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Return of the Mac? n ‘Serious talk’ Irish Open & McIlroy will return to Clare after Doonbeg success n ‘Hundreds of jobs’ could be created off back of event, says local councillor by Paige Foley paige@clareecho.ie
l Referee John Bugler sees off Éire Óg hero Shane O’Donnell after his final game
Photo by Gerard O’Neill
THERE is “serious talk” of the Irish Open - and top class golfer such as Rory McIlroy returning to Clare. According to local sources, Clare has already been earmarked as the potential setting for the 2029 Irish Open. As councillors reflected on the Walker Cup in Lahinch and the Amgen Irish Open at Trump’s Doonbeg,
Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) said, “You know, there is talk of it returning in 2029… there is serious talk of it returning in 2029.” She said the experience of hosting the Walker Cup and Irish Open demonstrated the ability of Clare County Council and the community to host major events. Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal
District
Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) added that it could lead to an economic windfall, saying, “I do believe there will be hundreds of jobs in West Clare created due to the great events of this summer.” He pointed to Kilrush as an example, saying: “We may get a hotel out of it.” FULL STORY P6
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Drumming up fun at Harvest Festival
IN SPORT THIS WEEK...
The Ennis Harvest Festival took place last Sunday at the Showgrounds in Ennis. The annual event gets bigger every year and is a community celebration of music accessible to families and friends, in addition to a variety of workshops and stalls. It is a sister event to Clare Garden Festival celebrating Harvest Time with the joy of music at the wind-down of the season. Pictured enjoying a drum workshop are Michelle McMahon and her daughter Holly; (inset) festival organiser Carmen Cronin and Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle, Cathaoirleach of Ennis MD, are put through their paces at the Circus workshop.
INAGH-KILNAMONA SINK CHAMPS SPORT P38-44
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Newmarket woman Lucy launches Purple Run by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie
CLARE athlete and Olympian Lucy O’Brien joined Irish Rugby international Joe McCarthy in launching the 2026 Purple Run. Taking place throughout October, during Down Syndrome Awareness Month, the Purple Run is a flexible, month-long virtual fitness challenge. Members of the public are invited to walk, jog, or run a total marathon distance of 42km (26.2 miles) across the 31 days of October at their own pace. Lucy, from Newmarket-on-Fergus, is well placed to encourage supporters to sign up, as an athlete herself. Lucy avails of services in her local Clare branch of Down Syndrome Ireland, such as Zumba and drama classes. “I joined Shannon Flyers when I was 7. I competed in the Special Olympics Ireland Games 2026 in running and mini javelin, I won gold!” said Lucy. “I feel like the wind when I run, and I can throw far!” Offering advice for those taking part in Purple Run, she said: “Be confident, calm and enjoy it, have fun!” Every euro raised through the initiative will directly fund DSI’s core services nationwide, assisting individuals with Down syndrome through every milestone, from early intervention to inclusive education, clubs and classes, and employment opportunities. You can take part as an individual, group, school or workplace and raise funds for your local branch by signing up at purplerun.ie. Participants receive an exclusive, limited-edition Purple Run running top, a cal-
l Lucy O’Brien Photo by Shauna Clinton
endar to track their steps, and access to a Purple Run community Facebook page.
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 THE THE CLARE CLARE ECHO ECHO Thursday, Thursday, Sep Sep 17, 24, 2026 2026
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Taoiseach says distance Clare people Rail carpark travel to A&E ‘true of many counties’ bags €200k by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie
NO “false promises” will be made regarding the potential of a new hospital for Clare, An Taoiseach has said. During a visit to Ennis on Sunday to celebrate the centenary of Fianna Fáil at the annual Eamon de Valera commemoration, Taoiseach Micheál Martin (FF) said clinical advice not politics would determine the future of healthcare provision in the Mid-West region. Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (FG) in March announced plans to build a new hospital in Raheen to serve the Mid-West region with Clare once again overlooked. Sunday marked the first visit of the Taoiseach to Clare since the Amgen Irish Open in Doonbeg a fortnight previously. In West Clare, he made the comment that the golf “put this place on the map”. So far as healthcare is concerned, the people living in “this place” or Doonbeg are located 80km from the nearest emergency department, a trip of one hour and ten mintues provided there are no delays. When questioned by The Clare Echo as to what he would say to the people living in parts of Clare that don’t feel they are “on the map” when it comes to health ser-
l Ennis Fianna Fáil councillor and staunch Éire Óg man Pat Daly with Cork native Micheál Martin last Sunday Photo by Joe Buckley
vices and a dearth of Gardaí, the Taoiseach commented, “There’s no doubt that Doonbeg was put on the map globally in the context of The Irish Open, it was a very good day all round. A good number of days for Clare, for Doonbeg and for Ireland in terms of the international image and tourism is a very important industry for Clare and it would have been boosted by that. “In terms of the health situation, I think the broader position for acute hospitals more generally, a lot of work has been done. “There is work underway in terms of the proper configuration of health services across the Mid-
West including Clare, Limerick and Tipperary,” he added. “We will keep the situation under review on the type of services we will locate on hospital campuses, that work is underway”. Many residents of Clare are living over an hour from their nearest emergency department, one which is consistently one of the most over-crowded in the country. “That is true in many counties,” the Taoiseach said of the distance people have to travel to access an emergency department in life or death situations. Services will continue to be reviewed but false promises will not be issued, the Taoiseach told The
Clare Echo. “As population increases and as it evolves we’re reviewing services on a continuing basis, I’m not going to make false promises or make commitments that in the modern era are going to be very difficult to fulfil. “I think what is required is listening to the clinical advice. We have moved things on a lot compared to where we were 10 or 20 years ago compared to the first responders and national emergency care council, that has made a fundamental shift in terms of emergency care. We will continue to work to try create the best provision of health care, as close as we possibly can to the people in the community and primary care which has increased exponentially over the last two decades”. Of Clare’s population of 130,000, in the region of 32,000 are patients travelling to University Hospital Limerick and University Hospital Galway, figures which according to health campaigners justify the need for a model three hospital in Clare. “We will take clinical advice on that, where appropriate additional services can be located as close as possible to people, there is work underway and we will wait and take advice on what is optimal and best for the people for care and outcomes.”
by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie
New figures provided by the CEO of Irish Rail, Mary Considine show that the train station car park at Ennis last year raised €85,754 — a 29.5 per cent increase on the €66,209 raised in 2024. The €85,754 in fees generated by Ennis last year compares to Limerick city’s station, Colbert Station generating €442,093 in 2025 while Limerick Junction’s carpark raised €152,661. Overall last year, revenues raised by Irish Rail’s network of carparks serving train stations across the country last year increased by 9pc to €7.9m. The figures show that one station alone, Kent Station in Cork city, generated over €1.05m in car-parking fees in 2025, well ahead of the car-park fees generated at Irish Rail’s busiest train station at Heuston in Dublin where fees of €747,241 were raised. In information provided arising from a written Dáil question by Aidan Farrelly (SocDem), the figures provided by former CEO of the Shannon Group, and Lissycasey woman, Ms Considine show that the car-parking operations at commuter stations around Dublin performed strongly. One of the other top performers was Mallow train station where car parking revenues last year totalled €269,656. Head of Corporate Communications at Irish Rail, Barry Kenny said that the fees generated from train station car parks “is important revenue, and assists in both general income and in car park maintenance”. Mr Kenny said that the car-parking charges “are very competitive, and are structured to provide significant discounts to regular commuters”.
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‘Serious talk’ of Irish Open returning to County Clare by Paige Foley paige@clareecho.ie
THERE is “serious talk” of the Irish Open returning to Clare in 2029, according to a West Clare councillor. Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) made the comments at the September meeting of the West Clare Municipal District as councillors reflected on the Walker Cup in Lahinch and the Amgen Irish Open in Doonbeg. Cllr McInerney said the experience of hosting the Irish Open had provided an opportunity for the community and Clare County Council to learn what worked and what could be improved. “And I think, you know, there is talk of it returning in 2029… there is serious talk of it returning in 2029,” she said. She said the Council had learned a lot as a community from hosting the event and highlighted the difference between staging the Irish Open in Doonbeg and previously hosting it in Lahinch. “It was a different entity to Lahinch - it was a completely different animal to work around,” she said. Cllr McInerney said the experience demonstrated the ability of Clare County Council and the local com-
l Young spectators from Kilkee in Doonbeg Photo by Joe Buckley
munity to work together to host a major international event. Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) also praised the work carried out by Council staff and local communities in Lahinch and Doonbeg. He said the events had created a positive image for Clare and West Clare around the world and provided a foundation for hosting international events in the future. “I do believe there will be hundreds of jobs in West Clare created due to the great events of this summer,” he said. Cllr Shannon said the events could create employment in tourism and other sectors and provide confidence for investment. He pointed to Kilrush as an example, saying: “We may get
a hotel out of it if the confidence is there.” Cllr Bill Slattery (FG) thanked the council teams in Lahinch for their work during the Walker Cup and praised the Ennistymon office and the team in Kilrush for their work on the Irish Open in Doonbeg. Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) said he was “still stunned” by the ability of council staff to deliver the events while continuing with their day-today work. “The whole team just have to say well done. We’re very lucky to have such a dedicated crew,” he said. Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) said Clare’s teams had become very good at delivering large events in recent years, noting the Irish Open in Lahinch in 2019. “They are world class events,” he said. Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme
New Horizons for Clare Haven Clare Haven Horizons is celebrating an exciting new chapter with the launch of its rebrand, marking not only the introduction of a new identity for its charity superstore, but also the remarkable journey that has brought to a 10,000 sq. ft destination and Ireland’s first charity superstore. The rebrand launch was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate just how far the organisation has come, while bringing together the people who have played such an important role in that journey. The day was filled with a brilliant, positive atmosphere, with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony, celebration cake and plenty of time for the Clare Haven Horizons team, volunteers, Board of Directors, customers and supporters to come together and mark the occasion. Pictured cutting of the ribbon are Mairead Mannion, Cllr Joe Kileen, Mayor of Clare, Susan Walsh & Carol Buckley; and (inset) cutting the cake are Kathleen Fitzgerald, Colette Reddington, Carol Buckley, Susan Walsh & Cliodhna Reddington
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Questions around Kilkee water plant by Paige Foley paige@clareecho.ie
A CALL has been made for Uisce Éireann to hold a public information evening in Kilkee to provide clarity on proposals for a new wastewater treatment plant. The issue was raised at the September meeting of the West Clare Municipal District by Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG). Cllr Keating said he received correspondence from residents about the proposed wastewater treatment plant in recent months and wanted Uisce Éireann to come to Kilkee to explain its proposals. Cllr Keating said he wanted to see whether “common ground” could be found with Uisce Éireann and called for better understanding of the issues being raised. “I am proposing that we write to request that Uisce Éireann hold a public information evening regarding the proposed Kilkee Wastewater Treatment Plant and clear the air once and for all,” he said. According to information published on Uisce Éireann’s website, the project is intended to end the discharge of untreated wastewater to Intrinsic Bay. Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) supported the proposal. Cllr Ian Lynch (Ind) said Uisce Éireann may not be in a position to comment while the matter remained in the legal process. Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) said Uisce Éireann would “hide behind it”. The comments come amid an ongoing legal challenge relating to the proposed development. The High Court dismissed the judicial review challenge in July, but campaigners have sought leave to appeal the judgment directly to the Supreme Court. Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme
Naoise was one of the greats by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie
REGARDED as one of the most skilful hurlers of all time, Naoise Jordan in his 88 years created a lasting legacy that spans far beyond the game. On Sunday before last, he was laid to rest in Ballycannon Cemetery, Meelick, following his funeral mass at St Patrick’s Church in Parteen with throngs of mourners paying their respects. Born in Whitegate, Naoise moved to Parteen in 1977 with his adored wife Patsy where they built a home and a family that saw the arrival of their children Ruth, Tony and Raymond followed by their grand-children Rachel, Jack, Harry, Paul, Sadhbh, Josh, Paddy, Lia, Naoise and Abbie. Regarded as one of the best corner forwards in the 60s, Naoise was named on Team of the Millennium, “I certainly didn’t expect it. The full-forward line in the team I picked myself included Jimmy Smyth, Tull Considine and Pa Joe Quane,” he recalled at the time. Across all grades he
l Naoise Jordan was recently laid to rest in Meelick
would make 67 appearances for Clare, his last at senior level in 1969. When he was called up to the Clare senior panel in 1957, Naoise was working as an apprentice carpenter for McInerneys in Cork City. “Dan McInerney used to drop by every Friday afternoon at 3pm and take me away for training. It was a great experience to be taken under his wing,” he said in a 1999 interview. He had an ability to send the Clare crowd wild with his skill and scores including when he hit 1-2
against Kilkenny in the National Hurling League, taking a pass from Michael Arthur before sending the sliotar beyond Ollie Walsh for the goal. A former president of Clare GAA, Naoise maintained a lifelong involvement in all aspects of the GAA including chairing the committee to erect a statue of Michael Cusack outside Cusack Park. In 2011, he collaborated with Ollie Byrnes and Domhnall Ó Loingsigh on the book ‘Clare Hurling Captains’ which profiled the 76 men who led Clare
in senior championship hurling from 1887 to 2010. When Whitegate won the Clare SHC in 1961, Naoise was one of the leading figures on the side captained by Jack Kenneally. They defeated Newmarket-on-Fergus 5-7 3-9 in the final. Such is his esteem within Whitegate that in December 2012 he was entered into the Whitegate GAA Hall of Fame. His first senior hurling game for Whitegate was against Feakle, aged 15. His first point was disallowed by Scariff referee Des Carroll. He struck the ball goalwards, as it was sailing over the bar, the Angelus bell rang out, the referee immediately stopped play to allow everyone say the Angelus. Seconds later, play resumed with a throw-in. Fortunately for Whitegate supporters, there would be many memorable scores to make up for this. Parteen also benefitted from Naoise’s expertise and passion. He and his wife Patsy, a native of Clonlara, moved there in 1977 and the club won the Junior B League and
Championship in his first year, marking their first success in 28 years. In 1989, he with Michael Doyle and Brian Madden were in charge of the Parteen side that won the Clare IHC, in 1999 he coached the Parteen minors to championship glory. Generations of young hurlers were inspired by Naoise including those that played under him. He was a selector of the East Clare U16 hurling team which played Waterford in 1988 to mark the official opening of the Mackey Stand in the Gaelic Grounds. Future Irish rugby greats Anthony Foley and Keith Wood were under his watch that day. In a tribute, Whitegate GAA remembered Naoise as “one of our greatest sons”. It added, “To the wider GAA world, Naoise was a legendary Clare hurler and a respected former President of Clare GAA. But to everyone here in Whitegate, he was a pioneer who helped define the modern era of Whitegate hurling”. Extended version of this article is available at www. clareecho.ie.
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Calls for homeless drop-in centre by Paige Foley paige@clareecho.ie
A CALL has been made for a daytime drop-in centre for people experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping in Ennis. In a motionat the September meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) asked the Executive team to convene a meeting of relevant stakeholders, including statutory agencies, homeless charities, outreach teams, addiction and mental health services and volunteer groups, to examine the establishment of a daytime drop-in centre in Ennis. In response, Senior Executive Officer Pádraig McCormaic said the Clare Homeless Action Team had identified the potential for such a facility. He said the team welcomed input and suggestions from interested parties, particularly regarding a suitable and available space. Mr McCormaic said key stakeholders in the area were already part of the Mid-West Regional Homeless Forum, led by Limerick City and County Council. The forum includes repre-
l Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) noted that Ennis does not have a daytime drop-in centre
sentatives from Clare County Council, the HSE, Prison Service, Probation Service, Education and Training Board, Department of Social Protection, Regional Drugs Task Force, Tusla, ADAPT and a number of approved housing bodies. “I will bring this motion to their attention for the next meeting and start exploring options around same,” Mr McCormaic said. He added that any proposal subsequently brought forward to the Mid-West Homeless Strategic Management Team would require
multi-year funding and resource commitments from all involved. Cllr Guilfoyle said Ennis currently did not have a daytime drop-in centre and welcomed the council’s response. “Here’s to Ennis one day having a centre,” he said. Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF), who seconded the motion, said he was “shocked” by how a simple event of trauma could affect a person’s circumstances. He pointed to events such as a relationship breakdown, bereavement or loss of employment as situations that
could have a significant impact on someone’s life. He described a daytime facility as a “necessity”, saying that someone who needed help should have somewhere they could go. Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF) described the motion as “fantastic” and said homelessness in Ennis could sometimes be hidden. She referred to people living in bed-and-breakfaststyle accommodation who could have nowhere to go during the day. She said people could be left walking around for eight or nine hours, which she described as “hard to fathom”. Deputy Mayor Cllr Mary Howard (FG) said she would “love to see it come to fruition” and that issues involving addiction, mental health and people falling on hard times needed to be approached compassionately. Concluding the discussion, Cllr Guilfoyle said the proposal had come from conversations with relevant stakeholders. He said the central issue was the “fact that they have no where to go”. Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme
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Fresh push to ‘keep people in Clare’ amid rise of staycations by Paige Foley paige@clareecho.ie
l Tadhg Beirne, Brian Gleeson, Ian Flanagan Munster
Rugby CEO, Craig Casey, Mick Guinee Founder & Chairman Ei Electronics, Emma Dunican, Leo Clancy CEO Ei Electronics, Tuathla Ryan and Sally Kelly
Ei teams up with Munster
SHANNON headquartered Ei Electronics have signed a five year-sponsorship agreement with Munster rugby. Munster jerseys will now feature the Ei Electronics on the right sleeve for both senior men’s and women’s teams between now and the 2030/31 season. Founder and Chairman of Ei Electronics, Mick Guinee stated, “For several years we have been seeking the right opportunity to sponsor our provincial team and now I believe we have found it. Our logo on the sleeve of all jerseys will give exposure to our brand nationally and internationally. As an Irish Company based in Shannon and with employees from Clare, Limerick, Cork, Kerry, Tipperary and Waterford, we are proud to support Munster Rugby”. Head of Commercial and Marketing with Munster Rugby, Dave Kavanagh said they were “delighted” to partner “with such a successful Irish company like Ei Electronics. We are looking forward to bringing the Ei Electronics brand to European audiences through the Ei logo on the sleeve of all our jerseys for both the senior men’s and women’s squads”. Founded in 1988, Ei Electronics employs 1100 people in Shannon and another 250 in overseas subsidiaries. The company is a world leader in Home Life Safety and is best known as the manufacturer of smoke alarms, with more than 100 million alarms ‘keeping families safe and well in their homes across the globe’.
CLARE has a “significant opportunity” to grow its staycation market as more people look for alternatives to traditional overseas holidays, according to a Clare councillor. Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) made the call at the September meeting of Clare County Council, where he urged the Government to recognise the “significant opportunity” presented by changing European holiday patterns and invest in tourism infrastructure and public amenities. His written motion called for a dedicated multi-annual funding package for Fáilte Ireland and local authorities to improve beaches, public spaces, walking and cycling routes, outdoor recreation, visitor facilities and family amenities. Cllr Lynch also called for a strong national promotional campaign encouraging Irish families to “holiday at home and discover the quality and diversity of destinations available throughout Ireland”. Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Lynch said changing holiday patterns due to increasingly frequent periods of extreme heat in traditional overseas destinations presented an opportunity for Ireland. “As Irish people, we are not used to the heat,” he said. He said there had been a rise in staycations following the Covid-19
l CALLS: Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) pandemic and that there was an opportunity to build on this, particularly in Clare. However, Cllr Lynch said the county was struggling to financially manage basic facilities, never mind investing in new ones. He said while some established tourist destinations were performing well, pointing to the Cliffs of Moher as an example, more needed to be done to develop other areas. Cllr Lynch said there was a need to keep people in Ireland rather than seeing them travel abroad and that tourism infrastructure needed to be refocused. Cllr Mary Howard (FG), who seconded the motion, said she was delighted to support it. She said she had heard the term “coolcation” on the radio, referring to people travelling to mainland Europe in search of cooler temperatures.
Cllr Howard said Ireland needed to be promoted as a holiday destination, particularly given the international exposure generated by major sporting events. She pointed to the recent golf tournaments and Katie Taylor’s fight as opportunities to promote Ireland to a wider audience. “It’s a great opportunity to promote ourselves,” she said. Cllr Howard said Clare had a wide range of attractions and that “we have it all here in County Clare”. Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) also supported the motion, pointing to the “vibrant” atmosphere in Lahinch and Doonbeg during the recent golf event. “We have to keep people in the county,” he said. Cllr Garrihy also called for investment in campervan parks around the county, saying Clare needed to focus on keeping visitors in the county. Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF) also backed the motion, saying the weather had been “phenomenal” and that Clare had fantastic attractions capable of attracting large numbers of visitors. The motion called for the investment to have a particular focus on regional and rural destinations, with the economic benefits of increased domestic tourism retained within local communities and supporting local businesses, employment and the wider rural economy. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
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Bid to attract new employer to former Roche site by Paige Foley paige@clareecho.ie
CLARE County Council is working with Roche and State enterprise agencies to promote the former Roche site in Clarecastle to potential investors. The update was given in response to a question from Mayor of Ennis Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) at the September meeting of Clare County Council. Cllr Guilfoyle asked what proactive measures the council was undertaking to facilitate Roche in the sale of its Clarecastle site. He said securing a replacement quality employer and a substantial ratepayer was crucial to the local economy following Roche’s departure from the county. In a written response, Director of Finance, Investment and Enterprise Noleen Fitzgerald said the council recognised the strategic importance
of the former Roche site because of its location and potential to support future economic activity and employment. The site is identified as an opportunity site in the Clare County Development Plan and as a transformational site in the Ennis 2040 strategy. Ms Fitzgerald said this reflected its significance as a substantial landholding with existing services, infrastructure and connectivity. Members of the Clare County Council Senior Team are represented on a working group established with the Roche senior team. Through this structure, the council continues to engage with Roche on the future of the site, including supporting its repositioning and promotion for potential investment. The council’s Investment and Economic Development teams are also highlighting
l Members of Clare County Council Senior team are on a working group established in conjuunction with the Roche senior team
the site in engagements with national enterprise agencies including IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. Ms Fitzgerald said the council had facilitated the development and publication of a promotional brochure highlighting the key attributes of the site. The site has also been referenced in presentations and discussions with visiting companies
and country representatives, with its location, services and potential for future enterprise development being promoted. Cross-directorate teams in areas including biodiversity, environment and housing, as well as the Ennis Municipal District, continue to engage directly with Roche on matters relating to the site. The Town Centre First
Team is also linked with the Clarecastle community group and Roche in relation to supporting the community in delivering its community plan. Ms Fitzgerald said the council would continue to work with Roche, State agencies and potential investors to support the identification of an appropriate future use for the site. The objective, she
Solution sought on Newmarket flooding THE local drainage network has been cleaned in recent weeks, reports Paige Foley, as discussions continue with a landowner over a solution to repeated flooding in the Ballinoosky/Urlanbeg area of Newmarket-on-Fergus. The update was given at the September meeting of the Shannon Municipal District following a Notice of Motion from Leas-Chathaoirleach Cllr David Griffin (FF). Cllr Griffin had asked the Shannon MD to provide an update on plans to address the repeated flooding issue in the area. In a written response, A/Senior Executive Engineer Caimin Dillon said discussions were ongoing with a local landowner to provide a solution to the issue. “The local drainage network has been cleaned in recent weeks,” he said. Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Griffin said he was happy with the response. The motion was seconded by Cllr Rachel Hartigan (FF). Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
Cratloe welcomes fresh road markings
ROAD markings around Cratloe and Meelick are being refreshed, with further works to be considered in the next phase, reports Paige Foley. The update was given at the September meeting of the Shannon Municipal District following a Notice of Motion from Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF) requesting road markings around Cratloe and Meelick to be replacde where necessary, particularly around bends and dangerous junctions. In a written response, A/Senior Executive Engineer Caimin Dillon said road markings were currently being refreshed in the areas. Cllr O’Gorman noted some road markings had already been realigned since he submitted the motion. He highlighted the markings around “bad bends” and thanked council officials for the response. The motion was seconded by Cllr Rachel Hartigan (FF). Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
said, was to secure quality employment opportunities, strengthen the commercial rates base and support the wider economic resilience of Clarecastle and Clare. The council has also scheduled engagement with elected members and IDA Ireland in the coming weeks to discuss the agency’s wider role in supporting enterprise investment and economic development opportunities in the county. Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Guilfoyle thanked the council for what he described as a “very informative and very proactive” response. He said the Roche site was a key site for the Ennis Municipal District. Cllr Guilfoyle said he wanted to see a quality employer brought to a site “that has everything
for someone to bring a facility to”. Meanwhile, Deputy Cathal Crowe raised the issue directly with the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment via a Parliamentary Question, seeking a formal update on the targeted steps being taken by the Department, IDA Ireland, and Enterprise Ireland to secure a sustainable long-term employer for the 88-acre campus. The Minister confirmed that IDA Ireland’s regional, property, and overseas teams are actively marketing the facility across their global network to secure new inward investment, coordinating directly with senior Roche leadership and Clare Co Council. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
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LAUNCH OF
County Clare European Volunteering Capital 2027 MORE than 450 people gathered in Ennis as County Clare formally launched its programme as European Volunteering Capital 2027. The event at Treacys West County Hotel brought together volunteers, community groups, voluntary organisations and public representatives from across the county ahead of a year-long programme of festivals, recognition events, storytelling projects and initiatives aimed at encouraging more people to become involved in volunteering. More than 40 voluntary and community organisations took part in a showcase. The official Clare 2027 website, www.clare2027.ie, was also launched. Clare was awarded the title by the Centre for European Volunteering (CEV), following a joint bid by Clare County Council and Clare Volunteer Centre. Some of the members of the EVCapital 2027 stakeholders group pictured at the launch
MC Alan Morrissey speaking with Cathaoirleach Cllr Joe Killeen; Clare County Council Chief Executive Gordon Daly; Sharon Meaney, Clare Volunteer Centre; and Stuart Garland, Volunteering Ireland
Marguerita Heffernan, Olena Bondar, Sharon Meaney, Niamh Meaney and Aoise Meaney of Clare Volunteer Centre
Vincent Cooley, Mariia Shcherbakova, Caitlin Churchward, Solange Kawara and Franciskek Kamuda of Clare Youth Service
Photo byPáraic McMahon
James Organ (Corofin Town Teams) speaking to MC Alan Morrissey
Jason Murphy (Director of Services), Kay Nolan, Cllr Joe Killeen (Cathaoirleach), Gordon Daly (Chief Executive), Leonore O’Neill (SEO), and Brendan Boyce (all of Clare County Council)
Ellen Mulcahy, Catherine Ryan and Pat Sexton of Clare Sports Partnership
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
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‘I can’t comprehend it myself’ - Clare hurling legend Shane O’Donnell hangs up his boots by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie
SHANE O’Donnell has played his last competitive hurling game with Éire Óg’s exit from the Clare SHC signalling the end of a glittering career. It began in the town of Ennis and fittingly O’Donnell’s hurling story ended in Cusack Park. Éire Óg’s seven point loss to Inagh/Kilnamona in Sunday’s Clare SHC semi-final saw them dethroned as county champions but also marked the conclusion of Shane’s hurling story. He chipped in with 0-2 and as ever was lively and menacing every time he got the sliotar in his hands but there was no disputing that Inagh/Kilnamona were the superior side on the day and deserving of their victory. As he made his way into the dressing room accompanied by older brother Marc, Shane received a round of applause from supporters of all sides and neutrals, all putting their hands together in appreciation for a career to treasure. Two All-Ireland SHC medals from 2013 and 2024, All Stars in 2022, 2023 and 2024, Hurler of the Year in 2024, All-Ireland and Munster U21 championships in 2013 and 2014 plus Éire Óg’s Clare SHC success of 2025 formed part of a storied career for the boy from Ballybeg. Only in time will he begin to appreciate what he achieved on the hurling field. “I can’t comprehend it myself even, only in time or maybe next year when I’m watching the club will it hit me. “I spent the last minute thinking this will be strange but it feels the exact same, I’ve lost many games with Éire Óg and it feels the same as that. “I’m extremely disappointed and thinking what if, I don’t know what it is like to not play, it is strange to know it won’t happen again and that I won’t be standing in the dressing room again”. Seeing the appreciation from the people of
l Shane with one of his last competitive pucks of the ball last weekend in the semi-final
Clare, Ennis and further afield has always been special, Shane said while touching on the nice gesture as he was clapped into the dressing room. “It comes in waves, it feels like any loss but then something like that (getting clapped into the dressing room) happens and it catches you off guard a little bit and you have a tear in your eye, it was very nice and people have been incredible. “This year when I’ve said I was leaving people have sent me very nice messages and letters, the GAA is a phenomenal community so I’ve been surprised with the amount of letters you get so I’m very proud of that and what I’ve been able to achieve and impact on people especially around Clare. “But you could say the same for a lot of players in that dressing room with respect to Éire Óg and with Clare obviously, some of them have had a huge impact on people around Clare,
it is something I’m very proud and it will be very hard to move on from. “I don’t know exactly what I will fill that gap with, I’m looking forward to having the time to figure it out”. He added, “The hardest part of stepping away I think is the things you still think you can achieve or the moments you could still have with the group, Éire Óg or Clare, you draw a line under all of them. “There’s no more what ifs or day dreaming about doing this, you have to look somewhere else for your inspiration and aspiration, I’m looking forward to what they will be, I’ve had some brilliant memories with Clare and Éire Óg, I’m very fortunate”. His career comes to a halt on September 27th 2026, almost 13 years to the day from September 28th 2013 when SOD scored a hat-trick as Clare won the All-Ireland final following a replay in Croke Park.
“My club indulged me this year and allowed me to wear number 22, it was the jersey I was wearing that day (28th September 2013) and it was always my favourite jersey. “I always wish club and county had squad jerseys so I could wear a non one-to-fifteen jersey but they indulged me with that. “I guess in the public side it kicked me into the public sphere but I had many battles with the likes of David Reidy and Liam Corry all the way up, losing many games with Éire Óg so Clare was never on the horizon, not making panels or teams so to be able to look back and achieve days like 2013 or 2024 or last year with the club have been absolutely phenomenal. “They are the days I will be very fortunate to look back on with hindsight, today is disappointing but there’s many memories that will stand out outside of today”. In January, he will
Photo by Gerard O’Neill
move to New York with his now fiancé Niamh. “The shock of not playing will definitely be there but I will be glad to have some physical distance. “I will be doing new different things, it was always going to come. “I’m happy I was able to make the decision myself. To still be able to play and make the decision I will leave on my own back and I’m going to move on before it was forced upon me by injury or something else, it does make the decision a bit harder because I feel I could do it again if I needed to but I’m looking forward to what is next”. Hunger to keep going was not as strong this year, he admitted. “The mind is a complex thing, different things manifest into feeling like you’re at your peak in every aspect. “This year I’m not sure what it was but it’s funny when you get into the game or the day of the game it is all back to the same, in a funny way it didn’t impact my prep on the day but on the week it was just
a different experience, I wasn’t sure if I could continue to do this”. Éire Óg manager, Gerry O’Connor told The Clare Echo that the reaction from both sets of supporters to Shane was fitting. “That was well flagged in advance, it didn’t impact on anything we were going to do or did do,” he said of what was his last game. “It is testament to the esteem that the man is held in, that he was basically clapped and applauded by both sets of supporters and players as he left the field. “We’re going to miss him but as Shane well knows hurling is one part of his life, when he moves onto the US he will throw the exact same energy into his career as he has with his hurling over the last fifteen years that he has been around at senior level”.
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Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 THE CLARE ECHO
Columnists
St Francis, 800 years and counting... THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Spreading the word of positivity RONAN SCULLY
T
HERE are some saints we admire. There are some saints we pray to. And then there are some saints who somehow become part of the story of our lives. For me, St Francis of Assisi is one of those saints. When I think about St Francis, I don’t simply think of a statue surrounded by birds or a beautiful prayer framed on a wall. I think of a man who allowed God to completely turn his life upside down, a wealthy young man who discovered that possessions, status and worldly success could never satisfy the deepest hunger of the human heart. He discovered Jesus. And once St Francis truly encountered Jesus, nothing could ever be the same again. Perhaps that is why St Francis has become so important to me on my own journey. I was educated by the Franciscans, and their influence has remained with
me throughout my life. I have also been blessed to spend time regularly with the Poor Clare Sisters and the Franciscans in Ennis and Galway, praying with them at Mass and evening prayer, and experiencing something of that beautiful Franciscan spirit of simplicity, silence, joy, service, prayer, eucharist and love. And there is another beautiful Franciscan thread running through our family story. My wife Jacqui who hails from Spancilhill and for the past number of years works as Head of Human Resources in Mountbellew Agriculture College in Galway, an institution founded by the Franciscans. In different ways, therefore, the Franciscan tradition and spirituality has touched both our lives. And then there is another deeply personal Franciscan connection that I treasure. Our daughters were adopted from Ethiopia through help and support from the Sisters of St Francis in Ethiopia. So when I think of St Francis, I don’t simply think of someone who lived eight centuries ago in Assisi. In some strange and beautiful way,
Franciscan spirituality has travelled through the story of my own life and family. St Francis, St Clare and Saint Mother Teresa are three of the saints who have inspired me most deeply. They are saints I look towards not because I imagine that I could ever become like them, but because their lives continually remind me of the person I am called to become. They challenge me. They encourage me. They sometimes make me uncomfortable. And perhaps that is what a good saint is supposed to do. A SAINT WHO ALLOWED GOD TO CHANGE ALL St. Francis was born into wealth. He enjoyed comfort, popularity and privilege. He dreamed of becoming a knight. But God had another dream for him. After illness,
imprisonment, prayer and a series of profound encounters, Francis began to see the world differently. In the little church of San Damiano, he prayed before the crucifix and heard the words: “Francis, go and rebuild my Church.” Francis initially thought Jesus meant the crumbling building around him. But gradually he realised that Christ was asking him to rebuild something much bigger. He was being asked to rebuild the Church throughout his life. And perhaps that same call comes to us today. Not necessarily with bricks and mortar. Rebuild it with kindness. Rebuild it with forgiveness. Rebuild it with love. Rebuild it with prayer and eucharist. Rebuild it by visiting the lonely. Rebuild it by feeding the hungry. Rebuild it by standing beside the person everyone else has forgotten. THE LEPER One of the great turning points in St. Francis’ life came when he encountered a leper. Previously, lepers had frightened and repulsed him. But on that day, St. Francis got down from his horse, approached the man, embraced him and kissed
Macalla An Chláir
Leis An Clár As Gaeilge
Cogar: Trí Ghaeilge, bí Linn MAR is eol do chách, tá an Ghaeilge ag dul ó neart go neart ar na meáin shóisialta. Ó Instagram agus TikTok go Facebook, tá láithreacht láidir Ghaeilge le fáil do dhaoine atá á lorg. Tá go leor tionchairí óga, mar shampla Cúán de Búrca, Shaun with a Fada agus Lisa Murray, a chuireann an Ghaeilge chun cinn ar bhealach mealltach a thugann blas nua-aimseartha don teanga. Tá an Ghaeilge le feiceáil agus le cloisteáil go forleathan ar na meáin shóisialta, agus ciallaíonn an láithreacht láidir seo go bhfuil deis ag gach Gaeilgeoir a dteanga a cheiliúradh lasmuigh den seomra ranga. Léiríonn an méadú seo ar ábhar Gaeilge ar líne go bhfuil spás agus éileamh ann don teanga sa saol digiteach. Seo rud a thuig Rónán Ó Laoire nuair a bhunaigh sé an t-ardán sóisialta nua Cogar, áit a labhraítear Gaeilge mar phríomhteanga! Tháinig Cogar ar an bhfód ag tús na bliana seo, agus tá an t-ardán ag fás go tapaidh. Freastalaíonn Cogar ar Ghaeilgeoirí ar gach leibhéal, agus tugann sé spás cairdiúil agus tacúil dóibh chun a gcuid Gaeilge a úsáid. Ar Chogar, roinntear tuairimí, nuacht phearsanta nó aon smaoineamh ar bith le pobal cairdiúil Gaeilge. Ag scrollú tríd an leathanach poiblí, feictear gach sórt rud: fógraí d’imeachtaí agus de chláir trí Ghaeilge, liricí d’amhráin i nGaeilge, scéalta greannmhara, tuairimí suimiúla agus go leor eile. Tá go leor gnéithe úsáideacha ar fáil, ar nós lipéidí a dhéanann scagadh ar thopaicí éagsúla, áit chun teachtaireachtaí a roinnt le cairde, agus áit chun cluichí beaga as Gaeilge a imirt. I ‘Halla an Bhaile’, tá roinnt naisc ar fáil chuig acmhainní éagsúla Gaeilge, ina measc ‘AthGhaelú’, áit a spreagtar úsáid logainmneacha Gaeilge, agus ‘Gaeilge do Thuismitheoirí’, áit a dtugtar cabhair do thuismitheoirí chun tacú
him. The person St Francis had once feared became an encounter with Christ. And that challenges me. Because it is easy to love humanity in general. It is much harder to love the particular person standing in front of us. We can speak passionately about poverty, homelessness, refugees, hunger, loneliness and injustice. But what happens when poverty sits beside us? What happens when the lonely person needs our time? What happens when the person who has hurt us needs forgiveness? St Francis understood that the poor weren’t a problem to be solved. They were people to be loved. And perhaps the person we find most difficult to love is precisely where Christ is waiting to meet us. THE FRANCISCAN CHALLENGE This special year celebrating 800 years since Francis’ death is not simply an invitation to remember him. It is an invitation to ask what his life means for ours. And perhaps the question is not, “How much do I know about St Francis?” Perhaps the question is, “How much of St Francis can people see
in me?” Can they see his compassion? His humility? His simplicity? His love for the poor? His care for creation? His courage? His peace? His joy? His prayer? Because the world doesn’t need more people merely talking about the Gospel. It needs people living it. That is what St. Francis did. That is what St. Clare did. That is what St. Mother Teresa did. And that is the challenge they leave with me and perhaps with all of us. Don’t just talk about love. Give it away. Don’t just pray for peace. Become a peacemaker. Don’t simply admire Christ. Imitate Him. THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK As your thought for the week, do one thing that St Francis would recognise. Visit someone who is lonely. Listen to someone who is hurting. Forgive someone. Feed someone who is hungry. Give something away. Protect something in creation. Make peace where there is conflict. And tonight, before you go to sleep, ask yourself one honest question, “If everyone lived Christianity the way I lived it today, would the world be a more loving place?”
Estates in need of traffic calming by Paige Foley paige@clareecho.ie
A COUNTYWIDE survey has been proposed to identify housing estates where traffic calming measures are most urgently needed. The issue was raised at the September meeting of Clare County Council following a joint Notice of Motion from Cllrs John Crowe (FG), Michael Begley (Ind) and Pat Daly (FF). The councillors called for a survey to be carried out in social housing estates and estates taken in charge by the Council. They said speeding was occurring in estates on a daily basis and was causing “serious health and safety issues”. In a written response, Director of Services
Carmel Kirby said more than 420 housing estates are taken in charge by the council and that a countywide traffic-calming programme would require significant detailed engineering assessment and financial investment. Ms Kirby said the proposed introduction of 30km/h speed limits, particularly in residential areas, was expected to contribute positively to the concerns. Cllr Crowe suggested that estates should have lower speed limits, with 15km/h in estates and 30km/h in villages, and said a survey should be carried out in each MD to identify locations where traffic calming was most needed. Cllr Begley said that
l Cllr Michael Begley
traffic-calming measures should be incorporated into the planning and design of new estates, while estates should also be designed without through roads where possible. “We have to start with the worst locations,” he said. Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) supported the motion and commended his fellow councillors for raising the issue. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
Dooley to launch Airmid conference lena bpáistí atá ag foghlaim na Gaeilge. Is iontach an rud é go bhfuil an Ghaeilge beo agus ag forbairt ar line. Tá sé tábhachtach go mbíonn deiseanna ann chun an teanga a úsáid lasmuigh den chóras oideachais. Is áis iontach í Cogar chun na deiseanna seo a chruthú agus chun pobal álainn a chothú atá oscailte do chách - mar a deir úsáideoir amháin, “Gaeltopia atá ann”. DÚSHLÁN NA SEACHTAINE: Cruthaigh cuntas ar Chogar agus bain triail as na hacmhainní go léir atá ar fáil ann!
The third Airmid Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference will return on October 10, 2026. Coinciding with World Mental Health Day, the free event will run from 9-5pm at Technological University of Shannon (TUS) Limerick. This year’s event will be launched by Minister Timmy Dooley (FF). Airmid Mental Health & Wellbeing was co-founded by Limerick woman Dr. Mary Honan and Shannon man Pat Barry. The conference serves as a platform for members of the public, students, and healthcare practitioners. The day-
long schedule features an array of keynote speeches every 30 minutes, covering personal stories, mindfulness, meditation, yoga, somatic practices, and overall holistic wellbeing and with time for Q&As after each presentation. Joining the guest speakers panel is Dr. Marjorie Stokes, a highly respected Consultant Psychologist, alongside Paul Flanagan, a prominent High Performance and Mental Skills Coach from Limerick. Attendance is free, and, though not required advance registration is highly encouraged to guarantee seating.
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
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ADVERTORIAL
M18 slip road to get upgrade by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie
Long overdue safety upgrades to lengthen the short slip roads at the main M18 Ennis exits at Junction 12 and 13 have finally moved to the planning stage. Following an exchange between Clare Deputy Cathal Crowe (FF) and senior officials from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) at the Oireachtas Transport Committee, TII Head of Road Safety Alastair de Beer confirmed that a complete upgrade design has been finalised and handed over to Clare County Council for Part 8 planning. TII noted that while existing overhead gantries and bridge structures limit how much they can extend the lanes on certain sides, the completed design is optimised and ready for construction over the next 12 to 24 months. “The short slip roads at Junctions 12 and 13 are a genuine hazard, especially during morning and evening rush hours when traffic backs up onto the main 120km/h motorway line,” said Deputy Crowe. “I pressed TII hard on this at the committee, and they’ve confirmed the design is ready. The ball is now in Clare County Council’s court to get the Part 8 planning through so we can get boots on the ground.” However, Deputy Crowe used the committee hearing to heavily criticise TII over their continued resistance to safety interventions at the nearby N68 junction at Darragh, which links directly off Junction 12 and has seen four tragic fatalities. “While moving ahead on the M18 is positive, the lack of movement down the road at Darragh is completely unacceptable,” Deputy Crowe stated.
Thinking of selling or renting? Call Marissa A successful sale or rental starts with the right advice, expert marketing and an agent who is personally invested in your result WHETHER you are planning to sell your home or let an investment property, LoveHome Properties provides the experience, personal service and tailored strategy needed to achieve the strongest possible result. Founded by Marissa McCarthy, LoveHome Properties combines over 25 years of property experience with a modern, highly personal approach to residential sales and lettings throughout County Clare. “Property decisions are personal. My role is to provide clear guidance, create the right strategy and remain personally involved from the first consultation through to a successful sale or tenancy.” If you are considering selling your home, site, farmland or investment property, a professional market appraisal is the ideal first step. LoveHome Properties provides honest advice, accurate valuations and tailored marketing designed to attract serious buyers and maximise value. For landlords, the agency offers a comprehensive lettings service designed to take the stress out of renting. Services include rental appraisals, professional marketing,
accompanied viewings, tenant screening, reference checks and lease preparation. The focus is on securing suitable tenants, protecting rental income and providing peace of mind. Every property owner receives a genuine one-to-one service, regular communication and a strategy tailored to their goals. Clients deal directly with the business owner throughout the process, ensuring consistency, accountability and personal attention from start to finish. Professional photography, aerial drone footage, high-impact social media campaigns and targeted online advertising help every property stand out. Whether selling or renting, effective presentation can make the difference between attracting interest and achieving exceptional results. For homeowners and landlords considering their next move, a free, no-obligation consultation provides valuable insight into current market conditions, buyer and tenant demand, and the steps that can help achieve the strongest possible outcome. Phone Marissa McCarthy at 087 1800 574; email marissamccarthy@ lovehomeproperties.ie
l RESULTS: Marissa McCarthy, Principal, Love Home Properties
16
Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 THE CLARE ECHO
Shannon
A night to celebrate the Shannon community
Shannon Community Partnership (SCP) is inviting the local community to “Network the Network”, a special evening celebrating the people, volunteers, groups and initiatives that are helping to make a difference across Shannon. Taking place on Wednesday 7 October from 6.30pm to 8.00pm at the Oakwood Arms Hotel, Shannon, the event will provide an opportunity to recognise and thank the many volunteers who give their time, energy, skills and experience to Shannon Community Partnership, while also inviting the wider public to discover the many ways they can become involved. The evening will showcase the work of SCP’s Task Teams and wider Network, giving attendees an insight into the initiatives taking place across a broad range of areas including sustainability, disability and inclusion, arts, culture and heritage, community safety, youth, sport and other areas of community life. Each Task Team will have an opportunity to share some of its key achievements, current activities and plans for the future, as well as highlighting the opportunities avail-
l The event takes place at the Oakwood
able for people to get involved. The Task Teams are also identifying where additional volunteers, skills, experience and support could help them develop their work over the coming months. The event is an opportunity for people who live, work, volunteer or have an interest in Shannon to find out what is happening across the community, meet the people behind the initiatives and discover where they might be able to contribute. You might have a particular skill or professional experience to offer, an idea for a community project, an interest in volunteering, or simply want to find out more about what is happening locally. You don’t have to be an existing member of Shannon Community Partnership to attend. The evening will also include refresh-
ments, networking, Task Team showcases and the unveiling/showcase of SCP’s promotional video work. Don O’Sullivan, Vice Chair of Shannon Community Partnership, said: “There is a huge amount of work happening across Shannon, often quietly and behind the scenes, and this evening gives us an opportunity to showcase that work and the people who make it happen. “We also want to open that conversation to the wider community. There are many different ways to get involved, whether through volunteering, sharing a particular skill or simply connecting with one of our Task Teams. We hope people will come along, find out what is happening and see where they might fit into the Network.”
Shannon Airport shortlisted for top marketing award by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie
A BRAND campaign from Shannon Airport has been shortlisted for a national marketing award. Shannon Airport’s campaign ‘The Best Place to Fly From’ is nominated in the “Best in Class – Brand” category at the Digital Media Awards 2026. Fronted by two feathered ‘frequent fliers’, Robin and Wren, the campaign is a fun, semi-animated celebration of the airport’s famously friendly and hassle‑free passenger experience. It also taps into Shannon’s established reputation as Ireland’s Favourite Airport, earned through its award‑winning customer experience and status as Ireland’s top airport brand for three consecutive years (RED C BRII 20232025). Developed in collaboration with media agency, Havas Media Ireland, and creative agency, Connelly Partners, the campaign has run nationwide across television, cinema, radio, digital and out‑of‑home channels throughout the year. Organisations that demonstrate
l At the launch of The Best Place To Fly From campaign in February are brothers Fionn, Darragh and Oisin O’Connell from Newmarket On Fergus
a clear and innovative strategy executed effectively across multiple channels and platforms are included in the ‘Best in Class’ category. Also nominated in this category are An Post, Chadwicks, Dublin Airport, ALLDAYS, Digital Irish, GoCar, Kooba and Leggit. Commenting on the nomination, Vanessa McTigue, Commercial Director of The Shannon
Airport Group, said: “It’s fantastic to see our ‘Best Place to Fly From’ campaign shortlisted at the prestigious Digital Media Awards, and we’re honoured to be recognised alongside some incredible brands and agencies. Winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony on 9th October at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dublin.
Trees cut after year-long wait by Paige Foley news@clareecho.ie
TREE maintenance has been carried out on Corrib Drive in Drumgeely following concerns about visibility and pedestrian safety. The update was given at the September meeting of the Shannon Municipal District following a Notice of Motion from Leas-Chathaoirleach of the district Cllr David Griffin (FF). Cllr Griffin had called for better tree maintenance on Corrib Drive in the interest of visibility and pedestrian safety. In a written response, A/Senior Executive Engineer Caimin Dillon said the trees had been assessed in terms of pedestrian safety and that trimming of low-hanging branches had been carried out in recent weeks to improve visibility.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Griffin said the trees had now been cut, but this had not been the case when he submitted his motion. He said the work had taken around 12 months to be completed and argued that tree maintenance in the municipal district needed to be more proactive. Cllr Griffin said smaller jobs should not necessarily have to wait for contractors and suggested the council should be able to deal with some works directly. He also complimented council staff on the work that had ultimately been carried out. Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG) seconded the motion and said he had before-and-after photographs showing the difference made by the work. He said the council had done a “super job”. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
Resilient Minds programme to help local teenagers’ mental health Shannon Family Resource Centre has announced a new initiative, Resilient Minds for Teens, to help local teenagers with their mental health and wellbeing. Funded by the HSE National Lottery Grant 2026, this 5-week programme also includes a 2-week course for parents and caregivers so
families can work together. The programme is for teenagers aged 15–16 years and starts on Monday, 2nd November 2026, running until 30th November 2026 at the Shannon Family Resource Centre. Sessions will take place every Monday evening from 6:00pm to 7:15pm. The course focuses on giv-
ing young people practical life skills, covering: • Building Emotional Awareness • Calming Skills • Cognitive Skills • Behavioural Activation • Social Skills “We always want our centre to be a safe place where
families can get real help,” said Cathal Dillon, Family Support Worker at Shannon Family Resource Centre. “This programme does exactly that. It gives teenagers a safe space to talk about their struggles, and it gives parents the right tools to support their children at home.” The course will be led
by professional counselor and psychotherapist Jackie Keane, who specialises in working with teenagers. “I really want to bring these mental health tools directly to the young people in our town,” said Jackie Keane, Programme Facilitator. “Being a teenager can be really tough. By teaching them how
to understand their feelings, stay calm, and handle stress now, we are helping them build a stronger future.” Registration is now open, and spaces are limited. You can register your interest today by visiting www.shannonfrc.com/resilientminds or by calling Jackie directly at 0877441461.
17
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
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North Clare
Lisdoon’s €1m Lotto winner set sights on building dream home
A Lotto Plus player from Clare has claimed €1 Million in a special Guaranteed Millionaire event on September 5 in the Lotto Plus draw. The winning ticket was purchased at Spar Lisdoonvarna on the day of the draw, the same weekend as the matchmaking. The player unknowingly carried the ticket around with them for some time. "I never thought to check my ticket," the winner said. "I'd been driving around with it all the time without realising it was worth €1 million." When the ticket was eventually checked, the winner shared the discovery with family. "There were tears of joy," they recalled. Speaking at National Lottery HQ, the
Clare player said they're still processing the win. "I'm looking forward to breathing and taking it all in," they said. While there are no immediate plans to make any dramatic changes, holidays are high on the wish list, while a dream home is also firmly in their sights. "Having the chance to create my dream home is something I’m really looking forward to." Another Clare player claimed their €42,031 Match 5 and Bonus prize in the Lotto draw on September 9. The winning ticket was purchased at Clancy's Centra, Loughville, Lahinch Road, Ennis.
Restore Ballymacraven host autumn lectures The North Clare-based community group, the Restore Ballymacraven River Association (RBRA), is delighted to announce the return of its Autumn Lecture Series, taking place throughout October at the Falls Hotel, Ennistymon. This year’s series will bring together a programme of talks and creative workshops exploring the wildlife, rivers and surrounding environment of the Inagh and Ballymacraven rivers. The series will open on Thursday, 8th October at 7pm RBRA Chairperson Kevin Nunan will present Birds of the Inagh Rivers. The talk will explore the birdlife found along the local
rivers and the habitats that support them. On Saturday, 10th October from 10am to 12pm, Irish artist Brendan P. Lynch will lead a Drawing and Watercolour Workshop at the Falls Hotel. Designed for complete beginners, the workshop will introduce participants to basic sketching and watercolour techniques, followed by outdoor painting along the Ennistymon cascades. The subject will include Ennistymon’s traditional shopfronts and cascades. All materials are provided, with participants receiving a set of materials to keep. The cost is €20. The series will continue
with more talks and workshops on October 15 and 17. with full information available at www.restoreballymacravenriver.com. The Restore Ballymacraven River Association invites everyone in the local community and beyond to join them this October in exploring and celebrating the wildlife, character and importance of the Inagh Rivers. Booking tickets through Eventbrite. Full details and booking information are available through the Restore Ballymacraven River Association website (www.restoreballymacravenriver.com) and social media channels.
l The unique farming practice of Winterage in the Burren anchors this festival
Burren Winterage Festival returns by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie
The Burren Winterage Festival returns to County Clare this October, with the Burren Food Fayre taking place in Fanore on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th October 2026. The two-day celebration of Burren farming, food, culture and landscape will once again feature the traditional Burren Beo Winterage Cattle Walks, with a walk taking place on Saturday 24th October at 2pm and a second walk on Sunday 25th October at 12pm. At the head of the cattle walks, the Burren Food Fayre will bring together food producers from the Burren Ecotourism Network, showcasing the exceptional produce of the region and celebrating the connection between the Burren’s unique landscape, farming traditions and local food. The Food Fayre is supported by the Burren & Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark. “This annual event, which attracts visitors from every corner of Ireland as well as international tourists, is a wonderful opportunity for people not only to hear about the ancient farming practices of the Burren, but to experience the tradition first-hand by walking with the cattle to their winterage,” said Jarlath O’Dwyer, CEO of the Burren Ecotourism Network. “Following the walk, visitors can taste and purchase the foods of the land and sea at the Burren Food Fayre. We are delighted to collaborate with the Burren Beo team, who have delivered the Cattle Drive so successfully for several years. We are also very fortunate to have the support of the Burren & Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, who assist us with facilities and promotion of the event.” Visitors to the Burren Food Fayre will be able to discover a wide range of locally sourced food and drink, including Burren beef, salmon, pork, oysters, cheese, breads, jams and chutneys, as well as Burren whiskey and gin. The fayre will also host cooking demonstrations and will have local arts and crafts on sale. Many of the producers taking part are aligned with the GEOfood concept, an international UNESCO initiative that promotes sustainable agriculture, conservation and the support of farmers and local communities. The Saturday cattle walk will take place at 2pm, while the Sunday walk will begin at 12pm. Attendees are encouraged to arrive two hours before the start of their chosen walk to allow plenty of time for parking and to enjoy complimentary tea, coffee and scones in the marquee before setting off.
“We are delighted that the Food Fayre is once again being staged on the rich agricultural lands of the Burren. There is no better way to connect people with local produce than to see where it came from,” said Carol Gleeson, Manager of the Burren & Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark. “Amongst our GEOfood group, we have a number of farming families who have worked this land for generations. Their knowledge and connection to the landscape are an important part of what makes the Burren so special,” she added. A Unique Winterage Tradition The Burren’s traditional farming system is unusual by international standards. Unlike most regions where livestock are moved to upland areas during the summer months, Burren farmers traditionally move their cattle to the uplands for the winter. This ancient practice, known as winterage, plays an important role in maintaining the Burren’s distinctive landscape and supporting its unique flora and fauna. The Burren’s low-intensity farming system has evolved in harmony with the area’s limestone landscape. During the winter months, cattle graze the uplands, where the exposed limestone retains heat and the animals can shelter from wetter conditions while continuing to find sufficient vegetation to graze. The annual Winterage Cattle Walk provides visitors with a rare opportunity to experience this living farming tradition and learn about the relationship between the Burren’s people, livestock, food production and remarkable natural environment. Burren Winterage Festival 2026 The Burren Food Fayre will take place in Fanore, County Clare, on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th October 2026, alongside the traditional Burren Beo Winterage Cattle Walks with attendees being encouraged to arrive two hours in advance of their chosen walk, and to avail of the shuttle buses which will be provided by the NPWS. The Winterage Festival is especially honoured to have the Croatian Ambassador to Ireland and the Irish Ambassador to Croatia attend the Festival this year as part of the programme of events celebrating Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of Europe and Clare being twinned with Croatia. The Festival programme will include a number of guests to speak about the Karst regions of Croatia. The events are funded as part of the Culture Programme for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2026. Tickets for the Winterage Cattle Walks are available through the event section of the Burren Beo website:www.burrenwinterage.com
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THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
West Clare
Top aviation honour for Miltown’s Talty by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie
MILTOWN Malbay’s David Talty has been named among the next generation of aviation leaders under the age of 40. At The Banqueting Hall in London, David was chosen as one of the Airline Economics 40 under 40 Class of 2026. Every year Airline Economics recognises the best and brightest young talent in the aviation finance and leasing community with its list of the foremost 40 individuals aged under 40. David told The Clare Echo he was “delighted to be recognised as part of the Airline Economics 40 under 40 Class of 2026. It’s a privilege to be included alongside such a strong group of professionals from across the world in the aviation finance industry. It caps off a great few weeks following the arrival of our second child Seánie on August 30th. It also reflects Pivotal Corporate’s strong market position and highlights the impressive growth achieved over a relatively short period, made possible by the commitment and hard work of the entire team”. Since April 2025, Talty has been Managing Director of Pivotal Corporate which has headquarters in Shannon with offices in Dublin, London and New York. He initially joined the com-
l David at the ceremony
pany as head of corporate solutions. Prior to this, he trained as an accountant with Shanahan Kinirons Fitzpatrick (now Fitzpatrick Donnellan) before moving to Northern Trust where he began his career in equity, providing accounting support to funds, ranging from €100m to €700m some of which were listed on the Irish and London Stock Exchanges. In 2018, he moved into corporate services when he joined Canyon/Vistra, he progressed from client manager to client services director and head of client services. As Managing Director, David oversees the dayto-day management of a business supporting lessors, private equity firms and servicers across aircraft ABS, warehouse facilities, term loans and
other aviation financing structures. Founded in 2021, Pivotal Corporate over five years has expanded ten-fold to employ approximately 100 people. Its headcount has doubled in size over the last eighteen months with the company actively seeking accounts across a variety of levels in their Shannon offices. The independently owned corporate service provider provides predominately accounting, company secretarial, debt reporting and administration support to clients. Its main cl Married to Kate, they have two sons Daithí Óg and Seánie who arrived five weeks early on August 30. Actively involved in gaelic football, Talty was part of the St Joseph’s Miltown panel that won Clare SFC titles in 2015, 2018 and 2019. He was coach of the club’s senior footballers for three seasons from 2023 to 2025 after retiring from playing in 2022. He is currently coach of the Clare U14 and St Joseph’s Miltown U14 football sides. David holds a Bachelor of Business degree from the University of Limerick. He is also a member of the Chartered Accountants Ireland and holds a diploma in IFRS from the Chartered Accountants of Ireland and a Diploma in Aviation Leasing & Finance from the Law Society of Ireland.
DAY
TIME
CLASS
PRICE
Thurs
12:30 - 1:45pm
Gentle Lunchtime Yoga
€85 / 6 class pass*
5:30 - 6:40pm
Mixed Level Hatha Flow
€85 / 6 class pass*
Friday
6:30 - 8:30pm
Yin Yoga & Yoga Nidra
€30
Sunday
8:15 - 8:45am
Pranayama + Meditation
€90 / 10 weeks
9:00 - 10:15am
Mixed Level Hatha Flow
€85 / 6 class pass*
10:30 - 11:45am Mixed Level Hatha Flow
€85 / 6 class pass*
New class starts Sept 24th
Third Friday of every month
New class starts Sept 27th
€155 for a 12 - class pass or €16 drop-in (space permitting)
Say cheese, chop chop!
l Kilkee Coast Guard held an open day at the station in Kilkee on Saturday, September 26, including a tour of the station and presentation on the working capabilities of the unit; there was also a visit from rescue 115 (pictured) and the crew opened the aircraft up to the attendees with a tour and information session after which the Kilkee unit and rescue 115 gave a fantastic demonstration on winching techniques. After the event finished the unit returned to the station and received back to back taskings. Groups in attendance included Kilkee CFR, Doonbeg CFR, Kilkee search and recovery; Kilkee dive club; Kilkee sub aqua club; and Kilkee dive centre
Photo by Sarah Hammond
€89k Miltown Malbay Lotto ticket remains unclaimed
CLARE Lotto players are being urged to check old tickets as a €89,430 prize bought in Miltown Malbay remains unclaimed. The winning Lotton Quick Pick ticket was purchased at McNamee’s Londis on Bank Place, Miltown Malbay, on Saturday, July 25. The winning numbers were 23, 24, 25, 42, 43 and 46, with 37 as the bonus number. The National Lottery has reminded players that they have 90 days from the date of the draw to claim a prize. The Clare winner therefore has until close of business on Friday, October 23 to claim the €89,430 prize. National Lottery spokesperson Darragh O’Dwyer urged Lotto players in Clare to check any tickets they may still have from the July draw. “We are hoping to hear from our Lotto player
in Clare who won €89,430 in the Lotto draw on Saturday, 25th July,” he said. “Their winning ticket was purchased at McNamee’s Londis, Bank Place, Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare. “Players have 90 days from the date of the draw to claim their prize, so the final deadline is Friday, 23rd October. We’re encouraging everyone in the area to check their tickets from July carefully as you could be holding an amazing prize!” Anyone who believes they may hold the winning ticket is advised to sign the back of it and keep it somewhere safe. The National Lottery prize claims team can be contacted on 1800 666 222 or at claims@lottery. ie, with arrangements then made for the winner to collect the prize at Lottery headquarters.
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THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
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‘Parking pockets’ could help visitors park ‘more freely’
Ennis News
No Disasters at Donnacha’s book signing
by Paige Foley paige@clareecho.ie
MORE parking spaces could be sought in Ennis as Clare County Council reviews the town’s parking bye-laws. The issue was raised by Cllr Pat Daly (FF) at the September meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, where he called for potential “parking pockets” to be identified throughout the town. In a written motion, Cllr Daly said additional spaces would allow locals and tourists to park more freely and would benefit the commercial life of the town. Cllr Daly said he recently spent a day in Dungarvan, where he saw additional parking located behind businesses and off the town’s main streets. He said Ennis needed to identify sites where more parking could be provided. Cllr Daly also pointed to the cost of parking in Dungarvan, where he said motorists could park for the day for €5. Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF), who seconded the motion, said there had been “many discussions” about parking in Ennis and described the council’s response as positive. “The first step to solve a problem is to acknowledge there is a problem,” he said. Cllr O’Callaghan said additional parking spaces could
l Councillors are looking for more ‘parking pockets’ in Ennis
contribute to increased economic activity in the town. He said the recent public realm works had also resulted in the loss of some parking spaces, including as a result of the pedestrianisation of O’Connell Street. Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF) raised the issue of parking permits for residents living in the town centre, noting it should be considered as part of the review. Cllr Daly said town needed to consider multi-storey parking for a number of years, arguing that this could remove long-term parkers from spaces in the town centre. He said he had recently been in a pharmacy in the town when three employees ran outside to renew their parking tickets. Senior Engineer for the Ennis Municipal District Hugh
McGrath said the council needed to examine the request. He also referred to the multi-storey car park at Dunnes Stores, saying it was not always full. However, he noted that the facility was privately owned and therefore was not something the council could control. In a written response, Senior Executive Engineer Tom Mellett said the Ennis MD was currently reviewing the parking bye-laws. He said the review aimed to optimise the management of existing public car parking in the town centre for the benefit of businesses, visitors and residents. The review is being carried out in the context of the Ennis Transport Plan and Ennis Town Bus Service. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
l At Ennis Book Shop are Ruth, James, Ted, Anna & Sam Conheady (with the cast duly signed by Donncha); and (inset) Sharon & Fionn Malone-Ginnane meeting former Ireland & Munster rugby star Donnacha O’Callaghan at the book signing of his latest Disaster Dad book in Ennis, where huge crowds assembled to meet the author
‘Dangerous’ junction needs safety works by Paige Foley paige@clareecho.ie
SAFETY works at the “dangerous” Lynch’s Cross are set to include resurfacing and new road markings, with rumble strips also considered. The update came at the September meeting of the Ennis Municipal District following a Notice of Motion from Cllr Paul Murphy (FG), who raised concerns about continued accidents at Finnanagh/Frank Lynch’s Cross on the Quin Road. Cllr Murphy said work had already been carried out at the junction, including the re-lining of road markings and new warning signage. He called for Ennis Municipal District to engage
with An Garda Síochána to obtain historical accident data for the location, with a view to supporting a funding application for a safety scheme aimed at improving sight-lines and general safety. He also called for rumble strips to be installed on the approaches from Doora and the Tulla Road in the short term. In a written response, Senior Executive Engineer Tom Mellett said Lynch’s Cross was included in this year’s Schedule of Municipal District Works and was listed for a surface overlay. “The works will include improved road surfacing and road markings,” he said.
Mr Mellett said the Ennis MD recently improved safety at the junction through road markings, driver feedback signs and reflective studs. “Any further initiatives including rumble strips will be considered where increased safety can be achieved, subject to funding,” he said. “As part of this process, we are actively engaging with An Garda Síochána around any proposed measures as outlined.” Cllr Murphy said it was not the first time the junction had been raised. He said a family member who lives nearby would contact him whenever there was an incident and said there had been an accident at the
junction as recently as the morning before the meeting. Cllr Murphy also referred to a recent collision involving a driver travelling from Quin towards Ennis. He said the driver had been struck by a vehicle, which caused his vehicle to spin three times, and that a similar incident had happened to him around 10 years ago. Cllr Murphy said the main safety concern was some motorists “shooting” through the junction from the Doora side. Cllr Pat Daly (FF), who seconded the motion, said Lynch’s Cross was “dangerous any time of day”. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
Grá for Gaza candle-lit vigil
GRÁ for Gaza is inviting the public to a special candle-lit vigil in aid of Neart Nūr on Wednesday, October 7 at 6pm at Barrack Close in Ennis. An hour before sunset there will be a gathering to remember Palestine - a people and a land - three years on. Organisers told The Clare Echo, “Local singers and musicians will come together and use music and poetry as a gentle way to keep the people of Palestine in our minds and hearts forever. Always worthy of our attention and love, we will sing them into continuous resonance, from our community to theirs. Three years of genocide has seen the death toll rise to almost 74,000 people with 175,000 people injured.” Money raised will go to Neart Nūr, an organization which provides trauma-informed play therapy, psychosocial support and caregiver relief for Palestinian medical evacuees and their families displaced by the conflict. Neart Nūr was founded by local Clare woman Claire Liddy.
Pink month at Pamela Scott
A SPECIAL Pink Month fundraiser will take place at Pamela Scott Ennis this Friday, October 2, from 10am to 12pm, in support of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute (NBCRI). The morning will offer visitors the chance to enjoy refreshments, style tips and plenty of treats, while supporting an important cause. As part of the fundraiser, pink neck scarves will be available for €10, with all proceeds from scarf sales going directly to NBCRI. The event is an opportunity for the local community to come together, raise awareness and show support for breast cancer research, while enjoying a relaxed and welcoming morning in Ennis.
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Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 THE CLARE ECHO
Gort & South Galway
Gort woman gets hands-on with Westlife to produce artwork, to reside at 3 Arena
by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie
A GORT woman has immortalised Irish pop legends Westlife, by turning their hands into a 3D cast as part of the band’s 25th anniverary tour. Petra Majzlikova was born in Zlin in the Czech Republic and moved to Ireland in 2000. She intended to stay for a year to improve her English. However, she met and fell in love with a Galway man. Two children and 26 years later, she is still here. After her second child was born, Petra wanted to create three-dimensional casts of his tiny hands and feet. To learn the specialist life-casting technique, she went to Czech to learn with a well known Czech life caster. Over time, she perfected the process and decided to turn her passion into a business. In 2015, she launched 3D Precious Memories. In the early days, much of her work centred around creating detailed 3D life casts of babies’ hands and feet, which were mounted and framed as lasting keepsakes. This led to creating sculptures of whole families, often commissioned to mark special occasions. Petra also works with Galway Hospice, helping
l Petra with the display and (left) the Westlife boys getting their hand impression taken by Petra
families preserve tangible memories of their loved ones. This work is carried out pro bono. In May this year, Petra was given the opportunity to create a very special piece of artwork for Irish pop legends Westlife, celebrating the
band’s 25th anniversary World Tour. When the commission came through, Petra was delighted, as this was her first celebrity casting. In order to create the artwork, Petra first needed to take detailed impressions of the musicians’ hands.
She met with Nicky, Shane, Kian when they were launching their residency at Dublin’s 3Arena. Mark was not available on the day, so Petra had to take his hand impression at a later date. When casting the musicians’ hands, Petra wanted the finished
pieces to be as true to life as possible. She sought to preserve as many of the natural lines, wrinkles and individual features of each hand as possible. She experimented with various casting materials and eventually found that a concrete-based composite gave the best results. The finished pieces are so detailed that a skilled palm reader could probably tell their fortunes. The completed artwork is a low-relief sculptural installation, presented in a black wood frame. It features the left hands of musicians Nicky and Shane while Kian and Mark are represented by their right hands. To make the piece more personal, Petra included each musician’s signature beneath his hand. The Westlife logo, highlighted in their trademark gold, is prominently displayed at the top of the frame. Petra Majzlikova worked in secret to create the installation. In all, she created five editions of the piece – one which will be permanently displayed at Dublin’s 3Arena, and one for each member of Westlife. Photographs of Petra working on this installation and other images of her work can be viewed at www.3dpreciousmemories.com.
Galway City celebrates ‘Purple Flag Month’ Galway City is celebrating ‘Purple Flag Month’ this October, acknowledging the people, partnerships and places that make the city’s evening and night-time economy vibrant, welcoming, inclusive, and safe. Galway City Centre and Salthill hold these prestigious international accreditations, which are awarded by the Association of Town and City Management to only 100 destinations worldwide, in recognition of excellence in managing the evening and night time economy (6pm to 5am). This October’s Purple Flag celebrations come as Salthill has successfully secured Purple Flag reaccreditation for 2026, reaffirming its status as a destination that continues to meet the high standards in evening and night-time economy management. First accredited in 2022, Salthill has continued to build on its success through strong
l Cllr Níall McNelis and Deputy Mayor of the City of Galway, Cllr Josie Forde at the arcade with the Galway City Council Local Community Safety Partnership Co-Ordinator, Kelly Slattery and Inspector Brian Ryan and Sergeant Annette Clarke
partnership working, community engagement and investment in accessibility and visitor experience. Galway City first achieved Purple Flag accreditation in 2015 and is currently preparing for its next accreditation assessment, which will take place in November 2026, with the outcome expected in January 2027. Mayor of the City of Galway, Cllr Helen Ogbu, said, “Purple Flag month is a great time to acknowledge the partnerships and people that make Galway City a great place to live, visit and socialise after 6pm. No matter the time of year, Galway City and Salthill are thriving, welcoming destinations – for the people who live here, and visitors, whether young or old, seeking sport, culture, the outdoors or socialising. There is a wonderful, accessible, safe offer here.” Throughout October, Purple Flag Month will highlight the positive contribution that
the evening and night-time economy makes to Galway’s social, cultural and economic wellbeing, while recognising the partnerships and initiatives that continue to enhance experiences for everyone who lives in, works in and visits the city and Salthill. The Safe and Sound training programme, designed for those working in the evening and night-time economy, has been extended for a further 12 months, ensuring businesses and staff continue to have access to free practical online training that supports customer care, safety and wellbeing. Members of the public are encouraged to explore the latest Night-Time Economy events and activities through the Gaillimh Ah Boo! programme, which showcases a wide range of family friendly experiences taking place across the city. GaillimhAhboo.ie
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
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GREEN CLARE
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See more butts ‘Notice nature’ mural unveiled CLARE County Council is to examine the feasibility of a reduced-cost water butt scheme for households and community groups, writes Paige Foley. The proposal was made by Cllr Mary Howard (FG), as part of a wider call for greater promotion of water conservation measures. Her notice of motion called on the council to organise workshops on water conservation, with a focus on the installation, fitting and use of water butts. The motion proposed the council provide practical advice on how rainwater collected in water butts could be used for watering gardens, plants, fruit and veg, helping to reduce reliance on mains water. Cllr Howard called on the council to examine the feasibility of establishing a subsidised water butt scheme, whereby water butts could be made available at a reduced cost through supplier partnership. In her motion, Cllr Howard highlighted the prolonged period of hot weather during the summer, including the introduction of hosepipe restrictions. “Water is a precious resource,” she stated, adding that encouraging households to capture and reuse rainwater was a “simple, practical and sustainable step”. In a written response, Director of Services Carmel Kirby welcomed the proposals, noting that Clare County Council is investigating running a workshop on the installation, use and benefits of water butts as part of the Loop Head Decarbonisation Zone demonstration funding scheme. “This can be a pilot to gauge public interest and then a series of workshops could be considered for roll out county wide,” she stated. The council's Climate Section, in partnership with the Environment Team, will also investigate the feasibility of a water butt scheme.
A GROUP of youngsters in East Clare have unveiled a new mural at the Killaloe-Ballina Family Resource Centre. Eco Action Killaloe is a youth group in Clare Youth Service with a focus on making a difference in relation to environmental issues in Ireland and their community. During the summer holidays the group, made up of 14–17-yearolds, began working on a mural in the courtyard of the Killaloe Ballina Family Resource Centre, with guidance from their youth worker, Meadhbh Cooke, and local artist, Nathalie El Baba. Working over several weekly sessions through
the summer, the finishing touches were put onto the mural last week. The message of the mural - to take a moment to notice nature - was chosen by the group to emphasise the risk climate change has on the natural beauty of native species in Killaloe and as a way to highlight the biodiversity in the local area. The group hope the design and striking use of colour in the mural will draw people’s attention to it when they are visiting the café or garden at the Family Resource Centre, and that it might spark conversations about the issues of habitat loss and taking actions to ensure our rich natural heritage can
l PROJECT: Meadhbh Cooke with Siobhan French and Oskar Madetko
survive. The group was started over three years ago and meet weekly at KBFRC as part of Clare Youth Service. They have been very active since their inception, hosting swap shops, creating a
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
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podcast, setting up a Geocache trail, making eco-friendly art, and advocating for their voices to be heard on numerous issues. Any other young people who are passionate about using their voices
and actions to make a difference to environmental issues are welcome to join the group (Wednesday at 5:30-7 in the KBFRC). Contact Meadhbh at ubukillaloe2@clareyouthservice.org or 0858559352.
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Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 THE CLARE ECHO
Healthy Clare
Mental Health Ireland marks 60 years with nationwide Mental Health Month programme this October
lGET INVOLVED: Cillian Keane, local Development Officer for Mental Health Ireland
MENTAL Health Ireland is inviting people, workplaces and communities across Ireland to take part in Mental Health Month this October, as the organisation marks its 60th anniversary and continues six decades of educating, empowering and connecting communities. Mental Health Month takes place throughout October, with World Mental Health Day on the 10th of October. Across the month, Mental Health Ireland will make mental health and wellbeing a national priority through a programme of events, webinars and training around the country. The World Federation for Mental Health theme for World Mental Health Day 2026 is ‘Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change’. Mental Health Ireland says lived experience is at the heart of its work, recognising the insight,
knowledge and understanding that people with lived experience and family members bring to mental health support, reform and policy.
Get involved
People can get involved through workplace and community training, the evidence based Taking Action for Whole Health and Wellbeing programme, free October webinars, fundraising and local activity. The Peer Led Wellness Café which meets every Monday from 10.30am – 12pm in Glór Café is hosting an event on ‘Creativity and Connection’. All are welcome to attend. Also, the 2-day Taking Action for Whole Health and Wellbeing Programme is being facilitated in Ennis, Co. Clare on Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th of November with booking information available through the Mental Health Ireland Eventbrite webpage
Taking-Action-Ennis.eventbrite.ie
Supporting communities across Ireland
Funds raised during the campaign support Mental Health Ireland’s free mental health information, education, practical resources, awareness campaigns and community initiatives across Ireland. For the latest programme information, booking links and ways to take part, visit the Mental Health Month page: www. mentalhealthireland.ie/campaign/ mental-health-month/ Cillian Keane is the local Development Officer for Mental Health Ireland and contact details are: cillian@mentalhealthireland.ie
Mental Health Month World Mental Health Day
10th of October. This year’s theme: ‘Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change’ Peer Led Wellness Café
‘Creativity and Connection’, Monday, October 5th, 10.30am – 12pm, Glór Café, Ennis. All welcome Taking Action for Whole Health and Wellbeing
Two-day programme in Ennis, Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th of November. Book at Taking-Action-Ennis .eventbrite.ie Find out more
www.mentalhealthireland. ie/campaign/mental-healthmonth/ Local contact
Cillian Keane, Development Officer, Mental Health Ireland: cillian@ mentalhealthireland.ie
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2026
Christmas in the heart of Ennis at Temple Gate Hotel
W
HEN the Christmas party is all about good food, great company and a night to remember, location matters. And it doesn’t get much more convenient than Temple Gate Hotel, smack bang in the heart of Ennis town. Whether you’re getting together with colleagues, catching up with friends or bringing the family together, the Temple Gate provides the perfect setting to celebrate Christmas in style. This Christmas, the hotel is inviting guests to experience the magic of the season with its renowned Christmas Party Nights. From the moment you arrive at the beautifully decorated hotel, you’ll be welcomed with festive cheer, a warm atmosphere and the impeccable service that has made Temple Gate a trusted name for special occasions. Adding even more to the experience this year is the hotel’s recently revamped Gate 96 restaurant, a new experience in Ennis offering a contemporary and elegant dining experience, with a warm, welcoming and refined atmosphere. Another exciting option is the newly unveiled Chapter 24 gastro pub, with an inviting and friendly atmosphere along with great live music throughout December.The Christmas party packages feature a delicious festive menu created by the talented culinary team, combining seasonal flavours with the finest local produce. Once dinner is over, the celebrations continue with live entertainment and dancing late into the night – the perfect way to toast the Christmas season in style. If you’re looking for something a little more intimate, the Temple Gate also caters for private parties, corporate gatherings and family celebrations, with tailored menus and dedicated event spaces to suit your group’s needs. Whether you’re planning a sparkling drinks reception, a festive feast or simply a relaxed evening with colleagues, Temple Gate Hotel provides the ideal setting. And why not make a night of it? Guests can stay over in one of the hotel’s comfortable guest rooms before enjoying a leisurely breakfast the following morning, extending the celebrations a little longer. With limited dates available, early booking is strongly advised to secure your place at one of Ennis’s favourite festive venues. For enquiries or to book your Christmas party at the Temple Gate Hotel, contact 065 682 3300, email sales@ templegatehotel.com or visit www.templetegatehotel.com. Temple Gate Hotel...where Christmas memories are made!!
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CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2026
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Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 THE CLARE ECHO
The Old Ground Hotel feeling festive
C
ELEBRATE the Christmas holiday season in style at the Old Ground Hotel Ennis with our Christmas Party Nights, a festive experience like no other! We invite you to join us for a shared party night that promises to be filled with laughter, great food, and warm memories. Our Christmas Party Nights will be held on the following dates: December 5th, 11th, 12th and 18th. It’s the perfect opportunity to gather with friends, family, or colleagues and get into the joyful spirit of Christmas. As you step into our beautifully adorned hotel, you’ll be welcomed with the inviting aroma of mulled wine, setting the perfect tone for a memorable evening. Our culinary team has prepared a sumptuous 4-course meal that includes all your festive favourites. From traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings to tasty desserts, you’re in for a culinary treat. If you prefer a more casual dining atmosphere, our Brendan O’Regan Restaurant and Town Hall Bistro are also open for your enjoyment. To make your experience even more convenient, we offer discounted group accommodation rates. We highly recommend booking your luxury accommodation early to secure your stay and avoid any disappointments during this busy season. To reserve your table for our Christmas Party Nights or to inquire about private party options, please contact us at 065 6828127 or email sales@oldgroundhotel.ie. We look forward to celebrating the magic of Christmas with you, making memories that will last a lifetime. Join us for an enchanting evening of festive cheer at the Old Ground Hotel Ennis!
CELEBRATING THE
CHRISTMAS 2026
Festive Season
Open Party
Join us for one of our Open Party Nights on Saturday 5th, Friday 11th, Saturday 12th & Friday 18th December.
Casual Dining
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Casual dining for smaller groups.
PER PER SO N
Take time out and enjoy a sumptuous festive lunch with friends or work colleagues in our elegant O’Regan Restaurant.
Enjoy your Evening with: • Mulled Wine on arrival • Sumptuous 4 course Gourmet Dinner • MC on the night with games and spot prizes • Dancing till late with Atomic Chicken Band & DJ • Bar Extension Or alternatively • Finger-food or Buffet style parties on selected dates. For pricing and availability please contact the hotel at 065 68 28127.
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Christmas Lunch
O’RE GAN REST AUR ANT
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PER PERS ON
PER PERS ON
Available daily from 1st December through Christmas eve - served from 12.30 to 2.30 pm
TOW N HALL BIST RO
Christmas Dinner
PER PERS ON
Simply relax & enjoy the culinary
delights of the Old Ground Hotel, Ennis in a relaxed & festive atmosphere. Choose from the elegant O’Regan Restaurant or our Town Hall Bistro - perfect for a festive office night out or simply an
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excuse to gather with friends. Afterwards retreat to The Poet’s Corner Bar, with live music each Friday, Saturday and Sunday Night. Available from Friday 27th November to Sunday 20th December, served from 6.00pm to 9.30pm.
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2026
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Celebrate Christmas at The Monks Well M
AKE THIS year’s Christmas celebration one to remember at The Monks Well, where festive food, warm hospitality and great company come together. Our carefully created two- and three-course Christmas menus are available in the beautiful Monks Parlour – a private area catering for up to 50 guests for relaxed sit-down meals. For something a little more informal, we also offer a delicious selection of festive finger-food options – perfect for mingling, sharing and celebrating together. For those who prefer a daytime gathering, a festive lunch option is also available – ideal for family celebrations, workplace get-togethers or a relaxed afternoon with friends. Begin your evening by meeting and gathering in the Ballykilty Lounge or the Abbey Room before settling in for your celebration. From cosy fireside chats with friends and colleagues to lively evenings filled with live music and festive cheer, we can help create a Christmas party that suits your group. Prefer to leave the car at home? Bus transport can be arranged, with preferential rates available for groups of 8 to 50 people. Enjoy convenient group collection before your celebration, followed by drop-offs at multiple locations at the end of the night – making it easier for everyone to relax and enjoy the festivities. For those wishing to treat themselves to a night away, we also have six uniquely designed, boutique-style bedrooms on-site, where comfort and quality are key. Our bedrooms can be booked online at www.themonkswell.ie. Whether you’re organising a staff night out, a family gathering or a festive get-together with friends, we would be delighted to help you plan the perfect occasion. Call or email us today for menus, availability and more information: Geraldine: 085 830 5452 Darren: 085 837 7888 Email: events@themonkswell.ie The Monks Well – where friends gather and the welcome is always warm.
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Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 THE CLARE ECHO
The perfect Christmas night out awaits at Galway and Limerick Greyhound Stadiums
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S THOUGHTS begin to turn towards Christmas, many businesses, clubs, community groups and friends are starting the annual search for the perfect venue for their festive celebrations. This year, two of the mid-west’s premier entertainment destinations, Galway Greyhound Stadium and Limerick Greyhound Stadium, are offering something a little different, combining great food, live sport and first-class entertainment all under one roof. Galway Greyhound Stadium has recently unveiled its stunning new-look restaurant, marking another milestone in the venue’s ongoing transformation. The reimagined space delivers a fresh, modern dining experience and provides an ideal setting for Christmas parties, corporate gatherings and festive get-togethers. With the ground floor set to reopen in early December following extensive refurbishment works, guests can look forward to an enhanced experience throughout the venue.
Book your Christmas Party night in Limerick on www.LimerickGreyhoundStadium.ie
What sets both Galway and Limerick Greyhound Stadiums apart from many traditional Christmas party venues is their ability to offer a complete night out. Guests can enjoy a delicious meal while taking in the excitement of topclass greyhound racing, before continuing the celebrations with post-race entertainment. There is also plenty happening between races, ensuring the atmosphere remains lively from start to finish. Importantly, there are packages available to suit every budget and every type of gathering. For those seeking a full festive experience, dinner packages including racing and entertainment are available from just €55 per person. Meanwhile, groups looking for a more informal celebration can opt for finger food packages from only €37.50 per person, making the venues equally attractive for work colleagues, sports clubs, family celebrations and groups of friends. At a time when many people are looking for value as well as
quality, the combination of dining, live entertainment and sporting action offers a refreshing alternative to the traditional Christmas party night. Instead of moving between multiple venues throughout the evening, guests can relax and enjoy a complete experience in one location. With racing taking place every weekend and demand for Christmas dates already building, now is the ideal time to explore what’s on offer. Whether you’re planning an office party, client event or festive gathering with friends, Galway Greyhound Stadium and Limerick Greyhound Stadium have all the ingredients for a memorable Christmas celebration. For more information or to book, visit www. GalwayGreyhoundStadium.ie or www.LimerickGreyhoundStadium.ie. Christmas may still be a few weeks away, but the countdown to festive celebrations has already begun.
Book your Christmas Party night in Galway on www.GalwayGreyhoundStadium.ie
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2026
Indulge yourself this season at Hotel Woodstock
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HIS December, step into the warmth and wonder of the festive season at Hotel Woodstock’s Christmas Parties 2026 – where tradition meets celebration and memories are made. From the moment you arrive, you’ll be greeted with a mulled wine and traditional music reception, setting the perfect festive tone for the evening. Let the laughter flow as our MC Stephen McDermott (ex Clare FM) keeps the night buzzing, leading into unforgettable live entertainment with the ever-popular Colum McGrath (Clare FM). Indulge in a sumptuous gourmet festive meal, specially crafted by our chefs to capture the very best of the season. Between courses, you’ll enjoy lively games, exciting spot prizes, and plenty of surprises to keep the energy high. And the night doesn’t stop there – once
the dinner plates are cleared, the dancefloor opens! Our DJ will keep you moving with all the classics until late into the night, finishing with the much-loved tradition of Tayto sandwiches at midnight. It’s not just a party – it’s an experience filled with food, fun, music, and festive cheer. Whether you’re celebrating with colleagues, catching up with friends, or gathering family together, Hotel Woodstock is the ultimate destination for festive fun this Christmas. If you want a private celebration or lunch or dinner in Shanaway Bistro or a private dining room, or our famous overnight residential Santa package, we would love to look after you. Please call 065 6899800 or mail info@hotelwoodstock.ie.
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Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 THE CLARE ECHO
Join us at The Rine, This Christmas J
OIN US at The Rine, formerly The Inn at Dromoland, this December and make your festive celebrations one to remember! Whether you’re looking to join our lively Shared Party Nights or create your very own private celebration, we have the perfect festive experience waiting for you. On Saturday, December 12th and Friday, December 18th, gather your friends, family or colleagues and enjoy an unforgettable evening of festive fun. Our €69pp Shared Party Night begins with a Mulled Wine Arrival Reception, followed by a delicious four-course festive meal, complete with traditional mince pies. Then it’s time to celebrate, with a live band and DJ, an MC keeping the atmosphere buzzing, plus fun games and spot prizes throughout the night. Dance, laugh, enjoy great company and create memories together in a truly festive setting. Want something a little more personal? Why not create your own party? Our Sales Team can work with you to arrange a private festive celebration tailored to your group, giving you the opportunity to make the night your own, from the atmosphere and entertainment to the finer details that make your party unique. Make this Christmas your celebration, your way. Contact our Sales Team today to start planning your perfect festive party at The Rine.
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2026
Make Christmas memorable at Shannon Springs Hotel
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hen it comes to bringing people together at Christmas, the right setting can make all the difference. This year, Shannon Springs Hotel is inviting families, friends and colleagues to celebrate the festive season with the warmth, atmosphere and award-winning hospitality the hotel is known for. From festive get-togethers to office celebrations, guests can enjoy a Christmas experience designed to make the occasion special from the moment they arrive. At the heart of this year’s celebrations is the hotel’s charming Old Lodge Gastro Pub, which will be transformed into a magical festive setting for the season. Guests can enjoy a sumptuous 4-course Christmas dinner, complete with all the traditional trimmings, before settling in for an evening of live entertainment that will keep the festive cheer going all night long. The exclusive Party Package begins with a warm welcome and mulled wine on arrival, while live music from Friday to Sunday provides the perfect soundtrack for dancing and celebrating in true Christmas spirit. Whether you’re organising an office party, getting the family together or planning a festive gathering with friends, the attentive team at Shannon Springs Hotel will take care of every detail, leaving you free to relax and make memories with those around you. Spaces are filling up fast, so book your Christmas celebration at Shannon Springs Hotel today. For more information or to make a booking call us on 061 364047 or email: info@shannonspringshotel.com.
Celebrate in style this Christmas at Shannon Springs Hotel – where the magic of the season comes to life.
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Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 THE CLARE ECHO
Christmas nights out at Knox’s and The Storehouse
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HERE’S always one person left organising the Christmas night out. Chasing numbers, comparing menus and trying to find somewhere that keeps everyone happy. This year, Knox’s and The Storehouse in Ennis can make that job a little easier. The hardest decision might be what to order.Upstairs at The Storehouse, a three-course festive meal starts from €40 per person. The menu includes turkey and ham with fresh herb stuffing and cranberry jus, oven-baked salmon, sirloin steak and more, followed by a trio of desserts. Because choosing just one dessert at Christmas seems unnecessarily strict! Downstairs at Knox’s, the festive finger food menu is €12.50 per person, with cocktail sausages, chicken wings, festive chicken balls with stuffing and cranberry, onion rings, garlic mushrooms and filo prawns. Add reserved seating for your group and you’ve got somewhere to settle in, catch up and let the evening take its course.For anyone dining upstairs, pub seating can also be booked for afterwards. No
coats on, no taxi across town and no debate about where to go next. Just finish dinner and head downstairs. With live music seven nights a week, DJs every weekend and a late bar until 2am every weekend, there’s plenty of time for the Christmas party to find its feet. And for the colleague who “doesn’t dance” to prove otherwise! Christmas party nights take place on Friday November 27, Friday December 4, Saturday December 5, Friday December 11, Saturday December 12, Friday December 18 and Saturday December 19. Book finger food, a sit-down meal, or dinner followed by the pub. Food and reserved seating must be arranged in advance, including any pub seating required after your meal. For availability and bookings, contact info@knoxs.ie or call 065 682 2871. For menus and more, go to Knoxs.ie.
A whole night planned, and one less job for the Christmas organiser.
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2026
Level up your Christmas party at The T Club By Stuart Holly
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HE T Club at Treacy’s West County Hotel, Ennis is redefining Christmas party nights in County Clare. Combining world-class leisure tech, classic pub games, and a vibrant hotel bar atmosphere, it’s the ultimate all-in-one entertainment lounge for festive gatherings. Inspired by top interactive lounges, Patrick Treacy, owner of Treacy’s West County Hotel, wanted to bring a multi-activity leisure concept to Ennis. While the T Club is open all year round and is fun for all the family, it offers a festive celebration that offers something fresh, interactive, and undeniably fun. Not only can parties rent out specific areas of the T Club, they can also book out the entire bar which is ideal for office and club parties. “I go over to Liverpool all the time where they have separate venues for golf simulators, pool halls, and interactive darts,” explains Patrick. “I decided to incorporate the whole lot together under one roof, and it has gone down brilliantly with groups”. The T Club boasts four top-of-therange Supreme pool tables—the identical design used in the European Blackball Championships which were hosted at Treacy’s West County. Golf enthusiasts can test their swing on two Trackman golf simulators, featuring world-famous courses like Adare Manor alongside fun multisport games like footgolf and target shooting. Nearby, you’ll find three dartboards and a massive 98-inch TV screen with a retro gaming console
offering over 40,000 classic games, from Mario Kart to Street Fighter. Flexible Party Packages & Private Hire Whether hosting a company night out, a club party, or a get-together with friends, the T Club caters to groups of all sizes, accommodating up to 60+ guests. “For Christmas parties, groups can rent out the entire venue privately,” says Patrick. “It gives your group exclusive access to all four pool tables, the Trackman simulators, darts, and gaming screens”. Full private venue rental is priced at €150 per hour midweek (Monday to Thursday) and €200 per hour on weekends. For smaller teams, flexible options allow groups to simply book individual simulators or pool tables while enjoying the lounge atmosphere. Full staff support is always on hand to set up games and guide first-timers. Festive Food & Bar Service No Christmas party is complete without great food and drink. Attached directly to the hotel bar, guests can enjoy full drinks service alongside delicious festive catering. The T Club offers tasty finger food menu options, including platter deals for groups (such as a 10-person platter for €80), freshly made pizzas, nachos, and curry chips. Book your Christmas event today at Treacy’s West County Hotel Ennis. Contact the hotel events team directly to reserve your time slot or private room hire!
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Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 THE CLARE ECHO
Keep off the naughty list
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H, Christmas… tis’ the season of giving, the season of neighbourly love, and for office workers, the season of Christmas-related nightmares. So we thought we’d share our tips to keep everyone OFF the “naughty” list. RESPECT YOUR COLLEAGUE First things first, it comes down to R-E-SP-E-C-T. Be respectful of each other’s traditions and beliefs, religious or non. CONSIDER YOUR GIFTS Just as we want to be respectful of others traditions and beliefs, be respectful of those who don’t want to participate in the department gift exchange. But it’s just as OK if gift-giving is your thing! Just be sure to not exceed the price limit – it makes those who didn’t stick to the limit and those who got the cheaper gift feel bad. Also, don’t be that person who gives ridiculously large, expensive presents to the Boss. Over-gifting not only irritates your peers, it puts you in an unfavourable light as a sycophant. (And no one wants that, right?) Are you and your “work bestie” planning to exchange gifts? It’s natural to want to exchange gifts with them, but be sure to do so in private - perhaps at lunch - so that your fellow co-workers don’t feel excluded. KEEP IT CLASSY Heading to the office party? Keep your Christmas attire classy and, keep it current. If you wouldn’t feel comfortable donning
your festive apparel to an interview - we don’t advise wearing it to the office Christmas party. KEEP ALCOHOL TO MINIMUM Thinking about drinking? If you’re hosting an office Chrismtas party, we recommend thinking twice before breaking out the booze. Alcohol related office woes tend to spike around Christmas. DON’T FORGET WHAT TIME OF YEAR IT IS Taking time off over the Christmas? Make the most of it, and unplug yourself as much as possible from the office, meaning; stay away from email and voicemail, so that you can be present with the ones you love. Remember, your presence is the greatest gift you can give them!
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
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CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2026
Festive Fun at Nora’s!
HE countdown to Christmas is starting now in Nora’s! The decorations are coming out of storage soon so it’s time to start planning your Christmas nights out with colleagues, friends or family. Nora’s has a number of areas suitable for group Christmas parties such as the sophisticated Balcony Bar upstairs with its own outdoor area, the classic and comfortable Lounge Area downstairs or the cosy Whiskey Bar with its dramatic cabinetry displaying Nora’s impressive and growing Whiskey collection. Tables can also be reserved for smaller groups. Nora’s work with some great local businesses to offer a variety of party finger food options and can tailor an offering to suit all tastes and budgets. A late licence will also be in place to ensure that the party and the dancing can continue into the small hours! Anyone who has been to Nora’s will know that there is always great live music playing and this Christmas will be no different. “We have some of the best bands, musicians and DJs in the country booked to play here in the lead up to Christmas and throughout the Christmas period itself to ensure customers are guaranteed great entertainment,” says owner Barry O’Keeffe. “The team at Nora’s are really looking forward to welcoming and serving our customers again this Christmas – we will do our very best to deliver great entertainment, great service, great atmosphere and great fun!”
For enquiries contact Nora’s on 065 6824954, DM on Facebook/Instagram or email noraculligans1@gmail.com
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Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 THE CLARE ECHO
Make this Christmas one to T remember at Durty Nelly’s
HERE are some places where a meal is more than just a meal. It becomes a gathering, a celebration, and a memory to be shared — and for more than four centuries, Durty Nelly’s in Bunratty has been at the heart of hospitality. With a remarkable 406-year history, Durty Nelly’s offers a unique setting for bringing people together this Christmas season. Whether you are organising a company Christmas party, planning a family get-together, or simply looking for somewhere special to enjoy a festive lunch or dinner, Durty Nelly’s provides the perfect backdrop. Steeped in history and full of character, this iconic Bunratty venue combines traditional Irish atmosphere with welcoming hospitality. Its function facilities make it an ideal choice for groups looking to celebrate together, while the restaurant provides a relaxed setting for enjoying good food and great company. Christmas is a time for reconnecting — with colleagues, friends, and family. Rather than spending another evening in an ordinary venue, why not celebrate somewhere that has been welcoming guests for generations? From a festive family meal to an end-of-year company gathering, Durty Nelly’s can help make your occasion one to remember. Gather around the table, raise a glass, share a few stories, and enjoy the atmosphere of one of Ireland’s most historic pubs. This Christmas, make your celebration part of the story. Durty Nelly’s Bunratty — 406 years of history, hospitality, and unforgettable gatherings. For Christmas party bookings, family gatherings, lunches and dinners, contact Durty Nelly’s and start planning your celebration today.
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2026
Christmas party menus starting from €27.95 per person!
Tis’ the season at The Grove
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OCATED just outside Ennis Town, with free parking, The Grove Bar & Restaurant is the perfect place to celebrate the Christmas season. With delicious, quality food and a warm, welcoming atmosphere, The Grove is an ideal venue for your Christmas party, whether you’re celebrating with colleagues, friends or family, and catering for groups of all sizes. At The Grove Ennis, you can enjoy a delicious meal from just €27.95 per person, with a 3-course lunch menu for €32.95 or a 3-course dinner menu for €39.95. Our specially curated Christmas menus of-
fer something for everyone, with a range of options to suit all dietary requirements. Whether you’re planning a work Christmas party, a family get-together or a festive celebration with friends, our team will help make your occasion one to remember. With great food, a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of free parking, The Grove is the perfect setting to enjoy the festive season without the hassle. To make a booking, contact The Grove Bar & Restaurant on 065 689 3280 or email info@thegroveennis.ie.
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Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 THE CLARE ECHO
Christmas Parties at The Cottage by JP Clarke’s
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HRISTMAS party season is on the way, and JP Clarke’s in Bunratty is now taking bookings for 2026, with The Cottage offering a private setting for larger groups looking to celebrate together. Located beside JP Clarke’s, The Cottage is a self-contained private venue with its own bar, private entrance and facilities, making it ideal for Christmas parties, work nights out, family gatherings and larger festive get-togethers. With space for groups of up to 100 guests, it gives you the freedom to enjoy the evening in your own private setting. The team at JP Clarke’s can tailor your Christmas party to suit your group, with both festive set menu and finger food options available. Whether you are planning a sit-down meal or something a little more relaxed, the team can talk you through the options and help put together a package that works for your numbers and the type of night you have in mind. For smaller groups, Christ-
mas dining is also available in JP Clarke’s, making it a great option for work get-togethers, family meals and festive catchups. Groups of 10 or more can enquire about set menu and finger food options, while smaller parties can enjoy the warm atmosphere and seasonal dining throughout December. Situated in Bunratty, with free parking and easy access from the motorway, JP Clarke’s makes Christmas parties straightforward from start to finish. Advance booking is essential, particularly for larger groups and private bookings in The Cottage. To request the 2026 Christmas set menu and finger food options, or to discuss a private party in The Cottage, get in touch with the team today.
JP Clarke’s, Bunratty 061 363 363 info@jpclarkes.ie www.jpclarkes.ie
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
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Business & Recruitment
60 seconds... with Darach Honan
Ahead of the Clare Business Excellence Awards 2026, we speak to the All Ireland winner who set up Honan Financial Services When you were smaller, what did you want to be?
My focus was always on sports, playing hurling and basketball. I never put a huge focus on what I would end up doing professionally until closer to college time. When I was in secondary school I had a really good accountancy teacher, Mr Larkin, so I figured I would do something in finance.
Career progression to date?
I studied Finance in UCC and did a Masters in Financial Services in UL. I landed a graduate role in Northern Trust before moving onto a role as a financial advisor with a nationwide company based out of Limerick and after ten years there I set up my own company in 2021.
What’s the most enjoyable aspect of what you do?
Working with people. We meet
people with different circumstances and real problems every day.
taxation. She has played a huge role in building the business and all aspects of our life. While my parents were teachers/lecturers, they were also entrepreneurial and ran very successful summer camps for years as we were growing up.
What motivates you?
I want to help as many people as I can and make a real difference with their personal finance. We have come a long way in Ireland when it comes to financial literacy but we still have a long way to go, I feel really passionate about helping people on that journey.
What advice do you have for your 15 year old self?
Just focus on the things you enjoy. There’s plenty of time to worry about the more serious things in life as you get older.
If you weren’t in this job, what would you be doing? An auctioneer.
Your greatest achievement? My greatest achievement in life is becoming a father to
How do you switch off? my two girls. Representing Clare in hurling and winning the All Ireland in 2013 was a huge achievement and I felt privileged to wear the Clare jersey. My greatest achievement professionally is starting the business from scratch in 2021.
Who or what is the biggest influence on your life? My wife, Louise, and my parents. I met my wife when doing a masters in UL as she was undertaking a masters in
I like to go to the cinema when I get a chance, we really enjoyed Bad Apples recently. Read the papers (The Clare Echo No1 of course!). I also like to play golf, padel and watch sports.
You are happiest when...
I am lucky that I love what I do so I am happy every day at work. Saying that, nothing beats the warm reception I get coming in the door from work every evening.
Any hidden talents?
I’m a mediocre juggler and
decent at skipping, but not at the same time!
We might be surprised to know...
I recently learned I’m still growing. I was 6 foot 6 and a half in my 20s and now I’m 6 foot 7 and a half.
Is there anything else that you’d like to share? I’d like to encourage
everyone to engage with their finances more and to become financial literate. Sometimes people like to sweep money problems under the rug but addressing where you are at and where you could get to is always a good idea.
FACT FILE Position: Director, Honan Financial Services Age: 36 Lives: The capital of East Clare, Clonlara Family: Wife Louise, two daughters, Liadh (5) and Molly (2) Favourite holiday ever: New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC in 2018 Favourite album: Oasis, Morning Glory Favourite thing about Clare: The people, Clare has a great sense of community and belonging Favourite TV series: Sopranos
Employability Clare Expands with new monthly employer clinics Employability Clare, a free service funded by the Dept of Social Protection, continues to bridge the gap between Clare businesses and jobseekers living with an illness, injury, disability, or mental health condition. Following a team expansion, the organisation is broadening its reach across the region while maintaining its high standard of care. The team serves as a goto resource for employers — offering guidance on supports and grants available even before employment opportunities arise, alongside dedicated recruitment support and right until the new employee is settled into their new place of employment.
Crucially, Employability Clare remains committed to its core jobseeker support, delivering invaluable one-toone coaching to help candidates navigate their career journeys. To make these supports easily accessible, Employability Clare is hosting
monthly employer drop-in clinics. Local business owners, HR professionals, and hiring managers are invited to attend the next clinic on Tuesday, October 6 between 9.30am-1pm held at the Ennis Chamber office on 54 O’Connell Street, Ennis.
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Sport
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 CA MOGIE
Claire eyes up fifth title Extra time hurt drove Truagh/Clonlara on By Páraic McMahon
By Páraic McMahon
PART of the four championship winning Kilmaley sides that lifted the McMahon Cup between 2008 and 2014, Claire McMahon is on the cusp of winning a fifth senior medal. From the famed sporting family in Connolly, reared by Ann and the late Eugene, Claire and her siblings Helen, Brian, Conor and Diarmuid have all represented club and county with distinction. A two-time All Star nominee, Claire was part of the county sides that won the Munster senior camogie championship in 2012 and the All-Ireland junior title in 2008. Saturday will represent her 11th senior final when Kilmaley take on Truagh/Clonlara, with Claire telling The Clare Echo she’ll be “thrilled” if she can bag a fifth county medal. Captain of the side that last won the senior championship 12 years ago, that win over Clooney/Quin still feels like yesterday for Claire. “You say 12 years but it flies by, we had a brilliant crop of players and you go through a little bit of a lull; family and life gets in the way for a lot of players, then you come back. There is definitely a huge amount of underage talent coming through, you hang on, hang on and keep hanging on hoping that you will get back up there, it would be lovely to get one more”. Her sister, Helen, Shonagh Enright, Sinead O’Keeffe, Eimear Considine and Lisa Kennedy they are some of the other surviving members of that 2014 side which overcame Clooney/ Quin by 19 points. Now that they are back in the decider, Claire “very glad I stayed on for this one” despite the commitment and physical demands. Within the intervening 12 years, there have been big changes for Claire. “I’ve had four children in that time, I’m doing a little bit of a side-job which takes up a bit of time too, I have plenty of commitments but camogie has always been there and it is a big part of my life at the same time”. Her children share her passion for the GAA. “They love it, my eldest is ten, she is right in the middle of it and comes to every training, she looks for the jellies at half time, I’ve two other
DRIVEN on by the hurt of losing out in their bid to capture three senior titles in a row, Truagh/Clonlara are back in the Clare Credit Unions senior camogie final and determined not to leave empty handed. A 2-14 1-14 defeat after extra time to Inagh/Kilnamona last October saw Truagh/Clonlara lose their grip as Clare and Munster champions in one full swoop. Coming up short in the final has been the main motivation for Truagh/Clonlara to return to the biggest day in the camogie calendar in Clare, coach Eoin Powell (pictured right) outlined. “Last year really hurt us when we didn’t win the county final, Inagh/Kilnamona were deserving winners on the day but it stung so all eyes are on Saturday, whatever happens on Saturday we’ll take it as it comes”. An unanswered rally of 1-5 saw Inagh/ Kilnamona take the spoils in extra time and it brought with it the learnings for Truagh/Clonlara that they needed to be fitter to return to the summit. “One of the things we’ve really worked on this year is our fitness, we died on our feet going into extra time. “We’ve brought in Mike O’Brien who is a sprinting coach and he has done wonders with the girls. Back in January, we had 25 girls running the hill in Doonass, it is nuts for back then, every single one of them did incredible work. “It’s really been something that we pointed to in the second half of the semi-final, when it came down to it and we came back level it showed that our fitness really came to the fore”. They produced a special comeback in the semi-final, coming from eight points down at half time to dethrone Inagh/Kilnamona on a score of 4-12 2-10. Behind by eight at half time, the dressing room remained a calm environment, he explained. “It was pure calm. We gave them about five or ten minutes before we went in. We had our own discussion about what we needed to do, we got that message across, in fairness they took in on board. You can go in roaring and shouting but the main thing that the message gets across and that the players understand what they have to do, that is what happened in the second half”. On and off the field, their belief never waned in their ability to mount a successful comeback. “The main thing is you have to keep believing and let the girls know you are still believing and that they keep the faith. The experience in the dressing room is there, we know we have the talent, they know we have done it before and it is about getting the workrate up”. Defeated by Scariff/Ogonnelloe in the second round in August, the loss was put to the back burner straight away. “We played Scariff/Ogonnelloe in the group last year and came out of it by the skin of our teeth, when you look at it they were probably the better team on the day and we managed to come away with it, looking back on it this year we probably thought we did more of the hurling but they came out with the result and you have games like that, at the following training session the girls just put it to one side and got straight back to work, it was about the next match and trying to build momentum”. Owen Fitzgerald who has since moved on as coach of Truagh/Clonlara was re-
Kilmaley joint captain Claire McMahon. Photo by Gerard O’Neill
girls and one boy, they love being part of it”. A GP, Claire joined Saffron and Blue Medical Clinic in 2015, becoming principle and partner shortly afterwards. She was on the sideline as team doctor for the Kilmaley hurlers on Saturday when they ended a 22 year wait to qualify for the Clare SHC final. “What a time to be in Kilmaley” she admits. Rising underage talent has led to the creation of a youthful Kilmaley dressing room, mixing among 16 year olds multiple times a week is “a huge change,” she told The Clare Echo. “Your head is melted when you come to training, you’ve had a long day, you maybe haven’t eaten a whole lot and then you arrive and the girls are talking about Love Island or something, that is all that is in their mind”. Eimear Considine’s return has been hailed by McMahon plus Caoimhe Cahill’s recovery from injury. “We certainly wouldn’t have been too many people’s picks at the start of the year... The draw was pretty favourable to us this year, it gave us time to get into a flow, we won three on the bounce and then you’re going into a semi-final with nothing to lose. “We have some big players back, that with a mixture of some serious underage coming through, we’ve a nice blend and we could be the surprise package to win the county final”.
sponsible for bringing Broadford native Powell into the fold. “It was something I wasn’t even thinking about, then with them winning the county final in 2023 it was really hard to say no, it was one of the best decisions I made to stay involved with them”. Former Parteen/Meelick manager Denis Barry has joined the fold as coach this season. On his own coaching philosophy, Eoin explained, “It is about building the ball, use of possession, trying to make sure that we are playing through the lines, the way camogie and hurling is gone now possession is nine tenths of the law, a missed puckout or a misplaced pass can really do damage so the use of possession and how we get it into our inside forwards to cause damage is really important”. Eoin’s sister Niamh is part of the team with cousins Michelle and Roisin also involved in the side. Prior to the senior role, he was coach of the Broadford minor hurlers which won the B championship in 2023, Mikey Vaughan, Cormac Gunning and Jack Lovett among some of their key players. Working in manufac-
turing with Regeneron, Powell noted that his charges are very familiar with what accompanies county final days. “They were there long enough before they got to their own final, every other club would love to be in this situation, we will take it for what it is”. This familiarity gives them the favourites tag against Kilmaley in Cusack Park on Saturday and they are able to call on a fully fit squad. “If you were looking at all the matches this year we were probably carrying that tag, there is no point looking at it now, Kilmaley had a brilliant semi-final, they have plenty experience and have girls that have three or four county medals in their own back pocket, Kilmaley know exactly what they are facing into, we lost to Scariff/ Ogonnelloe, they beat Scariff/ Ogonnelloe, we beat Inagh/ Kilnamona and they marginally lost to Inagh/Kilnamona, there will be nothing in this final, it is about bringing it to the fore and matching their workrate”.
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THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
CAM OGIE
CLARE SENIOR CAMOGIE FINAL: Kilmaley vs Truagh-Clonlara Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Saturday, Oct 3rd, 3pm
Truagh-Clonlara’s Róisín Begley Photo by Gerard O’Neill
‘ACL curse’ has created resilience By Páraic McMahon
LOSING key personnel to season-long injuries has built the resilience that has led Truagh/ Clonlara to push for a third senior title in four seasons. Truagh/Clonlara won their maiden senior championship in 2023, a year later they won their first Munster title and went on to contest the All-Ireland decider where they lost to Sarsfield 1-9 0-4 in December 2024. Along the way they have been crippled with a plethora of serious injuries which star forward Roisin Begley labelled “our ACL curse”. She was among the players sidelined with the dreaded anterior cruciate ligament injury. Former Clare player Becky Foley was forced into retirement in her early 20s while at some stage or another they have been without key players like Eimear Kelly, Michelle Power, Laura Foley, Niamh Powell and Lisa Moloney. Speaking to The Clare Echo, Roisin recounted, “Six years ago we made our first county final, I wasn’t playing that year because I was out with an ACL injury, it was the first of our ACL curse so we’ve been there ever since. The more you get into the more you want to win especially having won two already, we want to make the most of the team we have right now”. She continued, “In previous years our injuries have been crazy, the first year we won the county title we were missing Eimear Kelly, Michelle Powell, Sophie Cullen was in goals for the first time because Lisa Moloney had done her ACL for the first time. Sinead Ryan was out. The next year we were missing more, Becky Foley was only coming back that year, Niamh Powell was out, we just had so many long-term injuries that it definitely makes you more resilient because every day we were going out we were missing people and the others have to stand up”. On theories surrounding their ACL curse, Begley said, “maybe there is something in the water and we’ll have to get onto the
County Council, we’ve been good this year and if anything we have got people back. Unfortunately we’ve lost Becky Foley... she is an absolute workhorse and had a lot to do with our success”. Roisin (26), who is a primary school teacher across the border in Ballina, says that coming up short in extra time to Inagh/
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and that it would be our first time in six years that we hadn’t made it to a final. “When Laura Foley came up the pitch from the backs and scored a free and a big point, after that the momentum just shifted our way, everything seemed to go right after that. We really enjoyed the second half and I’m sure Inagh/ Kilnamona really enjoyed their first half but it was a game of two halves”. Carrying the tag of favourites is something not discussed within their squad, she said. “As far as I’m concerned we were the ones that lost last year, we want to win this year, it doesn’t matter who you are playing. “I know from listening to the Kilmaley girls and the management that they have huge character, they have experienced players and young girls that are used to winning, they have huge underage success and they are doing great work.” One of the standout players for Clare this season, she was named Player of the Month in May. Exiting at the quarter-finals for the second year in a row was a disappointment for the county, the Gillogue attacker admitted. “I had a good few days out with Clare, I was quite disappointed on the day of the quarter-final. “I definitely wasn’t playing the way I can play but you have to take into account that we did have six games in seven weeks, Tipperary had only played three matches, they had breaks in between and didn’t have to win them so we were really up against it. “I took a break for a week, went away for the week, I love going back to my club, they are the girls I played with. I grew up playing with Áine, Laura and everyone my age down in Doonass with the U12 boys, playing against the boys and that is what I love doing playing with those girls, they are childhood friends and I love going back to the club in August”.
Maybe there is something in the water and we’ll have to get onto the County Council, we’ve been good this year and if anything we have got people back [from injury] Kilnamona in last year’s final has also spurred on the South-East Clare side, she said. “When it went to extra time last year I think we just ran out of stream, we didn’t have it in our legs last year and it did hurt. Inagh/Kilnamona were the the better team on the day, they were deserving winners and they are a fantastic team. We said when we came back this year that we have the same bunch and others coming back, we thought we have to give this a real crack”. They got back to the decider with a terrific 16 point turnaround seeing them dethrone Inagh/Kilnamona in the semi-finals. “It was nuts, I’ve never played in a game like that, at half time we were eight points down but there was a feeling that this isn’t over but that if we didn’t turn things on that it would be over and we won’t be training in next week
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THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 CA MOGIE
Kilmaley joint captain, Grace Carmody Photo by Gerard O’Neill
Grace fully charged for final fling By Páraic McMahon
THOUGH she was only ten years of age, Grace Carmody was involved when Kilmaley last contested a senior camogie final. Now as joint captain, she’s bidding to get her hands on the McMahon Cup. Grace was on the field when Kilmaley hammered Clooney/ Quin 4-18 2-5 in the 2014 final but in a different guise. She was part of the U10 team participating in the half-time blitz. This time, she is one of the driving forces in the senior side looking to win the championship for the first time in 12 years. Reflecting on the changing roles, Grace said, “It is great to be able to line out this time, it has in this year’s Senior Camogie in this year’s been 12 years since we’ve been in the final so to get back there is County Final in this year’s Senior Camogie County Final a real boost for the parish and to have the lads there the following Sunday is great too”. Growing up, she looked up to the likes of Claire McMahon, Emma O’Driscoll, Denise Lynch and Helen McMahon who were all part of the four championship winning sides. She was “glad” to join them on the senior panel T: 087 237 36 68 | E: info@pscarmody.com when the time came. “Claire is in www.pscarmody.com T: 087 237 36 68 | E: info@pscarmody.com the forwards but I’ve had a few www.pscarmody.com Unit 8 Gort Road Industrial Estate, run-ins with Helen alright over Gort Road, Ennis, Co Clare V95 FW77 Unit 8 Gort Road Industrial Estate, the years, we get on really well T: 087 237 36 68 T: 087 237 36 68Ennis, | E: info@pscarmody.com Gort Road, Co Clare V95 FW77 since the day I came in, we gel re- Residential ally well as a group”. E: info@pscarmody.com www.pscarmody.com Serving as joint captain along- Residential - Industrial side www.pscarmody.com Claire is something the 22 Unit 8 Gort Road Industrial Estate, year-old is very proud of. “I’ve Commercial Unit 8 Gort Road Industrial Estate, - Industrial looked up to those girls for a Gort Road, Ennis, Co Clare V95 FW77 Gort Road, Ennis, Co Clare V95 FW77- Commercial number of years, myself and Residential · Industrial · Commercial Claire are joint captains so it is a
Best wishes to KILMALEY in this year’s Senior Camogie
Best wishes to KILMALEY Best wishes to KILMALEY County Senior Camogie Best wishes to Final KILMALEY County Final
CillCillMháille Abú Cill Mháille Abú Mháille Abú
- Residential
great honour to line out with her alongside me and to be able to lead the other Kilmaley girls out who I’ve literally been looking up to all my years”. Talking is left to Claire among the joint captains, according to Grace. “I like to sit back and play the camogie, Claire is a solid leader for us, she has built up a huge legacy in the club over the years, she does most of the talking”. Indeed the Carmody household will taste county final fever in abundance. Grace and her older sister Caoimhe are central pillars in the camogie side. Their older brother Joe hit three points in the first round for the hurlers and will be push for game time in the final against an Inagh/Kilnamona outfit captained by Caoimhe’s partner Aidan McCarthy. “It’s been 12 years since the girls were last in the final and 22 for the lads, there has been a sort of famine in Kilmaley for the last number of years so it is great to be back in two county finals. We’ll be hoping to get over the line in one if not two of them because they don’t come around too often”. On the senior panel for six years, Grace noted the group pairings this year ignited a sense of belief within their squad to qualify for the knockout stages. “James Healy has come in as coach this year and he has brought a new voice, a new set of eyes to the place which is great. “We had the boost of winning the Division 2 league during the year so that gave us a bit of belief and encouragement going into the championship. Once the draw
came out for the championship, we thought we had a huge chance to get out of the group and when it comes to knockout championship anybody can win”. Overcoming Scariff/Ogonnelloe in the semi-final saw Grace taste success in a semi-final for the first time following three previous losses to Inagh/Kilnamona at the penultimate stage. They will retain the tag of underdogs for Saturday’s final against Truagh/Clonlara. “We’re going to be massive underdogs, we’ve spent the last twelve years above in the stand looking down at them and at Truagh/Clonlara for six of them, they have also marched around Croke Park together so they have that experience that we’re lacking. For a lot of us it will be our first county final but sometimes you can’t beat a bit of excitement”. A trainee accountant, Grace has been kept busy outside of camogie, completing four exams in May with two more to go next year. “I’ve spent a lot of this year studying and in the books unfortunately. I work with my Dad in Carmody, Kelly & Associates so hopefully he will keep me on for another few years”. Camogie talk is limited at their offices on the Kilrush Rd in Ennis, she admitted. “We keep it very professional at work. It is obviously great that we have Joe involved with the hurling too so there will probably be a lot of hurling talk around the place for the next two weeks and we’ll put it to bed in time for Christmas, hopefully”.
SPORT
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
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H URLIN G
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SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT
KILMALEY VS SCARIFF TUS CLARE SHC SEMI-FINAL: Kilmaley 0-25 Scariff 1-11 Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis Referee: Joe Mullins (Clonlara) COMPILED BY PÁRAIC MCMAHON
Kilmaley’s Conor Cleary is fouled by Scariff’s Paul Rodgers Photo by Ruthie Griffin
Brian Culbert, Kilmaley senior hurling manager: “It is unbelievable, they have worked so hard for this, I just said to them ‘enjoy every bit of these two weeks’, there’s no point getting to finals unless you enjoy the buildup and embrace it, all they have to know is there is a job to do in two weeks time. They have worked so hard and it isn’t just the four years that I’ve been there, they had Colin Eugene Cullinan, Inagh/Kilnamona senior hurling manager: “We did come out fighting and we had to, we were playing the county champions and a team that were in a Munster final only twelve months ago. We hit the ground running, Éire Óg probably didn’t play to the standard they are used to playing, they seemed to be a small bit off it, we all have had days like that, they are usually very close games between ourselves and Éire Óg but we opened up a small bit of a gap and we seemed to keep it for sixty minutes. It was testament to our boys that we could keep Éire Óg at arm’s length”. “You are matching up with their forwards and their backs are matching up with your forwards, we got our side of it right. Whoever you are up against, if you are not in the right frame of mind it doesn’t matter you won’t be at it but the boys were in a great frame of mind, they were ready to go, testament to them the backs were just brilliant and we’re delighted to get over the line”. “The backs in particular are out doing their job, they are not out there trying to put the ball over the bar or running up the field leaving a lot of space behind, they are out there doing their job and getting good quality ball up the line to the forwards and giving them
TUBBER VS RUAN
KILMALEY Frees for: 13 (7/6) Wides: 15 (9/6) Spread of scorers: 10 Scores from play: 0-15 Top scorer: Tom O’Rourke (0-11 9f 1’65) Yellow Cards: Aidan McGuane (50) Red Cards: N/A Own puckouts won: 12 from 20 (60%)
SCARIFF Frees for: 7 (3/4) Wides: 8 (4/4) Spread of scorers: 6 Scores from play: 1-8 Top scorer: Shane Kavanagh (0-4 2f 1’65) Yellow Cards: Paul Rodgers (33), Conor McNamara (47) (coach), Scott Cairns (61) Red Cards: N/A Own puckouts won: 30 from 40 (75%)
a chance. When you are playing teams like Éire Óg you have to give quality ball into your forwards to have any chance, keeping it simple”. Gerry O’Connor, Éire Óg senior hurling manager: “In fairness to them they got to the pitch of the game way quicker, they took advantage of the wind. I thought for long periods of the first half against the wind, Darragh Stack picked out Oran Cahill and Darren O’Brien, they in turn picked out SOD (Shane O’Donnell) so we were getting a lot of possession and ball through the lines considering we were playing against the wind but for whatever reason the third ball into our full forward line wasn’t sticking and they were able to turn us over and attack then when we were open and unstructured, they got a lot of scores from turnovers from their fullback line who were excellent, Shane Woods, Conor Rynne and Keith White were all really good on the day. “We were quite happy to have only conceded at 0-14 at half time but we weren’t happy to only score 0-7, we thought there was a few more scores that we left behind us, we thought seven points at half time was a very manageable gap. We came out in the second half, they got two points to shove SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT
Lynch before me, they had John Carmody and so many fellas before that did the same work, they just didn’t have a small bit of luck and results didn’t go their way, that is all we spoke about for the last two weeks was the twenty two years of not getting to a final, we hardly spoke about Scariff because we had to concentrate on our own game and see where that would bring us. They are an unbelievable group, they love the hard and the tough stuff which is great”. “Last year people said we were close to Éire Óg but we didn’t win and Éire Óg were the best team in the county and they deserved. You have to enjoy winning any game at this level, it’s the Clare championship so any game you win you have to enjoy every bit of it, let them sing away, I hope they sing all night and all day tomorrow, enjoy the next couple of days and for once we can enjoy watching a match and see the semi-final”. Donal Moloney, Scariff senior hurling manager: “On the day Kilmaley’s pressure game was really thought out and well honed, it maybe prevented us from getting the platform that we needed and that we would have had in other games, ultimately that was the differ-
INAGH/KILNAMONA VS ÉIRE ÓG TUS CLARE SHC SEMI-FINAL: Inagh/Kilnamona 1-24 Éire Óg 2-14 Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis Referee: John Bugler (Whitegate) INAGH/KILNAMONA Frees for: 6 (3/3) Wides: 9 (5/4) Spread of scorers: 7 Scores from play: 1-17 Top scorer: Aidan McCarthy (0-13 5f 1’65) Yellow Cards: Seán Rynne (51) Red Cards: N/A Own puckouts won: 15 from 26 (58%)
ÉIRE ÓG Frees for: 10 (6/4) Wides: 10 (4/6) Spread of scorers: 9 Scores from play: 2-10 Top scorer: Marco Cleary (1-2) Yellow Cards: N/A Red Cards: N/A Own puckouts won: 28 from 34 (82%)
it out to nine, that put us under a pressure but Marco’s goal brought us back within six points but something went wrong with
COMPILED BY PÁRAIC MCMAHON
COMPILED BY PÁRAIC MCMAHON
TUBBER Frees for: 13 (6/7) Wides: 11 (8/3) Spread of scorers: 8 Scores from play: 2-11 Top scorer: Senan Dunford (1-2) & Jordan Nolan (1-2 1f) Yellow Cards: Domhnall McMahon (23), Pappy Taaffe (39), Joey Droney (56) Red Cards: N/A Own puckouts won: 18 from 30 (60%)
COROFIN Frees for: 13 (2/6/2/2) Wides: 8 (3/4/0/1) Spread of scorers: 8 Scores from play: 2-19 Top scorer: Gearoid Kelly (1-10 8f) Yellow Cards: James Organ (21), Evan Doolin (30+1), Diarmuid Cahill (56) Red Cards: N/A Own puckouts won: 19 from 36 (53%)
Photo by Ruthie Griffin
Inagh/Kilnamona top scorer Aidan McCarthy shakes off the challenge of Éire Óg’s Aaron Fitzgerald Photo by Ruthie Griffin
John’s (Bugler, referee) headpiece and there was a delay for a minute or two, that sucked any bit of momentum we had from the goal, then Aidan McCarthy did excellent to set up Fred Hegarty for their goal. Ultimately we struggled to contain their big players, their big players like Aidan McCarthy, Seán Rynne, Fred and David Fitz those lads had a huge influence on the game and any time we’ve managed to get on top of Inagh/Kilnamona we’ve managed to nullify their big guns, we weren’t able to contain them today”. SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT
COROFIN VS BODYKE TUS CLARE PIHC QUARTER-FINAL Corofin 3-27 Bodyke 4-17 (after extra time) Venue: Dr Daly Park, Tulla Referee: Kevin Corry (Sixmilebridge)
Tubber’s Domhnall McMahon pleads with referee Niall Donovan as Ryan Power of Ruan goes down
SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT
COMPILED BY PÁRAIC MCMAHON
TUS CLARE PIHC QUARTER-FINAL Tubber 2-16 Ruan 0-17 Venue: Clarecastle Referee: Niall Donovan (O’Callaghans Mills) RUAN Frees for: 14 (8/6) Wides: 13 (5/8) Spread of scorers: 7 Scores from play: 0-13 Top scorer: Shane Punch (0-6 1f) Yellow Cards: N/A Red Cards: Frankie Lyons (57) Own puckouts won: 17 from 29 (58%)
ence even though we managed to create goal chances. They had the balance of the play, they had misses themselves if we’re perfectly honest, that was a differentiator”. “We were chasing the game but if those chances had gone in early in the third quarter, we’d have had a whole different game, we needed that against the breeze because we were playing off less possession than they were so we needed to take every goal chance that we had, unfortunately that didn’t work out for us on the day, there was some good saves and some good defending, a couple of questionable pull-downs and stuff like that but that is how it plays out”. “Once we got to the fifty fourth minute we had two or three players on the field that were hardly able to run at that point but Kilmaley to give them credit their workrate throughout and the subs they brought on, the players they introduced, they started Evan Cahill for Mikey O’Neill, they all worked exceptionally hard and I think they have a great chance of winning the final”.
BODYKE Frees for: 8 (2/4/2/0) Wides: 15 (8/2/3/2) Spread of scorers: 6 Scores from play: 4-13 Top scorer: Seánie Doyle (1-8 4f) Yellow Cards: Cathal Doyle (30+1), Ian Murray (61), Cormac Doyle (64) Red Cards: N/A Own puckouts won: 22 from 38 (58%)
Corofin’s Gearoid Cahill points from an acute angle as Bodyke’s Tiernan Slattery closes in Photo by Ruthie Griffin
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THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 FOOTBALL
Penultimate stage brings big prizes in Clare SFC
By Páraic McMahon
FOUR teams remain in contention to lift the Jack Daly but by Sunday evening the final pairing will be known for the 2026 Clare senior football final. Diehards of gaelic football will be nowhere else on Sunday other than Cusack Park which hosts a double-header of the semi-finals. Champions Éire Óg meet St Joseph’s Miltown for the second time in this year’s championship on Sunday (13:00) while it is a rare clash between Kildysart and Kilmurry Ibricakane (15:00), two sides that have managed to avoid each other since the Shannon Estuary side won the intermediate in 2022. A successive double is off the cards for Éire Óg after their defeat to Inagh/Kilnamona in Sunday’s Clare SHC semi-final. Midfielder David McNamara sustained a
suspected fractured rib which rules him out while Aaron Fitzgerald is a major doubt for the Townies. The duo are “definitely possibly out” according to Éire Óg manager Shane Daniels. There’s still plenty of talent to call upon for the Ennis side with Ronan Lanigan, Mark McInerney, Ikem Ugwueru, Manus Doherty, Ciaran Russell, Dean Ryan and Oran Cahill all good to go. “The motivation of our dual players over the last number of years has been phenomenal, they go out every week and play games every week, they want to win every game they play... we’re extremely lucky to have that crop of players,” Daniels added. Buoyed by their extra time win over Ennistymon in the quarter-finals, St Joseph’s Miltown are looking to carry that momentum into the last four. Seán O’Brien has a
full squad to pick from as they look to atone for their 13 point loss to Éire Óg in round three. A chance to knock out the champions is an opportunity and not something to be fearful of, the three-time Clare SFC winner stated. “From the start of the year you knew [this fixture] was a possibility so lads should be excited about the opportunity rather than being fearful”. Thirty nine years since their last semi-final appearance when they lost 1-11 1-8 to Doonbeg, it is new territory for Kildysart but the unfamiliar surroundings won’t faze them. “We set out our stall at the start of the year and we set out our expectations, we’re where we planned to be, we’re taking it one game at a time from here on. “The lads are really enjoying going down training in the dark as I said to them, it is a good sign
to be going training in the dark and putting the lights on, it means we’re doing something right and they know that too, there’s a great team bond there all year and they are all looking forward to putting their best foot forward on Sunday with no fears,” manager Niall Ginnane outlined. Kildsyart kicked up a storm in the quarter-finals with eight two-pointers as they eliminated Lissycasey. They have no injury worries ahead of their joust with Kilmurry Ibrickane. Clare vice captain Dermot Coughlan is at risk of missing out on Sunday’s semi-final due to a knee injury, Kilmurry Ibrickane manager Enda Coughlan confirmed, while goalkeeper Ian McInerney and Aidan McCarthy are yet to get the all clear. Taking all their chances is the sole objective for the Bricks as they look to get back into the coun-
ty final after a one year absence. “We’ve seen a good bit of Kildysart and they are unbeaten in the championship, they have put up big scores in the last two games so we’re under no doubt it will be a tight game”. Relegation in the Clare IFC is first on the cards with Michael Cusacks and Coolmeen in action at 14:00 in Clarecastle on Saturday. Ex Wolfe Tones manager Johnny Bridges has departed his role as manager of Coolmeen following the group stages and they have been out of action for over a month while Cusacks lost out to Liscannor in the relegation play-off a fortnight ago 0-12 1-8. Then it’s decision time as it becomes impossible for neutrals to attend both Clare IFC semi-finals. Kildsyart hosts the meeting of Naomh Eoin and Wolfe Tones at 16:00 with St Michael’s Park in Kilmihil the setting for the
clash of Banner and Kilrush Shamrocks. Naomh Eoin and Wolfe Tones last faced off in the 2024 final when the Shannon side prevailed 2-11 2-7. There has been a high turnover of Tones key personnel since then but they have made the last four fo l l ow i n g wins over Shannon Gaels, LIscannor and Killimer. They’ll be relying on Darragh Leahy, Jayme O’Sullivan, Eoghan Casey and Daithí Lohan to keep their hopes of an immediate bounce back to the senior grade alive. Reaching the semi-finals for the third time has been a more tricky route for Naomh Eoin who eliminated favourites Clondegad in the quarter-finals having had to navigate via the
preliminary play-off when overcoming Ennistymon following defeat to Banner, a draw with Kilrush Shamrocks and victory over Coolmeen. Niall Bonfil, Conor Magner, Adam Haugh, Fionn Doherty and Owen Lynch have been in flying form for the Loop Head Peninsula side. Vying to make the Clare IFC finals for the first time are Banner who meet Kilrush Shamrocks for the second time in this year’s run. A 1-22 2-13 win at the end of August saw Banner claim top spot in Group 2 and they have impressed across their four games. Fresh from eliminating Cooraclare by a margin of five points, there is an ignited belief within Kilrush Shamrocks of advancing to a first intermediate final since 2023.
Éire Óg’s Ronan Lanigan. Photo by Ruthie Griffin
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ST JOSEPH’S DOORA/ BAREFIELD VS O’CALLAGHANS MILLS
SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT
TUS CLARE SHC RELEGATION FINAL St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 2-21 O’Callaghans Mills 2-14 Venue: O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge Referee: Kieran Liddane (Sixmilebridge) COMPILED BY SEAMUS HAYES
ST JOSEPH’S DOORA/BAREFIELD Frees For: 9 (3/6) Wides: 17 (10/7) Scores from play: 2-18 Spread of scorers: 9 Top scorer: Eoin Lahiffe (0-5 2f), Michael Nash (0-5), Eoin Burke (1-2) Bookings: Graham Ball (55) Own puckouts won: 25 out of 34 (74%)
O’CALLAGHANS MILLS Frees For: 10 (4/10) Wides: 18 (12/6) Scores from play: 1-8 Spread of scorers: 6 Top scorer: Jacob Loughnane (1-5 1-3f) Bookings: None Own puckouts won: 27 out of 40 (68%)
Damien Kennedy, St Joseph’s Doora/ Barefield senior hurling manager: “I couldn’t be more proud of the lads. People who haven’t been involved in these type of games have no idea of the pressure on the group as a whole. We understood why we were where we were”. “We got a massive bounce in training on the Wednesday after the loss to Newmarket in the semi-final. We knew after that session that we were in a good place and training really got better over the next two sessions. We knew coming here that we were in a good place and if we got back to where we were early in the group stages we would be okay. We played our best hurling today but probably equally as good in the first game but we didn’t get a result then. I am obviously delighted”. “It’s hugely important in Barefield that we
Eoin Burke of St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield takes on O’Callaghans Mills defender Conor Cooney Photo by Gerard O’Neill
didn’t take a step back and the boys knew that today. There was no way they were going back and if they did they would have died with their boots on. They gave everything”. “We are delighted to come out of here with a win. It’s all part of the building process in the club. No one wants to be here on these days but we have to be. Hopefully in four or five years down the road we will look back on these days and say these are the performances that stood to us and where we learned most”. “We are building, these things don’t come overnight. Look at the semi-final yesterday, Scariff were in a relegation semi-final last year and now in the county semi-final. It’s very small margins in Clare. We have a couple of more young lads to come in next year hopefully and we will be taking the positives. We will be trying to put it right next year”. Seán Doyle, O’Callaghans Mills senior hurling manager: “Look, there are no complaints as with that many wides and failing to convert three good goalscoring chances in the first half we can’t complain. If you don’t take those chances you won’t win”. “The Mills were exceptional in the first quarter but then St Joseph’s got a fortu-
itous goal and it turned the momentum in their favour and they racked off the next four scores. We were only four points down at half time having played against the wind but a wind never wins a game and St Joseph’s put on a great performance in the second half”. “Our first round outing against Feakle was an eye opener. We got caught against Cratloe with two sucker punches and that was a game we didn’t really recover from. There wasn’t a puck of a ball in it against Crusheen. In Clare there are the top six and the rest are really close”. “We were crucified with injuries all year. We lost Gary (Cooney) for the entire season. Then we lost Colm Cleary and just last week we lost Ciaran Cooney with a cruciate injury. Then Bryan Donnellan missed much of the campaign due to injury. We couldn’t afford to be missing that many of our top players. Others came in and did a great job but you need your top players. Sunday’s result is a tough pill to swallow but the Mills need to get back on the horse and get going again. It’s a hard championship to win but the aim is to get back up to senior for 2028”.
SMITH O’BRIENS VS SIXMILEBRIDGE
SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT
Mike Gough was the hero for Smith O’Briens scoring 2-4 Photo by Gerard O’Neill
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
MCCARTHY ON SONG TO LAND PLAYER OF THE WEEK CAPTAIN Aidan McCarthy set the way with a standout display for Inagh/Kilnamona to pick up the St Francis Credit Union / The Clare Echo player of the week. Top scorer with 0-13, seven of which came from play, Aidan was to the fore as Inagh/Kilnamona advanced to a first county final in five years and in the process ended Éire Óg’s reign as county champions. Such was his form
on Sunday that Éire Óg were forced to change tactics with Robert Loftus and then Aaron Fitzgerland assigned to try curb the influence of the 2024 All-Ireland winner. Big players stood tall for Inamona with McCarthy chief among them, delivering a performance which has already reignited conversation on whether or not he will form part of the Clare senior hurling panel in 2027.
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THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
S OCCER
Dunleavy signs for Macclesfield FC by Páraic McMahon
ENNIS’ Jack Dunleavy has signed a two-year deal with Macclesfield FC as he makes the move across the water. Jack moved to Chesire in the last fornight and officially put pen to paper on a two-year contract with The Silkmen over the weekend. He joins from Athlone Town Utd where he had been for the past six months. In his first interview since joining Macclesfield FC, Jack told The Clare Echo, “When I started playing football I’ve always wanted to go to England because that is where all the opportunities are for someone of a young age trying to make it in football, England is the place to go and do it. It has been a target of mine since as long as I can remember”. He will be part of the academy initially as part of the U23 squad “to get the bulk of my minutes but I will be training with the seniors and be around the senior squad so hopefully I will get my breakthrough if I’m playing well”. Year one has already been pinpointed by the twenty year old as the time to make that step-up with his new club. “The goal is always to get the professional contract with the first team as soon as I can, this first year with Macclesfield is going to be a massive year for me, I’m hungry, ambitious and I want to get into that first team as soon as I can”. Manchester based SLM Sports Management have played
Jack Dunleavy
their part in getting the deal over the line. Across his two weeks in Chesire, he can see the pathway there for young players to get their foot in the door. “They talk about it every day, every time we go into training we’re told we’re here to get into the first team, to get a professional contract, that is drilled into us from the second we arrive in the morning. It is great to know they have faith in us to make it in but also that the pathway is there, it helps with trying to be hungry going in every day knowing there is an end
goal of where you want to get to”. More familiar in the midfield setting, Jack is set to transition to a full-back role with his new club. “I feel like right back is where I’m primarily going to be playing, in terms of sharpness and fitness I’ve improved on that over the last year so I’ve got a lot quicker which allows me to get up and down the line, if you asked me a year ago I would have said centre midfield so now I’m looking at right back or left back which is something new for me but I’ll definitely look forward to that change and learning a new
position. The coaches are brilliant here, they have worked with me already after two weeks and talking to me every day about my position, that could be where they are looking at putting me into”. Debts of over £500,000 led to a High Court ruling to wind-up Macclesfield Town FC in September 2020, a month later Macclesfield FC was founded. In January, the club completed one of the biggest shocks in the history of the FA Cup when defeating then holders Crystal Palace in the fourth round and becoming the first sixth-tier team to beat a top-tier team. According to Jack, this has demonstrated the aspirations of the club. “Any club that can go into the FA Cup and knock out the holders is doing something right, it is great, the first team manager is John Rooney who is doing some great things. Being around the club for the last week or two, seeing how the staff are and the emphasis on the pathway into the first team and the quality of sessions you can tell it is a club on the up, it is great to have that FA Cup run behind them and it has definitely put the Macclesfield name out there within English football”. Part of the Avenue Utd side that won the Maloney Hardware Premier Division in May 2025, he departed the Roslevan squad to join the Treaty Utd U20s. “I did a season with Treaty, then I went to Athlone because I wanted to try get some first team minutes and I managed to get a senior appear-
SO CCER
ance straight away against Shelbourne in the Leinster Senior Cup which was brilliant, that has been my recent playing history”. His career started in Roslevan and the Rice College past pupil is grateful to all those who helped along the way. He added, “Avenue Utd have been a huge help to me, I started there when I was very young with John O’Malley and Noelie Purtill, they started me off teaching me how to pass a ball, they have been brilliant. More recently, Adrian Walsh and David Russell were dealing with me when I was eighteen and incorporating me into men’s football, helping me learn the men’s games, even little things. Walla is very good for training sessions, he has all the little details that you wouldn’t think about, he thought me a lot about the game and helped me a lot getting into Treaty so I think Avenue has been such a great help to me and my development, they’ve been a huge part in me getting over here”. Constant supporters have been his parents Micky and Rachel-Ann along with his younger sister Sarah. “I say it to them all the time, I wouldn’t be anywhere unless I had them supporting me, a lot of lads who play sport from a young age know that you wouldn’t be able to take more steps unless you have the parents willing to drive you everywhere, who are going to fund different things and I know I’m very lucky to have them”.
L A DIES FOOTB A LL
Newmarket Celtic extend lead at top, Avenue Utd get off the mark & Dons do two on the bounce SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT
Louise leads Fergus Rovers back to promised land SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT
Louise Cleary of Fergus Rovers Photo by Gerard O’Neill
Mike Gough was the hero for Smith O’Briens scoring 2-4 Photo by Gerard O’Neill
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Sport
THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 FOOTBALL GOLF
Woodstock qualify for Michael Cashman Cup final By Seamus Hayes WOODSTOCK’S Michael Cashman team defeated Newcastle West 4/1 in Newcastle West on Saturday to qualify for the final which will take place on Sunday October 18 at Cahir Park. In the final they will face Thurles who are managed by Ennis native Pat Coote, a brother of Woodstock team member Tony. The Woodstock team is managed by Johnnie Clune and Brendan Neylon. The pairings against Newcastle West were Tony Coote and Oisin Kelly; Colin Higgins and Cathal Kelly; Liam McInerney and John Baker; Gerard Griffey and Kieran Patton, Michael O’Brien and Ollie McNamara. The other members of the panel are Liam O’Connor, Jack Duffy, Barry Keane and Jarlath Fahy. Last week’s AMR open singles in which twenty two played was won by Philip McElroy (Ennis) (22) with 44 points followed by Paudie O’Connell (13) with 37 points. In the grand final on Saturday the winner was Kenneth Fielding (16) with 38 points. The weekend’s club singles in which 77 played was won by Noel Mulcahy (11) with 41 points. Alan Markham (1) won the gross with 38 points. Category 1 was won by Cormac Walsh (3) with 36 points from Josh Bravender (4), also with 36 points. Darragh Lynch (11) with 37 points won category 2 on a countback from Kevin Toner (12)
while category 3 was won by Mike Horgan (24) with 35 points. Winners in the 2’s competition were Joe Green (8th), Jamie Ivors (8th) and Stephen Clancy (11th). The competition this weekend will be an open singles. Aidan Mulcahy has won the Breen Building Design Ltd Woodstock Masters Order of Merit 2026. This Order of Merit was compiled from qualifying club singles played off the Green Tees over the season. This week’s seniors competition was won by Frank McEnery and John Dormer with 65 points. Ennis Golf Club: Last week’s men’s singles stableford competition at Ennis was won by Mark Geraghty (10) with 40 points. He had one to spare over Flan Lyons (15) with third place filled by John M. Lillis (23) with 37 points. Tom Saunders won the gross with 26 points. The senior ladies 14 hole scramble was won by Carmel Verling, Kathleen Pyne and Margaret Flanagan from Kate Farley, Josephine Tone and Joan Tassie. The 9 hole scramble winners were Bernie Brooks, Mary McGrath Fahy and Ann Kehoe. Last week’s ladies 18 hole singles stableford competition was won by Mary Lenihan (16) with 31 points. The category winners were Rose Enright (17) with 29 points, Monica Finnerty (30) with 30 points and Marie Connolly (44) with 20 points. The 9 hole competition
was won on a countback by Caroline Magee (22) with 18 points from Bridget Hoey (14). The category winners were Peggy Costello (10) with 11 points, Mary Woulfe (18) with 16 points and Valerie Wall (23) with 15 points. Last week’s senior men’s competition was won by Tony McInerney, Liam Barry, Michael Cummins and Sal Milan with 76 points from Paul Kenny, Gerry Kelly, Matt Flynn and John R Ryan with 69 points. In third place with 67 points were John C McNamara, Ian McMorrow, Frank Sheedy and Pat Garry with 67 points and they were followed by Pat G McInerney, Jimmy Kearns, Michael Clancy and Michael Cusack also with 67 points. In fifth place were Eamonn Corry, Damon Murphy, Tim Kelly and Michael Irwin followed by Tommy Timpson, Liam McCannon, Frank Cullinan and Michael Torpey and both those teams also had 67 points. Dromoland Golf Club: The men’s stableford competition at Dromoland at the weekend was won by Garrett Quinn with 39 points and he was one ahead of Seamus Cusack with Enda Heneghan, also with 38 points in third place. Patrick Moylan won the category for those with handicaps of 20 and over with 32 points while the gross was won by Jason Ryan with 36 points. The 9 hole competition winner was Sean Hayes with 21 points from Pat Bergin with 19 with Paudie Dorgan in third place,
Seamus Hayes (Clare) winner of the Fergus O’Callaghan Memorial Trophy at Monkstown Golf Club in Cork receiving his prize from Munster Press Golf Society Captain Eoin Daly (Cork).
also with 19 points. The ladies 18 hole player of the year competition was won by Deirdre Cooney with 35 points and she was two ahead of Sinéad Burke Keogh while the gross was won by Mairead Bergin. Colette Colleran with 18 points won the 9 hole competition from Linda Kochhar with 18 points. Kilrush Golf Club: The winner of the Martin Ward ladies 18 hole singles stableford competition at Kilrush last week was Miriam Saunders (25) with 41 points. The category winners were Mary Lyons (19) with 40 points, Anna Moody (21) with 38 points and Nicki Harvey (39) with 31 points. The Whelan’s Garage men’s open singles v par was won by John Clancy (16) with 6 up. He was one ahead of Joe Dillon
(35) with third place filled by Andrew O’Neill (14) with 2 up. The gross was won by Declan O’Donovan. East Clare Golf Club: Rachel O’Halloran (26) won the ladies 18 hole stableford competition at East Clare with 38 points. The ladies Wednesday competition was won by Brid Hayes, Mary Fitzgerald and Mary Stritch from Connie McKenna, Mary Hagan and Teresa Bradley with third place filled by Margaret Egan, Mary Dinan and Amanda Dalton. In the men’s section the senior scratch cup was won by Jack Whelan (0.4) from the host club with 70 from Luke Carey (-1) from Limerick with 73. Host club member Ronan Molloy (3.9) won the junior scratch cup with 73 from Limerick’s
Luke Scully (3.9) with 75. James Casey (13.5) from Ennis won the intermediate scratch cup with 81 from Shannon’s David Duhig (11.2) with 82. The minor scratch cup was won by Richard Meehan (23.0) with 95 from Teddy Murphy (18.1) who also had 95 and both are from the East Clare club. Last week’s senior men’s competition was won by Willie Roche, Tom Larkin and John Fielding with 83 points from Terry Coughlan, John Nihill and Nick Ryan with 77 points with third place filled by Kieran McNamara, Chris Davis and Michael Heffernan with 76 points. Friday’s mixed scramble was won by Chris Davis, Deirdre Muldoon and Connie McKenna from Brian Corry, Brid Hayes, Annette Madden and Mary Farrell.
Gort Golf Club: The Autumn 18 hole stroke competition at Gort, sponsored by Adrian Quinn Car Sales was won by Alan Fogarty (16) with 64. The category winners were Martin Callanan (10) with 69, Eoin Donnellan (16) with 66 and John O’Mahony (21) with 70. The gross was won by Joe Burke (4) with 74. Tony Naughton had a hole in one at the 5th hole. The overall winner in the Friday open singles was Tony Curran (10) with 38 points while the category winners were Kevin Moran (5) with 35 points, Gary Tierney (17) with 35 points and Des O’Reilly (21), also with 35 points. David Callanan (4) with 31 points won the gross. Last week’s ladies 18 hole singles stableford competition saw Sinead Collins (7) win category 1 with 40 points. Category 2 honours went to Ellen Dolan (27) with 39 points while category 3 was won by Carmel Broder (36) with 31 points. Fanny O’Deas society: Nenagh was the venue for an outing for the Fanny O’Deas society last week when twenty members participated in the Custy Construction sponsored event. Winner on the day was Gerry Lernihan with 36 points and he had one to spare over Paul Faughnan with third place filled by Liam Griffin also with 35 points. Nigel Lynch was fourth with 34 points. The society’s next outing is to Castlegregory in Kerry on October 10.
GREYHOUNDS
Tubber owned On The Wire gets off the mark
By Michael Maher
ON THE Wire owned by Tubber’s Gerry O’Donoghue was off the mark quickest to claim the Barking Buzz A5/A6 final in Galway. There was an action-packed card on offer at Limerick Greyhound Stadium on last Saturday night, with the opening round heats of the Gammell Car Sales Kennedy Cup 525 featuring alongside the €3,000-to-thewinner final of the Flowtech Ireland A4/A5 525. After landing the valuable O’Connor Julian Vets Cashel Tri-Distance just seven days earlier, Michael Keating was
back in the winner’s circle once again, this time with Magicman, who justified his even-money price tag to land the Flowtech Ireland decider and secure another valuable €3,000 prize pot. The opening round heats of the Gammell Car Sales Kennedy Cup 525 also featured on the card and Magical Elouise motored to an impressive victory in heat three to set the standard for Pat Guilfoyle. This lady caught the eye at Galway earlier in her career and, after posting a rapid 18.68 qualifying effort in preparation for this event, she was understandably installed as the even-money
favourite to prevail in the concluding heat. Drawn in six, the daughter of Signet Ace and Burgess Sarah didn’t get everything her own way, slowly into stride and sitting fourth in the early exchanges. However, she quickly made headway around the outside at the second bend before showing brilliant track craft to shoot up the inside of Get Bye at the halfway mark. From there, it was a matter of how far for Guilfoyle’s lady as she quickly drew clear, crossing the line five and a half lengths ahead of Memories Future in second. The time was a fast 28.45, setting a clear standard for the competition going for-
ward. There was also an SSO sprint in race three and this went the way of the even-money favourite, Tiermana Hunter (Ballyhimikin Jet & Tiermana Jetty). Cherrygrove Four got off to the perfect start out wide, however, Tiermana Hunter quickly got back on terms as the pair rounded the bottom two bends in tandem. The brilliant middle pace of the Colm Fitzgerald trained charge came to the fore on the Limerick hill as he powered clear to record a five-length victory in 18.71. Last Thursday’s SIS meetings at the same venue proved fruitful for Par-
teen’s Joe Collins and the Shanakyle Syndicate with victories for Shanakyle Sally and Shanakyle Turbo. Sally, a daughter of Malachi and Aarons Sensation, recorded her 12th career success in 29.76 and Turbo notched his fifth career win in 29.57; he is a son of Ballymac Cashout and Moment in Life. In the final of the Barking Buzz A5/A6 at Galway Greyhound Stadium on last Saturday night the spoils went the way of On The Wire owned by Tubber native Gerry O’Donoghue who now resides in Gort. A winner of two of his previous three starts coming into the decider, On The Wire
went to traps as a 5/2 chance and broke well to follow the 4/5 favourite, Pierview Big Rob, into the back straight. With the leader holding a three-length advantage, victory looked unlikely at the halfway mark, however, the aptly-named On The Wire railed brilliantly around the final bend before shooting up the inside of the fading Pierview Big Rob to snatch victory right on the line. Just half a length separated the pair at the finish, with the clock stopping at 29.33.
Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 THE CLARE ECHO
To place a notice email kieran@clareecho.ie
PLANNING CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL CLOGHAUNBEG, CROSS Take notice that Eugene de Croock on behalf of Loop Head Holiday Homes intends to apply to the Planning Authority for permission for retention of change of use of 2No existing residential dwellings to use for short term letting accommodation including all associated site works and services 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 planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, €20, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application and 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 con-
ditions or may refuse to grant permission. CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL MOYS, KILLALOE, CO. CLARE. Take notice that Darcoll Limited intends to apply to Clare County Council for permission to carry out the following development at Moys, Killaloe Co. Clare: The provision of a new housing development consisting of 22 No. houses and 34 No. apartments together with all ancillary works including access way which shall be through the existing Shantraud Woods estate. 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, €20, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application and such submissions or observations will be
Planning
Notices 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 FURTHER INFORMATION / REVISED PLANS Planning Ref: P25/60709 Development Description: for permission to construct a dwelling house, garage and proprietary waste water treatment system along with ancillary site works at the above address. Location: Site No.4, Spanish Point, Leagard South, Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare Take notice that D. & E. Donnellan has lodged significant further information in respect of planning application P25/60709. This information and 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 of Clare County Council, Planning Department, Áras Contae an Chláir, New
Road, Ennis, Co. Clare during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the further information or revised plans may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, not later than 2 weeks after the receipt of the newspaper notice and site notice by the planning authority or in the case of a planning application accompanied by an EIS within 5 weeks of receipt of such notices by the planning authority. CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL THE SQUARE, MILTOWN MALBAY, CO. CLARE Take notice that U. Walsh intends to apply to the Planning Authority for permission to retain the alterations and extensions made to her existing dwelling house along with ancillary site works at the above address. That 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 ob-
servation 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. COOLSHINGAUN, MAURICES MILLS, ENNISTYMON, CO. CLARE Take notice that Noel Walsh intends to apply for permission to build a new dwellinghouse, install a wastewater treatment 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.
The District Court District Court Area of Ennis District No. 12 Licensing (Ireland) Act 1833 Section 6 Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1960 Section 29 NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER OF A LICENCE Doora Together Holdings Limited Applicant TAKE NOTICE that the abovenamed Applicant Doora Together Holdings Limited of Doora, Ennis, Clare intends to apply to the Annual Licensing Court to be held at the Court at Ennis District Court on the 25 November 2026 at 10:30 for the TRANSFER to the Applicant of the Publican’s Licence (7-Day Ordinary) licence attached to the premises known as The Shibeen and situate at Noughaval, Doora, Ennis, Clare in the court area and district aforesaid. Signed MHP Sellors LLP Solicitor for Applicant
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THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Oc 1, 2026
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Quiz
The Clare Echo Quiz
Which Clare town hosts a famous matchmaking festival? Lahinch Kilkee Lisdoonvarna
Which Clare cave has one of Europe’s longest stalactites? Doolin Cave Aillwee Cave Crag Cave
What type of monument is Poulnabrone in the Burren? Portal tomb Stone circle Ring fort
Clare’s 1995 All-Ireland hurling title was their first since which year? 1914 1932 1953
Which river forms Clare’s southern border? The Fergus The Shannon The Inagh What does Boireann, the Irish name for the Burren, mean? Green hill Wild coast Rocky place Which family built Bunratty Castle in the 1400s? The O’Briens The MacNamaras The Fitzgeralds
Movies to see this week
Submarine inventor John Philip Holland was born in which Clare village? Quin Liscannor Kilkee Scattery Island’s monastery was founded by which saint? St Flannan St Brendan St Senan
Scan here to see what’s on
In which Clare town is the Vandeleur Walled Garden? Kilrush Ennistymon Scarriff
ANSWERS Doolin Cave 1914 Liscannor St Senan Kilrush
Can you spot the difference? Spot the 7 differences. The answers will be revealed in next weeks edition.
Lisdoonvarna Portal tomb The Shannon Rocky place The MacNamaras
Spot the Difference
36 Parnell St Ennis, Co. Clare ennis.arccinema.ie
Previous Answers . Football missing . Gum shield different colour . GAA on jersey missing . Tuft of grass missing (bottom)
. Cill missing on jersey . Tongue of boot missing . piece of white on glove missing
Connor Rynne gets past Shane O’Donnell Photo by Gerard O’Neill
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