Regional

A NEW production company in East Clare is making waves on the media circuit. Having already featured on The Saturday Night Show, the father and son outfit even had to turn down an appearance on The Late Late Show. Fionnathan Productions is a not-for-profit collaboration between 17-year-old Fionn Crombie Angus and his father, Jonathan Angus, from Mountshannon. Fionn has a passion for filming, music, nature and a love for life. Over the last year the teenager, who has Down Syndrome, has been exploring his passions on video, as well as filming what others are passionate about. “We’ve been making videos for a couple of years just for fun. This summer the Tour de Munster was coming through and because they give their money to Down Syndrome, we wanted to do something. So we thought, let’s make a video. We talked about interviewing people around County Clare with Down Syndrome but Fionn came up with the brilliant question, ‘what do you …

THE Burren winterage festival takes place over the bank holiday weekend. The celebration honours generations of Burren farmers and includes re-enactments of ancient pastoral traditions and Samhain pursuits. For hundreds of years, Burren farmers have marked the end of the summer by herding their cattle up onto winter pastures in the limestone uplands, in the tradition known as winterage and the Burren is one of the only places in the world where it still occurs. Recent years have seen a decline in many rural traditions but one local group is trying to not only ensure the continuation of this important Burren tradition but is celebrating it in a community-led weekend event. Along with the local community, the Burrenbeo Trust is coordinating the 2013 Burren Winterage Weekend, which celebrates the Burren’s farming heritage and the broader significance of pastoral farming in the Burren and beyond. The weekend includes a prize for the best shorthorn heifer, an open farm day, a fancy …

THE 29th annual Irish caving symposium (SUICRO 2013) takes place this October Bank Holiday weekend in Hotel Doolin, attracting more than 100 cavers from around Ireland and the UK. The event, organised by the Irish Cave Rescue Organisation (ICRO) and the Speleological Union of Ireland (SUI), will include activities, lectures, demonstrations, trade stands, workshops and DVDs and, for the first time, is open to the public. As well as attending lectures, members of the public can try out caving with qualified guides in some of the Burren’s most beautiful caves and visit ICRO’s rescue store located in Doolin. First-time explorers will be provided with the necessary equipment and will be guided by fully qualified cave leaders. The symposium offers an opportunity to learn about the subterranean world in Ireland and abroad, meet avid cavers and learn about the challenges faced by cave rescuers. “We decided that we would love to open up the store this year to those interested in …

Tributes were paid this morning to Kilbeacanty and Galway hurler Niall Donoghue following his sudden death yesterday. Niall (22) was a member of the Galway U-21 panel that won the All Ireland in 2011. He broke on to the senior panel last year and played in the All-Ireland final against Kilkenny. “The heart of Kilbeacanty Hurling Club and parish has been left devastated and saddened by Niall’s sudden passing,” said club chairman Justin Fahy. Mr Fahy expressed sympathy to the Donoghue family from the club, its members and players. “Niall was our son, our brother, our friend, our hero and was an integral part of our club. There are no words today, we are rocked to the core and just devastated. We ask you all for your thoughts and prayers and your support for Niall’s family and our community,” he continued. Club member Gerry Finnerty says the community of Kilbeacanty is “trying to come to terms” with the loss. “He …

MOUNTSHANNON Community Council is the recipient of a €1,000 funding boost, as part of a nationwide campaign aimed at supporting stand-out community groups and clubs by local retailer Spar. Patron of the Helping Hand Community Fund and Olympic gold medallist Katie Taylor was on hand at a gala event in Dublin recently to acknowledge Mountshannon Community Council on their success. The SPAR Helping Hand Community Fund of €50,000 was launched earlier this year as part of the brand’s celebration of its 50th anniversary in Ireland. Funding recipients have been selected on the basis of their contribution to their local communities, along with their need for additional financial support. Speaking about the funding, Tom McNamara of Mountshannon Community Council said, “We are delighted to accept this funding, which recognises our role in the local community and which will go a long way in helping us to provide this worthwhile service”. Katie Taylor said “Mountshannon Community Council is obviously a cornerstone of …

THOSE involved in the Shannon Venue Ltd, which is seeking to provide a new iconic, multifunctional civic and arts centre for the town, say they are well on their way to meeting a target of raising €1 million in funding by the end of 2013. In a statement this week, the group said locally-based EI Electronics has “committed significant funding to the project and, in so doing, becomes the first company to make a financial commitment to this very progressive cultural undertaking for Shannon”. EI Electronics managing director Mick Guinee said, “It is appropriate, as we celebrate 50 years in business in Shannon in 2013, that EI Electronics should give the lead to the corporate sector by making a significant contribution to the funding of the Shannon Venue. The majority of our employees come from Shannon and the environs and I believe that the proposed multi-functional civic and arts centre will enrich the lives of these people and their families. …

By Dan Danaher A SENIOR local authority engineer has revealed he was almost knocked down in Scariff recently because the driver felt he didn’t have to stop at a stop sign. Concern about a small number of motorists who ignore some of new traffic-calming measures introduced last August in the East Clare town, as part of the new one-way system, has been expressed by senior executive engineer, Hugh McGrath. Mr McGrath ruled out calls from Councillors Pat Hayes and Joe Cooney for an immediate review to iron out some “teething problems” following the recent introduction of the long-awaited new traffic management system. Instead, Mr McGrath pledged to look at this issue again next January or February, when about six months would have elapsed. He also expressed scepticism as to whether Clare County Council could do anymore in terms of providing additional signage, as suggested by Councillor Cooney. “The council can’t plan for people who are not opening their eyes while …

THE committee of the Parkinson’s Health Conference in Feakle are preparing for ‘the Oscars of Irish Medicine’, as their event has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award at the Irish Medical Times Irish Healthcare Awards. The conference, which highlighted a research study by an Italian neurologist into the benefits of set dancing for Parkinson’s Disease (PD) patients, has been shortlisted in the Best Patient Education Project, Non-Pharma category. Therapeutic Effects of Irish Set Dancing on Parkinson’s Disease – Feakle Health Conference, is one of three shortlisted in the category and was chosen out of nine entries. There were 120 overall entries to the awards in total. Described by its organisers as “this year’s ‘Oscars’ of Irish medicine”, the winners will be revealed at a gala event run by the Irish Medical Times in the Shelbourne Hotel on Thursday, November 7. The awards are now in their 12th year and recognise originality, excellence and innovation in such areas as hospital …