Rooney to join Father Ted festivities

FR Damo Lennon, better known as comedian Joe Rooney, will take part in the inaugural Father Ted Festival, it was announced at the event’s launch on Tuesday.
The festival will take place in Ennistymon, Kilfenora and the surrounding area over the weekend of May 13 to 15 in an effort to boost visitor numbers to North Clare in early summer.
Ennistymon and Kilfenora were the sites of many of the iconic scenes of the Father Ted series and the weekend of fun and frolics will take people on a journey to these sites, celebrating some of the most memorable scenes from the cult television programme.
The inaugural festival is three days of reenactments, partying and recognition of 25 episodes of hilarity, which will include tea in the infamous parochial house in Kilnaboy.
The official opening on May 13 will be followed by the Lovely Girls Competition in Vaughan’s Bar in Kilfenora, the original venue used when filming the Lovely Girls Competition.
MC on the night will be mischief-maker Fr Damo Lennon, also known as comedian Joe Rooney, who stared as Dougal’s rebellious side-kick in the Old Grey Whistle Theft, episode four of series two.
There will be a number of events taking place on Saturday, May 14, including bus tours around the area. The tours will depart from The Falls Hotel in Ennistymon and will go on a journey to the many locations, stopping off for tea in the parochial house and Ted-related games in Kilfenora. That night there will be the Craggy Island Raffle in The Falls Hotel, which will include a fancy dress party, sit-down meal, raffle and, organisers say, a few surprises.
On Sunday, May 15, the Craggy Island Olympics will take place on the grounds of The Falls Hotel and will include nun carrying races.
“I’m delighted to be involved in this festival as the hotel was where the cast and crew stayed during filming each year and the grounds of the hotel were used regularly for various outdoor scenes, the most obvious one being ‘My Lovely Horse’,” said Joanne Clancy, sales and marketing manager at the Falls Hotel.
A few local people joined forces to organise the festival, including Mark Vaughan from Vaughan’s Bar, Kilfenora; Cheryl and Pat McCormack, owners and residents of the parochial house; Joanne Clancy from The Falls Hotel and John Morgan, the man responsible for locating the outdoor locations and props for many of the episodes.
Weekend and day tickets are available for the festival. These can be booked online on the festival website www.frtedfestival.com or by calling the Falls Hotel on 065 7071004.
Further information on all the events and activities taking place over the weekend, plus details on accommodation, are also available on the website.