COMMENT: Pull of Mayo proves irresistible to tug of war fraternity
A MAJOR sporting event is happening in Mayo this week which, in the main, has not received the level of media exposure it richly deserves.
When the organisers of the 2019 European Senior and World Under 23 and Junior Outdoor Tug of War Championships opted to stage their prestigious event in Ireland from September 5 to 8, 2019, few would have suspected that our county ticked all of the boxes ahead of other potential venues.
But Breaffy House Resort was deemed the perfect place for the international meeting because 'it had demonstrated a proven track record in terms of its ability to host such an event of this scale and magnitude'.
Hats off to Wilson Bird and his team as they prepare for one of the biggest ever sporting events staged at a west of Ireland venue.
And, as Mr. Bird remarked at the announcement, the championships are not only a win for his hotel and facilities, it is a win for the wider economy as the competitions attract 1,650 competitors from 22 countries all over Europe as well as the US, Thailand, Taipei, Sierra Leon and South Africa.
Not since the days of the Castlebar International Song Contest will west Mayo enjoy such an arrival of overseas visitors in September with the accompanying injection of tourism spending.
According to those involved in the local tourism trade, every available bed night within a 12-mile radius of Castlebar is booked out until Sunday next as the competitors, their family members, supporters and officials converge on this westerly corner of Europe in pursuit of their gold, silver and bronze medals.
On top of that, hundreds more will travel into the area on a daily basis to watch the action, involving men and women athletes, unfold.
National flags of the competing nations will fly all week outside business premises in Castlebar town centre to ensure a warm welcome is extended to members of the tug of war fraternity.
The host county will be represented by members of the Lakehill team from Knockmore and they are wished every success.
This writer confesses to not being familiar with all of the sport's rules and complexities, apart from the fact that it pits two teams against one another in a test of wills and strength, each team pulling on opposite ends of a rope in order to force the other a certain distance in one direction.
It is a former Olympic sport and teams are made up of eight members whose total weight must not exceed the maximum determined in their competing class.
Like all sports, it has its strict code on fouling and teams deploy tactics which suit their particular styles. It is also not immune to injuries being sustained by its protaganists.
By the end of the week we should all have a better knowledge and understanding of its wide appeal.
The hope, of course, is that it all passes off very successfully and be blessed with a reasonable level of good weather.