The Best Weekend of the Year (Connacht Champs 2024)
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Stuart Scott | Jun 7 2024, 3:41pm | Hi all, Planning for the Best Weekend of the Year is well underway. As usual, the unholy bbq and pints will feature on the Saturday together with some camping and sea swimming, nicely book-ended by a jaunt up Mweelrea on Sat for the Irish Championship race and the Nephin Parkrun (*) on the Sun to complete the Connacht Championships. For anyone interested in the bbq and camping, please post here or let me know so we can gauge numbers and we can add you to the Super Secret Whatisup Group. If you have any wood for the bbq, please let me know too! If anyone is on the fence about going or doing the races, feel free to ask for advice. The routes are lovely fast boggy open mountain and are well worth doing. There is a lovely relaxed atmosphere at the races (though perhaps those aiming for the podium mightn't agree!). Stuart (*) may or may not be a parkrun |
| Stuart Scott | Jun 7 2024, 4:04pm | I should have added the links to the events too: https://www.imra.ie/leagues/view/id/381/ |
| liam kenny | Jun 10 2024, 3:44pm | Hi Stuart 4 for bbq and camping, will have wood also |
| Stephen Lavelle | Jun 11 2024, 7:42am | Stuart, can you mark me down as 1 for barbeque and camping, thanks. |
| Mark McAdden | Jun 11 2024, 12:24pm | Hi Stuart 1 for camping and bbq,thanks |
| Alan Ayling | Jun 11 2024, 1:31pm | Did we have to bring the fence into it? ;-) |
| Niamh O'Ceallaigh | Jun 12 2024, 3:48pm | 2+3 for BBQ and camping. thanks |
| Laura Flynn | Jun 12 2024, 5:38pm | We’ve been in touch with Westport Estate and the can provide us with our own area on their campsite where we can have a barbecue and sing-song ( on the Saturday night). The cost with use of their facilities is €15 per person per night camping. I’m hoping to have the camping put up as a shop item to allow purchase of one or two nights as payment has to be made 7 days beforehand. If you’re staying locally and want to attend the bbq this is ok but we’d appreciate if anybody doing this would let us know so we can make sure we have enough food and also let us know any dietary preferences. Motorhomes will have to go in the caravan park where they have hard-standing and electricity. The cost is €42 per night without elec. and €50 with. If going with this option please book yourself on their website but let us know about the barbecue. |
| Laura Flynn | Jun 12 2024, 5:41pm | Ps there’s a curfew at 11 so a few people have requested an early start |
| Peter O'Farrell | Jun 12 2024, 10:23pm | That's brilliant, another 2+2 for camping so :) |
| Seán Quirke | Jun 13 2024, 10:25am | 1 for camping and bbq thanks |
| Stuart Scott | Jun 13 2024, 3:07pm | Thanks everyone, great to see the interest! And especially Laura for her hard work arranging the campsite. As per Laura's message, a shop item is now open for Connacht Champs Camping. Please purchase early and often...multiple purchases are allowed so if staying two nights purchase two spots. Two people staying two nights then purchase four spots...etc. etc. If you're posh-camping (campervan, caravan etc.) please book directly with Westport House. We'll automatically count anyone staying Sat night in for the bbq. If you're posh-camping or staying elsewhere, please post here or let us know directly so we can include you in numbers. See you all in Mayo. Can't wait! Stuart |
| Brian Furey | Jun 17 2024, 2:58pm | Laura/Stuart 2+1 for camping and bbq |
| Laura Flynn | Jun 18 2024, 8:50am | Just to clarity, the €15 charge for camping applies to children also so if you’re two adults with two children then it will be €60 per night. On the plus side, it’s well set up for children there so hopefully it’ll be well worth it. |
| Stuart Scott | Jun 21 2024, 10:07am | Don't forget to book your camping spot today before it closes! Laura has to give numbers to the campsite tomorrow. The link for booking is: https://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/2578/ 14 signed up so far and room for plenty more! And if you've a fancy campervan, please book directly with the campsite and don't forget to let Laura or I know today so we can count you in for food. Anyone staying elsewhere is more than welcome to join the bbq as well, again, just let us know today so Laura can contact the butcher. |
| Liam Vines | Jun 21 2024, 10:56am | 2 just for the BBQ please |
| Ben Mangan | Jun 21 2024, 7:17pm | 1 for the BBQ and camping please |
| Dave Docherty | Jun 21 2024, 8:01pm | If I'm not already on the list, stick me down for Sat camping and BBQ. Thanks. |
| Niamh O'Ceallaigh | Jun 22 2024, 9:24pm | Hi Laura, If I book a grass pitch for t with the campsite for 2 adults and 3 children, it would cost 46 euro, but they seem to be charging IMRA members 75 euro per night for this. Shall I just book direct with the campsite to get the better rate? Thanks. |
| Niamh O'Ceallaigh | Jun 22 2024, 9:25pm | ... I meant if I book direct with the campsite it is 46 |
| Laura Flynn | Jun 22 2024, 10:19pm | Well-spotted Niamh. Yes, if I were you I’d book direct. You won’t be in the IMRA field but you can all join us for the bbq. |
| Laura Flynn | Jun 22 2024, 10:23pm | @liam Kenny, Liam I don’t see you name on list for camping payment. Can you let me know if you’re booking directly as I’m transferring payment to WH in the morning. |
| liam kenny | Jun 25 2024, 12:36pm | Sorry Laura, just seen this, we will book on the WH website now here thanks |
| Laura Flynn | Jun 25 2024, 5:27pm | Thanks Liam |
| Laura Flynn | Jun 25 2024, 5:36pm | The food for the bbq is being supplied by IMRA, burgers, sausages, chicken skewers, salads. Everyone should their own knife, fork, plate and drinking utensil. Thanks to Paula and Justin Rea for organising the food. I’m still looking for a FIRST-AIDER though. Getting slightly concerned now. The race can’t go ahead without one. Not sure where it would leave the bbq!! |
| liz dwyer | Jun 25 2024, 6:39pm | I’ll come from limerick as first aider if no one from up there comes through. |
| David Dinsmore | Jun 27 2024, 7:55am | I know you're all looking forward to coming to Mayo this weekend and I'm sure you'll have a greet time. I would appeal to as many of you as can to come to Lahardaun on Sunday for the Nephin race. David Sand and I have been trying to put Nephin on the mountain running map, with a successful league race earlier this year which attracted considerable local sponsorship. For this one we've again got the use of the cafe for registration but also the great local pub, Leonard's, for the prizegiving. Westport gets plenty of tourism. Lahardaun could do with a few more! The number of people climbing Nephin has increased considerably since the opening of the forest road - not the route we're usin g on Sunday - and building the car park. Local iniatives such as awarding a certificate to anyone who takes a selfie at the top have also helped to attract visitors.Thos of you who've done it will klnow that it's a challenging course. We've made it safer this year by using the stile - see pics on the event page - to avoid climbing over barbed wire fences with the risk of injury and threat to livestock. IMRA is generously providing refreshments in Leonard's for the prizegiving. So please try to make it on Sunday, even if you've 'enjoyed' the party on Saturday night |
