Lifestyle

RECENT figures show that more than half of all eight to 10-year-olds and more than 75% of those aged 10 to 16 years in Ireland use the internet on a daily basis. “Over the last number of years, society has witnessed an addition to the Irish childhood experience; the internet and new communication mediums have taken a central place in all social spheres amongst children and young people. The internet is now part of our children’s lives. Online and offline have merged, a fact that is particularly true for teenagers who use social networking sites as an extension of their social lives and daily activities,” the  ISPCC’s National Children’s Consultation report, Children and the Internet: This will come back and bite us in the butt, which was released last week, stated. The report showed that three quarters of its secondary school-aged respondents use the internet most commonly for communication or social purposes, through social networking sites. The study also revealed …

IT’S been 10 years since Clare Supported Employment Service first opened its doors and while the service has grown in the past decade, its aim still remains the same – to match the right person to the right job. On Monday, the Temple Gate Hotel was the venue for the launch of the FÁS-funded service’s week-long programme of celebrations marking 10 years of supporting employment in Clare. The service supports people with an illness, injury or disability  to secure employment.Speaking at the celebration launch Alice O’Carroll, team leader said, “We’re 10 years in business now and we’re tried and tested. I think we’ve built ourselves a good reputation in County Clare as a service that people can depend on. Employers have gained confidence in us over the 10 years, and employees have also seen the benefits.“As we enter a new decade in our organisation’s life, demand for the service is buoyant. We’ve seen a significant rise in our job placements …

THERE are many versions of the quotation about forgetting history and being doomed to repeat it. It is attributed to the Spanish born philosopher, George Santayana who was reared and educated in the United States. His quote was that, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”  Again that is simply a rewrite of Edmund Burke’s “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” Both men wrote long before Hitler’s great invasion of Russia but the Fuhrer did not learn from Napoleon’s invasion and was doomed to repeat it. Both men wanted to totally control Europe. In both cases, each had a treaty with Russia; Hitler with Stalin and Napoleon with the Tsar. In both cases, the western leader choose to ignore their advisors and broke the treaties to suit their own purposes.In June 1812, Napoleon expanded his Grand Army to almost half a million men and launched an invasion of Russia. The Russians would …

HOME Share Clare, the service developed by the local Brothers of Charity, providing short breaks to adults and children with learning disabilities featured on  RTÉ’s Nationwide on Wednesday night.“Families of people with disabilities are telling us that one of the supports that they may need to enable them to continue to care for their family member at home are short breaks. Short breaks give them a break from their role as carer and also provide their family member an opportunity to be with others and benefit from new experiences,” a spokesperson for Home Share Clare said.The uniqueness of this initiative is that care is provided for people in family homes and can be seen as a home away from home. Individuals enjoy the opportunity of developing new relationships and being part of new communities whilst enjoying a short break.With home-sharing, the person seeking the service is carefully matched with a person/family that often have common interests and hobbies. The family …

DESPITE poor weather conditions, there was a big turnout for the Martin Corry Memorial Walk in Howth, organised by the Clare Association in Dublin recently.This was the second year of the walk which commemorates the memory of the late Martin Corry, the Cree native who was one of the driving forces of the Clare Association in Dublin for over 50 years and who was Clare Person of The Year in 2008.Chairman Liam O’Looney, officers, committee members and friends of the Clare Association in Dublin as well as members of the Corry family took part in the 10km walk from Howth Railway Station to Howth summit. The walk was led by Mary Corry, widow of the late Martin.Proceeds from this year’s walk will be donated to the Clare Branch of Enable Ireland at a function in Ennis later this year.  

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SIDLE into the Oidhreacht an Chláir centre on the Spanish Point Road in Miltown Malbay and you might be surprised at how speedily time has flown by when you eventually re-emerge. It’s not that the management committee will attempt to detain you against your will. It’s just that if you have even a passing interest in traditional music, local history or folklore, it’s likely that you will have to be politely ushered towards the door, such is the wealth of archival material in the building. Oidhreacht an Chláir doubles as the Clare Institute for Traditional Studies and the voluntary management on site is planning to run full semester of courses, validated by NUI Galway. Of course when in Miltown and if music or folklore creep into conversation, it’s never long before Willie Clancy enters the equation. “We’re right next door to where Willie Clancy lived for most of his adult life,” Harry Hughes, who is on the Oidhreacht an Chláir …

SINCE the publication of Michael Smith’s An Unsung Hero: Tom Crean – Antarctic Explorer in 2000, the Kerry man’s inspirational achievements during three expeditions to the Antarctic at the start of the last century have been belatedly recognised by the erection of a statue in Anascaul, a gripping stage play celebrating his life and, most significantly, by children in Irish schools learning about his exploits.