The Social life of the county is rich and varied. There are lots of organisations within Clare that cater for the varying facets of life. Most villages and towns have branches of National organisations such as the Irish Countrywomens Association which is dedicated to fostering social activities and craftwork among country folk. The Irish Farmers Association and Macra na Feirme espouse the farming traditions in the country and act as lobby groups to protect farming life. The Gaelic Athletic Association manages the national games from grassroots upward and each parish has a branch of the association.
Traditional music is fostered by Comhaltas Ceolteori Eireann and many villages have local Irish dancing networks. Clare has a great many local historical societies that provide fine lectures and other educational sermons for members during the winter months.
The pub used to be the common main social centre in a town, but road safety and drink driving concerns have diminished the popularity of the pub. Modern Irish living has seen productivity and working days extend beyond what was once the norm. Many people stay at home now rather than visit the local pub. The pub however still plays a big part of the social centre of rural life but not as much as before.
Younger adults are still drawn to the pub for socialising and it is often also the place for dancing and discos. As with all modern countries we experience some social problems with excessive under age drinking. It is also fair to say that there is a drug culture even in this lovely county.
Most villages have a voluntary community association or council that concerns itself with the civic responsibilities of the area. Local government administer infrastructure and services but there is still much to do by way of voluntary work. While many of the activities concern tidy town campaigns and provision of amenities, there is a growing trend for such associations to assist the police or “Garda” in planning activities and maintaining social order.
Ireland has always had a place for charity work and the St Vincent De Paul is prevalent throughout Clare. Being a coastal county, we also have the Royal Lifeboat National Institution that funds sea rescue. The Samaritans are also in the county. There are a great many charities devoted to health issues and other associations such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Al Anon are well represented.
The majority religion in Ireland is Catholic with Church of Ireland being in a minority. Clare has a strong Catholic tradition. The number of clergy available to minister has dropped as the country has prospered but there is still a strong attendance at church ceremonies. Overall in Ireland the country is seen as “post catholic”, a reference to the urbanisation of the country as a whole and the separation of church and state. In Ennis there are growing communities of newer Christian religions and some Muslims. The modern county has embraced this change if not without some difficulty. The future however, is for a multi cultural society and we have began the process of adapting to this change. We are always mindful that our history is one of invasion followed by assimilation and hardship followed by emigration. As times get better we can draw on this social history to help us adapt to change in a positive way.
As the influence of the pub and drink declines, we are developing in a more European way. Coffee shops prevail in almost every town. Pizzerias, Chineese food and Indian restaurants are increasingly popular. A lot of the people who choose to stay at home rather than visit the pub enjoy wine. In fact, wine sales in Ireland have exceeded increases in beer and spirit sales in recent years. You will also notice how many Irish are exercising; running, walking, swimming and gym activities have all been ingrained into the social calander.
Overall there is a healthy social life in Clare. |
