'We are not criminals' - huge turnout for Donegal stop-protest on dual carriageway

A stop-protest on Saturday evening between Manorcunningham and Letterkenny attracted hundreds in support of the government’s failure to combat escalating fuel prices.

The protesters gathered in Manorcunningham before going onto the dual carriageway towards Dry Arch in Letterkenny with organisers having insisted beforehand they did not intend to block roads and the protest is a peaceful one.

“In spite of the protest, the media and RTE turned round and tried to make them out as if they're criminals,” Deputy Charles Ward of the 100% Redress Party said. “They are not criminals. We are not criminals.

“We are people who are fighting to survive. This has gone on far too long. A few weeks ago, when they had the opportunity to do the right thing, they never did it. They let us all down.

The majority of people in Donegal are struggling. And they're struggling right now to fuel their tanks. The fact of the matter is, [Taoiseach] Michéal Martin's caused nothing but pain and insult to the people up and down this country. We've had enough. It's time that people stood up and said ‘enough is enough’.”

Ward’s party colleague Joy Beard posted afterwards on Saturday: “Tonight’s protest was very well organised and a lane of traffic was left free on both sides of the carriageway - the whole time, so traffic continued to move. An ambulance went straight through without any problems whatsoever, as this was the way it was planned.”

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn posted: "Our Sinn Féin elected representatives in Donegal are proud to stand with our hard-working people who have been forced to protest against the government. Get off your high horses, listen to our struggling people and get the cost of fuel down.”

Sinn Féin county councillor Brian Carr added: “Big thanks to the organisers for a very well organised and marshalled event and to everyone who came out today. Donegal joined in, united in strong support for the protests across Ireland against this government. True people power.”

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A go-slow protest took place on the 20km stretch from Bridgend to Manorcunningham on Thursday in solidarity with fuel protesters in Dublin and was organised by Joey Lyle from Lyle Agri in Moville and assisted by Mark Hegarty, a Burt native residing in Bridgend.

Hegarty, beforehand, said the protest to show solidarity with others taking place around the country “to send a message to Dublin to say Donegal is not gone off their map - it might be gone off the government's map but it's not gone for us."

He added: "We want to send the message that we're here and we're loud and clear and we're behind this protest. Everyone in Donegal is affected by this. The government's going to try to divide everybody down the centre. They're going to try these dirty tactics now to divide everybody down the centre.”

Since then, there have been similar protests in the Twin Towns and this morning between Ballyshannon and Donegal Town, with one planned for south-west Donegal, in the Glenties and Ardara area, today, and it is understood another will take place in Letterkenny.

The ongoing fuel protests in Ireland are a response to rapidly rising fuel prices and broader cost-of-living pressures. The demonstrations around the county and specifically in the wider Dublin area, have been led by a grassroots movement of hauliers, farmers, and transport-dependent workers.

Prices have spiked significantly due to global energy shocks, specifically linked to the 2026 US-Israeli war with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Diesel has reached approximately €2.17 per litre, while petrol is around €1.93–€1.95 per litre.

Protesters frequently cite that Irish taxes - including excise, VAT, and carbon tax - account for roughly 52% to 59% of the pump price and claim the Irish government is not doing enough to protect the people from the high costs. Hauliers and farmers say current prices make their businesses unsustainable, leading to potential financial ruin for many in the transport and agricultural sectors.

The Irish Defence Forces being called in to support An Garda Síochána contributed to locally-arranged protests.

A blockade of Dublin’s main thoroughfare has been cleared in an operation in the early hours os Sunday morning, ahead of an emergency Cabinet meeting to sign off on measures the Irish Government hopes will bring all protests over fuel costs to an end.