Lifestyle

  HIGH standards were maintained and crowds came out in big numbers to support the annual North-West Clare Agricultural Show in Ennistymon last weekend. While many winners from last year came back to defend their titles, most of the cups travelled to different destinations this year. The two-day event, held in the grounds of The Falls Hotel, kicked off on Saturday with the jumping events and a very attractive display of vintage cars, tractors and machinery. Judging the horse section was George Chapman from Gorey. He said there was an excellent turnout for the show, one of the best he had seen for a long time. He added that it was unusual to have a filly named as supreme champion of the show, describing the Ennistymon champion as a very correct filly. The showgrounds was a hive of activity from early Sunday morning, as the main parts of the show got underway. While some of the showing classes did not …

EVEN with the Gathering hoping to tempt those of Irish descent to visit the country of their forebears, we still tend to think only in terms of North America, England and Australia.

WITH one in every 100 people experiencing bipolar disorder, a new campaign is in train to draw attention to the condition.

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  AT midday on Saturday (June 1) mass will be celebrated at the 1,500-year-old Church of the Nine Saints close to the Bridges of Ross in Kilbaha. The tranquil early Christian site overlooks the ocean. The ceremony will be the first held there since August 26, 1973, when Fr Seamus O’Dea said mass in the company of visiting students from Maynooth. That mass is believed to have been the first celebrated in the church for 1,000 years. The Church of the Nine Saints is located on the land of Patrick and Mary Magner, Ross. The church was built by St Senan around 500 AD and next to the church lies the burial ground of the saints. St Senan’s story originated at a time when paganism gradually gave way to Christianity. He was born in Magh Lacha, about four miles north-east of Kilrush. As a child, he was sent to join his clansmen in battle in Corcomroe, a territory located in …

TO raise awareness of the world record attempt ‘Welcoming Claires to County Clare’ on June 23, the Clare Volunteer Centre and An Clár as Gaeilge Teo ran an art competition through local national schools. Almost 500 pupils entered the competition, which was adjudicated by Dolores O’Halloran (Clare Volunteer Centre), Karen Dunn (graphic designer) and Domhnall Ó Loinsigh (An Clár as Gaeilge).

IS our civil war still going on? Maybe we might think so when we listen to politicians but the actual civil war itself never officially ended. There was never a surrender by the Irregulars or a treaty between both sides – they might have thought that the mere mention of a treaty in those distressed times would have been asking for trouble.

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