Tuamgraney earns place on festival calendar

THE success of its inaugural promotion last weekend has earned Tuamgraney its place among Clare’s calendar of community festivals.

It attracted huge crowds over the June Bank Holiday weekend, the likes of which were not seen in the East Clare village for over two decades.
The highlight of the weekend was the election of Tuamgraney’s first mayor and the honour went to Ted Minogue of Ballyvannon, who owns Ted’s Fruit and Vegetable business in Scariff.
At a packed festival function in Hassett’s bar on Sunday night, he was presented with his chain of office by the Mayor of Clare, Pat Hayes, another East Clare man. During his election campaign, the new mayor raised over €3,000.
There were five candidates in the field, Ted Minogue, Anthony Dillon, Frances O’Neill, Liam Furlong and Una Dillon, who between them raised €11,770. A substantial amount of the money will go towards charity and the remainder will be used to promote a bigger and better festival for Tuamgraney in 2013.
The charity nominated by the new mayor is the cancer research group set up by Maureen Madden from Tuamgraney. She is also organising another fundraiser next August when 13 teams from East Clare will take part in a  Strictly Come Dancing event.
In presenting the chain of office, Mayor Pat Hayes said since taking up office he has been anxious to see Clare communities doing well. From what he had seen in Tuamgraney over the weekend, the community spirit is alive and well there and he paid tribute to everyone involved in the festival.
He said as well as providing wonderful entertainment for locals and visitors, the festival raised a very big amount of money for charity.
With a concert, sports day, barbecue, golf outing and various social events in the local pubs, Tuamgraney was a hive of activity for the weekend.
Among the highlights was a golf competition in the East Clare Golf Club on Saturday for the Des Hassett Memorial Cup. Competing against each other on a Ryder Cup system were teams from Hassetts and Teach Uí Bhrían pubs.
It was won by the Hassetts team captained by Michael O’Halloran, a Tuamgraney man, who is living in Carrigaline, Cork. He was presented with the cup by Nora Hassett, wife of the late  Des Hassett, Tuamgraney.