Search Results for 'Scotland'

LITTLE RED Riding Hood, a sweet little girl or blood thirsty mass murderer? Wolfie, a monstrous beast or sensitive canine dude who eats grannies?

Connacht learned that a good start was half the battle when they overcame the Scarlets to record their second win of the Magners League.

The main provincial action of the past week concerned the various club competitions, two of which were decided at the weekend. All-Ireland 40x20 senior club champions Ballaghaderreen faced off St Coman’s in the provincial decider at Coman’s on Friday night last in a contest that went right down to the wire. Dessie Keegan opened proceedings for the Mayo side against Coman’s Chris Doolin and the duo played out two thrilling games. Keegan took the opener 21 aces to 18 but Doolin fought back to win the second 21-17 to give the host a one-point advantage. Vincent Moran teamed up with Stephen Cooney for the doubles leg and against Coman’s Ricky O’Gara and Niall McGrath. The normally reliable Moran and Cooney were far from their best against two reasonable if unspectacular ball players and the Mayo pair suffered defeat in both games on an overall 21-17, 21-15 scoreline to leave Ballaghaderreen 11 aces adrift going into the last singles. It was now up to Ballaghaderreen’s Joe McCann to rescue the situation as he took on Coman’s Damian Martin.

The 22nd running of the British and Irish Cross Country International took place in Perry Park, Birmingham, on Saturday. It was hosted this year by the England Athletics Masters Association in conjunction with the famous Birchfield Harriers at their excellent facilities at Perry Barr. The event involves five teams: England, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. They all compete as individuals and teams in the various masters’ age categories from 35 upwards. It is highly competitive and fiercely patriotic. But overall there is camaraderie not often seen in athletics which has been matured over many meetings. A deep respect has developed for all those taking part who compete to the best of their ability. The post race prize giving function is where all of this is best witnessed. The Irish team has had a number Mayo AC participants over the past few years and this year Breege Blehein-McHale (o40) and Tom Hunt (o60) were in the Irish team having qualified at the Masters’ cross country trial in the Phoenix Park last month. Breege had previously taken part in Falkirk, Scotland in 2006, when she ran on the winning Irish o40 team, while Tom was part of the bronze medal team in Belfast (2007) and gold medal team in Swansea (2008). Conditions in Perry Park were tough, with cold blustery showers but the course — just over 2k lap — was a fair test, some soggy stretches and an uphill finish. Women and o65/70 men ran three laps, and men in remaining categories, four. The Irish women's o40 team won silver and were just pipped for first place by one point by Wales' 14pts (3,4,7). Carmel Crowley (Bandon AC) second, Lucy Darcy (Sportsworld) fifth, and a great run by Breege Blehein (eighth) gave them 15 points, with the fourth Irish finisher Helen White (Sportsworld) in 11th. The Irish o60 team were without 2008 individual winner Martin McEvilly (GCH) and drafted in two last minute replacements (including Frenchpark native Liam Hester) finishing fifth with 39 pts (6,16,17) behind winners Wales 12pts (1,3,8). Tom Meehan (Sligo AC) won silver with the o50 team in his first appearance for Ireland. England were overall winners once again with Ireland a very creditable second of the five countries. Of the 15 team categories Ireland won three (M35, M55, W50) and were second in eight, with four runners winning individual gold: M35, M50, W45, W50.

BELFAST FLUTE player Desi Wilkinson has been one of Irish trad’s leading exponents for more than three decades. Wilkinson was raised in the shadow of The Troubles in the 1970s and was drawn to music as a means of release from the horrors of war.

Even though mistletoe is not native to Ireland it has long been associated with Christmas here. The tangled green plant, with its soft white berries, has been introduced in some Irish counties (grafted onto apple trees), and was being sold in basket fulls at the Galway market last December.

The young Claregalway jockey who lost his life in a house fire in the UK last year is to be remembered with a scholarship from a UK racecourse.

A SCOTSMAN, an Irishman, and an American walked into a bar...that bar will be the Róisín Dubh when Geoff Boyz, Shane Mauss, and Keith Farnan play The Laughter Lounge next Wednesday.

MALCOLM MIDDLETON may have announced he’s taking a break from recording solo albums for a while, but he’s not finished touring and this first rate songwriter is coming to Galway at the end of the month.

Claddagh Fire Brigade Station Captain Billy Conroy will be opening this year’s Cóilín Sheáin Dharach sean-nós dance festival at Tigh Clarke, Ros Muc, on Friday January 29.