Sandcastle and cricket at Bettystown beach festival

NOW in its 15th year the National Sandcastle and Sand Sculpturing Festival takes place in Bettystown Co Meath on the weekend Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd of July. The Festival commences with the Beach Sports day on Saturday followed by the Sandcastle competition on Sunday.

This is a family fun weekend and is growing in strength each year. From a few hundred people in 2003 to a few thousand spectators and participants last year. Such is the talent it has been difficult over the years to remind all the spectators and indeed the judges that none of the entrants are professional sandcastle builders or professional sculptors.

The UNITAS Beach Sports Festival runs on Saturday 1st July, 10-5pm. Contact - Sangeetha Bala - 086-3548146 - sangeetha. bala@gmail.com for entry details.

The fun begins at 10.30am on Sunday for the sculpturing and 2.30pm for the sandcastles. Judging and prizegiving at 4.30pm.

There are prizes for 1st 2nd and 3rd in each of the following category in the Sandcastles; Under 5yrs, Under 8yrs, under 13yrs and family.

Junior And Senior Sculpture will receive cash prizes.

Top Prize For Sculpture of €300 kindly sponsored by Liz & Roger Pickett, The Cottages.

The Dick O’Reilly perpetual cup is presented to whomever the judges deem to have given the best effort on the day, across all of the categories.

Details from Martina Maguire on 087 9291498 and the webpage www.nationalsandcastles.ie.