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All hail the Grianán Queen
25.05.09
IT'S NOT every day that
you get crowned queen, but that’s what happened a
Buncrana legal secretary in Burt last week. Pamela
Crowe was one of a dozen entrants for the title of
‘Grianán Queen’, a competition being run in
conjunction with the forthcoming All-Ireland &
International Sheep Shearing Championships that are
being staged on the Grianán Estate, Burt, on the
weekend of 30-31 May.
The event was held in An Grianán Hotel and compere
for the evening was Feargal Friel, who met the girls
before hand to quell any last minute stage-nerves
and talk them through the evening. Judges for the
event were former Miss Ireland, Natasha Nic
Gairbheith, Donegal football captain Rory Kavanagh
and Burt and Donegal hurler Michael McCann.
After an evening of craic enjoyed by a capacity
crowd, Pamela from Carndonagh was chosen as the
inaugural Grianán Queen and will go on to represent
the An Grianán Sheep Shearing Association at a
number of functions and presentations over the
championship weekend. She was presented with a
bouquet of flowers, her tiara and a cheque for €500
by Natasha Nic Gairbheith. |
“I was blown away by
the support for the contest,” compere Feargal Friel
said afterwards. “I knew that the first crowning of
a Grianán Queen was going to be a momentous event
but I never expected a crowd like this. It’s
obviously another example of the outstanding level
of support that exists in the Burt area for the GAA
Club and the community as a whole”.
“The girls were real stars, every one of them,” he
continued. “They looked incredibly beautiful and had
personalities to match. The judges must have had a
nightmare choosing the top five. I really enjoyed
the witty exchanges and the general craic with the
girls during the interviews.”
“I could get used to this type of work!” he quipped.
Mary from Dungloe representative Mary Gallagher was
also in attendance and Pamela will now go on to
represent |
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the area in the Mary
from Dungloe festival later in the summer.
The All-Ireland & International Sheep Shearing
Championships is one of the biggest events to be
staged in Donegal this summer and is sure to attract
huge numbers to the Inishowen area over the May Bank
Holiday weekend. Billed as a rural festival with
something for all the family, attractions include
Tug-o-War, Sheep Dog Trials, Fun Fairs, stalls and a
Country Market. In addition, over 100 businesses and
associations will exhibit their wares at the event
that will take place in and around the farm
buildings of An Grianán Estate in Burt.
Entertainment over the weekend kicks off on Friday
night, May 29 – with music by Kavanagh Brothers. The
hugely popular Jimmy Buckley takes to the stage on
the Saturday night and the sheep-shearing action
will occur from 11am on Saturday and recommences at
8am on Sunday. The main sponsors of the event
include Clik Pour On, Quik Tag, FBD, Donnelly
Taggart and Donegal Creameries.
Indeed Donegal Creameries have generously given
permission for the Sheep Shearing Competition to be
held free of charge on the farmyard. Damian Dowds,
secretary of the Grianán Sheep Shearing Committee
said: “We’d like to take this opportunity to thank
Donegal Creameries and Smyth’s Feeds for the use of
the farmyard at An Grianán Estate. The committee
would also like to thank Donegal Creameries Plc and
Smyth’s Feeds for their support and continued
efforts to ensure that the 2009 All Ireland Sheep
shearing competition is successful.” |
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