River bank to sizzle in battle of chefs

A BUSY Limerick riverside street will sizzle over the coming holiday weekend as hundreds of barbecue chefs gather from all over the world to pit their skills in an international cook-off.

Thousands more food lovers will converge on Lough Quay to feast on the delights of the barbecue chefs who will travel from South America, the Middle East and US.

The massive barbecue takes place over Saturday and Sunday and is one of the centrepieces of the holiday weekend Riverfest.

Pat O’Sullivan, president of the Irish BBQ Association said: “It kicks off at noon on Saturday and will host 100 teams from 100 countries. The teams will participate in a gigantic cook-off. Each team will do a local, national and international BBQ presentation.”

On Sunday, chefs will take part in a day of Silver Service BBQ dishes.

Riverfest will also recall the 140th anniversary of a famous sea voyage to Limerick.

The ship, Hannah Parr, with 380 Norwegian passengers on board, set sail from Christiana, now Oslo, on April 12, 1868, bound for Quebec in Canada.

But just 16 days into her journey the ship was blown off course by fierce storms and managed to set anchor in Limerick.

The ship was in dock for six weeks undergoing repairs while the passengers, through an unfortunate and unforeseen set of circumstances, found themselves unexpected visitors in a strange land.

Nonetheless the people of Limerick did their best to make them welcome during their stay.

They offered them food and refuge and helped them pass the time by showing them local sites.

Unfortunately, four of the boat’s child passengers contracted flu and died during their stay.

The four were buried in St Munchin’s churchyard on Kings Island.

To mark this unusual historic partnership between Limerick and Norway, the Norwegian Ambassador Truls Hanevold has agreed to visit Limerick for Riverfest and will attend a number of engagements to commemorate the journey of the Hannah Parr to the city.

The ambassador will be accorded a civic welcome by mayor Ger Fahy, and will attend a reception at the Civic Trust offices. He will also lay a wreath at St Mary’s Cathedral and at St Munchin’s churchyard

Mr Hanevold said: “This was a unique opportunity for Limerick and Norway to enhance links between both communities, and to develop business, tourism and educational opportunities. I am very much looking forward to visiting the city.”