North Clare

Burren businesswoman, Bríd Fahey, has been named as one of the leading Irish innovators in agri-business.

A pioneering initiative is being provided for communities in North Clare and South Galway to air their views and vision about the future development of the Burren.

Despite the recession gripping the country, a group of North Clare pupils managed to coax funding for a specialist piece of exercise equipment from an unusual group of dragons recently.Transition year pupils at Scoil Mhuire presented a €250 cheque to the Ennistymon Community Hospital and Day Care Centre on Tuesday to provide an exercise machine for users of the local facility. During the last academic year transition year pupils at Scoil Mhuire participated in the Young Social Innovators project. The YSI Project is held nationally and involves work young people do to improve the lives of people in society or the local community. The project is led by the pupils in a way that is respectful, empowering, fair, innovative, fun and experiential but also suggests and takes actions for change to make the world a better place. Transition years at Scoil Mhuire decided to address the topic of the older person. Their project was entitled If youth knew…if age could. …

A young North Clare musician had the gig of her life last week when she performed for Queen Elizabeth II. Tara Breen from Ruan played the fiddle at the State dinner hosted by President Mary McAleese and her husband Dr Martin McAleese in Dublin Castle last Wednesday evening.

OVER 50 ecologists from throughout Ireland will flock to Clare this Friday and Saturday to participate in the Dromore Woods Bioblitz 2011.

DR Pat O’Connor, director of the Geological Survey of Ireland, launched a selection of free educational packs on the Burren in Lisdoonvarna last week.

Don’t be surprised if you see the odd hairy milkman or decidedly lovely girl wandering around North Clare this weekend.

A LONGFORD man hopes to inform locals and visitors alike about the archaeological heritage of the Burren through his new book, Burren Archaeology – A Tour Guide.Hugh McCarthy has lived in Clare since 1992 and after visiting the Burren and meeting its residents and enthusiasts, he developed a deep interest in the area.“When I came to County Clare I didn’t know anything about the Burren. So just being here and being in contact with people who are interested in the Burren, that is what drew me to it in the first place. I have met loads of people who are just very enthusiastic about the Burren. Dr Brendan Dunford is one of those people and was one of the first people who got me hooked on it. He has done and is still doing great work to raise awareness of the Burren,” Hugh asserts and so it is only fitting that Dr Dunford is set to officially launch the book …