Monday 28 July 2014

The Fall Of Man by Los Paddys de las Pampas

"Los Paddys de las Pampas is a musical group [based in County Clare] that explores Irish music as a form of identity and exchange in Ireland and South America. The group was formed in January 2012 and has 9 members and counting: Paddy Mulcahy, Tessa O Connor, Sean O Brien, Adam Shapiro and Paddy Egan, Eddy Guilloteau, Angelo Heart, Tommy Nelson and James Shepperd – many of whom play traditional Irish music in County Clare and some of whom have a background in ethno-musicology. The project started when Paddy Mulcahy and Tessa O Connor spent two months in Buenos Aires in early 2012 exploring Irish music playing there and forging links with the Irish community in the city. Video directed, filmed and edited by James Sheppard. Juanan Madrigal and Francesca Guarnieri (Assistant Camera). Thanks to the fantastic dancers and actors that brought the video to life: Irish dancers Adrea Kafonkova, and Lenka Hoffmannova. Flamenco dancer:Sonia Posada. Party dancers: Eve Bernier, Marta Perinat Gomez, Natalia Téllez, Pau Santolaria, Laura, Victoria and Peter Dooley." Posted on Youtube on the 20th of July 2014 by Los Paddys De Las Pampas.

Friday 25 July 2014

Surfing in Lahinch, County Clare - by Tony Grehan

"Short aerial video of surfers in Lahinch, County Clare." Posted on Youtube on the 17th of July 2014 by Tony Grehan.

Postscript - a poem of County Clare by Seamus Heaney

"Pictures from a visit to County Clare in October 2010, on a theme of Seamus Heaney's poem Postscript..." Posted on Youtube on the 13th of October 2010 by John Hannah.

Adventures in County Clare

"3 weeks of pure Irish culture and a lot of cool activities and excursions in the wonderful county of Clare." Posted on Youtube on the 24th of July 2014 by 9669roby.

Impressions of County Clare

Posted on Youtube on the 5th of July 2014 by Markus Helfferich.

The Kilfenora Plain Set with Johnny Reidy in Spanish Point

"The Johnny Reidy Ceili Band opened their Sunday afternoon céilí at the Armada Hotel, Spanish Point, County Clare, with the Kilfenora Plain Set during the hotel's 2014 set dancing festival in July 2014." Posted on Youtube on the 9th of July 2014 by Bill Lynch.

Thursday 24 July 2014

Over 6,600 links added to library website - from Townlands to Genmaps

There are over 2,200 townlands in County Clare, and we have a webpage devoted to each of them on our website. We have now added three links on each of these townland webpages to the new Clare Genmaps system. The first link brings you the townland on the 1842 Ordnance Survey Map and shows nearby monuments and enclosures; the second shows you the townland on a Bing maps satellite view; and the third link shows the townland on a Bing maps satellite view with the OS Map overlaid on it with nearby monuments highlighted.

As an example, the webpage for Quingardens Townland in the Civil Parish of Quin, now has three extra links to accompany the links to lists of residents of the townland in 1855 and 1901, and photos taken in the townland.

In the third link, by using the overlay slider button you can regulate the opacity of the overlay, or toggle between the two views. See http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/maps/genmap/help.htm for more information...

Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy Slideshow

Miltown Malbay-based piper and photographer Peter Laban has been photographing the Willie Clancy Summer School since the late 1980s. His images of musicians, recitals and concerts are an outstanding documentation of the school’s activities and participants. Peter has now posted a slideshow of photographs from the 2014 school online here. Some more of Peter’s photographs can be viewed here.

Wednesday 23 July 2014

Local Art Exhibition in Kilrush Library

There was a large attendance at the opening of the Local Art Exhibition on Thursday 17th July 2014 in Kilrush Public Library. Several paintings were sold on the night. The collection consists of paintings in various media including acrylic, oil and watercolours. In addition, there are beautifully hand painted silk scarves in various colours and designs on display. The exhibition continues until Friday 22nd August. All are welcome.

Summer Art & Craft Programme continues at Kilrush Library

Twenty children attended this weekly session at Kilrush Public Library and decorated a range of cardboard gift boxes, pencil cases and lighthouses using Decopatch. The age range of the children was from 4 to 11 years and everybody participated really well. Booking for these workshops is necessary by calling the library at 065 9051504.

Thursday 17 July 2014

Conor Keane, Ron Kavanagh, Kevin Finnucane and Seanie O'Gorman - Riches Of Clare Concert June 2014

"Riches of Clare lunchtime series concert #8 on June 11, 2014. Musicians from your left are Ron Kavanagh, Kevin Finnucane, Conor Keane, and Seanie O'Gorman." Posted on Youtube on the 11th of June 2014 by Niamhaines.

Noel Hill and Alec Finn on Geantraí, 1997

Noel Hill from County Clare with Alec Finn playing Mountains of Pomeroy, Ladies Pantalettes, and Lucy Campell on TG4's Geantraí in 1997. Posted on Youtube on the 14th of May 2014 by MRBGS57.

Liam O’Brien, Concertina Teacher, Miltown Malbay

"Liam O Brien playing the Clare Concertina in the All About Accordions and Concertina shop in Miltown Malbay, County Clare, during the Willie Clancy Summer School." Posted on Youtube on the 13th of July 2014 by Elizabeth Cahill.

Willie Clancy Summer School 2014 on TG4

""The Willie Clancy Summer School (Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy) is Ireland's largest traditional music summer school held annually since 1973 in memory of the uilleann piper Willie Clancy. During the week, nearly a thousand students from every part of the world attend daily classes taught by experts in Irish music and dance. In addition, a full program of lectures, recitals, dances (céilithe) and exhibitions are run by the summer school. All events happen in the town of Miltown Malbay in County Clare, on the west coast of Ireland, during the week beginning with the first Saturday of July. The weekly registration includes six classes, all lectures and recitals (except the Saturday concert) and reduced price admission to céilithe. Lectures, recitals, concert and céilithe are open to the public." Posted on Toutube on the 13th of July 2014 by TG COA.

West Clare by Alan Magner

"West Clare, includes footage of the Cliffs of Moher, Bridges of Ross, Kilrush, Loop Head, Cappa, Lahinch. Video by Alan Magner Photography.(c) Alan Magner Photography." Posted on Youtube on the 30th of June 2014 by Alan Magner Photography.

Cahercommaun Triple Ring Fort - aerial footage

"Cahercommaun fort is actually 1200 years old, and was inhabited by about 40 high ranking chieftains and families. It's an amazing place, only 15 minutes walk from the car park. The nearest town is Carron, County Clare. We were there by 4am to get the lovely dawn light, what a great way to spend an early morning. Drone pilot/aerial video: Matthew Kelly. Ground camera/editing/music: Quentin Cooper." Posted on Youtube on the 14th of July 2014 by Drone Ireland.

See http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/archaeology/CL010-06403-.htm

Luka Bloom - Thank You For Bringing Me Here

"I walk with my father in Fanore
We walk hand in hand by the shore
The sun sets beyond Inisheer
I thank you for bringing me here"

Recorded live on Horo Gheallaidh - BBC ALBA (14 Feb 2009). Luka Bloom now lives in Doolin, County Clare, and the song features the lovely beach at Fanore, in the north west of County Clare. Posted on Youtube on the 5th of March 2011 by ...in bloom...

Art & Craft Summer Programme at Kilrush Library

Over twenty children attended the weekly Art & Craft Summer Programme at Kilrush Public Library on Tuesday 15th July 2014 and created a range of beautiful greeting cards, felt hearts and pretty brooches. Due to the great demand, there are now 2 workshops every Tuesday, the first from 11am - 12 noon and the second from 12 - 1pm. Booking is necessary by calling the library at 065 9051504.

Monday 14 July 2014

New eBooks available at Clare County Library

The following books are among those recently added to Clare County Library’s eBook collection:

The Living – a thriller from debut Irish author Lean Cullinan.

The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden – a tale of how one woman's attempt to change her future ended up changing everything by Jonas Jonasson, the author of The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared.

Ireland in the Medieval World, AD 400-1000: Landscape, Kingship and Religion, a study of Ireland's people, landscape and place in the world from late antiquity to the reign of Brian Boru by Edel Bhreathnach

A Life Worth Living – Michael Smurfit’s autobiography.

Clare County Library now has almost 800 eBooks available for members – both adult and children - to borrow. Members of Clare County Library can borrow one eBook at a time and hold it for three weeks. For details of how to borrow an eBook, see http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/online_resources/ebooks.htm

Emergency Law in Ireland: The Proclamations of Ireland, 1660 - 1820

The Irish Manuscripts Commission recently published the 5-volume The Proclamations of Ireland, 1660 – 1820 under the editorship of James Kelly with Mary Ann Lyons. The Kelly edition contains the full text of all surviving proclamations, covering across the five volumes some two thousand and five hundred proclamations and allied documents issued in Ireland between 1660 and 1820. The proclamations follow the successive reigns of Charles II, James II, William III, Anne, George I, George II and George III. The proclamations were originally promulgated by being published in a contemporary newspaper such as the Ennis Chronicle and Clare Advertiser as well as being publically declaimed, for example, at Sunday divine service.

The proclamations acted as an instrument of governmental and administrative power and coercion and were issued under authority of the Lord Lieutenant, the Lord Justice or the Privy Council. Many were restricted in terms of geographical extent and usually issued for a limited time-span. They addressed a wide range of issues, including anti-Popery decrees in the seventeenth century, transplanted persons and land settlement, tories, robbers and rapparees in different counties, local militias and policing matters through to proclamations against secret agrarian organisations and local outrages in the late eighteenth, early nineteenth century.

Particular County Clare content includes amongst other matters transplanted lands in Connacht and Clare, 1678; shipwrecks off Miltown Malbay in 1702 (the Betty Galley, out of London) and 1726; a case of abduction and marriage before ‘a Popish friar’ in 1707 during the Penal Laws; the apprehension of those who resisted the High Sheriff in giving possession of lands in County Clare in 1777; reward for the apprehension of those who resisted the Sheriff of County Clare (Ballymorris, Cratloe, Meelick areas) in 1779; an outrage against Luke Wall of Springmount in 1780; a proclamation requiring named individuals to surrender for resisting the enforcement of the law in 1789; and an 1802 reward for the apprehension of those responsible for a murderous assault in County Clare (John Hynes and Patrick Gleeson seriously assaulted between Killaloe and Broadford on 1st February 1802). Personal names and place names are frequently given in the proclamations.

Copies of the Proclamations are available at Clare County Library in the Sean Lemass Public Library in Shannon and the Local Studies Centre in Ennis.

Thursday 10 July 2014

The Fahertys at Corofin Tradfest 2014

"Two Barndances, The Jolly Roving Tar and The Hills of Tara, performed by The Fahertys and special guests at Corofin Tradfest 2014." posted on Youtube on the 5th of July 2014 by The Fahertys.

Doolin Folk Festival 2014

Doolin Folk Festival, County Clare, 13th - 15th June, 2014. Posted on Vimeo on the 6th of July 2014 by James Skerritt.

Michelle O'Brien, Siobhan Peoples, Elaine Hogan - Riches Of Clare Concert June 2014

"Riches of Clare Lunchtime Concert series, last concert of the 2014 season. Musicians, from your left to right are Michelle O'Brien, Siobhan Peoples, Elaine Hogan." Posted on Youtube on the 27th of June 2014 by Niamhaines.

Quilty, County Clare, and The Leon shipwreck, a 1963 RTE Television Radharc Documentary

This RTÉ Radharc documentary from 1963 includes an interview with Michael McInerney who took part in the rescue of French sailors from the stricken Leon XIII off Quilty in October 1907. Michael recounts his experience of the rescue and observes that the rescuers ‘didn’t get one thrupenny bit out of the French’ and, of the 32 Quilty men named on the commemorative plaque in Quilty Church - ‘ah, the half a them weren’t in it’. An account of the rescue is given on Clare Museum’s section of the library website. The Museum holds a life-ring from the ship. The video above was posted on Youtube on the 30th of June 2014 by Garrett Brown.

The Leon XIII adrift off Quilty. Clare County Library Macnamara Collection.

Cnoc na Gaoithe - Tulla Comhaltas Cultural Centre

"Short documentary on Tulla Comhaltas Centre, how it was established and how important it is to the Tulla community and the surrounding area. This was a 2nd year assignment for Broadcast Editing." Posted on Youtube on the 14th of May 2014 by Neasa Dinneen.

Béal Ború, Brian Boru's Fort, Killaloe, County Clare

Béal Ború, Brian Boru's Fort, Killaloe, County Clare. Posted on Youtube on the 23rd of May 2014 by DergProductions.

The Cliffs of Moher in HD

"Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland, 20th of July 2012." Posted on Youtube on the 27th of July 2014 by Marek Slomkowsk.

The Willie Clancy Memorial Sculpture

"In 2011, retired American couple Judith and Barry Merrill commissioned local sculptor Shane Gilmore to create a life size sculpture of Willie Clancy. The sculpture was cast in Seamus Connolly's foundry in Kilbaha, County Clare and on October 17th it made the journey back to Miltown Malbay in advance of its official unveiling on Saturday, November 9th, 2013." Posted on Youtube on the 29th of May 2014 by SiBhean.

Tuesday 8 July 2014

Clare FM at Willie Clancy Festival 2014

"Clare FM at Willie Clancy 2014 - The West Wind with Joan Hanrahan. Behind the scenes in the OB unit." The 42nd Willie Clancy Summer School, Miltown Malbay, County Clare, runs from Saturday 5th July to Sunday 13th July, 2014. Posted on Youtube on the 8th of July 2014 by clarefmTV.

Monday 7 July 2014

Summer Holiday Activities at Your Local Library

Check out your local library for activity programmes for children this Summer. Many branches are running projects varying in length from one to two weeks with some branches offering regular children’s events weekly during July and August.

Events include visits to local places of interest, art and craft sessions, creative writing workshops and lots more. For a full listing of what’s on visit the library’s Children’s Services webpage at
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/library/services/childrens/childser.htm

And don’t forget that the children’s Summer Reading Challenge runs in all of Clare’s libraries for the months of July and August.

Friday 4 July 2014

Michelle O'Brien, Siobhan Peoples, Elaine Hogan - Riches Of Clare Concert June 2014

"Riches of Clare Lunchtime Concert series, last concert of the 2014 season. Musicians, from your left to right are Michelle O'Brien, Siobhan Peoples, Elaine Hogan." Posted on Youtube on the 27th of June 2014 by Niamhaines.

The O'Deas - Riches Of Clare Concert, June 2014

"The Riches of Clare Lunchtime Concert series, June 18, 2014. Musicians, from your left, are the O'Deas- Carmel, Teresa, Brian, and Seanie McGrath." Posted on Youtube on the 27th of June 2014 by Niamhaines.

The Cliffs of Moher from the air

The Cliffs of Moher filmed from the air. Posted on Youtube on the 2nd of July 2014 by Vic in Poland.

Jet ski trip from liscannor via Cliffs of Moher to Aran islands with Dusty the Dolphin, summer 2014

"My weekend off from performing shows, we took some jet skies from Liscannor out around the Cliffs of Moher and on to the Aran islands for the day with our friends from Lahinch, Colm Humphries and James Rich. Big thanks to Kasia Paterok and Dawid Preuss for the edit at such short notice." Posted on Youtube on the 25th of June 2014 by Mattie Griffin.

Supporters around Cusack Park, Ennis, for Munster Football Semi Final, Kerry v Clare, 22nd June 2014

"Supporters around Cusack Park, Ennis, County Clare, for the Munster Football Semi Final, Kerry v Clare, 22nd June 2014". Posted on Youtube on the 23rd of June 2014 by Kerry GAATV.

Hang gliding in the Burren, County Clare, June 2014

Hang gliding in The Burren, County Clare, on the 16th of June 2014. Posted on Youtube on the 26th of June 2014 by piotrirl.

Spancilhill Horse Fair, County Clare, 2014

"A short video of the Spancill Hill Horse Fair in Clare." Posted on Youtube on the 25th of June 2014 by Tony Grehan.

Bia Dúchas from TG4 featuring St. Tola Irish Goat Cheese

"A wonderful programme from TG4 on Irish Cheese featuring St. Tola Irish Goat Cheese from Inagh, County Clare." Posted on Youtube on the 30th of June 2014 by St Tola Goat Cheese.

Dermot Healy 1947 – 2014

Writer and poet Dermot Healy passed away on June 29th. The author of numerous plays, four collections of poetry, a short story collection, four novels and a memoir The Bend for Home, Healy was elected to Aosdána in 1986. Seamus Heaney called Healy "the heir to Patrick Kavanagh" and Pat McCabe described The Bend for Home, published in 1996, as “probably the finest memoir… written in Ireland in the last 50 years".

Thursday 3 July 2014

The Pilkington, Griffin, & Keane Photo Collection (1860s to 1960s) and Marcus Keane, the ‘Exterminator General of Clare’

The Pilkington, Griffin, & Keane collection of photographs was recently posted on Foto, Clare County Library’s online images of Clare service. The collection contains images of family members and friends from the Keanes and Pilkingtons of Ennis and their cousins, the Griffins. The Pilkingtons and Keanes were related through the marriage of Thomas Pilkington of Cragleigh and later Waterpark, and Anne Keane of Beechpark. The Pilkingtons, Griffins and Keanes had summer residences near each other at Kilbaha on the Loop Head Peninsula. Anne Keane was a sister of the land agent Marcus Keane, who managed almost 150,000 acres in Clare in the 1850s, c.60,000 of them in the Kilrush Union alone. His name is forever associated with mass evictions during the Famine period, earning him the title of ‘Exterminator General of Clare’ (Limerick and Clare Examiner). He was also an avid antiquarian and proselytiser. On his death in 1883, he was buried in Kilmaley Cemetery, but the vault was subsequently broken into. His remains were discovered elsewhere in the graveyard eight years later, and re-interred at his home in Beechpark, Ennis.

'Emotional Life in Ireland' - Merriman Summer School 2014

The 2014 Merriman Summer School will take place in Ennis, County Clare, from August 13th to 17th. This year's theme is 'Emotional Life in Ireland'. It is a timely topic for a country which has yet again been dealing with the aftermath of trauma as we listen to stories of hidden pregnancies, secret births and unacknowleged deaths. How do we deal with our emotions and their consequences? Are we better at it now than we have been? What legacies have been left by our difficulty in understanding and reluctance to deal with our emotions? These are some of the areas for discussion at this year's Merriman Summer School. The director of this year's school is Dr. Patrica Coughlan, Professor Emerita in the School of English at UCC. She has selected a rich panel of speakers. Social historians, writers, ethno-musicologists, psychologists, a psychiatrist, journalists and critics will explore a wide range of topics which touch on our experience in Ireland of dealing with emotion, and its consequences. The opening lecture of the school on Wednesday evening, August 13th, will be given by Prof. Jim Lucey, medical director of St. Patrick's Hospital, Dublin. As always, poetry and prose will be a central part of the school's proceedings with a morning seminar series in English on 'Reading Edna O'Brien', and one in Irish dealing with aspects of emotion in the writings of Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Tomás Ó Criomhthain and Seosamh Mac Grianna. There will be poetry readings from William Wall, Paula Meehan and Bernard O'Donoghue, and plenty of music, formal and informal, including a fascinating talk by Lillis O Laoire and colleagues, incorporating performances, entitled ‘Emotion in the Irish Song Tradition'. The full programme and details about speakers are available on www.merriman.ie. Most events take place in Ennis' excellent cultural venue, Glór, with tickets and reservation available through www.glor.ie.