34 teams battle for supremacy in their flying machines

SOME 34 teams of “magnificent men” – and women – who believed they could fly were given the chance to prove it before a crowd of thousands in Dún Laoghaire harbour yesterday.

Taking part in the Red Bull Flugtag – it means “flying day” in German – the colourfully dressed teams with their home-made “wings” were judged on their showmanship, creativity as well as distance flown.

Even though the Stena ferry bringing football supporters back from Wales bowed to the high winds yesterday and waited about two hours before attempting to berth in the port, there was no such hesitation on the part of those who had built their own flying machines.

Attempts at modesty were also strictly sidelined. "I am Steve Jobs from Apple Computers," announced the "pilot" of the Iphone 6entry. Mr "Jobs" was assisted by Chris and Séamus Scullion dressed as "I-wings" and "IMF" phone apps.

Tony Sherwani was dressed as a “love” app and with Paul Sheridan had no difficulty in predicting effortless flight back to California – or at least their home place of Belfast.

Equally confident was a team from Arklow, Co Wicklow, led by a man who gave his name as Mr Buzz Lightyear. He was accompanied by “Little Bo Peep” and “Woody”.

All enthusiastically expressed self-belief as elaborately dressed team after team nosedived from a specially built launch pad straight into the harbour.

The Galway Community College team, dressed in the traditional dress of Aran islanders were resplendent in a Galway Hooker, determined not only that would they win but also that they would bring judges Síle and Gráinne Seoige home to Galway before the day was out.

In the end, the winners were the Cool Flyingsfrom Cork who, under pilot Michael O'Reagan, "flew" 10 metres. Second place went to Ode to Goose, piloted by Phil Finney from Co Wicklow, which travelled 11 metres.

The team that travelled the greatest distance, Spirit Radio, piloted by Robert McKenna, a DIT student from Dublin, went 12 metres and came third.

The Red Bull press handout stated “an amazing 100,000 spectators packed the pier in Dún Laoghaire” to watch the event.

Red Bull brand manager Niall Daly said “the health and safety people gave us that estimate based on the square footage of people in the area”.

Garda sources were a little more down to earth, with an estimate of 40,000 spectators. It was “a good-natured event” with no arrests they said.