He was passing some public order unit gardaí muffled up against the weather in Cork as they began their operation to try to keep the oil flowing from Whitegate refinery. An oil tanker in Whitegate, east Cork, where protesters are blocking access to the oil refinery. Photograph: Barry RocheUp to 100 members of the Garda Public Order Unit, drawn from Cork City and county, Kerry and Limerick descended on Whitegate. [ Fuel protesters’ blockade of Ireland’s only oil refinery to stay ‘until diesel capped’Opens in new window ]The protesters were happy to oblige. Standoff between gardai and protesters as a tanker attempts to enter Whitegate oil refinery, Co Cork.

Source: The Irish Times April 11, 2026 07:04 UTC