North Clare

An Italian artist with Tubber connections will launch an illustrated book for people of all ages this weekend.

FERRY operators in Doolin have taken exception to comments made by Councillor Martin Conway but the Ennistymon man has defiantly stood over them.At a meeting of Clare County Council, he said ferry operators were responsible for development at the pier not going ahead. “What’s gone on has been a shambles and it’s quite right that it be put back on the ferry operators themselves,” he said.Unhappy with his comments, Dick Grant of Aran Islands Fast Ferries said that the operators were not responsible for the situation at the pier. “He has implied that the ferry operators created a shambles but that’s not the case. Clare County Council have had great opportunities to rectify the problems at Doolin Pier. The shambles has been created by Clare County Council. In 1968 a deed of transfer was issued between a landowner and Clare County Council for 18 acres including the harbour area. “That deed of transfer was never processed and it has held …

The third Clare Burren Marathon Challenge took place at the weekend, bringing with it nearly 1,600 competitors, thousands of supporters and more than half a million euro for the local economy.“We had all the ingredients for a perfect occasion. The weather was stunning and it went very well,” said Gerry Reidy, event organiser.The marathon itself attracted a strong entry but it was the half marathon that had the highest number of participants. “The event also went well from a commerce point of view. The whole scene up there was very conducive to people staying in the area for the weekend and I think business people in the area were delighted with the take up. Every place was booked up for accommodation and food“We estimated that between the people participating and their families and friends, you are looking at half a million euro being left in North Clare over the weekend,” Mr Reidy said.Local businesses were not the only beneficiaries, as …

One of North Clare’s most famous tourist attractions looks set to expand, The Clare Champion can reveal.

SIX million euro is available for development at Doolin pier but the co-operation of ferry operators is very important for it to happen successfully, this week’s meeting of Clare County Council heard.

This year’s Burren Slow Food Festival will feature a public talk from Alexander Bell, former BBC journalist and author of Peak Water: Civilisation and the World’s Water Crisis.Mr Bell is one of the world’s leading advocates on water issues and will speak on the importance of Ireland’s water resource to the future success and sustainability of food production.“We hope that this event will attract a lot of public interest and highlight the important relationship between food and water,” explained one of the festival organisers.The foundation of Mr Bell’s talk is that all food contains one common ingredient, water and that this critical ingredient is becoming increasingly hard to get.Water scarcity affects 44% of the world’s population and Ireland has one of the richest water resources in the world, which combined with the climate and fertile soil makes it one of the best food-producing regions in the world. In areas short of water, the water needed for food production competes with …

A group of North Clare residents have decided to swap DIY for GIY in an effort to cultivate food production in the area.The first meeting of Ennistymon Grow It Yourself organisation will take place in the Vocational School in Ennistymon on Thursday, May 27 at 7pm. The group is aimed at people interested in growing or rearing their own food but who are not sure where to start, or for those who have started, who want to learn more and get in touch with fellow foodies. People with excess produce who want to barter or exchange with others in the area and those with an interest in food security and rising food costs are also invited to attend. Grow It Yourself is a national non-profit organisation with branches in every county in Ireland.”Some of us were members of the Ennis branch but believe there is enough interest around here. The concept is to swap ideas, seeds, plants and problems with …

THE close link between the Burren and the Lord of the Rings – ranked as one of the most highly acclaimed works of the 20th century – has been confirmed at local level by Lisdoonvara businessman, Peter Curtin.From his investigations, he is satisfied that the imagery and imagination for JRR Tolkien’s three-volume novel were inspired by the breathtaking landscapes of the Burren. From what he has learned, Mr Curtin of the Roadside Tavern and Burren Smokehouse is in no doubt that one of Clare’s finest tourist attractions did in fact provide the inspiration for the Oxford University professor to write the novel, which was written in stages between 1937 and 1949, much of it during Word War II.The Lord of the Rings was published in 1954-1955 and it has since been reprinted numerous times and translated into many languages.The Burren link was discovered through a chance meeting Mr Curtin had in a Galway bar while he was living in the …