Regional

“NO one teaches you how to learn,” according to Cillian Fahy who found fame two years ago when he sold his Leaving Cert notes on online auction site Ebay. Here he speaks to The Clare Champion about his latest project, an internet education service launching next week and pays tribute to his former teachers in Gort Community School.

THERE was a slight drop in those signing on the Live Register for 2012 at the Tulla Social Welfare Office, with 56 fewer people signing on in December 2012 than in 2011. However, the number of young people signing on remains static.

LOCAL businesses and groups are to be encouraged to ‘Adopt a Road’ as Ennis hopes to improve its already impressive marks in the national Tidy Towns competition.

THE Kilrush and District Historical Society January lecture will feature a presentation from Oliver Hawes on his grandfather, Joe Hawes.

WELL-known clinical psychologist David Coleman will be giving a talk on the theme of Helping your Child Navigate the Teenage Years at St Caimin’s on January 24.

  MORE than 360 people participated in the second annual Irish Christmas Tree Throwing Championship held at Lees Road Sports and Amenity Facility, Ennis at the weekend. The fundraising event, which is based on age-old lumberjack traditions and is commonplace across Germany and Austria, saw members of the public compete to determine the Irish distance record for throwing a standard 1.5m tree.  John O’Dea from Cappamore in County Limerick secured a new Irish record and the championship title after he threw a Christmas tree a distance of 10.2m, beating fellow competitor Sean Jaffray’s (Scotland) effort by just 0.3m. Norah Murphy won the ladies’ title with her throw of 6.3m, while the U-12 section was won by Soran Drayas (9.2m) and Aoife O’Gara (7.86m). All proceeds raised during the contest, which was organised by Ennis Town Council and Clare County Council, went to the Clare branch of Cystic Fibrosis. According to Joan Tarmey, environmental awareness officer, Clare County Council, “We were …

GALWAY County Council will decide this month if it will extend permission for the development of 17 homes at a landmark Clarinbridge site for an additional five years.

EAST Clare’s sexiest farmer 2012 is a Bodyke man. Colin Molloy from Dromod scooped the title from nine other eager contestants in the East Clare Sexiest Farmer Competition held in Tulla recently.