Author Edna promotes East Clare Gathering

Renowned East Clare author Edna O’Brien has lent her support to The ­Gathering campaign by not only acting as an ambassador for her native parish’s event but also for the county.

 

Ms O’Brien took time out from visiting relatives in East Clare this week to show her support for Tuamgraney – The Gathering 2013.

The author spoke with members of the organising committee on Tuesday and posed for photographs in the green in Tuamgraney.

Speaking about the support of one of East Clare’s most famous people, Margaret O’Meara of the Tuamgraney – The Gathering 2013 committee said, “We are delighted with her endorsement and that she will be an ambassador for The Gathering.

“She is Tuamgraney born and bred and she has described Tuamgraney as ‘home of my home and font of my fictions’. A lot of her family still live here and she is very aware of the community weekend we held here last year so she was happy to get behind who she calls ‘her people’ for this event,” Margaret said.

The Tuamgraney Gathering event will be held over the June Bank Holiday weekend and the theme aims to build on the success of last year’s mayoral election.

“In 2012, we held a community ­weekend with the aim of getting the community to come out and partake. 2013’s Gathering weekend is about encouraging natives who live away to join in today’s ­community and help celebrate all that is good about Tuamgraney,” Margaret said.

The nine-strong committee has collated a database of former Tuamgraney residents and have contact information for up to 500 people already. It is planned to use the database to inform them of plans for the June weekend to try and encourage as many Tuamgraney natives to come along.

Interest in the event is already building and many have booked flights from as far as USA and Australia.

Anyone interested in finding out more information is invited to contact Margaret on 087 2937479 or Conor Daly on 086 8541464, or email Tuamgraney2013@gmail.com.

Big-name launch to showcase 2013 events
Celebrities with Clare connections including former Lions rugby star Keith Wood have been lined up to participate in next weekend’s official launch of the Gathering Clare 2013 at an events expo in Glór.

Wood, from Killaloe, will be joined by Gathering Clare Ambassadors – world-famous Irish traditional musician Martin Hayes from Feakle, Fair City actor Aoibhinn Garrihy whose parents are from North Clare and Kevin Crawford of Lúnasa at the expo.

Members of the public are welcome to attend the free event, which will feature exhibits of 100 of the estimated 250 Gathering festivals and events taking place throughout County Clare during 2013. Sunday’s expo runs from 2pm to 6pm.

There will also be entertainment throughout the day including traditional music  sessions, set dancing, singing sessions, face painting, Clare food sampling and a live performance from Socks In The Frying Pan. The event will culminate with the official launch of the Gathering Clare 2013 at 4pm.

Hosted by the Clare Tourism Forum, forum chairperson Donnagh Gregson stated, “The Gathering Ireland 2013 is Ireland’s biggest tourism initiative, providing an opportunity for those with ancestral links or an affinity to Ireland to play a part in and benefit from our economic recovery. The people of Clare are certainly playing their part and I wish to congratulate the scores of community groups, clubs, organisations and individuals across Clare for contributing to one of the country’s most ­comprehensive, diverse and exciting calendar of events for The Gathering.”

Some of the highlights of The Gathering Clare 2013 include The Concertina Cruinniú  in Miltown Malbay (February 8-10); Ennis Phoenix Twinning 25th Anniversary (March 15–22); Ennis Book Club Festival (March 1-3); Sets By The Sea in Spanish Point (March 8-10); Gathering the Scattering in Ennis (April 4-6); Gathering of High Nelly Bikes in Bunratty (April 27-28); The Burren Tolkien Symposium (May 9-16); Drumdigus National School Reunion (May 31); Boston Meets Boston (June 1-2 ); Ennis Roots Weekend (June 21-23); Welcoming Clare’s/Claire’s to Clare in Ennis (June 23); Féile Chnoc na Gaoithe in Tulla (June 28-30); Clarecastle Village Gathering 2013 (July 12-22); Scattery Island Reunion (July 12–14); Therapeutic effects of Irish Set Dancing in the treatment of ­Parkinson’s Disease Conference in Feakle (August 5-11); St Patrick’s ­Comprehensive 30-Year School Reunion in Shannon (August 10); Tulla Week Of Welcomes (August 17-25); Guinness Book of Records attempt for Largest Outdoor Traditional Music Event in Kilfenora (September 22) and A Centenary of Conradh na Gaeilge Inis (November 18-24).

The Gathering Clare 2013 Festivals and Events guide also will be available at the expo on the day.