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THE man who managed Ireland to their first Nations Cup victory in seven years at the RDS Dublin Horse Show last month was accorded a hero’s welcome as he brought the world renowned Aga Khan trophy home to Tuamgraney on Wednesday evening. Michael Blake was lauded by senior officials from the RDS and Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) for the key role he played as Chef d’Équipe in leading Team Ireland to victory in the prestigious showjumping event. This coveted show jumping trophy was presented to, Michael, and his team, by President Michael D Higgins in August. It followed a nail-biting jump-off against France in front of a capacity audience at the RDS. This thrilling victory ensured the return of the Aga Khan Cup to Ireland after a seven-year gap. Michael was joined by two members of Team Ireland – Tipperary’s Max Wachman and Meath’s Cian O’Connor. Hundreds of spectators packed the East Clare Memorial Park, with many watching from outside …

A BRAND new festival with a vision to create engaging, inclusive and innovative participatory art projects will take place in Ennis in October. PIMA! Fest, (Participate in Music and Arts) is produced by Music Generation Clare in association with glór and local community partners and artists and will be held from October 15 to 16. In times of great challenge a wave of creative outpouring emerges in society and as participatory arts takes a more significant role in the arts globally, Music Generation Clare sees an opportunity to contribute to the development of this emerging space with the creation of a new annual festival for Ennis and County Clare. Speaking ahead of PIMA! FEST said, “We started developing the concept of PIMA! Fest in early 2021, when we saw on the horizon a great need for communities to be together again in a meaningful way, in particular opportunities for our young musicians to play together and collaborate on projects together. …

AN Ennis soccer club has kicked off a new initiative with the goal of highlighting the services of the Samaritans in Clare. Fair Green Celtic Football Club have teamed up with the Samaritans of Ennis and Clare in a project which is thought to be a first for any team in the Clare District Soccer League, and they are hoping that others will follow their lead. Part of the initiative sees the phone number to contact the Samaritans printed on the jerseys of the club’s players as a reminder that there is support out there for anybody who needs help. A portion of all money raised from club fundraising has also been pledged to the Samaritans, including from a planned charity match with Ennis’s Soccer Sisters on St Stephen’s Day. Team manager Richie O’Grady explains that when he and club chairman Declan Ryan first discussed the idea of setting up a new club in Ennis they wanted it to be …

A MAN has appeared in court charged in connection with the discovery of a suspected quantity of cocaine in the Inch area last week. Dara Maloney (28) with an address at Drumcliff, Ennis, appeared at Ennis district court this Wednesday on two drugs-related charges. He is charged with possession of cocaine and possession of cocaine for the purposes of sale or supply. Both charges arise from the seizure by gardaí of a quantity of suspected drugs in Magowna on the outskirts of Ennis on September 9. A further, more serious, drug-related charge may be brought against the accused, the court heard. Detective Garda Seán O’Sullivan of Ennis garda station told the court that he arrested Maloney in Magowna on September 9 on suspicion of an offence contrary to the misuse of drugs act. The court heard the accused was charged at Ennis garda station on September 10. Maloney made no reply to the charges after caution. Defence solicitor Daragh Hassett …

Clooney’s Deirdre Murphy has been appointed as Head of Operations with Clare GAA. She will take up the role in the middle of October. In an interview with The Clare Champion, County Board Chairman Kieran Keating stated that Murphy’s previous experience both outside and within the county made her stand out from the rest of the field. “I suppose her experience and background makes her ideal for this type of role. Her work with the Camogie Association and UL speaks for itself while her natural ability on the field with Clare is well known. She knows Gaelic Games very well and has served a number of roles that have enhanced her knowledge of the games and business side.” There was an initial field of 16 candidates for the role which over time was whittled down to the final three. Keating insists there was strong competition for the role and candidates from a wide variety of disciplines interested in this position. …

TWO local cancer charities have benefited from an epic cycle undertaken recently by members of a Clare cycling club. On the last Saturday in August, members of Riverside Cycling Club Ennistymon undertook the huge challenge of cycling from their home town all the way to Croagh Patrick in Westport, Co Mayo. As if the total distance of around 175km wasn’t enough, the group then went on to climb Croagh Patrick in the same day. All this was in aid of some very worthy local cancer care charities – Cancer Care West, and Sláinte an Chláir, that have greatly helped some of the club’s past and present members. One member in particular had a very important and relative story to tell to highlight his appreciation for both organisations with his recent health scare in 2020. Tony Shannon spoke very candidly in advance of the event on Clare FM about his own struggle with receiving the bad news that he had prostrate …

ENNIS Cathedral Choir Director Fiona Walsh is hopeful a new musical programme launched this month will strike the right note when it comes to reinvigorating cathedral choral singing. The new Ennis Cathedral programme offers singing opportunities for youngsters, teenagers and adults with Fiona telling us, “We are really trying to elevate the music in the Cathedral and to attract people who really enjoy singing and give them an opportunity to get involved.” She adds, “A huge amount of choirs couldn’t really operate during Covid, we had music at the Cathedral but this is a way for us to get people back singing together.” Part of the new programme will be monthly performances at a special Sunday mass of music by the great church composers Mozart, Mozart, Gounod, Hadyn and Jenkins. Singers interested in joining the choir in delivering this programme are being encouraged to get involved. The adult choir is also actively recruiting 20 male and female teenage voices from …

AN IMMERSIVE and powerful experience of drumming and percussion is on offer to young people at Glor on next month. Percussion virtuosos, Bangers and Crash, will bring their global palette of rhythmic influences, from Afro-Cuban and Japanese taiko to Spanish flamenco and Javanese gamelan to Ennis on Sunday, October 16. Bangers and Crash include some of Ireland’s finest percussionists, featuring Alex Petcu-Colan, Emma King, Catríona Frost, Brian Dungan, Patrick Lynch and John Rousseau-Parlane. This is the first event to be announced as part of PIMA Fest! ’22. It will see the six members of Bangers and Crash Percussion Sextet collaborate on a unique immersive concert that invites the public t participate. “We are inviting audiences to enhance the musical experience, to join us at various high points and transitions, adding drama, dynamics, colour and atmosphere to the music,” audience to participate in their music, adding an atmospheric ‘surround sound’ to the concert. said Alex Petcu-Colan. “This is purely optional though. …