St Mullins to host Cheltenham race night

DIG OUT your fancy hats and frocks. St Mullins Heritage and Tourism Committee is hosting a Cheltenham race night on Saturday 8 March in Blanchfield’s Pub with activities including Best Dressed, which will be rewarded with some fabulous prizes.

Running for the first time, the race night fundraiser is a drive to raise money to improve the local area, ranging from amenities including new signage and benches to funding future heritage events, said Mark O’Brien, one of the event organisers and owner of the Mullicháin Café in the village.

“It’s a social event as well as a fundraiser. We’ll have a DJ on the night, we want to get a good crowd in and have a bit of craic,” he said, adding that there will also be an auction race with people bidding against one another before the race is run.

Mr O’Brien gave some background on the committee’s work to date, having hosted previous events including an Easter egg hunt and a historical tour for children that recently won a National Heritage award.

“St Mullins is growing tourism-wise and as a destination. Three young lads are setting up a sauna, which will open soon. There’s Mulvarra House, which is a retreat centre, and we’re looking at a summer market similar to the Christmas market, which was a success.”