Common sense told us to avoid Cheltenham

Sir,

Further to Ronan Groome’s article on The Irish Field website (‘Monday Outlook: ‘We trusted the authorities who let the Festival go ahead’), I am one of those annual racegoers who decided not to go because of the virus.

I would like to be given a chance to explain the reasoning for that decision and maybe explain some of the criticism (not the nasty trolls) from the Irish public towards the attendees.

Firstly, I would like to state that I am not an anti-racing warrior. I am a huge racing fan, breed a few and work in the industry. Thus, I know the inside of the racing industry and am well aware that the racing industry can recieve unwarranted criticism.

My husband and I, along with a number of friends, were all booked to go but, since my elderly mother who has a serious underlying heart condition lives with us, we decided it was in our best interest not to attend. As we chose not to attend we are at a financial loss. Small loss compared to the potential loss of my mother. Two other friends also decided to abstain due to her having an underlying condition and the other couple also decided not to attend as their child suffers from a respiratory condition. Not one of us was concerned about the financial loss.

No rules were broken by those who attended as the UK government and health authorities gave it the green light, a decision now widely accepted as wrong. The Irish Government and the HSE also have to take some responsibility for their pitifully slow response to the pandemic up until Thursday, March 12th.

However, anyone who had been following the news and the horrific pictures from the Italian hospitals would have known that it was only a matter of time before the virus spread here and we could have scenes like Italy.

The rapid transmission of this virus was widely known and that no one had immunity. None of our party of six has any medical training/knowledge whatsoever, but all of us knew three weeks ago that our annual visit to Cheltenham was not going to happen. We made a decision based on reliable news sources and the “better safe than sorry” attitude. People who felt sick may not have attended but it is the people who are carriers, who don’t show any signs, who are the biggest threat.

No one can give any assurance that not one asymptomatic person has returned from Cheltenham. That one asymptomatic person could now infect many. Unbeknownst to a Festival-goer, who may be fine, never even knowing they have the virus, the vulnerable person/s they unwittingly infect could end up losing their life. And therein lies the problem and the anger of the general Irish public.

On Monday I met an elderly man in the car park of our local supermarket and he asked me if it was safe for him to go into the shop. He actually had tears in his eyes as he explained both he and his wife have health issues but he thought he had a better chance at fighting the virus and insisted that his wife stayed indoors.

Those with underlying health conditions and the elderly are understandably terrified. That is the reality each and every one of us is facing.

This virus affects everyone and all industries. The racing industry has no right to believe that they will or should escape. We all are going to have to accept that everyone is going to take a hit in some shape or form.

There was nothing stopping the Festival (except financial reasons) from going behind closed doors as HRI have been quick to implement here and they should be applauded for their rapid, decisive and non-monetary response.

I am not attacking any person who travelled but only wish to point out that sometimes people need to use common sense, which was severely lacking, both among the organisers and the people who decided to attend.

Whatever decisions people made in the past cannot be undone but we all must now take personal responsibility for those decisions. If that mean’s voluntary self-isolation, so be it.

Our industry is one of the best in the world. We survived the foot and mouth crisis and we will get through these difficulties. Hopefully we can learn from other countries, catch this early and the horrendous figures of potential deaths never come to pass. For me, one life lost due to people not thinking clearly and not thinking about others is one life too many.

Yours etc,

Orla & Andrew Holohan

Co Wexford