“Red Arrows & Another War Outfit” Due For Volvo Ocean Race Finale

galway | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Monday March 05, 2012 21:40

by GALWAY ALLIANCE AGAINST WAR

Race Organisers "culturally retarded"

The Galway Alliance Against War has learnt that the British military display team, the Red Arrows, will perform during the Volvo Ocean Race Finale in Galway on July 1st. Another “war outfit” has also been invited, but has not yet confirmed.

This evening, March 5th, the Galway Chamber of Commerce hosted a presentation for business people by the organisers of Let’s Do It Global. It was at this event that Enda Ó Coineen, the chairman of Let’s Do It Global, confirmed to a representative from GAAW that the Red Arrows and a possible second military display team would appear at the race finale. Mr Ó Coineen made a sheepish response when the GAAW rep, Niall Farrell, suggested that the “organisers were culturally retarded” to have invited a military display team to participate in “such a momentous occasion”.

In a statement to the media Niall Farrell of GAAW stated: “The Volvo Ocean Race is a wonderful example of human ingenuity and human endeavour combining to harness the natural elements so as to propel these sailing crafts across the seven seas. The finale of the Ocean Race is meant to showcase Galway and Ireland, what have foreign warplanes got to do with Ireland and Irish culture? Nothing! The organisers’ invite to the Red Arrows and another war outfit shows how culturally retarded these people are.

“Our opposition to war shows stems from our belief that the presence of warplanes and the fighter pilots who fly them sanitises and glorifies war. Pilots and planes that kill other people's children are not family entertainment.

“It is worth noting that on the day we learn that the Red Arrows will once again pollute the skies over Galway that its only female pilot, Flight Lieutenant Kirsty Stewart, has moved to ground duties due to the “adverse effect” the deaths of two fellow Red Arrow pilots had on her. Both died in warplane accidents in 2011 – one of them last August in an air crash at the Bournemouth air show. The fact is these war shows are not only an obscenity, they are also an accident waiting to happen.”