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Tag Archives: Doonbeg

Still flying it after 50 years

This Saturday many Gaels that made the Doonbeg jersey famous will gather in Tubridy’s Bar to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Flying Magpies’ three-in-a-row of senior championships from 1972 to ’74. Joe Ó Muircheartaigh spoke to some of them ahead of the big night in the Long Village. Tommy Comerford got a clock, while Michael Haugh got a coal scuttle – on it went because every one of the successful team got some present or memento as a personal thanks for their efforts during the year in the famous black and white jersey of the Doonbeg Magpies. They were flying it at the time, and it was the ‘Bard of Bansha’, Pádraig Haugh’s way of saying thanks because far from being content to immortalise the achievements of the team in verse, he put his hand in his pocket to give them something extra to remember a year that brought senior championship and Cusack Cup honours to the team and …

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Gort to host portrait of Vicky Phelan in her Doonbeg sanctuary

Gort Cancer Support Group will host the Vicky Phelan Campaign and Portrait Tour in Gort, in conjunction with the Lady Gregory Hotel, next week. The triptych portrait, painted by the renowned Irish artist, Vincent Devine, was inspired by Vicky Phelan’s incredible courage. Measuring an impressive 150 x 300 cms, Vicky Phelan’s life is conveyed as the past, present and future with the backdrop of Doonbeg beach in West Clare, which she described as her favourite place on earth. Vincent’s aim was to convey the tragedies and the joys in Vicky’s life, through symbolism in the anatomy of her body and different objects. The portrait was purchased at a charity auction by Vicky’s lifelong friend and fellow Kilkenny native, David Brennan. The two grew up together and their families share a close bond. David wanted to ensure the painting remained close to Vicky’s family and friends. Vicky was a prominent women’s health advocate prior to her death from cervical cancer in …

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Trump to alter name of Doonbeg business

TRUMP International in Doonbeg is set for a slight adjustment to it’s name, former US President Donald Trump told the press this afternoon. After completing 18 holes at his course, Trump spoke to reporters from a golf buggy and said he wants its new title to reflect its location. “I said to myself it’s on the Ocean, we’ll go with Doonbeg on the Ocean.” Trump added, “It’s not a new name but we’re adding the word ocean. I said to myself it’s on the ocean, if it’s on the ocean we’ll go with Doonbeg on the Ocean, we’ve got the ocean and nobody else does. So that’s what we’re calling it.” He said that the Trump name will remain and it will be referred to as Trump Doonbeg on the Ocean. Asked what he had shot on the course, Trump joked that it might have been a 72, meaning he would have gone round the challenging course at even par. …

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Trump arrives in Clare

FORMER US President Donald Trump has arrived in Clare. While he was expected at Shannon Airport between 3pm and 5pm this afternoon, it was around 6.30pm when his aircraft touched down. He later left Shannon for Doonbeg in a motorcade consisting of approximately 20 vehicles, while a helicopter kept watch overhead. Neither Shannon nor Doonbeg saw protests of any note this evening and in fact there were a small number of Trump supporters in both areas. One woman brandishing a Trump banner outside Shannon Airport as his motorcade passed said she was thrilled to have come so close to him. “I’m absolutely delighted. I came down from Ballinrobe in Mayo, I brought the kids down, it’s a once in a lifetime experience and I wanted them to see it and feel it.” She claimed that Trump was the winner of the last US Presidential election. “Trump’s amazing isn’t he? He’s the one. Trump won!” Mr Trump is being accompanied by …

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Gardai probe attempted robbery in west Clare village

Gardaí at Kilrush Garda Station are investigating the attempted robbery from a group of friends in Doonbeg last week. Clare crime prevention officer Sergeant Triona Brooks said, “On Wednesday evening, January 18, at 7.30pm, three friends got off a bus on Main Street, Doonbeg. “They were approached by three individuals who demanded that they hand over their property. “Thankfully the three friends ran and took refuge in a shop. “We are asking anyone who saw this incident or anyone who may have any information to please contact Kilrush Garda Station on 065 9080550.”

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Magpies win that started three-in-a-row recalled 50 years on

THIS year marked the 50th anniversary of Doonbeg’s 1972 county championship, an era when the Magpies were a huge force within Clare football. They had already won a three in a row (1967, 68 and 69), and the 72 championship was the start of another one, as they were also champions in 1973 and 74. Tommy Comerford was corner back on all of those six championship winning sides. “It was an exceptional team and it’s 50 years ago now, as you know there’s a lot of changes in 50 years! It’s nice to remember what happened,” he says. Beside him in the full back line was Senan Downes, who he says was an outstanding footballer who looked after the side’s physical preparation. “He played for Clare and he played in the Railway Cup. Senan was an army man and he was actually our trainer. He used to have us very fit, we’d get the army touch, there was no let …

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€4.5m wage spend at Trump International despite pandemic

TRUMP International spent just under €4.5 million on wages and salaries in 2021, newly filed accounts show. While the company was one of West Clare’s largest employers with an average of 230 staf in 2019, this dipped to 112 in the first year of the pandemic, before coming back up to 137 last year. The amount spent on wages increased by €1.27 million in 2021 compared to the previous year. Trump International made an operating profit of €509,892 for the year, rebounding from an operating loss of almost €2 million in 2020. However, despite the operating profit, its net assets declined by over €1 million, largely due to depreciation and amortisation of €2.054 million. During the year the company received €1.85 million in government grants. While 2021 was a difficult year because of Covid restrictions, a note accompanying the accounts said Trump International had performed quite well in the circumstances. “While the hotel had to close to the public for …

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O’Shea and O’Sullivan star for Doonbeg in U14 title win

Michael O’Connor reports on the Under 14 Division three football final which saw Doonbeg prevail over Corofin on a score of 2-6 to 1-5 One of the last finals of the Bord na nOg peil calendar took place recently as Doonbeg took on Mid Clare side Corofin in the Under 14 division 3 final played in Cooraclare before a sizable attendance. Conditions on the day were far from conducive for football at underage level yet both sides gave spectators a contest worthy of a higher grade such was the effort on show. Corofin were the better side in the opening half and worked hard in their rearguard to repel the potential of the Doonbeg forwards who had shown up well in earlier rounds of the title race. Tommy Barry struck a vital goal early on for Corofin but the red and whites failed to build on this early promise and added just four more scores in the opening half as …

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