Regional

A FESTIVE concert with a jam-packed line up of talent from Clare and beyond will raise funds to support the vulnerable this Christmas. For the past few years campaigner Josie O’Brien has organised a concert in glór to raise awareness of homelessness while also raising funds to purchase food hampers for those in need. Last year’s event was cancelled due to Covid-19, however the ‘Christmas Choir’ concert will return on December 18 of this year. Luka Bloom will feature as special guest alongside plenty more acclaimed talent, including Mike Hanrahan; The Fiddle Case; Eoin O’Neill and Clara Buteler; Sarah Ryan; Anne Rynne; Trevor Hansbury; John Fennell (Sean Nós); Sara Ryan (Sean Nós); Steo Wall: Fay Moloney and the Cork Penny Dinners High Hopes Choir with more guests to be announced. There will also be pre-concert music in the foyer with singer Susanne Murphy accompanied by Fiona Faulkes on piano. Kevyn Murphy is Master of Ceremonies for the evening. Josie told …

A RUAN mum is parting with her shoulder-length locks in a bid to give something back to the people she describes as “angels”, because of the support they gave her late father. Áine Courtney Murphy will shave her head on November 27 at Kenny’s in Killanena, in a bid to raise €5,000 for Milford Hospice so that other families can benefit from the support that hers did. Áine’s beloved dad, Patrick (Paddy) Courtney lost his battle with liver cancer at the age of 69. Thanks to the Milford team, he was able to spend his last weeks comfortably and free of pain at his home. “I really couldn’t thank the Milford team enough,” she told The Champion. “They were there to advise us when dad was ill. They treated him with so much care and respect and they were never intrusive. They were angels sent by God.” Paddy, a well loved and respected member of the community passed away two …

PLANS for the development of Holy Island have received a major boost after Clare County Council confirmed the purchase, in recent days, of the Old Rectory in Mounthshannon for an undisclosed sum. Welcoming the local authority purchase, Killaloe Municipal District Cathaoirleach Councillor Joe Cooney said this deal will facilitate the provision of a new visitor and interpretative centre for Inis Cealtra and the wider region. “This is the first critical step on the way towards delivering on the financial potential of this large scale tourism project, which in time will generate employment as well as a wide range of local and regional economic benefits,” he said. “This is a big step forward for the development of Holy Island. To renovate this building for the purpose that is required will need funding,” the cathaoirleach noted. “It is hoped that finance for the upgrading of this building be obtained from the national Rural Regeneration Programme. It is a massive boost for tourism …

MEMORIAL seating to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Ennis Mental Association is to be installed in the coming weeks in the Abbey Street Carpark. Details of the plan were unveiled at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, where Councillor Mary Howard also urged the local authority to make it easier for people to commemorate their loved ones with suitable memorials in the town. Councillor Howard outlined that she has been approached by a number of local people who would like to sponsor items such as seats and trees in memory of a loved one who has passed away. “It’s time we took responsibility for this,” she said. She continued, “I know we have a memorial committee, but it can be overly complicated. People want to put in place something to remember their loved ones.” Mayor of Ennis, Councillor Ann Norton a member of the memorial committee stated they are “working to ensure we are …

A NEW memorial which remembers all those from Clare who were involved in World War II is to be dedicated in Ennis this weekend. The memorial at Friars Walk includes the names of 62 people from Clare who died in the Second World War, and includes six women. This will be the first time their contribution has been permanently acknowledged in the county. Also included in the memorial are the names of nine RAF airmen who died in air accidents in Clare and four Irish defence personnel who died in the county while on duty during the war. An addendum of World War I names which have come to light since the memorial to the Great War was unveiled in 2016 in the Peace Park is also included. Construction of the World War II memorial has been delayed since 2020 due to Covid19 restrictions, but the members of the group behind the project in the Clare Peace Park Initiative are …

Caher woman supporting Clare Haven Services with proceeds from book of poems POEMS can pop into Reah Higgins’ head at any time of the day. The Caher woman has been finding her creative voice over the course of the last year-and-a-half, when lockdowns kept many people at home with a little extra time on their hands. “I don’t sit down to write,” she said. “The poems just keep coming. It could be something that comes into my head while I’m reading or watching TV, or a poem could be sparked by something someone says. “It’s been a childhood dream to write and lockdown started something by giving me more time for creativity.” Last year, the Wexford native launched her first CD collection of poetry to give something back to the Irish Kidney Association (AKA). In 2017, the organisation was a lifeline when Reah donated a kidney to her husband Aaron. Now, the professional social care leader has turned her literary …

IT IS a very busy time for Quin Taekwon-do head coach Stephen Ryan as his Team Ireland members prepare for the European Championships in Spain next week and he reflects on his club’s success at last weekend’s Irish Cup in the University of Limerick (UL) Sports Arena. Six of the club’s black belts will join a 60-strong Irish squad when they travel to La Nucia, Spain, for the long-awaited return to international competition. Experienced competitors Shane Tuite (-70kg senior sparring); James Tuite ( -68kg junior sparring); Alice Larkin (2nd Degree Patterns and –68kg senior sparring) and Luke Moriarty (-70kg senior sparring) will be joined by Aoibhin Copeland (- 55kg junior sparring) and David Larkin (1st Degree Patterns and –50kg junior sparring), who have been selected to the Irish team for the first time. “It’s been great but challenging to be back training for the Euros with this group of athletes,” said Stephen, who is also Head Coach of the Irish …

MEMBERS of Doolin Coast Guard have been invited to participate in a process with well respected national mediator Kieran Mulvey in a bid to resolve difficulties that have arisen in the unit, writes Dan Danaher. Six members of the Doolin Coast Guard unit including the officer in charge resigned unexpectedly on November 1, which resulted in the Department of Transport standing down the unit. The remaining 12 volunteers are not allowed to respond to search, rescue or recovery operations. Mr Mulvey is willing to meet separately with the parties in Doolin Coast Guard station house next Monday, November 22, from 6 to 8pm. If necessary, he will have meetings the following day to continue the mediation process. The Clare Champion has obtained a letter sent by the Maritime Strategy and Governance Division on behalf of Irish Coast Guard. The letter outlined that junior minister at the Department of Transport Hildegarde Naughton has decided, in response to the recent events in …