A BAR will be reviving an age-old Irish festivity when it holds a women-only snail-racing competition.

O'Neill's, in King William Street, Blackburn, will be inviting customers to celebrate Women's Christmas, or Nolliag na mBhan.

The event is traditionally celebrated on January 6 when the men take a back seat and watch the women let their hair down, and to mark this year's occasion, manager Derbull McAlinden, is holding the knockout competition.

He said: "The Irish have been celebrating Women's Christmas for well over 200 years. Celtic tradition has it that husbands, sons and boyfriends would say a big thankyou for all their hard work over Christmas by spoiling their women all day.

"Nowadays this means treating them to a meal and a good shindig at the local hostelry. So if you pulled the short straw and did the lion's share of cooking, gift buying and decorating over the festive season, now's the chance for a day of fun and frivolity -- courtesy of the man in your life."

Derbull added: "If the men think they can match up to the girl power version of Women's Christmas, they are more than welcome to come along. There will be plenty of fun and games to decide who wears the trousers in the battle of the sexes."

O'Neill's was recently shown to be the number one high street venue for females, with 44 per cent of its customers being women. Marketing manager for the pub Joe McGrath said: "The combination of great craic, a safe and secure environment and quality floor service is making O'Neill's increasingly popular with the ladies and when better than Women's Christmas for a well-earned party to start the year off in style."