Tag Archives: Awards

Ennis actress Denise Gough has been named Best Actress in this year’s Olivier Awards for her critically acclaimed role in the play People, Places and Things. The actress from College Green was the bookies favourite to take the award where she was up against actresses including Nicole Kidman, Gemma Arterton, Janet McTeer and Lia Williams. Denise used her acceptance speech in London’s Royal Opera House to voice concern about the lack of diversity. The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD, has described Denise as “an ever rising star of stage and screen” as she congratulated both the Clare actress and other Irish winners. The Minister added, “When we see Irish successes on this scale at ceremonies such as the Olivier Awards, it underlines the importance, and indeed the benefits, of providing funding to Culture Ireland, which helps Irish artists to bring their work overseas and helps to showcase Irish talent internationally.” Critics have been raving about …

AN Ennis man could be set for Oscar gold after a film he penned has made the shortlist for nominations for the coveted award. Viva, a Spanish language film set in Havana written by Clare’s very own Mark O’Halloran has been named among nine movies shortlisted in the Foreign Language Film category. And in just a few short weeks, Mark the rest of the crew behind the acclaimed film will learn if they have made the final five nominees for next year’s 88th annual Academy Awards. Speaking to the Clare Champion this week Mark told us, “I’m very happy, I’m very surprised. It’s a very low budget film, made with a lot of dedication and heart. I’m pretty sure it’s the lowest budget film in the category so for it to have this impact is great. It’s been a good surprise to get on the shortlist, so fingers crossed, we’ll see how it goes.” The film, selected by the Irish …

A SHORT film co-produced by two Ennis companies and shot in Feakle is set to go from the Banner to Hollywood, having wowed the international film festival scene. The film, The Long Night Followed, has just won an award for Best Short Narrative at the TOFF International Film Festival based in New York and has been selected for the Miami Independent Film Festival and Los Angeles CineFest. Preparations are also being made for the film to be shown at an upcoming festival in Berlin. Lead actor Zeb Moore was also nominated for Best Actor at the 12 Months Film Festival in Romania. Hopes are high that local film lovers will get a chance to see the film, with efforts being made to have it screened at the upcoming Richard Harris International Film Festival. Co-produced by Scorpion Films and Black Umbrella Productions, the film was written and directed by Bill Bradshaw. Bill said the team have been very surprised by the …

ALTHOUGH the ultimate accolade eluded them, both Ennis and Mounthsannon made the shortlist for final adjudication in Ireland’s Best Kept Town for 2014. At an awards ceremony on the SS Nomadic, Titanic Quarter in Belfast on Tuesday, the county Fermanagh town of Enniskillen was voted the overall winner and in the category of Best Kept Large Urban Centre which also included the towns of Ennis and Kilkenny.   Emly, Co Tipperary won the Best Kept Village category which also featured Mountshannon and Lack, Co Fermanagh.    At the presentation ceremony, Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Dinny McGinley paid tribute to each of the category winners and also to the other towns that had been nominated for awards. He said, “Being nominated for the awards represents an achievement in itself, and is reward for your efforts in the SuperValu TidyTowns and the Best Kept competitions.  These competitions continue to demonstrate the great pride that …

By Owen Ryan   A CLARE teenager was one of two named as All Ireland Youth Volunteers of the Year at the Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards. Sixteen year old Elysha Ní Chuláin is from Bunratty and is currently a fifth year student at Coláiste Íde in Kerry. She was honoured for her volunteering activities with Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Hospital in Crumlin and Barretstown Camp in Co Kildare. At five Elysha was diagnosed with a brain tumour and was hospitalised in Crumlin for ten years. During that time she underwent chemotherapy and several surgeries, which have left her with permanent kidney damage and without sight in one eye. Speaking on Tuesday she said she was delighted to win the award. “They announced Dayna Ní Shíocháin, the other winner first and I was delighted for her but I was getting a bit worried that I’d be in tears if I didn’t win. When they called out Coláiste Íde I …

THE Injuries Board made 10,656 personal injury awards in 2013, an increase of 5.1% compared to 2012.  According to the Board’s Annual Review, published this Tuesday, the total value of these awards was €243.5m, an increase of 11.7% on the €218m awarded in 2012. As the number of accidents remains unchanged, this increase is attributed to a higher proportion of claims being processed through the board’s lower cost, non-adversarial process and also the delivery of a number of exceptionally high value awards by the Board. With 275 awards, Clare accounted for the sixth highest number of personal injury awards on a per head of population basis in 2013. The average award in Clare was €28,747 and total compensation for the county amounted to €7.9m. The Board assesses personal injury claims and makes awards relating to motor, employer and public liability accidents, without the need for litigation.  The review shows that the board’s non-adversarial model has delivered direct savings of over …

By Seamus Hayes ALMOST 500 people attended Clare Camogie Board’s annual dinner on Friday night, where All-star wing back Chloe Morey from Sixmilebridge was the guest of honour and presented the awards. Clare chairman, Joe Robbins and president, Michael O’Halloran addressed the gathering at Treacy’s West County Hotel and paid tribute to all for their efforts. The identity of the volunteer of the year and lifetime achievement award winner for 2014 were revealed; Breda Daffy, Clooney-Quin and Bridie O’Looney, Newmarket being the recipients. Breda has been involved in the administrative side of her club since 2002, and currently holds the post of chairperson, having filled the posts of both secretary and registrar. Breda has instilled a love of camogie and club among all players over the last 10 years, which has brought the club from a position of having small numbers to winning the intermediate championship and contesting the senior county final. Bridie O’Looney has a rich background in camogie in Clare. …

SINCE their memorable All-Ireland victory in September, members of the Clare senior hurling team and their management have received many awards. That list was extended on Saturday night when the RTE manager of the year and team of the year accolades were presented to Clare. At a function attended by many of the country’s leading sports personalities from the world of sport, the first award presented was the manager of the year trophy, which went to Davy Fitzgerald, who led Clare to win the Liam MacCarthy Cup in September. Davy was presented with his award by RTE head of sports, Ryle Nugent. A panel of sports writers and commentators choose Davy from a shortlist that included Dublin football manager, Jim Gavin; Tony Ward, the Galway camogie boss and Eamonn Ryan, the Cork ladies football manager. The team of the year was decided by public vote and the Clare hurlers were the popular winners. Team captain Pat Donnellan accepted the award from …