Bridge players go for record

EVERY card with a heart on it in Kinsale this Valentine’s weekend will be used in a world-record breaking card-playing attempt.

The town’s tourism chiefs have announced details of a marathon bridge tournament to kick-start its 2006 holiday season.

Kinsale’s local bridge club will be joined by players from all over the region across the weekend in a bid to break the current world record for continuous card playing of 72 hours.

The details were announced by the Kinsale Chamber of Tourism at the national launch in Dublin of the town’s 2006 tourism drive.

The Kinsale Gourmet Festival will celebrate its 30th anniversary this October. Jazz Fringe Festival organisers are also planning a bigger event this year.

Other highlights will include the Kinsale Point to Point in June, the Kinsale Regatta over the August Bank Holiday weekend, the Heineken 7s rugby tournament on the May Bank Holiday weekend, the Kinsale Arts Week in July.

The National Optimist sailing championship will be held in August and the round Britain and Ireland yacht race will visit in June.

Chamber president Jack Walsh said: “With the development of Cork Airport and the increase of air routes into Cork, and the ongoing improvement of the road system, access to Kinsale has been enhanced, both nationally and internationally.”