Festival puts parish on top of its game

THE hills come alive next weekend for a small Tipperary parish that a decade ago had no tradition of hill-walking but has now established itself as a national hub for trail walking and outdoor pursuits.

For decades a voluntary committee worked tirelessly to make Upperchurch a byword for successful rural development. It inaugurated everything from the Ned-of-the-Hills Festival to a cutting edge information technology centre.

Some years ago, the community adopted hill-walking as another way of revitalising the area and now boasts four excellent walking trails.