Will they, or won’t they – that’s the big question around Ballinrobe as the local GAA Club members have set themselves an enormous physical challenge.
As part of the club’s campaign to elect Adrian Flannery as Mayor of Ballinrobe, members will endeavour to pull a six-tonne truck right round their town on the evening of Saturday July 30.
Up to 70 men, women, boys and girls will be deployed in the mammoth undertaking.
“We aim to deploy strong-arm tactics to get this truck pulled around Ballinrobe,” explained a club spokesperson.
“The event will start on Glebe Street, Ballinrobe, at 8.15pm on Saturday July 30, and will form one of the major attractions of the Queen of the Lakes festival.
“We will pull the truck up Glebe Street, down the full length of New Street, and across Cornmarket, leading us to the considerable rise on Bowgate Street. That 300-yard stretch from Healy’s service station to the Bank of Ireland will be the winning or losing of this challenge.
“If we get past Bowgate Street – and, in fairness, that’s a big if – we will continue down Main Street, before finishing on Abbey Street. Our team is already in training and we are confident we will prove our worth.”
An added dimension is that the club undertakes that, at all times during the challenge, there will be two women and two under-age footballers on the ropes. “We aim to show that Ballinrobe has outstanding men, women, boys and girls,” said the spokesperson.
The exact weight – and identity – of the truck will be announced nearer the time. Mayor candidate Adrian Flannery, and the current Mayor Johnny Buckley, will be on the back of the truck for the challenge: “We are putting our full weight behind, or should that be in front, of Adrian,” added the spokesperson.
Flannery (Ballinrobe GAA Club ), Peter McHugh (Ballinrobe RFC ), and Paddy McTigue (Ballinrobe Town AFC ) are the contestants who will seek to replace long-serving Mayor Buckley.
The three sports clubs have teamed up to hold the mayor contest over the coming months.
‘Votes’ – costing €5 – are now on sale from Ballinrobe GAA club members.
There are some top prizes to be won in a draw for those who cast a vote. These include two nights B&B and evening meal in leading hotels including Ashford Castle, the Slieve Russell, and the McWilliam Park.
