Educational Yet Fun Events Going On Around Town This Week

I keep collecting little circulars and notes about events going on around town then forget to blog about them. In a rare instance, I didn’t forget so here’s a list with some photos to break up the text.

BOOKS

The Central Library on Grand Parade presents the launch of James Harpur’s Angels and Harvesters (Anvil Press, available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk) and Mary O’ Malley’s Valparaiso (Carcanet, available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk or if you’re in Galway pick up your copy at Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop) on Tuesday, 22 May. O’Malley’s and Harpur’s writings were featured on Sunday Miscellany on 25 March, 2012

Now this one has me tempted! Morning coffee with Alice Taylor on Thursday, 24 of May. This is a bus trip to Innishannon House Hotel to enjoy coffee and a scone while listening to a reading by author Alice Taylor. Alice Taylor wrote To School Through The Fields (available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk), An Irish Country Christmas (available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk) and

First Ever Kinsale Pink Ribbon Walk on Sunday, March 4th

The first Kinsale Pink Ribbon Walk takes place in Kinsale on Sunday 4^th March 2012 at 2pm in aid of Action Breast Cancer, a programme of the Irish Cancer Society.

As Brand Ambassador for the Kinsale Pink Ribbon Walk, Cara O’Sullivan will lend her support on the day and will perform ‘Stand up and Fight’ to inspire walkers as they head off on the 10km route. There will be an earlier start time of 1:45pm for runners.

After the Walk, refreshments will be provided by the Kinsale Good Food Circle and jazz singer Sharon Crosbie, also a Brand Ambassador, will entertain everyone after the Walk, creating a party atmosphere in the Town Council Car Park on the Pier Road. It promises to be great day as every participant wears a Pink Ribbon Walk t-shirt and Kinsale shops and restaurants will ‘go pink’ for the weekend.

“We are delighted with the response from so many people and nearly all the Kinsale businesses to date. This is the first walk on the south coast and we are hoping to have 400 walkers on Sunday 4^th March raising €40,000 for The Irish Cancer Society’s Action Breast Cancer,” said Jackie Dawson, Chairperson, Kinsale Pink Ribbon Walk Committee.

The Pink Ribbon Walk is a national fundraising initiative which organises sponsored charity walks in locations around the country in aid of Action Breast Cancer. The objective is to empower individuals and communities to increase breast cancer awareness, promote healthy living and raise funds for Action Breast Cancer through a fun and rewarding experience. 

Since 2009, The Pink Ribbon Walks in Kells, Co Meath and Ballina/Killaloe, Co Clare have raised €400,000 for Action Breast Cancer. The Kinsale Pink Ribbon Walk hopes to add significantly to this figure in 2012.

Online Registration is now open on www.pinkribbonwalk.ie and Registration forms are available at Kinsale Pharmacy or Finishing Services Kinsale.

See www.pinkribbonwalk.ie. for further details and online registration or call the  Pink Ribbon Walk Hotline on (087) 2627387 for more information. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Images by Gerard McCarthy 087 8537228 For further press information please contact Jackie Dawson 086 2446544 or email jdawson@eircom.net

Photography provided by Ger McCarthy (087) 8537228

 

For further press information, please contact:

Jackie Dawson (086) 2446544   or email: jdawson@eircom.net

Ballycotton 10-Mile Road Race – Photos!

Yesterday, the 34th annual Ballycotton ’10′ drew a crowd of over 2,000 runners to the charming town in East Cork for a classic road race with a strong reputation. Though it was quite chilly and completely overcast, the rain held off and the wind stayed away. In the end, it almost seemed better to have it colder instead of last year’s sunny warmth. The chilled spectators, cheering supporters, and race volunteers shared enthusiasm for the lively and fun event that in spite of its size and popularity continues to feel like a real gem in the running community and in Ireland.

Photo: Alan O’Shea of Bantry was second to cross the finish line.

I was there cheering on a few friends and my husband, so I stationed myself at the finish line with my knitting project then switched to my DSLR when finishers started approaching. The result is a few rows done of my R2D2 Fair Isle hat and over 700 photos of runners crossing the finish line with clock boasting impressive times (and several personal bests) overhead (with the Ballycotton ’10′ Nike banner in the background). I uploaded ALL 750-some photos I took yesterday to a Ballycotton ’10′ 2001 Set on Flickr and am working my way through the images to tag them with visible race bib numbers. The images should also be searchable on RacePix.com.

2010 Galway City Marathon

We went to Galway last weekend for the 2010 Galway City Marathon. Sponsored by the Radisson Blu, the race brought enough visitors to the city that all the lovely B&Bs and guest houses in Galway played host to runners.

The morning felt crisp, but that quickly changed to warm sun then rain then more sun. The start of the race was delayed due to some logistical issue, but fitness leaders pepped the runners on until the race began. Runners definitely were faced with a challenge when it came to the weather, but also the course and vehicles. Yes, vehicles.

2010 Cork City Marathon

Sunday, it was sunny and warm. Tuesday is partly cloudy with a bit of blue sky. However, Monday, it was rainy with a little chill in the air. Evidently, Mother Nature listened to runners’ pleas last year when it was too hot for the annual Cork City Marathon because there was little chance of overheating at yesterday’s race.

The course was different from last year which brightened the views of some who tired of the long stretches without encouraging views of the city. There is something about a winding or changing path that at least makes you feel like you’re making progress, but those long stretches giving you the same view step after step lack poetry in motion. Race planners also considered the lengths and evened the distances out a little better for relay teams.

Photos from 2010 Cheetah Run at Fota

Last evening, there was a rare sight at Fota Wildlife Park – a stampede of 630* humans with some enthusiastic participation from one ostrich, a dazzle of zebra, and lots of cheering from the monkeys. The 2010 Cheetah Run took place at dusk with lovely weather and this one was for people as opposed to the daily cheetah run for the big cats.

We were there cheering on our favorite runners and snapping a few pics (510 to be exact). I’ve posted the best of the race images on Flickr – Fota’s 2010 Cheetah Run Photos. All photos are tagged with visible bib numbers so if you ran in the race, search within my photostream for your number and photos with you in them will show in the results. If that doesn’t work, it just means there wasn’t a clear image of your complete bib number in my photo so try searching for the bib number of a friend who was running with you or someone else who was running at your pace. Video was also captured but not yet posted, including an ostrich running alongside the race competitors.

Cork v. Kilkenny Mother’s Day Hurling Match – Guest Post by My Mom

This is a guest post written by my mother, Julie, to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Yesterday, my daughter and her dear husband took me to my first hurling match. In the States, I avoid sports functions – on TV or attending – because I find them boring and usually fall asleep before anything happens.

Hurling is completely different. The kids had told me it was “the fastest game on grass” and it was.

Corcaigh Abú

Just two days until Cork takes to the pitch with Kerry in the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship at Croke Park. I am blessed to have two tickets to the match so we’ll be heading up to Dublin on Sunday. Tickets are still available, at a cost, from eBay.

Cork spirit is alive and well across the county. Those homes with a Kerry wife and a Cork husband must be having some very lively debates about now. Here is a peek at the Debenham’s window on St. Patrick’s Street in Cork City Centre.

Corcaigh Abú, Debenham’s window on St. Patrick’s Street in Cork City Centre