"Thank you all for supporting my war and refilling my planes," an anti-war demonstrator sporting a cowboy hat, a George Bush mask and brandishing a toy gun chanted as some 100 protesters took part in an anti-war "whistle-stop death tour" of Dublin on Saturday.
The march took in some sights including Top Oil headquarters on Amiens Street, the Irish Aviation Authority on Hawkins Street, the Dáil and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Protesters clapped as the march moved through the city centre shouting: "One-two-three-four we don't want your bloody war! Five-six-seven-eight this is not a US state."
The march was organised by Ambush, which is made up of grassroots networks from Dublin, Galway, Cork, and Midwest Alliance against Military Aggression from Limerick. The aim of Saturday's event was to inform the maximum number of people about the Stop Bush protest, which will take place next weekend, according to spokesman Mr Dermot Sreenan.
The Irish people have already clearly shown the Government they did not want anything to do with the war, but they have been ignored, he said.
"The use of Baldonnel and Shannon by US troops makes us complicit in this war; 10,000 troops fly through Shannon a month on their way to kill people in the name of liberating them."
Mr Colm Roddy, from Bayside, Dublin, said Shannon had now become a cog in the US war machine. "I am here because I am outraged at the way Shannon Airport has been turned into an American military base."
Ms Aileen O'Carroll, from Dublin, who is one of seven people taking part in a week-long bicycle protest from Dublin to Shannon, said she hopes the various events will encourage people to come out and voice their anger at Shannon airport next weekend. "We will be arriving in Shannon after a slow journey on primitive technology, unlike George Bush who is coming in for a quick over-night visit using very advanced technology."
The Irish Anti-War Movement will be holding a series of Stop Bush events around the country this week, culminating in a march from Dromoland Castle in Co Clare to Shannon Airport on Saturday.