Featured Images by John Hennessy

WHEN does an athletics race/walk become a very personal part of your life? Martin Drake a very well known Youghal athlete who to this day is a huge character within the sport and still an enthusiastic competitor only knows too well as he sadly lost his wife Caroline nearly a year ago and as a tribute to her and an opportunity to help Marymount Hospice in some way he is organising what could be one of the biggest East Cork road races outside of the Ballycotton ‘10’ in association with Youghal Athletic Club.

The race has many sponsors already including Farrells Bar and Jack O Patsy Pottery and the race will start on Sunday July the 18th at 2pm at Summerfield Cross make its way through Youghal turn at the North end of the town continue back up the quayside and finish by the Front Strand at the old train station covering a distance of four miles.

At the launch of Youghal’s Four Mile Road Race in aid of Marymount Hospice, which will be held on July 18th, were; Ger Flanagan, Organising Committee, Cathy O’Donovan, Marymount Hospice, Tim Twomey, Organising Committee, Sandra McLellan, Mayor of Youghal, Martin Drake, Organising Committee, Mary Sweeney, Represented Ireland in road and cross country running, and two of the race sponsors, Pat Collins, Jack O’Patsy Pottery with Mike Farrell, Farrells Bar, Summerfield.

Cllr. Sandra McLellan, Mayor of Youghal, with one of the two blue flags that were awarded to Youghal beaches.

Blue Flag’s are awarded to coastal destinations which have achieved the highest quality in water, facilities, safety, environmental education and management. It is a prestigious, international award scheme which acts as a guarantee to tourists that a beach or marina they are visiting is one of the best in the world.

It is the only town in the country to secure Two Flag’s and confirms the towns status as the premier seaside resort in the South with over 4 miles of sandy clean and safe beaches.

Headbanging to the sound of Midleton band ‘McFla’ were, Jenni Eives, Emma Barry. Marcell Van Pietzen and Emily Lynch, at the annual Castlemartyr Fete, which was held on the school grounds in Castlemartyr.

More Images in The Gallery

In a spectacular display of pure raw courage, guts and determination in searing heat conditions of over 21 degrees Celsius, Youghal United AFC will enter the halls of history after beating the Guinness Book of Records for a ‘Continuous game of 5-A Side Soccer’ at Ardrath Park over the June Bank Holiday Weekend.

More details and info in The Gallery.

Paul McCarthy from Irish Search Dogs Association putting one of the associations dogs, Jack, through his paces at the annual Cork Canine Festival, 2010, which was held in the Mart Centre, Fermoy.

More info about Irish Search Dogs Association can be found at their Website.

More images from the Canine Festival can be found in The Gallery.

Paul Morrissey letting in a goal during Youghal United’s final few minutes in their attempt to break the Guiness Book of Records for continuous five-a-side-soccer which they played for thirty three and a half hours in Ardrath Park, Youghal.

More images in the Gallery later.

The Race Around Ireland have decided on the provisional route for September 2010 and it’s passing through Youghal. The Walter Raleigh Hotel in Youghal has been named as an official time station and the Hotel has thrown its doors open for the race.

Michael Davitt, Hotel Manager, said; “We’re very proud to be supporting The Race Around Ireland and Team Youghal as we see it as being a fantastic opportunity to enhance Youghal as a tourist destination while seeing up close what an extreme endurance race involves and supporting a well deserved local and international charity in the process.” The Walter Raleigh Hotel has made accommodation available for all teams that are competing in the race and also will have a dedicated press room available for the media that will be following the event.

In the Pic: Michael Davitt, Manager of The Walter Raleigh Hotel, with some members of Team Youghal; Eoin White, Tommy Roche, Kieran Groeger, Ger Flanagan, Robert Heffernan and Christy McCarthy, who will be competing in the race on behalf of The Emer casey Foundation.