David Deane

humff

[BUCHANAN: Dublin Time Machine @RobLooseCannon]

In 1983 a Mexican pilot on a transatlantic flight from Newark to Munich, running dangerously low on fuel made an emergernecy landing on Mallow Racecourse in Cork. Captain Rubén Ocaña was flying a Gulfstream II executive jet on April 18, 1983 when his instruments showed it was running dangerously low on fuel.

His plan had been to refuel at Shannon, but thick fog made that impossible. With air traffic control guiding him, Ocaña scanned the countryside for a flat enough stretch of land. He located Mallow Racecourse against the odds, set down the plane on the grass.

The immediate danger was over but now the multimillion dollar Gulfstream jet was stuck. The ground was too soft to take off again, not just during the current weather but like ever again. There was even talk the jet might have to be dismantled and carted away piece by piece.

Captain Ocaña was accompanied by three crew members and four passengers, posh businessmen including Emilio Azcarraga-Milmo, who was the high-profile owner of Televisa, Mexico’s largest television network. Them four were whisked away to complete their journey shortly after the landing. Captain Ocaña and his crew had to await orders.

Wealthy insurers quickly did the maths and found it was cheaper to build a temporary runway than to take the yoke apart. Local men and women were hired, machinery was brought in, and a 3,000-foot tarmac strip began to take shape beside the racecourse ( oh and the local sugar factory). It took around six weeks. During that time, the charismatic Mexican Captain Ocaña and his crew became honorary Corkonians and were treated with the great hospitality of the Rebel County.

They were put up at the Central Hotel, Captain Ocaña was a regular at hurling matches, and even served as a judge for the “Rakes of Mallow” Beauty Contest (that Rakes polka festival is a fascinating rabbithole in itself btw).

By the time the makeshift runway was ready 39 days later, the jet had become a local landmark. Kids cycled out to see it and tourists came to take photographs, postcards were even printed.

When the day finally came for takeoff, around two thousand people gathered to see Captain Rubén Ocaña and his crew off. Before stepping aboard, he offered a few words as Gaeilge them they lifted safely into the air, and circled twice above the town in salute before vanishing into the clouds. The legendary event inspired the 2010 film The Runway,

Captain Ocañas adventure was commemorated forty years later with Ocaña Fest in April 2023 which featured an air show, Mexican mariachi music, and a screening of original footage captured by local enthusiast Alan Wilson.

The weekend reached a poignant conclusion when Ocaña’s four daughters fulfilled their father's final wish by scattering his ashes at the racecourse, marking a permanent return to the town that had welcomed him with such extraordinary hospitality decades earlier.

Buy the Dublin Time Machine a pint and support the DTM Book https://t.co/U7jtCrOTtb

[Steve Sweeney @SweeneySteve]

@TadhgHickey Wow. It just “landed” near me purely by chance. Not a targeted attack that nearly killed me. I mean this is shite even by BBC standards.

[Lea @Lea_EFC]

Liverpool need a goal and they bring on Darwin fu**ing Nunez 😂😂😂😂😂

Have they not seen him play 👀😂

[Mollie Malone 🇮🇪 @peanutsgran]

So saddened by the passing of an old neighbour, life long friend & a true Andytown legend.

Big Bear Rockabilly AKA Philip Long. Rest in eternal peace big man you were truly loved and will be missed by many.

[David Deane @AllDayFry]

Best account on twitter imo

[Satan @s8n]

Implementing regular soul-rotating breaks has increased our underworld's overall productivity and screams-per-minute output.

[Satan @s8n]

Implementing regular soul-rotating breaks has increased our underworld's overall productivity and screams-per-minute output.

[David Deane @AllDayFry]

@TalbertSwan @tim_brannigan Wow

[David Deane @AllDayFry]

@NoContextHumans Typical cyclists 😤

[twitch.tv/Limmy @DaftLimmy]

Here, check out this thing I just made, called The Swearing Xylophone.

Turn up your sound and click on the colours.

https://t.co/Tas247nPsY

[David Deane @AllDayFry]

@SaulStaniforth @ClarNiUigin What a turd

[Andy Cantwell @AndyCantwell]

VAR video released of Luis Diaz disallowed goal

[Belfast Live @BelfastLive]

Playwright Stephen G. Large remembers three young men who lost their lives in recent years #Sp
@uppa_dla
https://t.co/IXl2m8S6Tf

[David Deane @AllDayFry]

Oh Jesus no

[The Greep @GeordieGreep]

Alright guys - we have had a good run, but prepare for the worst. don’t cry - everything is always inevitable

[Camila @camilapress]

President Daniel Ortega asks "What use is the United Nations?" in his remarks during Sunday's event celebrating Commander Hugo Chávez.

[John Pilger @johnpilger]

As the United States attempts to prepare the world mentally for war against China using a torrent of lies and slander, this 'forgotten' history should be enough to stop the propaganda in its tracks. Please read on:
https://t.co/f2bFETmGSW

[David Deane @AllDayFry]

@fredsirieix1 Soy sauce

[Everyones Fav Mom 💋 @thatonemomkj]

Don’t forget you’re trapped in a decaying body, on a giant floating rock in the middle of infinite black space and literally no one knows why

[george @GE0RGINIO]

pls don’t tell me this is what City got a last minute penalty for 🤣🤣🤣

[RMT @RMTunion]

"Are you on the side of the workers?"
Last night, @RMTunion General Secretary Mick Lynch gave a blistering speech at the @The_TUC rally, and now he's trending on Twitter again.
Please watch and share and help us #DemandBetter

[David Deane @AllDayFry]

@gracemarylaura @newhandlehun But has he not been preparing for this moment his whole life? Isn't it his job now?