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Air Show 2003
Ireland Flying For Fun - Celebrating 100 Years of Flying
LIMERICK RACECOURSE TO HOST CENTENARY OF AVIATION
AT LEAST 15,000 PEOPLE EXPECTED
Limerick city is to host the biggest Air Show in the country this September,
to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first flight by the Wright Brothers.
The event, which is to be staged at the Limerick Racecourse in Greenmount,
is set to attract tens of thousands of visitors to Limerick for the weekend
from around Ireland and overseas, providing a great boon to the restaurant
and hotel industry locally.
The organisers, Ireland Flying for Fun have planned a spectacular event,
with a range of acts from the UK, celebrating the ten decades of flight,
since Wilbur and Orville Wright first made history in 1903, by staging
their first flight on the Kittyhawk in 1903.
"There's every reason why Ireland's biggest and most exciting Air
Show should take place in Limerick to celebrate the centenary of aviation,
given the crucial role which Limerick and Shannon have played in the development
of aviation here in this country," said Eddie Ryan, chairman of Ireland
Flying For Fun. "From the earliest days of the flying boats at Foynes
right up to the development of the Shannon free zone, this part of the
country has always been intimately involved in aviation and now we are
going to celebrate this in a truly memorable fashion," he said.
Given the uncertainty about the future of Shannon airport, the Limerick
Air Show will at least ensure that aviation is permanently celebrated
in the mid-west.
As well as a range of civilian and military aircraft which will be on
display on the weekend of September 6 and 7 at the Limerick racecourse,
the heart-stopping Utterly Butterly Wingwalkers will be putting the heart
cross-ways in people with their daring aerobatics on the wings of moving
airplanes. The Aer Corps from Baldonnel will also be attending and it
is planned to stage an air-sea rescue. There will also be a funfair and
a range of events to provide a fun day for all the family, and not just
those interested in airplanes!
"Limerick Racecourse is the perfect venue for what we plan to do
in September, " says Mr Ryan. "It is a state of the art location,
where people attending will be able to get a clear view of the many events
which will form part of the Air Show."
Ireland Flying for Fun plan to make this an annual event for Limerick,
and to ensure that it is part of the calendar of all national events.
It will provide a much needed boost to Limerick, not only economically,
but in terms of helping improve the association in the minds of people
throughout the country with Limerick.
To make this event the big success it ought to be this year, the organisers
hope that Limerick business and local media will help by supporting the
event.
For further information on the Limerick Air Show please contact the
Project Manager Anne-Marie Cobbe on 086 8216765.
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