Waterford Today | Waterford's free weekly newspaper

WORLD MUSIC AT SPRAOI

The festival has always been synonymous with a brilliant programme of free live music, and 2007’s dazzling line-up forms an exuberant continuation of that tradition. With an eclectic and innovative combination of ukuleles, punk, Latino, and Chicago-style Blues, it is sure to get toes tapping and hips swaying. The music programme will be taking place on both the stages and the streets of Waterford.

In keeping with Spraoi’s world music agenda, Havana Son will be bringing in the sultry sounds of paradise fused with pulsing rhythm and sweet melodies. Continuing the Latin theme, a six-headed musical-monster with a Latin temperament, two devilish horns and a rock‘n‘roll heart, better known as Das Contras, will be claiming the stage to deliver a refreshing mix of folk, rock, Latino,

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The details of the Tramore 2007 Four Day August Festival which will run from Thursday August 16th- Sunday 19th were announced today at the festival launch, and this year is set to be another ‘Winner Alright’ for the seaside track.

The Festival provides entertainment, both on and off the track for all, from the racing enthusiast to the complete novice and once again each day has been themed to provide an entertaining programme to compliment the on-track racing action.

On Deise Evening, Thursday 16th August, Hector O’hEochagain will host The Big Bash along with the members of the Waterford Senior Hurling Panel. Live entertainment, hilarious interviews, combined with live music ensures plenty of craic at the track, in true Deise style.

Friday 17th will be BBQ social evening, which

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WLR/Bausch & Lomb Arts and Entertainment Award

Waterford actor Jamie Beamish, who played the starring role of soccer legend Roy Keane in the hugely successful 'I, Keano', is the winner of the latest WLR/Bausch & Lomb Arts and Entertainment Award.

In securing the lead role in the musical based on the controversy which erupted when Mick McCarthy sent Keane home from the 2002 World Cup, Jamie followed in the steps of Mario Rosenstock and Dennis Foley who played the Cork legend in previous productions.

Jamie first saw the Arthur Matthews/Michael Nugent comedy in its third production in Manchester, when he made what proved to be an incorrect 'actor assessment' that there wasn't anything in the play for him. Six months later, while acting in another production in London, he received a

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Last week, Bikers4Charity undertook a 2,340 kilometre, three day round-trip through Ireland, Wales, England and France to raise funds for the Cope Foundation, Montenotte.

The 25 bikers departed Cork on Thursday last, the 19th of July, under a garda escort. They arrived at the Holy Cross Pub in Waterford on Thursday evening, from where they continued on to their destination - Paris.

The cavalcade included Harley Davidson's and Suzuki Hayabusa's. 24 hours, three countries and two ferries later the bikers arrived in Paris where they were escorted to the Eiffel Tower for a presentation to be made by the French police. The motorcyclists returned to COPE Foundation on Sunday 22nd July where they were met by family and friends.

Michelin Tyres, Bikecraft and Plasterbead Ireland are among the

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The European Commission has reached agreement with Ireland on how it plans to spend EU cohesion funds of €750.7 million between 2007 and 2013. The Irish National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), negotiated over the past few months, sets out in broad terms how Ireland will invest €750.7 million over the next seven years to deliver growth and jobs, to strengthen human capital, and to ensure balanced development and the reduction of regional disparities.

Commenting on Ireland's plans, European Commissioner for regional policy, Danuta Hübner said: "Ireland has been one of our best examples of how cohesion policy can be used to help create growth and jobs and I'm very happy the Irish authorities intend to carry on with policies on these lines. Ireland's framework ranks very high in its commitment to the Lisbon strategy for jobs and growth. 83% of investment

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Among those pictured are Helena Kennedy, Tracey Carroll, Mary Grace, Mel Tobin, Helen Long and Jacqui Power, who took part in the Flora Women’s Mini Marathon on the 4th of June, to raise funds for St. Luke’s Hospital. Together they succeeded in raising a total of r1795.00. Speaking to Waterford Today on behalf of those who ran the 10k marathon, Helena Kennedy expressed their gratitude to all those who donated money and sponsored them for their admirable efforts. Last year, Helena Kennedy along with Lorraine Long, Gillian Kennedy, Celia Kennedy, Dannielle Kennedy and Caroline Cooney raised e1780.00 for charity, the 3T’s - Turn the Tide on Suicide.

Helena also explained that, along with Jacqui Power and Helen Long, she intends to run the Longford Marathon on the 26th of

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There was a rare sighting of a lion’s mane jellyfish in Tramore Bay recently reported to the Eye On Nature section of the Irish Times Weekend Review.

The sighting, reported by a Mr Ray Cullinane of Tramore described how he "swam over a large and scary jellyfish in Tramore Bay. It was about two feet across, had a white crown and was brown farther down." He added that "The flat tentacles were thin, and three or four feet long".

Officially known as Cyanea capillata, the lion’s mane jellyfish emits a poisonous sting and is the largest known species of jellyfish.

Its range is confined to cold, boreal waters of the Arctic, northern Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans, and is seldom found farther south than 42°N latitude. Similar jellyfish (which may be the same species) are known from the seas off Australia

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2007 has been an historic year in rowing for Waterford Boat Club. The club has taken away wins from every regatta it has attended, plus three places on Irish crews which will race internationally in the next couple of weeks and now the championship drought has been lifted with an especially successful weekend in Cork at the National Rowing Championships held at the National Rowing Centre.

Held every July, the National Championships is the ultimate goal in every club rowers calendar as all the training throughout the year, and indeed previous years, are focused on this one weekend of high intensity racing where the first boat across the line truly is the fastest boat in the country this year. Every contender from every corner of the country travels to Iniscarra Lake, about 15 miles west of Cork city, to challenge

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Over 300 men and women from all parts of Ireland and abroad arrived on the banks of the Suir to take on the challenge of the 14th Carrick-on-Suir Triathlon recently. The event saw competitors of all ages and levels of fitness take on a 750 or 500 metre river swim, before embarking on a 20k cycle and finishing with a 5k run.

The glorious weather was reflected in the bubbly atmosphere as friends and family helped the competitors get organised before the race. The transition area was soon full of all sorts of bikes – from top spec carbon racers to mountain bikes only recently pulled out of the shed.

Just before the race the well-wishers gave their final words of encouragement and watched the competitors walk up the banks of the Suir to their starting point for the swim. With

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Last weekend some of the Club travelled to Bray to participate in their Seafront Sprint Triathlon. With the heavy rain we got Friday evening looking like it was never going to stop some of thought we could just watch the race from a nice dry distance but Saturday morning the sun came out so there were no excuses to be found. Right from the start things went wrong though as Martin Mitzgajski got a puncture in his car on the way up and never made it to the race. He was very disappointed as he is travelling to Poland this week to participate in their National Olympic distance race and wanted another race to practice in before doing so.

Over 200 athletes lined up on the beach waiting

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All Ireland Juvenile wins

On saturday last at the final day of the All Ireland Juvenile Championships in Tullamore there were six wins by athletes from Waterford and five of the titles came to Ferrybank and one to West Waterford. Mairead Murphy from Ferrybank AC?had an under 19 double in the 200 metres and Long Jump.

Their other winners were Niall Tuohy U18, Patricia Barry U19; Shane Quinn U16, all in the 1500 metres races; and Jade Power won the U14 Discus. Zoe Scanlon won the Under 15 javelin for West Waterford AC. Silver medals went to the following from Ferrybank AC.:?Kitty Walsh U15, 1500m; Lorraine McCarthy U18 1500m; Gavin Downey U18 1500m; Kalyn Sheehan U19 200m; Billy Ryan U18 200m; Joe Conway, West Waterford U16 walk and bronze medals were won by Mairead Deevy 200m U19; Sinead Donnelly U19 Long

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Although the above song is credited to Van Morrison one could just as easily allocate the title to Waterford and Cork hurlers as again both teams put on an enthralling display in Croke Park on Sunday last. This was the fourth of the scheduled quarter finals and if the other three were starters then surely the final game with the Deise and the Rebels in opposition was the main course. This was hurling at the highest level. Yes at the very best. Fair, determined with little asked or given. Another in the clashes of Waterford and Cork that comes straight from the 'top drawer'. Sunday's game was swings and roundabouts with little or nothing seperating them right throughout and level at the end. What a prospect - another

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Drogheda Utd 3 - 0 Waterford Utd

It never rains but it pours. Waterford United had not won a game in Drogheda for over three years prior to last Fridays meeting between the clubs and they had to travel to County Louth without the service of five suspended players, Robbie Hedderman, Pat Flynn, Kenny Browne, Shane Harte and Alan Mulcahy. Such was the lack of experience in the Blues squad, manager Gareth Cronin had to draft in two players from the Under 21 squad, Declan Woodgate and Gary Dunphy and both made their debuts, coming on during the last 20 minutes.

The Drogheda manager Paul Doolin on the other hand had a full deck to play with, so much so that he had more or less another top class team sitting in the stand watching the match. There could be

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