FLAGS FLY FOR BANNER COUNTY.. ENNIS, CLARE

SUNDAY TIMES, ENNIS, COUNTY CLARE

19th February, 2017

Ennis, bustling with spirit and oozing charm, is simply "a lovely place to live" it's residents tell Arlene Harris

Click on images to enlarge..

JULY FESTIVAL MADNESS IN COUNTY CLARE

Web Version July 2016 Time to Hit the Road to Miltown Malbay Learn of the traditional culture, arts, language and literature that County Clare is renowned for during the weeklong Willie Clancy Summer School from the 2nd - 10th July. The Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy is Ireland's largest traditional music Summer School. During the week, students from every part of the world attend daily classes taught by experts in Irish music and dance.  In addition, a full program of lectures, recitals, dances and exhibitions are run by the Summer School. If dancing is more your thing visit the Armada Hotel in Spanish Point where there is a 10-day programme of set dancing sessions and country music dancing scheduled to coincide with the Willie Clancy Festival. The Streets of Ennis Come Alive in July At the 11th annual Ennis Street Arts Festival the streets of Ennis will come alive with fun, art, culture and entertainment provided by International, National and Local Artists from the 4th - 10th July. This year the theme is 'Clare-County of Culture' so expect lots of ceol and culture. Dancing at the Crossroads  Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Éireann will host its Annual Céilí at the Crossroads Festival Clarecastle from 10th July - 17th July.  Highlight events include a concert on Sunday 10th July by Ann Droney Kirrane with her band and the Céilí Mór with Star of Munster Céilí Band at Abbey Hall on Saturday 16th July.   July Comhaltas Summer Seisiúin Enjoy a stage show showcasing the best of local traditional music, singing and storytelling followed by an informal session with audience participation encouraged. Every Monday at 9pm TEACH CHEOIL, ENNISTYMON Every Tuesday at 8pm CNOC NA GAOITHE CULTURAL CENTRE, TULLA Every Wednesday at 9pm COIS NA HABHNA, ENNIS Every Thursday at 9pm TEACH CHEOIL, COROFIN & KILRUSH Every Friday at 8.30pm COIS NA HABHNA, ENNIS Warm Up for the Fleadh The Kilrush Traditional Music & Set Dancing Festival is an ideal way to warm up for the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Ennis this August.  The weekend festival (20th - 24th July) promises to be packed with music sessions, open air céilí's, sean nós & set dancing workshops.  A highlight event each year is the musical boat trip to Scattery Island. Bank Holiday Fun in Scarriff The Scarriff Harbour Festival offers a varied programme of activities, arts, music and entertainment inspired by the "lake" theme. Simply purchase a wrist band and enjoy live entertainment including the 'Kilfenora Céilí Band', 'Tommy Fleming', 'Something Happens' and 'Hudson Taylor' to name a few. Something 'Fishy' in Doonbeg The Doonbeg Seafood Festival celebrates the great local seafood tradition in the area. Events include open air fish market, cookery demonstrations & tastings, crab fishing competition, duck race and live music in the local bars.  A highlight of the weekend is always the 'Queen of the Sea' Competition. Laugh a Minute in Kilmihil Kilmihil Festival of Fun is Ireland's only festival which is completely dedicated to fun and making you smile. Highlight events include the famous pig races, the colourful cultural parade, the lakeside bbq and the Dan O'Halloran 10km fun run and cycle. All events are family friendly and designed to make you smile.

WATERPARK HOUSE

Clare Roots Society is marking the end of Ennis Town Council link with Waterpark House with the publication of a booklet on the building and its people. In April 1989 the Urban Council moved its administrative headquarters from No. 1 Bindon Street to Waterpark House, Drumbiggle.  In choosing Waterpark House as the location for the new Town Hall, the Urban Council was strongly influenced by the desire to conserve one of the town’s fine vernacular buildings and to provide tangible evidence of the Council’s strong commitment to the renewal and conservation of the town’s historic core area. 

The house construction dates back to 1819 with the families of Dulhunty, Pilkington, O’Brien, Russell, Lane, Connellan, Hardwood and Moody associated with the house. The first recorded residents of Waterpark house were the Dulhunty family where in September 1819 Mary Dulhunty was born to Montrose Dulhunty & Mary O’ Donnell. The last resident of the house was Lily Moody who died at Cahercalla Hospital on the 31^st December 1993. Lily lived prior to her hospitalisation all her life at Waterpark. 

The Booklet will include details on the Waterpark Riots, which took place in 1855 when at Waterpark gate more than 100 persons assembled, who were shouting; yelling and crying ‘souper’. This was as a result of the denouncement of Scriptural teachers by the Ennis priests, which was considered so violent as to endanger the lives of Protestant missionaries who stayed at Waterpark at the hands of an Ennis mob.

As part of the research the final publication will also include details on the Butter Market building which is now part of the Civic Building associated with Waterpark. The Plot of ground where the Butter Market is situated was purchased in 1860. The owners the Macbeth Family used the building as a weigh house & butter market along with the yards for tolls, customs, fares & markets. The Butter market closed in 1945. In 1920 a Company of British Infantry used the yard as a Transport Park. Ennis Badminton Club & The Boxing Club used this building between 1933 and 1950 while in the ownership of Ennis Urban District Council. The building was also owned by the building firms of Garvey Solan & Co. Ltd. & Ryan Brothers. It was refurbished for the Town Council offices in 2001. 

The booklet is being edited by Larry Brennan in collaboration with Declan Barron (Newpark House, Ennis) & Katrina Pilkington Vincent (Australia). Katrina is the great great granddaughter of Thomas Pilkington one of the previous owners of the house.

The Society is appealing to those who may have any information, memorabilia, photos, letters or contact details to make contact with secretary@clareroots.org or Larry Brennan at bbs.ennis@eircom.net or (087) 2308100 

Waterpark 1968:  Miss Moody with Nan Pilkington from Australia & Norah Pilkington of Dublin, both grand-daughters of Thomas Pilkington.  Photo taken in 1968 when Nan Pilkington travelled to Ireland for a visit.

Waterpark: c1904 

CLARE ROOTS SOCIETY GENEALOGY CONFERENCE 2013

Tomorrow starts the beginning of what we hope will be a very successful event, the second Clare Roots Family History Conference. We have people travelling from all over the world and we have a wonderful line up of speakers on Saturday in the Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis.

 

On Wednesday tune into the Pat Kenny show to hear Peter Higginbotham and also John Cooke on the  Morning Focus programme  Clare FM will hopefully host interviews with some of our speakers during the week.

 

There are still a few places left on the tours.

Meet five minutes before the tour time at the entrance to the Library building on Harmony Row.

 

If you are visiting for the day on Saturday do look for Long stay Parking. If the Temple Gate Hotel is full, options Include Glor car park, Multi storey car park in the market and Holy family school beside the Old Ground Hotel. (all within a 5 minute walk). http://www.visitennis.com/about-ennis/map-of-ennis/

 

Brief Synopsis of the Week below.

 

Tuesday 2^nd April

Two films by Frank Golden and Frank Stapleton in the Old Ground at 7.30 pm.

 

Wednesday 3^rd April

4 pm Local Studies tour. Book via secretary@clareroots.org

5 pm Guided tour of refurbished Abbey. Book via  secretary@clareroots.org

6.30 Lecture by Tim Collins on the Music of the Slieve Aughty region in the Old Ground hotel

7.45 Book launch by Gerry Kennedy and  Flyleaf press on Tracing your Clare Ancestors

 

Thursday 4^th April

4 pm Local Studies Tour .Book via secretary@clareroots.org

5.30 Lecture with Liam Curran on the Irish Soldier in the First World War

7.30 Bindon Street book launch of Eric Shaw’s book Memorials of Past Lives in St Columba’s Church, Bindon Street

 

Friday 5^th April

3 pm Local Studies tour. Book via  secretary@clareroots.org

4-6 registration in the Temple Gate Hotel

4-6 Meet the Genealogist in the Temple Gate Hotel

6.30 Welcome reception and Official opening by the Mayor of Clare and lecture by Michael Gandy.

 

Saturday  6^th April

Registration from 9 a.m. with lectures starting at 10 am.  

Lunch 1-2

Michael Gandy will be the final speaker of the day at 4 p.m.

 

Gala Dinner at 7.30 .

 

 

It promises to be a wonderful few days and already people have started their overseas journey to join us in Clare.

 

If you are attending and have not yet booked on http://www.eventelephant.com/clarerootssocietyconference2013, you can register on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning  but it would be helpful if you could send  an email secretary@clareroots.org to me just to facilitate a quicker registration process.

 

We plan to audio record conference for all our oversea members and that hopefully will be available in the weeks after.

 

Best wishes

 

 

Clara Hoyne

Clare Roots Secretary

 

 

CO. CLARE: IRELAND'S WEST COAST GEM

Those of us who know of Clare would have no problem agreeing with the title of this article, whether or not we have visited or lived there...

 I would love to hear your comments and thoughts... 

What, to you, is the  stand out 'must visit' part of Clare and why?

                                   *******************

N.B. Apologies to those who have tried to post comments... there seems to be a problem with this at the moment. I have reported it. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me by email as per the address in the About Me left hand column and I will post your comments on your behalf.

                                   *******************

 From here to Co. Clare: Ireland's west coast gem 

Ireland's beauty stretches far and wide, from the rugged pulchritude of Connemara to the verdant hills of Kerry to the seaside splendor of Wexford. Even the urban grit of Dublin boasts innumerable specimens of gorgeous art and architecture.

But nestled quietly midway on Eire's west coast is a county  that still features the picture post-card prettiness that is often attached to many Americans' idealization of the land: Clare.

If you're looking to encounter ancient ruins, sea-swept coasts, traditional music, thatched cottages and plenty of sheep blocking narrow roads, Clare may be the best destination for you. Although you can find most of those features in many parts of Ireland, Clare is a great home base for exploring the entire west coast area. It's only an hour from Galway City and less than that to Co. Kerry. 

It also showcases such natural wonders as the Cliffs of Moher and the rocky, almost lunar-like limestone terrain of the Burren. Its county seat, Ennis, is short drive from Shannon Airport.

While there are numerous reasons to visit this bucolic haven, below are five that make it exceptional.

Doolin – This tiny village, nestled along the coastline just up from the Cliffs of Moher, is a music and arts haven.  It's basically one road with three famous pubs: Gus O'Connor's, McDermott's, and McGann's. All three pull a fine pint and feature traditional music many nights of the week. 

  Ancient portal tomb Poulanbrone in Co. Clare is thought to be at least 3,000 years old. George Lenker  

Poulnabrone – There is something magical about this millennia-old dolmen (a rock-covered portal tomb) set out in the middle of nowhere on the craggy landscape of The Burren. Knowing you are looking at a burial chamber from at least 2900 B.C. where the remains of  22 adults and six children were buried should give anyone pause.   (More in article...)

         The ruins of Leamaneh Castle, located in the heart of Co. Clare George Lenker        

Ruins — Ireland's landscape is dotted with old, intriguing stone buildings in various states of disrepair, but Co. Clare has some of the more interesting ones. The more famous of these are Dysert O'Dea Castle and Corcromroe Abbey, but smaller interesting ruins sit just off main roadways. (More in article...)

Ennis – This bustling little burgh is the county seat of Clare and has much to offer in the way of pubs, arts and, of course, shopping. You can't beat Brogan's for a pint and a bite, as well as for some great tunes at night. The quieter Diamond Bar is about as friendly and quaint a place as you'll find in all of Ireland. Just walking its medieval cobblestone streets is a delight. If you go in May, there is also a wonderful traditional music festival.

http://www.masslive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/03/from_here_to_co_clare_irelands.html

NEW YORK CLARE GATHERING ENNIS AUGUST 2013

2013 marks the 125^th Anniversary of the first Clare Association in New York.

 The Clare Association is hosting an event in Ennis on 26^th of August 2013 as part of the Gathering.

There is a great programme of events including:

§  Civic Reception

§  Exhibition of special emigrant stories

§  Tour of County Clare

§  Commemorative Mass

§  Anniversary dinner

§  Reduced golf fees at prestigious golf courses

§  Lively Irish Music Event

Are you a descendent of a Clare person living in New York?

Do you know of any families with Clare/ New York connections?

If you have a story to share or if you are planning on travelling,

please get in touch  with mgleeson@oldgroundhotel.ie

Clara Hoyne

Clare Roots Secretary

 To keep up with the latest, please go to
http://www.hometoclare.com/