Lifestyle

IRELAND’S national tourism body has launched a strategy to leverage the popularity of Ireland’s most popular outdoor attraction and increase the dividend to north Clare. Fáilte Ireland’s plan launched on Wednesday aims to drive and sustain tourism in the Burren and Cliffs of Moher by extending the tourism season and spreading business across all parts of the region over the next five years. Entitled the ‘Visitor Experience Development Plan for the Burren and Cliffs of Moher’, the focus of the plan builds on a number of projects that will help distribute visitors more evenly across the region and make it easier for the visitor to enjoy the world-class experiences available. Projects include the Burren Discovery Trail – a new touring route for visitors; the upgrade of a 2km Cliff Walk at the Cliffs of Moher; and a new ‘Be a Custodian for a Day’ online industry training programme to promote responsible tourism.” Key stakeholders in the area and the local …

OIDREACHT an Chláir presents a lecture, The War of Independence: events in Miltown Malbay and district, 1920-21 by Dr Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc this Saturday, October 16 at 8pm in the Community Centre, Miltown Malbay. The talk will examine some of the key events of the War of Independence in Milltown Malbay and the surrounding district, including “The Canada Cross Massacre” in April 1920, the Rineen Ambush, the murder of Charles Lynch, the assassination of Constable Stanley Moore and the IRA’s execution and “disappearance” of two British soldiers from the Royal Scots Regiment. Dr Ó Ruairc is a native of Meelick, Co. Clare.  He has a PhD in History and has published half a dozen books on the Irish Revolution of 1913-1923, including Blood on The Banner – The Republican Struggle in Clare. He is a regular contributor to RTÉ Radio & History Ireland Magazine. Admission is free. Fáilte roimh chách. Vaccination certificate required. As part of this commemorative project, which is …

AN inspirational Clare woman is lending her love of sea swimming to a fundraising drive to raise €50,000 for the most vulnerable in our community. Mid West Simon Community has teamed up with Clare’s June Curtin for the initiative with June committing to three swims a day for three weeks in December to raise money for the charity. As founder of Snamhaí Sásta, June is no stranger to the icy cold waters of Spanish Point, but building on her successful fundraising campaign last year, she has upped the ante this year by committing to a total of 63 swims, between December 1 and December 21. June and her community of happy swimmers have been meeting at Spanish Point every day since 2019 and it has been the catalyst towards helping many maintain their mental health. View this post on Instagram A post shared by June Curtin (@snamhaisasta) “Swimming has helped me immensely over the past two years,” said June, “and …

ONE of the most famous items of clothing in the country has found its way into the hands of a Clare GAA club as the prize in a fundraising raffle, writes Gordon Deegan. Star of hit drama Normal People Paul Mescal has donated a signed pair of his iconic O’Neill’s GAA shorts to Cooraclare GAA club to help it raise €20,000 in a €10 raffle. Mescal, who set a few hearts racing when lining out in the shorts for sports scenes of the hit show last year has signed the shorts with the dedication ‘to the Normal People of Cooraclare’. You can win a signed pair of Paul Mescal's iconic G.A.A. shorts if you enter our prize draw. All proceeds go to the Club and tickets start at 10 Euro https://t.co/UIMNOSbLWG #PaulMescal #GAA @PaulMescalNews @mescal_paul and @GaaClare pic.twitter.com/CjndJeifGk — Cooraclare Gaa (@CooraclareGaa) October 7, 2021 The actor has close family links to the west Clare village. Paul’s father, Paul Snr was born in …

MENTION milk buttons to most people and they will think of the white chocolate version of the much-loved children’s confectionary. But a Clare-based designer with a focus on sustainability in fashion has given us a different take. Sandra Murphy’s women’s wear brand Afore After’s ethical production techniques and use of low-impact materials goes so far as to make the buttons on her clothes out of milk. The buttons are a biodegradable material made of at least 96% milk casein. The milk, a by-product coming from overproduction or productions that are unfit for human consumption, is brought to a factory where it is transformed into a bioplastic raw material. “When I say that my collection is sustainable, I’m not just talking about the fabrics,” says the Ballynacally native. “Everything from the thread to the buttons to the labels has gone through rigorous certification processes.” The brand’s first collection features 27 versatile pieces, including dresses, tops, skirts and face coverings, in three …

HISTORY will be made in the Banner this month when the first ever county-wide Clare Pride Festival takes place during the October Bank Holiday weekend, writes Fiona McGarry. A day of free events in towns across Clare on Sunday, October 24, organised by Quare Clare, will culminate in a fantastic Pride Party in Hotel Doolin with cabaret, DJ and finger food. One of the Quare Clare organisers, Sarah Clancy, who works for Clare PPN and is herself a member of the LGBTQ+ community. “This is going to be a fantastic weekend for Clare’s LGBTQ+ community and for people who we hope will travel from around Ireland to be with us this weekend,” she said. “We want our community to be visible and connected to the wider community in Clare. We want young and older people in the towns and villages around Ireland to see how rural Ireland too can embrace difference.” “What better way for us to connect and celebrate …

THE Clare Branch of Birdwatch Ireland will host an outing to Kilbaha and Loop Head on Saturday next, October 2.  The meeting point is Kilbaha village at 9am. For anyone arriving a little late, they can catch up along the road from the village as the group searches for scarce and rare autumn migrants. In the past birds such as Yellow-browed Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and many other species have been seen in this area around this time of year. Later in the morning, the group will walk the headland area of Loop Head where Golden Plover, Chough, Merlin, Peregrine and who can tell what may pop up before our eyes. If time allows, the group will also look for birds at the Fodry, Claughaun Lough and Kilcredaun later in the day. According to the branch, this part of the county is a birding hotspot at this time of year, and, with unsettled weather …

A NUMBER of special walks have been planned for the end of September at the 12 O’Clock Hills, writes Fiona McGarry. The amenity’s recreational and heritage project committee is planning the walks to mark the seventh anniversary of the official opening of the facility, in September 2014. The amenity has enjoyed a very successful seven years with continuous development of the trails and the upgrade of heritage sites. The development of a new car park at Belvoir and the addition of a Fairy Trail have been very well received, according to the committee. They have also highlighted the “added dimension” offered by the 13k Purple trail, which has increased the length and the number of hills to climb from two to three. In February funding of just over €18,000 was allocated to the 12 O’Clock Hills project under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) for small scale repairs as well as promotion and marketing. Picnic tables were among the improved …