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Thurles Sarsfields International Hurling Festival 2013

The Thurles Sarsfields Third International Hurling Festival 2013, held this weekend here in Thurles, is over for another year but not before being acclaimed a ‘rip roaring success,’ by the organising committee, under the chairmanship of John Enright. Hotels, B/B’s & other tourist services providers in the area are reporting a massive surge in tourism business over the past number of days.

The organising committee wish to thanks their sponsors, namely IBP Insurance, The Gathering Ireland 2013, Thurles Sarsfields and Thurles Town Council for their generous sponsorship of this ever growing annual Thurles festival event.

The now coveted Semple Cup this year went to the team of ‘Causeway,’ in Co Kerry and was presented by Ann Gunning, latter daughter of the late great Tom Semple.

Setanta,’ in Donegal were winners of the Culhane Cup presented by Paddy Kenny, while Dublin won the Carew Cup, latter presented by Michael Maher, Chairman of Thurles Sarsfield.

In the ‘Caman Abu,’ competition action, winners of the Plate were Thurles Post Office; with the Thurles branch of Tesco deserving winners of the Cup. Runners up of ‘Caman Abu,’ were Noal Ryan’s, Parnell Street, Thurles & ‘Larry’s,’ Dempsey Square, Thurles both licensed premises.

All in all this was a most successful and enjoyable sporting weekend for all in attendance and a welcome boost for a Thurles ailing economy.

Imitation; The Sincerest Form Of Flattery

That said, of course I would not like to be an employee of Aer Lingus or ETIHAD Airways respective PR teams going to work tomorrow. It will be disappointing for them to discover that they have been ‘Taken in,’ (as we say in Tipperary,) by the Galway International Hurling Festival, latter which claims to be “the first hurling competition of its kind, ” taking place in September.

As Lady Marguerite Blessington, Countess of Blessington is reported to have once stated: “Borrowed thoughts, like borrowed money, only shows the poverty of the borrower.”

A little comment also for GAA President Liam O’Neill; Pablo Picasso once stated “To copy others is necessary, but to copy oneself is pathetic.”

To the Galway organisers;  Galway Supporters Club, Terry O’Flaherty (Mayor of Galway City,) and Terry Welby (Mayor of Galway County,) we wish you the best of luck with your weekend, but visitors do remember that Thurles is the real home of the GAA and any other hurling festival is just a cheap imitation, plagiarised from Thurles Sarsfields.

Seriously, what intrigues me is how two people over 141km or two hours driving time apart, can come up with almost the same catch phrase; “Camán Home for the Hurling,” & “Camán for the Craic.” Now if that is not proof of extrasensory perception (ESP) at work, tell me what is?

Next year Thurles will be running the first ever Tour de France & later in the year the first ever Glastonbury Festival, so do stay tuned for more details.

Talking of airlines, be jasus, I’m just wondering would RYANAIR’s CEO, Mr  Michael O’Leary throw Thurles a little sponsorship for The Ryan Gathering in August next?

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