Tag Archives: clare champion

CLARE Champion journalist Dan Danaher has been short-listed for an RTÉ journalism course, in association with the Mary Raftery Journalism Fund. Established by the friends and family of investigative journalist Mary Raftery, who died in January 2012, the aim of the fund is to promote more in-depth coverage of issues close to Mary’s heart and on which she focused her ground-breaking investigative work. Allied to its support of the aims and objectives of the fund, RTÉ has offered one place on a two-week investigative journalism course with the RTÉ Investigations Unit. The course aims to upskill programme makers and journalists to deliver investigative reports across television, radio, print and online. Mr Danaher submitted two proposed investigations to the judges as part of a national competition and has been informed that he will be one of three journalists to be interviewed on Friday. “I am thrilled to be selected as one of the final three in the country for a nomination on …

ROUND two of The Clare Champion-sponsored Cusack Cup will take place on Monday at four venues, with all games throwing in at 2pm. In Doonaha, O’Curry’s will host Kilmurry-Ibrickane, who are on the trail of their fifth successive title. O’Curry’s were beaten by Clondegad in their opening game, while Kilmurry defeated Lissycasey by a point. Home advantage will help O’Curry’s but Kilmurry will still be favourites to pick up their second win of the campaign. In Lissycasey, the home club host neighbours Clondegad. Lissycasey are under a bit more pressure to get a result, given that they lost their opening game, albeit very narrowly. Clondegad are already on two points and another win would put them in a good position to push for a place in the semi-final at least. While this is a tricky one to call, Clondegad will start as marginal favourites in this all-parish derby. Elsewhere, Doonbeg host Miltown, who drew their opening game with Cooraclare. Doonbeg …

AN intriguing project, based on information gleaned from the pages of The Clare Champion, will look at life and death in County Clare in the early part of the 20th century. The Biographical Index of The Clare Champion 1903-1934 project is a collaboration between the Clare Roots Society and Clare County Library. Clare Roots Society is looking for volunteers to assist in the collection and recording of biographical notices published in The Champion for the years 1903 to 1934. This information will create a searchable index to be made available on the Clare Library website for public access when completed. A similar project was undertaken some years ago for Clare Champion issues published for years 1935 to 1985 and the index is available online. The project will complete the index for all Clare Champion publication years, 1903-1985. The editions of the newspaper can be on microfilm spool, microfiche and hardcopy, located in the Local Studies Centre, Ennis, where the review …

KILKEE man Martin McDonnell returned to his native town for a holiday this Christmas, for the first time in five years. Martin and his wife, Tracy, live in Muskoka, Ontario, and to underline his West Clare credentials, Martin brought a copy of The Clare Champion back to Canada with him. His wife then took a photograph of him reading it outside. “He just had to get a photo of himself with The Clare Champion,” Tracy laughed. “Martin says don’t complain about the Clare weather. It’s minus 18 here at the moment. He’d take the weather back home any time, including the rain,” she added. Muskoka, is a regional municipality located in Central Ontario, Canada. Muskoka extends from Georgian Bay in the west, to the northern tip of Lake Couchiching in the south, to the western border of Algonquin Provincial Park in the east. Located approximately a two-hour car drive north of Toronto Muskoka has some 1,600 lakes, making it a …

THE retail community in Ennis have created a series of magical, sparkling windows allowing the public to dip into the world of Christmas fantasy. Their imagination was inspired this year by the theme of The Clare Champion’s annual window display competition, Frozen in Ennis. This is the 11th year of the competition and entrants were invited to, once again, give free rein to their creative sides and they certainly Let it Go. The wide interpretation of Frozen in Ennis, inspired by the 2013 Walt Disney film, the highest grossing animation movie of all time, was reflected in the glittering shop fronts all around the town. Since its release last year, Frozen has become a firm favourite with children of all ages. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen, it tells the story of a fearless princess who sets off on an epic journey along with a rugged iceman, his loyal pet reindeer and a naive snowman, in …

ENNIS retailers and shop owners are certain to receive a warm reception, when they enter this year’s Clare Champion Christmas Window Display competition. This year’s competition theme is Frozen in Ennis and is inspired by the 2013 Walt Disney film, which has become the highest-grossing animation movie of all time. Despite the chilly theme, the best-dressed window displays and shopfronts in the county town are certain to get a warm response from shoppers and visitors. This is the 11th year of the competition and entrants are invited to once again give free rein to their creative sides. Managing director, John Galvin said, “The Clare Champion organises this competition to bring out the creative side of our shop owners and service providers. Ennis has a great reputation for its shopfronts and its fine display windows, behind which there are a wonderful variety of retail businesses. “By coupling a Christmas theme with what is already a high standard of window displays, we …

HENNESSY Memorial Park in Miltown will host The Clare Champion-sponsored Cusack Cup final on Saturday, when holders Kilmurry Ibrickane take on Éire Óg in a repeat of the 2013 final, which the West Clare club won in a replay. This weekend, Kilmurry will be seeking their fourth successive Cusack Cup and their ninth in total, including three won by Quilty in the mid-1930s. The winners will be presented with a €2,000 cheque, while the runners-up will be presented with €1,000 from The Clare Champion. Éire Óg reached this year’s final courtesy of finishing top of the Cusack Cup table, while Kilmurry defeated Miltown 1-11 to 1-7 in the semi-final played in Quilty two weeks ago. Given that both clubs had disappointing ends to this year’s championship, they will be keen to finish the year with a trophy in the cabinet. Of course, Éire Óg beat Kilmurry in this year’s semi-final in Kilmihil before losing the county final to Cratloe. The …

Almost 50 people have accepted the challenge to spend a night sleeping rough in Kilrush this Friday  but there is still room for more, according to organisers of the Mid West Simon Community Sleep Out Challenge. Volunteers will sleep under the stars in West Clare to raise awareness and funds to support people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary. “The event is not attempting to replicate the serious situation of being homeless but is an attempt to bring an awareness of the crisis to the forefront of everyone’s mind, for one evening,” explained Jackie Bonfield, manager of Mid West Simon Community. “We can in no way understand the feelings of loss, vulnerability and fear that is felt by those in a homeless situation, as the participants will return in the morning to their homes and move on with their life in security. However, the fundraising efforts will go a long way to help …