Big crowd enjoy town raft race

JULY 1988

THE Foster’s-sponsored raft race again shows its pulling power as thousands turn out to watch the spectacle on the Castletown river.

Indeed, such is the interest in the annual event that traffic jams are caused throughout the town as people make their way to the Big Bridge on the Newry road.

Forty-three rafts compete, a substantial increase on previous years, and the standard and quality reflects a great deal of work on the crews’ part who are from a number of local industries and others further afield.

It is also evident that this dedication pays off for winners, the McKeown brothers (Gerard, Anthony and Peadar), St Nicholas Avenue, representing Daly Engineering, Newry.

In the process they break the stranglehold of Martin McCabe and Jim Carragher, successful for the last four years. This time they have to settle for third spot.

Hi-Tec finish runners-up, albeit a considerable distance behind the McKeowns.

Audrey Duffy and Clodagh Farrelly from Tallanstown put up a great show to take fourth and are awarded a special prize for their efforts.

All winners receive beautifully created prizes from race organiser Niall Kehoe and the sponsors.

In addition to the main event, a half-mile race from Boyle O’Reilly bridge to the Big Bridge, there is lots more to entertain the huge crowd.

An impressive display of power skiing kicks things off, and later there is music throughout the evening with three bands – Stripes, Tim Buck Too and City Limits - playing on an open-air stage to lend a real carnival atmosphere