Shane Lowry, the former Open champion, expressed sympathy for the families affected by the tragic Grenfell fire that claimed 72 lives in June 2017. Lowry recently decided to sever his ties with Kingspan, a construction company based in Co Cavan, a decision that came a week after a much-publicised report on the fire was published.
The decision to terminate his sponsorship contract with the building materials firm was prompted by sustained pressure in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower disaster, especially as Kingspan faced intense scrutiny over time, and notably following last week’s report. Despite Kingspan being cleared of liability for the fire’s spread on the night of the disaster, the company was criticised in the report for having knowingly created a dishonest market for insulation products, employing questionable strategies, and showing a lack of consideration for fire safety.
When questioned about his decision to cut ties with Kingspan at the Irish Open, Lowry initially did not elaborate on his announcement made the previous Tuesday. However, when pushed on whether he could have made the decision earlier, Lowry empathised deeply with the Grenfell families, while being careful not to expand too much on such a sensitive subject.
Grenfell United, a group comprising survivors of the fire, welcomed Lowry’s decision. They had been critical of Lowry’s continued association with Kingspan, referring to his wearing of the company logo on his golf shirts as deeply inappropriate. Ed Daffarn, a Grenfell United member, was among those who condemned the golfer’s seeming indifference towards the issue.
On a Tuesday evening announcement, the group recalled presenting Lowry with evidence from the Inquiry three years ago and expressed their satisfaction with his eventual decision to dissociate from Kingspan. In their statement, the group also urged other sports professionals to follow Lowry’s example in honour of those who lost their lives in the Grenfell fire.