No dog day afternoon despite ruff weather at Clonmellon fun festival

BAD weather prompted Plan B from Clonmellon Community Council for the village"s annual Summerfest, which was held in Isaac"s Well Hotel. Local children decorated the art workshop in the marquee with community banners, while the magic show, clowns and disco delighted the youngsters, as did the ace Formula One racing cars. The Dunderry Fair donkeys paraded behind the Ballymacad Hounds, whose handlers Maurice Quinn, Bobby Kellett and Kevin Donoghue (pictured) impressed young and old alike. The most unlikely pet on show was Eileen Reynold"s pot-bellied pig while the soccer skills were demonstrated by newly-formed Raistin Rovers founders Ciaran O"Reilly, Tom Daly, Stephen Radford, Morgan Mullen, Derek Larkina and Martin Carr. Ray and Conor Finnegan organised the rugby skills coaching, while the GAA penalty shoot-outs were organised by Ciaran, Tom, Martin and Morgan. Joan and John Daly organised the 'Ur A Star show", in which Sinead Daly won the nine years and under from Hannah Clancy and Lauren Smith. Amy Clancy won the 10-years-and-older category from Grainne and the Grainnettes and third-placed Jack Carpenter and Michael Garry. Winners in the art competitons were: for four-to-seven-year olds: 1, Liam Garry, 2, Meadhbh O"Connell, 3, Lauren Smith; for eight-to-14-year-olds: 1, Ellen Kane, 2, Michael Garry, 3, Aoife Coonan. Other art prize winners were Sadhbh O"Toole and Conor O"Connell. The Pride of Place awards went to Cluain Mhor and Shantobar while individual winners were Willie and Barbara Farrell, Niall and Sara Murray, Grainne Finucane, Lily Henry, Seamus Reilly, Tommy and Ann McNamee, Jane Moore, Nancy Nulty, Lila Ryan and Leonard"s Shop. Winners in the dog classes were Miriam Mooney, Lorraine Lowly, Kathleen Gallagher, Ciara Slater, Dara Reilly, Melissa Nolan and Liam Garry. The organisors returned thanks to everyone who helped make the summerfesrt such a success.