Kamila Grabska from Ennis won the ladies’ event at the tree-throwing contest. Photo: Eamon Ward

The festive period was well and truly thrown by the wayside at the annual Christmas tree- throwing event.

People turned up in their droves to Active Ennis Tim Smythe Park, Ennis, Co Clare, to heave a tree as far as they could.

This is the seventh year of the Christmas Tree Throwing Championship, all in aid of Mid-West Simon Community.

The championship is based on an age-old lumberjack tradition which sees members of the public competing to achieve the longest distance for throwing a standard 1.5-metre tree.

Tienia Claassen, from South Africa, joined the locals who gleefully launched trees into the air.

Johnny Leahy, from Lissycasey, Co Clare, was named the overall winner.

Irish Independent