The Limerick Blogger: latest Limerick news and Limerick events

Put the date in your diaries as this fun festival is set to get going July 16th – 18th. This year they hope to make the record of the largest tag rugby competition !
The place The Old Cresent RFC.

Friday night 16th kicks off with entertainment Live in the Piggery ! Jon Kenny will be joined by John Spillane for an evening full of entertainment, Tickets will be available from Ticketmaster soon.

A welcome party will be hosted by Peter Clohessy’s Bar, a BBQ and live entertainment to be had there and for the night owls a trip to the sinbin will be a must. Don’t stay too late though as on Saturday there will be another fun filled day ! The Pig n Porter Rugby blitz will be held at Old Cresent RFC and Cresent Comprehensive College .
I can nearly smell that pig being spit roasted for the BBQ , the kids won’t be left out as there will be plenty of activities for them such as face painting , bouncy castles and a bucking bull.
Keep your eyes open as I hear there may be some special guest around the place !
New this year is a Hockey Blitz, being held in the Catholic Institute.
And all this with a backdrop of live music for the day and once the musicians have finished DJ Baz will take over til the early hours .

Ahh Sunday…The hair of the Hog, with €1000 up for grabs when professional and amateure spit pig roasters try to win The Inaugural All-Ireland Pig-on-a-Spit Competition, there will be a farmers market there to buy any side orders you want to go with your crackling.
Again the little ones will have something to do at the 1st Little Piggies Expo !

More details will be posted nearer the time

Astro Pitch Comes to A Town Near You

Moyross to be exact , while housing is yet to be sorted the new Astro pitch was officially opened 12th May 2010. At a cost of €70.000 it is a massive asset to the area. The plan is to keep it open as long as the daylight allows and closing at night.

It is open to all sports, from Tennis to Hurling and already groups are booking the pitch. Moyross Utd use it two evenings a week, Limerick Institute of Technology Sarsfields use it every Thursday afternoon to teach the kids hurling. Limerick Youth Reach have also been using the pitch and when clubs are not using it, there are up to 20 young people out there at any one time.

Paddy Flannery, manager of the Moyross Community Enterprise Center said while the regeneration programme to date in Moyross has involved demolition of houses, the new astro pitch represents the creation of something special that will be at the heart of the community.

He said: “It is providing a focal point for the community. It was a significant investment in the youth of the community and it is somewhere that will be here for a long time to come.”

There is no charge for the use of the pitch, but groups must book.

Mr Flannery said: “When there is an organised event in the big pitch, the kids can have free play in the small astro pitch right beside it.”

Michael O’Kelly, of the Limerick Regeneration Agency, said: “This is a kick start and is giving people confidence that regeneration is happening in the area.

This is great news for the area, it will give the youth somewhere to channel their energy, and who knows, with this great training facility the next star of Ireland Soccer will be found…or some more stars for the Munster rugby team, who knows what young sports star could come from this , time will tell.

A young man from Mungret went ahead to win the Israeli Open Tennis, Conor Niland is now Ireland’s top ace Tennis player and has really well to break into the top 200 of world players,

The 28 year old defeated Brazilian Thiago Alves in a match that lasted 3 hours, he now goes into training for the French Open., even though the prize money wasn’t huge compared to some competitions I’m sure the $14,400 will go towards help him progress further with his tennis career .

Through out the month of May there has been Music on the Quays and Parks of Limerick, what a great way to spend a sunny afternoon , take a picnic and enjoy the atmosphere

Next Saturday May 15th it will be the turn of Cantette Choir & Limerick Youth Choir in the Peoples Park. They are based at UL where there is courses are run on music related subjects and research of the music world.

Over at Arthur’s Quay Park you’ll find Boherbuoy Brass and Reed Band filling the air with their music , they often perform during the St Patrick’s Day Parade and were founded by world acclaimed Sammy Benson in 1976.

All events take place between 1:30pm and 3pm and what makes it even better is it’s free. So take advantage of these great events .