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Poet, Activist, Parkinson's sufferer and Granny (79) gets jailed for 6 months.

Lapin

Aosdana memeber and close friend of President Michael D. Higgins, Margaretta D'Arcy has been arrested at her home in Galway and sent to prison for six months for trespassing on the runway at Shannon Airport during an anti war demonstration.

From The Galway Advertiser.

A 79-year-old woman has been jailed for trespassing on the runway at Shannon Airport.
Galway anti-war activist Margaretta D'Arcy has had a three-month suspended sentence activated after she refused to sign a bond to uphold the law and keep away from unauthorised zones at Shannon.
Well known as a writer and anti-war camapigner, Margaretta Darcy was convicted before Ennis District Court in December, along with fellow acitvist Niall Farrell, after Judge Patrick Durkan heard they had endangered lives in blocking two flights from landing at Shannon in October of 2012.
The two members of the Galway Alliance Against War claimed they had a legal right to protest there against US Military use of Shannon.
Both received three-month prison sentences which were suspended on condition they enter into a bond to uphold the law for two years and to stay out of unauthorised zones at Shannon Airport.
However, having refused to sign the bond, Ms Darcy was arrested at her home in Woodquay in Galway today and taken to Limerick prison to serve her sentence.
Her fellow campaigners have expressed outrage at the detention of the 79-year-old Parkinson's sufferer and are calling on the Justice Minister Alan Shatter to demand her release.

This is causing a bit of a stir in Galway. Margaretta is a well known and much respected figure around town here.

Personally I think she is in the right place. Her age and illness shouldn't be used to detract from the fact that she willingly put her own and other people's lives at risk by encroaching onto an active airport runway and causing flights to be diverted.

I fully support the cause she was campaigning for but I can't condone her actions in highlighting that cause. Of course her imprisonment will draw further attention to her campaign, (which is probably her intention anyway.)

If it was a 24 year old unemployed single man going to prison for the same crime would there be as much of an outcry?

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An Fhuiseog

The Backwards Man wrote: »

If there's one thing that literally makes me tear my hair out and set fire to my head and boil my brains in the scorching heat, it's emotive journalism.

You must have one ugly looking head so!

whirlpool

Trigger Happy wrote: »

Two wrongs never make a right.

(There are an infinite amount of examples available to any human being with a working brain to contradict this horrifically overused term.)

Anyway, she was given the option to avoid jail and she refused it, so obviously this is what she wanted.

My name is URL

Trigger Happy wrote: »

Two wrongs never make a right.

I don't argue that she shouldn't have been jailed. She broke the law, refused not to do so again and has rightly been jailed as anyone else would be if they done the same.

I do however find it ironic and intolerable that people harp on about how she endangered lives (did she even.. where's the evidence for that?).. She was protesting against the use of the airport, and of our sovereign nation; being used for the purposes of enabling torture and kidnapping of people in other countries. Anyone that doesn't have an issue with those things, yet feigns concern over how the woman endangered lives; is frankly not worth listening to.

mathepac

The Backwards Man wrote: »

... tear my hair out and set fire to my head and boil my brains in the scorching heat ...

Can I help ow might this do it for you?

bumper234 wrote: »

You do realise that she put hundreds of innocent people in danger right? ....

Is this hyperbolic enough to encourage you, right?

Pumpkinseeds

end of the road wrote: »

not at all, US military aren't "innocent"

would cost to much, we can't afford it, we have to save the space for actual criminals such as murderers rapists paedophiles and so on. and she isn't a "silly old cow" she is a brave woman standing up for whats right and paying almost the ultimate price, fair play to her, a true hero

No offence but thats utter Boll*x

Lapin

mathepac wrote: »

Poet, Activist, Parkinson's sufferer and Granny (79) gets jailed for 6 months and abused by brave, anonymous internet posters for acting on her principles.

Fellow anonymous internet poster mathepac.

Seeing as you're quoting me there can you please point out where in my post did I direct any abuse in the direction of Mrs D'Arcy ?

old hippy

A brave, courageous woman. Shannon Whoreport is a national disgrace. How we bent over and took it in the ass from the US military machine is a constant source of shame.

end of the road

The Manganese Overlord wrote: »

Stupid cause

your in favour of the US military using an irish airport on their way to a war or possibly as part of some secret dodgy program possibly involving torcher, grand so, not a stupid cause at all

opinionated3

Delighted she got sent down. Sick of these crusties hanging around like a bad smell at our airport. Most local people around Shannon are happy to have the US military use the airport despite the propaganda that groups like shannonwatch like to peddle.

catallus

I think it was Shelley who called poets the unacknowledged legislators of the world, so shouldn't it really be her who sends them to jail?

WoollyRedHat

opinionated3 wrote: »

Delighted she got sent down. Sick of these crusties hanging around like a bad smell at our airport. Most local people around Shannon are happy to have the US military use the airport despite the propaganda that groups like shannonwatch like to peddle.

What sort of propaganda? I wouldn't boast of being happy allowing a country use ours as a stopover before partaking in illegal acts of rendition and torture. Whatever about your thoughts on this lady's actions, to be happy about their presence is pretty shameful.

DwightSchrute1

old hippy wrote: »

A brave, courageous woman. Shannon Whoreport is a national disgrace. How we bent over and took it in the ass from the US military machine is a constant source of shame.

Shannon Whoreport instead of Shannon Airport, I get it. I get jokes. Very clever

Chucken

opinionated3 wrote: »

Delighted she got sent down. Sick of these crusties hanging around like a bad smell at our airport. Most local people around Shannon are happy to have the US military use the airport despite the propaganda that groups like shannonwatch like to peddle.

So Shannon Airport just 'belongs' to the people of Shannon now??

bumper234

end of the road wrote: »

not at all, US military aren't "innocent"

would cost to much, we can't afford it, we have to save the space for actual criminals such as murderers rapists paedophiles and so on. and she isn't a "silly old cow" she is a brave woman standing up for whats right and paying almost the ultimate price, fair play to her, a true hero

Who mentioned US military flights?

I am talking about the hundreds of innocent men women and children who were on civilian flights approaching Shannon when this old bint and her cronies pulled their stupid stunt.

opinionated3

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

What sort of propaganda? I wouldn't boast of being happy allowing a country use ours as a stopover before partaking in illegal acts of rendition and torture. Whatever about your thoughts on this lady's actions, to be happy about their presence is pretty shameful.

I have nothing to be ashamed of buddy. Very happy to support the US military in their pursuit of the likes of the taliban and al qaeda wherever they may be. That's the way I look at it. You may not agree and that's fine. ... that's your opinion. Shannonwatch would have everyone believe that the whole irish populace is against the military using Shannon. Not the case

end of the road

opinionated3 wrote: »

Delighted she got sent down. Sick of these crusties hanging around like a bad smell at our airport.

people protesting at an airport isn't an issue for you, a lot more important things you should be worrying about such as ireland acting as a pimp to the US meaning those people having to protest

opinionated3 wrote: »

Most local people around Shannon are happy to have the US military use the airport

you have asked all those living around the area?

opinionated3 wrote: »

despite the propaganda that groups like shannonwatch like to peddle.

what "propaganda" the US military are using the airport for the laugh yes? or is it because its the most convenient re-fueling point on the way to their latest war?

Menas

whirlpool wrote: »

(There are an infinite amount of examples available to any human being with a working brain to contradict this horrifically overused term.)

Anyway, she was given the option to avoid jail and she refused it, so obviously this is what she wanted.

And there are an infinite amount of examples to anyone with a working human brain, including the subject of this thread, that support this overused term.

old hippy

opinionated3 wrote: »

Delighted she got sent down. Sick of these crusties hanging around like a bad smell at our airport. Most local people around Shannon are happy to have the US military use the airport despite the propaganda that groups like shannonwatch like to peddle.

And you got to love the propaganda that us anti-war folk are smelly crusties etc. etc. Have you ever been on a demo or march? People from all walks of life go on them.

bumper234 wrote: »

Who mentioned US military flights?

I am talking about the hundreds of innocent men women and children who were on civilian flights approaching Shannon when this old bint and her cronies pulled their stupid stunt.

That's not very nice of you. Why use her age against her?

end of the road

bumper234 wrote: »

Who mentioned US military flights?

I am talking about the hundreds of innocent men women and children who were on civilian flights approaching Shannon when this old bint and her cronies pulled their stupid stunt.

doubt that happened

WilyCoyote

She escaped from Tales From The Big House? That is where she should be. Did she really think that she'd achieve anything other than notoriety. That, I think, was her plan.

Menas

Chucken wrote: »

And if you don't stand up for something, you'll fall for anything.

A woman of principles. Fair play to her.

Most people have principles, but she broke the law in excercising hers and refused to say she would jot do it again. This is just plain silly in my opinion.

Menas

My name is URL wrote: »

I don't argue that she shouldn't have been jailed. She broke the law, refused not to do so again and has rightly been jailed as anyone else would be if they done the same.

I do however find it ironic and intolerable that people harp on about how she endangered lives (did she even.. where's the evidence for that?).. She was protesting against the use of the airport, and of our sovereign nation; being used for the purposes of enabling torture and kidnapping of people in other countries. Anyone that doesn't have an issue with those things, yet feigns concern over how the woman endangered lives; is frankly not worth listening to.

Could not agree more on both points.

Pumpkinseeds

old hippy wrote: »

And you got to love the propaganda that us anti-war folk are smelly crusties etc. etc. Have you ever been on a demo or march? People from all walks of life go on them.

That's not very nice of you. Why use her age against her?

Why not use her age against her? The article is using it to sympathy whore for her. People always harp on about discrimination and ageism. She's being treated like anyone else would be. A pointless woman indulging in an egotistical publicity stunt. Shannonwatch are a bunch of fcuking egotistical idiots who bore the ar*e off anyone who'll listen to them. There's not much support locally for them. Let them feck off and protest outside an American embassy or something, instead of fannying about in orange jumpsuits.

When all's said and done she'll probably be at home tonight after being processed and told she's on licence due to overcrowding or some such excuse.

WilyCoyote

old hippy wrote: »

A brave, courageous woman. Shannon Whoreport is a national disgrace. How we bent over and took it in the ass from the US military machine is a constant source of shame.

You seem very much at home with your analogies. Speaking from experience, are we?

Chucken

Trigger Happy wrote: »

Most people have principles, but she broke the law in excercising hers and refused to say she would jot do it again. This is just plain silly in my opinion.

What about the unlawful practice the US adopted in its so-called ‘War on
Terror’ in which numerous men have been illegally detained by US secret
services, and secretly flown to third countries?

Santa Cruz

end of the road wrote: »

if it was US military flights she was disrupting then good on her, anything that makes it a little difficult for the US to use any of our airports as part of a war gets the thumbs up from me, 24 year old man or 79 year old woman wouldn't matter to me

If you think she was right why don't you pop down to Shannon for a while so?

end of the road

opinionated3 wrote: »

I have nothing to be ashamed of buddy.

well you should be ashamed supporting the US using ireland as part of their latist acts of terrorism

opinionated3 wrote: »

Very happy to support the US military in their pursuit of the likes of the taliban and al qaeda wherever they may be.

why would you support the US going after a made up organisation (al qaeda) and a bunch of nobodies such as the taliban who really aren't a threat to anyone, and in the process deliberately killing civilians, and causing an all ready failed state or failed states to go under more, they have turned iraq into a blood bath and a state who's government can't control it where division is even more rife then under the brutal dictator who was there before who even though he was filth of the highest order kept the country together.

opinionated3 wrote: »

That's the way I look at it.

your deluded, thats not the reason the US are invading these countries, anyone delusianel to support the US in their endeavours are the ones spreading the propaganda to be honest

opinionated3 wrote: »

You may not agree and that's fine. ... that's your opinion.

i disagree with torcher, war, causing states to fail, killing of civilians deliberately, and i disagree with those who condone such actions.

opinionated3 wrote: »

Shannonwatch would have everyone believe that the whole irish populace is against the military using Shannon.

many are, but haven't the time to protest sadly, if people really knew what the US were up to a lot more would be against.

wexie

end of the road wrote: »

well you should be ashamed supporting the US using ireland as part of their latist acts of terrorism

why would you support the US going after a made up organisation (al qaeda) and a bunch of nobodies such as the taliban who really aren't a threat to anyone, and in the process deliberately killing civilians, and causing an all ready failed state or failed states to go under more, they have turned iraq into a blood bath and a state who's government can't control it where division is even more rife then under the brutal dictator who was there before who even though he was filth of the highest order kept the country together.

your deluded, thats not the reason the US are invading these countries, anyone delusianel to support the US in their endeavours are the ones spreading the propaganda to be honest

i disagree with torcher, war, causing states to fail, killing of civilians deliberately, and i disagree with those who condone such actions.

many are, but haven't the time to protest sadly, if people really knew what the US were up to a lot more would be against.

have you ever thought maybe you'd feel more at home in the conspiracy theory forum?

wexie

end of the road wrote: »

a lot more important things you should be worrying about such as ireland acting as a pimp to the US meaning those people having to protest

why would that have to worry me?

amount of sleep lost - 0
amount of ****s given - 0

bumper234

end of the road wrote: »

doubt that happened

You doubt it happened but I tell you for a fact that it did happen.