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Thurles, European Town of Sport in 2012, got its current week long Sarsfields Festival of Gaelic Sport under way on Friday July 4th last, with same continuing until July 12th next, inclusive.
The festival got off to a flying start on Friday morning last with the first ever official ‘Indoor Target Bowling’ competition; with all 90 competitors in attendance playing for the Olden Cup and associated individual medals for runner’s up and winning team members.
This new game, designed in particular for wheelchair and special needs participants and developed by James O’Driscoll, proved extremely popular with teams and their sponsors representing Roscrea, Birr, Thurles, Nenagh, Templemore and other areas all taking part.
M/s Susan Greene Chairperson of the Irish Road Bowling Association (Bol Chumann na hEireann) was on hand in person to supervise the judging and present the medals.
Also in attendance and spotted in the large crowd present were Catherine Purcell (Rehab Care), Michael Dundon (Sarsfields Festival PRO), Michael Maher (Chairperson Thurles Sarsfields Club) and John Lanigan & Johnny Enright (Joint Festival Chairpersons).
Mrs Margo Olden (Thurles Guardian Angel School) was also in attendance to present, for the very first time the Olden Cup, which this year was won by a group representing Thurles Sarsfields and captained by Declan Ryan.
 Tipperary claimed their first championship victory today, since their Munster Final win of 2012, while alas, 2012 All-Ireland finalists Galway are now left to reflect on another disappointing season.
Eamon O’Shea secured his first championship win at the helm, thanks to the unbelievably powerful finish from his team, which ended Galway’s involvement in the 2014 championships, with the score-line of 3-25 (34pts) to 4-13 (25pts).
Tipperary, in front of almost 18,500 spectators, came from six points down to beat Galway by nine points, in what can only be described as a truly thrilling All-Ireland qualifier. Galway were 4-12 (24pts) to the Premier County’s 1-15 (18pts) clear, however in the remaining 19 minutes plus stoppage time, the Premier County scored 2-10 (16pts) against their opponents, latter who manage just 0-1 during the same period of time.
Drom & Inch ace, Seamus Callanan, bagged two of Tipperary’s goals, earning personally in total, half of Tipperary’s overall final tally (17pts) at game’s end. John O’Dwyer added six points while Noel McGrath chipped in another five points from play.
Lar Corbett also came to life in the second half, landing two superb points into the Thurles town end of Tom Semple’s hallowed turf. Single individual points also came from the sticks of Woodlock, Bergin, Maher and McGrath, thus adding to the overall Tipperary final winning tally.
Today’s victory by Tipperary could yet kick-start that awaited September trip to Croke Park.
Tipperary Team: D. Gleeson, P. Stapleton, P. Maher, M. Cahill, B. Maher, J. Barry, C. Barrett; R. Maher, J. Woodlock, G. Ryan, P. Maher, N. McGrath, J. O’Dwyer, S. Callanan and L. Corbett.
Subs: K. Bergin for R. Maher; S. McGrath for G. Ryan and J. O’Brien for L. Corbett.
The Thurles Sarsfields International Festival of Gaelic Sport gets under way next weekend, beginning 4th – 12th July, inclusive.
The former 2012 European Town of Sport, will showcase the very best Ireland has to offer as a sports, tourism and shopping destination to the thousands of visitors expected to descend on Thurles, “The Home of the GAA.”
Ireland’s first week-long celebration of Gaelic sport, music and fun will see local businesses and tourism attractions all join forces to offer a wide variety of family friendly events and will offer special discounts for visitors to choose from, throughout this exciting festive period.
Expect traditional and modern music sessions, a Setanta Sports talk in LIT Tipperary, A “Fleadh agus Fáilte,” Fun Run with Thurles Crokes Athletic Club, Family events in The Source Theatre, Thurles Farmers market, The “Garth Brooks Experience” Concert, Open Golf Competitions and a Céíli Mór with The Annaly Céilí Band as just some of this year’s festival highlights.
Add to this free entry to Thurles Dog Track with a festival programme on race nights and special Dining and Accommodation rates in the Anner Hotel, Templemore Arms, The Horse and Jockey, Watermill and Supermacs Thurles. Special reduced rates also for entry to all Heritage Centres, namely St Mary’s Famine Museum, Lár na Páirce and Cormackstown Heritage Centre.
Thurles Sarsfields Festival Of Gaelic Sport July 4th – 12th 2014, in Conjunction With Tipp FM Radio; John Enright and John Lanigan (Joint Chairpersons of the Thurles Sarsfields Festival of Gaelic Sport 2014) both now report:
Thurles Sarsfields Festival Of Gaelic Sport July 4th – 12th 2014 – In Conjunction With Tipp FM Radio
To all this years Participants, Supporters and Guests; welcome to the 2014 Thurles Sarsfields Festival of Gaelic Sport.
It started as an eight team International Hurling Festival for the Tom Semple Cup in 2011. In 2014 this annual growing event now incorporates not just Hurling but also Camogie, Ladies Football, Target Ball, Rounders, Handball, Road Bowling, Camán Abú and a Fun Run.
This year for the first time Tipp FM Radio has come on board; in conjunction with the Festival committee and are running the “Irish Garth Brooks Experience” Concert on July 5th here in the Sarsfields Social Centre. (Reminder to all, Tickets are now available.)
This years Festival will conclude with a Céili Mór on July 12th. (See programme of events hereunder).
This Festival of Gaelic Sport this year is being actively supported by Tipp FM Radio, Hidden Tipperary Tourism, Tipperary County Council and Thurles Chamber of Commerce. All Thurles businesses and local Tourist attractions are supporting the festival by providing discounts where possible, music sessions and displaying the colours of the participating teams.
Thurles Sarsfields hope all taking part and all visitors to Thurles will enjoy a great week of Gaelic Sport, Music and Fun.
Fleadh agus Failte – A banquet and a welcome.
Draft Programme of events for Thurles Sarsfields Festival of Gaelic Sport. July 2014.
Friday 4th July:- Target Ball for Special Needs Groups in Sarsfields Centre. Five Teams entered to date and start time proposed is 12.00 noon.
Saturday 5th July:- Ladies Football Sarsfields Outside Field begins 11.00 am.
Road Bowling, Cormackstown Road. Singles and inter-club competition. Afternoon start.
Durlas Og Juvenile Hurling Tournament Preliminary rounds. (Final Saturday July 12th.) Pairc Na Nog.
Fun Run from Greyhound Stadium via Seskin to Sarsfields Centre. Walkers assemble at 6.30 pm. Runners at 7.00 pm.
Tipp FM Concert will take place in Sarsfields Social Centre. The “Garth Brooks Experience” and the “Jackson Brothers” will begin at 9.00 pm. Admission is €15.
Monday 7th July:- Caman Abu 7 a side in Sarsfields Outside Field. Evening.
Tuesday 8th July:- Caman Abu 7 a side in Sarsfields Outside Field. Evening.
Friday 11th July:- Caman Abu 7 a side Finals in Sarsfields Outside Field Evening. .
Saturday 12th:- July Hurling Tournament in Morris Park and Sarsfields Outside Field. With 13 aside, this tournament commences at 11.00 am or earlier. (Time subject to the All Ireland Hurling Qualifier in Semple Stadium.)
Camogie in St. Patrick’s College begins 10.00 am.
Durlas Og Juvenile Finals at Pairc Na Nog.
Rounders in Croke Athletic Club Grounds.
Handball Tournament in Thurles Handball Club. Junior and Juvenile level doubles and singles.
Ceili Mor in Sarsfields Social Centre begins 9.30pm. Admission €10.
Thurles Sarsfields extend their always to be expected warm welcome to all visitors and hope that this event will be, as usual, a great week for lovers of sport, music and “mighty craic,” for all in attendance here in Thurles, the true home of hurling.
Michael Dundon, former editor of the Tipperary Star newspaper and PRO of the Thurles Sarsfields 2014 International Hurling Festival reports.
Over eighty teams will be taking part in this year’s 2014 forth Thurles Sarsfields International Hurling Festival, which takes place this coming July, is a week-long event to tie in with the Munster hurling final.
The video slide-show hereunder gives just a small taste of the preparation and the taking part by some of last year’s talented participants. (Click HERE for full HD)
Arrangements are at an advanced stage for this prestigious event which for the first time will include ladies football and juvenile hurling tournaments in addition to the usual, thirteen-a-side hurling, camogie, road bowling and Caman Abu competitions, which have been so successful over the last three years. The Target Ball bowling competition for the handicapped, such a big hit last year, will again be part of this year’s festival.
Former Sarsfields chairman, John Enright, the driving force behind the festival, says that the Semple, Carew, and Culhane Cups will again be the main feature of the hurling festival, but this year teams will be taking part from some of the more traditional counties with the aim of upgrading competition. Sixteen teams will participate in these, with eight teams in both the camogie and ladies football tournaments.
Last year a Caman Abu inter-pubs/societies recreational hurling competition was introduced and was a massive hit. This year it is planned to have thirty two teams involved and the event will be run over three nights in the week, leading up to the Munster final.
The festival will commence on July 5th with the ladies football, target ball, and road bowling events. The Semple, Carew, and Culhane cups hurling and the camogie competition for the Helen O Mara cup take place on Saturday July12th.
John Enright stated that the cultural side of the festival is not being forgotten and this year a Ceili House will be staged at the Sarsfields Centre on Saturday July 12th, following the competitions and presentation of prizes.
John Enright stated “The festival is evolving each year and we are continually seeking ways to improve it; to make it more attractive for both participants and spectators. We have additional teams this year and supplementary events which we hope will make it an even better spectacle than before.
The festival has grown steadily over the last three years, thanks to the great support of our sponsors and the hard work of our committee and club members. Our aim is to promote Thurles as a sports tourism centre for the benefit of the town and to achieve this we would welcome all the support we can get from the Thurles public.”
The Hidden Tipperary Tourism Group, chaired by Mr Seamus King, gave their full commitment earlier this month to assisting where possible in attracting as many visitors to Thurles as possible for this major sporting event. Visitor attractions in Thurles will halve their entrance fees or offer free admission during this week-long festival period, beginning July 5th through to July 12th 2014.
Sounds like Thurles will be the place to visit in early July 2014.
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