Tag Archives: Corofin

THE memoir of well-known activist and Corofin native, Dermot Hayes, is set for publication shortly after a huge response to an online funding campaign organised by his friends. ‘The Road That Rises – Memoir of Boy from Kells’ will lift the lid on a life of campaigning and community action that has challenged establishment thinking over seven decades. The book explores and documents Dermot’s life as a child growing up in Kells, Corofin and his life as an activist and campaigner in youth and community work, trade unionism, worker co-operatives, environmental causes, disability rights and the Independent Living Movement in Ireland. Taking on the establishment is a key theme and there is widespread anticipation of this memoir from a key figure behind the campaigns for disability rights in Clare, against the state’s plans for Mullaghmore and at the forefront of the push for equality legislation. Over the years, he has founded, co-founded and headed organisations to represent, campaign and progress rights …

A HUB for artists and a welcome for visitors and the local community alike is on offer on Corofin’s Main Street, thanks to the opening of a gourmet café and gallery.  Morning Dew is the realisation of a long-held dream for Nadaa Hyder and Nolan Crampsie, who upped sticks from their Toronto home to open the business in the former Inchiquin Inn. The couple, and their business partner and close friend Jack Campbell who inherited the Inchiquinn in 2019, also live over their new business. Instinctively, they have revived the old Irish urban tradition of ‘living over the shop’ – something which has been widely advocated as a way of breathing new life into rural towns. “We have a personal joy in revitalising the Campbell family premises and bringing new life to the historic building – with Kenny’s Drinking Emporium stained glass window an artistic reminder of that history,” said Nadaa.  It is no coincidence that the couple came to …

Under 21A Football Championship Semi-Final Corofin 1-14 Cill Cúil Gaels 1-9 Momentum trumped freshness as Corofin advanced to their second Under 21A Final in just over 50 hours when dethroning holders Cill Cúil Gaels in Gurteen on Tuesday evening. Aided by eleven of the side that lowered neighbours Inagh-Kilnamona at the penultimate stage of the Under 21A hurling Championship in Tubber on Sunday, the North Clare side were remarkably sharp as they led from start to finish to double their final appearances. Their superior scoring threat certainly provided the major platform for victory as outstanding targetman Diarmuid Cahill, Sean McNamara, Robin Mounsey and Cian Doolin combined for 1-11 from open play whereas no player scored more than once from play for the holders. Emmet McMahon did convert some excellent frees but Cill Cúil Gaels had too many handling errors and despite eleven survivors from last year’s historic triumph, never reached their 2021 heights at any stage. That said, they had …

Michael O’Connor reports on the Under 14 Division three football final which saw Doonbeg prevail over Corofin on a score of 2-6 to 1-5 One of the last finals of the Bord na nOg peil calendar took place recently as Doonbeg took on Mid Clare side Corofin in the Under 14 division 3 final played in Cooraclare before a sizable attendance. Conditions on the day were far from conducive for football at underage level yet both sides gave spectators a contest worthy of a higher grade such was the effort on show. Corofin were the better side in the opening half and worked hard in their rearguard to repel the potential of the Doonbeg forwards who had shown up well in earlier rounds of the title race. Tommy Barry struck a vital goal early on for Corofin but the red and whites failed to build on this early promise and added just four more scores in the opening half as …

And then there were four…Eoin Brennan previews this weekend’s senior football championship semi-finals Kilmurry Ibrickane v Ennistymon at Cusack Park Ennis, Saturday 4pm Remarkably, their group clash eight weeks previously proved the catalyst for both sides to ignite their championship challenge but this time around it’s winner-takes-all for a coveted place in the final. Bouncing back from an opening defeat to Clondegad, Ennistymon’s transformation from being an underwhelming attacking side to an effective defensive structure certainly caught Kilmurry Ibrickane unawares as the North Clare Magpies ground out a 1-9 to 0-9 victory on their way to sealing top spot in the group. It would be an equally impactful juncture for the ‘Bricks who knew that if they were to survive, they would have to win every remaining match and it was that necessity that drove them to new heights in the second period against previously unbeaten Clondegad a fortnight later. The 2020 champions haven’t looked back since as along with …

COROFIN Tourism and the Traders’ Association has released a brochure about the surrounding district, highlighting historical facts and locations with the aim of keeping tourists in the area for longer. The brochure features over 40 different attractions stretching from Ruan to Leamaneh Castle, and also includes plenty about the Burren and the best local fishing spots. Special attention is paid to giving the Irish names for every attraction, with their literal meanings alongside. Most of the tourists that the brochure will cater for are from the UK, the USA, France or Germany. Niall Minogue, speaking on behalf of Corofin Tourism and the Traders’ Association, said, “We want to keep people in the area for as long as possible. If tourists go into the shop in the morning for a coffee or breakfast, we want them to be able to pick up the brochure and tour around for the day, then come back and eat dinner in the village that evening.” …

Paul Minihan gives the background on the centenary of a significant action from the Civil War in Clare FROM July 1 to 25, 1922, Corofin was the focal point of the Civil War in Clare. In 1922, the Clare Brigades of East-Clare, Mid-Clare and West-Clare formed part of the 1st Western Division, that also comprised the South-East Galway, and South-West Galway Brigades. This latter Brigade included the city. In the wake of the Treaty, the IRA slowly began to rupture throughout the spring of 1922. On the eve of the Civil War, there were two opposing 1st Western Divisions – one Pro-Treaty or ‘Free State’, under Michael Brennan, and one Anti-Treaty or ‘Republican’, under Frank Barrett, former O/C of the Mid-Clare Brigade. As the British Army withdrew from various barracks from January to May 1922, many of these were occupied by the IRA – in some cases Pro, in some cases Anti-Treaty. In Ennis, Republican troops had occupied the main …

EXPANDING the benefits of the West Clare Railway across North Clare is the aim of a motion tabled by Councillor Joe Garrihy at the local municipal district earlier this month.  The Lisdoonvarna man called for plan to link Corofin, Carron, Kilfenora, Lisdoonvarna, Doolin, Liscannor and Lahinch with a greater range of walking and cycle routes “to ensure these settlements and communities have appropriate attractive and safe linkage to the overall West Clare Greenway in progress and the Green Road to the Burren, Fanore and Ballyvaughan”. Councillor Garrihy also asked that cycle and walking connectivity from from North Clare to County Galway through Bellharbour, New Quay to Kinvara and Boston/Tubber area to Gort be progressed. “Cycling and walking amenities are among our most successful tourism offerings,” he told the meeting.  The motion was backed by Cathaoirleach, Councillor Cillian Murphy who agreed with the potential that connectivity to the West Clare Greenway offered.  Councillor Joe Killeen agreed with the huge benefits of …