A PROTEST IS taking place at the Department of Justice today against the three month jail sentence handed down to Margaretta D’Arcy, an anti-war activist and a well-known writer from Galway.

The Aosdána member was arrested and  sentenced to jail for trespassing on the runway at Shannon Airport.

D’Arcy is 79-years-old.

Niall Farrell and Margaretta D’arcy were protesting at the use of the airport by US Military and also against western intervention in Syria.

Protest

A protest is taking place at the Department of Justice, Stephen’s Green, Dublin today at 1pm, where members of the Irish arts scenes as well as those opposed to her prison sentence will gather.

Musician Dylan Tighe and writer and actor Donal O’Kelly have drafted a letter to protest against what they call the “outrageous jailing of artist Margaretta D’Arcy”.

The letter has been posted on their Facebook pages and they are urging people to sign the letter, with a hope to gather the names of as many Irish artists as possible.

In the letter they state that as Irish artists they are deeply “disturbed and outraged” at the jailing of D’Arcy, adding that it is “grossly inappropriate and shameful treatment of a 79-year old woman”.

The letter goes on to say that they are in complete solidarity with her actions and “applaud her bravery in a time of tremendous cowardice” and call for her immediate release.

Related: 79-year-old jailed for three months over Shannon protest>