Lughnasa festival on Hill of Uisneach this Saturday

Uisneach and Loughnavalley are to host a Lughnasa festival this Saturday to honour an age-old tradition.

The quarterly feast in the Old Irish Year celebrated in early August, Lughnasa was based on harvest rituals, sport and matchmaking and took place at many locations around Ireland and celtic Europe but was particularly strong at places of ancient assembly and important hills.

The assembly this Saturday at both Uisneach and Loughnavalley will be the first one in almost 1,000 years.

A form of the game we all now know as hurling would have been played on the hill, and will take place again on this ancient site between children from Ballymore and Castletown-Geoghegan.

Organised by the local community, a tour of the Hill of Uisneach commences at 1pm led by Marty Mulligan. The sports day featuring underage hurling, boys and girls races, novelty races and underage girls football commences at 3pm. Poc Fada, Cic Fada, Wellie and Horseshoe Throwing will also be a big hit on the day.

The highlight of the event will be a poc fada competition for adults for the “Hound of Uisneach” award that comes with a substantial prize for the winner. Refreshments will be available from stalls including Aunt Sally and Clothes Pegs. Sports day presentations will commence at 7pm followed by a Kids Disco, barbeque, live music and mega raffle. There will also be music and singing with a barbecue in Fox’s of Loughnavalley from 7.30pm.

Thanks have been extended to the Clarke family for their support and co-operation with the planned festivities.

Admission is free but there will be a small charge for entry to events and stalls, with proceeds going to local causes.

Tours start at 1pm until 3pm, sports events get underway at 3pm until 7pm, and music at Fox's Pub from 7.30pm.