Lifestyle

A SHANNON man is preparing for the toughest foot race in the world through the Sahara Desert to raise awareness and funds for sudden adult death syndrome treatment. Matthew Halpin will take on the six-day, 250km Marathon Des Sables through the famous desert where he will potentially face 50 degree temperatures. It’s happening in April and Matthew is doing it to commemorate his late friend Kevin Hayes, and to raise funds for Heart House, which is a free family heart screening clinic at the Mater in Dublin.  Thirty-two years of age, Matthew now works for MeiraGTx and moved back to Shannon last October after a decade in Cork.  Speaking about his late friend Kevin, he says, “I was in college with him in UL, I did industrial chemistry, he did industrial biochemistry. In UL you go on work placement in third year and we were both placed in Eli Lily in Cork, we lived together down there. We really bonded …

Ahead of a special commemoration at Clooney Cemetery at 1pm on Sunday, January 23, at which he will be the guest orator, Dr Tomás Mac Conmara writes about the controversial Civil War executions of Clare republicans, Con McMahon and Paddy Hennessy.   Readers of the Clare Champion on 3rd March 1923 were informed of the outcome of a Clare GAA Convention, held over the previous week. It was announced that the new County Secretary of the GAA in Clare, a position of some significance, was twenty-three-year-old, P.V. Murphy, better known as Vincent, from Knockanimana, outside Ennis. No reference was made to the man he replaced. Five weeks earlier, when it carried a brief report on eleven Anti-Treaty IRA prisoners, executed by the Free State on 20th January, the Clare Champion referred to two men shot in Limerick as ‘C McMahon’ and ‘P. Hennessy’, with no elaboration on their identity. The men, both from Clooney, were IRA Volunteers, Con McMahon and …

THE contribution Clare Youth Service volunteers make to young people in Clare has been celebrated at the recent annual CYS Volunteer Awards. After two years of virtual events CYS were thrilled to be able to hold their annual Volunteer Awards in person with the support of Ei Electronics. The annual Volunteer Awards are a key feature of the Clare Youth Service calendar in which CYS recognise important milestones in the voluntary service of the people upon whom the Service depends. The Volunteer Recognition Pin is awarded across the country to Youth Work Ireland Volunteers who give their time and energy to help and support young people by running youth clubs and schemes, supporting programmes, supporting organisations as advisers, fundraisers and as members of local and national boards. The scheme is based on recognizing length of service through the presentation of pins; Silver for five years and Gold for 10 years. In total there are 222 volunteers currently registered with Clare …

I knew the original plan was to hit Dublin early to get a run on the day, but you know how it is with hoomans and their packing – it was nearly 3.00pm when we finally parked the car. Our first stop was at the live crib, now in St Stephen’s Green, but they were already closing up when we arrived. Despite our pleadings and my howlings, they wouldn’t let us in – the big meanies. My disappointment was eased once we walked around the city, admiring the lights and being admired in my smart raincoat. We repaired to the Galway Bay Brewery Bar for a quick drink before heading to my Dublin pied-à-terre, Dylan Hotel, where we had a lovely dinner and drinks before I settled down for a restful sleep. It felt like only a few short hours later when I was rudely awakened by an alarm and it was still pitch dark outside. As we drove through …

The Cliffs of Moher Experience and two North Clare schools are continuing their Christmas tradition of sending some love to local care home residents. Pupils of Liscannor National School and Mol an Óige Steiner National School in Ennistymon are visiting the residents of St Dominic Savio Nursing Home in Liscannor and Ennistymon Community Hospital to perform Christmas carols and spread some Christmas cheer. The children of Liscannor NS children visited Liscannor Nursing Home last week, while this week children from Mol an Óige Community NS visited Ennistymon Community Hospital. “Christmas is about reaching out with compassion, staying connected and sending love to each other,” says Melanie Lennon, Sales and Marketing Manager, Cliffs of Moher Experience. “This is the third year running that we have undertaken this community initiative with the schools, and it is lovely to see both the children and the residents enjoying it so much.”  The Craft and Gift store (Shannon Heritage) and the Cliffs View Café, operated by Brambles, …

PEOPLE in South-East Clare have been offered a chance to get back in shape after enjoying all the food and treats of the Christmas festivities by participating in a fundraising walk on St Stephen’s Day. The picturesque O’Briensbridge Loop Walk will provide the ideal backdrop for a 7.5 kilometre sponsored walk to Ernagh Bridge and back to the village. Starting at 12pm, donations will be accepted on the day for the upkeep of lovely walks, which were reopened recently thanks to members of the O’Briensbridge Montpelier Community Group. Refreshments will be provided in Bonner’s Bar after the walk. The O’Briensbridge loop walk is a fantastic amenity used by thousands of people each year. It is a great asset in the community, providing locals and visitors with countless hours of enjoyment on the serene banks of the Shannon. The group recently redeveloped the walk, improving the surface. It appeals for assistance raising funds to buy equipment and materials to maintain this …

MENTION Micheál O’Hehir and Marty Crotty immediately responds with a twinkle in his eye. The retired Kilbaha farmer is a GAA fanatic who lived for Mr O’Hehir’s memorable hurling, football and horse racing commentaries from 1938 to 1985. Listening to and watching Gaelic games has given Marty great joy. “Only for the GAA, I would be dead a long time ago,” he quipped. Sometimes on Sundays he listens to one match on the radio and keeps an eye on another one on television with the sound turned down. He can still recite all the names of the 15 starting Cavan All-Ireland winning teams in 1947 and ‘48 and the Meath all conquering side in 1949. “It is a great past time. I don’t know how people who don’t follow GAA manage, what do they be doing at all? It is hard to do without the GAA,” he said. His passionate love affair with Gaelic Games was fostered by legendary GAA …

Three community-based charities in County Clare received a combined fundraising donation of €3,550 from the Cliffs of Moher Experience this week. The North Clare visitor attraction marked the end of the tourism year with a Christmas Breakfast for all staff at the Cliff View Café this Wednesday. The management team was on hand to help serve tea and coffees to the hard-working team and to representatives from Pieta House, Ennistymon Community Hospital and Clare Crusaders, who shared the proceeds from the fund.