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| IRELAND
- ATHLONE - 1996 |
20st JULY till
26th JULY, 1996
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| Organisation |
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ATHLONE EUROPE '96
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| The
Edition |
The Festival’s programme consisted of the following
activities:
Opening Ceremony.
All of the European delegations formed part of the opening
parade alongside some of Athlone´s own bands and other cultural associations to welcome
all of the festival’s participantson 21st July 1996. In the town centre
Breffni Rowan, the lord mayor of Athlone officially opened the festivities. Several
government members of the region were also present with him on stage.
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Arts and Crafts Exhibition.
The participating countries all exhibited
their arts, crafts and other wares as did some of the local handicraft groups of Athlone
throughout the whole festival at the fair.
Some of the locals, with a special permission also
exhibited their wares to sell next near the castle.
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A Mass for Europe.
For all those members of the delegations
who wanted to attend a mass was held in St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s on Sunday 21st
July in several languages.
A Gastronomic Feast.
Each country was represented by a cook
who on various occasions demonstrated some of their home country’s culinary delights.
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Cultural Shows.
Each evening there was folk dancing,
and other such musical numbers from different participating countries
Run-around Town Quiz
On 22nd July, each country
was represented by a team who had to pass different cultural tests related to Europe, or
simply physical tests through out the streets of Athlone.
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Children’s day
The 23rd was spent dedicated to
children. There were special activities just for them: bouncing castles, an ISPCA dog
show, face painting, story telling, and puppet show amongst many more.
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Eurovillage.
A European town built in the court yard
of Athlone’s castle was the site for the trade/culture fair, where the delights and
wares of the participating countries could be found, be it local products, details about
places to visit, or simply more details of what they have to offer.
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Seminars
Various seminars related to integration in
the EU took place on Thursday July 25th some delegations, for instance the
French, took the opportunity to show in the town’s hotels different commercial and
touristic aspects.
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Sports
For the first time it was decided that all
the sports teams should be mixed. The eight chosen sports were:
Five-a-side football (St Peter’s
sports centre) Tennis (Athlone tennis club),Cycling (Moydrum) Swimming (Athlone swimming
pool),Orienteering (Carnagh Range) Basketball (Community college), Badmington (St.
Peter’s sports centre)
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Free day
The organisers prepared a trip along
the River Shanon. There was a barbecue at Coolvuck House where one could take part in the
various folk music demonstrations.
Evening Shows
Many of the local establishments
collaborated with the organisation: Bredan’s Bar,The Shck, Biddy Mulligan’s ,
Hogan’s ,The Square, Main Street, Northgate Inn,Connaught St, The Grove, Church St,
Mardyke St...., where the national delegations played with their bands. Many of the local
bands also played their part in performances in the town’s main streets: Athlone
Comhalts, The Fabulous Bonker Boys, Sharon Turley, ‘Moll’ by J.B.Keane, (Irish
dancing), Festival Ceili with Matt Cunnighan... and so on.
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Fireworks.
On Friday 26th July a huge
firework display lit up the River Shanon introduced the closing ceremony of the
Eurofestival. On the banks of the River Shanon thousands of people crowded to watch the
display and performance of Athlone’s Musical Society.
The Closing Ceremony in Athlone.
Local authority members, sponsors,
volunteers, members of the Euro festival Committee and of course members of the European
delegations were all present for closing ceremony and gala dinner where prizes and
presents were presented.
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| Activities
Rooster |
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Time |
Sat 20 |
Sun 21 |
Mon 22 |
Tue 23 |
Wed 24 |
Thurs 25 |
Fri 29 |
9:00
10:00
11:00
12:00 |
Athlone Comhaltas
Y
The fabulous Bonker boys
in St. Peter´s Square |
Setting up the Stands.
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Sports:
Five a side
Tennis
Cycling
Openingof Stands.
Gastronomic demos |
Sports:
Swimming
Orienteer-ing
Basketball
Badminton
Opening of Stands.
Gastronomic demos |
Sports:
Fiv a side
Tennis
Basketball
Petanca
Table tennis
Badminton
Opening of Stands.
Gastronomic demos |
Irish Market.
River boat trip
Gastronomic demos |
Sports Finals.
Official visit of the
Stands
Gastronomic demos |
13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
18:00
19:00
20:00
21:00
22:00 |
Arrival. |
Lunch
Band of the Eastern
Command
Opening Parade
Athlone Cultural Group
Festival Ceili with Matt
Cunningham.
Sharon Turley. |
Lunch
Sports
Gatronomic demos
Supper
Cultural Shows.
Local acts in the pubs. |
Lunch
Children’s day.
Sports
Supper
Cultural Shows.
Local acts in the pubs |
Lunch
Sports
Gastronomic demos
Supper.
Cultural Shows.
Local acts in the pubs. |
Barbecue Coolvuck House.
Traditional Folk music.
Supper.
Music
Firework display
River Shanon |
Lunch
Gala dinner
End of the party.
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| Sports
Overall Results |
POS |
COUNTRY
- CITY |
POINTS |
| 1 |
FREDERIKSSUND-DEN |
80 |
| 2 |
SCHIFFLANGE-LUX |
68 |
| 3 |
ATHLONE - IR |
67 |
| 4 |
ARANDA DE DUERO - ESP |
66 |
| 5 |
SAN VITO CHIETINO - ITA |
57 |
| 6 |
CANTANHEDE - POR |
42 |
| 7 |
BAD SEGEBERG - GER |
40 |
| 8 |
LIBRAMONT - BEL |
37 |
| 9 |
BELGIUM - LIBRAMONT |
37 |
| 10 |
THOUARSAIS ST.SULPICE - FRA |
36 |
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| More
Information: Official Event links... |
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| Languages |
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