Fears of violence ahead of Shannon protest

The Catholic Bishop of Killaloe, Willie Walsh, has expressed fears ahead of today's planned anti-war demonstration at Shannon and has confirmed that he will not be attending in case it becomes a violent protest .

Bishop Walsh said that it would be a complete contradiction for violence to be used at the protest and that any disturbances would serve only to damage the anti-war cause.

A number of political representatives from Sinn Fein, Labour and the Greens have also pulled out of the event following the posting of messages on the internet by a group claiming that they intended breaching the airport's security fence at the demonstration which will take place later today.