The Clare Echo 04/07/24

Will the pipes leak for Willie Week? DAD’S ARMY

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

UISCE Éireann are to have crews on standby for Willie Clancy week while an emergency meeting with the Stateowned water utility company has been requested by councillors in West Clare.

This is after Miltown Malbay, Spanish Point, Quilty and surrounding areas were hit with water outages for the past two Sundays and comes amid the height of the summer tourist season for parts of West Clare.

More than 10,000 people are expected in Miltown Malbay for

Willie Clancy week with businesses under enough pressure without having to worry about the potential loss of their water supply.

Residents and business owners have been left frustrated with the outages but also left with concerns regarding the water quality when supply has been restored.

“The water can’t be touched, that is our biggest fear, when the water comes back after it breaks our biggest fear is when do we drink it, when are we able to drink it,” publican Cathal O’Loughlin stated.

Restauranteur, Eddie Keane

told The Clare Echo, “The levels of frustration are beyond belief”.

Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) described it as “a very serious situation”. He said, “Willie Clancy starts this Saturday, proposing we come up with an engineering solution to deal with it. Where it broke last Sunday and where it broke the Sunday before is the length of the table away, it should have been done last winter before the tourism season”.

l Niall Kelly celebrates with his daughters Ada and Thea after helping Lissycasey to win the Cusack Cup for the second time

Photo by Gerard O’Neill

Garda awards for young heroes

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COUNTY Clare’s most inspirational and courageous young and unsung heroes have been honoured at the seventh annual Clare Garda Divisional Youth Awards, sponsored by The Shannon Airport Group.

Surrounded by proud families and friends at a special ceremony at Hotel Woodstock, Ennis, the winners, all aged between 16 and 21 years, were recognised.

Seven awards in total were presented; two Special Achievement, two Individual, one Community Safety and two Youth Group awards, to young people who have displayed tremendous leadership, resilience and community spirit in helping others.

The 2024 Clare Garda Youth Award winners are:

Individual Award: Daniel Spaight (19), Bridgetown

Individual Award: Aaron Hunt (19), Ballina Tipperary (student in St. Anne’s Community College, Killaloe)

Special Achievement Award: Ciara Fitzpatrick (17), Newmarket on Fergus

Special Achievement Award: Liam Roche (17) of Kilrush

Community Safety Award: Emer O’Loughlin (21) from Ennis

Group Award: Ennis TY Mobile Phone and Social Media (21 participants aged

16 from Ennis area)

Group Award: Synergy Festival Group (10 participants aged 18-21 from Ennis area).

This year’s winners were recognised for a variety of voluntary work and personal triumphs, among these, raising awareness of the importance of being able to provide first aid in emergency situations; overcoming serious illness and using this personal journey to highlight the signs and symptoms of cancer among young people; organising multiple large scale ‘Tractor Run’ fundraisers, raising over €25,000; participating in a pilot project to create a school’s guide for safe social media use; volunteering with local schools and GAA clubs and organising a Drug and Alcohol Free Music Festival to raise awareness of the harm that substance abuse can bring to young people’s lives and their wider community.

Special guest speaker at the event was one of Ireland’s greatest sporting legends, former Munster and Ireland rugby player Keith Earls. Delivering his address, Mr Earls commended the courage, resilience and determination of the winners, whom he stated will undoubtedly continue to thrive and achieve great things in their lives.

Congratulating the worthy

winners, Mary Considine, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group said: “This is our seventh year sponsoring the awards and The Shannon Airport Group is so proud to support this wonderful initiative. The Clare Garda Youth Awards provide a platform to acknowledge some of our most inspirational young leaders, many of whom have triumphed in the face of personal adversity.

These heroic young people are making a real difference in their communities, and it is important that their contribution is celebrated to serve as an inspiration for others to follow.”

Aileen Magner, Chief Superintendent, added: “Our two groups have identified challenges within their own young communities and came together to support future students and to create a positive and safe space within both a social media and a social setting. When I look at our individual award recipients, I am overwhelmed with the strength displayed by each of them. Their positive outlook is inspirational.

“Each of our award winners are positive role models for young people and their shared vision for an inclusive and safe future for our community is remarkable.”

l Chief Supt Aileen Magner & Mary Considine, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group with award winners Aaron Hunt, Liam Roche, Ennis TY Mobile Phone & Social Media, Eimear O Loughlin, Ciara Fitzpatrick, Synergy and Daniel Spaight

Photo by Brian Arthur

‘They

are like children to me’

Kilrush man holds protest after Council impound five of his horses

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

A KILRUSH MAN has said the impounding of five of his animals was like having his children taken from him.

Danny O’Brien held a protest outside the Town Hall in Kilrush on Monday just as the Annual General Meeting of the West Clare Municipal District was taking place. Signs reading ‘please give me back my horses’ were erected along his trailer while friends and family joined him in solidarity along with a mare.

Five of his horses have been impounded by Clare County Council after they were on lands not in his ownership and lands which he did not have permission to use.

In a statement to The Clare Echo, a spokesperson for Clare County Council explained, “While I cannot give you details in relation to specific individuals, I wish to advise that Clare County Council can impound horses for breach of Section 37 of the Control of Horses Act 1996. The provisions of the Clare County Council Horse Control Bye-laws 2017 apply when horses are impounded”.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Danny said, “I love horses, we were born and reared with horses all our life, that was our living”. He continued, “We were brought up as horses, this was a horse town, we had fairs here and you could count hundreds of horses from one street to another”.

Problems emerged for O’Brien when he began to use lands on the approach to the Marina in Kilrush for some of his horses. “I had my own horses at the back of the graveyard, they were down in a field by the Marina which can never be built on, it is a walking time bomb but they let the grass grow, we grazed horses down there since we were children, my father’s mother did and I got stuck one time about six weeks ago, the man that was supplying the hay for my horses, he turned around and said ‘I have none left’ which left me in a small bit of a predicament because I’m an animal lover and I said to myself ‘where am I going to get hay’ but I wasn’t the only one because the weather was so bad but the land was open.

“There was never a sign there until now and all the

years since I was a child and from my father’s time there was never a barrier up there, going down the other side there was a gate put there because of marina development but people used the archway for their dogs, I spoke to every person who

“ I am a quiet person, I love my animals but what was done to me was wrong

had a dog there and I asked them ‘please can I put them there’, there was no threat, they were good for the Marina, I spoke to a lot of people that I’d never speak to from Canada, America in campers, that is what they provide down there and I thought as a matter of fact only two days before they took my horses out of the Marina, I got a letter from Marina a bill of €100 until the 6th of July for water, I used to go down to where the campers are every

evening and I would fill the drum with fresh water and feed them”.

When this came to light, he was contacted by officials in Clare County Council. “I sent emails and I’m not an email person, I know nothing about Facebook, another person does it for me, I pleaded with her to know why she didn’t notify Ian Lynch about the horses, I spoke to them previously about leasing land at the back of O’Gorman Street and they got back to say they were leasing me no land and that I had horses on Council property, I explained my situation, no one uses the land”. Danny confirmed that he had not received permission for using the land but that he explained his situation to Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) and had been there for five weeks, “the ones they took were to be chipped, I have the book there, I had all that and letters from the vet, I have everything done and sent to the Council”. He said the five animals were only on this plot of land to allow for them to be “chipped and pinned”.

“They have taken five animals off me. A two year old yearling, a thoroughbred horse and two coloured mares, I brought them there

because I was stuck for a place for feeding, other than that I would have never gone in there, it is not used as a children’s playground or anything like that, there’s Chinese weed all over it and the man over the old railway cottage told me he got it treated, I had to check with a farm man to see I was doing the things right because I’d be afraid if the horses ate that,” he said.

GOOD MAN

Three mares remain in Danny’s possession, “they are way back by the island, it is belonging to the Marina, I’ve been there for thirty years. Louis Keating is a good man, I have to say that about him, I get on very well with them”.

On the cost involved in getting the horses back, the Sycamore Driver resident outlined, “They are talking about €900 for each animal, they are talking about an equestrian tag and book which I was going doing anyway.

“I was at Spancilhill the other day and how many were there without a book and were people questioned going out the gate, I can understand about the book one hundred percent, it is for transparency and if there

is an accident or anything like that. On the television we could see two weeks ago what happens to these animals, is this what a heritage town like Kilrush is all about that with the strike of a pen in Ennis they can do this”.

According to the carer, there has been no issues in the past regarding his treatment of horses.

“Speak to anybody in this town, I put myself out there which I never do and I don’t want to do because I am a quiet person. I love my animals but what was done to me was wrong, if you wrote me a letter or you had a car in the garage and you were told twice to take it and you don’t but if he gives it away without your permission then you’re paying for a new car.

“I don’t want their money, if this goes to Court, my solicitor is ready but they have said to try get resolved and there is an issue because you can’t just walk in and take animals out.

“I don’t know how my animals have been treated since, I’m in the dark”.

Taking the animals off him has hurt Danny. “They are like children to me, if someone took my child I’d be knocking on doors and I will be knocking on doors

because I am getting no answers. In Kilkee we saw a year ago when horses went off a cliff at night, what if I caught my animals and I ran them off, hold me responsible for my animals, don’t do it to the animals, they are dumb animals at the end of the day, I am supposed to be the responsible one, I am the animal man so take me to court, fine me or whatever but don’t do it to the horses”.

Describing himself as “a small fish in a big pond,” Danny was unsure if a resolution would be reached. “I’m sixty two years of age this is what I have, I go down to that place and spend an hour with my horses, the summer time is the most beautiful time, I foaled a young mare horse the other day, I felt there was something wrong and the vet was up in fifteen minutes from Labasheeda, they are my people who look after my animals, I’m not a blaggard, I don’t pay them to sell them or to make a buck”.

HORSE PASSPORT

Criteria must be met in order for the Council to release the horses, a spokesperson for the local authority outlined.

Any horses impounded or seized by Clare County Council are released on submission of the following, confirmation and proof of ownership/ keeper of the horses i.e. horse passport, submission of a letter from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine confirming that the place where the horses will be kept is an equine registered premises; if the claimant does not own the land where the horses will be kept a valid written rental agreement must be provided.

“The deeds of the land or the land registry file must also be included. Payment of all pound fees payable in respect of the horses together with all or any other expenses, including fees for keep, veterinary fees and transportation fees incurred by the Council”.

No building will commence for at least three years on Ennis car parks

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

A “HEARTENING change” has emerged within Clare County Council with a greater appetite to listen to the views of others surrounding plans for Ennis 2040.

At the first meeting of the Ennis Municipal District since the local elections, the mood was much calmer when Ennis 2040 was up for discussion with councillors expressing the view that the need to take a deep breath and listen is more apparent than ever while others said the constant rhetoric from opponents was “boring”.

Ennis 2040 has been a lightning rod for debate within the Council Chamber over the past 18 months while it has generated as much discussion outside of the local authority with Save Ennis Town presenting a petition with 3,500 signatures, holding silent marches and protests in opposition to plans to construct mixed-use developments on Abbey Street car park and Harvey’s Quay car park. Other groups have also voiced their concern over plans to build on the Post Office Field.

No works will commence for at least three years for plans on Abbey Street car park or Parnell Street car park, senior officials in the Council have this week confirmed.

Addressing the July meeting of the Ennis MD, Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling outlined, “We’re entering a new phase for Clare County Council and moreover a new phase for Ennis. There is a lot of talk of Ennis, we know how great it is and that it is the largest town in Munster, specific parts of the plan may not be suitable to everyone but that is part of the consensus building”.

He continued, “It is important that Ennis is punching above its weight and that it is a place where people want to come, live, visit and socialise and to stay which I think is most important”. Dowling commented, “We can argue about cars and car parking spaces which is fine, we should never put cars before people or jobs”.

Plans for Ennis extend far beyond the town, he noted. “This is about Clare, Ennis is the capital and the centre of the county, figuratively and in every other way, we need to look out as well as looking in. It is not just about developing a town on the west coast of Ireland, it is about developing a regional centre for the Mid-West and beyond, my view is that Ennis should be the envy of every other town in Ireland. Our capital town is a driver for all of the county. The vision is there, we need to get on and implement it”.

Mayor of the Ennis MD, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) responded, “Your words remind me of six years ago when I was first elected Mayor of the Ennis MD in 2018, the years continue to fly by and I remember you having me up to your office six years ago saying

we need to do something for the town and now we must revisit our plan to develop consensus”.

In a proposal before the meeting, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) referenced how “a majority of the elected Ennis MD councillors canvassed, among other issues, on their opposition to the Ennis 2040 DAC plans to build on Abbey Street carpark, civic space and Parnell Street, taxi rank as they currently stand. “In light of this, I propose that the Ennis Municipal District request that the Executive of Clare County Council and Ennis 2040 DAC immediately cease from progressing these plans further, pending a meaningful and transparent consultation process”.

Director of Services, Carmel Kirby a written response detailed that the Council has now entered the sixth year of “a listening process on the Ennis 2040 Strategy” which has involved “extensive consultation” with elected members, local businesses, residents and the wider public. “The key priority for Clare County Council is increasing footfall in Ennis Town Centre and delivering infrastructure and economic projects that are befitting of Munster’s largest town and for the benefit of the whole county. Ennis must not repeat the mistakes of other towns and cities where out of town developments have had a detrimental impact on town and city centres”.

She added, “Concern raised by the business community regarding car parking has been a dominant feature of the feedback received during the consultation process.

Clare County Council wishes to reassure Elected Members, the

public and businesses/residents in the town that on-site work on the proposed building projects at Abbey Street and Harvey’s Quay/Parnell Street will not commence for a minimum of three years and until such time as alternative and suitable parking is provided”.

As committed to at the tetchy May meeting of Clare County Council, a briefing will be held with

for the car parks are “contentious issues,” he pointed out. “I welcome the consultations we had but realistically I'd be asking for statutory consultations but the point that has to be brought is it worth building a new building, there are very people favourable of this particular development”.

Seconding the proposal, Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) estimated that on 98 percent of doors he canvassed in the Ennis MD prior to the elections issues relating to Ennis 2040 and their plans were brought up, “at one door one individual said to me they disagreed with my position on Save Ennis Town, that is one door in thousands, people said they would vote for me because of my position on Save Ennis Town”. He added, “everyone in the room understands this issue is divisive, it has split the town and the county”. Common ground must be found, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) stressed. “It is going on for six years, it is ongoing, it is not good for the town. People need to go around the table, we need the 2040 Board and Save Ennis Town involved to come up with a proposal that will be for the betterment of Ennis. The majority of people I met during the election were totally against Abbey St, we're the laughing stock of the county, everyone is saying to me ‘what in the name of Jesus is going on in Ennis’. I'm totally against building on Abbey St, we need to get these people sitting down and talking, at the end of the day Ennis should be the winner”.

Completion of a transport plan for Ennis will address parking, cycling lanes and all modes of transport in the town, Director Kirby responded.

All strategic projects will be explained in detail at the workshop in September, she said. Vacant properties will be discussed in the coming months with a particular grant set to be making its way for Clare in this sphere, she revealed.

Positive discussions are ongoing with the NTA on the delivery of a town bus service for Ennis. “I'm getting a sense today that there is a collective ambition for us to work together and make sure we're listening to everybody,” she added.

Mayor Colleran Molloy replied, “What we're getting is a consensus to listen going forward to see if the strategy needs to be tweaked and moreover that it is a county strategy. It is a key takeway”.

councillors to discuss strategic projects in Clare and all seven wholly Council owned designated activity companies in Clare, this “will likely take place in September,” Kirby outlined. Regular briefings on strategic projects will continue, she added. All elected members “want what is best for the town and investment for the town which is crucial,” Cllr O’Callaghan noted. Existing plans

According to Cllr O’Callaghan, there has been “a heartening change within the Chamber on wanting to find a solution. It was a civic space that created the potential, it can be overcome. Ennis is not closed, we have a lot of retailers, we know they are finding it difficult but we are aware this is a necessity, we're not talking about small issues, it is substantial, it is a very heartening discussion, solutions will and can be achieved”.

lHOT TOPIC: Carmel Kirby, Director of Economic Development at Clare County Council, with Kevin Corrigan, COO of Ennis 2040 and CEO of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling; (below) Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (Sinn Féin)

Timmy Dooley defends his low voting record in the Seanad

by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

A CLARE SENATOR has defended his voting record in the Seanad despite it being one of the lowest among the sixty Senators.

Of the thirty six ballots held in the Seanad for the first six months of this year, only Westmeath Senator Paul Daly (FF) has a one hundred percent record having been present for all thirty six votes. The details were published by The Mail on Sunday.

Having been present for thirty three of the thirty six, Senator Martin Conway (FG) has the best voting record of the three Clare senators. Senator Roisin Garvey (GP) ranks in mid table of the sixty Senators, she cast a vote for seventeen of the thirty six ballots.

Listed in the bottom three of the sixty is Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) who was present for just nine of the thirty six votes, only Senator Malachi O’Hara (GP) and Senator Pippa Hackett (GP) ranked lower than the Mountshannon native.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Senator Dooley explained, “The way the voting works in Seanad, you could have six or seven today and no vote for three or four weeks then another seven or eight, it isn’t

representative of the amount of time you spend there or the work you do. For the past three years, I’ve been co president of ALDE party, that requires me to spend time on a regular basis in Brussels, Strasbourg or other capital cities, I seek permission from the party whip to travel when he has the necessary support he will give me permission to travel”.

He believed his role in Europe with ALDE has been positive and has outweighed his absence from the Upper House for votes. “There has been a benefit to it that I brought an energy conference to Ennis, as a result of that role I have to travel more than most Senators, it does result on occasion when you were not there on an occasion when there is a god number of votes, unlike the Dáil where that used to be the case the Dáil now has a voting block on a Wednesday night”.

Votes have not been lost by the Government when he has not been present, Senator Dooley flagged. “The purpose of a vote is to get certain legislation passed, the responsibility of the Whip is to ensure we have enough Senators there so we don’t lose a vote”. He said he is in regular consultation with the Whip to secure permission

to attend roles elsewhere, “it is prestigious and I’m given flexibility and benefit to it as we’ve seen for Clare when there is confer ence brought to Clare. Last Thursday, I was at a meeting of twelve people, four of them were Prime Ministers, six were Commis sioners and two were Chairman of other parties in Europe, I was given permission by the Whip and missed four votes taken by the Seanad”.

He did not believe the sys tem of operation was flawed if his absence did not impact on the running of the Seanad. “The business of the house works because the whip is in place to make enough Government Senators there at all times to pass legisla tion. What would be difficult and wrong is if I was supposed to be there and wasn’t and we lost a vote”.

Data outlined in the report can be a “distortion if you apply it to individual Senators,” he believed. “Certain people are not required to be away from Leinster House and get to vote on every ruling, others have other responsibilities attached to their role as a Senator”.

Uisce Éireann to have water crews on standby for Willie Clancy week

STANDBY CREWS will be in place for Willie Clancy week should a water outage occur in West Clare for the third week in a row.

No planned water outages are scheduled for the Miltown Malbay area during the Willie Clancy festival which runs from July 6th to 14th and will see in the region of 10,000 descend on the West Clare town.

Following successive water outages on the past two Sundays, locals are on high alert that a repeat scenario could take from the festival.

“Uisce Éireann has organised that crews will be on standby during the festival in the event that any supply interruptions occur. Our repair crews will be able to respond to any such incidents immediately,” a spokesperson Uisce Éireann told The Clare Echo

On the criticisms surrounding the communication of recent outages, the spokesperson stated, “For unplanned outages, such as Sunday’s outage in West Clare, Uisce

Éireann crews immediately investigate the issue and work as a matter of priority to restore normal water

“For unforeseen or unplanned outages, or emergency events, it was not possible to provide advance notice to customers, however, information including the restoration time, is added to the Uisce Éireann website at https://www.water.ie/water-supply/supply-and-service-update/ as soon as possible following notification of the water supply issue.

“We also directly notify customers who have signed up to our priority and special services register. Business Customers can call our Business Team on 0818 778 778 / International +353 1 707 2827. Lines open Mon-Fri, 9am-5:30pm.

“Business customers can sign up to Uisce Éireann’s text alert system to receive updates on supply interruptions over four hours in duration at www.water.ie/business-updates”.

supply to impacted homes and businesses as quickly and as safely as possible.

For planned disruptions Uisce Éireann endeavours to give customers a minimum of forty eight hours notice “prior to any planned water shut-offs in accordance with the customer care guidance re-

quired by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU).

“Uisce Éireann wishes to assure customers that no planned disruptions will take place during the festival in Miltown Malbay. Uisce Éireann understands the inconvenience when an unplanned outage occurs and thanks customers for their patience while we work to restore supply”.

Uisce Éireann continues to work carry out mains rehabilitation works across County Clare under its national Leakage Reduction Programme to reduce supply interruptions. In recent months, 3km of old and damaged water mains have been replaced with new, modern pipes in in Ennis, Ennistymon and Creegh, driving down the amount of clean and treated water lost to leakage.

Three years ago, Uisce Éireann installed 4.7km of new water mains from Mullagh and Milltown Malbay to reduce bursts and supply disruptions for customers in the area.

by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

Colleran Molloy privileged as she lands Mayor of Ennis hat trick

by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

ELECTED as Mayor of the Ennis Municipal District for the third time, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) was ‘incredibly privileged’ and emotional as she took ownership of the mayoral chains for the next twelve months.

Quin native Clare was elected as Mayor of the Ennis MD at Thursday’s AGM when she received the backing of her fellow elected representatives. First elected to Clare County Council in 2014, she has held the post for each of the three terms she has been on the local authority. She succeeds her party colleague, Cllr Pat Daly (FF).

Newly elected Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF) proposed Clare as Mayor, “I’ve got to know her as a colleague and friend over last several months, my journey into politics was quite swift, I decided to enter 12 months ago, I spoke to Clare Colleran Molloy, she was so generous with her time and information, she will make a great mayor”.

Seconding the nomination, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) commented, “it is a fantastic achievement to enter your third term, I wish you luck in your role. At all times we’ve been very respectful, you are a very hard worker”. Cllr Daly stated, “you have a lot of experience, you have ten years of politics put down, I remember when you were elected with great celebrating in West County, you’ve shown the ability”.

Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling in a new departure attended the AGM of the Ennis MD but was not present for

the AGMs of any other Municipal District in the county. He noted that Cllr Colleran Molloy was taking over “for the start of the first chapter” of a new phase within the Council and for the county town. He said it was “a great opportunity” for the new Mayor and that she would have the “full support of all my staff and office”.

Addressing the meeting, Cllr Colleran Molloy said it was “a pleasure” to be joined by the Chief Executive who “rushed down from Dublin where you were involved in business for the county, I’m delighted you could make it”. She paid tribute to the “excellent staff” in the Council “working behind the scenes who make us look so good”.

With family and friends seated in the public gallery, Clare said she was very thankful for their pres-

ence. “It is an incredible privilege for me to be elected Mayor of Ennis, it is the largest town in Munster and sixth largest in Ireland, I’ve been elected Mayor for the third time”. She becomes the first councillor to have served as Ennis MD Mayor for a third time.

Singling out her husband Tony Molloy, “a wonderful man and my best friend,” Clare became emotional. “I’ve been lucky to have two husbands in this life, my first Carl died in 2001”. She looked towards her family members, siblings, nieces and nephews and said, “having you here is incredibly emotional”.

Mary Naughton Foley’s efforts as Clare’s campaign manager for the local elections were also praised, “she is such an incredible woman in terms of support and organisational skills, without her I don’t

know how the election campaign would run, she told me where to be and not what to say”.

Acknowledging her fellow elected representatives, Clare admitted, “I am so glad that we now have a second female in Ennis representing Fianna Fáil, we still haven’t decreased the number of female councillors in Ennis but it needs to improve going forward”. She continued, “I would like to congratulate all newly elected councillors. Tom O’Callaghan, I congratulate you on your election for the first time, I heartily congratulate Mary and Paul on re-election in spite of particularly challenges faced by us, I congratulate Pat Daly for 25 years of service and his recent appointment as Economic Dev SPC Chair”.

Recalling that her own election campaign began on March 8th in Kilnamona, Clare was able to “remember vividly” the engagement on the doors with Nicholas Rynne and Michael McTigue, most notably their second stop, “the gentleman at the door actually thanked me for coming to the door to ask for a vote. He was of course referencing the fragility of democracy and the hard work both by the candidates and the voters required to preserve it”.

Questioning from young canvassers, Grace Hanley (16) and Zoe Colleran (16) were among the “happier times” during a “gruelling campaign,” she recounted. “They are two young women who have been energised on getting to understand how democracy how it has its say every five years”.

On why she decided to seek

re-election, Clare outlined, “I do not want to say upon reflection in later years that I ‘woulda, coulda or shoulda’, it was something my late husband Carl said on past choices not taken. It is often said women have to work ten times harder in politics so we need to work together”.

She said, “There are exciting times ahead, we’ve so much to look forward to, upgraded realm works and new civic spaces, a town bus service which will be in situ of Q1 2025, the cultural quarter in our new library, work is underway for the Ennis local transport plan, we have key active travel projects which include initiating works on Tulla Rd allowing safe travel for students from the motorway right to the centre of town to cause people to be less reliant on cars. We all love Ennis and our great Banner County”.

First-time councillor, Baker Bashua was elected as Deputy Mayor of the Ennis MD. “She is only in the Chamber a few weeks, this is her first Ennis MD meeting, she is like a woman that has been around here for forty years,” remarked Cllr Daly when proposing his party colleague.

Seconding the proposal, Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) said, “it gives me great privilege and honour to second that proposal. I am only getting to know Antoinette but going by the feedback, I am hearing that she has been around and is well respected, she will be an able deputy”.

Rita is first ever female chair of West Clare MD

CLLR RITA McInerney (FF) has made history by becoming the first female Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District, writes Páraic McMahon

Having come into being in 2014, the West Clare MD covers both the Kilrush local electoral area and the Ennistymon local electoral area. Over the last ten years, only Rita (2024) and Roisin Garvey (GP) in 2019 are the female representatives to have been elected in these LEAs.

Indeed there have been female Mayors of Kilrush Town Council such as Mairead O’Brien (IND) and Marian McMahon-Jones (FG) but the feat of Doonbeg woman Rita remains unique. She was proposed for the role at Monday’s AGM of the West Clare MD by Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) and seconded by Cllr Michael Shannon (FF). “It is a great honour to propose somebody especially a female,” commented Killeen.

Poll-topper in the Ennistymon LEA, Cllr Bill Slattery (FG) was elected Leas Cathaoirleach of the West Clare MD, he was put forward by Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) and supported by Cllr Killeen (FF).

As Rita took the chains of office from Cllr Ian Lynch (IND), the sound of a horse naying outside the Town Hall in Kilrush could be heard, not that this was signalling a revolution

of sorts but it was also a unique development in itself.

Speaking at the AGM, Cllr McInerney said “really appreciated this opportunity” to become the first Cathaoirleach in the West Clare MD for the new Council term. “It is very much in the spirit of cooperation and consolidation of what we have, we are very strong, we have a great mix of people and places we represent but from that point of view it is a challenge because it is a very large area”.

Co-opted to Clare County Council in January following the retirement of Bill Chambers (FF), Rita topped the poll in the local elections in June. She paid tribute to her predecessor Cllr Lynch for the welcome and support he gave during her first six months in the Council. “It is great to welcome new Cllrs and ones returning, the staff and I’d like to mention Leonard (Cleary) who unfortunately moved on but has left a great legacy, there is strength in the Municipal District from the point of view of tourism and rural development”.

Both the Kilrush LEA and Ennistymon LEA share the similarities of tourism and rural matters but they have “different needs,” she outlined. Improving the road infrastructure in West Clare requires particular attention, she felt, “funding streams are there but we don’t

seem to be able to access them”. She continued, “West Clare is one of the most remote areas from a European perspective, we’re separated from the United Kingdom and we need to level that from an European Union perspective. Water services

are of huge importance, water and wastewater is paramount to us developing, it is something we need to prioritise, the project in Cooraclare and other towns need to move on like Kilmihil roads and water need to be our priority”.

Looking ahead to the new term, the business owner acknowledged both Chambers and PJ Kelly (FF) who did not seek re-election along with Cillian Murphy (FF) and Liam Grant (GP) who lost their seats having done ‘trojan work’ over the past five years. “We will continue the good work that was done over the last five years and build on it”.

“History is made,” observed Cllr Lynch. “You are the first female to take on the Chair and it is our third term”. The Kilrush man noted her reference to Europe and said the town was trying to re-establish twinning links with France, “they are our nearest neighbour now in Europe”. He advised Cllr McInerney that she would an “enjoyable but busy twelve months”.

Further congratulations were echoed by Cllr Slattery who said he looked forward “to working with you for the betterment of the Municipal District”.

l Colleran Molloy will don the mayoral chains for the next 12 months

PICTURED: Rita McInerney being elected last month. Photo by Joe Buckley

CountyClare

EnjoyClare’s ‘FundaySundays’:WeeklyExcitement withEver-ChangingOffers and Great Prizes

Transform your typical Sundays into Clare’s ‘Funday Sundays’ — your weekly dose of adventure! Visit Clare Tourism’s latest initiative is designed to spice up your Sundays with great offers, experiences, and the chance to win superb prizes.

HERE’S THE DEAL: Every Monday, the Visit Clare team will drop an all-new batch of offers on VisitClare.ie/sundays for the following Sunday. Think exclusive access, perks, and discounts to Clare’s top attractions and activities..

Special Deals for Funday Sunday, 7th July, Include:

Nevsail Kilkee Kayaking Tour: Book 3 spots and get the 4th spot free.

Vandeleur Walled Garden and Visitor Centre: “Kids go Free” - one child goes free with each paying adult.

Loophead Lighthouse Tour: 50% off a lighthouse tour.

Don’t

Miss Out — Your Next Funday Sunday Adventure Awaits!

These offers rotate faster than Clare’s tides, so remember to check online now and circle back every Monday to see a fresh line-up of Sunday offers at www.VisitClare.ie/sundays. Each week brings another trove of offers, prizes, and surprises. Enjoy!

Catch a Sunday Offer: www.VisitClare.ie/sundays

Four Brilliant Prizes to Be Won

During July, win a magical Family Day Out to the Aran Islands with Doolin Ferry. Enjoy a Family Day Out at Moher Hill Open Farm, experience a Family Pottery Painting Session & Lunch with Charm Bee, Labasheeda, or win Kayak Equipment Rental for up to 5 people with Clare Water Sports at Ballyalla Lake or White Strand Beach. Enter to win on www.VisitClare.ie/sundays

Water issues going on 10 years

BUSINESSES in Miltown Malbay are at their wits end over continued water outages in the town.

For the past two Sundays, burst water mains have impacted on the supply of water to households in Miltown Malbay, Spanish Point and Quilty.

Owner of O’Loughlin’s Bar and Restaurant, Cathal O’Loughlin took over the family business in 1997, it has been in operation in the heart of Miltown Malbay since 1979. Issues regarding water have been ongoing for the past ten to fifteen years, he outlined.

Not just is there consequences regarding lack of supply but when the water returns the colour is far from clear, he pointed out while holding a bottle full of brown water which emerged from the taps after an outage. “The water can’t be touched, that is our biggest fear, when the water comes back after it breaks our biggest fear is when do we drink it, when are we able to drink it, there is a lot of illnesses going around, people with cancerous ailments and we all have one thing in common and that’s the water, I often wonder if it is coming from the taps”.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Cathal commented, “When the pressure comes on the system the pipes start breaking and then sometimes when it is our busiest time the pressure is on and pipes break, they have to send guys out to fix and repair it so then the whole hullabaloo of the water coming through the system and the metres, the state of the water coming through has damaged electric showers, washing machines, ice machines, the majority of our stuff is operated through water. All we need is for someone to come, have a look and fix it, I know it won’t happen overnight, it will take a while”.

“I’m after dumping an ice machine and I had to get a new one in from Clare Bar Supplies... It is up to me, everytime the water breaks I have to run around and turn off all the machines, apologise then to people who are staying from different parts of the world and different parts of the country that we have no water and they can’t have a shower or drink the water, luckily enough we can go to SuperValu or Londis to

Miltown’s business owners left ‘high & dry’

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

UISCE ÉIREANN have come under fire for failing to meet businesses in Miltown Malbay over persistent issues to the water network in the locality.

Back to back water outages have occurred in Miltown Malbay for the past two Sundays which have also impacted on the surrounding areas of Spanish Point and Quilty. The matter has left some business owners at boiling point as they are with it another obstacle during an already challenging climate for businesses.

get bottles of water to beat the band but we look poorly in their eyes when they can’t, they have paid good money but they can’t have a shower or a glass of water”.

Financially the implication of the outages for the last two Sundays was between €4,000 to €5,000 for him while overall he calculated it has cost from €10,000 to €15,000 with closures and fixing the showers.

Uisce Éireann have been of little assistance to local businesses, Cathal said. “We’ve asked Irish Water to send somebody to talk to us but nobody has come near us”.

Meanwhile, an emergency meeting with Uisce Éireann has been requested by councillors in West Clare following the second water outage in Miltown Malbay.

Speaking at the AGM of the West Clare Municipal District, Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) raised the matter and labelled it “a very serious situation. We’re facing into a very busy period, we had an outage on Sunday, the second Sunday in two weeks, I visited the site, it is eroding and it needs to be replaced, we need action from Irish Water because it needs to be replaced, we need to maintain the supply, we need to redirect the water supply for the hotels in Spanish Point and Miltown Malbay, small businesses were out for most of the day.

“It is one of the main arteries, it is huge artery. It can be done, our civil engineers should come up with some solution or something to get us over the summer period, we need Irish Water to relay the pipe but we need an engineering solution to maintain supply for this critical period, this tourism season is a very short period for Miltown Malbay, Quilty and Spanish Point, it is more prolonged in North Clare and we need to do something. It is most weekends like Bank Holidays when there is more pressure on the line that it cannot cope”.

Holding an emergency meeting with the operation management of Uisce Éireann was proposed by Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) “because they are answerable to nobody”.

Acting Director of Services, John O’Malley said they can attempt to arrange such a meeting. “We’ve tried before and it hasn’t been successful so I wouldn’t hold my breath”.

Owner of The Old Bakehouse, Eddie Keane outlined that water issues have been a matter for his business for the past twelve years “since the upgrading of the connection from Doolough Lake to Miltown Malbay”. They opened the restaurant twenty years ago, it employs twelve people on a year-round basis, seven of which are full-time staff.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Eddie highlighted the impact of the two most recent water outages. “I’ve had to come up with my own emergency situation so I store water, I store 200 litres of water, I’ve to dump it and change it so at least I have something to start with, I’m running a restaurant which has no bathrooms and if the environmental health happen to show on that particular day by law we should not be open and if they were to take a water sample but then nobody gets paid and the town is full of visitors with nowhere to go so we keep stum”.

He continued, “The levels of frustration are beyond belief because what is put down as emergency outages is in my opinion pre-planned work, if we were given some notice in advance perhaps we could arrange the work and prepare the food a day before, work around it in some way to provide some service to the town, trying to get hold of people with Sunday lunches who are booked and tell them they can’t come is not a runner”.

This frustration is intensified by the lack of communication. “I understand that the whole system has to be upgraded, I absolutely understand that, from Miltown to Doolough Lake I’ve driven the road and I know where it is at risk of breaking but whatever work is going on at the Lake where we can’t get access to or to speak with someone, we know what needs to be done, give us advanced notice, stop sending us a text four and a half hours after the water has been turned off, we’re a business, I’ve people who have to be sent home from work but I still have to pay them, my people are on contract here it’s not a sweatshop but without water I can’t serve the food or cook the food, we don’t have the bathroom facilities so I really don’t know where to go from here but the fact this is a blueprint Sunday after Sunday and I wonder if it will happen again and if it is pre-planned work”.

Continued water outages will kill off businesses in Miltown Malbay, he warned. “As business stands

in the restaurant industry, my running costs have gone up €66,000 this year to do with wage raises, VAT, energy rises and product food cost rises, we don’t know if we will break even this year because of the extra costs but having to close this business on a Sunday in mid-season is just another hit on the nail that is going to kill us”.

Eddie was sceptical that the works were pre- planned despite Uisce Éireann insisting the outage was due to a burst water main. “I do wonder how the burst mains occur at 7am on a Sunday morning, that was last Sunday and the Sunday before, I do worry because there was an outage before on the Sunday of the Willie Clancy festival, I feel they are using Sunday on the assumption that it is when water will be least in demand but particularly in the season it is when it is most in demand”.

Officials with Uisce Éireann have made promises to meet with him, Eddie claimed. “On numerous occasions most recently six weeks ago I was promised that an engineer would come out and talk to me personally, this is having spoken with three sets of solicitors from Uisce Éireann but they have still not arrived. The people in Uisce Éireann make all the promises but not one person has shown up personally to talk to me, this has all happened in the last two years because up till then Clare County Council were dealing with it and I could talk to somebody because there was a foreman here and I could get realistic information. They have promised and promised that someone will come and speak to me but I haven’t seen them yet”.

Eddie shared his concern about the safety of the water once the supply is restored to the system

Killeen in mix for Fianna Fáil

A FORMER Minister for Defence and an ex Chairman of Clare GAA are among the names in the mix to contest the sitting Chairman of Clare Fianna Fáil for Monday’s AGM.

Hotel Woodstock will be the venue for the Annual General Meeting of the Fianna Fáil Clare Chomhairle Dáilcheantair. The existing officer board are in situ since 2016 with many of them set to be challenged for the various officer roles.

Party regulations state that a person who has served for four years continuously is not able to continue

in the same post suggesting that the entire officer board will have to be replaced but Fianna Fáil has allowed the current officer board stay longer than this period.

Current Chairman, Mike Enright wishes to continue in the role but he is understood to be facing competition with sitting Vice Chairman Pat Considine, ex-Clare TD, Tony Killeen and Jack Chaplin a former Chairman of Clare GAA among those also approached to allow their names forward.

Following her election to Clare

County Council, Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) is expected to step down as the secretary of the party branch in Clare. Other outgoing officers include Michael McTigue (PRO), Aidan White and Gearoid Kennedy (Treasurers), Angela Coll (membership officer) while the post of women/equality officer has been vacant for up to five years.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, former Minister for Defence, Killeen admitted he was undecided. A Clare TD from 1992 to 2011, Tony said, “I am flattered that people whom I re-

lFRUSTRATED: Businessman Eddie Keane of the Old Bakehouse

l MEETING: Cllr Michael Shannon has labelled it a very serious situation

Photo by Joe Buckley

following each outage. “An ice machine connected to the mains here, that is left on and it is taking in that stuff, there is black tar water coming through this, if you go to a bar here for the next week and get ice in your drink you tell me the environmental health officer will be happy with. If it is an emergency then it is an emergency and we understand if the infrastructure is broken but this is pre-planned work, if it is pre-planned then sending the text four hours after the work has started is just crazy, going online to the machine which is all you get or you get through to a young kid working from their bedroom saying contact us online. The constant arguments over the phone when they are trying to collect the bill and then they will get a debt collection business and if that is unsuccessful they will get their solicitor to send a letter, then they back away and the whole thing starts again. Not once has an engineer come to see me, the most recent time I was told an engineer would be here within a week, that was eight weeks ago”.

A spokesperson for Uisce Éireann told The Clare Echo the works were

not planned in advance. “The burst on Sunday was unplanned and therefore Uisce Éireann was unable to advise customers in advance. Our crews were immediately deployed and the necessary repairs were completed by 11.30am that morning. Uisce Éireann’s dedicated operations teams work tirelessly during all incidents, 24/7 in all weathers, to minimise any impact to customers and to restore normal water supply as quickly and as safely as possible when outages occur.

“In relation to the burst to a water main on Sunday in the Miltown Mal- bay area, Uisce Éireann crews were immediately deployed and worked hard to restore supply to customers as quickly as possible in Miltown Malbay, Spanish Point, Quilty, Mullagh, Coore, Creegh, Cooraclare, Cahermurphy and surrounding areas in Co. Clare. Uisce Éireann’s Operations team in West Clare has confirmed that repairs to the water main were successfully completed by 11.30am on Sunday morning,” the spokesperson added and said they were not aware of any commitment to meet with business owners in Miltown Malbay.

Chair in County Clare

spect who think that I could be a positive influence.”

When asked by The Clare Echo if he was seeking re-election as Chairman, Enright responded, “of course I am”. He added, “I don’t know exactly am I being challenged or pushed or forced out but I am looking forward to the challenge.

Members have criticised the lack of meetings held by the party during Enright’s tenure as Chairman. “I think you could have meetings every night of the week if you wanted to, meetings are irrelevant to getting councillors and TDs elected, you need the right strategies in place,

we’ve been fierce lucky with our Director of Elections Gerry Reidy, secretary Rita McInerney, PRO Michael McTigue, treasurer Gearoid Kennedy and Aidan White and our vice chairman Pat Considine, our intention has always been to do the right thing”.

Current Vice Chairman, Pat Considine told The Clare Echo he is considering his options. Jack Chaplin who served for one year as Chairman of Clare GAA and has been a loyal party activist has confirmed he has been nominated to serve as Chair of the Fianna Fáil branch in Clare.

Bakehouse in Miltown Malbay

You will need

n 200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting n 100g cold butter, cubed, plus 25g n 150g Cratloe Hills sheep’s cheese n small handful of thyme, leaves picked n 1 tbsp olive oil

Method

n 3 large onions, finely sliced n 2 tbsp white wine or sherry vinegar n 1 tbsp sugar n 2 brown anchovies, finely chopped n 2 large eggs n 300ml cream

do this in a bowl – rub the flour into the butter first, then stir in the remaining ingredients with a knife. Wrap and chill for at least 40 mins.

2) Meanwhile, heat the 25g butter and the olive oil in a large frying pan over a lowmedium heat, and cook the onions with a pinch of salt for 40-50 mins, stirring often, until sticky, golden and very soft when pressed with the back of a spoon. If they start to catch, reduce the heat further and add a splash of water. Be patient, as they will take a while to caramelise, but keep your eye on the pan so they don’t burn.

1) Put the flour in the bowl of a food processor with the 100g butter. Blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then add 50g of the cheese, 1 tbsp of the thyme leaves, some freshly ground black pepper and 1 tsp salt. Blitz again briefly to combine. Add 2-3 tbsp cold water, and pulse again until it comes together into a dough. If you don’t have a food processor,

3) Stir in the vinegar, sugar and the anchovies. Keep stirring until the vinegar has evaporated, and the anchovies have dissolved into the onions. Remove from the heat.

4) Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and roll the pastry out onto a lightly floured work surface to a 3mm

thickness. Use the pastry to line a 23cm tart tin (use the rolling pin to help you do this). Trim the edges so they’re just overhanging the sides. Patch the pastry with the offcuts, if needed.

Scrunch up a sheet of baking parchment, then open it out again to line the pastry, and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins, remove the parchment and beans, then bake for a further 5-8 mins, or until the pastry looks dry, without any raw spots.

5) Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, cream, remaining thyme and the rest of the cheese together with a pinch each of salt and black pepper. Stir in the caramelised onions. Trim the sides of the pastry using a serrated knife to neaten the edges. Pour the filling into the pastry case and tap the tin gently on the work surface to release any bubbles.

6) Bake the quiche for 25-30 mins on the middle shelf of the oven until lightly golden and

set in the middle, with a slight wobble. Leave to cool in the tin for at least 15-20 mins, then slice.

With spring starting to warm up this recipe is a great

REFLEXOLOGY is a holistic treatment that has been around for almost 5,000 years and involves applying pressure to a number of acupressure points in the foot that reflect or correspond to every part of the body through meridians or zones of energy.

It works by balancing the whole body mentally and physically. It reduces stress and fatigue, promotes relaxation and ultimately boosts the immune system.

One of the most important benefits of reflexology is its efficacy in reducing stress as it induces deep relaxation and this allows the nervous system to function normally and free the body to find its own homeostasis (balance). A relaxed body can heal itself and reflexology guarantees this and balances the biological systems. My favourite system in the body is the digestive system. It starts at the mouth and goes through the oesophagus, stomach,

small intestine, large intestine and ends at the rectum and anus. It also

includes the liver, pancreas and gall bladder as support organs.

This fascinating system takes the food we eat and breaks it up into smaller parts that can be absorbed by the body for energy, growth and cell repair. The complicated process of digestion is aided and enhanced by the basic tenets of good food and regular exercise.

However, there are short-term and long-term conditions and diseases that affect the digestive system.

I have clients who are dealing with a range of conditions including constipation, diarrhoea, IBS, cancer, Crohn’s disease and are hoping to use reflexology to relax their body and help it find its way back to balance so that some of the symptoms may be eased and they can cope better.

The digestive system is represented on both feet and in terms of the large intestine it begins on the right foot with the ascending and transverse colon and then finishes

on the left foot with the transverse and descending colon leading to the rectum and anus. The ileocecal valve is a really interesting point on the right foot and applying pressure to this reflex point may help to encourage a healthy flow within the digestive tract. It’s a sphincter muscle valve that separates the small intestine from the large intestine and its main function is to control the flow of contents from the small intestine into the colon.

Overall reflexology focused on the digestive system can help clear any blockages, aid the liver to detoxify and improve blood circulation to the digestive tract which will in turn boost energy levels and the immune system.

To book a reflexology treatment contact Lorraine at 087 6595417 or check out www.glenina-reflexology.ie for more details.

lunch served with a nice fresh salad. The richness from the onions are just set with the custard mix, we use Sean Fitzgerald sheep’s cheese made in Cratloe, a beautiful mild cheese.

JULY is a month of abundant blooms and fantastic garden arrangements coming together. This year has seen an increase in the use of the cottage garden trend in beds and borders. If you are trying to achieve this look, here are a few plants that can help create a beautiful cottage garden scene:

• Digitalis purpurea (commonly known as foxglove): This lovely plant has tall spikes of brightly colored flowers and can grow up to 3 feet tall. It is also great for attracting pollinators.

• Erigeron: A lovely, long-flowering, daisy-like perennial.

• Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’: This variety has tall purple spike flowers and looks beautiful in a cottage garden.

• Alchemilla mollis (commonly known as lady’s mantle): The star-shaped flowers appear in clusters at the top of the foliage, which provides excellent contrast with other plants.

• Delphinium: Known for its beautiful tall spikes of densely packed flowers.

• Phlox: These have stunning pink clusters of small, fragrant flowers.

• Leucanthemum (also known as Shasta daisy): These classic daisy flowers have

yellow centers and bloom all summer. So, if you are hoping to enhance your beautiful garden bed, consider adding some of these plants.

TIPS FOR JULY:

• Nourish your plants: Treat your garden to high-quality fertilizer and feed as it grows. Sweet peas, roses, dahlias, and tomatoes will need the right food at this time of year.

• Hydrate your garden and pots regularly: Sometimes the rain isn’t enough, so check your plants to ensure they get adequate water. Early morning watering is best as it allows plants to absorb moisture before the heat of the day.

• Regular weeding: This helps reduce competition for water and nutrients. Mulching can help to reduce weeds and conserve moisture.

• Remove spent flowers: This encourages more blooms and keeps plants looking good for longer. Most of all, sit back and enjoy your amazing garden creation and watch the beauty unfold.

Thought for the week: The Sacrament of Friendship

RONAN SCULLY

DURING July we get to celebrate International Friendship day and it has me reflecting on what constitutes a healthy friendship. Friends come in all shapes and sizes - a childhood friend or virtual friends we’ve made online. Whoever they are, there is a special connection based on a shared history and interests, or simply talking and understanding each other. Friends are there to help us at difficult times and to celebrate the good times.

Whenever we say the word “friend”, it makes us nostalgic about the person who stood by our side in our times of need.

Friendship has been by far one of the greatest blessings in my life. But good friends do more than encourage us. They challenge us. A good friend can be honest with us if they see us heading in the wrong direction.

A HOLY THING

For me friendship is a holy thing. Sometimes in life, you find a special friend. Someone who changes your life just by being a part of it. Someone who makes you laugh until you can’t stop. Someone who makes you believe that there really is good in the world. Someone who convinces you that

Spreading the word of positivity

there really is an unlocked door just waiting for you to open it. This is Forever Friendship. When you’re down and the world seems dark and empty, your forever friend lifts you up in spirit and makes that dark and empty world suddenly seem bright and full. Your forever friend gets you through the hard times, the sad times and the confused times.

SACRAMENTAL FRIENDSHIP

Friends also make it easier to believe that we are loved by God. Good friends know us very well. They know our strengths and our weaknesses—and yet they still love us. Somehow they can overlook our failings and focus on our gifts. Their friendship proclaims, “I like being with you!” What greater compliment can we receive? I like to think that God loves me chiefly through my friends. Their attention, hugs, encouragement, and laughter are all ways God is saying, “I get a kick out of you!”

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

As your thought for the week, give some thought to your friendships and your friendship with God. Who is in your life now that presents an opportunity for a deep, significant relationship beyond your spouse or partner? How are you pursuing a sort of sacramental vulnerability with that person?

FOCLÓIR AN TSAMHRAIDH

– CUID A TRÍ

Gaeilge Summer Glossary – Part 3

It is important to note that vulnerability takes time: time to build trust, establish a story, and it can’t be forced. For you who read this and find yourself without someone you’d call a close friend: I understand. May your prayer and our prayer be for God to help alleviate our loneliness with His presence. As we draw to the Eucharistic table each day of real friendship with Him, may the journey lead us to find friends along the way.

And just as talking with your friend is as important as it is pleasant, so having a conversation with Jesus and His Father is crucial in maintaining our friendship with God. And this is simply called “prayer.” Furthermore, we know that when we love God, we love everyone He loves. And there is actually no one outside of His love. In fact, charity, which is this friendship with God, this love of God for His own sake, is the only way we can love all our neighbors, even our enemies! It helps us to understand something of what friendship with God is like. It also helps us prepare for that experience we will have with Him and all those He loves in heaven. And it’s beginning here on earth. Right now.

Macalla an Chláir

LE MACDARA Ó CONAOLA

Tá mí Iúil ann cheana fhéin! Tá muid i gceartlár an tsamhradh anois, cé nach bhfuil fhios ag an aimsir é sin is cosúil! Ach le cúnamh Dé feabhsóidh sí agus ní bheidh aon chúis gearáin againn. Seo chugaibh roinnt fhocla eile a bhaineann leis an t-am seo den bhliain / Here are some more words relating to this time of the year... spáid – a spade iomaire / iomreachaí – ridge/ridges (lazy beds) clais – furrow or trench between ridges leasú – fertilizer fataí nua – new potatoes dúchan/seic – potato blight slat iascaigh – fishing rod duán - fish-hook baoite - bait ronnach – mackerel mangach – pollock im - butter raithneach – ferns, bracken. Also slang for marijuana (www.drugs.ie)

Imeachtaí/Events:

milíní – fuchsia príomparlán – dung beetle ciaróg – earwig fáinleog – swallow (bird) slog, a’ slogadh – swallow, swallowing (verb) fámairí / strainséaraí – visitors/tourists tine chnámh – bonfire

Na Scoláirí – the secondary school students who visit the Gaeltacht in June, July, and August to learn Irish

Bean a’ tí / Fear a’ tí – host parents of Na Scoláirí

Tá an dinnéar réidh a chailíní/ bhuachaillí! - Dinner’s ready girls/boys! ar mhaith leat damhsa? / would you like a dance?

An Céilí Mór – the last céilí (dance) of the course

A’ blaidhriúch (a’ caoineadh) – bawling (crying) ones’ eyes out cara pinn – pen pal

• LUIMNEACH – AIFREANN GAEILGE, chuile Dé Domhnaigh, 10.30am, Mainistir an tSlánaitheora, Sráid San Doiminic, Luimneach

• Clare FM - Cúl-chaint le Domhnall Ó Loingsigh chuile Dé Sathairn, ag 9am ar Clare FM

• CILL INÍNE BAOITHE - Ciorcal Comhrá san XPO, chuile Dé Céadaoin ag 7.30pm

• INIS – CAINT AGUS COMHRÁ, chuile Dé Luain ag 11am sa gCopper Jug, Dé Céadaoin ag 11am in O’Brien’s, oíche Déardaoin sa Temple Gate (8pm), agus Dé Sathairn i nGlór, 11am-12pm. Déan teagmháil leo ag: caintaguscomhra@outlook.com

• AN SCAIRBH – ‘’Lón i nGaeilge’’, 1-2pm, CHUILE DÉ MAIRT i gcaifé ‘’An Gáirdín’’, fáilte roimh chuile dhuine.

lFoxglove (Digitalis Purpurea)

Clare Echo takes on Slimming World Challenge

THE Clare Echo’s Denise Quinn and Kieran Murphy are rising to the challenge of getting healthier by joining Slimming World.

We’re inviting readers to track the progress of our team - or joining them at the Slimming World groups across Clare.

Denise Quinn is Head of Sales at The Clare Echo and leads a very busy work life. In her own words, “I’m all work no play”.

Denise is ready for the Slimming World Challenge and has set herself the target of losing two stone in weight. The Tipperary native admits she is prone to the odd Chinese takeaway, and enjoys anything with mayonnaise or pepper sauce.

“I have very bad eating habits, usually eating in the evening time, whether it’s takeaways, or savoury treats like Tayto crisps and peanuts.

Denise wants to increase her water intake and increase her level of excercise, currently going on about two walks per week. She has taken out “several memberships” but ultimately failed to continue on her fitness journey.

Reasons

Denise has various reasons for wanting to lose weight. At her age, coming into peri-menapause has a major effect on her life at present, from low energy, sleep deprevation, to hormones impacting her mood. That on top of being overweight and unfit, Denise feels that she now needs to focus and take control so she can have a better quality of life.

eating hampering his fitness goals. Kieran consumes one bar of chocolate a day at 6:30pm while he also has a snack at night time, which can “turn into a raid”. Biscuits are his downfall.

Kieran is relatively active, tending to his farm in Ruan every morning before work and he goes back on the farm in the evening after his 9-5 of dealing with business clients.

Food is my downfall. I like sweet food, and savoury. Late night eating and bread. Carbs. 9-10pm I get the munchies. Secret eating. I don’t drink much. Buscuits are a big problem for me.

Reasons

Kieran’s main reasons for taking part in the Slimming World Challenge is longevity of life and increased mobility.

Denise and Kieran will keep readers up to date every week as they attend weekly Slimming World meetings at any of the following venues:

Account manager at The Clare Echo, Kieran Murphy eats three square meals a day - that’s the official line anyway! In a moment of weakness Kieran admitted there may be some late-night

Tarah -Treacys West County Tuesdays at 5.30pm and 7:30pm call 0862715834

Louise - Launching Friday July 12th at 9.30am in Community Hall, Ballybar Road, Newmarket on Fergus V95RH93 call Louise on 086 1381874

Tarah - Launching Monday

IN last week’s article, we were scratching the surface of stress biology and how the body responds to stress factors chemically. This week we are going to dive a little deeper into a topic that sounds familiar, unfortunately for far too many people in our current modern lifestyle: anxiety. But from a very unexpected and perhaps never heard of previously by many of you.

Chronic stress profoundly impacts both body and brain, often leading to anxiety. By understanding the link between repeated stress activation and anxiety, we can take proactive steps to manage stress, protect our mental health, and improve our ability to function in daily life. Repeated activation of the stress response takes a significant toll on both the body and the brain. When stress becomes chronic, it can lead to anxiety, leaving the mind in a constant state of apprehension. This persistent worry can impair cognitive functions and affect our daily activities.

Contemporary medicine often classifies anxiety as a psychiatric disorder, treating it with psychotherapy and neuroactive medications. However, an emerging view suggests that anxiety is fundamentally a physical state rooted in metabolic processes and the body’s energy regulation. Neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett posits that anxiety is a metabolic illness. “Energy regulation is a critical factor in mind and behaviour,” she asserts in the 2022 Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. According to Barrett, the brain’s primary function isn’t thinking, but energy regulation. And I could not agree more with her as I am amazed every time when evidence of this shows up in my coaching practice during the talking therapy sessions with my clients.

Recent scientific research is increasingly highlighting the role of metabolic health in

managing anxiety. Evidence is mounting that neurobiological mechanisms linked to mental disturbances can be positively influenced by diet. Consequently, more researchers and clinicians are exploring and prescribing di-

mental illnesses. One of the most significant pathways for this metabolic influence on mental health is the gut-brain axis, a two-way communication channel between the gut and the brain.

etary interventions, including nutritional supplements, as either stand-alone or complementary treatments for mental disorders.

In a paper published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Umadevi Naidoo, a pioneer in Nutritional Phychiatry, emphasizes that basic metabolic disturbances such as oxidative stress, insulin resistance, inflammation, and microbiome dysbiosis underlie many neurological conditions and

Key Metabolic Disturbances Affecting Mental Health

• Oxidative Stress: Imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body can damage cells and contribute to mental health issues.

• Insulin Resistance: Poor insulin sensitivity can affect brain function and mood regulation.

• Inflammation: Chronic inflamma-

tion has been linked to several psychiatric conditions, including anxiety and depression.

• Microbiome Dysbiosis: An imbalance in gut bacteria can disrupt the gut-brain axis, influencing mental health.

The Gut-Brain Axis

The gut-brain axis is a major pathway through which metabolic activity affects mental health. This complex communication network between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain involves multiple systems, including the nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system. It highlights the significant impact that gut health and diet can have on mental well-being. Given these connections, a healthy and balanced eating style and the use of nutritional supplements are gaining traction as viable strategies for managing mental health:

• Eating style changes: Emphasizing a balanced diet rich in whole foods, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory components can help us tackling metabolic disturbances.

• Nutritional Supplements: Supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics, and certain vitamins and minerals can support metabolic and mental health. By addressing metabolic disturbances through nutritional means, it is possible to influence neurobiological mechanisms underlying anxiety and other mental health conditions. As this field continues to grow, it offers hope for more holistic and integrated approaches to our mental health. It is vital to seek support and to get empowered to self-advocate for a less invasive way than chronic anxiety medication. But this is only possible when you are able to team up with a qualified specialist and under proper supervision.

Farmer cleared of trespass and interfering with cattle trough belonging to ex-wife’s new boyfriend

by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie

AN EAST CLARE farmer has been cleared of trespassing on the lands of his ex-wife’s new boyfriend to commit an offence or to interfere with the man’s cattle trough.

At Gort District Court, Judge Marian O’Leary dismissed the case against Padraig O’Brien (49) of Prospect House, Scariff, Co Clare due to a defective summons.

Mr O’Brien was contesting a charge that on October 25th 2022 at Loughinwadda, Peterswell, Co Galway that he was within the vicinity of the curtilage of the dwelling and farm yard of Sean Burke for the purpose of trespassing and giving rise to a reasonable inference that he was there to commit an offence or to unlawfully interfere with property.

Solicitor for Mr O’Brien, Jim Nash successfully argued that the cattle trough that Mr O’Brien was

accused of interfering with was in a field on Mr Burke’s farm and not within the vicinity of the curtilage of the dwelling and farm yard.

Judge O’Leary agreed with Mr Nash and dismissed the charge against Mr O’Brien.

At Garda interview in November 2022 after Mr Burke had made a formal statement about Mr O’Brien allegedly trespassing on his lands, Mr O’Brien alleged that he “discovered that his wife was having an affair with Sean Burke of Peterswell” in April of that year.

Mr O’Brien told the garda that “the whole ordeal was a nightmare”. He said that his ex-wife “tried to say that I tried to poison horses up in Peterswell”.

In evidence, Garda Dara Melia told the court that Sean Burke is now in a relationship with Mr O’Brien’s ex-partner “and that is what he believes is the reason for Padraig O’Brien’s attitude towards him”.

Asked did he know Mr O’Brien, Mr Burke replied: “Not particularly. I work with his ex-wife.”

From the witness box, he said: “We are now in a relationship and he blames me for the demise of his marriage.”

Mr Burke agreed with Insp Eleanor O’Halloran that “tensions were high” with Mr O’Brien in October 2022.

Mr Burke said that Mr O’Brien “sent me an extremely abusive message” in August 2022.

The content of the text message was not read out in court.

Mr Burke said that on October 25th 2022, an eye witness Patrick O’Neill described the person at his water trough “and I immediately knew who it was”.

In evidence, Mr O’Neill said that it looked like Mr O’Brien “was interfering with the tank - it didn’t look right. It didn’t really make sense”.

Mr O’Brien told Gardai that he

did enter the lands to take water from the trough for his overheating car.

Mr Burke said: “I returned to the lands and thankfully cattle had not gone anywhere near that trough.”

He said: “I removed cattle from the field and I haven’t let cattle into that field since.”

Mr Burke said that he removed a couple of bottles of water from the trough “in the hope that it would be sampled but because it was animals concerned and not people, the Gardai don’t provide a facility to test the water”.

He said: “I contacted a couple of labs to see and they needed an indication as to what may be in the water to allow them to search in a certain direction - otherwise it would run to thousands to try to find out what it was.”

Mr Burke said that around six months later he decommissioned the water trough and found an acid battery at the bottom of the trough.

Mr Burke said that he longer uses the field for stock. “I have enough acres,” he said

Asked by Insp O’Halloran would a battery cause issues for his livestock, Mr Burke said: “I would imagine so, it would contain lead and acid.”

Tommy is the new London RTÉ correspondent ENNIS IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS

by Páraic McMahon

ENNIS’ Tommy Meskill has been announced as RTÉ’s new London correspondent.

Tommy’s new appointment took effect from Tuesday (July 2nd), prior to this he had been part of RTÉ’s political team reporting from Leinster House and the European Parliament.

A journalist with RTÉ News for eight years, he has become a familiar face as an occasional newscaster for the State broadcaster. He has also fronted RTÉ Radio 1’s This Week and RTÉ One’s European Parliament Report.

Meskill joined the RTÉ newsroom in 2016 and has worked across several different programmes including Morning Ireland. His first big break came when he was announced as a presenter of news2day in September 2016.

Prior to this he completed a degree in Communication Studies at Dublin City University (DCU) and during his studies, Tommy interned with Clare FM. After graduating from DCU, Tommy worked as a newsreader with Spirit Radio, East Coast FM and then became a reporter at Dublin station FM104. The thirty year old is a past pupil of Barefield NS and Rice College.

In 2021, Tommy was the virtual grand marshal for the Ennis St Patrick’s Day parade.

As part of Tommy’s new role in London, he will be responsible for reporting across digital, radio and television on all aspects of life in Britain including political, economic, cultural and social affairs. He succeeds former Dublin correspondent John

Kilraine who held the post since 2022 and has returned to work with RTÉ News and Current Affairs in Dublin having completed his contract.

Speaking about his new role, Tommy stated, “I’m delighted to have been appointed as RTÉ’s new London Correspondent. It comes at a busy time, ahead of a General Election which could bring about significant change for the country. It’s an honour to have been chosen and I’m very excited to get started”.

Check out visitclare ie & ennischamber.ie for more

50 graduates at Clare Youth Service

50 young graduates have received their qualifications from the Clare Youth Service.

National qualifications were obtained by fifty young people who attended the Clare Youth Service. Their graduation was celebrated at the Community Training Centre at the Clare Youth Service with recipients availing of a second chance at achieving an academic qualification and the high number of awards has demonstrated the success of this option.

Awards included Leaving Cert Applied, Moving On

– Pathways to Progression Programme, QQI Level 3 Employability Skills and QQI Level 4 Creative Media Technology.

Further Education and Training Manager with the LCETB, Sean O’Carroll congratulated the young people and their families on their great achievements and encouraged them to continue to avail of the many opportunities available within Further Education and Training.

CTC Manager, Edel McDonough acknowledged the hard work of the CTC team in Clare Youth Service who have created a safe, nurtur-

Road resurfacing completed on Quin Rd

by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

RESURFACING works have been completed on one of the busiest routes into Ennis.

On Thursday and Friday of last week, a temporary traffic management system was put in place to facilitate resurfacing work to the R469 on the Quin Rd in Ennis, the works were undertaken by Clare County Council.

Staff of the Roads Section of Ennis Municipal District completed the works on a

400m, 2,500sqm stretch of the road at Ballaghboy on Friday evening. The local authority said that road markings will be installed shortly. Significant resurfacing works on other sections of the R469 were completed last autumn. Meanwhile the Old Bog Road also known as Plunkett’s Rd which connects the N85 dual carriageway to Ennis via the Quin Rd remains closed all this week. This is to allow for trenching works as part of the National Broad-

band Ireland (NBI) project.

This closure has been in place since Monday morning and lasts until Friday (July 5th), the works are ongoing from 7am to 7pm. Local access will be maintained throughout the durations of the works and relevant diversions will be in place.

NBI this week are also carrying out works by Carney’s Bar on the R474 in Connolly this week with slight traffic delays as a result.

ing environment for each individual young person. Chairperson of CYS Board of Trustees. Shiofra Hassett highlighted the contribution of the CTC to the local community and the value of the service in Ennis as part of the multiple pathways now available to young people. She outlined that the Community Training Centre has fifty-four places annually for young people to get involved in level 3 to 4 education programmes and thanked the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board who work the training programmes possible.

CLARECASTLE HEALTH CHECK

A team from Queen’s University, Belfast, will visit Clarecastle today July 4 to carry out a Village Centre Health Check incorporating land use and vacancy surveys, pedestrian counts, retailer/consumer surveys etc. Objective is to develop an innovative town/village centre-led retail, cultural heritage and tourism baseline (data) to guide forward planning and help shape/regenerate the village centre. The health check will complement ongoing community planning work. Members of the community are invited to come along to a drop-in consultation session and meet the team in the school hall between 5.30pm and 7.30 pm this Thursday.

l Tommy Meskill

l Jamie Ferns, Martin Brennan, Kaitlyn, Bobby, James, Tracey Ferns and Noreen Brennan at the awards ceremony at the Clare Youth Service Community Training Centre

Cllr Pat O’Gorman becomes Shannon MD Chair for first time

CLLR PAT O’Gorman (FF) has been elected as Cathaoirleach of the Shannon Municipal District for the first time.

Cratloe native O’Gorman who was co-opted to Clare County Council following the General Election success of Cathal Crowe (FF) in February 2020 successfully defended this seat in last month’s local elections where he polled 1,183 first preference votes.

Having previously served from 1999 to 2004 in the Killaloe area, O’Gorman’s success last month marked his first victory in a local

l DEVELOPMENT: Artist’s impression of the Hub

election in twenty five years. His crest of a wave continued when he was proposed by Cllr David Griffin (FF) and seconded by Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG) to become the new Cathaoirleach of the Shannon MD. Outgoing Cathaoirleach, Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) is the new Leas Cathaoirleach, she was reluctant to take on the role given that she will be contesting the upcoming General Election.

On his priorities for the year ahead, O’Gorman said,“The One Shannon Hub project will be a major piece of infrastructure for Shannon, the upgrade of the N19 into the airport from the Drumgeely roundabout and the Shannon Flood Relief Scheme is something I want to progress. The people of Shannon can’t insure their houses and it would be of great benefit to the people of Shannon, to businesses, the airport and the Golf Course”.

He added, “The Shannon to Bunratty greenway, going on to Sixmilebridge, is something I would be prioritising and I spoke about the continuous improvement of our road network.

I also spoke about building on the success of Shannon Airport through a close working relationship with Shannon Airport Group, and continuing my work with community groups through the Community Grants Scheme. Since the Council has taken over Bunratty Castle and Folk Park it has thrived, and during my tenure as Cathaoirleach I want it to continue”.

Speaking to The Clare Echo following his election to the Council, he commented, “the way I got the vote it was spread all over the whole constituency, I had rough-

ly 320 votes in my own area of Cratloe which wouldn’t be a big base, it is a small parish in comparison with Clonlara, Sixmilebridge and Newmarket-on-Fergus but I worked hard to get the vote out in all the areas, I worked from Latoon Bridge to the Limerick border, after I got co-opted when Cathal Crowe got elected to the Dáil I made up my mind that day that I was going to work tirelessly for the people in the Shannon Municipal District for the four years”.

MAYOR

Politics changed between 2004 and 2020 at a local level, a time at which he was no longer a public representative. “I think it is easier would you believe than going back all those years ago, Fianna Fáil had the power that time, I was the Mayor from 2003 to 2004 and every meeting was a battle because Fianna Fáil had all the plum jobs as they used to call them, everyone was trying to take a shot at you because you were the main party and you had the overall majority. It is working better now with the power sharing that is in place at the moment, we work in harmony, we work together and we work for the betterment of Co Clare”. While was one of two co-opted councillors in the Shannon MD, he is now the party’s most experienced representative in the area where he is joined by firsttime councillors, Griffin and Cllr Rachel Hartigan (FF).

“I’m delighted that David Griffin and Rachel Hartigan got elected with me, they are two young people, Rachel is below on the Limerick border, I’m in the middle and David Griffin is up at the top of the constituency in Newmarket-on-Fergus so geographically we’re spread out well, if we can work together. We went into each other’s areas and tried to get as many votes as we could, if someone said to me they were giving a number one vote to David Griffin then I asked for number two, he did the same below in Crat-

loe and Rachel in Ardnacrusha and Parteen, it showed the way the vote split”.

Vote management for Fianna Fáil was better in the Shannon MD compared with West Clare where Cillian Murphy (FF) lost his seat. “We were spread out in the Shannon MD, I don’t know what way they were in West Clare because I was so busy minding my own business that I didn’t have time, we’ll sit down and analyse and look at the write-ups in The Echo and The Champion. From our point of view in the Shannon MD, I’m absolutely delighted that three Fianna Fáil councillors ran and got elected fairly comfortably, I was in the fifth position, Rachel was third and David headed the poll which is a fairly strong team effort from the three of us”. From 2020 to 2024 there was two Cratloe representatives in the Shannon MD, however with PJ Ryan (IND) losing his seat, Pat’s workload is set to increase in his native village.

“I’m very sorry for PJ Ryan, he did work very hard as a local councillor.

“I know the work involved and I know the work PJ put in, I was in the very same position in 2004 when I lost by six votes, it is not a place to be and it will take PJ and his family a long time to get over it, it is not only PJ this is a family and a community, it is all the people he has working for him and his friends because it affects everybody, you won’t get elected by yourself, the likes of Pat Murphy, Mike Enright, Mick Mac, my own brothers, sisters, my son, his wife and my partner Trish every single person had a job to do to get me to where I am”.

l PRIZE WINNER: Lady Captain of Shannon Golf Club Suzanne McMahon and her husband Thomas McMahon present her prize to winner Mary Fitzgibbon

Liscannor Olympian makes return trip

number

Corofin Sustainable Energy Committee seeks residents inputs

THE COROFIN Sustainable Energy Communities committee is seeking input from residents. People may recall the community kick-off meeting that was held in March, and the group has been busy ever since. It is now embarking on the next phase of it work: creating a list of projects that will make Corofin more sustainable. Some possible ideas might include, for instance, an EV charging station at the community hall, a community solar farm or housing retrofits. What are your ideas? What would you and your family like to see? There’s no vision too great or small.

the summer, a thorough energy audit will be conducted at both the community hall and GAA club. In the fall, plans call for an energy fair and solar/ retrofit information meeting. But now the committee needs your sustainable project ideas. Please jot down your thoughts in an email to corofinsec@gmail.com or drop them off at our suggestion box at the An Post in Daybreak. The committee will finalize the list in mid-July, so is looking for input before then.

On

As for the work done thus far, here’s an update. More than 50 people attended the group’s kick-off meeting. In the spring, residents were asked to fill out a short residential energy survey. In total, 91 surveys were completed, a great turnout from the village. The committee thanks everyone who participated. Six people will now be selected at random to receive a free BER rating. A number of people also engaged in a one-onone meeting with the committee’s consultant about how to make their homes more energy efficient. Over

Local girl Lyra Cullinan age 4 from Lahinch meets USA player Rachel Kuehn pictured during the 1st days pracice ahead of this weekends Arnold Palmer Cup in Lahinch Golf Club, Clare. The Cup is an annual team golf competition for college/university golfers contested between a United States team and an International team representing the rest of the world with 12 men and 12 women.

Photo by Brian Arthur

Liscannor native Pat McMahon competed in the marathon at the Olympics in Mexico in 1968 where he finished in twelfth place Resident in the U.S for some sixty years the now 82 year old regularly visits his native Clare to meet up with friends. One such friend is Tulla

native Paddy Brassil, a long time resident in Cork. A former member of Tulla AC, Paddy, who is also a former chairman of Clare community games, helped Tulla to many athletic successes and competed with and against Pat McMahon

his most recent visit home to Ireland, Pat McMahon linked up with Paddy at the Old Head of Kinsale golf club in Cork. Pat still plays golf a

of times each week. Marathon runner Pat remains the fastest and best placed Irishman behind John Treacy and the late Jerry Kiernan who competed at the L.A. Olympics in 1984 by Seamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

Galway charities presented with proceeds from Cathaoirleach’s Ball

by Páraic McMahon

ALMOST €15,000 was raised for two Galway-based charities in the annual Cathaoirleach’s Ball.

On his final day as Cathaoirleach of the County of Galway on Friday (21 June), Liam Carroll (fg) presented the proceeds of the annual fundraiser to representatives of ACT for Meningitis and i4Life at Áras an Chontae.

Organised by Galway County Council in partnership with Galway County Public Participation Network (PPN) and hosted by the Cathaoirleach, the Cathaoirleach’s Ball honours individuals and groups who have had a significant impact on the quality of life in communities across County Galway. Each year proceeds from the event are presented to local charities.

Mr Carroll commented, “I want to acknowledge the public and the business community throughout County Galway for supporting the event which has raised much-needed funds for two amazing charities. I hope the funds raised will contribute to their ongoing important local, national and international work”.

Galway-based ACT for Meningitis is a national support and awareness charity working to save lives through greater disease awareness, while providing free support services across Ireland to anyone who has been affected by meningitis. Set up in 2011 by Siobhan and Noel Carroll following the loss of their four-year-old daughter Aoibhe, ACT for Meningitis has increased meningitis awareness and has contributed to saving many lives in the process.

Palestine ambassador to visit south Galway to say thank you

by Páraic McMahon

Ambassador of the newly recognised state of Palestine to visit the west to say thank you to the village community who have a special place in her heart.

This Thursday, July 4th at 7.30pm, there will be a major public meeting in the Community Centre in Kinvara, Co.Galway, where the guest of honour will be Dr. Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, the Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland. On one of her first official engagements since Ireland officially recognised Palestine, the Ambassador will travel to the west of Ireland to make a speech on behalf of her people thanking the community and businesses of Kinvara for their support over many years. Also at the event, there

will be special musical performances by Kinvara singer-songwriter Declan O’Rourke and the Sudanese violinist Kitty Sabry. Over recent years, the small fishing village in Galway with a population of around 1500 people has taken a stance against Israeli actions in Palestine. During the Israeli war on Gaza in the summer of 2014, the people of Kinvara, businesses and consumers took a collective stand against Israeli actions in Gaza, by pledging to support the growing boycott movement (known as BDS - Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) against the state of Israel. They removed Israeli goods from their shops and restaurants and made international headlines by becoming the first and only Irish town to take this type of collective action, prompting

the Palestinian ambassador to Ireland at the time, Ahmed Abdelrazek, to visit the south Galway village to thank the community. This ongoing boycott is one of the reasons that the Ambassador has chosen Kinvara as one of her first official visits in Ireland. Last November, there was

a candlelit vigil in Kinvara to mark the UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, where hundreds of villagers walked in silence along the coast from Dunguaire Castle carrying candles and Palestinian flags.

On May 28th of this year, Ireland officially recognised Palestine along with Spain and Norway. One of the first visits that Dr. Abdalmajid wanted to make, once Palestine was officially recognised, was to Kinvara in Galway to say thank you for the support shown to her home country of Palestine and especially to Gaza, where she was born.

“All the community in Kinvara have a special place in my heart”, the Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland told a member of the community group organising the event.

Time

Headford-based i4Life was established by group of volunteer health professionals from the West of Ireland who came together in 2009 to offer their expertise with a particular emphasis on child health for under 5s in marginalised communities across Zambia and other Low Resource countries. Since then, i4Life has grown significantly in size and reach to offer primary health care and nutritional support. Since 2009, over 210 health professionals have offered their expertise to projects in Zambia, Uganda, Liberia and with Refugees in Greece.

QUARTET, an art exhibition in Kinvara,will feature a tapestry depicting PresidentMichael D. Higgins and his beloved Bernese Mountain dog. The punch-needle work was created by Gabrielle Murphy, a 27 year old selftaught textile artist and a teacher at Coláiste Éinde Salthill. The artist hopes to present President HIggins with the work she calls“The President and his Dog”. Opening reception at 19:30 at the KAVA Courthouse Gallery. H91K5T9. The showruns through Sunday,21July and is open daily from 11am.

paraic@clareecho.ie

l CHARITY BALL: Liadhan Keady, Administrative Officer, Galway County Council; Michael Owens, Director of Services; Mary McGann, Administrative Officer; Liam Carroll, former Cathaoirleach; Eithna Moran & Grace Sweeney of i4Life, and Alison Carroll

Cooney hoovers up new role as Chair of Killaloe MD

by Paraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

FRESH FROM concluding his term as Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) has been elected as the new Cathaoirleach of the Killaloe Municipal District.

Following an election campaign where he inherited the nickname ‘the dyson of East Clare’ as christened to him on The Clare Echo’s political podcast, The Electoral Chair, Cllr Cooney has hoovered up a new role as Chair of the Killaloe MD as he succeeds Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF).

When proposing him for the role, Cllr Pat Burke (FG) remarked, “it seems when you step down as Mayor of the county that you automat-

ically become Chairman of the Killaloe MD, Alan might change that next year”. This was seconded by Cllr Pat Hayes (FF).

Addressing the AGM of the Killaloe MD, Cllr Cooney commented, “We work here as a team for the people of Killaloe MD and we have done for last 20 years since I’ve been here and for 15 years since others have come in”. He paid tribute to the staff “for the great work they are doing”. He added, “Large projects are not progressing or not getting funding, others which have got funding and are progressing, it takes time and commitment, we are going to work together for the next twelve months to make

the Killaloe MD a better place to live and work in. It is important to keep going and move the show forward”.

In his final re marks as Chair, Cllr O’Brien wished to put on record his grati tude to the staff and colleagues for their as sistance. “It’s been a hugely enjoyable year, a very progres sive year, I want to thank every body from our Director to Brian, all of the staff in the Scariff office, I would like put my

appreciation on record for the work they do, their help and cooperation at all times for the work they do for the people of East Clare”.

O’Brien continued, “it has been an honour and a privilege to work with ye over the past twelve months. I would like to thank the press who

every bi-monthly turn up and report on activities of Killaloe MD and show that it is not just a talking shop, your work is hugely important, it gets the word out there and shows the Council are doing things”.

Cllr Hayes praised his party colleague for doing “a wonderful job, you did an excellent job in representing us with honour and dignity”. He noted, “it is the third year in a row that we have the Mayor of the county in East Clare so I’d like to congratulate Alan, we’re expecting great things”.

Cllr Cooney observed, “it is simply fantastic that we’ve had the Mayor for the last three years in a row”.

Killaloe MD coordinator, Brian McCarthy congratu-

lated the five councillors on their re-election. He praised Cllr O’Brien for his “cooperation, enthusiasm and hard work, together with all elected members the amount of work happening behind the scenes to advance the communities and represent them”.

On the proposal of Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF), Cllr Hayes was nominated as Leas Cathaoirleach, “he is the only man able to row in beside you and help you out, he deserves the role”, Cllr Cooney replied, “you’d be well able to row in beside me if you wanted to”. The proposal was seconded by Cllr O’Brien.

East Clare man pleads guilty to reckless discharge of shotgun Scariff Harbour Fest returns 1st August

by Gordon Deegan

A 48 year old east Clare man has pleaded guilty to the reckless discharge of a shot-gun where he shot a farming neighbour going about his business.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Adrian Collins of Enagh, Kilkishen has pleaded guilty to the reckless discharge of a fire-arm contrary to Section 8 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act on February 26th 2023 at Enagh, Kilkishen.

Mr Collins pleaded guilty to the discharge of a firearm and was reckless as to whether anyone was injured or not.

The un-named victim - a married 65 year old father of four grown up children - was

checking his cattle when shot. At the time, it was dark and was around 7pm at night.

Mr Collins was facing three charges concerning the incident and counsel for the State, Lorcan Connolly BL (instructed by Clare State Solicitor, Aisling Casey) said that the plea to the single charge was a full facts basis.

Counsel for Mr Collins, Patrick Whyms BL (instructed by solicitor, Stiofan Fitzpatrick) said: “This is an unfortunate situation.”

Mr Whyms said that his client is a 48-year old man with no previous convictions and is a hard-working family man.

Mr Whyms said that his client had been drinking on the date and mistook a neighbour going about his

business for intruders and fired his shotgun.

Mr Whyms asked for a Probation Report on the accused.

Judge Francis Comerford also asked the unnamed gun-shot victim to provide a victim impact statement for the sentencing hearing.

Judge Comerford adjourned the case to July 26th to Ennis Circuit Court to fix a date for the sentencing hearing later in the year and Mr Collins was further remanded on bail.

SCARIFF Harbour Festival 2024 in association with Waterways Ireland runs from Thursday 1st August - Sunday 4th August. It opens with a performance at the Church of the Sacred Heart by The Celtic Tenors, with their unique rendition of beautiful Celtic songs, uplifting classics, a capellas and contemporary songs. From Meath, Wicklow and Omagh, the male trio travel the world enjoying appreciative audiences.

Other musical events include: Springsteen - A Tribute, Mundy & Paddy Casey, Drops of Green, Quarter Jazz, Jim King, traditional music hosted by Michael

Grogan, with set dancing to the Kilfenora Céilí Band and guest singer PJ Murrihy. Walk the Way of the Famine is new this year, telling moving stories at landmark famine sites, new also is a Biodiversity Exhibition of species recorded on the Old Finsa Site in 2023, Old Photos of East Clare in the Town Centre, a talk on Landlords & Landowners in the Scariff area, Heat me Healthy and Happy in the Sauna with Mindfulness & Meditation in the Community Garden. (www.scariff.ie)

The Riverside Activities with UL Sport Adventure are back, also Toons & Balloons, boat & walking tours,

scouting capers, kayaking activities, genealogy sessions, cookery demonstration and build your own chocolate bar, McKernan Woollen Mills Open Days and an Open Air Mass, Pop Up Gaeltacht and the muchloved circus performers Babcock & Bobbins, with all the familiar artisan food, Irish Seed Saver, craft fair & street stalls, (www.scariff.ie).

Thousands flock to Miltown Malbay

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

WEST Clare will come alive this weekend as the 52nd edition of Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy kicks off.

A national treasure and annual highlight of the Irish traditional music calendar, between 5-10,000 people from the four corners of Ireland and across the globe will make the pilgrimage to Miltown Malbay as the world-famous ‘Willie Week’ kicks off this Saturday with a week-long programme of daily classes, evening céilís, concerts and recitals, and a number of talks and tributes.

The summer school, which honours Clare uilleann piper Willie Clancy, has flourished from its humble beginnings in 1973 when four instruments were taught in the old Vocational School, uilleann pipes, whistle, flute and fiddle. Today, the school accommodates 1,200 students for a wide range of classes in various traditional instruments, dancing, singing distributed among the communities of Miltown, Spanish Point, Quilty and Mullagh.

Alongside this, visitors flock west for the exciting programme of entertainment and dance at the marquee erected at the GAA grounds, and informal sessions taking place in the pubs of Miltown Malbay and surrounding areas.

Co-founder of the summer school and festival, Harry Hughes, tells The Clare Echo, “It’s a summer school and the main business

is education, its mission is to pass on traditional music to other generations which

has been happening since the 1970s when it was formed. But a festival has grown up

around the core educational activities now as there’s so much organised entertainment happening, major concerts and recitals take place from the Monday onwards. You also have the informal social gatherings in the pubs around the town and on the street if the weather is fine, there’s a huge amount of activity going on.”

Scoil Samhradh Willie Clancy has arguably become more famous than the man himself, admits festival organiser Harry Hughes.

“Willie Clancy was a remarkable individual, one of the most remarkable musicians of his generation and regarded by his peers and music commentators as one of the leading uilleann pipers of his time.

“Over the years we have had visitors who wanted to find out more about the man, they would have sought out maybe relatives of Willie Clancy, just to talk about the man himself and we’re glad that that does happen.”

ECONOMY

Harry notes that Scoil Samhradh Willie Clancy is a “major factor” on the local economy in West Clare. “It’s an extraordinary financial injection into the local economy in West Clare, certainly in Miltown Malbay, Spanish Point, Mullagh, and Quilty, but also extending down to Cree, Cooraclare, Doonbeg and north to Lahinch because the local core community would not be able to accommodate all the people who come in over the 8-day period.

FESTIVAL OF MUSIC AND DANCING

for Willie Clancy Summer School

“The infrastructures and services in Miltown Malbay now are far advanced from what they were in the 1970s and early 80s when you didn’t have the same range of restaurants or hotels as you do have now and I would suggest these developments are partly the result of Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy operating here.”

“I think the cultural impact also has been very important,” notes Harry. “It has a worldwide impact, not just a national impact. On average each year, about 40 per cent of the student population are from overseas, they come from mainland Europe, from USA and Canada, the UK, Japan, Australia and other outlying areas. They come for the traditional music and they have established Irish traditional music organisations in their own communities that promote and celebrate Irish music.”

PROGRAMME

Among the events happening this coming week includes a lecture on the street singer and banjo player Margaret Barry (1917–1989) by Alan Woods, Artistic Liaison and Field Recording Officer with the Irish Traditional Music Archive, on Thursday 11 at 2.30pm in the Community Centre, Miltown Malbay.

The 52nd edition of the School will be officially opened by uilleann piper and former RTÉ broadcaster Peter Browne on Saturday 6 July at 8pm at the Community Centre. This will be followed by the annual Breandán Breathnach Memorial Lecture, which

this year will be given by Gay McKeon and Emmett Gill of Na Píobairí Uilleann. Their topic is ‘Uilleann Pipers and Piping in Clare and Dublin, 1930–1973’.

On Sunday July 7, there will be a concert broadcast live on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta that will feature a number of TG4 Gradam Ceoil Award recipients, and on July 9 at the Mill Marquee there will be a concert with international artists.

On Saturday July 13 at 7pm, the Muiris Ó Rócháin Memorial Concert presented by Muireann Ní Dhuigneáin will also feature a range of musicians and singers.

From Monday July 8, there will be daily classes and workshops in uilleann pipes, harp, fiddle, flute, concertina, accordion, whistle, melodeon, banjo, harmonica, sing-

ing, dance and spoken Irish.

During the week there will also be a lectures by Dr Chelsey Zimmerman on Irish traditional music in New York and Professor Kate Bevan-Baker on traditional music in Quebec, a presentation by Scottish traditional singers Peter Shepheard and Jimmy Hutchison of recordings from Miltown Malbay from the 1960s, and a tribute to the Tulla Céilí Band on Tuesday 9 July.

For further details on all events see below or visit www.scoilsamhraidhwillieclancy.com

l MAGICAL WEEK: (left and opposite) scenes from previous Willie Clancy weeks and (above) the man himself

l ECONOMIC BOOST: Miltown Malbay will experience an economic boost in the coming two weeks as thousands of visitors pack the streets

Photo by Arthur Ellis

CS Fish at epicentre of Clare’s growing seafood reputation

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

COUNTY Clare has garnered a rich reputation, in recent years, as a world-class location for high quality seafood.

Clare’s culinary offering punches well above its weight and just this year, Homestead Cottage in Doolin was awarded a Michelin Star, joining the ranks of Lisdoonvarna’s Wild Honey Inn. Amongst the two restaurants’ common denominators is seafood supplier, CS Fish.

Located in Doonbeg on the Wild Atlantic Way, CS Fish specialises in catching, sourcing and delivering fish of the highest quality to restaurants, bistros and fishmongers in Clare, Limerick and further afield.

Fresh fish, including crab and lobster, is sourced from boats across County Clare at locations including Carrigaholt, Quilty, Liscannor, Ballyvaughan, New Quay along with locations in Galway, Kerry and Cork.

FRESH FISH

Within one to two days, fresh fish is being enjoyed at restaurants across the Midwest, along with fishmongers including CS Fish’s own shops in Ennis and Doonbeg. CS Fish also specialises in sourcing seafood such as prawns globally.

Proprietor Cathal Sexton tells The Clare Echo that CS Fish prides themselves on a guarantee of delivering fresh fish to the wider public, “That’s what we pride ourselves on, there’s no smell from our shops. That’s a sign of fresh fish.”

Formerly a plumber, following the economic crash Cathal decided to join his father Charlie on the family fishing boat. “Dad is fishing all

his life. I didn’t mind it but didn’t see myself doing it forever so I started buying his fish and selling it to local restaurants in Doonbeg and Kilkee.

“Then I bought a unit and started buying from boats on a larger scale.”

Cathal worked from the unit for two years however such was the rate of growth, he began to develop a factory at the family home in 2014, around the same time he opened shops in Ennis at the Turnpike and in Doonbeg.

Cathal admits that in the early days, occasional Youtube tutorials on filleting fish were leaned on as he learned his craft.

Since then the company has undergone massive transformation and today, at the impressive facility in Doonbeg there are up to 40 staff preparing a wide range of seafood for the local market and top restaurants in Clare and Limerick.

Such is the demand for their produce, they supply over 300 restaurants and there is a waiting list of up to 60 customers looking to stock CS Fish produce.

Cathal has recently invested in expanding the processing plant, which is now solar-powered, and hopes to expand the business further in the coming years.

CS Fish is a family-run business with Cathal joined by his wife Marianna, who previously worked in Morrissey’s Restaurant in Doonbeg.

Cathal is grateful for the opportunity to bring jobs to West Clare and attract people to live in Doonbeg. He adds that Doonbeg has been “very important” as a location to do business. “It’s where we’re from and you’re central to West and North Clare.

“I have a very good team that have been with me from the start.

People from Ireland, Poland, Slovakia, Brazil, Ukraine, they’re all living in Doonbeg now. They love it here, it’s a hard job but a very good job. Their kids are playing football and we have extra numbers in the school which is huge for a small village,” Cathal adds.

Visit CS Fish in Turnpike, Ennis, Monday-Saturday 9am6:30pm or in Doonbeg every Friday (and Saturday during summer months).

PICTURED: Cathal and colleagues Marcin Psiuch and Stanislaw Psiuch at CS Fish and (right) solar panels at his production plant

Fitzpatricks 30 years serving West Clare

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

ONE of the first signs that you have arrived in Kilmihil is the sight of Fitzpatrick’s Circle K service station, Costcutter shop & Kilmihil Hardware.

Established by Michael & Josephine Fitzpatrick in 1994, the business has undergone a number of redevelopments and in 2010 was upgraded with the introduction of Kilmihil Hardware Ltd.

Celebrating 30 years in business this coming September, Michael admits they have undergone “phenomenal change” over the three decades of serving the local communities. “When we opened, we would have been just the grocery store. Now we have a service station, large grocery store, an excellent deli, an off licence & a jet wash. People have busy lifestyles now, work habits have changed over the years as well and we’ve had to adopt to suit this change. Our convenience store & deli is open Seven days a week from 7:30am to 9:30pm.”

Fitzpatrick’s is a family-run business with Michael working alongside his wife Josephine and daughter Niamh who plays an active role in the everyday running of the business. While their other daughter Orla & son Shane have a keen interest in the business.

Michael says that location is key

to their success, noting, “We are on the main thoroughfare. As we look west there is a lot of areas to Cree, Cooraclare, Doonbeg, Mullagh & beyond. We get a lot of passing traffic whether it’s school traffic in the winter or tourist traffic in the summer.”

Fitzpatrick’s put huge emphasis on quality & providing an excellent customer service, with Michael noting, “From the moment you arrive on the site you must have the place looking well, forecourt & yard tidy, pumps clean, wellstocked shop, a good deli and ex-

cellent custoermer service. Trust is a big word in business, you have got to provide the customer with what the need and want.

Michael recruited Eoin Downes to run the hardware business in 2010 and together they have fostered a fruitful working relationship to develop the offering in the proceeding 14 years, with 25 staff employed over the two businesses. “We felt that the area needed a hardware shop because we are a farming-based community, so we just went for it,” explains Michael.

Kilmihil Hardware stocks everything from timber, animal feed (bagged & bulked), electrical/ plumbing, paint, garden machinery & hydraulic hose repairs to mention just a few.

Eoin explains, “It has been building ever since we opened. I think Covid drove it majorly on for us as a lot more local business starting coming to us and now, we are covering a huge area of West Clare. If you are doing a job on your house, we would have a lot of the materials re quired for you. If you need oil for your tractor we have it, if you need plastic for your bales, we have it.”

He continues, “Kilm-

ihil has a lot going on. You have your doctor, your chemist, two good shops, pubs, a secondary school, two national schools, a library, GAA field, soccer field, astro-turf & that’s to mention just a few. There is a lot going on here.”

Eoin says that Fitzpatrick’s is a vital resource to the area and it helps keep vibrancy in the village. “You don’t have to venture outside of Kilmihil to get to many other things.”

Michael and Eoin are both community men. Eoin is heavily involved in Kilmihil GAA where a gym is currently being developed, while Michael gifted the site to the People’s Park. “That was my big contribution to the community and it has worked out well. A lot of the communities are benefitting from it.”

Both are drivers of the Kilmihil Festival of Fun, where Eoin currently serves as vice chairman. He credits Michael as the inspiration for starting the now beloved annual pig races at the festival. We take this opportunity to thank our customers & we have enjoyed serving our local communities and look forward to what future may bring.

l COMMUNITY MEN: Michael Fitzpatrick, who established his business in Kilmihil in 1994 and (inset right) Eoin Downes, manager of Kilmihil Hardware

Power’s Pharmacy at the heart of Kilmihil’s vibrant community

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

POWER’S Pharmacy is everything you would expect from a community pharmacy and more.

Set up by Eoin Power in 1957, Geraldine Hetherton took over the pharmacy in 1996. A native of Westmeath, Geraldine worked in Dublin before the lure of an opportunity in Kilmihil brought her west.

Adjoining the pharmacy is the pharmacist’s home, something which was traditionally the norm but is lesser seen in this day and age. “Nowadays, yes it’s rare. I bought it like that and it has been mostly fruitful. It’s a real community pharmacy,” she explains.

Geraldine is on hand to offer the local community pharmacist support from her dispensary, while Power’s Pharmacy also stocks a range of goods and services from ID photos, to beauty products, a selection of gifts and more.

“That’s the community aspect, if you have a big little job such as a gift, we can save local people a journey as well as offering your typical community pharmacy offering,” Geraldine tells The Clare Echo.

Recounting her move to Clare almost 30 years ago, Geraldine says, “It was near the sea so I said ‘let’s try it’. People were very hospitable and kind and supported us.”

A graduate of Trinity College, Geraldine admits that there are challenges

to running a pharmacy in a rural setting however stresses that the community is lucky to have doctors working locally.

“We have two doctors working here now, a husband and wife team, Dr. Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Dr. Sualeha Mujeeb, which is flying and that’s reflected into our business as well. It means that, from the more serious part, your health, you don’t have to travel and if you’re sick we have GPs and a pharmacy so you can get the full service. And because we’re open for that, we then provide other services.”

Geraldine is now heavily involved in the local community in Kilmihil, whether it’s her work with Tidy Towns or the local book club or women’s group, while she was involved in the development of the People’s Park in Kilmihil, with the planning process happening around her kitchen table. That culminated in a sports astroturf facility, a playground and walking path with adults gym equipment. “When the recession happened, a group of us came together. It was built on a scale that it would be commercially viable, so during the winter it’s in use, it was a real community effort. It brings in people and traffic to the area.”

Geraldine moved to thank her local customers for their continued support, “If you were to pick a village to represent an Irish village, I think this is it.”

Blue Dolphin family fun day to raise funds for Milford Care Centre

BLUE dolphin is a busy family run seaside shop in beautiful Kilkee.

Often described as Aladdin’s cave for visitors to Kilkee. We sell anything from pocket money toys, buckets and spades to wetsuits and swimwear, souvenirs and ornaments.

Originally from Wales, Nigel moved to Ireland to reconnect with his Irish heritage, fell in love with Kilkee and opened the Blue Dolphin 20 years ago.

As a family, we all enjoy the summer months welcoming old friends and meeting new ones. We greatly value our customers, many of whom support us every year and have become friends. We enjoy being part of the Kilkee holiday experience.

In recognition of this and in order to give something in return, for the last 10 years we have held a family fun day to support a local charity.

In the past we have raised funds for Kilkee Tidy Towns;

place to be.

To find out more & stay up to date follow us on Instagram @bluedolphinkilkee’.

Kilkee playground and astroturf; Kilkee Sub Aqua search and rescue, to name a few. This year we want to raise funds for Milford Care

Centre in memory of a dear friend and treasure of Kilkee, Brownie (Michael O’Connell). We are holding our family fun day (in association with

the Kilkee by the Sea festival) on Saturday July 27. In addition to Saturday’s festival events we are also involved on Sunday with a

sandcastle competition and paddleboarding race. Trophies meddles and prizes to be won. Kilkee is sure to be the

l FAMILY BUSINESS: Rachael Tierney and dad Nigel Tierney

Young people in Clare tackling period poverty

FREE period products have been introduced to Clare Youth Service facilities as the local authority and youth groups look to combat period poverty in County Clare. Clare’s Comhairle na nÓg - a group of young people involved in the progress of local services and policies - have worked alongside Clare County Council’s Healthy Clare department to reduce period poverty locally, particularly among young people.

The scheme came about after research undertaken as part of the Healthy Ireland Survey, 2022, found that 24% of women have experienced at least one indicator of period poverty, with rates amongst those aged 15-25 reaching 35%. Some 51% report being unable to take part in activities of daily living on occasion, as a result of period symptoms. In the same year, a Health Behaviours in School Age Children (HBSC) study noted that 10% of schoolgirls who have periods have experienced period poverty and that 60% have missed school on occasion because of period symptoms.

Brian McManus of Clare Youth Service and Clare Comhairle na nÓg Coordinator, told The Clare Echo, “As part of Comhairle na nÓg, period poverty came up during a conversation about discrimination, and we began to get stories that in some of the schools it was really easy to get period products if you needed them, while in other schools it was more difficult. Students would be embarrassed having to go to a teacher. At times it is difficult to find €1 coins for the vending ma-

chines, some of which didn’t work very well. At the same time, we got a call from Healthy Clare in Clare County Council to say they were introducing a new programme, which is when we got involved.”

The Department of Health was allocated funding to pilot the initial roll-out of period poverty mitigation measures in 2022. Further funding was allocated to continue this into 2024. Over the past two years, Healthy Clare has welcomed the opportunity to offer Free Period Poverty Products in spaces that are more than 50% owned by the Local Authority. Brian says that feedback from the initiative in CYS facilities has “been really positive”. “The reason you know it’s positive is that we’re replacing the products every week. On top of that people are saying it’s really helpful and useful. Along with the convenience, there’s also the issue around price and it’s really important to have that access.”

Samantha McCarthy, Healthy Clare Coordinator, adds, “We have seen many benefits of supporting local authority facilities to have a supply of period products, such as tampons and sanitary towels, that are freely available to members of the public. Through this initiative, the Local Authority continues to address health inequalities which exist across society”.

The project has not only made a difference in County Clare, with one Comhairle na nÓg member bringing free period products to Missionvale in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in February. “We managed to get a large number of period pads sent out to Port Elizabeth where one of the girls was volunteering, the young people took them in their

suitcases. The expense is huge for women in the townships in South Africa, as it’s an even more acute issue in developing countries,” explains Brian.

Comhairle na nÓg in Clare are preparing to make a film in the coming weeks in a bid to promote the scheme and to encourage more products to be rolled out over a longer period of time. “We want to make a really high quality piece and get it as wide and far as we can,” Brian states.

Speaking about the importance of Comhairle na nÓg, Brian tells The Clare Echo, “Young people’s voices get heard. Young people pick the issues and find ways of solving the problem. We’ve had some pretty good success over the years in changing things for the better for young people, so they have their voice heard and go and make the difference themselves. At the moment we are look-

ing at transport issues for young people and positive mental health initiatives. Important issues solved while having a bit of fun at the same time.”

The Free Period Poverty Initiative is supported by Clare County Council Local Community Development Committee, Clare Libraries, Active Ennis, Comhairle na nÓg and Clare County Councils Human Resource Department. To see a list of participating sites where products are available or to see how you can become involved in the project please visit Clare County Council dedicated webpage at: https://yoursay.clarecoco.ie/ free-period-products. If you are experiencing Period Poverty you can pop into one of the locations and take what you need.

Comhairle na nÓg is currently inviting new members to join the group with a summer programme about to get underway.

information on this initiative visit https://yoursay.clarecoco.ie/free-period-products

lYoung people from Clare Comhairle na nÓg at Dáil na nÓg 2024 sharing their work in relation to their chosen activities including the Period Poverty Project

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

Boost for Clare Blue Flag Beaches

by Paraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

BEACHES across Clare will be boosted this summer by the provision of additional dog control patrols at Clare’s beaches.

In addition to existing patrols carried out by our county Dog Warden, an additional dedicated Beach Dog Warden has been assigned by Clare County Council. The role of this person is to monitor dog control during the bathing season, which runs from 15th May to 15th September annually. Beach byelaws are in place to restrict dogs on beaches from 11am to 6pm during these dates.

These restrictions are in place to ensure that beaches can be enjoyed by all users. Restrictions also protect water quality and prevent harm being caused to beach users from dog-fouling. Faeces from dogs are toxic and harmful to humans, especially to young children and the vulnerable. Dogs are carriers of dog roundworm (Toxocara Canis) which can be transmitted to humans through eggs in dog faeces. Contact with infected dog poop can cause loss of sight, with children particularly at risk. The beaches that will be monitored for dog control include: Ballyallia Lake; Ballycuggaran

(Killaloe); Bishopsquarter (Ballyvaughan); Brew’s Bridge (Kilrush); Cappagh (Kilrush); Carrigaholt; Doolin; Fanore; Kilkee; Lahinch; Mountshannon; Querrin Pier; Quilty; Seafield (Quilty); Spanish Point, Trá Leathan (Doolin); White Strand Doonbeg; and White Strand Miltown Malbay.

Clare McGrath, Clare County Council’s Water Safety Officer welcomes these additional patrols, “As part of the international blue flag criteria we are required to ensure that access to a bathing area by dogs is strictly controlled. A single dog poo can contaminate an area the size of a tennis court or an Olym-

pic size swimming pool. Protecting water quality and maintaining excellent water quality status at our Blue Flag beaches is essential to maintaining blue flag status at our beaches. We want to avoid beach closures and retain blue flag status for our beaches. This is very important for our local economy, particularly the tourism sector” Maria Carey, Executive Engineer with Clare County Council’s Waste Enforcement Team explained, “The dedicated beach warden will be supported by our Community Environmental Patrol Wardens. I urge dog owners to always control their dog”. Ms Carey continued,

“Responsible dog owners need to ensure that when their dog poops, they scoop the poop. Using any bag, place it in a bin, where there is one available, or bring it home if a bin is full or not available.”

l SCOOP THE POOP: Annette Kenny, Seasonal Dog Warden, and Ciara Daffy, Environmental Community Warden, Clare County Council, at Lahinch Beach

‘We’ve been called environmental bandits’

Balance needed between protecting biodiversity & cutting of hedges and grass

by Paraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

A “BALANCING ACT” needs to be found in protecting biodiversity while managing hedge and grass cutting in West Clare.

Additional grant aid for hedge cutting on cycleways, bus routes and junctions “which have been compromised with overgrown grass,” was sought by Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG).

Speaking at Monday’s AGM of the West Clare Municipal District, he observed, “There seems to be an issue with funding. It is something we need to look at, there’s accidents every day, a lot of people are using our roads, we don’t have an officer for Active Travel or road safety in the county but we’re unique in a way because they have

them in most counties”.

Grass cutting is a thorny subject, Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) flagged. “I know the point you are making, equally I’ve had twice as many emails telling us we’re cutting too much grass. It is a very hard balance, as the season moves on there is more money to cut them”. He admitted he was “swamped with emails” on the subject, an outcome that former councillor Cillian Murphy (FF) had given him prior warning on.

Supporting the call from Cllr Keating was Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) who said he was contacted by a lady living along the Wild Atlantic Way who has noticed a deterioration in the quality of the road where she lives, the condition of which didn’t assist when she wrote off her car two years ago. “There is a balance but safety has to come

first. Since COVID, things have changed, the local roads are getting used a lot more. Hedge cutting and the safety of people, the bad bends and junctions should be addressed”.

Senior executive engineer in the West Clare MD, Alan Kennelly acknowledged, “it is a balancing act, we have a lot of people asking us to cut hedges and roads but by the same token the wildlife and cutting of hedges is between March and September, when we do go out and cut them we’ve emails saying we are environmental bandits, there is a balance to be struck and Clare County Council does have a policy on hedge cutting. It is fairly well set out, the responsibility for cutting of roadside boundary lies with the landowner”.

Kennelly added, “it would take an

awful lot of money to cut 2,000 km worth of roadside and I don’t know if we will ever have the resources or the money to cut 2,000 km worth of roadside hedges”.

According to Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG), “there isn’t a safe junction to come out of in North Clare at the moment with the overgrowth that is going on, we should be proactive about it, it should go out to the public that they need to call in roads that need to be tackled. We should be proactive, go out there and cut the junctions immediately, they don’t have to be hedges, a lot of it is the grass”.

Ongoing work on the North Clare traffic safety management plan was welcomed by Cllr Joe Killeen (FF). He referenced the 1.3m visitor numbers at the Cliffs of Moher as “very high” and praised the ap-

pointment of tourism ambassadors to try redirect traffic, “the success of our tourism does have a knockon effect, we have to be very conscious of it, it is an important issue for North Clare and West Clare”. He suggested West Clare representatives be put on the traffic management group “so we can mirror what is happening”.

Road markings on national roads and overgrown hedges blocking signs were also brought under the spotlight by Cllr Keating. “On the national roads they seem to be cutting away and there is no restrictions,” the Cross native remarked. On the subject of communication, Cllr Lynch suggested some consultation be conducted regarding the Have Your Say online platform.

WHEN people come to us with knee problems, they’re often dealing with pain, swelling, and limited mobility. Hyperbaric oxygenation is like giving their bodies a much-needed boost. The oxygen-rich blood helps speed up the healing process by delivering essential nutrients directly to the injured area. It’s amazing to see how much better our clients feel after just a few sessions.

One of the major benefits of hyperbaric oxygenation is its ability to reduce swelling and inflammation. The pressurised oxygen helps narrow the blood vessels around the knee, which is especially helpful after surgery. This makes the healing process smoother and less painful. Our clients often tell us how

lTREATMENT: Hyperbaric oxygenation

much more comfortable they feel after starting treatment.

Improving blood circulation is another major perk. Knee injuries can mess with blood flow, making it harder for your body to heal. Hyperbaric oxygenation ensures that even areas with poor circulation get the oxygen they need. This promotes tissue repair and improves overall knee function. Watching our clients regain their mobility and strength is truly amazing.

One of the most exciting aspects of hyperbaric oxygenation is how quickly it can speed up recovery times. It’s like giving your knee the perfect recipe for recovery. By accelerating the body’s natural healing processes, hyperbaric oxygenation leads to quicker tissue repair, including cartilage in the knee. This means our clients can return to their regular routines sooner.

Another common concern after knee surgery is infection, but hyperbaric oxygenation has antibacterial properties that help reduce this risk. So it’s reassuring to know you have an extra layer of protection during recovery.

The next benefit is increased collagen production. Collagen is essential for repairing cartilage and other connective tissues in the knee. Hyperbaric oxygenation stimulates collagen production, which aids in the regeneration of damaged cartilage. This is especially

Garda charged with disclosing personal data to man charged with drug trafficking offence

by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie

A GARDA has appeared in court charged with the unauthorised disclosure of Garda PULSE personal data on fourteen individuals to a co-accused charged with a drug trafficking offence.

At Ennis District Court, Shane Flanagan (39) of Lifford Rd, Ennis is facing 14 separate counts of disclosing personal data on the Garda PULSE Information system to another person on dates between January 12th 2020 to September 24th 2020.

The charges relate to Mr Flanagan disclosing the personal data without authorisation from the Garda PULSE system to Colm Meere (43) of Knockanean, Ennis of 14 separate individuals and only their initials are provided on the charges in order to protect their identity.

The individuals’ initials are listed as LL, FS, LMc, RN, SH, DC, WS, LG, GL, NC, KR, KD, DD and IS.

Mr Flanagan is charged under the Data Protection Act. Detective Sgt Paul English gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution of Mr Flanagan before court and he said that Mr Flanagan made no reply after caution.

Mr Flanagan’s co-accused, Colm Meere is facing companion PULSE charges where he is charged with inciting Shane Flanagan to disclose personal data from the Garda PULSE Information system on the same 14 individuals on dates between January 12th to September 24th 2020. Those charges are also under the Data Protection Act.

Mr Meere is also facing a drug trafficking charge where on April 14th 2022, at Henry Garda Station, Limerick within a 161 D vehicle did possess a number of articles - a tick list, bag sealer, tin foil, scissors, baggies, mobile phone, purple folder, and a number of Dunnes Stores bags “in circumstances giving rise to a reasonable inference that these articles were in your possession for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation, facilitation or instigation of a drug trafficking offence”.

The charge is under the Criminal justice Act 2007.

Judge Alec Gabbett granted legal aid to solicitor, Daragh Hassett to represent Mr Meere.

Mr Hassett said that he was acting as agent for solicitor, Dan O’Gorman in the Shane Flanagan case and the issue of legal aid

could be raised with Mr O’Gorman at a future court date in the case.

After reading the PULSE charges in the Meere case, Judge Gabbett asked, “Is this a GSOC matter”.

In reply Insp David Finnerty said ‘no’. Insp Finnerty gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution and said that Mr Meere made no reply after charge and caution.

Insp Finnerty told the court that there was no objection to bail on condition that Mr Meere have no contact with his co-accused, Shane Flanagan.

Sgt John Burke said that DPP directions are that both cases are to proceed on indictment and a Book of Evidence will be required.

Sgt Burke said that the preparation of the Book of Evidence will involve a lot of documentation and requested an adjournment to September.

Mr Flanagan was also granted bail on condition he have no contact with co-accused, Colm Meere.

Judge Gabbett remanded both men on bail to appear before Ennis District Court on September 4th.

important for maintaining joint function and staying active. Preserving joint function is vital, whether you’ve had an injury or surgery. HBOT supports the healing process and minimises complications, helping to maintain or restore normal knee function.

Pain management is a key focus at our clinic. Knee injuries often come with significant pain, and relying on pain medications alone isn’t ideal. Hyperbaric oxygenation helps reduce pain and inflammation naturally by promoting healing and reducing inflammation.

I’m very lucky that I get to see the transformative power of hyperbaric oxygenation every day. This treatment offers a comprehensive approach to healing knee injuries which is why it has become a “go-to” for professional athletes worldwide. By enhancing oxygen supply, reducing inflammation, and improving blood circulation an enhanced healing environment is created helping to accelerate your recovery time.

Our goal at OxyGeneration is to provide effective, compassionate care that helps our clients recover quickly and fully, and hyperbaric oxygenation is a key part of that mission.

Contact the OxyGeneration team on 091394444 or info@oxygeneration.com for more information.

Shannon Chamber welcomes Government support for industry decarbonisation

SHANNON Chamber welcomes the announcement by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke, that €300 million will be available to drive the decarbonisation of Ireland’s industrial emitters over the coming years.

The fund, which can used by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland to support client companies to reduce their industrial emissions between now and 2030, comes at a time when businesses in Shannon and the wider region are seriously

focused on attaining their carbon emission reduction targets.

Commenting on this new funding stream, Chamber CEO Helen Downes said: “It is clearly evident that companies need assistance to enable them to attain their carbon emission reduction targets by 2030.

We heard this firsthand when we hosted a seminar in May, via our Mid-West Sustainability Network, at which representatives from State agencies advised our members on the types and levels of funding available to support sustainability initiatives.

YOUR JOURNEY TO AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP BEGINS HERE!

AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT RADHARC DOIRE, SHANNON, CO. CLARE CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL

Last remaining townhouses at Radharc Doire, Shannon are being made available for sale by Clare County Council under affordable dwelling purchase arrangements. This will be carried out under the Affordable Housing Act 2021 and associated Regulations. The 3-bed townhouses will generally be available only for first-time buyers who do not own a home (although a small number of exceptions apply)

“The key messages from this event were that industry will need to move faster to attain carbon emission reduction targets by 2030 and that sustainability is no longer ‘nice to have’; it must be on the agenda of every company, regardless of size.

“The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which is now mandatory for companies with more than 500 employees, and with those with more than 250 employees coming into the net from January 2025, and listed SMEs from January 2026, will require companies to meas-

ure their sustainability outcomes. CSRD requires large companies and listed companies to publish regular reports on the social and environmental risks they face, and on how their activities impact people and the environment. It holds significant importance for businesses in today’s global economy.,” adds Ms Downes.

Having set up the Mid-West Sustainability Network to support members in their sustainability journeys and in the delivery of their sustainability goals, Ms Downes said that the Chamber will, at the many sustainability workshops planned for 2024, including a week-

long focus on sustainability is late September, encourage its members to avail of the funding available, not just from IDA and Enterprise Ireland but from other State agencies including LEO Clare, SEAI, Skillnet Ireland, the EPA and the Southern Regional Waste Planning office.

“I would encourage companies to engage with their development advisors, set out their plans and be ambitious in their quest to reduce carbon emissions. Some companies are advanced in what they are doing, others are not; this funding will certainly help companies attain their sustainability targets,” said Ms Downes.

New Car Registrations down 50% in June 2024

THE Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) today released their official 241 new vehicle registrations statistics for June.

New car registrations for June were down 50% (1,499) when compared to June 2023 (2,990). Registrations year to date are up 1.7% (78,942) on the same period last year (77,602).

Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) declined by 35.8% (688) compared to June last year (1,072). Year to date LCVs are up 17.8% (20,229). HGVs (Heavy Goods Vehicles) registrations are down 1.6% (127) in comparison to June 2023 (129). Year to date HGVs are up 17.9% (1,826).

EV transition, with ways to incentivise the market for both private and company car buyers. Extending consumer incentives and Benefit-in-Kind support, along with investment in charging infrastructure will build consumer and business confidence and encourage uptake. Retailers remain optimistic as we enter the 242-registration plate sales period, and with new models coming to the market along with variety of attractive offers are positive that this will help to boost sales activity in July, the second busiest month for new car sales.”

* Income to be assessed by the Council

** Potential for up to an additional €30,000 support via Revenue Help to Buy Scheme for eligible clients : http://www.revenue.ie/en/property/help-to-buy-incentive/index.aspx

The purchasers will enter an affordable dwelling purchase arrangement with Clare County Council. Under this arrangement the Council will take a percentage equity share in the dwelling equal to the difference between the market value of the dwelling and the price paid by the purchaser, expressed as a percentage of the market value of the dwelling. The Council may not seek realization of its affordable dwelling equity for a 40-year period (other than for breach of the agreement). However, the purchaser may choose to redeem or buy out the affordable dwelling equity at any time by means of one or a series of payments to the Council. Eligible applicants will be prioritised based on Clare County Councils Scheme of Priority. Further information on this scheme, including the Scheme of Priority and how to make an application, are available from https://www.clarecoco.ie/services/housing/affordable-housing/ Applications may be made through a link provided on the webpage above between 12:00 noon on 5th July 2024 and 12:00 noon on 26th July 2024. In relation to 70% of the dwellings, as per Clare County Council’s scheme of priority, date and time of application will be one of the criteria on which eligible applications will be prioritised under the Council’s Scheme of Priority. This means that eligible applications received first will be given priority.

For any other queries, reach out to affordablehousing@clarecoco.ie or phone 065-6846385.

Imported Used Cars have seen a 22.2% (5,165) rise in June 2024, when compared to June 2023 (4,228). Year to date imports are up 25.4% (31,372) on 2023 (25,025).

In June 692 new electric cars were registered, which was 52% lower than the 1,432 registrations in June 2023. So far this year, 10,747 new electric cars have been registered which is a 25% decrease compared to the same period in 2023 when 14,307 electric cars were registered. In the new car market share by engine type for 2024, Petrol cars lead the new car market at 32.96% followed by Diesel at 22.89%, then Hybrid (Petrol Electric) at 20.11%, Electric at 13.61%, and Plug-in Electric Hybrid at 8.83%.

Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General commenting: “In June new car registrations declined by 50% on the same month last year. Following four consecutive months of decline, new car registrations for the first half of the year stand at 78,942 units, a marginal increase on 2023. Both light and heavy commercial vehicles registrations saw a decline in sales for the month of June, but the activity remains strong in the commercial fleet. New electric car registrations continue to experience a decline in sales, with June registrations falling by 52% to 692 units. From January to June, a total of 10,747 new electric cars were registered, marking a 25% decrease from the same period the previous year.

The decline in the new EV car market continues to highlight the need for Government to support the

Clare County Council is currently inviting applications from suitably qualified persons for the below competition. Clare County Council will, following the interview process, form a panel for the area set out below from which future relevant vacancies may be filled subject to sanction approval from the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage.

Please complete online application form available on www.clarecoco.ie under Careers Section. Only applications completed online will be accepted.

• Executive Architectural Conservation Officer

Closing date: 12 Noon Friday 26th July 2024

Clare County Council is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sectors of the Community.

Scriobh chugainn as gaeilge más fearr leat.

THE recent U.S. presidential debates have once again highlighted the concerning trend of political polarization in the United States. As leaders and managers, it’s crucial that we learn from these divisive events and ensure that our organisations do not fall victim to similar patterns of thought.

One of the most troubling aspects of the debates was the apparent unwillingness of both candidates to engage in meaningful dialogue. Instead of addressing the issues head-on and seeking common ground, they resorted to partisan rhetoric and personal attacks. This “us vs. them” mentality is not only counterproductive but also dangerous when it takes root in the workplace.

As leaders, we must be vigilant in avoiding the groupthink mentality that can so easily take hold when we surround ourselves with likeminded individuals. It’s natural for us to gravitate towards those who share our values and beliefs, but this can lead to a dangerous echo chamber where new ideas are dismissed and dissenting opinions are silenced.

Research has shown that ideological uniformity in the boardroom can have significant consequences for corporate decision-making. When executive teams are dominated by a single political ideology, they become more prone to groupthink, prioritising conformity over critical thinking and independent decision-making. This can lead to poor decisions, a lack of

creativity, and a failure to consider the potential consequences of a course of action.

One of the most effective ways to combat this tendency is to actively seek out diverse perspectives and encourage open dialogue within our organisations. This means creating an environment of psychological safety, where employees feel safe to express their ideas, even if they differ from the prevailing view. It also means being willing to challenge our own assumptions and consider alternative solutions.

To combat groupthink and foster a more productive and innovative environment, companies should consider several strategies such as:

1. Conducting internal surveys and anti-bias trainings to raise awareness of biases and promote a culture of openness to diverse perspectives.

2. Provide training and resources on effective communication and conflict resolution: Equip leaders with the skills to navigate disagreements and find common ground.

3. Encouraging executives to actively seek out and engage with opposing viewpoints, rather than surrounding themselves with likeminded individuals.

4. Regularly review and update organisational policies: Ensure they support and reinforce a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and open dialogue

Another important factor to consider is the halo and horn

effect, which can lead us to make snap judgments about individuals based on limited information. In the context of the debates, this effect was clearly visible as supporters of each candidate were quick to dismiss or vilify their opponent based on partisan affiliation alone. Leaders and managers must be aware of this tendency and make a conscious effort to evaluate each idea or proposal on its own merits. This means looking beyond the messenger and focusing on the substance of what is being said. It also means being willing to change our minds when presented

Trump International Golf Links & Hotel attends The Meetings Show in London

with compelling evidence that contradicts our initial beliefs.

By fostering an environment of open dialogue and critical thinking, we can avoid the pitfalls of polarization and encourage the kind of creative problem-solving that is essential for success in today’s rapidly changing business landscape. It’s not always easy, but it’s a challenge that we must embrace if we want to build organisations that are resilient, innovative, and adaptable.

In conclusion, the lessons of the U.S. presidential debates serve as a cautionary tale for leaders in all

‘Meet in Ireland’ was the message at The Meetings Show in London. Tourism Ireland – together with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland, as part of the ‘Meet in Ireland’ team – attended the event, together with 25 tourism companies from Ireland – including Trump International Golf Links & Hotel.

The Meetings Show is a leading exhibition for Business Events i.e., the corporate meetings, events and incentive travel industry. The tourism companies from Ireland – all specialists in Business Events – engaged in around 750 commercial meetings with global meeting and event planners during the two-day event, which will, in turn, deliver Business Events for Ireland from around the world. Tourism Ireland’s goal is to enable thousands of commercial Business Events meetings this year – connecting our tourism partners from Ireland with overseas buyers to grow Business Events and support businesses across the island.

Tourism Ireland’s message is that Ireland offers a winning combination of world-class infrastructure, unique and luxurious accommodation, state-of-the-art venues, spectacular landscapes and the warmest of welcomes and fantastic hospitality, making it an ideal destination for meetings, incentive travel and events of all sizes.

David Boyce, Tourism Ireland’s Head of Business Events, said: “The Meetings Show provides an important platform for us to promote Ireland as a premier destination for Business Events and we were delighted to have 25 tourism companies from Ireland with us at this event. They engaged in hundreds of commercial meetings and showcased

walks of life. By being aware of the dangers of polarization and taking proactive steps to encourage open dialogue and critical thinking, we can create organisations that are better equipped to navigate the challenges of the future. It’s a tall order, but it’s one that we must rise to if we want to create truly effective leaders in the 21st century. If this resonates with you and you’d like to discuss this further, with regards to you, your team or your organisation as a whole, contact me at denise@ obrienlearningsolutions.ie.

the best of Ireland to influential international meeting and incentive travel planners.

“Business travel is high value and often midweek and off season by its nature, thereby aligning with Tourism Ireland’s strategy to grow overseas tourism revenue outside of the peak summer season.”

Linda Coleman, Trump International Golf Links & Hotel; and Simon Gidman, Tourism Ireland, at The Meetings Show in London

Taylor in contention for All-Ireland semi-final

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

CLOONEY/QUIN’s Ryan

Taylor is expected to feature in Clare’s matchday panel for the first time this season.

Taylor has been sidelined since sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Kilkenny. His absence from the middle of the field has been felt with the former University of Galway Fitzgibbon Cup hurler having emerged as one of the most consistent players during Brian Lohan’s tenure as Clare senior hurling manager.

While Taylor had been back doing straight-line running during the Allianz National Hurling League, he has resumed full training with the squad in recent weeks and is pushing strongly for a place in the squad for Saturday’s semi-final with Kilkenny.

Speaking on the fitness of the midfielder following the quarter-final win against Wexford, Lohan

commented, “he is back in training and we will see how he goes over the next two weeks”.

Management will be very pleased to have the option of introducing Ryan to the fold in what is expected to be a very tough and tight encounter against the Leinster champions. A starting berth may be unlikely but the ability to call on the 2022 All Star nominee certainly strengthens the Clare cause, he having formed a very strong midfield pairing with Cathal Malone over the past three seasons.

His return is also a big lift for his club and the Fergal Lynch managed Clooney/Quin side will need his pace and experience as they prepare to battle a very competitive Group 1 in the Clare SHC but with the collective talent at their disposal the side which will also include Peter Duggan, Jack O’Neill, John Cahil, Evan Maxted and Shane McNamara will definitely be a team to watch in the race for the Canon Hamilton.

'Every game takes on a life of its own' - Reidy

by Séamus Hayes

news@clareecho.ie

PROVING your worth in training has been the mindset of David Reidy as he regained his starting jersey on the Clare senior hurling team.

In the aftermath of Clare’s disappointing six point loss to Limerick in the Munster SHC final, one of the big talking points was the omis- sion of Éire Óg’s Reidy from the first fifteen. He was restored to the Clare team in the middle third for their twelve point win over Wexford in the All-Ireland SHC quarter final and produced a fine display, racking up sixteen possessions over the course of the game and scoring three points.

Players must prove their worth to get selected, the Ennis native stressed. “We have a panel of forty one, with twenty six on the match day panel. Every time we go to training every one of the forty one players think they’re

good enough to be on the match day panel and on the fifteen that will start. That’s where the unity comes in. We all think we are good enough and we have to prove that in training and every time we put on the Clare jersey we have to prove that”.

Reidy was one of Clare’s top performers as they advanced to the All-Ireland semi-finals for the third year running. Speaking to The Clare Echo following the Wexford win, he commented, “this was always going to be a dangerous game and both teams had a lot to lose. We all had a focus, its knock out from here on. We were disappointed two weeks ago but we had to learn from that, get key lessons from it and, luckily, we performed well today.

“Every game takes on a life of its own. We will have to prepare as best we can for the semi-final and we must look at the last two times we played them. The two teams have a lot to lose as one will be gone out of the championship and it’s a long winter until next summer comes around,” he added.

BLUES & INAMONA ADVANCE TO CLARE CUP FINAL

l David Reidy strikes under pressure.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

l Ryan Taylor battles with Kilkenny's Conor Fogarty in the 2023 All-Ireland Hurling Semi-Final.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORTS

Davy Fitzgerald departs Waterford manager role

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

DAVY FITZGERALD has stepped down as manager of the Waterford senior hurlers.

Sixmilebridge native Davy called time on his second stint in charge of Waterford when confirming on Tuesday night that he would not continue in the hotseat for 2025.

Of the eight Munster championship games played by Waterford in 2023 and 2024, they won two and did not emerge from the province in either campaign. They defeated Tipperary in the final round of the 2023 campaign while this season they defeated Cork but their second round draw with Tipp proved to be vital in stopping their progression from Munster as losses to Clare and Limerick followed.

Fitzgerald confirmed in a statement to The Irish Examiner that he would not be Waterford manager next year and opted against taking up the offer of a third season “after careful consideration”. He said, “I would like to sincerely thank the players for their efforts over the last two years. Just the tiniest of margins prevented us from making Munster’s top three this year and progressing to the 2024 All-Ireland championship. It’s my firm belief that the talent is there for Water-

ford to compete strongly at hurling’s highest level again.

“I’d like to express a massive thanks to Peter (Queally), Eoin (Kelly) and all of my backroom team as well as county chairman, Seán Michael O’Regan, secretary,

Pat Flynn, and PRO, Richard Tobin, for their unstinting support during the last two years. And finally I want to wish all involved with Waterford GAA every success into the future”.

Among those involved in Davy’s

backroom team were Fergie O’Loughlin of Clarecastle, Cratloe’s James Hickey and Kilkishen native Michael ‘Gazzy’ Collins. Success had been experienced by Davy during his first stint with the Déise, he guided the county to win

the Munster SHC title in 2010, they have not win the provincial title since while in 2008 he led them to reach the All-Ireland SHC for the first time in forty five years, they suffered a heavy defeat to Brian Cody’s Kilkenny on the day.

Since succeeding Justin McCarthy as Waterford manager in the middle of the 2008 championship, the two-time All-Ireland winning Clare goalkeeper has been an inter-county senior hurling manager for all but one of the subsequent seasons (2022). He manged his native Clare from 2012 to 2016 when the county won the All-Ireland SHC for the fourth time (2013) and were crowned National Hurling League champions in 2016.

From here, he took over as Wexford manager replacing Liam Dunne, he oversaw their Leinster SHC success in 2019, their first time winning this title since 2004. They were narrowly defeated by Liam Sheedy’s Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final of that year, they led by three points with ten minutes to play and had an extra player following the dismissal of John McGrath but suffered an agonising 1-20 3-28 defeat.

At Fitzgibbon Cup level, he managed LIT to win their first ever third level title in 2005 and they added a second win in 2007. In 2013, he was named RTÉ Sports Manager of the Year.

Lissycasey's confidence takes a leap forward with Cusack Cup success

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

LISSYCASEY’s confidence has taken a big leap ahead of the start of the Clare senior football championship after winning the Cusack Cup for the second time.

Aiden ‘Horse’ Moloney’s side had a commanding win Ennistymon on Sunday in Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown Malbay winning out on a score of 1-9 0-2.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Moloney was a happy figure after watching his side claim the first piece of silverware on offer this year. “The Cusack Cup has always been a great competition, in my own playing days we used to love playing well in it and it is still a great competition. We got lots of new players through the system and got plenty of game time into them in the last six or seven games, it is a huge bonus to win it, we’re delighted to get a cup and it isn’t often for Lissycasey, we’re delighted, it is what it is now and we have bigger days

ahead, we’ll need to get back down, put this on the shelf and work towards the next one”.

This feat is made more impressive given that the former Kilmurry Ibrickane championship winning captain and manager had a big rebuilding job when he became Lissycasey manager last year with

the exit of key players like Seamus Collins, Brian Cahill, Oisin Hanrahan and Mikey O’Neill for multiple reasons including emigration.

A taste of success at senior level is a positive omen for the youthful Lissycasey, he believed. “It is a great experience especially for a lot of the

young players, we’ve had some excellent minors come through over the last year or two, one thing about Lissycasey is they have a lot of young players coming through and we’re trying to blood as many of them as we can with some of the older fellas that are still doing a great job, this is great for

them, that winning feeling and knowing you can go and play well in a final augurs well for the future”.

He added, “There’s no better way than putting yourself in this position as often as possible and performing on a good day like today, it is a very important trophy and it is the number two football in the Clare football calendar and it is a great achievement for them, we thought we would struggle a bit with numbers at the start of the year but we got four or five really good minors in this year who made a huge difference to us, the more the better and the youth is the way to go, we have a few older citizens on our team, they know their positions and give us what we need as well”.

“I think Ennistymon weren’t at their best it is fair to say, they left a good few scores out there, we had a comfortable lead and they didn’t put us under a lot of pressure we have to say, we had a comfortable lead at half time, we felt they would come at us in the second half, they did for a while but they didn’t put it on the scoreboard but eventually we closed the game out

and once the goal went in that was the end of it." Moloney admitted. Having expected a fight back from Ennistymon when they spoke as a management team at half time, Horse and his Lissycasey mentors opted to make changes despite holding a seven point advantage. “We brought on two subs at half time to make us more solid and have more ball players to hold onto possession because we knew it was a matter of sitting back and counteracting the second half, it worked out okay for us”.

How Clare’s hurlers fare in the All-Ireland semi-final will dictate the start of the club championships but winning the league title in advance of their first round opener versus Kilmihil is a step in the right direction for Lissycasey. “It is fixed for three weeks, hopefully it will go out another two after that and we wish the best to the Clare hurlers but there is no doubt that it is all go at the moment, we’re trying to get some challenge matches in the lead up to championship but this is a good match for us today and it will bring us on”.

l Davy Fitzgerald.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

l Aiden Moloney speaks to linesman Joe Kelly.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Lissycasey crowned Cusack Cup Champions

FUTURETICKETING CUSACK CUP FINAL 2024

Lissycasey 1-9 Ennistymon 0-2

Venue: Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown Malbay

Compiled by Páraic McMahon

STORY OF THE GAME

LISSYCASEY

Frees for: 17 (6/11)

Wides: 7 (5/2)

Scores from play: 1-5

Spread of scorers: 4

Top scorer: Aaron Griffin (1-2)

Bookings: Ryan Griffin (57)

Own kickouts won: 5 0ut of 9 (56%)

ENNISTYMON

Frees for: 16 (3/13) Wides: 7 (4/3)

Scores from play: 0-1

Spread of scorers: 2 Top scorer: Niall Canavan (01f), & Tiernan Hogan (0-1)

Bookings: Liam Cotter (31) Own kickouts won: 12 out of 17 (71%)

REFEREE: John O'Connell (Cooraclare)

l (clockwise from top right) The Finnucane family celebrate Lissycasey's win; Conor Meaney tackles Ryan Barry; Clare GAA Chairman Kieran Keating presents the Cusack Cup to Conor Finnucane, Lisssycasey’s captain. Shane Griffin and Conor Meaney celebrate at the final whistle. All Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Clare end camogie campaign on a winning note with victory over the Yellowbellies

GLEN DIMPLEX ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CAMOGIE CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP 2 ROUND 5

Clare 1-15 Wexford 1-11

Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis

Compiled by Séamus Hayes

MANAGER COMMENT “

John Carmody, Clare manager

“I have just been told that this is the first time in ten years that Clare have won two matches at this level. We felt we would be in with a chance of a quarter final spot but we missed our experienced players this year. We were without our captains, Clare Hehir and Niamh O’Dea from last year”.

“I am just delighted for those girls out there because sometimes when things are going against you it appears that the work isn’t been done but that group have put in a savage amount of work for Clare camogie this year. There were nine or ten debutants and to beat a team like Wexford is great. Scoring 1-15. it was a great game, it ebbed and flowed. We will go from this now and we will learn from this”

[Referring to their game against Dublin] “We went without Abby Walshe, Laura Foley and Cliodhna Queally and when you are building a new team you can’t really be without anybody. This win is huge for Clare camogie, it might seem like it was a dead rubber coming in. It’s all about rankings and its something for us to build on. We will be in Division 1B next year in the league and hopefully some of our more experienced players can come back refreshed having had the year out”.

“They will see that there is potential and Clare camogie will have a trophy to fight for. We have to build, this win will build confidence and hopefully this win will give the girls renewed belief, you see the buzz here with the supporters. Hopefully this will show that Clare camogie is a team worth playing for, hopefully we will target the Division 1B league title next year and get a bounce from that going into the championship. That’s what Dublin did this year”.

“These players will grow from this. We want more to come in and compete for the jersey so that we can have 24/25 that you can call on any day. The talent is in Clare but the pool is small and when we are down a few bodies, it’s very difficult. We played some outstanding hurling today and I am delighted for

the girls, they finished the season on a positive”.

“We will re-group and come together over the winter. Today it was important to finish above Wexford. There is a big difference in being beaten today and being one game away from the trap door of relegation, The reality is that we are one game away from a quarter final and that is the stance we will take from it”

”Our intermediate team suffered badly for the last few games with injuries. We hope to finish on a positive next week. Most of the girls out here today came through the junior last year”.

Clare ladies footballers eliminated by Tyrone in All-Ireland quarter-final

ALL-IRELAND INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP QF

Clare 2-7 Tyrone 2-8

Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis

Compiled by Séamus Hayes

STORY OF THE GAME

CLARE

Frees for: 21 (9/12)

Wides: 7 (4/3)

Scores from play: 2-5

Spread of scorers: 7

Top scorer: Laurie Ryan & Ailish Considine (1-0 each), & Fidelma Marrinan (0-3, 2f's)

REFEREE: Ger Canny (Mayo)

TYRONE Frees for: 14 (3/11)

Wides: 7 (4/3)

Scores from play: 2-5

Spread of scorers: 4

Top scorer: Chloe McCaffrey & Aoife Horisk (1-2 each)

Freeman steps down as Clare ladies football manager

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

WAYNE Freeman has stepped down as manager of the Clare intermediate ladies football team.

Freeman called time on his two year tenure after Clare’s surprising All-Ireland quarter-final loss to Tyrone in Cusack Park on Sunday. For the second year in a row, their last championship game was a one point defeat. Monasterevin native Wayne was appointed as Clare boss in October 2022 on a two year term with the option of a third. While it is expected he would have received the backing of Clare LGFA, he along with Lee Hunt, Brian Willis, Graham Shine and Jack MacNamee will not be involved next year.

Under the Kildare man’s watch, Clare reached the All-Ireland intermediate final for the first time since 2016 last year and lost out by a single point to Kildare in the decider when it finished 2-11 2-10. This year, they were crowned Division 3 League Champions and secured their place in the second tier for 2025.

Following Sunday’s quarter-final loss, Wayne confirmed to The Clare Echo that he had stepped down as manager, a decision he and his management had reached at the beginning of the year. It is not a good day in general but I wish the successor all the best and I think he is going to inherit a really good group of footballers”.

Reflecting on his term, he described it as “phenomenal. Caoimhe Harvey was only back at the time after having a baby, what a two years she has had, she is an absolutely phenomenal captain, I’ve so much time for her and she is just one, look at what Chloe and Laurie have done in soccer, there’s loads more, Roisin is travelling from England, we are based in Ennis but most of our players are in West Clare and the travel that they

have to do, I can’t tell you how fondly I think of them because they are brilliant, I have thoroughly enjoyed it”.

Announcing the news to the panel in the dressing room in Cusack Park was difficult, the Iarnród Éireann HR official admitted. “I thanked them for their work, I told them how proud I was of them, it was an emotional few minutes in the dressing room, we didn’t see this coming and there is no point lying, that is because of our form this year in general, I thanked them for everything they have done, they have worn the jersey with brilliant pride, the support they had today was super, I go back two years ago when nobody gave us a hope, even within our county people were looking at the team and saying ‘they are going nowhere’, now they are back up in Division 2, they have competed in Croke Park and they are back up at the top end, they will be favourites again next year, they have to be rebound, look at Dublin these things happen, this is football, big teams have gone out of the men’s game and now the women’s game, these things happen in sport and not everything will be plain sailing, you just hope on days like today when you are not fully at it that you might just get over the line because the next day will be a better day but that wasn’t for us today which is unfortunate”.

Clare’s performance against Tyrone was littered with mistakes, he acknowledged. “We didn’t play well enough today and that is a fact. They were good and that wasn’t surprising, we were expecting that, McCaffrey was back for them which was a huge boost but we let too much slip throughout the game, even at six points up we still felt we were chasing a bit, it was never comfortable and that played through in the end. We were a little bit off, some of our kick passing went straight out over the sideline which is not like us at all.

l Clare's Caoimhe Cahill.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

l Laurie Ryan holds off Emma Mulgrew.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

l Chloe Moloney on the attack for Clare. Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Exit door opens for Clare backroom team members

by Séamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

AHEAD of the All-Ireland SHC semi-final, there have been departures from the Clare senior hurling set-up.

Over the weekend, it emerged that prominent members of Brian Lohan’s backroom team were no longer involved with the county hurling side as Clare prepare for a season-defining clash with Kilkenny in Croke Park and bid to reach the All-Ireland final for the first time in eleven years.

Among those exiting are kit man Niall Romer and All-Ireland club winner Kieran O’Neill who had been a selector with the county senior hurlers in 2007 for Tony Considine’s sole season as Clare manager.

Exact reasons surrounding the departures and the reasons for same have yet to come to light with the Clare camp as ever remaining tight-lipped.

Following the Munster SHC final six point loss to Limerick, there had been reports of clashes within the camp, some of which involved players and mentors.

The Clare Echo understands that Romer who has coached teams at all levels with his native Kilmaley and was held in esteem following a coaching stint with the Banner,

was not shy in voicing his opinion following one of the exchanges in training. Action was not taken until after Clare bounced back with a strong quarter-final win over Wexford to take action over this.

It is believed that O’Neill who worked alongside Romer with the Killmaley seniors decided to leave in solidarity.

Romer has been kit man for the Clare senior hurlers since Lohan

was appointed as Clare manager and has driven the T Shiels & Co sponsored kit van since January 2020. This vehicle as of this week has a new driver.

Prior to Lohan’s appointment, the

Kilmaley man in his role as County Board delegate was one of the more vocal representatives, particularly during the latter stages of Pat Fitzgerald’s tenure as county secretary.

Garry Cup glory for Éire Óg

Paddy Fitzgerald crowned

All-Ireland champion

by Séamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

Paddy Fitzgerald put in a commanding performance in Cashel on Sunday last, defeating his Wexford opponent in two games.

Paddy never looked in danger and in taking this junior B singles competition has completed a very successful return to handball. He will be hoping to add a club title to that next weekend.

There was disappointment for Shane Walsh in the Master’s B, losing in a tie breaker 11-03 after battling back from a narrow loss in game 1 to a convincing win in game two to tie the game.

Club All-Ireland Finals

Tuamgraney are busy getting ready for Junior B All-Ireland club finals.

On this Saturday, July 6 in National Handball Centre Croke Park. All-Ireland champion Paddy Fitzgerald and finalist Shane Walsh along with Ciaran Malone, Seanie Doyle and Cathal McKenna are hoping to bring home the title. Tua-

mgraney will play Balcarra (Mayo), with Castlebridge (Wexford) and St Mellan’s (Monaghan) in the other semi-final.

Other semi-finals and final being played on the day.

Juvenile Semi-Finals

Tyrone players will make up the travelling party of Ulster players who will come to Tuamgraney on this Sunday, July 7 for games starting at 12noon.

There are 5 games on the programme with Clare in 4 playing girls U14 singles

and doubles, U16 girls singles and U14 boys doubles. Best wishes are extended to Chloe Hannon, Jane Hogan and Tracy Tuohy, Claire Minogue and Charlie Collins and Jack Cahill.

Finals will take place over the weekend July 13/14 with the boys finals on July 13 and the girls finals a day later.

Meanwhile the U17 pair of Martin Bon (Kilkishen) and Oisin Fahy (Newmarket) lost out to Kilkenny opposition during the week.

l (clockwise from top left) Ciaran Russell tries to stop Corofin's Cillian Clancy; Philip Talty is tackled by Marc O'Loughlin; Damien O'Louglin takes on Jarlath Collins. Photos by Gerard O'Neill

lNiall Romer sits in the Clare GAA kit van with the notable Clare GAA icons

Photo by John Mangan

l Junior 'B' All-Ireland winner - Paddy Fitzgerald (Clare Jersey).

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

The 28th Arnold Cup to take place at Lahinch Golf Club

by PÁDRAIG MCGRATH

The 28th event of the Arnold Palmer Cup, one of the premier collegiate golf tournaments, is set to make its mark at the historic Lahinch Golf Club this weekend. This event not only highlights the finest collegiate golfers from around the globe but also honours the rich history and legacy of Arnold Palmer, a legendary figure in golf.

The Arnold Palmer Cup was established in 1997, inspired by the Ryder Cup format, to foster international camaraderie and competition among college golfers. Originally, it was a contest between the United States and Great Britain & Ireland. However, it has since evolved into a more inclusive competition, featuring teams from the United States and an International team comprising players from around the world. This transformation has amplified the spirit of global unity

and sportsmanship that Palmer himself embodied throughout his career.

Arnold Palmer, known as "The King," was not just a golf icon but also a global ambassador for the sport. His influence extended beyond his impressive career, which included 62 PGA Tour titles and seven major championships between 1958 to 1964. Palmer's charisma and commitment to growing the game inspired the creation of the Cup, which continues to carry forward his legacy of excellence, integrity, and international friendship.

Lahinch Golf Club, with its rich history dating back to 1892, is a fitting venue for the Arnold Palmer Cup. Known as the "St. Andrews of Ireland," Lahinch is renowned for its stunning coastal scenery, challenging links layout, and deep-rooted golfing tradition. The course, designed by Old Tom Morris and later refined by Dr. Alister MacK-

enzie, offers a true test of skill and strategy, demanding precision and creativity from players.

The selection of Lahinch for the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup underscores the event's commitment to showcasing the world's best golf courses. This historic venue will not only challenge the participants but also provide a picturesque backdrop for spectators and fans watching around the world.

Over the years, the Arnold

Palmer Cup has been a launchpad for many golfers who have gone on to achieve significant success in their professional careers. Notable alumni include major champions like Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, and Francesco Molinari. Thomas, a standout at the University of Alabama, competed in the Arnold Palmer Cup in 2012 and 2013, showcasing the talent that would eventually lead him to multiple PGA Tour victories and a major

Prendeville claims Kilrush Golf Clubs captains prize

by Séamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

Tommy Downes ‘captain’s prize was played for at Kilrush at the weekend when Tomas Prendeville (16) emerged victorious with 99. He won by two from Colm Murphy (23) with Seamus O’Doherty (20) in third place on 102. They were followed by Terry O’Hare (11) with 103, Alan F. Howard (37) with 104 and John K. Ryan (13) with 106.

Jack Foley won the gross with 113.

EAST CLARE GOLF CLUB

The overall winner of the ladies 18 hole stroke competition at Est Clare on Sunday was Ann Harte (42) with 64.

The category winners were Evelyn Skehan (20) with 67 nett, Noreen Skehan (24) with 69 nett and Pauline Nugent (34) with 68.

WOODSTOCK GOLF CLUB

President Ken Horgan’s prize was played for at the weekend at Woodstock where the winner was David White (18) with 43 points. He won on a countback from Seamus Kelly (26) with third spot filled by Barry McNicholl (12) and they both also had 43 points. Joe Hurley (17) with 41 points was fourth.

Kieran Cunnane (2) won the gross with 33 points.

The category winners were Rob Cantwell (10) with 40 points, Seosamh O'Riordain (17) with 40 points and Tommy Flynn (21) with 39 points.

SHANNON GOLF CLUB

Lady Captain Suzanne McMahon’s prize

was played for at Shannon last week when there was an excellent turnout.

Mary Fitzgibbon (36) emerged as the winner with 68 nett three better than Karen Dunne (39), Marlyn Kelly (47) was third followed by Pauline Kilmartin (31) and they both also had 71.

ENNIS GOLF CLUB

The winners of the captain’s fourball at Ennis at the weekend were Tommy Stack (19) and Raymond Power (19) with 48 points. They had one to spare over Paul Mockler (22) and Michael Neylon (18) with third place filled by John C McNamara (12) and Noel Normoyle (13) who also had 48 points.

championship win at the 2017 PGA Championship.

Jon Rahm, a two-time participant in 2014 and 2015, used the Cup as a springboard to a career that has seen him rise to the top of the world rankings and claim the U.S. Open title in 2021. His passion and competitiveness were on full display during his collegiate days, mirroring the qualities that have made him one of the game's premier players.

Jon would have a strong bond and fondness for Lahinch Golf Club also, having won the Irish Open there in 2019 winning his fourth European Tour title.

Francesco Molinari, who played in the 2004 Arnold Palmer Cup, has also left an indelible mark on the sport. His steady rise culminated in a historic victory at the 2018 Open Championship and a pivotal role in Europe’s triumph at the Ryder Cup the same year.

As the Arnold Palmer Cup heads to Lahinch this week,

the anticipation is palpable. The tournament promises to deliver high-calibre golf, fierce competition, and memorable moments. It will also serve as a testament to the enduring legacy of Arnold Palmer, whose impact on the sport continues to resonate with each new generation of golfers. Make sure you all flock to Lahinch this weekend to watch the future of golf. It promises to be an unforgettable even and one even a non-golfer will thoroughly enjoy. You will be witnessing the next wave of golfing talent from around the world as they compete on one of the world's most iconic courses on our doorstep. The Arnold Palmer Cup at Lahinch is poised to be a celebration of the sport, its history, and its future, encapsulating the spirit of camaraderie and excellence that Arnold Palmer championed throughout his life and career. Tickets are FREE to enter.

Dublin Ben in command for Frank Casey

by Michael Maher news@clareecho.ie

Narrowly denied on debut a fortnight ago the Frank Casey of Newmarket on Fergus owned Dublin Ben duly opened his account at the second attempt in this A7 graded contest at the Galway Track on last Friday night as he made all to comfortably see off the challenge of Beebees Dream by three lengths in 29.54. From the third bend Beebees Dream did begin to close with every stride but Dublin Ben was in command throughout. Rounding the bend Brickhill Como tracked well and the Clare natives Albert Long & John Collins owned son of Good News & Twentylittletoes the litter that has produces plenty of winner stayed on well to defeat Burkos Tarzan by two lengths in 18.27.

The Seamus McMahon of Cooraclare owned Lissatouk Suzy landed her fifth career success in this A6 graded contest as she made just a but all the running to defeat Kingdown Honey by a diminishing head at the line from Kingdom Honey in 29.72. From the crown of the home bend though the leader began to come back to her rivals and she was running on fumes close home as Kingdom Honey closed her down with every stride, The concluding A2 graded 525 yards contest was the top graded event on the night card at and as the traps rose Jaydens Lady trapped well along the inner and racing towards the opening bend the daughter of Burgess Bucks & Crokers Wish led from Show No Fear and Own Lullaby. Approach-

ing the third bend Own Lullaby went for a gap on the leaders inner but Jaydens Lady shut the door firmly before staying on well to score by a length and a half at the line in 29.32 and complete a double for trainer Stephen Murray of Sixmilebridge. The opening contest of the night was an S9 graded affair and from traps On The Latt and Clonfeigh Iris were both away well with Rathmeehan Jill in third place as they raced towards the opening bend. Rounding the bend the leader drifted a little wide on the track and this forced Clonfeigh Iris to switch inside and lead as they entered the home straight .On the run home though the Gerry O’Donoghue of Tubber and Gort owned On The Latt came to challenge again and the son of Broadstrand Bono & Brickhill Sharon quicker away to score by three lengths at the line in 18.25.The Allanna Browne of Kilkee owned Glasheen Melody has been little unlucky on a couple of recent outings but the daughter of Newinn Wonder & Glasheen Judy delivered in style in this S9 graded affair as she scored by four lengths from Ard Molly in 18.48. Doughuisce Lad was just about best away ahead of Ard Molly with the eventual winner making a better start than recent outings quickly joining issue on the run towards the opening bend. Approaching the bend Glasheen Melody struck the front and she quickly took command of the contest racing clear up the straight to record her maiden success.

l Lahinch Golf Club

l Captain Tommy Downes presents his prize to Tomás Prendeville.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL KILLARD, DOONBEG, CO. CLARE

Take notice that Oliver Ryan intends to apply to the planning authority for retention of existing dwelling as constructed together with rear extension and retention of part use of existing dwelling for short term tourism accommodation and for permission to construct a garage/fuel shed along with ancillary works at the above address. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, Clare County Council, Aras Contae an Chlair, New Road, Ennis during its public opening hours and that a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the planning authority of the application.

CLARE CO. COUNCIL CLENAGH, NEWMARKET ON FERGUS.

Take notice that Noel Frawley & Brid O Dwyer intends to apply for permission for development, the development consists of the construction of a dwelling house, Garage, a waste water treatment system with a percolation area, new entrance onto public road and associated site works at the above address.

The planning application maybe inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE

COUNTY COUNCIL LUOGH NORTH, DOOLIN, CO CLARE

Take notice that Austin and Gemma Whelan intend to apply for permission to build a new dwelling, garage & all other associated site and ancillary works at the above address.

The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

ANNAGH, MILTOWN MALBAY, CO CLARE

V95AEY9

Take notice that Michael Hehir intends to apply for retention permission for the altered domestic garage, converted for use as a detached ancillary residential unit for the enjoyment of the occupants of the main dwelling on site, permission to upgrade the existing septic tank & all other associated site and ancillary works at the above address.

The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL.

DOONAGHBOY, KILKEE, CO. CLARE.

Take notice that Diarmuid Keane + Associates Ltd. (065-9083667, www. diarmuidkeane.ie) intend to apply to Clare County Council on behalf of Liam Harvey for retention per-

mission for an extension and elevational changes to the existing dwelling house previously authorised under planning Ref No. p99/424 along with all associated ancillary site works. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at

the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, €20, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of

the application, and such submissions or observations will be considered by the planning authority in making a decision on the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission. or may refuse to grant permission.

FIONN O’BRIEN KNOCKANEAN, ENNIS, THIRD ANNIVERSARY

In loving memory of Fionn whose third anniversary occurs on 5th July 2024. Deeply loved, sadly missed and always remembered by all his family and friends.

“And ever has it been known that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.” —Khalil Gibran Fionn’s anniversary will be remembered at Mass in Church of Our Lady, Roslevan on Friday 5th July at 9.30am

PRAYER

THE MIRACLE PRAYER

Dear Heart of Jesus,

In the past, I have asked for many favours. This time, I ask you This special favour.

(Mention Favour)

Take it dear Heart of Jesus, And place it within Your own broken heart Where your Father sees it, Then in His Merciful Eyes It will become your favour Not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer for 3 days. Promise publication. M.McM

Recent Deaths

Cooney (née Hickey), Helen Bodyke

Cooney (née Hickey), Helen Broadford

Flynn, Brian Sixmilebridge

O’Flaherty (née Considine), Sharon Kilmihil

O’Flaherty (née Considine), Sharon Quin

Pilkington (née Queally), Carmel Kilmaley

Mahon (née Drury), Mary Miltown Malbay

O’Looney, John Newmarket-on-Fergus

COONEY, Lance Kilrush

CLUNE, Tim Kilrush

CLUNE, Tim Feakle

FENNELL, Gareth Kilrush

Malone (née Walshe), Frances (Fay) Shannon

Mulqueen, Anthony Ennis

Mythen, William (Bill) Ruan

Walsh (née O’Gorman), Maureen Tulla

O’Leary, Gerard (Gerry) Miltown Malbay

O’Leary

, Gerard (Gerry) Kilrush

The Clare Echo Quiz

COUNTY CLARE

1Muhammad Ali Visited Clare for which reason?

. His great-grandfather was from Ennis

. To unveil a statue dedicated to his life’s work

. His grandfather was from Ennis

2Which of the following TV shows was mostly filmed in North Clare?

. Mrs. Brown’s Boys

. Father Ted . Love/Hate

3Which internationally renowned TV show was partly filmed in the Burren?

. Game of thrones

. Vikings . Peaky Blinders

4Clare is known as ‘The Banner County’ for which reason?

. Support banners at GAA games

. The banning of Irish culture during the English reign

. Support banners at political rallies

5Shannon airport is infamous for its invention of…

. Serving alcohol to passengers during flights

. Duty Free Shopping

. Tax-free flights to Europe

6The Clare colours are… . Yellow and Blue

. Amber and Blue . Saffron and Blue

7Which of the following was a Clare paper published between 1885 to 1936?

. The Saturday Record . The Clare Compendium . The Clare Record

8Donald Trump owns a hotel and golf course in which West Clare village?

. Miltown Malbay

. Doonbeg . Kilbaha

9County Clare was named after which of the following?

. The infamous De Clare family

. A plank placed across the river Fergus

. An abbreviation of Clarecastle Town

10The first Rose of Clare was announced in which year?

. 1968 . 1973 . 1994

placed across the river Fergus

and Blue

Spot the Difference

Can you spot the difference? Spot the 7 differences. The answers will be revealed in next weeks edition.

l QUESTION 1: Muhammad Ali Visited Clare for which reason?

THIS WEEKS PUZZLES July 4th

Mesdames et Messieurs

WORD SEARCH

Antoine

Antoine

Armand

Armand

Brigette

Camille

Brigette

Claudette

Camille

Emil

Claudette

Etienne

Emil

Georges

Gustave

Etienne

Henri

Georges

Jacques

Gustave

Jeanne

Jules

Henri

Louis

Jacques

Madeleine

Jeanne

Marcel

Marie

Jules

Michel

The Clare Echo Crossword

Best Daily Word Search - 5 July 2019 - Mesdames et Messieurs

Quantity (6)

Counterfeiter (6) 8 Go in (5)

Doctor’s client (7)

Heartfelt (7)

Trite (5)

Strewn (9)

Nicole

Odette

Philippe

Pierre

Serge

Thierry

HOW TO PLAY

Sudoku is a logic puzzle where you have to populate the grid with numbers. A number can appear only once in each row, column and house. Each puzzle can be solved using logic from the given information and requires no guesswork.

1 Relaxed (2,4)

2 Excursions (7)

3 Courage (5)

5 Autumn month (7)

6 Verdant (5)

Solve now (/games/best-daily-wordsearch/?puzzleDate=20190705)

Antoine ()

Armand ()

. Brigette ()

. Camille ()

Claudette () E il ()

More Puzzles

Mean person (4,3) 19 European country (7)

Unbeliever (7)

Bet (5)

Rubber (6)

Beasts (6)

7 Baby’s toy (6) 9 Abundant (9) 13 Shorten (7) 14 Sold from the cask (7)

15 Cricket referee (6) 16 Embellishes (6) 18 Capital of Bulgaria (5)

20 More recent (5)