Ronan O Snodaigh makes anti-Shell statement in Galway

Kila were one of the first acts to open Galway's Volvo Ocean Race on May 23 and they did so with flair by having banners reading "Let's Do It Galway, Send Shell To Hell, Corribsos.com" placed across the Topaz-sponsored stage.

A spokesperson for Kila has said that there was no intent on Kila's behalf to upset anybody and that both the t-shirt with 'Shell to Sea' written across it and the banner were from the audience and not from the band.

"Topaz were doing their job as sponsors, Corrib SOS were doing their job as campaigners and Kila were doing their job as performers. The conversation between a band and the audience can be spontaneous and that's what happened", she said.

Kila have previously supported the right of Shell to Sea to be discussed but they had not planned for their performance on May 23 to have an anti-Shell message.

The spokesperson has said that the band were treated very kindly by everybody and that there have been no repercussions because it was not an intentional move against Topaz.