Lifestyle

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FACES of Folklore, the latest outreach project of Cuimhneamh an Chláir, has been recording the memories of Clare’s oldest citizens over the last year. The project aims to enhance awareness of some of the people, who over the last two centuries have been central to the collection and preservation of the county’s folk voluntary group.Mayor of Clare, Christy Curtin recently met the executive committee of Cuimhneamh an Chláir and officially launched the Faces of Folklore project. The project highlights three individuals; one, a collector and the other two, bearers of tradition, who, according the group, collectively represent the importance of recording and most importantly retaining the traditional heritage and identity in Clare.  The three people featured in the pamphlet are Professor Seamus Ó Duilearga, who collected folklore in Clare over a period of 14 years from 1929. According to Frances Madigan, a member of the group’s executive, Prof Ó Duilearga inspired, motivated and directed the collection of Irish oral tradition …

WELL-known Clare photographer, John Power from Sixmilebridge has picked up yet another prize in a major competition. He was among 12 winners in the GoIreland.com Photography Awards, an international amateur tourist photography competition that highlights Ireland and its tourism qualities, using a different theme each year.John’s latest award-winning print is entitled Dungarvan Harbour and Abbeyside in Moonlight.The overall winning photograph entitled Ice Age was taken by Martin Marcisovsky, a Slovakian living in Ireland, at a beach on Fanad Head, County Donegal.   Themed An Eye for Ireland, entrants were challenged to capture a unique and personal view of Ireland. The judging panel received thousands of photographic entries from Irish and visiting tourists.   Polish, British, Indian and New Zealand photographers living in  Ireland, a UK tourist as well as Clare, Dublin and Tipperary  photographers were among the 11 runners-up.Organised by Gulliver Ireland, the competition is held in association with John Hinde Ireland.Lisa Fitzpatrick, Gulliver Ireland’s marketing manager, said, “It is heartening to …

THE eagerly awaited Irish Derby took place at The Curragh racecourse recently and aside from showcasing three days of fine horseracing, the event is also noted for its style.As ever, the fashion stakes were high at the festival and Gorey woman, Niamh Canavan was deemed the Most Stylish Lady and presented with a prize of a five-star holiday to Dubai, plus a shopping spree at Dubai Duty Free, by Breeda McLoughlin from Dubai Duty Free.The judges charged with the difficult decision of selecting the winner were celebrity chef, Rachel Allen; television and radio presenter Mairéad Farrell and Melanie Morris editor of Image magazine, who appear to have quite similar tastes.Niamh wore a pale pink dress and jacket by Irish designer Heidi Higgins, her hat was by Philip Treacy (whose creations have proved particularly popular since their prominence at the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton) and her shoes and handbag were from LK Bennett.There were nine runners-up in …

THE Drennans could be forgiven for feeling crucified in the lead up to the Easter celebrations in 1993. Within the space of three days, Linda and Eugene Drennan had to cope with the devastating news that their two children had a long-term, life-threatening illness.Katie Drennan was just two years and eight months old when a test at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick confirmed she had cystic fibrosis (CF).Her brother, Jordan, who was one year and eight months old, was routinely checked three days later and was also diagnosed with CF on Good Friday.Linda had never even heard of CF and was shocked it was a hereditary disease given there was no previous history in her or her husband’s family.Ireland has the highest rate of CF sufferers and carriers in the world. According to the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland, one in 19 people in the country are carriers of the CF gene but two carriers are needed to parent a …

THE number of cases of mouth cancer is rising. Since the 1990s, the number of cases of oral cancer recorded in the UK has increased by nearly 30% for men in their 40s. It has also risen by nearly 25% for women. At least two Irish people die every week from oral cancer and the majority of health experts put this increase down to changes in lifestyle.Mouth cancer is an umbrella term that covers a large number of different types of cancer. Oral cancer can affect the underside of your tongue, the floor of the mouth, the roof of the mouth, the gums and inside of the cheeks. There are also types of cancer that can affect the salivary glands, the tonsils and the lips. The most commonly occurring type of mouth cancer is known as squamous cell carcinoma. It attacks the cells lining the mouth and most commonly occurs on the floor of the mouth.So why is mouth cancer …

DANIEL O’Connell and Charles Stewart Parnell, both of whom had strong historical connections with this county, were the two great figures of 19th century Ireland. Parnell’s public career went from one extreme to another. Known as the Uncrowned King of Ireland, he managed to combine the three great strands of Irish life, those in favour of physical force, constitutional nationalists and those agitating for land reform. Unfortunately, within a few short years, he gave rise to one of the great splits of Irish history when the mere mention of the name Parnell would cause trouble. Parnell’s father’s family were large landowners, very much part of the establishment and related to one of Ireland’s leading aristocrats, Lord Powerscourt. His mother was American and her father, Commodore Charles Stewart, had been decorated for bravery during the 1812 war between America and England. As a young man, Parnell was educated at Cambridge and then returned to become High Sheriff for Wicklow. Shortly afterwards, …

A SUPERMARKET is a place where there are no seasons. You can buy any vegetable you want at any time of the year. Want a butternut squash in May? Your local supermarket probably has one for sale, though it was most probably grown in Ghana and spent weeks in the back of a container lorry.  For all its technological wizardry, there is a terrifying blandness about the modern food chain, with its continuous, year-round supply of mediocre, uniform produce. The veggie patch on the other hand, is a place where thankfully, the seasons still hold sway in all their riotous glory.  Seasonality is not without its frustrations of course (it involves a lot of waiting, for one thing), but at least it brings diversity and variety in its wake.  Vegetables were never designed to be available all year round – the wax and wane of the seasons is part of their nature.  Summer is truly a time of plenty for …