County Focus Clare - The Banner County

A romantic county hugging Ireland’s West Coast, Clare is a place of stunningly beautiful, unique landscapes and seascapes with adrenaline-pumping activities to match. Wonderful marinas and harbours dot its shoreline: from the heritage town of Kilrush to the river Shannon harbours at Lough Derg. The thunderous Atlantic crashes against the sturdy western face of Clare and the Cliffs of Moher.

Ennis is the county town, an Information Age Town and a thriving centre. Shannon and its airport have been the focus of economic activity in the region for the past forty years.

The Burren Region is an amazing Karst limestone landscape, which features caves, underground streams, rare alpine flora and of course the parochial house used in the hit Irish comedy ‘Father Ted’!. This beautiful landscape has inspired many; Clare is a hub of creative enterprise.

Famous people with Clare connections include Árd Rí Brian Boru, former President Patrick Hillary and there have been suggestions that South American revolutionary Che Guevara had ancestors from Kilkee. >> More here

Clare Case Studies

Adam Coleman headed up O2's Sales and Marketing HR function in the UK and Ireland with responsibility for 2,500 people.  For a better quality of life for his family, he decided in 2004 to move to Co Clare.

Adam set-up Execpass to provide a business-to-business networking and business development service.  "We now employ six people and we service clients in Ireland and abroad, across the SME, Public and Corporate Multinational sectors."

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Get behind Ireland's West - Vote for the Cliffs of Moher

The new 7 Natural Wonders of Nature will be chosen by an estimated 1 billion votes. Voting will continue throughout 2010 and 2011 with the official declaration of the new 7 wonders of Nature taking place in November 2011. The famous County Clare landmark is Ireland’s entry and needs your support more than ever.  >> More here

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LookWest.ie's ‘Capture a Sligo Summer Moment’ Photo Competition

With over 500 entries and almost 1,000 votes, LookWest.ie's 'Capture a Sligo Summer Moment' photo competition was a huge success. 

The winners were announced following an exhibition of the top twenty finalists at Sligo's Capture Gallery. 'Summer Jumping' by Laura Hunt was the overall winner with her shot of ‘Summer Jumping’ taken on the sunny sand dunes of Strandhill.  >> More here

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Work Placement Initiative in Co Clare

Does your company need extra help?  Are you unemployed, ready and waiting to leave the blocks?

A twelve-week ‘Begin Again’ programme, being offered by the Irish Centre for Business Excellence (ICBE), has been initiated by the Labour Market Activation Fund operated by the Department of Education and Skills. It will facilitate work experience placements in Co Clare-based companies. >> More here

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Wallcandy - Ennis Street Art Project

Wallcandy street art project has drawn together artists & designers with diverse skills to create pieces of art on walls and buildings around the town of Ennis.

The aim of Wallcandy is to give artists the opportunity and freedom to conceive and create a piece of art that uses a particular site in an interesting and quirky way.  For a great resource on what's going on in Ennis and Co Clare, check out ClareFocus.ie >> More here

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LookWest.ie Clare Photo Competition in association with The Burren Smokehouse

We are delighted to announce this month’s competition is in association with the award-winning Burren Smokehouse, Co. Clare.

We’d love for you to send us your Clare photos; be they landscapes or portraits, foodie shots or just your holiday snaps. Show us the magic of the people and places of this wonderful county.

To enter the competition please email your photos to photos@lookwest.ie before Wed. Sep 15th. >> More here

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