The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Local and exiled basketball players turned out in force for the annual Christmas day basketball game at Ennistymon Community Centre.
The tradition was initiated by the founding members of the club in 1958, after a number of them left the town together for employment. When they returned at Christmas, the Home V Exiles game was born. It has been played in many venues, both indoors and outside: the Market House, The Town Hall, the Sluagh Hall, the Scout Hall (outdoors) the Vocational School (outdoors) and, on one occasion, in Lisdoonvarna. It now has a permanent home at the community centre, thanks to the staff who open specially for the event.
This year the game supported the HelpSergio appeal. Sergio O’Connor is a nine-month-old boy from Dublin, who among a number of other complications has an incomplete oesophagus, which means he cannot drink, eat or swallow. Sergio is a grandchild of local woman, Ann (Dillon) O’Connor. The surgical procedure is hugely expensive and will take place in Boston. All information is on www.helpsergio.com for anyone with an interest in helping.
The Chrtistmas Day game produced a tight battle, with the locals scraping by with a one-point victory.
