Madam, - I struggled to understand if there was a point being made by Michael Parsons in his opinion piece of August 18th or if it was just a rant against the United Arab Emirates. Mr Parsons questions the motivation behind Etihad Airways' sponsorship of the the hurling championship and asks why the GAA could not find a more suitable sponsor.
My understanding is that Etihad Airways is a commercial business operating in the same international conditions as Aer Lingus and others. It sponsors the Ferrari Formula One team and Chelsea in the English Premier League. It has decided to promote its brand in Ireland. What better way than via GAA games - the country's most popular sports, with huge television audiences? Etihad flies daily from Dublin to the UAE and from there "to the world" and my experience has been that its flights are busy and offer an excellent service. If Mr Parsons wants to know why the GAA could not find a more suitable sponsor, perhaps he should ask Aer Lingus - which, incidentally, pulled out of flying to the UAE last March. - Yours, etc,
MATTHEW WILLIAMSON, Dubai, UAE.