CARRAUNTOUHIL WALK 10am
(Saturday or Sunday, weather permitting)
Grade “A“ Strenuous. Enjoy the thrill of climbing Ireland’s highest mountain in the company of experienced guides. This walk requires a good level of fitness and agility. Walking boots are essential and rain gear at hand. Jeans not recommended. Please bring packed lunch. Cost including transport €20.00 (This cost will be less if walkers are willing to provide their own transport). Booking for this walk is essential. Please contact Dave or Wally 0876447602
CRAFT AND COUNTRY MARKET 10am
Craft and Country Market
A fantastic opportunity to experience the many different foods and crafts produced in the area and pick up a few nice items to bring home to your friends. The selection will astound you and the buzz of the many stalls is a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. If it’s wet, don’t worry, it will be held under the raincover near the Stage.
RAKU GLAZING 11am - 4pm
Fire, water and air are all combined in this amazing glazing technique. Choose a pot or a mug to turn into a work of art under the watchful eye and experienced guidance of Catriona Davies. Held in the Marquee the price of
€10 includes materials and glazing.
FOOTBALL BLITZ 1pm - 4.pm
Juvenile Teams from around the area will again compete this year to determine who are the football champions of the new trophy honoring of the late Gerald Hussey (Sports field Rd.) sponsored by his Family. This years blitz should be a fabulous event for all members of the family. A new set of jerseys was sponsored by Kieran Burns
Horse-riding and Bouncy Castle 4pm - 6pm
next to the Wife Carrying, the “Big Slide” bouncy castle is an old favorite for the kids Horse-riding is based next to the Football Blitz first and later at the Wife Carrying as well.
FIRST IRISH WIFE CARRYING CHAMPIONSHIPS 4pm
The Festival Committee is delighted to announce that this year’s Festival has been chosen as the venue for the all Ireland Wife Carrying Competition. This is the first time that Ireland has participated in this increasingly popular and prestigious international event.
The winning couple will be nominated for entry to the Wife Carrying World Championships to be held next summer at Sonkajärvi in Finland where teams from around the world will participate for the World Title.
The winning couple will receive an expenses paid trip to Finland to represent Ireland in the World Championships in July 2009.
The Wife Carrying course is strictly regulated; 253.5meters long, 2 dry obstacles and one water obstacle. The wife to be carried may be your own, the neighbour’s or she may have been found farther afield; she must, however be over 18 years of age and be a minimum weight of 49 kilos. If she weighs less, she will be handicapped with a loaded rucksack to reach the minimum weight. The winner is the couple who completes the course in the shortest time. If a contestant drops the wife, the couple will be given a 15 seconds time penalty per drop. The only equipment allowed is a belt worn by the carrier. The contestants run the race two at a time, so each heat is a contest in its own right!
The idea of the Wife Carrying Competition is Sonkajärvi’s very own and, in spite of its humorous aspects, it has deep roots in their local history. In the late 1800’s there was in the area a brigand called Rosvo-Ronkainen, who is said to have accepted as his troops, only those men who proved their worth on a challenging track. In those days, it was also a common practice to steal women from the neighboring villages. €20per entery
Crate Climbing Competition 4pm
Begun as a test to hone the skills needed underground by cavers, this incredible and unique competition involves stacking beer crates one on top of the other, climbing as you go, to create a tower as tall as possible. The beer crates are empty but that doesn’t stop the towers from swaying! Don’t worry though, you will be secured to a pole so if you fall you’ll remain suspended. It’s worth going to the training on Thursday though as it might give you a few ideas. Entry is €5 and, luckily, you can enter as many times as you like so if you’re good you can stay ahead! A fantastic prize of €100 and a €250 paintballing vouchers will be given to the person with the highest tower.
LIVE ON FESTIVAL STAGE : IAN I. BROW 9pm
Ian I.Brow was born in Paris, grew up in Cavan and is now moving into a place of his own.
This group of musicians, actors and cabinet makers have seen their crafts groomed from Conamara to the Continent. Their music is a unification of Funk, Ska, Salsa, Rock, Yoga and elementary woodwork while also ensuring a healthy ratio of covers to original material. The band are currently two years into their No Holidays Tour which has seen them play the N3 on a moving artic lorry to a tour of the Shannon/Erne waterway by boat. Think twice about leaving this world without having been a witness.
IAN I. BROW consist of John O Grady on vocals, Darren Stack on guitar, Shane O Carroll on bass, Peter Sheridan on keyboards and Alan D’arcy on drums. They have been playing together as a band since early 2007, entertaining crowds in Cavan and the Midlands