Tag Archives: Sligo

BASED on the Sligo experience, Ennis Chamber is expecting a major increase in crowds for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. Chamber president William Cahir said figures provided by the organisers of the Fleadh in Sligo reveal a major increase in footfall from 900,000 in year one to 1.2 million in the second year. Mr Cahir said there is also evidence of people living abroad travelling in huge numbers to sample the great music and atmosphere at the festival. “If the weather holds up, we would expect much bigger crowds this year, particularly for the main weekend. Some people stayed away last year, due to the inclement weather,” he noted. “The reputation the Fleadh gained from the superb quality of the music in Ennis last year will also attract large crowds,” he added. The office in the Market has confirmed that most of the accommodation providers in the county town are effectively full. Most enquiries for accommodation are for Friday, August 18 …

Clare 2-17 Sligo 1-13 THE Clare footballers have qualified for the last 12 of the All-Ireland senior football championship for the first time since the All-Ireland qualifiers were introduced in 2001. They outscored Sligo 1-13 to 1-4 in a fantastic second half display, led by Cathal O’Connor who kicked four sublime points from play. Keelan Sexton, introduced for the black carded Podge Collins six minute before half time, put over three superb points from play during that second half, while Gary Brennan buried a magnificent goal. Clare dominated the middle third after half-time, winning five of Sligo’s kick outs in the opening 15 minutes of that half, which illustrated how well they did in that sector. Clare were 0-9 to 1-4 down at half-time, having put over just one point from play in that half. Eoin Cleary was the only Clare player to score from play with the same player adding a point from a free won by Podge Collins. …

  A decommissioned Boeing 767 aircraft is set to make land at Enniscrone, Co Sligo tomorrow morning after being moved by barge on the high seas in a mammoth 36 hour exercise from Shannon Airport. Hundreds of people were on hand at the airport over recent days and legions more stopped at various points along the Shannon Estuary to catch a glimpse of what is amongst the most unique sea cargos ever to sail out of the West Coast of Ireland. Vast numbers again are expected to be present at Enniscrone tomorrow morning when it is lifted from the barge ahead of a short and final journey to the Quirky Glamping Village where it will become part of a unique seaside glamping facility being developed by businessman David McGowan. Watch the footage here

It was reminiscent of  the flying boats era on the Shannon Estuary early on Thursday morning when a giant plane was loaded on a barge for transport by sea to Enniscrone in County Sligo. The TransAero Boeing 767-200 was bought by business man David McGowan to be installed in his glamping site near the popular resort. It was a major logistical exercise, involving up to 60 people, to get the plane from Shannon Airport compound to the waters’ edge on Wednesday and onto the barge, as tides were a factor.

Clare 1-11 Sligo 0-7 A Gary Brennan goal, nine minutes from time, was the game clinching score in Clare’s opening 2016 division 3 league game in wet and windy Miltown Malbay on Sunday. A huge element of luck helped Clare to create the goal. A long ball from Jamie Malone bounced over the collective heads of the Clare full forward and Sligo full back line. The ball hit the post and bounced into the arms of Clare substitute Pat Burke, who placed Brennan for the games crucial score. In a five minute second half spell Sligo had black cards shown to key men Niall Murphy and Brian Egan, leaving the already depleted Connacht county running out of options. Clare played into a very strong breeze in the opening half and trailed 0-4 to 0-2 at half time. While the conditions made it very difficult to play constructive football, both teams gave the ball away regularly and their decision making was …

IF Clare are to pick up an opening win in Division 3 of the 2016 National Football League, the performances of their midfield partnership of Gary Brennan and Cathal O’Connor will be pivotal. The Clondegad and Coolmeen men have established themselves as among the most capable duos around and Clare will be confident of securing sufficient possession in that sector to win most league games. O’Connor had a superb 2015, while Brennan showed a national audience what he is capable of when representing Ireland in the International Rules last November. However, this week the St Flannan’s school teacher is preoccupied with giving everything to ensure that Clare win their first league game of 2016. Every minute counts from now on. “Once you came into the new year, the McGrath Cup games shortened the gap to the start of the league. It’s a date that has been in our thoughts for a while and it’s good to be in the week …

THE final countdown to Ennis’ hosting of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, bringing hundreds of thousands of visitors to the county capital, is set to begin next week. Members of the working group in Ennis, along with representatives of the local authority, are travelling to this year’s host town of Sligo. On the final day of the celebrations, Sunday, August 16, the official handover of the Fleadh from Sligo to Ennis will be made. According to chairman of the working group, Mícheál Ó Riabhaigh, “Having the Fleadh here in Ennis is a huge event for us; it’s a challenge we have been waiting five years for and we’re really looking forward to it.” The handover, after which Ennis will officially be the Fleadh town, will take place at the closing ceremony, when the winners of the senior céilí band competition will play on the gig rig. “The countdown starts immediately then. From then on, Ennis will be the Fleadh town and …

  Hundreds of Clare businesses will be tuning up to a €30 million windfall next year after Ennis won the right to host the 2016 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. Securing the largest traditional music festival in the world for the first time since 1977 will attract an estimated 300,000 visitors to Ennis and neighbouring towns in August 2016, which will in turn provide a multi-million Euro boost in the coffers of local traders. Sligo are hosting the All-Ireland showpiece again in 2015 for a second successive year and local promoters were keen to stage it in 2016. However, after narrowly missing out on winning the right to host the prestigious annual event over the past four years, Ennis was named ahead of Sligo and Drogheda as the host venue for the event at a ceremony in Dublin on Saturday. Clare County Council has welcomed the announcement by the Ardchomhairle of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann to name Ennis as the host venue from …