This article is from page 19 of the 2011-02-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 19 JPG
CLARE County Council last night paid homage to unsung heroes and volunteers across the county.
Under an initiative i nt roduced by mayor of Clare Cl l r Chr isty Cur tin (Ind) to mark t he European Year of the Volunteer, volunteer rescue ser vices, musicians who provide enter tainment to the elderly and t he Clare Community Games were all awarded a Civic Recognition Ceremony at Clare County Council Head Quar ters for the first ti me ever.
Ennis Sub Aqua Club, Doolin Unit of the Irish Coast Guard, Kilkee Mar ine Search and Rescue, Bunratt y Search and Rescue, St Caminin’s Search and Rescue, Ki llaloe/ Ball ina Search and Rescue, Lahinch Search and Rescue, Bur- ren Subaqua Club and Clare Civil Defence were al l honoured for thei r volunteer work that sees t hei r members risk t hei r l ives to save others.
A group of local musicians were recognised for givi ng thei r time providing music to the elderly patients at St Joseph’s Hospital in Ennis and “bringi ng a smile to thei r faces”.
The volunteer work is par t of “A Time To Seek” project established by t he county ar t’s officer and suppor ted by the HSE.
Among the musicians honoured were Frank Custy, Paddy Hynes, Chris Droney, Bernard O’Shea, Monica Morgan Kear ney, Kate Purcell and Meadbh Boyd.
Clare Community Games, which is celebrating its 40t h anniversar y, was also awarded for four decades of volunteering.