The UL Arena ,Limerick ,The World Baton Twirling Championship 2008
The World Baton Championship http://www.worldbaton2008.com/ are currently been held in The Ul Arena ,Limerick City http://www.limerickcity.ie/,Ireland with it’s conclusion today after a very exciting week of events.This event is totally new to this region of Sporting Limerick current home to the European Rugby Champions Munster http://www.munsterrugby.ie/ .I went along to see and support this event with a degree of trepidation as a trip into the unknown,my knowledge would have been zero .As a GAA ,Rugby ,Soccer Follower and Sports in general ,I am open to viewing many other Sports as participation in Sports is so important in life .
I had looked it up on You Tube and found out a lot through the help of videos from previous events this is an event which has an enormous following in the US,Canada,Japan and in European countries as Italy,Norway,Switzerland …
Ireland would have a very small base of following ,well done to President of Baton-Twirling Association of Ireland, Bernadette Doyne from Rathcoole in Co Dublin, is credited with bringing the event to Limerick – amid international opposition. http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/Limerick-gives-World-Baton-Championships.4361149.jp for making sure this event would take place in Ireland and more so in Limerick.
This is absolutely fantastic to have such an event of such magnititude visit our shores ,it is worth so much to the local economy but also create awareness that such a sport exists.It is hoped that this Sport will be included in the 2012 Olympics in London.It does grow on you the longer you stay looking at it .The skill levels are extremely high ,grace and poise included.It is worth a visit to Ul for the Final Day of this unique event in this region.
Paddy Ryan,Hammer Throwing Gold and Silver Medal Antwerp 1920
Paddy Ryan was born in 1887 in Pallasgreen,Co.Limerick,he won his first Irish Title in 1902.He later emigrated to the United States where he was able to represent them after becoming a citizen, in the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp in Belgium.It was there where he won a Gold and Silver in the Hammer Throwing Events.Paddy returned home to Ireland and died in 1964.
World Record Hammer Throwing 1913 – 1938 ,Distance 189ft 6 half inches
9 All Ireland Championships .
7 American Championships .
New York Championship 1912.
Paddy Ryan ,Pallasgreen ,Co.Limerick,Ireland
Pallasgreen,Co.Limerick
Pallasgreen ,sometimes referred to by the local as New Pallas as there is Old Pallas within close proximity is a small thriving village situated on the main Limerick to Tipperary Town Road.
Today is another one of those days’s Rain and More Rain…A Summer,What Summer .Every day for the past three months it is the wipers on as today’s photo shows ,dark gloomy skies.There will be an exodus out of this country soon ,recession or not .Ryanair cheap flights will be snapped up to the resorts in Spain,France and Italy .There is a glut of apartments available in Spain(nobody is buying ,recession) so keep an eye on the internet to snap up a cheap holiday.”We are pulling them out of school i heard in the local shop this morning ,we went to Kilkee washed out by the weather”
“The Jones Road is flooded behind the Hogan Stand ,Boats may be waiting” listening to Micheal O Muircheartaigh ’s commentary on the Kerry v Galway match in Croke Park today as i was driving .Dublin was hit hard as i continued to listen to Micheal “The Sunderland v Shamrock Rovers match is off Tolka Park is flooded ” People have abandoned their cars on the entrance to the Dublin Tunnel ” “The Ark is required” The lights are on here in Croke Park for the second half which Kerry ran out winners.Thank You Micheal ,you made my journey seem shorter with your commentary as the wipers were on high speed .
A great start to the Olympics for the Sean O Neill from Pallaskenry and the rest of his team in they have qualified for the semi -final of the Olympics.Australia came in first.
