ONE OF THE great Irish traditions kicked off over the weekend, with the annual Community Games taking place at Athlone IT.

While the thousands of spectators and 2,800 competitors experienced the same pride and joy that has made the event special for 50-odd years, there was one notable absence – junk food.

Managers of the Community Games have made the decision to ban chipper vans from the venue this year.

“Not one of the [visitors] missed having a burger van on site,” organisers said in a statement.

This decision by HSE Community Games to remove the temptation of having burgers and chips at the event is a step in the right direction towards a healthy Ireland.

The decision to get rid of the summertime ritual of the burger van is all part of a new initiative called Healthy Ireland, which encourages physical activity and healthy eating, especially among children.

In total, there were more than 40 different events between Friday and Sunday, with the second weekend of the games taking place this coming weekend from 22-24 August.

Read: Losing weight isn’t about crash dieting, it’s about good habits — so eat regularly>

Children’s Minister rules out junk food ban in schools>

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