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The 300-year-old viola Morgan Goff

Complaint filed to Dublin Airport over claims security damaged a 300-year-old €282k viola

Violist Morgan Goff was travelling through Dublin Airport on 10 February when the alleged incident happened.

A MAN HAS filed a formal complaint to DAA after he claimed a security staff member damaged his £250,000 (€282,000) viola.

Violist Morgan Goff, from London, claims that his 300-year-old viola was damaged during a manual security check at departures by a staff member.

“I was told that my viola would not go through the normal scanner as it was too big and would need to be manually searched and scanned,” Goff told TheJournal.ie in a statement.

He claims he was asked by security staff to empty the contents of his viola case, with the exception of the viola and two bows, before proceeding to the manual check.

Goff said he was then asked by the security staff member to open the case.

“He immediately went to grab the neck of the instrument to pull it out. I quickly stopped him and told him that it was a very valuable and old instrument,” Goff said.

“I said I would handle it and hold it for him so that he could inspect it. I asked him to be really careful due to its value,” he said.

Goff said the staff member took out a “swab wand” to examine the viola.

He claims the staff member “hit the front of the instrument hard”, which made a “sickening crunching sound” and left a visible dent.

image2 Here is the dent Goff claims was made by security staff Morgan Goff Morgan Goff

“I yelled at him. What did he think he was doing? I said to him ‘This instrument is 300 years old, worth a quarter of a million pounds and you have just dented it’,” Goff said.

Goff filled out a damages report at Dublin Airport shortly after the incident occurred.

A spokesperson for DAA told TheJournal.ie: “Mr Goff would have been told by security screening staff, who filled out a damage report form in relation to the item, that to make a complaint he needed to contact our customer service department with the full details of the incident in question.

“This is standard procedure and we would have provided the contact details for our customer service department to Mr Goff at the time.”

DAA confirmed that Goff made contact yesterday morning to file a formal complaint in relation to the issue.

“We will now carry out a full investigation.”

Read: Bill Cullen is suing Ulster Bank for €120 million over takeover strategy

More: The new project helping parents develop their kids’ emotional resilience

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    Mute Gerry Fallon
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 6:52 AM

    I hope he Does get compensated.Ive experienced their arrogance.Full of aggression and rudeness.
    There’s no need at all for it.

    816
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    Mute john g mcgrath
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 7:09 AM

    @Gerry Fallon: most of them in minimum wage wanna be cops very rude people.

    408
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    Mute jon-boy55
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 7:18 AM

    @john g mcgrath: thugs who serve no purpose whatsoever

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    Mute Liam Whelan
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 7:31 AM

    @john g mcgrath: have a heart, they can hardly afford a McDonald’s!

    15
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    Mute Diogenes
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 8:38 AM

    @Gerry Fallon: Their position is open to abuse.

    32
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    Mute LindsayD
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 10:52 AM

    @Gerry Fallon:

    Apparently it is designed that way to encourage you to spend more in duty-free section.

    Ignorant strangers going through your belongings, making you take off your shoes, belt, long queues = high stress.

    People are more likely to treat themselves after going through that, it has fcuk all to do with your security.

    27
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    Mute Ben McArthur
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 12:53 PM

    @john g mcgrath: Most of them are grand, especially compared to the TSA or their equivalents in France. Try treating them like people who are just doing a job.

    25
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    Mute Martin Byrne
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    Feb 25th 2018, 8:55 AM

    @Ben McArthur: I’ve certainly found the Irish staff to be a lot nicer than the outright c-words in US security, or Dutch, French, Turkish… deliberately rude for no reason

    3
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    Mute Jarlath Murphy
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 6:40 AM

    300 yrs old, 275k valuation.

    Never buy a second hand violin!

    It could be a fiddle!

    312
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    Mute David Conroy
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 9:14 AM

    @Jarlath Murphy: It’s a good job it wasn’t a new one !

    51
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    Mute Thomas Devlin
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 10:13 AM

    @Jarlath Murphy: it was an orchestrated search!

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 1:15 PM

    @Thomas Devlin: coming to Dublin he should have brought his “Second Viol(a)in” he will certainly “Remember that ‘Winter’ in Dublin”!!!!

    6
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    Mute Etherman
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 6:21 AM

    No need to make a song and dance about it.

    154
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    Mute Smiley
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 7:14 AM

    @Etherman: Stupid comment.

    93
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    Mute Etherman
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 7:49 AM

    @Smiley: it’s what I do best sunshine.

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    Mute Paul Murphy
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 8:35 AM

    @Smiley: don’t be making a song and dance about it smiley

    11
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    Mute Ciarán McPhillips
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 6:22 AM

    Ah here. Get out the violin. Oh no. Never mind. Put it back. Quickly!

    88
    JJ
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    Mute JJ
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 8:39 AM

    Bunch of scuzzas in airport security. I lost the head with one b-@ch who searched my 8 year old daughter. They think they’re “the last line of defence”. As if someone’s going to actually bring anything on a plane anymore !!!

    92
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    Mute Minom Pnnomm
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 9:40 AM

    @JJ: air-pour se-cue-re-he

    18
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    Mute Liam Whelan
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 10:05 AM

    @JJ: great example for your child!

    25
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    Mute Ian McGrath
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 6:48 AM

    For something that’s worth that much I would never have left it out of my sight.

    56
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    Mute Ian McGrath
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 6:49 AM

    @Ian McGrath: or anyone touch it.

    30
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    Mute Ronan McDermott
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 6:55 AM

    @Ian McGrath: agreed. He was dead right. Not sure a scratch is worth that kind of compo money though. This is the issue here – finding a fair amount while admitting the situation should never have happened. But siht does happen just like judge Judy says

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    Mute Father Hody Commody
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 7:25 AM

    @Ronan McDermott: Isopon and a bit of brown paint will do the trick.

    8
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    Mute Vocal Outrage
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 7:29 AM

    @Ronan McDermott: due to the sensitivity of the acoustic cavity to such dents that the damage may actually seriously affect the sound from the instrument. Hence, a serious loss in value and utility beyond what would be obvious from a small dent.

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    Mute Vincent
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 7:32 AM

    @Ian McGrath: and that’s exactly what he did.

    20
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    Mute Skybloo
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 8:00 AM

    @Ian McGrath: he didn’t let it out of his sight and didn’t let the guy touch it … the security guy hit it with a swab wand instead of gently swabbing

    38
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    Mute Philip Mckenna
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 9:36 AM

    @Ian McGrath: unfortunately in ss airport land even here you have to have it checked!

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    Mute Niall Power
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 7:57 AM

    This instrument is irreplaceable,
    I hope he sues them for the full value,
    Ignorant aggressive security thugs.

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    Mute Liam Whelan
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 10:07 AM

    @Niall Power: why would he die for full value if it wasn’t fully destroyed?

    8
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    Mute Liam Whelan
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 10:12 AM

    @Liam Whelan: PAY not die!

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    Mute Lilly Passet-De Nais
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 3:19 PM

    @Liam Whelan: if the dent miss shaped the sound box of the Viola, it may as well be destroyed. I had a Mandolin that I accidentally dented, and it was only a small dent too, but it Miss shaped the sound box inside and it affected the sound of the music. I had a choice of trying to get it fixed or replacing it. Replacing it was the better option.

    10
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    Mute John Dman
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 7:25 AM

    If it was that expensive he should have paid for a seat for it!

    24
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    Mute Carl
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 7:29 AM

    How does that stop security mishandling it??

    214
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    Mute Liam Whelan
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 7:30 AM

    @John Dman: that’s why he was taking it it through security with him and not putting it in checked luggage!

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    Mute Lee Lindsay
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 7:32 AM

    @Liam Whelan: would you let it out of your sight???

    5
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    Mute Paul Kelly
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 7:40 AM

    @Liam Whelan: If it was damaged as checked in baggage , who would be to blame?
    The departure airport? the Destination airport? The airline?

    6
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    Mute Liam Whelan
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 10:03 AM

    @Paul Kelly: the airline has full responsibility for checked luggage.

    8
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    Mute Bob Tallent
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 8:48 AM

    At least Irish security are less up their own asses than the American power hungry ones

    52
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    Mute Minom Pnnomm
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 9:40 AM

    @Bob Tallent: it’s not far off in some cases

    38
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    Mute Philip Mckenna
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 9:34 AM

    They r the rudest mostly ignorant people on the planet d alt with them few times pure and utter ignorance, all because good ol USA said so the world follows suit puts you off flying

    42
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    Mute Liam Whelan
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 10:14 AM

    @Philip Mckenna: why get the ferry to France or England and try their security? I can assure they are hell of a lot worse!!

    12
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    Mute Ros Aodha
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 11:16 AM

    What kind of pleb brings a 300 year old instrument in a plane anyway.

    11
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    Mute Alan Biddulph
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 11:28 AM

    @Ros Aodha: Another know it all, Not sure if a pleb would be able to play never mind afford an instrument like this, how do you think orchestras travel with their instruments for performances? Not sure if this viola could double as a kayak.

    65
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    Mute J M Raw
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 11:31 AM

    @Ros Aodha: what’s he supposed to do then ?

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    Mute Paul Mcnevin
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    Feb 24th 2018, 12:06 PM

    @Ros Aodha: Yeah the RTÉ Orchestra get a group discount with B&I Ferries.

    1
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    Mute Catriona Galster
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    Feb 24th 2018, 12:32 PM

    @Ros Aodha: the kind that will be playing his violin in the place he is flying to? What a stupid question!

    3
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    Mute johngough
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 3:56 PM

    Jesus not one comment to give about the owner carrying an instrument of such value through security.

    Where are ‘he deserves it comments’ ?

    Journal, there is something wrong with the readers today.

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    Mute Jorge Thompson
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 3:20 PM

    The guy that appears on some TV security programme seems to be, in my opinion, very arrogant.

    8
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    Mute Alyson Sean O'Neill
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 12:13 PM

    That was awful .I

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    Mute SquideyeMagpie
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    Feb 23rd 2018, 2:03 PM

    Padráig Óg.., faigh an Stratavarious!

    3
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    Mute Paul Mcnevin
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    Feb 24th 2018, 12:03 PM

    Security at Dublin airport has a history of violins.

    3
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