TWO Clare hotels have received the highest accreditation available under the Green Hospitality Awards (GHA) programme after they successfully reduced their energy consumption by almost a third and reduced the amount of waste going to landfill by over 60%. The Armada in Spanish Point and Hotel Doolin join an elite group of just seven Irish hotels who possess Platinum accreditation under the hospitality sector’s only environmental accreditation programme, which is supported by the EPA through the National Waste Prevention programme. In awarding the Clare hotels, both operated under hotelier John Burke, the programme inspectors noted their combined efforts to reduce water consumption by 38% per guest, cut the amount of waste going to landfill by 62%, and reduce electricity per guest by 28% since joining the programme two years ago. “The green programme has led to a consequential reduction in operating costs at both hotels and in doing so has enabled us to offer the best possible value to locals …

By Seamus Hayes Clare senior hurling champions Newmarket are one game away from retaining the Canon Hamilton trophy. Before a big attendance at Clarecastle—the game was transferred from Cusack Park following heavy overnight rain on Saturday night —they had to pull out all the stops to overcome Ballyea in a hard fought contest. At the end of the opening half the teams were level at 0-6 to 1-3 with the game’s only goal coming in the twenty first minute when Gary Brennan turned a Paul Flanagan delivery into the Newmarket net. Newmarket’s greater experience came to the fore in the second half and within a minute of the resumption they had taken a two point lead and they remained in front from here to the end. Clare’s top scorer in 2013 was to the fore for the Blues, hitting o-8, all from frees. Shane O’Brien senior who, along with Ronan Goode, helped Doonbeg progress to the senior football semi-final on the …

By Seamus Hayes Whitegate will be playing senior hurling in 2014 after their three point win over Feakle in the intermediate hurling championship final played at Sixmilebridge on Saturday. The win ended a four year wait to return to the senior ranks for the East Clare side captained by Clare’s All-Ireland winning star, Brendan Bugler. Ahead by a point at half time, 0-7 to 0-6, Whitegate found themselves a point behind two minutes into the new half after Oisin Donnellan had goaled for Feakle. There was a strong response from Whitegate and Ian Fahy hit 1-1 in the space of a minute to give his team a lead they would hold to the finish. They have little time to celebrate, however, as they return to Sixmilebridge on this Sunday to face Cork champions Youghal in the Munster intermediate championship semi-final.       Sixmilebridge reach senior final Sixmilebridge qualified for the Clare senior final when they accounted for Clonlara in …

Four popular Clare pubs, Morrissey’s of Doonbeg, Vaughan’s Anchor Inn in Liscannor, Wild Honey Inn in Lisdoonvarna and Linnane’s Lobster Bar in New Quay, are amongs thirty-four Irish establishments to be listed in the latest 2014 Michelin ‘Eating Out In Pubs’ Guide which has just been published. They are listed alongside twenty-three other pubs from the Republic of Ireland and seven from Northern Ireland also featured in the publication. Both Linnane’s Lobster Bar in New Quay and Morrissey’s of Doonbeg are new listings while the Wild Honey Inn in Lisdoonvarna is one of three to receive Inspector’s Favourite listings, others being Deasy’s (Clonakilty) and Toddy’s at The Bulman (Kinsale). Overall, listings were allocated as follows: Down (7), Cork (6), Clare (4), Mayo (3), Galway, Kerry and Kildare (2 each) followed by Dublin, Leitrim, Louth, Sligo, Tipperary, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow (1 each). Noting that no one has to put up with bad food in a pub anymore, editor Rebecca Burr …

THE biennial ITF Taekwon-Do World championships was held in Benidorm, Spain last week, when 1054 black belts from 58 countries, competed for the title of World Champion across the four disciplines, writes Seamus Hayes. Kilkishen-based Louise McCagh from Shannon Taekwon-Do Club become the fourth individual senior champion from this country and the first ever female winner of a senior title. This marvellous achievement followed wins over Ornella Bustos (Argentina), Andrea Engdahl (Norway), Petra Mucsy (Hungary), Joanna Paprocka (Three time world champion and 8 time European champion from Poland) and Ilona Omiecinska (Poland). Joanne Potter and Nicole Moriarty of Quin Taekwon-Do Club along with Skye Slattery from Shannon TKD were both part of the junior ladies team who were crowned the best ladies team at the world championships. The trio took gold in the team pattern event, where they beat opposition from Italy, USA, Spain and Norway. Joanne was part of the Junior team which won gold in the team sparring …

‘Clare Champion Sports Editor Seamus Hayes and former Clare hurling goalkeeper Seamus Durack were among the GAA giants receiving awards at a special ceremony in Dublin on Friday evening. Dublin’s Barney Rock, Clare’s Seamus Durack and Down’s Greg Blaney were inducted into the Hall of Fame at the 2013 Cadbury Gaelic Writers’ Association Awards at Dublin’s Louis Fitzgerald Hotel. This year’s awards see Rock, Durack and Blaney become the latest GAA legends to be recognised by the Gaelic Writers’ Association. Durack was the star between the posts for the Clare hurlers during the ’70s when he won two National Hurling League medals. He was also recognized for his goalkeeping performances by winning All-Star awards in 1977, 1978 and 1981. Rock was a key figure on the Dublin side that won the 1983 All-Ireland senior football title. He also won four Leinster senior medals for Dublin and three All-Star awards between 1983 and 1985. His son, Dean, was part of this …

A SERIES of photographs has been rediscovered, providing an invaluable link to life in Abbey Street, Ennis from the late 19th Century. Leonard Costello, who uncovered the photographs in his Dublin home recently, outlined his family background and details of the photographs, some of which feature his father, Robert, as well as Carmody’s Hotel, where a number of people were killed when a floor collapsed during an auction. Leonard is trying jog people’s memories about stories or anecdotes in relation to Abbey Street and would also welcome old photographs. He is yet to confirm the names of some people in the photographs, while the photographer is also a mystery. Leonard has a very special reason for piecing together all the details. “The 100th anniversary of my father’s birth is coming up in two years time and I want to create a family book to commemorate his life. He contributed a great deal as a doctor, especially during his years working …

A new S Class Mercedes is something that doesn’t come along every day and when it does, it generally brings some new and undreamed of piece of technology. The S Class, after all, in various versions, was the first to sport Anti Lock Brakes, ESP and airbags, all of which are now standard on pretty much every car on the market. The newest S Class comes with a few new goodies, including an impressive 360 degree view for parking and the ability to automatically follow a car in front in traffic at speeds up to 60 km/h, steering, braking and accelerating when necessary. It’s this particular piece of tech that’s most interesting when it comes to the new S Class. Mercedes earlier this year demonstrated an autonomous car, which drove under computer control from Mannheim to Pforzheim, recreating the journey undertaken by Bertha Benz in 1888. Although computer driven cars are still effectively in development, Mercedes reckon they will be …