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Minister Promises Lavish Ryder Cup Opening but No U2
By Jodie Ginsberg
DUBLIN (Reuters) - Tom Lehman will be disappointed. The captain of the American Ryder Cup team joked last month he would not turn up to the event's opening ceremony in Ireland next week if Irish rockers U2 were not there.
He is out of luck.
Irish Arts, Sports and Tourism Minister John O'Donoghue promises a lavish pageant, special anthem and over 300 actors, dancers and musicians for the Olympic-style celebration on September 21 -- but no Bono.
"There'll be no Bono at the opening unless he arrives and I'm not told about it, which, incidentally, in Ireland can happen at any time," O'Donoghue told Reuters on Wednesday.
The Minister is confident, though, that despite the extra fizz they are hoping to inject into this year's opening and closing ceremonies, there will be no more off-course activities than at any other Ryder Cup -- extra-curricular events that some players have said sap valuable time and energy.
"We're not going to put any greater pressure on the players," he said in an interview.
Security at the September 22-24 event will be tight, and getting 40,000-plus spectators -- all of whom will have to leave behind mobile phones and cameras for match days -- to a course in a normally quiet rural area outside Dublin will be a major test.
But O'Donoghue was upbeat: "We expect things to go smoothly."
Ireland needs them to. The country is fast gaining a reputation as a pricey tourism destination and O'Donoghue has warned business repeatedly not to hike rates during the Ryder Cup if it wants visitors to come back.
"I'm satisfied now that everybody understands what is at stake," he said.
His department has pulled out all the stops to sell Ireland as a golfing and tourism destination on the back of the Ryder Cup. It conducted an extensive marketing campaign, sent delegations to the last three Ryder Cups, and substantially upgraded roads around the K Club, where the event will be held.
SOME CRITICISM
This apparent emphasis on the tourism aspect of his portfolio has led some critics to argue the government puts more effort into promoting private business than promoting sport.
They give as an example Ireland's newly established Olympic Taskforce -- a group of business, sports and tourism officials appointed to "identify and maximize the complete range of opportunities" created by Ireland's proximity to London, the host of the 2012 Olympic Games.
Or they point to the investment made in promoting the Ryder Cup abroad when locals won't be able to watch the event on terrestrial television.
It is a charge O'Donoghue -- minister for arts, sports and tourism since 2002 -- strongly rejects.
"I say to my critics: 'The proof of the pudding is in the eating'," he said. "There has been an unprecedented level of investment (under this government)."
In 1997, when the current government was first elected, spending on sport was 17 million euros ($21.6 million), this year 243 million euros is earmarked, he noted.
As to the anger over Ryder Cup television coverage, via private broadcaster Sky, O'Donoghue said his hands were tied.
"Of course I regret the fact that this is not being shown on (state broadcaster) RTE but the truth of the matter is that there were legal difficulties in making it free to air."
By Jodie Ginsberg
DUBLIN (Reuters) - Tom Lehman will be disappointed. The captain of the American Ryder Cup team joked last month he would not turn up to the event's opening ceremony in Ireland next week if Irish rockers U2 were not there.
He is out of luck.
Irish Arts, Sports and Tourism Minister John O'Donoghue promises a lavish pageant, special anthem and over 300 actors, dancers and musicians for the Olympic-style celebration on September 21 -- but no Bono.
"There'll be no Bono at the opening unless he arrives and I'm not told about it, which, incidentally, in Ireland can happen at any time," O'Donoghue told Reuters on Wednesday.
The Minister is confident, though, that despite the extra fizz they are hoping to inject into this year's opening and closing ceremonies, there will be no more off-course activities than at any other Ryder Cup -- extra-curricular events that some players have said sap valuable time and energy.
"We're not going to put any greater pressure on the players," he said in an interview.
Security at the September 22-24 event will be tight, and getting 40,000-plus spectators -- all of whom will have to leave behind mobile phones and cameras for match days -- to a course in a normally quiet rural area outside Dublin will be a major test.
But O'Donoghue was upbeat: "We expect things to go smoothly."
Ireland needs them to. The country is fast gaining a reputation as a pricey tourism destination and O'Donoghue has warned business repeatedly not to hike rates during the Ryder Cup if it wants visitors to come back.
"I'm satisfied now that everybody understands what is at stake," he said.
His department has pulled out all the stops to sell Ireland as a golfing and tourism destination on the back of the Ryder Cup. It conducted an extensive marketing campaign, sent delegations to the last three Ryder Cups, and substantially upgraded roads around the K Club, where the event will be held.
SOME CRITICISM
This apparent emphasis on the tourism aspect of his portfolio has led some critics to argue the government puts more effort into promoting private business than promoting sport.
They give as an example Ireland's newly established Olympic Taskforce -- a group of business, sports and tourism officials appointed to "identify and maximize the complete range of opportunities" created by Ireland's proximity to London, the host of the 2012 Olympic Games.
Or they point to the investment made in promoting the Ryder Cup abroad when locals won't be able to watch the event on terrestrial television.
It is a charge O'Donoghue -- minister for arts, sports and tourism since 2002 -- strongly rejects.
"I say to my critics: 'The proof of the pudding is in the eating'," he said. "There has been an unprecedented level of investment (under this government)."
In 1997, when the current government was first elected, spending on sport was 17 million euros ($21.6 million), this year 243 million euros is earmarked, he noted.
As to the anger over Ryder Cup television coverage, via private broadcaster Sky, O'Donoghue said his hands were tied.
"Of course I regret the fact that this is not being shown on (state broadcaster) RTE but the truth of the matter is that there were legal difficulties in making it free to air."
