Promoting Festival of Finn
The Festival of Finn which was revived in 2013 as part of The Gathering will take place again this year in Corofin over the May Bank holiday week-end. The Corofin Tourism Association and the sub-committee which organised last year’s festival have held a number of meetings in preparation for what is likely to be a packed programme of events. A considerable amount of promotion is being given to two main activities namely The World Stone Throwing Championships which has been an annual feature in the village for many years and Ireland’s Best Beard & Moustache competition which generated considerable media interest last year. The organisers are hoping that these two events will bring large numbers of visitors from outside to the area and a number of beard and moustache associations in Ireland and the UK have already been contacted with a view to some of their members participating in 2014. Three separate competitions will form part of this aspect of the festival with an attempt to break the world record for the biggest number of bearded persons gathered in one location which was already attempted without success at another Irish festival last year. The category competitions will also be contested while it is also planned to have a special award for new entrants who will be given eight weeks in the lead up to the festival to grow a beard. In addition the organisers intend highlighting the theme of Brian Boru in this millennium year of celebrations for the festival parade on the May bank holiday Monday.
Clash of the Ash
‘Clash of the Ash’ a film by North Clare based film maker Fergus Tighe will be screened at the Kilnaboy X-PO on this Thursday night February 13th commencing at 8.00pm. The event is free and everyone is welcome to attend. The film is centred around a young man in his final year in secondary school and the pressures which he feels from family and his club. On Thursday February 20th at the same venue artist Deirdre O’Mahony will present a lecture on the humble potato under the title ‘Heroes of the Potato Revolution’. This event is also free and open to everyone.
Well Received
Corofin Dramatic Society received a great reception in GLÓR on Saturday and Sunday nights to their production of Enda Walsh’s play The New Electric Ballroom. The play featured just four actors Eileen Lahiffe, Geraldine Greene, Maura Clancy and Martin O’Donohue who gave tremendous performances in their respective roles. Director John Clancy will continue to work on polishing the work in preparation for this year’s All Ireland Festival circuit which begins in early March with performances at Charleville and Doonbeg festivals. Meanwhile there is continuing strong demand for the Two Loves of Gabriel Foley and the Corofin production has been invited to perform two nights in Gort on February 22nd and 23rd while a staging of the play in Kilfenora is also being considered.
Soccer Sisters
The Soccer Sisters training camp for young girls organised by Corofin Harps in association with the FAI commenced at the GAA sports-hall on Saturday last and attracted a large crowd of enthusiastic young players. The organisers have confirmed that they can accommodate a number of additional members on the eight week programme and welcome anyone who missed last week’s opening event to come along on this Saturday February 15th. The local junior soccer teams had a disappointing day on Sunday at the astro-turf facility at Lees Road in Ennis with the A team losing 5 – 0 to Ennis Town and the B team going down 2 – 0 to Rineanna Rovers.
Pilates Classes
Pilates classes will commence at the Farmyard Corofin from Wednesday February 19th. The classes are open to men and women and everyone is welcome. Beginners classes commence at 7.00pm with Improver Classes starting at 8.15pm. Contact Darragh on 0877413618 or info@thefarmyard.ie for more info.
Roller Disco
Corofin Youth Club had a great night out in Limerick on Friday night last. A total of thirteen members and three leaders visited the Roller Jam Disco where they skated around to the music for a couple of hours before stopping off at McDonalds on the way home. The Club will be open as normal this Friday 14th where there will be the usual club activities as well as a special session on jewellery and wristband making.
GAA News
Corofin GAA is holding two open membership nights for all players and non-players to pay their annual GAA membership for 2014. Two membership evenings will take place in the GAA club house on Friday 28th Feb from 7pm and Monday 3rd of March from 7.30 pm. All players and non-players being requested to pay membership during the allotted dates
There are a number of Corofin players currently on county panels, John Keane and Jamie Malone are member of the senior football panel and have both been involved Clare’s opening two league games to date. Gearoid Kelly and Liam Corbett are members of the county U21 hurling panel, with Fergus Killeen on the minor hurling panel and Eoin Clancy on the minor football panel. Corofin GAA would like to wish them every success for the coming season.