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AN Ennis homelessness campaigner has said she has been helping working families who are being forced to make the choice between paying for their rent or mortgage and food, writes Jessica Quinn. Josie O’Brien was speaking to the Clare Champion ahead of next month’s ‘Clare Easter Concert’ in glór with funds raised being used to support local people in need and the homeless community. The concert takes place on April 21 with Luka Bloom headlining, and follows the cancellation of two planned Christmas concerts due to Covid-19. According to Josie the numbers of struggling people looking for help is rising all the time. “It’s awful, and it’s just continuous, there is definitely more of a need out there. I know people who are actually working and they have to make a choice between paying their mortgage or rent which is going up or buying food for their families. I help them as much as I can by giving them food …

PLANS have been unveiled to transform St Flannan’s Cathedral, Killaloe into a major new community arts and music venue with the projected expenditure of an estimated €500,000 over the next year, writes Dan Danaher. The upgrading of this iconic 13th century building has been described as an “amazing project” by a local conservation architect. Vestry representative, Jonathan Harper, who is a construction quantity surveyor, recalled architectural historian, Dr Judith Hill and Conor Hourigan of Drake Hourigan Architects were appointed to complete a comprehensive conservation plan for development works at the cathedral. This sets out the history of the building and previous renovations and will help the Vestry prioritise a series of renovations over the next five and ten years, subject to funding. Clare County Council assisted the Vestry Committee by processing an application that resulted in the allocation of €50,000 from the Historic Structures’ Fund from the Heritage Section of the Department of the Environment. Former council conservation officer, Dick …

A NEW national policy focused on promoting the vibrancy of town centres should be “a top line priority for everyone in the West Clare District”. That’s the view of the district Cathaoirleach, Councillor Cillian Murphy, who has asked that town teams be supported to represent their areas and drawn down government funding and support. The Town Centre First Policy was unveiled last month by the Department of Housing and outlines a number of actions to promote urban centres through the appointment of Town Regeneration Officers, investment, and training for town teams. Councillor Murphy noted that the name of the policy was “quite misleading”. “This applies to all of our towns and villages,” he said. “The policy will prove to be the single most important document for the sustainability and viability of rural towns.” He said that given that the policy refers to the role of town teams, there might be an opportunity for an early roll out of this element …

The highlight of the jumps racing calendar takes place this week and prominent Clare racing personalities tell Michael Duggan about their main fancies John Costello (Newmarket-on-Fergus trainer) – “I fancy Nicky Henderson’s I Am Maximus if he gets into the Coral Cup. He had a great run when second (only beaten two lengths) to Hillcrest at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. Hillcrest is now rated 148, I Am Maximus is 134, I think he’s very well handicapped on that form.  Neil Casey (Clarecastle bookmaker) – “I’m a big Bob Olinger fan. He won over hurdles at the meeting 12 months ago and his two wins over fences this season have been impressive. He faces a strong field in the Turners Novices’ Chase, but I think he’ll win. I give Onetheropes a big each-way shout at a decent price in the National Hunt Chase too.” Grainne O’Connor (Tubber trainer) – “My best bet for the Festival is Alaphilippe in the Pertemps …

Quin will be hopping if Galvin wins steeplechasing’s blue riband, writes Michael Duggan who speaks to the breeders of the horse WHEN close friends Sean O’Brien and Gay O’Gara, decided to breed from their Galway Festival-winning mare, Burren Moonshine, neither in their wildest dreams would have predicted that, one day, one of her offspring, Galvin, would be a leading contender for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Both now living in Quin – O’Brien is a Tyrone native, while O’Gara’s roots are from rural County Roscommon – the pair are fiercely proud that a horse they jointly bred is fancied in such an historic and iconic race. Chatting to the Clare Champion ahead of Friday week’s showpiece, O’Gara said: “Obviously, we weren’t thinking in terms of the Gold Cup, but I knew Galvin was special right from the word go. “I lunged him at home before he went to the sales and, even then, there was something about him that stood out. …

THE tenth hurling book by Ollie Byrnes is a homage to Ruan’s Jimmy Smyth, one of the greatest hurlers of all time. A Hurling Life deals with, St. Flannan’s college, Ruan, Clare and Munster hurling teams covering the years 1947-1971.  During Smyth’s time, Ruan hurling club had two great eras, 1948-1952 and 1959-1962. In 1958, they produced a strong minor team which lost to a Denis Henry-inspired St. Joseph’s in the county minor final by 5-5 to 3-5. However the Ruan seniors got at least 10 players from this team, which was a great return. Though Ruan had an indifferent Clare Champion cup (league) run in 1958/1959, they came good in the championship beating Eire Óg, the favourites, in the final.  This was Ruan’s first senior championship title since 1951, and as well captaining the team, Jimmy Smyth was also a manager, selector, trainer and he demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities.  In 1995 speaking to Ollie Byrnes, Smyth recalled:“The Eire Óg …

A motorcyclist has died in a road traffic collision in Clare. The incident occurred at around 4.15pm in the northbound lanes of the N18 dual-carriageway between the junctions at Bunratty and Sixmilebridge. It’s understood the a motorcycle collided with the a car travelling in the same direction. Units of Clare County Fire Rescue Service from Shannon station responded to the incident along with National Ambulance Service resources and Gardaí. Additional units of the fire service from Ennis station were also sent to the scene. Efforts to resuscitate the injured man were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The N18 northbound has been closed at junction 6 and traffic is being diverted away from the area. It’s expected that the road will remain closed for the next number of hours at least and possibly overnight until a forensic collision investigation has been completed. Gardaí at Shannon are investigating the circumstances of the incident and are appealing to anyone …

Michael Duggan catches up with one of the top amateurs in the game ahead of his return to Cheltenham this week DEREK O’Connor missed out on last year’s Cheltenham Festival due to amateur riders not being allowed to compete at the behind-closed-doors meeting. That surely will make the Tubber man’s return to Cheltenham next week all the sweeter, where he will have a few very fancied rides. O’Connor has enjoyed a terrific career, making him a household name in racing circles on both sides of the Irish Sea. Over 1,200 point-to-point winners makes him the winning-most rider of all time between the flags. A memorable success aboard Joseph O’Brien’s Edwulf in the 2019 Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown, meanwhile, is another standout moment on his glittering CV. In recent times, the 39-year-old has set up base at Fiddaun on the Clare/Galway border where his busy life sees him combine his role as an agent for leading sales company Goffs UK, …