Irish Town Holds Sheep Dung Spitting Competition

Hi there! Thanks for dropping by today. Great to see you! I realize it has been quite a while since the topic of poop... doo-do... dung... has graced the pages of my blog so when I read about another new sporty competition, I knew I’d have to share it with one and all. First though, fill your mug with some Arabica bean juice, which to the best of my knowledge has not been intestinally processed by a sheep, civet, elephant or other animal! Nudge a virtual chocolate treat onto your plate as well. Now on to the competition...

Visitors at the 37th annual Lady of the Lake Festival in Irvinestown, Northern Ireland’s Fermanagh county, were in for a stinky surprise – a sheep dung spitting competition that literally left participants with a bad taste in their mouth.

The bizarre contest, organized by local hotelier Joe Mahon, had participants take mouthfuls of sheep dung and spit it out with gusto to see who could spit the farthest. For some reason, Mahon appeared to be the most excited of the lot, even allowing sheep to poop on his face. Ugh!

Mahon is apparently well known in the town for his quirky event ideas during the festival. This year, inspired by an emu dung-spitting competition from Africa, he decided to replicate it with sheep. Festival organisers took to Facebook to find volunteers to take part in the bizarre contest. The winner was promised £100($155). 44 people finally signed up, joining Mahon on a dung spitting spree.

“I had the idea after a couple of Smithwicks (Irish ale),” Mahon said, speaking to Sunday World. “I didn’t know an awful lot about sheep dung but I had to go and collect the poo from a local farmer and then I left it in the boot of the car. My wife took the car out shopping and when she opened the boot she was nearly knocked out by the smell.” She then threatened to divorce him!
 
According to organizers, the current world record for dung spitting sits at 5.56 meters, but Huffington Post reports that it might actually belong to a South African man named Shaun van Rensburg, who spat a kudu (African antelope) dung pellet across 15 meters!

Mahon’s father organized the first Lady of the Lake festival ever, 37 years ago. There have been a few other bizarre competitions in the past – like Turkey Walks and World Championship Wolf Whistling – but otherwise it’s just like any other town festival or county fair.

“I’ve just tried to follow that tradition on, although I’d have to say my dad was a good bit more sensible than me,” Mahon joked.

It is important to maintain traditions, of course. I would think an afterdose of mouthwash followed by six or more pints of Smithwicks would be in order, eh!

What’s next? A pucker-up and kiss the spitter event?

See ya, eh!

Bob