Eighty year old anti-war activist, Margaretta D’Arcy has said she welcomes going to jail again.
Ms D’Arcy made her comment at Ennis District Court before Judge Patrick Durcan handed down a two week jail sentence on Ms D’Arcy of Woodquay, Galway and co-accused, Niall Farrell of Ballynacloghy, Maree, Oranmore, Co Galway for an unauthorised incursion into Shannon airport in September of last year.
However, Judge Durcan suspended the jail term on condition that the two sign a bond undertaking to remain lawful and give an undertaking not to enter unauthorised zones at Shannon airport.
Judge Durcan imposed sentence after finding the two guilty of interfering with the operation of Shannon airport on Sunday, September 1st 2013 when they both entered the runway.
Already, Ms D’Arcy – who required a rollator or zimmerframe with wheels to access court yesterday – served a three month jail term earlier this year after refusing to sign a bond agreeing not to enter the unauthorised zones at Shannon airport.
Prior to sentence, Ms D’Arcy told Judge Durcan yesterday: “I did not interfere with the airport, it is not a proper airport. The charge against me is totally without foundation.”
She said: “I did some service to the State and Niall and I as Irish citizens should be given medals.
Addressing Judge Durcan, Ms D’Arcy said: “I don’t care whether you find me guilty or not. I welcome going to jail again – I can’t go immediately because of chemo.”
Ms D’Arcy told the court that she will enjoy eating some of the 200,000 tubs of ice-cream recently ordered by the prison authorities while in prison.
Explaining her decision to enter the runway, the Aosdana member said: “I don’t like what is happening at Shannon, that is why I was on the runway.”
On her detention by Gardai on September 1st 2013, Ms D’Arcy “It was not necessary hold me for 22 hours and from midnight to 10 o’clock in the morning, I asked for water to drink and I was not given water. I don’t mind these things because it makes me understand why I feel so passionate about the rendition flights and torture of prisoners."
During the case yesterday, Judge Durcan was highly critical of Gardai hand-cuffing both accused when arrested.
Judge Durcan said: “Both defendants totally co-operated with Gardai. When these events occurred Ms D’Arcy was 79 and it seems to be totally unacceptable and totally improper and in breach of Ms D’Arcy’s legal rights that handcuffs under the circumstances outlined were placed upon her.”
He added: “I cannot accept and I cannot understand why Ms D’Arcy was handcuffed because there was no necessity to handcuff where there was total co-operation and I don’t understand why Mr Farrell who also totally co-operated was handcuffed as well."
During the hearing yesterday that ended just before 6pm, Clare Daly TD, security analyst, Tom Clonan, Nobel Prize Winner, Mairead Maguire and Dr John Lannon and Dr Ed Horgan of Shannonwatch all gave evidence on behalf of Ms D’Arcy who was representing herself.
Dr Clonan said that 2.25 million US troops have passed through Shannon since 2002 "making it the largest invading force to have ever passed through Ireland in its history".
Dr Clonan said that Shannon would be considered a ‘soft target’ for terrorists and "a very, very tempting target”.
Dr Clonan told the court: “Whilst I wouldn’t agree with Margaretta D’Arcy and other people in this courtroom on their politics, but I do agree 100% with them in identifying Shannon for what it is – an essential and key component of the US military projection of power.”
Judge Durcan said that he accepted that the issues in court caused genuine and honest concern “but the issues must be articulated within the law”.
Asked did she wish to make any submissions before sentence, Ms D’Arcy told Judge Durcan: “You can do with me what you like.”
In sentencing, Judge Durcan said “These are very serious matters, but I absolutely fail to understand if these matters are seen as that by the Shannon airport authorities why they have not availed of civil remedies by way of injunctive relief to prevent this type of behaviour and it beggars belief that the authorities at Shannon leave it to the civil authorities to prosecute these matters from a criminal point of view.”
Judge Durcan said that he was imposing the suspended two week jail terms bearing in mind that the charges would have been dealt with at the same time of previous Shannon case involving Ms D’Arcy and Mr Farrell but for insufficient time on the day.
Judge Durcan gave Ms D’arcy and Mr Farrell 14 days in which to enter the bond.
