Heritage Week in Clarecastle 2015

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John Pal Horan Medals courtesy of Noel Guinnane. Photo by Eric Shaw

Heritage Week 2015 –

• The now annual village walk was again guided by Dr Joe Power, taking in a visit to the newly restored Barracks where the owner, Gerry Halpin, kindly made all the walkers most welcome.
• To mark the 100^th anniversary of the Great War, an exhibition of war medals, photographs and biographies of men and women who had served in the War was displayed in Clarecastle and in Ballyea. For the first time, a comprehensive list of soldiers from the parish who fought in WW1 was compiled and presented by Eric Shaw.
• The highlight of the week was the display by Mr Sylvester Barrett, Barnageeha, of an old Land League Banner.  This truly historic artefact dates to the 1880s and would have been carried by his family and members of the Ballyea Branch of the Irish National League procession to Ennis, as part of the Land War in the 1880s.    T
• On 8 October 2015, the group participated in the National Flag & Proclamation ceremonies in the school in Clarecastle.
• The Heritage group, led by Christy Leyden and Eric Shaw spear-headed a campaign to get the OPW to enhance the mass-concrete flood barrier that it had placed at the entrance to Clarecastle Quay. This resulted in the structure being clad in stone, with attractive limestone capping and the erection of a wrought-iron signage showing Port of Clare in English and Irish. OPW also provided a limestone plinth for the large anchor and this feature will be further enhanced.
• A highly successful Bio Blitz on the flora and fauna of the Quay area in Clarecastle was carried out on 22 August 2015 and was enjoyed by children and adults alike. The aim of the Bio Blitz, led by Jean Ryan, is to raise awareness of the wonderful diversity in the flora and fauna around us.
• Erection of History & Wildlife signs at the Quay, Clarecastle.Two signs were designed and erected at the Quay, Clarecastle, in conjunction with Clare County Council and are of great interest to locals and visitors.