West Clare

IN Cappa last Saturday, well-known marine correspondent Tom MacSweeney officially named the new Kilrush RNLI Atlantic 85 lifeboat, Edith Louise Eastwick at the lifeboat station. Tom named the lifeboat in memory of the mother of the late Baroness Marjorie Von Schlippenbach.

FOLLOWING the signing of contracts, the refurbishment and energy efficiency upgrade of 11 occupied houses in Wilson Road, Wood Road and Beech Park commenced on Monday.

Organisers of this July’s Kilrush Family Festival Feile Sona have appealed to local people and the business community to help out and support the summer event. The three-day festival will run from Friday, July 1, until Sunday, July 3. It was held last year after a lapse of several years. A meeting will be held next Monday night in The Haven Arms to look at fundraising and organisational elements relating to the festival. “The festival was revived to give people in Kilrush something to look forward to. It belongs to the people of Kilrush and it is their support that will make it a success,” one of the festival organisers, Ian Lynch, said. However, he predicted financing the festival might prove tricky. “While the organisers commenced preparations well in advance this year, by holding the St Patrick’s Day world record attempt and fun run, Easter egg hunt and an upcoming poker classic on May 20, financing the festival this year …

ON Wednesday, Clare County Council awarded a €1 million contract to L&M Keating Ltd, Kilmihil, to carry out a refurbishment and extension to the Sweeney Memorial Library in Kilkee. The work will be carried out to a design by Denis Byrne Architects in Dublin. The council initially made this decision public last December. The project has already been significantly delayed.  At the July 2010 meeting of Kilrush Electoral Area county councillors, director of services Nora Kaye acknowledged the refurbishment work was behind schedule even at that stage. “It appears to be about a month behind schedule at the moment, but hopefully all will go well for a start later in the year,” Ms Kaye explained. She said she had spoken to project architect, Ruth Hurley on the issue. “I’m disappointed to hear that there’s a delay. In these times I thought that we should be ahead of things. But if there’s a delay there’s a delay, although I would encourage …

KIERAN Glennon from Cherry Orchard in Dublin has contacted The Clare Champion seeking readers help in solving what he has termed “a perplexing riddle of family history”, which has roots in Cree. Kieran’s grandmother, Nora Clancy, was born on April 30, 1901 in Cloonenagh, a townland in Cree, about 10 miles north-east of Kilrush. Her parents were Michael and Bridget Clancy and she was the fourth of nine children. Her siblings were Harry, Marcella, Daniel, Mary, Catherine, Michael, Patrick and Bridget. She qualified as a nurse and lived in Lahinch before emigrating to Australia in June 1928 as a passenger on a ship named the SS Hobson’s Bay.“Coincidentally, my grandfather was also a passenger on the same ship. His name was Tom Glennon and he was originally from Belfast. I have no indication that they knew each other prior to the voyage but romance must have blossomed during the six-week journey to Australia because only two weeks after the ship’s …

WHAT has been labelled the Cold Pro surf and music festival will take place at the White Strand in Miltown Malbay on June 4 and 5 next. The festival’s primary aim is to promote surf tourism and familiarise people with surf culture. Held over two days, the festival will incorporate two stages with artists like Imelda May, The Amplifetes, Those Dancing Days, North Atlantic Oscillation and Scott Mathews. Furthermore Peter Hook and ‘The Light’ will present Joy Divisions Unknown Pleasures. Martony Vaughan of Extreme Production Solutions is one of the event promoters and is predicting that thousands of people will flock to Miltown for the weekend. “The event will attract about 5,000 people to the area and will be worth an estimated €2 million to €2.5 m to the local economy,” he forecast.“It will feature some of the best musical talent both from here and the UK. Surfing is the fastest-growing sport in Ireland and County Clare is home to …

CARRIGAHOLT was particularly busy last weekend and should be equally packed this coming weekend for the four-day May Bank Holiday Weekend Oyster Festival. The festival will open in Keane’s at 9.30pm where the festival queen will be crowned. Saturday will feature a shell craft competition, for children, on the beach from 12 noon. A children’s puppet show, an escorted family cycle, raft race, a Carrigaholt’s Got Talent karaoke competition in Morrissey’s and dolphin watch trips will also feature on the Saturday. A food and craft market will be located in the village square while on the Sunday, oysters will be prepared and served in the marquee. Sunday will also feature traditional music sessions, a guided family walk, an angling competition and the oyster opening championships at 3.30pm. Street entertainers will be trying to win prize money. Judging will be carried out during the festival and winners will be announced from 6 to 9pm on Sunday. Stalls will also be available …

THE West Clare Kidney Support Group will hold their annual fundraising walk on Sunday. The route will be from Kilrush to Cooraclare, departing the town square at 3pm. This year, the proceeds from the walk will be donated to the Clare branch of the Irish Kidney Association. The figure collected in 2010 amounted to over €22,000, which was presented to the Clare branch of the Irish Kidney Association.All walkers are asked to have registered prior to the event. They can do this by collecting a sponsorship card from committee members. There will also be an opportunity to register on the day of the walk. This can be done at the square in Kilrush or at the church gate in Cooraclare village. Christy Curtin, Mayor of Clare, who has participated in the walk over the years, will cut the tape at 3pm. All registered walkers will be supplied with a t-shirt and a cap.At 2.20pm in Cooraclare, a bus will collect …