Category: Regulars

Open post

Battle of the Bay – Clontarf

Battle for the Bay celebrates its 10th birthday this May and since its inception in 2006 it has become one of the best free family weekends in the summer calendar. Dollymount Strand will play host to sun, sand, kites and surf boards as Ireland and the world’s best kitesurfers descend on the beach to showcase their spectacular skills and gravity defying moves as they skim the water surface and compete for the coveted King or Queen of the Bay crown. Growing from an audience of just 50 in 2006, Battle for the Bay now boasts an incredible 10,000 visitors over the weekend. Join in the birthday celebrations with some spectacular fireworks on the promenade on Saturday night.

Battle of the Bay is a free, entertaining weekend for all the family, young and old, where audiences are enthralled, entertained  and captivated by kitesurfers from across the world as they weave across the glittering bay. Pure Magic will give demonstrations on the beach, freestyle shows, paddle boarding and kite surfing introductions for newcomers.

There will be all the usual entertainment on dry land with live music all day, a Kids Zone with fairground rides, food village & loads of fun stuff! This year sees the introduction of the Beach Market with over 25 market traders selling everything from vintage clothes, vinyl records, Arts & Crafts, jewellery, Farmers Market Food (Jams/Cheeses/Olives & Honey etc)

SATURDAY 28th May

10.30am – 6pm: Funfair, Food and Entertainment on the beach

10.30pm – 6pm: Kitesurfing competition – Stand Up Paddle Boarding – Land Yacht –  Beach Volley

12pm – 4pm: Kiting Introductions / Stand Up Paddle Boarding for kids

1pm: Live DJ Sets all day / Live Music Rachel McCormack / The Ukelele band / Anti-One / Roisin El Cherif / Kevyn / Wob

8pm til Late: Pure Magic 10th Birthday Party at Bram Stoker

SUNDAY 29th May

9.30am: Fun SUP racing on the Liffey

10.30am – 6pm: Funfair, Food and Entertainment on the beach

10.30am – 4pm: Kitesurfing competition – Stand Up Paddle Boarding – Land Yacht – Beach Volley

12pm – 4pm: Kiting Introductions / Stand Up Paddle Boarding for kids

1pm – 4.30pm: Live Bands Anti-One / Evil Empire / Silent Interlude / Dublin City Rounders / The Louisiana 6 / Late City Edition – DJs on main Stage – Pro Rider Interviews

 

After a long hard winter of training, the surfers will be honed, toned and raring to compete as the Battle of the Bay gets underway. This year will feature race and freestyle competitions, with riders performing daring technical tricks and feats. Boardercross is a mix of freestyling and racing which will bring a unique format of the competitors together on the starting line for a slalom style fight that is fast and furious involving jumping water obstacles. Competitors compete for championship points!

Irish champion and currently ranked 6th in the world, Jade O’Connor will return to Battle for the Bay to compete. She has recently returned from the Canaries where she spent the winter training. She heads to Sardinia this week to prepare for the European Championships. Following Battle for the Bay Jade will be defending the British Championship in Exmouth on 12th June, a title she has held for last 2 years.

Nick Jacobsen from Denmark is a surfing superstar and performs many death defying feats with as surf board and kite! He has jumped off a crane in South Africa and also off the top of Richard Bransen’s house on Necker island. Check it out here:

So grease up your surf board, shine your shades and head to the Battle of the Bay – a free two day event now in its tenth year. Bring friends and family and enjoy the Pure Magic. Late night entertainment continues into the night at the Bram Stoker in Clontarf. More details to be announced.

Open post

World MS Day 2016 in County Dublin

Walk, run, dance or move – 9,000 steps for MS as people with Multiple Sclerosis in Ireland announce World MS Day 2016 in County Dublin

World MS Day will take place on Wednesday May 25th 2016

Ireland, Monday May 9th 2016: World MS Day 2016 will take place on Wednesday May 25th and those living with Multiple Sclerosis in Ireland are asking people in County Dublin to walk, run, dance or move 9,000 steps for MS (that’s 6.5k) and raise funds for vital services. Mum of three Olivia Kirwan, 36, from Balbriggan, Dublin, was diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting MS at the age of 29 and is representing the MS community this World MS Day 2016. MS Ireland, the national organisation providing vital services, information and support to people with MS is encouraging all to get involved through its website www.ms-society.ie and to please text STEPS to 50300 to donate €4.

More than 9,000 people in Ireland are living with Multiple Sclerosis with thousands more affected as family members.

World MS Day events will take place across Ireland on and around Wednesday May 25th.

In Dublin on World MS Day May 25th, MS Ireland will run a 9,000 Steps for MS treadmill challenge at Basecamp Outdoor Store, Middle Abbey St from 8am until 8pm. Lorraine Ho, Bootcamp Ireland will host 9,000 steps bootcamp style at the store at 1pm. Individuals or groups may sign up on www.ms-society.ie or contact Sam, samanthal@ms-society.ie

Funds raised will directly help in services provision locally, in particular, physiotherapy, counselling, the MS Nurse resource and respite at the national MS Care Centre.

Ava Battles, Chief Executive, MS Ireland comments: “When World MS Day comes around each May it’s a great opportunity to raise awareness of Multiple Sclerosis and support people with MS locally. We’re delighted to launch the fundraising campaign ‘9,000 Steps for MS’ to mark World MS Day. We know that exercise has great benefits, for people with MS it helps manage symptoms and of course exercise helps all of us. This campaign reflects a community of more than 9,000 people with MS and encourages everyone to get involved in whatever way they can.”

The variance in presence, severity and duration of MS symptoms coupled with the intermittent and progressive nature of MS impacts not only the person with MS but also family. Symptoms include impaired mobility, severe fatigue, cognitive difficulties, affecting decisions around employment, and family life. Multiple sclerosis is the most common disabling neurological condition of young adults in Ireland, most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40. Three times more women than men are diagnosed with MS. There is currently no known cause or cure for the condition.

Supporters of World MS Day and 9,000 steps for MS include Lorraine Ho, Bootcamp Ireland, Leinster rugby player James Tracy, Ireland’s women’s rugby stars Ailis Egan and Jenny Murphy, and many more are taking up the #strongerthanMS campaign.

The MS Research team at University of Limerick (UL) will hold a 9,000 Steps for MS walk at 10.30am on World MS Day Wednesday May 25th, showcasing the latest research at 12pm and celebrating five years of partnership with MS Ireland. Step it Up is a UL based exercise and education MS research project, led by Prof Susan Coote, funded by the Health Research Board in collaboration with MS Ireland and Prof Rob Motl from the University of Illinois. For more information please visit www.msresearch.ie