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About The County Kildare Anti-War Movement Are KAWM Political?

The County Kildare Anti-War Movement was formed by a group of concerned local people who attended a public meeting on 1st April 2003 in Lumville House Hotel.

This meeting was organised by Gerry O'Donoghue with approximately 50 people in attendance. The speakers were Fr. Michéal MacGréil (SJ), Ken Maye (on behalf of Anne Behan), Clare O'Grady Walshe (NGO Peace Alliance) and Kieran Allen (Irish Anti-War Movement). Following these presentations, contributions were heard from those present. These mainly focussed on:

  • the use of Shannon Airport by the US Military;

  • the failure of the Irish Government to listen to the demands of the Irish people with regards to the situation in Iraq;

  • the effects of the war on Iraqi civilians;

  • the impact of the war on Irish children due to the constant violence shown on television.
    Due to the high levels of concern expressed at this meeting, it was felt that a viable Co. Kildare Anti-War Group could be formed and sustained.

A subsequent meeting was held on 8th April, with 22 people in attendance. The group consisted of people from Newbridge, Naas, Kildare, Kilcullen, Prosperous, Athy, Kilmeague, Ballysax, Cutbush, Sallins and Brownstown. At this meeting it was agreed that we would travel to Shannon Airport on Saturday 12th April to protest against the use of the airport by US Forces. 12 people made the trip to Shannon, where our Co. Kildare Anti-War Group Banner was unfurled for the first time. Two people from Kilcock joined us, so the 14 of us marched proudly behind the Co. Kildare banner.

Another meeting was held on 15th April, with 16 people in attendance. At this meeting we finalised plans for our Demonstration in Newbridge which took place on the 19th April.

At this stage, we need YOUR help. If you have the time, energy, interest or commitment, we would love to have you on board. You can make a real difference to our campaign.

For details of our next meeting, please contact:


Elaine (045 449 675) or Gerry (087 2642 887).

The County Kildare Anti-War Movement was founded in Co. Kildare in the Republic of Ireland to campaign against the war on Iraq. The group believes that war is not the answer in international conflicts and has been attending antiwar marches in Dublin and at Shannon airport, where the Irish governments decision to grant overflying rights to American military aircraft on their way to war in the gulf caused outrage among Irish people, the vast majority of whom are opposed to the war.

One of the reasons which caused the Kildare Anti-War Movement to be set up was the protests on the 15th of February 2003, which saw 15million people worldwide take to the streets to vice their opposition to any military action against Iraq, including over 100,000 people from Ireland. There was worldwide anger when the people were ignored and the illegal Anglo American invasion of another country happened anyway.

The Kildare Anti-War Movement will continue to campaign against any Anglo-American military occupation of Iraq, or the imposition of any government that is not chosen freely by the people of Iraq.

The Kildare Anti-War Movement wish to see an end to the use of Shannon Airport in Limerick, Ireland by warplanes, and Ireland's restoration as a truly neutral country. We wish to see an end to all unilateral wars and the place of the UN restored as the arbiter of International conflicts.

The Kildare Anti-War Movement does not endorse any one politician or political party, we are just a group of ordinary people who are concerned about illegal wars and the current disregard of public opinion in our own country and other countries. We take our lead from the patron saint of Kildare, St. Brigid, who swopped her sword for food.

The County Kildare Anti-War Movement does not endorse any one politician or political party, we are just a group of ordinary people who are concerned about illegal wars and the current disregard of public opinion in our own country and other countries. We take our lead from the patron saint of Kildare, St. Brigid, who swopped her sword for food.