Thursday, March 03, 2011

Tedfest fans keep faith and flock to Craggy Island

OF course, as Father Ted memorably said, they all have lovely bottoms. 

Forget elections -- the closest-fought battle of the weekend was that for the coveted title of Loveliest Girl on Craggy Island as the fifth Tedfest proved to be the most successful to date.

Majella Donoghue, from Belmullet, Co Mayo, was the lucky lady who stole victory after several gruelling rounds of swiss-roll sculpting and lovely walking.

Rob Morgan, son of the late Dermot Morgan, who played Fr Ted, was among the judging panel who decided that the 24-year-old's Irish dancing made her stand out from a bevy of 'cailini alainn' at the annual send-up of the Rose of Tralee contest.

For the fifth year in a row, hundreds of people dressed as nuns, priests, bishops and irrepressible Mrs Doyles invaded Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands, for one of the country's zaniest festivals.

Rob said that the weekend was a celebration of the success of the series and is something his dad would have really enjoyed.

"This year we've had record numbers attending and the weekend has just been fantastic. We're all just buzzing -- there's been so much to enjoy and everybody has gotten involved in everything, from the wedding . . . of the Loveliest Couple, the Kill Bill Festival, the ceili's and singalongs to matchmaking with Nelly in the Craggy Crack Den."

Attendees, who numbered more than 300, could enjoy three days of events from a Live Hymns session, the Ronnie Drew hour or Elvis cage fighting.