Eleventh annual Upperchurch Walking Weekend to take place this weekend
The 11th annual Upperchurch Walking Weekend goes ahead this weekend, November 11th, 12th and 13th, with a packed programme including 10 walks, a fun run, a history lecture, set dancing, musical entertainment, indoor climbing, card games and above all the opportunity to meet old and new friends in a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere.
The event has grown in popularity year by year and a large number of visitors from all parts of Ireland and overseas is expected. Walkers, runners, musicians, singers and dancers all add to the colourful scenes. The combination of outdoor fun, sense of history, scenery, music, dancing, and the famous Upperchurch stew, creates a unique atmosphere that visitors really appreciate.
The event will kick off on Friday night with a choice of two road walks, an easy 7km and a long, hilly 12km. Saturday morning sees the gruelling 18km Hills of Upperchurch walk as well as three easier walks later on. On Sunday there is a repeat of one of Saturday's walks, the 8km Eamon an Chnoic Loop, and also three long but not particularly difficult walks starting from the Ragg, Drombane and Hollyford.
This year, for the first time, there will be a somewhat experimental 5km Fun Run on the Bog Track on Sunday. There will be traditional music sessions on Friday and Saturday nights, set dancing on Saturday evening and a poker classic on Sunday evening.
March 2017 wil be the 150th anniversary of the Fenian Rising, in which Upperchurch played a big part with one death and a number of attacks which resulted in the imprisonment of a number of locals and a great deal of disruption. Local historian Eugene Shortt will give a talk on the rising on Saturday night, as well as giving an update on progress on the local photographic book, now scheduled for publication in February.
Full details are available at www.upperchurch.ie including brochure. For enquiries phone (0504) 54443 between 10am and 2pm weekdays, or 086-0518934 at other times. Thanks to all helpers and especially the landowners for their co-operation.
Walks list - Walks start at Upperchurch village unless stated otherwise:
Friday 11th: Upperchurch-Knockane Road Walk, 12km and Gortkelly-Moher Road Walk, 7km. Both start at 7.30pm.
Saturday 12th: Hills of Upperchurch Walk, 18km, start 10am. Red Hugh and Knockalough walks, 6km and 10km, start 12.15pm. Eamon an Chnoic Loop, 8km, start 12.30pm. Birchill Nature Trail, 8km, start 12 noon at Rosmult (PJ Ryan's pub).
Sunday 13th: Eamon an Chnoic Loop, 8km start, 12.30pm. Hollyford-Red Hill Walk, 18km and 14km, start Hollyford at 11am. Ragg-Upperchurch Walk, 14km, start Ragg (Younge's) 11am.
Drombane-Upperchurch Walk, 12km, start Drombane GAA grounds, 12 noon.
Other events: Friday: Seisiún Mór in Kinane's at 10pm; Saturday: Set Dancing in Oliver Ryan's at 4pm; History lecture on Fenian Rising in Community Centre at 8pm; Traditional music in Jim O'The Mill's at 10pm; Sunday: 5km fun run on bog track at 2pm; Poker Classic in Kinane's at 6.30pm.