Book of condolences opened for victims of Norwegian attacks

The Mayor of Clare has opened a book of condolences in memory of those killed in last week’s attacks in Oslo and has called on the people of Clare to show their solidarity with the citizens of Norway.

Mayor Pat Hayes officially opened the book at Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis, on Tuesday, which he said would be a means to allow the public in Clare to pass on their sympathies to the people to Oslo.
“The attacks in Norway have once again served to remind us of the dangers posed to society by extremism. It is important that we pledge our solidarity with our European neighbours in their hour of need. My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by these attacks,” Mayor Hayes stated.
Indeed in the mayor’s own locality, a group of young East Clare musicians recently visited Oslo as part of a youth exchange organised by musician Mary MacNamara. As part of this programme, a return visit is planned next week by a group of 22 youths from Oslo. The contingent of musicians are aged 15 to 21 and will arrive on Monday where they will spend almost a week in East Clare attending workshops, classes and they are due to perform a concert during the Feakle festival.
One of the organisers of this event Paula Carroll, explained that her own 13-year-old daughter attended the exchange in Oslo and she said this “makes what happened all the more real”, for her and her daughter.
It is the first time this group of East Clare musicians have had an exchange programme with Norway, although they have participated in similar exchange programmes in the past. This particular project came about after a Norwegian man came to the Feakle festival last year and having met and chatted with Mary MacNamara about the idea of running an exchange, they successfully got funding to run it this year. 
Speaking about this, Mayor Hayes said the opening of a book of condolences was “the right thing to do” and that as this was associated with a political gathering, all people in political life sympathised with the people of Norway.
The book of condolences is available for signing at Áras Contae an Chláir in Ennis, and will remain open from 9am to 5pm each day up to and including Friday, August 5.