West Clare

LAST Sunday, Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan, re-opened the refurbished Killimer Parish Hall. A huge crowd attended, with many travelling from the National Famine Commemoration in Kilrush. Parish groups who avail of the hall displayed their work  showing what groups contribute to the community. The need to upgrade and further develop Killimer Parish Hall for the future was identified by Killimer Parish Pastoral Council. Killimer Parish Hall was closed for four months until the rebuild and refurbishment was completed.  In 1886, the Killimer parish priest, Fr O’Meara, leased the property to be used as a school for a period of 99 years. In 1952, due to a fire, the building could no longer be used as a school and a new school was built next door. The parishioners began fundraising to construct a parish hall, which was opened around 1957. This served as a gathering place, where dances and sales of work were held. In the …

On Sunday, June 30, the villages of Carrigaholt and Kilbaha will provide the stunning backdrop to a unique fundraising event called Hopper’s Way.

THE square in Carrigaholt teemed with people and rain last Friday night as the Crack’d Spoon Theatre Group staged a re-enactment of Famine scenes.The actors were dressed in costumes contemporary to Famine times at the event, which marked the start of the National Famine Commemoration in West Clare. Part of the scene involved the local landlord family being introduced to the crowd and sitting down to dinner, while impoverished children and their families looked on. The civic reception was staged by local landlords Westby, Burton and McDonnell for Crofton Moore Vandeleur and his wife, Grace Toler.As Carrigaholt was the last port of call for the ill-fated immigrant ship, The Edmund, intending passengers were depicted queuing for tickets in the square. Research in the lead-up to the Famine Commemoration has thrown light on twilight vigilantes variously named The Rockites, Lady Clare Boys, White Boys and Terry Alts, which were agrarian secret societies who met after dark and dressed in terrifying costumes …

KILKEE town councillors have expressed concern at the derelict state of a number of buildings in the town, while they have also highlighted issues relating to the dumping of rubbish.At Monday’s May meeting of the town council, Councillor Elaine Haugh Hayes asked that Clare County Council “force” the owners of a derelict petrol station on the Kilrush Road, “to enhance the forecourt”, while she also noted the state of the Ocean Cove Hotel.“This site is deteriorating at a rapid pace,” Councillor Haugh Hayes claimed.“The site on the way into Kilkee is a huge eyesore. Something needs to be done with it. These sites are going to have to be looked after. Their condition is affecting the rest of places that are open,” she added.In reply, Kilkee town clerk John Corry said Clare County Council is looking into derelict site concerns in the town.“I spoke with the area planner on this matter. She said that the sites are contained as Opportunity …

A BOOK concentrating on the mass evictions in the Kilrush Poor Law Union during the Famine will be launched at 8pm on Tuesday at Teach Ceoil, Kilrush, as part of the National Famine Commemoration May 3 to 12.

THE recently postponed National Famine Commemoration public meeting will take place next Monday at 7.30pm in the Vandeleur Walled Gardens, Kilrush.  

FOR centuries past and up to the present day, a wide variety of common interests exist between Ireland and Scotland.

LAST week’s meeting of Kilrush Town Council heard that Moyne Court in Kilrush was the only estate taken charge of by the town council in recent years.