BANNER Ladies will take on St Val’s from Cork in Saturday’s Munster A final. The game will throw-in at 2.45pm in Kilmallock. If the Clare and Munster B champions win, it will be a second provincial A title for a Clare club at senior level. Cooraclare won this title in 1996. For several years, the Banner Ladies have successfully represented Clare ladies football, securing Division 1 and Division 2 national Féile titles, as well as underage and senior All-Ireland and Munster sevens accolades. They have beaten teams including Kerry’s Southern Gaels; Dublin’s Foxrock/Cabinteely, Ballyboden St Enda’s and Kilmacud Crokes; Galway’s Corofin and Salthill/Knocknacarra; Cork’s Fermoy and Aghada. They beat St Val’s previously at Munster Sevens level so should hold no fear in facing their much-vaunted Cork opponents. Hopefully another Rebel scalp can be annexed by a Clare side in this tremendous year for Gaelic sport in the county.

A woman who came to Ennis on her honeymoon at the weekend is appealing to people in Clare for the return of her wallet, which was taken from her handbag here on Saturday. Irish American Lora Murphy and her Danish husband, Lars Moeslund, arrived in Ennis on Saturday to begin their honeymoon. However, after an hour, the couple’s plans had changed. “We had visited Ennis last year briefly and Lars just fell in love with the place. So after our recent marriage, we decided to spend our honeymoon there. We arrived on Saturday at about 1pm and within the hour, my wallet had been stolen and that was the end of the honeymoon,” Ms Murphy said. Ms Murphy was in a busy shop at the time of the incident and gardaí in Ennis are examining CCTV as part of their investigation. “I didn’t notice anything and then the woman who works there pointed out that there were glasses on the …

ART students from Scoil Mhuire in Ennistymon will exhibit craftwork at the National Conference of Principals and Deputy Principals in Galway this week. Fifth-year art students of Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon exhibited their Fabulous Felt Creations at National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Dublin earlier this month. Now the group has been invited to showcase their work at the national conference on Thursday and Friday. The project, which consisted of hand-made and hand-dyed felted scarves, cushions and flowers, was warmly commended by Minister for the Arts, Jimmy Deenihan at the opening reception in the national museum. This prestigious exhibition was a culmination of the work of more than 70 secondary schools nationwide, who were awarded a bursary for projects of artistic merit from the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals ‘Creative Engagement’ fund. Twenty-five schools were represented at the event. Scoil Mhuire art teacher Mary Fahy invited textile artist Kate Ramsay to speak to the pupils about her work and …

NEXT Wednesday is the closing date for nominations for this year’s Galway County Mayor’s Awards and one local representative is calling on people in South Galway to acknowledge the work of people and groups within their community. The awards recognise and celebrate the work that individuals, groups, organisations and schools in the county contribute to their communities. Nominations are being accepted in 11 categories, including the Business Contribution to Community Award; Community Economic Initiative Award; Environmental Award; Sports Award; Arts and Culture Award; Heritage Publication Award; Schools Contribution to Heritage Award; Best Contribution to Heritage Award; Age-Friendly Award; Social Inclusion Award and the Volunteer of the Year Award. Galway County Councillor Bridie Willers is urging people to get their nominations in before it is too late. “I think it is very important to acknowledge people and groups, who are working hard in their community. There are so many people making positive contributions across South Galway and it is well worth …

CLARE hurling manager, Davy Fitzgerald will be on home ground on Saturday when he strides out with participants in the inaugural ‘Walk of Life’ fundraiser for Milford Hospice. Both the Liam McCarthy Cup and the U-21 All-Ireland trophy will be on display and Fitzgerald will be joined by some members of both squads for the walk which sets off from St. Finnachta’s National School in Sixmilebridge at 12 noon. The aim of this fundraiser, according to local co-ordinator John Lynch is to raise as much money as possible to support Milford Hospice which opened in 1928 and since then has provided holistic care for terminally ill people from the region. “Since the very beginning Milford Hospice has provided the highest quality of care for these people and their families. Milford Hospice is a voluntary organisation so our support is needed to maintain this fantastic establishment,” he said. Organiser of the Walk of Life concept, RTE radio sports reporter Martin Kiely, …

STAFF and residents at St Joseph’s Geriatric Hospital, Ennis may be transferred to a €40 million state-of-the-art elderly care hospital, if a new development proposal is delivered by the Government within the next two years. The Clare Champion understands that one of the options being seriously assessed by the Health Service Executive is the construction of a multi-million euro community hospital on a greenfield site in the Ennis area, to ensure full compliance with HIQA’s premises and physical environment regulations. It is understood the HSE has been given over two years to implement a plan that would necessitate a complete refurbishment of St Joseph’s, with its associated logistical problems, revamping an old building or building a purpose-built facility on a new site. The HSE Mid-West was given an opportunity to comment on the information furnished to The Clare Champion but there was no response at the time of going to press. While nursing home providers have been requested to comply …

THE committee of the Parkinson’s Health Conference in Feakle are preparing for ‘the Oscars of Irish Medicine’, as their event has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award at the Irish Medical Times Irish Healthcare Awards. The conference, which highlighted a research study by an Italian neurologist into the benefits of set dancing for Parkinson’s Disease (PD) patients, has been shortlisted in the Best Patient Education Project, Non-Pharma category. Therapeutic Effects of Irish Set Dancing on Parkinson’s Disease – Feakle Health Conference, is one of three shortlisted in the category and was chosen out of nine entries. There were 120 overall entries to the awards in total. Described by its organisers as “this year’s ‘Oscars’ of Irish medicine”, the winners will be revealed at a gala event run by the Irish Medical Times in the Shelbourne Hotel on Thursday, November 7. The awards are now in their 12th year and recognise originality, excellence and innovation in such areas as hospital …

By Peter O’Connell BEFORE they head for Sunday’s senior football second round game against Cratloe in Gurteen at 1pm, Cooraclare might have to indulge in some football recognition trials. Will they recognise a size five football when they see one? Cooraclare have played just one championship match this year, defeating Kilrush in Labasheeda on August 3. Since then, they have played no competitive football at all. Cratloe haven’t played any senior football either since beating Kilmurry Ibrickane in their opening championship fixture. Of course, they have hardly been able to lay down their hurleys for more than a day or two, with six Cratloe players part of Clare’s All-Ireland senior winning panel, with Podge Collins and Enda Boyce also in the All-Ireland U-21 winning squad. Throw in two rounds of senior club hurling over the last two weekends and an U-21 Football Championship fixture on Monday of this week and it’s fairly clear that Cratloe haven’t been idle. Whether they …