Tadhg and Aodhan Ó’Gairbhith and their Sister Liadan with “Michael Cusack” (Martin Vernon) at the inaugural Michael Cusack Day in Carron, located in the heart of the Burren in County Clare Photograph by Eamon Ward.
CARRON will host the final event of ‘Cusack 175’, a yearlong programme of events marking the 175th anniversary of the birth of Michael Cusack.
From midday until 4pm this Sunday, the Michael Cusack Centre will host the fourth annual Michael Cusack Day at which a new website, for the North Clare visitor attraction also will be launched.
www.michaelcusack.ie, which has been developed with the support of Fáilte Ireland’s ‘Digital That Delivers’ programme, celebrates the Clare man’s love for education, Irish culture and sport that led to the foundation of the world’s largest amateur sporting organisation.
Michael Cusack Day features free entry to the Centre, the Púca Sculpture and Fairy Trail, and includes hurley making demonstrations by Aidan Cuddihy of Inagh based Macoda Hurleys, face-painting, and live music from singer songwriter Pete Molloy and the children of Carron National School where Cusack attended and later became a teacher.
Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council Cllr. Joe Cooney (FG) who will be launching the new website, said, “Michael Cusack Day celebrates Cusack’s vision for the Ireland we know today. The GAA that he helped to establish in 1884 has since developed a presence in every parish and community in all of Ireland and worldwide, and as a former Chairperson of Clare GAA I am delighted to be able to support the continued development and promotion of the Michael Cusack Centre as a hub for GAA-related community programmes and establish a Centre of Excellence in Wellbeing”.
Dónal Ó hAiniféin, Chair of the Board of Michael Cusack Centre, added, “Cusack 175 has shone a spotlight on the remarkable achievements of Michael Cusack and his enduring legacy on Irish sport and culture. This true icon of Irish culture reflects all that is good about the community and society of his time, namely the Irish language, Gaelic Games, and promoting Irish culture and tradition through education. We are proud to promote these values at our visitor attraction”.
Leonard Cleary, Director of Tourism Development and the West Clare Municipal District in Clare County Council, commented, “Clare County Council is fully supportive of the efforts of Michael Cusack Centre to further enhance this wonderful attraction. It is particularly important we promote the distribution of visitors to the Burren throughout the region so that all communities benefit”.
Tim Madden, Manager of Michael Cusack Centre commented, “This Sunday marks the final event of Cusack 175 and presents an opportunity for the public to join us for a day of fun and entertainment, and to give recognition of the vision and role played by Michael Cusack and the GAA in supporting our communities”
Guided tours of the Michael Cusack Centre are available each day from 10.00am. Located in the centre of the award-winning Burren & Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, the visitor attraction features the original Cusack Famine era cottage, the 6km Cusack Way Walk, a Fairy Trail and the Púca artwork. The attraction also hosts team building weekends, wedding ceremonies and school tours.
