Hundreds lined the shores of Stanford Lough last weekend to watch the Skiffie Racing Festival.
Hundreds of spectators flocked to Strangford Lough on Saturday and Sunday to watch an exhilarating two-day festival of Skiffie races.
More than 250 competitors from Ireland, Scotland and further afield took part in a busy schedule of more than 20 races, including last year’s World Champions Northern Ireland’s own Dundrum Coastal Rowing Club.
Dundrum Coastal Rowing Club came out on top after an intense two days of skiffie racing, to add to their 2016 World Championship win.
Competitors of all ages raced to the finish line in skiff boats, traditionally-styled colourful rowing boats built by local communities and rowing clubs.
The festival atmosphere was in full swing with a Race Village packed with activities, including children making craft boats, pedalling their own milkshakes, watching wood turning and rope making demonstrations and playing laser tag, whilst older children and adults mastered the skills of paddle-boarding.
CHECK OUT THE SKIFFIE PHOTOS HERE
Local food producers offered a selection of tasty treats and the day’s races turned into evening entertainment with live music.
Newry Mourne and Down District Council Chair, Councillor Roisin Mulgrew, said: “Congratulations to the winners and to all those who took part. It was terrific to see so many competitors and spectators at this year’s event, especially watching families young and old competing together in a wonderful location.”
The Skiffie festival was the second of five events in the Giant Adventures summer programme, a series of family festivals run by Newry Mourne and Down District Council to showcase the region’s breath-taking mountains, coastline and mythical stories.
The Giant Adventures programme includes three further events this summer – Festival of Flight on 5thAugust, Wake the Giant on 26th and 27th August and City of Merchants on 30th September and 1stOctober – a new festival this year which reflects on and celebrates the rich maritime and industrial heritage of Newry. The first Giant Adventures event – Footsteps in the Forest – kicked off the festival season with record numbers earlier this month.
Further information about the events can be found at:
