Title: Mass Farmer Protest in Athlone, Ireland: 20,000 Rally Against EU-Mercosur Trade Deal
Description:
A massive demonstration of "people power" took place today, January 10, 2026, in Athlone, Co. Westmeath, as an estimated 20,000 people and hundreds of tractors descended on the town to protest the controversial EU-Mercosur trade agreement.
The footage shows a massive convoy of agricultural vehicles and trucks moving through the town center and along the M6 motorway, displaying banners with "No to Mercosur" and "Protect Irish Farming." Farmers from across Ireland gathered at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) to voice their outrage after EU member states provisionally approved the deal yesterday.
Irish beef producers fear the deal will allow an influx of cheap, lower-standard South American beef into the European market, undermining local livelihoods and food safety. The rally, organized by Independent Ireland and supported by various farm organizations, sends a clear message to the European Parliament: Ireland will not accept a deal that "sells out" its rural communities.
Keywords: Ireland protest, Athlone, farmers rally, EU-Mercosur, tractor convoy, Westmeath, trade deal, Irish agriculture, beef industry, news 2026, Independent Ireland, IFA.