Seaside festival makes waves in Tramore

THOUSANDS of visitors packed into Tramore over the weekend to enjoy an end-of-season festival based around the resort’s seaside and surf traditions.

One of the highlights of this year’s Oceanic Surf and Sea Festival and its programme of maritime events was the free ladies surf weekend, in which 60 women took part supported by the Women in Sport initiative and the Irish Surfing Association.

As part of the weekend’s activities, surf girl novices and advanced wave riders enjoyed the opportunity to discover surfing and brush up on their skills.

Participants learned about the environment through workshops, as well as getting tips on surfing and equipment from some of Ireland’s top female surfers.

Elsewhere, the festival included a photography and art exhibition at the town’s historic Coastguard Station.

The Working with Willow for children and the budding artists’ workshops saw the town’s youth hark back to traditional crafts while the Rinnashark Sea Angling club’s workshop brought a crowd to learn some tips.

Also popular was a seafood foraging tour with many discovering free coastline food among the rockpools.

An action-packed family fun day was hugely popular with a host of exciting activities on the beach including eco-walks, kite surfing exhibitions and beach games with the Middle Earth Venture Scouts, martial arts, beach volleyball, rock-climbing and abseiling with Tramore Cliff Rescue.

The sea weed workshop featuring the many uses of sea weed hosted by Grace O’Sullivan, Hilary Killps and Marie Power was popular with tips on food foraging on our coastline and creating sumptuous dishes in the kitchen for free.

The 10-foot seaweed doll affectionately named Molly and made by artist volunteers from the Netherlands and Spain was a popular attraction, bringing the festival to a close yesterday afternoon when tossed into the ocean – in line with a tradition going back almost a century.

Festival chairperson Linda Tuohy said organisers were delighted with the numbers involved.

Mayor of Tramore Anne Marie Power said the event celebrated the wonders of the sea.

“Here in Tramore our most precious natural asset is our fabulous beach which is renowned for its unspoiled beauty and its infinite amenity.”