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NOT CONTENT WITH managing the most dominant team in recent Gaelic Football history, Dublin manager Jim Gavin has taken charge of an altogether different kind of team bus.
Gavin, a commercial pilot and director with the Irish Aviation Authority when he’s not winning All Irelands, has served as one of two “groomsmen” to 5,300 animals that have been airlifted to Rwanda, Africa, on a flight from Shannon Airport where the beasts will serve as food and income producers for that country’s farmers.
The cargo included 37 pregnant heifers, three bulls, 260 pigs, and 5,000 chickens, all bound for Rwanda on a flight known as the Bóthar Ark, named for the Irish international aid agency who chartered the plane.
“Behind the excitement behind this trip is immense generosity, great organisation and, at the end of the line, great hope,” Gavin said before embarking on the historic flight.
Upon arriving in Rwanda, the animals (the majority donated by Irish farmers, and up to six times more productive than the local Rwandan livestock) will be placed in quarantine to adjust to their new environment before being delivered to their recipient families.
Gavin himself first made contact with Bóthar with regard to being involved with the airlift – the 25th that the aid agency has undertaken.
“Winning the All-Ireland is, of course, a privilege but this is also,” says Gavin.
To be able to witness first-hand the transformation of the lives of some of the poorest people in the world is definitely a privilege.
CEO of Bóthar DAve Moloney meanwhile says the airlift is the agency’s most important ever.
“It’s our 25th anniversary so that has a lot of nostalgia for us but it’s also the biggest ever multi-species airlift in the world,” says Moloney.
It’s the fruits of many people’s labour, from our own team, to those who donated money to help purchase some of the animals, the farmers who donated them and raised them, and the team at Shelton Abbey and Loughan House prisons for raising others.
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A serous post from me for a change. Last weekend my sister had to douse a girl who’s hair had caught fire in a pub. she lost quite a bit of hair but it could’ve been so much worse. I know candles create a nice cosy and intimate atmosphere but publicans and night club owners really need to think about where they put them, especially if they are expecting a large crowd.
well done to your sister! and i wish the man a speedy recovery.
Not always candles, there is always the “funny person” who decides to get his lighter out of the pocket for fun without realising how far their actions can go! There were no candles in that nightclub
there’s a pub in dun laoghaire that bizarrely leaves candles lined up on the stairs to the toilets
Fed up of Halloween here in Sligo last night the thugs were out in force terror inflicted on normal citizens.
Touch any of them any you would face a lawsuit.
I wish to god Halloween could be cancelled.
Interesting choice of words there Shamy. Elaborating upon that train of thought.. maybe next year you could get dressed up as well. I know where you can get a good deal on a Jimmy Savile costume. That’ll learn ‘em!
Apparantly he was set alight as opposed just catching fire.
That would explain the Garda investigation.
Eh, you essentially still did post it. And it was a crap forced pun anyway, so you must be pretty embarrassed right now.
Even the trick or treaters last night were a nightmare even with their parents they were kicking the door, demanding more sweets, no cheap sweets and then swearing. These are the future thugs of Halloween
I know what I’d be giving to anyone who had the balls to kick my front door.
If the do that open the door abd trough a bucket of water on them, trust me! They will never bother u again lol
does any one know if the fire retardant regulations that apply to clothes, apply to costumes here.
A man around the corner from us died yesterday. He fell down the stairs while trying to get a “Tigger” costume off. He apparently tripped over the tail at the top of the stairs. This all happened in front of his poor wife. RIP
R.I.P. very sad
Halloween was fine until a couple of young men decided to set off fireworks after 10 pm near our house. They’d walk to a nearby street and do same. They came back about 1 hour later for more. I’m sorry to hear people got hurt and even killed yesterday. My heart goes out to their families.
You’re right Sean. My bad. Delete first part of my comment.
baseball bat is a nice instrument
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