Regional

PARANORMAL investigators have captured an eerie image of what they believe is the spirit of a child at a window of the former Our Lady’s Hospital in Ennis. Paranormal Supernatural Investigations Ireland visited the site of the old Ennis Asylum last week where the took hundreds of photographs as well as video footage and voice recordings from outside. Among the images taken is the picture of a window with what they claim is a small child’s face in the bottom right corner. Richard Morrison, of Paranormal Supernatural Investigations Ireland insists, “I believe that building is very, very active paranormally without a doubt. Places like that are going to hold a lot of negative energy and that stonework is going to contain all that sadness.” The photograph was initially posted to social media by the group at the weekend without comment on what it could be, other than “a very interesting picture taken by ourselves at Ennis Asylum” and some of the history …

STELLAR performances lit up the stage at Scariff Community College recently as East Clare Musical Society (ECMS) returned after a two-year pause. With a three-night run, ‘A Night at the Musicals’ showcased a wealth of talent and brought together familiar faces and new voices in a highly entertaining feast of musical theatre. The previous show, held in early 2020, saw tickets sell out in record time, just before the outbreak of the pandemic. While the dust had gathered during two difficult years of Covid, a revitalised cast and crew produced one of the most vibrant and eagerly-awaited show in recent times. Led by musical director John O’Brien with the accompaniment of Anne Cullen and Steve Lawrence, ECMS welcomed songbird Vashti Curran back to the stage from a very successful year-long residency performing cabaret in Germany. Also taking to the stage were other highly talented singers, most of who graced the stage in the 2020 show. Among them were Paul Conroy, …

IF YOU have an eye for Clare’s traditional architecture, the chances are you have spotted some of the work of North Clare craftsman, Eóin Madigan. A sixth generation stonemason from Ennistymon, Eóin has been the main contractor on conservation projects including the O’Brien Column in Liscannor; the Lightkeeper’s Cottage at Loop Head; the Vandeleur Mausoleum in Kilrush; as well as the historic lime kilns in Kilmurry and Tuamgraney. Thanks to a prestigious fellowship award, Eóin has honed his craft and is enthusiastic about handing on the skills and knowledge needed to protect Ireland’s built heritage. In 2014, Eóin was awarded a William Morris Craft Fellowship from The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB). The prestigious fellowship involved a six-month tour of the UK involving site, workshop and studio visits, allowing him to work alongside master craftsmen on heritage projects. The fellowship aimed to foster a new generation of outstanding craftsmen and women and to prepare them to lead and …

FOUR percent of all passengers to Irish airports in 2021 went through Shannon, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show. Obviously Covid-19 was very disruptive to aviation last year, making for a very strange year. Shannon’s 4% was ahead of Cork which had 3%, but Cork was closed for a couple of months due to works on its runway. Dublin was hugely dominant in terms of Irish aviation, with 90% of all passengers. Shannon had 322,162 passengers during the year, only one fifth of the 2019 figure, just before the pandemic. The figure was almost 50,000 ahead of 2020. Shannon dealt with 4,836 different flights over the course of the year. The three most used links with Shannon were all London airports. The busiest route was Stansted with 63,624 passengers, while 33,797 passengers travelled on the London Gatwick route and 24,050 on London Heathrow. The Heathrow services were significantly reduced in 2021 and the figure would presumably have been …

THE ordination of Croatian native Antun Pasalic into the priesthood at the weekend was described as a “unique joy” by Bishop Fintan Monahan. Antun’s parents, Marko and Anđa, and his family, travelled from Croatia to be present at his ordination on Sunday in Ennis’ Cathedral of St Peter and Paul. Following his ordination, Fr Antun celebrated his First Mass of Thanksgiving in the Cathedral on Monday evening. In his homily at the ordination Bishop Monahan recalled how in 2016 he did the pilgrim climb of Croagh Patrick in County Mayo and Antun was on the climb with him that day. “Little did I think then that we would share the Pilgrim Path as colleagues in the Diocese of Killaloe. It is a unique joy for me to ordain him today and it is an immense joy too for the priests, religious and people of the diocese. May we continue together on the pilgrim path of Antun’s divine call to priesthood …

A SAFE haven for those fleeing the trauma of war is what one Whitegate woman is hoping to create, using her own experience of working with refugees. Didi Driscoll worked with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the early ‘80s and has seen first-hand the trauma that war brings. “I’m not political,” she told The Champion, “but I know that war is terrible and it’s terrible especially for women and children. In the refugee camps in Somalia, we were delivering food to almost one million people. “The truck drivers would come along, shouting in Swahili and Somalia, telling us and all of the refugees to run away, and to keep running from the conflict. People fleeing Ukraine have no choice but to flee.” Her work in those refugee camps, for which the UNHCR won a Nobel Peace Prize, has given Didi unique insights, as has her aid work in the Caribbean nation of Haiti. She is now hoping …

THE month of May will get off to a sweet start in Ennis next Monday (May 2), as Mike Hanrahan and five choirs take to the steps of the Courthouse. At 3pm, the Stockton’s Wing legend will sing alongside Cantare, The Really Truly Joyful Gospel Choir, Ballyea choir, Front Line Choir and a new choir, Inis Soul. The event, entitled Bealtaine Voices with Mike Hanrahan is part of a month-long celebration of creativity in older age, and is supported by Clare County Council and Creative Ireland. Songs will include ‘Dreams’, ‘On Days Like These’, ‘May the Road Rise to Meet You’, ‘Clare My Heart My Home’, ‘Celebrate’ and Stocktons Wing classic ‘Beautiful Affair’. More details are available on Bealtaine.ie. Meanwhile, Mike has teamed up with Gavin Glass for to release ‘Spindrift’ – the second song from a series of works created during the past two years called Songs from The Box Room, which will be released in the autumn. With …

SINGER-SONGWRITER John Spillane has just been unveiled as headline act for the Mountshannon Arts Festival this summer. With the welcome return of in-person events, the hugely talented Corkonian, is set to captivate audiences from well beyond East Clare, when he performs at St Caimin’s Church. Rooted in people, place and story, John’s music transports the listener, and his live performances have thrilled audiences around the world. The award-winning musician, songwriter, performer, recording artist, storyteller, poet and dreamer will perform within the hallowed historical walls of 18th Century Church of Ireland on Saturday, June 4. Mountshannon Arts Festival Chairperson, Mel White, said the committee is delighted to have secured such a talented and popular performer to headline this year’s event. “John’s music is a reflection of Ireland today, and we are honoured to have him performing in Mounshannon,” she said. “And not only that, John is also hosting a song writing workshop where he will help participants lose whatever inhibitions and …