East Clare

TWENTY-eight years ago, the first sail boats of the newly named Cullaun Sailing Club took to the water at Cullaun Lake after it was identified as a new home for sailing enthusiasts in the Shannon Region. Indeed, sailing activities are still going strong at the East Clare lake as last weekend saw boats take to the water for the 28th Cullaun Annual Regatta where two days of exciting and close racing was held.

THE final preparations are being put in place in advance of the Tulla Traditional Music Festival which kicks off in the East Clare village this Friday, with some great treats in store for those heading to the event.Among the highlights for the third annual trad festival is a gala concert at St Peter and Paul’s Church featuring Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill and At The Racket.

A GROUP of residents in East Clare have come together to start an initiative where people can trade and exchange goods and services freely without the need to dip into their pockets. The East Clare Local Exchange Trading System (LETS), a community exchange project, will be launched at the Aistear centre in Mountshannon on SSunday week from 2pm to 5pm.

Seosamh O’Conchubhair, Reachtaire of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, will officially launch the third annual Tulla Traditional Music Festival on Friday week. The festival will be opened by Mr O’Conchubhair at 8pm on Friday, September 11 with the launch the Tulla Comhaltas Archive CD entitled Humours of Tulla. This is part two of a three-part archival project on the music, songs and poetry of Tulla, which has been steeped for centuries in musical tradition.

THE new €1.04 million childcare facility in Mountshannon, developed by the local community council, is expected to open at the end of September, it emerged this week. Catering for 50 at full capacity, the new state-of-the art building includes a créche and facilities for pre-school and after school for children in Mountshannon, Whitegate and the surrounding areas.