A fun-filled itinerary of events is planned for Creggs Harvest Festival – taking place over the Bank Holiday Weekend, October 25th to 28th.
This year’s festival has a fresh feel, thanks to the energy and enthusiasm brought by the new committee – comprising chairperson Enda Curley, secretary Tom Connelly, and treasurer Ivan Kelly. The committee has been hard at work in recent weeks bringing together a jam-packed programme of events to suit all ages and interests.
Friday (October 25)
The Bardic Tradition will be to the fore as the festival, with the Junior Bard of Connacht kicking off at noon in the Heritage Centre. Young people from all over Connacht have been invited to take part; invitations have been issued and shortlisted students will be present on the day.
Later that day, national school students will have their knowledge tested in the annual schools quiz at 6 pm in the Heritage Centre. MC Seamus Ward will be on hand to ask the questions, and there will be prizes for first and second teams.
Then, from 8 pm, a Monster Bingo will be held at Creggs NS in aid of the school. The jackpot is €1,000 (sure to attract bingo-goers!) so have your books at the ready for 8 pm. Lots of raffle prizes will also be up for grabs.
At 10 pm, a pool competition will be held in Roarke’s. The local pool sharks surely will be out in force!
The Boogiemen will also be playing in Roarke’s on the night. They have proved a great attraction on recent visits to Creggs and are sure to deliver a very enjoyable performance!
Saturday (October 26)
Get your morning off to a healthy start with Pilates in the Park with Bonnie at 10 am. The Wildlife Park is a wonderful venue for outdoor pilates, so have your mats at the ready!
The healthy outdoor theme continues with a Fun Day in Creggs GAA from noon to 5 pm.
A GAA Skills competition, which has proved popular in recent years with local schoolchildren, will kick things off. This year organiser Eugene Hanley will introduce a puc fada competition, so practice pucs and get some distance into your shots!
This will be followed by a Mothers and Others football game at 1.30 pm with Glinsk and St Ciaran’s, which will see local ladies have the opportunity to shine on the pitch.
The main event of the Fun Day is the Mountain v Valley game at 3 pm. This is always an entertaining affair and decides the bragging rights for the remainder of 2024 in the village!
Entry to the Fun Day is free and there will be refreshments available. It’s sure to be a fun-filled event for all!
The grand opening of Kilbegnet House and Farm also takes place on Saturday, scheduled for 3 pm in the Courtyard, Kilbegnet Farm. This event will also feature the launch of a new book by Nuala Farrell Griffin: ‘Kilbegnet House, Co Galway, The Sheil Family Legacy 1831-1931’.
The book traces the origins of the Sheil family, their arrival in Kilbegnet, and the building of Kilbegnet House, and traces the fortunes of various family members before they departed Creggs.
Saturday night will be music-filled, with Strings n’ Things playing in Gannon’s from 10 pm and Kenneth McCormack in Roarke’s from 10 pm.
Sunday (October 27)
Creggs will be a scary spot on Sunday afternoon; ghouls, ghosts, spectres and scarecrows will take to the streets for the Children’s Fancy Dress Parade at noon, travelling from Gannon’s car park to the Wildlife Park. This will be followed by Halloween Games in the park, where all manner of traditional games will be played and lots of fun will be had.
Once in the park, visitors can pay a visit to the annual Dog Show, held at the rear of Creggs NS. A feature on the calendar for many local dog owners, the show features a variety of classes, with something to suit pooches of all shapes and sizes. Class winners will be entered into the Champion of the Show and there are a range of special prizes on offer, including the Marie Mullen Memorial Trophy.
Attendees can then visit the Bake Sale in the school hall. This year, proceeds will go towards Harvest Festival costs. People are also invited to donate baked goods to support the event.
From 1 pm to 4 pm, a Craft Fair will also take place in Creggs NS. Organiser Michele Lambert of Flutterby Crafts has put in a huge effort to make this event a success. Top crafters from across Connacht will congregate in Creggs for the afternoon, so please come along and support these family-run businesses (more details in our next issue and on www.roscommonpeople.ie).
At 2.30 pm, Creggs 2nd XV take on Westport in the rugby club, so go show your support for the local side – captained again this year by local man Tommy Curley.
At 5 pm, local rivalry will be on view as Creggs take on neighbours Glinsk in the pool competition in Gannon’s. There is great interest in pool in Creggs, with a number of local teams taking part in regional competitions. Their sharpshooting will be something to behold!
From 8 pm to 10 pm, Sligo singer-songwriter Ultan Conlon will play a concert in the Heritage Centre. Ultan previously played a well-received gig in Creggs and many will make a return for this concert, which will feature a range of music new and old.
The Personality of the Year will be announced during the concert interval. From 10 pm, Macvey will play in Roarke’s.
Monday (October 28)
It’s another healthy start on Monday with a 5k fun run/walk from the Heritage Centre. Organised by Suck Valley AC, registration begins at 10.30 am for a 11 am start.
At noon, a Fun Day gets underway on the Green. Organised by Creggs RFC, a number of novelty events have been planned and the club is sure to be a hive of activity for the day.
The Bard of Connacht will be announced at an event in Creggs NS at 5 pm. Ten finalists will read their work and winners will be announced. The prize fund of €1,000 has ensured that once again this year’s entries were of a very high standard. All are welcome to attend to hear the region’s finest poets and their poems.
Spooky songs, monster moves and Dracula dances will be the order of the evening, as the kids’ Halloween Disco gets underway at 5 pm in Kilbegnet Hall. Children and their parents will be in fancy dress for the fun-filled disco for kids aged 2-10.
A word of thanks
The committee wish to thank Galway County Council for its ongoing support in recent years. Thanks are also extended to the committee members and many volunteers who give their time to ensure the smooth running of events.
If you are available to lend a hand – to steward or get involved in some way – please let any committee member know. All offers of help are greatly appreciated.
