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Clare’s minors will be hoping to bridge a 26-year gap on Sunday as 1997 was the year that the first and only All-Ireland minor title came to the county. Joe Ó Muircheartaigh recalls the win from the most famous day in Clare hurling history. We’ve heard it before but we’ll say again: when explaining away the fortunes of a team, if you go back far enough you’ll always find that their darkest hour comes before the dawn of greater days. It can be said of Brian O’Connell’s minor team of the past two years that had the legacy of the 40-point defeat to Cork in 2021 hanging over them until it didn’t and at once they started out on a journey that has led to Sunday’s All-Ireland final. It can be said of the last Clare team to reach an All-Ireland minor final – the 2010 team that in the words of joint-manager Gerry O’Connor were “a beaten docket” in …

In what has been an epic minor season to date, two of Clare’s standout performers have been Eoghan Gunning and James Hegarty, who apart from their primary role as defenders have made important contributions to the scorecard writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh who spoke to them ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland final. To borrow the vernacular of a different GAA time, they’re real tearaways, with a cut and dash about them that lifts those around them on the field – the team and its performance and the watching public riding along with every ebb and flow of the proceedings before them. Corner-back and captain Eoghan Gunning; centre-back and every bit the leader that his captain is, James Hegarty. Second-year minors and driving forces from deep in Clare push to win the Irish Press Cup for only the second time. They weren’t born the first time it happened, while the last time a Clare minor team reached the All-Ireland final frontier in 2010, …

With national discussions surrounding the balance between enjoyment as opposed to winning at underage level, Clare’s minor side have struck the perfect balance. That’s certainly the opinion of Clare selector Ger Hickey as he states that the freedom the players are given has helped forge this group in to All Ireland contenders. “We give them the freedom to express themselves. We do have tactics and we monitor their workload but they still have that freedom to make decisions. Everything we do is player led. They get to express themselves on the field and in training.” “They have great groundings with their club and school. We have seen Scariff (Community College), St. Joseph’s Tulla, Flannan’s and Ardscoil Rís all enjoy success. They have the freedom to go out and play while the bonus is that they have won Munster and hopefully will win an All Ireland.” Hickey was in charge of Clare’s Celtic Challenge side last year and since becoming involved …

  Tributes have been paid to an “exceptionally talented” Limerick soccer player who died following a jet ski incident south of Killaloe bridge on Wednesday evening. Wassiou Ayawe has been described as a very skilful Limerick FC underage soccer player who was blessed with an infectious smile and happy demeanour. The young man was recovered by the Killaloe Ballina Search and Recovery Dive Unit at 6.45pm and was pronounced dead at the scene following a multi-agency response involving emergency services. Following early enquiries, An Garda Síochána are currently treating this matter as a tragic accident. Councillor Tony O’Brien, who is chairman of the Killaloe Ballina Search and Recovery Unit, said there was a great sense of shock in Killaloe and Ballina when news emerged on Wednesday evening that a young person had lost his life. “His death brought a dark cloud over the area last night. He came out to enjoy the amenities of the river and lost his life …

BACK in 1934 and 1935 three lifelong friends were born in Mullagh, Patrick Clancy, Joe Sexton and Pat Sexton (also known as Paddy Jim Dan). Many years ago Joe moved to England, Pat setted in Canada, while Patrick has lived all his life in the area where they grew up. Despite the distances between them, the three have managed to remain in contact and have all been in Mullagh this week, with Joe and Pat meeting up in person for the first time in 54 years. The trio met with the Clare Champion at their alma mater, Mullagh National School on Tuesday afternoon. Asked what school was like when they attended in the 1940s, two of the three, Pat and Joe answer in unison. “Tough,” as they recall the daily hardships of school life in their childhood. However all three remember having a teacher called Mrs O’Connell who they say was a lovely woman, while Patrick recalled taking drastic action …

THE fine weather has taken its toll on the water supply in North Clare with residents in Ennistymon, Lahinch, Fanore, Kilfenora and Ballyvaughan asked to conserve water in the days ahead. According to Uisce Éireann, some water supply schemes across the north of the county are currently experiencing water shortages and reduced pressure due to low reservoir levels brought about by the high demand for water and the ongoing low rainfall levels. “We are appealing to customers to conserve water to give the reservoirs time to replenish. We have had a very dry period and with the warmer weather currently being experienced and more forecast, supplies will come under further pressure,” said Duane O’Brien, regionals lead for Uisce Éireann. “Any reduction that customers can make in their usage can collectively result in significant supply improvements for all customers. I would ask that everyone in these areas, and in Clare in general, play their part to help conserve water this summer. …

UL Hospitals Group and HSE Mid West Community Healthcare have asked the public in the region to know their available healthcare options ahead of the forthcoming Bank Holiday Weekend. With the Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick open for emergency care, and treatment available for less acute conditions in the Injury Units and Medical Assessment Units at the region’s Model 2 hospitals, ULHG and Mid West Community Healthcare (MWCH) have rostered additional staff to ensure patient flow and access is maximised across the long weekend. Over the coming days, standard acute hospital care pathways at the ED and injury units will be supported by an expansion of Community Intervention Team services to run 8am-8pm over the weekend, to ensure timely access through GP out-of-hours referral and improve hospital avoidance, and maximise discharges and transfers. An additional complement of triage staff will support UL Hospitals Group efforts to reduce time between presentation and discharge or the decision to admit. Additional staff …

CLARE County Council this week signed a contract with Lambert Smith Hampton to undertake an in-depth review of the Clare-based assets of Shannon Heritage. The property condition survey of Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Craggaunowen Bronze Age Park, Knappogue Castle and Gardens, and the retail unit at the Cliffs of Moher Experience will guide all future investment in maintenance, remedial and conservation works at the sites. The results of the technical audit will be presented to the local authority before the end of the year. “In order to commence our programme of investment in the assets, it is of critical importance that a detailed technical audit be carried out to determine the scale and nature of appropriate repairs and retrofitting measures that may be required,” said Pat Dowling, Chief Executive of Clare County Council. “Clare County Council is committed to investing in the future development of these sites for the benefit of the tourism sector and the wider economy, as …