Five things to do
Sing along to the Dawn Chorus Filled with the joys of summer? Then get to bed early this Saturday night. An Offaly County Council Heritage event arranged with BirdWatch Ireland is taking place from 4.30am on Sunday morning May 17 at Kinnity Castle! The Dawn Chorus will celebrate all that"s good about early mornings, the countryside and our wonderful birdlife! David Watson of BirdWatch Ireland will be your fountain of knowledge for the (early) morning. A healthy heart is a happy heart The HSE is organising a lunch time walk as part of the Irish Heart Foundation Happy Heart Weekend, next Wednesday, May 20, at 1pm from the starting point of the newly re-launched Slí na Sláinte route at the Canal Bridge on the Kilbeggan road. The walk is open to the public and HSE staff who work along the route. The walk will last for 30 minutes, so people will be able to join in during their lunch break. Money raised from the walk will go towards the Irish Heart Foundation to help train people in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation skills. This year for every €25 raised, the Irish Heart Foundation will create another CPR lifesaver. For further information, contact Clodagh Armitage, Health Promotion Officer on 057 9357800. Special Olympics Golf Classic Get your three golf-mad friends to join your team this week in preparation for the Special Olympics Ireland fundraising Golf Classic in Tullamore Golf Club on Friday, June 5. (It could be the best way of escaping those election results trickling in.) Teams of four cost €400. There will be six great team and individual prizes on the day plus a four-course meal for each participant. Please contact chairman Andy Galvin on 086 2579172 or committee members Paul Bell 087 9778225 or Olive Carragher 086 8297382. Offaly going for two in a row Want to see your photo in a calendar? The annual TOP photography competition is here again and are looking for Offaly entrants to repeat the success of last year"s winner Roisin Kendrick-Phelan who took a wonderful picture of capturing the silhouette of a bog train on the brow of a hill which won her a coveted place in TOP"s 2009 calendar. Any amateur photographer can enter the competition by submitting any photograph, of any subject, that they have taken in Ireland to photo@top.ie or check out www.top.ie. The deadline is May 31. TOP is a 100% Irish-owned fuel importation and distribution business. Camp for Peace! Want to do something different for the June Bank Holiday weekend? How about a music festival and camping all for the unbeatable price of €10? Support Peacezone Artists at Shakefest in Charleville Castle on May 30. Reggae great Erik Noon and the Future Gypsies, Lauren Guillery, Ska band The Bionic Rats, Oliver Cole, Peter Space Invasion, poets and more will be performing from 3pm and spreading their message of peace and unity in a bid to end conflict in war-torn countries. PeaceZone membership is only €10 to enjoy these performances and have access to various speakers, poets, photography exhibitions on the castle grounds and other activities throughout the day. The membership also includes one free night"s camping! Check out www.myspace.com/peacezoneireland for more details.