Association Gathering at Ennistymon

STAGING the event in Clare for the first time, the involvement of New York-based Clare natives and the popularity of the recipients of this year’s awards all contributed to making the 2013 annual dinner of the Clare Association in Dublin one of the most successful and best supported in its long history.
The decision to come to Clare as part of the association’s contribution to The Gathering proved a popular one and the event, held in The Falls Hotel, Ennistymon, last Saturday night was supported by over 300 people.
Honoured at this year’s function were Ann Norton, Barefield, a founder member of the Clare Crusaders charity, who was named Clare Person of the Year and Bealaha, Doonbeg-native PJ Harvey of New York, who became the first recipient of the International Person of The Year award.
The large attendance included past person-of-the-year and hall-of-fame winners, as well as association president Pat O’Donnell, chairman Liam O’Looney, Bill Lewis (New York) who made a presentation to Mr Harvey on behalf of the Clare Association in New York and a large number of supporters.
Born in New York, Bill Lewis’ father was from Killaloe and his mother from Sligo. He said he is looking forward to Clare Association members travelling from New York in August to take part in the Clare Gathering.
A magnificent night was rounded off with the famous Kilfenora Céilí Band who was joined on stage by well-known musicians Michael Tubridy, Dublin and Chris Droney, Belharbour.
All were welcomed by Liam O’Looney who said they had a selection of worthy recipients this year. In choosing Ann Norton, he said they were also honouring a large group of people who had contributed to making Clare Crusaders the success story it is. The charity was founded in 2005 by the late Howard Flannery, Ann Norton and Frank Cassidy to provide therapy for children with various disabilities. Located in Barefield, the clinic is run on a voluntary basis providing services for some 250 children with special needs. They receive no government funding and all monies required are obtained through fundraising.
The chairman told the attendance that even though PJ Harvey has been domiciled in New York for the past 53 years, he has never forgotten his native parish, county and country. His contributions to various charitable organisations has been enormous. Over the years, he had also helped many emigrants to settle in their new environment in America.
He welcomed past winners of the person-of-the-year award as well as many notable personalities who have been involved in the association down through the years..
The chairman remembered three former members who died in the last year – John O’Halloran (Doonbeg and Arklow) and a founder member of the association, past chairman Myles Clancy (Kilnaboy) and Clare hurling legend, Jimmy Smyth, also a past chairman.
A native of Dundalk but brought up in Ennis, Ann Norton said in her acceptance speech that her whole life changed when her daughter, Nicole, now 16, was diagnosed with Celebral Palsy. She travelled throughout Ireland and England in search of therapies and came to the conclusion early on that if she wanted Nicole to have the best out of life, she (Ann) was the person that would have to fight for her.
Aware of the great need for therapy and services in Clare for children with special needs, they decided they needed to start providing the therapy services themselves to their children. Since the clinic opened in 2007, they have raised over €1.6m to deliver 10,500 hours annually of additional therapy. It costs €250,000 a year to keep the clinic open with access to the services the children require for free.
A son of Tom and the former Mary O’Neill (both from Clahanes), PJ Harvey first went to New York in 1960.
PJ told The Clare Champion that on his way to America, his brother Tommie gave him a few pounds when he was leaving but the money soon ran out, as there was no work to be found in New York. He travelled to Manhattan every day in the hope of getting work but did not meet with any success. On one occasion, he saw a man singing in a park and collecting money and he tried doing that himself for two months. Then he met some people and joined the Carpenters’ Union. He also went to school at night became recording secretary of the union and climbed up the ladder to eventually become president.
Married to the former Kathleen Murray from Dunmanway, PJ is now retired and living with his wife in Long Island, New York.
He said that as well as raising money for Clare charities through special golf fundraisers in New York, he had the privilege of sending people out to work and giving them a start in life when he was in the union.