Cappamore man is top Christmas tree thrower

A CAPPAMORE man is this week basking in the glory of an All-Ireland success. Farmer John O’Dea took the title of Irish Christmas Tree Throwing Champion when he threw a Christmas tree a whooping 10.2 metres at last Saturday’s event in Ennis. It was in fact his second national title in as many years as he was winner of the Irish welly-throwing competition when he threw a wellington 40.5 metres at the National Ploughing championships last September.

His experience as a former member of the Irish sheaf-throwing team also served him in good stead at last Saturday’s event when he was one of 362 participants in the Christmas tree throwing event which was held in aid of the Clare Cystic Fibrosis organization.
Overcoming the incessant rain and the fact that it was his first experience of the event, he  beat last year’s record of seven metres in such convincing fashion that he has already been installed as short odds favourite for next year’s competition.
His winning throw was only 1.5metres off the world record set by Klaus Pubnaz, who hurled a tree a distance of 12m at an event in Germany in December 2010.