'Once on landing in Dhahran Saudi customs found a girlie magazine left behind by one of the passengers. They went berserk threatened to jail the whole crew and impound the aircraft '

'Once on landing in Dhahran Saudi customs found a girlie magazine left behind by one of the passengers. They went berserk threatened to jail the whole crew and impound the aircraft '

Mike Mahon remembers the strict (religious) laws in Bahrain.

Mike Mahon

Trinity College Dublin

2001

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Mike Mahon

Work and Employment

Life Story

Bahrain

2000s

As with most Arab countries any goods from Israel or any companies with a suspected Jewish connection were prohibited. These ranged from Outspan oranges, Cadburys chocolate to Ford cars. The problem was no one knew what companies were on the black list and when I inquired was told the list was a secret in the interest of national security. I once had the misfortune to buy some kids casual cloths from a mail order company in the UK, but on arrival the parcel was confiscated by customs. Relatively speaking Bahrain and the other Emirates were quite liberal by Arab standards, alcohol was allowed and women could drive and not have to cover up, but Saudi was different. We were not allowed to overnight there, nor would one want too. Once on landing in Dhahran Saudi customs found a girlie magazine left behind by one of the passengers. They went berserk threatened to jail the whole crew and impound the aircraft. Because of the strict religious laws in Saudi many of them came to Bahrain for a bit of R and R. But when the causeway was completed joining the two countries this became a flood. Money was no object and as one hotel manager told me their demand was for a bottle of 'Walking Johnny', some food and a women, not necessarily in that order

Irish Research Council for Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (IRCHSS)

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)