Lifestyle

A grieving father has issued an appeal for an end to the “frightening” culture of excess drinking involving some young people. Danny Mungovan, who runs Quilty Holiday Cottages, made the plea at the funeral mass for his son, Stephen (20), who was found by Irish Navy divers in the waters off Spanish Point last week. Addressing the packed congregation in the Star of the Sea Church and hundreds of mourners who stood outside on Sunday last, Danny said his family would never forget the work of all the emergency services, volunteers and neighbours who never stopped walking the shore night and day. This is the second time that tragedy has struck the family. Another son, Michael (22), was killed when he was struck by a train while he was working at Vauxhall Station, South London in October 2000. Stating that both he and his wife, Geraldine, do not drink, Danny said he offered several times to go out and purchase …

A LOCAL cancer centre is continuing its expansion with the launch of two new services. Actress Aoibhinn Garrihy was on hand last Friday to officially open a new hair and beauty salon at Sláinte an Chláir, Kilnamona and was impressed with the free services that are available to cancer patients at the centre. A spokeswoman for Clare Cancer Support explained they encourage patients to shave their hair once it starts falling out, as it can be distressing to see it happen in stages. Once their hair starts to grow back, patients are invited back to the centre where they will get a free style or colour. Women can also have their make-up done or a nail manicure. “It can be traumatic for anyone who starts to lose their after chemotherapy. Getting their hair and make-up done in a relaxing environment at the centre provides a great boost to women who have cancer. “It gives them a chance to put their …

TO the ancient Celts, the year had two ‘hinges’. These were Beltaine (the first of May) and Samhain, (the first of November), which is also the traditional Celtic New Year. These two days were the most magical, and often frightening, times of the whole year. The Irish and Scots Celts began celebrating Samhain more than 2,000 years ago. Samhain marked the time cattle were brought in from their summer grazing to their winter fold. By that stage, the harvest was done and food stored. The gods were petitioned to protect the cattle during the long, hard winter. Samhain is also the night of the Great Sabbat for the witches (Ban-Druidh, in Scots Gaelic). On Hallowmas, all the witches of Scotland gather together to celebrate, prophesy and cast their spells. Tradition has it that on this night, they can be seen flying through the air on broomsticks with black cats, ravens or horses on their wild Hallowmas Ride. Some say the …

US Ambassador Kevin O’Malley is paying a visit to Clare next Monday. Ambassador O’Malley will have lunch with Shannon Chamber of Commerce on the day. Meanwhile, US consular officials will be in Shannon on Thursday, November 12 to provide specific services for American citizens in the area. In a statement, the US Embassy said representatives from the US Embassy will be providing consular services in Shannon on the day in the Radisson Park Inn, Shannon Airport. “During the outreach, we will be accepting US passport applications, Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) applications and performing notary services,” a statement from the US Embassy explained. US citizens wishing to schedule an appointment for the outreach day in Shannon should send an email to Dublinoutreach@state.gov by next Tuesday at 3pm. People should include their name, telephone number and email address and which service is required (passport/CRBA/notary). The US Embassy Dublin Consular Section will then make contact with available appointment times.

AN exhibition celebrating the work of The Clare Champion’s award-winning photographer, John Kelly over the last 25 years will open tonight (Friday) in Ennis and a large crowd is expected to attend the event. The exhibition, entitled Between You, Me & The Wall, will run until November 28 in Glór and will showcase more than 30 photographs by the Mullagh man. On Friday night, John will also speak to well-known broadcaster Ciana Campbell about his most memorable photographs and the stories behind them. All proceeds raised on the night will go to the RNLI in Clare. As the staff photographer with The Clare Champion, John has chronicled the life of the county, capturing award-winning images and building up a reputation as one of the most talented photographers in the country. John said he is delighted to be raising money for the RNLI Lifeboats, as the cause is close to his heart. “My mother’s people were in the coast guard going …

RAPE Crisis Midwest will host the annual Dainty Daisy competition at Treacy’s West County Hotel, Ennis on Saturday next at 8pm. Featuring men from across the county, it is a beauty pageant with a difference. All the men will dress in their best outfits, answer questions on stage and then perform a party piece. The host of the show this year is Tony Cogan, who was the overall winner of the competition last year. The participants this year are Brian ‘Bodyke’ O’Dwyer, the manager of Brogan’s Bar in Ennis; Fr Ger Fitzgerald, a local priest; musician Damien Gormley; Cragganowen man Martin McMahon; teacher Rory Chesser; farmer and politician Paul Murphy; Tom Naughton from Tubber; Dermot Fetton, manager of the Cloisters Restaurant; surfer Dara Keane; Pa McLoughlin, who hails from Clarecastle; ESB employee Paul Whitmore and veterinary assistant Sean Linnane. Rape Crisis Midwest’s Ennis office is located in Tracklands Business Park. According to Verena Tarpey of Rape Crisis Midwest, “This centre serves the …

Crimestoppers, together with the Garda Síochána and PhoneWatch, has launched a new campaign to combat the problem of burglary. The campaign is calling on members of the public to be vigilant for suspicious activity and to make themselves aware of the straightforward measures they can take to minimize the risk of burglary. The most recent figures from the Central Statistics Office say that from mid-2014 to mid-2015 there were 28,830 burglaries reported in Ireland. This was an increase of 2,241 (8.4%) from the 26,589 burglaries reported from mid-2013 to mid-2014. Crimestoppers is advising householders that there are a number of measures that they can follow to keep their home safe and protect themselves against burglars: * Secure all windows and doors. * Light up you home and use timer switches when out. * Sign up to your local Community Alert and Neighbourhood Watch schemes. * Consider installing a monitored alarm and installing outside lights. Ensure the alarm comes with an …

A two-seat convertible Ferrari is on the shopping list of a man who won the Lotto on a ticket bought in Ennis on Wednesday. Today (Friday), a married couple who ‘happened to be passing through’ Ennis, collected the Midweek Lotto jackpot of €5,318,671. They purchased their €7.50 Quick Pick Lotto ticket in the Roslevan Stores, Ennis, on Wednesday last, the day of the jackpot draw. This was the first time the store has sold a winning Lotto jackpot ticket. This is the 40th Lotto jackpot to be won from a ticket purchased in County Clare. Clare’s largest jackpot prize of €8,302,209 was won in Kilrush, on March 5, 2014. Today’s lucky couple, who do not wish their win to be a public one, are not from Clare and declared themselves “delighted but not surprised” to have scooped the bigger, better Lotto jackpot. The lucky husband said, while sipping a glass of champagne in National Lottery offices “I always said I’d …