Twenty compete for Ballybunion Bachelor crown

June 1992

TWENTY young men from throughout Ireland and England will be attempting to follow in the footsteps of a farmhand from Mayo next month as they vie with each other to become the 22nd Ballybunion International Bachelor.

Kevin Conwell from Swinford was unanimously chosen by a panel of five judges as the 1991 winner on the basis of his charm, wit and ability to survive a hectic week of round the clock socialising in Ballybunion.

And this year contestants from everywhere between Donegal and West Cork will be attempting with all their might to take over his crown.

“We’ve been in touch with our people in the various centres around the country who’ve been running heats over the last few weeks in pubs and nightclubs, so we should have the full line up of contestants shortly” said Festival Secretary Maria Finucane.

“We’re delighted to welcome back Derek Davis as the compare for our final show. He did the honours two years ago and really got into the swing of things.”

As well as contestants from places like Leitrim, Clare and Wicklow, there will also be two English representatives, a London Bachelor and a Manchester Bachelor.

Details of the programme of events for this year’s festival were announced at a press reception at Cliff House Hotel on Tuesday night, which was attended by Ballybunion’s representative in this year’s contest, Gerard Rohan.

Some of the new events on this year’s updated programme include a poetry recital by poet Brendan Kennelly, a designer fashion show and a Beat on the Street.

The Bachelor Festival reverses the trend set by the Rose of Tralee in that the contestants are given female escorts at the start of the week who arrive at Limerick and drive them to Ballybunion in cavalcade.

Each bachelor is assigned a female driver whose duty is to make sure he gets to Ballybunion in one piece, despite the numerous pitstops along the way, said Maria Finucane.

A committee of 35 people from Ballybunion under Director Alex McDonnell has been working through to winter preparing the festival, which kicks off on June 26 and runs until July 5.

Maria Finucane ‘was not willing to speculate as to what exactly constitutes the ideal Ballybunion Bachelor.

“I’ll leave that to the five judges,” she laughed.