstal Abbey, Co Limerick, was also in court to offer an independent surety for Mr O'Reilly and Ms Fallon.

Judge Mangan said he could not give bail to Ms Fallon as there was no specific address given by Sister Stanislaus. He remanded the two to March 7th with liberty to re-enter the matter next Friday, where the issue of addresses can be heard.