Mayor To Open Festival
Mayor of Clare, Cllr Joe Arkins, will open the 2014 Festival of Finn on Thursday night next May 1st. The opening ceremony will take place at the Teach Ceoil, Corofin commencing at 9.00pm. Everyone is invited to this free event which following a cheese and wine reception, sponsored by Minihanes Centra, patrons can enjoy an evening of humorous verse and song, featuring a number of well-known entertainers, including the Mayor himself. The festival continues until Monday May 5th. The main activities on Friday May 2nd are two bus tours, at 10.30am and at 2.00pm, organised by Corofin ICA Guild featuring a talk on the myths and legends of the area and including a stop at Dysart O’Dea Castle for refreshments. The Great Mullaghmore Run will commence at Kilnaboy School at 6.15pm and the organisers are hoping that many of those who took part in the recent Sonny Murphy road race will participate in this event. An interesting talk on the Architectural Heritage of the Corofin Area will be given by Dick Cronin at the Clare Genealogy Centre on Friday night commencing at 8.30pm. As places are limited for this event booking should be made in advance through the Heritage Centre.
Fashion Show
A fashion Show will be held at Kilnaboy School Hall on this Friday night April 25th and the organisers are anticipating a full house for this first ever such event at the Kilnaboy venue. Proceeds from the show will be shared by the local graveyard maintenance group and the local school.
Youth Club News
There will be no weekly gathering of Kilnaboy Youth Club on this Friday night owing to a Fashion Show being run at the school hall. Meanwhile both Corofin and Kilnaboy Youth Clubs, with a view to recruiting adult leaders for the new club year in September, are reminding parents and interested adults that a child protection course takes place next week. On Monday April 28th Kilnaboy School Hall is the venue while on Thursday May 1st the course will be held at Corofin GAA hall. On both evenings the course will run from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.
Week-end Away
Around thirty people will take part in the Corofin Golf Society’s 2014 week-end away from this Thursday until Sunday next April 27th. North County Dublin is this year’s chosen location with the party based at the Bracken Court Hotel in Balbriggan. On this Thursday the golf will be at Portmarnock Links with Seapoint GC the venue on Friday. The final competitive outing will be at Baltray GC on Saturday.
Pilgrim Path
The Rath/Dysert Pilgrim Path walk took place on last Saturday last. The walk commenced at the 6th century monastic site of Blathmac, at Rath , Corofin and finished at the 8th century Diseart Tola, at Dysert O’Dea. The 104 pilgrims taking part travelled along the ancient roadways, Poll Ban and Bealach Arsa, visited a holy well , Tobar Oireachta and a cillin at Dysert, before moving on to Tola’s Church and High Cross at Dysert O’Dea Abbey. The walkers participated in a number of rituals on route. The walk concluded with a sacred dance, “Pachabel Canon”, around the high cross. The pilgrims came from all over Ireland and included visitors from England, France, Germany and Australia. They were taking part in the inaugural National Pilgrim Paths Day. The Rath/Dysert Walk was one of the 10 pilgrim path walks held throughout Ireland over the Easter weekend. The proceeds of the walk go towards the setting up of the National Pilgrim Paths group www.pilgrimpath.ie. The walk leaders were Pius Murray, Maureen Kelly and Mary Lillis. At Dysert O ‘Dea Castle the walkers were presented with mementoes of the occasion and enjoyed tea, coffee and scones after their exertions.
Memorial Cycle
The North Clare based Dolmen Cycle Club are organising a sponsored cycle through The Burren on this Saturday in memory of one of their former members the late Seamus Mullane of Coad, Kilnaboy. The cycle will commence at Woodstock in Ennis at 10.00am and will pass through Corofin village and Kilnaboy shortly after 10.30am. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Doolin Search & Rescue.
Boston Marathon
Two local athletes competed in the Boston City Marathon on Monday of this week. Fintan Lahiffe and Ambrose Heagney both completed the course in very respectable times. This year’s event was very significant for the US following the bombing which occurred at the end of the 2013 race and the resulting loss of life and injury to many people.
Green Trail Walk
The Buren National Park Information Office will be offering a free guided walk along the Mullaghmore Green Trail in the Burren National Park on this Sunday April 27th. This is a 6.5km walk over open limestone pavement with beautiful views guaranteed. The terrain is rough with loose rock so participants are asked to wear suitable footwear. Walkers will meet at Mullaghmore Crossroads, Gortlecka at 2.00pm. The walk will last approximately 3 hours and as usual booking is required through the information office.