IRELAND: Two people were arrested in Galway last night after scuffles broke out when gardaí prevented several hundred demonstrators from marching from Eyre Square to the Radisson Hotel, where EU employment and social ministers were due to attend a banquet, writes Lorna Siggins in Galway
Mounted gardaí supported several dozen members of the force behind barricades halfway down the square, blocking off all access to the Great Southern Hotel where some of the EU delegations have been staying.
Speeches by demonstrators were drowned out by the Garda Air Support Unit's helicopter, which has maintained a constant aerial presence over the city for the past two days. Undeterred, several leaders of the protest used megaphones to appeal for a Europe based on "rights and peace".
The scuffles broke out when some of the demonstrators tried to break through the barricades.
The march, on the theme of "another Europe", was staged by an alliance involving the Irish Anti-War Movement, the Galway Alliance Against War, the Galway One World Centre and trade unionists, and was supported by Sinn Féin and the Socialist Workers' Party.
Earlier, west coast fishermen took part in a quieter protest. Carrying a 16-foot currach with the words: Contúirt do stoc éisc na hEorpa? A threat to EU fishing conservation? written in white paint on the side, they had a simple message for the informal ministerial council.
Cocooned in the Corrib Great Southern Hotel, some of Europe's toughest politicians may not have realised that they were being appealed to by some of Europe's toughest, hardiest individuals - the lone currach men of the north-west Atlantic seaboard.
Men like the boat's owner, John Baba Jack Ó Conghaíle from Lettermullen, south Connemara, and Séamus Jamesie Ó Flatharta of the Aran islands, who are both outraged that EU fish conservation regulations preclude any more State support for currach building.
"The EU has stopped the 50 per cent grant aid given by Údarás na Gaeltachta because of its fish quota limits, but that shows how little they know about what we do and why these boats were built," John Baba Jack said.
"These boats are used in areas where there is no pier, for all of three months of the year, and you're only talking about going out two miles to a few lobster pots. And they are comparing us to the €63 million Irish supertrawler, Atlantic Dawn, which the EU accepted after lobbying by Frank Fahey," he added.
Mr Fahey, who has been hosting the informal council as Minister of State for Labour Affairs and Galway West TD, was marine minister when the Government negotiated the controversial deal with the EU which allowed the 144-metre supertrawler on to the EU and Irish register.
Mr Patsy Peril of the Irish Salmon Netsmen's Association echoed John Baba Jack's views: "Register with FF/PD for a cut" his placard read, while others among the 40-strong group were prepared for European television networks with posters reading "Das ende der traditionellen Fisherboote in Irland" and "La fin de la barque traditionelle en Irlande".
Mr Seosamh Ó Cuaig, a member of Údarás na Gaeltachta and organiser of the march, said he was delighted with the turnout.
"We have the Aran islands, Carna, Carraroe, Rosmuc, Cois Fharraige and Limerick here today," he said, and he paid tribute to the Garda head of security for the EU presidency's informal council in Galway, who had, he said, given clearance for the event.
But even as Mr Ó Cuaig spoke to several journalists he was shadowed by a plain-clothes Garda detective who appeared to be very interested in what he had to say.