This article is from page 24 of the 2008-01-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 24 JPG
THE kind (and brave) hearts of the people of north Clare were very much to the fore over the festive season with a host of charity events.
Over the past two weeks thousands have cycled, ran, walked and plunged into the icy waters of the Atlantic in aid of a variety of good causes.
On Sunday, a good crowd turned out in Fanore to take part in the sixth annual charity 10k walk in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society. All funds from this year’s walk will go towards help- ing to develop and extend day care, home care and respite services in the Orem Keale)F
A few hours later, Sharon Shannon and the Begley family took to the stage in Purcells Bar in Ruan to help raise some much-needed money for Sr Ethel Normoyle’s Building for Hope project in South Africa.
Another person raising money for the trip to Africa is Corofin’s Gerry Daffy, who hosted a successful golf classic in Woodstock on Saturday. There is still time to support Gerry, as a song and storytelling night takes place in Bofey Quinns in Corofin this Friday, January 11, before he flies out to South Africa next Monday.
Terrible weather conditions could not stop around 200 people from taking part in the Burren Char-
ity Challenge on December 29. All proceeds from this year’s challenge are going to CancerCare West and Tallaght Breast Unit in Dublin.
The main winners on the day were Eoghan Considine (Galway Triath- lon) and Aideen McCarthy (Lim- erick Triathlon) who won the men’s and women duathlon (40km cycle and 10km walk) and Gerald Daly (Whitegate) and Marie Carey (Ennis Track Club) who took the man’s and women’s 10k competition respec- tively.
Even on Christmas Day hundreds turned out for charitable events all over north Clare.
A huge crowd of close to 200
swimmers took to the cold waters of Liscannor bay for the annual Christ- mas Day swim.
The swim, which is the largest and longest running charity swim in Clare, was this year organised in aid of the Clare Crusaders and in memory of Howard Flannery.
Not to be outdone, just as Clare’s oldest Christmas Day swim was coming to a close in Lahinch, Clare’s newest event was just beginning in Doolin.
A good-sized crowd of hardy souls took to the waters around Doolin in an effort to help raise money for the St Breckans GAA Club Field Devel- opment Committee.