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Lifestyle

Hotelier on the crest of Clíona’s wave

HIS was the plight of hospitality workers the world over, he was never free on weekends. Donal Minihane, manager of Hotel Doolin, always wanted to go to a writers’ festival but couldn’t get away to attend one. Undeterred, he decided the solution was to organise one in his own hotel. So not long after he set about writing his first novel, he set off to the Irish Writers’ Centre in Dublin to get some advice on starting the Doolin Writers’ Weekend. “The idea for the writers’ weekend came from the fact I always wanted to go to a writers’ festival but I work in a hotel, so I thought I will never be able to go to one unless I have one here. I approached the Irish Writers’ Centre in Dublin about the writers’ weekend and when I was there, I noticed a flyer about their Novel Fair and decided to enter that,” Donal outlined. He was one of the …

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Visiting Baha’i holy place

ENNIS man Alan Keane and his wife, Trish visited one of the Baha’i faith’s most sacred places at Mount Carmel in Israel recently. Alan served for a time in the Baha’i world centre in Haifa, in a voluntary capacity and was invited back for some consultancy work “It was really wonderful being there again and meeting up with people I hadn’t seen for years,” Alan said. “I very much enjoyed accompanying Alan on his trip,” said Trish. “It was so spiritually uplifting to be close to the Baha’i holy places, remembering all those who asked to be remembered and basking in the sacred atmosphere of the beautiful gardens,” Trish said. The world centre of the Baha’i faith is staffed primarily by volunteers from all over the world.

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‘Champion opens a window into family life

AN intriguing project, based on information gleaned from the pages of The Clare Champion, will look at life and death in County Clare in the early part of the 20th century. The Biographical Index of The Clare Champion 1903-1934 project is a collaboration between the Clare Roots Society and Clare County Library. Clare Roots Society is looking for volunteers to assist in the collection and recording of biographical notices published in The Champion for the years 1903 to 1934. This information will create a searchable index to be made available on the Clare Library website for public access when completed. A similar project was undertaken some years ago for Clare Champion issues published for years 1935 to 1985 and the index is available online. The project will complete the index for all Clare Champion publication years, 1903-1985. The editions of the newspaper can be on microfilm spool, microfiche and hardcopy, located in the Local Studies Centre, Ennis, where the review …

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FG MEPs seek Yes vote in marriage referendum

Fine Gael MEPs are calling for a Yes vote in the upcoming Marriage Referendum. On May 22, Ireland will become the first country in the world to put same-sex marriage to a popular vote. Speaking from the European Parliament, Mairead McGuinness (Midlands North West), Brian Hayes (Dublin), Deirdre Clune and Seán Kelly (Ireland South) encouraged voters to stand with the 10 other EU countries that have extended equal rights to same-sex couples to marry. They reiterated Ireland’s strong record when it comes to defending human rights and promoting equal opportunities for all citizens, including the LGBTI community. The European Parliament has made extraordinary progress in the advancements of anti-discriminatory laws for LGBTI citizens across Europe, they said. Ten EU Countries have already extended equal rights to their LGBTI citizens to marry: Belgium, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the UK (excluding Northern Ireland), Slovenia and Sweden.

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A broad welcome for new tourism policy

The Government’s new tourism policy launched by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister Paschal Donohoe has received a broad welcome in Clare and the Mid-West. The tourism industry as a whole accounts for 4% of gross national product (GNP) and now supports almost 205,000 jobs – equivalent to 11% of total employment in the country, some 54,000 of which are in the hotels sector. Elaina Fitzgerald Kane, chair of the Shannon branch of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF), acknowledged the important support provided by the Government in ensuring tourism remains at the heart of Ireland’s economic policy and in recognising the valuable role played by tourism in growing the Irish economy and generating increased employment. Ms Fitzgerald Kane stated that hoteliers in Clare look forward to working with the Government to achieve the targets set out in the tourism strategy, including plans to grow overseas visitors to 10 million per annum by 2025. This would increase annual revenues from overseas visitors …

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Maureen calls time on pulling pints

WHEN a young Maureen McMahon started pulling pints behind the bar in Derry Honan’s pub in 1970, it was all down to political pull. “When Maureen came here first, it was very much a Fianna Fáil pub. The owner, Derry Honan was a Fianna Fáil senator then and his wife, Treas was a senator later on,” said Maureen’s husband, Michael Daly, as she bowed out after 44 years behind the bar in what is now Dan O’Connell’s Bar in Abbey Street. “The clientele was different at that time. It was Tadhg Wynne that got me the job here, and he was a very strong Fianna Fáil supporter. When I first came into Ennis I stayed with Tadhg in Parnell Street and he got me the job here. He was a lovely man. I used to cycle out home to Connolly then on my days off and then cycle back after visiting my father and brother, Pat Joe McMahon and sister, …

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Niamh McMahon

Niamh McMahon’s food diary

As Niamh McMahon comes nearer to her Weightwatchers goal weight, read her food diary below: Tuesday March 10th Breakfast 7:15 Two poached eggs with a slice of porridge bread and a green tea. Mid Morning 10:00 A Weightwatchers bar and a coffee. Lunch 12:30 Two slim bagels toasted with banana and Weightwatchers yoghurt and a bottle of water. Dinner 17:00 Home made chicken curry with loads of vegetables with brown rice and a pint of water. Snack 20:00 A bowl of sugar free jelly and two tablespoons of natural yoghurt and a green tea. Wednesday March 11th Breakfast 7:15 Two crumpets with a teaspoon of jam and a green tea. Mid Morning 12:00 A coffee and a Weightwatchers ginger cookie. Lunch 14:00 A bowl of pepper soup and two slices of soda bread and two glasses of water. Dinner 18:00 Stir fry vegetables with three baby potatoes and a glass of water. Snack 20:00 Weightwatchers taytos and green tea. Thursday …

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A life of pain for Aoife

AOIFE Sage longs for just one day without pain. The 11-year-old Sixmilebridge girl wakes up in the morning in pain and goes to bed in pain. In addition to suffering from Hypermobility Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (HEDS), which involves the partial dislocation of her joints, she has been diagnosed with Chronic Pain Syndrome (CPS). HEDS is a type of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), which is an inherited connective tissue disorder that affects approximately one in 5,000 people. The condition can affect every system in the body leading to a wide range of apparently unconnected symptoms, including joint pain and hypermobility, chronic fatigue, gastrointestinal issues and heart complications. With overlaps in the two syndromes, her mother, Susan admits it can be hard at times to distinguish what condition is causing her daughter the most difficulty. “Aoife has pain every day, which varies in intensity. Some days she can’t even hold a glass of water. Sometimes when she goes to walk, her legs …

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