Tag Archives: celebration

A Clarecastle woman has danced her way to the top of the world. Zoe Griffin has been named senior ladies champion at the World Irish Dancing Championships in Glasgow. “I’m delighted, this is always something that I wanted to do and I couldn’t believe it when it happened. When I went to the competition I was aiming for top five but to win, I’m just delighted,” the 21-year-old told The Clare Champion. Zoe was just three-weeks-old when she first visited Scoil Uí Ruairc School of Irish Dancing accompanying her older sister Sonya. “I’m part of the furniture now,” she laughs. She explains, “My sister was a dancer so I just went with her. She was eight and I was only a baby then, I suppose I was born into it.” Zoe was among the 14 solo qualifiers and a céilí team from Scoil Uí Ruairc to compete in Glasgow. Collectively, the dance school have brought home a world championship, two …

IN 1938 the doors of the new ‘Technical School’ were first opened on the grounds of the Old Infirmary in Ennis. Now home to Ennis Community College, Gaelcholáiste an Chláir and the Ennis College of Further Education, the school will celebrate its monumental 75th year anniversary next week. At a cost of £11,000 the school was originally established the meet the need for a permanent technical school in County Clare following the passing of the Vocational Education Act in 1930. The eventual opening of the school came following a concerted effort by the Vocational Education Committee to secure a site. When the school opened, The Clare Champion reported on the enrolling of 120 boys and girls in the vocational classes in the “handsome” new school. The school has certainly come along way from its early days of offering classes such as manual work for boys and domestic economy to girls, vital skills in helping young Clare people secure paid employment …

A newly updated Hyundai iX35 has just been introduced and the range starts at €25,495. Hyundai have had a good 2013, with the range as a whole capturing the title of Ireland’s fastest growing car brand and the iX35 is expected to continue the trend. Celebration trim represents the new base model and it’s powered as before by a 1.7 litre diesel engine. This comes as standard with 16” alloy wheels, air conditioning, downhill brake control, hill start assist, electric heated door mirrors, rear spoiler, remote central locking with alarm, LED DRL, trailer stability assist, tyre pressure monitoring and a leather steering wheel. Comfort trim is next up and sells from €26,995 with a 1.7 litre diesel or €30,495 with four wheel drive and a 2.0 litre diesel power unit. It comes with extra equipment including bluetooth, cruise control, heated seats, rain sensing wipers and front fog lamps. Next up is Executive, which in 1.7 litre form sells at €28,245 …

The first ever celebration of Polish heritage, history and culture in County Clare will be held later this month. The three-week long Polish Festival will take place at Clare Museum in Ennis from September 20 to October 12 and is being targeted at the region’s significant Polish population. There are more than 2500 Polish people living in County Clare with an estimated 19,000 other Poles living in the surrounding counties of Galway, Limerick and Tipperary. Amongst the free public events being hosted at Clare Museum will be lectures on Poland’s World War Two experience, Polish film screenings, an exhibition of Polish modern art, and a lecture by a Polish descendant of two Clare men who were shipwrecked in the Baltic Sea coast during the 17th century. The Festival is being supported by Clare Local Authorities and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Jakub Kacprzak, organiser of the Polish Festival, said, “We are very excited about hosting the upcoming …