Ballyea hoping to reach the final frontier with a maiden crown

Ballyea parish priest, Fr Harry Brady, was handed the “unenviable task” this week of selecting the best-decorated house ahead of the club’s county hurling final appearance.

Unenviable, you see, in that his search was by no means limited to Ballyea or the surrounding townlands. Far from it.

Given its location right on the border which separates hurling and football country in Clare, Ballyea, since its establishment in 1934, has drawn players from the football strongholds of Cooraclare and Kilmihil. Throw in Kildysart and it quickly becomes apparent the spread of houses Fr Brady was being asked to cover.