Galway City Council funds non-existent Airshow festival

galway | bin tax/household tax | news report Tuesday December 15, 2009 19:59 by Fred Johnston

2010 Salthill Airshow doesn't exist - but funding granted

In a move that belongs to the X-Files, Galway City Council have granted €25,000 to kick start a display of US and UK warplanes . . . .but no one asked them to!

The truth is out there!

Galway City Council have voted €25,000 as a kick-start to a revamped Salthill Airshow in 2010 - but no application for funding has been made. The money, presumably, is there 'just in case.' The Council say the money will go into other 'marketing initiatives' if the Salthill Airshow Committee don't want it! This, from a City Council that has constantly bewailed its lack of dosh.

The Right-wingish City Council majority are clearly working towards getting the Salthill Airshow, which met with stiff opposition from many individuals and the Galway Alliance Against War, back on its feet. The last Airshow outing ended ignominiously when a helicopter door fell off onto a beach full of spectators. No one was seriously injured.

But there's insult to injury in this nonsense. Joe MacGrath, City Manager, has ordered the withdrawal of the bin-chargers waiver, which will affect 3,500 low-income families. So - €25,000 'just in case' funding to make strait the way for Galway's business interests, and more fees piled on top of Galway's financially disadvantaged, who no doubt will console themselves with the sight of US and UK warplanes dancing over their roofs. For more news on this, anyone in Galway may check The Connacht Sentinel newspaper for today, Tuesday.

Meantime Galway's cultural credentials can be judged by the fact that moves are on to pressure An Taibhdhearc, founded by Micheál Mac Liammoir, to move from their traditional premises so that, eh, other things can be built there.