Croí na hEireann to be launched on Wednesday

Athlone's Croí na hEireann festival centred around St Patrick's Day and weekend will be launched this week.

Details of the five-day event will be revealed in the Bounty on Wednesday, January 11 at 7.30pm.

Chairman John Henson extended an open invitation to anyone who would like to get involved in this year’s festival in some way to come along.

"The festival will run for five days so we are very interested to hear from groups who would be willing to participate anytime during that period. We are so fortunate to have a wide range of marvellous groups carrying out excellent voluntary work throughout the town and district and this is an ideal opportunity for them to showcase such work and activities" he said.

Treasurer Cllr. Frankie Keena added that it is important for a representative of all the groups who participated last year in either the festival or the parade itself to attend the launch. Also, if other groups want to partake then please come along as details and full criteria for entries will be made available that evening.

Chairman John Henson in commended the voluntary work put in by the members of the committee, saying that the group has great plans to build on the success of last year’s festival with some fantastic new ideas and surprises lined up for everyone’s enjoyment.

"We now need the public to get behind us and make this a wow event, so please come along and attend the launch," he urged.