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CLARE harpers Aisling Lyons and Paul Dooley will be performing as part of the Harps Alive | An Chruit Bheo | Harps Leevin festival in Belfast this weekend. Known as one of the finest musicians in traditional music, Aisling Lyons is a multi-award winning musician and composer. With performances all around the globe and eight All-Ireland titles under her belt, Aisling is the current harp tutor at the University of Limerick and University College Cork. Aisling will be one of fifteen harpers to perform at the Commemorative Concert on Saturday, July 16; a recreation of the Belfast Harpers Assembly 230 years ago. Early Irish harp maker and musician, Paul Dooley is a leading exponent of the Irish harp in its traditional form and style. After studying the construction of medieval Irish harps in the 1980s, Paul’s performing career began in 1986 and has since continued to flourish. Specialising in traditional Irish dance music, a difficult genre from the harp, Paul …

‘A time of change for Clare GAA’ provided equal measures of excitement and trepidation amongst delegates at the July County Board meeting in Caherlohan, Tulla this week. With outgoing full-time secretary Pat Fitzgerald opting to sidestep the ‘fuss’ and fanfare of his final county board meeting following his departure after 32 consecutive years, a new chapter for Clare GAA has consequently been accelerated much faster than originally anticipated. Based upon the Saffron & Blue Strategic Plan, a full-time COO (Chief Operating Officer) will supersede Fitzgerald’s role while the complimentary position of secretary will revert to being a voluntary appointment. With the deadline for applications exhausted last Friday, Clare GAA Chairman Kieran Keating revealed that 16 people have applied for the prestigious post, with the process now in the hands of Croke Park to sift through the eligibility of the candidates and produce a shortlist for interview. The interview process will be carried out by a committee comprised of two from …

A US-BASED aircraft charter company has sent some flights through Shannon due to issues at Dublin, but is disappointed that even more can’t be accommodated at the Clare airport. Peter Le Bas, the CEO of California-based Le Bas International, was himself based in Shannon for a number of years. He said that while some planes that had been due to go through Dublin are going to Shannon, he is disappointed that even more can’t use the airport. “We’ve got a couple of flights coming into Shannon this Saturday, we would have had six into Shannon if we could, but they could only handle two of the six, which was a shame really. Kerry Airport handled the majority of them. “It was a bit of a shock for us that we couldn’t get into Dublin originally, it was the first time in 32 years to book a flight into the handling of an airport in advance and you just don’t get …

A CLARE man has been appointed to the board of Ireland’s largest youth organisation. Kilnaboy’s Seán Roche moves to the top table of Youth Work Ireland after 43 years of voluntary service to Clare Youth Service and Kilnaboy Youth Club. Youth Work Ireland comprises nationwide youth services from Donegal to Cork and a national office that works together to support, empower and educate young people through the delivery of best practice youth work services.  Seán has represented the voice and experience of rural youth clubs within Clare for many years and CEO of Clare Youth Service Margaret Slattery said his move to the national forum will be very positive. “This is a significant appointment for Clare. Seán is a strong voice representing the experience and challenges of rural youth services  and their importance to the health of the community and wellbeing of young people especially those who are rurally or socially isolated,” said Ms Slattery. “I know that he will bring …

The Cliffs of Moher Experience has announced a partnership with J.J. Corry Irish Whiskey to create a new series of Irish whiskeys finished in sherry casks in the iconic O’Brien’s Tower. Clare-based J.J. Corry has selected single malt, pot still and single grain whiskeys from around the island of Ireland to mature within the tower, which was built by Sir Cornelius O’Brien on the edge of the world-famous cliffs in 1835. Working with partner Cooper Casknolia and Bodegas in Montilla & Jerez, the casks have been seasoned for over 18 months before being filled with J. J. Corry whiskey. They will end their maturation process with the wild Atlantic Ocean breeze in O Brien’s Tower and the whiskeys will be released as a series of bottlings later this year. “As custodians of the Cliffs of Moher we are proud to continue the longstanding tradition of supporting local suppliers, dispersing economic benefit and meeting our sustainability goals” explained Geraldine Enright, Director …

AN Ennis patient advocate has won a MACE Unsung Heroes Sports, Health and Wellbeing Award in recognition of her tireless work on behalf of the diabetes community in the Mid-West. In total, MACE presented five category Unsung Heroes Community awards, including the award to Gráinne Flynn, with each individual category winner being rewarded with cheques for €1,000. Each winner was contacted personally by Johnny Sexton to inform them of their win. Ms Flynn runs a number of peer support groups, to allow those with diabetes to chat to another person going through the same issues. She has also campaigned tirelessly for better services for those with diabetes. She is thrilled with the award and so humbled to have been nominated by her friend Aisling White from the Midwest Diabetes Group. “I have been volunteering with Diabetes Ireland since 2007 and the Midwest Diabetes Advocacy Group formed through this when members of the community based in Clare and Limerick reached out …

THE GAA has been urged to “change the record,” after criticism of recent renditions of the National Anthem at big match days in Cusack Park.  Ahead of some of the Championship encounters, Councillors Mary Howard, Alan O’Callaghan and Donna McGettigan heard what was described as “a scratchy tape” playing ‘Amhrán na bhFiann’. At the July Council meeting, the trio condemned the sound of “scratching and tearing,” which they said was ruining the build up to big games. They expressed a preference for “local bands like Ennis Brass Band or the Tulla Pipe Band,” and asked that the Council would approach the GAA about the matter.  “In 1995, Anthony Daly said, ‘We love our trad music, but we love our hurling as well’,” outlined Councillor Howard. “I am hugely proud of National Anthem and I get very emotional when I hear it. It’s very important to all of us. On May 15, when Clare met Limerick, the National Anthem was played …

A SOUTH Galway community is set to revive its Showband heritage next weekend with a festival that will help raise funds for the local GAA club. In the 1950s and 60s, the village of Ballinderreen in Galway was a firm fixture on touring maps for the showbands who travelled the length and breadth of the country. The inaugural South Galway Bay Music Festival aims to revive that spirit over the weekend of July 22-24. Organisers are inviting one and all to gather together to celebrate music and dance at the festival hosted by Ballinderreen GAA Club with fully licenced bar and food stalls to run over three days. Anyone worried about missing the All-Ireland final can rest easy as the match will be shown on the big screen the all Ireland match can be viewed on a big screen… and celebrations (hopefully) will take place with Galway man Mike Denver on stage at 5. Headline acts include the very biggest …