This article is from page 33 of the 2009-07-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 33 JPG
PERMISSION to come aboard is be- ing extended to visitors and residents in east Clare alike for the Scariff Harbour Festival.
Festival-goers can cruise down the river, spot a kingfisher in the wil- lows, feel the fresh lake breeze and chill out. Or don a safety jacket and helmet, grab a paddle and canoe, and master the river swells.
The more adventurous can have a go at making their own raft.
Water activities like these have been part of the Scariff Harbour Festival programme since it began in 2003 and they continue to top the bill this August bank holiday weekend.
Raft races, with four people to a raft and organised by the Scariff Rugby Club, add a new and fun dimension to being on the river. Setting out from the harbour, contestants will show- case their prowess on the water and create a spectacle guaranteed to en- tertain the less spirited landlubbers!
According to Mike Madden of Scariff Rugby Club, “This is about fun and entertainment and the Rug- by Club’s contribution to the festival. Prizes include Heineken Cup tickets and a trophy, and there will be a bar- becue and live music to round off the Sunday afternoon event,” he said.
Canoeing and kayaking for the ac- tively inclined will be located at the Riverside Park, on the Feakle Road.
Without white water, weirs and rap- ids, the Graney River still challenges experienced enthusiasts and at the same time encourages the novices to explore and experience the water in a special and exhilarating way.
“Waterways Ireland has supported the festival from the beginning. Its
regional office was set up in Scariff through the foresight of the North/ South Ministerial Council and the Arts and Culture Departments North and South following the Good Friday Agreement,” a spokeswoman for the festival organisers said.
‘Free waterbus tours of the Scariff River and Lough Derg during the festival, supported by Waterways Ire- land, is indicative of its commitment to making the river and lake accessi- ble to locals and visitors for pleasure and leisure. Central to the festival’s
concept is the promotion of the com- mercial and tourist potential of the lake and the inland waterways,” the spokeswoman added.
Young anglers from the North and South of Ireland compete each year for the David Ervine Perpetual Tro- phy. This competition, also spon- sored by Waterways Ireland, is in re- membrance of the late David Ervine, Leader of the Progressive Unionist Party, who shared a platform with Mark Durkin, Leader of the SDLP, at the opening of the first Scariff Har-
bour Festival in 2003.
In addition to water activities, chil- dren can enjoy workshops on every- thing from circus skills to cheerlead- ing, creative writing and interactive art workshops, topped by an even bigger and better Family Fun Day at the GAA Park on the bank holiday Saturday.