‘Snowy’ leads them home in Castlecomer Wellie Race

CRETTYARD senior football captain Pa (‘Snowy’) O'Reilly was the first man home in this year’s annual wellie race on new year’s day in Castlecomer. A record 674 walkers, trotters and runners braved the 4km Kiltown circuit. Ciara Byrne from Jenkintown, a midwife in St Luke's hospital, built on her success last year with back-to-back victories in the ladies’ race. In the veterans’ section, victory went to John Fennell of Portlaoise, who is married to Miriam Holland, formerly of the Clogh Road.

For the senior ladies’ winner, the net was spread much larger with Margaret Purcell all the way from Glenmore, Co Louth crossing the line in first place. Here again, there is a local connection; Margaret is married to Tony Purcell, Clogh. Winners in a competitive float parade was the Powley Health and Fitness Centre, with the Ballyhemmon boys coming out on top to the group 2-5 section, getting plenty of birdies courtesy of Rory McIllroy and Shane Lowry. The adult individual competition featured the evergreen Willie Joe Meally, whose entry the ‘tea chest’ impressed the judges George Mealy, Joe Coogan and Aileen Lynch and deservedly took first place.

The parade was up to the usual ingenious standard, led by Killeshin Pipe Band, Ballycallan Flute and Pipe Band and the Major Regrets, with drum major Rodney Sheil forced to blow the whistle on numerous occasions to keep the motley crew in tow.

See three pages of pix from this event next week's Laois Nationalist on sale from Tuesday in local stores and online