This article is from page 3 of the 2014-03-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
HAVING spent Sunday in the “lashing rain” marching and counter marching in preparation for one of the largest St Patrick’s Day Parades in the world, the Tulla Pipe Band is determined to get to New York “whatever it takes”.
Pam Reilly, PRO, said the 29-strong band members that are to travel to the Big Apple have not even considered the looming holiday weekend strike at Shannon airport.
As the band is booked in on a March 15 flight since last October, it is unlikely their plans to lead the Clare contingent in the parade will be affected.
Likewise Mayor of Clare Joe Arkins, who is to represent Clare in New York over the weekend, had a lucky break when he was not able to get a reasonably-priced flight on the Friday, and instead had to book in for an early flight on March 13.
County manager Tom Coughlan is however at the mercy of the industrial action as his flight his booked for Friday, March 14, the day of the four-hour strike.
Mr Coughlan along with the county mayor, mayors of Ennis, Kilrush and Shannon, is to attend meetings organised by the Mid West Regional Authority with the IDA, Tourism Ireland, CIE Tours International and other Irish American groups.
Last night Transport Minister Leo Varadkar says he hoped the workers union SIPTU would put the strike on hold as talks between IBEC and the union continued.
“The Government has come together with the employers’ body IBEC and the trade union umbrella group ICTU to put together a panel of experts agreed by all sides who can study the issues relating to the pension funds at the airports and come up with a solution,” he said.
Meanwhile the Tulla Pipe Band, made up of members aged nine years old to their late 70s, are planning to take part in the Brooklyn Parade on the Sunday before leading the “honour unit” or first section of the parade.
“As this is the first section of the parade we will get world wide coverage. We are very proud not only to be representing Tulla, but Clare and Ireland,” said Ms Reilly.