A special mention also to the staging of a well-run sprint triathlon event, where Oran McGee (Muckno Tri Club) was first male home and Maeve McCabe (Muckno Tri Club) first female home. Oran McGee secured a valuable prize when he was also the winner of the Pauline Devlin Perpetual Cup.  Circus Masters and The Unsinkables were the category winners of the Raft building and Monaghan’s Fittest Female winner was Michelle Hatzer and the Male winner was Stevie O’Donaghue.

Throughout the weekend there was an excellent variety of street performers, puppeteers and artists, including Streetwise, Belfast, McCormick Puppets and Belfast Community Circus.  There was a special welcome back for Jim Webster who returned to the programme on Sunday.

Also over the weekend there was a huge line up of children’s events and activities, which in addition to 4 circus shows included a Big Top party, teddy bears picnic, fancy dress competition and circus skills and art workshops.

Friday night’s antics on the street included, street performer ‘Lulu’s World, Julie Rose McCormick Puppet show, festival queen challenge competition, fancy dress competition and a pre fireworks lantern parade.

The newly introduced Bingo Mania event on Saturday night, which was superbly compered by MCs Lucy Lashes and Robyn Diamonds of Irelands Got Talent fame, brought a quirky and entertaining Bingo game to the Glencarn.  The night was preceded by a ‘High Tea with the Queens’ event, which included stage interviews with the 6 girls, who were seeking to be the 2019 Festival Queen to succeed last year’s winner Ellen Mulholland.  The entrants included Aoibhin Fitzsimons – Castleblayney Faughs.  Lisa Rooney – Spectrum Disco Bar.  Megan Cooney – Watters-Londis. Louise Gorman – Sean’s Bar.  Niamh Malone – Spinning Wheel.  Amber McNally – Leavy’s Pharmacy.

Niamh Malone was the adjudicators pick on the night and was therefore declared the Muckno Mania Festival Queen for 2019.

The Funday Sunday events also continued with children’s activities and included a stage talent competition, pottery workshops, face painting, bouncy castles and slides and even a welly throwing competition.  Other events included the presence of the Agri-aware mobile farm, Mr Majestic Magic show and boating rides provided by the newly established Castleblayney Adventure Centre and a dog fancy dress competition. Another highlight was the appearance of a local youth band on stage called ‘7 Long Days’.

Other activities at Lough Muckno Park included the fairy trail, which caught the imagination of young fairy hunters, who came in search of fairies. The Castleblayney Cultural Network group were also back this year with their Cultural Fair, which has as its aim to promote awareness of the different cultures that exist within our Community, countries represented included Poland, Lithuania, Philippines, China and India.

The festival atmosphere was also evident through creative and colourful shop window displays and outdoor garden displays and the presence of young buskers on the streets on Saturday.  Business owners also took the opportunity to dress up in circus themed attire which further added to the spirit of the occasion.

The organisers also demonstrated their commitment to promoting the theme of ‘Age Friendly’ by including three events over the weekend.  These included an event hosted by Drumillard Allotments, which included a security talk by Alan Beattie, AES Alarms and a Floral display by Susie Campbell Budz Florist.  Iontas hosted a social evening with music by Brendan McCourt.  Both events were held on Friday.  The final event was an afternoon Tea event on Saturday with music by Dermot Morgan.

The Muckno Mania Festival organisers who comprise mostly of young volunteers wish to acknowledge the support of all the festival sponsors who through their kind generosity have once more made the festival possible.  The weekend support and sponsorship from Monaghan County Council, the Municipal District of Carrickmacross/Castleblayney and their staff who helped out over the weekend is also greatly acknowledged at this time.  They are also keen to acknowledge and thank all those who helped and assisted them over the weekend and thus made this a most memorable festival.

Financial support for this year’s festival comes from the following Main Sponsors; Carna Transport, Coleman Tractors and Todays Local, Kingspan, Glencarn Hotel, Monaghan Hire, Drumakill Engineering, MC – Building Chemicals, Monaghan County Council – Arts Partners Scheme, Mc Mahon Supervalu, Monaghan County Council – Carrickmacross/ Castleblayney Municipal District and Monaghan Sports Partnership through National Play Day & Board Failte.

Results of Events:-

Mad Hatters Circus Hat Competition: U4 yrs. 1^st Autumn Comiskey. 2^nd Kian Courtney. 3^rd Saeriath Ward. U8 yrs. 1^st Briaon Dwan. 2^nd Kelly Williams.  3^rd Nathan McBennett.  U12 yrs.  1^st Mia O’Connor.  2^nd Aoibhin Sheridan.  3^rd Sophie Rowley.

Fancy Dress Winners: 3-5 yrs. 1^st Gracie Borden.  2^nd Senan McShane.  3^rd Eli Smith.  6-8 yrs. 1^st Mia Glancy.  2^nd Annie Comiskey.  3^rd Cianna McCormack.

9-12 yrs. 1^st Daithi McCormack.  2^nd Rachael and Ruby.  3^rd Rhiannon Dolan.

13-17 yrs. 1^st Niamh Kelly.  Family – 1^st McCormacks.  2^nd Smiths.

Business Window Display: 1^st Royal Jade.  2^nd Castle Cuts.  3^rd Coyles Pharmacy.

Quirkiest – MAC L.  Best Suited to theme – .Dignams.  Biggest Effort – John Flanagan.  Best Dressed:  Joint 1^st Eileen’s Tea Rooms / Suzanne – Budz.  2^nd The Credit Union.  3^rd DNG Estate Agents.

Residential Competition: 1^st James McBride. 2^nd Campa na gCailini.  3^rd The Crescent Hill.   Push the Button Winner: Gabriel Anuzis.

Triathlon Winners:  Overall Male Winner – 1^st Oran McGee, Muckno Tri Club.  2^nd Sean Husband.  3^rd Maciej Brumm.  Overall Female Winner – 1^st Maeve McCabe, Muckno Tri Club.  2^nd Kathleen Daweson.  3^rd Fiona O’Neill.  Duo Athlete Winner – Martin Boyle. 2^nd Patrick Nugent. Male U-20 1^st Geroid Coyle.  Male 20-30 1^st Peter McGuigan.  2^nd Ryan McMahon. Male 30 – 40 1^st John Whelan.  2^nd Groddzickisd Vladimus.  Female 30 – 40 1^st Francis Carragher.  2^nd Susan O’Neill.  Male 40 – 50 Dessie Duffy. 2^nd PJ O’Neill.  Female 40 – 50 1^st Sinead Young. 2^nd Tracey McConroy.  Male over 50 1^st Glenn Pollock.  2^nd Liam McCarren.  Female over 50 1^st Jane Friel. 2^nd Deirdre Dunford.  Relay Male Winners 1^st Team Campbell Skeath – Leon Campbell, Mark Skeath, Aidan Campbell.  Relay Ladies Winner 1^st Team Al-di-nic – Alison Gorman, Diane Murphy, Nicola Flanagan.   Winner Business Team Tavey – Geroid Coyle, Brendan Tavey, Valarie Tavey.  Winner Duathlon two man Team Husband – John Husband, Danni Crump.  2^nd Leon Campbell, Leo Campbell.  Winners Family Team Campbell – Geroid Coyle, Suzanne Campbell, Calum Campbell.  Overall fastest Swimmer Oran McGee.  Overall fastest Cyclist Oran McGee.  Overall fastest Runner John Whelan.  The Winner of the Pauline Devlin Perpetual Cup: Oran McGee.

Circus Raft Contraption Winners: U-18’s Team Name – The Circus Masters, Team: Emma Carville, Emma McGuigan, Mollie McGinnity, Maeve Hannon.  Charity – Lung Fibrosis.  Best Dressed Winners Ross McGuire, Callum Campbell, Jake O’Connor, Daniel McShane.  Over 18’s Winners Team Name – The Unsinkables, Team – Joseph Malone, Michael Daly, Rory McEneaney, Dary Bradford.  Charity – So Sad, Carrickmacross.  Over 18’s Runner Up: Team – The Four Stooges Members Ramsey Walsh, Liam Kelly, James & Eugene.

Festival Queen Winner Niamh Malone – Representing The Spinning Wheel.  Festival Queen Treasure Hunt Winner Megan Cooney & Lisa Rooney.  Festival Queen Challenge 1^st Megan Cooney.

Welly Throwing: Male – 1^st Colin Woods.  2^nd Niall Connolly. 3^rd Mark McBennett.  Female – 1^st Natasha McBennett.  2^nd Ann McBennett.  3^rd Noeleen McBennett.  Under 12 Male – 1^st John Flanagan.  2^nd Ronan McBennett.  3^rd Andrew Comiskey.

Under 12 Female – 1^st Michaela Rowley.  2^nd Sophie Rowley.  3^rd Kayleigh Mooney.

Dog Fancy Dress Competition: 1^st Dougal, owner Ruby Chesney.. 2^nd Bride & Groom, owner Maggie Dooley.  3^rd The Pope, owner Bella O’Neill.  4^th Pepper the Dog, owner Hannah O’Connor.  Most Suited to their owner Dougal & Mrs Doyle, owner Ruby Chesney.  Most suited to Festival Theme – Clowns, Joint winners Mark McBennett and Aoife Mae Flanagan.  Best Homemade Costume Sarah Myle’s Dog.  Prettiest Pooch Scott McLoughlin’s Dog.

Monaghan’s Fittest Competition Ladies Winner Michelle Hatzer.  Men’s Winner Stevie O’Donaghue.