Lifestyle

AN Inch widow has urged organ donor recipients to write a letter of acknowledgement or gratitude to their donor family. Marian Barry, Tullassa, was delighted to receive her first letter of gratitude from an organ recipient via Phyllis Cunningham, the national transplant co-ordinator, recently. Her husband, Christy, 39, died in 1989 from a massive aneurysm while he was out shooting with some friends leaving two young daughters, aged seven and a half and 11. He was taken to University College Hospital, Cork for emergency treatment. However, Marian recalls they were told at the time that even if they were at the gates of UCH, he would not have survived. His two kidneys and his eyes were donated after his death. A few weeks before her husband died, Marian watched an interview with a man on The Late Late Show, who spoke about how much a heart transplant had changed his whole life. Having seen the interview, she didn’t hesitate for …

A “MASSIVE improvement” in Kilrush is one of the things Clare’s highest ranking garda is most proud of, he revealed recently. “I came to Clare in 2007 and in those years there didn’t seem to be anything but bad publicity about Kilrush and incidents happening there,” Chief Superintendent John Kerin stated. “Certainly, I think if people look at the crime statistics and the occurrences there over the last three years, there has been a massive reduction in incidents of crime and disorder,” he added. “Now don’t get me wrong, there are still nasty enough incidents occurring but the amount of crime as shown in the statistics for 2014 and the first four months of this year would indicate that things have improved massively,” he said. From January to April this year, there were a total of four burglaries, two thefts from vehicles, five incidents of other thefts and 11 reports of criminal damage in Kilrush. The number of burglaries there …

The role of cultural heritage in regional and local development was outlined by international expert, Professor Claude Dubé at a seminar in Galway City this week The seminar also included the Irish launch of an innovative €1.6 million cultural tourism project called Craft Reach, funded by the EU Northern Periphery and Arctic (NPA) programme. Teagasc are the Irish project partner and are calling for artisan producers in Atlantic seaboard counties of Ireland who have an interest in joining this innovative network to make contact with Dr Kevin Heanue in Teagasc, Athenry. The Craft Reach project is built around the Économusée concept. An Économusée is an artisan business that opens its doors to the public to provide a learning and interpretive experience for visitors. The Économusée concept originated 25 years ago in Quebec, Canada. In recent years, in a series of projects, the concept was brought to Northern Europe, including Ireland. Internationally, there is now a network of 95 Économusées; 64 …

INIS Fest music festival is back on track and will take place at Ennis Showgrounds on June 26-28, it has been confirmed. The three-day festival will see Ennis Showgrounds being transformed into a world-class venue with a 3,000-person capacity big top tent and an entertainment and leisure area featuring food and drink stalls. Organised by Impresario Events, the inaugural event features Nathan Carter, Damien Dempsey, Delorentos, Hermitage Green, Mundy, Rackhouse Pilfer and more acts to be announced. “We received overwhelming support from the wider public following our decision to defer holding the event last month. Thanks to Clare Agricultural Show Society and the ongoing support of Clare County Council, the Fire Service, An Garda Síochána, Clare Civil Defence and the public we are delighted to announce that an alternative event venue has now been secured,” explained Darren Purtill of Impresario Events. “We believe that INIS Fest is a hugely positive event which not only provides the people of Clare and …

Clare Museum is to receive Interim Accreditation Status under the Heritage Council’s Museum Standards Programme for Ireland. The programme is designed to improve all areas of museum practice across the whole museum, including museum management, public services and collection management. Clare Museum now joins an elite band of museums of all types that have achieved accreditation at some level, including National institutions and small volunteer-led organisations. The Accreditation programme comprises 34 agreed minimum standards. Twenty-five of these are required to achieve interim accreditation, while the remaining nine standards are required for full accreditation. New Collection, Loan, Exhibition and Disposal Policies were recently adopted by Clare County Council as part of the process along with a Strategic Management Plan, which will help to develop the museum for the next three years. John Rattigan, curator of Clare Museum, stated that ‘the remaining standards required for full accreditation will be pursued by the staff and volunteers at the museum over the next sixteen …

Irish Water has today (Monday) confirmed details of its ongoing investment in Shannon and Bunratty, which will address a number of historical issues with the wastewater infrastructure in the area. Irish Water is currently undertaking a number of briefings with residents, the local business community and elected representatives, to update them on these works. Aisling Buckley, regional information officer at Irish Water said, “While some of these works are to specifically address odour issues at the Tradaree Wastewater Treatment Plant, Irish Water, by taking a strategic view of the whole wastewater network, has developed proposals that will support the enhancement of both the network and treatment plant for all of our customers in Bunratty and Shannon Town. “’Irish Water is taking a strategic approach to the entire wastewater infrastructure in the area including repair and upgrade works, carrying out surveys and inspections of a number of licensed customers in the area, awarding a contract for the construction of new 2km …

IF she ever feels tempted to dig into a packet of biscuits, Niamh McMahon heads upstairs and eyes a top, hanging loosely on the back of her bedroom door in Flagmount. When she was six stone heavier, she regularly pulled on this top. These days, Niamh and her husband, Seán, would fit into it but not into her size 12 to 14 tops that she wears now. “That’s the size I was. I wore it for Jamie’s communion three years ago. That’s what is keeping me motivated, looking at that. Every time I feel like I want to eat something, I go upstairs and look at the top,” the 40-year-old Tulla woman and mother-of-three confirmed. Her journey to losing six stones started in January 2014, when Niamh joined the Weight Watchers class at Maria Assumpta Hall in Ennis. Although she has reached her target, she is going to continue attending the classes for fear of slipping backwards. To maintain her …

Over 500 Irish trade, including tourism businesses from Clare, recently attended Meitheal, Ireland’s largest travel trade fair, organised by Fáilte Ireland, in the RDS Dublin. This event is a central date in the tourism industry calendar, allowing the Irish tourism industry to actively grow its business in countries from around the world – with delegates from as far afield as Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Meitheal provides a valuable opportunity to forge even stronger commercial relations between local tourism providers and the international travel trade. With interest in visiting Ireland growing, our appeal remains strong and we now offer better value than for many years. Thanking the Clare tourism trade for attending Meitheal, Fáilte Ireland CEO Shaun Quinn commented, “Tourism is in robust health and we expect growth to continue this year. However, we are not complacent and the face to face meetings that took place with the Clare trade who attended Meitheal, …