Tag Archives: lisdoonvarna

APPROXIMATELY 40,000 people are expected to attend the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival this month, one local hotelier has claimed. The renowned festival began last week and among the first guests looking to meet her match was television presenter and journalist, Janet Street Porter. Ms Street Porter was in the North Clare village on Tuesday and Wednesday last week and her experience was discussed on ITV’s Loose Women on Monday. She also wrote about her trip looking for love in Lisdoonvarna in her column in the Daily Mail. Ms Street Porter introduced the festival, and the art of traditional matchmaking, to a British audience. The four-time divorcee was matched with John Richardson, who she described as “a very attractive, single, professional man”. Marcus White of the Hydro Hotel believes her visit is already having repercussions for businesses in the area and for the festival itself. “It was fantastic to get someone as high-profile as Janet Street Porter come to the matchmaking festival. …

William O’Sullivan from Bog Road in Lisdoonvarna is the latest Clareman to strike it rich on the national lottery’s Winning Streak game show on RTE. William, who purchased his winning ticket at Spar in the North Clare town, won €50,000 including a holiday to Turkey on last Saturday night’s show which was co-hosted by Marty Whelan and Sinead Kennedy. Five players from Galway, Leitrim, Kerry, Clare and Louth won prizes to the value of €271,000. The biggest winner on the night was James Behan from Co Louth who won prizes to the value of €78,000.

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny led tributes to the former Fine Gael TD Jim White who died in hospital on Tuesday night aged 76. Although born and reared in Ballyshannon in County Donegal, Mr White had strong links with Clare having bought the Hyrdo Hotel in Lisdoonvarna in 1974. This was the foundation for the development of Whites Hotel Group which now owns the Imperial Hotel, the King Thomond and the Burren Castle Hotel in North Clare as well as hotels in Tralee and Donegal. According to his son Marcus, Jim was involved in the running of the businesses up to his admission to hospital five weeks ago. Marcus described his father’s passing as ‘dignified’ and paid tribute to the staff of the Mater Private Hospital in Dublin for the care they provided. He visited Lisdoonvarna before his mobility was reduced last year. An Taoiseach Enda Kenny recalled Jim as “a man of enormous positivity and generosity with huge credibility in …

Gardaí in Ennistymon  are investigating what has been described as a “rare” and “tragic” road traffic collision in which two motorcyclists were killed after they collided with one another at Lisdoonvarna on Thursday evening. It is understood that the motorcyclists were travelling in opposite directions on the Ennistymon Road, just outside Lisdoonvarna when the collision occurred at approximately 6.45pm. Both motorcyclists were pronounced dead at the scene, while a female pillion passenger was airlifted to Galway University Hospital. Her injuries are not believed to be life threatening. Gardai have sealed off the road for technical forensic examination and it is due to re-open later today. It is understood that both deceased motorcyclists are not Irish nationals. One garda described the collision as “tragic and freakish. You would rarely hear of two motorcyclists colliding head on with one another”. Formal identification of the deceased has not yet taken place. The area where the collision occurred is on a small bend, and there …

LISDOONVARNA, ‘the Gateway to the Burren’ and the Loop Head Peninsula, were both named in the The Restaurants Association of Ireland, in association with Admailer.ie from An Post, 10 finalists in the search for the ‘Foodie Town of Ireland’. Both areas will be looking for public votes to win the competition which is run in conjunction with Irish Restaurant Awards. The top ten ‘Foodie Towns’ of Ireland were announced at the weekend and among them were Cork City, Kinsale, Dingle/Daingean Uí Chuis, Galway City, Sligo Town, Howth, Kilkenny and the Westport and Clew Bay area. The ‘Foodie Town of Ireland’ award recognises a destination that actively promotes itself through joint promotional activities such as food festivals, gourmet trails or farmers’ markets as well as great dining experiences. Each of the ten finalists will now receive a  visit to the town by a representative from the Restaurants Association of Ireland and a representative from An Post. Combined with a national public …

HUNDREDS of cyclists will set off from Ennis this month for a very special fundraising event to remember an avid member of a local cycling club who died suddenly last year. This year’s Dolmen Challenge Tour is being dedicated to the memory of the late Seamus Mullane, a keen cyclist and member of Dolmen Cycle Club. The father of four was also known to many through his work with Aer Lingus in Shannon and more recently the court service in Ennis. As part of the cycle, the participants will pass the Mullane family home in Kilnaboy and will mark a minute’s remembrance at the nearby graveyard. The cycle will take place on April 27, leaving from the Woodstock Golf and Country Club on the Shanaway Road at 10am. As well as honouring the life of the late Mr Mullane, the event will also raise money for the valuable work of Doolin Search and Rescue. According to John Colleran of Dolmen …

MINISTER of State for Touirsm Michael Ring is in County Clare this Tuesday for a number of engagements. At noon he will perform the official opening of the new extension to the Burren Outdoor Centre, at Turlough, Bellharbour. Following this he will meeet the board of directors Lisdoonvarna Failte to dicusss tourism in the North Clare area. Finally, he will travel to West Clare to visit the rebranded Trump International Golf Links, Doonbeg to be briefed on development plans. Minister Ring will be accompanied by Clare Fine Gael Oireachtas members.

PUPILS from Mary Immaculate Secondary School in Lisdoonvarna were celebrating on Friday night when the awards were presented at this year’s BT Young Scientist Exhibition at the RDS in Dublin. Stephen O’Connell won the intermediate individual award in the Biological and Ecological Sciences category with his project, Grading Crab Meat – an easier way? In the Social and Behavioural Sciences category, Rhianna McMahon and Keelan McMahon came second in the senior group section with their project, The Changing Geography of the Young Scientist Competition. They also won the EMC Data Hero Award, while Tess Casasin Sheridan and Aoife Doherty won the Geological Survey of Ireland award for their project, Why are the Beaches in Clare Different Colours? There was a record number of entries for the exhibition, which continues until Saturday. The 50th competition saw 2,000 ideas submitted by 4,418 students from across 32 counties. Fifty per cent of secondary schools in the Republic have entered a project for the milestone year. This year’s BT Young …