Spanish visitors bring fiesta flavour to Muckno Mania
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Cllr Aidan Campbell, Cathaoirleach of Monaghan County Council, showing some of the group some of the buildings in Castleblayney, during the reception in their honour. Rory GearyImage 2 of 3
Cathaoirleach of Monaghan County Council Cllr Aidan Campbell, right, speaking at the reception event. Also included are Cllr Paul Gibbons and Cllr Noel Keelan, Cathaoirleach, Castleblayney Carrickmacross Municipal District.Image 3 of 3
The members of the flamenco dancing troupe from Spain, at the reception that was held for them at Lough Muckno. Included are Cllr Aidan Campbell, Cathaoirleach of Monaghan County Council, Clr Noel Keelan, Cathaoirleach, Castleblayney Carrickmacross Municipal District, Cllr Paul Gibbons, Stephen Fitzpatrick, Chairman, Muckno Mania Festival and some of the Muckno Mania Festival committee.‘Fiesta not Siesta’ was the fitting theme of this year's Muckno Mania as Castleblayney welcomed a group of Spanish vistors.
Monaghan County Council laid on an informal picnic style event in Muckno Park, last Friday, July 10 for the 15 Spanish citizens who travelled to the town.
“Céad Míle Fáilte to our friends from Spain,” Cathaoirleach of Monaghan Co Council, Aidan Campbell began. “I hope you have a great weekend. There’s a massive number of activities going on. If you landed into Castleblayney you’d probably think that you were in a Spanish town, with all the flags and bunting. Well done to the Muckno Mania team. We’re looking forward to spending the weekend with you.”
The first citizen thanked the festival organisers for all of their work and Castleblayney Enterprise’s Tommy McGuire for his work on the Erasmus programme, as there had been several trips over and back down the years.
Noel Keelan (SF) impressed all by welcoming the delegation in Spanish.
“Throughout the island of Ireland, more people travel to Spain than any other country,” he said, reverting to English. “Myself and others from this area love going to Spain, we love the culture, the people, the food – and we love the weather,” he quipped, as the audience responded with laughter.
In his capacity as Cathaoirleach of Carrickmacross-Castleblayney Municipal District (MD), he commended the Castleblayney Enterprise group, who collaborate with the local authority to make events like Muckno Mania happen. He expressed the hope that the Spanish group would enjoy the festivities and return to County Monaghan in the near future. He joined Cathaoirleach of Monaghan County Council, Aidan Campbell, in acknowledging local authority staff for their efforts in supporting the event.
Muckno Mania festival chair Stephen Fitzpatrick was particularly thankful to the Spanish contingent for “bringing a splash of colour and the Spanish weather to Castleblayney” and he thanked the council for supporting the festival.
After the speeches, the chairperson explained how Muckno Mania had started out as a one-day festival on the shores of Lough Muckno, and over the last 27 years, it has grown exponentially. It deservedly won Best Tourism event at the inaugural The Anglo-Celt Co Monaghan Business and Tourism Awards recently.
At the welcome civic reception that marked the beginning of the festival, the local committee were wearing tops with their logo, a cartoon pig, dressed as a matador, sponsored by Declan Loughman Sports.
Lough Muckno’s name originates from the Irish Muc Snámh, which translates to ‘the swimming place of pigs.’
“Each year we choose a theme to enhance the festival; this year it’s Fiesta not Siesta,” said Stephen. He added how there would be several nods to Spanish culture over the weekend, including a Flamenco dance tutorial and a Spanish night in front of Hope Castle, with Spanish acts, music and food.
“We’re going to have a bull run,” he added. When it was observed that the bull run didn’t sound very safe, Stephen conceded that the insurers wouldn’t like it either! So, instead: “Some poor individual is going to have to dress up as a bull and run around the place!” he laughed.
Noleen O’Neill, who was involved with the watercolour group from Castleblayney and travelled to Spain with the Erasmus programme said: “Nine of us went over, we met up with an artist over there and had workshops. It was very enjoyable. Then I got the opportunity to go back this year. Now it’s payback time, I’m a driver for the group.”
Elia Lacárcel Megias, Erasmus Coordinator for Caudete Municipality in Spain said that she contacted a local group of dancers and musicians, who try to keep local folklore alive in their town: “They were delighted to come. Really, them coming here for the festival is not related to Erasmus, but that’s how the relationship got established between Castleblayney and Caudete.”
She went on to explain: “There are three musicians here, a drummer and two flautists. The others are four couples of traditional dancers. The teacher from our local music and dance school was also invited to teach Flamenco by Castleblayney Enterprise.”
Elia and the group were just over for the weekend but would have loved to stay longer because at the moment it is too hot in Spain!