STUDENTS of Gaelcholáiste an Chláir in Ennis are the stars of a new series on RTÉ Raidio na Gaeltachta which will be broadcast nationwide next week. The programme, Scrúdú Béil na hArdteiste, will provide a showcase of oral Irish to aid students preparing for this year’s Leaving Certificate examination. The four part radio series has been made by Ennis company Edgecast Media and will be broadcast from March 18 to 21. Five Gaelcholáiste students can be heard in the series, each one participating in four of the interviews. They are Conal Ó hAiniféin, Sally Ní Mheadhra, Nicole Ní Chathasaigh, Áine Mhaoir and Alex Maguidhir. Teachers Íde Bhreathnach and Orla Ní Dhonncha worked to prepare them for the show presented and produced by Conn Ó Muineacháin.Since 2012, the percentage of marks for the oral Irish exam has increased from 25% to 40%, and the exam itself has also changed significantly. This new series will focus specifically on the picture sequence element …

Back in 2007 Quentin Tarantino made Deathproof, a film about a deranged stuntman with a car impervious to damage. Not a man to be outdone, Bill Condon gives the world Reviewproof, a film about a bunch of sparkly vampires whose box office success, no matter how wonky their antics, is impervious to criticism.Nobody will pick The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (they changed the name after Reviewproof proved confusing for audiences) off the shelf accidentally. If you’re watching it it’s either because you’re part of the target demographic or you’re obliged to due to babysitting, being a supportive partner or penance.Having occupied far too many headlines in recent years, the great battle pitting Team Jacob against Team Edward has long since been fought (the victor got a pale, whiny trophy as a reward) and Bella, the Cullens and their associated lupine acquaintances have bigger fish to fry than deciding who gets the girl.The final chapter in the most …

Side EffectsDIRECTED BY: Steven SoderberghSTARRING: Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Jude Law, Catherine Zeta-JonesCERT: 15A Steven Soderbergh won an Oscar in 2001 for Traffic, a fine film about the American government’s so-called war on drugs. He gets stuck into some strong medicine again in Side Effects, this time taking aim at a far more lucrative drug trade, on which there will be no such war any time soon. A welcome endeavour, though he doesn’t quite hit the target with this shot.In the opening scene, there’s blood on the floor, the kind of blood that tends to mean something uglier than a paper cut. That something will be revealed after a little trip to the past, where Emily (Mara) is greeting her husband Martin (Tatum) after his release from prison. He’s done four years for insider trading, if you can buy the idea of Magic Mike on Wall Street.Back at home, Emily sinks into depression and, after an apparent suicide attempt, ends …

MEMORIES of the Shannon Scheme in Ardnacrusha, the banshee, old trades, farming in the old days, house dances and other traditions will be recalled in Killaloe this weekend.People will have the unique opportunity to hear the voices of some of Clare’s oldest citizens with recollections of a fading way of life.Killaloe Ballina Family Resource Centre Training and Education Programme, Clare VEC Community Education and Cuimhneamh an Chláir present Come here till I tell ya… Killaloe!Memories from the Cuimhneamh an Chláir archive and the official launch of the Folklore and Oral History Community Education Programme being run at the centre takes place in the Family Resource Centre on Saturday at 6pm.Cuimhneamh an Chláir’s popular listening room experience will travel to Killaloe as part of the group’s attempt to spread interest in the lore and tradition of Clare across the county.The group, who have voluntarily documented more than 500 interviews with Clare’s oldest citizens over the last three years, have already held …

A KILLALOE couple have clashed with a local businessman over alleged representations he made on behalf of a developer, who purchased a local ghost estate where their unoccupied house is situated.Michele Burke and William Buck, who have been forced to pay rent and a mortgage for over four years, while services at Ard na Deirge, Killaloe remain unfinished, have sent Brian Whelan a solicitor’s letter.Mr Whelan has declined to comment on the contents of the solicitor’s letter or a copy of sworn affidavits sent to The Clare Champion by the couple and another property owner, John Ryan, who also can’t get into his house in the estate.In the solicitor’s letter, Leahy and Partners stressed there is no foundation to statements made in recent telephone calls to their clients that they have not paid for the property and have no right of access to it.“Michele Burke and William Buck are the full registered owners of the above property with a State-guaranteed …

THE 2013 tourist season at Loop Head Lighthouse commences this weekend as the West Clare landmark opens to the public for the first time this year.The 19th century lighthouse will be opened for its third successive season on Saturday and will remain open each weekend, including Easter Weekend and Bank Holidays, up to and including September. Clare County Council says 12 full-time and part-time jobs will be created when the lighthouse reopens.17,423 people (13,441 adults, 3,982 children) visited the lighthouse during the May to September opening period in 2012.  Seventy-one per cent of the total visitor figure was represented by domestic visitors, of which approximately 50% were holidaymakers and 35% were day-trippers, with local visitors accounting for the remainder. Overseas, visitors accounted for 29% of the total figure. It is estimated that the 18-week opening period was worth approximately €650,000 to the local economy.“Clare tourism, particularly the sector in the Loop Head Peninsula, has benefited greatly from this visitor project …

SAMARITANS’ signs are to be placed on the Cliff Walk in Kilkee and at the bridge on route to St George’s Head on the opposite side of the resort. One sign apiece is to be placed in each location. The matter was discussed at the February meeting of Kilkee Town Council, while councillors decided upon the location for the signs at this week’s meeting. “I propose that we put them up at the start and at the end of the Cliff Walk on a low level. I’m still not sure if there’s a necessity for them but I can understand people feeling that there should be signs,” Councillor Paddy Collins commented. “Personally, I think they should be strategically placed on the cliff walk. If people are in a difficulty and are going on for their walk and they see that sign, it may help that person. I think they should be placed there at a low level,” Councillor Claire Haugh …

A 10k walk takes place on Sunday, March 24, at the Flaggy Shore, New Quay. The walk will benefit North Clare -run charity Pemba Support, which works in educational and community development on Pemba Island off the coast of Tanzania. Pemba, along with its larger neighbour Unguja, makes up Zanzibar.Fr Mathius Ng’oja is currently visiting North Clare. He has worked in Pemba for more than three years and will shortly take up a role in Unguja, an island that has recently witnessed increased religious tensions peaking with the murder of Catholic priest, Evarist Mushi last month.Fr Mathius is originally from Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. He recently finished preparatory courses in physics, biology and chemistry with the hope of studying medicine in August.“I am looking forward to it. I don’t know which part I would like to specialise in, I like caring for the sick and that is what I really like and I would like to serve the sick,” he said.Before …