120 children rescued in Dun Laoghaire

[Dodge]

Good. It wasn't this morning as they were talking about it on the radio. "organisers have said they will continue with the regatta despite..."

Common sesne prevailed

[noby]

I'd imagine they were waiting as long as possible to give it every chance. The winds are to ease a bit this evening, and being westerly would be a little slacker on the east coast.
But, yeah, after yesterday, it's probably the right decision, whatever about the weather.

[OneRedArmy]

Would you have left them to their own devices.

The adult organisers? I'd have thrown them in Dublin Bay with concrete shoes as punishment for risking kids lives.

You seem to have misinterpreted my point, I want the yachties to pay for their gross stupidity, not the kids to be left drown as a lesson.

Its quite common in other countries for rescue costs to be recouped when stupidity and ignoring warnings is to blame.

Agree with most of what OneRedArmy said save for the Knob Jockeys comment

That was the best bit!

[Erstwhile Bóz]

The adult organisers? I'd have thrown them in Dublin Bay with concrete shoes as punishment for risking kids lives.

You seem to have misinterpreted my point, I want the yachties to pay for their gross stupidity, not the kids to be left drown as a lesson.

Its quite common in other countries for rescue costs to be recouped when stupidity and ignoring warnings were to blame for the incident.

I think it is far from having being shown that a) they knowingly risked kids' lives, or b) stupidity and (recklessly) ignoring warnings was to blame.

If it is shown, then you're dead right.

you must have an awful lot of time on your hands

It's my job. (Researching placenames, not having time on my hands.)

[Aberdonian Stu]

Well seeing as it's your job am I correct in thinking that Dún Laoire is the correct modern Irish spelling? This is what I was taught in school (both national and at an All Irish second level).

I was under the impression that the townland (surely it's a borough) name, Dunleary, was no longer in official usage. Am I mistaken?

[Schumi]

I object to my tax money being spent rescuing a bunch of kids who were severely put at risk by a bunch of clowns in deck shoes and blazers.

I thought the Lifeboats (RNLI?) were a voluntary organisation. They're always fundraising anyway.

[Erstwhile Bóz]

Well seeing as it's your job am I correct in thinking that Dún Laoire is the correct modern Irish spelling? This is what I was taught in school (both national and at an All Irish second level).

You're right that it should be the modern Irish spelling but seeing as the "English" name of the town (i.e., its official name) is fossilized as Dún Laoghaire a sensible exception was made and the recommended Irish form is the official name (in order to avoid a bizarre situation whereby you would find in, say, the Gazetteer of Ireland the following ridiculous entry: (Eng.) Dún Laoghaire, (Ir.) Dún Laoire). The official naming of towns falls under the remit of local government.

I was under the impression that the townland (surely it's a borough) name, Dunleary, was no longer in official usage. Am I mistaken?

The townland still exists technically as an 'administrative unit', but is completely obsolete in administrative practice, you're right, like many others in urban areas. I don't think it was ever co-extensive with the erstwhile Borough of Dún Laoghaire; the townland was properly defined in the 1830s and I don't know when the Borough came into existence*. 'Dunleary townland' might still be used in land registration and perhaps some other legalistic documents, and will be included, for example, in the forthcoming Placenames Order (Dublin) which will for the first time give official status to the Irish versions of the names of all administrative units (obsolete or not) in the Co. Dublin area.

*edit: at the time of the publication of the Townland Index in 1901, it was "included in [both] Blackrock and Kingstown Urban Districts".

[Bald Student]

I thought the Lifeboats (RNLI?) were a voluntary organisation. They're always fundraising anyway.

And I would take a guess and say that it's Dunleary branch is mostly manned by members of the local yacht clubs.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Well maybe the implication of the earlier comments was that some of the parents of these children are not exactly fully tax compliant.. which may or may not be the case. Tax evasion wasn't considered a crime by a whole swaithe of Irish society until relatively recently. Granted under British rule it was quasi-patriotic to be dodging the excise man, but it's time we grew up. We have had self rule for more than 80 years. One of the reasons why the Health Service is a mess is because cuts brought in for valid reasons in the 1980's were not reversed. One of the reasons they were brought in , is large swaithes of the so called middle classes were putting their money in off shore accounts rather than paying their taxes.

[OneRedArmy]

Last time I checked the 30 ambulances, 2 helicopters and Irish navy were paid out of public funds.

[Dodge]

Last time I checked the 30 ambulances, 2 helicopters and Irish navy were paid out of public funds.

There are far worse wastes of public money.

[Footymadlass]

I live in Dún Laoghaire. Use to spell it Dun Laoire. Spell it Dun Laoghaire now. Doesnt really matter, my post still arrives to my house.

[L37Ultra]

EDIT: Joe, that's a seriously ugly spelling of my hometown.

.

Its the same as how u spelt it, isnt it?

[Macy]

The adult organisers? I'd have thrown them in Dublin Bay with concrete shoes as punishment for risking kids lives.

You seem to have misinterpreted my point, I want the yachties to pay for their gross stupidity, not the kids to be left drown as a lesson.

Its quite common in other countries for rescue costs to be recouped when stupidity and ignoring warnings is to blame.

All the "yachties" on the news on Friday were saying it never was that big a deal, and that it was well under control. They were adamant that there was no need for the major incident plan, and in fact it was detrimental for the children to be rushed to hospital rather than straight into the hot showers in the club house. This was backed up by several parents who said the reaction has been ridiculous, and capsizing is part of the sport.

Also interesting that they were all so annoyed at the "lucky they were wearing life jackets" comments by commentators and TD's (Mary Hanafin) saying that they wouldn't be let near the water without them and there was nothing "lucky" that they were on the children.

Wouldn't be the greatest fan of the "okay yah" yachting set, but I think they have been hard done by this time by a huge overreaction by the emergency services and the usual sensational bs in the media.

[OneRedArmy]

Wouldn't be the greatest fan of the "okay yah" yachting set, but I think they have been hard done by this time by a huge overreaction by the emergency services and the usual sensational bs in the media.

I was under the impression that it was the race organiser that took the decision to call the Coastguard and ambulances and activate the major emergency plan.

Which slightly flies in the face of the subsequent "nothing to see here, move along now" statements that from the yacht club that their own rescue boats had the situation under control.

Not to mention the fact that they cancelled racing on Friday when weather conditions were actually better than Thursday (per Met Eireann).

[Aberdonian Stu]

Not to mention the fact that they cancelled racing on Friday when weather conditions were actually better than Thursday (per Met Eireann).

In fairness after all the hooha on Thursday there was no way they were going to risk the bad face they would have gotten from continuing with the event on Friday.

Oh and L37Ultra the spelling was different in the thread when joesoap first posted it.

[OneRedArmy]

In fairness after all the hooha on Thursday there was no way they were going to risk the bad face they would have gotten from continuing with the event on Friday.

I may be labouring the point, but the yacht club continued to insist it was safe to sail on the Thursday given the small craft advisory and Force 7 warnings.

Most other knowledgeable commentators completely disputed this.

[Aberdonian Stu]

Indeed OneRedArmy but even if they firmly believe their own point they would have been inviting trouble by going out the next day.

Every media outlet in the country would have been on site in large numbers and the impact the subsequent commotion would have on traffic with the like would have not gone over well with locals and businesses nor the Council as it's main offices on Marine Rd face onto Harbour Rd.

This way they could stick to their guns and not risk further trouble with the people they have to deal with on a day-to-day basis.