Culchie fever hits Ballyjamesduff this weekend

If your name is Paddy, Padraig, Pat or Patrick Reilly or O'Reilly there is a welcome on the mat for you in Ballyjamesduff this bank holiday weekend for the annual Culchie Festival, which runs from Friday to Monday, October 23 to 26. It is hoped to create a world record for having the most Paddy Reillys or O'Reillys in the one venue on Saturday, October 24 at 3pm. The Guinness Book of Records will be on hand to record the event. Bring your birth cert and some ID to verify your name. Culchies from all parts of the country will be descending on Ballyjamesduff for the weekend. There will be representatives from Roscommon, Westmeath, Wexford, Laois, Carlow, Galway, Clare, Kerry, Monaghan, Kilkenny and three from Cavan (Kilnaleck, Ballyjamesduff and Ballymachugh). The big family photo of the Reilly clan is timed for 3pm in the town square, beside the statute of Percy French. This is just one event of a hectic schedule planned for the weekend. One of the highlights of the weekend is the popular great Honda Step-Thru Run on Sunday, October 25, and this year the proceeds will be donated to Cavan branch of the Alzheimer Society as well as Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association. Alan O'Neill, who plays Keith the mechanic in Fair City, will be lending his support to the run, as his colleague in Fair City Mags (Joan Brosnan Walsh) suffers from the disease. Over 1,000 sponsorship cards have been sent out to Honda owners all over Ireland and with more than 100 Honda owners based in Co. Cavan, a large local attendance is expected. Each sponsorship card has 40 lines and organisers are hoping that all participants will be able to raise at least €1 per line sold. The event kicks off on Friday with the arrival of the culchies between noon and 2pm at McCabe's Bar. Later in the evening, the election of the Super Gran is at the Bacon and Cabbage Ball in St. Joseph's Hall at 8pm. On Saturday the Junior Culchie Olympics starts at 1pm, while the culchie Karaoke is in Reason's Bar at 4pm. The organising duo have secured the services of Fergal Darcy and Mary McGill from i102-104 FM to act as compere for interviewing the culchies. The first round of interviews with the culchies takes place in St. Joseph's Ballroom on Saturday at 9pm. This will be followed by the Culchie Fashion Show. All eyes will be on the Culchie Olympics at 3pm, which will feature welly throwing, potato picking, wheelie bin racing, tractor racing, hammer throwing, turf footing and camel racing. The Junior Culchie will be selected at 4pm and Sunday Session is in Colm's Bar from 5pm. Part two of the culchie interviews commences at 9pm in St. Joseph's Hall and the overall winner will be announced at midnight. Fergal and Mary will once again pose the questions and will provide the music afterward from midnight to 2am.