Eagles may scupper Mountshannon air show

Plans for the second annual air show in Mountshannon may be scuppered as a result of the new feathered arrivals at Bushy Island. Concerns have been raised about the risk such an event will have on the newly hatched sea eagles.

 

Dr Allan Mee, project manager of the Golden Eagle Trust, told those gathered at a public meeting about the White Tailed Sea Eagles in Mountshannon on Tuesday night that he would prefer if the air show did not go ahead this year.

Speaking to The Clare Champion, Dr Mee said he did not know until Tuesday night there were plans to hold an air show in Mountshannon this year. He said while he would prefer if the show did not take place, the risk it would present to the birds could be alleviated by moving the show to either Scariff Bay or Killaloe.

“It’s more the location rather than anything else. I’m not really bothered by the air show if it wasn’t exactly where it is. If the chicks survive, and it looks likely they are all doing well, it looks like they are over the danger period.

“Disturbance is one thing – it was very noisy last year and was intense for a few hours – but this year there is the real risk of collision that needs to be taken into account. It could be easily avoided if the air show was 5km to 10km up or down the lake either in Scariff or Killaloe you wouldn’t have the same issues,” he said.

Dr Mee said he hasn’t had contact with the air show organisers as yet because he “was unaware that the air show was going ahead this year” but he accepted that “it is something that we will have to sit down and talk with the people involved”.

“It is an issue for National Parks And Wildlife and maybe Waterways Ireland to be involved in a discussion on that to see how we can get around any issues,” he concluded.

Emelyn Heaps, CEO of East Clare Resorts, who is involved with the air show, said in light of the issues with the sea eagles he believes “there can’t be any talks of an air show in Mountshannon this year until these issues are resolved”.

He said a working date of August 25 has been proposed for the air show, which is being organised by Rose Curtis. He added as someone who is operating a tourism business in the area, he would like to see the sea eagles tourism product marketed and associated infrastructure being provided.

He added he would like to meet with Dr Mee to discuss the air show and said, at this stage, he would be “sceptical” if it will take place in Mountshannon and that organisers will look into holding it at a different location.

“I recognise the tourism potential the sea eagles have. We in Clare Resorts bring in the most tourism to that area and would love to have this as an asset, but the question is who markets it and it needs the associated infrastructure,” he said.