Looking forward to the Castlebar International Song Contest.
There is a buzz about town this year with greater participation and a record prize fund for the Castlebar International Song Contest.
Things were being done in style with champagne on the tarmac at Castlebar Airport as three of the contestants arrived. Toni Jolene from Texas, Irish singer Patricia Roe and Ron Last, son of composer James Last are looking forward to the week ahead.
There are 24 semi-finalists from 11 different countries taking part.
In the end, they usually leave here insisting that there isn't a song contest like it anywhere in the world.
The Travellers Friend Hotel hosted a reception earlier in the week to acknowledge the contribution of the late Jimmy Kennedy songwriter and patron of the Castlebar Song Contest. Awards, in Jimmy Kennedy's name, were given to people who have contributed to the success of the contest through the years. Among the award winners was Mike Murphy from RTÉ.
The festival also provides an economic boost for Castlebar with every room in the town booked for the week.
It has done for Castlebar what the Rose did for Tralee.
Contestant Tony Jackson is excited at taking part in the competition and looking forward to a week of festivities in Castlebar.
The contest began 19 years ago with a prize fund of £50. The 1984 prize fund is £20,000. Over 2,000 songs from 28 countries were entered into the contest. These were then whittled down to 24. The contest costs £150,000 to stage and this year there is a special attempt to broaden public participation in the festivities. One of the big hits of the week is Westport's famous street singer known as Dan.
Henry McGlade, Vice Chairman of the Organising Committee, says he welcomes the number of visitors to Castlebar generating income for the town. He is confident that the contest will produce an elusive international hit song in time.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 5 October 1984. The reporter is Jim Fahy.
