Clare competitors in the hunt for gold

Clare Community Games will be well represented at the national finals in Athlone IT over the next two weekends, August 12-15 and August 19-22.
Clare has 201 participants over the two weekends, 100 of whom will compete this coming weekend in swimming, cycling, gymnastics, judo, pitch and putt boys and girls, boys’ soccer U-12, girls’ volleyball U-16 and variety. 
In volleyball, the Doora-Barefield team will be representing Clare in the finals for the first time. This is in sharp contrast to the variety competition, where Sixmilebridge-Kilmurry will represent Clare for the 28th time.
In swimming, a large number of the children have attended the finals in previous years. Aoife Floyd from Tulla will be hoping to win gold in the U-12 breastroke to add to the gold she won last year as a member of the Tulla draughts team.
Ennis St John’s has an excellent record when representing Clare in the soccer finals and hopes are high that they will add to the collection of medals that has come to the county town from the national finals. Ennis man Flan Brennan has been involved with Community Games soccer since 1990 and one of the highlights was when his daughter Laura captained Ennis to gold in the girls’ finals in Mosney in 1992.
Three of Clare’s four competitors in the cycling competition this year come from Quin-Clooney. Amongst the Clare representatives in judo are Peter Stack and Hugo Kinahan, who have been amongst the winners in the past.
The Clare competitors at the national finals this weekend is listed below.
Pitch and Putt: Hannah Bredin, Aisling Maher, Rachel Coote, Emma Neylon, Elana Bradley (Ennis St John’s); Colm Devine, Niall Keane, Cathal Clune, Danny Mungovan, Sean Myatt (Doora-Barefield).
Cycling: Moll Nolan (Kilkishen-O’Callaghan’s Mills); Lauren McConway, Cathal Browne, Barry Loughnane (Quin-Clooney).
Swimming: Ava Lenihan (Doora-Barefield) freestyle U-8; Emma O’Brien (Clarecastle-Ballyea) freestyle U-10; Elise Pyne (Ennis St John’s) in backstroke U-10; Eva Guinnane (Ennistymon-Lahinch-Liscannor) in freestyle U-12; Aoife Floyd (Tulla) in breastroke U-12; Ivana Pyne (Ennis St John’s) in breastroke U-12; Rachel O’Brien (Corofin-Kilnaboy) in freestyle U-14; Aoibheann Hogan (Kilnamona) in breastroke U-14; Eimear McGrath (Quin-Clooney) in backstroke U-14; Odette Gleeson (Ballyvaughan-Fanore) in butterfly U-14; Alana Brennan (Cratloe) in freestyle U-16; Ciara Ryan (Ruan) in backstroke U-16; Tiernan Nijs (Derg) in freestyle U-8; Eoin Rouine (Ennistymon-Lahinch-Liscannor) in freestyle U-10, Sean McGrath (Quin-Clooney) in backstroke U-10, Luke Carmody (Doora-Barefield) in freestyle U-12, Thomas Coleman (Ennistymon-Lahinch-Liscannor) in breastroke U-12, Sean Conway (Doonbeg) in backstroke U-12, Hugh McMahon (Doora-Barefield) in freestyle U-14, Lorcan Casey (Doora-Barefield in Breastroke U-14, Rory McEvoy (Doora-Barefield) in backstroke U-14, Dara Gleeson (Ennis St Johns) in butterfly U-14, Luke Dillon (Derg) in freestyle U-16, Barry Clancy (Kilnamona) in backstroke U-16 and Patrick Cooney (Doora-Barefield) in butterfly U-16.
In addition, taking part in the swimming finals will be the Ennistymon-Lahinch-Liscannor girls’ U-13 team of Aoibhin O’Sullivan, Eva Guinnane, Isobel Coleman, Lea Gosseau and Kate Gilna; boys’ U-13 squad of Eoin Ruane, Conor Murphy, Patrick O’Rourke, Eanna O’Donnacha and Thomas Coleman; girls’ U-16 squad of Sarah O’Reilly, Orlaith O’Neill, Hannah O’Brien, Eimear McGrath and Jane Taylor (all Clooney-Quin) and the boys’ U-16 squad of Rory McEvoy, Lorcan Casey, Patrtick Cooney and Hugh McMahon (all Doora-Barefield).
Variety: James Connor, Jennifer Goule, Claire Corbett, Caroiline Hogan, Jade Murphy, Shane Hayes, Eimear McDermott, Kim Stephen, Jenny Flynn, Dervla Murray, Jessica Wilmot, Leanne Gaule, Sarah Collins and Slaine Carey (all Sixmilebridge-Kilmurry).
Gymnastics: Niamh O’Halloran (Ennis St John’s); Dianna Carmody (Doora-Barefield); Eleanor O’Loughlin (Ennistymon-Liscannor-Lahinch); Rachel Brennan (Ennis St John’s) Laura Culliney (Doora-Barefield); Conro Faerrell (Corofin-Kilnaboy); Hugo Kinahan (Cratloe); Peter Stack (Clarecastle-Ballyea).
Soccer: Jack Connolly, Frank Roche, Ikem Ugwueru, Jesse Onejekwe, Darren O’Brien, Kevin O’Connor, Josh Costin, Conor McDaid, Philip Talty, Robbie Woods, Ronan Lanagan, Fionn Nolan, Rory Brennan, Sam Ogundare, Stephen Kennedy (Ennis St John’s).
Judo: Róisín and Ciara Cahill (Doora-Barefield); Tara Walsh (Ennis St John’s); Nicki Hardiman (Doora-Barefield); Ikem Uygwuery (Ennis St John’s).
Girls’ volleyball: Kate Norton, Cliodhna Fanning, Gabrielle Da Silva, Jessica O’Connor, Caoimhe Feerick, Meghan Fitzgerald, Claire Purcell, Niamh Courtney, Sarah Jane O’Connell, Jenny Hansbury.

Doora-Barefield will be well represented

Thirty-one competitors will represent the parish of Doora-Barefield and Clare at national finals in the next two weekends.
This is the first time Doora-Barefield will represent Clare at the national finals in the volleyball girls’ U-16 competition and the team members are Kate Norton, Cliodhna Fanning, Gabriela da Silva, Jessica O’Connor, Caoimhe Feerick, Meghan Fitzgerald, Claire Purcell, Niamh Courtney, Sarah Jane O’Connell and Jenny Hansbury. The team manger is Davnet O’Dwyer
Swimmers Rory McEvoy, Patrick Cooney and Hugh McMahon are no strangers to the national finals. They have been attending every year since they were eight years old. They were part of the U-13 swimming relay team that won gold two years ago and are back this year taking part in the U-16 relay competition. Rory will also swim in U-14 backstroke, Hugh in the U-14 freestyle, Lorcan Casey in the U-14 breaststroke and Patrick Cooney in the U-16 butterfly. Joining the boys this year for the first time at the finals will be Amy Lenihan, who will swim in the U-8 girls’ freestyle.
Eoin Hanrahan has been at the finals for the past four years. He reached the finals at swimming for a few years and was also part of the U-13 boys’ swimming relay team that won gold two years ago. Last year, he won gold in the U-14 shot putt and also a Community Games Sports Award. This year, Eoin is taking part in U-16 discus competition.
The Doora/Barefield U-16 boys’ pitch and putt team consists of Danny Mungovan, Colm Devine, Cathal Clune, Niall Keane and Sean Myatt. All performed excellently at the county finals when Sean Myatt came in with a superb score of four under par on the day. The team manager is Johnny Clune.
Luke Carmody is having a very busy year in Community Games. In May, Luke was part of the boys’ U-12 mixed distance relay team that won gold for Clare. Luke has qualified to swim in the boys’ U-12 freestyle. He will be joined by his sister, Dianna, who is making her first trip to the national finals in U-10 girls’ gymnastics.
The Clare final was a family affair in the judo competition, with Róisín Cahill winning gold in girls’ 25kg and her sister Ciara also winning gold in girls’ 50kg judo. This will be Ciara’s third time representing Clare at the national finals. Last year, she came away with a national bronze medal and a Clare Community Games Sports Award.
Nicki Hardiman is also on his making his first outing to the national finals in August with his win in the boys’ 25kg.
Two more sisters from Barefield are also making their first trip to Athlone. Niamh Courtney will be part of the very strong girls’ U-16 volleyball team from Barefield. Naimh will be joined by her younger sister Anna, who is taking part in the girls’ U-14 hurdles.
Laura Power has, for the past three years, represented Doora-Barefield at the May national finals in cross-country and in August for track events. This year, Laura won the U-16 girls’ marathon (Shannon Family Shield) in the Clare finals and will be part of a very strong Clare team competing in Athlone.
Completing a very strong line-up of young competitors who will represent the parish at the finals will be Tom O’Brien in the boys’ U-12 long puck, Laura Culliney in girls’ U-16 gymnastics and Ronan Tarrant in boys’ U-8 gymnastics. This will be their first time at the national finals in August and they will all be hoping to complete a memorable year for Doora-Barefield in Community Games competition.

Sixmilebridge variety group – 27 years on the national stage

Since 1980, the Sixmilebridge-Kilmurry have represented Clare 27 times in the national variety finals of Community Games, winning gold, silver and bronze medals on many occasions.
They have also won the All-Ireland award for best cultural content on six occasions.  Since the variety competition became a provincial qualifier in 1996 they have been crowned Munster champions every year, which must be a record in team competitions.  They have been Clare champions 27 times and Munster champions on 16 occasions.
Their show features all types of entertainment including dance, music, song and comedy.
The group of 14 youths are all under 16 years of age. Past members have gone on to develop their careers in the entertainment industry and attribute their interest to having been involved in the variety group.
Since the group was formed in 1980, the show has been produced every year by founder Dolores O’Loughlin.  Costumes have been designed and made by Dolores for all the shows. An average of 80 costumes are needed for each show and this amounts to about 2,280 costumes over the past 31 years. Dolores organises a variety festival every year involving young groups from around the country.
Dolores also established the Sixmilebridge Cultural Group in the mid-1980s and hundreds of children have travelled to Europe, especially Denmark, on numerous occasions. The cultural exchanges have been very successful and many Danish children/teenagers have visited and lived with families in the local community.
Fundraising has always been a major element to ensure the success of the exchanges. Bag packing, cake sales, raffles and variety shows were organised to raise money. In 2009, 33 travelled to the international festival in Denmark and raised  €13,000 to fund the trip
The group entertained at Áras an Uachtaran for presidents Robinson and McAleese at their garden parties and also arranged for senior citizens to visit there on a number of occasions.