A national protest against a controversial free trade deal between the EU and South America’s Mercosur bloc will be staged in Athlone this Saturday, January 11th. Both MEP Mullooly and Deputy Fitzmaurice have warned that the Mercosur deal poses an “existential threat” to the Irish beef sector, “comparable to the devastation Brexit inflicted on the fishing industry”. The Athlone protest, starting at 11 a.m., will include a tractor and vehicle cavalcade around the town. It will cross the River Shannon and end in a rally at the indoor sports arena at the Technological University of The Shannon (formerly AIT -Athlone Regional Technical College) on the old Dublin Road. Organisers say that traffic on the N61 from Ganly’s roundabout on the Roscommon road out of Athlone back to Roscommon Town will be extremely busy with tractors and lorries.

Source: The Herald January 05, 2026 21:18 UTC