Friday 30 November 2012

Martin Hayes and The Gloaming

The Gloaming including Martin Hayes from Clare on fiddle. Posted on Youtube on the 19th of November 2012 by PavilionTheatreDL.

Pádraig Rynne & Ryan McGiver live in Boston

"Pádraig Rynne (Concertina) and Ryan McGiver play a set of reels recorded like in The Back Room in The Burren, Boston in July 2012. Tunes: Lunchtime Boredom (Composer. P.Rynne), The Pigeon On The Gate, and Jimmy's return." Posted on Youtube on the 8th of November 2012 by maspeth46thstreet.

Nora Cleary sings ‘Mac and Shanahan’ & ‘Little ball of yarn’

"Two songs by Nora Cleary from Miltown Malbay (County of Clare, Ireland), both recorded in July 1976. In December 1920, two young republicans, Michael MacNamara and Willie Shanahan were arrested in Doonbeg, South West Clare, by a group of Black and Tans, members of the auxiliary force that had been brough to Ireland to assist in suppressing the growing opposition to British rule. They were tortured and eventually murdered in the prison of Kilrush." Posted on Youtube on the 10th of August 2012 by krisberwouts.

The Burren Centre Kilfenora

"The Burren Centre in Kilfenora was the first Interpretive centre in Ireland. It is at the gateway to the Burren and is a tourist information point also. All the staff are very helpful and can direct you to some hidden places. There is a major exhibit of the Burrens Flora, Fauna and History which the visitor can tour. In the café the toasted salmon sandwiches are a particular favourite of visitors. So a visit to County Clare's and Ireland's first interpretive centre is a must." Posted on Youtube on the 17th of November 2012 by clare virtually.

Burren Sky & Cloud

"Burren Sky and Cloud a short film by Dermott Petty using an overture to a piece of music composed by Barry Dillon titled Rock Music The Antithesis." Posted on Youtube on the 27th of November 2012 by StoneCrackeder.

Killaloe Moon Rise

"Full Moon rising over Killaloe/Ballina Ireland." Time lapse sequenced by Dave O'Sullivan. Posted on Youtube on the 27th of November 2012 by dosfromclare.

Ryan Tubridy Show Greet on the Street in Ennis

"With thanks to The Gathering, Ireland 2013, Ryan Tubridy and his team hit the road again, and this time head for the banner county! Tubridy Greet on the Street visits Ennis, Co. Clare where he broadcasts his RTE Radio 2fm show." Posted on Youtube on the 21st of November 2012 by RTE2fm.

Surfing in Lahinch

Posted on Youtube on the 10th of November 2012 by Eoghan Hynes.

Bhangra on the Cliffs of Moher

"Bhangra on the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland. Song: Chan Mere Makhana." Posted on Youtube on the 6th of November sangha88.

Friday 23 November 2012

Clare County Library's Music of Clare Project on RTE TV News

The Music of Clare project featured on RTE TV News. The clip, recorded on the 12th of November 2012, features interviews with Senior Executive Librarian Anthony Edwards, musician and teacher Geraldine Cotter and Siobhán Mulcahy, County Arts Officer on the launch of the library's Music of Clare project. Posted on Youtube on the 20th of November 2012 by RTENewsNow. Click here for info about the project... See also The Music of Clare Project on RTE Radio's Morning Ireland.

Edel Fox, Ronan O'Flaherty, Johnny McDonagh, Dave Flynn – Reels

Edel Fox, Ronan O'Flaherty, Johnny McDonagh, Dave Flynn play some reels. Posted on Youtube on the 3rd of November 2009 by k4hx1.

Eamon Cotter, Kieran Hanrahan and Kathleen Boyle, Scoil Éigse 2012

Eamon Cotter, Kieran Hanrahan and Kathleen Boyle play at Scoil Éigse 2012 on the 14th of August 2012. Posted on Youtube on the 15th of August 2012 by micimccullagh.

Eight Irish Novels on 2013 IMPAC longlist


Eight novels by Irish authors are among the 154 books that have been nominated by 120 libraries worldwide for the €100,000 International IMPAC DUBLIN Literary Award, the world’s most valuable annual literary prize for a single work of fiction published in English.  ‘This is the highest number of Irish authors ever to be nominated in any one year by libraries around the world for the IMPAC DUBLIN Award’ said Margaret Hayes, Dublin City Librarian. ‘It says a lot for the high quality of writing coming from Irish writers currently and it reinforces Dublin’s status as UNESCO City of Literature’. The 154 nominations for the award come from 120 cities and 44 countries worldwide. 42 are titles in translation, spanning 19 languages and 47 are first novels’

The Irish titles are:
On Canaan’s Side by Sebastian Barry, nominated by San Diego Public Library, USA and by Dublin City Libraries.
City of Bohane by Kevin Barry, nominated by Cork City Libraries, Limerick City Library and Dublin City Public Libraries.
The Absolutist by John Boyne, nominated by Liverpool City Library and Tampere City Library, Finland.
The Dulang Washer by Paul Callan, nominated by The National Library of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpar.
Long Time, No See by Dermot Healy nominated by Bergen Offentlige Bibliotek, Norway and The Library for Foreign Literature, Moscow, Russia
The Cold Eye of Heaven by Christine Dwyer Hickey, nominated by Bergen Offentlige Bibliotek, Norway
Twice Born by author Margaret Mazzantini, nominated by Waterford County Library, Ireland and by Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma, Italy
Double Talk by Patrick Warner, nominated by The Provincial Resource Library, St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada

The most nominated book is The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes, which received fifteen nominations from libraries in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Ireland, The Netherlands, The UK and the USA. Other books nominated by multiple libraries are The Sisters Brothers by Canadian writer, Patrick de Witt, and two debut American novels, The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach, and TheTiger’s Wife by Téa Obreht.

Trevor Hansbury & Thomas Schied at Blues Alive Festival in the Czech Republic, 2008

Ennis native Trevor Hansbury and Thomas Schied from Germany playing at at Blues Alive Festival in Šumperk in the Czech Republic in 2008. This clip features the last 8 minutes of a 45 minutes long piece. Posted on Youtube on the 3rd of december 2008 by hankbutcher.

The Humours of Ennistymon, The Cliffs of Moher, & Out on the Ocean by ITMA staff

"The Humours of Ennistymon, The Cliffs of Moher, Out on the ocean, jigs played by ITMA staff (Jackie Small, accordion; Lisa Shields, concertina; Brian Doyle, banjo; Elaina Solon, fiddle; Nicholas Carolan, fiddle; Danny Diamond, fiddle). Recorded in the Irish Traditional Music Archive, Dublin, 13 June 2012 for National Music Day 2012." Posted on Youtube on the 21st of June 2012 by ITMAVideos.

BBC The Story of Maths - The Genius of the East

The 2nd of a 4 part BBC series on the history of mathematics. Posted on Youtube on the 24th of September 2012 by Anon00x2384723. See also The Story of Maths – Part 1 of 4 – the Language of the Universe.

Fishing time in Kilkee with friends, 2012

Posted on Youtube on the 19th of September 2012 by Lunatik583.

Science week in Shannon Library










Almost 100 children from 1st year in St. Patrick’s Comprehensive School, Shannon attended a special event held in Sean Lemass Public Library, Shannon, to mark Science Week 2012. The students were treated to a ‘Supermarket Science’ show hosted by Scientific Sue. The show featured a whole host of science experiments that can be attempted with items easily found in your local supermarket. Sue engaged the audience in a number of experiments one of which featured a fire breathing dragon called Norbert and a toy cow whose head popped off! The experiments called for a lot of help from the audience members and Sue had no problem finding willing volunteers. The enthusiasm from the participants showed there is a real interest amongst young people in all things science!

European Commission presents new Rethinking Education strategy


The European Commission has launched a new strategy called Rethinking Education to encourage Member States to take immediate action to ensure that young people develop the skills and competences needed by the labour market and to achieve their targets for growth and jobs. Rethinking Education calls for a fundamental shift in education, with more focus on 'learning outcomes' - the knowledge, skills and competences that students acquire. Merely having spent time in education is no longer sufficient. In addition, basic literacy and numeracy still needs to be significantly improved, and entrepreneurial skills and a sense of initiative need to be developed or strengthened.

Rethinking Education in brief:
  • There needs to be a much stronger focus on developing transversal skills and basic skills at all levels. This applies especially to entrepreneurial and IT skills.
  • A new benchmark on foreign language learning: by 2020, at least 50% of 15 year olds should have knowledge of a first foreign language (up from 42% today) and at least 75% should study a second foreign language (61% today).
  • Investment is needed to build world-class vocational education and training systems and increase levels of work-based learning.
  • Member States need to improve the recognition of qualifications and skills, including those gained outside of the formal education and training system.
  • Technology, in particular the internet, must be fully exploited. Schools, universities and vocational and training institutions must increase access to education via open educational resources.
  • These reforms must be supported by well-trained, motivated and entrepreneurial teachers.
  • Funding needs to be targeted to maximise the return on investment. Debate at both national and EU level is needed on funding for education - especially in vocational education and higher education.
  • A partnership approach is critical. Both public and private funding is necessary to boost innovation and increase cross-fertilisation between academia and business.

Tuesday 13 November 2012

Science week in Clare libraries













On Thursday the 15th of November at 10am in Ennis Library, and at 1.30pm in Shannon Library, an exciting Science Week Roadshow will promote the relevance of science in our everyday lives. With the assistance of Scientific Sue, audiences will learn that we are all a part of science and that we are constantly experimenting. Join Scientific Sue back in her wacky lab after her shopping trip and find out how she combines goodies from each of the shopping zones to explore forces, energy and energy changes, properties of materials and much, much more. Be amazed by the flying toilet roll, bemused by the exploding pig and wowed by Norbert, Sue’s very own fire breathing Dragon! The objective of Science Week each year is to promote the relevance of science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) in our everyday lives and to demonstrate their importance to the future of Irish society and to the economy. This year’s theme, “Science Week 2012 – Everyday Experimenting” aims to demonstrate that you are a part of science. You are constantly experimenting. From tying your shoe lace, to attempting a new level on a game, trialling a new recipe and even embarking on a first date—these are everyday experiments. From the make-up we use, to the food that we eat, we make hundreds of choices each day in deciding how we will interact with the materials and people around us, shaping our own environment. Embrace and celebrate Science Week 2012 at Clare County Library and experience everyday experiments for yourself!

Monday 12 November 2012

The Music of Clare Project on RTE Radio's Morning Ireland


The interview, on the 12th of November 2012, featured interviews with Senior Executive Librarian Anthony Edwards, musician and teacher Geraldine Cotter and Siobhán Mulcahy, County Arts Officer on the launch of the library's Music of Clare project.

Friday 9 November 2012

Cérbh É - Willie Clancy, the illustrious piper

"Buaileann Peter Browne le Willie Clancy, duine de na daoine is aitheanta i gceol traidisiúnta na tíre seo. Willie Clancy is probably the best known name in traditional Irish music, but what do we know about the man himself?" Here he is featured by Peter Browne on TG4's 'Cérbh É' programme, broadcast on the 27th of November 2011. This video was posted on Youtube on the 5th of November 2012 by tg4amhran.

Under 12 All Ireland Champions Lily O'Connor and Rosa Carroll at Tulla Trad Festival

Tulla Comhaltas members Rosa Carroll on fiddle and Lilly O’Connor on concertina won gold in the under 12 duet category at the 2012 all Ireland fleadh Cheoil in Cavan. Here they are playing in Minogues Pub in Tulla, County Clare, during the Tulla Trad Festival. Posted on Youtube on the 26th of October 2012 by enjoyirishculture.

Joe Derrane (Boston) & Seamus Connolly (Killaloe)

Joe Derrane’s father emigrated to the US from Inis Mór, one of the the Aran Islands off the coast of Clare. Seamus Connolly comes from Killaloe but lives now in Maine, USA. This programme first appeared on 'Sé Mo Laoch on TG4. Posted on Youtube on the 27th of September 2012 by Liam McKeogh.

Cliffs of Moher - a Viator travel guide

"Visit one of Ireland's most stunning natural attractions - the Cliffs of Moher - where the gentle Irish landscape reaches a dramatic flourish as it meets the Atlantic coast. This mighty County Clare sight towers above the raging ocean for a scenic 5-mile (8-km) stretch." Posted on Youtube on the 8th of November 2012 by ViatorTravel.

Killaloe and Ballina on RTE's Nationwide

Featuring rugby, GAA, fishing and music. Posted on Youtube on the 3rd of November 2012 by Liam McKeogh.

Ar Dheis play Say You Love Me at Scariff Harbour Festival

"After the Ar Dheis tour of India, the band took on a new line up and decided to spice things up a bit! Our first gig with the new line up took place at the Scariff Harbour Festival in County Clare, August 2012. This song went down a bomb. Hope you enjoy!". Ar Dheis are an Irish Traditonal/Folk Group from County Clare. Video posted on Youtube on the 8th of November 2012 by Ardheismusic.

Poulnabrone Portal Tomb - animation of laser scan

"Animation of a laser scan survey of Poulnabrone Dolmen, Co. Clare. The portal tomb was surveyed using a Faro Focus 120 scanner by the Discovery Programme as part of the 3D-ICONS project. The animation, generated in Pointools shows the point cloud data rendered with the intensity values." Posted on Youtube on the 6th of November 2012 by DP3DICONS.

Golfing in Lahinch

Posted on Youtube on the 6th of November 2012 by Eanna de Buis.

Surfing at Cornish, Lahinch, County Clare

"Water Footage of Surfing and Bodyboarding in County Clare". Posted on Youtube on the 30th of October 2012 by Michael Rice.

The Story of Maths – Part 1 of 4 – the Language of the Universe

"The Language of the Universe" is the first of a four part series on mathematics produced by the BBC. Posted on Youtube on the 17th of August 2012 by nettledned.

Monday 5 November 2012

'Socks in the Frying Pan', to launch their debut album of Irish Traditional Music

'Socks in the Frying Pan', will launch their debut album of Irish Traditional Music on the 8th November, at 8pm, in the Temple Gate Hotel during the Ennis Trad Festival. “This young trad trio from County Clare blend Irish traditional melodies with an innovative rhythmic and melodic garnish, these socks are audibly palatable!” http://www.facebook.com/socksinthefryingpan

Vote for your favourite Irish books

The shortlists for the 12 awards in the 2012 Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards were announced on October 25th. The very best books published in Ireland across a vast range of genres in 2012 form the shortlists.

The categories are
The John Murray Show Listeners’ Choice
The Eason Popular Fiction Book of the Year
The Ireland AM Crime Fiction Book of the Year
The Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year
The Eason Novel of the Year
The Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year - Senior
The Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year – Junior
The International Education Services Best Irish-Published Book of the Year
The Argosy Nonfiction Book of the Year
The Lifestyle Sports Sports Book of the Year
The Avonmore Cookbook of the year
The Bord Gáis Energy Bookshop of the Year

Winners in each category will be decided by your votes. The public are asked to vote for their favourite books on irishbookawards.ie and be in with a chance of winning €50 of National Book Tokens. Pick up a booklet giving further details about the shortlisted books at your local library and you can watch the award ceremony on RTE One on Saturday 24th November.

‘Remembering the stories’ at the Clare Museum

The Clare Museum will be hosting a number of public talks titled ‘Remembering the stories’, a series of free public talks in conjunction with the exhibition on WWI and II and to mark the start of the Decade of Commemoration during November 2012. The first talk on November 8 will be by Olive Carey and will be titled ‘An Officer and a Gentleman: Brigadier-General Cuthbert Lucas’. Brigadier General Cuthbert Henry Tindall Lucas was captured by the I.R.A. while on a fishing expedition near Fermoy on 26th June 1920. The month that followed saw the largest manhunt ever mounted on Irish soil for a serving British officer, while the captors eluded discovery by moving the World War I veteran through a series of 'safe houses' in Counties Clare and Limerick, from where he made his escape. The story made international headlines and featured in newspapers such as the New York and the Singapore Times. Back on English soil the General's only public comment on the affair was that 'he had been treated as a gentleman by gentlemen', a view he maintained even in the face of possible court martial. Olive Carey, co-ordinator of the Hastings Farmhouse Conservation Project will give a summary of the General's World War I military career and of the events of his capture and escape during the summer of 1920. On the 15th November, Jakub Kacprzak, a Polish national and an intern at the Clare Museum will give an illustrated lecture called ‘Uprising 1944’, telling the story of the uprising of the people of Warsaw against their Nazi occupiers, an event that impacted on the family histories of many of Polish immigrants living in County Clare. The final talk by Rosemary Power on the 29th November is titled ‘Living with the enemy - Japan's Burma railway and the human aftermath’. Rosemary draws on accounts she heard in her youth from survivors of the Far East prisoner of war camps, and is a historian, folklorist, member of CAMPS at NUIG, and a minister in Clare. John Rattigan of Clare Museum is also encouraging anybody with artefacts that could be included in the exhibition to contact him. ‘While there has been a good response to the appeal for artefacts, the museum still has space for objects, photos or documents that members of the public may wish to include; he stated. All of these talks will be held at Clare Museum at 8pm on their respective nights and admission will be Free. All are welcome.

Friday 2 November 2012

Kitty Hayes, Yvonne Casey, Eoin O'Neill and Quentin Cooper on Open House

"Kitty Hayes (Concertina), Yvonne Casey (Fiddle), Eoin O'Neill (Bouzouki) and Quentin Cooper (Mandolin) playing on RTE's Open House, November 2001, following the release of Kitty Hayes's first CD 'A Touch of Clare' in September 2001. Reels: The Galway Rambler and The London Lasses." Posted on Youtube on the 15th of June 2010 by Faha10.

Francis Cunningham, Therese McInerney & Marian Curtin - High Reel Set

Set of Reels played at a concert in Cois na hAbhana, Ennis, by three young musicians from County Clare. Posted on Youtube on the 17th of April 2011 by xxfiddlexxchickxx.

Traditional dancing, Kilrush

"Traditional dancing, Kilrush, Co. Clare. The first two dancers are Matthew and Darragh McDonnagh, Moyasta. After that we have Eammon Vaughan dancing to Jo Linnen on Guitar from Cree and Mairead Considine on concertina in Crotty's pub." Posted on Youtube on the 16th of January 2011 by BirinBeo.

Earthship - 'Chromatica'

"Jazz Funk Fusion band Earthship, from County Clare, Ireland plays original tune, 'Chromatica' at Tully's, Kinvara. On bass Karl Clews, keyboards, Mark Farrelly, sax and percussion Andrew Collins, drums Blendi Krasniqi, guitar Eoghan Judge..." Posted on Youtube on the 1st of May 2011 by EARTHSHIPFUSION.

Mary Keenan and the Ennis Foundation Ministries play Stand By Me

"Mary, singing a well known song, accompanied by members of the Foundation Ministries, Ennis, County Clare." Posted on Youtube on the 29th of September 2012 by seanwv6.

Ireland's Eden: Loop Head Peninsula

"Loop Head Peninsula and Kilkee in Co Clare earned coveted EDEN recognition under the theme Aquatic Tourism. Famed for its impressive cliffs that dive dramatically into the Atlantic Ocean, this area boasts an incredible diversity of marine and bird life, as well as relaxing spas and beach resorts that date to Victorian times. The best way to discover the area is on foot - hiking along winding seaside trails - by bicycle or by boat. Loop Head Peninsula and Kilkee are famed for character and charm, and local people who are genuinely interested in meeting visitors and showing them how to make the most of their stay." Posted on Youtube on the 19th of October 2012 by Irelands Eden.

Bunratty Castle Wedding Proposal - Paul and Tara

"Paul Hoover and Tara Dunn from Roswell, Georgia, USa, at Bunratty Castle in County Clare, Ireland. October 24, 2012. We were celebrating our 2nd anniversary of our first date in Ireland at Bunratty Castle (a castle that was built, destroyed and rebuilt for centuries with it's present structure built in 1425). Enjoy as the events of the evening unfold during the medieval banquet." Posted on Youtube on the 26th of October 2012 by Paul Hoover.

Burren Winterage Exhibition Video

"For thousands of years, Burren farmers have marked the end of summer by herding their cattle onto 'winterage' pastures in the limestone uplands where they spend the winter grazing. This ancient 'transhumance' tradition is synonymous with the Burren and is key to the survival of the region's famous flora and fauna." Posted on Youtube on the 25th of October by BurrenBeoTrust.

Clare's Got Talent Final

Posted on Youtube on the 22nd of March 2012 by Galvinfilms.

Thursday 1 November 2012

Gene Kerrigan wins the CWA Gold Dagger Award 2012

Irish author and journalist Gene Kerrigan has won the CWA Gold Dagger for Best Crime Novel of the Year for his novel The Rage. Kerrigan joins an impressive list of previous Gold Dagger winners including Belinda Bauer, Minette Walters and Ian Rankin.  The Rage is about a professional thief, just out of jail, already preparing his next robbery. A retired nun reports suspicious behaviour in the Dublin backstreet where she lives to Detective Sergeant Bob Tidey, who is investigating the murder of a banker. The report unleashes a storm of violence and forces Tidey to make a deadly choice.  The Judges described his novel as “… a complex noir thriller that’s multi-layered and solidly written, with great style and pace. The depiction of post-crash Dublin has a real sense of menace and threat throughout.”

Kerrigan, a columnist with the Sunday Independent, has written many non-fiction works about Irish politics and crime. His first crime novel, Little Criminals, was set in the boom-time Ireland of 2005. Kerrigan’s portrayal of life on the edge of Irish society continued in his second work of fiction, The Midnight Choir. Dark Times in the City, which was shortlisted for the 2009 Gold Dagger, was set in a Dublin awash in a sea of cocaine and drug warfare.