Mid-morning on April 11, 47-year-old Daithí O’Corrain entered an unauthorized area of Ireland’s Shannon Airport, climbed up on the wing of a U.S. military plane and began to disarm the aircraft by hitting the wing and fuselage with a hand tool, reportedly a hatchet.
The U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules transport plane was parked on a remote taxiway. Airport police officers, gardai (Irish police), the airport’s fire and rescue service and members of the defense forces on duty at the airport quickly responded to the incident, and the airport suspended operations for under 30 minutes.
One source said that the C-130, valued at about $160 million, suffered “extensive” damage.
Because O’Corrain was still up on the wing when they arrived, the first responders had to roll a set of mobile stairs out to the taxiway in order to reach him. He was then arrested and taken into custody.
Because O’Corrain was still up on the wing when they arrived, the first responders had to roll a set of mobile stairs out to the taxiway in order to reach him. He was then arrested and taken into custody.
On April 13, O’Corrain was in Limerick District Court. He is facing three charges: trespassing at a taxiway at Shannon Airport, causing criminal damage to the perimeter fence and causing criminal damage to a U.S. military plane. Judge Patricia Harney denied O’Corrain bail and remanded him to custody to appear before Ennis District Court on April 15.
There have been frequent anti-war protests at Shannon Airport over the years, including multiple recent actions involving unauthorized access to restricted areas. U.S. military planes routinely refuel there, with activists arguing it conflicts with Ireland’s neutrality.
You can write a note of support to:
Daithí O’Corrain
Limerick Prison
Mulgrave Street
Limerick
V94 P8N1
IRELAND
Daithí O’Corrain
Limerick Prison
Mulgrave Street
Limerick
V94 P8N1
IRELAND
Man arrested for allegedly damaging US military aircraft in Shannon airport
Suspect in 40s arrested after man apparently climbed on to USAF C130 Hercules transport plane on remote taxiway in County Clare
Sat 11 Apr 2026 18.51 EDT
A man has been arrested after entering an unauthorised area of an airport in the Republic of Ireland and allegedly causing damage to a US military aircraft, police have said.
The suspect, aged in his 40s, was arrested for alleged criminal damage and remains in custody over the incident on Saturday at Shannon airport in County Clare.
Footage circulating on social media appears to show an individual climbing on to a US air force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft parked on a remote taxiway.
A Garda Síochána spokesperson said in a statement: “On Saturday 11 April 2026 an adult male entered an unauthorised area of Shannon airport, Shannon, County Clare.
“An adult male (aged in his 40s) was arrested for alleged criminal damage by gardaí shortly before 11.00am and is currently detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 in a garda station in the Clare/Tipperary division.
“Investigations are ongoing.”
In addition to gardai, airport police officers, Shannon airport’s fire and rescue service and members of the defence forces on duty at the airport responded to the incident.
Airport operations were temporarily suspended after the incident. Two departing flights were delayed while one arriving aircraft from Lourdes, France, was placed in a holding pattern.
A spokesperson for the Shannon Airport Group said operations resumed shortly after the incident.
“The airport suspended operations at approximately 9.50am and resumed operations at 10.15am.”
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from The Journal
Man charged with criminal damage of US military plane at Shannon Airport denied bail
He appeared before Limerick District Court today on three alleged criminal offences.
9.19pm, 13 Apr 2026
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from The Journal
Man charged with criminal damage of US military plane at Shannon Airport denied bail
He appeared before Limerick District Court today on three alleged criminal offences.
9.19pm, 13 Apr 2026
A MAN WAS refused bail in court today after he was charged with breaching a security perimeter fence at Shannon Airport and causing criminal damage to a US military plane.
Daithí O’Corrain, (47), Blarney Street, Cork City, appeared before Limerick District Court today on three alleged criminal offences.
O’Corrain was charged with one count of causing criminal damage to a C130 Hercules aircraft at Shannon Airport, Co Clare, on Saturday 11 April.
O’Corrain was also charged with causing criminal damage to a perimeter fence at Shannon Airport on the same date.
The accused was also charged with trespassing at a taxiway at the airport, on the same date.
Shannon Airport suspended all of its operations for under half an hour on the morning in question, which resulted in slight delays to two departing flights.
Shannon Gardaí, Shannon Airport police, Shannon Airport Fire and Rescue, as well as Irish Defence Forces personnel who were on duty at the airport at the time, responded to the alleged criminal damage of the US military plane.
A contested bail application in court by O’Corrain’s solicitor was heard before Judge Patricia Harney.
Judge Harney said she was satisfied to refuse bail, after she heard garda objections to bail and the alleged background to the case.
The judge said O’Corrain was entitled to his presumption of innocence.
She remanded O’Corrain in custody to appear before Ennis District Court, on next Wednesday 15 April.