Appeal to save dream trip for young soccer supporter
Groom-to-be Eugene Mulcahy and 39 of his Celtic FC-mad friends from a Cork pub were due to fly with Jetmagic to Glasgow this afternoon for pre-wedding celebrations.
Regulars at the Friar’s Walk Tavern in Ballyphehane had paid €6,600 to Jetmagic, and face forfeiting over €3,000 which they paid in cash.
They frantically managed to secure an alternative Aer Lingus flight from Dublin early this morning but six of the original 40-strong group had to yesterday cancel the trip, which included a Celtic match.
“Unfortunately, we can’t book a return flight until Monday and some of the lads can’t get the day off work.
“It was originally planned as a weekend trip but we will have to stay an extra night in Glasgow,” said publican Pat Mulcahy.
The pub’s staff and customers last night left Cork after closing time on a coach trip to Dublin.
The extra travel cost, coach and flights, has been estimated at over €200 each.
“We thought, at first, it was a wind-up when someone rang around 11pm (on Wednesday) to say Jetmagic had pulled the plug,” said publican Mr Mulcahy.
“We tried to contact a helpline but were told to ring back around 7am. At that stage we were advised to contact the credit card company and to make our own alternative arrangements.
“Eugene was gutted and very annoyed the others were all going to be out-of-pocket.”
Three of the party had booked with Aer Arann after the southside pub group had block-booked the 37-seater Jetmagic flight. “To be honest, we could all have booked with British Midlands, Aer Lingus or Aer Arann which were all cheaper but we felt Jetmagic was the local airline and we wanted to support them.
“The way the announcement was made was unbelievable. It came as a terrible shock. We all put on a brave face until we managed to get things sorted out,” said Pat, a cousin of the groom.
The group originally had a hotel booked for two nights along with a room in a Glasgow pub and match tickets secured for the Scottish Premier League match with Kilmarnock.
“We have a Celtic supporters’ club here,” said Pat, who took over the pub six years ago, “we travel regularly to Glasgow so there was a great buzz when it was decided to have a stag night there.
“We booked last September and there was a waiting list since then in case someone dropped out.”
By late yesterday, however, the group was advised they would be entitled to a part refund of the pre-booking which was paid by credit card.
Meanwhile, football fans last night launched an appeal to rescue a dream trip for a teenager suffering from leukaemia.
The 13-year-old boy from Waterford was due to fly out with Jetmagic to a Liverpool home fixture on February 21.
The Blarney Liverpool Supporters Club had raised €2,000 to help sponsor the trip for the boy who was to be accompanied by his parents. A group of 24 Liverpool supporters from both Blarney and Waterford clubs had also paid deposit for the flights.
Jimmy Bermingham of the Blarney-based supporters’ club said: “We’re all upset about the collapse of Jetmagic but our hearts go out to the little boy.
“We’re doing our best to make alternative arrangements. For the most of the party, we can travel by car to Dublin and by boat to Holyhead, but we are anxious that the boy and his parents can fly direct from Cork.”
A founder member of the Liverpool supporters’ club in Blarney, Mr Bermingham said cash deposits had been paid to Jetmagic.
“The money doesn’t matter as long as we can help this young boy make his dream come true,” he said.
A head chef at the Bishopstown Bar, Mr Bermingham said club members raised the funds through a Christmas draw.
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