Ennis

AN Ennis woman competing in the upcoming Ironman World Championships in Hawaii has said the reality of the situation has yet to sink in. Becky Coughlan told the Champion, “It still kind of hasn’t hit me, I don’t think it will until I’m at Shannon Airport.” Amazingly Becky, a member of West Clare Tri Club, earned her place in the world championships in Kona, Hawaii after completing her very first Ironman in Cork. The challenge saw her swim 3.8km, cycle for 180km and run 42.2km and she admits that after that event in Youghal she was thinking to herself, “Enjoy this now, because I’m never doing another one.” However that all changed when she found out she had achieved a dream of competing in the iconic world championships in Kona. “I’ll never say never again,” she laughs. “It was a really cool experience, but it was tough. When I finished the race in Cork my supporters, my mam, Dave, my …

A CELEBRATION of the wealth of original music being performed by Clare artists is set to take place in Ennis this Friday. Originality Clare is hosting a feast for music fans in The Sanctuary from 9pm on Friday featuring three local acts. There is no cover charge for the gig with Ronan Summerly of Originality Clare explaining the aim of the event is to create awareness of the many talented performers of original compositions in the county. Taking to the stage at the gig will be Clare bands Scoth, APE and Apprentices Daughter. Ronan has been playing music in the live scene for almost 30 years in various formats and he tells us he “has always seen the need for more of a boost for musicians performing original music over bands performing known songs who are more commercially viable”. The idea for Originality Clare began over many conversations Ronan has had with musicians who write and perform original music. “A …

Plans have been lodged with An Bord Pleanála for the single largest ever private housing scheme for Ennis. Availing of the Government’s ‘fast track’ planning system for large housing developments, one of the country’s largest house building firms, Glenveagh Homes has lodged plans for the €65-million 289-home scheme direct to An Bord Pleanala. The Strategic Housing Development (SHD) scheme is made up of 125 three-bed townhouses, 74 3/4-bed semi-detached homes, 66 two-bed townhouses, 12 two-bed duplex and 12 one-bed maisonettes. The scheme – which comes with 488 car-parking spaces – will also provide a 60 place creche. The site with an address at Ballymacaula, Drumbiggle, Keelty, Circular Road fronts into the Ennis bypass link road between the roundabout near Ennis Golf Club and the roundabout on the N85 Lahinch Road. The 11.32 hectare site – which has a net developable area of 8.9 hectares – is located adjacent to Ennis golf club. As part of the purchase agreement for the …

LOCAL artist  Dympna Bonfield will launch a new exhibition of her work this September in glór. The exhibition, titled Reflections will run upstairs in glór gallery until Saturday, October 1. The exhibition comprises 25 vibrant paintings inspired by the unique landscape of Clare and will be launched on Thursday, September 1 at 6.30pm by Joe Lynch. Dympna exhibits work both nationally and internationally. After spending many years living and working in Dublin she returned west, to her native County Clare. Much of her recent work can be seen to reflect this move, and draws inspiration from the surrounding landscape resulting in a new found freedom of expression that reflects the essential character and culture of the west of Ireland. This exhibition takes us on a wonderful, winding road of seashores, surf and sea-swells, of soft bog cotton, of furze, of stony Burren, of childhood, of sand, of home, of friends, of solitude. From an early age Dympna Bonfield was interested …

GLÓR has appointed 17-year-old Sean Shannon as its first Young Associate Artist. Through its Associate Artists programme glór aims to support artists in practical ways, enabling connections between artists, audiences and communities throughout Clare, and facilitating the creation of new work inspired by Clare’s unique culture and landscape. Sean received his initial piano lessons from Meaghan Dineen through the Music Generation programme. He is currently studying with Tatiana Timofeeva, and in September he will commence a Bachelor in Music Performance on an entrance scholarship at the Royal Irish Academy of Music under Professor Réamonn Keary. In 2018 he performed for President Michael D. Higgins at Clarecare charity’s 50th anniversary celebration, and at the age of 14 he gave his debut solo recital at Glór in 2019. Last year  he featured on RTÉ’s Nationwide. Sean has also successfully participated in numerous national piano competitions, most recently the Feis Ceoil and previously received a scholarship funded by Maoin Cheoil an Chláir/Limerick School …

A CLARE doctor who worked in a hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic has been crowned the new Miss Ireland. Ivanna McMahon, 27, from Barefield told The Champion she is “over the moon” to have taken the title at 75th Miss Ireland competition which was held on Saturday at The Royal Theatre, Castlebar. Ivanna, who qualified for the competition as Miss Munster, will now go on to represent Ireland in Miss World later this year. Speaking to the Clare Champion Ivanna says she is thrilled with the win, though she admits it came as a surprise. “I’m absolutely delighted, I’m still a little bit in shock. It was definitely a surprise, absolutely surreal, but I’m absolutely thrilled.” Ivanna studied medicine at University College Cork and graduated in 2020, going on to do her internship at Cork University Hospital. She then went to University Hospital Tralee to work in surgery, working in the GP Scheme at Tralee General Hospital throughout the pandemic. …

MISS Munster Ivanna McMahon from Barefield rolled up her sleeves at the weekend for the Miss Ireland 2022 nationwide beach and waterways clean-up. From August 12 to 14 the 37 finalists vying for the coveted Miss Ireland 2022 title, including Ivanna, put their collective strength and unity together to co-ordinate a big beach clean-up all over Ireland.   Thousands have flocked to our beaches and waterways during the recent warm weather but the glorious sunshine also brought ‘rubbish weather’ as many beaches and waterways across Ireland were left in dire conditions by sun seekers leaving their rubbish behind. Ivanna, 27, gathered her friends and family to do a clean up at Lahinch beach. The over-riding theme for Miss Ireland is ‘Our World Our Future’ with a focus on the environment and global citizenship.  Each of the finalists all over Ireland gathered all of their friends and families to help make a real impact and highlight the importance of communities coming together to protect our …

AT just 12 years of age Clarecastle’s Sophie Mae Kerin is galloping ahead in her dream to be a champion jockey. The youngster was a winner at the high profile Dingle Racing Festival, following in the footsteps of such giants of the sport as Pat Smullen, Richard Hughes, Oisin Murphy, Nina Carberry and many more. First getting in the saddle at eight years of age, Sophie Mae began her equestrian life in showjumping, but it was racing that was always her ambition. In the recent three-day Dingle festival she rode the aptly named Little Lioness to victory in the 12.2hh pony derby for Ballinasloe’s Tony Beegan. Proud dad Kenneth tells us the whole family are thrilled with Sophie Mae’s success. “Dingle is the biggest pony race in Ireland of the year and this was her first proper race with thoroughbreds. “Before this she had run in a beginners race coming in second. She has only been entering races for the …