Lifestyle

THE contribution Clare Youth Service volunteers make to young people in Clare has been celebrated at the recent annual CYS Volunteer Awards. After two years of virtual events CYS were thrilled to be able to hold their annual Volunteer Awards in person with the support of Ei Electronics. The annual Volunteer Awards are a key feature of the Clare Youth Service calendar in which CYS recognise important milestones in the voluntary service of the people upon whom the Service depends. The Volunteer Recognition Pin is awarded across the country to Youth Work Ireland Volunteers who give their time and energy to help and support young people by running youth clubs and schemes, supporting programmes, supporting organisations as advisers, fundraisers and as members of local and national boards. The scheme is based on recognizing length of service through the presentation of pins; Silver for five years and Gold for 10 years. In total there are 222 volunteers currently registered with Clare …

I knew the original plan was to hit Dublin early to get a run on the day, but you know how it is with hoomans and their packing – it was nearly 3.00pm when we finally parked the car. Our first stop was at the live crib, now in St Stephen’s Green, but they were already closing up when we arrived. Despite our pleadings and my howlings, they wouldn’t let us in – the big meanies. My disappointment was eased once we walked around the city, admiring the lights and being admired in my smart raincoat. We repaired to the Galway Bay Brewery Bar for a quick drink before heading to my Dublin pied-à-terre, Dylan Hotel, where we had a lovely dinner and drinks before I settled down for a restful sleep. It felt like only a few short hours later when I was rudely awakened by an alarm and it was still pitch dark outside. As we drove through …

The Cliffs of Moher Experience and two North Clare schools are continuing their Christmas tradition of sending some love to local care home residents. Pupils of Liscannor National School and Mol an Óige Steiner National School in Ennistymon are visiting the residents of St Dominic Savio Nursing Home in Liscannor and Ennistymon Community Hospital to perform Christmas carols and spread some Christmas cheer. The children of Liscannor NS children visited Liscannor Nursing Home last week, while this week children from Mol an Óige Community NS visited Ennistymon Community Hospital. “Christmas is about reaching out with compassion, staying connected and sending love to each other,” says Melanie Lennon, Sales and Marketing Manager, Cliffs of Moher Experience. “This is the third year running that we have undertaken this community initiative with the schools, and it is lovely to see both the children and the residents enjoying it so much.”  The Craft and Gift store (Shannon Heritage) and the Cliffs View Café, operated by Brambles, …

PEOPLE in South-East Clare have been offered a chance to get back in shape after enjoying all the food and treats of the Christmas festivities by participating in a fundraising walk on St Stephen’s Day. The picturesque O’Briensbridge Loop Walk will provide the ideal backdrop for a 7.5 kilometre sponsored walk to Ernagh Bridge and back to the village. Starting at 12pm, donations will be accepted on the day for the upkeep of lovely walks, which were reopened recently thanks to members of the O’Briensbridge Montpelier Community Group. Refreshments will be provided in Bonner’s Bar after the walk. The O’Briensbridge loop walk is a fantastic amenity used by thousands of people each year. It is a great asset in the community, providing locals and visitors with countless hours of enjoyment on the serene banks of the Shannon. The group recently redeveloped the walk, improving the surface. It appeals for assistance raising funds to buy equipment and materials to maintain this …

MENTION Micheál O’Hehir and Marty Crotty immediately responds with a twinkle in his eye. The retired Kilbaha farmer is a GAA fanatic who lived for Mr O’Hehir’s memorable hurling, football and horse racing commentaries from 1938 to 1985. Listening to and watching Gaelic games has given Marty great joy. “Only for the GAA, I would be dead a long time ago,” he quipped. Sometimes on Sundays he listens to one match on the radio and keeps an eye on another one on television with the sound turned down. He can still recite all the names of the 15 starting Cavan All-Ireland winning teams in 1947 and ‘48 and the Meath all conquering side in 1949. “It is a great past time. I don’t know how people who don’t follow GAA manage, what do they be doing at all? It is hard to do without the GAA,” he said. His passionate love affair with Gaelic Games was fostered by legendary GAA …

Three community-based charities in County Clare received a combined fundraising donation of €3,550 from the Cliffs of Moher Experience this week. The North Clare visitor attraction marked the end of the tourism year with a Christmas Breakfast for all staff at the Cliff View Café this Wednesday. The management team was on hand to help serve tea and coffees to the hard-working team and to representatives from Pieta House, Ennistymon Community Hospital and Clare Crusaders, who shared the proceeds from the fund.

CLARE Crusaders Children’s Clinic had a very special visitor recently when Santa Claus himself paid an early visit. The big man in red arrived in Barefield earlier this month for the clinic’s first ever sensory-friendly Santa Grotto with Fiona Norton of Clare Crusaders describing the event as a fantastic success with plans already in place for its return next year. The families who visited got a chance to meet Santa who gave every child their very own present, and a volunteer photographer was on hand to capture the moment. For some, this was their first time getting a family picture with Santa. Before meeting Santa, the children and young people had an opportunity to make reindeer food and decorate Christmas cookies to put out for Santa on Christmas Eve. They also wrote their Santa letters and coloured pictures which were posted to the North Pole. The coffee corner was also well stocked with delicious treats and nibbles, homemade hot chocolate, …

The Kilkee Sub Aqua Club Christmas Day swim is back with a splash this year after it inspired Failte Ireland to film swimmers and Santa enjoying the chilly Atlantic waters. The piece is running on RTE television during December to showcase its weather forecasts. Christmas arrived early this year in #Kilkee, County #Clare. On a blue-skied early November morning over 160 locals braved the cold to be part of @Failte_Ireland's festive ad now running on @WeatherRTE @rte #KeepDiscovering pic.twitter.com/oXJfg3iHdk — Fáilte Ireland (@Failte_Ireland) December 14, 2022 The swim will be re-enacted for real at 12.30pm on Christmas Day. Hosted by Kilkee Sub Aqua Club, the swim has been running for decades and is now an essential part of Christmas Day in Kilkee for visitors and locals alike. “It’s a great day out for young and old and really has become a major community event. And of course it whets the appetite for the Christmas Day dinner,” says Vanessa Keane, the …