Kilmurry set up Clare’s first sporting clay pigeon shooting club three years ago.

 It may have started from humble beginnings but the Glenwood clay pigeon shooting club has really hit the target over a very short period for game shooters in the Kilmurry area.

Even though the club was only founded in May 2000, some of its co-founders, John Keane, Brendan O’Callaghan and Dominic Moloney finished in the top twelve in the All-Ireland Shooting competition in Donegal last year after numerous qualifying county trails.

It is also the only sporting clay pigeon club in the county at the present time.  The purchase of six new electric traps at the start of this year has proven to be a real hit for members who meet practically every Wednesday night in Glenwood.

This is regarded as an ideal site for a shoot due to its location on the side of a hill in the wooded area outside the village on the main Sixmilebridge Broadford road.  Club members also appreciate the support and understanding as up to 500 volleys are fired at targets up in the air during the hourly slot.

Most people are familiar with down the line clay pigeon shooting which consists of hitting targets coming from one direction.

However, the sporting form involves shooting two birds arriving from different directions or angles in quick succession.

While the Glenwood club may have one evening of down the line shooting, it concentrates mainly on the sporting form.

Membership has grown steadily to about 20 over the last three years and it has generated an interested in clay pigeon shooting in the locality.  In addition to providing an outlet for gun enthusiasts it also provides proper training and safety procedures for young adult males in particular.

Regional gun club association official, Seamus Ryan, stresses that the club provides and ideal setting to teach young males how to use a fireman safely and properly.

This helps eliminate the risk of accidents and possible serious injuries for young people who can get a gun licence without any test or proper training.  

Seamus, who is also the assistant safety officer for the county, provided a lot of help and advice for the club during its formative months.

He said that club members, who had achieved a great deal over a short space of time, have performed very well in competitions thanks to regular practice and proper facilities.