More than a thousand people gathered in Galway City this afternoon to protest and the continued imprisonment of five Mayo men jailed indefinitely for contempt of court over their opposition to Shell's Corrib gas field pipeline.
The protesters marched from Eyre Square through the city centre to the Spanish Arch where they were addressed by relatives of the men and local politicians.
The rally was the latest in a series of protests organised by the 'Shell to Sea' campaign.
The five men have been in Cloverhill prison for nearly six weeks and have refused to give undertakings not to obstruct installation of a high pressure gas pipeline in Rossport, Co Mayo
Meanwhile, Shell E&P Ireland intends to start work on Monday on dismantling the Corrib gas onshore pipeline that was welded without ministerial consent.
The company says taking apart the 3km section will take five to six weeks.