Sea of support: 150,000 take to streets

UP to 150,000 people took to the streets yesterday as the Irish Ferries protest mushroomed into the largest public demonstration the country has seen for two decades.

Unprecedented levels of support for the series of eight simultaneous marches across the country surpassed all expectations, leaving the Government under intense pressure to respond.

However, in a move likely to anger many of those who took part, Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney said the action had been “very disruptive”.