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19th October 2017
10:27am BST
Kite surfers in Dundalk, jet skiers riding the waves in Cork and people diving off the pier in Galway.
A few villages in Ireland lost their idiots today as they headed off on selfish solo suicide missions seeking thrills while risking the lives of our wonderful emergency services.
Before anybody starts citing "harmless fun" or "leave them at it" as a defence lets think of all the emergency services who have died over the years trying to save lives.
2 X kitesurfers being observed by rescue 116 in @visitblackrock in #louth this morning #Ophelia pic.twitter.com/o4dUJCSEDv
— VisitBlackrock (@visitblackrock) October 16, 2017
To those saying the storm wasn't that bad and these people were just having a "bit of craic", tell that to the families of the 3 people who'll be buried in the coming days after sadly dying today. This storm couldn't have been more serious.
The warnings were there. On the front of every newspaper, across social media and interrupting radio broadcasts every 15 minutes. These people all said to themselves "fuck it, I'll just ignore all the advice and put myself at extreme risk".
While the general reaction seems to be "just leave them at it" - that's never going to happen. Emergency responders can't tell who they are dealing with in advance and are hardwired to help people. That's why they do it. They couldn't leave anybody behind even if it meant putting their own lives at risk.
Why though? ???? #Ophelia pic.twitter.com/60WiYITAYe
— RTÉ 2FM (@RTE2fm) October 16, 2017
So short of "leaving them" I'd do the next best thing. I'd lock them up for a ten-year sentence and make them have a long hard look at themselves. There are no mitigating factors either, you don't accidentally end up on a kite surfing board during the biggest storm in 50 years. That's a choice you make.
I'd equate these people with murderers and gangsters because they show just as little regard for the life of fellow humans.
