Shannon, Ireland airport silliness

I've been through this airport a lot.  The basic steps are:
(1)  Get boarding pass & customs form.
(2)  Fill out customs form.
(3)  Show boarding pass to pre-security guy.
(4)  Go through security.
(5)  Go through the tax-free shopping, often buying alcohol for T.
(6)  With bottle of alcohol, wait in lounge.
(7)  When flight is called, go through Customs.  Show filled-out customs form.
(8)  After Customs, walk to gate. 
(9)  When flight and seat is called, board plane.  Show boarding pass and sometimes passport.

After the whole liquid craziness, the steps became:
(1)  Get boarding pass & customs form.
(2)  Fill out customs form.
(2a) Chug last of water from water bottle.  Throw away bottle.
(3)  Show boarding pass to pre-security guy.
(4)  Go through security.  Take off shoes, take out laptop, take off jacket.  Carry all of the above, briefcase, and trays for each to the security line.  There is no table to slide them.  There is only one security line open, and it is very... sloooooooooooooooooooow...
(5)  Go through the tax-free shopping area.  Buy alcohol for T.
(6)  With bottle of alcohol, wait in lounge.
(6a) Buy new bottle of water.  Keep receipt in case they ask for proof that bottle is from inside security.
(7)  When flight is called, go through Customs.  Show filled-out customs form.
(8)  After Customs, walk to gate. 
(9)  When flight and seat is called, board plane.  Show boarding pass and sometimes passport.

And now, as of today, the steps are...
(1)  Get boarding pass & customs form.
(2)  Fill out customs form.
(2a) Chug last of water from water bottle.  Throw away bottle.
(3)  Show boarding pass to pre-security guy.
(4)  Go through security.  Take off shoes, take out laptop, take off jacket.  Carry all of the above, briefcase, and trays for each to the security line.  There is no table to slide them.  There is only one security line open, and it is still very... sloooooooooooooooooooow...  Zero improvement since I was last here 3 months ago.
(5)  Go through the tax-free shopping area.  Buy alcohol for T.  Got a yellow slip of paper instead of a bottle.  They claim that (in spite of TSA website to the contrary), they will take my bottle through for me.  In a sealed packet.  "But aren't we past security?" I asked.  "There is another security line after Customs."
(6)  Wait in lounge.
(6a) Buy new bottle of water. There is a sign in front of the bottles of water. "All US-bound passengers are not allowed to take 500ml bottles of water or soda on the plane."  I check the bottle.  Yep, 500ml.
(7)  When flight is called, go through Customs.  Show filled-out customs form.
(8)  After Customs, walk to gate. 
(8a) Wait outside of gate.  Watch them build a security checkpoint.
(8b) Finally they call my zone for loading.  No 100+ml liquids outside of the ziploc bag.  Absolutely no liquids allowed on the plane.  This was mostly a really thorough bag check.  He went through each and every zipper on my bag. ...But not my pockets.
(9)  Board plane.  Show boarding pass.
(9a) Survive 8 hours with almost no water at all.  See how raaga123's plan of pushing the airline person button and ask for water frequently works out. 

And if there's anything we can do to make your flight better, please don't hesitate to let us know

I took them at their word.  My flight would obviously be better if I had a full bottle of water and a trip to the bathroom.

The security check just outside the gate took away all bottles of water.  But I was sneaky.  I convinced my guy to let me keep my perfectly empty bottle.  As all of the other Zones boarded, I ran to the back of the plane and convinced a very nice lady to fill it up.  Ah, I instantly felt better.  All mine, this lovely cold bottle of water!  Next, a bathroom break.

In the tiny bathroom, I put my bottle down and turned away... to hear it hit the floor.  I looked down.  No bottle.  That's odd.  Then I examined the counter where I had placed my bottle. Under the strange stickers, it clearly says....  TRASH.     Nooooooooooooooo... oooooooooo... ooooooooooooooo....

And that, officer, is why I took apart the bathroom sink, paper towel dispenser, toilet paper holder, and trash can.