Tag Archives: clare

Munster Minor Football Championship Round 1 Clare 4-18 Waterford 0-4 CLARE couldn’t have asked for a more ideal or indeed comfortable start to their Munster campaign after bypassing Waterford in style in Wolfe Tones GAA in Shannon on Thursday evening, writes Eoin Brennan. The shot count alone of 45 to 10 in the hosts’ favour told the tale of a sorely one-sided contest that was lit up by inside duo Cathal Talty and Conor Fennell who between them accounted for 4-10 of the home side’s handsome tally. Fennell, a survivor from the minor class of 2021, raided for 3-2 including a brace of first half rebound goals in the space of three minutes that finally lifted Clare to new heights. Up to that point, Clare’s utter dominance wasn’t reflected on the scoreboard as four missed goal opportunities were matched by as many wides to only lead by 0-3 to 0-0 by the 20 minute mark. Fennell had kicked two of …

ENNIS’ first ever Friendship Seating area has been launched by the Ennis Mental Association (EMHA) in co-operation with the Ennis Municipal District. Ennis Mental Association (EMHA) is a community-based volunteer-led organisation that, for the past 30 years plus, has consistently focused attention on mental health issues and promoted wellness and well-being in the wider community. Located by the Fergus in the Abbey Street Car park, the Friendship Seating area is designed to provide an attractive and inviting space where people can sit and be open to engaging in conversation with whoever joins them. The area has been specifically designed to provide everyone, including those of limited mobility, with a convenient and comfortable place to meet, to rest and to connect with others. Maria Molloy, Chair of Ennis Mental Health Association, speaking at the official launch last Thursday, welcomed people to the new Friendship Seating Area saying she hoped it would become a hub of conversation and friendship and even become …

CLARE’S artistic community have shown their true colours of generosity by finding various ways to support the people of Ukraine. From selling artworks to raise funds for charities helping those affected by the war with Russia, to offering to give lessons to refugees who have found shelter in Clare, a number of local artists across the county have offered their support. Among those is Lahinch-based artist Michael Hanrahan who recently auctioned off one of his paintings with funds raised going to the Red Cross to help the people of Ukraine. He has also offered to provide water colour classes for Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in North Clare, believing the power of art may provide some kind of therapy for the new arrivals. Michael, who travels the world teaching watercolour painting on cruise liners, painted a view of the Algarve in Portugal while visiting the country earlier this year. He said that when news began to emerge of what was …

Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship Round 2 Cork 1-19 Clare 1-17 It was more Biddy Late than Early as Clare’s luckless Under 20 campaign ended in the cruelest possible manner for the second time in seven days in O’Garney Park Sixmilebridge on Wednesday evening, reports Eoin Brennan. Within touching distance of victory against Limerick only to be agonisingly floored by Cathal O’Neill’s dramatic injury-time 1-1 blitz, amazingly Clare would be struck down by an almost identical smash-and-grab operation as Cork fired the last four points to also steal a one point win. Having led for one hour and 45 minutes of their two hour campaign against last year’s Munster finalists Limerick and Cork, Clare somehow ended up with only gut-wrenching heartbreak. Granted, it’s a result business but someone somewhere must be pulverising a Clare voodoo doll as it’s almost unthinkable that this would happen a second time. After all, aside from a three minute spell following Diarmuid Healy’s spectacular volleyed …

ENNIS councillors have voted overwhelmingly against a proposal to examine the potential of installing wrought iron railings around the O’Connell Monument. The idea was put forward by Councillor Johnny Flynn who pointed to the historic location being “used as a public toilet” along with “very disturbing” amounts of rubbish and passersby being “jeered and leered at” by people congregating in the area. The proposal was made at the monthly meeting of the Ennis Municipal District where his fellow councillors rejected the idea voting six against with Councillor Flynn’s the only vote in favour. Making the case for a public consultation process to begin Councillor Flynn stated that the area known locally as the Height had historically been surrounded with wrought iron railings. He said that re-installing suitable railings would complement and enhance improvement works for the Square and Bank Place and the conservation works currently underway on the monument. It would also complement proposals incorporated into the current Part 8 …

Munster Minor Hurling Championship Round 2 Tipperary 2-13 Clare 0-13 WITH the game firmly in the balance, it was Tipperary that snatched the whip hand with a devastating brace of third quarter goals to power into the last four of the Munster Minor Hurling Championship on the hallowed home soil of FBD Semple Stadium on Tuesday evening, reports Eoin Brennan. In a typical seesaw derby which was level on four occasions in a first half that duly ended in a 0-8 to 0-8 stalemate, a goal was always going to be a huge score, not to mention two majors in the space of three minutes that turned the tie firmly on its head. Having arguably failed to demonstrate their superiority on the scoreboard in the opening period, Clare appeared to have made amends when hitting the ground running on the resumption with points through Piaras Ó Sé and Oisin Whelan at 0-10 to 0-8. However, a deft flick from a …

WHEN a 16-year-old Faye Curran sat down in her bedroom inspired by the work of Róisín Ingle to pen an entry for the 2016 Clare Champion Short Story competition little did she realise that one day she would be collaborating with the acclaimed author and journalist. An article co-written by Faye and Róisín exploring how Covid has changed sex for Gen Z was recently published in the Irish Times magazine, with Faye telling us it was “amazing” to be able to work with her writing hero. While she is thrilled to see her byline appearing next to Róisín’s, Faye has never forgotten where it all started, seeing her writings published for the first time in The Clare Champion as part of the popular schools’ competition. Faye, from Ballyea and a former student of Coláiste Muire in Ennis, is currently in her fourth year studying European Studies at Trinity College. She has been involved in the student newspaper ‘The University Times’ …

THIS summer, national children’s arts and health charity Helium Arts will launch its first Creative Health Programme location in Clare at CBS Primary School in Ennis. The charity’s first outpost in Clare will provide arts programming for children living with long-term medical conditions. Helium Arts’ new Ennis location builds on the success of hubs in Cork, Limerick, and Galway which have served over 2,000 children living with long-term medical conditions since 2019, supporting their wellbeing, creativity, and ability to cope with their conditions. Helium Arts is dedicated to empowering these children and teenagers through creativity and the arts by creating connection and belonging for young people who can feel lonely and defined by their health condition. Led by local artist Ana Colomer, the workshops are a space for children to play, learn, and explore their creativity through hands-on activities. As a parent whose child recently took part in a recent Helium Arts programme put it, “My son’s creativity was opened …