Craic On

Clipper Race

Greencastle is going to have a bumper weekend this weekend. Last year, during the Year of The Gathering, they had a pretty good week.

However, there are certain reasons why it could be better this year. Last year, there was a good crowd in Greencastle to see the start of the Clipper Race. However, there weren’t many cars with Derry registrations.

People in Derry could watch the send off from Derry and then go and watch the real start on the big screen in the main square in Derry near the Guildhall.

Screen Gone

However, the big screen was taken away at the end of the Year of The Gathering. They would have to have very good eyes to see the start of the race in Greencastle form Derry.

Also there is a a display of the Red Arrows an hour before the start. It states quite explicitly in the Derry festival brochure that the Red Arrows wouldn’t come as far as Derry.

If the people of Derry want to see a once-in-a-lifetime display they need to come to Greencastle.

Tony Bramwell, the Beatles road manager, who was over here recently at the Redcastle Hotel to promote the BeatlesFest this summer, said that he had seen a Red Arrows display over the river beside which he has a house in Totnes in Devon.

He said that the display was very impressive as they flew low over the river. He said it had to be experienced.

The times are:-

12 noon – yachts start to depart from Derry

2:45 – Red Arrow Display

3:45 – Clipper Challenge 2014 starts