Europe’s top sharpshooters and jugglers get ready to face off

CORK is set to host two very different types of European championships in the coming weeks.

One involves around 300 sharpshooters and the other 2,000 jugglers.

The North Cork village of Ballyhooly will be the venue for a European rifle shooting three-day competition, which gets underway this Friday.

Kieran Barry, national development officer for Shooting Sports in Ireland, who is also a prominent member of the local club, said a number of Irish internationals will be hoping to bring glory to their country amid what is expected to be stiff competition from England and dark horses Poland.

Mr Barry, who has won a number of international titles since he started shooting in 1987, said the Irish team recently travelled to Bisley in Surrey where they came away with a bronze medal.

Ireland will be represented by himself, up and coming marksman David O’Dea, from Kilmallock, Co Limerick; Denis Lenihan from Kanturk and Gerry McCarthy from Douglas. Also competing will be father and son combination Patrick and Padraig Herlihy from Carrigaline.

Grattan Asset Management, a property management company in Cork, is sponsoring the event.

Meanwhile, more than 2,000 jugglers from 40 countries will take part in the 2006 European Juggling Convention in Millstreet next month.

Delegates will discuss budgets, industry initiatives and how to throw plates and clubs into the air from a unicycle.