Clonoulty/Rossmore Macra na Feirme is once again proud to announce details of it’s 2010 International Miss Macra Festival, to be held this year from Thursday 29th July to Monday 2nd August.
Now in it’s 39th year, this popular festival has continued to go from strength to strength. This years festival will see girls coming from all across Ireland to compete for the honour of becoming Miss Macra 2010 and taking over from the 2009 winner Edel Ronan from the Carbery region in Co Cork.
The festival committee have once again chosen the luxurious Dundrum House Hotel, which boasts a top quality golf course and leisure centre, as its venue. This oasis in the Golden Vale provides the perfect escape for those of you seeking relaxation and fun during this forthcoming August bank holiday weekend.
The committee send a huge ‘Thanks You‘ to all their sponsors, host families, local businesses and especially to Dundrum House Hotel, Michael’s Jewellers Thurles, The Nu Du Lounge, Clonoulty, and to Tipp Co-Op in Tipperary Town, to name but a few.
The festival will return to the heart of the community on Thursday 29th July with the annual traditional Ceilli and welcoming session, for the contestants in Clonoulty Community Hall. Here the contestants will meet with their host families, latter who accept them into the bosom of their families for the duration of the weekend festival. Host families are a very central part of this strong community based festival and and are made up solely of families who have long standing connections with the festival, assuring each contestant a warm welcome.
Friday sees the contestants rising early to partake in orienteering at “The Duck Pond“, Dundrum where they will get in touch with nature as they make their way through the woods looking for clues and hoping to make it first back to base. Lunch will be in The Venue, with host National President Michael Gowing, following the morning’s outing. Friday afternoon the girls are given the chance to visit the historical town of Cashel and one of Ireland’s most popular tourist sites, “The Rock of Cashel .” Then it’s on with the dancing shoes to dance the night away to the live music of band “Midnight Run” followed by a Disco in Dundrum’s popular nightclub, “ The Venue.”
Saturday morning, after this hectic night out, sees the girls rise early to begin the business part of the weekend, their interviews with the festival judges. Three judges are charged with the difficult task of selecting one girl from the twenty-one contestants. They are Declan Ryan, a previous Festival Chairperson and long standing member of Macra, Joan Pollard Carew, of Michael’s Jewellers in Thurles, published poet and well known in Art and Irish dancing circles, and finally Fiona Kennedy, manager of the Nu Du Hair and Beauty Lounge, Clonoulty Co.Tipperary. The contestants will later attend Mass celebrated in Rossmore Parish Church by Rev Fr.Fogarty, and the choir for this ceremony provided by club members and members of the local community. Then its back to Dundrum House Hotel where the girls get to display their many talents which this year will include singing, Irish dancing, and solo instrumental pieces. Once this is completed the contestants and their many supporters get down to dancing in true Macra fashion with DJ, Conor Quaid of Spin South West until the early hours.
Sunday morning brings a change from the glamour of Friday and Saturday, to basic runners and tracksuits, for the annual Miss Macra Sports Day in Clonoulty G.A.A grounds and this year in conjunction with Macra’s “Know Your Neighbour Campaign” they will be holding a family fun days with kids races. The girls will also be put through their paces with an obstacle course, girls versus committee sports, and much more, followed, weather permitting, with an on site barbecue.
Sunday night brings everyone together for the climax of the weekend, the International Miss Macra Gala Banquet, in Dundrum House Hotel. After five succulent courses, dancing and live music supplied by “Silver Dollar“will begin, until the golden hour of midnight, when temperatures will soar and all will go silent in anticipation of the announcing of the 2010 International Miss Macra winner.
It promises to be yet another great and well planned International Miss Macra festival to be remember for all who make the Trip to Tipp for this August Bank Holiday weekend.
If you require any further details about the weekend or if you have any questions, you may contact Mary Lyng, Festival Chairperson, Tel: 087 7861016, Elaine O Dwyer Festival Secretary, Tel: 087 646108 or Grace Dunne Festival Chairperson, Tel: 087 9819717 or for all the latest info why not check out www.clonoultyrossmoremacra.com or find them on Facebook.
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