Lifestyle

SEAN and Fiona Haugh are the epitome of the farm to fork concept, offering full traceability to customers who want their food to be produced in a sustainable way. Not only does, Sean (62) kill cattle in his abattoir on his farm on the outskirts of Kilkee, the third generation butcher sells his own meat with the help of his daughter, Fiona in the Market House, Ennistymon. Sean sources Aberdeen Angus cattle and Charolass yews from his customers in North and West Clare. Every year, he finishes Hereford cattle and Angus after purchasing them as weanlings. The stock is finished on the family farm and fed on a grass-fed system using the rich in nutrient clover pastures along the picturesque coastal walk from the Diamond Rocks Café in Kilkee. Versatile in every way, the Market House Ennistymon comprises of a craft butchers, food hall, deli and café. Founded in July 2015, the father and daughter run business provides locals and …

EXHILARATING action and beautiful scenery will be combined in a new sporting competition coming to east Clare next month. The growing sport of Adventure Racing makes its Banner debut on May 7 at the inaugural Lough Derg Adventure Challenge. Billed as the ultimate in outdoor events, teams of two will bike, hike and paddle around scenic Lough Derg with a choice of courses depending on experience. There are two race options within the Lough Derg Adventure Challenge this year. For beginners and first-time team adventure racers, the Sprint race presents a shortened course (3+ hours), where navigation is simplified, with an easy-to-follow map supplied and plenty of support available. You can also use either a road, mountain bike or hybrid in the sprint race. Experienced adventure racers can take part in the Endurance race, which is a little longer (7+ hours) and requires some navigation and map reading skills. Mountain bikes are required for this race. Adventure-racing enthusiast Lorraine Horan …

WITH route options now under consideration for the Scariff to Limerick Greenway, members of the public are being encouraged to make their views known at a series of consultation clinics Five consultation sessions are being run between April 26 and May 5 at which local communities, landowners and other stakeholders can make submissions on, and inform themselves about, the Shannon Greenway cycle This follows the completion of a feasibility and constraints report by a working group which includes representatives from Waterways Ireland, Clare County Council and Limerick City and County Council. According to Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey, it is essential that stakeholders make their views known at this stage of the process. “The success of this project will depend on the level of public engagement to take account of local knowledge and preferences. It is essential that the Greenway is regarded as a community asset as much as a significant visitor attraction.” “I would strongly encourage local people …

A YOUNG jockey has told how she was inspired by a late Killaloe girl with special needs to resume riding in her memorial race, a few months after receiving her own Epilepsy diagnosis. Ali O’Brien (14) Tullaheady, Nenagh, was thrilled to win the Brianna Lynch Memorial Cup at the North Tipperary Foxhounds Point-to-Point at Lisboney, Nenagh recently. In November 2019, Brianna Lynch (9) died in her sleep from SUDEP – Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy – leaving her family devastated. Her mother, Arabella Scanlan, a well-known Killaloe horse trainer, provided Ali with one of her horses, Bridget, to ride in the memorial race for her daughter, a few weeks after the teenager had decided to get back on a horse following her own Epilepsy diagnosis in December 2021. Ali didn’t want to go back riding in December and January in the wake of her Epilepsy diagnosis. When her medication wasn’t working, Ali often wondered was this how Brianna, who was …

A NATIVE of Cross, Andrew Naughton will represent Clare at the 15th Annual Mr. Personality Festival. The competition is being organised by Kilkenny County Macra na Feirme and takes place from April 8-10 at the Springhill Court Hotel. Andrew, 23, is an active member of Kilrush Macra na Feirme and has a keen interest in sports, including football and rugby, while he is also interested in farming and Star Wars.  Andrew teaches at Pallaskenry Agricultural College and he said he is really looking forward to this week’s activities, particularly as life has been so constrained over the last couple of years. On deciding to go forward in the first place, he said, “I know one or two of the other entrants, I know the Limerick one from work and we decided that we’d go to it.” He was in the Clare finals earlier this year, when he was selected to represent the Banner in the All Ireland. “It was grand, …

ONE THOUSAND cyclists will be wheeling around the roads of North Clare this Saturday for a fundraising cycle. Riverside Cycling Club, Ennistymon, is hosting the ninth edition of the Cliffs of Moher Cycle Challenge on April 9. This Cycling Ireland approved sportif was started to raise funds for local charities and voluntary organisations in North Clare. Past beneficiaries include Ennistymon Hospital, Home Share Clare, North Clare Youth Counselling, Ennistymon Playground and the Burren Chernobyl Project. This event has built up a reputation as one of the premier leisure cycles in the country, offering spectacular views, warm hospitality, good food, superb marshalling and even a spot of traditional Irish music! A firm favourite of both the leisure and experienced cyclist, the event is capped at 1,000 participants and has already booked out. The cyclists are supported by an army of 140 volunteers. There are three routes on offer: 40KM, 80KM and 125KM catering for all levels of cyclists. Starting in Ennistymon, …

SIX Clare restaurants feature in Ireland’s top 100 according to one of the country’s most prestigious dining guides. Assembled by renowned food critics John and Sally McKenna, The Sunday Times’ annual list of Ireland’s best restaurants looks entirely to the north of Clare for the Banner county’s best dining experiences. The six included on the list are Ash @ Pots, Gregans Castle Hotel, Kilshanny House, Oar, Vaughan’s Anchor Inn and Wild Honey Inn. Thank you 🙏🏻 @McKennasGuides for including WHI in #ST100Best2022 together with all the other restaurants in #Clare @GregansCastle @vaughansanchor @DoolinOar @potduggans @Kilshannyhouse 😍 pic.twitter.com/lTb1uzIHrT — Wild Honey Inn (@WildHoneyInn) April 3, 2022 Oar restaurant in Doolin is listed among the top six best restaurants on the Wild Atlantic Way. Kilshanny House gets special mention among the eight best open fire restaurants, while it is also listed in the top eight for chips. Vaughan’s Anchor Inn in Liscannor also makes that best chips list. The ever growing demand …

THE stark differences between the green landscape of the Loop Head Peninsula and the concrete jungle of urban India was graphically illustrated for John Bonfil during an overseas work assignment. In July 1992, the Moneypoint Power Generating Station mechanical fitter was offered an “opportunity of a lifetime” to work for ESB International Engineering on an 11-week secondment for the construction of a coal plant similar to the Killimer plant in India. The ESB’s equivalent in India, National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd (NTPC) needed a mechanical engineer with experience of working in a coal burning station to oversee the commissioning of their new ash handling project. Before his departure from Moneypoint, for what proved to be a “great experience” John received a company letter advising him to bring a number of items for his long trip. These included three notebooks, one clutch pencil with leads, two pairs of gloves, markers, three car magazines, one Irish Times, five bars of chocolate, five …