Listowel Races ready for off, two days late
The first two days of the seven-day Listowel Races, Sunday and Monday next, have been cancelled due to the effects of heavy rain on the track.
“We’re obviously disappointed about losing the first two days’ racing, but the core festival is going ahead from Tuesday to Saturday,” said Máire Logue of Listowel Chamber of Commerce last night. Second only to Galway Races in the National Hunt scene, Listowel is this year celebrating its 150th anniversary, and is worth an estimated €9 million to north Kerry.
“The town is completely booked out and people are now moving out to Ballybunion, Tralee and other towns for accommodation,” said Ms Logue.
Traditionally, farmers from all over Munster have flocked to Listowel for the races and, even though they are going through difficult times, the farming community is still expected in large numbers.
“The festival element is very important. People also come for the fun and craic for which Listowel is famous,” she said. Hotels, restaurants and pubs are set for a bonanza, with a welcome overspill to neighbouring Ballybunion, where the summer season was badly affected by poor weather.
A family day earmarked for Listowel this Sunday has been cancelled.
Karen Koster, of TV3’s XposÉ, will judge the best dressed lady competition on Friday, which has as its main prize a €1,500 voucher for the Chic Boutique in Listowel.
This year, Birds Amusements, which has been coming to Listowel Races for more than 60 years, have moved to a new fairground.
For several years, Birds was located in the Listowel Mart property. But, following the sale of the mart, the company became involved in a legal battle with the mart company over rights to the site.
The proceedings resulted in Birds having to look for a new location in Listowel and the fun fair will now be in the community centre car park from today until September 21.
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