"Honda 50 Run" to benefit local causes

A charity event with a difference takes place in Delvin on Sunday, March 1, in the shape of a "Honda 50 Run" in aid of Delvin Hospice Homecare and the local St. Patrick"s Festival Parade Committee.This is the first such event to take place in Delvin, and this particular one comes with a poker dimension, where each rider on the fun run picks up a playing card at each stop. The rider who returns with the best poker hand (five stops, five cards), wins a prize.There are various prizes for different categories, such as the most humorous entry, best dressed bike, etc.Entries in other countries for events like this have been enormous; it is a continental phenomenon, which features in the Guinness Book of Records.Registration for the March 1 event commences at the Blue Hackle Inn, Main Street, Delvin at 11.30am, and is open to Honda 50s, 70s and 90s. All funds raised from the forty mile run will go towards Delvin Hospice and the local St. Patrick"s Festival Parade.Hot food will be served afterwards, and a free raffle will be organised for all participants.Full permission for the event has been received from the Gardaí, and the run will commence with the parking of vehicles at Delvin Cattle Mart on the morning of March 1.After registration takes place at the Blue Hackle, the Hondas will set off for a tour around the eastern reaches of Westmeath, with Turin GAA pitch set to be the first stopping point, where competitors will pick up their second card.The second stop will be The Downs Community Centre, followed by Raharney village, and by that point each competitor should have four playing cards in his or her possession.The fun run will then finish back at the Blue Hackle Inn, Delvin, where the winner will be revealed, and hot food and refreshments served.The committee organising the event would appreciate as much help as possible helping things run smoothly, so if you"d like to volunteer your services for the day, contact Oliver on (085) 1073182 or Jerry on (087) 6737684 for more details.Delvin camogie registrationRegistration of new members and players for Delvin Camogie Club will take place on Sunday next, February 8 between 12 noon and 1pm at St. Patrick"s Hall, Delvin.New members are very welcome, and the membership rate for 2009 are €20 for the first child, €35 for a second child, and €45 for a third. A fee of €25 has been set for players over the age of 18.Please note that anyone who intends playing camogie for Delvin next year is required to pay their registration fee.St. Joseph"s YPSA meeting of the St. Joseph"s Young Priests Society will take place in the Parochial House, on the grounds of the Church of the Assumption, Delvin, on Thursday next, February 5. The meeting starts at 8pm.Willie is the new Irish Hereford Society chairAt the first meeting of the newly elected Irish Hereford Society Council Mr Willie Branagan, Clonleam, Delvin, was elected Chairman for its three year term of office.A past President of the Society, he has been a member of the Society"s governing council for the past nine years.The outgoing Chairman of the Society"s Breed Improvement committee, he has travelled to the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada with a view to sourcing genetics for use within the Society"s Breed Improvement Program. He was Secretary of his regional Hereford Association since 1983 relinquishing the post just recently.Willie is also the current Secretary of Irish Hereford Prime Ltd, the successful award winning Irish Hereford certified beef program. He has played a key role in the establishment and expansion of the company from its humble beginnings to its current position as one of the most respected brand names in the Irish catering and retail section.A member of the Society"s judging panel, he has judged in Ireland, Northern Ireland and at the Herning Show in Denmark.He was delegated to represent Irish Herefords at the World Hereford Congress in Australia 2004, delivered a keynote address on Irish Hereford Prime at the European Hereford event held in Ireland 2005 and more recently at the World Hereford Congress held in Copenhagen July 2008.Since the Clonleam Hereford herd was founded in 1956 with the gift of a heifer to his late mother, it has grown to a consistent twenty-five breeding cows. Interestingly Clonleam Vortex a descendant of the foundation female was Champion for Willie at the Society"s Kilmallock sale in 2003.Several cattle from the herd have been exhibited successfully at the major summer shows and at the RDS, and two Clonleam bulls have stood successfully at Irish AI.