Cacapon Resort Offers a Variety of Foot Madness July 26 5-K Walk, Irish Road Bowling, Square Dancing

            A 5-K Walk, Irish Road Bowling and Square dancing are an unlikely trio of activities to mix together, but Cacapon Resort State Park is doing just that: a walk, a bowl and a dance on July 26. “It’s a full day of what some may consider unusual events” says Kelly Smith, Naturalist and Programmer at Cacapon Resort. “It is what state parks are about:  encouraging visitors and guest to enjoy the outdoors and as well as traditional Appalachian fun, such as square dancing.”

• Cacapon’s 5-K Walk is the first activity of the day. This foot madness begins the morning of July 26 with an 8 a.m. starting time. The walk offers awards for various age groups, door prizes and tee shirts.  Pre-registration is closed but walk-ins are welcome and should arrive at 7 a.m. to complete forms and receive their numbers. Cost: $17 individual; $25 family day of race. The 5-K walk is sponsored by The Morgan County Fair organizers.
• Irish Road Bowling is organized by the West Virginia Irish Road Bowling Association and begins at 1:30 p.m. at the park nature center. Irish Road Bowling makes use of a ball made out of iron and steel that is heavy enough to pick up speed, yet small enough for any person to handle. “There are some basic rules and terms. You hurl this 28 oz. ‘bowl’ with an underhand motion over a one-to-two mile country road and see how far it goes!” explains Smith. The game is scored like golf, with the fewest shots from the start to the finish line winning. There is no charge to participate, but there is a $5 deposit for the bowl with the deposit returned when the bowl returns.  Bowls are available for purchase as well.  Registration for the Cacapon event participation begins at 1 p.m. with game instructions to follow.
• Foot madness continues with square dancing at 8 p.m. at Cacapon’s lodge and restaurant. The caller is Lou Maiuri, the 2008 W.Va. Vandalia Award Winner, recognizing his lifetime achievement in the performance, creation or perpetuation of West Virginia traditional arts. Smith explains that Maiuri, who is nearly 80 years old, was teaching dance long before “Dancing with the Stars” made dance popular again. No previous dance experience is necessary and dancing has no age limits.  There is no charge to participate to dance or to attend. 

            Cacapon Resort State Park is located in West Virginia’s eastern panhandle near Berkeley Springs. It features Cacapon lodge, cabins and bungalows, golf course, full service restaurant, nature center and activities, horseback riding, beach swimming, fishing, wobble clay range, observation overlook, and hiking trails. To contact Cacapon Resort regarding programming, accommodations or upcoming events, call (304) 258-1022 or visit online to www.cacaponresort.com .

Irish Road Bowling Events in W.Va. State Parks

            “It is an old sport that’s gaining in popularity” according to Cacapon Naturalist Kelly Smith, who was contacted by the West Virginia Irish Road Bowling Association about including Cacapon in the W.Va. state parks road bowling schedule. “I knew Holly River and Pipestem Resort hosted these events, but until members came to the park to try out our road, I had no idea about this fun game. In fact I just didn’t know Irish Road Bowling really existed.  Believe me, it does.”       

            Irish Road Bowling is ideal for youth to seniors who are looking to enjoy a scenic walk on a country road, combined with an ancient and exciting, but not overly strenuous, sport.  Irish Road Bowling events are sprinkled throughout West Virginia in 2008.  Four additional state parks will play host this year, according to Sissie Summers, program coordinator for W.Va. State Parks.   Irish Road Bowling events scheduled at other state parks include:

• August 30 – Cass Scenic Railroad State Park. After bowling, ride the steam-driven logging train up the mountain.  Irish Road Bowling also will be played on Old Cass Road Saturday, September 27, at the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park Harvest Day celebration.
• October 11 – Holly River State Park Fall Challenge (& Pig Roast), Hacker Valley.
• November 2 – Stonewall Resort Yankee Skedaddle, Stonewall Lake Resort State Park, Roanoke.

History of Irish Road Bowling

            Irish Road Bowling can be traced back to the 1600s. One story is that Dutch soldiers brought it when William of Orange came to Ireland in 1689. Another legend says that Irish patriots robbed English cannonballs and rolled them down a country lane by the light of a full moon.

            County Armagh in the north and County Cork in the south became strongholds of this rural sport, each independently developing their own distinctive hurling style. The first noted "score" (match) between Cork and Armagh was the Sept. 1928 meeting on the Knappagh Road, Armagh, between winner Timmy Delaney, Cork and Peter "The Hammerman” Donnelley, Armagh, before 10,000 spectators.

            After hundreds of years of localized bowling, Bol Chumann na hEireann (Road bowling of Ireland), today's governing organization, was formed in County Cork in 1954. The first "All Irelands" (national championships) between Armagh in the north and Cork in the south were held in 1963.  Over 20,000 spectators filled the 3 mile Moy Road course, Armagh, to see Danny McPartland of Armagh win over Derry Kenny, Cork, on the final shot by just 11 yards.      

            In 1969, the first international championships were held in Losser, the Netherlands, in three disciplines - Irish Road Bowling, Dutch Moors Bowling and German Lofting.

– Road Bowling in Ireland by Brian Toal.

West Virginia Irish Road Bowling

            Irish troops marched over rugged hills and into deep “hollers,” cutting their way through vast rhododendron thickets, all over what is now West Virginia during the Civil War, 1861-1863. 

            In 2003, Dan Harvey, Commandant of the Military Museum, Collins Barracks, Cork City, Ireland, wrote "it is highly likely, indeed probable, that Union or Confederate troops of Irish origin played road bowling between battles during the American Civil war - as they did worldwide ... with many foreign armies."

            In 1861, the 10th Ohio, formed in Cincinnati from Irish militia, with Captain T.J. Kelly, fought at the battle of Carnifex Ferry Landing near Kesslers Cross Lanes. The 23d Illinois, Colonel James A. Mulligan's Irish Brigade, built and lived in Fort Mulligan near Petersburg for several months. In 1863, 80 Irishmen from Mulligan's Brigade, defending Greenland Gap, Hardy County, held a farmhouse for 12 hours against superior Confederate forces, until it was set afire and the roof caved in on them.

About Lou Maiuri – Square Dancing at Cacapon

            Lou Maiuri (pronounced “my-YOUR-ee”) is a Summersville native who has been calling square dances professionally for more than 25 years, but dance has been a big part of his life of almost four score years. Recipient of the 2008 Vandalia Award, West Virginia’s highest folklife honor, Maiuri was recognized for his lifetime achievement in the performance, creation or perpetuation of West Virginia traditional arts.

            According to Maiuri, “About everything I do revolves around dancing. I don’t say it’s my whole life right now, but it practically is. Everything that I do, in one way or another, directly or indirectly involves dancing.”

            Maiuri is also an award-winning flatfoot dancer and continues to keep the old styles of mountain step dancing alive through teaching, performing and competing. He has produced an instructional DVD and video called “Let’s Flatfoot!” and has won the Florida State Clogging Championship in addition to other awards and competitions.

            Maiuri has two additional square dances scheduled this summer at WV State Parks:

• September 27, Cass Scenic Railroad Harvest Day Celebration, and;
• October 11 at Twin Falls State Park’s Lumberjackin’ Bluegrassin’ Jamboree