Tag Archives: clare

All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship Galway 0-25 Clare 0-9 CLARE fell to a disappointing defeat in their opening round robin game of the All Ireland Minor Hurling Championship. Despite facing a Galway side who were playing their first Championship encounter of 2022, Brian O’Connell’s men shipped the opening eight points of the game, something which they never truly recovered from, writes Ivan Smyth. In the end Clare shot nine points and 15 wides on a disappointing day where little of anything went right for the Munster runners up. Their agonising Munster final defeat may have led to a hangover of sorts but they will need to improve if they are to keep their Championship dreams alive for this year. Their final round robin game against Laois is in two weeks time A win is needed to help secure an All Ireland semi final spot with the side’s confidence sure to have taken a hit after this bitterly disappointing display. With Joe …

A CELEBRATION of European dance, music and song will be held in Ennis this summer as the county capital has been chosen to play host to the 18th European Culture Week. The five day festival will start in Ennis on August 8. The festival is a celebration of European cultures with eight groups participating from seven European countries. The participating groups are travelling to Shannon Airport from France, Spain, Sardinia, South Tyrol in Italy, Romania, Lithuania and Hungary. Ireland will be represented at the festival by Clanna Mileadha- a group of musicians, dancers and singers based predominantly in County Clare. The European Culture Week is bi-annual festival which returns this summer to Ennis for the first time since 2002 following a two year delay due to Covid restrictions. This festival’s history is particularly special as it was founded in 1986 to promote friendships across cultures and regions within Europe. These groups are coming together to celebrate their unique individuality. Each …

AN Ennis man has returned from a second humanitarian mission helping Ukrainians – and their beloved four legged friends – flee the war with Russia. John Casey, founder of the Tesla Owners Group in Ireland, was among a convoy of drivers who recently brought 40 Ukrainian refugees along with 10 dogs, 11 cats and a guinea pig, from Poland back to Ireland. “We were a right little Noah’s Ark,” he tells us. He explains that the pets have helped to bring a sense of comfort to the refugees, reminding them of a life before the invasion. Travelling with the convoy of cars over land and by ferry meant they could bring their much loved animals with them to safety. “These people are great pet lovers and they are very reluctant to leave their pets behind. We brought back some beautiful dogs and cats. They do love their animals and it’s good that they were able to bring them as they …

CALLS for an upgrade of the Quin Road Business Park, described as “very broken and piecemeal”, have been made by local councillors. Councillor Johnny Flynn has urged the Ennis Municipal District, Clare County Council and Shannon Group to “urgently look at upgrading the park” in terms of its customer, worker and business owner experience. Speaking at the monthly meeting of the Ennis Municipal District he outlined, “Quin Road Business Park, Ennis is a very busy and important economic centre in which businesses provide essential retail services to County Clare customers and significant employment. The businesses in the park generate annual revenue to both Clare County Council and Shannon Group in rates and service charges.” He suggested that upgrades to the site could include the creation of a biodiversity/recreational park on vacant sites at the left hand side of the entrance for people visiting and working in the business park and to assist in the use of the adjacent Fergus River …

WATER way to start the day at Scoil Chríost Rí in Cloughleigh with the recent launch of the latest addition to the school’s Kayak le Chéile club. The club is continuing to make a splash with the addition of a brand new kayaking shed right next to the River Fergus. The new shed was opened last Wednesday with Rang a Trí pupil Junior Power cutting the ribbon. The building was then blessed by Fr Ger Jones, before Rang a Sé pupils led the assembled guests up river for an hour- long paddle.  Sixth class pupils also unveiled their recent Kayak le Ceol recording, which saw the class work with artist-in-residence, Fiona Leenane, to compose and perform a kayaking routine to music.  Teacher Joe Garry explains that Kayak le Chéile was formed two years ago at Scoil Chríost Rí and since then kayaking has become an integral part of the curriculum offered with ranganna IV-VI getting out on the Fergus. Aided …

IN September 2019, Clare Youth Theatre outlined its plans to work to create a devised production in glór that would be written, directed, produced and acted by the teenage members. On Sunday, May 22, at 7pm this ambition will be realised with the production of ‘Wonderland – A Twisted Tale’. It has been an incredibly difficult time for all of the young people involved, but the show has emerged via Zoom sessions, outdoor meetings with social distancing and in recent times a focus and desire to perform the piece that has been so long in the making. “The young people involved have shown so much resilience, courage, dedication, creativity and sense of humour,” says Siobhán Mulcahy, County Arts Officer. “The essence of Clare Youth Theatre is to work with our young members to give them a voice through drama and theatre to explore issues and items of interest to them.” ‘Wonderland – A Twisted Tale’ is a dark interpretation of Alice …

PHOTOGRAPHER Beata Rosik recalls she felt “positively surprised and appreciated” when she discovered she was to be the recipient of Clare Arts Office’s TONES Studio Residency Award. Beata, who is living in Ennis having moved from her native Poland, hopes this honour will lead to greater recognition of her work, which has already received many prestigious international awards and appeared in exhibitions around the world. “It’s a really nice feeling that my work was noticed and appreciated here in Ireland. I’ve been photographing since I came here, which is about 14 years ago, it’s a long period of my life. “To be honest, it is not easy to be noticed even in your own country, or maybe in your own country in particular, let alone living abroad. I hope that this awareness will help me to develop, and hopefully be a small bit more recognised in Ireland. I’m confident to say that Ireland is my home and Ennis is my …

THE decision by Government to extend the 9% VAT rate for the hospitality sector is a positive boost for businesses coming into the summer season, according to Fine Gael Senator Martin Conway. Senator Martin Conway has also called on Government to examine the possibility of making the 9% VAT rate permanent to help the tourism and hospitality sector, particularly after the challenges brought by the pandemic. Senator Conway said, “The decision by Cabinet will help businesses in the hospitality sector which have started to recover following two years of upheaval caused by Covid, and now against the backdrop of a devastating war in Europe. “I know that my colleague, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, is committed to supporting businesses and to growing our economy, and I thank him for the measure he announced today. “Some tourism and hospitality businesses are encountering massive challenges with staff shortages as they try to prepare ahead for the busy summer period and retrain new staff …