New Ross Standard

Quacking time at the duck race

- By ESTHER HAYDEN

IT really was weather for ducks in Foulksmill­s last Wednesday evening at the annual duck race.

Although heavy rains pelted down throughout the day it petered off during the late afternoon and by the time the duck race got under way the evening was bright and clear.

Secretary of the Foulskmill­s Tidy Towns, Anne-Marie Toomey, said while the race had been a success the inclement weather earlier in the day had kept people away.

‘We were lucky and unlucky with the weather really. Although the duck race itself was dry the heavy rain earlier in the day put people off coming so we didn’t have the numbers we expected. We had about half the number of people this year compared to last year but then last year was the biggest crowd we ever had and the day and evening then had been lovely and sunny.

‘Even though the numbers were down we still had a good crowd so we were happy enough.’

Anne-Marie said that the duck race involved ten races featuring 24 ducks with people betting on which duck would be the first past the post. The winner received dinner vouchers.

The final race was a sweepstake race whereby people bought raffle tickets and 24 names were pulled out of a hat and they were each assigned a duck.

‘ This is the only fundraiser the Tidy Towns group run each year’, said Anne-Marie ‘and all the money raised goes to the upkeep of the village. We received money earlier from Wexford County Council from Access and we need to repair the paths around the park.’

In addition to the duck races there was plenty of other entertainm­ent to keep young and old entertaine­d with bouncy castles, obstacles courses, hook-a-duck, fishing for ducks and an inaugural limbo competitio­n just some of the attraction­s on offer.

There was also a win a cake competitio­n. The evening finished with a human river race where all the children jumped into the water and ran as fast as they could for the finish line.

Anne-Marie said the group hasn’t tallied up the money raised on the night but said people were very generous.

 ??  ?? Mixie Twomey placing the ducks in the river before the start of the race.
Mixie Twomey placing the ducks in the river before the start of the race.
 ??  ?? Cillian and Amber Byrne.
Cillian and Amber Byrne.
 ??  ?? Alice O’Grady and Grace Shortall.
Alice O’Grady and Grace Shortall.
 ??  ?? Ava and Tara O’Meara.
Ava and Tara O’Meara.
 ??  ?? Ambery Byrne, and Charlene Bennett.
Ambery Byrne, and Charlene Bennett.
 ??  ?? Eileen and Tom Doyle.
Eileen and Tom Doyle.
 ??  ?? Alva McCormack and Atlanta Blake.
Alva McCormack and Atlanta Blake.
 ??  ?? Aine Foran, Aileen Murphy and Mary Kelly.
Aine Foran, Aileen Murphy and Mary Kelly.
 ??  ?? Evan Roche, Shane Cullen, Eoin Roche and David Harney.
Evan Roche, Shane Cullen, Eoin Roche and David Harney.

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