Grand canal offaly floating festival returns

Building on its inaugural year in 2013, the Grand Canal Offaly Floating Festival (Grand COFF) will take place again this year in Tullamore from Friday, September 19, until Sunday, September 28.

This year’s festival will build on last year’s theme of reflection on the present and future benefits of the Grand Canal through business, pleasure and tourism opportunities, and will offer locals and visitors to Offaly and Tullamore a programme of events and a contribution to the Tullamore economy.

The festival is also part of the national Inland Waterways Association of Ireland rolling rally campaign highlighting the issues and concerns with the proposed Waterways Ireland canal bye-laws amendments.

The programme of events for this year’s festival promises two packed weekends including historical exhibitions, a canal photography competition, talks, a fishing competition for children, a canoe demonstration, a canal focused poetry night, heritage canal boats, barge cruises, a competition for best dressed and best illuminated boat and a mystery bus tour to some of Offaly’s hidden gems for visiting boaters.

The festival’s photography competition is being run in conjunction with the Slieve Bloom Photography Club. Its theme is the Grand Canal Offaly Floating Festival, and entrants can submit up to five photos that depict the essence of the event. Photos must be taken between September 12 and September 26 and emailed before 5pm on September 26 along with photographer name, contact number and details of when and where it was taken to grandcoff2014@gmail.com. Entries will be exhibited digitally in Tullamore library during the festival, while the winner will get a framed photo and will see their photo published in the national Inland Waterways Association of Ireland national magazine 'Inland Waterways News’.

Meanwhile a joint exhibition of Offaly labels/memorabilia featuring the collections of Paddy Doheny and Frankie Thomas will also feature in Tullamore library during the festival. The exhibition will include an eclectic mix of memorabilia from Tullamore’s past, including items featured in Frank Thomas’ book 'Tullamore - have a look back’.

During the festival the public can also avail of canal trips on the Saturday and Sunday mornings of both festival weekends on the 'Saoirse are an Uisce’ passenger boat.

A guided cruise with car transfer from Shannon Harbour to Tullamore is also planned, departing Shannon Harbour on Saturday, September 13, to encourage first time canal users to venture off the Shannon. These early arrivals will also get the chance to experience the Cannonball Run in Tullamore on the Sunday evening.

More details on the Grand Canal Offaly Floating Festival are available at www.offaly.iwai.ie.