Our North Pole challenge finished last week and we would like to congratulate Lisa Farrelly who won the ladies category and Pat Connolly who took the honours in the male section. Both were worthy winners who showed great dedication throughout the six weeks of the competition.
They both received a voucher for dinner for two in La Cucina restaurant in the castle courtyard as their prize. We would like to thank Lucio, Rossano and Tita in La Cucina for sponsoring this prize. All the competitors who finished the challenge received a special medal to mark their achievement. Check the full results here.
We would like to thank all our fitness team here in the club for the encouragement and help they gave to our competitors.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Light on the darkest day
We are grateful to John McKeown from Lookaroundireland.com, The Ireland Travel Guide, for this article which captures the wonder of Newgrange as the solstice approaches.
It is the first bleak days of December 2009 in Ireland. The country has endured dreadful hardship from flooding in recent weeks; the economic indicators are depressing as the country awaits the most horrific Budget ever to be delivered by any Finance Minister and the days are getting shorter and shorter. Darkness dominates the Irish landscape as we approach the shortest day of the year. It is easy to be solemn and negative in our thinking.
But I am happy! For December brings to Ireland the Winter Solstice at Newgrange in County Meath - one of the great combined natural/man-made events of the world brought to us by the genius and the ghosts of the Neolithic Age, some 5000 years ago. It is an awesome sight to behold.
This wonderful event takes place for a few days around the winter solstice each year, when the passage and chamber of the 5000 year old monument are illuminated by the winter solstice sunrise. A shaft of sunlight shines through the roof box over the entrance and penetrates the passage to light up the chamber. The dramatic event lasts for 17 minutes at dawn from the 19th to the 23rd of December. It comes about as a result of a miraculous and enduringly complex mathematical equation produced by a people who lacked the computers we have to today. To experience it sends a shiver down my back as I think of how advanced our forefathers of five millennia ago were.
I haven’t missed one for years, dignitaries, politicians and academics always have priority to be inside the chamber for the event but every September a lottery is held for those interested in being inside on the actual day. I would advise anybody has given up hopes winning this lottery to consider coming to Newgrange and watch from the outside either on the day or the days immediately before or after the 21st December. If you are prepared to be there early, you will have every opportunity of seeing it in all its splendour. The atmosphere is eerie as the sun rises slowly and lights up the Boyne Valley, it is a glorious event. You can imagine how this must have felt in Neolithic times!
After the dignitaries are gone you get the chance to go inside the chamber and they re create the event. I wonder how this must have felt in Neolithic times!
And then, minute by minute, the days get longer and our spirits soar above the darkness. Our hopes are high once again for a great New Year.
It is the first bleak days of December 2009 in Ireland. The country has endured dreadful hardship from flooding in recent weeks; the economic indicators are depressing as the country awaits the most horrific Budget ever to be delivered by any Finance Minister and the days are getting shorter and shorter. Darkness dominates the Irish landscape as we approach the shortest day of the year. It is easy to be solemn and negative in our thinking.
But I am happy! For December brings to Ireland the Winter Solstice at Newgrange in County Meath - one of the great combined natural/man-made events of the world brought to us by the genius and the ghosts of the Neolithic Age, some 5000 years ago. It is an awesome sight to behold.
This wonderful event takes place for a few days around the winter solstice each year, when the passage and chamber of the 5000 year old monument are illuminated by the winter solstice sunrise. A shaft of sunlight shines through the roof box over the entrance and penetrates the passage to light up the chamber. The dramatic event lasts for 17 minutes at dawn from the 19th to the 23rd of December. It comes about as a result of a miraculous and enduringly complex mathematical equation produced by a people who lacked the computers we have to today. To experience it sends a shiver down my back as I think of how advanced our forefathers of five millennia ago were.
I haven’t missed one for years, dignitaries, politicians and academics always have priority to be inside the chamber for the event but every September a lottery is held for those interested in being inside on the actual day. I would advise anybody has given up hopes winning this lottery to consider coming to Newgrange and watch from the outside either on the day or the days immediately before or after the 21st December. If you are prepared to be there early, you will have every opportunity of seeing it in all its splendour. The atmosphere is eerie as the sun rises slowly and lights up the Boyne Valley, it is a glorious event. You can imagine how this must have felt in Neolithic times!
After the dignitaries are gone you get the chance to go inside the chamber and they re create the event. I wonder how this must have felt in Neolithic times!
And then, minute by minute, the days get longer and our spirits soar above the darkness. Our hopes are high once again for a great New Year.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Family night
On Wednesday (next December 16th) we will be holding our annual Christmas family night in the leisure club.
It is always a fun occasion with plenty of activities for our junior members.
It is divided into two sessions - ages 4 to 7 yrs from 6.45 pm to 7.45 pm with the older children 8 to 16 from 7.45 pm to 8.45 pm
All members are welcome.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Wallpaper
We have had a few enquiries about the wallpaper in the hall. It is called Connemara and available from Laura Ashley shops around Ireland. We re-decorated the hall during our appearance on RTE's at your service programme. The pictures above show the before and after.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Special Rates for Newgrange Winter Solstice
Santa stopped the traffic in Ardee last Friday evening when he turned on the Christmas lights. It's the clearest sign yet that Christmas is coming.
There is no turning back now. Christmas songs have been playing in the shops for the past two weeks, the town has its decorations up and I still haven't drawn up a Christmas present list (let alone bought anything yet).
It's only a matter of time before I spot a Christmas tree in someone's house.
If the prospect of all the hustle, bustle and hassle of the next three weeks or so fills you with dread then think about one of the simpler mysteries of life - the winter solstice at Newgrange.
If you planning to visit Newgrange around the time of the solstice on December 21st the why not avail of our special accommodation rate.
One night - €50 per person
Two nights - €90 per person
The rate includes, accommodation, full Irish breakfast and use of our leisure club. It runs until December 21st.
I realise that the second part of this post is a blatant plug for the castle. Our accommodation is near Newgranage though and we don't usually open this time of year. I will say more about the mystery of the solstice in another post soon.
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