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CLARE Youth Service recently hosted its first online information session for parents/guardians on the topic of LGBTI+ awareness. The event was run in conjunction with GOSHH (Gender, Orientation, Sexual Health, HIV) and, in response to demand, there will be an additional session on November 3. Brian McManus of CYS said the level of enquiries and social media sharing about the first session led to the organisation of an additional event. “Feedback from participants indicated that the information and format along with the friendly and non-judgemental style of facilitation had been much appreciated by participants,” said Brian. “One parent indicated that they felt relieved after attending the session, realising that other parents had experienced similar feelings and reactions. Another felt it clarified terms that they had heard used by their teenager and their friends.” The presentation included topics such as terminology associated with the LGBTI+ community, background information on issues and challenges for young LGBTI+ people, how to support a young …

Between hurling and football, St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield are contesting their fourth Intermediate Championship Final in six seasons in Cusack Park on Sunday when taking on Smith O’Brien’s for the Paddy Browne Cup. With two senior sides dropping down next year, promotion is almost a necessity for the club’s development according to manager Michael Guilfoyle who spoke with Eoin Brennan this week. Michael Guilfoyle has been down this road before. Part of the management team that ensured that his native Feakle bounced straight back up to senior level in 2018 following a shock relegation the previous summer, the former county star sees a similar unquenchable thirst in his current crop of players and of course the entire St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield club. “A club this size has to be up senior but have found it hard to get back there. For example [my son] Brian has been playing adult since 2013 and he has played four years at intermediate and four years …

Killaloe have always had a healthy rivalry with Tipperary, with only the Shannon separating the town from nearest neighbours Ballina. Most famously depicted with memorable photos on the bridge ahead of the then novel All-Munster All-Ireland Final between Clare and Tipperary in 1997, there has always been no shortage of craic and banter from both sides on the divide. That relationship could change on Sunday if Tipperary native Tony Gleeson can work the oracle of delivering an Intermediate hurling crown for Smith O’Brien’s in what is only the club’s second ever decider. The Burgess clubman, who has been coaching at adult level since his teenage years is in his second coming for the Killaloe-Bridgetown based side, having coached them in 2018 and ’19 before taking a break to finish his masters degree last year. However, the fact that he was so eager to come back on board as manager is a statement in itself of the potential that he sees …

Reluctant autobiographer Marty Morrissey tells Owen Ryan once he began his memoir, the words just flowed WHEN one looks at the great moments from Clare’s sporting history, Marty Morrissey keeps popping up. Famously quipping that a cow wouldn’t be milked in the county for a week in 1992, the ‘We’re going to do it” moment with Loughnane in ‘95, roaring ‘Holy Moses’ as Domhnall O’Donovan levelled the 2013 drawn All-Ireland. Now 62, Marty has penned an autobiography ‘It’s Marty’, and given that he has made his name as a sports broadcaster there is plenty of that sort of material, but he says it’s really for the wider audience. “It’s not really a sports book, there’s obviously GAA in it, but there’s more than that, it has a broad spectrum I would like to think. I would hope that people enjoy the stories, enjoy my journey to where I am, have a few laughs along the way.” A Marty autobiography was …

GARDAÍ have issued an appeal for witnesses to a fatal collision on the N18 at Cratloekeel to come forward. The single vehicle road traffic collision occurred at approximately 11.55am today (Saturday, October 30). The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle involved, a man in his 40s, sustained serious injuries and was taken to Limerick University Hospital where he later passed away. A post-mortem examination will be conducted at a later date. The N18 at Cratloekeel between Junction 5 Cratloe and Junction 4 Limerick is currently closed as Forensic Collision Investigators conduct an examination of the scene. Local diversions are in place. Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to this collision to come forward, in particular, any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling on the N18 at Cratloekeel between 11.45am and 12pm are asked to make this footage available to Gardaí. Anyone with information is asked to contact Henry Street Garda Station on 061 …

Intermediate Hurling Final Smith O’Brien’s v St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield at Cusack Park, Sunday 2.45pm The spoils will be divided between trick or treat on Sunday when arguably the most important intermediate final since 2014 will finally be decided. Considering the calibre of the teams embroiled in the senior relegation series in which Clarecastle, Clooney-Quin, Crusheen and O’Callaghan’s Mills have all contested top flight semi-finals in the past seven seasons and the last three have reached a county senior final in that time, there are two major sides set to come down to intermediate level which only heightens the necessity for either St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield or Smith O’Brien’s to seize their timely opportunity this Sunday. Overall, it’s definitely not outlandish to suggest that the Parish are better equipped to not only go up but stay up such is the strength of the squad and the continuous conveyor belt of underage talent who have been playing at the highest level. Equally as …

Senior Ladies Football Championship Semi-Finals Kilmihil v St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield at Hennessy Memorial Park, Sunday 12pm (Michael Talty, Kilmurry Ibrickane) EXPERIENCE was the key separator when the sides clashed in Kilmihil at the start of October as the hosts weathered the storm to eventually carve out a 3-8 to 1-6 victory over the Parish. With a perfect championship record under their belts before coming up against champions Banner Ladies in a sobering group decider a fortnight ago, Kilmihil have managed to hone their side and blend the likes of exciting talent Edel McNamara into their established core of Ellie O’Gorman, Becky Mahon, Laura Egan, Micaela Glynn, Rosie Currane, Dervla Higgins and Catriona Callinan. That consistency is something that St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield have struggled to match but their arduous dual commitments of having to play two senior championship ties in the same weekend certainly would have played a part in that. With the camogie side out of the running, the Parish’s …

A slick moving Clonlara side had too much all over the field for Scariff and set up a meeting with Feakle next weekend as the Senior B holders never once look troubled against the 2020 Intermediate champions in Sixmilebridge on Friday night.   Clonlara displayed greater pace and precision in passing with Cathal O’Connell totally at ease in a loose role in the half forward operating as conductor of proceedings.   In a game that required Scariff avoid wastage of scoring chances, they sent half a dozen eminently scorable first half chances abegging. Kieran Galvin and Cathal O’Connell with a dozen scores once again led in the scoring stakes had the opening scores before Martin Cunningham responded for Scariff. Micheal Stritch, Ian Galvin, and Kieran Galvin added to their sides tally before Pat Crotty and Sean Minogue hit back by the 10th minute.  Pat Ryan set up Conor McNamara for the first goal after 12 minutes to level matters, however this only kickstarted …