The Roscommon Lamb Festival 2010 was a great success and in general the Summer has been great for Roscommon.

From the county football team to the Roscommon element of this year’s Rose of Tralee festival we are celebrating
all things Roscommon on Friday 13th August in Hannon’s Hotel, Roscommon at 9pm.

Attendees have the opportunity to meet and send off the Liverpool & San Francisco Roses who both hail from our county
as well our own Roscommon Rose – Deirdre Lenehen.

Music by Perfect Match and finger food will be served.

Tickets only €10 – pay on the door
Proceeds go towards fundraising for Roscommon Lamb Festival 2011.
Your support is greatly appreciated.

The Roscommon Lamb Festival 2010 was a fantastic success with over 8000 people visiting the town and county for all the events that took place over the weekend. The festival committee would like to thank all of the hard work undertaken by everyone involved with the organisation of all events. In particular the participants of our celebrity cook-off, Eithne Jarrett, Mary Conry Candler, Shane Curran, Tommy Grehan, Micháel Curley, Sarah Coffey, Eugene Murphy, Pat Compton, Denis Naughten, Aengus O’Rourke, Maureen Claffy and Mary O’Reilly. We would also like to thank all the restaurants and hotels involved – Gleeson’s Townhouse & Restaurant, Hesters Golden Eagle, The Percy French Hotel, The Yew Tree, Athlone Springs Hotel, Hodson Bay Hotel and Jackson’s Restaurant. The time and effort put in by all involved is greatly appreciated and helped raise the profile of the festival this year.  An extra special thanks to Brian O’Ruairc and Mary Gleeson for putting blood, sweat and tears into the smooth running of all the heats, semis and final.

Thank you to all the knitters, artists, farmers and craftspeople who created the wool village , art exhibition, fashion show over the course of the weekend.

Thanks also goes to all of our financial sponsors this year – who without their generosity this festival wouldn’t be able to take place. In particular the Roscommon Integrated Development Company and Roscommon County Council. Special thanks to the farmers and butchers who donated lambs to the festival for the Brazilian BBQ and Restaurant events.

Thanks to our media partners – Roscommon Herald, Roscommn Champion, Roscommon People, Creative Freedom Design, Marketing & Print, Festival TV who have promoted the festival over the last month.

And lastly – all the people who visited and supported the festival by taking part in the events that were put over the 5 days – this festival is about putting Roscommon on the map and the support of the public and enjoyment had by all – gives Roscommon Lamb Festival the strength and motivation to make each year bigger and better!  Thank you…

The final of the RLF Restaurant Celebrity Cook Off took place on Friday night in the Festival Marquee with over 200 diners enjoying the wonderful food cooked by our 2 finalists Denis Naughten and Eugene Murphy.  The atmosphere on the night was electric with both chefs – aided by their head chefs from Athlone Springs Hotel (Denis) and the Percy French Hotel (Eugene). After a tense 2 hours – the diners vote was an unbelievable 104/104 split which meant that both chefs were deserved winners on the night!  Photos to follow…

The competition is hotting up as the semi finals of the RLF Restaurant Celebrity Cook Off takes place on Sunday 25th and Monday 26th April. Michael Curley (The Yew Tree) vs Maureen Claffey (Hesters) in Gleeson’s Townhouse on Sunday night and Eugene Murphy (The Percy French) takes on Denis Naughten (Athlone Springs Hotel) in Jacksons Restuarant on Monday night at 8pm.
Tickets are only €25 with a 3 course meal and glass of wine. Make sure you follow your favourite chef and vote for your favourite dish on the night

The final will take place on Friday 30th of April in the festival marquee in Roscommon Town.
Finalists will be announce on Monday night.

TONIGHT!!! Denis Naughten v Aengus O’ Rourke in the Athlone Springs Hotel, Monksland. All support is welcome – so get down – enjoy the food and enjoy the fun! Tickets €30 for 3 course meal including a glass of wine and entertainment!

TONIGHT!!! Second Round – Eithne Jarret (Gleesons Restaurant) v Eugene Murphy (The Percy French Restaurant, Strokestown) All support is welcome – so get down – enjoy the food and enjoy the fun! Tickets only €25 for 3 course meal including a glass of wine and entertainment!

WEDNESDAY NIGHT – SOLD OUT!!! Micháel Curley takes on Sarah Coffey in the battle of Lecarrow! Tickets for this cookoff are sold out – however you can support the winner in the semi final on Sunday 25th April in Gleeson’s Townhouse & Restaurant, Roscommon

INVITATION TO LAMB FESTIVAL EXHIBITION OF VISUAL ART

An exhibition of visual art will take place from Thursday 29th April to Sunday 2nd May as part of the Roscommon Lamb Festival at the Old AIB Bank Church St. Roscommon (upstairs over Future Flowers). The exhibition is organised by artists Honor Fitzgerald and Noel Molloy and includes artists Fran Crowe, Gillian Gannon, Kristey Verenga, Angie Duignan, Katie Browne, Annette Gaffney, Margo McNulty, Ann Rigney, Joe Cunniffe, Dympna Molloy, Ros Art, Mantua Art, Siobhan Carlos, Lorna Brennan, Martha Lynn, Maree Bannon, Joanne Hughes, Nollaig Molloy, Niamh Molloy. Bob Attenbury, Joan Attenbury, Clair Attenbury, Ian Marks, Micheal J. Farrell, Frances Mc Gonigal, Stephanie Cuddy, Honor Fitzgerald, Noel Molloy working in Roscommon.
You are invited to attend the opening reception on Thursday 29th April at 8.00 pm, opening by Paul Leyden Roscommon Poet.
Refreshments will be served.

Celebrity Chefs - Michael Curley & Eithne Jarrett

The RLF Restaurant Celebrity Cook-Off lineup was announced on Wednesday night at our official programme launch in Gleeson’s Townhouse & Restaurant, Roscommon Town. With over 100 guests the event itself was a fantastic occasion as our programme was revealed. A new addition to this year’s festival – the RLF Restaurant CelebrityCook-Off  pits 12 community personalities from around the county against each other in 6 restaurants in the county. The celebrities will be helped by the head chef in their restaurant – helping them to create an exciting lamb dish that diners will vote as the winner on the night – who goes through to the next heat.
The grand final will take place on Friday 30th April during the Roscommon Lamb Festival on the May Bank Holiday Weekend.

The 12 celebrities and their restaurants are:

Hester’s Golden Eagle, Castlerea
Maureen Claffey (Castlerea Golf Club) -vs- Mary Reilly (Castlerea Musical Society)

The Percy French Hotel, Strokestown
Eugene Murphy -vs- Pat Compton

Gleeson’s Townhouse & Restaurant, Roscommon Town
Eithne Jarrett (Roscommon Employment Support) -vs- Mary Conroy-Candler (Roscommon Lions Club)

The Yew Tree, Lecarrow
Michael Curley (Roscommon Hunt) -vs- Sarah Coffey (Coffey’s Bar)

Hodson Bay Hotel, Kiltoom
Shane Curran (Hodson Bay Golf Society) -vs- Tommy Grehan (St. Aiden’s Football Club)

Athlone Springs Hotel, Monksland
Denis Naughton (Clan na Gael) – vs- TBC

Your support is very important – so get to your local restaurant and support your local celebrity!
Tickets cost €30 which includes a 3 course meal, a glass of wine and entertainment.*
Available from each restaurant and the celebrities themselves!

New to the Lamb Festival this year is the Wool Craft Village which will take place in the Festival Marquee on the Square. There will be much to see and do, exhibitors selling specialist supplies for all your knitting needs, sheep shearing demonstrations, an interactive knitting circle and numerous demonstrations from leading artists and groups to introduce you to lots of new techniques with wool.

Highlights of the Wool Craft Village include:

• Wool Village Market with experts selling all types of wool, patterns & pattern books, needles & accessories for all your knitting/crochet needs.

• Demonstrations in feltmaking, weaving, knitting, natural dyeing of wool and crochet throughout the afternoon.

• A group of spinners spinning the freshly sheared wool for knitting and you will have the opportunity to join in and learn how to spin yourself.

• Members of the Roscommon knitting circle, The Cast Offs, will form a large knitting circle which you can join in on. Some wool and needles will be available but if you have any of your own be sure to cast on and come along! We hope to have enough knitted/crocheted squares to stitch together and display at the end of the festival.

• Fibre Artist Fran Crowe will demonstrate her tapestry weaving and also natural dyeing of wool.

• Merrove Guiren will be running an interactive weaving demonstration.

We are proud to announce that you can register for any of the free events over the RLF 2010 weekend and guarantee your place!
Some of the events taking place have limited places so don’t delay and register today!

Teen Student Fashion Expo – with special guest MC – 2FM’s Ruth Scott!!!!

Saturday 1st May – 6pm Venue: Gleesons Townhouse & Restaurant Student Fashion Expo of Sculptural Costumes, made from recycled materials with the theme of lamb as the inspiration for weird and wonderful creations! Students who wish to participate contact Stephanie Cuddy Cullen on 086 875 3633.