The Clare Echo 08/08/24

Taste, odour & colour issues with tap water

Councillor lodges formal complaint with Uisce Eireann over households connected to Ennistymon water scheme

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

ONGOING WATER

issues in North Clare has prompted a county councillor to lodge a formal complaint with Uisce Éireann.

On Friday, issues relating to the taste, odour and discolouration of the water first emerged for households connected to

the Ennistymon public water scheme. Vast areas of North Clare have since been impacted from Lahinch to Ballyvaughan. Growth of algae bloom has since increased on Lickeen Lough over the past week.

Criticism of Uisce Éireann’s communication on the manner has been voiced by elect-

ed representatives. Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) issued a formal complaint to Uisce Éireann on Monday morning. “The timing of it at highest tourism and holiday season in North Clare is really disappointing and has added to the stresses of an already challenging time in hospitality business,” he told The Clare

Echo. “I have made a formal complaint and believe this manner of communication or lack of it at a time when people have logged many concerns is not good enough”.

l FUTURE FULL-BACK LINE: The Maher brothers Aaron, Shane and Caden from Ennistymon with Clare full-back Conor Cleary and the Liam MacCarthy at Cahercalla Community Care on Monday Photo by John Mangan

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McCarthy Cup in Cahercalla

All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil finalists Rianagh Murphy and Aishling White pictured at Cahercalla Community Care with the Liam McCarthy Cup and Clare senior hurlers Conor Cleary, Aidan McCarthy and Eibher Quilligan.

Tour de Munster rolls into town

THE Tour de Munster is now in its 24th year, featuring 130 cyclists who take on a 600km ride through Munster. The event aims to raise funds for the Munster branches of Down Syndrome Ireland, providing vital support for individuals with Down Syndrome and their families.

This year’s Tour De Munster peloton will arrive in Killaloe on Thursday, August 8, stay-

ing overnight before continuing their journey to Kilimer on Friday, August 9. They will stop in Ennis at 11am for an hour-long break, where they will meet members of the Clare branch of Down Syndrome Ireland at the Plaza area of the Temple Gate Hotel.

The event has raised €5 million to date, supporting services such as speech and language therapy, and more. The fundraising target for this year is set at €250,000. The Clare branch is working towards refurbishing their dedicated centre in Ennis for members and their families in County Clare. Branch secretary Maeve Crawford expressed excitement and gratitude, saying, “We are very grateful to the cyclists who are taking part and to Paul Sheridan, who has been organising this event since its inception.”

‘Too many lives are being lost’ on our roads

by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

A COLLABORATIVE effort is needed to reverse the trend of road fatalities, a Clare Senator has outlined.

So far this year, 115 people have died on Irish roads, up twelve for the same time period in 2023.

Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) has said said changes to road safety rules and upgrading on skills of drivers should be prioritised aswell as amendments made by government.

“We need to do more to upskill our drivers and amend road safety regulations. I am aware government are working hard on improving regulations, and I welcome the Taoiseach’s comments on how government will play its part furthermore. I am sure he will be of the similar opinion that it needs to happen at pace”.

He welcomed recommendations from the Speed Limit Review 2023 that shows how many fa-

talities can be reduced by the reduction of the speed limits on our road, but stresses this can’t be done without public buy in.

“The review recommended that the default speed limit on national secondary roads to reduce from 100km/h to 80km/h, that default speed limit for the network of local and rural roads reduce from 80km/h to 60km/h, and that the

default speed limit on urban roads, including built up areas and estates and town centres to reduce to 30km/h”.

Dooley continued, “These measures were considered by my party colleague Jack Chambers during his role as Minister of State. These measures will help save lives on our roads, alongside with the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 that was signed into law by the President

“Although strides have been made to tackle road safety, more engagement and more change is needed. There is a need for public buy in as well as buy in at a government level. Too many lives are being lost, and we must reverse this trend as quickly as we can,” the Mountshannon native concluded.

Photo by John Mangan

LOCAL

Tuamgraney trail to commence

next year

by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

WORKS to link Tuamgraney with an existing 12km walking trail from Killaloe to Ogonnelloe are to commence next year. Under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS), the Killaloe Municipal District successfully obtained €191,700 in funding from the Department of Rural and Community Development. This will link the village of Tuamgraney with the existing 12km walking trail which begins in Killaloe.

Acting senior executive engineer in the Killaloe MD, Declan Flanagan confirmed that a detailed site survey will be undertaken “later this year along with consultation landowners, key stakeholders and local community groups”.

He outlined, “regard will also be given to other proposed projects in the area”. A part VIII planning application may be required for the new section of the walking trail, Flanagan advised. He confirmed that works are due to commence next year.

Queries had been raised on the walking trail by Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) at a sitting of the Killaloe MD. “I’m a small bit disappointed that it has been kicked down the road, almost €200,000 is to be spent but I’m sure it has to be spent within a certain date. We want to see the final part of it completed sooner rather than later. Why is it pushed into 2025? Were those reasons not flagged before”.

Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) commented, “The delay again is the one that frustrates us to the level that people don’t understand”. Responding to the elected members, Flanagan stated, “There was no engagement with the landowner so we had to approach them, if we started tomorrow morning it would be year-end by the time Part VIII is approved, then we have procurement which would be early to mid 2025 by the earliest timescale, the funding is nearly a two year timeframe, it is about the engagement, the planning and procurement, we’re not kicking the can down the road, it is the process we have to follow”.

Concluding the discussion, Cllr Cooney said, “it is a project people have been looking to be completed for the last couple of years, it is a vital link into the village”.

JP donates to Midwest

WITH help from a generous donation from the JP McManus Pro Am, the Mid West Simon Community is moving forward with the purchase, renovation, refurbishment and fit-out of a Social Grocery on Henry Street in Limerick City Centre.

The Mid West Simon Community Social Grocery, which will be the first grocery of its kind in the Republic of Ireland, aims to open in 2025 and will operate on a social enterprise model. The charity has been providing a foodbank service in the Mid West Region since 2014.

“We started to look at the possibility of opening a social grocery in Limerick in 2020 when we commissioned UL to carry out a feasibility study. Since that study was published, we have been working on this project. Thanks to the funding that we have received from the JP McManus Pro Am, we have now been able to purchase a suitable building and to get the project underway”, said Eleshia Fahy, Interim CEO.

Clare County Council scoop three national 40-45pt

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

UISCE ÉIREANN have come under fire for their communication amid ongoing water issues in North Clare.

Issues relating to the taste, odour and cloudiness of the water has emerged in North Clare on the supply line from Ennistymon which is covering from Lahinch to Ballyvaughan. Algae bloom has also become visible on Lickeen Lough.

Homes on the Ennistymon public water scheme have experienced the affects for over a week with reports first coming to light early last week.

In one instance, four members of one family ended up with diarrhoea, having initially thought they had a bug the family have since attributed the cause of the sickness to their water quality.

Criticism of Uisce Éireann’s communication on the manner has been voiced by elected representatives. Cllr Shane Talty (FF) told The Clare Echo, “Uisce Eireann have been far too slow to communicate to the public on this. We’ve been getting calls for a week and trying to get info from workers on the ground. People need to know if the water is safe to drink and a timeframe to clear the issue”.

Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) issued a formal complaint to Uisce Éireann on Monday morning. Speaking to The Clare Echo, he outlined, “I suppose we understand

that issues can and do occur but the timing of it at highest tourism and holiday season in North Clare is really disappointing and has added to the stresses of an already challenging time in hospitality business”.

Lisdoonvarna based Garrihy continued, “From early last week right up to yesterday (Tuesday) I was making regular contact with Uisce Éireann’s elected representative information desk but I could not get a formal statement or status on the situation. This

is in spite of multiple reports of smell, taste and discoloration in the water across North Clare. The contact line then closed over the weekend.

“I have made a formal complaint and believe this manner of communication or lack of it at a time when people have logged many concerns is not good enough and that a revised protocol for issuing reports and assurances to the public and their representatives should be put in place as soon as possible.

We need to have full confidence in Uisce Éireann in charge of the vital service and a prompt, accessible and clear communication system to the public is a critical part of that trust and relationship,” he said.

Correspondence issued by Uisce Éireann on Tuesday detailed that they were aware of reports of “intermittent taste and odour issues” and that they were “treating this matter with the utmost priority. To date, all chemical and biological results are compliant with legislative requirements. Additional sampling programmes are continuing”.

“We are currently investigating the source of the intermittent taste and odour issues and continue to test the water to determine the root cause. Where Uisce Éireann becomes aware of any taste and odour issue, a monitoring programme for those compounds associated with taste and odour issues commences to ensure that there is no impact on public health. Protecting public health is a top priority for Uisce Éireann. Uisce Éireann advises customers not to drink discoloured water. In the event of discolouration, running the tap for several minutes will usually restore water to a clear colour. The water is safe to drink once running clear. If the issue remains unresolved, we encourage customers to contact us directly”.

Concern brewing over Broadford wastewater

by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

CONCERN is brewing in Broadford at the lack of progress made since its inclusion in a €50m pilot wastewater scheme was announced nine months ago.

In December the inclusion of both Broadford and Cooraclare in the €50 million rural wastewater collection and treatment scheme was announced by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien (FF).

However it took until February 7th for Clare County Council to receive official notification from O’Brien’s Department that their applications for Broadford and Cooraclare had been successful.

Prior to the December announcement, there had been false dawns as it took an inordinate amount of time for O’Brien’s Department to finalise the scheme. They have remained consistent in taking their time with every aspect of the pilot with no sight of new wastewater infrastructure in either village.

Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) had previously threatened not to allow his name forward as a Fianna Fáil candidate for the General Election if either village was not included in the €50m scheme. Now it is highly likely that a General Election will have been held by the time shovels appear in the ground in either Broadford or Cooraclare.

Cathaoirleach of the Killaloe MD, Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) has requested the local authority to write to both the Department and Uisce Éireann “seeking to expedite the pro-

cess”. He also asked for another East Clare village to be identified for inclusion “if a similar scheme is reopened in the future”.

Senior engineer with Clare County Council, Cyril Feeney outlined that they have held “a number of meetings” with both the Depart- ment and Uisce Éireann since February “to develop a pathway for the delivery of the projects”. The original terms of the scheme note that “Uisce Éireann have a vital role to play in both the delivery and as the ultimate end user of the wastewater treatment plants and sewer networks”.

An up-to-date cost analysis will for the schemes will be provided “at the end of Q4 2024 which will give better certainty of the financial commitment required for the delivery of the project,” he added. The costings will be forthcoming a full year after both villages were announced as successful applicants in the scheme.

Feeney said a future pilot project may not have the “same qualifying criteria and award marking scheme” and that Cooney’s plea to identify another suitable village was “perhaps premature”.

Speaking at a meeting of the Killaloe MD, Cllr Cooney flagged, “There is a lot of concern in Broadford, it was approved in December and there is a concern that nothing has happened since. We are all well aware that Clare County Council are trying their best to get answers from the Department but those answers are not coming. We’re waiting for the Department to sit down and come up with a design for the treatment plant”.

He added, “It is getting frustrating again, we’ve to try push it, get answers and get it started up”.

Other local authorities are delaying the scheme, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) believed. “It is frustrating to see that it is slow to a shovel getting on the ground, I’m nervous when we’re waiting on Uisce Éireann as they are called now and the Department to come up with the checks and balance,

“Uisce Éireann have done everything to try block this pilot scheme, we need to look at this, if this doesn’t come to fruition then they will be saying why are we waiting, when they came back Irish Water couldn’t give them the spec”.

A trip to Dublin to force action on the project is warranted, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) believed. “Clare County Council need to pull out the stops, we need to go to Dublin to meet politically, the Minister has allocated the funding but we’re beginning to learn why it took so long and that is because the permanent Government were against it, there’s fear amongst us all”.

That Uisce Éireann are only going to finalise a cost analysis twelve months after Broadford and Cooraclare were included in the scheme is “slightly worrying,” Cllr Pat Burke (FG) observed.

Senior planner, Brian McCarthy advised the meeting that in January, Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF) during his stint as Cathaoirleach of the Killaloe MD wrote to the Department advocating that the process be accelerated.

l Visibe algae blooming at Lickeen Lough

Funeral details announced as Country Girl Edna O’Brien prepares to return home

by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

FUNERAL DETAILS have been announced for acclaimed Tuamgraney born writer Edna O’Brien.

Edna who spent most of her life in London died peacefully at the age of ninety three on July 27th. Her funeral will take place in her native East Clare this weekend. She will repose at St Joseph’s Church, Tuamgraney on Friday from 5pm with prayers at 8pm. This is the church where she was baptised.

Large crowds will also return to St Joseph’s Church on Saturday for the funeral mass which is set to start at 11am. Her burial will take place afterwards on Holy Island where her grandparents are also buried.

Books of condolence for Ms O’Brien have been opened online and also at Clare County Council headquarters in Ennis, as well as the public library in Scariff which was formally named the “Edna O’Brien Library” in May of this year.

She rose to fame in the 1960s after her trilogy, The Country Girls was published, to say it caused a stir is putting it mildly. She wrote the book in a fury of inspiration that lasted two and a half weeks. It was

the story of two Catholic girls, the shy, sensitive Kate Brady and her rebellious friend Baba Brennan and their sexual awakening in Dublin. She lived most of her life in London but frequently returned to Co Clare

for holidays and family. In 2015 she was elected to Aosdána by her fellow artists and honoured with the title Saoi. In 2018, she was appointed an honorary Dame of the Order of the British Empire.

For decades, her work was more highly praised outside Ireland than in her homeland, which she left for good in the 1960s.

With her auburn hair, green eyes and Irish country lilt, she was seen by non-Irish critics as the embodiment of Ireland itself. But in Ireland, her persona struck many as too rich to be real. (The Irish literary critic Denis Donoghue called her “stage Irish.”)

Her work eventually won over many critics. In 2001, she received the Irish PEN lifetime achievement award, and in 2018, the PEN/ Nabokov award for achievement in international literature.

Philip Roth described Edna prior to her death as the greatest living woman writing in English.

Writing for The Guardian, Ed Vulliamy noted that Edna had ‘hawk eyes’ “that missed nothing and could flick from beautiful to melancholy to unforgiving in a micro-moment and took a few notes”.

He added, “Like millions before her, Edna left Ireland, yet didn’t. She was as much a child of Erin when she died last week as the day she was born. She felt Irish, she thought with an Irish diagonal intelligence, she had that inimitably droll Irish sense of humour and

she wrote in the Irish tradition. She refused to distance herself from the Troubles: in House of Splendid Isolation (1994), an IRA volunteer called McGreevey laments the republic’s betrayal of its cause. McGreevey is based partly on the Provo (later Irish National Liberation Army) leader Dominic McGlinchey, whom Edna visited in jail.

“The book was received with outrage, wonderfully defended by Edna when she told the literary critic Dawn Miranda Sherratt-Bado, ‘I am a savage writer with a savage eye. I write about the things we are not supposed to speak about’.” Dame O’Brien is predeceased by her brother John, sisters Patricia and Eileen and her husband Ernest Gebler. She is survived by her sons Carlo Gebler and Marcus Gebler, daughter-in-law Tyga Gebler, Marcus’s partner Marieme Dieng, her grandchildren India, Jack, Finn, Georgia, Euan and Oscar, great-grandchildren Sam, Noah and Lexi, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family, her large circle of friends and colleagues.

Culture Night is just around the corner

CLARE Culture Night is delighted to announce its programme of events, set to take place throughout the county, starting at 5pm on September 20th.

This year’s Culture Night, once again embracing the theme of “One Night For All,” is organised by the Clare Arts Office and funded by Clare County Council and The Arts Council. The event will feature over 40 free activities, offering an exciting, vibrant, and diverse programme for all ages, showcasing the wealth of artistic talent throughout the county.

In Ennis, attendees can follow a Culture Night trail featuring 14 events, including music, art exhibitions, poetry, and dance. Highlights include an exciting performance by Music Generation Clare, featuring the popular trio Pádraig Rynne, Tara Breen, and Jim Murray, along with young musicians from the traditional music programme. The Inis Creative Writers Group (ICWG) will host a multidisciplinary event at EASI Artist Studios, celebrating the diversity of the Clare Arts Community with an evening of connection. Additionally, Éagsúlacht sa Chlár offers new communities in County Clare the opportunity to showcase their culture at CBS Primary School. Rachel Macmanus will host a participatory live performance art event at the Peace Park, and Evelyn Sorohan will provide a sensory creative experience for teens with disabilities. A musical tour of the Clare Museum will include anecdotes about items in the museum’s collection.

North Clare promises a hectic night of events with Neil Ó Lochlann, Eithne Ní Chatháin, Lucia Mac Partlin, and Eilís Lavelle presenting “Immram” at The Highland Hotel in Ballyvaughan. Doolin Arts will feature live

and collaborative performances by a mix of contemporary and traditional artists at the Attic venue, with art, music, and performances throughout Ennistymon. The Riches of Clare series will take to the stage at Teach Ceoil, Corofin with Mike Butler, Aidan McMahon, Micheal Landers and Pádraig O’Reilly.

In West Clare, the finest of traditional music can be found in Kilrush, Kilbaha, and Lissycasey. Paddy Casey, one of Ireland’s finest singer / songwriters takes to the stage in Cultúrlann Sweeney, Kilkee.

East Clare offers a busy evening with three events in Tulla featuring music, art, and photography. Mountshannon will host a magical evening designed to bring the community together in harmony, and St. Flannan’s Cathedral will open its doors for an evening filled with history and magnificent music.

Shannon will present a packed evening of events from 5pm until late, including storytelling from Balor, a drumming workshop with Brian Fleming, performances by the Shannon Gospel Choir, and various art exhibitions, walks, and traditional music.

Siobhán Mulcahy, Clare County Council Arts Officer commented, “Once again communities throughout Clare will have the opportunity to experience a range of eclectic, exciting and entertaining events for Culture Night 2024. With lots of opportunities to participate in the arts, whether you want to tap into your creativity or just enjoy the talents of others, Culture Night is always a great social and fun event for all.”

All events are free and offer a fantastic evening for all throughout the county. Details of all events held on Culture Night are listed on https://culturenight.ie/clare/events

The Poet's Corner Bar is a traditional Irish pub that opens its doors onto the main town street of Ennis. Perfect for a pint, a bite to eat or traditional Irish music session.

The Town Hall Bistro

Providing a welcoming environment with great value food championing local ingredients.

The Brendan O'Regan Restaurant is ideal for special occasions. The menu features traditional cuisine with a modern day creative twist.

The Poets Corner Bar

A traditional Irish pub that opens its doors onto the main town street of Ennis. Perfect for a pint, a bite to eat or traditional Irish music session..

The Brendan O’Regan Restaurant

Ideal for special occasions. The menu features traditional cuisine with a modern day creative twist.

20 Clare projects share in €1.7m community fund

TWENTY community projects in Clare will share in the €1.7m worth of funding announced in the Community Recognition Fund.

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys (FG) TD on Friday confirmed an investment of €16.5 million to fund 185 community projects nationwide under the Community Recognition Fund 2024.

This funding allocation will support a wide range of initiatives, including sports facility upgrades, community centre enhancements, and the development of parks, walking trails, and playgrounds, among others.

Clare County Council has been allocated €165,000 to refurbish Lahinch playground, the same amount of money has been granted to Michael Cusacks GAA Club in conjunction with North Burren Community Group for phase one of a new proposed community building.

An upgrade of the 400m running track in Tim Smythe Park in Ennis has resulted in a €140,000 allocation for Active Ennis and Clare County Council. Active Ennis has also been approved €50,000 for road surfacing works at Lees Rd.

St Joseph’s NS in Miltown Malbay have been granted €120,000 for the construction of an outdoor classroom area, an outdoor exercise area, a tarmac walkway, a biodiversity sensory garden area and picnic benches. For the Twin Wells West landscaping project, Lisdoonvarna Fáilte CLG has received €125,000.

For the installation of low level sports fencing and the resurfacing of the car park area at the Ballyvaughan community field project, a total of €91,000 has been set aside for Ballyvaughan Community Development Group. Cappa Playground is set for an updrade with €85,000 earmarked for Kilrush Town Team.

€80,000 has been approved for Kilmaley Meitheal, Kilmaley GAA and camogie clubs to tar the walkway at the GAA and playground community

facility, the inclusion of three wheelchair accessible benches, three bins and site works including steps to connect the walkway to the new overflow carpark.

Newmarket Celtic FC will be able to get to work on the construction of a public carpark with an allocation of €80,000 while the same amount has been approved for Ballina Killaloe Community Sports Facilities Development Company CLG to supply and install 1.2m hardwearing double-beam mesh fencing and gates at Clarisford Park.

Having opened a full-size Astro turf facility, Clarecastle GAA’s plans for further development have received a boost with €70,000 on its way to construct a grass-running track. Upgrades and maintenance to Tulla Courthouse have been sanctioned with a sum of €70,000 for Tulla Courthouse Community Development Ltd.

In Shannon, Wolfe Tones GAA club have been granted €62,000 for the refurbishment of the community hall, St Senan’s RFC have been handed €50,000 for the upgrading of floodlights, cardio gym equipment will be replaced at Shannon Swimming and Leisure Centre Ltd following an allocation of €50,000 and the same allocation has been given to Clare Cricket Club to renovate a clubhouse building in Ballycasey.

Halla Eoin’s existing roof in Kibaha is to be replaced after Kilballyowen Development CLG were granted €60,000.

Prior to the commencement of their championship coverage, Scariff Bay Community Radio are hitting full speed with the green light given for the purchase and fit out of an outside broadcast vehicle for €59,000.

Banner GAA Club in Ennis complete the list of successful projects in Clare. They are to get €50,000 for the tarmacadam of the walkway around the perimeter of the pitch.

LOOP HEAD LIGHTHOUSE’S

ANNIVERSARY DAY

JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE 170 YEARS! SUNDAY 25TH AUGUST 2024

MUSIC . TALKS . HEALTH & WELLNESS WALKS . DEMONSTRATIONS . & MORE!

As part of Heritage Week 2024, we're throwing a special 170th birthday party for Loop Head Lighthouse!

Join us as we celebrate the 170th anniversary of the current tower! Learn the history of Loop Head Lighthouse, meet the Alpacas from the Flying Alpaca Farm, enjoy a fascinating scything demonstration, relax with yoga from Retreat Yourself, and so much more!

VISIT US ONLINE AT www.loopheadlighthouse.ie

Loop Head Lighthouse celebrates 170 years

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

LOOP Head Lighthouse will mark 170 years with a special programme of events on August 25th next.

Steeped in history and rich in maritime heritage, the existing tower was built in 1854 replacing a previous structure built in 1802 although there has been a lighthouse on the site since 1670. The West Clare landmark was first opened to visitors by Clare County Council and the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL) in 2011 and has since become one of West Clare’s most popular attractions.

The upcoming anniversary celebration will include talks on the Lighthouse, Lighthouse Keepers and Local Area by Stephen Rowan and Martin Gleeson (1.00pm2.00pm), and a talk by Dr. Simon Berrow of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group talk about the dolphins and whales that can be regularly seen around the Loop Head Peninsula (12.30-1.00pm). There also will be traditional Irish music, a scything exhibition, energetic yoga (2.00-2.30pm) and relaxing yoga (3.30-4.00pm) with Retreat Yourself, an introduction to Kettlebells with Jane Graham (2.45-3.15pm), and an opportunity to meet Alpacas from the nearby Flying Alpaca Farm.

Simon Day, Acting Head of Operations, Loop Head Lighthouse commented, “August 25th is an important milestone in the

history of the lighthouse, which is a real landmark on the West of Ireland coastline. We invite the public to join us in celebrating the 170th anniversary and learning more about the lighthouse and the people who once operated it and lived here.”

Loop Head Lighthouse is one of two Signature Discovery Points in County Clare along the route of the Wild Atlantic Way at the mouth of Shannon Estuary. It also is a landmark location on the Loop Head Heritage Trail and is one of 16 Great Lighthouses of Ireland.

Minister for Rural & Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD recently visited the attraction to officially mark the completion of upgrade works, including the restoration and conservation of the historic lighthouse keeper’s cottages and a new visitor hub with interpretation panels featuring stories from the local area.

Free entry to the exhibition centre and compound will be provided during the 170th anniversary celebration on August 25th. A charge will apply for the guided tours of the lighthouse. See www.loopheadlighthouse.ie for more.

Annette Kenneally with Clare hurlers Conor Cleary and Eibher Quilligan at Cahercalla Community Care last weekend Photo by John Mangan

Cahercalla residents join in celebrations

Clare retailer and staff ‘under cloud of fear’ after three armed robberies in 10 days

by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie

A CLARE retailer has told a court that she and her staff “now operate under a cloud of fear’” after three armed robberies on her businesses over the space of 10 days.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Flora Crowe said that the three armed robberies last October “have had a profound effect on my family, our staff and also the sense of safety within our community”.

Ms Crowe said that prior to the robberies last October to her Crowe’s Sixmilebridge and Crowe’s Minister’s Cross, Bunratty, the family run business had been very fortunate never to experience a robbery, let alone an armed robbery over the past 40 years.

In the case, Judge Francis Comerford imposed a three year-one month prison term on Dylan Considine Kelly (23) of no-fixed abode for the robberies with the final nine months suspended resulting in a two year four month jail term to serve.

Judge Comerford said that he could see how “terrifying it was for an Irish town to have this series of robberies with threats of violence in a short space of time”.

In her victim impact statement, Ms Crowe said: “During each of these traumatic events, armed robbers entered our store, threatened the well being and safety of our staff.”

She said: “The fear and uncertainty experienced during these robberies cannot be overstated.”

“Two of my dedicated staff members have resigned, unable to cope with the recurring threat of violence. Additionally, three others were so terrified by these incidents that they were unable to produce their own victim impact statements today.

Ms Crowe said: “These crimes have not only shaken our sense of security but have also undermined the trust and community that we have in Sixmilebridge.

“Many of our staff are female and youth workers so it adds to the vulnerability we face.”

Ms Crowe stated that “the emotional and psychological toll on my employees and myself has been significant.

We now operate under a cloud of fear, constantly worried about the possibility of another robbery.” She said: “I myself was

pregnant at the time of the robberies and it added to the real sense of fear that I had when I had when I had to lock up each night until the suspect was caught.

“Our store has always been more than just a place to buy groceries; it has been a gathering spot; a place where neighbours meet and support each other.

Ms Crowe said: “The repeated violations have eroded that sense of safety and community. We live only two minutes from our shops and to know that these armed robberies could happen when we live so close by frightens me.”

In the case, Mr Considine Kelly pleaded guilty to the robbing spree that commenced at 8.29pm on October 14th, Tim Crowe’s shop at Minister’s Cross, Bunratty taking €500 in cash and €800 cigarettes where a covered Mr Considine Kelly was armed with a claw hammer.

Seven days later, Mr Considine Kelly robbed Tim Crowe’s Gala shop, The Green, Sixmilebridge of €400

in cash when armed with a scissors and three days at 5pm October 24th and robbed Tim Crowe’s shop, Minister’s Cross, Bunratty again this time armed with another make-shift weapon and stole €500 in cash and €900 in cigarettes.

Judge Comerford said that Mr Considine Kelly - of no fixed abode but staying at Laurel Lodge in Ennis at the time- was armed with makeshift weapons.

Judge Comerford said Mr Considine Kelly was in a terrible place due to his drug addiction.

Judge Comerford said that Mr Considine Kelly was in receipt of €129 social welfare per week and was spending €500 per week on his cocaine addiction.

Mr Considine Kelly carried out the robberies to pay down a drug debt. The sentence imposed on Mr Considine Kelly who was also for his guilty plea to on October 20th robbing Bar One Racing, Turnpike Rd, Ennis of €2,340.

l Flora Crowe

‘Don’t be afraid to try something different’Quin’s O’Neill issues advice to LC students

A QUIN woman has advised students receiving their Leaving Certificate results to look at all options available to them and not to be afraid to try something different.

Last year, Leah O’Neill graduated from the Bachelor of Commerce at University College Dublin. Now she works with EirGrid, the operator and developer of Ireland’s electricity grid, having completed their graduate programme.

After completing her Leaving Certificate at Coláiste Mhuire in 2019, she chose to study the Bachelor of Commerce at UCD when my CAO results came back. “I enjoyed subjects like accounting, business, and maths in school and the course gave me the chance to look at these in more depth, as well as other subjects I hadn’t done before. When writing my CAO, UCD was top of my list because the course offered me a direct pathway to a business degree while maintaining flexibility within the modules I could take”.

Following her three years at college, Leah was selected for the

two-year EirGrid Graduate Programme. “A big factor in choosing the EirGrid graduate programme was the chance to work across

various departments and use all the knowledge I had gained at university.

“Over the course of the two-

year programme we rotate teams three times. This gives us an opportunity to build knowledge of the fundamentals of the business, in areas like information systems, finance, marketing, and management.

“Many of the subjects I studied in college are still relevant to my current role, especially working on a new site where I’m applying engineering fundamentals on a regular basis.

“I’m learning constantly, collaborating with cross functional teams while expanding my knowledge base. I find what I do very rewarding, and I enjoy the dynamic nature of my job,” she added.

By 2030 the national electricity system must be developed to allow for 80 per cent of our electricity to come from renewable sources, as per Government climate targets, something that Leah is passionate about.

“The significance of the energy and electricity sector cannot be overstated.

“Having the opportunity to contribute to the core of a company that upholds this vital infrastructure resonates deeply with me.

“As a business student, financ-

es and money flows are key to my area of interests. Renewable energy and reaching our climate targets is key to every business and is becoming more prominent and relevant, so working in a culture central to this is exciting”.

Looking back on her own time at school Leah understands the challenges Leaving Cert students face and shares some advice to those awaiting their results this year.

“When you are in sixth year there is so much going on, it’s a big milestone year in everyone’s life.

“My advice is to do your best, which sounds obvious, but it’s very important to believe in yourself.

“I would encourage students to choose a field of study that provides experiences to learn and the freedom to pursue what they’re passionate about, whether it be at university, an apprenticeship or elsewhere.

“When you get your results, look at all the options available to you, think about what you might like to try and don’t be afraid to try something different”.

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

l ADVICE: Leah O’Neill who now works with EirGrid

Wedding Showcase Weekend

Calling future Miss Irelands...

THE quest for the 77th Miss Ireland begins.

In a celebration of beauty, grace and empowerment, the search has officially begun for Miss Clare to follow in the footsteps of current Miss Clare Céira Moroney (28) who is a Speech and Language Therapist.

Ceira is a Trinity College graduate, currently specializing in working with autistic children.

Growing up with a sibling with complex physical disabilities and communication difficulties, introduced her to a world of augmentative and alternative communication methods from an early age. This gift of early exposure

sparked an interest in pursuing a career in such, particularly within the autistic community. Having trained classically, she loves to sing and has been a member of the Limerick Youth Choir and the Boydell and Singers choirs at Trinity College Dublin.

The search is now on to find contestants from each county to take part in the Miss Ireland 2024/2025 competition. The winner from each county will represents their county and title various events, awards and appearances and also take part in a show on March 29, 2025 to crown the new Miss Ireland and Mr Ireland.

Full details on how to enter are available on www.miss-ireland.ie.

Dan Furey weekend

LABASHEEDA is preparing for the 27th Dan Durey Weekend of Set-Dancing to be held in the village from August 16-18.

This annual event which celebrates the man and his dances is one of the longest continuous festivals of its kind and continues to attract dancers from all over the country and abroad to the scenic location on the banks of the Shannon estuary.

This year’s weekend will be opened officially by Noel Devery who has worked tirelessly teaching and preserving the unique stepdances of the Labasheeda area throughout the country. Noel, has worked closely with Michael Tubridy who recorded all of Dan’s dances back in the eighties to ensure that they would not be lost to future generations.

The official opening is on Friday at 8.30pm with the Tulla Céili Band providing the music. Saturday nights céili is with the legendary Shandrum Céili Band while Johnny Reidy and his musicians bring the dancing to an end on Sunday 18 th starting at 2.30pm. The annual parade brings colour and fun to the village on Sunday starting at 1pm.

Fianna Fáil receive three nominations

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

THREE NOMINATIONS

have been received by Fianna Fáil ahead of their selection convention to finalise their General Election ticket.

Sitting TD, Cathal Crowe (FF), Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) and Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) have all been put forward by the close of nominations.

The trio ran in the 2020 General Election where Dooley lost his seat as firsttime candidate Crowe was elected while McInerney was eliminated on the seventh count.

Fianna Fáil may opt to run just two of the three candidates with a directive to be issued from headquarters on the process to follow. This will be outlined at the selection convention, a date for which has yet to be set.

At the recent AGM of the Fianna Fáil Comhairle Dáilcheantair in Clare, the strong view was put forward that two candidates need to be selected for the General Election and that the membership needs to row in behind Deputy Crowe and Senator Dooley.

Meelick native Crowe told

the AGM, “We can be damn proud of what our councillors are doing and we want to have a convention as soon as possible, the canvassing that follows is way more important”.

He said he was “so proud to be a member of Fianna Fáil” and to have the party in his DNA. “We have a fabulous team of four female councillors and ten fabulous male councillors”.

Senator Dooley told the same meeting, “Cathal and I are on the one wave, it is about getting the party on an even keel to copper fasten what we have achieved in terms of rebuilding the party”.

Dooley added, “we got it wrong in the General Election and I’ve to accept that as we did at the time, we ran three candidates, as the lead person I maybe stood back from areas to allow other candidates to profess, we got it some but wrong but we held our seat. In my view we now have a really good platform to build on”

According to the Mountshannon native, the goal for Fianna Fáil needs to be running and electing two candidates. “We need to return two seats and put Fianna

Fáil back in Government whether it is October, November, December or January it really doesn’t matter. All sides have had differences of opinion but they need to be left outside the door

going forward. Keep our effort and energies for walking the streets, knocking on the doors and use whatever energy is left to celebrate”. In a very competitive Kilrush LEA for the local

Clare volunteers leave their

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

A CLARE man is leading the growth of the GAA in Uganda and has also helped to spearhead the raising of close to €60,000 this year alone.

North Clare native John Conroy has been volunteering in Uganda this summer along with eight Clare-based volunteers, Lucy Galvin, Fiona Gilligan, Michelle McNamara, Josephine Ryan, Geraldine Cahir, Joanne O Sullivan, Johnnie Tynan and Eugene Moroney.

They have had a busy spell coaching GAA, assisting the hospice care team, providing assistance to the teachers in class room and refurbishing a special needs classroom.

Support from the people of Clare to their charity work in Uganda has been constant. This year €58,632 raised and since 2017 over 50 volunteers have volunteered in Uganda with over €265,000 raised in that period. All flights accommodation and living expenses are paid by the volunteers with all funds going direct into the projects.

On top of this, they have managed to establish a GAA club. John told The Clare Echo, “We have founded a new G.A.A. Club named Nile Og Cusacks in Jinja in the Eastern region of Uganda. The club is based in Walukuba West primary School which has an enrolment of over 1300 children. We are

concentrating on coaching a group of thirty special needs children of which 28 are deaf. Each afternoon and on Saturday mornings the enthusiastic children gather for one and a half hour coaching sessions.

“The staff and principal are very supportive towards us introducing Gaelic games into the school. It is quite special to focus our attention on the deaf chil -

dren, being a special needs child in an underdeveloped country is challenging as there is no role in society for the kids, educational facilities and resources are poor and sometime it can be a shame on a family to have a special needs child”.

A big effort has been put

lCROWNED: Reigning Miss Clare Céira Moroney

elections, Cllr McInerney topped the poll with 1,340 first preference votes narrowly ahead of Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) with 1,318 and Cllr Dinny Gould (IND) on 1,310. Since then, she has

made history by becoming the first female Cathaoirleach of the West Clare MD and she has concluded her term as secretary of the Fianna Fáil Comhairle Dáilcheantair in Clare.

The Doonbeg woman has been a strong advocate for trying to increase the investment in West Clare.

mark in Uganda

in to set the club up and have a structure in place where there is continuity and the children are coached each week throughout the year by a coach and teachers. The next phase of the programme is to begin the gradual introduction of the games to the remainder of the students in the school. Irish dance teaching has also commenced in the school for students from first class to fourth class.

It is also the thirtieth anniversary of the Irish embassy in Uganda and this year has seen major growth in GAA clubs with five clubs now established.

Conroy explained, “There is huge potential for the growth of GAA here , it’s the second youngest population in the world with half of the 50 million population under 16 years. The children have no phones, television, or other games or activities as competition. They have built up natural basic fundamental movements and good levels of strength and conditioning through walking long distances to school and carrying out physical work each day through bringing water from the well, and doing various farm duties like digging, hoeing and

preparing for crop planting and harvesting. Even though they had no prior knowledge of G.A.A they have picked up the skills quickly due to having such good athleticism, strength, agility and movement”.

Through the generosity of many sporting clubs, individuals and national schools each child has a pair of football boots, shorts, training tops, jerseys and footballs. School materials, aids and resources were also donated by Clare people to the special needs children. The classroom went under refurbishment with all costs paid by funds raised by the volunteers.

Rays of Hope Hospice Jinja founded in 2005 by retired GPs Frank and Patricia Hassett operates in the Busoga region with a population of five million people in one of the poorest regions in sub Sahara Africa. The hospice is a mobile palliative care service focusing on cancer and other life-limiting diseases.

Lucy Galvin, a teacher in Ennis CBS was a first-time volunteer in Uganda this summer. “I had no expectation of what awaited me in Uganda as it was my first time visiting Africa. It was shocking to be faced with such poverty, we were all welcomed openly by the kindest group of people you could come across. I left a fully resourced beautiful classroom of 26 pupils to work in classes that contained 90 children,” she said.

Photo by Joe Buckley

Slipping back into old ways?

AS THE Clare Echo’s Slimming World journey is almost at the halfway point, our slimmers Kieran and Denise are at a crucial mark on their journey as they attempt to lose 2 stone in 12 weeks.

Clare Echo account manager Kieran Murphy had a steady week,

SLIMMER PROFILE

Kieran Murphy

Title: Account Manager

Age: 50

Height: 5ft 8in

Starting weight: 14st7lb

Week 1: Lost 2lbs

Week 2: Lost 8lbs

Week 3: Gained 3.5lbs

gaining half a pound. While he’d rather tip the scales in the other direction, he is keeping perspective.

As the weeks go by, I find myself slipping back into my old ways a bit. And just at the right moment (ahead of the weekend) Tarah got in touch via WhatsApp with a recipe for BBQ sauce and words of encouragement. Pamela sent a link to the Slimming World podcast. This particular episode is packed with lifelong tips.

When you attend a meeting, you can purchase healthy treats, magazines etc. This week Pamela recommended flavoured Protein Drops that are zero calorie and zero sugar. I picked up a strawberry and a toffee one.

Flavour drops are water soluble flavourings, designed to add specific tastes to drinks or meals. I will let you know how it goes. For the week ahead, I decided not to be too hard on myself and to trust the process. While I did not reach the magic stone I’m nearly there!

SLIMMER PROFILE

Denise Quinn

Title: Head of Sales Age: 49 Height: 5ft 3in

Starting weight: 14st.05lb

Week 1: Lost 7lbs

Week 2: Lost 3.5lbs

Week 3: Gained 2lbs

Week 4: Lost 6lbs

Week 5: Lost 0.5lbs

Current weight: 12st 13.5lb

Goal: To lose 2 stone

Not a bad result this week with a 1/2 lb loss as I was expecting a gain due to being on holidays and totally out of routine. I have noticed that I am making the best choice where possible. My energy levels have totally changed and where possible I am walking instead of Jumping into the car. This brings new highs as I am toning up and loving the fresh air and even walking in the rain.

Tips from Women of the Year Nominees.

1. Stay to Group

2. Don’t compare yourself to others ,we all lose weight differently ,Keep Going.

3. Make sure you try lots of different foods and keep it interesting

4. Never go hungry or feel deprived there is so much free food for you to enjoy

lACHIEVEMENT: Leader Tarah Lenihan with Women of the Year Fiona O Brian and (inset) Kay O’Donnell

This week’s Slimming Group at Treacys West County was very exciting with Fiona O’Brian and Kay O’Donnell being nominated as Woman of the Year by their groups. Congratulations ladies super achievement, ye are inspirational to all of us.

We also had a food tasting night with some really tasty food keeping food options interesting.

Slimming World Venue Details Louise: Friday at 9.30am, Newmarket on Fergus Community Hall, V95 RH93. Facebook: Slimming World Newmarket on Fergus Tarah: Monday at 7pm, Hope Cafe In Shannon, also at Treacys West County Ennis every Tuesday at 5.30pm and 7pm. Facebook: Slimming World with Tarah Pamela: Tuesday and Thursday 8am and 9.30 am at Treacys West County Ennis. Also on Wednesday 4pm and 5.30pm Teach Ceoil Church Ennistymon. Facebook: Slimming World Ennis & Ennistymon with Pamela Martina: Saturday at CBS primary school, New Road Ennis 8.30am and 10.30am. Facebook: Follow Slimming World Southcourt and Caherconlish

Abundance of perennials and shrubs

AUGUST has come upon us and lots to do in the garden as we continue to deadhead the flowers like Dahlia and Echinacea to prolong the blooms. We cut back lavender, Nepeta and Saliva once they have finished flowering to allow another flush of growth to come.

If you have fruit bushes you may need to cover them, so the birds don’t get first pick of this, nets are available from the garden centres.

Collect seeds as they ripen, such as Aquilegia, Sweet pea, Poppies, Cosmos and you may have lots of other seeds on other perennials you have available in your garden to collect. Collect seeds on a dry sunny day to avoid mould or mildew. Use a paper bag or

envelopes to store seeds, as plastic can trap moisture. Label the pack with plant name and date of collection store in a dry cool place until you’re ready to use.

In August, you can take softwood cuttings from many types of plants. Softwood cuttings are typically taken from the current season growth, which is soft and flexible. Here are some plants suitable for softwood cuttings

Lavender, take 4-to-6-inch cuttings from non-flowering shoots, remove lower leaves and plant the cutting in a sandy well drained mix.

Hydrangea, select 4 to 6 inch cutting from new growth, remove the lower leaves and dip the cut end in rooting powder before planting.

So, the method is similar for the following Fushia, Geranium, Coleus, Rosemary, Buddleia these are just a few I have named.

So, you can always expand on the perennials and shrubs you have in the garden every year and it’s a cost-effective way to expand the garden or create gift for others too.

Reminder to continue to watering and feeding containers and some perennial beds and borders it may rain but that does not always water the plants enough.

August brings the harvest, and the garden rewards the patient gardener with its bounty, reminding us that every seed sown with care and hope yields beauty and sustenance.

lLavender softwood cuttings

MOST of us are familiar with the terms inflammation and chronic inflammation but did you know there is distinct difference between the two?

So, what do we know about inflammation? Firstly, it’s the body’s natural response to injury or infection, and in the short term, it’s usually nothing to worry about. I’m sure many of you have been prescribed anti-inflammatory medications or taken an anti-inflammatory for a headache. This shows us that inflammation is common, can cause pain and in acute (short term) cases only lasts hours-days. Generally reducing inflammation is directly linked to reducing symptoms such as pain and discomfort. But what happens when you suffer with chronic inflammation? We know that chronic inflammation is a result of the immune system sending out inflammatory cells and substances even though there is no injury or infection. This can occur in several scenarios such as; those with autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, those with chronic conditions such as diabetes and sleep apnea or those that struggle with anxiety. This is when it becomes a little bit more difficult to manage.

The problem is that chronic inflammation doesn’t generally present the same way as acute (short term) inflammation. The signs of chronic inflammation are subtler, and can increase gradually over a long period. Symptoms can be as discreet as fatigue that seems to be getting worse or random aches and pains. Unfortunately chronic inflammation can be harmful, leading to several health issues. In fact, more than 50% of all deaths worldwide are attributed to chronic inflammatory diseases. This statistic alone underscores the importance of managing chronic inflammation for overall health.

Thought for

There is quite a long list of pharmaceuticals available to treat chronic inflammation but long-term use of NSAIDS and corticosteroids have been associated with health risks and addiction. So what other options are there? You guessed it - hyperbaric oxygenation.

HYPERBARIC OXYGENATION

Hyperbaric oxygenation has a profound effect on the body and naturally reduces inflammation. Not only that, it modulated the immune responses which helps regulate the inflammatory responses. Oxygen is needed in every phase of healing and recovery so when you give the body what it wants, it rewards you with accelerated recovery and reduces risks associated with chronic inflammatory diseases. This isn’t just what I’ve witnessed at OxyGeneration, this has been scientifically proven time and time again.

The anti-inflammatory benefits paired with the antibacterial benefits really do make it a very attractive method to increase your general health and wellbeing.

I frequently meet people at the clinic who are attending for a wide range of conditions. Many ask, “How does one treatment work for

the week:

‘Class’ Clare hurlers

Spreading the word of positivity

RONAN SCULLY

I WATCHED in awe, admiration and thanksgiving, as the lads from my wife’s county of Clare won the All Ireland Hurling final and captured the Liam McCarty cup for a fifth time - and the celebrations that followed and which will probably continue for the rest of the year. It was all Clare people wanted and more. As the famous writer Con Houlihan used to say, “All Heaven broke loose”, but this time its colours were saffron and blue.

CONGRATULATIONS

I, like many all over Ireland, watched the great Tony Kelly holding the Liam McCarthy Cup aloft over his head. That cup will now reside in my wife’s lovely county for the next year and will be cherished like the most precious treasure in the world. Clare people have been walking ten foot tall like they did 11 years ago when the great Davy Fitzgerald’s team won the All-Ireland for the fourth time in the 2013 final. Tony Kelly,

John Conlon, Shane O’Donnell and the rest of the Clare team bestrode the pitch of Croke Park like Colossuses, displaying a mental fortitude that set them apart as modern day leaders and heroes.

SONS OF CLARE

These sons of Clare were quiet, passionate, resilient and dignified but heroic; emerging from the heat of battle transformed from ‘greats’ to ‘legends’. It is, and will always be, the stuff of delight that Clare folk belong to the same geographical tribe as these wonderful new All Ireland Hurling champions. In future, everywhere Clare people go, the conversation will always come around to hurling, for Clare people my wife says will always see to that they will be able to declare with great pride: “I’m from the same county as Brian Lohan and the Clare winning hurling team.”

POWERFUL LESSON

Although my wife’s nerves were completely shattered and the candles she lit nearly burnt the church down, it didn’t matter because this great Clare team won one of Ireland’s biggest sport-

ing events. Sometimes I forget the powerful lessons that sport can teach us.

This Clare team has given us a masterclass in resilience, hard work and togetherness. After the great homecoming celebrations in Clare and Ennis recently, it made me look and think about how we celebrate during times of ‘celebration’.

CELEBRATIONS

I found myself pondering the standard thoughts people would associate with the word ‘celebration’. These included parties, people, fun, speeches, laughter, sports and election wins, gala balls, music, drink, food and, usually, more food! A couple standing side by side at the front of a small church, filled with the excitement and trepidation of a life about to be journeyed together, with friends and family bearing witness. A child’s first birthday. Flashes of light from the cameras of family and friends that capture the moment so the event can be celebrated over and over again. Other celebrations are less noticeable. The smile from the shop

attendant who gives you your daily paper. The concerned and thoughtful questions of your family doctor, your local Garda, postman or curate. The patience of the person behind us in the queue as we sort out our financial queries with the bank assistant. Or, as I found recently, the stranger in the doctor’s waiting room that entertains your restless youngster while you wait your turn.

SPECIAL MOMENTS

These frequently occurring moments – if we pay attention to them - touch our souls. They are moments that invite us to feel what it is to be human in our everyday lives, in the presence of another equally ordinary human being, in the creation of a magical moment, whatever you are wearing and whoever you are with.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

As your thought for the week , think of something important that happened in your life, whether recently or in the past, big or small, and celebrate it this week with family and friends. Life is so short, it is so important to make the most of every occasion.

all these conditions?” The answer is simple: inflammation is a symptom in the majority of medical conditions. Given that the main benefit of HBOT is its anti-inflammatory effect, it can be applied to treat a variety of ailments. Additionally, the fact that HBOT is non-invasive, non-steroidal, and generally well-tolerated means that many people are eligible. There’s a science behind how HBOT works, but I also believe that the time you spend in the chamber, usually about 80 minutes, offers you a unique opportunity to unplug from the fast-paced world and give your mind a much-needed break. This aspect should not be overlooked, especially considering how stress levels are also so heavily linked with inflammation. I’m not suggesting that HBOT can replace all your medications, but it’s worth noting that it has helped many people who can’t use certain medications for various reasons or who have developed a resistance to conventional treatments. In some cases, hyperbaric oxygenation has even shown better results than traditional methods. It’s a versatile option that can be used on its own or alongside other treatments to boost healing and improve outcomes.

Preab-Ghaeltacht ag Féile na Fiacaile

POP-UP GAELTACHT AT THE FEAKLE FESTIVAL

Macalla an Chláir

LE MACDARA Ó CONAOLA

POP-UP Gaeltacht, 2pm, Dé Sathairn/Saturday, 10ú Lúnasa/ August, Tigh Moloney.

Tar éis an chéad phreab-Ghaeltacht ag an bhféile anuraidh le Spraoi le Gaeilge, bígí ag Preab-Ghaeltacht na Féile aríst an Dé Sathairn beag seo.

Neart spraoi, caint, agus comhrá le chéile, i nGaeilge.

Beatha teanga í a labhairt! Continuing on from last year's Pop-up Gaeltacht organised by Spraoi le Gaeilge, join other Gaeilge lovers for the Feakle Festival Popup Gaeltacht again this year, where you can speak with other Irish speakers. Even if you only have cúpla focal (a few words)! Or you can just listen. Beidh míle fáilte romhat/ You’ll be most welcome! Am/Time: 2:00 pm, Áit/ Venue: Tigh Moloney, in aisce/Free

l Caint agus Ceol i Tigh Moloney i bhFiacail, Dé Sathairn ag 2pm

AN BHFUIL SCÉAL LE ROINNT AGAIBH ?!

Bígí i dteagmháil linn agus leanaigí ar Facebook agus Twitter muid ag: @macallaanchlair

R-phost: macallaanchlair@gmail.com

Imeachtaí/Events:

• INIS OÍRR – Rásaí Inis Oírr, 10ú agus 11ú Lúnasa

• LUIMNEACH – AIFREANN GAEILGE, chuile Dé Domhnaigh, 10.30am, Mainistir an tSlánaitheora, Sráid San Doiminic, Luimneach

• Clare FM - Cúl-chaint le Domhnall Ó Loingsigh chuile Dé Sathairn, ag 9am ar Clare FM

• CILL INÍNE BAOITHECiorcal Comhrá san XPO,

chuile Dé Céadaoin ag 7.30pm

• INIS – CAINT AGUS COMHRÁ, chuile Dé Luain ag 11am sa gCopper Jug, Dé Céadaoin ag 11am in O'Brien's, oíche Déardaoin sa Temple Gate (8pm), agus Dé Sathairn i nGlór, 11am12pm. Déan teagmháil leo ag: caintaguscomhra@outlook.com

• LUIMNEACH – Ciorcail Comhrá. Chuile Dé Céadaoin ag 10.30am, Bialann Eden, Ollscoil Luimnigh.Tuilleadh eolais ar fáil ó Noel ag 086 792 8389.

• AN SCAIRBH – ''Lón i nGaeilge'', 1-2pm, CHUILE DÉ MAIRT i gcaifé ''An Gáirdín'', fáilte roimh chuile dhuine.

lCELEBRATION: Clare hurlers with Cahercalla board and staff members as Michael Maher presenting a cheque to Cahercalla following a fundraiser in Kilmaley; (below) Conor Cleary, Aidan McCarthy and Eibher Quilligan with 100-year-old George Casey

Arrival of Liam MacCarthy a big lift to Cahercalla

by Páraic McMahon

news@clareecho.ie

RESIDENTS OF Cahercalla

Community Hospital and Nursing Home received a great lift on Bank Holiday Monday with the visit of a certain Liam MacCarthy.

Three members of the All-Ireland winning Clare side, Eibhear Quilligan, Conor Cleary and Aidan McCarthy brought Liam MacCarthy with them on a special visit to the Ennis facility.

Along with the presence of the Clare hurlers, there was also dancing and sing-

ing with music provided by the Clarecastle Comhaltas Group on what was a memorable occasion for young and old including 100 year old George Casey. Michael Maher from Inch helped to orchestrate the visit. “It went great, it was unbelievable,” he told The Clare Echo. He also presented a cheque of €1,230 for Cahercalla following a fundraiser he completed in the Kilmaley Inn.

Maher believed the visit is one that would serve as one of the many highlights for

Mayoral reception for Archbishop Horgan

NEWLY ORDAINED Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan, Séamus Horgan was celebrated with a mayoral reception, writes Páraic McMahon

Ennis native Horgan is also Titular Archbishop of Ard Sratha in Tyrone along with becoming the first ever Papal Nuncio to South Sudan.

Thirty years before his episcopal ordination, Séamus was called by the late Bishop Michael Harty to priesthood in the same cathedral, the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Ennis. For the last three decades he has served in Bodyke, Roscrea, Rome, Uganda, Switzerland, the Philippines and most recently in the United States.

Following a proposal by Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG), a mayoral reception was held for the Apostolic Nuncio. At the ceremony, Archbishop Horgan was presented with a scroll and ceremonial gifts, including a copy of “The Story of Clare and its People 1570-2020” by Dr Matthew Potter and Dr John Treacy.

The papal flag and the South Sudan flag were flying in the Chamber of Áras Contae an Chláir as figures including Bishop Emeritus, Willie Walsh and Bishop of Killaloe, Fintan Monahan in attendance.

Leas Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) described it as “a very special event” and predicted, “I don’t think we’ll have another one in our lifetime”. She told the reception she knew Séamus since he was five years old as his

late mother Pauline was a teacher of hers. Chief Executive, Pat Dowling stated, “this afternoon is both a welcome home for you as a son of Ennis but also at the same time we’re sending you back out on a mission to the wider world and indeed particularly to those less fortunate than us in South Sudan, it marks the strong relationship between church and state at a local level here in Clare. We have the privilege to welcome many ambassadors to our county, it is all the more special when we welcome home one of our own”. He noted,

“it is fitting that you chose to be ordained in Ennis, after all Ennis is the community that formed you”.

Cllr Pat Daly (FF) recalled that he served as an altar boy with the Archbishop in the Cathedral, “I was nicknamed Bishop Daly but I never became Bishop Willie or Bishop Fintan”. He quipped, “my colleague beside me from Kilmurry Ibrickane said you’re so high up that you’re nearly near the smoke coming out of the Vatican”.

Fr Tom Ryan felt the reception was “an example of how Church and State can operate together”.

Speaking at the reception, the Papal Nuncio thanked all speakers for their “deeply touching” words. “It has been intimated on me that in this Chamber not every motion is greeted with unanimity and I’m very grateful that Gabriel Keating’s was”. He thanked Pope Francis for the appointment to the new role.

Cleary, Quilligan and McCarthy. “It would be very hard to follow it, I know the rest of the hospitals are looking for the Cup but I don’t think they can match what happened. It is a huge lift for everybody that was in attendance.

He told The Clare Echo, “I would have a long association with Cahercalla, nearly all my family was born there, my late wife who is dead nearly 17 years spent some time there before she died so we would have a close connection to it and this was a very special occasion”.

Photo by John Mangan

lHONOURED: His Excellency, Archbishop Séamus Horgan, is presented with a Ceremonial Scroll by Leas-Chathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Mary Howard and Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling

First winner of Miss Ei makes return trip 58 years later

by

EI Electronics had a reeling in the years moment at its Shannon headquarters on Friday.

Dolores Costelloe who won the first ever Miss E.I. competition back in 1966 paid a visit to the Shannon headquarters of the company which has operated out of the Clare town for over sixty years.

During her visit, Dolores was able to display the original sash from the competition she won almost six decades ago. Miss E.I. became a unique social event during those years and remained popular in Shannon and the wider region until the 1980s.

CEO and founder of Ei Electronics, Mick Guinee was on site and welcomed Dolores to their centre of excellence on Friday. Following some gentle persuasion, Dolores donned the original sash for a photograph with Mick.

Initially, Dolores worked as an assembly line operator and was later promoted to Quality Control in what was then the original E.I. Company under General Electric ownership.

Road markings set to be refreshed by St Senan’s NS

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

ALL EXISTING road markings in the vicinity of St Senan’s National School in Shannon are to be refreshed.

In a motion before the Shannon Municipal District, Cllr David Griffin (FF) asked that Clare County Council “look at

a better parking solution and traffic management plan to facilitate pick up and drop off times” at the primary school in Shannon.

Senior executive engineer in the Shannon MD, Tom Mellett confirmed that all existing road markings within the school’s vicinity would be refreshed. “A further assessment will follow as part of a wider traffic calming project for this area”.

He continued, “Responsibility for school drop off and pickup times are the remit of the school”.

Speaking at the Shannon MD sitting, Cllr Griffin outlined that he had met with the school principal Jane O’Leary. “There’s issues on parking and traffic management, it is a dangerous spot at times”.

Griffin continued, “There was supposed to be some en-

gagement” as he requested an update from the Council officials on this and the potential addition of a traffic warden. Seconding the proposal, Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG) commented, “if we are putting in any form of traffic tables or strips in the area we need to be careful, rumble strips wouldn’t be something to put in there”.

Social media space in Shannon needed

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

A DEDICATED social media space for activities within the Shannon Municipal District has been requested by a Sinn Féin councillor.

Politicians place a great deal of emphasis on social media and within the Shannon MD they are no different.

Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF, pictured) has requested that the Shannon MD have its “own social media space that will keep people up to date with issues and actions that are happening within the MD on a monthly news sheet”.

Acting senior executive officer, Anne Griffin in response to McGettigan’s motion said the Shannon MD will “continue to strategically and actively use various communication channels to highlight the positive work and important issues within the Municipal District and strengthen our strong and open relationships with the media”.

Social media, Clare County Council’s website, television, local print media and radio were the communication channels referenced by Ms Griffin. “Recognising the importance of promoting the positives of the towns, villages and settlements in the Municipal District, as well as the projects carried out between the MD office, elected representatives and communities, the MD office will further collaborate with the communications office to ensure an integrated approach. The monthly management report published on Clare County Council’s website will continue to be vigorously promoted”.

She said the MD will ensure the “positive work” undertaken in the locality be placed “in a more prominent location” on the Council’s website and that a Municipal District newsletter would be produced in the autumn.

Speaking at a meeting of the Shannon MD, Cllr McGettigan said, “if you look at the Clare County Council Facebook page you have to scroll down to find anything about Shannon on it, I’m not trying to be negative on it”. Items relating to the Shannon MD have been “lost” on the Council’s social media because people have to scroll down to find it, she said. “Even the N19 submissions earlier, they said there was very little public consultation feedback on it, people aren’t seeing it”. Support for the motion was voiced by Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG). Burst water pipes in Corrib Drive and Fergus Rd were cited as “classic examples” on social media’s use in spreading a message. Cathaoirleach of the Shannon MD, Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF) commented, “When you are on social media on a regular basis people go to your page to find out things so when something like a burst main or an ESB outage they will still come to your page for the information. I don’t know how we can work it, it is not easy to manage it”.

“Maybe work with the local community councils on it, they would have their finger on the pulse on it,” McGettigan suggested.

PICTURED: Mick Guinee, CEO & Founder of Ei Electronics with Dolores Costello wearing the Miss Ei sash

Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

‘Something gone wrong’ as Lahinch and Kilkee suffer poor tourist seasons

by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

LAHINCH and Kilkee have not had recorded a good tourist season this summer according to elected representatives.

Warnings were issued at a meeting of the West Clare Municipal District that the disappointing summer on a tourism front could result in the closure of some businesses in the county.

Caution was voiced by Cllr Bill Slattery (FG), “I don’t know what it is, maybe it is the weather but Lahinch is not having a good tourist season”. He said that the lack of cars in Lahinch on some days during the month of July was a concern, “there is something gone wrong”.

He continued, “some of these businesses will close in Lahinch, they cannot sustain the lack of footfall. It has not been a very good tourist season”.

Cathaoirleach of the West Clare MD, Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) pointed out that

Kilkee has also recorded a poor season in terms of visitor numbers.

Their comments came when a motion from Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) was up for discussion. He called on the Local Enterprise Office and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke (FG) “to carry out an assessment and introduce a business support initiative to underpin tourist related enterprises where footfall and turnover is affected due to reduced bednights in the North and West Clare area”.

Head of Enterprise with Clare LEO, Padraic McElwee said they were available to meet with any business encountering “operational challenges in their day to day trading activities. This enables us to assess the specific challenge an individual business is encountering and determine the most appropriate support”.

McElwee explained that an expert mentor is typically appoint in the first instance at no cost to the business to

assist in identifying action to mitigate any adverse impacts on its operations. New supports are to be made available in the coming weeks to help achieve “significant cost reductions”.

Cost of materials, energy and labour has “hugely increased,” Cllr Killeen flagged. “All the different influences make it more difficult to stay in business,” he warned. “It is important when bednights are returned that the restaurants are still there and that we can keep the tourists in

the area to supply the services when things return to normality”. He stressed that businesses that are a key component of the tourism market in North Clare need to be supported, “if they don’t see supports coming in they won’t be in business after 2024”.

Concepts looking at a real situation “like what we did during the COVID times” warrant support, Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) stated. “We looked at turnover and the Government supported busi-

nesses during COVID, it is complex and there’s issues around bed nights being lost”. He continued, “Dare I mention Ennis 2040, we’ve a Cliffs of Moher plan which should have had a North Clare transport plan in it”. Reference was also made to the Pattinson Report by Cllr Joe Garrihy, this included a recommendation to try get KilKenny Design settting up a base in Lisdoonvarna.

Garrihy continued, “it is a very complex issue, it is not simplistic, I welcome that integration team in Council have taken on bringing in external consultant to do a study on it, take away the nonsense spoken and speak with real people with real facts”.

Acting Director of Services, John O’Malley told the meeting that expert mentors from Clare LEO are willing to offer assistance to businesses while a similar move can be made by the tourism department if there are particular areas where councillors are getting requests.

Do not swim notice set in Lahinch

A do not swim notice has been issued for Lahinch. Clare County Council, on the advice of the HSE issued a bathing advisory notice for Lahinch on Wednesday. The restriction has been introduced after the results of routine bathing water samples showed elevated levels of bacteria.

In accordance with An Taisce’s Blue Flag programme, the Blue Flag at this bathing area will be removed until such time as the water quality improves. It is the second time this summer that such a notice has been implemented for Lahinch. A bathing prohibition was in place for three days at the beginning of June.

Legacy of céilí & dance bands in Ennistymon

The Old Ennistymon Society, with the support of Clare County Council and Creative Ireland will host an exhbition of photographs of bands, musicians and dancers of the area (1930 -1970) at The Courthouse Gallery on Sunday August 18th. The evening also includes an interactive audio-visual presentation to explore the legacy of the Céilí and Dance bands of the area with a particular focus on how it might enhance and contribute to our current sense of place and belonging. The event begins at 7pm on Sunday August 18th with the opening of the exhibition followed by the interactive presentation by Enda Byrt. Surviving musicians, and dancers of the era will contribute their reflections to assist us in deepening our understanding and appreciation of the contribution of music and dance to our sense of place.

As a social outlet, the music created by this generation provided an antidote to three decades of economic hardship and emigration.

Through reproductions of archival prints, audio recordings from the era and live interviews with the few surviving musicians and dance goers, the public interactions presented as key events will bring the social history of the 1930s to 1970s period to life. Our sense of place and belonging would have been well illustrated in our celebration of the All-Ireland victory for our Banner

hurlers! Cultural and social factors are key ingredients in our sense of place and belonging. Traditions, communal activities, music, sports. All provide us with opportunities to

connect with each other and foster our bonds and sense of place, Ennistymon can point to long band history since the 1930s with the Ennistymon No1

Melody band, The Jack Madigan band, The Corcomroe and St Michael’s Céilí bands, and the Michael Hogan Dance Band.

Providing a foundation for all these musicians were the Ennistymon Brass Band and the Pipe Band. All the bands and musicians were to the fore in entertaining the community indoors and out, whenever spirits needed a boost.

Locally the Town Hall was the mecca for dancers for all those generations.

Mullagh and Lisdoonvarna were also very popular venue and the bands were in demand in surrounding counties of Limerick. Kerry, Tipperary and Galway.

What, if any value is it to us today to recall and reflect on the contribution of the bands to our present sense of place and belonging?

Come along to the Courthouse Gallery on Sunday August 18th to join in the event and help us evaluate our band’s legacy.

The photographic exhibition will be available for viewing up to September 14th.

The Michael Hogan Dance Band

PICTURED:

First black Mayor of Derry commits to Clare hurling at Scariff Harbour Festival

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

A CIVIC reception was held in Scariff on Friday honouring the Mayor of Derry and District of Strabane, Cllr Lilian Seenoi-Barr (SDLP) for her tireless work in raising awareness on racial inequality, migration, women’s health and housing.

Elected members of the Killaloe Municipal District conferred the civic reception onm Cllr Seenoi-Barr in recognition of the continuation of North-South political, socio-economic and tourism co-operation evident in East Clare.

This includes the presence of the regional office of Waterways Ireland in Scariff and tourism initiatives on Lough Derg, the River Shannon, Lough Erne and the Ulster Canal navigation system, as well as the cultural and social ties between the communities of Killaloe MD and Derry and the District of Strabane.

Friday’s event was the first

instance where a Municipal District in Clare hosted a civic reception.

Cathaoirleach of Killaloe

Municipal District, Cllr Joe Cooney (FG), said, “Lilian’s early life was shaped by the challenges and inequities she

Christ the King statue restored to former glory

observed in her Maasai community, sparking a passion for advocacy that would guide her life’s work. In her late

AN ICONIC statue in the heart of Gort has been successfully restored.

After Gort Tidy secured funds from the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, the successful restoration of the Christ the King statue materialised. Assistance was also received by Galway County Council to clean and protect the statue.

Gebel and Helling Conservation undertook the restoration project, the Cork based company was recommended by the Heritage Council. The statue, a marble masterpiece created by renowned Irish sculptor Albert Power, RHA, had suffered the effects of acid rain and environmental factors over the years.

Jim Ricks, Secretary of Gort Tidy Towns, initiated the restoration project last year, following extensive research and collaboration with the Galway County Heritage Office. The cleaning process involved a careful two-pass steam cleaning and the application of a breathable sealant to safeguard the statue for future generations.

Volunteers with Gort Tidy Towns have said, “the difference before and after the restoration is truly remarkable”. The statue, originally commissioned by local woman Anne Coen in memory of her son, Martin, in 1933 has been returned to its former splendour.

Gort Tidy Towns would like to express their sincere gratitude to all involved in this project, particularly the Heritage Council, Galway County Council, and Gebel and Helling Conservation.

twenties, Lilian migrated to Derry, where she quickly became an influential figure in local politics and community activism”.

He continued, “Her work continues to inspire and empower individuals and communities, making her a formidable force for positive change. Through her tireless efforts, Cllr Seenoi-Barr has demonstrated the profound impact that dedicated activism and compassionate leadership can have on society”.

“Our June AGM was our first meeting as a newly elected group of representatives of East Clare on the shores of Lough Derg and the river Shannon, which is connected with our waterway to Northern Ireland. In that meeting, we as Members wished to highlight and pay due regard to a fellow elected Member in Northern Ireland who had also been elected as Mayor of Derry and the District of Strabane. Councillor Seenoi-Barr has played a crucial role in the betterment of society in that

regard,” Cllr Pat Burke (FG) stated.

At the close of the annual Scariff Harbour Festival on bank-holiday Sunday night, the Kenyan native revealed that she had watched the All-Ireland Hurling Final and was now a committed Clare hurling folllower.

Lilian said she was deeply impacted by the story of the late Edna O’Brien and quoted American Civil Rights activist John Lewis who said ‘Speak Up, speak Out, Get in the way, get in good trouble, necessary trouble.’ “Edna gave voice to the lived experience of women across Ireland and became a crucial catalyst for change,” she said.

“As somebody who has had an unique journey and often finds herself in ‘good trouble’, I felt a deep kindship with Edna. People must speak up, that’s what Edna O’Brien did through her long and distinguished career and I am confident that her fearless spirit will endure,” the Mayor said.

Countdown on for Gort & District Show

GORT & District Show are celebrating their 40th Show which takes place on Saturday August 10 at Gort community Centre and Gort Community School grounds.

The show, with Gort Credit Union as its main sponsor, promises to be an enjoyable day out for all the family as usual, with competitions in garden produce, flowers, baking, arts & crafts, childrens section and post primary section.

The All Ireland Photography final takes place on the day with a prize fund of €500 and with photography classes for amateurs and professionals there will be an array of photos on display.

The official opening is at 1pm with special guest, Galway Camogie Superstar, Aine Keane on the eve of her All Ireland final.

There will be lots of children’s entertainment including face-painting, puppet show and juggler and live music from the

wonderful voice of Bernie O’Shea and local talent Amy McCarthy & James Ruffles. The Ox Mountain Model Railway will be on display. The Bonny Baby competition and Glamorous Granny competitions on the day always provide a sense of fun. There will be trade stands with crafts, art and food for sale. Baking and crafts demonstrations. Unfortunately due to a lack of suitable grounds being available the Pat O Donnell Dog show cannot go ahead this year.

The monster Raffle will take place on the day with cards available to buy locally from now and on the show day. The Gort Show will celebrate their 40th Show with a cutting of the cake at 5pm along with the presentation of the Special prizes.

There will be a display of vintage cars, tractors and machinery and the Tom Joe Scully Memorial Cup will be presented to the winner the judge

selects as the vehicle or machine they would like to take home..!

Anybody looking to book a Trade Stand can still book a space by enquiring at gortshow@ gmail.com.

The Community Centre is open for drop off of any indoor un-perishable entries on the Friday evening before the show 6-9pm and entrants are urged to avail of that where possible to avoid the morning rush and this gets you into a free Early Bird draw for some lovely prizes.

Cash is still King at Gort & District Show and as there are no card facilities on site, please come prepared.

Due to restricted parking, it’s recommended that people arrive early or park away from the Community Centre where possible on the day.

With a gate charge of just €10 per adult and children go free, it’s a great family day out.

Gort & South Galway

lMEETING: Mayor of Derry & District of Strabane, SDLP Cllr Lilian Seenoi-Barr with elected members of the Killaloe MD last weekend Photo by Eamon Ward

Mac Mathúna to be remembered at headline Fleadh concert

CLAREMAN Séamus Mac Mathúna to be remembered at headline Fleadh concert featuring array of stars

A very special concert at this year’s Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Wexford which will pay tribute to Clareman, Séamus Mac Mathúna, who was Timire Cheoil for Comhaltas for more than four decades and drove that great adventure of traditional music revival that inspired so many.

It will open with a tribute to Clare music and musicians, in acknowledgment of richness of the tradition in the Banner county, and the many inspirational figures who led the way in raising up our culture and passing it onto the next generation.

A proud Cooraclare man, Séamus was a beloved character in the life of Irish music and Irish music people. He knew where the

heart of the music lay and he spent a life drawing that out, from sometimes hidden places, to be heard, appreciated, treasured and played, by countless people across the world.

He was immensely proud spoke of the wealth and depth of traditional music, dance and song in his native Clare, and of his good fortune to have shared his early musical journey with some of the most iconic figures in the tradition such as Willie Clancy, Elizabeth Crotty, Sean Reid, Robbie McMahon, Marty Marrinan, and many more.

One of his most prized productions for Comhaltas was ‘Ceol an Chlaír’ in 1978, an iconic album which gathered five of West Clare’s finest fiddle masters, Bobby Casey, Joe Ryan, John Kelly, Junior Crehan, and Patrick Kelly. A more recently published collection, Friends of Note (2019) featured the

music of some of the finest exponents of Clare music: Peadar O’Loughlin, Paddy Murphy, Paddy Canny and Geraldine Cotter.

“Those who knew Séamus well admired him most for his tireless work in organising and nurturing the tradition. For as well as being a superb musician and singer, Séamus’s legacy included growing fleadhanna, initiatives to ensure the flourishing of traditional singing, the establishment of music schools such as Scoil Éigse; the first meeting of Na Píobairí Uileann; the Willie Clancy Summer School, collecting music in the field, recording key artists; driving musical publications, producing concert tours and massive outdoor events; and much more,” his son Lorcán Mac Mathúna, also a singer and composer, said this week.

This ensemble headline concert, featuring some of the most renowned musi-

cians and singers of the tradition, celebrates the life of Séamus and of that inspirational generation of musicians and visionaries who were central to the golden age of revival of our beloved music.

Amongst the many renowned and celebrated musicians who are taking part are:

The Mulcahy family, Bríd Harper, Tom Doorley, Eamonn Cotter, Aoife Granville, Daire Bracken, Connie O’Connell, Oisín Mac Diarmada, Eoin Ó Cionnaith, Michelle O’Sullivan, and many more.

Tickets for the concert on Sat, August 10, at 8pm, can be booked at FleadhCheoil,ie or purchased at the door: (a family ticket covers two adults and the children in the family) https://fleadhcheoil-wexford.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873647538

Kilmihil Festival of Fun a hit

l FUN IN WEST CLARE: A selection of photos from the 2024 Kilmihil Festival of Fun, which took place over the Bank Holiday weekend

All photos by Gerard O’Neill

Séamus Mac Mathúna

‘We bring something good to the world at Vitalograph’

The Clare Echo is delighted to partner with Vitalograph on a series of articles exploring the history and ethos of the trailblazing company which celebrates 50 years in Ennis this year, employing more than 300 people in Ireland and 550 globally

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

VITALOGRAPH

is at the global forefront of pulmonary function testing, playing a vital role in helping to diagnose lung conditions for patients across the world.

From its base in Ennis, Vitalograph’s engineering team designs and manufactures the broadest range of respiratory diagnostic solutions in the world which are used to test lung function and help diagnose conditions such as asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and pulmonary fibrosis to name a few.

Headed up by Kilshanny native Enda Kelly, the PFT (Pulmonary Function Testing) lab at Vitalograph is ground zero for the development of game-changing products in this field.

Enda, who began his journey with Vitalograph in 2003 as a Design Engineer, explains, “Traditionally, Vitalograph would have produced spirometry equipment which looks at the air a person breathes out, how fast they breathe out and the volume they breathe out. We can measure certain parameters from that and it’s usually used in first level care with doctors.

“With PFT equipment you’re analysing the gas concentrations in a person’s breath. So, it’s looking at gas transfer in your lungs into your bloodstream. We’ve been developing this kind of product over the last seven to eight years and over the last two years we’ve released a number of those products to the market.”

Among products released to the market include the VitaloLAB™ and more advanced VitaloROV™, an all-in-one desktop PFT system which measures the function of the respiratory system and is used in hospitals. The more substantial VitaloQUB™ is a device which the patient sits into, a dedicated testing apparatus for pulmonary function laborato-

ries wanting to measure whole body plethysmography and airways resistance.

“On top of that we’re developing software to go with each of these solutions,” explains Enda.

Software developer Bernard Kavanagh is a member of the PFT lab team, who says the impact and significance of the work they do at Vitalograph isn’t lost on him.

Having joined the team as a student whilst studying in Galway in 2018, the Laois native explains, “At home, I know plenty of people who have used different types of nebulisers. I know people with COPD. I had the op portunity to go to a COPD clin ic in Dublin at the start of the year and actu ally see patients getting test ed, these guys are living really

hard lives and for us to have an impact on them, that’s what brings me to this job.

“You could get a job somewhere else but the impact on real people, real lives, that’s what drives me to want to do engineering. It’s not about money, it’s about fulfilment in life. Like Enda said, when we’re able to work on actual solutions and drive things forward, we’re bringing something good to the world.

“We do quite a lot of clinical trials and there has been some drugs successfully

some of the work that’s done here at Vitalograph… To see how each level of our work impacts a different demographic in the world, it’s just great. And when you see specialists out in the real world using our equipment, it’s nice to see.”

Vitalograph employs more than 300 people from its Ennis facility in total, and Enda adds that working as an engineer at the Gort Road Industrial Estate location offers unique opportunities to him and his colleagues.

“We were out in a hospital in Phoenix Park in Dublin and got to meet people with COPD, asthma, smokers, old and young. I don’t think it changed how I work but it certainly gave me a bit more purpose, a bit more meaning to say ‘this is who we’re working for’. I’ve always been driven and it’s hard not to be in Vitalograph because it’s exciting. You’re given owner-

ship of what you do, you’re not told what to do. When someone says ‘we need this’ they don’t tell you how to do it, as an engineer you’re given the opportunity to work it the way you want it. You can always bring up problems and questions but at the end of the day they want you to take ownership. Working as a student in the same laboratory, Ennis native Ilias Zikiss might be best known amongst co-workers as the only Vitalograph member to get a hole in one at footgolf during one of their sports & social outings. Zikiss, an intern mechanical engineer, agrees that working at Vitalograph has been a thoroughly rewarding and educational experience.

He explains, “I’ve always had a lot of interest in [the respiratory] side, when I was younger I actually had very bad asthma and spent the first few months in hospital, so to come back and work in something to do with that was interesting.”

The DCU undergraduate, who plays 5-a-side with colleagues every Thursday, is currently being tasked with designing and developing a machine that simulates human breathing. He adds, “Vitalograph is great for students, we get in student hires all the time. There’s a lot of hands-on work, you’re always doing something, you’re never sitting down idle, you’re getting into the depth of things. You’re always designing, always testing, you’re allowed to explore different areas and grow in them.”

Vitalograph’s special commemorative exhibition entitled ‘50 Years of Growing with Ennis’ begins this Saturday at glór Theatre Ennis as the company marks its 50th anniversary operating in Ennis.

For anyone interested in a career with Vitalograph please visit https://vitalograph.com/about/ careers.

n ENGINEERING TEAM: Ilias and Bernard from the PFT solutions team; (inset) Enda and (below) the VitaloROV™ which was developed at Vitalograph Photo by Paul Corey

Deposit Return Scheme marks six months in operation

Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme has experienced rapid adoption in its first six months of operation.

Re-turn, operator of the Scheme, has revealed that Irish consumers have returned over 347 million drinks containers since the launch of the Scheme on 1 February.

Public support for the Scheme has been growing over the past six months with significant rises in the number of bottles and

cans being returned each month. In February, at the beginning of the Scheme, 2 million containers were returned which has now risen to an average of 3.2 million returns daily in July, totalling over 102 million returns for the month.

In line with the growing adoption of the Scheme, the Re-turn network of Deposit Return Points has grown by more than 870. There are now over 2,500 Reverse Vending Machines and 323 manual return points nationwide.

Adoption and habits

A key goal of the Deposit Return Scheme is to educate consumers on the benefits of separately collecting and recycling PET plastic and aluminium drink containers, rather than disposing of them in home recycling bins or general street bins.

By returning all in-scope drinks containers to one place through the Scheme, consumers are enabling the collection of a higher quality of recyclate material than through dry mixed

recycling. This separation allows for the continuous recycling of aluminium and enables plastic bottles to be recycled up to seven times.

According to a recent survey by Re-turn, 84% of consumers have now used a Reverse Vending Machine* since launch and support for the Scheme currently stands at 74%.

Over half of consumers (59%) bring their empty drinks containers back when their bag or box is full at home while 36% bring them back whenever they do a grocery shop.

When the voucher has been issued, one in five (20%) opt for their cash back while 62% redeem the voucher immediately against grocery purchases.

Return for Children

In June, in partnership with six of Ireland’s leading children’s charities, Barnardos Ireland, Barretstown, Childline by ISPCC, Jack & Jill, LauraLynn Children’s

Hospice, and Make-AWish Ireland, ‘Return for Children’ was launched.

The goal of this initiative is to reduce mixed litter at events and provide attendees with the option of donating their bottle and can deposits at designated Return bins, with all deposit return proceeds going to the six charities.

Ciaran Foley, CEO of Return said: “We have seen incredible engagement with the Scheme during its first six months in operation, particularly considering that this included a fourmonth transition period.

The immediate impact, as shown in the recent Irish Business Against Litter survey, has been more than we could have anticipated. The nationwide research found that almost 30% fewer cans and 20% fewer plastic bottles are littering streets. It is fantastic to see these results in just the first six months of the Scheme, and we are

expecting these figures to rise.

We have also seen tremendous participation among community and charity organisations, including schools, GAA clubs and tidy towns groups, who have been collecting containers as part of their fundraising efforts. Over 140 community and non-profit organisations across the country are now working with Re-turn to carry out fundraising efforts which we are supporting by providing facilities and advice for each project. While I believe we have come a long way, we are continuing to explore new ways to grow the adoption of the Scheme in the interest of the environment and communities across Ireland.”

lPOPULAR: The deposit return scheme sees a daily average of 3.2 million returns

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

Two best months ever for solar energy

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

JUNE and July were the two best months on record for solar energy as the sun generated 3.5 per cent of all Irish energy, according to data collected by Green Collective, an open source data collector.

County Clare Senator Róisín Garvey claims this is the result of the Green Party using its position in Government to promote renewable energy and so far in 2024 over 100,000 homes have installed solar panels.

Senator Róisín Garvey celebrated the progress, saying, “It all started with myself and my Green Party Senator colleagues bringing forward a law to abolish the need for planning permis-

sion for roof top solar panels and it has taken off since with grants and abolition of VAT also.

“People all over Clare are now making their own electricity, reducing their bills, and selling their surplus back to the grid.”

She continued, “It has never been cheaper or easier to join the solar revolution and in the last year over 1,247 homes have installed solar panels in Clare.

“Solar energy is creating thousands of jobs and securing Ireland’s energy supply. Now is the time to take advantage of the sunshine and use clean energy to lower bills and carbon emissions.”

The Green Party has promised to empower com-

munities and households to install 700,000 rooftop solar PV systems on homes and on 55,000 commercial premises by 2030.

This alone will provide for 5% of our national electricity needs.

To achieve this goal, the Party has secured grant supports and the removal of VAT on solar panels, which has reduced the average cost of the supply and installation of solar panels for consumers from €9,000 to €5,600.

lEFFICIENT: Solar energy accounted for 3.5% of all Irish energy in June and July

Shannon Airport’s partnership with Munster Women’s Rugby takes flight

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

Shannon Airport is to become the official airport partner of the Munster Women’s Rugby team. The popular Midwest airport and the provincial women’s squad have today announced a new partnership agreement.

The Clare-based international airport and the Munster Women’s Rugby team have signed up to a 2-year deal from now until July 2026. The partnership between the two iconic brands takes flight ahead of the 2024’25 season, with the Munster Women’s Rugby team set to take on Ulster on Saturday, 10th August in Round One of the Women’s Interprovincial Championship.

This new agreement builds on Shannon Airport’s existing sponsorship of the Munster Men’s Rugby team and will see Shannon continue to provide Munster Rugby with connectivity to away games for both the men’s and women’s squads and their fans.

Commenting on the partnership, Ray O’Driscoll, Chief Operating Officer at The Shannon Airport Group said: “We are

delighted to announce this new partnership with the Munster Women’s Rugby team. Shannon Airport and Munster Rugby

have a long-standing friendship, being the official airport partner of the men’s team since 2017, and we are proud to strengthen

this important relationship even further through our sponsorship of the women’s squad.

“The team here at Shannon

Airport are so excited to bring the partnership to life over the coming seasons, with many unique Munster experiences and joint promotions for fans and passengers alike, already in the pipeline.

“Shannon Airport is the gateway of choice for most Munster fans, and we look forward to creating many more Munster memories here at the airport over the coming years.

“The launch of this new partnership coincides with the start of the new Interprovincial Championship for the Munster Women’s Rugby team, and it goes without saying that we are all firmly backing Munster ahead of their tournament opener this weekend against Ulster!”

Dave Kavanagh, Head of Commercial & Marketing at Munster Rugby added: “This is always a hugely exciting time of the year with the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship on the horizon.

“I am delighted that Shannon Airport have come on board as a new partner of our talented women’s squad and we are excited to work with them over the coming seasons.”

Bunratty to host Ireland’s first showcase of indigenous breeds on Heritage Week

by Gordon Deegan

news@clareecho.ie

Ireland’s first celebration of indigenous animal breeds will take place at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park on August 18th as part of a wide-ranging programme of National Heritage Week events at the County Clare visitor attraction.

Hosted in association with the Irish Native Rare Breed Society (INRBS), the inaugural event will include livestock displays of native breeds such as Tamworth Pigs and Irish Red Deer, lectures on rare breed conservation, and tastings of products derived from indigenous breeds. Specialists in crafts involving wool, leather and beeswax also will provide demonstrations and displays of their finished artworks and garments.

The event will feature speakers from The Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST), Farming for Nature (FFN) and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), as well as ecologists and people working with the breeds who

will provide different perspectives on breed conservation and the associated area of biodiverse land management.

“One of our primary missions is to increase awareness of native Irish breeds and how they have formed part of our social and cultural history in Ireland down through the centuries,” explained Niall Moloney, Farm Manager at Bunratty Castle & Folk Park.

“We are always looking to expand on our collection of native Irish animals from Droimeann cattle to Kerry Bog Ponies and from Irish Wolfhounds to Tamworth pigs, and, in doing so, help to preserve and promote our heritage. Heritage Week provides an ideal opportunity to showcase breeds that are unique to Ireland,” added Mr. Moloney.

Tom Keane of the INRBS commented, “We are excited about partnering with Bunratty for an event that will have a broad focus for people of all ages, whether they are familiar with some or all of the breeds of livestock on display or have little to no knowledge of the

breeds. The aim of the event, in addition to the display of livestock and associated crafts involving products derived from the breeds and information provided on the day itself, is to stimulate positive collaborations between the various stakeholders going forward.”

The rare breeds event is included in a comprehensive programme of National Heritage Week (17-25th August) events happening at

Bunratty and Craggaunowen where the public is being invited to explore the traditions and practices, knowledge and skills passed down through generations.

At Bunratty, animators will showcase life in times past through storytelling and roleplaying as visitors learn about life as a doctor in early 20th century Ireland, a Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) Policeman, a musician in the 1900s and as a blacksmith. Meanwhile, there will be woodworking demonstrations by TikTok sensation Eoin Reardon, willow weaving and stone masonry workshops, talks on Celtic folklore and mythology, a tour of the 19th century Bunratty House, a traditional thatching demonstration and an introduction to the Regency Plant Collection at the Victorian Walled Garden. Craggaunowen will host reenactors and tradespeople from across Clare who will demonstrate the crafts and traditions of old, while stories of mythology and the history of the Ogham stones will be recounted.

l (l-r) Jane Clohessy; Ray O’Driscoll, Chief Operating Officer at The Shannon Airport Group; Aoife Corey; Hillary Cleary, Safety & Compliance Officer at The Shannon Airport Group and Brianna Heylmann

Photo by Brian Arthur

VISUALISATION, the mental rehearsal of an event or action, has long been a powerful tool in the arsenal of elite athletes.

As the 2024 Olympics unfold, many competitors attribute their success, in part, to this technique, which has been scientifically proven to enhance performance. This article explores the power of visualisation, backed by neuroscience, and provides practical tips for incorporating it into everyday life.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND VISUALISATION

Visualisation is not just a mental exercise; it has tangible effects on the body and brain. When we visualise an action, our brain activates the same regions involved in performing the actual movement. This phenomenon is known as ‘motor imagery’. Studies have shown that imagining a movement can stimulate the motor cortex, the part of the brain responsible for planning and executing movements, almost as effectively as physically performing the action.

For instance, research has demonstrated that visualising strength training can lead to measurable increases in muscle strength. This is because the brain creates neural connections that prime the body for the actual physical activity. This principle is not only applicable to

athletes but also to individuals recovering from injuries, as mental rehearsal can aid in the rehabilitation process.

OLYMPIANS AND VISUALISATION

Olympians are perhaps the most prominent users of visualisation techniques.

Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, credits much of his success to visualisation. Phelps would mentally rehearse his races in vivid detail, imagining every stroke and turn from both a first-person and third-person perspective. This mental preparation allowed him to remain calm and focused, even when unexpected challenges arose, such as his goggles filling with water during the 200m butterfly at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In spite of having to ‘swim blind’ for the remainder of his race, he still came up trumps and won the gold. In the 2024 Olympics, athletes continue to emphasize the importance of visualisation. For example, Grant Holloway, the two-time 110m hurdles world champion, has spoken about how visualisation is integral to his race preparation. He trains as if every race is a championship final, so when the moment arrives, he has already won the race a thousand times in his head. Holloway’s performance in Paris has been exceptional, showcasing the

effectiveness of his mental preparation techniques.

DR. JENNIFER CUMMING’S INSIGHTS

Dr. Jennifer Cumming, a renowned sports psychologist from the University of Birmingham, has extensively researched the benefits of imagery in sports. In the Olympic Channel documentary “Olympic State of Mind,” Dr. Cumming explained how imagery takes visualisation to a higher level by incorporating all senses, making it a richer multi-sensory experience. She emphasised that effective imagery involves not just seeing the outcome but also feeling the associated physical sensations, hearing the sounds, and even experiencing the emotions tied to the event.

According to Dr. Cumming, “When you visualise, similar areas in the brain are active

which are involved in motor skills. If you were imagining kicking a ball, the areas of the brain associated with foot movement would be more active”. This process effectively “primes” the brain, giving it extra opportunities to practice and enhancing both physical and psychological readiness.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH VISUALISATION

Over a decade ago, I decided to run the Dublin marathon. Every time I went for a training run, I visualised myself crossing the finish line with ease. I imagined the physical sensations, the emotional high, and the mental clarity I would experience. At that time, I had qualified as a neurolinguistic programming practitioner (NLP) and part of this theory was focused on the ways in which we can use visualisation to

overcome fears, phobias and to achieve greater success in life. On race day, as I approached the final two miles, I felt an unexpected surge of energy. I crossed the finish line not only with ease but with energy to spare. Whether it was a coincidence or the power of visualisation, I feel that the mental rehearsal played a significant role in my preparation and performance.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR VISUALISATION

Visualisation is a skill that can be developed with practice. Here are three tips to help you incorporate visualisation into your goal-setting routine:

1. Engage all the senses: Effective visualisation involves more than just seeing the outcome. Engage all your senses to create a vivid mental picture. Imagine the sounds, smells, and physical sensations associated with your goal. For example, if you are preparing for a presentation, visualise the room, hear the applause, and feel the confidence in your voice.

2. First-Person and Third-Person Perspectives: Use both perspectives to enhance your visualisation. The first-person perspective allows you to experience the action as if you are performing it, which can activate the motor cortex more powerfully. The third-person perspec-

tive helps you see the bigger picture and understand how your actions fit into the overall context of winning, or achieving your desired outcome. I like to refer to this as a ‘fly on the wall’ perspective or what’s sometimes known at the ‘helicopter view’. 3. Consistency and Believability: Ensure that your visualisations are consistent and believable. If your mental images become negative, stop and restart with positive outcomes. Consistent practice helps reinforce the neural connections, making the desired outcome more likely to occur.

VISUALISATION IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Visualisation is not just for athletes; it can be a powerful tool in everyday life. Whether you are preparing for a job interview, aiming to achieve a personal goal, or simply trying to improve your daily routine, visualisation can help you mentally rehearse and prepare for success. By understanding and applying the principles of visualisation, you can take a significant step towards achieving your goals, just like the Olympians competing in Paris this year. If you would like to explore visualisation techniques in more detail please contact me at denise@obrienlearningsolutions.ie

New Car Registrations down 50% in June 2024

THE Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) have released their official 241 new vehicle registrations statistics for June.

New car registrations for June were down 50% (1,499) when compared to June 2023 (2,990). Registrations year to date are up 1.7% (78,942) on the same period last year (77,602) while new car registrations in County Clare are up 1.84 per cent this year to date to 1,602 from last year’s 1,573.

Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) declined by 35.8% (688) compared to June last year (1,072). Year to date LCVs are up 17.8% (20,229). HGVs (Heavy Goods Vehicles) registrations are down 1.6% (127) in comparison to June 2023 (129). Year to date HGVs are up 17.9% (1,826).

Imported Used Cars have seen a 22.2% (5,165) rise in June 2024, when compared to June 2023 (4,228). Year to date imports are up 25.4% (31,372) on 2023 (25,025).

In June 692 new electric cars were registered, which was 52% lower than the 1,432 registrations in June 2023. So far this year, 10,747 new electric cars have been registered which is a 25% decrease compared to the same period

in 2023 when 14,307 electric cars were registered.

In County Clare,150 new electric cars have been registered (Jan-Jun 2024), a 43.3% decrease on last year during the same period (265).

In the new car market share by engine type for 2024, Petrol cars lead the new car market at 32.96% followed by Diesel at 22.89%, then Hybrid (Petrol Electric) at 20.11%, Electric at 13.61%, and Plugin Electric Hybrid at 8.83%.

Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General commenting: “In June new car registrations declined by 50% on the same month last year. Following four consecutive months of decline, new car registrations for the first half of the year stand at 78,942 units, a marginal increase on 2023. Both light and heavy commercial vehicles registrations saw a decline in sales for the month of June, but the activity remains strong in the commercial fleet. New electric car registrations continue to experience a decline in sales, with June registrations falling by 52% to 692 units. From January to June, a total of 10,747 new electric cars were registered, marking a 25% decrease from the same period the previous year.

The decline in the new EV car market

continues to highlight the need for Government to support the EV transition, with ways to incentivise the market for both private and company car buyers. Extending consumer incentives and Benefit-in-Kind support, along with investment in charging infrastructure will build consumer and business confidence and encourage uptake. Retailers remain optimistic as we enter the 242-registration plate sales period, and with new models coming to the market along with variety of attractive offers are positive that this will help to boost sales activity in July, the second busiest month for new car sales.”

PICTURED: Irish Olympic gold medalist Kelly Harrington

WE ARE still in the middle of the summer holiday season, so in this article, we will discuss the subject of annual leave.

In these challenging times, when staff are hard to find, it is in the interest of employers to ensure that their Annual Leave Policy is clearly outlined and works for all involved, so as not to cause unnecessary frustration or miscommunication in the workplace.

ANNUAL LEAVE - A BENEFIT FOR ALL

Annual leave is essential for both employees and employers, as it provides the crucial opportunity for rest and recharging. When employees take time off, they return to work with renewed energy and motivation, which directly enhances their productivity and overall job satisfaction. Employers benefit from a more engaged and efficient workforce, leading to improved business performance and a positive work environment. Embracing the importance of annual leave is a strategic move that fosters longterm success for any organisation.

LEGISLATION

Each employee is entitled to statutory holidays as set out in the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997.

The statutory leave year runs from 1 April to 31 March, though many employers use the calendar year from 1 January to 31 December.

To comply with legislation, employers are required to retain information on employees’ files regarding their annual leave entitlement.

DUTY OF CARE

It is important to note that employers have a duty of care and are obliged to ensure that staff take their annual leave during the year and have an opportunity to spend it on rest and relaxation. Employers should therefore encourage all staff to take their holiday allowance in the current holiday year. However, there will always be exceptional circumstances where this is not possible. With the authorisation of management, staff should be allowed to carry forward unused annual leave days into the next holiday year. Organisations can decide how many days they allow to carry over – this should be clearly specified in the company policy. In line with legislation, these days must be taken by 31 March. Employees are advised to seek this authorisation no later than September or early October.

SCHEDULING OF HOLIDAYS

We have noticed that not many employers and employees are aware of this, but legislation allows the employer to nominate when holidays are taken by their employees. Standard practice in many organ-

isations is different, i.e., employers allow staff to book the dates that suit them. However, employees should still be aware that they can only take their annual leave in agreement with management. The procedure usually requires employees to submit a request for annual leave via a leave form or a time and attendance app. Management then reviews the request and reverts to the employee with the status. Our recommendation is always to follow this process so that there is no misunderstanding around both the requests and the decisions.

Holidays should be scheduled at times that are mutually suitable, i.e., they allow the employee to benefit from their rest and family time, and they allow the employer to continue to meet business and client needs. As we often say, open, honest, and respectful communication is crucial.

Staff who have worked for at least 8 months are entitled to an unbroken period of 2 weeks' annual leave.

NOTICE

Notice of the intent to take annual leave plays a key role in ensuring everyone’s needs are met. The notice periods vary between organisations. They depend on many factors, such as the number of staff, staff qualification and experience levels, peak seasons, customer commitments, etc. Employers should clearly outline the required notice periods in their policies and documentation. It is obviously in the interest of the employee to submit their request as early as possible, as the majority of businesses approve requests on a first-come, first-served basis. While some level of flexibility is usually exercised, organisations may not be able to let staff members take holidays at short notice. Permission should be requested as early as possible to facilitate work planning and make ar-

rangements for manning the business. In most cases, there is a limit on the number of team members allowed to take annual leave at any one time.

A keynote to employees is not to book flights, accommodation, etc., and to avoid making any financial arrangements where money cannot be refunded, before their holidays have been approved by their employer. In some instances, organisations may not be in a position to allow time off requested at short

stances.

TERMINATION

notice, and it would be an awful pity to lose all that money.

Payment in Lieu of Holidays

As mentioned, employers have a duty of care and therefore a duty to ensure staff are given a chance to recharge their batteries. Employees, therefore, have no entitlement to any payment in lieu of accrued but untaken holiday. Strictly speaking, it is against the law to pay the employee in lieu of them taking their annual leave. This also applies to sick leave; in the past, employees often requested to be paid their annual leave to cover sick leave days. Again, employers should note that it is not possible for the employee to fully benefit from rest and relaxation while they are sick and therefore, they must refrain from paying the annual leave in these circum-

The only exception to this rule is a termination of the appointment. All unused annual leave must be paid to the employee with their final paycheck. Normally, if either party has served notice to terminate the contract, the organisation may require the staff member to take any accrued but unused holiday entitlement during the notice period, even if booked to be taken after the end of the notice period. It is usually at the employer’s complete discretion to allow the employee to take holidays during their period of notice. When a termination occurs and the paid holidays already taken exceed the paid holiday entitlement on the date of termination, the company may be entitled to deduct the excess holiday pay from any termination pay.

CALCULATING THE ENTITLEMENT

There are three ways to calculate annual leave entitlement. Employers should use whichever method gives the employee the greatest entitlement:

Method 1

If an employee has worked at least 1,365 hours in a leave year (see above), they are entitled to the maximum of 4 working weeks' paid annual leave.

Employees cannot use this method if they changed employment during the leave year.

Method 2

Calculate 1/3 of a working week for each calendar month in which an employee worked at least 117 hours.

Method 3

Calculate 8% of the hours an employee worked in the leave year, subject to a maximum of 4 working weeks. This method is often used for part-time workers.

When calculating a holiday entitlement, employers should include all the hours worked by staff, including time spent on annual leave, maternity leave, parental leave, force majeure leave, adoptive leave, or the first 13 weeks of carer’s leave. Staff will also accrue annual leave during certified sick leave covering the company’s normal operating periods.

Holiday entitlement is often provided on a pro-rata basis.

Employers can decide to pay additional holiday days, e.g., service days. This provision should also be included in the company policy.

HOLIDAY PAY

By law, holiday pay must be paid in advance at an employee’s normal weekly rate.

If the employee’s pay changes from week to week, the holiday pay is the average of their pay over the 13 weeks before they take holidays. Ensure that when you are paying annual leave that this is tracked on the payslip, it is key to provide proof of payment of annual leave.

SICKNESS DURING HOLIDAYS

If an employee falls ill during their annual leave and they provide a medical certificate, they are entitled to not count the sick days as annual leave. The said annual leave goes back to their annual leave bank and they are entitled to use it at a later date. Employees must inform their manager of their illness immediately and on their return, they must submit a medical certificate.

LONG-TERM SICK LEAVE

Employees on long-term sick leave who cannot take their annual leave due to illness can carry it over for up to 15 months after the end of the leave year. Employees who leave their job within these 15 months are entitled to payment in lieu of that leave.

POLICY PROVISIONS

It is important to ensure that the Annual Leave Policy clearly outlines the arrangements in place. While some situations and actions may seem logical and fully justified, they may become a potential dispute if they are not included in the company policy.

We will be more than happy to provide you with a comprehensive Annual Leave Policy and to assist you in the implementation of proper practices. If you have any questions or concerns about annual leave, please do not hesitate to contact ERA Ltd – we are only a call or email away!

Bolstered Clonlara pack seek to bring Canon back

EOIN BRENNAN

HAVING taken fifteen years to finally nail down a merited Canon Hamilton sequel, Clonlara can be forgiven for not wanting to let it go without an almighty fight.

That said, since the championship draw in May, there has been no talk of title retention or backto-back crowns down Clonlara way as hoisted into the gladiatorial bear-pit of a group involving three teams (Ballyea, Éire Óg and Clooney/Quin) that have all contested a county final in the last seven years, reaching the quarter-finals would be a major achievement in itself.

Therefore, instead of Clonlara easing into their championship defence, they’re faced with the ultimate opening evaluation according to 2023 captain Jathan McMahon when pitted against a Ballyea side that have won four of the last eight Canon Hamilton trophies.

“It’s a very tough group to be fair. Look, every group is difficult when you look through it but to be facing the likes of a Ballyea in the first round, we probably couldn’t have chosen a tougher start. They’re absolutely lethal. I mean they have an inter-county spine and from the goalkeeper to number fifteen, they have so much experience of winning this championship and were going

for three-in-a-row only last year. So having lost their title last year, I’m sure they’re only made to get back at us. And yet we’re really looking forward to it as you want and need to test yourself against the best which they definitely are as they have been the most successful team over the past seven or eight years”.

However, having finally tasted senior success themselves, if anything Clonlara’s appetite is even more sharpened this summer as a historic senior hurling and camogie double has elevated the village to unprecedented heights over the past nine months. “It’s been a huge year for the club and with the camogie team doing it as well, it has just been unbelievable year really. It has really brought young players on, there’s a real buzz about the club from top to bottom so we’re really looking forward to getting going again. We are probably not alone in that as probably every club is on a high after the All-Ireland and it seems that every player is mad to get back on the field now themselves after being inspired by such a spectacle in Croke Park”.

Indeed, Clonlara possessed the largest club contingent in Clare’s All-Ireland winning panel with five representatives (John Conlon, Ian Galvin, Dylan McMahon, Colm O’Meara and Paraic O’Loughlin) which allied to ex-

citing fresh blood in their own squad will hopefully provide the required shot-in-the-arm to be to negotiate their passage back to the business end according to McMahon. “It’s a huge boost to have all the boys involved with Clare in such a memorable season. In fairness, the boys have been around the club set-up all year and went to everything they could and to be honest they’re just a credit to the club.

“I can’t wait to be back playing with them as well as others such as Tots at one end and then players like Michael Collins coming up from underage is just brilliant for our panel. The experience that Tots brings and the energy that Mike Collins brings is unreal not to mention the likes of Eoghan Begley and Paudie Reddan who are also flying it. So the competition for places is already high and now that the county boys are back too hopefully we can push on now.

“At the end of the day, it’s been so tough to get our hands on the Canon Hamilton so we certainly don’t want to hand it back easily. Keeping the standards up in the club is the main thing and then after that it’s about maintaining the joy and bond and if those two are achieved, then the cup would be the cherry on top,” he concluded.

Colm O’Meara

Photo by Gerard O’Neill

FACT FILE

Management: Donal Madden (Manager); Niall Hogan, Mike Stritch, Ger O’Connell, Alan Murnane (Coaches/Selectors); Eric Finn (S&C); Johnny McGuiness (Kit Man)

Captain: Paraic O’Loughlin

Key Player: John Conlon

One to Watch: Michael Collins

Round 3 - v Clooney-Quin (Weekend of September 6-8th) Best of luck to Clonlara GAA in the 2024 championship

Fresh Blood: Eoghan Begley, Michael Collins, Kieran Galvin, Jack Hickey, Cathal O’Connell, Padraig Reddan

Departure Gate: Daniel Moloney, Cian Moriarty, Ger Powell (Abroad)

Treatment Table: Kieran Galvin (hamstring)

Titles Won: 3 (1919, 2008, 2023)

Last season’s run: Champions following a perfect six match run to victory. Schedule

Round 1 - v Ballyea at Cusack Park, Saturday 7pm

Round 2 - v Éire Óg (Weekend of August 23rd-25th)

Ballyea strive to revive in drive for five

EOIN BRENNAN

IN A determined bid to wrestle back the Canon Hamilton, Ballyea have enlisted the services of Galway duo Barry Cullinane and Joe Hession to try and steer the perennial contenders to a third county senior hurling title in four seasons.

It’s the first time in seven years that the four time winners have recruited an outside manager but considering Cullinane’s dual playing CV with Galway at all levels and his clear understanding of the intricacies of such a diverse playing pool in Ballyea, it has proven an ideal marriage of minds leading into this week’s latest championship bid.

“Coming in, we obviously knew the history and tradition of Ballyea and we kind of knew the lie of the land in terms of the league and the players we’d be down and those away. So that allowed us to give opportunities to younger fellas and now we’ve two or three that we’ve a really keen eye on that’ll play in the senior championship probably for the first time. Add in getting our more experienced players back in whether that was from football, injuries along with Tony [Kelly] and Paul [Flanagan] and all in all, the lead up to the championship has been very good”.

With four of the last eight county senior hurling crowns under their belts, the Clare Cup is merely developmental as not unlike Shane O’Donnell, Ballyea are unquestionably a

championship team. “I hope we can perform as well as Shane O’Donnell as if we do, we could be lucky enough to go far in this championship.” responded the 2005 All-Ireland Under 21 Hurling and Football championship winner.

“Seriously though, at one stage we played a league game and afterwards I compared it to the 2022 county final squad and we were actually down roughly twenty players between guys away, others involved with other teams and injuries. So in some ways, that’s difficult to manage but in other ways, it’s brilliant as we were training last week with approximately 40 players and we had an A versus B game with some guys having to sit on the sideline for a while so it’s good to have that mix. We knew all this coming into the club and previous managers have faced the same thing and enjoy success so unfortunately if things don’t go well, I can’t use that as an excuse.

“So we just have to manage it as best we can and when we’re looking at the 15 that will probably take to the field, it’s stacked with quality and experience so you’d be hoping that can help us get going in the championship early rather than having to rely hugely on an awful lot of newer lads coming into it”.

They will require all of their vast title-winning know-how to emerge from what is undoubtedly the group of death involving 2022 county final opponents Éire Óg, ever-emerging force Clooney/Quin and firstly on

Saturday, none other than county champions Clonlara in Cusack Park (7pm).

Barry told The Clare Echo, “We were actually playing a game the night the draw took place so immediately we knew what a tough task this group was going to be. I suppose the main advantage for whichever two teams do come out, and obviously we’re hoping to be one of them, is that you’ll also have two of the main contenders out of the reckoning by the quarter-finals. It’s a massive task and I suppose the fact that we’ve Clonlara first makes it even more difficult in that you’re taking on the defending champions and obviously everyone is eager to get off the mark in the first game. So a win is major and if you don’t, you’re on the backfoot straight away.

“Clonlara are county champions with five or six on the Clare panel, with Ian {Galvin] and John Conlon taking huge watching. More than that, a bit like Ballyea, winning a county title makes you open the shoulders a little bit more so there will be that extra bit of confidence about them that will make our task more difficult. But that’s the joy of it and this is why we all test ourselves and it will obviously be a hug test this Saturday”.

FACT FILE

Management: Barry Cullinane (Manager); Joe Hession (Coach); Alan Hehir (Selector); Kieran Connelly (Physio)

Captain: Paul Flanagan

Key Player: Tony Kelly

One to Watch: Fergal Ginnane

Fresh Blood: Daniel Costelloe, Dillon Killoughery, Darragh O’Neill

Departure Gate: Morgan Garry (emigrated), Pearse Lillis (abroad), Stan Lineen (retired)

Treatment Table: None

Titles Won: 4 (2016, 2018, 2021, 2022)

Last season’s run: Three-in-a-row bid ended by means of the group of death.

Schedule

Round 1 - v Clonlara at Cusack Park, Saturday 7pm

Round 2 - v Clooney-Quin (Weekend of August 23rd-25th)

Round 3 - v Éire Óg (Weekend of September 6-8th)

Tony Kelly of Ballyea

Photo by Gerard O’Neill

FACT FILE

Management: Gerry O’Connor (Manager); Ronan Keane, Liam Cronin, John Russell, (Coaches/ Selectors); Owen Tarrant (S&C)

Captain: David Reidy

Key Player: Shane O’Donnell

One to Watch: Luca Cleary

Fresh Blood: Marco Cleary, Robert Loftus, Luke Malice, David McNamara, Eoin O’Regan, James O’Dwyer, Conor Perrill, Sam Power, Darragh Stack

Departure Gate: Mikey Moloney, Cian O’Dea, Dara Walsh (abroad)

Treatment Table: None

Titles Won: 15 (Ennis Dalcassians 1890, 1911, 1914, 1915, 1924, 1928, 1929, 1934, 1941; Éire Óg 1956, 1957, 1966, 1980, 1982, 1990)

Last season’s run: Narrowly edged out by eventual champions Clonlara at last eight stage following backto-back group wins over Broadford and Clarecastle.

Schedule

Round 1 - v Clooney-Quin at Cusack Park, Saturday 5pm

Round 2 - v Clonlara (Weekend of August 23rd-25th)

Round 3 - v Ballyea (Weekend of September 6-8th)

Éire Óg eye up ninth quarter-final in succession

SEAMUS HAYES

HAVING witnessed Clonlara finally break their fifteen year championship-winning hoodoo last October, Éire Óg are undoubtedly next up when it comes to claiming overdue dividends in the race for the Canon Hamilton.

After all, the Ennis side have consistently reached the business end of the county senior championship for last eight successive seasons, a record that no other team in the county can match.

Indeed, amidst three semi-final appearances in a row, they were only a whisker away from bridging a seemingly interminable 22 year gap in the 2022 decider against Ballyea.

However, while the Townies have consistently knocked at the door, a team doesn’t always get what they deserve according to vastly experienced manager Gerry O’Connor. “I’m around long enough now to know that sport has no conscience and every year is a new year so this year is all about this set-up and this group of players. In fairness to Matt [Shannon], he did a fantastic job for the last four or five years and we’re just trying to carry on the work that he did”.

The season has certainly commenced on a winning note when powering to the Division 2 League honours in commanding

fashion. “I think we played nine games in the round-robin stages and qualified for a Division 2 Final but to be honest that was the first time that we had a settled team and were missing only a few inter-county players whereas in the past, we could be without six or seven county players for the duration.

“For the younger players that came in from minor in the last year or two, it probably showed that there was a reward for hard work but ultimately for us it was a series of challenge matches, that’s really the way we looked at the league as it was purely about experimenting and blooding new players”.

The experimentation is certainly over now anyway as embroiled in a cut-throat super group involving the last two county champions Clonlara and Ballyea along with 2017 finalists Clooney-Quin, there is little or no room for error as only two teams will prevail. “It’s a huge group but I suppose all four teams are in the same boat in that they all have a sprinkling of inter-county players. Outside of that, you may have been a bit complacent starting the championship in other years when you might have expected to easily come out of a group but this is so competitive that every minute of every game will count.

“I mean you often hear people talking about the closeness of the Clare championship saying that anyone in the group

could win the championship and equally anyone could be in the relegation battle but definitely there won’t be any complacency when you see the teams that are in our group. From that point of view, we’ve been very focused since the draw has been made that we absolutely have to be at our maximum performance levels on Saturday evening,” O’Connor told The Clare Echo.

First opponent Clooney/Quin’s resurgence is centred around a conveyor belt of young talent that have soared to prominence alongside experienced county seniors Peter Duggan and Ryan Taylor to make them genuine contenders once more.

“We played Clooney-Quin two years ago at the group stage and they were a formidable opposition then when Tommy Corbett was involved and their young players were starting to come through. You look at the huge influx of underage inter-county talent that they’ve brought through with the likes of Jack O’Neill, Evan Maxted and John Cahill gaining serious inter-county experience in the past few years.

“In particular, we’ve all been watching Jack O’Neill for the last few years and he’s certainly going to take watching as are obviously Peter Duggan and Ryan Taylor so we’re going to have to perform to the maximum of our ability on Saturday evening and hope that it’s enough to get us across the line,” he concluded.

Éire Óg defender Liam Corry

Photo by Gerard O’Neill

Clooney/Quin sweating over Peter Duggan’s fitness for ‘hugely important’ first round

SEAMUS HAYES

SIX PLAYERS who will be expected to play major roles in this year’s championship are in danger of missing Clooney/Quin’s first round clash on Saturday against Éire Óg because of injury.

These include All-Ireland winning inter county star Peter Duggan who is struggling with an ankle injury.

John Conneally, a member of Clare’s extended panel, is ruled out because of a broken ankle while the others battling sidelined at present are John Cahill (shin bone), Shane McNamara (thumb), Ulick O’Sullivan (wrist) and Conor Grogan (knee); All-Ireland winner with Clare in 2013, Fergal Lynch took on the manager’s role this year, succeeding Tommy Corbett who joined Brian Lohan’s Clare management team.

After many years of ser-

vice to the club as a player, the Quin national school principal is well versed on what is needed to make progress in the championship. “The first round is most important and we are not looking past that as you are on the back foot if you don’t win. It is important that we try and get the best out of ourselves for that game”, he told The Clare Echo this week.

Commenting on successes are underage level in recent seasons he said, “We got to the minor A semi-final last year against Doora/Barefield and two of those players have moved up to the senior panel now. The transition to senior is very difficult”. Fergal readily acknowledged that they are facing a difficult first round game. “Éire Óg have huge talent with David Reidy and Shane O’Donnell from the All-Ireland winning Clare side along with players like Aaron Fitzgerald and the Russells.

Expert preview Leo Doyle

BODYKE’s Leo Doyle is well versed on Clare hurling, attending games across all grades a few times a week both as a keen follower of hurling and in his role as a commentator with Scariff Bay Community Radio.

Heading into the 2024 campaign he has some interesting views as to how the race for this season’s Canon Hamilton trophy might go before giving the nod to Clonlara to retain the title.

He predicts Clonlara and Éire Óg will emerge from Group 1 and he doesn’t rule out the possibility of them meeting again later on in the campaign.

“Clonlara are looking to build on last year and I believe training has gone well. In the first round they face a Ballyea team that has lost key players in Gary Brennan and Pearse Lillis to mention two. They have lost too many key players and the outstanding Tony Kelly can’t carry the whole lot every day”.

Waiting over thirty years for this title “could be significant for Éire Óg this year. A lot of their players didn’t have the extra commitment of being with County squads this year. Clooney/Quin, their opponents in

They have huge players with massive experience, real leaders for their team. It will be difficult to stop those guys”.

Last year Clooney/Quin came through the group to contest the quarter final where they lost out to Scariff, but only after extra time.

In this season’s Clare Cup campaign, they struggled for victory in a number of their games, winning just two from nine starts while they also had a draw.

For much of the past decade Cillian Duggan filled the centre back position This year he has been handed a new role, that of goalkeeper and while many were surprised, the Spanchihill man has, to date, done very well in the position.

Team captain Jimmy Corry, Conor Grogan, Trevor Lee, Michael Corry, Daragh Keogh are others who have been doing well along with

the first round, are beset with injuries and it remains to be seen how many will be able to play a part this week. Ryan Taylor is back and that is a boost as is the decision to play Cillian Duggan in goals”, he said before giving the nod to Clonlara and Éire Óg to qualify from the group.

Whether or not Conor Cleary is available to line out with Kilmaley will have a bearing on who will qualify from Group 2. “Feakle got to the semi-final last year and will be expected to build on that. It will be tight between Cratloe and Kilmaley as to who will qualify from the group with them and Cratloe may edge this particularly if Conor Cleary isn’t available for Kilmaley. Intermediate champions Corofin have lost some key players since last year and they could struggle to avoid being in the relegation play off”.

The meeting of neighbours Broadford and O’Callaghans Mills “is a great game to open the championship with. I expect Broadford to have built on last year and they might just have enough to get over the line in this one”.

The other game in this group

youngsters P.J. McCarthy, Cillian O’Gara and David Considine while Clare U20 Jack O’Neill who was recently drafted into the county senior panel has huge promise.

The availability of Ryan Taylor after a year out due to a cruciate injury, is a massive boost for the side and followers of the team will be looking to him to lead the charge.

Players and management know that improvement is needed from what they showed in the games in the league if they are to win this one against the division 2 league champions Éire Óg who are equally hungry for a title win.

While it’s thirty four years since the Canon Hamilton last spent a winter in the capital, one has to go all the way back to 1942 for Clooney/Quin’s only senior championship win. It’s definitely a wait that all involved with the club want to end.

Clooney/Quin’s Peter Duggan

By Seamus Hayes

sees Inagh/Kilnamona take on Scariff. “Inagh/Kilnamona have struggled a little to recover from the county final loss of a few years ago. Scariff will be looking to Mark Rodgers to lead their charge. They did well last year and will want to build on that. I expect both Scariff and Inagh/Kilnamona to emerge from this group.

According to Leo “Group 4 is a very interesting group. Crusheen are great battlers but it’s hard to see them getting to the same level as last year.

Newmarket-on-Fergus are cup champions and they are one of the sleeping giants. They should have enough to get over the line this week. There has to be a kick in Sixmilebridge while their first round opponents St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield are only recently back in senior ranks and it will take some time to develop. Sixmilebridge and Newmarket should qualify from this group”.

Overall Leo gives the nod to Clonlara to retain the title with “Inagh/Kilnamona their greatest threat”.

FACT FILE

Captain: Jimmy Corry

Key Player: Ryan Taylor

One to Watch: Cillian O’Gara

Fresh Blood: P.J McCarthy, Fionn O’Gara, Departures: Shane Harrisson (emigration), Keith Hogan (emigration)

Treatment table: Peter Duggan (ankle), John Conneally (ankle), John Cahill (shin bone) Shane McNamara (thumb).Ulick O’Sullivan (wrist), Conor Grogan (knee).

Last Season’s run: Lost to Scariff in the quarter final after extra time (1-22 to 3-19

Titles won: 1 (1942)

Schedule:

Round 1 v Eire Og (Saturday August 10th in Cusack Park at 17:00)

Round 2 v Ballyea (August 24th/25th)

Round 3 v Clonlara (September 7th/8th)

Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 9.30-6pm Saturday 9.30-5pm Lunch 1-2pm

Photo by Gerard O’Neill

Management: Fergal Lynch (manager), Francis Browne (coach), Brian Hanley (coach), Derek Quinn (selector), Keith Daniels (selector), Victor O’Riordan (S&C)

Feakle fired up for championship opener

SEAMUS HAYES

BEATEN semi-finalists twelve months ago, it won’t come as any surprise that followers of Feakle hurling want to see their side take the extra two steps this year and bridge a thirty six year gap to the last time that the Canon Hamilton trophy spent the winter in the East Clare parish.

That was back in 1988 when they won the last of their six titles with a side that included double All-Ireland winning manager, Ger Loughnane.

Fresh from making history by providing three members to Clare’s All-Ireland winning senior panel just three weeks ago (Eibhear Quilligan, Adam Hogan and Conn Smyth), the first time that Feakle players were part of a Clare senior All-Ireland winning squad, the focus is now very much on the club championship.

However, as they put the final touches to their plans for this weekend’s clash with Cratloe they do so in the knowledge that they will be without Gary Guilfoyle and Stephen Conway, both of whom have been regular first team players in recent years.

Guilfoyle will be out of action for the foreseeable future having suffered a neck injury early

in the season while Conway who had surgery on his knee recently won’t be available for a few weeks. Oisin O’Connor is battling an ankle injury but may be ready for the weekend’s game.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, manager Ger Conway said “the first round is massive. If you win momentum is with you facing into the second round whereas if you lose the opening game, relegation thoughts come into play. The first round is very important, it always was and always will be”.

Conway is in his second year as manager.

With inter county stars, goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan and defender Adam Hogan, both of whom played key roles in Clare’s All-Ireland win to call on along with county panelist Conn Smyth, the availability of all three provides the East Clare club with an experienced defence. Experience is something which manager Conway believes will play a big part in the championship.

In addition to their three inter county panelists, Feakle have experienced players in Evan McMahon, Eoin Tuohy, Oisin Donnellan who is the team captain, Martin Daly the vice captain and their scorer in chief Shane McGrath.

Despite being short the inter county contingent, Feakle had a

good league campaign, narrowly missing out on a place in the play offs due mainly to the fact that they only managed one league point from their closing three games in the competition

Their opponents in Saturday’s first round at Sixmilebridge have a lot of experience with Cathal McInerney, the Collins brothers, Sean, Podge and David, Enda Boyce, team captain Cathal McInerney and the Ryan brothers Diarmuid and Conor key men in the Cratloe line up. Cratloe were in division 1 B in the league when they managed to get to the semi-final where they lost out to eventual winners Newmarket-on-Fergus. Feakle did use the league to give game time to a number of young players and included in this were Owen McGann and Partick Daly who are just out of minor. They impressed and it won’t be any surprise of both of these players see action this week.

FACT FILE

Management: Ger Conway (manager), Ciaran Callinan (coach), Dermot Gleeson (coach), Stephen Moloney, Donal O’Grady, John Punch

Captain: Oisin Donnellan;

Key Player: Shane McGrath; One to watch: Ronan O’Connor

Fresh Blood: Owen McGann, Patrick Daly, Tommy Walsh

Departures Gate: None

Treatment table: Gary Guilfoyle; Stephen Conway (knee), Oisin O’Connor (ankle) Last season’s run: Lost in semi-final to Clonlara who won the title.

Titles Won: 6 (1935, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1944, 1988)

Schedule:

Round 1 v Cratloe on Saturday August 10th in O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge at 13:00

Round 2 v Kilmaley on August 24th/25th

Round 3 v Corofin on September 7th/8th The very best of

Expert

preview Kevin McNamara

SEVERAL LIVELY contests can be expected with the start of the TUS Clare senior hurling championship.

Roscommon senior hurling coach, Kevin McNamara from Kilmaley is forecasting a number of exciting championship ties.

Champions Clonlara have, he believes, strengthened their panel this year with the addition of some young players like county minor Michael Collins and the return of Cathal O’Connell and Kieran Galvin.

Their opponents this week are Ballyea for whom Tony Kelly has returned to his best following injury issues earlier in the year. “They are used to playing having lost experienced players. They have some very good young lads coming through”.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, McNamara who is part of the backroom team with the Clare U16 hurlers added, “The clash of Éire Óg and Clooney/Quin is very interesting. Clooney- Quin have a good few players battling injury but Ryan Taylor’s return is a big boost. Éire Óg have had the majority of their panel available to them for the season which is a big help. They haven’t won a first round game in a while”, according to Kevin who tipped Clonlara and Ballyea to qualify from the group before adding “whatever two come out of the group here will take beating”.

Turning to Group 2 he observed, “Feakle had a good run last year. They had three involved with Clare’s All-Ireland team which is a huge achievement for a small club. Cratloe are now getting the burst of youth that they have been waiting for. Kilmaley had an up and down league campaign and Michael O’Neill is a big loss but they have a good number of young players coming through. They perform best when they are underdogs. They are facing a dangerous opponent in Corofin who will be trying to consolidate senior status after

By Seamus Hayes

winning the intermediate title last year”, according to Kevin who tips Feakle and Kilmaley to make it through from the group.

The meeting of neighbours Broadford and O’Callaghans Mills “will bring a big crowd to Clonlara and there will be big battles throughout the field. Since the Mills contested the county final a few years ago they have disappointed but with the likes of Pat Donnellan and the Cooneys they might have a bit more know how in this one”.

The other game in this group sees Scariff and Inagh/Kilnamona clash “and they are the two favourites to emerge from the group. “With Mark Rodgers, Patrick Crotty and Paddy Ryan they went to town on teams last year but forewarned is forearmed. Inagh-Kilnamona are under new management this year and they have serious ambitions. I fancy Scariff and Inagh/Kilnamona to qualify from this group”.

Group 4 is “the hardest one to call,” he outlined. “Newmarket won the Clare cup but the winners of the cup haven’t come out of their group since 2016. Crusheen had a big win over Newmarket last year so Newmarket will be keen to avenge that result. Can Crusheen prove that last year’s result wasn’t a flash in the pan?

“Sixmilebridge have a lot of experience and they take on St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield who are in their second year back at senior level. They have really good structures in place and they are coming off minor success. They are a club going in the right direction but the ‘Bridge might have too much know how this week”, he said before predicting St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield and Newmarket-on-Fergus to qualify from the group.

Overall he feels defending champions Clonlara, along with Ballyea and Inagh/Kilnamona are the main contenders for this year’s title “but if Éire Óg emerge from the group they will take stopping.

Feakle defender, Adam Hogan

Photo by Gerard O’Neill

Cratloe counting on youth to add strength to experienced side

SEAMUS HAYES

FRESH from starting the defence of their title as senior football champions with a win, Cratloe’s

members and supporters of the South Clare club will be hoping that ten years on from their second win, they can lift the trophy again when the 2024 competition concludes in October.

in the past two years, they have brought in a number of young players, many of whom are expected to feature in this campaign.

This year, five young players just out of minor ranks are in the senior panel and a number of those will see action this weekend when they take on Feakle in a first round game in Group 2.

“We are facing a tough test. We haven’t played them too often in the championship. We know they reached the semi-final last year and we know that they possess strong players all over the field”, Cratloe manager John O’Gorman commented this week.

Like many of his fellow team managers, the champion -

ship winning defender with the club stressed “the first round is very important as you are on the back foot if you lose. All teams will have the same approach this weekend”.

Speaking to The Clare Echo on managing a high amount of dual players, O’Gorman explained, “it’s all about managing the work load between the games and keeping lads as fresh as possible. All the heavy training is done so it’s about keeping lads fresh and both managements work well towards ensuring that happens”.

In Division 1 B of the Clare Cup they looked to be heading for the play offs after a draw and six wins in their opening seven games. Despite losing their final two games they held on for a semi-final date with their neighbours Newmarket-on-Fergus who came out on top on their way to winning the title.

Injuries and inter county commitments ensured that Cratloe were short a number of their more experienced players for the semi-final. A key player for Cratloe throughout the past decade has been All Star Conor McGrath but injuries have ruled him out of a lot of games in recent times. He missed most of

this season’s league campaign and it will be nearer match time before it will be known if he will play a part in this game.

Caimin Deegan recently emigrated to Australia while experienced defender Liam Markham hasn’t played this year as he is now based in London.

Inter county star Diarmuid Ryan is a key player for the club and they will also be looking to Rian Considine, Cathal McInerney who will captain the team again this year, the Collins clan and Enda Boyce to mention some to give them an edge.

Team coach Mike Deegan is experienced when it comes to preparing teams for the championship and the backroom team includes Barry Duggan and the manager John O’Gorman who have been part of title winning sides.

One

Departures Gate: Caimin Deegan (emigrated)

Treatment table: a few niggles but hoping all will be available

Last season’s run: Didn’t get out of the group

Titles Won: 2 (2013, 2014);

Schedule of games:

Round 1 v Feakle on Saturday August 10th in O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge at 2pm

Round 2 v Corofin on August 24th/25th

Round 3 v Kilmaley on September 7th/8th

Cathal McInerney captains the Cratloe hurling side

Photo by Gerard O’Neill

Management: John O’Gorman (manager), Mike Deegan (coach), Timmy Danagher, Dermot Quain, Barry Duggan, Oscar O’Dwyer (S&C).

Captain: Cathal McInerney

Key Player: Diarmuid Ryan

to watch: Jamie Moylan

Fresh Blood: Jamie Moylan, Daire Neville, Eoin Carey, Michael Flanagan, Eoin Deegan

FACT FILE

Management: Brian Culbert (manager), Conor McMahon (coach), Eoin O’Malley (coach), Padraig McGough (selector), Kieran Dillon (goalkeeping coach), Kieran Murphy (selector) Martin Bennett (S&C)

Captain: Daire Keane

Key Player: Conor Cleary

One to watch: Joe Casey

Fresh Blood: Joe Casey, Sean O’Loughlin

Departures Gate: Mikey O’Neill (emigrated), Cian Moloney (emigrated), Gearoid O’Grady.

Treatment table: Conor Cleary (shoulder); Tom O’Rourke (knee)

Last season’s run: Lost in quarter final to Feakle

Titles Won: 2 (1985, 2004)

Schedule of games:

Round 1 v Corofin on Saturday August 10th in Clarecastle at 2pm

Round 2 v Feakle (August 24th/25th)

Round 3 v Cratloe (September 7th/8th)

Kilmaley target improvement on last year’s run to quarter-finals

SEAMUS HAYES

KILMALEY will be going all out to start the TUS Clare SHC on a high note. In his second year in charge of Kilmaley, Brian Culbert from Sixmilebridge says “everyone’s first round is their county final. The first round brings excitement yet no one knows what to expect”.

A championship winner with his native club where he has also had success as a coach he says “Kilmaley finished the league strong. We had little hurling done at the start of that campaign but things improved as we were getting players back. We are looking forward to showing improvement from last year when we bowed out at the quarter final stage, losing to Feakle”.

Having lost three of their opening four games, they hit back and finished the campaign in mid table with four wins from nine outings.

In this weekend’s opening game they face last season’s intermediate champions Corofin. “We know what we are going to get off them and we are looking forward to the challenge”, stated Culbert whose backroom team includes former club players Conor McMahon, Eoin O’Malley, Padraig McGough, Kieran Dillon and Kieran Murphy. Kilmaley go into this weekend’s opening game without a couple of players who were central to their line up in recent years. Cian Moloney is in Australia having moved there last year while former team captain Mikey O’Neill is presently in Canada but may be back for games later in the campaign.

Versatile player Daire Keane continues as captain this year. After playing in attack for much of his career, he has been handed a defensive role in recent times and it remains to be seen where he will line out this week.

Sean O’Loughlin is back in the squad having been out of the country for much of last year and he is expected to fill a forward role. Teenager Joe Casey is another who is in the panel this year having graduated from minor and he is pressing strongly for a place in the starting team for the weekend.

Another of the team’s forwards, Tom O’Rourke is battling a knee injury at present and a final decision as to whether or not he will play a part on Saturday won’t be made until nearer match time.

Kilmihil’s Gearoid O’Grady, who made a big impact last year, isn’t playing hurling or football this season and this is another big loss for both his home club Kilmihil and for Kilmaley.

Since Kilmaley last won this title back in 2004, twenty years ago, they have come close on many occasions but disappointment has been their lot when expectations were high.

Facing into the weekend’s game against Corofin without the likes of Mikey O’Neill, Cian Moloney and Conor Cleary who hasn’t been ruled out but remains extremely doubtful because of the shoulder injury suffered in the All-Ireland final, leaves a number of big gaps to be filled. Their followers will be looking to the O’Loughoin brothers Bryan and Sean, Tommy Barry, Aaron Moloney, Sean Ronan, Colm Killeen and team skipper Daire Keane to lead the way.

Manager Brian Culbert is happy that the players have put in a big effort and that they are ready to take on Corofin at Clarecastle this Saturday. “We are looking forward to the campaign and I hope that all teams will bring the best out of each other over the next few months”.

Kilmaley’s Aidan McGuane Photo by Gerard O’Neill

Corofin looking for new leaders to emerge on return to senior

SEAMUS HAYES

FOR THE first time since 2010, Corofin are back in the top tier of the Clare senior hurling championship.

Winners of last year’s intermediate title, Corofin make their bow at senior against Kilmaley in Clarecastle on Saturday.

“It’s a big challenge and a new experience for us and we are well aware of the gap between intermediate and senior”, team manager Joe Cahill told The Clare Echo this week.

Having led the club to the intermediate crown last year, he must plan this year without a number of the players who were key members of that panel

while Jamie Malone, Fionn Clancy, Michael Kelly, Fer gus Killeen, Shay Malone and David Corbett have all emigrated.

leadership. In a dual-club injuries will happen and last year we had some cover in such situations but the loss of the players mentioned means we have lost huge experience. We are now chasing a new group of leaders”, the

manager explained. Cahill continued, “the first game is key. How are we going to adapt to the step up. We have to go after a performance. Against Kilmaley we are facing a wealth of experience much of which they have gained from playing in the Clare Cup”. Corofin were in the same competition but they were in Division 1B while Kilmaley were in 1A. Corofin won five of their nine games and finished in mid table.

As a dual club, upwards on ten players will be in the starting fifteen for both codes and managing that scenario isn’t easy. “As I said we had some cover last year but that’s not the case now with so many away. Look,

players”, he added.

Corofin go into this campaign in high spirits because of Clare’s All-Ireland win and, in particular, because of the huge part played by their player, Conor Leen. Over the past two years the Clare defender who is hotly tipped for an All Star award because of his many outstanding performances this season, miss many of his club’s games due to injury. Thankfully they all cleared up and allowed him to play such a major part in Clare’s thrilling All-Ireland win. His availability is a huge boost to Corofin as they head into the senior championship.

Captained by Damien O’Loughlin, Corofin will also be looking to Killian O’Con-

FACT FILE

Management: Joe Cahill (Manager), John Fitzgerald, Pat Curtis, Cyril Killeen (S&C), Joe Killeen (logistics) Kevin Kelleher, Fionn Reidy, Donal O’Loughlin (equipment); Darren Malone, Tomas Whelan, Eoin Leen (stats); Geraldine Cahill (first aid)

Captain: Damien O’Loughlin

Key Player: Conor Leen

One to watch: Marc O’Loughlin

Fresh Blood: Eoin Carroll, Jack Crowe, Oisin Cahill; Departures Gate; Jamie Malone, Fionn Clancy, Michael Kelly, Fergus Killeen, Shay Malone, David Corbett (all emigrated), Damien Ryan (retired).

Treatment table: Diarmuid Cahill (Quad)

Last season’s run: Won intermediate title Titles Won: None

Scariff out to show run to semifinal wasn’t a flash in the pan

SEAMUS HAYES

AFTER an impressive run which saw them reach the semi-final last year, Scariff go into this season’s senior championship hoping that the experience they gained will benefit the club as they seek to end a seventy one year wait for senior honours.

Their opponents on Sunday are Inagh/Kilnamona and the sides did battle in the group stage last year when Scariff had seven points to spare (4-18 to 0-23).

Speaking this week ahead of their meeting in this season’s opening round, Scariff manager Mark McKenna said “they will want to reverse that on Saturday. I know it’s a cliche but we are definitely not looking past the first round. It’s a tough opener”.

McKenna has retained the same management as in in 2023 for the East Clare side, among them former Clare joint manager Donal Moloney.

Clare’s All-Ireland winning star Mark Rodgers continues as team captain of a side that hasn’t lost anyone from last year’s squad. As regards injuries, “we have the usual few niggles but all should be ready for the opening game,” he told The Clare Echo.

In this season’s Clare Cup, Scariff finished in mid table with four wins and five losses. In their final group game their opponents were Inagh/Kilnamona and here Scariff emerged with a one point win, 1-19 to 1-18.

While both sides are likely to have a number of changes from that occasion, that result is sure to provide confidence to the East Clare men this week.

Mark explained, “we are keeping things very grounded after a super run last year. There are huge battles ahead but for now the focus is fully on Saturday”.

Like all parishes across the county, there have been great celebrations during the past week because of Clare’s All-Ireland win and adding to these celebrations for Scariff is the involvement of two of their club members, both of whom will be hoping to bring that form to Saturday’s game.

Team captain Mark Rodgers has been outstanding in Clare’s march to glory while Patrick Crotty was introduced in the quarter-final win over Wexford. Both are expected to fill attacking roles this week and followers of the team will also be looking to Scott Cairns, Michael Scanlan, All-Ireland winning handballer Diar-

maid Nash, Shane Kavanagh and Patrick Ryan to mention some.

The other two teams in Scariff’s group are neighbouring East Clare sides, Broadford and O’Callaghans Mills.

After a number of years when East Clare sides were struggling to survive, things have taken a big turn in the past couple of years.

Many of the clubs in the area now have three adult teams competing for honours across the grades and this has led to keen competition for places at senior level.

The teams in this group agree that it will take a big effort to qualify for the play off stage of the championship. A win in the opening round will ease worries a little while not guaranteeing anything whereas a loss this week will leave teams with a lot to do.

The meeting of Scariff and Inagh/Kilnamona is seen as one of the ‘big’ first round clashes with followers of both sides keeping their fingers crossed that their side will make a winning start. It’s expected to be very close with no more than a point or two in it while a draw will not surprise many.

Management: Mark McKenna (manager); Michael Long, Jim Minogue, Ger Rodgers, Donal Moloney, Michelle McNamara, Adrian Whelan (Physios); Captain: Mark Rodgers

Key Player: Mark Rodgers

One to watch: Liam Crotty

Fresh Blood: Colin O’Grady, Ben Sweeney, Cathal McCaul

Departures Gate: None

Treatment table: A few niggles

Last season’s run: Lost in semi-final to Crusheen

Titles Won: 5 (1907, 1917, 1946, 1952, 1953)

Schedule:

Round 1 v Inagh/Kilnamona on Saturday August 10th in O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge at 15:00

Round 2 v Broadford on August 24th/25th

Round 3 v O’Callaghans Mills on September 7th/8th

Scariff captain, Mark Rodgers

Photo by Gerard O’Neill

Inagh/Kilnamona well capable of going the distance

SEAMUS HAYES

INAGH/KILNAMONA

remain among the teams shortlisted to be in hunt for honours when the Clare SHC reaches the business end of the season.

Given the numbers they have available and the impressive performances they have delivered in a variety of underage grades in the past decade Inagh/Kilnamona have been shortlisted for honours at adult level on a regular basis in recent years.

However disappointment has been their lot, losing the Clare Cup (senior league) final earlier this year and tasting defeat in the latter stages, including in the 2021 county final.

Tomás Kelly is in his first year as senior manager of the club. On the expectation across Clare that the club should have won more at senior, he said, “We have a lot of good players but so have other clubs, it’s about how they come together”.

A member of the senior panel for over a decade, Tomás is now the senior team manager. A member of the management team at St.

Josephs secondary school in Tulla where he is part of the teaching staff, he has helped steer school teams to a number of successes including a first every Harty Cup title two years ago.

Speaking this week ahead of the opening game in the race for the Canon Hamilton trophy Tomás stressed, “our focus is on the opening round against Scariff who beat us by seven points in the championship last year. We have a lot of ground to make up. This is a very tough group but right now we are not looking past Scariff”.

The county panellists coming back in “has given a lift to the squad”. Aidan McCarthy and David Fitzgerald played key roles in Clare’s All-Ireland win while Sean Rynne and Eamonn Foudy were part of the Clare squad also.

In this year’s senior league (Clare cup), Inagh/Kilnamona topped the division 1 A group with six wins, a draw and two losses, one of which was in the final group game against Scariff when the East Clare side won by a point.

Topping the group qualified them for the semi-final where they had to work hard to overcome St Joseph’s Doo-

ra/Barefield but in the final they disappointed when losing by eight points to Newmarket-on-Fergus.

They will need to improve on that performance if they are to reverse recent results in their games with Scariff. There is no doubt but that they have some very talented players in their line up and these include Fitzgerald, McCarthy, Rynne, Foudy, Jason McCarthy, teenagers James and Fred Hegarty to mention some.

David Mescall is out due to a cruciate knee injury while Shane Woods and Connor Hegarty are battling to recover from injury. On the plus side Kevin Hehir has returned to the squad after spending some time overseas.

Panellists David Fitzgerald, Josh and Keelan Guyler, Ryan Barry and the Rynnes Conor and Sean are also members of the Ennistymon senior football team while Aidan McCarthy is a key player with Kilmurry Ibrickane senior footballers. For these players to remain injury free will be key for the Inagh- Kilnamona club as all fill vital roles for the hurlers.

Management: Tomas Kelly (manager/coach), Hugh Paddy O’Byrne, Damian O’Halloran, Milo Keane, Conor Shannon (S&C)

Captain: Darren Cullinan

Key Player: Aidan McCarthy

One to watch: Fred Hegarty

Fresh Blood: James and Fred Hegarty, Conor Rynne, Jack Mescall

Departures Gate: Cian McInerney (emigrated)

Treatment table: Damian Lafferty (long term), Shane Woods (ankle), Connor Hegarty (shoulder), David Mescall (cruciate), Kevin Hehir (knee).

Last season’s run: Didn’t get out of the group, won the senior B title

Titles Won: None

Schedule:

Round 1 v Scariff on August 10th in O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge at 15:00

Round 2 v O’Callaghans Mills (August 24th/25th)

Round 3 v Broadford on September 7th/8th

Inagh/Kilnamona defender, Keith White Photo by Gerard O’Neill

Broadford to do battle with East Clare rivals O’Callaghans Mills in opening round

SEAMUS HAYES

BROADFORD are bidding to make the knockout stages of the Clare SHC for only the second time since returning to the top tier.

Crowned intermediate champions in 2019, Broadford have only advanced to the knockout stages of the senior championship in 2020 since earning promotion back to the top grade.

Right now their minds are firmly fixed on the opening round and nothing better than a derby encounter to help focus their gaze.

Rivalry between clubs is a key ingredient in what makes the GAA so attractive.

In every county there are some very intense rivalries, more often than not between teams from neighbouring parishes.

One of a number of such rivalries in Clare is between East Clare neighbours Broadford and O’Callaghans Mills and their meeting in the first round of the 2024 senior championship is expected to attract a very big crowd to Clonlara on Friday evening.

This year Broadford are managed by Paddy Meehan who hails from Sixmilebridge where he has been part of a lot of successes enjoyed by the club since they won their first senior title back in 1977.

A winner as a player, he has

been part of a number of successful management teams in the ‘Bridge where he has served in a number of officer positions including that of chairman.

Paddy’s backroom team includes another Sixmilebridge man, Martin Conlon who is the Broadford S and C coach this year.

Another former Sixmilebridge player and championship winner with the club, Danny Chaplin has been heavily involved with the Broadford club over the past twenty years.

Heading into Friday’s eagerly awaited opening game, Meehan is under no illusions as to the magnitude of the task facing his side. “It’s a difficult test. They won the Clare Cup last year and they are noted for turning over highly ranked teams. We will have to bring our A game if we are to win this one”.

Meehan continued, “there is a great rivalry, it’s a local derby, it’s a most important game as we want to make a good start. A win in the first round will take a slight bit of pressure off and it increases a team’s chances of challenging for a quarter final place. Players will get confidence from a win and that’s the aim”.

The manager went on to say “we have a good bit of work done and I am happy with the work over the last few months and we need to bring that to the pitch now”.

Broadford are boosted by the return to the club of Diarmuid and Donie Whelan after a spell with Tipperary club Ballina.

Padraic Taylor captains the side with Clare’s All-Ireland winning panellist Paddy Donnellan as the vice captain.

There are injury worries ahead of Friday’s game with Darren Chaplin, Eoin Donnellan and Niall O’Farrell all battling to shake off leg and hand muscle injuries. The loss of any of that trio would represent a blow to the team’s hopes as all are experienced players.

They had a good run in Division 1B of the league with six wins, two draws and a loss and they just lost out on a place in the semi-finals.

None of that really matters now as all teams turn their full focus on the championship.

Broadford have an experienced squad with a number of sets of brothers involved. The Chaplins, the O’Briens, the Whelans, the Donnellans have been key members of the squad in recent years and when one adds Stiofan McMahon and Niall O’Farrell into the mix they have a squad capable of progressing.

That said they will need to hit their best form if they are to make a winning start this week.

FACT FILE

Management: Paddy Meehan (Manager), Ger Hickey (coach) Ian Doyle, P.J. Moroney, Martin Conlon (S&C), Captain; Padraic Taylor; with Paddy Donlon (vice captian)

Key Player: Diarmuid O’Brien

One to watch: Eoghan Gunning

Fresh Blood: Diarmuid and Donie Whelan; Eoghan Gunning; Departures Gate: None

Treatment table: Darren Chaplin, Eoin Donnellan, Niall O’Farrell

Last season’s run: Didn’t get out of the group

Titles Won: None

Schedule:

Round 1 v O’C. Mills (Friday August 9th in Clonlara at 19:30

Round 2 v Scariff (August 24th/25th)

Round 3 v Inagh/Kilnamona (September 7th/8th)

Chase for the Canon is ‘the

All-Ireland for many clubs’

THERE is hunger rather than a pressure to end the wait for hurling honours in Éire Óg while Sixmilebridge are determined to make amends for a disappointing 2023 campaign writes Seamus Hayes.

It’s over thirty years since the Canon Hamilton resided in Ennis for the winter. Expectation has been growing in recent years that Éire Óg are close to ending that long wait.

Ciaran Russell is a key player in both their senior hurling and football teams and he has played a major role in their football wins of 2021 and 2022.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, he outlined, “a new year brings new excitement and we are really looking forward to the upcoming campaign. We have a lot of training done and we are looking forward to getting going. We have a lot of young lads in the panel this year”.

“Our hurling first round opponents are Clooney-Quin. We have played them a couple of times in the last few years. They are a strong and up and coming side. Look we have prepared well and we are looking forward to the campaign. If you want to win these competitions you are going to have to beat every team that is taking part,” he said.

When asked if there is a pressure to end the long wait for glory in the Clare SHC, he responded, “I wouldn’t say pressure, it’s more a hunger. We got to the final two years ago but didn’t get over the line. We are hungry to give the people of Ennis a team to follow”.

“The first round is important for every club. For ourselves in the hurling we have been slow to start in recent years. This year there is no room for er-

ror with the group we have,” the Garda said. Alex Morey has been Sixmilebridge’s top scorer in recent seasons and he is really looking forward to this season’s competition. “The whole county is on a high at the minute and it really makes for a great championship. Because of Clare’s great win they will be a bit of added interest this year. It’s always a great championship but there are probably more young lads coming to the games now. This is the All-Ireland for the majority of clubs”. He stressed that they are “not looking past the first round. Last year was very disappointing for us and we haven’t taken our eyes off the opening game against Doora/Barefield since the draw was made”.

He is proud of the fact that Sixmilebridge will field five adult teams across all championships this year, “Having five adult teams is a serious achievement for the club. Last year, our two junior panels had between 30 and 40 lads togging out, it’s great to have the numbers”.

“There is plenty of competition for places, serious competition between all teams and between the senior and intermediate squads. A lot of new lads played in the Cup (senior league) which will have given them valuable experience.

“Facing Doora/Barefield is unusual for us, we haven’t played each other at senior for ten or fifteen years. They will pose a serious threat, they have some lovely hurlers. Crusheen and Newmarket-on-Fergus are also in the group. We are training since late January, we are geared towards this, the first round is everything, getting two points on the board takes the pressure off,” he concluded.

Broadford’s Paddy Donnellan Photo by Gerard O’Neill

Mills Gunning for neighbours in potential ‘knock-out’ opener

EOIN BRENNAN

BLOOD may be thicker than water but the villages of O’Callaghan’s Mills and Broadford are thankful that the lakes of Lough Gar and Doon Lough separate them as their East Clare derby rivalry is elevated to unprecedented heights in Clonlara this Friday evening (7.30pm).

With Group 3 rivals Scariff and Inagh/Kilnamona ear-marked as favourites to return to the knock-out stages, it makes this neighbourly opening showdown a relative four pointer in order to get an early leg up in the group. Back to the blood though. No, not the type spilled on the battlefield but the fact that O’Callaghan’s Mills manager PJ O’Connell has two nephews playing for Broadford including debutante Eoghan Gunning, none

other than last year’s Munster and All-Ireland Minor winning Clare captain.

“I have family involved with Broadford but that will have to be put to one side until after the final whistle.” the two time All-Ireland Senior medalist outlined with a wry smile on his face. “We’re looking forward to it, that’s for sure. To tell you the truth, our training has gone really well. We were poor enough in the Clare Cup starting off, I think we lost the first four or five games but we won the next three so we were happy with that as we finished the campaign strongly and got to look at a lot of players.

“We’ve lost players from last year but gained a few new ones too so overall we’re looking forward to getting going now on Friday as facing Broadford is going to be a tough battle. They’re our

neighbours so there will be nothing between us and I’d say the team that simply wants it most will win it, that’s nearly how these derbies shape up,” he told The Clare Echo.

Agonisingly defeated by a single point by eventual champions Clonlara in last year’s opener, a subsequent slump against Crusheen meant that not even a final round barnstorming finish to pip Sixmilebridge couldn’t prevent the Mills from entering the relegation series. “We didn’t really turn up against Crusheen in Tulla that day and it’s one thing conceding points but if you’re leaking goals in club matches, it’s very hard to win a game. So we’ve put an emphasis this year on not leaking goals and hopefully that can give us a springboard at the other end to win games”.

Having shored up their defence, O’Connell and Co. are determined to go one significant step further this year as only the winner has a shot at quarter-final glory in the Mills native’s eyes. “All the teams are fierce even so in such a tight group, the key to getting out of it is probably to win your first game because you’ve two chances of reaching a quarter-final after that whereas if you lose that first game like we did last year, it’s very difficult to go back training and pick things up straight away again. So I think you have to treat it as a knock-out game.

“We’ve got some good young players, lads that I’ve been pushing to put themselves forward to get Brian Lohan to have a look at them as

we feel that we’ve one or two good enough to make the Clare panel. So we’re trying to make the best of our young lads while also use the experience and leadership of our older players as we have Paddy Donnellan and Conor Cooney still leading the line. So we’re happy enough with where we are but I’m sure they’re thinking the exact same way in Broadford so it’s going to be a fair battle.” After all, there’s nothing between them only water… and blood.

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Management: PJ O’Connell (manager); Eugene McEntee (coach); Seanie McNamara, John Cooney, Fergus Donovan, Noel Nash (Selectors); Kevin Gaffney (S&C)

Captain: Aidan O’Gorman

Key Player: Colin Crehan

One to Watch: Darragh Moroney

Fresh Blood: Sean Boyce, Colin Crehan, Niall Melody

Departure Gate: Ciaran Cooney, Gary Cooney, Jacob Loughnane (abroad)

Treatment Table: Conor Henry (back)

Titles Won: 8 (1904, 1906, 1909, 1910, 1918, 1923 (as Kilkishen), 1932 (as Kilkishen), 1937)

Last season’s run: Q A rousing final round victory over Sixmilebridge wasn’t enough to keep them out of danger zone but they did stop the rot in relegation decider against Clarecastle.

Schedule

Round 1 - v Broadford at Clonlara, Friday 7.30pm

Round 2 - v Inagh-Kilnamona (Weekend of August 23rd-25th)

Round 3 - v Scariff (Weekend of September 6-8th)

Conor Cooney Photo by Gerard O’Neill

Breaking first round hoodoo a necessity for injury-hit Crusheen

Management: Michael Browne (Manager); Aidan Harte (Coach); Paddy Vaughan, Gearoid O’Donnell, Alan Tuohy, Cronin Dillon (Selectors); Alan Griffin (S&C); Tom Culligan (Kitman); Orla O’Donnell, Helen McMahon, Tina Meaney, Conor Stack (Medical Team); Niall Griffin, Kieran O’Donnell, Keith Brigdale (Statistics)

Captain: Cian Dillon

Key Player: Oisin O’Donnell

One to Watch: Eoghan McMahon

Fresh Blood: Roan Ketelaar, Stephen O’Brien, James O’Sullivan

Departure Gate: None

Treatment Table: Luke Hayes (leg), Diarmuid Mullins (leg), Conor O’Donnell (hamstring), Gerry O’Grady (broken jaw)

Titles Won: 2 (2010, 2011)

Last season’s run: Only won one group games but managed to squeeze through to business end on score difference and never looked back thereafter with wins over Newmarket-on-Fergus and Scariff to reach a first final since 2014.

Schedule

Round 1 - v Newmarket-on-Fergus at Ruan, Saturday 2pm

Round 2 - v Sixmllebridge (Weekend of August 23rd-25th)

Not the greatest preparation for what will undoubtedly be an extremely difficult opener against the Blues who will be gunning for revenge following last year’s quarter-final upset. “It puts you under a lot of pressure if you don’t win that first game, it’s as simple as that,” admitted former Clare senior selector Browne who led Crusheen to the 2010 and ’11 titles. “It means that your second game is absolutely crucial as you have to win it and there’s no ifs or buts about it.

“Look, Newmarket have won the Clare Cup and the majority of their league games throughout the spring so they’re obviously in flying form and doing really well. They’ve had their full squad all the way through with noone missing other than a few small injuries here and there so they have had a very, very good preparation for this and therefore we’re under no illusions whatsoever as to what’s awaiting us. They are going to be determined

to start well and put savage pressure on us so it’s about how we can react to that.

“But all the matches look tough. When you look down through the group, I’d say there won’t be any more than a point of two you’d imagine between any of the teams in any of the games so I’d say this group will go right down to the wire. On the face of it perhaps you might say that it isn’t the most difficult group in the championship when comparing it to Group 1 (Clonlara, Ballyea, Éire Óg and Clooney/Quin). But I think our group is so evenly-matched that it might well come down to a bit of luck or a mistake as when you have really tight games, sometimes little tiny things can decide the outcome and result.” Just like their unforgettable journey twelve month ago.

Round 3 - v St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield (Weekend of September 6-8th) Wishing Crusheen

Oisin O’Donnell

Photo by Gerard O’Neill

Blues determined to reverse Clare Cup curse

EOIN BRENNAN

IT’s not quite on a Biddy Early scale but the ‘Clare Cup curse’ has been a strong feature since reverting to a pre-championship finish.

Much like Clare this year who used the boost of a National League title to catapult themselves to greater heights in the All-Ireland series, winning the Clare Cup should be a major shot-in-the-arm for the Canon Hamilton race but contrastingly since 2019, Clare Cup victors Kilmaley (twice), Feakle and O’Callaghan’s Mills have all fallen at the group stages.

Thankfully for Newmarket-on-Fergus, last month’s newest Clare Cup holders, manager James Carrig is a sceptic when it comes to this so-called hex and is determined to exorcise any Clare Cup ghosts this Saturday against Crusheen in their senior championship opener. “They say Clare Cup winners don’t do well when it comes to championship but that’s for those teams to look at themselves. We look at what we’ve done this year and from our perspective, the Clare Cup has been a positive thing. The aim at the start of the year was to try and strengthen the squad, get some game-time into fellas and see could we come up a level.

“We didn’t really go out to win a Clare Cup or anything like that, we just played every game as it was and sort of grew into it as the competition progressed. Winning it was good for confidence and good for a lot of younger fellas that had not won anything senior level. So it was

FACT FILE

a big thing for them and obviously winning breeds confidence and also there was an extra buzz coming back into training so overall it was great preparation for championship.

“Therefore we don’t look at it as a weight on our shoulders, our aim has always been geared towards the first round of the championship whether we won the Clare Cup or not so that’s all we’ve been talking about since the draw, coming with a performance and getting ourselves into the championship. In fairness, in the last few years, we have been good in the group, it’s just when we did progress, we either didn’t reset properly or just not perform on the bigger stage. For now, it’s just about taking every game as it comes and getting a performance against Crusheen on Saturday”.

Ghostbusting aside, sheer motivation definitely won’t be an issue following last year’s harrowing quarter-final exit to Crusheen as three first half goals devastatingly put the Blues to the sword.

“Crusheen turned up in that quarter-final with a point to prove,” admitted Carrig a former Crusheen manager himself who also led Wolfe Tones to Munster Intermediate glory in 2015.

“Having just scraped through the group, they were determined to prove themselves and duly came with a big performance and with us below-par the same day, we just couldn’t live with them in the first half. They got goals at crucial stages and it gave them a huge platform in the game that we were not able to claw back so it was very disappointing from our point of view but they

were deserved winners on the day.

“They built on that victory then and went on to reach a county final which was great for them. I know from first hand experience that they have some very experienced leaders who have been around the block and have won county titles but they’ve brought through a lot of young players too in the last few years so they’re a very good side”.

In a fascinating Group 4 that also includes derbies with Sixmilebridge and St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield, Newmarket’s championship ambitions will require an unflinching focus and discipline.

“In Clare it’s so competitive that in a lot of matches only small margins separate victory and defeat.

“So when the draw was made, you looked through the list and the thing that stood out most was that every team can beat each other there. Look, there’s a bit of rivalry with neighbours the ‘Bridge and a bit of rivalry with Crusheen as well as they beat us last year.

“So it’s an interesting group in that you have to be on your game every day or you’ll be beaten so it has really focused us now and I’m sure that whoever eventually comes out of this group will be well tested and definitely ready for their next opponents in the quarter-finals.”

Stephen Casey Photo by Gerard

Management: James Carrig (Manager); Alan Duggan, Cathal Fleming, Seamus Meehan, Pat Freeman (Selectors); Cathal O’Brien (S&C); Cepta O’Connor (Logistics)

Captain: Mikey McInerney

Key Player: Peter Power

One to Watch: Seán Arthur Fresh Blood: Seán Arthur, Dylan Crowe, Liam Harkin, John Hogan, Eoghan McInerney, Aaron Moroney

Departure Gate: Enda Barrett

Treatment Table: None.

Titles Won: 23 (1912, 1916, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1955, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1981, 2012)

Last season’s run: Q Topped their group with three straight wins over neighbours Cratloe, Clooney-Quin and Wolfe Tones before being emphatically halted by Crusheen at the last eight stage.

Schedule Round 1 - v Crusheen at Ruan, Saturday 2pm

Round 2 - v St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield (Weekend of August 23rd-25th)

Round 3 - v Sixmilebridge (Weekend of September 6-8th)

Fresh challenge for experienced Bridge

EOIN BRENNAN

HAVING unquestionably proved themselves to be the team of the last decade with five senior hurling titles in just eight years maximising what has been Sixmilebridge’s most fruitful generation. However, it’s now four years since Derek Fahy and Shane Golden went up to lift the Canon Hamilton Cup from a social distance of course in what was the COVID championship.

The coronavirus is still very much around but Sixmilebridge haven’t been as prominent in the shake-up for senior honours as they were dethroned at the quarter-final stage by Éire Óg in 2021 and didn’t even get out of the group for the first time in seven years last year.

However, fresh blood both on and off the field has ignited a revitalisation process, centred around a refreshing new-look home grown managerial pairing of Tommy Liddy and Stiofan Fitzpatrick who are eager to put player friendships to one side for the greater good of trying to rekindle a senior title charge.

“I would have been over a lot of these lads at underage between Under 16, Minor and Under 21 so I would have experience with a lot of them but there is also the

factor that I would have been friendly with them outside of the hurling field,” Liddy outlined. “However, they are a very driven group so that would never come into it as once you’re making decisions for the panel to achieve the best results possible, I think they’re understanding enough to know that any decision from the management will be for the betterment of the club and the team”.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Tommy detailed that they have received a bounce in their preparation in recent weeks. “We had an up and down league but I suppose that was on account of having a lot of injuries and lads being away so we couldn’t get anywhere near out first 15 on the field for the first couple of games. I suppose there was probably a bedding in process there with the management anyway which is often inevitable. We found more of a flow towards the end of the league and we’ve maintained that push since then.

“The core would have a lot of experience but they’ve trained very hard over the past couple of weeks and you can see a bit of a bounce in them that they’re looking forward to championship being around the corner. It’s great to get Seadna [Morey]

and Cathal [Malone] back on the training as it has given everyone a lift. I suppose it’s no different to any team that are getting fellas back that have competed at that level, it’s always going to improve standards in training especially coming up to championship”.

The prospect of taking on their nearest and dearest neighbours Newmarket as well as one of their leading rivals for the Canon in the last decade Crusheen are well worn paths but the largely unknown entity of a freshfaced St Joseph’s Doora/ Barefield side isn’t as comfortable for Liddy and Co. in their opening bout in Newmarket-on-Fergus this Friday evening (7.30pm)

“We’re under no illusion as to what Doora/Barefield are bringing, they’re athletes and are bringing legs all over the field. I happen to watch them three times over the course of last year’s championship against Kilmaley, Scariff and Wolfe Tones and I had said at that time, before I even got this job at all, that they were a coming team. The youth, energy and ferocity of tackle, they were competitive in every game in what was a very tough group last year but they improved with every game. So while we wouldn’t be taking any game for granted, It certainly won’t be Doo-

ra/Barefield anyway.

“We didn’t get out of the group ourselves last year so our focus is trying to get back to winning ways just as much as Doora/Barefield and the boys are looking forward to it but they also obviously

know what’s at stake as well because they don’t want that long lay-off that they experienced last year again.

“The ‘Bridge were out of the championship last year in mid-August and not looking at another championship

game in twelve months so hopefully it will provide an extra determination to get over the line on Friday evening”.

Management: Tommy Liddy, Stiofan Fitzpatrick (Joint-Managers); Adrian Chaplin, Barry Coffey (Coaches/Selectors); James Naughton, Chloe Morey (S&C Coaches); Aidan O’Connor (Kitman)

Captain: Jamie Shanahan

Key Player: Cathal Malone

One to Watch: Fiachra Ó Braoin

Fresh Blood: Jason Loughnane, Alan Mulready, Matthew O’Halloran, Mark Sheedy

Departure Gate: N/A

Treatment Table: None

Titles Won: 15 (1977, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020)

Last season’s run: Despite a positive start against Crusheen, the ‘Bridge’s championship wheels came off against Clonlara and the Mills to fall at the group stages.

Schedule

Round 1 - v St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield at Newmarket, Friday 7.30pm

Round 2 - v Crusheen (Weekend of August 23rd-25th)

Round 3 - v Newmarket-on-Fergus (Weekend of September 6-8th)

Shane Golden Photo by Gerard O’Neill

More maroon than velvet revolution for new-look Parish

EOIN BRENNAN

AS St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield enter their crucial sophomore season at senior level, new manager Oisin O’Brien doesn’t have to look too far for inspiration.

With the Parish currently having the biggest influx of young players over the past three seasons, honing that talent into a senior force is something that his native club Clonlara have most achieved to spectacular effect in 2023 with a first Canon Hamilton in 15 years before subsequently going on to contest the Munster Club Final.

“From a personal point of view, it was absolutely wonderful to see Clonlara finally win it again, They have always been there-or-thereabouts but I felt that the new young crop have really stood up over the past few years. They developed through winning three Senior Bs in a row which seemed ridiculous at the time but it meant that these young players got more valuable matches under their belts and it really stood to them last year with the way they performed. I would have coached Colm O’Meara, Dylan [McMahon] and Aidan [Moriarty] at underage so we knew that the talent was coming so I was delighted that they got over the line last year as I thought they played phenomenal.

“There’s good banter in the team and they have a great set-up involved from Donal [Madden] the whole way down. Ger O’Connell, Niall Hogan and also Eric Finn does a lot of good work in the S&C so

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from top to bottom, they all work so hard for each other,” Oisin added.

Now in his third year involved with Doora/Barefield, former county senior O’Brien has coached this new-look side from the choppy waters of intermediate to establishing themselves at the top level, with the next phase of their development inevitably being a further few steps up the senior ladder.

“Progress is obviously the goal when you’re trying to develop a new team. I mean even since we won the intermediate two years ago, there has been a lot of turnover of new young players that have mostly been involved in contesting two Minor A finals. So you’re hoping for development, increasing competition for places and trying to make sure that you can capitalise upon the good work at underage. So hopefully that can continue on and we can see a little bit more progress again this year. We learned a lot from last year, it’s nearly trial by combat coming into senior for your first year from intermediate.

“You have to remember that we’re still a very young panel, I’d say the average age is only still about 20 years old so we’re extremely young when comparing us to the Clonlaras and Sixmilebridges. Indeed all three other teams in our group are far more experienced teams but sometimes getting games into lads is important too in terms of team development as a lot of the lads that were blooded last year and learned a lot in a short period of time about having to be consistent for a full hour.

“We have one or two players

coming back from injury like Tom Hannan and Fionn Kelleher which is great but at the other end we’ve also lost four experienced players from last year in Paul Madden, Brian Clancy and Kevin Dilleen while Cathal Ruane and Conor Tierney are living away now. So there is still a lot of transition as with older lads taking a step away from senior, it’s up to younger lads to try and fill that gap now.

“Amazingly while it’s our second year at senior, we’re probably younger this year than we were last year but these young players are ambitious and are eager to prove themselves,” O’Brien told The Clare Echo.

So is a quarter-final the chief objective for 2024?

“Look, we have to be realistic as the three other teams in our group are three stalwart clubs that have all won county titles over the last ten to fifteen years. Their goals year-in and year-out are to contest semi-finals and finals so that’s the standard of the teams that we’re playing against and we are obviously underdogs. But with youth comes good energy and young players can often surprise you so we hope to be the surprise package albeit that we will definitely be underdogs in every game we play this year”.

Adam

Management: Oisin O’Brien (Manager); Dave Cuddy, Vinnie Sheedy, Denis Maher, Liam Clohessy, Michelle Caulfield (Coaches/Selectors); Evan Hennessy (S&C): Sean Conroy (Kit Man)

Captain: Cian Barron

Key Player: David Conroy

One to Watch: Eoin Lahiffe

Fresh Blood: Conor Daly, Eoin ‘Ogie’ Fanning, Charlie Hannan, Tom Hannan, Fionn Kelleher, Conor Nash, Michael Nash, Sean O’Connell, Mark O’Connor, Padraic O’Donovan, Darragh Quinlan, Niall Talty

Departures Gate: Brian Clancy, Kevin Dilleen, Paul Madden (step back from senior); Cathal Ruane, Conor Tierney (abroad)

Treatment Table: Eoin ‘Ogie’ Fanning (Injured)

Titles Won: 5 (1955, 1958, 1998, 1999, 2001)

Last season’s run: A sobering return to senior level did have a happy ending though as the Parish consolidated their senior status with a gritty relegation final win over Wolfe Tones.

Schedule

Round 1 - v Sixmilebridge at Newmarket, Friday 7.30pm

Round 2 - v Newmarket-on-Fergus (Weekend of August 23rd-25th)

Round 3 - v Crusheen (Weekend of September 6-8th)

Mungovan Photo by Gerard O’Neill

Runners & riders gear up for start of Clare IHC

ager), Patrick Roughan, Pat

Meaney, Mike Daffy, Gearoid

Roughan and Martin Minahan.

SIXTEEN teams divided into four groups of four will begin a journey this weekend that all will be hoping will lead them to senior ranks for 2025.

Group 1: CLARECASTLE

Management: Colin Lynch (manager), Pat Healy, Eric Flynn, Tim Hickey, Trevor Slattery (S&C), Michael O’Donoghue (kit man), James McMahon(kit man), Bernie Regan

Captain: Colin Brigdale

Key Player: Cian Galvin

One to watch: Oisin Whelan

Fresh blood: Evan Price, Luke Aherne, Cian O’Dell, Daragh Crimmins

Departures Gate: Niall Galvin (emigrated).

Treatment table: Colin Brigdale (broken thumb), Lee Brack (appendix), Stephen O’Halloran

Last year’s run: Relegated from the senior ranks for the first time.

Last year’s run: Beaten by Kilmihil by a single point in the county final

Schedule:

Round 1 vs Ruan on Friday August 9th in Clooney at 19:30

Round 2 vs St Joseph’s Doora/ Barefield (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 vs Smith O’Briens (September 6th/7th/8th)

“The focus is completely on the first game versus Ruan, There was huge disappointment with going down last year but we are where we are, the lads have put their heads down and trained well" – Colin Lynch, manager.

RUAN

Captain: Killian Ryan

Key Player: Robin Mounsey

One to watch: Frankie Lyons

Fresh blood: Christian Cummins, Ben Kelly, Christian Staggerwall, Darragh McDonagh

Departures Gate: Michael Lyons (emigrated), Conall Ó hÁinifein (emigrated)

Treatment table: Shane Punch, Last year’s run: Eliminated in the semi-finals by eventual winners Corofin.

Schedule:

Round 1 vs Clarecastle on Friday August 9th in Clooney at 19:30

Round 2 vs Smith O’Briens (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 vs St Joseph’s Doora/ Barefield (September 6th/7th/8th)

“We lost two games in the intermediate hurling championship and it was Corofin who beat us twice.

We were very disappointed with our semi-final performance against them, it didn’t happen for us in the first half particularly and that was a disappointment for us” – Leon Quirke.

ST. JOSEPH'S DOORA/BAREFIELD

Management: Dermot Daly (Manager), Liam Clohessy (coach), Brian Dilleen, Mike Cullinan, Tony McInerney, Mark Silman

Captain: Kevin Dilleen

Key Player: Padraic O’Donovan

One to watch; Conor Nash

Fresh Blood: Conor Nash, Charlie Hannan, Cormac Maher, Conor Daly, Padraic O’Donovan, Niall Clancy, Ciarán O’Driscoll

Treatment table: Matthew Power (hamstring).

Last year’s run: Didn’t get out of the group

Schedule:

Round 1 v Smith O’Briens on Saturday August 10th in Cratloe at 17:00

Round 2 v Clarecastle (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 v Ruan (September 6th/7th/8th)

“We had a good league campaign which we won and we used up to forty players. We are a very young squad. We won’t know who we will have until the seniors play on Fri-

day. The first game is very important. Smith O’Briens will be targeting this game” – Dermot Daly. SMITH O'BRIENS

Management: Tim McGrath (manager/coach); Anthony Rodgers, Derek Conway (selectors) David Gough, Katie Pearl (S&C), Ronan Costello (nutritionist).

Captain: Mike Gough and Mark O’Halloran

Key Player: Mike Gough

One to watch: Eoin Heffron

Fresh blood: None

Departures Gate: Cian Nolan (travelling), Evan Connolly (travelling)

Last year’s run: Defeated by Corofin in the quarter-finals.

Schedule:

Round 1 vs St Joseph’s Doora/ Barefield on Saturday August 10th in Cratloe at 17:00

Round 2 vs Ruan (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 vs Clarecastle (September 6th/7th/8th)

“The lads have trained hard. We didn’t get the results we wanted in the league but we are building for the championship. We’re going to take it one game at a time and see how things go. We have a good few young lads who got a taste of it last year and will likely get more exposure this year.” – Derek Conway.

Group 2:

SIXMILEBRIDGE

Management: Pat Keane (Manager), Eamonn Healy, Seamus Cusack

Captain: Cillian Custy

Key Player: Dara Fitzgerald

One to watch: Matthew O’Halloran

Fresh Blood: Mark Sheedy, Matthew O’Halloran, Callum Phelan, Michael Carey, Lee Mulready

Departure Gate: Kevin Lynch (emigrated), Evan McInerney, Colin Kelly

Treatment table: Ronan Tuohy, Oisin Breen

Last year: Beaten in the final by Co-

rofin

Schedule:

Round 1 v Tubber on Saturday August 10th in Páirc Finne, Corofin at 19:30

Round 2 v Newmarket-on-Fergus (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 v Ogonnelloe (September 6th/7th/8th)

“We hope to progress from last year, but right now the focus is on getting out of the group. We have a tough opener against Tubber who have a lot of good hurlers.” – Pat Keane.

TUBBER

Management: Pat Taaffe (manager); Rory Gantley (coach), Ivan Conway, Mike Coen (S&C), Pascal Lee.

Captain: Patrick O’Connor

Key Player: Ronan Monahan

One to watch: Senan Dunford

Fresh Blood: Osgar Dunford, Joe Clancy, Oisin McNamara, Seanie McNamara, Alan Lee; Departure Gate: Aidan McNamara, (emigrated) Jonah Culligan (transferred)

Last year’s run: Failed to get out of the group.

Schedule:

Round 1 vs Sixmilebridge on Saturday August 10th in Páirc Finne, Corofin at 19:30

Round 2 vs Ogonnelloe (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 vs Newmarket-on-Fergus (September 6th/7th/8th)

“Like all clubs in all championships, our target is to win our first game and go on to get out of the group. Our focus is on the opening round as this sets one up for the year”, Pat Taaffe.

NEWMARKET-ONFERGUS

Management: Neil Ryan (manager); Donagh Keogh, David Barrett, Marty O’Hanlon, Shane Cusack

Captain: James Liddy

Key Player: Cathal Hayes

One to watch: Aaron Moroney

Fresh blood: James McInerney, Lee Freeman, Daniel Meehan, Alan O’Flanagan, Michael Power.

Departures Gate: Ronan Good, Darragh Burke, James Freeman

Treatment table: Eoghan McInerney (groin).

Last year’s run: Didn’t make it out

of the group.

Schedule:

Round 1 vs Ogonnelloe on Sunday August 11th in Glenomra Park, Broadford at 13:00

Round 2 vs Sixmilebridge (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 vs Tubber (September 6th/7th/8th)

“If you lose game one in a group of four you’ll struggle so we’ve been keeping our heads down, all we want is to turn up and do ourselves justice. Our goal every year has been to get out of the group, for our second team that would be a massive plus and that always has been our aim since we’ve been involved.” – Neil Ryan.

OGONNELLOE

Management: Michael Sheedy (manager), Martin Conlon (coach), John McMahon.

Captain: Barry Kiely

Key Player: Gearoid Sheedy

One to watch: Donnacadh McNulty

Fresh blood: Donnacadh McNulty, Ethan Harrington, Mikey Sheedy, Stephen Grady

Departures Gate: Sean Kickers, Colin Harte.

Treatment table: None.

Last year’s run: Didn’t get out of the group.

Schedule:

Round 1 vs Newmarket-on-Fergus on Sunday August 11th in Glenomra Park, Broadford at 13:00

Round 2 vs Tubber (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 vs Sixmilebridge (September 6th/7th/8th)

“We made the knockout stages in our first year in charge, we didn’t get out of the group last year, we were hit big time with injuries and we blooded a lot of young lads. We’d be hoping to get out of the group” – Martin Conlon.

Management: Leon Quirke (man-

by Páraic McMahon & Séamus Hayes paraic@clareecho.ie

Group 3: WOLFE TONES

Management: Barry Keane (manager); Bryan Williams (coach), Alan Cunningham (coach), Mike Hickey (coach), Paul O’Shea (selector); Clem Nihill (S&C/physio)

Captain: John Guilfoyle

Key Player: Daithi Lohan

One to watch: Evan O’Gorman

Fresh Blood: Niall Fitzgerald, Tadhg Fitzgerald, Sean Murphy, Gavin Carigg, Dylan Frawley, Jack Cunningham Departure Gate: Billy Connors

Treatment table: Jack Cunningham(hamstring), Rory Hayes (ankle) Peter McEvoy (hamstring); Luke Merrigan (ankle); Gavin Carigg (shoulder)

Last year’s run: Relegated from senior Schedule:

Round 1 v Broadford on Saturday August 10th in Meelick at 17:00 Round 2 v Killanena (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 v Bodyke (September 6th/7th/8th)

“We will be taking it game by game; While it is Broadford ‘s second team, they are after winning back to back under 21 B titles and they have a lot of players available. We will treat every team the same and right now we are not looking beyond the opening round. The first game is particularly important and this match has been our target since the cup campaign finished. Everything is geared towards Saturday,” - Barry Keane.

BROADFORD

Management: Sean McMahon (manager);Niall Moloney, Eoin O’Brien Bernard McMahon,, Danny Chaplin; Captain: James Gunning

Key Player: Padraig Hickey

One to watch: Mark Gunning

Fresh Blood: James Tuite, Sam Cooper, Mark Gunning Departure Gate: None

Treatment table: Paul Moloney (ankle), Darren McNamara (ACL), Eoin O’Brien (ACL)

Last year’s run: Won junior A championship Schedule:

Round 1 v Wolfe Tones on Saturday August 10th in Meelick at 17:00

Round 2 v Bodyke (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 v Killanena (September 6th/7th/8th)

“We go into this championship on the back of two major blows, the loss of selectors Seanie Kelleher and Joey O’Keeffe, both of whom died suddenly earlier in the year. We are thinking of them and their families and we know they will be looking down on us. Following our great win in the junior A championship last year, our aim is to compete at intermediate level. Our opening game is a really tough one as we face Wolfe Tones, one of the favourites for the title. After that we will face two East Clare neighbours in Bodyke and Killanena. We hope that our players will gain valuable experience in this competition,” Sean McMahon. KILLANENA

Management: Jason O’Brien, Alan McNamara, Enda Collins (coaches/ selectors); Declan Noonan (S&C).

Captain: Cathal Noonan

Key Player: Keith Smyth

One to watch: Ronan Keane

Fresh Blood: Ronan Keane, Departure Gate: None

Treatment table: Jason Keehan (muscle injury) Seamus Keane

Last year’s run: Survived relegation play off.

Schedule:

Round 1 v Bodyke on Saturday August 10th in Scariff at 18:00

Round 2 v Wolfe Tones (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 v Broadford (September 6th/7th/8th)

“This is a big game and we want to be competitive. We have had a lot of injuries for the past two years, a lot of key players didn’t play at all. They are available this year so we are hoping that they will get through. We can’t look too far ahead. Our focus is on Saturday evening. We got promoted from Division 3 in the league which was a boost for us,” – Jason O’Brien.

BODYKE

Management: Ger O’Halloran (manager), Patsy Fahy (coach), Liam Wiley (selector).

Captain: Éanna Doyle and Seán

Wiley

Key Player: Seán Wiley

One to watch: Eden Buckley

Fresh blood: Eden Buckley, Oscar Dowling, Thomas Molloy, Departures Gate: Cathal Doyle (emigrated), Treatment table: Cian Minogue (shoulders), Ian Murray (broken leg), Paddy Fitzgerald (ankle), Fionn Slattery (hamstring), Thomas Minogue (hamstring), Last year’s run: Eliminated in the quarter-finals by Sixmilebridge Schedule:

Round 1 vs Killanena on Saturday August 10th in Scariff at 18:00 Round 2 vs Broadford (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 vs Wolfe Tones (September 6th/7th/8th)

“The lads were disappointed to lose to Sixmilebridge in the quarter-final last year but they have bounced back admirably. They have trained well and we’re looking forward to the season, we have the injuries but we’re not dwelling on them, we’re not talking about them and we’re dealing with what we have and we’re preparing for the championship and looking to go a step further than the quarter-final" – Ger O’Halloran.

Group 4: TULLA

Management: Brian Quinn (manager); Barry Corbett (coach), Fintan Leamy (coach), Brian Lynch, Karl Quinn, Jason McCarthy (S&C).

Captain: Padraic Mulconroy

Key Player: David McInerney

One to watch: Éanna Culloo

Fresh blood: Colin Corbett, Mark Lynch, Éanna Culloo, Departures Gate: David Meehan, Conor Murphy, Treatment table: Tony Leyden (hamstring), Last year’s run: Lost in the semi-final to Sixmilebridge Schedule:

Round 1 vs Parteen/Meelick on Saturday August 10th in Clonlara at 14:30

Round 2 vs Whitegate (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 vs Inagh/Kilnamona (September 6th/7th/8th)

“We had a good chance the last few years to try get out of the intermediate, with two more teams down from senior for this campaign it brings with it a different intensity. If we can can get out of the group, we’ll have a go at it but it is a hard group to get out of. They are all difficult teams to beat, Inagh/Kilnamona and Parteen/Meelick are very strong while there will never be anything between ourselves and Whitegate, I think it is the toughest group of the four” – Brian Quinn.

PARTEEN-MEELICK

Management: Denis Barry (manager) Noel Ryan (coach), Benny McEvoy, Roddy McDermott.

Captain: Nathan Fox

Key Player: Jack Kirwan

One to watch: Tom Collins

Fresh blood: Noel Bridgeman.

Departures Gate: Phil Lavin (emigrated), Éanna Mulvihill (emigrated), David Small (emigrated)

Treatment table: None.

Last year’s run: Topped the group but lost out to Ruan in the quarter-finals.

Schedule:

Round 1 vs Tulla on Saturday August 10th in Clonlara at 14:30

Round 2 vs Inagh/Kilnamona (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 vs Whitegate (September 6th/7th/8th)

“We have a competitive group but it is a good group to be in, Tulla are very strong, Inagh/Kilnamona beat us in the league this year and Whitegate were senior two years ago so it is a tough ask to get out of the group.

“We were going well in the group stages the past two years but I don’t know what it is that has stopped us from pushing on in the knockout stages. If we can get out of this tough group then we’d like to go a step further in the knockout stages”

– Denis Barry WHITEGATE

Management: Niall Hayes (Manager), Gerry Spelmann (coach), Dermot Hayes (selector)

Captain: Ian Fahy

Key Player: Conor McDermott

One to watch: Conor Whelan

Fresh Blood: Mikey, Max and Harry Bogenberger Michael Heffernan, Daniel Tuohy, Kalum Fahy.

Departure Gate: Eoin Qurke, Ciaran Keenan , Thomas Hogan (emigrated)

Treatment table: Cian McDermott. Last year’s run: Lost quarter final to Tulla.

Schedule:

Round 1 v Inagh-Kilnamona on Sunday August 11th in Scariff at 13:00

Round 2 v Tulla (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 v Parteen-Meelick (September 6th/7th/8th)

“We have a very young team as we are re-building, We got to blood a lot of them in the league but this is a step up now, We will have to cope with the pace of the championship. In the first round we are facing a club with a lot of players while our numbers are small.” - Niall Hayes. INAGH/KILNAMONA

Management: Paul McInerney (manager), Flan Barry, Pat Barry

Captain: Paul O’Looney

Key Player: Keith Barry

One to watch: Jack Cullinan

Fresh Blood: Shane McInerney, Tom Barry,

Departure Gate: Cian McInerney,

Treatment table: Paul O’Looney (hamstring)

Titles Won: None

Last year’s run: Didn’t qualify from the group

Schedule:

Round 1 v Whitegate on Sunday August 11th in Scariff at 13:00

Round 2 v Parteen/Meelick (August 23rd/24th/25th)

Round 3 v Tulla (September 6th/7th/8th)

“Our primary target is to retain out status. We are not quite sure who we will have, so we will be waiting to see who will be used at senior before we can finalise our team. Everyone wants to play at the top grade”. – Paul McInerney.

Éire Óg emerge victorious over Kilmurry

Ibrickane in first round of Clare SFC

TUS CLARE SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP

1 ROUND 1

Éire Óg, Ínis 0-10 Kilmurry/Ibrickane 0-8

Venue: Cooraclare

Compiled by Páraic McMahon

STORY OF THE GAME

ÉIRE ÓG, ÍNIS

Frees For: 18 (6/12)

Wides: 9 (4/5)

Scores from play: 0-5

Spread of scorers: 6

Top scorer: Colm Walsh O'Loughlin (0-3, 2f's)

Bookings: David McNamara (34)

Own kickouts won: 16 out of 17 (94%)

KILMURRY/IBRICKANE

Frees For: 14 (8/6)

Wides: 9 (4/5)

Scores from play: 0-6

Spread of scorers: 5

Top scorer: Darren Cullinan (0-3, 2f's)

Bookings: Daniel Walsh (23), Diarmuid King (31)

Own kickouts won: 17 out of 19 (89%)

REFEREE: Niall Quinn (St. Joesph's Miltown Malbay)

MANAGER COMMENT “

Paul Madden, Éire Óg, Ínis manager

“It’s a championship which has come upon quite quick after all of the toos and fros with leagues, Clare’s All-Ireland run but we’re delighted to get started and we were delighted to get started coming into today before we ever played a game, we knew it was going to be a massive challenge, Kilmurry Ibrickane are a serious outfit and they are one hundred percent still in the championship race and we said that no matter what the result today, whoever won or lost, both teams are still in the championship afterwards.

For us we asked the lads for that bit of hunger that they talked about at the end of last year when we felt we weren’t fully at the races in a couple of games and subsequently went out, we asked the boys to show us that hunger and I thought

from the get-go we won fifty fifty challenges, we turned over a good bit of ball, we coughed up a good bit of ball but I thought our hunger and our effort was there, for me effort, hunger and attitude trumps everything else, the football will look after itself”.

David Egan, Kilmurry/Ibrickane manager

“Not the result we wanted and not even the performance we were looking for, I thought we were a little bit slow, I thought we were playing reasonably well in Cusack Cup games where we were moving the ball a little bit faster but fair play to Éire Óg, they slowed us down in the pockets, they were down three inter-county players and still managed to get a first round win which is testament to them, that group are together eight or nine years with their management and maybe that was the difference in the end, we’re still getting to know our lads but they had the guile and cuteness to get across the line”.

Lissycasey lay down a marker with 15 point win over Kilmihil

Venue: Captain Tubridy Park, Kilrush

Compiled by Páraic McMahon

STORY OF THE GAME

LISSYCASEY

Frees For: 13 (5/8)

Wides: 4 (1/3)

Scores from play: 2-10

Spread of scorers: 8

Top scorer: Shane Griffin (2-1)

Bookings: Conor Meaney (black card - 30)

Own kickouts won: 9 out of 13 (69%)

KILMIHILL Frees For: 11 (5/6) Wides: 6 (3/3)

Scores from play: 0-4

Spread of scorers: 4

Top scorer: Martin O'eary (0-3, f)

Bookings: Gavin Downes (36), Fionn Febbraro (black - 40, red - 61)

Own kickouts won: 18 out of 22 (82%)

REFEREE: Barry Kelly (St. Joesph's Miltown Malbay) l

second half we were solid and there was only going to be one winner”.

Mickey Doran, Kilmihill manager

'Horse' Moloney, Lissycasey manager

“It was a must-win game for both teams, we knew the importance of it, we’re delighted with the result, in general we played well and of course we got a great start which set the tone, we kept the scoreboard ticking and eventually once we got Connor Meaney back onto the field ten minutes into the

“We’re feeling like we didn’t turn up at all today. It’s funny, you can have different emotions after games especially after you lose them but it is one of disappointment today more than anything because we’ve a lot of work done, we had a level of confidence coming into this but not enough lads turned up and played the full game”.

TUS CLARE SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP 2 ROUND 1

St. Joseph's Doora/Barefield 1-9 St. Breckan's 1-7

Venue: Páirc Finne, Corofin

Compiled by Séamus Hayes

STORY OF THE GAME

ST. JOSEPH'S DOORA/ BAREFIELD

Frees For: 12 (6/6)

Wides: 8 (4/4)

Scores from play: 1-7

Spread of scorers: 6

Top scorer: Jack Hannan (1-1)

Bookings: Michael Nash (54)

Own kickouts won: 9 out of 11 (82%)

ST. BRECKAN'S Frees For: 20 (9/11) Wides: 3 (1/2)

Scores from play: 1-4

Spread of scorers: 4 Top scorer: Jamie Stack (0-4, 3f's)

Bookings: Pat Haugh (selector - 47), Cathal Morgan (60)

Own kickouts won: 13 out of 18 (72%)

REFEREE: Barry Keating (Lissycasey)

MANAGER COMMENT “

Donagh Vaughan, St. Joseph's Doora/Barefield manager

“We are delighted to deliver, things are moving well for this year.

In the first half we didn’t get enough shots away, the wind was a concern but we felt if we got some more shots away we were well capable of registering a few more scores, We had a lot more possession. In the second half we upped the workrate and delivered quite well”.

“We are four years around here, these lads are good mature senior footballers in Clare, they are fine players. We were confident we could get a result and thank God we did but it’s only the first round, only two points, There will be a lot of twists and turns in every group. We will park this and we will be back training on Tuesday night”.

Declan O'Keeffe, St. Breckan's manager

“To be fair St. Josephs were deserving winners. They looked like they wanted it a small bit more, they put some great passages of play together”.

“We knew it was going to be a battle, they had a lot of work done, that’s the way it turned it out, there was some good defending at the end by them when we might have scored another goal. Fair play to them. They deserved it on the evening”.

l Daryn Callinan tangles with Niall McMahon.

Photo by Mike Brennan

Cian Meaney holds off the challenge of Mikey Keating. Photo by Mike Brennan

l Nicky Hardiman battles with Joe McGann. Photo by Burren Eye Photography

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

Cratloe begin successful defence of county title with victory over Miltown

Kildysart take the spoils over Corofin in Clarecastle

TUS CLARE SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP 2 ROUND 1

Kildysart 0-12 Corofin 0-9

Venue: Clarecastle Compiled by Séamus Hayes

STORY OF THE GAME

KILDYSART

Frees For: 14 (9/5)

Wides: 9 (5/4)

Scores from play: 0-9

Spread of scorers: 7

Top scorer: Emmet

McMahon (0-3)

Bookings: None

Own kickouts won: 11 out of 14 (79%)

“ MANAGER COMMENT

Colm Collins, Cratloe manager

"It’s great to the get the two points and start off with a win. That’s mighty. The other big positive for us is that there’s no serious injury, which is very important. We need to improve. There’s a lot of areas we need to tidy up on. Miltown had us on the rack there at times and just didn’t convert. We need to be a lot more efficient.

"Today’s performance won’t win any Jack Daly. Miltown will be saying the same thing. It’s tough on them without the Cleary’s – their two main players. Hopefully we can improve and if we do, please god we can progress.

TUS CLARE SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP 3 ROUND 1

Cratloe 2-9 St. Joseph's Miltown Malbay 0-10

Venue: Clarecastle

Compiled by Ross O'Donoghue

CRATLOE Frees For: 9 (6/3)

Wides: 6 (4/2)

Scores from play: 2-4

Spread of scorers: 5

Top scorer: Cathal McInerney (2-5, 5f's)

Bookings: None

Own kickouts won: 17 (6/11)

COROFIN

Frees For: 19 (8/11)

Wides: 5 (2/3)

Scores from play: 0-5

Spread of scorers: 5

Top scorer: Gearoid

Cahill (0-5, 4f's)

Bookings: Gearoid

Kelly (46)

Own kickouts won: 16 out of 21 (76%)

REFEREE: Niall Quinn (St. Joseph's Miltown Malbay)

MANAGER COMMENT “

David Butler, Kildysart manager

“Winning the first round game is very important. Having said that we lost the opening round last year against Ennistymon but we managed to regroup and hit back, a lot of people thought it was doom and gloom after that loss. There was a lot of importance on this tie but, look, it’s a first win and that is all it is”.

“We have St Breckans next and after their first round result they will be coming with the kitchen sink. This was a good win but that’s all, we re-group now and go again”.

“We kicked some good points and that was important. There was a wind there, we worked some good scores but we also had some poor shot selections which we need to work on but the lads came good and we are pleased”.

Peadar O'Brien, Corofin manager

“They always held the edge and they were in control for a lot of it. We struggled to make an impact up front, especially in the first half”.

“We could never get level or get ahead. They were slightly better and kicked longer range points than we were able to do. Every time we got a point they were able to get one back. Best of luck to them. We have a lot to do now to get out of the group”.

ST. JOSEPH'S MILTOWN MALBAY Frees For: 9 (4/5) Wides: 13 (5/8)

Scores from play: 0-8

Spread of scorers: 5

Top scorer: Kieran Malone (0-3) & Cormac Murray (0-3, f)

Bookings: None Own kickouts won: 12 (7/5)

REFEREE: Fergal O'Brien (Broadford)

Martin Guerin, St. Joseph's Miltown Malbay manager

"We’ve a great group. They work really hard and they worked really hard today from start to finish. They never gave up. Even when the ref blew the whistle, we were still attacking their goals and that’s a good sign. There’s two more games and everyone else is going to be saying the same thing so we have to get ourselves back up quickly.

"We were playing the county champions and they are county champions for a reason. When their chances were there, they took them. When our chances were there, we didn’t. That was probably the difference. The decision making was better on their side. Look it. We’ll be disappointed but we’ll come again for sure.

"In the last six minutes, we left about four points behind us going for goals. Wrong decisions there so that’s something we’ll learn from".

Ennistymon comeback from six down to defeat Doonbeg

TUS CLARE SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP 3 ROUND 1

Ennistymon 1-7 Doonbeg 0-8

Venue: Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown Malbay

Compiled by Páraic McMahon

STORY OF THE GAME

ENNISTYMON

Frees For: 6 (1/5) Wides: 11 (6/5)

Scores from play: 1-5

Spread of scorers: 5

Top scorer: Diarmuid Fahy (1-2, f)

Bookings: Ger Quinaln (manager - 20), Eoin Rouine (42)

Own kickouts won: 15 out of 19 (79%)

DOONBEG

Frees For: 12 (3/9)

Wides: 11 (4/7)

Scores from play: 0-7

Spread of scorers: 5

Top scorer: Darragh Burns (0-4)

Bookings: Cathal Killeen (28)

Own kickouts won: 15 out of 19 (79%)

REFEREE: John O'Connell (Cooraclare)

John Keane, Doonbeg manager

“We didn’t panic I won’t lie, there was a nice bit of a gale in it and we know the character that is in our dressing room that the lads were never going to give up and they were never going to die, that is what we expected from them and we got it in spades”.

“The initial feeling is one of disappointment. We were in a good position at half time but standing out here in the pitch there is a strong breeze there and it caused us problems, we had chances in the second half against that strong wind which we didn’t take and that was the difference”.

"They seemed to have more options off the bench than we had and against that wind the lads had worked extremely hard so maybe that might have been a small factor in it”.

l Rory McMahon and Oisin Coyle surround Damien O’Loughlin. Photo by Burren Eye Photography

l Eoin O'Brien holds onto Podge Collins.

Photo by Ruth Griffin

l Joshua Vaughan wins the ball ahead of Jason Linnane.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Ger Quinlan, Ennistymon manager

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

CLARE IFC: TONES & KILRUSH WIN

EXPECTED, NAOMH EOIN STUN

COORACLARE & COOLMEEN PREVAIL WHILE GAELS DRAW WITH ENNISTYMON

Clare SHC Expert Preview: Leo Doyle

by Séamus Hayes

BODYKE’s Leo Doyle is well versed on Clare hurling, attending games across all grades a few times a week both as a keen follower of hurling and in his role as a commentator with Scariff Bay Community Radio.

Heading into the 2024 campaign he has some interesting views as to how the race for this season’s Canon Hamilton trophy.

He predicts Clonlara and Éire Óg will emerge from Group 1, “Clonlara are looking to build on last year and I believe training has gone well. In the first round they face a Ballyea team that has lost key players in Gary Brennan and Pearse Lillis to mention two. They have lost too many key players and the outstanding Tony Kelly can’t carry the whole lot every day”.

Waiting over thirty years for this title “could be significant for Éire Óg this year.

A lot of their players didn’t

have the extra commitment of being with County squads this year. Clooney/Quin, their opponents in the first round, are beset with injuries and it remains to be seen how many will be able to play a part this week. Ryan Taylor is back and that is a boost as is the decision to play Cillian Duggan in goals”.

Whether or not Conor Cleary is available to line out with Kilmaley will have a bearing on who will qualify from Group 2. “Feakle got to the semi-final last year and will be expected to build on that. It will be tight between Cratloe and Kilmaley as to who will qualify from the group with them and Cratloe may edge this particularly if Conor Cleary isn’t available for Kilmaley. Intermediate champions Corofin have lost some key players since last year and they could struggle to avoid being in the relegation play off”.

The meeting of neighbours Broadford and O’Callaghans Mills “is a great game to open the championship with. I expect Broadford to have built on last year and they might just have enough to get over

Chase for the Canon is 'the All-Ireland for many clubs'

by Séamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

THERE is hunger rather than a pressure to end the wait for hurling honours in Éire Óg while Sixmilebridge are determined to make amends for a disappointing 2023 campaign.

It’s over thirty years since the Canon Hamilton resided in Ennis for the winter. Expectation has been growing in recent years that Éire Óg are close to ending that long wait.

Éire Óg's, Cirán Russell spoke to The Clare Echo, and outlined, “a new year brings new excitement and we are really looking forward to the upcoming campaign. We have a lot of training done and we are looking forward to getting going. We have a lot of young lads in the panel this year”.

“Our hurling first round opponents are Clooney-Quin. We have played them a couple of times in the last few years. They are a strong and up and coming side. Look we have prepared well and we are looking forward to the campaign. If you

want to win these competitions you are going to have to beat every team that is taking part,” he said.

When asked if there is a pressure to end the long wait for glory in the Clare SHC, he responded, “I wouldn’t say pressure, it’s more a hunger. We got to the final two years ago but didn’t get over the line. We are hungry to give the people of Ennis a team to follow”.

“The first round is important for every club. For ourselves in the hurling we have been slow to start in recent years. This year there is no room for error with the group we have,” the Garda said.

Alex Morey has been Sixmilebridge’s top scorer in recent seasons and he is really looking forward to this season’s competition. “The whole county is on a high at the minute and it really makes for a great championship. Because of Clare’s great win they will be a bit of added interest this year. It’s always a great championship but there are probably more young lads coming to the games now. This is the

All-Ireland for the majority of clubs”.

He stressed that they are “not looking past the first round. Last year was very disappointing for us and we haven’t taken our eyes off the opening game against Doora/Barefield since the draw was made”.

He is proud of the fact that Sixmilebridge will field five adult teams across all championships this year, “Having five adult teams is a serious achievement for the club. Last year, our two junior panels had between 30 and 40 lads togging out, it’s great to have the numbers”.

“There is plenty of competition for places, serious competition between all teams and between the senior and intermediate squads. A lot of new lads played in the league which will have given them valuable experience.

“They (Doora/Barefield) will pose a serious threat, they have some lovely hurlers. We are training since late January, the first round is everything, getting points on the board takes the pressure off,” he concluded.

the line in this one”.

The other game in this group sees Inagh/Kilnamona take on Scariff. “Inagh/Kilnamona have struggled a little to recover from the county final loss of a few years ago. Scariff will be looking to Mark Rodgers to lead their charge. They did well last year and will want to build on that. I expect both Scariff and Inagh/Kilnamona to emerge from this group.

According to Leo “Group 4 is a very interesting group. Crusheen are great battlers but it’s hard to see them getting to the same level as last year. Newmarket-on-Fergus are cup champions and they are one of the sleeping giants. They should have enough to get over the line this week. There has to be a kick in Sixmilebridge while their first round opponents St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield are only recently back in senior ranks and it will take some time to develop. Sixmilebridge and Newmarket should qualify from this group”.

Overall Leo gives the nod to Clonlara to retain the title with “Inagh/Kilnamona their greatest threat”.

news@clareecho.ie

Eight clubs eager to mark their mark as ladies senior championship commences

CHAMPIONSHIP kicks off this weekend as the Banner

Ladies begin a drive for five with a chasing pack eager and confident of knocking them off their perch.

Given that the Banner Ladies did not contest this year’s league final, clubs across the county are hopeful that this could be their year of claiming the senior championship and ending the aspirations of the Ennis based club driving for five in a row.

Kilmurry Ibrickane head into the championship with the league title under their belts and are placed in an extremely competitive Group A alongside 2019 champions Kilmihil, last year’s beaten finalists West Clare Gaels and St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield who were pipped to league glory via a free taking competition.

Holders Banner Ladies are joined in Group B by intermediate champions St Joseph’s Miltown, Burren Gaels and Fergus Rovers.

Three teams will qualify from each group, the top side advances straight to the semi-finals with the second and third placed teams going to the quarter-finals.

Group A: KILMIHILL

Management: Timmy Ryan (manager), Alan Normoyle (selector), Eamon Donnelly (selector)

Captain: Rosie Currane

Key player: Ailish Considine

One to watch: Kate O’Gorman Fresh blood: Jenevieve Scullion Departures gate: Sarah Browne. Treatment table: None l

Schedule:

Round 1 vs West Clare Gaels on Sunday August 11th in St Michael’s Park Kilmihil at 14:00

Round 2 vs St Joseph’s Doora/ Barefield on Sunday August 25th in Gurteen

Round 3 vs Kilmurry Ibrickane on Sunday September 8th in Páirc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty

“We’re the same as everyone, we want to win every game play and

we’re not looking beyond the first game. The first round is our only home game, we’re determined to lay down a marker at home this year, home advantage is not a determining factor but it is important and we want to make it count,” –Timmy Ryan.

WEST CLARE GAELS

Management: Niall Bonfill (joint manager), Gearoid Lynch (joint manager), Sean Keogh (selector), Gerry McMahon (selector)

Captain: Grainne Harvey

Key player: Caoimhe Harvey One to watch: Grace Marrinan. Fresh blood: Aoife Keane, Faith Marrinan, Amy Roche, Amy Hogan, Susan McGrath, Heather Haugh, Eve Nagle.

Departures gate: Ruth Ferguson (overseas)

Treatment table: None.

Schedule:

Round 1 vs Kilmihil on Sunday August 11th in Kilmihil at 14:00

Round 2 vs Kilmurry Ibrickane on Sunday August 25th in Páirc Eoin, Cross

Round 3 vs St Joseph’s Doora/ Barefield on Sunday September 8th in Páirc Eoin, Cross

“Starting off the first day is the most important. We had a huge battle with Kilmihil in the semi-final last year which went all the way to the last kick of the game. It is a very tough group with Kilmurry Ibrickane, Kilmihil and Doora/ Barefield, it is a very tough group but our focus is to get off to a good start.

“The top team goes straight to a semi-final so all teams are targeting that but we’re away to Kilmihil for round one and that is the toughest possible start we could get, we’re looking forward to it” – Niall Bonfill.

ST. JOSEPH'S

DOORA/BAREFIELD

Management: Paddy Frawley (manager), Maria O’Loughlin (selector), Niall Gavin (selector), Mark Reidy (selector), Caomhán Ó Braoinnáin (selector), Seán Rouine (S&C)

Captain: Siofra Ní Chonaill

Key player: Aisling Reidy

One to watch: Eabha O’Driscoll

Fresh blood: None.

Departures gate: Chloe Towey (transferred)

Treatment table: None.

Schedule:

Round 1 vs Kilmurry Ibrickane on Sunday August 11th in Gurteen at 14:00

Round 2 vs Kilmihil on Sunday August 25th in Gurteen

Round 3 vs West Clare Gaels on Sunday September 8th in Páirc Eoin, Cross

“We’re going to take it game by game. The league was great preparation for the championship but the focus has been on championship and the first round no matter who opponents were. The league was a long time ago and it’s in the rear view mirror for us now”.

“It is a difficult group, the three teams in it against were semi-finalists last year along with the Banner who are in the other group. We can only look at round one and that is our total focus” – Paddy Frawley.

KILMURRY/IBRICKANE

Management: Niall Hickey (joint manager), Patrick O’Connor (joint manager), Gary Sexton (S&C)

Captain: Chloe Moloney

Key Player: Chloe Moloney

One to Watch: Kayla Darcy

Fresh blood: None.

Departures Gate: None.

Treatment table: Jessica Doohan (broken leg)

Schedule:

Round 1 vs St Joseph’s Doora/ Barefield on Sunday August 11th in Gurteen at 14:00

Round 2 vs West Clare Gaels on Sunday August 25th in Páirc Eoin, Cross

Round 3 vs Kilmihil on Sunday September 8th in Páirc Naomh

Mhuire, Quilty

“Every game in our group is going to be a fifty fifty battle. West Clare Gaels were in the final last year, we met Doora/Barefield in the league final this year and it took free kicks to separate us, there was only a kick of the ball in it. Kilmihil have been boosted by having the two Considines so all four teams are going to fancy their chances because it is so even.

“We can’t look past the first game, we want to get a win in the first round, we haven’t looked past Doora/Barefield but we want to go a step further than reaching the semi-finals last year” – Niall Hickey

(leg), Ciara Ferguson.

Schedule:

Round 1 vs Banner Ladies on August 11th in Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown Malbay at 14:00

Round 2 vs Fergus Rovers on August 25th in Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown Malbay

Round 3 vs Burren Gaels on September 8th in Páirc Ciosóg Carron

“Would I have looked for an easier game to start off in the championship than the Banner, I probably would but this is where we want to be, we want to reach the levels of the kingpins, the Banner are the kingpins.

“This panel a lot of them have been there for the last six years since I got involved, we’re hoping to give a good account of ourselves this year, our main aim would be to stay up and build for the next couple of years and if we can cause a shock along the way, why not” –Graham Kelly

BANNER LADIES

Management: JJ O’Dea (manager), Orla Kilkenny (coach, Dorothy Mee

Captain: Labhaoise Ryan

Key player: Laurie Ryan

One to watch: Laura Chesser

Fresh blood: Laura Chesser, Georgia White, Niamh Byrne.

Departures gate: Shannon Donovan, Alicia Malone, Grainne Nolan, Emma O’Driscoll, Niamh Keane, Shonagh Enright, Ciara Corbett, Siobhan McMahon, Treatment table: None

Schedule:

Round 1 vs St Joseph’s Miltown on Sunday August 11th in Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown Malbay at 14:00

and we’re hoping some new players might emerge. The best players are yet to come as I always say.

“People say we avoided the tough group but going back to Miltown won’t be easy, you have to aim for the first round”. – JJ O’Dea.

BURREN GAELS

Management: Eoin Keane (manager), Michael Keating, Mairead

Healy

Captain: TBC

Key player: Lizzy Roche

One to watch: Teresa Collins

Fresh blood: Lizzy Roche, Niamh O’Loughlin, Casey Tuohy, Ciara Mai O’Dwyer, Eileen Keating, Issy O’Connell, Lisa Murphy

Departure Gate: Emma Healy (overseas)

Treatment table: None

Schedule:

Round 1 vs Fergus Rovers on Sunday August 11th in Páirc Ciosog, Carron at 14:00

Round 2 vs Banner Ladies on Sunday August 25th in Ennis

Round 3 vs St Joseph’s Miltown on Sunday September 8th in Páirc Ciosog Carron (venue TBC).

“We want to get a good start in the championship and our aim from there is to get out of the group and push on from there. We had a solid league and got to a league semi-final and we want to build on that.

“We’ve targeted the first game, we want to get a good start and that will always help from going on from there”. – Eoin Keane

FERGUS ROVERS

Management: Barry Keating, Alan Culligan, Mairead Hayes, Patricia Meaney

Captain: Lauren Griffin

Key player: Louise Griffin One to watch: Ava Cotter Fresh blood: None.

Departures gate: Emma O’Connell.

Treatment table: Aine Slattery (leg), Rebecca Culligan (broken hand).

Schedule:

Round 1 vs Burren Gaels on Sunday August 11th in Páirc Ciosog, Carron at 14:00

Round 2 vs St Joseph’s Miltown on August 25th in Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown Malbay

Round 3 vs Banner Ladies on Sunday September 8th in Lissycasey

Management: Graham Kelly, Ger Malone, John O’Malley, Seamus

Byrne

Captain: Rachel Healy

Key Player: Áine Keane

One to Watch: Alva Devitt

Fresh blood: Sophie Nagle, Alva Devitt, Ria Foudy, Shauna Queally, Katie Meade, Áine O’Keeffe.

Departure Gate: None.

Treatment table: Abby Downes

Round 2 vs Burren Gaels on Sunday August 25th at Banner GAA Grounds

Round 3 vs Fergus Rovers on Sunday September 8th in Lissycasey

“To be honest we’ve been at the top for a long time and we knew this day was coming, the league proved that but that said the championship is different. The first round is so important, we still have good players

“Realistically you’d hope to get out of the group with the best will in the world and be aiming for a semi-final position but we are very young. We’re building for the future, this year with everything going our way we could get to a semi-final.

“We have a good group of young girls coming up and great underage teams but it is a big difference playing minor and senior. In ladies football there is never a huge gap between teams except between the top three who have well experienced senior teams, on any given day anything can happen” – Barry Keating.

Group B:

ST. JOSEPH'S MILTOWN

MALBAY

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

l Kilmihill attacker offloads the ball. Photo by Gerard O'Neill

l Kilmurry/Ibricakne ladies footballer.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

l Banner ladies captain of 2023, Claire Hehir. Photo by Burren Eye Photography

Scheffler Digs Deep for Gold in Paris

by PÁDRAIG MCGRATH

Held at the prestigious Le Golf National, the event drew immense crowds and global viewership, further solidifying golf's place in the Olympic pantheon. Le Golf National, located just outside Paris, is known for its challenging layout and picturesque scenery. The course, specifically chosen for the Olympic competition, is renowned for its undulating fairways, strategic water hazards, and large, undulating greens. The sport’s inclusion has been a topic of

debate, but the Paris event showcased why golf belongs in the Olympics.

The players themselves have expressed overwhelming support, with many highlighting the unique prestige of competing for their countries. Rory McIlroy remarked, “There’s nothing quite like representing your country on this stage. The Olympics bring something special out in all of us.”

The International Golf Federation has also been vocal about the positive impact of the Olympics on the sport's growth. By showcasing golf to a broader

audience, the Olympics have the potential to inspire the next generation of golfers from all corners of the globe.

Scottie Scheffler was again on peak form at the Olympics, adding a gold medal to this year’s impressive achievements. A final day with no dropshots of 62 strokes (-9), that started with birdies on his opening three holes followed by a roaring final stretch of six birdies on his back-nine was enough for Scheffler to secure first place in the men’s stroke play on Sunday, finishing on 19-under-par one ahead of Tommy Fleetwood. This is surely the icing on

Donegan selected on Curtis Cup team

by Páraic McMahon & Séamus Hayes paraic@clareecho.ie

ENNIS’ Áine Donegan is among the three Irish golfers to be selected on the 2024 Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team.

Sunningdale Golf Club will be the venue for the forty third staging of the Curtis Cup which will take place between Friday 30 August and Sunday 1 September. It is the most prestigious team trophy for women amateur golfers and contested biennially by teams representing Great Britain and Ireland and the United States. Lahinch Golf Club:

Captains John F McInerney’s prize was played for at Lahinch at the weekend when there was some excellent scoring.

Mark Hassett emerged as the winner adding 17 points in the play off to his 41 for the opening 18 holes for a total of 58. He had three to spare over Tom McAleese (38) with third spot filled by Brendan O'Doherty with 54. They were followed by Alan Guinane, John Molony, Ronan Mulvihill, Tom Sheils, Cian O’Mahony, Jarlath O’Halloran and Paul O’Connell, each with 52 points.

The captain’s prize to the seniors was played for on Saturday on the Castle course and resulted in victory for Bert Gleeson (17) with 39 points, from Michael Hen-

nessy (8) with 38 with third spot filled by Oliver Lennon (9) with 35.

A number of prize presentations will take place in the clubhouse in Lahinch on this Thursday August 8 at 9 p.m as follows

Ladies Club: Knox Cup (Chloe Duggan); Clahane Cup (Caroline Edwards); Nora Slattery Memorial Trophy (winner TBD) Ennis Golf Club: Captain Padraig Sutton's prize was played for at Ennis at the weekend and attracted an entry of 226 members. The top twenty seven qualified for a 9-hole playoff and at the end of play Paul Higgins was the winner with 91. Paul was followed home by Michael Sullivan with 93.5 and they were followed by Jim Griffin (99.5), Brendan Pyne (99.5), Philip Brigdale, Gerry Daly, Michael Byrt, Padraic McNicholas, John C. McNamara and Seamus Bowe . ts and Geraldine O’Mahoney (31) with 37 points.

Shannon Golf Club: Mary McGuane (40) with 69 nett won the special voucher competition at Shannon last week. Woodstock Golf Club:

There was a big entry for captain Jarlath Fahy’s prize at Woodstock at the weekend when David Quinn (17) emerged as the winner with 96 and he was the leading qualifier also.

He won from John O’Connor (17) with 98 who was followed by Cathal Kelly (29)

with 100. Mike Kelly (20) was fourth and he also had 100. Matthew McGrath (3) won the gross with 76.

The category winners were Aidan Mulcahy (10) with 106, Ollie McNamara (16) with 106 and Colin Higgins (19) with 106. Bernardo Kelly won the past captain’s prize with Eugene Conroy (27) winning the seniors category with 107

Captain Jarlath Fahy’s prize to the ladies at Woodstock was won by Mary Morgan with 70 nett from Eilis Neville with 78 nett and Anne Kilker, also with 78. Imelda Duffy won the 9 hole stableford competition with 16 points, Geraldine Lyons won the beginners section with 13 points, Grace O’Halloran won the junior girls section with 50 while the guests prize was won by Mary Sadlier with 30 points.

Dromoland Golf Club:

The weekend competition at Dromoland was a fourball in aid of Cahercalla Hospice which was won by Trish O’Brien and Brian Arthur with 49 points. They were one ahead of Eric Flynn and Stephen Bergin with third place filled by Ruairi Price and Shane Collins who also had 48 points.

Stephen Casey won the weekly 9 hole stableford competition with 21 points from John Earls with third spot filled by Sam Kaghazchi and they both returned 21 points also.

the cake for Scottie's 2024 season and proving he is the hottest player in golf.

Tommy Fleetwood gave a valiant performance, but a bogey on the 17th hole on his final round had him narrowly miss out on battling Scheffler for the gold. He was sporting a well-earned silver medal on the winner’s podium. While he may have felt a slight disappointment at missing out on the gold, Fleetwood was thrilled with his performance and time spent representing Team GB this week “Standing on that podium with a medal in front of the crowd was one of the most amazing

moments I’ve had as a golfer. So, I’ll remember all those times for the rest of my life.”

Hideki Matsuyama played consistently well throughout the tournament, and finished a shot behind Fleetwood to secure his bronze medal. Jon Rahm was looking promising, but four bogeys and a double bogey on his final 9 holes caused him to fall down the leaderboard. You could see the disappointment on Jon's face on the 18th as he missed yet another par putt on his final hole. France’s Victor Perez delighted his home crowd with an excellent 8-under-par final round, and he

finished in fourth only one behind Matsuyama. The Olympics continue to wow us with athletes of all talents giving it their all for their countries. It has to be one of the most special occasions for any sportsperson to compete to represent their country. You can see the disappointment on everyone's face when they don't perform to the best of their ability. They feel like they are letting down their nations as well as themselves. There surely can't be a bigger pressure than representing your country in the Olympics, which makes the event even more special to watch.

'A huge privilege to witness this in person' - Lahinch man involved in Ireland's swimming

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

A RECORD haul of seven medals has capped off the Paris Olympics as Team Ireland’s most successful to date.

In the swimming pool, Ireland has made a splash with Daniel Wiffen winning gold in the 800m and bronze in the 1500m while Mona

McSharry won bronze in the 100m breastroke final.

Lahinch’s Paul Talty played his part in their success as Head of Physical Preparation with Swim Ireland.

Speaking to The Clare Echo from Paris, Paul said, “What Mona and Dan have achieved this week is really special. This week's results are a testament to their hard work and commitment over many years to perfecting

their craft. The significance of these results for everyone in the Irish swimming community should not be underestimated.

“On a personal level, it is a huge privilege to witness all of this in person. Getting to see the Irish flag raised in an Olympic venue two days in a row is a memory that will stay with me forever. All of this is creating a great buzz around the team”.

l Paul Talty

CLARE CO.

COUNCIL

FAHY, CAHER, CO. CLARE

Michael Smyth intends to apply for permission for the construction of a dwelling house, garage, treatment unit and all associated site development works. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority Clare County Council, Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY

COUNCIL

SHESHIA, BELLHARBOUR, CO CLARE

Take notice that Eleanor Hunt intends to apply for permission for a new Dwelling House, install a Waste Water Treatmetn System & all other associated site and ancillary works at the above address.

The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the

offices of the planning authority, during its public opening hours.

A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL

DOCTOR’S HILL, KILFENORA, CO. CLARE

Take notice that Penny Bartlett intends to apply to the Planning Authority of Clare County Council for planning permission for development at Doctor’s Hill, Kilfenora, Co. Clare

The development will consist of three single storey extensions of 36.0sqM, 6.4sqM and 3.4sqM to front, side and rear of the existing dwelling, with site works.

The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours and that a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL BALLYGRIFFEY

SOUTH, ENNIS, CO CLARE

I, Ultan Mulqueen intend to apply for planning permission consequent to the grant of outline permission ref: P22/72 for development at Ballygriffey South, Ennis, Co Clare. The development will consist of the construction of a new two-storey 4 bedroom detached dwelling house with new garage, water treatment system, vehicular access, and the carrying out of all other ancillary works on site.

The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application. Such submissions or observations will be considered by the planning authority in making a decision on the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions or may refuse to grant permission.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL CAHIR, BALLINRUAN, CO. CLARE

Take notice that Siobhan and John Hull intend to apply to the Planning Authority for retention permission for the following alterations to their dwelling: an extension to the rear and side, first floor area with roof windows, changes to position and size of doors and windows at the above address. Also, for retention permission of a detached garage to the rear of the dwelling at the above address.

The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, New Road, Ennis, during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the planning authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks, beginning on the date of receipt by the planning authority of the application.

An Chuirt Duiche The District Court No. 86.3

Public Dance Halls Act, 1935 NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PUBLIC DANCING LICENCE

District Court Area of Ennis District No. 12

Sean O’ Driscoll as Nominee Applicant

TAKE NOTICE that the abovenamed Applicant Sean O’ Driscoll as nominee of iNua Limerick General Partner

Limited of Fourth Floor, 11 Anglesea Street, Ballintemple , Cork, Ireland intends to apply to the District Court at Ennis District Court on the 27 Sep 2024 at 10:30 for the grant of an Annual Dance Licence a Licence to use a particular place, to wit: LOCATION

Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa situate at Ennis Road, Limerick, Clare in court area and district aforesaid, for public dancing Dated this 01 Aug 2024 Signed Hassett Considine LLP Solicitor for Applicant Solicitors, 9 & 10 Carmody Street, Business Park Ennis, Clare

To the Garda Superintendent, at CT.Clare.CE@Garda.ie, Ennis Garda Station, Abbey Street, Ennis, Clare, V95 TR83

To the Fire Officer, at fireoff@ clarecoco.ie, Clare Fire Station, Ennis, Clare, V95 CD74

To the Co Council Official, at corporate@clarecoco.ie, Clare County Council, Ennis, Clare, V95 DXP2

To the District Court Clerk, Ennis District Court

An Chuirt Duiche The District Court No. 86.3

Public Dance Halls Act, 1935 NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PUBLIC DANCING LICENCE

District Court Area of Ennis District No. 12

Donal Lyne as Nominee

Applicant

TAKE NOTICE that the abovenamed Applicant Donal Lyne as nominee of Abbey River Investments Limited of 41 Abbey Street, Ennis, Clare, Ireland

intends to apply to the District Court at Ennis District Court on the 27 Sep 2024 at 10:30 for the grant of an Annual Dance Licence a Licence to use a particular place, to wit: LOCATION

Queen’s Hotel & Niteclub

Abbey Street Ennis Co. Clare situate at Abbey Street, Ennis, Clare, . in court area and district aforesaid, for public dancing. Dated this 01 Aug 2024

Signed Hassett Considine LLP

Solicitor for Applicant

Solicitors, 9 & 10 Carmody Street, Business Park Ennis, Clare

To the Garda Superintendent, at CT.Clare.CE@Garda.ie, Ennis Garda Station, Abbey Street, Ennis, Clare, V95 TR83

To the Fire Officer, at fireoff@ clarecoco.ie, Clare Fire Station, Ennis, Clare, V95 CD74

To the Co Council Official, at corporate@clarecoco.ie, Clare County Council, Ennis, Clare, V95 DXP2

To the District Court Clerk, Ennis District Court

Couple in mid 60s would like to buy a 4 bedroom detached house within 2km to 4km of Ennis town. Call John on 0871366057 for further details.

Recent Deaths

Garry, Alan Kildysart

FENNELL (née Hickey), Catherine Kilrush

Flynn, Tom Mullagh

O’BRIEN, DAME EDNA Tuamgraney

Torpey (née Scanlon), Joan Ennis

Vaughan, Liam Broadford

Linnane, Martin Ennis

McConnon (née Casey), Maureen

Marrinan, Micheal (Stan) Lisdoonvarna

O’Loghlen, Patrick Joseph (PJ) Lisdoonvarna

Long (née Howley), Theresa Ennis

McNamara (née Culloo), Louise Crusheen

SHAUGHNESSY (née Pearl), MAUREEN Scariff

White (Junior), James Tulla

Breen, Michael Kilrush

Carroll, Patrick (Pat) Ennistymon

Fennell (née Moore), Polly Kilrush

Hayes, Michael Quin

Jukna, Sofia Shannon

The Clare Echo Quiz

KILKEE QUIZ

1

Kilkee is located on what bay?

• Moore Bay

• The Bay of Bengal

• Guantánamo Bay

2Kilkee is home to the last remaining church of what religion in county Clare.

• Baptist

• Born again

• Methodist

3Kilkee was once named the premier bathing spot in what was then The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on the front page of what London based magazine?

• The Illustrated London News

• The London Magazine

• Time Out

4In 1836 a ship on its way from Liverpool to what US city sank drowning everyone aboard after being blown into a bay near Bishops Island, Kilkee?

• New York

• New Orleans

• Boston

5Kilkee was once the honeymoon destination of famous English writer Charlotte Brontë and her husband and poet Aubrey Thomas de Vere. Charlotte Brontë is best known for writing what classic novel?

• Jane Eyre

• Wuthering Heights

• Middlemarch

6Alfred, Lord Tennyson is another famous visitor to Kilkee. What is Alfred, Lord Tennyson famous for?

• Writing poetry

• Acting

• Boxing

7What famous revolutionary visited Kilkee in 1962

• Leon Trotsky

• Mahatma Gandhi

• Che Guevara

8Kilkee is home to a statue of what former academy award nominated actor

• Richard Harris

• Stephen Rea

• Liam Neeson

9That statue was unveiled in Kilkee in 2006 by what famous actor who once called the cliff walk in Kilkee “The finest public walk in the world”

• Matt Damon

• Russel Crowe

• George Clooney

10 What famous 20th century explorer and filmmaker called Kilkee the best place in Europe for diving and one of the top five in the world?

• Jacques Cousteau

• David Attenborough

• Bear Grylls

Spot the Difference

Last weeks Answers

Pictured l-r are Jane Clohessy; Ray O’Driscoll, Chief Operating Officer at The Shannon Airport Group; Aoife Corey; Hillary Cleary, Safety & Compliance Officer at The Shannon Airport Group and Brianna Heylmann

Photo by Brian Arthur

10 Jacques Cousteau

lQUESTION 8: Kilkee is home to a statue of what former academy award nominated actor

THIS WEEKS PUZZLES Aug 8th

Best Daily Word Search: 21 March 2019

WORD SEARCH

Antipathy

Centipede

Desktop

Fingertip

Hardtop

Hilltop

Laptop

Octopus

Rooftop

Stipple

Stopgap

Tippet

Tipster

Tiptoe

Topaz

Topcoat

The Clare Echo Crossword

Antipathy ()

More

7 Suitable (11) 8 Removal of abuses (6) 9 Indian tent (6) 10 Sea between Greece and Turkey (6) 12 Spanish rice dish (6)

Topic

Topper

Treetop

Wingtip

HOW TO PLAY Sudoku is a logic puzzle where you have to populate the grid with numbers. A number can appear only once in each row, column and house. Each puzzle can be solved using logic from the given information and requires no guesswork.

1 Female horse (4)

2 Resist (6)

3 Scottish New Year

celebration (8)

4 Black bird (4)

5 Hang loosely (6)

Centipede ()

. Desktop ()

. Fingertip ()

Hardtop ()

Hill ()

Fuss (3) 14 Science of plant life (6) 16 Kidnapper’s demand (6) 18 Sauntered (6) 20 Exaggerate (6) 22 Futility (11)

(/games/best-daily-word-search/? puzzleDate=20190321)

6 Harem (8)

11 Huge (8)

12 Marine mammal (8)

15 Slumbering (6) 17 Required (6)

19 Profound (4) 21 Twilight (4)