Ballyvally hold contest in Castlewellan

While setting out the course of targets the week before, Kim Pegrum, George Nesbitt and club chairman Frank Mulligan were followed by two robins around the course - no doubt they were looking for food as the pegs were hammered in to the ground. Starting at target 1, the robins got braver and braver until by the 18th target at the tower, they became very friendly, so much so that when Frank went to take a photo of Kim and George at the tower, one robin actually flew on to the camera and from the camera on to Frank’s hat. Frank immediately reversed the camera and took a “selfie” of the friendly robin.

The Castlewellan Archery course is one of the 5 steep courses in the UK.

Archers who aspire to represent GB have to shoot one of the five.

Two are in Wales and two in England and the fifth is in Castlewellan, thus scores were generally low. Craig McCreery was probably the most pleased archer coming in with a qualifying score for the GB team going to Poland to shoot in the European Field Champs this October.

Young Eleanor Walsh was awarded the trophy for the cub with the highest score over the two Castlwellan tournaments in February and March.

She braved the cold and the wet to put in two excellent scores for some one so young, Eleanor is just 9 years old.

With the Easter holidays approaching, the Archery Easter school is once again ready to go. Anyone interested in having a go please contact club chairman Frank Mmulligan on 028 406 23748.