Clare County Library in the Community

In a new development during 2008, Clare County Library took a small section of its treasured material from the Local Studies Centre on tour to Day Care Centres around the county. A selection of Clare Champion newspapers from the 1950s and 1960s was transported to Day Care Centres in Miltown Malbay, Kilrush and Kilmaley where extracts were read and discussed, prompting lively discussion and evoking memories of times past. Old photographs, articles and other historical ephemera from the Local Studies Centre were also displayed and enjoyed.

Reminiscence is something we all do and the older we get the more likely we are to fall back on our memories. This activity, as well as being interesting and informative, can have a great therapeutic effect on people who suffer with memory loss of recent events. Tapping into a person’s past can not only reveal a rich seam of insight and wisdom, but it can be a real tonic for someone who has memory difficulties as a result of their condition. The benefits of this form of Reminiscence Therapy are now widely recognized and further library visits are planned over the coming months.

Clare County Library's Local Studies Centre is open to the public free of charge. It is a reference library and research centre dedicated to the collection of material on any aspect of County Clare and is located at the Manse on Harmony Row, beside the de Valera Public Library in Ennis. Books, journals, newspapers, photographs, maps and other valuable material relating to County Clare can be found here. The Centre also houses a collection of Irish interest material. For further information phone 065-6846271 or email mailbox@clarelibrary.ie