Regional

South Galway’s Cathal Broderick won Host of the Year at the No Name Club’s National Youth Awards in Kilkenny recently. More than 1,000 members of the organisation from all over Ireland gathered in the Lyrath Hotel, Kilkenny for the final of its Host and Hostess of the Year competition, with both awards eventually going to the west.Sixteen-year-old Cathal, a member of Gort No Name Club, was named Host of the Year, while Eadaoin Ni Mhaicin from Claremorris No Name Club in Mayo, was named Hostess of the Year.There was a large crowd at the event with members of clubs around the country supporting all 10 finalists. Cathal was backed by a vocal contingent from Gort No Name Club, as well as his proud parents Eamonn and Marian. The finalists were interviewed on stage by RTÉ’s Damien Tiernan before entertaining with a party piece. Cathal sang a very impressive rendition of Ed Sheeran’s Give Me Love. Prior to joining the local …

A subject inspection into the quality of learning and teaching of art at Seamount College, Kinvara has recommended that the principal support and monitor the further development of art department practices to address dwindling numbers at senior cycle.Five main recommendations were made as part of the subject inspection, which was carried out last October 7 by the Department of Education and Skills.  The full report was released this week and found the subject is being “competently and conscientiously delivered”. It did note there were dwindling numbers in senior cycle art and advised the school to adopt an attractive learner-centred approach as a tool for sustaining viable numbers in the long term. The inspector recognised that resources had been put in place in the art department to facilitate students’ encounter with various media and materials, co-curricular activities, and preparation for the state examinations.Meanwhile the school’s use of information and communication technology (ICT) and video in the senior cycle history and appreciation …

The Irish Seed Savers Association has a new manager who is hoping to plant her roots in Seed Savers for some time to come. Lisa Duncan comes to the Scariff-based national charity from an administrative background in theatre, community dance, film and television and although she hasn’t had an association with gardening, other than as a hobby, she is looking forward to the new role. “It is a totally new venture for me. Apart from the fact that I would be a hobby gardener I would still have had a genuine interest and would have kept abreast of what Seed Savers was doing. I feel thrilled and very exciting because I have come at a really important time, as this is Seed Savers’ 21st year and there’s a real sense of all the jigsaw pieces slotting into place. We’ve got the buildings that we need and everything is starting to really work so we are coming of age and starting …

East Clare Heritage celebrates its 21st year this year and preparations are currently underway to mark the occasion as the Tuamgraney-based organisation opens for the new tourist season. The centre is located at St Cronan’s Church, which is the oldest church in continuous use in Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales, having been built prior to 964 AD. The church’s doorway, through which High King of Ireland, Brian Boru, entered over 1,000 years ago, is still intact. East Clare Heritage was formed in 1989 as a not-for-profit voluntary group, with the primary objective of protecting, promoting and ultimately creating access to the vast heritage of East Clare. In 1991, the then President of Ireland, Mary Robinson opened the East Clare Heritage Centre at St Cronán’s Church. The East Clare Heritage is a voluntary and community-based company dedicated to giving a future to our past. The company was formed in 1989 and within three years it had refurbished the 10th century church, …

THIS weekend Kilkee will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its twinning with the town of Plouhinec in France. French Ambassador to Ireland Emmanuelle d’Achon will attend the ceremony in Kilkee. The ambassador has been in the post since July 2010. Over 80 people are to travel from Plouhinec to participate in the celebrations including many of those who have visited Kilkee on previous twinning trips. There will also be a small delegation travelling from the German town of Weidenburg, which is twinned with Plouhinec. The Plouhinec choir will stage an informal concert at the Kilkee Bay Hotel at 8.30pm on Saturday and all local people are welcome to attend. The official ceremony will be at Cultúrlann McSweeny following 11am mass on Sunday. A commemorative tree planting ceremony is scheduled for Allender’s Field afterwards.In 1983, Kilkee and Plouhinec in Brittany signed a twinning agreement to promote social, cultural and commercial exchanges between the two communities. Many towns in France and particularly …

POTIONS and Piseogs, which is a collection of remedies, cures and tales from Kilrush and surrounding areas was launched in Kilrush Community School last Thursday. The booklet was produced by a group of parents of pupils who attend Kilrush Community School. The publication contains dozens of old remedies such as, dabbing a sting with vinegar or that putting meat on a sting or an insect bite, cures it. Coughs can also be aided by downing a white egg beaten stiff and adding two tablespoons of brown vinegar. Another cure for a cough involves eating the white of an egg mix with whiskey and vinegar. Some of the piseogs include the revelation that if you shiver for no reason, someone is walking on your grave and that if a woman’s apron falls open, it’s a sign that someone is talking about her. Also if you hear the sound of fairies or a sound that you cannot explain, you should turn your …

  A North Clare teenager will have a photograph hung in one of the country’s most prestigious galleries next month after it made the shortlist in a national photography competition. Seventeen-year-old Eleanor Collins from Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna, is one of 12 pupils from across Ireland shortlisted in the Le Crunch Photobyte Schools Photography Competition 2012. Eleanor’s unique apple-themed photograph captured the judges’ attention and will now be displayed at a special exhibition in the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin for the competition grand final on May 14. The photograph will also be on display at Le Crunch stands in selected Dunnes Stores across Ireland and the public will be invited to vote for their favourite composition.Eleanor entered the competition after seeing a poster in the art classroom at school about six weeks ago. “I thought it sounded interesting and something I would like to do so I said ‘why not’? I have been interested in photography for the …

A NEW exhibition and visitor experience, using a mix of media to tell the story of Loop Head Lighthouse, is being designed to enhance the tourism offering at the landmark building. Taoiseach Enda Kenny is expected to visit the lighthouse on Friday, April 27, as his grandfather once worked there as a lighthouse ’keeper.