Tag Archives: Clare HAven

THE voices of two brave women who escaped abusive relationships and found support with Clare Haven rang out at the Old Ground Hotel during the launch of new book ‘Light on the Horizon’ last week. The book is the inspiring story of a community that said no to domestic abuse, recalling the founding of Clare Haven 30 years ago, and detailing the ongoing efforts to combat domestic abuse and coercive control in the county. At the launch, audio clips of Joan and Norma (not their real names), who had used the Clare Haven refuge, were played leaving some members of the audience visibly moved. Joan recalled when she left her controlling husband with no idea where to turn. “I walked out just with my handbag and I didn’t know where I was going. Him, saying to me shouting, ‘you’d be nothing, you’re nothing without me, it’s cold out there’ and I thought…just don’t turn, just keep walking. I had €10 …

THE inspirational story of a community that said no to domestic abuse has been brought to life in a brand new book which will be launched in Ennis next week. The public are invited to come and celebrate an important milestone in Clare – the launch of the book ‘Light on the Horizon’ at a wine reception in The Old Ground Hotel, Ennis on November 10 at 6.30 pm. The book tells the story of Ennis women Mary Fitzgerald and Colette Redington who met by chance in 1992 when they both helped women who were victims of domestic abuse. Clare Haven was born and three decades later there is a refuge, second-stage houses, a full range of outreach services and education programmes are available to victims of domestic abuse in County Clare. It is an enduring statistic that one in four Irish women who have been in a relationship has been abused by a current or former partner. It became …

THE Clare Association Dublin has saluted Mary Fitzgerald, Maghera, Inagh for her outstanding work and pioneering contribution over many years in helping to address issues surrounding domestic violence and abuse. They named her their 2020 Hall of Fame winner and presented her with her award at their annual award function in the Falls Hotel, Ennistymon recently. Tom Conway, chairman of the Clare Association Dublin and also a native of the Inagh area, presented the award and in doing so said that in the early 1990s Mary Fitzgerald first became aware of the plight of women and children fleeing from domestic violence while working at Ennis Garda Station. Indeed a garda station at that time was often the only available safe haven for victims of domestic violence. Mary had previously worked in Calcutta with Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity and also in a Romanian Orphanage. She was named as Christine Buckley Volunteer of the Year in 2018. Her work in this …

AN ART project in Ennis has helped to bring some light into the darkness in more ways than one. Working with Clare Haven, children who have been subjected to coercive control and domestic abuse have helped create two colourful murals in the town with the help of a local artist. The murals were created as part of Clare Haven’s summer therapeutic programme, with the paintings not only helping to brighten up the surroundings but also giving the children an opportunity to talk and share their feelings and experiences. The artworks were developed with the help of artist Larisa K Bevillard at the rear of Clare Haven’s office building and also at a sensory and wellness garden in Clare Haven’s refuge. Dr Siobhán O’Connor, manager of services at Clare Haven explained, “During our recent Summer Therapeutic Programme a group of young people who have been subjected to coercive control and domestic abuse, worked with local artist Larisa K Bevillard on a …

A GROUP of Ennis women are certainly on the ball when it comes to pitching in to raise funds for a local charity. Soccer Sisters Ennis, a newly established social soccer team based in the county capital, recently set out on a fundraising climb in aid of Clare Haven Services. Last weekend they took on the challenge of climbing the 12 O’Clock Hills in an event dubbed the ‘Hike for Haven’. So far they have raised over €2,600 for the local charity, with more donations still being accepted. Laura Thompson of Soccer Sisters tells us they have been “blown away” by the level of support they have received in raising funds for Clare Haven. “We see ourselves as very much a community team and we decided that we wanted to do something to mark international women’s day so we thought about helping to raise funds for an organisation that supports local women. “We were so excited to get on board …

CLARE Haven Domestic Abuse Support Services is calling on members of the public to Go Purple on Friday (April 29) to raise awareness of domestic violence and to raise funds for its service. In association with Safe Ireland and An Garda Síochána, a call is being made for people of all ages to show their solidarity for women and children being subjected to, experiencing and exiting domestic abuse, by embracing the colour purple for one day. The initiative will support the vital work of Clare Haven, the only dedicated domestic abuse service based in this county. Last year alone, the service received 1,005 helpline calls. In 2021, 569 women accessed non-refuge outreach support while 94 women and 188 children were accommodated in Clare Haven’s refuge. During this time, the service also provided 200 court accompaniments. The purple-themed fundraising and awareness event was started last year as a local event in County Meath by Stacey Looby. A member of An Garda …

TWO Clare-based charities have benefitted from the very first fundraising exhibition organised by Mountshannon Arts.  Entitled ‘Hush Hush’, the exhibition was the brainchild of Tara Considine, an art lover and local librarian who brought the idea to Mountshannon Arts committee. Hosted by Scariff Library, the show allowed members of the public to buy a painting for €40. Only when they collected their piece, did they discover the identity of the artist. This week, the proceeds were donated to Clare Haven Service who offer refuge, support and safety to women and children subjected to domestic abuse; and Every Child Ireland, who work to establish an ongoing back-to-school assistance fund for children living in Direct Provision.  University of Limerick (UL) Arts Officer, Patricia Moriarty opened the exhibition at Raw Café in Killaloe at the end of November and the exhibition continued mid-December. Two hundred pieces of original work were submitted by artists from all over Ireland, Europe and the USA. Children from …

CLARE Haven Services are currently hosting a multimedia exhibiton entitled Hidden Truths: Behind Closed Doors, which explores the experience and themes of domestic abuse in Clare. The exhibition aims to draw peoples attention to the reality of domestic abuse in a novel and thought provoking way. It is on at their premises at Abbey Lodge on the road between Ennis and Clarecastle until December 10, and is part of the organisation’s 16 Days of Action to Prevent Violence Against Women calendar of events. For the exhibition a number of rooms have been transformed, with thought provoking pieces installed which bring home the reality of domestic abuse for women and children. Dr Siobhán O’Connor is Manager of services at Clare Haven and speaking about the exhibition at its launch last Wednesday, she said, “This all comes out of a thought process I had about two years ago when I saw the space we had here and thought about how best to …