Supreme Court reserves judgment on Dan Dowling’s trespass appeal

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The Supreme Court has reserved judgment on Dan Dowling’s appeal against his trespass conviction over the 2017 Shannon Airport incident. The five-judge court heard the appeal on April 16, 2026, after Dowling secured a further appeal following the Court of Appeal’s dismissal of his earlier appeal.

The appeal concerns whether necessity, as part of a lawful excuse defence to criminal damage, can also apply to a charge of trespass with alleged intent to cause criminal damage. Dowling and co-accused Edward Horgan were acquitted of criminal damage but convicted of trespass; both were ordered to pay €5,000 to a County Clare women’s refuge.