COORACLARE received its first mention on the famed Graham Norton Show last weekend.

Leading Irish actor Paul Mescal who has strong roots to the West Clare village appeared as a guest on the BBC show fronted by the Cork man.

In a memorable fundraiser for Cooraclare GAA Club last year which brought in over €10,000, a pair of O’Neills shorts signed by Mescall was put up as the top prize. The Kildare man made the shorts a fashion symbol after shooting to stardom on Normal People, photographed out and about during 2020 sporting his ONeills shorts before wearing them with a €10,000 fleece for a GQ cover photo shoot last Autumn.

Included with the shorts is the inscription by Paul ‘to the Normal People of Cooraclare’. 78 year old farmer, Noel Ryan won the raffle and the shorts which are now framed in his home.

This was the subject of conversation during Mescal’s interview on the BBC with the former Fr Ted actor questioning what size the shorts were. “This is Cooraclare GAA club where my Dad is from, Noel knows my granny, he told my granny I’ve never seen the show, it’s up on his wall,” he said of the framed shorts.

Reference of Cooraclare was a first but so too was appearance of the work of Ennis photographer, Eamon Ward. “Well that’s a first for me, my photo of Noel Ryan, Cooraclare on The Graham Norton Show,” Ward remarked.

Noel worked with Paul’s uncle Paudie Mescal when they both drove for the McNamaras, a local silage contracting outfit.

Paul’s father, Paul Snr was born in the parish and his Uncle Paudie, nephews and nieces, Clodagh, Aoibhinn, Páraic and Darragh Jim and first cousins are an integral part of the Cooraclare Club today.

Related News

deirdre madden barbara kears maureen kelly yvonne enright 1
School secretaries will stay on strike as long as Government ignore them - Scariff's Maureen
Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival
Closing hours extended in Lisdoonvarna for match-making festival
Supermacs-Plaza
New legal challenge against €10m Supermac's Plaza makes 'mockery of planning system'
conor mckenna 1
'Secretaries have been papering over the cracks from Dept under-funding' - Inch principal issues support to workers on strike
Latest News
conor mckenna 1
'Secretaries have been papering over the cracks from Dept under-funding' - Inch principal issues support to workers on strike
mobile banking 1
Phishing scam under investigation in Ennis
sixmilebridge v whitegate 28-08-22 16 conor whelan
Strong finish helps Whitegate edge Bodyke in thriller
éire óg v st josephs miltown 20-08-23 gavin murray darragh mcdonagh eoin o'brien 1
Collisions on course following senior, intermediate & junior football quarter-final draws
pamela mccarthy scoil chríost rí 1
'We don't want freebies, we want what we're entitled to' - school secretaries & caretakers seek pension parity
Premium
'We don't want freebies, we want what we're entitled to' - school secretaries & caretakers seek pension parity
'We won't be afraid of anyone' - excitement building in Ennistymon for Clare SFC quarter-finals
Coolmeen claim last Clare IFC quarter-final spot with dramatic finish
'Hard-fought wins' for Cratloe has paved way to quarter-finals
Clare PIHC: Tulla draw knocks out Killanena, Tubber thump Parteen/Meelick & Magpies fall to another shock defeat

Advertisement

Subscribe for just €3 per month

If you’re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just €3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter €8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.