Manuela Riedo Galway concert

mike kelly

The Irishman who set up a foundation in memory of murdered Swiss teenager Manuela Riedo is objecting to a fundraising concert under the banner of the foundation.
Publican Brendan McGuinness, who established the Manuela Riedo Foundation with Manuela's parents, Hans-Peter and Arlette, said that the Galway organisers of the concert planned for October 2 were staging the event without permission.
Mr McGuinness warned yesterday that if the organisers of the event planned for the Salthill Hotel did not remove the foundation's name from the concert billing, he would consider "every option".
Memory
The Basle-based businessman established the foundation in memory of 17-year-old Manuela, who was murdered in Galway in October 2007. She had just arrived in Galway to learn English and a local man, Gerald Barry (29), was later convicted of her brutal killing.
The foundation aims to help and support victims of rape and their families across Europe. All proceeds to the foundation are strictly monitored under Swiss law to ensure the funds are distributed to each platform in compliance with the foundation's wishes.
Yesterday, Mr McGuinness told the Irish Independent that he had not been asked for permission to stage the Galway concert in the foundation's name and that people had been voicing concerns to him about the venture.
Mr McGuinness said: "I have no problem with the concert, but I can't support someone associating it with the foundation when it's not true". Mr McGuinness added: "I don't want to turn it into a circus."
Mr McGuinness pointed out that he had not been in touch with Manuela's parents about the concert.
The promoters of the Galway concert have reportedly insisted that they had been given permission to run the concert by Manuela's parents, who chair the foundation.
They could not be contacted for comment yesterday.
- Brian McDonald


Did anyone read this story in the independent today? Any further information? There is something odd about this foundation, methinks

mike kelly

here is an update on this

The parents of murdered Swiss teenager Manuela Riedo have unequivocally backed a concert to be held in Galway in her name.
In a special letter of support to the voluntary organisers of the concert at the Salthill Hotel on October 2, Hans-Peter and Arlette Riedo said that they were looking forward to attending the concert in the city where Manuela's life was tragically ended.
Seventeen-year-old Manuela was murdered in October 2007. She had just arrived in Galway to learn English and a local man, Gerald Barry (29), was later convicted of her killing.
The concert is a fundraiser for the Manuela Riedo Foundation, which aims to help victims of rape and their families across Europe. Mr Riedo is president of the foundation and his wife is vice-president.

Objected
Brendan McGuinness, a Swiss-based Irish businessman who was also involved in the setting up of the foundation, objected to the staging of the concert. While he has no problem with the concert going ahead, he said he was opposed to the foundation's name being associated with it.
But in a clear signal of their support for the fundraiser, Mr and Mrs Riedo have reiterated that it is their wish that the concert should proceed.
In their letter to organiser Shane Lennon, Manuela's parents say: "We expressly do agree that this concert should take place under the name of (the) Manuela Riedo Foundation.
"Furthermore, we would like to point out that we don't want Mr McGuinness to make legal or other menaces against the organisers and musicians etc of this concert to avoid using the foundation's name."
The letter is also signed by another foundation member, Daniel E Obrist, and copies have been sent to the Irish Embassy in Switzerland and to Galway City Council.
Yesterday, Mr Lennon said he very much regretted Mr McGuinness' stance over the fundraiser. He had repeatedly asked him to become involved in the concert but had been unable to make any progress.
Mr Lennon, who is well known in Galway for his work on behalf of the Chernobyl Children's Project, pointed out that he was not a concert promoter but felt that the murder of Manuela was one of the city's darkest days in recent history.
He and his fellow organisers had simply wanted to help erase that dark day by raising funds at the concert, he added.

biko

There is something odd about this foundation, methinks

What's odd?
What's your point with this thread?

mike kelly

Someone organises a concert with the permission of the President of a foundation and someone else threatens legal action. This strikes you as normal?

biko

It seems to me that at the time he opposed someone using the Foundations name for a concert without permission.

McGuinness said: "I have no problem with the concert, but I can't support someone associating it with the foundation when it's not true".

Later the parents said OK to this happening and therefore it can go ahead.

Manuela's parents say: "We expressly do agree that this concert should take place under the name of (the) Manuela Riedo Foundation."

I'm probably missing something but it doesn't seem strange to me that McGuinness would want to protect the Foundation name from being used without his/the parents permission.

Can you link to the article where the President gives permission but McGuinness says no?

majiktripp

More power to the organisers, Hopefully it will turn out to be a great event, and well supported.
Manuela's parents deserve everything Galway can give them.

bkil

As far as I can see Brendan McGuinness does not have a problem with the concert going ahead, it's people claiming to be members of the foundation when they're not. Events were held in Dublin where premission was sought FIRST and granted. Brendan attended one in the Brazen Head. Brendan has put his whole time and effort into this foundation and has been treated unfairly with the articles in the newspaper. Hopefully the concert will go well but if it had been organised professionallly all this hype could have been avoided.

leno7

Magnus wrote: »

It seems to me that at the time he opposed someone using the Foundations name for a concert without permission.

Later the parents said OK to this happening and therefore it can go ahead.

I'm probably missing something but it doesn't seem strange to me that McGuinness would want to protect the Foundation name from being used without his/the parents permission.

Can you link to the article where the President gives permission but McGuinness says no?

Folks... I am one of the people organising the event in Galway.Can I just clarify, for the record. We have always had the permission of Hans Peter and Arlette Riedo (Manuela's parents and president and vice president of the foundation) to go ahead with the event. This is not something we went looking for afterwards. This event has been planned for months with the approval of Hans Peter and Arlette.

We would not organise something here in Galway without having their permission. We have a signed letter and also they are travelling to the event in Galway to be here with us.

bkil

Hello
I think you're missing the point, why were people claiming to be members of the foundation? Also without Brendan there would have been no foundation. Its a pity Hans peter and Arlette are caught up in the middle of this saga.

Mrs OBumble

I haven't seen any evidence of people claiming to be foundation member when they weren't.

Either Brendan got his wires crossed, or this whole thing is a clever way of getting free publicity for the concert.

leno7

JustMary wrote: »

I haven't seen any evidence of people claiming to be foundation member when they weren't.

Either Brendan got his wires crossed, or this whole thing is a clever way of getting free publicity for the concert.

Folks... hopefully we can put this to bed after this... Can I state for the record once again, that at no time did anybody say they were from the foundation. We did say we were arranging the event ''IN AID OF THE MANUELA RIEDO FOUNDAITON'' we have had full permission to do so at all times, I cannot put enough emphasis on this point. We would have cancelled the concert months ago if instructed to do so.

Also there is nothing clever in the tit for tat stuff going on this week. If anything it has the potential to damage the foundation long beyond the event in Galway on the 2nd of October. It has caused people to question the crediblity of the event in Galway and the foundation itself.

Again I reiterate a signed letter clearly states the use of the Manuela Riedo Foundation name, logo and other such materials with approvals given by Hans Peter and Arlette is available and in the public domain through the media.

AnchormanSL

I was just thinking of something similar this morning regarding various Breast Cancer Charities using the same symbol,although it's now internationally recognised as Breast Cancer care symbol and not that of any individual organisation.

I understand how Mr McGuinness is a little peed off they're using his foundations name, but at the end of the day they're supporting it.A little stupid really.I don't see why he's like this when the money will be going to to same cause.

?Cee?view

leno7 wrote: »

Folks... hopefully we can put this to bed after this... Can I state for the record once again, that at no time did anybody say they were from the foundation. We did say we were arranging the event ''IN AID OF THE MANUELA RIEDO FOUNDAITON'' we have had full permission to do so at all times, I cannot put enough emphasis on this point. We would have cancelled the concert months ago if instructed to do so.

Also there is nothing clever in the tit for tat stuff going on this week. If anything it has the potential to damage the foundation long beyond the event in Galway on the 2nd of October. It has caused people to question the crediblity of the event in Galway and the foundation itself.

Again I reiterate a signed letter clearly states the use of the Manuela Riedo Foundation name, logo and other such materials with approvals given by Hans Peter and Arlette is available and in the public domain through the media.

Don't know if you're the organiser who's real second name is similar to the name you're using here?

Anyway, if you are, you deserve great credit for what you're doing. Congratulations and thanks from a fellow Galwegian for showing a positive aspect of Galway and its people to the Riedo family.

(If you're not Leno.., please pass on my thanks to him)

biko

I'm locking this now, if Mr McGuinness sees this and would like to clarify anything, PM me or po0k.

Thanks to everyone involved in the foundation.