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Take a shot at the Clare Shout

This article is from page 32 of the 2007-09-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 32 JPG

THERE’S plenty to shout about at this year’s Clare Shout Festival and not just the competition for the best aS) ee) t ae

There’s a packed festival pro- sramme on offer this year, with events including traditional music and singing, a spectacular fireworks display, photo competition, puppet show, hurling, tag rugby, writers’ workshop, set dancing, clay pigeon shoot, road bowling, sailing regatta on Cullaun Lake, a vintage display, fairy tales from well-known seanchai Eddie Lenihan, the country market, a model aircraft display, an art exhi- bition, a children’s treasure hunt, the family fun day, a parade led by the

Tulla Pipers’ Band and much more.

The Kilkishen will be alive with music and fun for the second An- nual Clare Shout which runs from this Friday, September 21 to Sunday, September 23 next.

The official opening will be per- formed Deputy Timmy Dooley, east Clare’s first elected TD for 25 years, following a cheese and wine recep- tion in the local GAA hall.

The opening lecture – also on Fri- day night – will be delivered by local teacher, historian and former Clare hurling star Sean Hehir, on the proud and ancient history of Kilkishen.

The highlight of the weekend will be the Clare Shout competition to be held on the main street on Saturday night, at 8.45pm. The event is ex-

pected to attract up to 50 competi- tors in full voice, against whom last year’s champ, Stephen Hickey will oLoMeCoNCoNLOUDOTCMONMBIALe

The history of the Clare Shout is shrouded in mystery but is believed to date back to pre-Celtic times in Ireland. Older people in parts of Clare recall watching people of an even older generation facing the set- ting sun on fine autumn evenings while giving vent to a double-echo shout. This has led to the theory that the Clare Shout may have been a form of autumnal worship in pagan Wb selene

“The shout is unique to Clare. It was arallying cry that echoed around Clontarf when Brian Boru led the clans of Dal gCais into battle against

the Danes on Good Friday 1014,” a spokesman for the festival commit- tee said. “It was also raised as a war cry by the men of Clare’s Dragoons at Fontenoy and on other European bat- tle fields in later centuries, it greeted the great liberator Daniel O’Connell when the people of Clare elected him as the first Catholic member of the British House of Commons and it was a particular favourite of the late President and Taoiseach Eamonn de Valera, TD,’ for Clare for over 40 years, who was fascinated by its unique double echo.

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