Civic Honour For Kilfenora Céilí Band

One of Ireland’s best known Irish traditional music groups was honoured at a ceremony in its native County Clare last evening.

The Kilfenora Céilí Band, which celebrated its centenary year in 2009, was officially recognised by Clare County Council at a Civic Reception in Àras Contae an Chláir, Ennis, Co Clare.

Regarded as one of Ireland's most famous céilí bands, the Kilfenora Ceili Band continues to perform to large audiences at home and abroad, including the Glastonbury Festival in 2009. The ten-piece group features three fiddles (Anne Rynne, Pat Lynch and Annemarie McCormack), two flutes (Anthony Quigney and Garry Shannon), two sqeezeboxes Tim Collins and his wife, Claire Griffin), banjo and leader (John Lynch), drums (Sean Griffin) and piano (Fintan McMahon). The current line-up has been together by and large for 17 years under the leadership of John Lynch, who was named Clareman of the Year by the Dublin Association last week.

According to Mayor of Clare Councillor Tony Mulcahy: “In hosting a Civic Reception in honour of the Kilfenora Ceili Band, the Council also is recognising the contribution of traditional Irish music artists and groups throughout County Clare over the years to preserving a unique part of Irish culture and heritage. A Civic Reception is the highest accolade at the disposal of Clare County Council for any individual, group or organisation and one that is, for those in receipt of it this evening, thoroughly deserved”.

Commenting on the history of the Band, Mayor Mulcahy said: “The founding of the Kilfenora Céilí Band has its origins in a fife and drum band which was based in the North Clare village of Kilfenora in the 1870s. In the early days the band’s engagements included house dances which later progressed to playing in local parochial halls and eventually venues far beyond the boundaries of the parish. The bands first broadcast on radio was from Athlone in 1932 and one can imagine the excitement in Kilfenora that this event generated with radios being so scarce and novel at the time. This broadcast was no doubt a very important milestone for the band and a clear evidence of their growing reputation.”

The Mayor continued: “The All Ireland Fleadh Ceol victories in the Ceili Band Competition in 1954, ‘55 and ‘56 brought the bands reputation to a higher level throughout the country and beyond. This three in a row All Ireland Fleadh Ceol victories was repeated by the band with different personnel in 1993, ’94 and ’95. There have been many television performances by the band over the years as well as performances at Glastonbury Festival in Britain and the Milwaukee Irish Fest in the USA.”

“The significant increase in the number of young people picking up traditional instruments is a testament of the Band’s work. The considerable involvement of local people of all ages in the many traditional music festivals that take place each year throughout Ireland and further afield is evidence of a flourishing Irish traditional music scene”, concluded Mayor Mulcahy.

Speaking at the Civic Reception, Kilfenora Céilí Band leader John Lynch said: “It was a great honour being chosen as Clare Person of the Year by the wonderful charitable organisation in Dublin ‘Muintir an Chláir’ last week and now also being honoured again by your own home county and people, is the greatest accolade of all. It is a fitting conclusion to our centenary year celebrations.”

“I think that in granting the band a civic reception Clare County Council is recognising Kilfenora’s unique style of music which has been nurtured through the different manifestations of the band since the flame was lit in 1909. On behalf of the Band members, both past and present, I would like to sincerely thank the Council for the honour they have bestowed on us”, added Mr. Lynch.

The Kilfenora Ceili Band is the third Irish traditional music group or musician to be honoured by Clare County Council in as many years. In May 2008, Clare County Council bestowed Civic honours on Maghera fiddler Martin Hayes in recognition of his contribution to Irish traditional music. And again in September 2009, the Council celebrated the achievements of one of Clare’s finest Irish traditional musicians – Sharon Shannon.

For more on the Kilfenora Céilí Band see www.kilfenoraceiliband.com.

Ireland Secures Annual International Cycling Event

Ireland is set to become home to an annual international cycling event organised by the world’s largest sports, entertainment and media company.

IMG today, in partnership with Sky, Fáilte Ireland, Shannon Development, the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau, Clare County Council, announced details of the country’s first closed road cycle event. The Sky Ride Etape Hibernia will take place over an 80-mile (approx) course in scenic County Clare on Sunday, August 22nd 2010.

The event organisers expect to attract 2000 entrants from throughout Ireland and abroad this year, bringing significant economic benefit into the local economy, with numbers increasing considerably over the next five years. The mass participation event, which is being marketed internationally and nationally, is open to all standards of cyclists, aged 18-80. The cycle will start and finish in Ennis and travel through County Clare, taking in part of West Clare’s spectacular coastline.

Sky, the UK and Ireland’s leading entertainment company behind the Sky Ride series of events, is the title sponsor of The Sky Ride Etape Hibernia. The sponsorship supports Sky’s aim to encourage one million more people of all ages and abilities to get cycling by 2013. Sky Ride consists of a range of initiatives to get people back on their bikes, with activities like mass city cycling events on traffic-free streets through to local group rides.

As well as Sky Ride Etape Hibernia, IMG have extensive experience organising mass participation events including the internationally renowned events the Macmillan Cancer Support Etape Caledonia, Tour de Suisse, Melbourne Marathon, The London Triathlon, Triathlon de Alpe d’Huez and UK Challenge

Speaking at today’s event launch in Spanish Point, County Clare, Jo Dytch of IMG said: “The popularity and growth in road cycling is very exciting. Along with our partners we are looking to lead the way in providing a prestige event for cycling in Ireland and to establish a major fixture on the Irish sporting calendar delivering a significant boost to the local economy. This event will bring a welcome boost to the tourism in Clare annually and will see the most scenic parts of the County and its coastline exposed to the world’s cycling enthusiasts and media.”

Ms. Dytch continued: “Sky Ride Etape Hibernia is Ireland's first closed road cycle event and is open to the general public. It affords cyclists with the unique opportunity to cycle safely on closed roads, whilst rising to the physical challenge at the same time. We expect to draw enthusiasts, the health conscious, challenge-seekers, charity fund-raisers and lapsed cyclists. For the inaugural Etape Hibernia, we hope to attract as many as 2000 entrants and plan to grow this number considerably by 2014. IMG are grateful for the support of the title sponsor Sky, and regional sponsors Fáilte Ireland, Shannon Development, Clare County Council, and the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau, without whom staging this event in Ireland would not be possible and we look forward to making it a legacy event for the region”.

Mark Deering, Director, Sky Ireland said, “We are proud to be the main sponsor for the Sky Ride Etape Hibernia. Our Sky Ride initiatives last year encouraged thousands of people to get on their bikes. We hope, through events and sponsorships such as this, that 2010 will provide more opportunities and inspiration for people to get cycling.”

Speaking about today’s announcement Keith McCormack, Fáilte Ireland’s Head of Business and Sports Tourism, emphasised: “As a national tourism authority, we are glad to be ‘in the saddle’ for the Sky Ride Etape Hibernia. This event is a perfect fit for Fáilte Ireland’s sports strategy and our commitment to promoting all of Ireland’s regions as tourism destinations. This event allows us to harness the growing popularity of cycling to the natural charms and allure of County Clare and the Mid West. As well as bringing visitors and revenue to the area, the event will provide an excellent opportunity to showcase the Shannon Region as both a cycling destination, in particular, and a tourism ‘must see’ in general.”

Welcoming the event John King, Assistant Chief Executive of Shannon Development said, “Shannon Development, along with its partners, is delighted to have helped secure this very prestigious event for the Shannon Region for the next five years. Winning this event helps us build on our campaign to promote the Region’s growing reputation as a leading sports and events destination. Etape Hibernia is one of a number of international events we are working on this year to bring additional visitors to the Shannon Region which have the potential to generate 10 million euro in new revenue for the Region. This new cycling event complements our strategy to secure more mass participation events, in particular sports events, which can be firmly rooted in the Shannon Region for many years to come.”

Mr. King noted that the Lonely Planet ‘Best in Travel 2010’ guide’s inclusion of Clare in its top 10 list of ‘Super Cycling Routes in the World’ was a great endorsement of the County’s cycling product. “This endorsement is a testament to the amount of work that has gone into the development of the tourism cycling product in Clare in recent times. We look forward to working with IMG and our partners to ensure the success of this event in terms of delivering additional visitors and revenue”, concluded Mr. King.

Karen Brosnahan of the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau noted: “Sports Tourism generates approximately 60 million euro for the Shannon Region annually. We, along with Shannon Development and Failte Ireland, have recently launched a Sports Ambassador Programme to capitalise on this lucrative market even further by getting local people involved in sport to help bid for events like Etape Hibernia that can become legacy events for the entire Shannon Region."

Mayor of Clare Councillor Tony Mulcahy said the economic and tourist benefits associated with the event for County Clare and the wider region were significant. “I have no doubt that the people of Clare will support the event by joining Clare County Council in welcoming thousands of cyclists to the County, which will allow us to showcase all we have to offer. I especially welcome IMG’s commitment to working with local people to maximise the economic return of the event for all local people”, stated Mayor Mulcahy.

The Sky Ride Etape Hibernia was launched today at an event in The Armada Hotel, Spanish Point, Co Clare, which was attended by media outlets from throughout Ireland the United Kingdom. A number of attending journalists also took part in an arranged cycle of a 10-mile stretch of the proposed event route.

Details of The Sky Ride Etape Hibernia are available from www.etapehibernia.com or info@etapehibernia.com.

Above images of ETAPE Caledonia by Ian MacNicoll.

Annual International Cycling Event To Be Launched In County Clare Tomorrow

Details of an annual international cycling event for Ireland will be announced at a Press Conference in Spanish Point, Co Clare at midday tomorrow.

The Press Conference will feature input from IMG – the world’s largest sports, entertainment and media company, Fáilte Ireland, Shannon Development, the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau, Clare County Council and special guests.