Athlone braced for Community Games

Athlone is braced for a invasion over the next two weekends, as the Community Games finals come to town. Some 15,000 people including athletes and supporters are predicted to visit as the 2009 HSE Community Games national finals reach a climax. The event is being hosted in Athlone IT for the first time this year and the influx is set to yield a bumper dividend for hard-pressed local businesses. Already, hotels, bed and breakfasts and guesthouses are reporting record demand, and the first weekend of the games in May last provided a significant windfall for some local businesses. Prof Ciaran O Cathain, President of Athlone IT, has this week called on the local population to come out to support the games and to attend the myriad of events. He paid tribute to the wide range of organisations, public bodies and sporting clubs which have thrown their weight behind the games, in particular, singling out Athlone Town Council, the Defence Forces and the Gardai for their support. Stating that the event was a real community effort, Prof O Cathain said: "The more people that come out and support it the better, from an AIT perspective and for the town in general." This weekend's action begins on Saturday morning with swimming, gymnastics, pitch and putt, and hard-court tennis all taking place from 9am, while the opening ceremony also takes place at Athlone IT on Friday evening from 6.30pm. Other sports taking place this weekend include Gaelic football, soccer, olympic handball, judo and hockey. The Garrycastle Bridge will be closed for the duration of both weekends. The full timetable available of events for both weekends is available on www.westmeathindependent.ie