Regional

THE Clare Shout Cup has sat proudly on Mary Murphy’s mantel in Kilkishen for the last year but will it remain there for another as the annual competition to find the best Clare Shout heats up?Mary is going to give it another go this year to retain the title but she admits that she would also be happy to pass on the accolade to another worthy opponent, should one emerge from the crowd on Saturday, September 19.

A BRIEF stint as a drug dealer in Ros na Rún may have caused something of an identity crisis for a performer with Clare roots and recently the Leaving Cert inspired him to shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Electric Picnic. So, what next for Aindrias De Staic?Son of well-known Ennistymon man Eddie Stack, Aindrias is no stranger to story-telling or to music or indeed to comedy and he has cemented all three together in building his career as a performer. Splitting his time between Melbourne and Galway, Aindrias has just returned from three weeks taking part in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where he won a coveted ThreeWeeks Editors’ Award for his show The Summer I Did the Leaving.

SHANNON took 273 marks from a possible 400 in this year’s Tidy Towns Competition, the results of which were published this week. Adjudicators visited the town in June and they had a broadly positive view of Shannon, awarding it nine marks out of 10, in the general impression section.

AN official ceremony for the University of Limerick’s new €16 million medical school at Garraun, Clonlara has landed the university in hot water after Clare public representatives weren’t invited for the event. Responding to the criticism, a spokeswoman for the University of Limerick explained it does not usually have large events for sod-turning stages of buildings and this brief, informal event was organised at very short notice to accommodate the Taoiseach’s diary.”No other public representatives were invited to the event. UL will subsequently be organising more formal topping out and an official opening event to which all public representatives and community leaders in County Clare will be invited as appropriate. The university welcomes the support of the Clare County Council for the Graduate Medical School building, which is estimated to bring 150 construction jobs to the Shannon region, representing a welcome boost to the local construction industry in this challenging environment,” she said. An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen took a break …

AN Ennis man is set to brave the elements by taking part in an attempt to swim the English Channel this week. Ian Murphy, along with other colleagues from Irish Life Investment Managers, will attempt a relay swim of the waterway in a bid to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society.

A WELL-known North Clare business has adopted a creative method of increasing productivity while also inciting people to get out and take a closer look at their surroundings. The proprietors of Linnalla Pure Irish Ice Cream are urging people to put on their boots, grab their buckets and gather berries.

TWENTY-eight years ago, the first sail boats of the newly named Cullaun Sailing Club took to the water at Cullaun Lake after it was identified as a new home for sailing enthusiasts in the Shannon Region. Indeed, sailing activities are still going strong at the East Clare lake as last weekend saw boats take to the water for the 28th Cullaun Annual Regatta where two days of exciting and close racing was held.

THE final preparations are being put in place in advance of the Tulla Traditional Music Festival which kicks off in the East Clare village this Friday, with some great treats in store for those heading to the event.Among the highlights for the third annual trad festival is a gala concert at St Peter and Paul’s Church featuring Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill and At The Racket.