Lifestyle

THE CATHAOIRLEACH of Clare County County Council made his television debut in the United States this week promoting tourism in the Banner county. Councillor Tony O’Brien was a guest on the Fox 6 News Breakfast Show in Milwaukee on Thursday morning ahead of the annual Irish Fest in Wisconsin’s state capital. The Killaloe councillor packed plenty of promotion into his 4.30 second slot with presenter Kim Murphy, espousing the delights of every part of Clare to his receptive host. Councillor O’Brien was keen to emphasise also that visitors should fly into Shannon, a point he made more than once. The catharoirleach is part of a tourism delegation led by Clare County Council and members of the Clare Tourism Advisory Forum that is promoting the Banner County as a desirable visitor destination to over 120,000 festival goers at Milwaukee Irish Fest this weekend. In the biggest international tourism promotion of County Clare since before the pandemic, 11 representatives of the local …

THERE are many Heritage Week events still to enjoy in county Clare over the coming four days, a selection of which we will round up here. In Scariff, Irish Seed Savers will host an exciting ‘Food Heritage for Biodiversity’ event on Sunday (August 21), from 11am to 5pm. ‘Sustainable Heritage’ and ‘Biodiversity’ are the themes for this year’s National Heritage Week and in exploring this further Irish Seed Savers have lined up a series of talks, tours and tastings which aim to deepen our connection with Ireland’s food crop heritage, natural environment and biodiversity. A Biodiversity Treasure Hunt for children will take place at 1pm and 3pm and live traditional music throughout day to accompany the schedule of events: 11am Seed Saving Demonstration with Deirdre Morrissey, Seed Curator at Irish Seed Savers 12am Guided Orchard, Log Bee Hive Tour & Heritage Apple Tasting 1pm Growing & Saving Seed for Biodiversity Walking Tour with Tristan Lienhard, Head Gardener at Irish Seed …

NEWMARKET’S Sarah McInerney will be representing Ohio in the 2022 Rose of Tralee, which returns after a two-year hiatus on next Monday and Tuesday.  The 30-year-old recently completed her studies in Cleveland, and is now working there in her chosen field of Biomimicry. Speaking to the Champion on Wednesday, Sarah’s mother Denise was looking forward to seeing her daughter being interviewed by Dáithí Ó Sé. “Sure, we’re all excited! We were blackguarding her a while back when she was studying in Cleveland. I said go on and enter it for the craic, we’ll see how you go. She said ‘ah no, no’. Then she did and next thing she said ‘you won’t believe it Mam, I got it’.” Biomimicry is an interdisciplinary practice, which mimics natural strategies to create more sustainable solutions, and Denise says that Sarah is hugely passionate about it. “She was googling Biomimicry here, she wanted to study it, but she could find no college that would …

A SPORTS hall in a newly built complex at Sarsfield Army Barracks in Limerick has been named after Crusheen man Kenny Rodgers, a member of the Defence Forces for the last 17 years and a hugely accomplished athlete.  Members of Kenny’s family were invited to the Barracks last Friday for an event honouring him. In a statement the Defence Forces lauded the contribution Kenny has made over the course of his career. “Private Kenny Rodgers joined the Defence Forces in 2005 and has served his whole career in the 12th Infantry  Battalion between Clonmel and Sarsfield Barracks, Limerick.  “Pte Rodgers is a renowned runner, having won the An Cosantóir 10km Road Race 9 times as well as one virtually held edition in 2021. Kenny served overseas in Kosovo and Chad between 2008 and 2010. Unwilling to stagnate as an athlete, Kenny completed an exercise and fitness course in 2015. This course enabled Kenny to work in the 12th Infantry Battalion …

LOUGH Derg is set to welcome the return of one of Ireland’s largest and most exacting participation events next month Quest Lough Derg adventure race makes a welcome return to the shores of the Shannon on September 10 and with comes the reconstruction of Ireland’s longest pontoon across the river. Over 1,300 athletes will run, cycle and kayak around one of Ireland’s most beautiful inland waterways and over Ireland’s longest pontoon bridge. Quest Lough Derg is a one-day adventure race open to all levels of fitness and experience, offering three routes of different lengths: 22km Challenge, 45km Sport and 69km Expert. Participants from around the country cycle and run along country trails, and kayak across Lough Derg for one of the best scenic tours of the area, starting and finishing at Flanagan’s on the Lake in Ballina. In preparation for the first Quest Lough in 2019, event organisers Elite Event Management came up with the idea to build the bridge …

WORLD renowned explorer Jim McNeill has chosen Ennis writer and children’s entertainer Anthony Galvin to take part in one of the most important and ambitious polar expeditions of our time. He will be part of a crew attempting to be the first ever to reach the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility, collecting vital climate change data on route. Mr Galvin, 56, is a popular children’s entertainer from Ennis. He is known throughout the country as Tony Baloney, and has performed all over Europe, including several winters in Lapland. A former journalist, he has written a number of books, including Family Feud, about the Limerick gang wars. Defined as the furthest point from land on the Arctic Ocean, and therefore its centre, the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility remains the last truly significant place in the Polar Regions yet to be reached by humankind and is over 270 miles further than the Geographic North Pole. The whole journey will be nearly 1,300 kilometres …

HERITAGE WEEK begins this Saturday, August 13, running until the following Sunday and there is a wealth of events to enjoy in Clare. The artisan crafts and produce of County Clare will be showcased at the Cliffs of Moher Experience as part of a series of daily events running throughout the week. The Cliffs will also be hosting a number of events including story-telling, music and dance performances. Meanwhile, children will be invited to take part in Biodiversity Treasure Hunts in which they will have to seek out etchings scattered throughout the visitor attraction as well as identifying the natural flowers at the Cliffs of Moher. Liscannor Heritage Group will present an evening of ‘Show and Tell’ on the rich history of the village and the surrounding area as part of Heritage Week. The event takes place at Liscannor Community Hall on Saturday, August 13 at 6pm. It includes a presentation by Ciara Carew on her research on Cornelius O’Brien, …

A RANGE of events and activities showcasing the best of Clare will take place at the Cliffs of Moher for National Heritage Week, August 13-20. The artisan crafts and produce of County Clare will be showcased at the Cliffs of Moher Experience as part of a series of daily events running throughout the week. The visitor centre will host local suppliers from a different part of the county each day, including Wilde Irish Chocolates (Tuamgraney), Creative Clay (Sixmilebridge), artist Doreen Drennan (Lisdoonvarna), Sallyann’s Handmade Bags (Miltown Malbay), Irish Slate Craft (Lahinch), Wix and Wax  (Ennis) and Glendara Art (Feakle). Other activities will take place daily between 10am to 4pm. Storytellers will recount tales from the cliffs and the surrounding area, there will free guided tours of the site offered twice daily, birdwatching, a talk on the tradition of surfing Aileen’s Wave at Aille na Searach, and music, dance and interactive demonstrations. Meanwhile, children will be invited to take part in …