The Clare Echo 07/12/23 by The Clare Echo

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clareecho.ie

Dec 7 2023

MAN ABOUT TOWN

‘Stinks of a State cover-up’ by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

l The Ennis Street fashion show models, Janice Hayes, Eve Donovan and Aine Dwan wearing Trisha’s Closet had to share the catwalk with DPD delivery man Damian McCormack as O’Connell Street turned into an outdoor runway last Saturday

Photo by Brian Arthur

A STATE COVER-UP has kept vital evidence from the inquest into the death of Caitriona Lucas, a Clare TD has suggested. At an inquest into the death of the Doolin Coast Guard volunteer last week, a verdict of death by misadventure was returned by the jury. Caitriona died after the Kilkee Coast Guard Delta rigid inflatable boat she was in capsized during a search for a missing man on September 12, 2016. Speaking in the

Dáil, Michael McNamara TD (IND) said the case “contained a number of disturbing features” and believed both the Irish Coast Guard and Department of Transport still had a lot of questions to answer. Deputy McNamara stated, “When you’re around a while you begin to recognise a cover-up and a State cover-up has a particular whiff, this stinks”. He called on the Taoiseach to initiate a statutory inquiry, “Will you organise a statutory inquiry into the death of Caitriona Lucas to make sure this never happens to another volunteer in Ireland”.

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

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CONTENTS

NEWS .............................2-22 XMAS FEATURE..........23-34 SCULLY..............................35 GREEN CLARE............36-37 COLUMNISTS ..............38-41 BUSINESS....................42-43 SPORT..........................44-49 CLASSIFIEDS ..............50-51

TDs vote No beauty school Two in favour of dropouts in Tulla Helen McEntee

STUDENTS in Tulla are shaping up as they bring ‘Grease: The Musical’ on stage in East Clare next week, writes Páraic McMahon. St Joseph’s Secondary School brings an electrifying production of the timeless classic ‘Grease: The Musical’ to a new audience. Talents of the students from Tulla are surrounding parishes will be

brought to the fore in the school with productions running on Wednesday (December 13th), Thursday (December 14th) and Friday (December 15th). Doors open at 6:45pm with curtains raised at 7:30pm. Tickets are €15 available from sjt.ie, or from O’Halloran’s Shop & Donlon’s Super Valu in Tulla. Concession prices available for Wednesday.

36C Abbey St., Ennis, Co Clare Call: 065 - 6719021

NEWSDESK

Email: editor@clareecho.ie or news@clareecho.ie

SALES

kieran@clareecho.ie ross@clareecho.ie denise@clareecho.ie This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Press Council’s Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Press Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1890 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie

l GREASE LIGHTNING: Back Row: Ryan Curtis, Matthew Jordan-Allen, Tristan O’Brien, Front Row: Oisín Frazer & Colin Duff Photo by John O’Neill

MINISTER for Justice, Helen McEntee (FG) has survived a confidence vote with two of the three Clare TDs supporting the Government, writes Páraic McMahon. Sinn Féin had initially tabled a no-confidence motion in the Minister for Justice in the aftermath of the Dublin riots a fortnight ago. However, the Government tabled a counter-motion expressing confidence in the Minister. They won this vote 83-63. Michael McNamara (IND) voted against the Government. He said, “I don’t have confidence in the Minister, the number of Gardaí has decreased during the lifetime of this Dáil, the number of Gardaí has decreased in Clare and of those who are still in force, obviously there’s huge problems on morale and retaining existing Gardaí but they are spending from what I’m hearing from ordinary Gardaí they are spending more and more time doing paperwork and behind computers and not on the beat.” Government TD, Cathal Crowe (FF) did not stray from the party line and gave his confidence to Minister McEntee. Joe Carey TD (FG) remains on sick leave and was not present for the vote. Describing the vote as “a waste of time,” Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) was paired with Junior Minister Brendan Griffin (FG) which meant that she withdrew her vote to support the Government. Pairing is a gentleman's agreement between the Government and opposition. It means the opposition will not take advantage of a government TD being absent. Under the pairing regime, a TD from an opposition party agrees not to vote when the Government deputy is not present.

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

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Over €200k spent on Council’s legal fees for Ashline illegal encampment

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

OVER €200,000 has been spent by Clare County Council as part of a legal battle with the occupants of an illegal encampment in Ennis. An illegal encampment has been in place at Ashline by the Kilrush Rd roundabout in Ennis since August 2018. An eviction of the tenants was previously ruled by The High Court and backed by

the Court of Appeal in November 2021. In the eyes of Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF), “it is an example of an unequal application of the law”. She detailed that to date it has cost Clare County Council over €200,000 in legal fees. At Tuesday’s meeting of the Ennis MD, she sought an update on the Council’s “legal efforts to address the longstanding illegal encampment on the Kilrush Road”.

l EXPENSIVE: Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy at the entrance to the illegal encampment in Ashline

Acting senior executive officer in the social development directorate, Padraig MaCormaic advised, “Currently there are High Court and Court of Appeal orders, as modified by a Supreme Court judgement, prohibiting trespass and unauthorised development by any persons other than one named household and a carer. I wish to advise that reports are being obtained in relation to additional unauthorised occupants at the site with a view to enforcing the existing Court Orders against those to whom the Supreme Court judgment and Order does not apply, subject to the findings of those reports”. Housing needs assessment of all occupants is under review, he confirmed. “The intention is that the matter will be referred back to the High Court in the coming months to seek Court Orders with regard to the trespass and unauthorised development, having regard to the issues raised by the Supreme Court in its judgment. I can also confirm that as part of this process notices were issued in recent weeks to a number of occupants on the site in relation to both illegal occupation of the site and further and ongoing unauthorised developments on the site”. On the costs, he detailed that they

haven’t jumped massively from €200,000 in the past 12 months but warned, “they will jump massively in the next six months. When you’re going to courts in Dublin the costs are enormous, daily rates for barristers are quite expensive”. Expansion of the encampment has been observed, Cllr Colleran Molloy noted, “residents are concerned that it is getting bigger and bigger”. She called for MacCormaic to be brought before the meeting to further explain the detail behind the reply and her request was accepted. Quizzing the Council official, Cllr Colleran Molloy queried, “We know the Supreme Court issued a judgement pertaining to the then existing residents and a carer. On one hand could you tell us what is going on with that household and a carer. “We are all getting calls about additional new households moving in there, in your response you’re saying notices have been issued to additional occupants and proceedings likely to pursue from there. Will they be separate proceedings from the existing proceedings? Will it require additional resources from the Council to pursue”. Addressing the meeting, MacCormaic advised that it was “ex-

tremely complex”. He said, “I’m not a legal mind and not a barrister so we’ve to depend completely on the advice of our legal team at a massive expense. We went to the courts in 2018 and High Court seeking injunction, they were appealed to Supreme Court”. During the lockdown, evictions were paused which allowed “more families” to move into the encampment. “There are a number of issues, health and safety, road safety, planning enforcement, anti-social behaviour, trespassing, all matters which are beyond the housing department”. He confirmed that they are working with An Garda Síochána on the matter. “We do have a difficulty and we have this all around the county with anti-social behaviour, we can’t get local residents whose lives have been impacted to come forward in writing, it would add greatly to any case if the people directly affected could come forward. Our hands have been tied because of a lack of willingness or a fear of doing so”. Two caravans have left and a marquee has been removed, Padraig advised. Reports are to be prepared for the Council’s legal team. There are more examples than Ashline across the county, he noted. “Every local authority in the country is watching the case in Clare.”.

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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Everyone at Clare Credit Unions would like to wish all our members a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

www.clarecreditunions.ie Credit Unions are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

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Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

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‘We shouldn’t have caved in’ councillors criticise Market closure by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

CLARE County Council have to put up their hands and admit they made a mistake with the Market Building in Ennis, a former Mayor of Clare has said while it has emerged elected representatives were not consulted prior to the temporary closure of the building. Described by Clare TD, Michael McNamara (IND) as “a shooting gallery” for drug users, the Market Building has closed in the past fortnight due to a rise in anti-social behaviour. At this week’s meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) asked that “alternative uses other than parking” be examined for the Market Building and for the local authority to seek Departmental funding for the change of use. Alternative uses have been researched and proposed over two years ago with a report completed, the designs from which were presented to councillors at a briefing in February 2022 for consideration. Administrative officer, Niamh O’Connor confirmed that in 2021 the Ennis MD engaged the School of Architecture Intelligence Unit in the University of Limerick to research and propose alternative uses for the Ennis Market building. “They produced a report ‘Alternative solutions for a centrally located and adaptable space’ in 2021. The students proposed that the building use could

l MISTAKE: Market Building, Ennis Photo by Eamon Ward

change throughout the day, fitness & gym, food truck at lunchtime, children’s play area and theatre group. Another proposed design included a garden centre, indoor playground and café”. Despite being briefed on the report behind closed doors a year ago, Cllr Daly suggested the students present their findings. “A lot of de-

bate has and is taking place on this building, people are waiting to see what the Ennis MD can do to make it viable. In recent times, the Council had no choice to close it down, drink and drug parties were going on, now is the time for the Ennis MD to win back the public on this, use all the experience and expertise we have”.

According to Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF), “it has been the bane of us”. She recalled, “I remember getting elected in 2014, this was an Ennis Town Council decision, we were newly elected in 2014 and asking then senior executive officer Ger Dollard if we could review the decision and we were told we could not, we’re living with that. It truly galls

Tuamgraney man to contest Facebook harassment charge of Fianna Fáil TD

A TUAMGRANEY man charged in connection with sending alleged ‘harassment messages’ via Facebook to Clare TD Cathal Crowe (FF) is set to contest the "unusual charge”, writes Gordon Deegan. At Killaloe District Court sitting in Ennis on Tuesday, solicitor for Sean Kilkenny (48) of Tuamgraney, Scariff, Daragh Hassett told Judge Alec Gabbett said the indications so far are that Mr Kilkenny will contest the charge. Mr Hassett described the charge against his client as an “unusual charge”. In the case, Mr Kilkenny is charged with on dates unknown between May 4th and June 26th 2023 did for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to another person send by telephone a message that he knew to be false to another person without reasonable cause to Cathal Crowe. The charge is contrary to Section 13 (1) (b) and section 13 (2) of the Post Office Amendment Act 1951 as amended by section 4 of the Communication Regulations (Amendment) Act. Mr Hassett previously told the court that the case concerns “allegation of harassment on Facebook”. With Mr Kilkenny set to contest the charge, Deputy Crowe will be required to give evidence from the witness box in court as the alleged injured party

l Cathal Crowe TD (FF) Photo by Natasha Barton

in the case and face cross examination from Mr Hassett on behalf of Mr Kilkenny. Judge Alec Gabbett said that he would adjourn the case to February 6th to Killaloe District Court sitting in Ennis for disclosure to be made to Mr Hassett “and we can arrange a hearing date on that date”. Mr Kilkenny first appeared in court in connection to the charge in July and his bail conditions include that he has

no contact with the alleged injured party, Cathal Crowe TD. The conditions also require Mr Kilkenny to reside at Tuamgraney, Scariff and be of good behaviour. Mr Kilkenny is also charged with obstructing Garda Joe Kearney acting under the authority of a warrant issued under Section 10 of the Criminal Justice Act on July 3rd at Tuamgraney, Scariff.

me, it is like the County Council has to cow down to the lowest common denominator which is the drunkenness and anti-social behaviour which has caused this building to be closed which I think is a very sad outcome, we’ve all given into the lowest common denominator”. One business person contacted Cllr Colleran Molloy to express her view that is was wrong to close the building because the Council can’t deal with anti-social behaviour. She said, “I still think this is wrong, we’ve caved in and I don’t think we should have”. The Quin native added, “I think you’re throwing a holy Mary pass on this one, I think this has been a mistake, we need to go back to the drawing board, we as a Council have made a wrong decision in closing this building for anti-social behaviour, I wasn’t briefed on this decision and I don’t know how it came about, I heard it through the media”. Criticism of the Farmers Market was voiced by Cllr Mary Howard (FG). She said that in the final term of the Ennis Town Council, they engaged with the Farmers Market, “they wanted running water and cover from the elements, in the interim they went to Roslevan and never come back which I think it is very unfair”. Defending the €500k costs as part of the €1.75m redevelopment, she said, “a huge amount of the work is unseen, the building was the tiniest part of the cost”.

Leader Forum rally against Green Paper

CLARE LEADER forum will be holding a rally this Friday (December 8th) to demonstrate their opposition to the proposed Green Paper on Disability Payment Reform, writes Páraic McMahon. From 12pm to 1:30pm, members of the Clare Leader Forum are gathering at the Daniel O’Connell Monument in O’Connell Street, Ennis on Friday and they are hopeful the public will unite behind their cause. Dermot Hayes of the Clare Leader Forum told The Clare Echo, “By working together we have already made a difference, the closing date for Submissions to Minister Humphrey’s office [Minister for Social Protection] was the 15th December, but now has been pushed out to the 15th March 2024. Which will give us time to put a very strong submission together to express why we are so opposed to this Green Paper on Disability Payment Reforms going ahead in its present state. “As a result of our open

meeting in the Temple Gate Hotel on the 17th November ’23, whereby the people that these proposed changes would effect most, voiced their concerns and frustrations at being categorised yet again”. Hayes has encouraged the public to bring banners, flags, posters, whistles and drums to make their voice heard this Friday. Government have said the Green Paper is their response to a commitment to developing and consulting on a ‘strawman’ proposal on the restructuring of long-term disability payments under the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2021-2025 Strategy. The Green Paper includes proposals of reforming income supports which include, Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension, Partial Capacity Benefit, and the Domiciliary Care Allowance.

For further information please contact Padraic Hayes or Trish McNamara on clareleaderforum@gmail.com.

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

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Celebrating a decade of excellence: lFinbar and Eileen Keaveney

Photos by Tom Micks

Home Trends Furniture Store SITUATED in the heart of Ennis, Home Trends Furniture store is proud to mark a decade of providing exceptional service and value to the community. Founded in 2013 and still family-owned and operated by Finbar and Eileen Keaveney, this local business has thrived through the years. To commemorate this remarkable milestone, we invite you to join us for a spectacular Anniversary Sale. This event is more than just a sale; it's a testament to our unwavering commitment to quality and our customers over the past ten years. The Keaveney family's dedication to offering top-notch furniture and service has earned them a reputation as a trusted choice not only in Co Clare but also beyond. Our spacious shop boasts a wide range of furniture, from 3-piece suites, dining room sets, beds, mattresses, sofa beds, coffee tables, consoles, to smaller items like lockers and rugs. We're renowned for providing quality pieces at prices that won't break the bank. When you make a purchase at Home Trends, you're investing in pieces that not only complement your home but also endure the test of time. With two entrances, front and back, our store's eye-catching exterior has recently been painted and sports a fresh new logo. The inviting exterior is matched by a beautifully refurbished interior completed in 2020. On the

second floor, you'll find a fantastic display of rugs, dining sets, artwork, cushions, mirrors, and more. According to store owner Eileen, "Rugs and cushions are incredibly popular this season and provide an affordable way to transform any room." Eileen and Finbar, along with their dedicated team, always go the extra mile to ensure your needs and requirements are met. This level of commitment has fostered a loyal customer base over the past decade. As Finbar, the store owner, notes, "It's fantastic when customers recommend us to family and friends, and most people are happy to support local businesses." Both Finbar and Eileen wish to express their heartfelt gratitude to all their customers for the incredible support, loyalty, and kindness shown over the last ten years. So, if you're in search of quality furniture, don't miss this chance to benefit from exceptional deals at our local, family-run store.

Come celebrate Home Trends' 10-year anniversary event with us. Find us at Home Trends, 29 Parnell Street, Ennis (V95ED79), or call us at 065- 6797853. For more information, follow our Facebook and Instagram pages, or visit our website at www.hometrendsfurniture.ie

Wishing all our Customers & Friends a Happy Christmas & Healthy New Year

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

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Michael McNamara calls for statutory inquiry into death of Caitriona Lucas by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

CLARE TD, Michael McNamara (IND) has said there may have been a cover-up by the State into the death of Ballyvaughan native Caitriona Lucas. 41-year-old advanced coxswain, Catriona Lucas, an experienced member of Doolin Coast Guard and mother of two, died after the Kilkee Coast Guard Delta rigid inflatable boat she was crewing capsized during a search for a missing man on September 12, 2016. A verdict of death by misadventure was returned at the inquest in Kilmallock last week. The jury was told it wasn’t open to them to give a verdict of an unlawful killing. Speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday, Deputy McNamara called for a statutory inquiry into the death of the popular librarian. He stated, “The case contained a number of very disturbing features, I think the Coast Guard and the Department have a lot of questions to answer. I asked parliamentary questions about evidence that appeared to be missing, that wasn’t answered on the basis there was an inquest on yet the coroner at

lThe late Caitriona Lucas

the conclusion of the inquest noted that that evidence was still missing. The Coast Guard delayed the investigation by the HSA arguing that the volunteers who are putting their lives on were not employees and therefore the HSA has no remit to investigate”. “The family were very critical of successive Ministers of Transport including yourself Minister Donohoe for failing to implement safety recommendations in 2012. When you’re around a while you begin to recognise a cover-up and a State cover-up has a particular whiff, this stinks. Will you organise a statutory inquiry into the death of Caitriona Lucas to make sure this never happens to another volunteer in Ireland,” McNamara added. Responding, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (FG) commented, “I’m familiar with the sad death of Ms Lucas, I remember it happening very well, I really want to extend my condolences to her family and friends in the community and the other Coast Guard volunteers, I don’t know all the facts of this, the Coroner’s case and the Coroners act independently of Government, I’m not going to make commitments on the huff but I will certainly speak to Minister Ryan about it and ask him to reply directly”.

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THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

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Concert in aid of victims SOME 20 plus singers, musicians and story-tellers are set to put their best East Clare performance and hearts into a one-off fund-raiser for victims of the war in Palestine at a special event in Scariff GAA hall on Sunday, December 17 next. The ‘East Clare for Peace in Palestine’ concert will be a medley of songs and stories of peace and Christmas from some of the bestknown performers from the Scariff, Ogonnelloe, Whitegate, Mountshannon and Bodyke areas. The alliance comprises member agencies , Action Aid, Christian Aid, Trócaire, World Vision, TearFund, and Plan International, whose emergency appeal is aimed, in particular, at providing immediate help to children and families affected by the war and escalating humanitarian crisis. Tickets for Sunday week’s gathering go on sale on Eventbrite and can also be purchased at Rodgers’ and Bane’s shops in Scariff, McDermott’s in Whitegate plus other outlets to be added over the coming days. Tickets are priced at €20 each and are expected to sell out quickly.

‘We need to continue solidarity’

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

‘FREE GAZA, Free Palestine’ and shouts to expel the Israeli Ambassador were among the calls from the Clare IPSC as they held their weekly protest in the county town on Saturday morning. For close to two months, the Clare IPSC has held demonstrations every Saturday morning. They begin at the Height and then march through the town. Despite cold conditions, the dozens of demonstrators held their post at the Daniel O’Connell Monument in Ennis in their bid to raise awareness and show solidarity of the ongoing war, twenty four hours after a truce ended. About 900 people in Gaza were killed in Israeli airstrikes between Friday when a truce ended and Monday, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, about the same number killed in strikes in Gaza over the four days following the Hamas cross-border raid on Israel on October 7, though fewer than the 1,199 who died in the four days following the start of Israel’s ground offensive on northern Gaza Oct 28. Ennis activist Sarah Ferri-

l PROTEST: Crowds gathered at the O’Connell monument in Ennis on Saturday

gan was among those present to show solidarity. She stated, “It is an issue that needs to be highlighted, I don’t think our public representatives are representing the public on this issue. Irish people with our own post-colonial history we have an understanding of what it is to have our land, our identity and our culture taken from us, we are in solidarity with the Palestinians. You can see it across

the world the people rising up with the Palestinians are the indigenous cultures, it is a history that has been replicated throughout the world and we have a duty to stand with Palestine”. Speaking to The Clare Echo, the former General Election candidate added, “A ceasefire has to happen, anything that goes ahead has to have the voices of the Palestians at the centre of it. The

bombing has resumed with hundreds more killed, it is a long-time strategy to keep Gaza out, they don’t want any Palestine left in Gaza and I can’t for the life of me understand how international governments have not stood up, it is telling of a larger geo-political strategy that the US wants an outpost in the Middle-East” Saoirse Byrne, an Ennis teacher is among the

more active members of the group. She told The Clare Echo, “There has been great support for Palestine on the streets of Ennis. However, often people when asked to sign our petition wonder ‘What good will it do’. I think it is important to urge people to do what they can. To let our representatives know that we care and that we demand action. Governments around the world keep repeating that Israel’s right to defend itself must also be in line with international law. It clearly isn’t with collective punishment and the indiscriminate killing of children in Gaza over the last eight weeks. “We need to urge action so that the Israeli government does not continue to get away with crimes against humanity as it has done for decades. We need to stand up for what we feel is right. We need to demand justice and fairness. We need to make sure our government seeks a resolution to this conflict. There must be consequences for illegal actions such as sanctions. We must continue to write to our representatives and to get together to show solidarity. We must not look away and allow more tragedy to unfold”.

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

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€184m budget approved

ITH an increase in expenditure of €34m, there was unanimous agreement among Clare councillors to pass the County Council’s annual budget for 2024, writes Páraic McMahon. For the first time since the local property tax was introduced, the Council will retain 100% of the funds from this tax totalling €11m. A total expenditure of €184m has been signed off on, a €34m (23%) increase on last year. An approved 0.239 annual rate on valuation (ARV) will see a reduction of 4.4% less than Rates REVAL 2024 indicated rate but some businesses will see an increase in their commercial rates. Expenditure is divided among housing/building (€36.57m), road transport/safety (€42.01m), water services (€14.88m), development management (€44.74m), environmental services (€19.81m), recreation/amenity (€13.72m), agri/education/health/welfare (€0.81m) and miscellaneous services (€13.88m). Funding for the maintenance of burial grounds is to jump by €130,000. Community Grants €200k reinstatement to 2022 of €200,000 levels plus will have €60k extra in 2024. Addressing Thursday’s special meeting to approve the budget Chief Executive Pat Dowling commented, “I am confident that this Budget addresses the need of our county moving into 2024”. The impact of retaining the full value of the LPT cannot be underestimated in terms of its impact on service delivery, he stressed. Inflation “continues to be of huge concern,” he advised. “We continue to show foresight by implementing prudent management decisions,

it has allowed for savings without compromising on delivery”. Measures are also in place to support the Ukrainian response, Dowling stated while detailing that 5,226 displaced Ukrainians are now living in Co Clare. A three-year capital investment programme of €725m has been enabled through the Budget, he said. “Continued capital investment is the cornerstone of our strategic investment as a county. For 25 years leading to 2016, Clare County Council carried a deficit and a loss on its annual account, at the height of this period Clare County Council had AN accumulated loss of 9m, from 2016 to 2022 we returned a balanced situation with a slight surplus, all of the team are determined to keep the finances on an even keel”. Head of Finance, Noeleen Fitzgerald heralded the full retention of the local property tax in the county, “Clare was receiving about 60% of its collection, 2024 is the first year in nearly ten years that the income will be in our revenue budget, we have retained €11m which adds €3.7m to services”. She acknowledged the expansion of their tourism portfolio was “quite substantial but so is our expenditure on housing”. On commercial rates, she stated, “less than 2.4% or 96 properties in the county are paying” the higher rates. She advised members that if they were to propose altering the budget they would have to identify where they want to cut funds from. “The actual expenditure is close to €1.6bn, this Council through its spending or what it is proposing to spend is nearly €1.6bn”. Challenges with housing supply have “significantly influenced” the Budget, Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) maintained. He said it was regrettable to see the spend on homeless services having to rise every year.

'Frightening' legal fees of Council questioned

CLARE County Council’s Head of Finance has said an article by The Ditch website “wasn’t accurate” regarding their legal fees, writes Páraic McMahon. In October, The Ditch reported on the Council’s legal fees and in particular raised questions of its payments to Michael Houlihan & Partners Solicitors (now MHP Sellors Solicitors) over the past five decades. From 2019 to 2021, the Council spent an average of €13,000 a week on legal fees. Records of the

Council’s legal fees from 2017 to 2022 paid were sought by the online outlet. It reported how the local authority’s website appears to suggest it has paid the practice almost €20m in 2022. “The figure paid to Michael Houlihan Solicitors is not exclusively legal fees – it includes all house acquisitions, land acquisitions, CPO costs associated with various capital projects such as Killaloe Bypass,” a spokesperson for the Council stated in response. Speaking at Thursday’s meeting to ap-

prove the Council’s annual budget for 2024, Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) questioned the €20m figure mentioned and described it as “a frightening amount of money”. Addressing his concerns, Head of Finance, Noeleen Fitzgerald stated of the article “it wasn’t accurate”. She said, “it referred to how much we paid through county solicitor on surveying process, turnkey and housing, when they spoke over 20m, over 19.5m was for purchasing of properties, we’ve dealt with that”.

lRESHUFFLE: Leonard Cleary, Noeleen Fitzgerald, Pat Dowling, Anne Haugh, Carmel Kirby and

Changes at the top in SUBSTANTIAL changes to the management of Clare County Council are to be made as part of a vast reshuffle. Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling has rung the changes among the county’s top public servants with a new-look management structure of the local authority to come into effect from January 1st. Of the six senior posts alongside Dowling at the top table, half of them will remain in their current roles. Carmel Kirby continues as Director of Service for Economic Development and the Ennis Municipal District. She moved from the Physical Development directorate to Economic Development last April following Liam Conneally’s appointment as Chief Executive of Galway County Council. The Kinsale native was conferred with a PhD in recent years and is married to former Limerick hurler, Gary Kirby. Kirby joined Clare County Council in 2017 having previously held roles as Director of Social Development, Chief Fire Officer and Programme Manager for Regeneration with Limerick City and County Council. She currently sits on the Board of the Ennis 2040 DAC. Miltown Malbay native, Seán Lenihan joins the Ennis MD as senior executive officer, his addition may be seen as offering a steady hand to settle matters for the Ennis 2040 strategy. An employee of the Council since 1999, he had been the senior engineer in the project management office and was leading capital projects across the county such as the Killaloe Bridge and Bypass Crossing, the West Clare Greenway, the Ennistymon Inner Relief Road and the flood relief scheme in Shannon. Last week, he entered his fourth term as Chairman of Clare LGFA. Planning, Clare Local Enterprise Office, strategies, property and town/estuary programmes are included in the responsibilities of the Economic Development directorate. Other senior staff in the department include Carmel Greene, senior planner Helen Quinn, Padraic McElwee and Joan Tarmey. Chief Operating Officer of Ennis 2040, Kevin Corrigan is included as DAC staff in this department. Maintaining his role as Director of Tourism Development along with overseeing the West Clare Municipal District is Leonard Cleary. In May, he was appointed to head up the Council’s tourism department following the addition of the four Shannon Heritage sites to its portfolio. Corofin’s Cleary had prior to this served as Director of Rural De-

velopment with the Council since a restructuring in October 2016 was one of the key figures behind the country's first rural development strategy. Cleary joined the local authority in August 1997, beginning as a marketing and development officer with Kilrush Town Council. He then served as the RAPID Programme Coordinator in the guise of a community and enterprise development officer before continuing to climb the ranks in the Council. Other roles included Head of Human Resources and Town Clerk with the Ennis Town Council before heading up the housing department and then the rural development directorate. In August 2021, Leonard who is married to Michelle with four children, was ordained a deacon of the Diocese of Cloyne. A former clerical student, he spent fifteen years as Chair of the Killaloe Diocesan Pastoral Council with Bishops Fintan Monahan, Willie Walsh and Kieran O Reilly. Tourism, Shannon Heritage, DigiClare and Capital are all included in the Tourism Directorate. Miltown Malbay based John O’Malley continues as senior executive officer of the West Clare MD, Deirdre O’Shea as Head of Tourism with Urban McMahon retaining responsibility for DigiClare. Stephen Hanley (General Manager of Clare Tourism East), Donnacha Lynch (Head of Commercial Services for Clare Tourism DAC) and Geraldine Enright (Director of the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience) are all included in this directorate. Noeleen Fitzgerald stays as Director of Service for Finance and Support Services, she is the only Director not responsible for a Municipal District, she has been in this post since April 2020. Her department will include senior personnel, Trina Rynne, Caroline O’Connor, Monica Meehan and Alfie Jones. Finance, ICT and Human Resources are among the areas included in the Department headed up by Noeleen who has worked with the County Council since 2002. Ennis based Fitzgerald has previously worked in financial advisory and management roles with companies including Dell, CIE Tours International and Deacy Concannon & Company. She is currently a Board member of Ennis 2040 DAC and is a former officer with Club Clare. She was also the Council’s co-ordinator for the hugely successful Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann events held in the county town in 2016 and 2017. One of the biggest alterations is Anne Haugh’s exit from the Social Development Directorate. Her career in local government started with Clare

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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Jason Murphy

County Council County Council in 1990 before joining Limerick County Council. For nearly three years, she was a Director of Service with Kerry County Council until 2010, she then spent two years as Director of Operations with Limerick Regeneration Agencies, all the while living in Co Clare, before returning to Clare County Council in 2012. Upon her return Anne was appointed Director of Physical Development, a role she held until August 2018 to head up the Social Development Directorate. Her upcoming move to Rural Development ends a near six yearterm over the department which holds responsibility for housing. Currently sitting on the board of glór, Anne is also the Director responsible for the Killaloe MD and she will retain this role in East Clare. Brian McCarthy will be officially appointed the senior executive officer, having been area co-ordinator up to now. Rural and local development, culture, arts, corporate services and communications are among the items falling under the remit of Haugh’s new department. Senior officials include Bernie Haugh, county librarian Helen Walsh and Ann Reynolds of corporate services. Having previously been senior executive officer involved with the €293m Limerick Regeneration Framework Implementation Plan, Jason Murphy returns to the field of housing in local government. He became an Acting Director of Service in Clare County Council in July 2022 leading the Council’s response to the war in Ukraine, Cleary’s appointment as Director of Tourism then saw Jason take over the Rural Development mantle. Clonlara based Jason now succeeds Haugh as Director of Social Development. Housing, the Ukrainian response, international protection applicants, sport and recreation all fall under the responsibility this department. A former head of HR and senior ex-

ecutive officer with the Shannon MD, Jason will be leading up the West Clare MD with responsibility for North Clare. Both Padraig MacCormaic and Adrian Headd retain senior housing roles in this department, a new addition is that of Leonore O’Neill. She becomes senior executive officer in the West Clare MD with responsibility for North Clare, having held the same role in the Ennis MD. The Galway woman will be based in Ennistymon. The SEO role had been left vacant in North Clare for the past nine months. Joining the senior management of the Council is Alan Farrell. He is leaving Galway County Council where he serves as Director of Services with responsibility for Economic, Rural & Community Development to become Director of Physical Development in Clare and he will also lead the Shannon MD. He was responsible for the for the establishment of the Rural Regeneration Team in Galway County Council and championed the development of the BIA Innovator Campus CLG. The Galway native has particular interests in the Food, Tourism, Hospitality and Cultural industries. Farrell had been Director of the Athenry MD. Transport, environment, transition of water functions to Uisce Éireann, fire and emergency services all fall under Farrell’s brief in the Physical Development directorate. Anne Griffin will continue as senior executive officer in the Shannon MD. Morgan Lahiffe remains as climate change officer, Cyril Feeney moves to roads and the environment having previously led water services, Adrian Kelly continues as Chief Fire Officer. Siobhán McNulty who had been an Acting Director of Service for the past nine months leading the Shannon MD and Physical Development directorate now moves to the project management office. The Ennistymon woman will head up this section alongside John Leahy.

News

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

Ennis

Street style shines in Fashion Show

lCATWALK: Miradie Lubota, Beibhinn Haren and Orla Shiel wearing Willow Botique Photo by Brian Arthur

Notes

QUIN FOUNTAIN A TREMENDOUS sense of excitement was evident when Santa himself turned on the Christmas Tree Lights in the redeveloped Fountain Area. A huge crowd of all ages enjoyed the newly designed accessible space while listening to the youth choir and the Quin Church Choir under the guidance of Una Clune. Quin Tidy Towns Committee were so proud to showcase this facility and the chairperson, Gabriella Hanrahan thanked the numerous people involved. The commitment by so many in the community is something to be so proud of. BLOOD DONATION The next blood donation clinic will take place at West County Hotel, Ennis on Monday 11th, Tuesday 12th, Wednesday 13th & Thursday 14th December 2023 from 4.50pm – 8.10pm. New Donors welcome at all clinics. Please call 1800 222 111 for appointment

O’CONNELL street was transformed into a runway on Saturday morning for the inaugural Ennis Street Fashion Show, writes Páraic McMahon As part of ‘Christmas in Ennis’, Clare County Council hosted the event in partnership with the Holman Lee Model Agency to showcase the finest of Ennis menswear and womenswear from Ireland’s boutique capital. From early on Saturday morning, staff were busy transporting racks of clothing to the offices of Sherry Fitzgerald McMahon, the estate agents and auctioneers became the fitting room for all models. Council staff such as senior executive engineer Paddy Tiernan were on hand salting the footpaths to ensure there was no tumbles on the runway. Two fashion shows took place, one at 12pm and the second at 2:30pm, several of the town’s most prominent independent

shops and retailers showcased their offering in a unique manner and creating a focal point for Christmas shoppers. Fifteen models sashayed from the ‘The Height’ down O’Connell Street, strutting their stuff to show the type of styles that can be purchased from fashion stores in the county town, featuring both ladies and men’s wear. Mayor of the Ennis Municipal District, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) told Monday’s meeting of the Economic Development strategic policy committee (SPC), “Ennis traders were very happy with the weekend”. “I’ve never seen such style like it, I was impressed with what I saw so far as style is concerned. It is great that Ennis has so much quality shops,” Cllr Daly stated. Director of Economic Development, Carmel Kirby noted the “uniqueness of all the clothing from over 40 retailers” who took part in the fashion show.

O’Callaghan forced to withdraw motion on use of Abbey St car park for Comhaltas

IT MAY have been one degree outside but within the Council Chamber, temperatures were once again rising among Ennis Municipal District councillors on Tuesday morning, writes Páraic McMahon. Spats are almost becoming a statutory item on the agenda when Ennis MD convene for their monthly meeting with Abbey Street car park once again fanning the flames. Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) was made withdraw his motion on the civic space usage of Abbey Street car park. He proposed, “In recognition of the 50th anniversary of the First Fleadh Nua in Ennis in 2024 that Ennis Municipal District Executive refrain from preventing Comhal-

tas using the Abbey Street Carpark Civic Space for Fleadh Nua public celebration events. Such events, if they so wish as they have done in the past, might be free public Gig Rig Concert(s)”. Speaking on Tuesday, Cllr O’Callaghan outlined that the Clare County Board of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann contacted him with “an exciting proposal”. He said plans are afoot to make the 50th anniversary a special celebration. Clarity was then sought by Cllr Mary Howard (FG) who said the motion was “misleading” and emphasised that Comhaltas had not been refused use of the car park. She stressed, “I am not seconding

lNO HARMONY: Abbey St car park Photo by John Mangan

the motion, we have never refused use of the car park”. In response, Cllr O’Callaghan commented, “It is to ensure it is made available”. He continued, “there is lot of concern from members of the public” regarding future plans for Abbey Street car park. “We welcome the answer if there isn’t any refrainment, they have made it very clear to me on the basis that if it is not in Abbey St civic space then it won’t be a success”. Wording of the proposal is “incorrect,” Cllr Ann Norton (IND) remarked. “What has been said there around that the Fleadh won’t be successful if it is not in Abbey St, that again is a statement that is a very strong statement which I think is incorrect. The Fleadh Nua and any festival that Comhaltas run has always been a success, there is many different areas within the town of Ennis that would be able to hold the Fleadh Nua whether it is the first night to open the Fleadh but this discussion needs to be between the executive of Clare County Council and Comhaltas, I don’t think it is something that we should be discussing without having all of the information”. Administrative officer, Niamh O’Connor told the meeting that the local authority has “a great relationship with Comhaltas”. She said, “last year in their proposal Comhaltas presented where they wanted

to host different events in a number of locations, they suggested The Gig Rig in Abbey St but they didn’t proceed with and it wasn’t in their final schedule, they didn’t continue with the Gig Rig and that was their choice”. Offering support to the motion was Mayor of the Ennis MD, Cllr Pat Daly (FF). “If Comhaltas want to use Abbey St car park then they won’t be stopped. They are a great organisation in the town in the last 50 years”. How the motion is worded is “incorrect,” Cllr Colleran Molloy responded as she confirmed she was supporting Cllr Howard. Mayor Daly then asked Cllr O’Callaghan to remove the word refrain from the motion but Cllr Howard insisted, “the motion needs to be null and void”. Cllr O’Callaghan responded, “These motions don’t come out from the sky. There is huge concern in society about the civic space in Abbey St, the Santa Claus welcome was a fantastic success and credit to the Executive for that. They want the clarity that the space will be made available”. Sensing the growing tension, Mayor Daly asked Cllr O’Callaghan to withdraw the motion and re-submit in January with amended wording. “I see your concerns about Abbey St car park, I’ve no doubt if they want to use it they will be let”.

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

Shannon

SHANNON NEWS in association with

Signage to undergo Barry enters election race improvement works as Independent candidate

OAD signage in Shannon Town is to undergo works following demands from elected representatives for improvements, writes Páraic McMahon. In a proposal before the Shannon Municipal District, Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) called on Clare County Council “to clean, straighten, repair or replace defective road signage throughout Shannon Town”. Senior executive engineer in the Shannon MD, Tom Mellett said they were committing to “maintaining road signs to a high standard. In order to achieve maximum effect when cleaning signs, we are required to schedule

this type of work at certain times of the year. This office will include sign maintenance in our winter maintenance schedule”. Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Flynn explained, “I was short on words here because I said less is more, I got it all in in a line and a half ”. He said letters were missing and “signs are cut in half ” but was pleased with the commitment from the senior engineer. Seconding the proposal, Cllr PJ Ryan (IND) outlined, “I firmly belief that we need to be better at improving signs, there are bushes growing over them and going green, it looks very bad for an area where tourists are very important. It gen-

uinely needs to be looked at in a serious way, we need washers to keep it clean. They are not being maintained properly all over the MD, there are other rural areas where signs are in a deplorable condition”. Supplementary help by means of sub-contractors can get the job done, Cllr Michael Begley (IND) insisted. “It might take a month at most to do the whole Shannon MD and take weight off our regular crew”. Cathaoirleach of the Shannon MD, Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) was also in support of action. “I’m getting people coming to me over road signs which are covered in trees and moss”.

RETIRED civil servant, Pat Barry (IND) has announced he will be contesting next year’s local elections as an Independent candidate in the Shannon Municipal District, writes Páraic McMahon. Living in Shannon for over thirty five years, Pat launched his election campaign on Wednesday evening at the Shannon Springs Hotel. Speaking to The Clare Echo, he outlined, “I’ve been asked over the years to stand for the local elections, when you’ve a young family and work it isn’t feasible but now I’ve the time and I have decided to throw my hat in the ring and if elected I’ll be able to work as a councillor on a full-time basis”. For 17 years, Pat worked in the vehicular unit of the Department of Transport based in Shannon. In the 1980s, he worked as a taxi driver in the town. Originally from North Cork, he is the father of three children, two sons and a daughter. Pat is a former member of Sinn Féin but admitted “I got pretty disillusioned with them” and left the party recently. He canvassed for the late, Mike McKee (SF), “I knew Mike McKee personally, I would have voted for him regardless of his party because I thought he was a man of principle and I liked him, he was a great loss to Shannon and to the party”. While had “notions” of seeking a nomination from Sinn Féin for the local elections, he felt it was not going to be a reality. “I had notions of it, I knew myself that it wouldn’t happen. Their focus was on a female candidate after Mike passed, it was the same with the General Election and Violet-Anne Wynne is no longer in the party, her history has been well-documented”. Health, housing and transport are the key priorities identified by Pat. “Obviously there is 128k people living in Co Clare, it is a shocking indictment of our health service that we don’t have access on a 24 hour basis to our hospital in Ennis, people are talking about that for years and years, yet it hasn’t happened, I think if you advocate for something strongly enough and if you make sense with facts and figures even if you’re a voice in the wilderness, it won’t cost a lot but political will is lacking”. “In 2023 we’re supposed to be a wealthy country and we have two people sleeping in the town centre in Shannon, it is absolutely shocking, there is no other word for it and it is very sad. We also have a food bank in Shannon every Thursday to feed the people, really and truly, goodness me it is awful. ”.

lPat Barry (IND) Shannon Airport’s potential for greater linkages is enormous, he maintained. “We’ve an international airport up the road, it is the biggest driver of economic activity in the whole Mid-West area notwithstanding Shannon, connectivity is very important from the airport and reliability, sadly Bus Éireann don’t seem to be fit for purpose with the 343 service, it is a shocking service and lip service is paid to it, there have been many meetings with Bus Éireann down through the years but no improvement. Shannon Town should have its own dedicated bus service from Shannon Airport to Colbert Station like any decent city, that is as obvious as the nose on one’s face”. On what he believes he could bring to the table of the local authority, Pat stated, “I would be a truly independent voice on the Council, having worked as a civil servant I would have the experience of dealing with a lot of paperwork. I would be in a position, I would listen to everybody no matter what party they are from, at the end of the day political differences is a fact of life on every Council but you try to rise above that for the greater good and the common good in the area”.

Community discussion at Men’s Shed THE Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) Clare is excited to invite everyone to a public meeting at Shannon's Men Shed on Sunday, December 3rd, 2023. This engaging event will take place at Unit A3, Smithstown Industrial Estate, Shannon at 1pm. We cordially welcome all members of our community to join us in this important

discussion. This gathering will be a platform for open dialogue, sharing ideas, and addressing the concerns that matter most to our community members. This is an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow community members, voice your opinions, and actively participate in shaping the future of our community. CATU Clare is com-

mitted to working together for a stronger, more vibrant Shannon. For further information or inquiries about the event, please contact George at 0892532201. Come and be a part of this essential conversation as we work towards a brighter future together!

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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News

National School officially opened in Sixmilebridge in ‘lovely’ ceremony

lDEDICATION: Fr Damien Nolan, PP Sixmilebridge, Angie Togher, Chairperson Building Committee, David Deighan Chairperson BOM Photo by Paddy Higgins

Notes

CRATLOE CEILI FUNDRAISING ceili on this sun 10th December in Cratloe Community hall 3 - 6pm. Admission €10. Refreshments & raffle. Music by Star of Munster. All proceeds will go to Slainte An Clair, Clare Cancer Support.

IT WAS a red-letter day for Sixmilebridge National School last Thursday, November 30th when the new school building was officially opened. After delays with Covid 19 and other unforeseen circumstances, the school finally celebrated the opening of the new building with a lovely ceremony, attended by the Bishop’s representatives and local politicians, and also by a large contingent of friends of the school. Those attending included retired teachers and principal, sponsors including the CEO of EI Electronics who helped fund the library/IT Suite, dedicated fundraisers and representatives of local organisations. The Principal, Gareth Heagney, opened proceedings with a welcome to all and a brief history of the school. Other speakers included the current and former Chairpersons of the BOM, and the Bishop’s representative. A commemorative plaque was unveiled by David Deighan (chairperson of the BOM), Angie Togher (Chair of the Building Committee) and local Parish Priest Fr Damien Nolan. The school band regaled the attendees with various tunes. The proceedings were live-streamed into the classrooms so that the whole school community could be included in the celebration. The original school was built in 1934, with extensions in 1974 and 1985 of an assembly/PE hall and two new class-

rooms. In the 2000s, the population of Sixmilebridge increased rapidly, making it one of the largest towns in Co Clare. The pupil enrolment numbers reflected this growth, and the school began to struggle to accommodate the increase. Several prefabs were acquired to cope with the growing number of pupils, and the school began in earnest by the end of the decade to lobby the Department of Education for a new school. However, the economy was not conducive to the proposition of a new building, and despite the best efforts of the Board of Management and Principal, the only solution offered was more prefabs. The situation was beginning to become untenable when a breakthrough was finally reached in 2014, with the Department committing to a new, purpose-built school. It was to take another five years before the dream was realised. An original design, purpose built to suit the footprint of the site available, this is an imaginative structure, with zoned areas for junior, middle and senior classes. It also has a dedicated Special Needs / Autism unit, a 4G pitch, and a state-of-theart library and computer suite. The pupils and teachers took up residence in the new school in February 2019. There are currently 468 pupils enrolled, and a staff of 59.

Treacy supports Irish Guide Dogs

OLD KILFARBOY SOCIETY THE December talk of the Old Kilfarboy Society, titled Songs and History (Where we went and what we did) will be held at The Malbay, Miltown Malbay at 8pm on Tuesday, 12th December. The lecture will detail how the history of Clare is shown through its traditional songs, using recordings made in Clare between 1973 and 2006 by Jim Carroll and Pat MacKenzie. X-PO DECEMBER BOOK CLUB Why not come and join us at our monthly book club at the X-PO. Our next meeting is Thursday 14th December at 8:00pm. This month our selected book is: ‘The Other Name: Septology I-II’ by Jon Fosse. The group spends about an hour chatting about what they liked and disliked about the selected book - and any other book recommendations and topics that come up! Given that this is our last meeting before Christmas and the New Year, we will be having some festive treats and using the opportunity to review and recommend any additional reading the group has done over the year. The library in Corofin has kindly stocked some additional copies of ‘The Other Name: Septology I-II’ for anyone who does not already have a copy. New members are always very welcome! For further information please contact: 0858680123 or why not join our mailing list by emailing kilnaboyxpo@ gmail.com.

Well known photographer James Treacy (right) raised €200 for Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind by selling Christmas cards featuring the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, a picture he took himself when he visited the Holy Land in 2018. He hopes to raise more money for the worthy cause next year.

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

Gort & North Clare

Caitriona Lucas inquest returns verdict of misadventure by Lorna Siggins news@clareecho.ie

THE FAMILY of Irish Coast Guard advanced coxswain Caitrona Lucas has criticised the Coast Guard for safety systems failures, after a jury at an inquest into her death returned a unanimous verdict of misadventure. The jury of four men and three women at the inquest before Limerick coroner John McNamara also issued seven recommendations for the Irish Coast Guard relating to safety, equipment, management and training. Ms Lucas (41), an experienced member of Doolin Coast Guard and mother of two, died after a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) capsized off the Clare coast on September 12th, 2016. The librarian from Ballyvaughan and living in Liscannor was the first Irish Coast Guard volunteer to lose her life during a tasking. She had been assisting the neighbouring Kilkee unit in a search for a missing man when the incident occurred. Mr McNamara heard from two survivors of the capsize, among some 28 depositions taken over four days at Kilmallock Court, Co Limerick. Attending were Ms Lucas’s husband, Bernard, son Ben and daughter Emma, father Tom Deely, and siblings Padraig and Bríd, along with long-time friend and former Doolin Coast Guard member Davy Spillane. The inquest heard evidence that a recommendation for a safety systems manager at the Irish Coast Guard in 2012 was not implemented till 2018. It heard that “interpersonal issues”, which had been reported to Irish Coast Guard management the previous March (2016), had led to a loss of experienced volunteers at the Kilkee unit – which meant “flanking stations”, including Doolin which Ms Lucas was a member of, were asked to help out. It heard Ms Lucas was conscious in the water for 17 minutes after the Kilkee Delta RIB was hit by a wave and capsized in a shallow surf zone at Lookout Bay off Kilkee, and that a second RIB owned by the Kilkee unit could have reached the area to effect a rescue of all three on board within 10 minutes. However, after Kilkee deputy officer-in-charge Orla Hassett called for that D-class rib to be launched, two of her colleagues left the station. She had to requisition a privately owned vessel which rescued one of the three, Kilkee volunteer Jenny Carway. In a statement given to the inquest on Thursday (Nov 30), Kilkee volunteer Lorraine Lynch, who had been at the station with Ms Hassett when a “Mayday” alert was relayed, said that she was “told” by Martony Vaughan as officer-in-charge (OIC) “to come with him in the jeep to the cliff walk”. Kilkee Delta RIB coxswain James Lucey, was rescued some hours later by the Shannon Coast Guard helicopter. The helicopter had also airlifted Ms Lucas on board earlier and flew her to Limerick University Hospital where she was pronounced dead. The jury heard evidence that her drysuit – which was not made available to the HSA for examination and was disposed of by the Coast Guard - was filled with water. The inquest heard that the cause of Ms Lucas’s death was due to drowning, but a head injury which could have caused temporary loss of consciousness was a contributory factor. Two State investigations have already taken place into Ms Lucas’s death, and three years ago the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) directed that no criminal charges would be brought arising from an HSA inquiry. A separate MCIB report was critical of the Irish Coast Guard’s safety management system and outlined a number of systems and equipment failures in relation to the Kilkee unit.HSA inspector Helen McCarthy told the jury on Wednesday that she had examined Ms Lucas’s Coast Guard logbook, and described her logkeeping as fastidious and said she was so dedicated. “I have never seen anything quite so meticulous,” she told the coroner. Simon Mills SC said Ms Lucas was “an absolutely fantastic member of the Coast Guard”. In his closing submission on the final day of the inquest on November 30th, marine expert Michael Kingston for the Lucas family, said the 2012 recommendation in a consultancy report by Fisher Associates for the Coast Guard was not implemented until after the death of Ms Lucas in 2016, and loss of four Coast Guard air crew in the Rescue 116 crash off north Mayo in March, 2017.

lThe late

Caitriona Lucas

Mr Kingston referred to personnel shortages at Kilkee Coast Guard station and ongoing "hierarchical issues", which had been discussed in detail with senior Coast Guard managers in the months before. Mr Kingston proposed the jury should consider a verdict of unlawful killing. However, Simon Mills, senior counsel for the Department of Transport/Irish Coast Guard, said that a narrative verdict, or death by misadventure or accident were the options that should be considered by the jury under the legislation. Mr Mills said that all three crew members on board the rib that capsized were in satisfactory safety gear, but were “blindsided” by a wave. He said that none of them meant to be in an area where they would be at risk from the conditions that unfolded. Mr Mills said there was no dispute that the Kilkee D-Class rescue boat had not been launched at the earliest possible opportunity, but said that it could not have one into the area where Ms Lucas was located and would have had to stand off the surf zone where she was in difficulty. Summing up for the jury at the inquest on Thursday evening, Mr McNamara said it appeared there was a “brain drain” in relation to the Kilkee unit and some “confusion” about the command structure of the unit. Mr McNamara said that Ms Hassett had put it “quite succinctly” that this was not relevant when three people were available to launch a second RIB to effect a rescue. He recalled that evidence had been heard about previous recommendations, including those in an appendix to the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) inquiry into Ms Lucas’s death relating to a previous incident in a surf zone off Inch, Co Kerry, in 2014. He said that the Kilkee unit was not aware of those Inch recommendations, and he noted evidence from HSA inspector Helen McCarthy that there was no site specific risk assessment of the area where the capsize occurred and no map of hazardous areas at the Kilkee station. Mr McNamara recalled evidence being heard that the radar system on the RIB was not operational, one of its seats was not in commission, and the radio was not working. He noted that British marine safety expert Nick Bailey had confirmed the equipment was suitable for use in Irish coastal areas, but there was an issue for the Irish Coast Guard with helmets coming off on impact. Earlier, Mr Bailey said in evidence that the loss of helmets by all three Coast Guard crew after the Kilkee Delta RIB capsized “should raise concerns” with the Coast Guard in relation to their design and whether they were being worn correctly. Mr Bailey confirmed that Ms Lucas’s drysuit was not avail-

able for his inspection. Mr Bailey told the inquest that he had examined Coast Guard safety equipment, including lifejackets, helmets and drysuits, at the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) on June 12th, 2017, nine months after the incident in which Ms Lucas lost her life. The inquest had already heard that the HSA was unable to start its investigation until then, when it could establish it had a legal right to do so, and was only given access to one piece of Ms Lucas’s safety gear – as in her drysuit, which it was allowed to photograph only, and which was then disposed of in a skip. Mr Bailey said that in his assessment the drysuit and thermal clothing used by the Irish Coast Guard was “appropriate” for the type of work it was doing in Irish waters. He said that while the type of lifejacket he had examined was a “reasonable compromise” between support and free movement, it would not necessarily keep an unconscious person upturned with a clear airway. The inquest heard that this Mullion design of lifejackets has since been withdrawn by the Irish Coast Guard. In his summing up, Mr McNamara said that “it is clear that if Ms Lucas’s helmet had remained on, it may have avoided the head injury that she sustained”. Mr McNamara said it was “unfortunate” that her drysuit, which had filled with water, was not available for inspection by the HSA or its experts. The coroner said that “we don’t know what the outcome would have been” if the Kilkee D-class RIB had been launched, but Mr Kingston had established from drone footage that there was a window of 17 minutes. “Ms Hassett, an experienced volunteer, felt they could have attempted a successful rescue,” he said, and he paid tribute to her presence of mind and that of Garda sergeant John Moloney in requisitioning a civilian vessel which rescued Ms Carway. “This occurred within an emergency situation, with a lot of pressure on everyone involved,” he said. He also commended those who had recorded the drone footage. In a statement afterwards on behalf of the Lucas family, her son Ben said that “the Irish Coast Guard’s failure to have proper safety systems caused my mother’s death”, and “the minister in charge of the transport department in 2012 should be held to account”. Mr Lucas said there were “critical lessons to be learned”, and the jury had made recommendations that should have been made seven years ago “to protect life”. Mr Lucas criticised the delay in holding the inquest, and said that “the preservation and production of evidence has been appalling”. “Irish Coast Guard management, the Attorney General’s office and the Department of Transport did not act on a critical report in 2012 that instructed them to put in place a senior safety systems manager in the Irish Coast Guard that never happened, and my mother went to help others but was let down so terribly,” Mr Lucas said. Condolences were expressed to the Lucas family by the coroner, Gardai, legal representatives for both parties, and the HSA. The Irish Coast Guard says it accepts the findings made in the inquest into the death of advanced coxswain Caitriona Lucas of its Doolin unit off the Clare coast in September 2016. A statement by the Irish Coast Guard said it would “now take time to reflect on the recommendations” and described Ms Lucas as “a very highly regarded and valued member of the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coast Guard who tragically lost her life in the course of duty”. “We would like to extend our condolences to Ms. Lucas’s family and friends on their enormous loss,” it said. “We will now take time to reflect on the recommendations that have been made,”it stated, and said that it was working to implement recommendations arising from two previous investigations into her death. The Irish Coast Guard said its “priority at all times is the safety of our volunteers who save the lives of others”. “Following Ms Lucas’s death, both the HSA and the Marine Casualty Investigation Board have conducted reviews into the incident and the Irish Coast Guard has worked to implement the recommendations stemming from both of these reports,”it said. “The Irish Coast Guard is committed to operating at the highest possible maritime safety standards so that we support and protect our volunteers as they work to serve communities all around Ireland,”it said. It thanked Mr McNamara and the jury “for the work and time they have dedicated to this inquest”.

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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Gort & North Clare

Sheridan's work among those showcased in A Season of Sundays

lPICTURE OF SPORT: Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Larry McCarthy, Mazars Managing Partner Tom O’Brien and Sportsfile staff photographer John Sheridan during the launch of A Season of Sundays 2023 at The Croke Park Hotel in Dublin and (inset) John’s photo of Paddy Small Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

LISCANNOR teenager John Sheridan is among the photographers to have their work showcased in the iconic ‘A Season of Sundays’, writes Páraic McMahon John Sheridan was on work experience wIth Sportsfile and has previously been assigned various games in the county for them in recent seasons. He has also showcased his work in The Clare Echo when covering the exploits of Ennistymon CBS. His work is included in the 27th edition of ‘A Season of Sundays’, the annual publication by sporting photography agency Sportsfile which marks the end of the GAA season with a fine collection of images. Sheridan’s photograph of Dublin’s Paddy Small kicking the ball over the bar despite the efforts of Monaghan’s Conor Boyle into the Hill 16 during the All-Ireland SFC semi-final is among the photographs in the book. Clare footballer, Ikem Ugwueru is included on page sixty, the Ennis man is photographed following their defeat to Cork in the Allianz National Football League from March, it is another shot captured by John. A Transition Year student in Ennistymon Community School, sixteen year old John was one of four Sportsfile photographers on duty for the All-Ireland semi-final. “I would also like to thank Ray and the Sportsfile staff for giving me these amazing opportunities,” he told The Clare Echo. Not that Clare hurling followers will want to be reminded of it but the last-gasp save from Kilkenny goalkeeper Eoin Murphy to deny Peter Duggan a late goal in the All-Ireland SHC semi-final is among the pick of the photographs.

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

News

The Emergence of Mycctv.ie - the story of the Kovalov family Grisha Kovalov and his family fled to Ireland from the Ukrainian crisis, hoping to build a more secure future here. One year later, Grisha, who holds a Masters from the Odessa Academy of Communications, has established a very successful business. Here he shares his story with Clare Echo readers.

CHANGES in life often lead to unexpected opportunities. We are a family from Ukraine who relocated to beautiful Ireland just over a year ago. This decision stemmed from our desire to build a secure future for our three children. The beautiful nature of Ireland, the friendly people, and the atmosphere of comfort made us feel protected. But upon arriving in the new country, there arose a need to create a safe space for our family. My name is Grisha, and I hold a Master’s degree from the Odessa Academy of Communications. My career path began with programming. After several years working as a programmer, I created my own company specializing in security system installations. Establishing my own business, I excelled in various areas, from design to installation and maintenance of surveillance systems. I bring over a decade of experience to the table. Presently, I’ve founded my company, Mycctv.ie, in Ireland, specializing in installing surveillance systems across the country. The name of the website reflects my goals and mission—to provide security and confidence to clients, making their lives comfortable and secure. My professional skills range from design-

lFAMILY: Grisha with Emily, Lev, Tim and wife Anna ing surveillance systems to their installation and maintenance. My extensive work experience includes small-scale projects like private homes and apartments, as well as large projects such as “Safe City”, casinos, parking lots, warehouses, business centers, enterprises, and more. Proficiency in network technologies at the administrative level and skills in various operating systems enable me to successfully tackle any tasks related to cameras

and network security. I understand surveillance systems not just as an engineer but at a deeper level due to years spent creating various programs associated with these systems. Among my professional achievements is the development of the software suite “Сheetah” personally created for the national police of Ukraine. This software had a significant impact on enhancing security and aiding in the fight against crime. On the first day of

its operation alone, more vehicles wanted by authorities were detected than in the entire previous year. Experience working with leading global equipment manufacturers such as Hikvision, Dahua, Mikrotik, etc., has given me a different perspective on the world of surveillance. Constantly learning about new features is a daily task that allows me not to miss any details. A profound understanding of all camera and recorder specifications helps me design any systems correctly. Using only proven equipment for installation - speeds up the process. Establishing my own business in Ireland was a challenge, especially considering my imperfect level of English. However, the thirst to apply my experience and knowledge prevailed. Certainly, leaving our home in Ukraine and moving to Ireland raised questions about housing. But the foundation for a secure life for my children has already been laid. Starting afresh in a still somewhat unfamiliar country is very challenging, but I am supported by my loving wife and my three little angels. The name Mycctv.ie speaks for itself—it’s not just a surveillance installation company; it’s an innovative approach to your security and peace of mind. My goal is to create a cozy and safe place for our family while continuing to develop my business and share experiences with the local community. By creating an uncompromisingly high-quality service, I want my clients to feel confident and safe. And my family would soon be able to proudly call Ireland home.

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

Christmas in Clare

Gardaí preparing to spread the Christmas cheer in Shannon

WITH the festive season approaching, Gardaí in Shannon are preparing for their annual special initiative to spread the joy to senior citizens in the town. Once again, An Garda Síochána is organising a Christmas dinner delivery and party for senior citizens across Shannon Town. This festive event aims to bring a touch of holiday cheer to the elderly residents who may be experiencing isolation or hardship during this time. Sergeant Seamus Mulligan told The Clare Echo, “An Garda Síochána is committed to fostering a sense of community, and Gardaí in Shannon would like to acknowledge the crucial role that local businesses, schools and organisations play in making this event a memorable and heart-warming experience for our senior citizens”. On completion of the Christmas dinner deliveries Shannon Gardaí are hosting the annual Shannon Garda Senior Citizens Christmas Party in the Goal Post Bar in the Wolfe Tones na Sionna GAA Club on Thursday 14th December at 12:30pm. For further information, contact Shannon Garda Station on 061 3650900 or email shannon.sergeantoffice@garda.ie.

l (L-R) Gerry Murphy Ei Electronics, Anne Griffin Shannon Municipal District, Breda Breen An Garda Síochána, Celia King An Garda Síochána,

Sergeant Seamus Mulligan, Siobhan Ryan An Garda Síochána, Superintendent John Ryan, Adrian Sylvester of Shannon College of Hotel Management, Dominic Murphy Shannon Precision Engineering, Darragh McDonagh Fabricated Products, David Wallace, Bunratty Manor Hotel, Sergeant Denis Lavin, Eithne Costelloe Shannon College of Hotel Management, Sean Ruane Shannon College of Hotel Management, Don Murphy Smitz Cafe Shannon Photo by Joe Buckley

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

Christmas in Clare

Sheamie backs The Clare Echo and Wonder Photo Christmas competition LATE Late Toy Show superstar, Sheamie Garrihy has teamed up with The Clare Echo and Wonder Photo Shop Ennis to get involved in a Christmas photography competition. ‘Through the eyes of a child’ was launched last month and gives children across Co Clare the chance to win some excellent prizes when they submit their entries. With prizes on offer for first, second and third place, including an Instax Camera, canvas prints and vouchers for Wonder Photo Shop Ennis, there is plenty to get excited about. We are welcoming entries from all primary school children, all you have to do is send the photo to editor@clareecho.ie with the subject line ‘Wonder Photo competition’ and your child’s photo attached along with their name, age, location and school. Fresh from bringing a smile to the nation with his appearance on The Toy Show, Sheamie paid a visit to the offices of The Clare Echo and Wonder Photo Shop where he

was presented with his own Instax Camera. Sheamie has been tasked with sending in his own photographs from his home in Kilfenora and it is expected his beloved chickens will feature. Seven year old Sheamie will also be giving a helping hand to determine the winners. He knows a thing a do about winning competitions with this publication after he was crowned the inaugural winner of The Clare Echo’s virtual talent show in 2020. From the minute he got his hands on his Instax Camera, Sheamie was putting a strong audition to become a photographer for The Clare Echo. Some of the images he captured in Ennis were of the ducks in the River Fergus, the surrounds of Abbey Street, photographer Tom Micks at work, his mother Caitriona Malone in conversation plus shots of staff of both The Clare Echo and Wonder Photo Shop Ennis. A winner of the competition will be announced on December 21st.

l Sheamie testing out his new Instax Camera and (right) Niall from Wonder Photo showing Sheamie the ropes Photos by Tom Micks

SOME OF THIS WEEK’S ENTRIES BELOW: The Polar Express by Róise Stewart, 9 years old of St Mochulla’s Primary in Tulla RIGHT: “Mischievous Elf trip” by Aoibheann O’Mara, Aged 12, from Sixmilebridge BELOW: Robin on a branch by Katie Fitzpatrick, Aged 10, from Beechpark, Ennis and attending Inch National School

Visit https://fujiennis.ie/for the latest offers. The Instax Mini Link 2 (right) is on offer at €110 while there is a range of wall art (above) available on the website

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

Christmas in Clare

Ennis Chamber and Shannon Airport Group launch #BuyLocalFlyLocal ENNIS Chamber and The Shannon Airport Group have partnered to launch a special ‘BuyLocalFlyLocal’ initiative to raise awareness about the importance of supporting local businesses this Christmas, while also promoting the fantastic choice of flights available from Shannon Airport. Flights featured in this year’s promotion are to Paris (Charles de Gaulle Airport) with Aer Lingus and to Faro, Portugal with Ryanair. Together with flights, The Shannon Airport Group will provide Car Parking and access to the airport lounge for the winners. In addition, Ennis Chamber will add €300 spending money for each lucky winner. SIMPLE CAMPAIGN Sheila Lynch, President Ennis Chamber said, “The idea behind #BuyLocalFlyLocal is simple, we are asking people to support local businesses this Christmas, by shopping local and dining local. We are also asking people to support our local airport – Shannon International Airport – when planning weekend breaks, business travel and holidays for 2024.” Those who spend a minimum of €20 with participating businesses will be entered in a draw for flights for two plus €300 spending money. First up, on the weekend of December 9th and 10th the draw is for Aer Lingus flights to Paris (Charles de Gaulle airport) while on the following weekend, December 16th and 17th the draw is for flights to Faro, Portugal with Ryanair plus €300 spending money.

BOOSTING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY Research shows that for every €10 spent locally in Clare, €24 of business is generated within the local economy. This is a great campaign with a simple, clear message that encourages people to buy local and fly local. Mary Considine, CEO, The Shannon Airport Group said, “We know how important it is to support local businesses and we were delighted to partner with Ennis Chamber on this initiative to encourage people to think local this Christmas. The #BuyLocalFlyLocal campaign has become an annual initiative, and we are excited to offer a pair of tickets to Paris and Faro to our lucky competition winners this year. We have enjoyed a very successful year at Shannon Airport, and we would like to sincerely thank people for their support and ask them to continue to Fly Shannon.” PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES

l At the launch of the campaign are Maureen Harrison of Seoidin, Danielle Kenneally of Wix and Wax, Sheila Lynch, President Ennis Chamber, Mary Considine CEO Shannon Airport Group, Gwen Culligan, County Boutique Photo by Arthus Ellis

An Binsin Luachra; Bambinos; Beo; Blackbird; Bridget Haren Hair & Beauty; Collins Jewellers; County Boutique; Duffys Pharmacy; Ennis Bookshop; Evas Café; Eye Candy Opticians; Freya Boutique; Haven Pharmacy Hollys; Horizon Optical; Kilkenny Shop; Knox’s Bar; Madden Furniture; Mondo; NC Paint & Décor; Nora Culligans; Nozomi; O’Connors Bakery O’Connell Street; O’Connors Bakery Parnell Street; O’Connors Bakery Tesco; O’Connors Newsagents; Passatempo; Preachers Pub; Rochfords Pharmacy; Seoidin; Shanahans Paints; Sweet N Green; The Wine Buff; Town Hall; Willow ; Wix and Wax; R Carmody Shoes.

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

Christmas in Clare

Ennis Lions Club monster collection helps make Christmas for our communities

AFTER a monster collection on the first weekend in December Ennis Lions Club have turned their attention to their traditional fundraising in the run up to Christmas. With a bucket collection at Dunnes Stores and manning the Tesco Christmas Appeal in Tesco the local Lions collected money and food to the value of over €6000 in just three days. Paying tribute to the generosity of the people of Ennis Lion President Michael Sheedy said, “What a fantastic response to a call for people in need. All of the food will be distributed locally to families and charities in need and the cash will all be converted into vouchers for Dunnes and Tesco to be given to families in financial distress before Christmas.” He continued “Now that we are into December we will be seen on the street regularly with our three annual Christmas projects. All providing support for local charities – any help we can get will be appreciated – both as volunteers and with donations.” Their first and longest running project is the annual Remembrance Tree in the market. Running for

l Ennis Lions Club President Michael Sheedy, member Susan Ward and volunteer Diana Parsons manning Tesco Christmas Appeal 2023

well over a decade this project offers people the opportunity to remember a loved one by writing their name on a yellow ribbon which is placed on the tree for the rest of the season, in exchange for a donation to charity. It is a tradition deeply rooted in Christmas spirit and is both emotional and nostalgic, marking the true beginning of Christmas for many as they pay tribute to their dearly departed. Over 140 man hours will be given to the remembrance tree this year – a huge effort by members and volunteers. Project Leader Tom Carey thanked Clare County Council for their collaboration each year and added “We love this project, it is very humbling and rewarding to witness the care shown to loved ones, and then to be able to pass that on in a practical sense by donating the funds to Cahercalla Care Centre”. Ticket sales have started already for the newer Annual Raffle for a mega hamper to the value of €1,000. For the third year in-a-row Infinity Lifts are donating the magnificent hamper to Ennis Lions Club to raise funds for several local charities and requests over the coming months.

Past President Paul Watson of the Lions Club advised, “For the week running up to Christmas we will be in the square with the hamper selling tickets – I know when people see the hamper itself they will have no problem taking a €5 punt on it – its fabulous!” Among the most fun of the Lions’ Christmas events is the Santa Photo Project where families, partygoers, random groups of teenagers and office workers all have the opportunity to get a photo with Santa in exchange for a donation to The Brothers of Charity. Running for one day on Sunday December 17 between 11:30-16:30 at the Square, there will be plenty of HO-HO-HOing and bell ringing as everybody gets into the festive mood. Leader on this project is Conor Smith who acknowledged the services of Niall Considine at Fujifilm which develops the photos each year free of charge. President Michael Sheedy wrapped up by saying “We will see you all on the streets over the next few weeks – let’s make it a good one for everybody by doing what we can. Happy Christmas to one and all!”

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

Christmas in Clare

25 stalls at Doonbeg Christmas Market DOONBEG will host a Christmas Market on Saturday, December 16 between 2 pm and 6 pm in Doonbeg Community Hall. The Market will consist of over 25 stalls for last minute Christmas gifts including local crafts and baked goods. There will be fun activities for the children to enjoy. A live DJ will also be in situ playing all the Christmas favourites as well as performances from local dancers and musicians. Speaking about the event, organiser Karen McInerney said, “This is great opportunity for everyone to come together and celebrate in

the excitement of the run-up to Christmas while also showcasing the wonderful talent of local people both in terms of crafts and the arts.” The Christmas market will culminate in a Festive Tractor Run through the village. Funds raised from the event will go towards the Doonbeg Playground and Doonbeg Tidy Towns - both organisations are currently very active with their projects in the community. “Everyone and anyone is welcome to attend on the day, the more the merrier!” Karen reiterated.

Ballynacally hosts first Country Craft Market

Have a bell of a time Santa Claus and well known communications tycoon David McCourt enjoy the festivities in Newmarket-on-Fergus last weekend Photo by Eamon Ward

BALLYNACALLY Development Association is delighted to host the first Ballynacally Country Craft Market on Sunday, December 10 in Ballynacally Community Hall. There will be a great variety of local handmade crafts - wood, wax, metal, greenery and much more. There will also be lots of culinary treats, tea, coffee, delicious hot chocolate and, of course, Christmas punch. The community café will also be open with hot food available. Some great musical entertainment will be pro-

vided by local musicians including, fresh from their brand new album launch, Southern Cross. There will be a rare chance to purchase a piece of history in the form of some original chairs from the old hall. Lots more surprises on the day, such as a photo opportunities with some seasonally attired local donkeys for younger attendees. All are welcome to what promises to be a fabulous & festive day out. Limited stall space still available. Phone 0851814031 and/ or 0834432473 to book.

Festive goodies and gifts at Mountshannon Christmas market FOLLOWING on from the success of last year’s inaugural Christmas Market in Mountshannon, its organisers are delighted to present an even bigger, better version this year, on this Sunday, December 10. The market takes place over two venues, using both the usual Market House thanks to the Keane family, and the Community Hall. Organisers have an incredible 44 stalls, selling a massively diverse range of products, including Fairy Houses,Jew-

ellery, Pottery, Shawls made from Yaks wool,Books, Herbal Cures, Vintage clothes, Turkish Coffee and more, so you can do all of your Christmas shopping in one place. Almost all of the traders and producers are local, so as well as getting guaranteed quality goods, you are supporting your local economy. Local stalwarts will be there, selling homemade baked organic breads, kimchis and sauerkrauts, and locally grown, chemical free fruit & veg.

There will also be a visit from some of Santa’s elves, who may have some little treats for younger visitors, and will possibly show the younger ones some circus skills later in the day. There will be free face painting, and free workshops, for young and old. The Market will also be serving free hot spicy apple juice in the Market House, and there will be a selection of hot food and drinks for sale in both venues. There will be live music from

the Lough Derg Singers, as well as the East Clare Handbell Ringers. So come along and join the fun, and of course the local cafes and bars will be open for further sustenance, should you need it. Visitors are being urged to bring cash to the event as most traders are small, local businesses, and not all can facilitate digital payments (there are no ATMs in Mountshannon). The market will run from 11am to 4pm, and entry is free.

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

Christmas in Clare

Free entry for Clare residents to Cliffs of Moher ‘Festive’ Experience

‘Buy Local’ campaign at Ireland’s most visited natural attraction

All residents of County Clare are being offered complimentary admission to the Cliffs of Moher Experience as part of the world-famous attraction’s Christmas offering. The iconic visitor attraction is promoting a festive ‘Buy Local’ campaign this year by offering visitors a 20% discount at the Craft and Gift Store where products by more than 80 Irish suppliers, of which 60 are local or artisan, are available to purchase. Meanwhile, diners at the Cliff View Café are able enjoy menus filled with locally sourced produce from Burren Smoked Salmon to St Tolas goat cheese and Burren Gold Cheese. Staff also will be hosting fundraisers for community-based charities throughout the month, including a Christmas Breakfast at the Cliff View Café and festive visits with local schoolchildren to nursing homes in the North Clare area. “The Cliffs of Moher Experience is offering one of the most unique shopping experiences in Ireland this Christmas,” commented

l Staff of the Cliffs of Moher Experience and (right) snow covers the landscape at the Cliffs of Moher

Geraldine Enright, General Manager of Cliffs of Moher Clare Tourism North West. She continued, “Before or after taking in the breathtaking scenery of the Cliffs of Moher and the Atlantic seascape, visitors can enter the visitor centre building to choose from a wide range of knitwear, candle, art, porcelain, jewellery, ceramic and beauty products along with a range of other gift ideas

from adult and children’s books to vintage posters and from handbags to Christmas decorations. A wide selection of wines, jams, chutney, mustards, sea veg, chocolate, fudge, coffee, Christmas Cakes gift hampers and local foods, for which the Burren and County Clare is known the world over, is also on offer.” “The Visitor Centre will be adorned in twinkling

Christmas lights and decorations from the end of November, and we are very much looking forward to welcoming festive visitors each day between 9am and 5pm,” added Ms. Enright. Visitors to the Cliffs of

Moher are being invited download the new Cliffs of Moher Experience app. With free Wi-Fi available throughout the main visitor centre building and viewing platforms, visitors will be able to access a range of informa-

tion about the Cliffs via their smartphone. Clare residents wishing to avail of the Clare pass are invited to book online at www. cliffsofmoher.ie and use the promo code CLARE23 to receive their tickets.

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

Christmas in Clare

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

Christmas in Clare

Switching on the Christmas lights at Newmarket-on-Fergus

l Residents of Newmarket-on-Fergus and further afield gathered for the switching on of the Christmas lights last weekend All photos by Eamon Ward

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

Christmas in Clare

East Clare to raise its voice with concert in aid of Palestine victims

SOME 20 plus singers, musicians and story-tellers are set to put their best East Clare performance and hearts into a one-off fund-raiser for victims of the war in Palestine at a special event in Scariff GAA hall on Sunday, December 17 next. The ‘East Clare for Peace in Palestine’ concert will be a medley of songs and stories of peace and Christmas from some of the bestknown performers from the Scariff, Ogonnelloe, Whitegate, Mountshannon and Bodyke areas. They will sing from the same emotive sheet on Sunday week to raise funds for the Irish Emergency Alliance response to the ongoing horror unfolding in Gaza. The alliance comprises member agencies , Action Aid, Christian Aid, Trócaire, World Vision, TearFund, and Plan International, whose emergency appeal is aimed, in particular, at providing immediate help to children and families affected by the war and escalating humanitarian crisis. Tickets for Sunday week’s gathering go on sale on Eventbrite and can also be purchased at Rodgers’ and Bane’s shops in Scariff, McDer-

mott’s in Whitegate plus other outlets to be added over the coming days. Tickets are priced at €20 each and are expected to sell out quickly so the advice is to book early. The event is being organized by another alliance, of East Clare performers motivated by the harrowing events unfolding in Gaza and has set a target of raising €3,000 from the night. One of the organisers, Jim O’Brien, said that the concert is an opportunity for the people of East Clare to show their support for those whose lives have been destroyed by the war. “There’s an incredible sense of community and caring in East Clare and we are horrified at the unfathomable suffering inflicted on innocent children and their families during the attacks on Israel on October 7 and the suffering being inflicted on tens of thousands innocent civilians in Gaza as a result of the continuous and relentless military assault on the enclave. We just wanted to do our bit here in East Clare, not least at this time of the year when we cherish peace more than ever but tragically it’s something that the children of Pal-

estine are being deprived of. “A few of us got together and came up with the idea of the concert as music and song is an incredible medium for expressing support. It’s going to be a great ensemble and we certainly couldn’t say overly rehearsed given the short notice but people will sing their hearts out and we’ll also have some fun and Christmas cheer thrown into the bargain.” According to Jim O’Brien the response to the concert from the performing community reflects the universal revulsion over what’s happening. “There’s still a bit to finalise but everyone we’ve asked immediately said yes. The concert is going to be essentially two parts; the first of songs of peace that we all know so well, from John Lennon’s Imagine to Dylan’s Blowin’ in the Wind. The second half, then, is going to be very much a celebration of the Christmas songs, including our East Clare version of Fairytale of New York and other classics. We’re confident of a night of great of entertainment as well as chance to give to a great cause.” Musical director for the show

l Musical director Johnny O’Brien

will be East Clare’s finest Johnny O’Brien with performers set to include the likes of East Clare Community Choir, East Clare Musical Society, Jim O’Brien, Sarah King, Noel Hogan, Noel Daly and many others. Details of the full line-up will be published over the coming week. Tickets available at Eventbrite,

scan the QR code to go directly to the page.

Stocking fillers from The Ennis Bookshop WITH a great array of new titles available instore at The Ennis Bookshop now there is something suitable for everyone on your list! The Christmas countdown is now underway and as our thoughts turn to picking up the perfect gift for family and friends it is important to remember to shop local this festive season! Bookselling Ireland, the committee of Booksellers Association members representing bookshops big and small from all across Ireland, are encouraging shoppers to support their local bookshop by shopping local and shopping Irish this year. With Irish bookselling contributing a massive €189 million to the economy and over 3,145 jobs supported by the bookselling industry in Ireland today, it really is important for shoppers to show their support to local bookshops this Christmas. In return, shoppers in Clare can expect to receive the very best in customer service and knowledge from the books experts in their local store. Books offer an ideal gift idea and with a vast array of new titles now available in your local bookshop there really is something to suit everyone this Christmas! Some of Bookselling Ireland’s favourite new books for Christmas 2023 include;

FOR CHILDREN: The Forgettables by Myles Dungan and illustrated by Alan Dunne This book shines a light on some of the fascinating men, women and animals who made an impact on Irish life, but have since been forgotten. Learn about Alice Kyteler, the Kilkenny Witch; jewel thief Francis Shackleton (brother of explorer Ernest); and Paddy the Pigeon, awarded the Dickin Medal for being a D-Day hero. LEARN AS YOU READ: Dirty Linen: The Troubles in My Home Place by Martin Doyle M a r t i n Doyle, Books Editor of the Irish Times, draws on his personal experiences growing up in rural Co. Down in the 1970s to paint a moving and

poignant account of the long-lasting consequences of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. FOR THE FOODIE: Flavour by Mark Moriarty It’s difficult to find a cookbook that will show you how to cook basic everyday meals elevated to restaurant quality, but Mark Moriarty uses his 15 years’ experience working in professional kitchens to create 100 imaginative yet easy to follow recipes. This book will delight beginner and experienced cooks. FOR FICTION LOVERS: My Father’s House by Joseph O’Connor Based on the true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty and his trusted network of accomplices who risked their lives to smuggle thou-

sands of Jews and escaped Allied prisoners out of Italy during WWII, this literary thriller is fast-paced and beautifully written. FOR FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION LOVERS: The Undetectables by Courtney Smyth A magical serial killer is stalking the Occult town of Wrackton. Enter the Undetectables, a detective agency run by three witches and a ghost in a cat costume (don't ask). They are hired to investigate the murders, but with their only case so far left unsolved, will they be up to the task? FOR THE ARMCHAIR SPORTS PEOPLE: This is the Life: Days and Nights in the GAA by Ciarán Murphy Already well known as a

Second Captains host and sports journalist, Ciarán Murphy’s first book is his love letter to the GAA, capturing the significance of the organisation to communities throughout the country and the unbreakable bonds forged between all those involved. Dawn Behan, Chair of Bookselling Ireland, said, “With the festive countdown now underway and people shopping for gifts for their loved ones we would encourage everyone to shop local this Christmas and support your local bookshop. Our experienced booksellers are on hand to help and offer advice on books for young and old that will be sure to delight come Christmas morning.” For more great Christmas gift ideas keep an eye on Bookselling Ireland’s social media platforms; Facebook: @BooksellingIreland, Twitter: @BooksellingI and Instagram: @BooksellingI. You can also pop into your local bookshop to receive a great Christmas gift recommendation today! Visit The Ennis Bookshop on Abbey Street Ennis or visit https:// www.ennisbookshop.ie/

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

News

Local companies row in behind June; spaces still available to sponsor a swim by Páraic McMahon

paraic@clareecho.ie

OCAL businesses are being encouraged to support June Curting as she endeavours to raise €200,000 for charity. The West Clare woman who founded Snamhaí Sásta is taking on 63 swims in the Atlantic Ocean at Spanish Point beach by Christmas time, putting herself through a gruelling three dips a day in the cold water. It’s all with the aim of raising €200,000 for the MidWest Simon Community, who are aiming to open a ‘social grocery store’ in Ennis to make food accessible to all, with the help of funds raised by June. Many of the swims have already been sponsored and almost €30,000 has already been raised by June’s supporters. “To achieve our goal, we are looking for corporate sponsors for each of the three swims per day. We are asking for €500 per swim and hope to have at least one sponsor for each swim. We wold also love for these organisations to encourage their employees to fundraise and match their donations within their organisation,” is June’s appeal.

l TAKING THE PLUNGE: June Curtin In addition to the regular swims, there will be special celebrity swims with the next two taking place on Sunday December 10th and 17th,

Kildysart students gear up for Oliver! the musical STUDENTS of St. John Bosco Community College, Kildysart are set to enchant audiences with their upcoming staging of the classic musical "Oliver!", Lionel Bart’s musical interpretation of the classic Charles Dickens novel “Oliver Twist” The much-anticipated production is scheduled to run from the 15th to the 17th of December at Kildysart Community Centre. Contact school office for ticket sales.

Photo by Gary Collins

celebrity Sundays can be sponsored for €1,500. This Sunday, there will also be a Festive Afternoon Tea Banquet at the Armada Hotel as part of

June’s efforts to raise €200,000 for MidWest Simon Community. Speaking about her journey, June tells The Clare Echo, “I founded Snámhai Sásta almost five years ago after losing my husband to suicide, I have built a wonderful community who swim seven days a week, 365 days a year. I have people coming from the four corbets of Ireland to join me now.” June is a huge advocate for the mental benefits of sea swimming, adding that “getting people talking about their mental health is very important.” Having established a platform to make a difference through Snamhaí Sásta, June explains, “I wanted to make a difference to those experiencing homelessness and most especially food poverty in Ireland. “Food and access to it is a basic human right, food poverty in Ireland is increasingly on the rise. “I have recently spoken to teachers who have said young children are coming to school hungry often with little or no lunch . I am incredibly sad to think about that, parents are not eating two to three days a week in order to feed their children what little they have. “For that reason I wanted to support MidWest Simon and this year.” June will be swimming three

times a day from December 1-21 at 9.15am, 1.15pm and 4.15pm and she’s encouraging members of the public to join and support her. Anyone who wants to donate can visit snamhaisasta on Instagram or scan the QR code below for the iDonate page. THE SPONSORS

TUS; Pierce Motors (10 swims); Future Range; DHL Global (2 swims); Mary Immaculate; Grant Thorton ; Clare Co Council; Monitor Security; John and James Walsh (3 swims); Armada Hotel; Hogan & Co; Utility Trust (5 swims); Bellbridge Hotel; Clare Tourism; Noel O’Shea Coaches; Barry Smith Kitchens; McNamee Londis Miltown Malbay; Ennis Food Emporium; Perch; Vaughans Anchor Inn Liscannor & Spooneys Lahinch; Falls Hotel; Rock Shop Liscannor; Templegate Hotel Ennis; Polition (2 swims); Nozomi Shoe Boutique; St. Francis Credit Union

l Orlaith Quinn, Paschal Russell and Jane Earley pictured at a recent Clarecastle Community Plan meeting at Clarecastle National School

Clarecastle Community Plan public meeting in Clarecastle DOZENS of Clarecastle residents gathered at Clarecastle National School on Thursday 30 November for a discussion on the future of the Village. An extensive consultation process is underway in the village, initiated by Clarecastle Community Development CLG and facilitated by local woman Sinéad Doody, to collect people's views on what they would like to see in the village. A 'Village Team' will be established following this consultation process to decide what should go in to the community plan, produce clear goals

and identify existing groups, new groups and state agencies to drive each action. The new plan will build on Clarecastle's rich culture of volunteerism and on a decades of community leadership. It will adopt Clarecastle Tidy Town’s 5-year development plan as a key component of the overall plan. The visual transformation of the village was instrumental in Clarecastle securing a 2023 Tidy Towns national bronze medal. For more information on the process please see: https://clarecastle. ie/community-plan/

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Jul 20, 2023

Columnists

Thought for the week: Spirit of Christmas Spreading the word of positivity RONAN SCULLY

T’S finally that wonderful time of 2023. It’s Christmas time and it really is Christmas every time you let God love others through you. But what is the real meaning of Christmas? SEASON OF JOY Christmas can be a season of great joy. It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed unity and strength. It can be a time of great Peace which our world in all its fiber longs for and needs so much. You see, Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to be born. His birth brought great joy to the world. Shepherds, wise men, and angels all shared in the excitement of knowing about this great event. They knew this was no ordinary baby. The prophets had told of His coming hundreds of years before. The star stopped over Bethlehem just to mark the way for

those who were looking for this special child. A special child that brings real joy and peace into our hearts and souls if we let him each Christmas and each day of our year even if his place of birth really does challenge our comforts. In my lifetime so far as I journey through life, I have learned that Christmas magic is powerful, but the power in our hearts is even more magical. Our ability to love one another, to renew our faith and bring hope into our lives and the lives of others, are the greatest of gifts to bestow and receive. Christmas is indeed a time for sharing in gift giving and celebrating, too. And yet, the greatest gifts are not those wrapped in fine papers or dressed in colorful bows. They are those given with an open heart, one wrapped in the lovely ribbons of faith, hope, peace and love. To quote Charles Dickens’ classic tale, “A Christmas Carol,” “I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year.” Words of wisdom that should be echoed on all the days yet to be. As Henry Van Dyke said, “Are you willing to keep the real spirit of Christmas

all year through and to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you. To ignore what the world owes you, and to think about what you owe the world. To put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance, and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground. Are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas. THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK As your thought for the week, especially during this Christmas season, look at ways you can help create a world in which human dignity, kindness, mercy, peace, genuineness, forgiveness, love and care is respected and where everyone can reach their full potential. This would be true progress and would be worth more than any economic growth. Let me leave you this week with a Christmas version of that great verse from 1 Corinthians 13 about the real spirit of Christmas – “If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny

lAngel

balls, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator. If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another cook. If I work at the soup kitchen,

carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing. Love stops the cooking to hug the child. Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband or wife. Love is kind, though hurried and tired. Love doesn’t envy

another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens. Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way. Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure. The things that have hurt you, broken your heart, made you cry with pain, grief and even rage are the very same things that have made you more human, more compassionate, and more able to help lift others into the light of God’s unconditional love for each and everyone of us. And that’s the one thing we all desperately need and the most significant, life changing gift we can offer. Amen. Merry Christmas and lots of love and joy to you and yours always and I hope it brings much love, joy and peace to you this Christmas time and always!

Reacquaint yourself with the Irish language Macalla an Chláir

Imeachtaí/Events:

LE MACDARA Ó CONAOLA

• INIS/ENNIS – COIS NA HABHNA, SONGS AS GAEILGE CLASS, Rang amhráin i nGaeilge, chuile Dé Céadaoin/Wednesdays ag 7.30pm, info/eolas ag spraoilegaeilge@gmail.com nó 085-1295594 • CILL INÍNE BAOITH - Ciorcal Comhrá san XPO, chuile Dé Céadaoin ag 7.30pm • • TG4 – Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy, Dé Domhnaigh, 10ú Nollaig, 9.35pm • 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 • RAIDIÓ CLARE FM - ‘’Cúl-chaint’’ le Domhnall Ó Loingsigh chuile mhaidin Dé Sathairn, 9am. Seol nuacht chuig: Donal@clare.fm • ENNISTYMON / INIS DÍOMÁIN – Scéalaíocht agus Rannta le Ceri, Storytime and Rhyme i nGaeilge with Ceri, sa Leabharlann, Inis Díomáin, Dé Sathairn an 9ú Nollaig / 9th of December, 11.00 – – 11.30am IN AISCE / FREE OF CHARGE

IA dhaoibh! Cén chaoi bhfuil an chraic? Má tá sibh ag cuartú smaointe do bhronntanais Nollag, cad faoi dhearbháin do ranganna Gaeilge sa mBliain Nua a fháil do dhuine speisialta éigin? Seolaigí r-phost chugainn ag an seoladh thíos faoi sin, nó cuirigí glaoch orainn! Bígí liom fhéin i Leabharlann De Valera na hInse ag 3pm, Dé Céadaoin seo chugainn an 13ú Nollaig, le haghaidh roinnt scéalaíochta agus cúpla amhrán do pháistí, SAOR IN AISCE! Ná déanaigí dearmad breathnú ar an gclár ‘’Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy’’ ar TG4 san oíche Dé Domhnaigh ag 21:35, le neart ceol agus scéalta ó Shráid na Cathrach! Go dtí an tseachtain seo chugainn, tógaigí go réidh é! GIVE IRISH A CHANCE IT WAS 43 years ago tomorrow that John Lennon, or Seán Ó Leannáin (from leannán meaning darling or sweetheart), was tragically assassinated in New York. Like many of you reading this, Lennon’s not too distant Irish ancestors’ spoke native Irish. What better way to celebrate your ancestors and connect with them through the mists of time, than to reacquaint yourself with the beautiful and fun language they spoke and sang in themselves? Or indeed if you’re a total beginner, then Irish Lessons will resume in the New Year and you can purchase a voucher for yourself, or as a bronntanas Nollag for your athair, máthair, deartháir,

Gluais/Glossary:

Irish

lJohn Lennon i gCo. an Chláir

deirfiúr, Mamó, Deaideo, uncail, aint, col-ceathrar, col-cúigear, cara, or comharsa bhéal dorais! And of course, Irish belongs to everyone! Enquiries: 0851295594 / spraoilegaeilge@gmail.com. And beidh fáilte romhaibh next Dé Céadaoin, 13th of December at 3pm, in De Valera Library, Ennis, for some storytelling and songs with myself, i nGAEILGE, for na páistí! FREE OF CHARGE. Follow us / Leanaigí ar twitter, Facebook, agus Instagram muid ag @MacallaAnChlair! Contact us / Is féidir r-phost a sheoladh chugainn má bhíonn scéal ar bith agaibh nó imeacht Gaeilge éigint ag tarlú in bhur gceantar, ag macallaanchlair@gmail.com.

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Cén chaoi bhfuil an chraic? –English How’s the craic? ag cuartú smaointe – looking for ideas dearbhán – voucher breathnú – to watch spraoi – fun bronntanas – present Mamó/Deaideo – Granny/Grandad Col ceathrar – cousin col cúigear – first cousin once removed comharsa béal dorais – next door neighbour beidh fáilte romhaibh – you’ll be welcome (plural) tógaigí go réidh é! – take it easy (to more than one person)!

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

GREEN CLARE

Council welcomes fund to support community climate action CLARE County Council have welcomed the announcement by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, of a new Community Climate Action Fund which is being made available to organisations and community groups interested in developing projects and initiatives which relate to the challenge of addressing climate change, writes Elaine Tubridy. As an investment under the Climate Action Fund, the overall objective of the Community Climate Action Programme is to support and empower communities, in partnership with Clare County Council, to shape and build low carbon, sustainable communities in a coherent way to contribute to national climate and energy targets. The Programme aims to support small and large, rural and urban communities to take positive climate action. This Programme supports direct engagement with communities to both promote and assist in the scale up of community climate action from the respective starting points of the communities. The funding is for investment in small, medium, and large-scale community climate action projects. There are two parts to the funding available: • Strand 1: Action: Building Low Carbon Communities Clare County Council has been allocated a total of €572,000 to work in partnership with communities, large and small, rural and urban, within County Clare to build low carbon communities in a considered and structured way. • Strand 1a: Shared Island Community

Climate Action In addition, a total of €3 million is available to support cross-border and all-island community climate action partnerships between community organisations in County Clare and in Northern Ireland. The projects will take action across at least one, preferably several, of the following five themes: • Community/energy • Travel • Food and waste • Shopping and recycling • Local climate and environmental action. The Community Climate Action Programme will support the delivery of the new five-year Climate Action Plan for County Clare, which is in development. The plan aims to position County Clare as a national leader in climate action and strengthen the delivery of effective climate action at local and community levels, through place-based climate action. The application process for the Community Climate Action Programme is available through the Clare County Council website. Ahead of the launch of the Community Climate Action Programme, Cllr Joe Cooney, Cathaoirleach, Clare County Council, said, “It is clear that communities in County Clare are eager and willing to take significant climate action. The Community Climate Action Programme places community leadership at the heart of local climate and environmental action. It presents an opportunity for local community groups and organisations, supported by Clare County Council, to play an

l Kelly Slattery, Community Climate Action Officer, Clare County Council; Cllr Joe Cooney, Cathaoirleach, Clare County Council; Pat Dowling, Chief Executive, Clare County Council; Siobhan McNulty, Acting Director of Physical Development, Clare County Council; and Morgan Lahiffe, Climate Action Co-ordinator, Clare County Council Photo by Eamon Ward

active role in helping Ireland to become a climate neutral economy and resilient society by 2050.” Pat Dowling, Chief Executive, Clare County Council, said, “The Community Climate Action Programme supports community activation and will engage and empower community groups and organisations, in partnership with Clare County Council, to develop projects and initiatives that will inspire hope, interest and passion in climate action. We are delighted to work alongside local communities in County Clare to drive the change

necessary to address climate adaptation and mitigation.” For more information on the Community Climate Action Programme visit: https:// www.clarecoco.ie/services/climate/ To learn more about the development of Clare’s Climate Action Plan visit: https:// yoursay.clarecoco.ie/climate-action-plan The Programme is open for applications from 6th December, 2023, to 28th February, 2024. Contact the Community Climate Action Officer, Kelly Slattery, on communityclimate@clarecoco.ie

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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GREEN CLARE

Over 600 students partake in Clare Schools Biodiversity Programme

OVER 600 school students in Clare have learned about the important role they can play in tackling the biodiversity crisis thanks to a new programme of educational workshops, writes Páraic McMahon. Students were taking part in the first ‘Clare Schools Biodiversity Programme’, an initiative for primary and secondary schools coordinated by Clare County Council’s Biodiversity Officer Barry O’Loughlin and funded by the Heritage in Schools Scheme (Heritage Council) and Creative Ireland (through Clare Libraries). Biodiversity Educational Specialists, Sinéad Keane and David McGrath, interacted with students through a series of workshops as part of the programme to raise awareness of biodiversity through creative learning in eleven schools across Clare during the months of September, October and

November. As part of the one-day workshops, students learned about the importance of biodiversity and the role they can play in protecting and enhancing the environment for wildlife. Students had the opportunity to become involved in a range of activities such as working with nature and art, habitat identification, mapping of school grounds, installing a bird table and bird nest boxes, creating log piles for insects, identifying garden birds, and learning about pollinators and nectar sources. Primary and secondary schools where students are undertaking the theme of biodiversity as part of An Taisce’s Green Schools programme were the target audience for the workshops. They focused on steps that can be taken in schools to increase awareness of the importance of our natural heritage, including native plants, an-

imals and habitats, and to increase species-richness on school grounds. Clare County Council’s Biodiversity Officer, Barry O’Loughlin, said a key objective of the Clare Schools Biodiversity Programme is to help address Ireland’s biodiversity crisis by improving students’ understanding and knowledge of their natural environment. He explained, “Ireland has seen a drastic decline in biodiversity in recent years with 85% of habitats and 30% of species listed as having ‘unfavourable status’. The fourth review of the conservation status of birds across the island of Ireland published in 2021 identified one-quarter of Irish birds on the ‘red list’ due to declines in breeding and wintering populations. It is therefore important that we work to increase awareness among people about the steps that can be taken to support biodiversity”.

lBiodiversity

Thursday, Dec 1, 2022 THE CLARE ECHO

Lifestyle & Comment

Driving at 30km/hr can save lives

THE Road Safety Authority have launched their annual festive season safety campaign, calling on all road users to act responsibly and safely this Christmas. With this in mind, The Clare Echo in association with Gort Road Tyres have highlighted the most important points from the RSA’s campaign below. As the festive period approaches, the RSA, An Garda Síochána and the Department of Transport are calling on people to refrain from driving while under the influence of alcohol and illegal drugs, and they will be also targeting other road traffic offences such as mobile phone use, speeding and non-wearing of seatbelts. This year’s road safety campaign focuses on 30km/h speed limit in urban areas, a strategic initiative aimed at reducing road traffic fatalities. There is overwhelming evidence that lower speed limits make streets safer and more pleasant places for children and adults to live, socialise, work and play. When parents and children can walk and cycle in their neighbourhood, families benefit from healthier children, less stress and more money in their pockets. In addition, data consistently indicates that higher speeds significantly escalate both the

incidence and severity of road accidents: • If hit at 60km/h 9 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed. • If hit at 50Km/h 5 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed. • If hit at 30km/h 9 out of 10 will survive. There has been an increase in fatalities on Irish roads in 2023, and with the period between Christmas and New Year a traditionally dangerous time on the roads, the new campaign, aims to encourage road users to reduce their speed and be extra cautious over the festive period. RSA CEO Sam Waide noted that the Christmas period should be a time of celebration, not tragedy. “Slower speeds save lives, and by complying with these limits, every road user contributes to a safer, more responsible road environment. We implore all road users to slow down and adhere to speed limits, including those in urban areas like 30km/h speed limits where they are in place, avoid driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and respect all other road users. Together, we can ensure that this Christmas is remembered for the right reasons,” he said.

Bright future awaits at MIC

The Mary Immaculate College Bachelor of Arts Scholarship valued at €2,000, was awarded on the basis of high-level CAO points obtained in the Leaving Certificate Examination to students at a recent award ceremony held at the college. Emily Chen from Ennis (pictured left with her parents Ying and Fang) and Ethan Cassley from Shannon (pictured above with his parents Paddy and Vicki) both received scholarships on the night

Photos by Don Moloney

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 1, 2022

Support journalism in Clare by subscribing to www.clareecho.ie/subscribe

Lifestyle & Comment

Cracking Christmas sides

Luxurious Cauliflower Cheese You’ll need

n 2 cauliflowers n 250g Burren gold plain

cheese grated n 1tblspoon whole grain mustard (I’d recommend Clare same shops) n 100g butter THIS week we will let you in on a few tips and tricks to get ahead with Christmas side dishes so you spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the day.

Roast potatoes with Garlic & Rosemary You’ll need

n 2kg Maris Piper or rooster potatoes peeled and cut in ½ or ¼ depending on size n 200g beef dropping or

duck fat

n 1 large sprig of

rosemary n 1 head garlic n Salt & pepper

Method

1) Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water and a good pinch of salt. 2) Place on a high heat and boil heavily for around 8-10 minutes. The outside should be cooked and the inside nearly cooked, not mushy. 3) With a slotted spoon remove from the water onto a tray and leave to cool. 4) You can now place the potatoes in the freezer. This can be done up to a week before you need them. 5) The day before you need the potatoes remove from the freezer so they are totally defrosted before you cook. 6) Pre-heat your oven to 220c. 7) Place the potatoes on a roasting tin and generously cover all over with the beef or duck fat, season liberally with salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes. 8) Roughly chop the rosemary and smash up the garlic, add to the potatoes and cook for a final 10 minutes. 9) Serve straight from the oven.

n 100g plain flour n 500g milk n Salt & Pepper n 100 g Guinness or 4-5

splashes Worcestershire sauce

This can be made 2-3 days ahead of when needed and just baked before serving.

Method

1) Place a pan of heavily salted water on to boil. 2) Break up the cauliflower into florets, cut in half if needed to make all roughly the same size. 3) Cook in the boiling water for 2 minutes and remove to cool down. 4) To make the cheese sauce melt the butter, add the flour and cook on low heat for 4-5 minutes until it has the texture of sand. 5) Add the Guinness or Worcestershire sauce and mix with a whisk. Slowly add the milk a ladle at a time and whisk making sure it doesn’t go lumpy (if it does, blend with a hand blender). 6) When all the milk is added, finish with the mustard and 200g of the cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 7) Add the cauliflower to the sauce mix and turn out onto an oven-proof dish. Top with the rest of the cheese and some breadcrumbs if you have them. 8) You can keep this in the fridge for 2-3 days and will be perfect on Christmas Day 9) place in the oven at 220 for 20 minutes and serve immediately.

Crushed carrots and parsnips You’ll need

n 1kg carrots peeled and cut into chunks around 1” n 1.5kg parsnips peeled, remove woody core and cut into same sized

chunks

n 200g butter n 200g milk n Honey n Nutmeg n Salt & pepper

This can be made 3-4 days ahead and kept in the fridge just to warm up on the day.

Top tips for December gardening Tidying up

IT’S a good time to look over your garden to tidy up shrubs and hedges, as well as mulching beds. There’s lots to do in December. Help the birds to prepare for winter by putting out food and water regularly. Remember to keep

the bird bath clean and break ice after frost. Raise containers and pots off the ground using pot feet. This helps to prevent water logging and stops pots from freezing. There’s still time to prune hedges and trim them into a nice shape.

Enjoy Homestead at home

THE award-winning Homestead Cottage have launched a selection of their delicious home-made produce just in time for the Christmas season. Foodies will find organic cranberry sauce, garden berry jam (blackcurrant, raspberry, blackberry), polytunnel tomato chutney, Burtie’s apple chutney, real mincemeat, fresh brown bread and sourdough focaccia among the irresistible range. The jams and chutneys all come from their own garden and are made with organic products where possible. The mincemeat is made with real suet and a sup of JJ Corry whiskey. The delectable cranberry sauce has red wine and spices running through it, making it the perfect addition to the Christmas turkey, not to mention the St Stephen’s Day sandwiches!

Method

1) Place the carrots in a pot and season with salt and a little sugar. Leave for an hour for the water to come out of the carrots. This will sweeten them and make them less watery. 2) Place enough water to nearly cover the carrots and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. 3)Add the parsnips to the same pot and cover with a lid and let them cook and steam for another 15-20 minutes until both vegetables are cooked. 4) Strain if there is a lot of water left and add the butter and crush with a potato masher. 5) Add milk to taste as well as honey and nutmeg. 6) Season with salt and pepper to your taste. We serve these sides alongside our roasts every Sunday from 1pm to 7pm.

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

Columnists

Demystifying emotional intelligence

EMOTIONAL intelligence in the workplace, whilst not a new concept by any means, is still something that gets a bit of a bad rap, or at the very least can be misunderstood. Emotion and management / leadership are two words that do not tend to come into the same sentence. In most workplaces, people are likely to try to leave their emotions at the door. And whilst I must qualify that being emotionally intelligent isn’t about displaying emotions inappropriately, I think the ‘leave your emotional self’ at the door is a limiting approach. Research published in ‘Frontiers in Psychology’ (2019) mentioned that more than 85 per cent of senior leaders owe their outstanding performance to emotional intelligence (EQ) rather than intelligence (IQ). Bring to mind any leader whom you admire. What is the one trait that I would wager that all of these great

leaders have in common? It is an ability to stay calm under pressure. This is a key skill of the emotionally intelligent leader. Why is this a key trait of inspirational leaders? Well, let’s flip the question around and ask; who wants to work for an emotionally frazzled leader or manager? Anybody? A poll conducted by Gallup in the U.S. found that leaving a bad manager was the number one reason why workers quit, with 75 per cent of those who left voluntarily doing so because of their boss and not the job itself. This does not mean of course, that people don’t leave jobs for other reasons, such as better opportunities, personal growth, or work-life balance. Daniel Goleman, seen as the forefather of the corporate emotional intelligence movement, wrote a book called ‘Emotional Intelligence’ in 1995. Goleman defined emotion-

al intelligence (EI) as “the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships”. His model of EI includes five essential elements: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. This definition emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence in personal and professional success, as well as its impact on relationships and overall well-being. His theory also points out that an initial need or desire for change is a requirement for growth in this area. To reach this point, a person has usually faced a dilemma where their ‘go to’ approach for dealing with the day-today challenges of life, is simply not working anymore. His theory suggests that those with developed levels of emotional intelligence will not only know what their

tiggers are, but that they will also have the skills to re-regulate their emotions to allow for appropriate action at the appropriate time and in the appropriate setting. The good news he suggests, is that these skills can be worked on, and even perfected over time. You might now wonder; how can I start to become more emotionally intelligent today? Start by noticing how you are feeling throughout the day. Notice the highs, the lows and the in between, and then become curious as to how your feelings impact your mood and your behaviour. This alone would be an excellent starting point. Remember, even one per cent more self-awareness today than you had yesterday is progress! If you would like to enquire about coaching or leadership training, please get in touch at denise@obrienlearningsolutions.ie.

lSELF-DISCOVERY: Goleman’s model of emotional intelligence

Boosting your immune system this winter

WE ARE hearing more and more lately about how big the damage of the flu season and its variations between flu (Covid included) is for our health and wellbeing. A well-boosted immune system should be well able to deal with and to protect us from devastating effects of those conditions. Cases and hospitalisations of conditions like flu and Covid have been rising in recent weeks and the expectation is that flu cases will peak in the first few weeks of the new year. Can we do something to prevent this awful and devastating situation? Learning about how our body works and what is our biggest defence mechanism is the best starting point. Our immune system does a remarkable job of defending us against diseases when it is functioning optimally. Our immune system is precisely that - a system, not a single en-

tity. To function well, it requires balance and harmony. Our first line of defence is to choose a healthy lifestyle. Every part of our body functions better when protected from external assaults and bolstered by healthy living highlights such as: • Eat a diet high in colourful fruits and vegetables. Healthy immune system warriors need good and regular nourishment. The colourful fruits and vegetables provide our body with vitamins and minerals known as micronutrients and we all know that they are the pillars for our body’s defence mechanism. Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc are only a few of the main micronutrients that are vital for an optimal immune system. The first go-to sources for all of them are fruits and vegetables in our diet. Studies show that having a healthy gut has a huge

impact on our immune system. Eating fibres and fermented foods on a regular basis can improve your immune system dramatically. • Exercise regularly, preferably outdoors. Any form of exercise improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight, and protects against a variety of diseases but exercising outdoors doubles the benefit by exposing our skin to sunlight. The sunlight stimulates our body’s natural production of Vitamin D. Therefore, it contributes to a healthy immune system. • Maintain a healthy weight. Overindulging over the winter season can be a serious risk factor for our immune system. Both having a healthy balanced diet and exercising promote optimal body weight and a healthy immune system. • Quit smoking. As tough as it is this may sound for a smoker the benefits of quitting smoking are worth the effort of stopping doing something that negatively affects your overall well-being in so many ways. • Get adequate sleep. A rested body is

key for an optimal immune system. Our modern society experiences an increasing trend of reduced sleep with sleeping below the recommended ranges for health. Sleep deprivation has been associated with an increased risk of infectious/inflammatory diseases. So, make sure that you sleep your way to a healthy immune system. • Drink in moderation. Not much to be added here apart from being mindful of the quantity and quality of alcoholic drinks, especially in the wintertime. Less is more, applies so well when it comes to alcohol. • Minimize stress. Stress represents a serious danger to our general well-being. Modern medicine has come to appreciate the close link relationship of mind and body. Even though stress is difficult to define or to be measured, because of its subjective and very personal component, ongoing stress takes a toll on the immune system, as scientists show. Taking regular short breaks when we work to practice breathing exercises can bring our nervous system in balance with a positive impact on our immune system.

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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Columnists

Perimenopause & Menopause: What the hell is happening to me?

Our newest columnist, Menopause expert and awareness advocate Nicola Ryan MPSI, explores what happens to our reproductive systems as we age SOME of you may wonder why a 42-yearold woman is writing an article about menopause. Isn’t this something that happens in your fifties? Well surprisingly no, not necessarily and I’m going to tell you why. The average age for menopause is 51, but the word menopause relates to only a single day of your menopausal experience - the day when you haven’t had a period in 12 consecutive months. After this one-year anniversary, congratulations! You are now beginning your postmenopausal journey. Now, let’s rewind a few years to when perimenopause occurs. So what does it mean? It refers to the years leading up to the menopause. Within this time, you may still have regular periods but start to experience other menopausal symptoms. These symptoms are most likely to start in your forties, however, some women can experience symptoms in their thirties. These symptoms can last for as little as two years and as long as ten years. Every woman is different, with some women experiencing different symptoms at different stages. Thankfully this is a hot topic at the moment creating much more awareness of

this transition, resulting in women becoming empowered with knowledge. You may be the lucky minority that glides through the perimenopause without any major symptoms or you may be the major percent that is wondering what the hell is happening to me? Maybe you find yourself saying to yourself, “I just don’t feel like me anymore!”. That is the most common introduction from ladies coming into my clinic, as they find themselves looking for answers to why they are experiencing these symptoms that are having such an impact on their daily life. Fluctuating hormones can have a profound impact on the human body, from psychological to biological effects. These fluctuating hormones can make your periods lighter, heavier, closer together or further apart and eventually your periods will become less and less frequent until they stop completely. What about the psychological effects that nobody warns you about? The effects on your mood, up one minute, down the next. It can be an absolute roller-coaster of emotions. As for the RAGE, this rage can just creep in out of nowhere and take over, sometimes

instigated by the smallest of things. The irritability and impatience towards the people we love or our daily routine, just bubbling, waiting to ignite and explode, concluding with a feeling like the world has ended when the body calms. I must admit, in my own personal experience these where the symptoms that made me stop and question what was going on in my life and where had the Nicola I know disappeared to? These lows are often misdiagnosed as depression, resulting in ladies being prescribed strong antidepressant medication, sometimes without looking at the bigger picture. This is where knowledge and empowerment is key, and I would always advise ladies to be your own advocate and inform yourself. Perimenopause is more than just physical symptoms, it’s a biological process that can have life-altering psychological effects. Yes, there most certainly are physical symptoms in perimenopause and menopause. So many in fact, that I could write a whole article or two on these symptoms alone. The most common symptoms of perimenopause would be: Hot flushes, night sweats, changes to men-

lReproductive health lEXPERT: Nicola Ryan strual flow, sleep disturbances, brain fog, poor memory, joint and muscle pain, anxiety, increased or decreased sexual desire, skin changes, dry eyes, vaginal dryness, bladder habit changes, fatigue and many, many more. Again, to reiterate, not every woman will experience all these symptoms, but they may experience some, and with more knowledge and open dialogue, they can learn to trust their instinct - they are not going mad, they are just perimenopausal. This can be a comfort to women as they learn these hormone fluctuations are not their fault and they have no control over what is going on with their bodies. Thankfully, there are treatment options available, whether its replacing hormones with body identical hormones (HRT) or alternative and complementary medicine, or CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) to help relieve symptoms, whatever treatment path you choose, you can choose what Is right for you, this is your opportunity to get it right. What I would like to say to any women out there that are experiencing symptoms, please don’t suffer in silence! Speak to a healthcare professional, to your GP, your pharmacist or even your friends or work colleagues. Have the conversation, you will not regret it.

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

Business & Recruitment

Shop local this Christmas 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.

Assistant Planner Please complete online application form available on www.clarecoco.ie under Careers Section. Closing date: 12 Noon, Friday 12th January 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.

‘SHOP local this Christmas’ was the resounding unified message from elected representatives in the Ennis Municipal District, writes Páraic McMahon. Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) urged the Ennis MD to launch “a strong campaign” this Christmas season “with the message Shop Local This Christmas ensuring the public are fully aware Ennis Town is open for business”. Administrative officer in the Ennis MD, Niamh O’Connor acknowledged, “It is important that we avail of every opportunity to promote shopping local this Christmas”. She outlined that a specific promotional video had been released by the

Council’s tourism department in November titled ‘winter escapes to Ennis’, “there is a heavily set digital marketing campaign placed behind this video too, which is running from November through to March”. O’Connor continued, “A poster outlining the schedule of events in Ennis prepared by Ennis MD is being circulated widely on social media to attract people to the town in the lead up to Christmas”. Local retailers were provided with an opportunity to showcase their offering at the Ennis Street Fashion Show, Niamh noted. “In addition to the specific business supports to local Ennis Businesses, the Local Enterprise Office has planned a one-off advertising campaign through local media channels around December 8th asking people to support local businesses in the County. Ennis MD added the ‘Look for Local’ logo to the end of the ‘Switching on the lights’ video, which was posted online and viewed over 7,000 times. The Ennis Chamber is also planning a promotional campaign to ask people to support local businesses this Christmas”. Paul Corey’s video for the Council promoting the switching on of the Christmas lights by Clare hurler, Shane O’Donnell was praised by Cllr O’Callaghan. “Consum-

lSTREET FASHION: Orla Shiel wearing Ela Maria Ennis as O’Connell Street turned into an outdoor runway for the Ennis Street Fashion Show Photo by Brian Arthur er spending makes up 70% of to see visitors coming in but gross domestic product and a they are a bonus, we need to fifth of all retail sales occur in encourage local people to stay the last two months of the year, local, I need to commend Niaour businesses have endured mh and Ennis MD team for the a rocky time since COVID, it work they have done over the is important to emphasise the last few months preparing for message to shop local,” he the Christmas season”. said. Mayor of the Ennis MD, Cllr Seconding the proposal, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) said all represenAnn Norton (IND) commented, tatives backed the motion. “I “It is important at this time of am appealing to all the people year to encourage local people to shop in Ennis, there is no to spend their money locally, excuse for anyone in this town we have a fantastic town, we to travel to Galway, Limerick or have every type of shop that Dublin because we have evis needed throughout the town erything in Ennis, we have so and throughout the outskirts much modern fashion for men of the town, it is so important and women in Ennis”. that people look and see what Sending the message to is available in Ennis and avail shop local was “incredibly imof what we have. I was in busi- portant,” Cllr Mary Howard ness for quite a lot of years in (FG) stressed. “Every euro the centre of O’Connell St, we spent in the locality is an inrely on local business, that is vestment in that community”. our bread and butter, it is great

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7 , 2023

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Business & Recruitment

Boost for EV drivers as Nissan drops €5,000 off price of Nissan LEAF 40kWh Nissan LEAF now starts at €28,495 and comes with 0% finance

NISSAN has dropped €5,000 off the cost of buying the 100% electric Nissan LEAF with its unique 241 offer making it possible for motorists to get behind the wheel of the popular EV for just €28,495. The €5,000 price drop is available on the 40kWh Nissan LEAF and Nissan is also offering 0% finance to anyone who wants to finance the cost of buying the car through hire purchase or PCP. The Nissan LEAF has been one of Ireland’s best-selling EVs since its launch over a decade ago and the opportunity to save €5,000 and to avail of 0% finance on the price of the car has now made it Ireland’s best value electric vehicle. The 40 kWh Nissan LEAF has a range of up to 270 kilometres. It is a popular choice for new car buyers who are making the switch to EV driving and for families who are also choosing it as an ideal second car. Nissan’s reputation as EV leaders and pioneers has attracted thousands of Irish EV buyers to choose the zero emissions vehicle as the most effective way to reduce their carbon footprint and motoring costs. The Nissan LEAF is also the world’s favourite EV with more than 100 global awards,

giving new car buyers the opportunity to buy with confidence at a time when there is a choice of over 70 EVs on the market. “There has never been a better time to buy a Nissan LEAF to make the switch to electric driving. Nissan are EV experts and the Nissan LEAF price drop and 0% finance deal offers real value as well as an opportunity to go green and to become more sustainable,’ said Neil O’Sullivan, Sales Director at Nissan Ireland. “The Nissan LEAF is well established as one of Ireland’s best-selling EVs because it offers a range of 270 kilometres on a single charge. It is a well spec-ed car with a goodsized boot and spacious interior to meet the needs of any family or business,” he added. Nissan has also introduced a number of other great 241 offers for customers, including the Nissan 2-4-1 deal that provides new car buyers with two new cars for the price of one, or a low rate of 3.99% PCP finance across the Nissan range. Customers can test drive the Nissan LEAF and learn more about the Nissan LEAF €5,000 price drop and 0% finance offer by visiting their local Nissan dealer or www.nissan.ie

lPRICE DROP: The Nissan LEAF

Western Regional Award for Ríona Browne

lHONOURED: Mary Ellen Ni Cheidigh presents Ríona Browne with her award.

CRUSHEEN’S Ríona Browne was honoured with the Western Regional Award by the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) at its eighth annual conference, writes Páraic McMahon. Accedited IACP members who make a notable contribution to the profession of counselling and psychotherapy in their local community and region are recognised in the annual IACP regional awards. Ríona’s commitment to the counselling and psychotherapy profession was commended when she received the nod for the Western Regional Award. Cathaoirleach Séamus Sheedy stated, “I would like to congratulate Ríona Browne our Western Regional Award Recipient who I believe was an excellent choice for the Award. I commend her clear vision for this part of Ireland, and I am aware of the activities Ríona has been involved in across the entire region”. Acknowledging the need for

an IACP voice on the ground in the West of Ireland, Ríona volunteered as Secretary of the Western Regional Committee and worked diligently to facilitate the members throughout the region as they became involved with the IACP and the Western Regional Committee. This included bringing continuous professional development events to the West and several networking opportunities for counsellors and psychotherapists.    She said, “I am honoured to accept the award from IACP, and I am grateful to the Western Regional Committee for their nomination. The Committee is comprised of a committed group of people who bring support to counsellors and psychotherapists and who work on raising the profile of the IACP in the region. It has been a privilege to have contributed to this work”. The annual awards ceremony was held at the IACP’s 8th annual conference on the 21st October 2023 at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin.

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

Sport

Chloe Morey calls Clonlara fall to time on Clare career

'outrageous' foe

by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

CHLOE MOREY is to retire from inter-county camogie. An All Star in 2013, Chloe has informed Clare senior manager, John Carmody she will not be part of the county panel in 2024. A member of the Clare senior camogie team since she was sixteen Chloe has been one of the most recognisable camogie players in the country. Her trademark ‘stars and stripes’ bandana added to her profile but it will no longer be seen with the county colours. In 2010, she captained the Clare team which competed in the All-Ireland final, losing out to Galway 2-12 2-8. She was part of the fourth Clare team to win the All-Ireland junior camogie title in 2008. Aged fifteen, she started at midfield alongside Deirdre Murphy as the team managed by the Hanley brothers, Colm and Eoghan defeated Offaly 2-8 1-10. What was then Clare’s first team had lost All-Ireland finals in 2003, 2005 and 2007 prior to this. In 2012, the Sixmilebridge woman was part of the Clare team to win the Munster senior camogie championship. A year later, she was honoured with an All Star award at wing-back and is one of only three women from the county to have such an accolade alongside Catherine O’Loughlin (2005) and Máire McGrath (2014). Morey took a break from the county colours in 2021 before returning last year. She has been one of the more outspoken members of the WGPA in advocating for better treatment of female inter-county players. At senior level with Clare she played under seven different managers, namely Bertie Sherlock, Patsy Fahey, John Carmody, Colm Honan,

MUNSTER SENIOR HURLING FINAL Ballygunner 2-24 Clonlara 0-17 Venue: FBD Semple Stadium Compiled by Eoin Brennan

“

MANAGER COMMENT

Donal Madden, Clonlara

Trish O'Grady, Ger O'Connell and Conor Dolan. Now teaching at her alma mater in Shannon, St Caimin’s Community School where was part of a camogie team to win provincial honours, her current colleagues include former Clare defender Carol O’Leary and ex Clarecastle camogie player Tara O’Loughlin. Two years ago, Chloe alongside her first cousin Seadna opened Morey Movement, a first-class gym located in their native Sixmilebridge. The facility has since been used by teams across the county including the Clare senior hurlers. Chloe has regularly influenced the role of her parents, Mike and Valerie in encouraging her camogie career. Her brothers, Caimin and Alex have won senior championships with Sixmilebridge in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. Her younger sister, Melissa has been one of her loyal supporters or harsher critics. County secretary, Ann Sanz paid tribute to Chloe at this week’s convention for her contribution to Clare camogie.

“In fairness they’d put a lot of inter-county teams to the sword. I mean we thought we’d a game-plan and we did our best to execute it but they’re just an outrageous outfit and fair play to them. “We fought so hard and I’d be awful proud of the effort. We certainly can’t judge our season on that performance albeit that I thought there were periods that we actually played really well and used the ball brilliantly but they {Ballygunner] are just on a different level. They’ve put many, many teams to the sword snd will again. “I still wouldn’t take anything away from our guys and I’m so, so proud of the effort. I mean from where we’ve come from, at the start of the year, really, really worried about relegation and we end up in a Munster club final. “Our big target coming down here today was that we wouldn’t let ourselves down, that we’d leave with respect for the jersey and that our club would be in a good place and I think we did that. Now I know the scoreboard is very

STORY OF THE GAME BALLYGUNNER Frees For: 11 (3/8) Wides: 9 (4/5) Scores from Play: 2-17 Spread of Scorers: 8 Top Scorer: Pauric Mahony (0-10) Own Puck-Outs won: 17 from 20 (63%)

CLONLARA Frees For: 9 (6/3) Wides: 9 (5/4) Scores from Play: 0-12 Spread of Scorers: 8 Top Scorer: Micheál O’Loughlin (0-6) Own Puck-Outs won: 17 from 26 (65%)

REFEREE: Ciaran O’Regan (Cork) one-sided but if we didn’t put in that level of work-rate, it could have been a lot worse and they could have skinned us. “I’m just so proud of everyone in our club and camogie club for everything that we’ve achieved. We’re a tiny little parish so to take on a club of their standing and stature, I don’t think we let ourselves down and I feel that we represented the people of Clare well”.

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

Carmody exits Clare hurling management 'Time to regroup' after l Gearoid Cahill is greeted by young supporters at the final whistle

MIKE CARMODY has stepped down from his role in the backroom team of the Clare senior hurlers, writes Páraic McMahon. Carmody had been the fitness and speed development coach with Brian Lohan’s side since January 2021. He announced in the past fortnight that he would not be continuing in the role for 2024. On his exit, Mike stated, “After three of the most wonderful years with the most incredible group of players, it was with a very heavy heart that I had

to take the decision to step down as a coach to the Clare senior hurlers last week”. He wished all involved “every success in the year ahead and every best wish into the future. As for me, I look forward to continuing my association with the other teams that I coach and to announcing my latest project in the coming days”. Carmody founded MYP (Maximise Your Potential) Coaching in 2018. MYP Coaching offers personal training, run coaching plus

S&C coaching and is based in Limerick. Limerick native Mike has over 15 years' experience as an elite endurance athlete. He is a former Munster senior cross country champion and Irish underage international. He is the winner of 13 Munster athletics titles. In September, it was announced that Lohan and his management had secured the services of highly rated Lucasz Kirszenstein as their new strength and conditioning coach.

Burren Eye Photography

great season for Corofin MUNSTER INTERMEDIATE HURLING FINAL Castlelyons 3-16 Corofin 0-19 Venue: TUS Gaelic Grounds, Limerick Compiled by Páraic McMahon

STORY OF THE GAME CASTLELYONS: COROFIN Frees for: 18 (9/9) Frees for: 12 (6/6) Wides: 7 (5/2) Wides: 5 (2/3) Spread of scorers: 5 Spread of scorers: 6 Scores from play: 3-11 Scores from play: 0-9 Top scorer: Anthony Top scorer: Gearoid Kelly Spillane (3-2) (0-12 10f) Bookings: None Bookings: None Own puckouts won: 19 Own puckouts won: 20 from 24 (79%) from 26 (77%) REFEREE: Conor Doyle (Limerick)

“

MANAGER COMMENT

Joe Cahill, Corofin “We came down here with an ambition and we harbored that ambition to try win a Munster title, we knew it was going to take a fair lot of effort because Castlelyons are a fine side. The start we got, we missed a chance or two to create some spur on the scoreboard but we failed in that regard, then we got hit with the suckerpunch of two goals down the other end. "Credit to our lads because they stayed in it but I knew they would. “The start was the difference in the end and when you reflect on the score you can see that. “It is time to regroup and rethink it out, we’ve a great chance and we’ve had a great year, we won the league and the intermediate championship, if you asked me that at the start of the year if that what we would win I’d say yeah but in December to be in a Munster club final is something special”.

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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Sport

'Everyone is proud' of Parish ladies l Photo by Gerard O'Neill

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

ALL-IRELAND JNR CAMOGIE SEMI-FINAL

STORY OF THE GAME

Athleague 2-06 St Joseph's Doora-Barefield 0-09 Venue: Moneygall Compiled by Derek Dormer

“

ATHLEAGUE Frees for: 22 (12/10) Wides: 7 (3/4) Top scorer: Rachel Fitzmaurice, Annette McDermott (1-0 each), Kelley Hopkins (0-3 3f) Scores from play: 2-2 Spread of scorers: 6 Own puck outs: 9/15 60%

MANAGER COMMENT

John O'Connor, St Joseph's Doora-Barefield

"We were really flat. We noticed it in the second half especially with the girls who usually have so much energy like Aisling and Siofra, they just didn't have it. Last week took so much out of us. We played eighty plus minutes last week and they had a two week break and I think it showed. “Last week we got the goals and today we didn't. Sport can be tough. We just didn't realise how much last week took out of us until there today. They got goals at crucial times and I felt they weren't a real scoring threat from play so the goals were just massive for them. "The second goal was just one of those things. Look poor Karen (McMahon, goalkeeper) is distraught. It was going wide, she wasn't to know that in that fog and it glanced off her hurley and in. It was a cruel blow but as I said to Karen we wouldn't have been here today only for her last weekend. She was devastated and I feel for her but she

Cracking U21A football final on the cards for North Clare neighbours

Otherwise the Lisdoonvsarna side will have news@clareecho.ie a full strength panel available for selection, THE curtain will come down on the club Their team is managed by Colin Calllaghan playing season in Clare on this Saturday when with Neil Hawes as the coach and Frankie North Clare neighbours Ennistymon (Hold- Sheedy as a selector while the backroom team ers) and St. Breckans meet in the under 21 A also includes senior team players Jack Sheedy, football championship final at Shanahan Mc- Tristan O’Calllaghan and Cian Burke. The side is captained by midfielder Denis O’CalNamara park in Doonbeg at 2pm. As both sides put the finishing touches to laghan. St. Breckans were defeated in the final four preparations for the game, they have injury years ago losing to the Kilmihil/ Shannon concerns. Top scorer for St. Breckan’s Jamie Stack is a Gaels combination while they won the B title major doubt. He suffered a leg injury in their two years ago and both of those teams were semi-final win over Western Gaels/Doonbeg also coached by Neil Hawes. Brendy Rouine hasn’t played any part in the and he has been wearing a protective boot since then. A final decision on whether or not title holders (Ennistymon) march to the final he will play a part in the final won’t be made because of injury and there is little chance of him playing at any stage on Saturday. James until nearer match time. Cullinan missed their semi-final win over Kilrush/Killimer and didn’t line out for Inagh/Kilnamona in the hurling final last week. He is rated extremely doubtful for Saturday’s final as is another dual player, Sean Rynne. U21B FOOTBALL FINAL Diarmuid Fahy has played in the games leading up to this final after he returned to action following an injury which saw him miss much of the seaSCAN FOR REPORT son. He is expected to be in the team on Saturday. The Ennistymon team is managed by Brendan Rouine and his backroom team includes Ger Quinlan, Shane Talty and Tom Ahern. The team is captained by goalkeeper Conor Gallagher. As holders of the title Ennistymon will carry the favourites tag into this final but football followers across the county are divided as to who will be taking home the Jim Marrinan memorial cup. However all are in agreement that this game has all the ingredients for a cracking contest and it is expected that there will be little between them at the final whistle. If the talented Jamie Stack is fit to play it will represent a massive Clarecastle coach Tommy Guilfoyle with boost to St. Breckans. by Seamus Hayes

MAGPIES SOAR

captain Rory O’Connell

Photo by Chris Copley

DOORA/BAREFIELD Frees for: 16 (4/12) Wides: 6 (1/5) Top scorer: Siobhan Flynn (0-5 3f) Scores from play: 0-6 Spread of scorers: 5 Own puck outs won: 9 from 15 (60%)

REFEREE: Mike Ryan (Tipperary) was player of the match last week and has been brilliant all year. “The first half the free count was a bit tough. Twelve frees to four in that first half and I suppose they were a few soft ones but we won't blame the referee. That's not what we're about. It's been a great year. We are county champions, league champions, Munster champions and we came within a puck of a ball of an All-Ireland final. These girls were magnificent and everyone is so proud of them".

'A super day' for Feakle/Killanena CLARE U21A HURLING FINAL

Feakle-Killanena 1-13 Inagh-Kilnamona 0-14 Venue: Dr Daly Park, Tulla Compiled by Seamus Hayes

STORY OF THE GAME FEAKLE-KILLANENA Frees For: 12 (6/6) Wides: 5 (4/1) Scores from play: 1-7 Spread of scorers: 6 Top scorer: Keith Smyth (0-8 5f) Own puckouts won: 19 out of 23 Booking: Conor McGann (59)

INAGH/KILNAMONA 0-14 Frees For: 9 (3/6) Wides: 9 (4/5) Scores from play: 0-9 Spread of scorers: 7 Top scorer: Conner Hegarty (0-4 3f) Own puckouts won: 14 out of 19 Bookings: Sean Rynne (33)

REFEREE: John Bugler (Whitegate) UNDERSTANDABLY, Feakle/Killanena manager Francie O’Grady was beaming as supporters of the East Clare team extended congratulations moments after Sunday’s under 21 A hurling championship final at Dr. SCAN FOR REPORT

Daly Park in Tulla. “It’s a super day for Feakle-Killanena, it’s only the second time since the formation of this amalgamation that this title has been won, it is huge day”, he said ahead of the presentation of the cup.

“We knew coming here today that Inagh/Kilnamona would be formidable opposition and they proved that, we got a small bit of luck”. O’Grady added, “they beat Scariff/Ogonnelloe in the group stage and that brought us back in after we losing to Clarecastle. You have to count your lucky blessings”. On the role of their defence, he said, “we knew we had a strong 6 and a good goalie, two good midfielders who work back. We knew they were going to come at us but we were able to steady the ship. It was a serious game”. As the beaten finalists piled on the pressure in the final quarter O’Grady was honest when he said he was worried. “Naturally I was a bit worried but our forwards worked hard and they got frees to get us over the line”. Looking to the future he felt that this success “is huge for both clubs. Look at the talent that is there with this, the Harty cup, the Clare under 20’s and seniors. The future looks positive for both clubs if we can build on this”. Adam Hogan’s showing at centre back was key to their win. “Every day Adam pulls on the jersey, he does his best. He is one of those special players that is able to stand up but as he says himself it’s all about the team”. With a big smile on his face Francie concluded by saying “we will be smiling eating the turkey this Christmas”. PICTURED: Adam Hogan

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

Sport

Carron's Willie O'Reilly among winners of Clare LGFA awards by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

CARRON photographer, Willie O’Reilly was among those recognised for their service to ladies football in Clare. At Thursday’s AGM of the Clare LGFA, the County Board issued a total of five awards to acknowledge the contribution of different volunteers and officers across the county. Chairman of Clare LGFA, Seán Lenihan explained, “there is a huge amount of work done by clubs, often without thanks or praise, you just roll up the sleeves and do it, we all do it for a bit and then someone else takes up the mantle”. David Nagle who Chairs Clare LGFA’s development committee proposed the idea of an awards ceremony among county officers earlier in the year. He is the owner of West Clare Trophies and also sponsored the accolades handed out to the award recipients. He outlined, “from clubs and the county board it is very difficult to get volunteers to come into the clubs, volunteers are the lifeblood of the clubs and it is important we recognise and encourage more people to volunteer”. Willie O’Reilly (photogra-

l Willie O'Reilly of Burren Eye Photography

pher/journalist of the year), Alisha Rowland (young volunteer of the year), Michelle Conway (committee officer of the year), Graham Kelly (coach of the year) and Sheila Murphy (county/provincial officer of the year) were recognised for their work. As the person behind Bur-

ren Eye Photography, Willie’s has consistently promoted ladies football through his work. His photographs frequently appear in The Clare Echo helping to bring our sporting coverage to another level. A member of the Burren Gaels club, he was the only winner unable to attend the AGM.

“He is a man that is at every match with the camera, Willie is just a fabulous person, match after match he is there, he is so obliging, he visited the clubs and took photos of the children and gives these images free to everyone to promote football, he elevates ladies football through his commitment,” Nagle commented. Rowland’s “willingness to volunteer” be it helping out with the U12 ladies football team or refereeing saw her stand out. Her contributions were described as “invaluable” to St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield. “She always demonstrates unwavering commitment regardless of the weather in Clare or her personal commitments”. Michelle Conway was described as “an outstanding treasurer”. David stated, “she takes on the role of fundraising on her own, she goes looking for prizes in local shops and businesses and then promotes them on Facebook”. He added of the West Clare Gaels clubwoman, “some would say she is the face of the club, she even rounds up some players to talk to TG4 when they come around”. Former Clare footballer, Graham Kelly was praised

CDSL ROUND-UP SCAN FOR REPORT

for the “huge coaching experience” he has brought to ladies football in the county. He coaches the minor and intermediate ladies football sides in St Joseph’s Miltown along with the county minors. “He is enthusiastic and positive in his approach, instead of criticising he is positive, he is very keen on player wellbeing and takes into consideration other demands, while his sessions are intense, no two sessions are the same, it is constantly varied and it makes the sessions and training most enjoyable”. Sheila Murphy of St Joseph’s Miltown was awarded the county/provincial officer of the year gong. A member of the U14 county management, she also “single-handedly” ran the Péil na gCailíní event where 560 girls participated. She is also Clare LGFA’s Culture and Language Officer. Rengen Power’s continued sponsorship of Clare LGFA was also acknowledged on the night. Lenihan presented a framed signed Clare jersey to Cian Burke, a mechanical engineer with Rengen but also a prominent footballer who captained St Breckan’s senior side this year. Burke said the jersey would be hung up in the office to be proudly displayed the following morn-

SCORELESS DRAW BETWEEN NEWMARKET & AVENUE KEEPS TITLE RACE OPEN

ing. Lenihan confirmed they are in the latter stages of agreeing a deal with the Ennis based company. “We’ve had a number of great sponsors but for the last three years we’ve had a superb sponsor, they are a great company, a huge synergy between Rengen power and ourselves, they have ambition and they have driven, we are very grateful to Eugene Keane, Seamus Lynch and the gang”.

'Déjà vu' as Clare LGFA unable to fill vital roles by Seamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

IT WAS an AGM that started in November but almost finished in December yet the Clare Ladies Gaelic Football Association were unable to elect officers to the roles of secretary and public relations officer. An attendance of about fifty representatives gathered at Thursday’s annual general meeting of the Clare LGFA at Hotel Woodstock. For the second year, Clare LGFA were unable to elect a secretary meaning a special meeting will have to be held in the next fortnight. As a result, the County Board are to consider introducing bye-laws which will sanction clubs that are not providing volunteers to serve in various roles at a county level. Éire Óg’s Raymond O’Mahony who succeeded Monica Callinan when agreeing to take on the role following last year’s AGM had indicated he did not wish to continue in the role. Assistant secretary Aishling Torpey also stood down following a year in the role.

Caoimhe McMahon of St Joseph’s Miltown and Therese Roseingrave from St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield also departed from their roles as PRO and Asst PRO. Chairman of Clare LGFA, Seán Lenihan informed the meeting he was willing to remain in the hotseat for a fourth and final year. Similarly, Geraldine Kelly said her fifth year as Treasurer would be her last. Michael Fitzpatrick, a former long-time county secretary was elected as the new President of the Clare LGFA. The outgoing Christy O’Connor died during the year with Cuil Gaels proposing Fitzpatrick as the new President. James Lafferty, Ann Hayes and James Costelloe all remain as Vice Presidents. JJ O’Dea (Vice Chairman), Edel Conway (Asst Treasurer), Therese Doohan (Registrar), Sheila Murphy (Culture and Language Officer) and David Nagle (Development Officer) were all returned unopposed. Doohan’s upcoming bid in the local elections as a Fine Gael candidate in the Kilrush

electoral area was referenced by the Chairman during the AGM, Ex-Clare player, Carmel Bohannon is part of a trio alongside Christina Hayes and Monica Callinan who will serve as Munster Delegates. Bohannon was nominated as secretary but opted not to stand. Former Clare captain, Louise Henchy was coerced into becoming the player delegate while Lenihan and O’Dea will act as the Central Council delegates. Addressing the meeting, Lenihan acknowledged departing officers of 2023 and those who served on the County Board prior to that. “Some are taking a well-deserved break, I appreciate why they need to recharge the batteries but there are people and clubs that need to step up. I don’t want to shame anyone but if we did a check, there are some clubs with no representation”. The Miltown Malbay native added, “I was hoping Raymond would stay on, it is a hard job and there is no point saying it isn’t, I thank

Raymond for his service, Carmel Bohannon was nominated but is not standing for secretary. The organisation can’t function without a secretary, it is a critical role and we need somebody good at it, we were spoiled with Raymond and Monica." O’Mahony will remain as secretary in an acting basis until a successor is elected. Persons need to be willing to come forward to stand for the County Board, the Chairman stressed. “People are quick to blame the Co Board but the Board is the accumulative body for the clubs, we need the clubs to step up, maybe we do need to name and shame, some clubs have been brilliant and some are hiding in plain sight”. Young members of clubs are suitable candidates for the role of PRO due to their proficiency on social media, Lenihan believed. “We have nearly 4,000 members in our association in Clare, there must be 10,000 people that we could be tapping into,” the St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield clubman maintained. He continued, “We have

l Raymond O'Mahony and Sean Lenihan at the meeting

four critical positions to fill. It is like déjà vu, we had this last year. I’m asking everybody and appealing to everybody, please think of who you have in network, who would be good and who would have the time for these roles”. Doohan pointed out that only nine of the twenty two clubs in the county were represented on the Executive. President: Michael Fitzpatrick Vice President: James Lafferty, Ann Hayes and James Costelloe. Chairman: Seán Lenihan (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield) Vice Chairman: JJ O’Dea (Ban-

ner Ladies) Secretary: Vacant Asst Secretary: Vacant Treasurer: Geraldine Kelly (Cúl Gaels) Asst Treasurer: Edel Conway (Doonbeg) Registrar: Therese Doohan (Kilmurry Ibrickane) PRO: Vacant Asst PRO: Vacant Culture & Language: Sheila Murphy (St Joseph’s Miltown) Development Officer: David Nagle (West Clare Gaels) Munster Delegates: Carmel Bohannon (Cúl Gaels), Christina Hayes (Fergus Rovers), Monica Callinan (Kilmihil) Player Delegate: Louise Henchy (Banner Ladies) Central Council Delegates: Seán Lenihan & JJ O’Dea

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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Sport

Pros & cons of golf ball rollback by PÁDRAIG MCGRATH

The golf ball rollback, if you're unfamiliar, is a proposed rule change by the USGA and R&A, golf 's rule-making bodies, to address the the continued increase in distance professional golfers are hitting the ball. Proponents of the rollback say it protects historic golf courses from becoming obsolete, among other things. Opponents of the rollback say these are golf 's old school elitists trying to hamper progress, which I'm currently agreeing with. Personally, I'm a skeptic on the rollback, but wherever you land, it's increasingly clear that something is going to happen, and probably soon with a rule that will apply eventually to all golfers, not just elite players. In a bid to address the escalating concerns surrounding the ever-increasing distances achieved in golf, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (R&A) has unveiled a landmark decision to implement a substantial roll back on golf balls performance. This decision is intended to curb the distances golf balls can travel, aiming to preserve the integrity and challenge of golf courses worldwide. The R&A's chief executive, Martin Slumbers, described the move as a proactive step to ensure that the sport remains balanced and sustainable for the long term. Mr Slumbers highlighted that the proposed changes aim to address the "increased hitting distances and course lengthening" that have become more prevalent in professional and amateur levels of the sport. While the specifics of the roll back have not been finalized, discussions have centered around modifying the construction and materials used in manufacturing golf balls to limit their distance capabilities. The R&A's decision is anticipated to evoke mixed reactions among players, manufacturers, and enthusiasts. Golf equipment manufacturers might face a challenge in redesigning balls that meet revised standards while maintaining performance and quality. Simultaneously, professional players may need to adapt their game strategies to accommodate the modified ball characteristics. This announcement marks a pivotal moment in the history of golf, reflecting the sport's willingness to evolve in response to changing dynamics while striving to preserve the essence and challenge of the game. I'm hearing the dates for this rollback is in the year 2028 for professional golfers and 2030 for amateur golfers, I honestly can't but think that this is a ridiculous move in the wrong direction for golf. At the top level, golfers like Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy have considerably increased their distances but this is mainly due to improving their strength and flexibility as well as their techniques. The reality is if you roll back the distances of the ball for everyone, then these players will still be the longest hitters on the tour and I don't see the results changing much.

Beyond that, this roll back is been implemented to target the top elite players however it will have a detriment effect in my opinion on a lot of amateurs, especially the majority of golfers who are hitting drives less than 230 yards. One of the attractions and exciting elements to attending a golf tournament also for most is to see how far modern players can hit the ball, as well as watching them getting eagles and birdies. If they aren't hitting it as far and they are getting less birdies and eagles surely the excitement isn't as great? Here are some pros and cons of the golf ball roll back announced by the R&A and USGA: Pros : 1. Preserving Classic Shorter Courses: Limiting the distance golf balls can travel could help in maintaining the integrity and challenge of traditional golf courses. This would ensure that they remain relevant and challenging without extensive modifications due to increased distances. 2. Restoring Strategic Play: Reducing the distances golf balls travel might bring back the strategic elements of the game, encouraging players to focus more on accuracy and shot-making rather than relying solely on power. 3. Environmental Impact: Shorter distances could lead to reduced land requirements for new golf course developments, potentially impacting positively on environmental conservation efforts. 4. Cost Control: A roll back might mitigate the need for continually lengthening existing courses, saving costs associated with such modifications. Cons : 1. Player Adaptation : Golfers, especially professionals, might face challenges adapting their game to the altered ball characteristics. Players who rely on distance as a competitive advantage may find it challenging. 2. Equipment Manufacturers : Implementing a ball roll back could necessitate substantial redesigns by manufacturers. This might lead to increased costs for research and development, potentially passed down to consumers. 3. Reduced Spectacle: The roll back might diminish the excitement of seeing long drives and impressive shots, potentially affecting the entertainment value of the sport for some audiences. 4. Resistance and Backlash : There could be resistance from some players and manufacturers who benefit from the current state of the game. Any significant change may face pushback from those who have grown accustomed to the current ball characteristics. I do see an argument from boths sides of the coin, however the majority of amateur golfers are not hitting drives beyond 230 yards and shortening their drives just doesn't make sense in my mind. I also feel at the top level it will actually hinder shorter hitters even further reducing their distances more. Wherever your preferences lie it's going to be an interesting decision. In the meantime I'm off to P&M Golf Superstore to top up on my tour golf balls in case this decision goes through.

Hegarty named ladies golfer of the year

by Seamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

ENNIS GOLF CLUB The ladies golfer of the year award was won by Sinead Hegarty while Patricia O’Reilly has won the award for the most improved golfer and she is also the bronze medal winner. The silver medal winner is Mary Lenihan, the Armagh cup winner is Suzanne Deane while Ann Gallery won the Challenge Cup. The winners of the mince pies scramble were Jean Moloney, Mary T. McMahon and Marie Connolly. In the November Spirits 18 hole stableford, Mary Lenihan (20) was the week one winner with 36 points followed by Suzanne Deane (17) with 35 points. Anne Kelly (28) won week 2 with 28 points from Peggy Costello (23) with 27 points. Week three was won by Una O’Reilly (35) with 31 points from Kathleen Pyne (33) with 28 points andy Helen Harnett (29) with 23 points. The week four winner was Suzanne Deane (17) with 24 points from Mary Lenihan (20) with Kathleen Pyne (33) in third place. The week 1 winner in the 9 hole competition was Eileen Holly (22) with 18 points from Mary Nagle (12) with 17 points and Claire Ruane (10), also 17 points. Flor Coffey (11) was the winner in week 2 with 19 points from Carmel Cummins (23) with 17 points abd Anne Kelly (13), also with 17 points. The week 3 winner was Patrice Ryan (18) with 15 points from Rose Sharkey (20) with a similar score while Helen Harnett(14) was the week 4 winner with 17 points from Geraldine O’Mahoney (15), also with 17 points. K I L R U S H GOLF CLUB: The weekly turkey competition continued at Kilrush on Sunday when Dominic Enright (8) emerged as the winner with 31 points. He had one to spare over Pat Shannon (13) with third spot filled by Tommy Clancy (12) with 29 points. They were followed by Tony Lock (12), Michael Studdert (14) and Martin P Brennan (15) each of whom also had 29 points.

EAST CLARE GOLF CLUB: Last Wednesday’s ladies competition at East Clare was won by Kay Grimes, Mary Hogan and Mary Stillman from Mary Fitzgerald, Noreen O' Grady and Anne Marie Ryan while third spot was filled by Siobhan Mulcahy, Noreen Skehan and Mary Stritch. In the senior men’s competition last week the winners were Tony McNulty, Seamus O'Dwyer and Brian Corry from Brendan Moloney. Steve Lynch and Denis Corcoran with third spot filled by Tom Larkin, Ted Harrington and Brian Torpey. DROMOLAND GOLF CLUB: In the men’s turkey competition at Dromoland at the weekend the winner was Tony Cotgreave with 21 points from Philip Alldritt with 20 points and Mike Tobin, also with 20 points. GORT GOLF CLUB: The ladies 3 person Christmas waltz competition at Gort was won by Tracey Brennan, Patricia Callanan and Patricia Lyons with 53 points. The November Santa surprise 13 hole singles stableford ladies competition was won by Sara Broderick (15) with 30 points. The ladies November 2 ball Christmas scramble was won by Marcella Killeen and Evelyn Fahey with 49.45.

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

Sport

Dolphin harpooned by Ennis/Kilrush Ladies

by Dearbhla Parry

Senior Women’s League: Ennis/ Kilrush RFC 62 – 17 Dolphin RFC A big away win against an overwhelmed Dolphin side leaves Ennis-Kilrush in fourth place after two wins, a draw and a loss. Wing Emer Moynihan touched down first after the ball was worked across the field from a lineout. Shortly after, Dolphin scored levelled the score but the parity didn't last long when flanker Caoilfhionn Morrissey benefitted from a well-worked scrum move to score a try, which was converted by captain Micaela Glynn. A converted try from centre Ailish Dunne followed before Dolphin responded again but Ennis-Kilrush substitute Grainne Burke made sure the gap remained intact with a try after a strong run from the middle of the field, converted by Glynn. Another try each for the sides left the half-time score at 31-17 in favour of Ennis/Kilrush. The second half was an even more one-sided affair with tries from Dunne, Orna Moynihan, hooker Meadh O’Driscoll, Emer Moynihan and finally Burke with a lovely kick-and-chase try to leave the score at 62-17. The senior women’s team have an upcoming home game against leaders Tralee on December 17. Senior Men: Ennis RFC 23 – 10 Scariff RFC Ennis continued their winning streak with a 23-10 against local

l Members of the Ennis Kilrush Ladies side

rivals Scariff. Ennis were disciplined for some high tackles and not rolling away at the rucks, while Cian Guilfoyle was penalized in the first half for running into a defensive tackle with a leading elbow. Despite a number early penalties against Ennis for illdiscipline, the senior men took an early stranglehold in the game thanks to their dominant scrum. Their first try came from a well-constructed line-out drive which allowed Joe Connaughton to make a great break to score under the post. Dylan Kenny added a conversion and soon after, kicked a penalty, putting Ennis in the lead with 10-0.

Scariff finished the first half in the ascendency however and were awarded a penalty try to leave the score 10-7 at halftime. In the second half, Kenny kicked two more penalties to extend the lead before Jack Scahill made an excellent line-break from the halfway line to link up with Cillian Mullins, who beat three defenders and scored under the post. With a final score of 23-10, the senior men’s team have won five out of five matches in Division 3 and are very familiar with the top spot on the table. Up next for Ennis is Dingle for the Martin O’Sullivan cup second round.

U18 Girl’s Munster League: Ennis RFC 53 – 19 Mallow/Mitchelstown/ Kanturk RFC Ennis’ U18 girls recorded a big win at home against the Cork amalgamation, winning 53-19. Ennis were first to score thanks to super inter-play between Eileen Keane and her sister Emma who touched down. The visitors scored five minutes later from a quick tap penalty to leave Ennis trailing 5-7. From the re-start, Ennis chased hard and from some quick rucks by the forwards, Ennis’ second row Alana Foudy powered through the defence to touch down under the posts, converted by Emma Keane. Ennis’ next score came from an attacking scrum just outside the opposition. Number 8, Emily Kelly, picked at the base and with a great off-load by winger Amy Butler, allowed the supporting scrumhalf Niamh McManus to score in the corner. With another score from the opposition and only eight minutes until half-time, Foudy touched down for her second try of the game, leaving the score at 24 - 14 at half-time. Ennis introduced their subs bench in the second half and it didn't slow them down, if not the opposite. A shortened lineout won by Maggie Murphy led to a try by Emma Keane, who beat five defenders to touch down under the posts and converted her own try. Ennis scored again eight minutes later from great ball play

by all the Ennis backs. Lyndsay Clake received the ball on the halfway line and scored under the posts, which was converted by Emma Keane. Ennis’ next two tries where scored by winger Nell Walsh, followed by the hard-working number 7, Maggie Murphy. The visitors had the last score of the game when their Number 13 touched down in the corner. However, this did not affect Ennis’ victory of 53 – 19. Ennis: Ciara Reidy, Aine Morrisey, Caoilinn Cahill, Ava Walsh, Alana Foudy, Aisling Heapes, Maggie Murphy, Emily Kelly, Niamh McManus, Emma Keane (Joint Captain), Amy Butler, Eileen Keane, Amber Keane Thompson, Ella Courtney, Sadhbh Faughey, Sally Kelly, Annie Lynch, Kayla Considine, Nell Walsh, Saoirse Coleman, Eadaoin McMahon, Ellis O’Flaherty, and Lyndsay Clarke

Next up for Ennis’ U18 girls is an away game on Saturday the 16th of December against Carrick-onSuir. U8 Blitz Ennis fielded two teams while Newcastle West RFC and Thomond RFC fielded a team each during a U8 blitz in Newcastle West. Each Ennis team played Newcastle West and Thomond, finishing with an Ennis Red against Ennis Black game. This was a great morning of rugby and the U8 team will have many more opportunities to improve and develop their skills in their next blitz after Christmas.

Two wins on bounce for Cree's Maria Browne by Michael Maher news@clareecho.ie

FESTIVE FEATURE €20.00PP

l l l l

INCLUDES: Admission & Race Programme An Irish Beef Burger served in a brioche bun with Crispy Chips A Bottle of Coors or Heineken (soft drink or hot beverage substitute available) DJ after racing to dance the night away FOR GROUPS OF 6 OR MORE

VA L I D U N T I L T H E E N D O F D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3

C h e c k we b s i t e f o r r a c e n i g h t s a n d d e t a i l s

w w w. L i m e r i c k G r ey h o u n d S t a d i u m . i e w w w. G a l w a y G r ey h o u n d S t a d i u m . i e

T & C ’ s a p p l y. T h i s o f f e r i s o n l i n e e x c l u s i v e a n d m u s t b e b o o k e d o n l i n e i n a d v a n c e . Not available to purchase on the night.

BURNPARK JAYTEE made it two wins in a row for Cree’s Maria Browne. There was racing last Wednesday night at the Galway Track due to Connacht’s weekend rugby match and there was further success for the Burnpark Kennels when Burnpark Jaytee made it two wins on the bounce for Maria Browne with an 18.15 victory, he is a son of Jaytee Jet and Seekers Vision. The Ryan and Lillis brigade from Cooraclare were successful with Dromtown who recorded a first career success in 29.95, he is a son of Pestana and Sugan Jet. Medicine Time owned by Liscannor’s Charlie Carey finished strongly to take the honors in 29.73, she is a daughter of Pestana and Bling Bling Tres. There was twelve races on the card at Limerick on Thursday night last with two Clare owned winners. First up it was Trembling Gloria for Ennistymon’s Tom Flanagan, this was career win number three for this daughter of Romeo Recruit and Trembling Juliet in a time of 29.23. Kilddo Dano recorded his first career win in 29.11, a son of Ballymac Anton and Notimetotalk, he is jointly owned O’Callaghan Mills’ Donal Cooney and Gerry Moloney from Doora. Last weekend the weather stayed fine for the annual Killimer/Kilrush Meeting. Oneinthebarrel brought the featured contest the Gilligan and McMahon All age to Ennis for Shane Flanagan and Cranny native Ciaran Browne. The All Age Bitch went to Windfarm Madam for Kilrush native Michael Eustace, The Reserve

Dog went to Milown Malbay for the Burke clan, Jason O’Dwyer and Eoin Hurley. The Oaks left the county when Atypical Danger brough the Liam Garrahy Cup to Nenagh for John Kelly and for the locals Intrinsic Yank took the JJ O’Dea memorial cup to Kilkee for the Harte clan and Ler Claude won the Surplus members for Kilrush’s Johnny Fitzgerald. Rásaíocht Con Éireann / Greyhound Racing Ireland (GRI) demonstrated its commitment to environmental sustainability through a recently held company Tree Planting Day at its headquarters in Limerick. All staff at GRI Headquarters in Limerick were invited to volunteer and proactively engage in enriching the stadiums local ecosystem and help to provide a haven for a variety of species that reside on the site. The Tree Planting Day initiative aligns with Greyhound Racing Irelands’ ongoing commitment to the organisation's Sustainability Strategy. By hosting this event GRI hopes to make a positive impact on the environment while fostering teamwork and environmental stewardship amongst its employees. Volunteers were divided into teams to plant a variety of native and naturalised trees selected for their ecological benefits and compatibility with the local environment. The activity aims to enhance biodiversity, provide additional shelter for wildlife, and create a legacy for future generations. This inaugural pilot scheme serves as a cornerstone for numerous upcoming initiatives planned throughout the country, all playing a pivotal role in GRI's journey to fulfil sustainability commitments.

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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Sport

Civic reception bestowed on All-Ireland winning Clare hurling & camogie sides by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

CLARE’S All-Ireland winning minor hurling and junior camogie side were honoured with a civic reception by Clare County Council on Monday. Proposed by Mayor of Clare, Cllr Joe Cooney (FG), Mayor of the Ennis Municipal District, Cllr Pat Daly (FF), Leas Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) and Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND), the civic reception is the highest honour the Council can bestow on an individual or group. Fintan Leamy, a selector with the minor hurlers and a member of the Tulla Pipe Band led both panels into the Council Chamber playing the bagpipes. The ceremony closed with PJ Murrihy giving a rendition of ‘My Lovely Rose of Clare’. Victorious managers Brian O’Connell and John Carmody took seats at the top table along with winning captains Eoghan Gunning and Sinead O’Keeffe, Clare GAA Chairman Kieran Keating, Clare GAA Head of Operations Deirdre Murphy (a member of the 2008 All-Ireland winning junior side), camogie selector Ann Marie McGann and Chairman of Clare Camogie, Joe O’Donnell who appeared to be quite comfortable sitting in the seat of the Mayor of Clare. Cllr Cooney said he was “delighted to honour our outstanding Clare teams with a civic reception”. The O’Callaghans Mills man stated, “As a proud Clare GAA man who has devoted most of my life to promotion of our games, it was an honour to follow both teams and they brought great pride back to the Banner County." WOMEN'S SPORT Interest in women’s sport is growing, the Mayor noted. “For too long women’s sports in Ireland was the poor relation to men’s sport, this has changed thankfully in recent years which gives me great satisfaction, it is great to see women’s sport enjoying the public support and funding it deserved”. He remarked of the Junior camogie success, “To win any All-Ireland takes dedication and talent but to win an All-Ireland from six points down takes heart and bravery, ye bridged a gap of 15 years when you won this Junior title and created history by doing so”. Cooney, a former Chairman of Clare GAA continued, “What a year it has been for our minor hurling panel, Munster champions in May

and All-Ireland champions a month later, these titles were a long-time coming but it is worth the wait. "To bounce back from losing the Munster final last year on penalties shows how resilient this panel is, your success is a mix of supreme skill levels, hard work throughout the year which culminated in the success you all deserve”. Opening his contribution, Cllr Daly called it a "great privilege to see such talent in front of us. You couldn’t buy it”. He singled out the performances of minor hurling captain, Eoghan Gunning, “he reminded me of John Doyle coming out the field fifty years ago and hitting everyone”. He predicted, “I’ve no doubt ye will go along and win All-Ireland senior medals”. Mentioning the importance of the panel, Cllr Flynn described those honoured as “sporting heroes”. He said, “We’re passionate about our sport and All-Irelands don’t come easy”. Camogie manager, John Carmody hailed it as “a wonderful occasion” for both teams to be recognised. “We took inspiration from it,” he said of the minor’s win, “looking at the lads outside it is fair to say the future of Clare hurling is in safe hands”. The Kilmaley man praised the commitment of the county camogie panel as “second to none” adding that it is "a privilege to be with them on the sideline”. Next year with Clare having county sides at senior and intermediate “will be a huge challenge,” he said. Camogie captain Sinead O’Keeffe acknowledged it had been “a really special year” for them. The wing back added, “It is a volunteer sport at the end of the day, we all give our time for days like this and we don’t always get them. There’s talk tonight about bringing the future and seeing the younger lads and girls, it is about the future of the sport, that is what we want to drive on”. Minor hurling captain, Eoghan Gunning said it was “an honour” for them to get such recognition. Brian O’Connell, who became the second All-Ireland winning minor hurling manager with Clare, paid tribute to the elected representatives for bestowing them with the reception. “The significance of this award means a lot to us,” the ex Clare captain said. “We mentioned it at our awards ceremony on Friday that there will be winning and losing but the people you meet along the way is always important,”

l Attending the civic reception was (above, l-r) Sinead O'Keeffe, captain of the Clare junior camogie side with Cllr Joe Cooney and her manager John Carmody; (below, l-r) Minor manager Brian O'Connell with Cllr Cooney and his captain Eoghan Gunning

the Shannon native added. He extended best wishes to his cousin, Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) on his upcoming retirement from politics. Looking at the slideshow with winning photographs in the background, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) commented, “I smile when I see the pictures, we’re in the middle of December, we’re cold but your expressions and total joy ye have, don’t lose that feeling”. The Ennis woman stressed that one person doesn’t make a team but singled out Caoimhe Cahill’s efforts as a dual-player and how close she came to winning two All-Ireland titles in the space of a week. Presence of “such a young crowd” in the Council Chamber was wel-

comed by Cllr Pat Hayes (FF), who noted that “the bottom line here is your clubs and your families, these are the real people behind it". Criticism of RTÉ was voiced by Cllr Pat Burke (FG), noting that “Darren Frehill failed to mention” the success of Clare’s minors. “I sent an email to RTÉ about it but I got no response, I sent a letter to the Editor of Irish Independent saying ‘shame on Darren Frehill for not mentioning the minor All-Ireland’,” he revealed. The contribution of Whitegate duo, Lauran Solan and Aideen Hickey to the camogie success was noted by their clubman. Admitting she was not “a very stellar athlete” in her youth, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) said she marvelled at the “brilliance and skill” of

the county players. “Camogie being the poor relation is no longer the case,” the Quin native maintained. She singled Karen McMahon’s involvement in both the county junior camogie success and also Doora/ Barefield’s run to the All-Ireland junior camogie semi-final. For the first time, GAA enthusiast Buff Egan was mentioned within the confines of the Council Chamber. Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) quipped, “As Buff Egan says we’re going to the moon and we’ve gone to the moon with these panel of players”. Panellists from both squads are “role models,” Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) observed. The input of all parents and managements to the success was referenced by the Kildysart Rd resident, “keep going, there is massive talent and we will be there again to watch ye get the winning scores”. Players involved are “an inspiration to us all,” admitted Cllr Paul Murphy (FG). Praise was also voiced by Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF), Cllr PJ Ryan (IND), Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF), Cllr John Crowe (FG) and Cllr Michael Begley (FG). Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) noted that honouring two All-Ireland teams from the county on the one night was a rare occurrence. Words of Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) struck a chord with the players and managements from both panels. He described himself as the only councillor present “from the football part of the county, there’s no votes in it for me so I can praise ye without looking for anything in return. I was fortunate to wear the Clare jersey on many occasion, those memories stay with you, put them in a special place and you will always have them”. He urged those present to get behind Clare GAA’s fundraising efforts and concluded, “Sport unites us all”. Chairman of Clare GAA, Kieran Keating prasied the Council for the occasion. He encouraged councillors to use their “political influence” to help their efforts to source a regional grant of €500,000 to try install an Astro-turf in Caherlohan. Cooperation from the Council in improving the surface of the car park at Fr MacNamara Park was referenced by Clare Camogie Chairman, Joe O’Donnell. “To award a civic reception is a phenomenal honour for everybody here this evening. I share the dream of the players to win competitions and All-Irelands especially but I never thought we would get a civic reception”.

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

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Recent Deaths

TYRES Boland, Tom Kilkee Clare King, Joseph Kilmihil Clare

Bleach, Eileen (Helen) Scariff mClare KENT, William (Billy) Ardnacrusha Clare

ANNIVERSARY

IRENE MCNAMARA KILKISHEN, CO. CLARE DIED NOVEMBER 7TH, 2023 Irene’s husband Michael and family would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all who sympathised with us on Irene’s recent passing. We appreciate sincerely all those who visited our home, brought food, sent messages and cards, shared online condolences, those who travelled long distances and all who attended the removal, funeral mass, and burial. Grateful thanks to the clergy, altar servers, Monica and Nigel for the beautiful singing and music, the sacristan and to all who prepared the

church for Irene’s removal and funeral mass. Our heartfelt thanks to our neighbours and friends who supported and guided us, to all who prepared Irene’s final resting place so beautifully, and to James O’Halloran for his exceptional help and professionalism in handling the arrangements. A special thank you to the staff of the Galway Clinic, and in particular the staff of the John Paul ll ward for their care and attention to Irene during her illness. It would be impossible to thank everyone who has supported us, but please accept this as an acknowledgement of our gratitude, we appreciate your support sincerely. Irene’s Month’s Mind Mass will be celebrated in St. Senan’s Church Kilkishen, on Saturday 9th December 2023 at 6pm.

Langhans (née Morrissey), Mary Clare Reidy (née Keane), Josephine (Jo) Kilnaboy Clare Cosgrove, Bernard Tulla Clare Linnane, Ivan Fanore Clare MacGowan, Seamus Doolin Clare O’Mahony (née O’Connell), Frances Inagh Clare

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Thursday, Dec 7, 2023 THE CLARE ECHO

Quiz

The Clare Echo GAA Quiz John Conlon claimed his second AllWhich club does Clare Senior Footbal1position Star this year for Centre-Back, what 6 ler Eoin Cleary play for? a. Kilmurry-Ibrickane did he win his previous All-Star? a. b. c.

Centre-Back Full-Forward Wing-Forward

Which club has won the most Clare Senior Football Championship Titles? a. Doonbeg b. Éire Óg, Ínis c. Kilrush Shamrocks

b. c.

St. Joseph’s Miltown Malbay St. Senan’s Kilkee

Colm Collins’ reign as Clare Senior 7 Football Manager has come to an end this year after __ years. a. b. c.

11 9 10

Who captained the Clare Senior HurlWhich of these Clare Senior Hurlers 8 ers in 2023? 3 won the Pwc/Young Hurler of the Year a. John Conlon Award? b. c.

Tony Kelly Shane O’Donnell

How many Munster Football Champi9 onship’s have Clare won? a. One

Clonlara won the Clare SHC in 2023, 10 but when did they previosuly claim the Canon Hamilton?

Which club has won the most Clare Senior Hurling Championship Titles? a. Éire Óg, Ínis b. Newmarket-on-Fergus c. Sixmilebridge

St. Breckan’s reached the Clare SFC Final for the first time in 27 years in 2023, but how many Titles hasve they won? a. Once b. Never c. Twice

b. c.

a. b. c.

come to an end this year after __ years.

None Two

2008 2009 2007

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE Can you spot the 7 differences

l QUESTION 7 : Colm Collins’ reign as Clare Senior Football Manager has Photo by Ruth Griffin

ANSWERS 6.St. Joseph’s Miltown Malbay 7.10 8.Tony Kelly 9.Two 10.2008

Patrick Crotty Adam Hogan Mark Rodgers

1.Full-Forward 2.Kilrush Shamrocks 3.Mark Rodgers 4.Newmarket-on-Fergus 5.Never

a. b. c.

Last weeks answers . L missing on sign . Scarf different colour . A missing on bottom of sign . Bracelet missing on Patricia

. Necklace missing on Patricia . Hinge missing in background (left) . T missing on sign

The Crimmins family celebrate with the Fleet Transport best school transport operator award, Cian, Julian, Ann Marie, Ruairí and Daragh Photo by Natasha Barton

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

THIS WEEKS PUZZLES Dec 7

SUDOKU

3/21/2019

7 4

7 3

9 1

4 2

6 4

7 2

8 3

1/1

7 6

How to play

ANSWERS 6

1 6

9 5

7 8

2 4 5 8 9 3 1 6 7

8 5 7 9 3 4 2 1 6

1 2 7 5 6 3 9 8

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.

HOW TO PLAY

How to play

9 6 1 2 8 4 7 5

Blemish Blend Blot Cloud Dirt Dye Rust Slur Smear Smudge Soil Spatter Speck Spot Stain Sully Taint Tarnish Tinge

1/1

WORD SEARCH

3/21/2019

The Clare Echo Crossword 1

icult - just

Puzzle

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1 2,7 $ 1/1

ACROSS 7 Suitable (11) 8 Removal of abuses (6) 9 Indian tent (6) 10 Sea between Greece and Turkey (6) 12 Spanish rice dish (6) 13 Fuss (3) 14 Science of plant life (6) 16 Kidnapper’s demand (6) 18 Sauntered (6) 20 Exaggerate (6) 22 Futility (11)

DOWN 1 Female horse (4) 2 Resist (6) 3 Scottish New Year celebration (8) 4 Black bird (4) 5 Hang loosely (6) 6 Harem (8) 11 Huge (8) 12 Marine mammal (8) 15 Slumbering (6) 17 Required (6) 19 Profound (4) 21 Twilight (4)

CROSSWORD ANSWERS K

U 22

U O

E M

E E

A 81

G M

A 7

D 6

C 5

H 4

t s uj - tl u ciffi d o ot

9102 hc 8

O 3

M 2

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

Planning

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL CARROWKEEL WEST, INAGH, CO. CLARE Take notice that Patrick Hehir is applying to Clare County Council for planning permission for the construction of 21 houses with reserved open space, access roads, footpaths , connections to public sewer and storm water, ancillary services along with all associated site 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 Clare County Council during its public opening hours and 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 BALLYGRIFFY NORTH, RUAN, ENNIS, CO. CLARE. Take notice that Colin & Cora Ingram intend to apply to the planning authority for permission to construct a new dwelling house and garage complete with a new entrance, sewage treatment system 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, 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 COUNTY COUNCIL BARNANAGEEHA, DARRAGH, ENNIS, CO. CLARE. Take notice that Frank Whelan intends to apply to the planning authority for permission to construct a new dwelling house and garage complete with a sewage treatment system 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, 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 COUNTY COUNCIL GARRAUN, KILRUSH, CO. CLARE Take note that Jacqueline Foran intends to apply to Clare County Council for planning permission to renovate and extend the existing dwelling house to include demolition of rear annex and demolition of existing shed and the provision of a new onsite wastewater treatment system with all necessary ancillary services 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 planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, €20, within the period of five 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. CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL DOONAGORE, DOOLIN, CO. CLARE Take notice that Brian Foudy & Associates Ltd of Osprey House, Carmody Street, Ennis, Co. Clare 065 6893565 www.foudyconsulting.ie. intend to apply to the planning authority on behalf of James Clancy for permission to retain (a) structure consisting of a shed, store and ancillary living accommodation. (b) The use of the ancillary living accommodation for both immediate family use and periodic short term letting together with all associated site development works and services 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 planning authority 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 FORMOYLE OUGHTERAGH WEST, INAGH, CO. CLARE Take notice that Brian Foudy & Associates Ltd of Osprey House, Carmody Street, Ennis, Co. Clare 065 6893565 www.foudyconsulting.ie. intend to apply to the planning authority on behalf of Shane Foudy for permission to retain as constructed a) Site boundaries b) Position of house, septic tank and percolation area, c) Attic conversion and installation of additional windows d) Side entrance and ancillary accommodation together with all associated site development works and services 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 planning authority 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 BALLYBEG, ENNIS, CO. CLARE Take notice that Cormac and Ruth O’Neill intend to apply to the Planning Authority for planning permis-

sion to construct a domestic garage along with ancillary site works to 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 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 five weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the application. Opening hours 9am to 4pm. CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL WOOD ROAD, CRATLOE, CO. CLARE Planning permission being sought by Fiona Linnane & Dermot O’Doherty to demolish existing storage shed, construct Ancillary Living Unit, connect to existing on-site waste water treatment system and all associated site 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 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. Opening hours 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CLARE CO COUNCIL BALLYMULCASHEL, KILMURRY, SIXMILEBRIDGE, CO CLARE Permission sought to construct a dwelling house, domestic garage, vehicular entrance, effluent treatment system including all associated site works and services at above address / Applicant’s: Michelle & David O’Meara ‘’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 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 authority of the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions or may refuse to grant permission’’ CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL FEAKLE LOWER, FEAKLE, CO. CLARE. V95EH00 Take notice that KARLEEN SMYTH intends to apply for planning permission to renovate, extend and reuse the Building known as the Old Funeral Parlour as a Dwelling and 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 GREENLAWN LODGE, BALLINSHEEN MOR, LISDOONVARNA, CO. CLARE. Take notice that GLL B&B LTD. intend to apply for RETENTION permission for: 1. The first floor private bedroom to the rear of the dwelling/B&B 2. The conversion of the domestic 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. CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL MARKET SQUARE, SCARIFF, CO CLARE “Take notice that Michael Long of Moynoe, Scariff, Co Clare, intends to apply to the Planning Authority for permission for material change of use of existing funeral home located in Market Square, Scariff, Co Clare into a residential townhouse including all ancillary works” The planning authority 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 of €20 within the period of five (5) weeks, beginning on the date of receipt by the Planning Authority”

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL DEREEN, MULLAGH, CO CLARE “Take notice that James Corry of Alva, Cree, Co Clare, intends to apply to the Planning Authority for permission to retain an extension to the front of existing dwelling house located in Dereen, Mullagh, Co Clare” The planning authority 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 of €20 within the period of five (5) weeks, beginning on the date of receipt by the Planning Authority” CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL LISHEEN, BALLYNACALLY, CO. CLARE Further Information / Revised Plans Planning Reference: P 23 / 60182 Development Description: Planning permission for a change of design to the dwelling house granted under planning P22-596 along with all associated works at Lisheen, Ballynacally, Co. Clare. Location: Lisheen, Ballynacally, Co. Clare. Take notice that A. Gallagher has lodged significant further information in respect of planning application P 23 / 60182. This information and 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 of Clare County Council, Planning Department, Áras Chontae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the further information or revised plans may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, not later than 2 weeks after the receipt of the newspaper notice and site notice by the planning authority.

THE CLARE ECHO Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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