Sand sensations at Bettystown Beach

Dragons, Lough Ness Monsters and elphants were among the creations at the National Sand Castle and Sand Sculpturing Festival, which took place Sunday on Bettystown Beach. Despite appalling weather all week, the sun shone on the more than 1000 people who gathered on the beach to participate or just watch all the fun of the day. Sixteen teams participated in the Sand Sculpturing Competition. Competitors came from all over the country and indeed some even from abroad. The serious sculptors started as soon as the tide ebbed early and continued to work on their pieces until after 3pm. The competition was judged by Julie Shiels, who was amazed at the high standards of the works entered. She recommended a special prize to the Keyes family for their joint effort on their piece. The sandcastle competition attracted over 100 entries with teams ranging in ages from 4 years to 70 years. More family teams participated this year than before. The judges included Mr. Tom Dowling, county manager, Ms. Alison Boyle of Solstice Art Centre, and Ms. Sharon Rogers. Competitors and spectators were entertained by the Bordallo Samba Band and some of the crowd danced on the beach whilst the judges had the difficult task of picking the winners from so many fantastic sand castles. The organizers want to thank Funtasia Bettystown, Meath County Council, Pat Boshel, Tayto and ORS Mullingar, for their sponsorship and also beach warden Stephanie Troy, John and Joe Maguire, Ciara Grant and Youtreach Bettystown for helping out on the day. The winners of the under 5"s sand castle competition were Ben O"Reilly, Co Clare, Salome Bordalo, Navan and Cormac O"Sullivan, Bettystown. The Under 8"s winners were Greg O"Reilly, Mullingar, Emer and Lorcan Somers, Kildare and Laura D"Arcy, Mornington. In the Under 12"s, Ciaran, David and Jessie from Mornington took first place while the runners up were Doireannand Senan Hughes and Francis Doherty of Bettystown as well as Oisin Lacey of Minnistown. The winners in the under 16"s were Jenny, Amy, Becky and Robin of Mullingar, Slane and Clare as well as Clare and Paddy Doherty of Slane and Dawn, Rachel, Jessica and Elaine of Bettystown. The Murray Family of Laytown won the family competition with the Heaton Family of Celbridge taking second place and the Garland Family of Bettystown taking third prize. The overall winners were the under 16 team of Jenny, Amy, Becky and Robin. The winners of the sand sculpturing competition were Emer, Catherine, Cillian and Rita of Drogheda and Bettystown with 'Smaug the Dragon." Taking second place in that competition were Jeri, Looby, Vlad and Eliska from Naas and Dunshaughlin with 'Resting in the Shallow Water", while third place went to Sinead and John from Dublin with 'Elephant."