Belly of the Beast: Part 1: Bumbling around a Pseudo-Military base with John Gormley in tow

Monday January 20, 2003 00:02

by Blisset

The night before the Saturday protest at Shannon Airport, I got an opportunity to take myself and my video camera along for the ride with Tim Hourigan, Ed Horgan and John Gormley and a 5/7 live journalist. They were going into Shannon airport for a close look at a US Military Hercules which they had observed landing at about 11pm. Ed more or less drove straight past the checkpoint on the way in. We met Ryanair passengers who were coming off a flight from the UK as we approached the entrance to the terminal. Tim asked a couple if they knew the US Military were using the airport and if they knew that their plane had been parked next to a US Military Plane. They looked at us as if we were nuts and asked if we were taking the piss. We told them we weren't . Then they looked freaked.

Image 1: Tim stalks into the airport moving pretty fast. he asks if I have the camera on and if I have any money. I offer him €20 but it is change for the phone he is after,

Image 2: Tim phones the local cops. I am filming and the 5/7 live lady is recording. he tells the cops that he is complaining about the Hercules that has just landed and says that he and John Gormley (Who is standing watching as this all takes place) want it searched (for arms/munitions) and want them to get back to them when something is done.

Image 3: The Airport Police arrive. One is obviously a senior officer as he has a kind of dark generalissimo uniform on. He immediately tells me to stop filming. I put the camera by my side but continue filming by pointing it upwards. Tim tells him he has come to get video evidence of the presence of the Hercules. The officer is pissed off but is unwilling to try to detain anyone - mostly because john Gormley is there I would imagine. Tim takes off towards where he reckons we will be close to the Hercules. We all follow, followed in turn by the group of Airport Police who look quite panicked and nervous. Tim speaks out loudly to the few people in the terminal about the US Military plane that is there. Two local men tell him more or less to'mind his own business' and make insinuations about blow in's. Tim tells them he used to work in the Airport and that he is a local. Others present thank him for telling them what is going on at the airport.

Image 4: Tim points out the Hercules to John Gormley, Myself and the 5/7 live lady. I cannot film it as it is too dark.

Image 5: Tim makes the point to the Airport Police present that it is incredibly easy to find these planes at the airport and get close to them. It would be just as easy for people with bad intentions. 'You can't just pretend that they are invisible' comments tim.