DROMOLAND Castle Holdings Limited recorded increased profits in 2015, according to accounts filed with the Company’s Office. The accounts showed that the turnover of the business was €19,550,291, which was up by over €2.2 million on 2014. This left the company with a gross profit of just under €14.4 million, up from €12.62 million in 2014. Overall there is an operating profit of €1,449,266, which was up from €491,314. When taxation was taken to account there was an overall profit of €1,158,313 which was up from €213,445. According to its balance sheet there was €28,921,786 in fixed assets and current assets of €1,521,413. When current liabilities were taken into account there were net assets of just under €22.8 million. In a note to the financial statements, it outlines the activities of the company. “Dromoland Castle Holdings Limited owns and manages the operation of Dromoland Castle Hotel and Conference Centre and Dromoland Castle Golf Course and the Inn at Dromoland. Dromoland …

The  Archbishop of Cardiff George Stack, led tributes to Clare born nun, Sister Mairéad Noonan, at a special mass in Wales recently to celebrate the 50th year of her religious profession. A native of Moohane, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Sr Mairéad is attached to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy at LLantarnam Abbey, Cwmbran in South East Wales. The mass in Llantarnam Abbey  was attended by Sr Mairéad’s mother, Ellen and members of the Noonan family. A daughter of Ellen and the late Charles Noonan, Sr Mairéad attended Ballycar National Achool and Ennis Vocational School before becoming a member of the Sisters of St Joseph of Annecy in Llanternam Abbey. She then undertook teacher training in Newman College in the University of Birmingham after which she pursued a training course in psychotherapy .She is now an energy and  health practitioner in Llantarnam Abbey. A former Cistercian monastery, Llantarnam Abbey was also a depot for the American Army during World War II. In 1946 it …

Clare 0-19 Limerick 0-15 Clare booked a place in the All-Ireland senior hurling quarter final when they overcame Limerick at Semple stadium in Thurles but there were a number of anxious monents before their place in the last six was confirmed. A strong second quarter proved decisive as they came from being three points in arrears to open a six point lead by half time. However, Limerick had the aid of the wind in the second half and the piled on the pressure and they had the margin back to three points three times in the last ten minutes. However, they could not get through for the goal they needed to have a chance of causing an upset. The exchanges in the opening quarter suggested that Limerick were going to make matters very difficult for their great rivals and neighbours Clare as they raced 0-4 to 0-1 clear after twelve minutes depite the fact that they were playing against the …

FIGURES compiled by Clare County Council reveal that 414 potential accidents were avoided at Clare’s nine Blue Flag beaches during the four weekends in June, due to the presence of on-duty lifeguards. The figures, which were released on Wednesday, show that four swimmers were rescued by lifeguards from the water, 68 people received first aid treatment, lifeguards reunited lost children with their guardians on six occasions, while safety advice was provided on 1,667 occasions. Clare County Council employs full-time lifeguard cover at Bishops Quarter (Ballyvaughan), Seafield IN Quilty and at Clare’s nine Blue Flag beaches from 11am to 7pm daily during July and August and on weekends during the month of June every year. “We want families and all visitors to our beaches to enjoy themselves but to be mindful of the importance of water safety awareness,” Clare McGrath, Clare Water Safety Development Officer said. “Many of the incidents related to informing and assisting bathers who had knowingly or unknowingly …

A NEW photo book, Clare’s Wild Atlantic Way – An Aerial Perspective of County Clare’s Extraordinary Coastline, has just been published and contains photographs from the full length of Clare’s coast, from New Quay in the north of the county down to Loop Head, and all along the Shannon Estuary, as far inland as the airport. The book is by Patrick G Ryan, who was living in Miltown Malbay until his death, just a few weeks ago. His friend Ann O’Connell explained, “This was a project that he started about four or five years ago. His father was a pilot here in Miltown Malbay and Patrick would have done a lot of flying with him. His father passed away from bowel cancer and Patrick decided to put this book together in memory of his father and to donate the proceeds to Cahercalla Hospice. That was the journey he went on and, unfortunately, he succumbed to the same fate as his …

The Clare team to face Limerick in round 2 of the hurling qualifiers is unchanged from that which lined out against Laois in Cusack park last week.  Pat Kelly and Conor McGrath both missed last week’s game due to injury and they are still unavailable while Conor Ryan is also ruled out. The team is  Andrew Fahy (Whitegate); Oisín O’Brien (Clonlara), Pat O’Connor (Tubber), Cian Dillon (Crusheen); Jack Browne (Ballyea), Conor Cleary (Miltown St. Josephs), Brendan Bugler (Whitegate); David McInerney (Tulla), David Reidy (Éire Óg); Colm Galvin (Clonlara), Podge Collins (Cratloe), Tony Kelly (Ballyea); John Conlon (Clonlara) Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg), Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones). The game throws in at 7p.m. at Thurles on this Saturday evening where it is the third game on a programme that commences at 3p.m. with the meeting of Cork and Limerick in the football qualifier. At 5p.m. Cork will take on Wexford in the hurling qualifier. Meanwhile Eire Og’s Dean Ryan is a major doubt for Sunday’s football qualifier clash with Laois at Cusack Park at …

IN the aftermath of Clare’s 2-23 to 0-17 Munster Championship semi-final defeat to Kerry in Killarney on June 12, the concession of two goals in the opening five minutes was highlighted as central to Clare’s compliant demise. Those goals were a massive set-back and sucked confidence from Clare. The fact that they managed to kick 0-17 was seen as an impressive total and while it was a decent return, contained within that statistic is a worrying figure. The starting six forwards kicked just 0-3 from play between them in 70 minutes of football. David Tubridy, Eoin Cleary and Podge Collins put over a point each. If they are to get beyond Laois on Sunday, the Clare forwards must up that return considerably. On the plus side Pearse Lillis, who came on for the black-carded Podge Collins seven minutes before half-time, kicked three superb points from play, while Gary Brennan and Cathal O’Connor put over 0-3 between them from midfield. The …

EXPLORER Tim Severin is to visit Craggaunowen this Saturday as part of a weekend celebration to mark 40 years since the legendary Brendan Voyage. The explorer, adventurer, historian and writer will make a rare visit back to the boat’s home in Craggaunowen to mark the anniversary. In 1976, Tim and four crew undertook an epic journey from Bandon, County Kerry, to re-enact the voyage of St Brendan and prove that the saint and his monks could have discovered America 500 years before Columbus. Tim and his crew sailed across the Atlantic in a leather boat, which was constructed using only the material available to the sixth-century saint and successfully completed the voyage in just over a year. After an eventful and difficult 4,500 mile (7,200km) crossing via the Aran Islands, Iona, Hebrides, Faroes, Iceland and Greenland, they finally landed in Peckford Island, Newfoundland on June 26, 1977. The success of his voyage later led to composer Shaun Davey’s Brendan Voyage suite, for …