The Irish fans and the Giro riders didn't let a bit of rain get in the way of a great weekend; hopefully a new report today in The Irish Independent can clear up any confusion about the discovery of a bomb in Dublin the day before the race visited on Sunday (Photo: William Cherry - Presseye)
After linking the discovery of a fertiliser bomb in a parked car at a Co Dublin hotel to a possible attack aimed at disrupting the Giro d’Italia’s big Irish finish in Dublin on Sunday, The Irish Independent has today printed a significantly different follow up article.
There was anger yesterday among cycling fans that the discovery of an explosive device miles from the race’s route was in any way linked to the Giro.
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The problem was compounded by the international cycling media taking up the story and repeating it. The international coverage then spread to the international mainstream media in nations as far away as Australia.
In Italy, even La Gazzetta dello Sport, which is owned by the same company that owns the Giro, covered the story.
When the race’s third stage concluded in Dublin on Sunday, the man who acted as the agent putting the main players in Ireland and Italy together to make the Irish start possible, Darach McQuaid said he was especially pleased the Giro’s trip to Belfast had gone so well.
He noted the race was central to the Northern Irish Government’s strategy of painting itself in a new light.
“They’ve been in a good place for quite a few years now but particularly since about 2010 when they started some major projects including the launch in 2012 of Titanic Belfast,” he commented in a story published by stickybottle on Sunday night.
“They’ve had the MTV European Music Awards in 2011, last year they hosted the World Police and Fire Games and this year the Giro.
“So clearly they do see events as being central to their strategy of showing the country in its new post-Troubles phase and it’s been very successful.”
Against that background, and also in the context of the warmth of the welcome Ireland gave to the race, it was disappointing to read stories around the world speculating the event may have been targeted by dissident paramilitaries but for the actions of the Garda in finding a bomb on Saturday night.
The Irish Independent on Monday morning ran a front page story about the bomb find under the headline: “Huge bomb found as Giro party hits town”.
However, while the headline sought to link the device and the race, the story that followed was not as clear in that regard. It quoted unidentified Garda sources saying the intended target of those behind the bomb was “unclear”.
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Later in the story it noted the same sources were unable to rule out a link between the bomb and the race, with this line apparently the basis of the front page headline that travelled so quickly around the world.
However, the newspaper has followed up its story today, Tuesday, and in that coverage there is no mention whatever of the Giro. In fact, a completely different scenario is put forward.
The newspaper suggests the fertiliser bomb – found in a beer keg in a car in Finnstown Country House Hotel, Lucan, Co Dublin, on Saturday night – was to be transported to the North for use in a possible attack on the security services there, who have long been a target of dissident republicans.
Yesterday’s report appeared to offer no evidence of any plan to target the Giro, despite a front page headline and story speculatively linking the two. The bomb was found around 10 miles from Sunday's race route.
The original article also caused considerable confusion because dissident republicans do not carry out such attacks in the south, opting instead to target the security forces in the north. But even in the north, dissidents have no history of attacking public events such as a sporting occasion.
Also lost in any of the coverage around the world yesterday was the fact that the international terrorism threat to other parts of the world, including mainland Britain and the US, is much greater than any terrorist threat on the island of Ireland following the signing of peace agreements in the North almost two decades ago.
While the Irish Independent has not issued a clarification or apology, its coverage today does seek to put the record straight.
The newspaper carried extensive coverage of the race when in Ireland, underlining the unfortunate nature of its front page article of yesterday.
It also generally gives significant column inches to cycling, including publishing a very entertaining diary from Nicolas Roche throughout the season, including during this Giro.
Hopefully the race’s organisers may issue a statement today in order that the media outlets around the world that covered the story yesterday could follow up with clarifying stories today and the legacy of the race’s trip here would not be unfairly and inaccurately tarnished.
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