After a day of dramatic developments yesterday, opponents of Wicklow County Council's road-widening scheme won a temporary order at the Supreme Court restraining the council from proceeding with tree felling at the Glen of the Downs.
As legal moves were made to the court throughout the day, council workers supported by gardai were again attempting to proceed with the felling, which has twice been interrupted by protesters who climbed into the trees.
Yesterday was the third attempt since January 1998 by the council to fell 600 trees as part of the road-widening project.
Shortly before 10 a.m. yesterday, a large group of council workers and gardai moved into the glen and tree-cutting began. However, after just one tree had fallen, the operation was brought to a halt by protesters who climbed the trees or stood in front of a JCB.
Council workers attempted to remove the protesters' rope walkways connecting the trees. They erected a long steel ladder but the protesters swiftly realised its potential and tried to use it themselves. The council supervisor, Mr Brian Grennan, then ordered that the ladder be removed. Council workers also removed white wooden crosses hung in the trees as well as decorative artwork and banners and a reflective rope which indicated the location of the protesters' tunnels.
The protesters were angered by the removal of the rope, saying it created enormous danger for those in the tunnels as the earth could cave in on top of them.
A garda told them the reflective rope was a distraction to drivers. Throughout the day large numbers of supporters joined the camp in the glen. Families arrived from Dublin, bringing gifts of food, bedding and warm clothes. The protesters appealed for gloves and balaclavas for those who would be spending time in the tree-houses and climbing trees over the weekend.
After the abortive attempt to fell the trees, a Garda helicopter spent about half-an-hour photographing the glen and the camp. Some protesters suggested the action by the council and the gardai might have been a ruse to entice them on to land from which they are barred by court injunction.
Throughout the proceedings, a council official was filming the area.
During the day the county secretary, Mr Bryan Doyle, pointed out that the council had already received the go-ahead from the courts and would continue to fell the trees as soon as possible.
He reiterated that the road was dangerous and said the council would go ahead with the dual carriageway replacement as quickly as possible.
By early afternoon it was relayed to protesters in the trees that their legal moves - already postponed from the morning court session - had failed.
As they grew more despondent, news was relayed shortly before 6 p.m. that the Supreme Court had granted a temporary injunction on one of their legal challenges, pending a hearing on Monday.
The mood at the camp was cautiously optimistic last night as protesters said they had "bought a bit more time at least".