The very best cultural experience Clare has to offer will be showcased on Friday, September 16. Culture Night Clare 2016 will see 45 free cultural events for all ages being held throughout Clare over a five-hour period from 5pm to 10pm. This year’s programme, which is organised by the Clare Arts Office and funded by Clare County Council and the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, is filled with free events across the county from Ennis to Ennistymon, Kilshanny to Kilkee and Kilkishen to Corofin. Arts and cultural spaces throughout Clare will throw open their doors offering members of the public a chance to enjoy unique performances and catch a glimpse inside some of the most beautiful buildings and cultural institutions in their area. “Over the past ten years this initiative has captured both the public’s imagination and the enthusiasm of artists and cultural organisations in Clare. This year is no different with 45 events planned around …
Read More »A feast of music at Fleadh
A huge number of people are descending on Ennis today (Thursday), ahead of the main competitive events that will determine who will take All-Ireland titles across 180 categories. The Fleadh Cheoil organising committee estimate in the region of 30,000 to 35,000 people attended the opening day events on Sunday, including 12,000 at the opening ceremony, the Boffin to Burren concert at Glór, the Tulla Céilí Band at Cois na hAbhna, the luminarium, aifreann traidisiúnta, the Gig Rig and evening pub sessions, as well as performers, volunteers, stage crews, security, TV crews and other service providers. This figure is expected to increase exponentially from today, with the influx of 6,000 competitors, their families and friends, as well as visitors and music and dancing enthusiasts. With this surge, gardaí are anticipating that opportunistic crime such as pickpocketing will occur and are advising the public to be mindful of this, particularly in large gatherings of people. Clare’s Garda Chief Superintendent John Kerin warned, “The real type …
Read More »Christy McNamara Captures a Sense of Place
AN exhibition by Crusheen musician, photographer and raconteur has gone on display in Glór for the duration of the Fleadh and will give visitors a snapshot of the many great musicians and characters to have come out of the county. The photography exhibit, entitled Where the Heart Lies, features more than 40 original photographs, many unseen, as well as others which don the walls in the homes of household names such as Brad Pitt. He has taken the title, as well as some of the photographs, from a book of the same name which he produced with Peter Woods 20 years ago. Christy explains that he relied on this idea, Where the Heart Lies, because it was something that was emotive for him. “When you think about where your heart lies it’s home and it’s place”, and he said this idea of home is where the heart lies is what he wanted to convey in this exhibit. Having been invited …
Read More »Consultation on county library project
Recently appointed consultants for the design and delivery of the new county library in Ennis visited Áras Contae an Chláir to meet with representatives of the Municipal District of Ennis and key stakeholders in the flagship project. Clare County Council hosted the meeting which represents the commencement of the stakeholder consultation stage of the project. The process of consultation will continue up to the final design later in 2016. The proposed €8.6m project will see the new library building developed at the site of the existing Glór facility on The Causeway Link providing a new county library for Clare to replace the existing De Valera Library on Harmony Row. Earlier this year, Clare County Council was allocated a €3 million capital grant towards the cost of the proposed project under the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government’s Capital Funding Programme for Public Libraries. An additional €1 million in EU funding was also allocated from the Southern Regional Assembly’s …
Read More »€8.6m for new Clare County Library
CLARE County Council has announced the appointment of consultants for the design and delivery of a new €8.6 million county library in Ennis. The project will see a new library building developed at the site of the existing Glór facility, replacing the current De Valera Library. A full design team has now been put in place to progress the design and planning phases of the new build project and the council says contractors could be on-site early next year, subject to the planning process being negotiated. Some months ago, the council received a €3m capital grant towards the cost of the project from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, while €1m in EU funding came from the Southern Regional Assembly’s Operational Programme 2014-2020. In February, Clare County Council voted to take on a loan to fund the remaining €4.6m. Earlier this year, a county library spokesperson said it was likely the new facility would be an “open …
Read More »‘Champion support for the arts
THE Clare Champion is just the ticket when it comes to supporting the arts. Glór, the county’s premier arts venue, has once again joined forces with the newspaper, announcing that The Champion will be continuing its sponsorship of the venue’s ticket-printing. The arrangement will mean that every ticket for events in Glór will not only gain its holder entry to a top-class performance in a stunning venue but it will also provide details about the award-winning local newspaper. Clare Champion company director, Shelly Galvin commented, “We are delighted to be able to support the arts in Clare through our continuing sponsorship of the ticket printing for Glór. “This Ennis-based vibrant arts venue attracts some of the biggest names to County Clare and we at The Clare Champion are thrilled to be able to support Glór and the continued promotion of the county.
Read More »Death of Glór director
GEMMA Carcaterra, who served as director of Glór since 2011, has died suddenly. Helen Rackard, chair of the board of Glór said, “She will be very sadly missed by those who worked with her. We extend our deepest sympathies to Gemma’s husband, Colm Clarke, her three children, Ava, Rióna and Coen, to her parents, Rosa and Rob and to her brothe,r James.” Originally from England, Gemma lived in Ireland for several years and had also worked with Daghda Theatre in Limerick. Councillor Mary Howard, a member of the Board of Glór, said, “This is devastating news for everyone associated with the arts community in County Clare. Her enthusiasm for her role at glór was infectious and she was very proactive, as well as having a close working relationship with members of the Board. “Gemma was a very special lady. I recall with fondness the day she informed me that not only was she pregnant but she was carrying triplets, …
Read More »Champion photographer’s exhibition launch
AN exhibition celebrating the work of The Clare Champion’s award-winning photographer, John Kelly over the last 25 years will open tonight (Friday) in Ennis and a large crowd is expected to attend the event. The exhibition, entitled Between You, Me & The Wall, will run until November 28 in Glór and will showcase more than 30 photographs by the Mullagh man. On Friday night, John will also speak to well-known broadcaster Ciana Campbell about his most memorable photographs and the stories behind them. All proceeds raised on the night will go to the RNLI in Clare. As the staff photographer with The Clare Champion, John has chronicled the life of the county, capturing award-winning images and building up a reputation as one of the most talented photographers in the country. John said he is delighted to be raising money for the RNLI Lifeboats, as the cause is close to his heart. “My mother’s people were in the coast guard going …
Read More »