Irish Road Bowling

New to Celtic Fest for 2011, Irish road bowling has been played in the Irish countryside since the 1600s. A 28-ounce iron or steel ball about the size of a tennis ball is hurled down a country road to the finish line. The player or team with the fewest shots to the finish line wins.

Read up on the here.

The Caber Toss

Tossing the caber is the most recognizable of the highland games. The dimensions of a caber - or cabar in Gaelic - can vary enormously but the norm weighs about 150lbs (68kgs), is 18 feet (5.5m) long and about 9 inches (23cms) thick at one end, tapering to about 5 inches (13cms) at the other.

NEW for 2011 - For the first time this year we're going to have some real wooden cabers, though not nearly as large as the above dimensions. We'll also have some PVC for those who want to practice throwing out the caber and not their backs.

The caber is held vertically by one end and thrown so that it lands on the 'top' end and then falls forward, away from the thrower. A perfect throw ends with the 'top' end nearest to the thrower and the 'bottom' end pointing exactly away from the thrower.

The Sheaf Toss

This one we pretty much do following regulations. We ise a pitch fork to pitch a 16 or 20-lb. bale of hay over a crossbar. Each athlete is given three attempts to cross the bar. After all the competitors have cleared the height, the bar is raised. The winner is the competitor who can toss the sheaf to the greatest height.

The Stone Put (Braemer or Standing Style)

Known in Gaelic as the Clachneart, athletes in this event hurl a 16-lb. stone. No run-up is allowed. The event resembles the modern-day shot put. We'll have three rounds of throws by all competitors. The winner is the one with the single longest throw.

Irish Potato Juggling

For centuries Irish pub patrons competed in the unique pastime of potato juggling. At one point more than one million potatoes were used each year as bar patrons wagered on their ability to juggle spuds while drunk and simultaneously fighting.Sadly, the great Irish potato famine of the 1840s brought this pastime to an end.

Fortunately, most of the above is not true. But join this demonstration event as sober competitors juggle potatoes and maybe even pumpkins.