On Thursdays Morning Focus Marian began by chatting to writer and historian John Fox about his book ‘El Projecto McNamara’. It’s the story of Corofin Born priest Fr Eugene McNamara who, in the mid 1800s sought to establish a New Ireland in California for families form Clare, Tipperary, Limerick and cork e with major local and international consequences. The US-American war ensued and Eugene McNamara’s dream of settling 15000 Irish settlers including Clare people on 20,000 square miles of Mexican owned California land crumbled. When the maverick Co Clare priest died in Paris in 1852 he was in possession of a vast fortune and what happened to that wealth is still a mystery.
Up next we chat all things Garth!! Political pressure is mounting on Dublin City Manager Owen Keegan to allow all five Garth Brooks concerts to go ahead. It's after the Taoiseach intervened last night, encouraging all key players in the controversy to meet today with the Chief Executive of the Labour Relations Commission Kieran Mulvey. The government is said to be "keen to seek a positive outcome" given the effect the cancellations of the Croke Park gigs will have on tourism and the local economy. The country star has also written a letter to Aiken Promotions saying he will proceed with all five concerts in Croke Park, if there's any chance ALL of the shows can be salvaged. The Transport and Tourism Minister Leo Varadkar has also offered to travel to Nashville to meet with Mr Brooks – if this will help bring about a positive solution to the crisis. Marian spoke to Staff Writer with TheJournal.ie Aoife Barry to get the very latest.
Yesterday we heard from 2 of the Clare areas involved in pride of place and today's it was the turn of Lisdoonvarna and Clarecastle. Marian was joined in studio by Paddy Dunne and Mike Foley to discuss how their communities are preparing.
Galway International Arts Festival has announced its programme for 2014 with a wide range of international and home produced work featuring leading artists from Ireland and around the world, and also unveils its new name. Marian was joined on the phone by John Crumlish – Managing Director of the Galway Arts Festival to dicuss the highlights of the festival and how you can book your tickets.
For the 14th year, Ballet Ireland, The National Ballet of Ireland, is offering budding dancers aged 6 -16+ a unique peek into the life of a professional dancer and the chance to find out about all that goes into making a ballet. This year a Ballet Ireland Summer School will be running in Ennis at glór Monday 14th- Friday 18th July. The company's hugely popular summer schools offer young dancers the unforgettable opportunity of creating their own new ballet, this year drawing on inspiration from the story ofThe Elves and the Shoemaker, and working with the company's professional dancers. Marian spoke to Stephen Brennan – Education officer with Ballet Ireland to find out more.
Members of the WCRC Mosaic Course 2013 would like to invite you to the launch of Miltown's Musical Mosaic Bench, followed by a sale of produce by From Farm to Fork, in the Community garden of the West Clare Resource Centre on today at 2:15pm. Geraldine Cotter, the renowned Irish traditional piano player, will launch this latest project to coincide with the Willie Clancy Music Festival. Following the launch Geraldine Cotter will play some piano tunes. Refreshments and local organic produce will be on sale. Marian spoke to Marie Connole a Mosaic Course Tutor about the events and how to make the bench was made.
John Underhill of Burren Vets was in studio to answer listeners' livestock and pet queries.
If you have a story, comment or query for Morning Focus email Focus@clare.fm or write to us – Morning Focus, Clare FM, Francis Street, Ennis, Co. Clare.
