Sicily fails to become new 'Craggy Island'

THE MEDITERRANEAN island of Sicily failed in its attempt to become the new "Craggy Island" at the second annual Father Ted festival on Inis Mór over the weekend.

In spite of having an Olympic swimmer on their team, the Sicilians couldn't cope with the "GAA-honed" skills of Atlantic seaboard soccer players. The visitors were knocked out in the five-a-side series of matches in Kilronan by the Aran island of Inis Oirr.

Inis Oirr's resolute efforts to then regain what it believes is its rightful claim to Craggy Island were scuppered, when its team lost to the north Connemara island of Inishbofin. Festival hosts Inis Mór, managed by former soccer international Tony Cascarino, played Inishbofin, managed by colleague John Aldridge in the final - the latter island winning by four goals to three.

The event is held as a tribute to the Channel 4 television series, Father Ted , starring the late Dermot Morgan.

The series was filmed mainly in Clare and it used a shot of Inis Oirr's Plassey shipwreck in its opening sequence. When the tribute event was first planned for Inis Mór in 2007, the resulting row with its neighbouring island was resolved with agreement to a five-a-side soccer "duel".

Galway entrant Tara Kilbane's sandwich-making skills earned her the overall Lovely Girls title on Saturday night.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times