Longford hits tourism bullseye as Granard chosen to host international archery competition
Granard's Knights and Conquests Heritage Centre is to provide the setting for the prestigious Archery Ireland Irish Open and Club Team Championships for 2022.
The Wolfshead Company of Archers based at the north Longford facility were given the formal seal of approval in recent days in what is being viewed as yet another notable tourism coup for Granard.
The competitions will be held over the weekend of the 9th and 10th of July at the Granard Showgrounds with the kind permission of the Granard Agricultural Show.
The Irish Open is attracting International entries and will be held on Saturday the 9th of July and the Club Team Competitions will be held on Sunday the 10th of July with Archery Clubs from all over Ireland taking part.
"This is great news for Granard and our Wolfshead CoA. Our Archery Club was born out of a single phone call I made during the first lockdown," said the club's co founder and general manager of Knights and Conquests, Bartle D'Arcy.
"Mark (Higson) who has represented Ireland Internationally and is currently Treasurer for Archery Ireland answered and we discovered we lived 20 miles apart.
"Archery is a great fit for our upcoming Norman Village so we founded the Club. After much hard work we are now in our 4th beginners course and have over 40 members. We have big plans for establishing an Academy and Archery is an all inclusive Sport.
There will be over 200 Archers competing over the weekend with up to 500 people coming into town for the weekend with families and supporters which will bring a great Economic Boost to the town. Free entry for all spectators.
"The Irish Open has already International bookings in and more to come and as a club we are very excited to bring these competitions to Granard with Knights and Conquests and Granard Agricultural Show.
"The Irish Open welcomes members of Archery Ireland, Archery Great Britain, Irish Field Archery Federation and World Archery.
"There will be Juniors, Seniors and Masters. The Club Team Competitions will be Recurve, Compound and BareBow culminating in head to head Competitions to determine the winner. "added Mark, co-founder and treasurer of Wolfshead Company of Archers.