Regional

TOURIST attractions in the Lough Derg area have been put firmly on the digital map.Shannon Development and North Tipperary County Council teamed up to map over 220 visitor attractions and accommodation providers on Sat Nav systems, which should provide a tangible spin-off for the local economy.  

A NORTH Clare woman will highlight her talents to an international audience when she produces a show as part of the 15th annual Dublin Fringe Festival taking place later this month. Emma Pearson, who hails from Ennistymon, has performed in the festival for the past five years but this year has taken the plunge, coming up with her own show, titled Crash Test Cabaret. “It is very exciting to be in the festival. I have performed in it for the last five years in other people’s shows but this is the first time I’ll be producing my own show. It is quite difficult to get into the fringe. You have to submit a proposal but it has to be very detailed and very strong to get selected,” Emma stated.  Emma’s family is originally from the UK but her parents moved to Clare, from Leitrim, when she was a teenager. She was educated at the Convent of Mercy, Ennistymon and Salesian …

A PIN from the Middle Ages and an arrowhead dating back to 2500BC were some of the objects found as part of this year’s archaeological excavation at what could be the oldest habitation site in the Burren. The dig took place during Heritage Week at Caherconnell Stone Fort near Carron.

A GROUP of residents in East Clare have come together to start an initiative where people can trade and exchange goods and services freely without the need to dip into their pockets. The East Clare Local Exchange Trading System (LETS), a community exchange project, will be launched at the Aistear centre in Mountshannon on SSunday week from 2pm to 5pm.

Seosamh O’Conchubhair, Reachtaire of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, will officially launch the third annual Tulla Traditional Music Festival on Friday week. The festival will be opened by Mr O’Conchubhair at 8pm on Friday, September 11 with the launch the Tulla Comhaltas Archive CD entitled Humours of Tulla. This is part two of a three-part archival project on the music, songs and poetry of Tulla, which has been steeped for centuries in musical tradition.

THE 55th Clarenbridge Oyster Festival begins this weekend with the annual Clarenbridge Market Day taking place on Saturday from noon to 5.30pm.The main events take place the following weekend when the festival highlight, the Classic Oyster Gala Celebration takes place.

THE rain might have beaten The Blizzards but the King Guaire Rí-Rá Festival has been hailed a great success and there is already speculation the festival could become an annual event.Although the performance by The Blizzards, the headline act at the RiVibe Youthfest and Sunday’s family sports day were called off because of persistent rain, spirits remained high for the other events that took place over the weekend.  

The class photograph taken at the recent Kilrush CBS 1959-2009 50th anniversary celebration in Kilrush. Sixteen of the original class of 27 attended, while all members of the class were represented by a family member. Peadar Nugent, who organised the event, produced a booklet, which includes a biographical piece on each of the 27 ex-Kilrush CBS students. Back row, from left: Tommy Connors (England), Joe Taylor (Tralee), John Cussen (Kilkee), Flan Kiernan (Dublin), John Doyle (Australia), Michael Donnellan (Sligo), Senan O’Driscoll (Limerick), Peadar Cunningham (Kildare), Don Hamilton (Ennis – for his brother George, Spain) and Peadar Nugent (Galway). Middle row, from left: Alice Crotty (Dublin – for her husband Martin RIP), Jane Coughlan (Kilrush – for her brother Kenneth Humphries, London), John Saunders (Kilrush), Con O’Leary (Kildare – for his brother Fr John, Peru), Seosaimhín Uí Dhomhnalláin (Lahinch – for her husband John Donnellan RIP), Dympna Reidy (Kilmihil – for her brother Joe Devine, Florida), Brendan Daly (Cooraclare – for …