Tag Archives: Clare County Library

CLARE County Library’s History Week is running from October 16-22, with its programme covering the county during the revolutionary period. There will be exhibitions, online lectures, music and talks, with most of the programme accessible at www.clarelibrary.ie. Dr Joe Power will speak on Clare and the Civil War, Áine Hensey will speak on the Rebel Priests ofMullagh – Fr Pat Gaynor and Fr Michael McKenna and Rita McCarthy on the County ClareNursery (Mother and Baby Home). Distinguished historian Mary McAuliffe will talk on Republican Surveillance of Women during the War of Independence with reference to Co Clare and Sinéad McCoole, who specialises in the history of Irish women, talks about Mná100 – Explore a Century of Change. Joe Ó Muircheartaigh will present an audio documentary about the friction between the East and Mid Clare Brigades during the War of Independence called Brigades at War and Brian Spring will launch his Primary School Resource Pack The Brave and the Bold: the …

CLARE libraries are helping older people ring in the changes when it comes to using getting to grips with new technology. Clare County library has announced a series of Smart Phone classes for older people in a number of libraries beginning at the end of September. The daytime classes will take place in the following libraries: Ennistymon, Kilkee, Shannon, Scariff, and Ennis. The three-week programme will include a session on Zoom video conferencing and the WhatsApp platform so that participants can learn how to connect with others and how to avail of online classes and activities. The classes will be of two hours duration and will take place in the mornings or afternoons. Numbers at the classes are limited due to current restrictions. Clare Libraries will run a second set of classes later in the year. The classes are for those who have not got a smart phone or have just recently received one. The Smart Phone classes will run …

CLARE County Library is sowing the seeds of growth across the Banner. Libraries Ireland is partnering with Grow it Yourself (GIY) to roll out the ‘Grow It Forward’ campaign under the Government’s Keep Well programme. GIY is a not-for-profit social enterprise, based in Waterford. It helps people to grow some of their own food at home, at work, at school and in the community.     The Grow it Forward campaign was launched last month. Seeds have been dispersed from GIY (www.giy.ie) and from libraries nationwide over the past number of weeks. Clare County Library has distributed packs of seeds to schools, nursing homes, community gardens and allotments via the library home delivery service. They have also been given to individual gardeners. Each pack contains five packets of seeds, a growing guide, and details on Clare library services and how to join the library.  Clare County Library are now asking recipients to document their growing journeys by sending photos and …

CLARE County Library has announced details of ‘Clare Reads’, a new initiative that encourages reading for pleasure. Clare Reads aims to encourage everyone in Clare to read a designated book connected with the county during the month of February. This is a new project for Clare County Library and is part of both the ‘Ireland Reads’ and ‘Keep Well’ campaigns. The designated book is This Is Happiness by Niall Williams. Helen Walsh, Clare County Librarian, said, “On behalf of Clare County Library service, I am delighted to have the opportunity of promoting this wonderful book by Niall Williams. The title alone is enough to spur anyone to open the first page and read. The narrative is centred around an older man looking back on his life in a small village somewhere in the west of Ireland. It covers the period of electrification, which must have been such an uplifting experience for small communities. It is often difficult to get a book with universal …

CLARE County Library have plenty to keep book lovers ‘appy’ this December. The library service has announced the development of an app to enhance visits to the library. You will soon be able to check in and check out your own books in the county’s Wi-Fi-enabled libraries, at De Valera Library, Ennis, Shannon, Kilrush, Scariff, Sixmilebridge, Ennistymon and Miltown Malbay. The app will also be able to check your own account, update your loans, search the catalogue, reserve books and e-resources. The Clare County Library app is free and available on the App Store and the Google Store. That’s not the only technological advancement being progressed by Clare County Library services. Dormant Account Funding grant aid is to be utilised to provide literacy software to Clare schools. Library staff have contacted over 100 primary schools in the county in the past number of weeks to offer Touch-type, Read and Spell (TTRS) licences to students. So far, Clare schools have requested …

CLARE Haven Services are continuing to shine a light on violence against women having launched a very special virtual candlelit remembrance. Despite Covid-19 the local organisation is currently marking the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. This annual international campaign running from November 25 the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, until December 10, Human Rights Day aims to raise awareness and to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. Clare Haven’s annual candle-lit walk through the streets of Ennis remembering women and children killed by partners or ex-partners is not possible due to Covid-19. However, Clare Haven Services have joined forces with artist Emma Houlihan, Clare County Library and An Garda Siochana in developing a virtual lighted walk. Dr Siobhán O’Connor, Manager of Services, Clare Haven Services explains, “For the last 12 years, to remember the women who have been killed in County Clare by their partners or ex-partners, Clare …

STUDENTS are being encouraged to take a leaf out of the book from one of the county’s most successful festivals. Preparations are already in motion for next year’s Ennis Book Club Festival which is set to take place from March 5 to 7, 2021. Festival director, Dani Gill and the committee are currently working on plans for the 15th festival. Book clubs have always been at the heart of the festival’s programming and this year the festival aims to develop new audiences by setting up the TY Book Club. Ennis Book Club Festival are inviting Transition Year classes from Clare schools to participate in a series of workshops on book clubs with Sarah Moore Fitzgerald. Sarah Moore Fitzgerald is a professor and award winning author based at the University of Limerick. She will host three workshops with TY classes from four schools in November, December and January online. The first workshop will give students tools and techniques to generate sharper …

A SERIES of smartphone classes for older people in a number of libraries across Clare will begin at the end of September. The daytime classes will take place in the libraries in Ennis, Shannon, Scariff, Kilkee and Ennistymon. The four-week programme will include a session on Zoom video conferencing and the WhatsApp platform so that participants can learn how to connect with others and how to avail of online classes and activities. The tutor-led classes will be of two hours’ duration and will take place in the mornings or afternoons. Numbers at the classes are limited due to current restrictions. The classes are specifically for those who do not have a smartphone or have just recently received one. Karen Fennessy, Age Friendly Development Officer for Clare County Council, has advised that many older people felt isolated when cocooning during Covid-19 restrictions. Other Council staff on the Clare Covid-19 community response helpline also noted requests for service provision for older people, …