Novel Quiz for Festive Lights

A Table Quiz with a difference will be held at Bofey Quinn’s on this Friday night November 28th as a fundraiser for the Christmas Lights in Corofin. The event will be a TV and Movie Quiz and will involve audio and video questions. Refreshments will be served and a raffle will also be held. The Christmas Lights Committee are in the process of acquiring new LED lighting for the village to be erected over the festive season and are hoping for strong local support for this fun initiative.

Harps Fun Bingo

Corofin Harps are holding a Fun Bingo night at Kilnaboy School, Hall on this Saturday November 29th commencing at 8.45pm. The local club is promoting this as a family night out and in addition to the usual cash prizes there will be lots of spot prizes including hampers to be won. Refreshments will be served and the girls u-13 soccer team which achieved cup success recently will be presented with their medals.

Drama Party

Corofin Dramatic Society members will hold their Christmas Party at Bofey Quinns on this Saturday night November 29th. All members and friends are invited to attend. The local group are working on two three act plays to be produced during the first half of 2015. The local entry on the All Ireland festival circuit will be a parody version of The Thirty Nine Steps while a second comedy The Case of the Missing Tiara will be performed locally. The Dramatic Society is also heavily involved in the Corofin hall redevelopment project and is investing a considerable amount in new lighting and sound equipment.

Camogie AGM

Corofin Camogie Club will reflect on a very successful season when members hold their Annual General Meeting at Corofin GAA clubhouse on this Sunday November 30th at 8.00pm. All players, officers and supporters are asked to attend this important meeting.

Hall Update

There was a good attendance at the CHAF general meeting held last week where progress on the hall redevelopment project was discussed. The meeting heard that construction work is expected to be completed prior to Christmas and the local group is targeting the end of January to have an official opening of the new facilities. CHAF is working with a tight budget for the hall fit-out and would welcome offers of equipment or furniture suitable for use in the redeveloped building.

Kilnaboy Youth Club

The Kilnaboy Youth Club sent three teams to the indoor soccer tournament organised by Clare Youth Service in Ennis on Saturday last. All three teams, Boys u-18 as well as u-15 girls and boys teams acquitted themselves very well on the day and did their club proud even though the silverware on offer eluded them.

Minor Club Meeting

The end of year review meeting of the Corofin Minor GAA Club will be held at the clubhouse on Tuesday night next December 2nd commencing at 8.30pm. All minor club members and officers are asked to attend and new members are always welcome.

Hall Development Meeting

A general meeting of CHAF Ltd., the Corofin Hall development group will take place at Daffy’s Bar, Corofin on this Friday night in conjunction with the weekly, 500 Club draw. With work on the project fast coming to conclusion the local organisation has important decisions to take in relation to the fit-out of the building as well as the management of the facility once open to the public All CHAF members and supporters are invited to this meeting which is scheduled for 9.30pm.

Camogie Models

Corina McMahon, Aleisha Malone, Ciara Heagney and Siobhan Lane, members of Corofin Camogie Club, will be among the models at the Clare Camogie Board Fashion Show being held at Tracy’s West County Hotel, Ennis on this Saturday night November 22nd. The local club in conjunction with other clubs around the county is helping to promote the event and tickets can be had from Aisling Collins or Tara McMahon.

Recent Death

The death occurred last week of Michael Moroney formerly of Rinamona, Kilnaboy but who has resided in Co. Limerick for many years. Residing at Fanningstown, Adare he was interred at St. Nicholas’ Cemetery following funeral mass on Saturday.

Icing On The Cake

A series of four classes on baking the ideal Christmas cake as well as creating your own decorative icing will take place at The Cupán Tae restaurant in Corofin commencing on Tuesday next November 25th and continue on each of the following three Tuesday nights.

Youth Club News

Corofin Youth Club has a couple of significant events in the pipeline over the coming weeks and on Friday December 5th will run a Youth Disco at Kilnaboy School Hall. The following week club members will travel to Limerick to take part in the annual ice skating event organised in the city. The club has stressed that only club members can take part in these events and that anyone intending to participate should have their annual membership paid by next week. Committee members of the Corofin club for this year include Pauline Bradley, Siobhan Daly, Tara McMahon, Corina Kilkenny, Marie Cleary and Margaret Corry.

Christmas Party

A date has been set for this year’s Corofin Senior Citizen’s Christmas Party. The event will take place at The Cupán Tae restaurant in the village on Sunday December 5th and all local elderly or people living on their own are very welcome to attend.

Street Signs

An initiative by Corofin Tidy Towns Committee has seen new street signage erected in Corofin this week. This is one of several new ideas taken on by the local group in 2014 which has seen major improvements in the appearance of the village this year. An initiative which will assist the village with sustainable waste and resource management is being presented in the form of a workshop on Christmas Decoration Up-cycling being held at The Cupán Tae restaurant on this Saturday night November 22nd. A charge of €10 per person applies for this event.

Ladies Finish With A Flourish

Corofin defeated Bodyke on Sunday last in the Junior Cup final on a score of 1 -13 to 0 – 06 to round off what has been a very successful year for the local club. In defeating Bodyke on Sunday Corofin claimed a double for 2014 having defeated Clarecastle-Ballyea in the league final back in May. There was also wins this season for the u16B side which defeated Kilmaley in the Shield Final while there were also wins for the u-12’s and u-14’s in their respective competitions. The minor team were unlucky to lose out in the A Shield final going down by a single score to Sixmilebridge. Corofin Camogie Club caters for teams from u-8 to adult and new players are always welcome to join. The club plans to hold its AGM later in the month and is appealing for more adults to get involved in club activities.

Mission Continues

The Vincentian Mission which commenced in the Imeall Boirne Cluster on Monday concludes on this Friday November 7th. Large crowds have been attending the various masses and services during the week. The final two events in Corofin at 8.00pm each evening have the themes of ‘Aspire to the future-Shoulder to Shoulder’ on this Thursday night and ‘Come and see-Go and Tell’ tomorrow night.

Zumba Dance

Corofin Youth Club is organising an exercise dance class as part of its regular youth night at Corofin GAA hall on this Friday night November 7th between 8.00pm and 10pm. The club has engaged a professional instructor for the event and everyone is invited to take part. Some of the funds raised will go towards the provision of Christmas lighting in the village.

School Quiz

Corofin National School Parent’s Committee will hold a fundraising Table Quiz at Crowley’s Bar, Corofin on this Friday night November 7th commencing at 9.30pm. The quiz is open to teams of four and everyone is welcome to be involved. In addition to the quiz a raffle will be held on the night and refreshments will be served.

Up-cycling for Café

One of the new facilities to be incorporated into the redeveloped parish hall will be a community youth café. CHAF the hall development committee is working with local young people to manage this new facility and is encouraging them to take charge of the fit-out and furnishing of this new amenity. It is planned to furnish the café with up-cycled tables and chairs and CHAF would welcome hearing from anyone who might have some suitable items to donate for this purpose.

Festive Lights

Festive lights in Corofin village have been a feature of the Christmas period for several years and thanks to a hard-working committee the lights have been maintained and improved where possible over that period. The cost of up-keeping and replacing lights, purchasing Christmas trees, as well as the actual running cost, which involves annual electricity bills and insurance, has become very prohibitive in spite of the various fundraising activities which the committee engage in each year. In this context the local group has decided to replace the existing high-maintenance lighting with more modern LED lights which will not require the same maintenance or running costs. They plan to run a number of fundraising events in the coming weeks to help offset the cost of changeover and will be asking the community to support their efforts.

Have you an item for inclusion in the Corofin Notes? Contact Gerard Kennedy at gerrykennedy50@yahoo.com before Monday evening.

Greenway Project

Corofin is set to benefit from the development of a cycle and walking greenway linking Ennis to Lahinch along a 33k section of the old West Clare Railway line. The success of the Mulranny Greenway in Co. Mayo has encouraged local authorities in other parts of Ireland to pursue similar projects and the former West Clare Railway route has been accepted by the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport as a suitable development. Planning permission has been lodged with Clare County Council for phase one of the project which will be a four kilometre trail linking Ennis town to the Lee’s Road amenity park. Work on this section is expected to commence in 2015, while phase two will see the greenway developed as far as Corofin via Ruan. This is an exciting project for tourism providers in the area and has been welcomed by the Corofin Tourism Association.

Girls In Final

Corofin Harps girls u-12 team will play Moher Celtic in the cup final at the county grounds in Doora on this Saturday September 27th. This is one of a number of finals in various age groups taking place on Saturday and the kick-off for the Harps versus Celtic game is 12.15pm. The club is appealing for strong support for the team which is attempting to bring a first ever girls soccer trophy to the parish.

Youth Club AGM

Corofin Youth Club will hold their AGM on Wednesday next October 1st in the GAA Hall commencing at 8.30pm. The club is asking that at least one parent or guardian of the young people who attend the club during the year will attend this meeting. Adults are requested to give one night per term to assist the committee members in running the club. This generally takes up just two hours on a Friday night but it could make a big difference in helping to keep the club going. Next week’s meeting will be looking for suggestions on likely club activities for the coming season. Already there have been requests to run first-aid classes, exercise classes and driving theory classes but other suggestions will be very welcome. The club also had a very positive involvement in youth club drama last season and plan to take part in both drama and talent competitions again this year. Anyone interested in taking part or in assisting the club should contact 087 9919158.

Minor Setback

A late goal from Cooraclare proved the deciding score in the county Minor Division Two football final played in Miltown Malbay on Saturday last where Corofin provided the opposition. The West Clare side led from early on but a dogged display from Corofin kept them very much in contention and were only one point in arrears at the interval with Cooraclare ahead by four points to three. The westerners moved into a 0 – 08 to 0 -05 lead mid-way through the second period but a well worked goal from Corofin saw Shay Malone finish to the net to tie the score. Cooraclare had the final say however as they raised a green flag themselves which proved the match winner.

Clare Stars for Family Fun Day

A huge crowd turned out at Pairc Finne for the second Family GAA Fun Day sponsored by Centra on Saturday last. A total of 164 young people from u-8 to u-14 participated in the various sessions where members of the Clare Senior hurling and football panels helped out with the coaching. The eight county players who gave their time on Saturday to help out were Sean and Podge Collins, Conor McGrath, Bobby Duggan, Kevin Hartnett, Paul Flanagan, Jamie Malone and John Keane. In addition there was other fun activities laid on for the day and the local GAA club expressed its’ thanks to the Minihane family for organising the event. Meanwhile on the playing front Corofin suffered a setback in the Intermediate Football Championship when they were defeated by Kiladysart on a score of 0 -14 to 1 – 07 on Sunday while the Corofin-Ruan u-16 hurlers were beaten by Sixmilebridge on a score of 3 -09 to 1 – 12.

Summer Shows Continue

The Summer Theatre sessions at the Teach Ceoil in Corofin organised by Corofin Dramatic Society with assistance from Corofin Youth Club continue on this Friday night August 15th. Featuring three one-act plays the shows will also be staged on Tuesday and Friday of next week August 19th and 22nd with a final performance scheduled for Tuesday August 26th. Tickets are available at the door each night but with limited seating available the shows are expected to be sold out quickly and patrons are asked to arrive in good time.

Senior Silver

The Burren Tog-O-War club made the journey to Donoughmore in Co. Cork on Sunday last where they stepped up a class to the senior 600kg competition. Five senior teams and three division two teams competed with the Burren pulling their way to the final where they met All Ireland senior champions Boley from Co. Wexford. The local side put up a very brave performance against the champions but had to settle for the silver medal, no mean feat against Ireland’s top team. Burren will have their final outing of the season at Tullow, Co. Carlow on Sunday next were they will be hoping to wrap up the All Ireland Division Two league title.

Bodyke Outing

Corofin Golf Society will travel to Bodyke on this Saturday August 16th for the club’s August outing. This will be a singles stableford event and members will be attempting to secure valuable points towards this year’s Golfer of the Year title. The tee is reserved at the East Clare venue from 10.00am.

Soccer Season

The junior soccer season will commence in Clare on the week-end of August 23rd and 24th with Premier Division league fixtures and shield competitions in each of the other three divisions. Corofin Harps B are drawn in Pool B of the Division Three Shield and their opponents in this group are Sporting Ennistymon B, West Clare FC, Coole FC and Bridge United B.

Lots on for Festival of Finn

Organisers are anticipating record crowds for this year’s Festival of Finn which will be officially opened by Mayor of Clare, Cllr Joe Arkins at the Teach Ceoil, Corofin on this Thursday night at 9.00pm. The festival has a packed programme of events which continue over the Bank Holiday week-end and features a mix of activities, entertainment and competitive fair having local, national and indeed international interest. Should the recent spell of fine weather continue over the next five days a great week-end is in prospect and the hard work of the organising committee will be rewarded. Programmes for the festival can be found in all local businesses.

Hairy Moments

The Corofin festival introduced the Best Irish Beard and Moustache Championships last year and beard-related events will be very much in evidence over the next few days. This will kick off with the May meeting of The Irish Beard & Moustache Association taking place at Crowley’s Bar, Corofin on this Friday night which will also feature a live band. On Saturday afternoon from 3.00pm to 6.00pm, Corofin GAA complex is the venue for two world record attempts. The first is to try to beat the biggest gathering of beards and moustaches at a single event which currently stands at 462 while a second record attempt will be to form the longest chain of beards ever recorded. This event will feature open air music from The Hooch Hikers as well as other festive activities. On Sunday The Farmyard visitor centre outside Corofin village will host the second Irish Beard and Moustache Championships sponsored by Clare Spring Water and Rochfords Pharmacy.

Pike Angling

The annual Pike Angling competition takes place at Lake Inchiquin on this Saturday May 3rd commencing at 10.00am. The organisers stress that buoyancy aids must be worn by all competitors and u-18s must be accompanied by an adult. The prize-giving will be held after the competition at Bofey Quinns in Corofin Village.

Farmer’s Market

The Farmer’s Market returns to Corofin Village on this Saturday from 10.00am with all kinds of local produce and goods on offer. An addition to this event, which is being held at Church Street will be a traditional dancing display from 1.00pm.

Guided Tour
Marie McGauran will be the guide for a walk in the Burren National Park also on Saturday for those wishing to taken in some exercise and enjoy the beauty of the Mullaghmore area. Participants will meet at St. Patrick’s Hall at 10.30am and everyone is advised to wear suitable clothing and foot-ware.

Car Treasure Hunt

A popular activity which can be enjoyed by all the family is a Car Treasure Hunt and one such event commences near the Grotto in Corofin Village on Saturday evening at 6.30pm. Prizes will be awarded for the best three finishing teams which will try to solve the fifty or so clues set out for them.

Garden Fete

While The Farmyard is the venue for the beard championships on Sunday there will also be plenty of other activities for all the family to enjoy there from 12.30pm on Sunday May 4th. These activities include Teddy Bear’s Picnic, Children’s Dog Show and Story-telling as well as Sheep and Goat racing.

World Stone Throwing

The 15th annual World Stone Throwing Championships take place at Campbell’s Yard in Corofin Village from 4.00pm on Sunday. With both ladies and gents titles to be won competitors are expected from home and abroad. It is hoped that last year’s winners will return to defend their titles in 2014. Proceeds from this event go towards improving and maintaining the Christmas Lights in Corofin each year.

Andy Irvine Concert

Andy Irvine, formerly of the well-known group Planxty, will be the star performer in the traditional music concert which will take place the Teach Ceoil in Corofin on Sunday evening at 8.30pm. The local venue has hosted a series of very successful concerts over the past number of months and Sunday’s event seems likely to be sold out.

Finn Meets Brian

The theme of this year’s Festival of Finn parade through Corofin Village is ‘Finn McCool Meets Brian Boru’ in keeping with the 2014 millennium celebrations. However the organisers will welcome floats and competitors in all kinds of fancy dress for this event which gets under way from the Grotto at 12.30pm on Monday May 5th. While floats go free there is a small entry fee for individual competitors.

Lark At The Lake

Weather permitting a very enjoyable outing is in prospect at Lake Inchiquin Car Park where a host of fun activities are planned on Monday from 2.00pm, including open air music, boat rides, horse-shoe throwing, bouncy castle, bar-b-que and much more. It is planned to provide car parking facilities en route to the lake which everyone is asked to avail of in order to avoid traffic congestion at the venue.

Duck Race

Corofin Camogie Club is organising a sponsored Duck Race as a fund-raising initiative in conjunction with the afternoon entertainment at Lake Inchiquin on Monday at 3.30pm. Sponsorship cards are available from club members as well as being on display in local shops. Meanwhile on the playing front it was a very busy weekend for Corofin Camogie. The Junior team qualified for the League semi-final with a good win over Clooney/Quin on Saturday evening in Clooney on a score of 2-08 to 0-05. Féile was very enjoyable for the U14 side with five games in two days. The Corofin team recorded two victories and a draw and must now wait to see who qualifies for Féile finals.

Girls Soccer

Following on from the very successful Soccer Sisters training courses organised locally by Corofin Harps a number of challenge games are being arranged on Monday next May 5th to give the players a taste of competitive action. Kilmaley side Fern Celtic will provide the opposition with games taking place for u-8’s, u-10’s and u-12’s and the support of parents and families will be welcomed.

Great Pulling

The Burren Tug-O-War Club has returned to competitive action with a bang in recent weeks. On Sunday week they competed in senior competitions at Watergrasshill in Co. Cork in both 640kg and 700kg classes and emerged victorious in both. Thurles race Course in Co. Tipperary was the venue on Sunday last where the local side repeated their success winning out in both senior competitions.

Dromore Wood Nature Reserve

The visitor information centre at Dromore Wood Nature Reserve at Ruan will re-open for the 2014 season on Saturday 3rd May at 10.00 am. The reserve comprises 400 hectares of mature species-rich woodland, wetlands and limestone pavement which can be explored via 20 km of woodland walking trails. The visitor centre will open during May from Wednesday to Sunday 10.00 am to 5.00 pm and daily from Thursday 5th June until the end of August. The nature reserve is open daily although closed to vehicles from 7.30 pm to 8.00 am.

National Park Bus Service

The free Burren National Park Bus Service will return on this Saturday 3rd May for the 2014 season. It will run daily from the Information Point in Corofin between 10.15 am and 6.00 pm until Friday 29th August. The bus services the five way-marked walking trails in the park that allow the visitor to explore the limestone pavement, hazel scrub, deciduous woodland, wetlands and species-rich grasslands. The bus timetable can be downloaded from the information centre website at www.burrennationalpark.ie/visit.html. On Sunday 4th May at 2.15 pm there will be a free guided walk along the Nature Trail in the Burren National Park. For more information and to book contact 065 6827693 or email burrennationalpark@ahg.gov.ie.

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.

Hair-Raising Event

With the Festival of Finn just two weeks away the hard working local committee is working hard to ensure that everything goes according to plan. Much emphasis is being placed this year on the Irish Beard and Moustache Championships sponsored by Clare Spring Water and on two world record attempts involving people with beards. Members of the committee have been travelling the highways and bye-ways encouraging hirsute members of the public to come along to Corofin over the May Bank Holiday Week-end and be part of the festivities. They have also joined forces with the Irish Beard and Moustache Association to promote the various events and they’re encouraging everyone to check out the details on the Festival of Finn website and facebook page.

Sun Shines for Sonny

The 30th Annual Michael Sonny Murphy 10 mile road race and 6K walk took place at Kilnaboy last Sunday in near perfect conditions and there was a big turnout on the day. The race was won by Julio Cesar Castro of Kilmurry Ibrickane in a time of 55.44 mins. The first lady home was Barbara Cleary of Donore Harriers in a great time of 58.02 mins. James Raleigh was the first local athlete home and he led Kilnaboy AC to third in the team event which was completed by Rory Singleton, Shane O’Loughlin and Brian Collins. Corofin comprising of Damian Ryan, John O’Donoghue, John Carey and Eric Turner claimed 4th. Kilnaboy AC also finished 3rd in the ladies event and this team comprised of Aislinn Kelleher who was also first local woman home, Barbara Henry and Collette Nagle. Kilnaboy AC wish to thank all those who helped make the day such a success, particularly all those who took part and especially the many local people who took part in both events.

West to West

Colorado Beef producer Keith Parks will be giving a talk at the X-PO in Kilnaboy on Thursday 24th April starting at 8pm. X-PO founder Deirdre O’Mahoney visited local beef producers in Colorado to discuss changing ideas on rural environments as sites for food and energy production. Deirdre was building on existing research with farm groups in Ireland and the UK which examines the role of cultural practices in opening space for co-learning between farming communities across the globe. Mr. Parks will talk about his experience of selling his produce directly to consumers and the evening is an opportunity for farmers and food enthusiasts to share in his experience. Everyone is most welcome to attend and there is no entrance fee.

Art in the Park – Easter Eggstravaganza

On this Saturday April a free children’s Easter-themed art event will be promoted by the Burren National Park Information Centre. Children will learn all about eggs, including what is an egg?, who is laying eggs in the Burren National Park at this time of year? why are some eggs more camouflaged than others? and what is a life cycle? The presentation will be followed by egg art activities. Meet at the Burren National Park Information Point, Clare Heritage Centre, Corofin at 11.00 am. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Also on this Sunday April 20th the centre will be offering a free guided walk along the Nature Trail in the Burren National Park. This is a 1.5km looped walk which passes through mature ash/hazel woodland, meadows and open limestone pavement. There are beautiful views of Mullaghmore and Lough Gealáin. As there is some rough terrain with loose rock, suitable footwear is required. Meet at Mullaghmore Crossroads, Gortlecka at 2.00 pm. The walk will last approximately 1.5-2 hrs.

Seven Up

Corofin Harps B waited all season for their first win in the Division Three of the Clare Soccer League but when it came it was very emphatic with a 7 – 0 drubbing of Hermitage C in a game played in Corofin on Friday evening. A Dean Hatfield hat-trick as well as two from captain David Quinn and one each from Paul Moroney and a converted spot-kick from Cathal Whelan accounted for the Harps scores. They will now be hoping that this victory sets them up for a strong finish to the season. Meanwhile the A side met top of the table Ennis Town Rock in a mid –week game which saw the townies win on a 4 – 0 scoreline.

Bus Will be Back

Corofin Tourism Association has welcomed the news that the free hourly bus service servicing the Burren National Park will resume in May. There had been some doubt about the service running in 2014 but it has been confirmed that the public can avail of the free bus from the May Bank Holiday. The availability of the service was one of the attractions being promoted by the local tourism group as part of their campaign for this year.

Sonny At Thirty

The Michael ‘Sonny’ Murphy memorial road race and fun walk celebrates its 30th anniversary on Sunday next April 13th. Organised by Kilnaboy Athletic Club the 10 mile road race has been one of the top athletic events in North Clare since it first began in 1984 and over the years has attracted athletes from all over Ireland and abroad. The addition of a 6k walk has been introduced in recent years to accommodate the many keep-fit enthusiasts who walk on a regular basis or who have trained specially for this event. The race gets under way at 1.00pm on Sunday from Kilnaboy School and follows the usual route while the walk is scheduled to start at 1.30pm.

Festival Quiz

With the Festival of Finn just three weeks away Corofin Tourism Association is organising a fundraising quiz which will be held at Crowley’s Bar on this Friday night April 11th, commencing at 9.30pm. The cost of promoting the local area as a tourist destination as well as the cost of organising and promoting the annual festival is considerable and the local association is appealing for the support of the community for this week-end’s event. As usual the quiz is open to teams of four and a raffle will also be held on the night.

Information Office Re-Opens

The Burren National Park Information Office located at the Clare Heritage & Genealogy Centre on Church Street, Corofin, has reopened for the 2014 tourist season. It is a great resource for visitors to the area wishing to explore the many attractions which the Burren and in particular the National Park has to offer. Staff will be organising free guided walks from April until September along the various walking trails within the Park looking at the flora, fauna, geology and landscape management of the area.
The first walk of the new season will be held on Sunday next April 13th commencing at the Mullaghmore Crossroads at Gortalecka at 2.00pm. Walkers are asked to dress appropriately for both weather and terrain. It is important to book in advance and this can be done by contacting 065-6827693 or by email to burrennationalpark@ahg.gov.ie

Spring Clean

Local volunteers in conjunction with the Corofin Tidy Towns group undertook a major clean-up of litter on all approach roads to the village on Saturday last. A substantial amount of litter had accumulated over the winter months, with the storms earlier this year causing much debris to be dispersed around the locality. The local group expressed its thanks to everyone who helped out on Saturday and also appealed to residents in the village to do their bit over the summer months to keep their respective areas clean and tidy. In addition the Tidy Towns organisation hope to undertake a number of specific projects in the coming weeks thanks to funding received through the Burren & Cliffs of Moher GeoPark initiative.

Recent Death
The death occurred recently of Mrs Kathleen Kierce, nee Cotter, of Boultaghdine, Kilnaboy and formerly of Drinagh. Her funeral took place from O’Halloran’s Funeral Home Corofin on Monday of last week to Kilnaboy Church and she was interred at Coad Cemetery following funeral mass on Tuesday morning.

Bridge Damage

The bridge spanning the River Fergus on the southern entrance to Corofin is one of the heritage features of the village and is included as one of the stops on the recently produced heritage walking trail for Corofin. Over the week-end however some of the stonework on the wall at the Richmond House side of the bridge was dislodged when a vehicle apparently brushed against it. The bridge can prove something of a bottleneck for traffic at times especially when two large vehicles meet there. Clare County Council was notified of the damage on Monday morning and it is expected that repairs will be carried out without delay.

Harps On Roll

While Corofin Harps found life difficult in the Premier Division of the Clare Soccer League following promotion last season two wins in the past week has made a big difference to their position. The local side had only accumulated four points in the early part of the season having drawn four games. They added six points to this with a 3 – 1 win over Ennis side Lifford on Wednesday last and followed up with a 4 – 1 win over Mountshannon Celtic on Sunday. Stephen Keane, Dean Hatfield and Jason Tierney were the scorers against Lifford while Keane with a brace, Hatfield and Brian McGauran scored for Harps on Sunday. The B team was unlucky not to collect their first points of the season on Friday evening going down 4 – 3 to Sporting Ennistymon. Goals from Jake Hatfield, Martin Keane and Mikey Singleton had Harps leading 3 – 2 late in the game when a penalty decision levelled matters. Sporting scored at the death to deprive a gallant home side of a share of the spoils.

Andy Irvine In Concert

Former member of Planxty, Andy Irvine, and friends, will perform at the Teach Ceoil on Sunday May 4th. This trad concert is another great addition to an already busy programme for The Festival of Finn over the May Bank Holiday week-end. Demand for this concert is likely to be huge and with limited availability at the local venue advance booking is essential. Padraic O’Reilly should be contacted for further information on this event

Fashion Show

A fashion show is being organised for Kilnaboy School Hall on Friday night April 25th with all proceeds going towards the school and also towards a local graveyard maintenance programme. It is the first time that the Kilnaboy venue has hosted an event like this and the organisers are hoping for strong local support.

Athenry Winners

With several sporting events clashing on Saturday last there was a relatively small turn-out for the Corofin Golf Society’s outing to Athenry. Kieran Reidy emerged winner on Saturday with David Daly in second place. Meanwhile around thirty people have booked for the local club’s weekend away to north county Dublin commencing on Thursday April 24th.

Gym Fit

The community gymnasium at the Corofin GAA complex is offering a diet, nutrition and exercise programme commencing on Monday next April 14th. This is an ideal opportunity for anyone thinking of getting fit for the summer. Additional details and bookings can be made by calling in to Corofin GAA Gym.

Promising Parade

This year’s Festival of Finn Parade promises to be an even bigger and better event in showcasing the wealth of community, sporting and cultural life in Corofin. Taking place on the Bank Holiday Monday May 5th commencing at 12.30pm businesses and organisations are invited to enter a float free of charge. While the main theme of this year’s parade is Finn McCool meets Brian Boru entries are not confined to this. Great prizes are on offer for the best float and most original fancy dress. There is a €2,00 entry for fancy dress participants. The parade committee are looking for additional volunteers to assist with this year’s event and for further details contact Pauline Bradley on 087 6383988.