February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
North Light, which is trained in England by Michael Stoute, was foaled in Ballymacoll Stud in Dunboyne, Co. Meath, which was also the birthplace of Arkle. This will be the 19th Budweiser Derby and overall the 139th running of Ireland’s premier classic. And for the first time since 1968, the Derby will feature a horse owned by the president of Ireland. Mary McAleese’s Cairdeas, which is trained by Dermot Weld, is expected to run. The Curragh is the place to be seen this weekend and normally it’s Ireland’s answer to Ascot in the fashion stakes. But this year the “Best Dressed” competition is being replaced by “Most Stylish” and groups of two or more glamorous race-goers will compete to win a style make-over from the Design Center in Dublin.
ULSTER COUNCIL
OPTS FOR CROKER
Last week the Ulster GAA Council confirmed that this year’s Ulster football final between Armagh and Donegal will be played at Croke Park on July 11. Business people in Clones, the usual venue for the Ulster final, are annoyed at the loss of revenue that the final normally generates. St. Tiernach’s Park can hold 35,000, while Croke Park can hold 80,000. The Ulster Council say they will be able to offer more family tickets. With the new motorway from Dundalk to Dublin now open, access to Croke Park is regarded as easier than Clones.
Meanwhile, this is a big weekend for hurling in Munster. On Saturday evening President Bush will be in the Shannon area, but he is unlikely to take in the backdoor qualifier between Limerick and Tipperary at the Gaelic Grounds. Limerick claimed they were unfairly treated by the referee in their semifinal defeat by Cork, while Tipp were shocked by a late Waterford goal in the other semifinal. Then on Sunday it’s the big one, the Munster final between Cork and Waterford at Semple Stadium, Thurles, the home of hurling.
In Connacht those great football rivals Mayo and Galway meet in the semifinal at McHale Park, Castlebar.
McKIERNAN RACES
AGAINST TIME
Catherina McKiernan, who won the Women’s Mini Marathon through the streets of Dublin earlier this month, will be hoping to achieve Olympic qualifying time at the Gateshead Grand Prix in England on Sunday next. The Cavan-born athlete admits that she is still struggling to regain her form after a long break through injury which kept her out of the Sydney Olympics. McKiernan completed the 10K Dublin course in 33 minutes, 46 seconds and will need to run 31:45 for the same distance on the track to book her place in Athens. Right now that sort of pace doesn’t seem to be in her legs.
“The times are not happening for me on the track in training,” she said. “In fact, the track stuff is not going well for me at all. I just can’t get any faster times for the intervals and they just do not add up to what I need to be doing to get 31:45. This is a hard call for me. When I did the standard for Atlanta in 1996 it was nearly a minute slower than it is for Athens. So that does not make it any easier, but at this stage I just have to try to do my best.”
OPEN IS BOON
FOR LOUTH
This year’s Nissan Irish Open Golf championship will be held in Baltray, Co. Louth from July 22-25. And already it looks it will be a money spinner for business people in the Wee County. Alison Condra, tourism officer with Louth County Council, said: “Already all of the accommodation in the area is totally booked out. A bumper time is expected for the various pubs, restaurants and retailers in Drogheda and Dundalk.” Baltray is described by Golf Digest as a “hidden gem” and is rated as one of the top 25 courses in the British and Ireland.