Lifestyle

TEENAGERS are taking over the town of Ennis this Sunday for Discover Ennis Heritage Day. The free event this Sunday, April 3, has been organised by the Transition Year students of St Flannan’s College and Gaelcholáiste an Chláir in collaboration with Experience Ennis and Shannon Heritage. From 1pm to 5pm the town locals and visitors to the town will have the opportunity to experience an afternoon jam-packed with activities and live entertainment. Heritage activities will include historical reconstructions of spinning wool, churning butter, iron-age weaponry and strawcrafts. There will also be plenty of live entertainment including trad music, Irish dancing, face painting, and lots lots more.  Free student-led walking tours will leave the Chapel Lane Market Building on the hour from 1pm to 4pm. At 4pm in the Chapel Lane Market Building there will be story-telling for adults and children (over seven years of age) by the world-renowned seanchaí, Eddie Lenihan. This collaboration between the Transition Year students of St Flannan’s College and Gaelcholáiste an Chláir is …

SHANNON had its first ever Parkrun last Saturday morning, with scores of people coming out for the occasion.  Parkruns are free community-based, volunteer-led events which take place on a Saturday morning at 9:30am in many countries worldwide – Ireland has over 100 events currently.   Rob Stephen was instrumental in establishing the Shannon one and speaking about the first local event, he said, “The sun was out, the weather was great. We had around 150 people participating and about 15 people volunteering. It went very well, there was a good crowd volunteering. “One woman flew over from London to do it, she stayed locally in a hotel then, she’s a big enthusiast. There was a big crew from the Parkrun in Tralee, a couple came from Naas. “Obviously there was a good few local people too and people came from the other nearby Parkruns.” He said that the crowd won’t be as big this Saturday, but that it is hoped around …

Green Party Senator Róisín Garvey said today, “I am delighted to announce more funding for swimming pools on behalf of my Green Party colleague Minister Catherine Martin’s Department. Senator Garvey said the €87,805.82 for eight Clare pools is very welcome adding, “It’s great to see businesses that had to close for so long getting supports to help them with their pools which are invaluable for both locals and tourists alike.” Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport & Media Catherine Martin TD has provided this aid through Covid Funding to support the sport sector. Ireland Active was appointed by Sport Ireland to administer the swimming pool grant scheme, supported by partners Swim Ireland. Senator Garvey from Inagh concluded “Now more than ever we see the importance of physical activity for our bodies, our minds and our social interaction. “The funding is an acknowledgement of the importance of our Sports sector and the positive impact swimming has for health and wellbeing.”

International tourism buyers from across the globe are experiencing some of the best Clare has to offer ahead of Ireland’s biggest tourism trade show. Fáilte Ireland has been showcasing the unique experiences the Banner has to offer to tourism executives before they take part in the ‘Meitheal’ trae show in Killarney, later this week. The Clare jaunt is just one of five pre-Meitheal tours to take place this week, providing the overseas buyers with opportunities to experience first-hand what their clients can expect to see and do while in Ireland. Among the sites visited by the international buyers in Co. Clare were Aillwee Caves and Birds of Prey Centre; Killaloe River Cruises, Killaloe; Lakeside Hotel & Leisure Centre Killaloe; McKernan Woollen Mills, Tuamgraney and Wilde Irish Chocolates, Tuamgraney The tailor-made fact-finding tours play an important part of the ‘Meitheal’ experience, by providing the travelling buyers with an authentic flavour of what Ireland has to offer their clients. The tours are …

LAHINCH’S Rachel O’Mahony is urging the public to support vital cancer research, by supporting Daffodil Day this Friday, March 25. Rachel was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007. As part of her treatment, she took part in a clinical trial for a cancer drug. Today, 14 years after her breast cancer diagnosis, Rachel is back to full fitness and health. She is a patient advocate for research that looks at new ways to prevent, detect or treat cancer, including the world-class research funded by the Irish Cancer Society, the largest funder of cancer research in Ireland. Originally from Cork, she has lived in Lahinch with her husband Declan for the last 25 years. When she was struck by cancer, it was a huge shock, as she was young and fit. “I was 38 at the time and it was a bolt from the blue. Not that I ever took my health for granted, my Mum was a nurse and we …

One of the greats of the game spent his working life at Ardnacrusha and ended up buying his home from the ESB, writes Dan Danaher LEGENDARY Limerick hurler, Mick Mackey enjoyed working in Ardnacrusha Power station for almost 50 years, according to his son, Michael. Mick Mackey was one of the greatest hurlers who has been repeatedly voted on to teams representing hurling greats, including at centre-forward on the Hurling Team of the Century in 1984 and the Hurling Team of the Millennium in 2000. While Mick Mackey is a household name in GAA circles, his strong association with Ardnacrusha isn’t as widely known. In addition to working in Ardnacrusha Power Station for five decades, the burly centre-forward also lived in an ESB house just a stone’s throw from the station for 29 years until his untimely death in 1982 at the age of 70. During his 17-year career with Limerick hurlers, he won three All-Ireland medals, five Munster medals …

Lisdoonvarna native Jack Marrinan’s tireless advocacy improved life for gardai and shaped the modern police force, writes Fiona McGarry ONE hundred years of An Garda Síochána will be be celebrated this year and among the key figures in the force’s history, a Clare man looms large. John ‘Jack’ Marrinan was one of a family of nine from Lisdoonvarna and among the second generation of Garda members to take on the role of guarding the peace in the turbulent period through the 1960s and ‘70s. He travelled to the capital to make his life with the force along with several other Banner men who distinguished themselves in their dedication to duty. Jack’s biographer, former Garda-turned-author, Tim Doyle, describes the North Clare man as “a hero” and a natural leader who fought consistently for better conditions and pay for rank and file members. Instrumental in winning a landmark battle for better working and living conditions for Gardaí, Jack was just 28 when …

From Cross village to Texas for gruelling US Navy training; from running festivals to nearly drowning in debt; from earthquakes in Manila to almost dying in Mondello, Danny Boland has experienced many highs and lows which he shares with Dan Danaher. WHEN he was working on major construction projects all over the world, Danny Boland always gave thanks for the training he received in Ardnacrusha Power Station. “It was the greatest training anyone could ever have,” says Danny, “It was unbelievable. I would not have been able to work on any of these projects without the ESB. The training and skills I learned in Ardnacrusha made all these jobs so easy. “If I ever ran into a problem on a job, I can pick up the phone and get advice from one of the ESB fitters or electricians I worked with.” “We were trained to weld, operate lathes, maintenance work, construction work, piping. I learned about five different trades in …