Kilfenora

The Home of Traditional Ceili Music and The Gateway to the Burren

The Home of Traditional Céilí Music and The Gateway to the Burren

News

Clare Outdoor Recreation plan – what does Kilfenora want?

“Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors” is a National Outdoor Recreation Strategy setting out the government’s ambition to develop and use the land and seascape for exercise in a more coordinated and sustainable way. We all know that this is vital for health and wellbeing, mental and physical.

Clare is one of six counties being used as a pilot to deploy Outdoor Recreation Officers (OROs), dedicated professionals tasked with coordinating and facilitating outdoor recreational plans; this is being administered through Clare Local Sports Partnership, a body dedicated to increasing participation in sports and physical activity.

Jessica O’Keefe is the appointed ORO for Clare. She is launching a consultation process whereby local communities, sports clubs, walking/cycling groups and businesses and tour guides providing activities (for locals and tourists) can contribute to a county plan to enhance opportunities for recreation and exercise.

On Thursday this week (14 November), she will be holding a consultation meeting for North Clare in the Burren Visitor Centre @ 7pm. (There will also be an opportunity to contribute via an online survey.)

This is YOUR opportunity to consider and state what you feel is important to improve recreational activity in our area, on land or on sea and in lakes. Obvious questions include what should be done to improve local opportunities for safe walking, running and cycling, and for indoor exercise too.

So be there at 7pm on Thursday if you want to make your voice heard. The meeting will be in the Kilfenora Céilí Band Exhibition Room – enter by the front door.

 

A new community space?

Initial steps are being taken towards acquiring ‘Hogan’s Field’ for the community of Kilfenora. This 1/3 acre strip of land between the Community Hall and the Burren Visitor Centre has been zoned by Clare County Council for community use. Following the Council’s advice, the first steps are to

  • conduct a community survey on options for its use
  • hold a community meeting to discuss the options – that will be on Wednesday 23 October at 8.30pm in Kilfenora Community Hall.

These steps also contribute towards seeking sources of funding to acquire the land – a community-backed proposal is essential.

The space is sufficient to be used for several different and beneficial purposes, as indicated in the attached questionnaire. For example a playground, garden area and seating for public use are all possible, and more besides.

If you are a resident of Kilfenora, or a regular visitor (eg for school or work), please contribute your views to this important development for the betterment of the community.

You can complete the questionnaire by clicking this link. Please reply by 6pm on Friday 19 October.

Alternatively, you can reply to the community email if you received one, or ask for a pre-printed questionnaire at the front desk of the Burren Visitor Centre and return it there completed. (Note the Centre’s reception closes by 4pm.)

Hogan’s Field in use at the Clare Fleadh, 2010

National Heritage Week in Kilfenora 2024

During National Heritage Week (17-25 August 2024), communities across Ireland are invited to create events to celebrate and educate about their local heritage. This depends on voluntary efforts, as the only support provided is space on the National Heritage Week website. As in 2022 and 2023, Kilfenora Development community group members have arranged a varied and high-quality set of events, nearly all free of charge, for both the local community and visitors in North Clare to participate in. Full details of all events can be found on the National Heritage Week website.

On Monday 19 August there are two free workshops (10-11.30 & 12-13.30) at St Fachnan’s Cathedral that will be used to create a record of its historic graveyard, led by local archaeologist Edel Barry and Elaine Lynch, Field Monument Advisor for Co. Clare. Limited spaces are available, and participants must register with BurrenBeo (email [email protected]). You can also use this link to book. This project is organised with the permission of the Church of Ireland (Drumcliffe Union of Churches) and co-funded by the Heritage Council under the Community Grant Scheme 2024, in collaboration with the BurrenBeo Trust.

On Thursday 22 August (8pm in Kilfenora Hall; €5 or €3 concessions), Dick Cronin (former Clare Council Conservation Officer) will discuss the fantastic story of Maire Rua O’Brien – a remarkable figure in Irish history – with a particular focus on the various castles she was associated with (including Dysert, Dromoland, Leamaneh and Ballynagowan at Smithstown). Dick’s research has also been funded by the Heritage Council Community Grant Scheme 2024.

Kilfenora Cathedral graveyard

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Maire Rua and Smithstown Castle

 

The remaining events are free and at the Burren Visitor Centre.

Liam Irwin, recently Head of History at Limerick University, will talk on Saturday 24 August (14.00) about the remarkable achievements of Thomas Westropp (1860-1922), the primary source of archaeological information on counties Clare and Limerick – especially the Burren.

On Sunday 25 August (14.00), the leading North Clare walking guide Tony Kirby will talk about the Burren’s holy wells – including the well in Kilfenora – sharing the results of his extensive research and providing new insights into their history, geography, folklore and hydrogeology.

Westropp and Ballykinvarga Fort
Tony Kirby & St Fachnan’s Well

 

Also on Saturday 24 August (15.00), multiple award-winning musician Aisling Lyons will take us on a journey through the history of the harp – the 2000-year old instrument that is Ireland’s heraldic symbol – demonstrating its versatility through her own playing.

And from 17-12 August (11-12.00 daily), the Burren Visitor Centre is offering its Kilfenora walking tour for free (normally €10). Take a fascinating journey though the life and history of the smallest cathedral city anywhere – a farming community from Neolithic times, its Ecclesiastical development from AD 560 to now, its survival through times of conflict and famine to its revitalisation through trade, education and music. The tour includes entry to newly re-furbished exhibitions on the Burren and music in North Clare.

Aisling Lyons
Kilfenora 80 years ago

Honouring Fr Ned’s service

On Sunday 7 July in Kilfenora the St Fachnan’s Church congregation at 11 am Mass applauded Fr Ned Crosby’s 60 years of ministry, and thanked him for his unswerving service to the community with a special presentation after Mass.

Since he was ordained in July 1964, Fr Ned has ministered to many communities both in Ireland and abroad.

In Kilfenora his influence has been both positive and dramatic. Alongside his ceaseless care for community members, he has orchestrated substantial fund raising for charity. This has been life changing in the case of money raised for Haiti.

Additionally, under his guidance the Kilfenora Players Drama group have consistently produced a high standard of amateur drama as well as raising money for charity. Renowned as a poet as well as a priest, Kilfenora is grateful to Fr Ned for his quiet but fulsome dedication to the life and parish of the City of the Crosses.

Fr Ned Crosby

Kilfenora graveyard survey starts Saturday 6 July

A project to survey St Fachnan’s Graveyard at Kilfenora Cathedral, is being undertaken.

Community members who are interested are invited to take part. The work commences between 10am and 6 pm this Saturday, 6 July.

Such surveys are being held in many graveyards to create a visual and written record – the locations of all graves, and the features, form, fabric and detail of headstones, including inscriptions and decorative detail.

The work thus involves recording each of the gravemarkers in the graveyard. The benefits include increasing awareness of our local history and the significance of this ancient site, as well aiding genealogical research and helping the many visitors tracing their Kilfenora ancestors.

This project has been co-funded by the Heritage Council under the Community Grant Scheme 2024, in collaboration with the BurrenBeo Trust. The work will be led by local archaeologists Edel Barry and Elaine Lynch, Field Monument Advisor for Co. Clare.

Members of the Burren Conservation Volunteer Group will carry out the survey, but local community members are also invited to take part. Guidance and training will be in survey techniques will be available to all participating.

If you want to join in, please email [email protected] to register.

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"Kilfenora, city of the crosses, home of céilí music"
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"Kilfenora, city of the crosses, home of céilí music"