23rd August, 2001
Two weeks ago I drove up to the Airport
Roundabout to take a photograph of the fantastic aircraft topiary.
A few years ago this airport was covered in weeds and at the time
I mentioned that it was a shame that our visitors first view of
Cork when they left the airport was a roundabout of weeds. A few
days later the weeds were dug up and finally this beautiful piece
of art was installed. Two weeks ago I spoke to a council official
and mentioned to him that I might be able to persuade some
company to sponsor security for the topiary. The next day we rang
a company, they were interested in sponsoring it and we put them
in touch with the County Council, but other people had different
ideas.
You all remember that terrible Tuesday night two weeks ago when
it poured with rain, really heavy all night. Someone or some
group went to the roundabout and vandalised it, I can understand
someone committing a robbery, I don't agree with it but I
understand it, but to attempt to destroy a thing of beauty makes
me wonder what is out there. Did they pick up a newspaper and see
a photograph of the topiary and decide “Hey this was made to
be destroyed, lets go”. I was driving into town the other
day and many of the trees along the South Terrace, young trees
have been broken. If I might make a suggestion, the next time
something attractive is unveiled or planted do not photograph it
for the Press, only write about it, the people who commit these
acts can rarely read or write.
I met an angry resident of Douglas West last Friday night and the
cause of his anger? He spent twenty minutes in his car trying to
exit from Galway's Lane on Friday afternoon. Footpath
reconstruction was going on outside the South County, traffic
cones, a JCB and more, was causing traffic chaos. And his
complaint? The traffic being directed by one of the workers
employed by the contractor! “Not a Garda to be seen all day”,
he said. Another complaint he had was the speed motorists drive
up through Galway’s Lane. He asked me to pass on the message
to our local councillors, Galway's Lane need speed ramps now.
I've passed on the message.
Now the Eileen & Jeans Shop on the South Douglas Road has
closed (Good Luck to Eileen & Jean) Their personality and
sense of fun will be missed by all their customers and friends.
It is vital that a pedestrian crossing be provided for people
wishing to cross to McCarthy's Shop or the Post Office. There are
a lot of elderly residents living across the road and they need
to cross in safety, don't wait for a serious accident, two
flashing lights and two tins of paint, one black and one white,
and we'll all be happy.
I took a lot of photographs last week, I suppose about 70, so if
I took yours and it is not in this weeks Douglas Weekly, don't
worry it will be in some future edition.
I went to the Elvis Show in the Rochestown Park Hotel on Saturday
night (as I said I would) It's my kind of music, and I've been to
most oldies shows, which have been held there. Promoter Noel
Magner has been in the business now for many years and everybody
will tell you it’s a dodgy business, you win some, you lose
your shirt on others.
I met Noel on the stairs leading up to the Estuary function room.
He told me that ticket sales had been slow all week, but all of a
sudden the crowds turned up on Saturday night, that’s always
good news for a promoter, he’ll sleep well that night. I sat
in the foyer and met Bob Kearney and Anna of the Stardust
Showband, who opened the show, and they were brilliant, a great
mix of good music. I met my old friend Rockin’ Jerry, who
was looking forward to the gig. The hotel staff kept on bringing
up more and more chairs, on the weeks ticket sales they had
allowed 300 seats, but they provided an extra 100 and the staff
and security provided people with seating as the needed them,
Then Mark ‘Elvis’ Leen came on, and people seemed to be
having a good time,. I took some photos and I left about 11.45pm.
The next day I heard about the disturbance that was created by
about 30 people, members of the travelling community.
Under our law, nobody had the right to refuse admission because
of their race, creed or colour, and that’s the way it should
be. Anybody who has read my column during the past four years
knows where I stand on racism, I abhor it. In the eyes of the
law, we all have rights, minorities have equal rights. What about
the rights of the 470 people whose night was ruined by 30 people?
What about the rights of the staff of Rochestown Park Hotel,
whose right it is to work in safety, without fear of physical
assault? What about the rights of the directors and management of
the Rochestwon Park Hotel to protect their staff and patrons from
intimidation and fear of assault? Do ordinary decent, hardworking
people, who go to one of the best hotels in Ireland, have any
rights?
A man in Dublin was fined £500 for throwing a cigarette butt out
of his car window, a convoy of travellers take over a football
pitch and cause £10,000 worth of damage with filth and litter
left behind. Where is the equality in the litter law here?
I listened to the local radio station today when people rang in
and complained about ‘this and that’ as they are
entitled to do. They complained about Noel Magner, and about the
Rochestown Park Hotel. Noel Magner organised a great night, the
hotel staged a great show, and a good night was ruined by about
30 people. These are the people who ruined your night, nobody
else!! And if they are found guilty of committing an offence,
they should face the same rigours of the law that we must all
adhere to.
A couple of years ago I took my wife and my mother to an American
Drifters night in the Silversprings Hotel (before it was taken
over by the Moran group). Halfway through the concert a riot
started. I took my wife and mother to the foyer and rang for a
taxi, but the security man would not let us out, because there
were people outside kicking the door, trying to get in.
Eventually squad cars and paddy wagons arrived and the security
man escorted us to the taxi. A night ruined.; What about our
rights? The culprits on the night? Travellers!
I demand the right to take my family out for a night to my local
pub or hotel and I expect to be protected against acts of
violence on the premises. Is that too much to ask for?
Finally, on this matter, I spoke to Rochestown Park Hotel’s
general manager Liam Lally today and he assured me that this
would never happen again as long as he is general manager, and
that he would refuse admission, on the advice of his security
personnel, to any group he believed would cause a disturbance on
the premises. After all, the 215 staff of the hotel have rights,
don’t they?
Bye for now,
Michael O’Hanlon.
PS. If you want to fight, join a boxing club!
