This article is from page 26 of the 2008-06-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 26 JPG
CLARE will play host to the All-Ire- land Currach Championships for the first time ever.
Kilbaha Curragh Club secretary, Eugene Costelloe, announced this week that the championship will be held in the picturesque west Clare village.
The event, will take place on July 12 and July 13 during the Loop Head Gathering Festival.
“It’s the first time ever (the compe- tition 1s to) be held in Clare and it has taken four years of hard work and a
lot of money to achieve this. Crews from Donegal, Aran Islands, Con- nemara, Clare, Kerry and Limerick will take part,” said Mr Costelloe.
“T look forward to two great days racing. I would like to thank the fes- tival committee for giving me the opportunity to hold the All-Ireland Championships in Kilbaha,” he said.
The people from Kilbaha are al- ready preparing for the prestigious event with local crews training for the competition.
The host village hopes to enter a crew in every category.
The tradition of currach racing has
received a new lease of life in the last number of years in west Clare.
Next Sunday, June 8, a currach re- gatta will be held in Kilrush, with another regatta in Carrigaholt the following week on Sunday, June 15.
This year the All-Ireland Champi- onship will be the highlight of the curragh racing year in Clare and fea- tures as part of the successful Loop Head Gathering Festival.
Inspired by the Scattering emigra- tion project, the Loop Head Gather- ing Festival 1s now doing the oppo- site, as it encourages former residents to return to their west Clare home-
land for a week of celebrations.
In its fifth year, the Loop Head fes- tival is a follow on from a smaller event; The weekend festival, Eannach an Clar, which was held on alternate years between Cross and Kilbaha.
Now both communities have joined forces with their peninsula col- leagues to hold the Loop Head festi- val, which is going from strength to strength.
This year’s festival will begin on Friday, July 11 with a céili.
The highlight of the festival this year will be the cultural parade and the currach racing.