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It promised to be a great occasion. The renewal of a rivalry that has seen few battles between these sides at this grade saw a well regarded Galway outfit and a Clare side hurting from Munster final anguish lock horns. With a healthy crowd on an ideal afternoon for hurling the stage was set for a ferocious contest. Considering this was just the fifth time Clare and Galway have met in the Minor Championship this century, all indications before throw-in was that this was going to be a rip-roaring battle between two counties with eyes on putting one foot in the knockout stages. Instead, Clare struggled with all aspects of the game as they fired nine points and 15 wides during the hour of hurling. By contrast Galway notched 0-25 and just 10 wides as Fergal Healy’s side blitzed their opponents. Aside from a 10 minute spell in the second quarter where Clare outscored their opponents by 0-6 to 0-3, …

A Transition Year (TY) student has scooped work experience with Irish celebrity chef television personality Neven Maguire after winning the Shannon Region Junior Chef of the Year 2022 competition. One student finalist was selected from four schools across the region to represent their school in a two-hour live culinary grand final in the Limerick Strand Hotel kitchen. Gráinne Scullane, a TY student from St Anne’s Community College, Killaloe was the overall competition winner and received the first place gold medal. She won a €250 Good Food Ireland voucher that can be spent in hotels around Ireland, a one4all voucher, a fresh fruit and vegetable voucher and a signed copy of Nevin Maguire’s latest cookbook. After sending a thank you message to Mr Maguire, Gráinne was taken aback when he replied, offering her a golden opportunity to work with him in his internationally renowned restaurant in Cavan for a few days. In an interview with The Clare Champion, Gráinne recalled her …

THE number of confirmed Covid-19 PCR cases in Clare is edging closer to 40,000, new figures have revealed. In total, there were 39,500 confirmed PCR cases in the Banner County on Wednesday, May 25, following 20 new diagnoses the day before. Allowing for people who have caught the virus twice, this means around one in three people in Clare have had Covid. There were 247 PCR cases in the Banner county over the last two weeks and the 14-day incidence in the county per 100,000 is 207.9% These latest figures only include PCR confirmed cases of Covid-19 and don’t include those who register online with a positive antigen test. Four out of the five electoral areas had a 14-day incidence rate that was higher than the national average of 209.60% from May 3 to May 16. There were 65 cases in the Kilrush Electoral Area, which translated into an LEA rate of 309. The number of confirmed PCR cases was …

WORK is expected to get underway this week on a long-awaited playground for communities in South-East Clare. The facility will serve the communities of Westbury, Shannon Banks, Carraig Midhe, Parteen, Ardnacrusha and beyond This follows representations by Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey to the Rural Development Directorate of Clare County Council who informed him that a resolution has been reached on a series of issues relating to the site of the new facility. Commenting the background, Deputy Carey said that €92,500 was allocated from the Hinterland fund six years ago to develop recreational services in areas of Clare that bordered Limerick City. Matching funding from Clare County Council brought the total up to €185,000 and a number of potential sites were considered as possible locations for a playground to serve the local communities. “Following the scoping of these sites and the elimination of some proposed locations, a playground committee made up of local community members was formed and they …

As part of the Cusack 175 programme, the Michael Cusack Centre is running traditional hurley making workshops this Friday. ‘Camán to the Burren’ is a 45 minute traditional hurley making demonstration which will b delivered this Friday from 1-4pm by Aidan Cuddihy of Mac Coda Hurleys (Inagh). Further workshops will be delivered on the first Friday afternoon of each month to October 2022. Given there is a Munster Hurling final featuring the Banner this weekend and this is the home of the founder of the GAA, it is an appropriate time to explore the art and craft of hurley making.

PLANS to develop lands on the County Clare side of its campus as an Economic Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) are advancing, according to Minister Simon Harris. The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science was asked by Deputy Cathal Crowe for an update on the University of Limerick’s (UL) plans for the portion of its campus which is located in Clare.  Minister Harris, who visited UL last week, said that while his department doesn’t have direct role in the project, meetings have been taking place between the university, Clare County Council and relevant government officials.  “UL has indicated that, as part of its future campus planning, it is advancing an application for the designation of lands on the County Clare side of its campus as an Economic Strategic Development Zone or SDZ,” the minister said. “UL has indicated to my Department that it sees potential for new and innovative models of teaching and learning through designation of …

SPORTING organisations in Clare are to benefit to the tune of €216,550 in government funding through sports capital appeals. The village of Newmarket-on-Fergus fares particularly well with €80,837.81 going to the local GAA club for its Cora Caitlin GAA Renovation Project. Meanwhile €56,073.39 goes to Newmarket-on-Fergus school board of management for the development of an artificial playing surface. Some €50,122.35 has been granted to the Russell Cultural Centre Doolin for the refurbishment of Doolin Community Centre Sports Hall for Multi-Sport purposes. Finally €29,515.70 goes to Lifford Oldtown FC for the development of a synthetic training area for soccer. Welcoming the news, Senator Roisin Garvey said, “Thanks to Green Party Minister for Sport Catherine Martin for supporting the sports capital appeals of these Clare groups and providing €216,550 in Sports Capital funding for Clare Sport.

A NEWLY filed financial statement for Lahinch Seaworld showed that while it had significant liabilities, its €6 million redevelopment should lead to an improvement in fortunes. The statement indicates that the upgrade “will result in increased revenue and improved profitability and cashflow over the coming years”. While there was a profit in 2020, it barely put a dent in the liabilities faced. The financial statement read, “The Company recorded a profit of €3,131 (2019: loss €20,720) during the financial period ended 31 December 2020 and at that date, had net current liabilities and net liabilities of €1,349,140 (2019: €643,131) and €417,485 (2019: €420,616) respectively.” The statement said that Clare County Council had provided vital support to help with the redevelopment. “The directors note that in February 2019, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund approved funding for the ‘Lahinch Seaworld and Town Upgrade Project’. “The project is for a substantial upgrade of the seaworld building and associated public realm works in …