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Unravelling the Loop Head code

A group of amateur ham radio operators will wind back the clock at Loop Head Lighthouse this weekend, when they attempt to communicate via radio and Morse code with hundreds of radio clubs throughout the world. The Limerick Radio Club, which features members from Clare, Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary, will broadcast non-stop for 48 hours from the West Clare lighthouse as part of the 17th International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend (ILLW). During the broadcast, from midnight on Friday to midnight on Sunday, visitors to the popular tourism landmark will be able to listen into communications with some of the other participating ham radio operators, broadcasting from 400 other lighthouses and lightships in 65 countries. Last year, the Limerick Radio Club successfully made contact with lighthouses and lightships as far away as Brazil, Australia, Tonga, French Guiana, Asiatic Russia, Ecuador, The Azores and The US Virgin Islands. The majority of all radio contacts were made with operators in the United States …

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Weight Watchers take cliff walk in their stride

[doptg id=”38″] It started with just the germ of an idea at a Weight Watchers meeting, where members gather each week to be weighed and to gain encouragement to keep losing weight. One of the members, Shelly Galvin, suggested that a social outing would be a good way to increase morale and fellowship. By the end of the class, the members decided that they would tackle the walk along the Cliffs of Moher, with sponsorship from The Clare Champion. As a result, over 50 Weight Watcher members from classes around the county descended on Liscannor last Saturday to tackle the 18km route. Although the weather forecasts were iffy, the day couldn’t have been better, with blue skies and a cooling breeze coming in from the sea. Spirits were high as the group set off, with a cracking initial pace, despite the sometimes uneven and narrow path. It was wonderful to see the Cliffs from a completely different angle and the views …

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iPoints App for Leaving Cert results

With the Leaving Certificate results being published this Wednesday, NUI Galway’s award-wining iPhone app, designed to calculate points, is available to download free through iTunes. Since launching the app last year it has been downloaded over 8,000 times, with an average of 200 downloads every month. NUI Galway, in partnership with former IT student, Paul Herron, developed the iPhone app, which will allow Leaving Certt students to quickly and easily calculate their points when they receive their exam results. Paul, originally from Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, explained, “This app aims to simplify the point calculation process for students to relieve some of the stress of Leaving Cert results day” CAO points are calculated based on a student’s six highest results in one sitting of the Leaving Certificate. Students using the app will simply enter their results for each subject, indicating whether it is higher or ordinary level. The app calculates the number of points attained in each subject, and indicates the …

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Fr Ger bids to row into the record books

ENNIS-based priest Fr Ger Fitzgerald is attempting to break the world record for the longest journey on a land rowing machine, in aid of Clare Haven and Bushy Park Ennis. In order to get into the Guinness Book of World Records, the cleric must complete at least 5,280km on the rowing machine. The current record holder is Rob Bryant, an American man who covered a distance measuring 5,278.5km on a land rowing machine. “Last year, I attempted to cycle 30 miles every day for 30 days in aid of Barnardo’s Children’s Charity. With much support from my friends in Ennis, I was able to succeed and raised over €6,000 for the charity. This year, I wanted to do something different for a local charity and the idea I got was to attempt to break a world record. Given that I wouldn’t be very fit at the best of times and also given the fact that I have no patience for …

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Film-maker Ensnared by O’Briensbridge weir

THE ripple effect in a weir near O’Briensbridge provided the inspiration for a local video games developer to make his debut as a writer and director for a new psychological horror short, his 11-minute film, Ensnared. It took Paddy Murphy just 20 minutes to write the script for this unusual short, which sees the lead role, John Galloway, played by Kevin Kiely Junior, on a descent into madness, as he battles with the very fabric of reality. “The story came from seeing the ripple in the water on the way to the weir. It came out of nowhere. “At first, I was unsure if it was something useable but, on reflection, a week later, I felt that if it flowed really well, it didn’t have to be structurally sound,” he said. In the film, Mr Galloway has an experience in a river near O’Briensbridge, where most of the movie was shot, which makes him question everything about reality, as the …

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The diaries of a fallen soldier

John Rainsford talks to former BBC producer, Gerry Harrison, about his great-uncle’s secret diaries of the First World War. By John Rainsford   ‘Old soldiers never die (They Just Fade Away)’ says the barrack-room ballad but, with army comrades now thin on the ground, their written legacies are more crucial than ever. The life and death of Captain Charlie May of 22 Battalion, the Manchester Regiment, also known as the Manchester Pals, are surely a case in point. A journalist with the Manchester Evening News, he recorded his private thoughts in the lead-up to one of the darkest days of The Great War. These intriguing insights have now been published by his great-nephew, Gerry Harrison, a former actor and director, who resides in Kilmaley. “Charlie’s seven pocketbooks cover the period from November 7, 1915 to July 1, 1916, and the outbreak of the Battle of the Somme,” explained Gerry. “They also served as a love letter to his wife, Maude, …

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Sunshine, heat and avoiding problems

Summertime is a happy time of the year for most of us. BBQs, spending time outdoors in the sunshine, it makes us all feel happier. But what about our pets? Cats, dogs and horses wear their fur coats all year round and can’t take them off to cool down. So, it is up to us to make sure they are comfortable in the summer heat. Water, water, water, the most important thing in life. Leave a few bowls around the garden and check them regularly, even a shallow saucer for the smaller animals. All animals and insects need to drink and birds need to bathe to keep their feathers in good condition. Keep the bowls in sheltered areas to prevent evaporation. Walk your dog in the early morning or evening when the heat of the day has gone, and remember to carry water for both you and the dog. We wear shoes, dogs don’t and the hot tarmac can badly …

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Sr Mary Ann brings hope to Huaycan youth

Sr Mary Ann Neylon returned to her home in Peru this week after her recent visit to Clare. Before she left, she spoke to The Clare Champion about the fundraising efforts of her home parish of Inagh and the surrounding areas and her work combating family violence in Huaycan. For 25 years, Sr Mary Ann has lived and worked in Peru. Before that, she worked in the Phillipines for eight years, having joined the Columban order 50 years ago. For the past four years, she has been working on “the prevention of family violence with youth, to help build self-esteem and awareness skills with young people”. Sr Mary Ann explained, “We have a project working in two secondary schools and one in the community. This is a project with male and female youths and together they learn values, mutual respect and awareness.” Sr Mary Ann trained in social sciences and tries to upskill, particularly in the area of family and …

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