The Clare Echo 09/01/20

Amazing Winter Sale continues

with many items

HALF PRICE and less Shoes 065 671 9021

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71 O’Connell St, Ennis, Co Clare

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ENNIS NATIVE EVACUATED FROM FIRES PÁRAIC McMAHON

E

news@clareecho.ie

l BRANCHING OUT: Two year old Jesse

Fabricies, Ennis taking part in the 9th annual Christmas Tree Throwing Championships at Tim Smyth Park, Ennis on Sunday

Photo by Eamon Ward

NNIS native Diarmuid O’Connor has described the horrific conditions being endured in bushfire-hit areas of Australia, just days after he and his young family were evacuated during a family camping trip.

In an exclusive interview with The Clare Echo, Diarmuid explained that his family went on a camping holiday to Batemans Bay but had to be evacuated from the area and return home to Sydney. “Traditionally bushfire season didn’t impact the bigger cities, this is the first time the major cities are starting to

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VAT hikes killed Kilkee eatery

feel not only with fires starting in the cities but also the really bad air quality, the thing is bushfire season isn’t finished yet so there could be two more months of this”.

En route home, the St Flannan’s College past pupil had time to reflect on what they had been through.

He said, “When we were standing on the beach at Batemans Bay looking back into the town which was on fire everywhere with a variety of helicopters and a big Hercules plane flown in especially to fight the fires, then you realise how serious and how close it came to us. It was pretty scary for a couple of hours, we had a couple of uncomfortable days trying to get home.”

IN THE latest hit to West Clare’s economy, popular Kilkee restaurant Murphy Blacks is to close after 15 years in business.

Owners Cillian Murphy and Mary Redmond confirmed they had made the difficult decision to close the eatery, citing the recent 4.5 per cent VAT increase as a pivotal reason in closing the premises.

Full story Page 12

Full story Page 14

2 NEWS

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

Index

S

2-17

NEWS

FEATURE

STRIKING A POSE FOR THE PARISH

18-21

ENTERTAINMENT

22

COMMUNITY

24-25

BUSINESS

28-29

MOTORING

31-33

SPORT

34-35

CLASSIFIEDS

36-37

36C Abbey Street, Ennis, County Clare Telephone: 065 671 9021

NEWSDESK

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

SALES

Email: ger.naughton@clareecho.ie or niall@clareecho.ie

l LOVELY HURLING: Scarriff - Ogonnelloe camogie players Mairead Scanlon, Danielle Sheedy and Aishling Corbett get to grips with the road hurling competition

Photo by MT Photography

MITH O’Briens GAA club recently hosted their annual road hurling competition in Bridgetown, raising €2,300 to fund the club’s ongoing development. The tournament now in its fourth year, welcomed 37 teams from across East Clare.

Road Hurling, a fun and novel concept has become popular in the last few years as teams of three cover a circuit or course typically set on quiet back roads - pucking a sliotar from a start point to an end point.

In a scoring system similar to golf, the team with the least amount of shots, after completing the course is announced the winner.

Speaking after the event, held on St. Stephen’s day, Smith O’Briens’ club treasurer, Declan O’Halloran said “the road hurling tournament has evolved into a brilliant annual event for all the family. We have boys and girls aged from 7-76 who make their way out to enjoy the day’s activities. I’d like to thank our newly appointed fundraising committee for their hard work and most importantly all our loyal sponsors who continue to support this event.”

Tournament Organiser Derek Conway said, “it’s great to host this event each year, we started it out as a bit of fun but have been amazed at how popular it has become. We had 19 teams when we first started in 2016 and now those numbers have nearly doubled. If nothing else, it helps a few guys and girls burn off the excess turkey and ham.”

The winner at this year’s competition was the Stritch family team from Killaloe, captained by Cathal with a winning score of 44.

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4 NEWS

Dublin workers being eyed up to live in the Burren PÁRAIC McMAHON

B

paraic@clareecho.ie

URREN Lowlands have set their eyes firmly on workers in Dublin and surrounding counties to attract them to come and live in North Clare and South Galway.

An increase in co-operation and involvement is needed by councillors, community activists and Clare County Council so far as Burren Lowlands is concerned, Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) recently told a meeting of the local authority.

"They are working on enhancing the economic and social aspects in the areas covering Crusheen, Ballinruan, Killanena, Boston, Tubber, Carron and New Quay, as well as south Galway parishes in the hinterland of Gort," Killeen noted of the group funded by Clare Local Development Company and Galway Rural Development.

In defending the Council's relationship with Burren Lowlands, senior executive officer Monica Meehan responded to Cllr Killeen by referring to the engagements they have held with the group "in order to support them in their efforts to promote the area" over recent years.

"This association also extends to Galway

County Council and both Councils engage as the need arises".

Meehan pointed to the development of the Fáilte Ireland led Burren Discovery Trail as "a good example of where Clare and Galway have worked together in order to develop a product which not only benefits specific areas in North Clare but also has the potential to beneficial those areas mentioned in the motion".

Burren Lowlands are working on a survey of co-working spaces, carrying out an audit of empty commercial spaces and "targeting workers in the east of the country to come and live here," Cllr Killeen outlined.

lRURAL: Burren Lowlands are working on a number of measures to entice workers in the east of Ireland to move there Photo by Shane Gilligan

Opt rural - details nearly finalised on pilot resettlement scheme WORK is underway on a pilot resettlement scheme that will entice more people to live in rural parts of Co Clare.

'Opt rural' is currently in the planning stages, Clare County Council intends to submit an application under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund to secure funding for the initiative.

Senior executive officer in the Rural Development Directorate, Monica Meehan outlined, "The proposal will in the first instance focus on quality housing opportunities with a mandatory precondition that the property be the primary permanent place of residence of the family. The premise of the scheme which is in development is to encourage households to set up permanent places of residence in rural communities by promoting opportunity and benefits of rural living.

"Factors such as the provision of broadband and matching skilled employees with employers will also need to be considered. The initial focus will be a pilot project, however, if successful the model can be rolled out in other towns/villages experiencing population decline".

Her comments came in response to a motion from Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) who called on the local authority to investigate the possibility of commencing a rural resettlement pilot. The Lisdoonvarna man was very pleased to hear the Council were "ahead of the game". "The spirit of this motion is that we are brave and ambitious particularly with rural development". He praised the leadership shown by officials but requested for councillors to be involved "a bit more in the process".

"It is testament to the Council that this is the sort of stuff we are putting on the table for discussion. We have a significant amount of Council owned property," Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) outlined. "Rural regeneration is about bringing people back into properties".

He stressed the importance of services to rural communities and told the meeting of a growing trend developing in South West Clare. "We are seeing people moving from Carrigaholt and Doonaha into Lissycasey, they want the rural lifestyle but they want to be close to services, we have to tackle that".

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020 ADVERTORIAL

Closing renovation sale at Kmc Home Trends GREAT news shopping fans, one of Co Clare’s favourite furniture stores is about to get a store revamp.

Kmc Home Trends, Parnell Street Ennis is well known for providing customers with top quality, great service and value for money on top quality furniture and mattresses.

To ensure Kmc Home Trends continues to be a popular shopping destination, it is necessary for the owners to do some necessary renovations to the interior and exterior of the building with a view to improving the customers shopping experience.

The Closing Renovation Sale is now on and SALE must end this Sunday 12th January at 5pm. Kmc Home Trends are having this fantastic Sale with special reductions on every piece of Furniture in store and all stock must go.

Since opening its doors to the public in 2013, Kmc Home Trends have gone from strength to strength and the ongoing repeat business is a testament to the professional, friendly approach by management and staff and the excellent quality and choice available in store.

At Kmc Home Trends a number of the product ranges on display are provided directly by Irish Suppliers bringing a better product to their customer at very affordable prices.

With over 45 years combined experience in the Furniture and Mattress Business you will get the best advice and best customer service you need.

A Free Nationwide and Assembly Service are available and those looking for quality, service and value need to look no further than Kmc Home Trends.

The Closing Renovation Sale is now on and must end this Sunday 12th January at 5pm.

With many clearance lines, ex display models and with up to 60% off, early attendance will guarantee massive savings.

It promises to be a fantastic opportunity for those wanting to redecorate their house or rental property or add that something extra special while picking up a bargain. Every item in the shop will be sold on a first come, first served basis.

Some of the items available will include mattresses, sofas, (fabric and leather) recliners, beds, divans, lockers, dressing tables, chest of drawers, coffee tables, pictures, mirrors and so much more.

This one off event will finish on Sunday 12th January at 5pm, so don’t miss this opportunity to purchase yourself some real quality furniture at an absolute bargain.

The staff and management of Kmc Home Trends would like to thank all their customers for their continued support throughout 2019 and look forward to a very exciting 2020 meeting lots of new customers in their new showroom.

Find Kmc Hometrends on Facebook for more.

l BARGAIN: Sale now on at Kmc Home Trends

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6 NEWS

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

Crowe boycott sparks Ennis back deferral of RIC event in top 10 cleanest PÁRAIC McMAHON

A

news@clareecho.ie

PLANNED commemoration for the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) has been deferred.

It comes after a number of Ministers of State and opposition politicians stated they would be boycotting the event. The first of those to announce they would not attend was Mayor of Clare, Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF).

Due to take place in Dublin Castle at

the end of January, the commemorative event had drawn widespread criticism leading to Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan (FG) announcing its deferral on Tuesday. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (FG) had described the decision of Mayors to boycott the event as “a shame” and that “the Government stands over the decision to host it”.

Cllr Crowe felt the commemoration of the RIC was “political revisionism gone too far”. A Bachelor of Arts graduate in history, politics, sociology and social studies at the University of Limerick, he said he never expected to gain such momentum when taking the stance.

Crowe commented, “I don’t think anyone should ever have tried to white-

wash the organisation and claim they were something virtuous, they absolutely weren’t, there were many good individuals that served in the organisation”.

He added, “We also need to stop saying there is a distinction between the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Black and Tans, there absolutely isn’t. The Black and Tans were an auxiliary unit of the Royal Irish Constabulary”.

Part of a War of Independence commemorate committee in Meelick-Parteen, Cathal felt “every inch” of the Black and Tans “was part of the fold of the RIC”. He added, “The really good news is the Government have seen sense and stopped this ludicrous thing of commemorating the RIC”.

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ENNIS is one of the top ten cleanest towns in Ireland.

Business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL)’s final litter survey of 2019 puts Ennis in eighth position in a ranking of forty towns and cities.

Last year, Ennis finished in twenty second place while 2017 saw it named as the cleanest town in Ireland.

For a record fourth time, Kilkenny topped the rankings and was followed by Killarney and Swords.

No heavily littered sites were noted in An Taisce’s report of the Clare county town. Historical and informative signs at the Daniel O’Connell monument, Mill Bridge and Market Place left the right impression.

Collaboration with the Tidy Towns including façade

painting along O’Connell St and tree planting at Tim Smythe Park was also acknowledged.

Some of the top ranking sites in Ennis included O’Connell Street “exceptionally clean and well presented”, Tim Smythe Park “an excellent site in terms of presentation, maintenance and litter” and Lower Market Street / Market Place.

Twenty one of the 27 inspected towns were deemed clean, a dip on previous years. Galway edged out Waterford to claim cleanest city as it enters its year as European City of Culture.

The city areas of Galvone in Limerick, Ballymun in Dublin and Cork Northside were ‘littered’, with Dublin North Inner City at the foot of the rankings.

CSSL accounts for ‘19 fall under spotlight

DOCTORED accounts were presented to club delegates at the AGM of the Clare Schoolboys/Schoolgirls Soccer League (CSSL), writes Páraic McMahon.

An Emergency General Meeting (EGM) of the CSSL was convened as delegates refused to pass the Treasurer’s Report at the December AGM with question marks raised over how the accounts were presented.

Chartered accountant Donal O’Sullivan admitted at Tuesday’s EGM at Hotel Woodstock, “The accounts I presented to the then Treasurer weren’t the ones presented at the AGM. They were changed without my knowledge and some of the income categorisation was changed”.

O’Sullivan expressed his “displeasure” with the actions of the Treasurer who issued an apology for his actions.

Accounts presented at the AGM had a surplus of €18,196 whereas on Tuesday delegates were informed there was in fact a deficit of €5,019.

An increase in committee expenses was noted in the figures from the Kilrush accountant. Delegates were told in December this amounted to €3,365 but on Tuesday it was revealed that committee expenses more than tripled to €12,998. However overall transport costs for the CSSL were reduced by €400.

“I don’t know why they have suddenly jumped,” Nigel Bradish who was appointed Treasurer at the AGM commented. He said the committee expenses were on phone bills, broadband, travelling and work at Ballycasey.

Topline figures in the CSSL’s income for the financial year ending October 31 2019 were altered, the Kilrush accountant flagged. Decreases were recorded on registration fees (-€3,736), gate receipts (-€2,143), Kennedy Cup, Gaynor Cup and tournament income (-€1,062), fundraising and sponsorship (-€3,852).

An income from the FAI Camps was not included in the AGM accounts and for the EGM accounts this was pooled with goalkeeping, TFA and U11 programmes leading to a jump of €4,699 on what was previously presented.

As first reported by The Clare Echo in December, the FAI owe the CSSL €22,171. O’Sullivan told delegates that this grant was included as an asset in the figures presented at the AGM and that the committee have made the “prudent” decision to write off the €22k. “I presume they will chase it.

If they do get it, it will be categorised as income”.

Coole FC delegate, Gerard McMahon described the situation as “slightly fishy”. Newly elected Chairman, Donal Kirby assured delegates the new committee would be “more consistent”, adding, “We need to up our game on record keeping,”

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10 NEWS

Garda needs €75k for crisis help app PÁRAIC McMAHON

A

paraic@clareecho.ie

CLARE Garda is bidding to raise €75,000 so that he can launch an app that will 'empower young people to make better decisions online'.

Robin Grace this week started a kickstarter campaign to go about raising necessary funds to develop his social networking app, ME. Should the fundraising appeal work, he plans to have the app available this year. Safety first is the principle of the app which supports young people by prompting them to connect with the people that care most about them in their time of need.

Running until January 17th, the crowdfunder has the aim of bringing in €75,000 to fund the building of the app. He has been working on the concept for the past 18 months and has been accepted onto New Frontiers, a development programme for national entrepreneurs.

From Ballina/Killaloe Robin has become acutely aware of social media's risks, dangers and negative

impact during his four years as a member of An Garda Síochána. He described the technology as "a toolkit for young people to engage with if they experience difficulty online".

Grace said it will look and feel like any other social media platform but use a simple four-step strategy akin to the safe cross code. This will provide support, encourage users to take a break, connect the young

l INNOVATIVE: Kilrush Garda Robin Grace

person to a supportive figure in their personal network and build the user's confidence and resilience.

Grace has supported people when they have been suicidal but also has personal experience of being suicidal. "There was a time in my life when I reached a crisis level and I wanted to take my own life. I didn't know it but at 22 I had my first flashback of a time when I was abused as a child and before that I had no concept of what had happened. Sadly abuse comes in many forms as I've seen all too frequently".

"What I have learned is that when I listen to somebody suffering and understand what they need, it always becomes evident that they don't want to be on their own and that they want the pain to stop. This resonates with me because when I was suicidal, I felt the same and I reached out to friends and family and what they taught me was that the world is a better place with me in it. This is the mission of the ME App, to bring that message to every young person".

To donate to The ME App Kickstarter visit www.kickstarter.com/ projects/robingrace/me-2.

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THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

Ennis schoolboy claims FEI trophy IRELAND claimed the Federation Equestre Internationale Jumping Ponies’ Trophy for the third consecutive year when Ennis schoolboy Rhys Williams romped to victory at Mechelen in Belgium.

“I’m delighted with the outcome today – Hero was jumping his heart out,” the 15 year old told Louise Parks Media.

His father Adrian Williams is a specialist pony-producer at Parc Stables in Ennis.

Former Irish Internationals Ian Fearon and Marie Burke join Rhys’s dad to make up his training squad.

“Going into the final round I just tried my best to keep my cool. I knew that was all I had to do and it’s a dream come true!

To come to Mechelen this year and to be at the same show as the 5-Star riders and share the same arenas – its such a great experience and I’ll be back again hopefully!” Rhys added.

l RIDING HIGH: FEI champ Rhys Williams and his horse, Hero

‘Respect has gone out the gate at Clare Abbey Graveyard’

INSTANCES of vandalism at Clare Abbey are continuing with one headstone recently damaged for the third time.

Frustration was voiced by councillors at their December meeting on the ongoing wait for the Office of Public Works (OPW) in sitting down with staff of the Ennis Municipal District to discuss the matter.

A joint motion from Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF), Cllr Pat Daly (FF) and Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) requested details of the Council's interaction "with State authorities pertaining to the recent incidents of vandalism in the Clare Abbey national monument and seek, to be informed of any other similar interferences with other national and recorded monuments in County Clare."

First raised at the July meeting of the Ennis MD, it was agreed to arrange a meeting between representatives from the OPW, Ennis MD councillors, the Gardaí and Clarecastle Tidy Towns committee. No such gathering has yet taken place.

Director of Service, Carmel Kirby stated, "Ennis MD have been in contact with the OPW both verbally and in writing on multiple occasions following the meeting".

They have requested to discuss anti-social behaviour, vandalism, the designation of the site as rural by the OPW plus the illumination of the site as a tourism landmark on a primary route approaching the town of Ennis.

Kirby added, "An update was provided at the November 2019 meeting of Ennis MD from the OPW indicating that it would likely be early 2020 before such a meeting could be facilitated".

She confirmed that the OPW have since given a proposed date and time for the meeting. Vandalism is believed to have occurred within the site of the Abbey, the Director noted following a meeting between the Burial Grounds Unit of the Council, the Gardaí, the OPW and the National Monuments Service.

One headstone had been damaged for the third time, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) told the meeting. "Clare Abbey is a beautiful sacred place but in recent times the respect has gone out the gate," Cllr Pat Daly (FF) declared. "It is a serious situation where a grave has been vandalised three times," and he said that for the past twenty years he has been looking for CCTV cameras be installed.

"There's anti-social behaviour and we won't say what else they are up to," Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) cautioned. Cycling and walking routes were suggested by Cllr Roisin Garvey (GP) as a solution, "Often the more accessible those areas are the less anti-social behaviour there is". Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) felt, "There is something perverse about anyone who would go into a graveyard looking to cause trouble".

NEWS 11

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

Orla shares her secrets

A

FTER losing 5 stone, Orla is set to share her Slimming secrets with the people of County Clare, starting this January.

With 7 years working for Slimming World behind her, Orla knows what it takes to lose weigh and keep it off! After running a hugely successful Slimming World group in Limerick 7 years ago, Orla was promoted to the role of District Manager, travelling around Ireland recruiting and training consultants in Slimming World groups.

Now, Orla has decided to return to her first love, helping members achieve their weight loss dreams.

Ireland has one of the highest rates of obesity in Europe, with two thirds of adults overweight and one in four now classed as obese. There’s a lot of evidence out there highlighting the fact that group support plays a strong role in lasting success when it comes to successful behaviour change and creating new habits. She says “When I first joined Slimming World as a member 7 years ago, I never dreamed that I would end up losing 5 stone and gaining a whole new career.

It’s a privilege for me to be able to pass on the experience, insight and understanding that helped me, so that I can give my members the support they need to get to their chosen target weight.

“Support is really the most important thing. It all starts with feeling that you’re not alone. I couldn’t have lost 5 stone without the weekly help, encouragement and understanding of my own Consultant and group. As someone who has lost weight myself I know the challenges people can face, which is why, along with the group, I will be there to support every one of my members all the way to their chosen target weight. Setting targets, sharing recipes and other ideas, and working together as a group to overcome challenges, create

new habits and celebrating success are all so important to a successful journey. That’s why, at my Slimming World group, there’ll be tons of support, encouragement and, most importantly, fun.

“Like a lot of slimmers, I had tried to lose weight so many times before by following numerous diets but they were never sustainable because I’d always get tired of restricting what I ate. I would always feel so exhausted and eventually depressed, knowing I simply couldn’t sustain it. I thought I was destined to struggle with my weight for the rest of my life! I had even considered having a gastric band fitted.

When I came to Slimming World it was different. I never felt like I was on a diet. The eating plan encourages you to eat lots of gorgeous, filling foods like pasta, rice, potatoes and lean meat and fish, you are never hungry and no foods are banned so there’s no deprivation. I couldn’t believe I’d found a way to lose weight without starving myself.

As I lost weight I found I had more energy and finally convinced my husband to get a dog. Now I love walking the beach at Lahinch with Chester and really miss it if I can’t make it. Slimming Worlds Body Magic program really helped me to understand that punishing myself in the gym was never going to be the answer for me. I needed to find something I enjoyed and could see myself doing for years to come. I am so much happier now having dropped from a size 22 to a 14, I have way more energy and confidence and can’t wait to help other people feel the same way!

Orla is now opening a brand new group on Saturdays at 9.30am in the CBS Primary School, New Road, Ennis. Orla will also be looking after the members of the Kilrush Community Centre Slimming World every Tuesday at 9.30am, 5.30pm and 7.30pm in the Teach Ceoil Ennistymon group

every Wednesday at 5.30pm and 7.30pm. New and re-joining members are always welcome. You can contact Orla on 085 8761334 For more information or to find your nearest group visit www.slimmingworld.ie

BEFORE

AFTER

NEW GROUP ENNIS CBS PRIMARY SCHOOL SATURDAY 9.30am

ENNISTYMON TEACH COIL WEDNESDAY 5.30pm & 7.30pm

SHANNON OAKWOOD HOTEL MONDAY 5.30pm & 7.30pm

ENNIS AUBURN LODGE HOTEL WEDNESDAY 09.30am, 11.30am, 5.30pm & 7.30pm THURSDAY 07.30am, 09.30am

Orla (New Consultant) 085-8761334

Ruth 087-4571411

ENNIS AUBURN LODGE HOTEL TUESDAY 5.30pm & 7.30pm Louise 085-7524131

KILRUSH COMMUNITY CENTER TUESDAY 09.30am, 5.30pm & 7.30pm Orla (New Consultant) 085-8761334

Orla (New Consultant) 085-8761334

Elizabeth 087-6729070

CLARINBRIDGE SCOIL MHUIRE NATIONAL SCHOOL WEDNESDAY 5.30pm & 7.30pm Maura 087-2768935

GORT GORT COMMUNITY CENTER THURSDAY 9.30am, 5.30pm & 7.30pm Maura 087-2768935

ENNIS THE WEST COUNTY HOTEL THURSDAY 5.30pm & 7.30pm Caroline 085-2133149

12 NEWS

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

Ennis man stranded on a beach while Australia burned PÁRAIC McMAHON

A

news@clareecho.ie

USTRALIA has been devastated by bushfires but one Ennis man living in Sydney is not confident it will lead to changing policies from the country's Government.

Since September, an unprecedented bushfire crisis has ravaged parts of Australia killing 25 people and millions of animals.

Fuelled by record temperatures and widspread drought, it has led to a damage bill of A$700m according to the Insurance Council of Australia who expect the figure to rise significantly.

New South Wales (NSW) officials said fires there had claimed 1,588 homes and damaged 653 more as of Tuesday with 200 homes destroyed in neighbouring Victoria and a further 100 more lost in other states.

Diarmuid O'Connor has lived in Sydney since 2013 and previously called Australia home between 1999 and 2002. He is thankful that conditions "have calmed down slightly" but warned that the implications will be never be forgotten.

"Firefighters are making some gruesome discoveries unfortunately finding more dead bodies and the scale of the disaster is coming to light. Kangaroo Island was a real haven for wildlife, there was 6,000 koalas on the island and half of them are dead, it's a major paradise but the whole island is near-

ly destroyed. The whole south coast of New South Wales and Victoria is a real tourist area, this is the height of summer and it's the time everyone in Australia takes their holidays, this is when these tourist towns make their money for the year but the tourism is destroyed there for the foreseeable future, everybody is cancelling so it has been a really bad few weeks".

The O'Connors went on a family camping holiday to Batemans Bay but had to be evacuated from the area and return home to Sydney. "Traditionally bushfire season didn't impact the bigger cities, this is the first time the major cities are starting to feel not only with fires starting in the cities but also the really bad air quality, the thing is bushfire season isn't finished yet so there could be two more months of this".

En route home, the St Flannans College past pupil had time to reflect on what they had been through. "When we were standing on the beach at Batemans Bay looking back into the town which was on fire everywhere with a variety of helicopters and a big Hercules plane flown in especially to fight the fires then you realise how serious and how close it came to us. It was pretty scary for a couple of hours, we had a couple of uncomfortable days trying to get home, in the bigger scheme of things we were safe and we're back in our home which a lot of people can't say, a lot of people lost their properties, their businesses and some lost their lives, we weren't that badly affected even though we had a scare some people are a lot worse off ".

While all this was going on, New Year cel-

ebrations at Sydney saw a major firework display which the 46 year old felt was "inappropriate", "tone deaf and out of sync with what was going on".

They spent 14 hours on the side of the road waiting for routes to reopen, here Diarmuid stated "you saw the best of Australia. People who owned homes were letting people in to go to the bathroom, they were making tea, handing out food, everybody worked together. Even though people were getting nervous, they were staying calm about it.

The road finally opened at 3am and when we drove through there was still trees on fire at the side of the road, road signs had been melted and the evidence of trees which fell and been taken away, there had been massive damage and was a reason why the roads

was closed for fourteen hours with the heavy fires going on. Driving through when it was dark and all the fires were lighting was pretty surreal. We were just glad to get home, it took us 22 hours in the end but we were glad to make it".

O'Connor flagged that the political element will now become more prominent and said Australia's Federal Government "is full of climate change deniers". He added, "It is going to be a major political dogfight now because these people are very tied to the mining industry and the fossil fuel industry so I don't have any confidence in them enacting any policies to try bring Australia's emissions down, unfortunately I can't see change coming".

lDEADLY: A woman and her baby are evacuated to the beach when the fires hit Batemans Bay

Shannon Group unveils executive appointments

lMOVING UP IN THE WORLD: Rachael Leahy and Paul MacNamara Photo by Arthur Ellis

SHANNON Group plc has announced the appointments of Paul MacNamara as Group Chief Finance Officer (CFO) and Rachael Leahy as Company Secretary and Head of Legal for the Group.

Both roles report directly to the Shannon Group CEO and will assist in the delivery of the company's strategic plan.

Mr MacNamara, a Limerick native, joined Shannon Group in August 2014 and held a number of senior finance roles including Head of Finance. He was appointed Acting Chief Financial Officer in June 2019. In his new role as CFO, Mr MacNamara will have overall responsibility for the Group's fiscal activity. The role also incorporates responsibility for the Group's IT function.

Prior to joining the Shannon Group, Paul held both credit and commercial roles with a property focused asset manager. Before this, Paul worked with a Big 4 accountancy firm in its transaction services practice. Paul holds a Bachelor of Business Studies from the University of Limerick, a Master of Accounting from University College Dublin and is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland.

Also a native of Limerick, Ms Leahy joined the Shannon Group in November 2014 as Head of Legal and is also responsible for the Group's procurement function and she

retains these functions. In her new role as Shannon Group Company Secretary, Rachael will have responsibility for the efficient administration of the Group, ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.

Prior to joining Shannon Group, Rachael was a partner with Michael Houlihan & Partners solicitors in Ennis. Rachael is a practising solicitor, and trained and worked with Matheson, one of the top five law firms in Ireland. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and an LL.B degree.

Through its three companies Shannon Group's activities support 46,500 jobs in the Mid-West and beyond, and contribute €3.6 billion a year to the regional and national economy.

Commenting on the new appointments, Mary Considine, CEO, Shannon Group said: "We are delighted to announce the appointments of Paul MacNamara as CFO and Rachael Leahy as Company Secretary for the Group. Both Paul and Rachael's extensive experience working in the Group todate will be invaluable as we embark on the next chapter in our evolution.”

She added, "The skillsets which Rachael and Paul bring will greatly assist the Executive Management Team as we deliver our new Strategic Plan."

NEWS 13

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

Badgers on a roll with In-line hockey CIAN O’BROIN cianobroin@clareecho.ie

T

HE Clare Badgers In-Line Hockey Club represents a growing trend in Minority Sports within Ireland. Practicing in Corofin weekly, the club continues to grow and diversify with a total of 50 members ranging from ages five to 50-plus. Inclusivity is central to the Clare Badgers ideology, where men and women participate in games together. Established in 2016, the Senior Team enjoyed national success in the 2017/2018 season, taking home the division two cup. Despite this recent accolade, Club Treasurer Pat Woods stresses the necessity of a sports complex that would cater for all minority sports in Clare.

Mr Woods describes In-line as a sport which “is played on rollerblades and contact is limited, allowing for mixed teams of boys and girls. The game requires you to be fast on your

feet, with stronger players stepping in to break down movements and the quicker players needed for attacking manoeuvres. Body checking is not permitted.”

Internationally, In-line Hockey has found its footing but remains relatively unheard of amongst mainstream media in Ireland. Mr Woods commends the passion of the Clare Badgers in the face of such logistical setbacks, “I have never seen an In-Line Hockey match on RTE, it hasn’t made its way into the mainstream media in Ireland yet. The players in both Junior and Senior level, the passion that they have is just unreal. We are the only team in the county. We have players coming from Galway, Limerick and Cork every week to play with us. It’s only growing.”

The biggest challenge currently facing the Clare Badgers In-Line Hockey club is the absence of an adequate playing surface. Mr Woods exclaims that the long-term goal of the club is the founding of a facility in Clare that would accommodate all different forms of minority sports, something which has recently been pushed on Clare Councillors. “This facility will have a special plastic floor which our games are played on. We are training on a timber floor. There are only three of these facilities in Ireland, one in Longford, one in Portadown and one in Belfast.

The Clare Badgers In-Line Hockey club welcomes new members of all ages, nationalities and capabilities.

The Juniors practice in Corofin Hall on Tuesday nights from 7-8pm and the Seniors practice from 8-10pm on the same night. Mr Woods feels that more exposure and media coverage would lend to the growth of a minority sport which, “is new to Ireland and attracts those people who are looking for something different from the everyday mainstream sports which we see on television every day.” The Clare Badgers intend on bringing a special exhibition game to Ennis this summer.

Public transport links needed between LIT Limerick and Ennis STRONG transport links between Limerick Institute of Technology's Moylish and Ennis campuses need to be put in place as "viable" options for students, writes Paraic Mc Mahon.

Contact is to be made with "relevant companies" in an attempt "to put in place transport" links between LIT's different campuses "to facilitate students" following a motion by Cllr Ann Norton (inset).

Ennis Municipal District said they would work in collaboration with the Economic Development Directorate of Clare County Council "to engage with LIT in relation to the needs of students, both existing and future in terms of transport options to Ennis both from LIT Limerick and other locations".

From September 2020, LIT will be offering eight courses at its Ennis campus

on Bindon St. “These courses will be in Early Childhood Education and Care, Social Care Work, Business plus Creative Media and Design which will be a new addition to LIT's catalogue and "will be a further attraction for the Ennis campus" according to senior executive officer Leonore O'Neill.

"It has been brought to my attention at different stages that there isn't transport to the college unless it is by private bus," Cllr Norton flagged.

"Our students sometimes find it difficult to finance these things, taxis wouldn't be suitable".

The ex General Election candidate suggested there was an option to put in place a rail-stop by the LIT campus to facilitate students.

She added, "We have to make the most out of LIT being in Ennis and make sure there is a connection between the campus in Ennis and Limerick.

open day 2020 23rd January 2020 10am - 4pm Mulgrave Street Limerick For further information visit www.lcfe.ie

Come and See What We Can do together 2533319 LCETB January 2020 Open Day Campaign_Limerick Chronicle 265x170mm.indd 1

07/11/2019 13:51

14 NEWS

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

‘We cannot bite our tongue anymore’ - O’Donohoe PÁRAIC McMAHON

E

news@clareecho.ie

NVIRONMENTALISTS in Clare have hit out at comments by Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) that they should refrain from “hijacking” positive events and instead work side by side with the County Council.

As reported by The Clare Echo last week, Cllr Crowe criticised members of Extinction Rebellion Clare for protesting on the eighteenth green of The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. They were subsequently escorted by An Garda Síochána from Lahinch Golf Club.

“Hijacking positive events like on the eighteenth hole of The Irish Open in a very positive event for the county bringing positive coverage to the whole county isn’t the forum.

Work with us, this is the forum,” the Mayor of Clare said at a meeting of the Physical Development SPC. In response to the comments, Futureproof Clare stated, “We the people have a right to protest. Especially when we live in the County most vulnerable to the consequences of

climate breakdown. When many of us can’t even get home insurance yet know the flood waters will come again. When there are millions of tonnes of toxic red sludge sitting on a land bank in our Estuary. What happens when the waters rise? Maybe you should stop ‘biting your tongue’ on these issues too Cathal”.

Earlier this year, the publication of Clare County Council’s Climate Adaptation Strategy annoyed groups such as Extinction Rebellion Clare, Futureproof Clare and Fridays for Future Clare who claimed their submissions were “ignored”.

Local authority staff said many of their proposals were either already in place or outside the remit of the Council.

Theresa O’Donohoe lives in Lisdoonvarna, she attended meetings organised by Clare PPN to put together submissions for the Strategy.

Upon reading the remarks of Cllr Crowe, she felt “I thought he must be oblivious and he is not oblivious because we spoke to him when we were at the Council meeting on the Climate Adaptation Strategy, he knows that the submissions made by people to the strategy were ignored and that the call for a dedicated climate and biodiversity strategic

policy committee was also ignored”.

Instead of establishing a climate change and biodiversity SPC, it is now a standing item on every meeting of the four SPCs in Clare.

“Our experience with Clare County Council is that they are not very open to working with us, I know that from my experience on an SPC,” Theresa said.

During the Clare PPN organised meetings, the Dublin native admitted she was “blown away” by the contributions of Friday for Future Clare members. “They were so well advanced, unbelievable thought process on the whole climate, the expected reactions to climate change, what we can expect down the road, I’m blown away by their knowledge, perception and how open they are to the whole reality whereas I see a closed book when I talk to the Council”.

A member of the Clare Environmental Network, Futureproof Clare and Extinction Rebellion Clare, the Dublin native highlighted that a more community focused approach is needed to deal with climate change.

“The Council have it with the Physical SPC there is an intention to look at the physical impacts of rising water, excessive rain and weather events but there is no real efforts to

Fanore beachcomber looking to find owner of family jewellery A NORTH Clare beachcomber is seeking the assistance of the general public in returning a sentimental family item.

Liam MacNamara's quirky and interesting findings have been documented by The Clare Echo including the instance whereby thousands of runners and flip flops washed upon the coast of Clare.

Fanore Beach had a lot of visitors over the Christmas period and one piece of inscribed jewellery from a father to his daughter was left behind.

Liam came across the chain which is belonging

to Emma. To date his efforts to relocate the chain have not been successful and so he made contact with The Clare Echo to spread the word.

"It would be great to get this back to Emma as I'm sure it is quite dear to her. All help with any ideas on how to trace Emma are very welcome.

There were lots of visitors to the area over the holidays so Emma could be from just about anywhere," he said.

To make contact with Liam, visit Burren Shores Beachcombing & more on Facebook.

l KEEPSAKE: Liam McNamara is keen to get this necklace home to its owner

help people and communities be prepared for the impacts of climate change”.

She asked Cllr Crowe “to play an intermediary role between the Council and public participation, I would welcome him ensuring that the community is involved in decision making on all climate and biodiversity plans, policies and projects”.

l CRISIS: Climate activist and Futureproof Clare member Theresa O’Donohoe

Murphy Blacks Restaurant announces closure POPULAR Kilkee restaurant Murphy Blacks is to close after 15 years in business.

On Monday evening, in a statement to The Clare Echo, Cillian Murphy and Mary Redmond confirmed they had made the difficult decision to close the eatery.

Prior to the 2004 opening of Murphy Blacks, Cillian and Mary had run a successful bar for five years and purchased the building next door converting it into a forty two seat restaurant.

"After more than 15 years in business it has just become too much for us to continue doing what we do to the standard we do it and it is time for us to move on to a new chapter in our lives," the husband and wife outlined.

They cited the 4.5 percent VAT increase introduced on 1st January 2019 as a pivotal reason in closing the premises. "This has not been an easy decision for us to take but increasing costs across all facets of the business administration has become more and more onerous and the straw that really broke the camels back was the VAT increase from 9 percent to 13.5 percent on 1st Jan-

uary 2019".

When the increase was put in place, CEO of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Adrian Cummins declared that it would lead to "a lot of closures in regional and rural Ireland". The tax was lowered to 9% almost nine years ago to help create jobs during the recession but then brought in an increase during Budget 2019.

Cillian and Mary added, "We would like to thank you for all your support and more importantly your friendship over the past fifteen years. We would also like to take a moment to say a huge thank you to all the wonderful staff that we have had on this journey with us since we opened in 2004". They confirmed all unused vouchers would be refunded.

From Easter to the end of September, the restaurant was open five to six days a week and then from Thursdays to Saturdays for the remainder of the year.

Murphy Blacks had built up a very strong trade and was twice listed in The Sunday Times McKenna's Guides of the top 100 restaurants in Ireland.

GREEN CLARE Waste Management Bye-laws Supported by

I

N December 2018, the Waste Management bye-laws were adopted by Clare Co. Council to ensure that all homes and businesses located in Co. Clare take appropriate measures to ensure that waste is stored, managed, presented and collected in a manner so that risk to the environment is minimised. This includes measures to ensure nuisance issues, such as litter generation, odours and the negative visual impact caused by overflowing bins and burst or damaged plastic bags left in public areas,

are minimised or eliminated.

In recent months, the Waste Enforcement Team in Clare County Council have conducted routine inspections and surveyed over 400 domestic and commercial properties to ensure compliance with these Byelaws. The Council endeavours to actively engage with the public and raise awareness concerning correct waste management practises. The Bye-Laws do allow for the Council to issue on the spot fines for any observed breaches of the bye laws.

The principal requirement of the bye-laws is for all homes and businesses to ensure that waste arising from that property/business is collected by an authorised waste collector.

The bye laws do allow for home owners to share a bin service with neighbours. Similarly, the bye laws take into account the use of Civic Amenity Centres by members of public. In all instances, it is important that a home or business owner maintain a record of their waste management arrangements, including receipts, in order to demonstrate that waste arising from the property is being managed appropriately.

A private residence or business must ensure that the temporary storage of waste pending collection must comply with the bye-laws. This includes: • Waste is stored in a wheeled bin. (An alternative means of waste storage may be permitted in certain limited circumstances. Any such arrangements are subject to prior approval by the Council).

ALL LOCAL AUTHORITIES ARE ADOPTING SIMILAR • Ensure that BYE-LAWS ENSURING A CONSISTENT APPROACH wheeled bins are maintained to a reaTO MANAGING WASTE ACROSS IRELAND. sonable standard and are fit for purpose.

• Wheeled bins or In order to comply with the new Bye-Laws: other waste receptacles are not permit• You need to demonstrate that you are disposing ted to be stored in public areas. of your waste in a responsible and legal manner; • Ensure that

• You must segregate your waste correctly.

YOU MUST USE ONE OF THESE OPTIONS

OR KERBSIDE COLLECTION

Find out more at www.mywaste.ie

AUTHORISED WASTE FACILITY

wheeled bins are not overflowing and that litter cannot be generated from the bins.

• Home and business owners must avail of and use dedicated, separate wheeled bins for dry recyclable, organic/food waste and residual waste streams.

• All authorised waste collectors will provide the correct and adequate wheeled bins to either a domestic or commercial customer upon commencement of a waste service contract.

• Only present waste in appropriate wheeled bins.

• Ensure that bins are not overflowing, or that litter cannot be generated from the bins.

• Bins presented in a public area for collection by the authorised waste collector may only be presented for a short term, specified time, i.e. wheeled bins should not be presented before 6.00pm the day before a designated collection, and bins must be removed no later than 9.00pm on the day of a designated collection.

• In any instances where waste remains uncollected, it is the duty of the home or business owner to remove all waste previously presented for collection.

• Wheeled bins should not be left in public areas other than the prescribed times pending collection.

• Ensure that wheeled bins are maintained to a reasonable standard and are fit for purpose.

The Waste Enforcement Team will continue with inspections and surveys over the coming months and householders and businesses should be able to demonstrate compliance with these Bye-laws.

The Waste Enforcement Section Clare County Council Telephone: (065) 6846331 Email:enviroff@clarecoco.ie

‘The Mid-West needs to be renamed the Shannon region’ PÁRAIC McMAHON

T

news@clareecho.ie

O BRING more promotional benefits to the area the Mid-West region needs to be renamed the Shannon region, one councillor has stated.

A review of geocode standards was sought

by Cllr John Crowe (FG) so that a renaming of the Mid-West be put in place.

“Given that we have Shannon International Airport, an abundance of Tourism Destinations and a first class Third Level Educational Sector, the rebranding to the Shannon Region would bring significant promotional benefits for the Airport, Tourism and Inward Investment,” he outlined.

In response to his motion to the December meeting of the County Council, Direc-

tor of Service Liam Conneally highlighted that such a proposal cannot come into effect until after 2021.

Regulated by the European Union, the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) is a geocode standard for referencing the subdivisions of countries for statistical purposes and was adopted in 2003.

The NUTS are central delivery mechanisms for EU Cohesion Policy and structural funding.

Conneally stated that the NUTS have already been reviewed on several occasions, the most recent occurring in 2016. He outlined that any proposed changes to classifications must be done “at least two years in advance of the next cycle”.

The Director of Economic Development added, “The next classification cycle commences in 2021 and it is already too late to propose changes for this cycle”.

He acknowledged that the motion focused more on branding than geocoding.

“Before the changes this area was known as the Shannon region and it carried great clout.

“I hope this motion will be sent to Limerick and Tipperary. There can be a joint motion sent to Minister Murphy to send to Europe to make the change, it would be of great benefit to our area,” Cllr Crowe maintained.

Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) praised the Sixmilebridge representative for putting forward “an excellent motion”.

He commented, “We have the River Shannon, the Shannon Estuary, Shannon Airport, we’re trying to spread the word of Shannon Airport.

“In the Mid-West region while we’re aware of it, I don’t think it resonates with the larger public. The name Shannon is out there”.

McMahon felt it would act as a counter-balance, “the battle is being lost but anything that can help our region to bring it more focus and more investment is welcome”.

lCHANGES: Shannon Councillor John Crowe believes renaming the Mid West region would bring benefits to the area.

GET THE VACCINE Future of Shannon Community

Office is ‘up in the air’

lFOR LAURA: AXA Partners CLP Shannon held a memorial

walk for Laura Brennan on site. Laura’s Mum Bernie and Dad Larry joined the walk and accepted a donation of €400 on behalf of Slainte an Chlair

UNCERTAINTY still surrounds the future of the Community Office in Shannon.

In November, the Citizens Information Board issued a commitment that they would offer an improved service in Shannon with a five day week service to continue, the location of where from is not yet disclosed. Since then, little detail has been provided, one resident said “Silence does not mean the situation is sorted, it is still up in the air”.

Community group, Love Shannon wrote to Clarecare, the Citizens Information Board and elected representatives this week urging that the office be kept open in Shannon on a full-time basis.

Initial correspondence sent by the

group in November has not yet received a reply.

In the letter, Love Shannon highlighted “the importance of this major asset to our town and the people of Shannon have spoken loud and clear in signing petitions, lobbying the elected officials as well as the CIB and Clarecare for its full retention”.

“We believe that there may be a part time Citizens Information Service provided in the town. This is not what the people of Shannon want.

Where do our people go who are in need of support, a listening ear when they have nowhere else to go? We are the same size as Thurles and our services do not reflect this. we are a population of 10,000 people with

a further 10,000 coming to work in Shannon on a daily basis”.

Areas such as Newmarket-on-Fergus, Sixmilebridge and Bunratty all utilise the office, the letter stressed.

“A part time service is not enough”.

Emphasis was also placed on the role the Shannon Diary plays in informing residents of the entire Shannon Municipal District on job listings.

“We are requesting not just a reply but a commitment to keep this office open on a full time basis with staff who are fully qualified and fully trained. We would ask that CIB look into the issue of MABS being available to the residents of Shannon and the surrounding areas one day a week. Again, this is unacceptable,” the letter added.

NEWS 17

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

Doonbeg 'a low target' amid Iran & US conflict

PÁRAIC McMAHON

news@clareecho.ie

T

RUMP International Golf Links and Hotel in Doonbeg has been listed as a possible target for revenge attacks by Iran on the US. On Friday last, Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad. His killing has raised fears of a conflict between the US and Iran which somehow has managed to include Doonbeg as a potential target. At Soleimani's funeral on Tuesday a stampede killed 50 people and injured a further 200.

Leading Iranian officials renewed threats for revenge following the General's death. In retaliation, Iran launched missiles at two bases housing US troops in Baghdad. Contrasting statements have since been issued with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps commenting that "the fierce revenge by the Revolutionary Guards has begun" with Iranian officials insisting that

Tehran did not want a war and that the strikes "concluded" its response to the killing.

Following the strike, US President Donald Trump met at the White House with his top national security advisers, including Defence Secretary Mark T. Esper and Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to discuss possible retaliatory options.

After the meeting, Trump was upbeat as he declared on Twitter, "All is well" and added, "We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far".

Hesameddin Ashena, an advisor to the Iran President Hassan Rouhani tweeted details of Trump's net worth earlier this week as a twitter war brews between both sides. This included the $82m net value of his golf courses in Doonbeg and Scotland.

Some users perceived the tweet as a hint that Iran intend to target Trump's real estate empire.

Clare TD and Minister of State, Pat Breen (FG) believed Doonbeg was not top of the list as far as security risks were concerned. "It is the first I have heard of it.

English honoured to host Finucane tribute

G

ETTING to present a tribute programme to Marian Finucane was "an honour" for Shannon broadcaster, Rachael English.

Following the sudden death of the beloved RTÉ presenter on Thursday last, Rachael was given the difficult task of presenting Radio One's tribute programme to Ms Finucane on Saturday morning.

"I've realised I'll never be able to reply to everyone who got in touch (about the programme)," the Clare woman tweeted.

She added, "I really appreciate all the kind words. Despite the sadness of the occasion, it was an honour to be part of a tribute to someone who meant so much to so many".

A past pupil of St Conaires, Rachael has been a presenter of Ireland's most listened to radio show, Morning Ireland since October 2010.

Rachael received wide-

spread praise following the emotional show. Journalist Alison O'Connor described having English in the hot seat as "an inspired choice". UL Economic Professor, Stephen Kinsella said "the whole nation is proud of you" and writer Lise Hand added "she presented the tribute to Marian with sensitivity, warmth and humour".

At her funeral on Tuesday, Marian Finucane was remembered as "an icon of broadcasting". She died suddenly at the age of 69.

Following the retirement of Gay Byrne in 1999, Marian moved from Liveline a show she had presented and produced since the 1970s to a Saturday and Sunday show.

In 2009, her show had the highest weekend listenership and was noted for its dissection of the Sunday Papers, lyrics competition, lengthy interviews and the iconic "Hello there and a very good morning to you".

Six deaths on county's roads in 2019 PÁRAIC McMAHON news@clareecho.ie

S l A TARGET: Trump International Golf Links and Hotel Doonbeg Co. Clare.

Pic Arthur Ellis I don't see why the resort in Doonbeg would be targeted over any other Trump resort in American or elsewhere. I would always have concerns of security in unstable times, but I am sure any security concerns would be taken on board by An Garda Síochána.

I don't see Ireland being targeted being honest about it.

"Listening to experts on TV, they see more low key targets in the Arabian Sea and that area, but obviously we have

to be vigilant in these times, particular in the aftermath of the funeral of General Soleiman. I would imagine that An Garda Síochána would be very conscious of any security matters, particular relevant to the Trump Resort in Doonbeg. Obviously I don't know, but I would imagine it would be very low in the list of targets in relation to the Trump situation – but I am sure it is something the Gardaí would be monitoring," Breen added.

IX people died in traffic accidents on Clare roads in 2019.

Two of the fatalities occurred in Parteen and Ennis (Darragh and Edenvale) with the remainder at Mountshannon and Castlefergus. One pedestrian was killed (Darragh) while all other road deaths involved drivers and passengers.

Confirmed by An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority, the figures are the same as 2018.

Assistant Commissioner, Dave Sheehan spoke of two "significant developments" that will be introduced in 2020 to deal with roads policing in the country and stressed it would remain "a strategic priority" for the Gardaí.

In order to achieve "high levels of visible, effective road safety enforcement", an additional 180 Gardaí have been assigned to roads policing duties from early 2020.

Sheehan added, "Secondly, the roll out of the new mobility app will be stepped up so that by the end of 2020 there will be in excess of 4,000 devices in the hands of front line Gardaí. The new mobility app will revolutionise the way roads policing is carried out in this country. Both additional front line Garda resources and the greater enforcement capability of the mobility app will increase enforcement activity and help in reversing this year's increase and achieving the road safety target."

Major health protest planned

A

"major protest" is to take place at the end of the month with the demand of getting better healthcare in the Mid-West.

On Monday morning, a visiting ban was introduced at University Hospital Limerick while a few hours later UL Hospitals Group issued a statement appealing to members of the public to consider all care options before presenting themselves at UHL. 92 patients were on trolleys on the same day.

In light of this and the increase in patients on trolley numbers throughout 2019, the Mid-West Hospital Campaign are planning "a major protest" for the end of January. Spokesperson for the group in Clare, Noeleen Moran said the demonstration would "demand action to address this crisis in Healthcare in the Mid-West. We cannot standby and allow this intolerable situation to continue into 2020".

Trolley watch figures from the INMO indicated a 21 percent increase in 2019.

A total of 120,180 patients were left on trolleys at UHL, Ennis and Nenagh in 2019, up 3,529 on the previous year.

"This is an alarming and totally unacceptable situation. It requires radical action to resolve. We are demanding the reopening of the Emergency Departments at Ennis, Nenagh and St Johns.

We want an end to the recruitment embargo so that hospitals will be properly staffed and we want our public hospitals to be safe and properly resourced so that they can provide proper quality care to the people living in the Mid-West," Moran told The Clare Echo.

l A previous protest Photo by John Mangan

2020

caring for the elderly

Relationship-based care is at the heart of everything we do

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EITHER giving nor receiving care is easy. Home Instead Senior Care puts relationships first to support those giving care, to protect the dignity of those receiving care, a​​​​​nd to enhance the quality of life for both seniors, people with disabilities, and their families in every caregiving experience.

If your family recognises the value of ageing in place as we do, you should consider getting in touch with our local office, in Ennis, Co. Clare. Our CAREGivers provide compassionate and reliable home care services to help keep your loved one, safe and independent wherever they call home,

throughout County Clare.

Home Instead Senior Care offers affordable in-home care services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You’ll work with a care coordinator at our local office to set a care schedule that works best for you and your family. Rates are even more affordable, thanks to the State’s Tax Relief Scheme, which can bring down the cost of services by as much as 40%, depending on your marginal tax rate.

From personal care services to hospice care support and many care needs in between, our local Home Instead Senior Care office offers a broad range of services that can be tailored to meet your family’s unique

needs and preferences. While the tasks of each service might differ, the goal for all types of care remains the same: To enhance the lives of seniors and their families.

We have 15 years of experience caring for seniors and people with disabilities, and their families in Ireland. We understand that deciding to use outside help requires a lot of trust, so Home Instead Senior Care is committed to not just capable care, but compassionate care.

If you feel you need to consider home care for a loved one, or if you would like to join our team of CAREGivers, get in touch with our office today. Call 065 679 7507 or email clare@homeinstead.ie today.

caring for the elderly

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2020

Client wellbeing at the heart of Care About You

ARE ABOUT YOU is a Shannon Headquartered organisation providing Care to the Elderly and Disabled within their own homes.

Our Vision is

To provide the highest quality person-centred care to enhance the quality of a person’s life and to help them live independent lives to the fullest extent possible in their home and within their community.

Our philosophy is

To Support, Enable, and Empower people who need care. We focus on replacing inability with ability. We also aim to restore self-esteem and dignity to those who require our aid or assistance.

Founded in 2013 and a member of Health Care Community Ireland (HCCI) we are a locally owned Irish company and have grown from 51 staff to 132 staff in the last 3 years. Our initial customers were based in the Midlands quickly followed by Clare and Limerick. We now have offices in Shannon, Athlone, Cork and Galway following our expansion into the latter areas in 2019. We are a HSE approved provider of Elderly Care and disability care and also have private clients.

The backbone of the organization propelling its reputation and its growth is our

highly dedicated, passionate and caring cohort of trained carers who seek to enhance the quality of life to our service users and to provide the highest quality and most responsive customer service with a sense of warmth, kindness and individual pride – listening to our clients, empowering them to carry out their wishes and to ensure their needs are met.

The carers are strongly supported by our Care Management Team of Shanelle, Anja, Helen and Andrius who ensure that our client needs are identified, understood and are of paramount importance.

Person Centered Care through the development of a person specific Care Plan is at the heart of our philosophy and we seek to take a Holistic Approach to our clients needs promoting independent living to the greatest possible extent.

Why do People Need Support?

 Physical Disabilities as a result of accident etc.  Intellectual Disability  Loss of Mobility  Undergoing a sense of Isolation  Illness  Dementia  Sensory Impairment  Etc Types of Support we Provide include:

 Family Carer respite  Personal care and support  Independent living support  Elderly care  Disability Care Ireland has one of the fastest growing and ageing populations in the EU and demand for home care is projected to grow by 120% between 2016 and 2031. The Department of Health’s 2016-2019 Strategy states: “The Department is committed to the creation of a more responsive, integrated and people-centred social care system which… Supports older people [and those with disabilities] to live in dignity and independence in their homes and communities for as long as possible…. Services such as home help and home care, carers’ supports, respite services, aids and appliances are critical to achieving this ambition.”

CARE ABOUT YOU is passionate about being an organisation who wants to support the Governments & HSE strategy of providing a greater proportion of care in primary and community care settings, including within the home, over the next 10 years.

Our sister company Cregg Medical assists us in providing a highly complementary and comprehensive service whereby we can meet the needs of service users in the home or nursing home environments with

a broad range of medical equipment. Our specialist area of expertise is pressure ulcer management and maintaining skin integrity.

We specialise in particular in supplying and installing: • Electric Beds * Foam & Air Mattresses * Chairs (showers/commode) Comfort • Hoists & Slings * Seating * Other furniture as required We provide such equipment on a rental or purchase basis.

Benefits of Home Care include: 1. Studies show that older people prefer to

be cared for and are happier in their own home.

2. Greater independence for service users in managing their own lives.

3. Greater opportunities for individuals to remain socially engaged and active within your own community.

If you would like to enquire about our care services or if you would like to come and work for a highly progressive Care company we would be delighted to hear from you at Shannon Office T: 061 479003 Email: CAYTEAM@careaboutyou.ie

Home Help | Social Support Care About You is a HSE approved provider of home care offering bespoke home help solutions to help in the care of the older person from the comfort of their own home including respite care for full time family carers.

Home Help

Social Care Support Services

We provide assistance with household chores and daily activities. To name a few home help services:

We provide the necessary resources and facilities to allow the client participate socially in such as:

- Laundry - Preparation of meals - Helping with household pets - House cleaning - Companionship

- Social events - Shoppingcontact care about you - Visiting Family and Friends - Doctor’s Appointment

caring for the elderly

VISITING BANNED FROM LIMERICK HOSPITAL

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ISITING has been banned at University Hospital Limerick until further notice as the hospital continues to manage high volumes of patients with influenza.

As flu can be carried in to the hospital, it is necessary with immediate effect to impose these strict visitor restrictions. We apologise for any inconvenience or anxiety the restrictions may cause patients and their loved ones. However, these measures are being taken in the interests of patient safety and we appeal to the public for their co-operation at this time.

The only exceptions to the visiting ban are people visiting patients who are at end-of-life, critically ill and confused patients (e.g. dementia). Parents visiting paediatric patients are also exempt.

The visiting ban includes the Emergency Department at UHL and with the exception of patients in the above categories.

Members of the public are reminded not to bring children on visits anywhere in the hospital.

Infection prevention and control measures are in place and every effort is being made to manage and contain the spread of the flu. However such is the volume of patients with flu and flu-like symptoms, we are cohorting these patients where no isolation facilities are available.

The predominant strain is influenza A. A small number of patients have become seriously ill, including some who have

required treatment in the intensive care unit. This demonstrates how serious flu can be and we are encouraging members of the public, especially those in at-risk groups, to get the flu vaccine if they have not already done so.

People with flu like symptoms are advised to contact their GP by phone in the first instance and avoid presenting at the Emergency Department at UHL. This peak in flu activity coincides with what is traditionally a busy New Year period in our hospitals. UHL has been experiencing a high number of patients attending the ED in recent days. We have admitted a lot of seriously ill patients , many of who remain in the ED awaiting a bed.

We are asking people to think about all their care and treatment options and keep ED services for the patients who need them most. For example, many patients with limb injuries can go to an Injury Unit in Ennis, Nenagh or St John’s Hospital. Injury Units are open in Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday and 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday at St. John’s Hospital. Others with a less serious illness can be treated by their GP or out of hours GP service where their GP can refer them to an Assessment Unit the following day if required.

However, if you are seriously injured or ill or are worried your life is at risk the ED will assess and treat you as a priority.

2020

Why should I make a will?

A

WILL is a legal document in which the person expresses their wishes as to how their property will be shared after his death. Many people intend to make a will but are reluctant to do so. If you don’t make a will then you will have no say where your assets go after your death. It is always advisable to consult a solicitor when drafting a Will.

1. What makes a Will valid?

In order for a will to be valid the testator in the presence of two witnesses must sign it.

The will must also contain the date the will was signed and the two witnesses must not be beneficiaries.

2. Appointing Executors

A Will usually contains the appointment of an executor.

Their duty is to administer the estate of the testator. The

task can be quite arduous depending on the size of the estate. It is always advisable to ask someone before you nominate him/her as executor.

3. How to give something under a Will

This may seem quite a simple step but it a very common area where mistakes are made. It is very important that it is made extremely clear a) what gift is being given and b) who it is being given to. It is quite normal in Wills that people are leaving property to their relations who often bare the same name as another relation. This is why it is very important to state clearly who is to get the gift.

4. Intestacy: What if you don’t make a Will?

This happens where someone either fails to make a will or fails to dispose of their entire estate. The latter is called a partial intestacy. In this situation the testator’s next-of-

kin becomes the administrator of the estate.

If in the unlikely event that there are no relatives whatsoever the State will inherit the assets.

5. Inheritance Taxes

Property that passes under a will or on intestacy may be liable to various forms of taxation. A solicitor who is administering the estate will inform the beneficiaries of these taxes.

6. Costs involved in making a Will

Making a will with a solicitor is not expensive and is well worth it to ensure that everything is done correctly and your wishes will be carried out after your death. The expenses incurred in administering your estate will be deducted from the estate along with the funeral expenses before any gifts are given out under the will.

www.thetilefactoryennistymon.com

22 Arts & Entertainment

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THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

Tell me a story

HE ninth annual Doolin Writers’ Weekend will take place at Hotel Doolin from the 24th to the 26th of January 2020 with over 300 literary-loving and culturally-curious people from all over the world expected to attend.

Providing a platform to both well-known and undiscovered writers from Ireland and further afield, Writers’ Weekend boasts a three-day programme packed with immersive and educational activities such as workshops, seminars and readings. The Festival is run by writers for writers and so the programme is specially curated by Susan Tomaselli – acclaimed writer, bookseller and editor of literary journal, Gorse.

Set along the breath-taking backdrop of the Wild Atlantic Way, Hotel Doolin Writers’ Weekend is an inspirational escape for intellectuals looking to hone their writing craft, drink in the creative talents of others or soak up the inspirational surroundings of the West of Ireland.

Hotel Doolin’s General Manager, Donal Minihane, said: “Having built its reputation since 2011, Doolin’s Writers’ Weekend is now one of the most-popular literary festivals in Ireland bringing hundreds of guests to Doolin each year while also providing a stage to emerging and acclaimed talent. Our eclectic programme of workshops and readings focuses on making the weekend worth-

while.

“Susan Tomaselli has done an incredible job curating the programme this year and all of the staff here at the hotel are looking forward to welcoming returning and first-time writers this January. Events like our Writer’s Weekend are really important in positioning Hotel Doolin as a venue that offers first-class experiences and first-class hospitality.”

“What makes our offering distinctly different is the sense of community between attendees throughout the weekend and we contribute to this by balancing the workshops and readings in the programme with recreational events that give our attendees

lBOOK SMART: Hotel Doolin General Manager and author Donal Minihane (seated) launches the Doolin Writer’s Festival with hotel staff

Music Minds returns to Doolin DOOLIN is readying itself for the second Music Minds festival which takes place next week.

Made up of workshops, debates, films, live performances and guest speakers, the three day multi genre festival this year is focused on connecting different fields of creative arts. Panel discussions will feature live music plus debate on topics such as gender balance in the music industry and how artists, performers and festivals can become more sustainable.

A screening of photojournalist Seamus Murphy’s ‘A Dog Called Money’, the documentary of PJ Harvey’s unorthodox journey to her acclaimed album ‘The Hope Six Demolition Project’ will open Music Minds on Friday January 17th.

Clare musicians, Eoin O’Neill, Daithí and Susan O’Neill will be on stage for live

time to socialise and connect with each other in the evenings.

Doolin is an incredibly inspirational place from its scenery to its local produce to its inhabitants and our hotel acts as a one-stop hub for guests to see all of that come to life and perhaps take a bit of it for use in their writing. We are Ireland’s only carbon neutral hotel showcasing just how committed we are to futureproofing and protecting our surrounding eco-system to inspire our guests’ for years to come.”

Some of the Weekend’s highlights include: a reading with David Bowie’s favourite writer, Rupert Thompson, the author of elev-

shows during the course of Music Minds which is organised chiefly by Simon Lewis and Hotel Doolin.

For the full schedule of events, visit musicmindsfestival.ie.

lGROOVY BABY: Dust off the January blues with the Music Minds festival

en highly-acclaimed novels including The Insult and Divided Kingdom; a seminar with Booker nominated writer, Eoin McNamee; a performance with the weekend’s artist-in-residence, Vicky Langan which will focus on the sounds of the body and its functions and involve contact-­miked skin, amplified breath; and a workshop on literary translation with Booker nominated writer, Jen Calleja.

The weekend will also announce the winners of the Writers’ Weekend Competition which offers three talents the opportunity to win €1000 each, as well as read their work at the festival, with accommodation and lavish hospitality provided. Author of short story collection ‘Room Little Darker’, June Caldwell, will judge the Short Story category, award-winning poet, Jess Traynor, will judge the poetry category while writer, performer and educator, Dave Lordan, will judge the Poetry Film category. With Hotel Doolin’s hospitality offering enhancing the visitor experience across comfort, culinary and craic, visitors will feel part of the West of Ireland community for their three days exploring and discovering its beauty.

Tickets for Hotel Doolin’s Writers’ Weekend 2020 are available to purchase now with a full weekend ticket priced at €99 per person. Individual workshops tickets are priced at €40 per person. To book, visit doolinfestivals.ie or hoteldoolin.ie.

Jazz Under the Oak WELCOME the New Year at Under the Oak Cafe in Mountshannon this Saturday with two rising stars of the Dublin Jazz scene; guitarist Scott Kohlmann (pictured left) and bassist Barry Donohue (below left).

These two artists are inspired by the classic guitar and bass duo of Jim Hall and Ron Carter, but have updated their sound with gorgeous contemporary compositions by some of Kohlmann and Donohue’s former collabourators, including Braziliaan guitarist, Nelson Veras, Australian saxophonist Jamie Oehlers and New York guitarest Jonathan Kriesberg.

This performance will be the Mountshannon Arts’ Festival’s first event this year. The committee are aiming to have monthly shows in and around Mountshannon throughout the year, as well as their main festival in the summer..

Jazz Duo will perform at the Under the Oak Cafe, Mountshannon on Saturday, January 11, with the show starting at 8 pm. Admission costs €17 and includes tapas/light food (€5 corkage byo). Call 0852834773 for bookings.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK 23

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

Ronan Scully

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK Author spreading the word of positivity

Starting afresh A

ROUND this time, most of us follow the age old tradition of making New Year resolutions to bring significant changes into our lives.

Although different people make different new year resolutions, the following seem to top most peoples lists: Eating and drinking healthily, exercising daily, giving up addictions, nurturing relationships, supporting a particular charity, caring for the environment, helping others and connecting with God through prayer and increasing spiritual growth.

At the start of the new year people have great enthusiasm to create or achieve these new resolutions but after some time they fail or forget about them. So as we begin our journey into the New Year let us try with all our might to continue to keep our new year resolutions and one of my New Year resolutions every year is that I like to pray as often as I can for a good new year for everyone especially for my family and friends.

May your prayer be a blessing to and for others All people of faith struggle at times to maintain a meaningful prayer life, a loss felt all the more keenly in times like ours of confusion, political turbulence, injustices of all sorts and global calamity.

Prayer is not a passive activity. Prayer awakens us. Our eyes begin to notice beauty where we never noticed it before.

Our hearts begin to feel compassion, forgiveness and mercy we never knew we had. Our priorities shift. As we talk to God, we receive the encouragement to live up to the potential inside us.

Soon we start to see beyond ourselves into the world that

is waiting for our help. I believe God is listening. And I believe God answers us.

God's answer to our prayers may be very different from the answer we were searching for. God's reply might come as the strength to fight on. It may come as the courage to face what we have feared. God's answer may be the ability to accept what we have been denying.

Or it may appear as hope in the face of despair. We are not alone. God is present in our lives. When we stop bargaining with God and start opening up our souls to God, our prayers suddenly start working. We can pray for strength and receive strength. Prayer is ultimately an experience, not a request. It is a sense of being connected, of being part of something larger than ourselves. It is an attempt to be in the presence of God. As I now fold my hands in prayer, my prayer for you is that you may always rise with the sun to pray. Pray alone. Pray with many. Pray often. God will listen, if you only speak.

Thought for the week As your thought for the week may I offer up this comfort blessing of mine for a good New Year for you the reader on your life's journey that you may see the light in the darkness during these challenging times! May you feel the loving presence of those who hold you in their thoughts and prayers!

May your spirit find what it needs to sustain you on this journey of life! May you discover your inner strength and face all difficulties with dignity and grace. May you be filled with comfort, love, acceptance, strength, grace and a lasting sense of peace!

May the light of your soul guide you. May the light of your soul bless the work that you do with the secret love and warmth of your heart.

May you see in what you do the beauty of your own soul. May the sacredness of your work bring healing,

light and renewal to those who work with you and to those who see and receive your work. May your work never weary you. May it release within you wellsprings of refreshment, inspiration and excitement. May you be present in what you do. May you never become lost in bland absences.

May the day never burden.

May dawn find you awake and alert, approaching your new day with dreams, possibilities and promises. May evening find you gracious and fulfilled. May you go into the night blessed, sheltered and protected. May your soul calm, console and renew you. May there always be work for your hands to do.

May your purse always hold a coin or two; May the sun always shine on your windowpane; May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain; May the hand of a friend always be near you; May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

May the blessing of God's soft rain be on you, Falling gently on your head, refreshing your soul. With the sweetness of little flowers newly blooming. May the strength of the winds of Heaven bless you, Carrying the rain to wash your spirit clean. Sparkling after in the sunlight. May the blessing of God's earth be on you, And as you walk the roads, May you always have a kind word for those you meet.

May joy and peace surround you, contentment latch your door, and happiness be with you now and bless you evermore! May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow. May the soft winds freshen your spirit.

May the sunshine brighten your heart. May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you, and may God enfold you in the mantle of His love now and always. I also pray for us all to have the power to be gentle, loving, kind and caring to one another and to ourselves; the strength to be forgiving and

be forgiven; the patience to be understanding and compassionate and merciful; and the endurance to accept the consequences of holding to what we believe to be right and good and peaceful.

May we put our trust in the power of good to overcome evil and the power of love to overcome hatred. Pray for the vision to see and the faith to believe in a world emancipated from violence, hatred and war, a new world where fear shall no longer lead men and women to commit injustice, nor selfishness and unkindness to make them bring suffering to others.

Help us to devote our whole life and thought and energy to the task of making peace and a better life for people and children in need in our world and country, praying always for the inspiration and the power to fulfill the destiny for which we and all people were created and that we will always look after the needy in our county, our country and in our world, especially so many vulnerable and needy people in our country and world who are in serious need at this time.

Remember change starts within yourself and that you can't change others you can only change yourself.

Much peace and love to everyone. Also Some friends and family asked me to light a candle for them during the first month of our new year and some friends and family are in need of prayer and candle at this moment especially any of you that are unwell or ill or in hospital or suffered an accident or a loss or some who are having worrying times with family and financial problems and for some who are lacking peace and mercy in their lives.

For them and for all of us I offer up my prayers and candles through this thought for the week and especially for peace in all our lives and in our families and in our world. Amen.

Community 24 COMMUNITY

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

CONTACT NEWSDESK

065 671 9021 news@clareecho.ie

EAST CLARE

l LINING OUT: The East Clare Gaels raised €2,030 for the Children’s Grief Centre at their Christmas Charity Match. East Clare Gaels would like to thank Chemstore, Garvey’s

SuperValu Corbally, Ned O’Connor, Aine Cormaic, Ciaran Sheehan, Seanchoill Sports Complex, all of their helpers and organisers and all who came and supported.

ENNIS

WEST CLARE OLD KILFARBOY SOCIETY Dr. Paul O’Brien will be presenting the next talk in our Autumn -Winter 2019/2020 series on “Discovering and uncovering: The personal papers of Commandant Joe Barrett (1888-1971)”. Taking place on Tuesday 14th January 2020, starting at 8PM at the Malbay, MIltown Malbay.

In August 2018, members of Kilrush and District Historical Society (KDHS) helped to rescue an important auctioneer’s archive. Included in the collection was several suitcases and boxes of material dating from c.1916-1950s, safely stored in the attic of the Barrett house in Moore Street, Kilrush, Co. Clare. The Barrett family home had been sold, and Joe Sheehan, grandson of Joseph Barrett (1888-1971) invited KDHS to view the contents of his late grandfather’s house. The discovery of this hitherto unknown and substantial archive has shed light on the role of Barrett, his wider family and hundreds of individuals who played an active part in the War of Independence and the Civil War, in County Clare. The files document the activities of the mid-Clare Brigade during the conflict and beyond as they fought for their military service pensions. The highly illustrated lecture will discuss the contents of the archive, the Barrett family and tell the story of some of the individuals named in the collection. All are welcome. Admission €5. Membership €20 (this covers admission to all six talks).

NORTH CLARE DEMENTIA CARERS SUPPORT GROUP Dementia Support Group for carers takes place Wednesday next the 15th of January at 7pm in the Stella Maris, Lisdoonvarna. If you are caring for someone with Alzheimers / Dementia this is an opportunity to meet with others also caring for a loved one. We will have someone from the Alzheimer's Society to offer advice and support. For further information please contact Fiona 086 8347195 or Paula 087 6184985. l GREAT CAUSE: Recently Staff and Members of the Irish Wheelchair

Associations Resource and Outreach Center in Ennis attended a Cheque presentation for €530, At the Garda Training College in Templemore.

The Fundraising was done within the college by two local Co.Clare men; Trainee Garda Michael O Grady and Trainee Garda Kieran Lynch. A great day was had by all.

EAST CLARE CHRISTMAS SOCIAL O'Callaghan's Mills GAA club annual Christmas social will held on Saturday 11 of January in the Mills tavern, O'Callaghan's Mills. Tickets are priced at 10€ which will allow admission and entry to the GAA national draw and the O'Callaghan's Mills GAA club Christmas draw. Tickets available from club members and on the door.

Community

COMMUNITY 25

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

COUNTYWIDE

COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMME Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey has confirmed that 68 Clare projects were allocated more than €140,000 from the Community Enhancement Programme operated by the Department of Rural and Community Development in 2019.

Deputy Carey, who is Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development said that the grants helped support a range of activities in all areas of communities, such as childcare groups, playgrounds, recreational groups, sports grounds, landscaping and supporting the elderly. "€4.5 million was allocated to more than 2,000 projects all over the country and while much of this was in small scale capital grants, a relatively small amount of money can go a long way and this investment will greatly benefit local community projects throughout the country.

"Typical enhancements under the Programme include the renovation of community centres and community amenities, improvements to town parks and common areas and spaces and the purchase of equipment which is used to benefit the community. The programme has also supported energy efficient upgrades, developing community gardens, provision of defibrillators, CCTV, and sports and IT equipment," Deputy Carey explained.

Among the biggest grants awarded in Clare were €6,750 for the renovation of St Kieran's Community Centre in Labasheeda; €6,295 for the fit-out of the community cafe training kitchen at the Killaloe/Ballina Community and Family Resource Centre; €6,150 for a soft-play area at the Hope Cafe, Shannon Christian Church and €6,000 for the provision of women's changing rooms and disabled access toilets at Tuamgraney Handball Club.

The application process for the Community Enhancement Programme is administered by Local Community Development Committees in each area. There was an open application process when the 2019 CEP was launched in March and it is intended to run the programme on the same basis again in 2020.

CITIZENS ASSEMBLY Recruitment of 99 members of the public to serve on the Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality is now reaching its final stages. Amárach Research is currently recruiting members for the Assembly across the Munster region, including in Co. Clare.

The first meeting of the Citizens' Assembly will take place in Dublin Castle later this month on January 25th.

It is anticipated that the Assembly will then hold approximately five further meetings on the matter of gender equality before the summer to consider the issue, and then make recommendations to the Oireachtas.

Catherine Day, who will chair the Assembly said: "Our gender affects every aspect of our daily lives. The Citizens' Assembly will be an exciting opportunity for citizens from different parts of Ireland and all walks of life to make their views known on a wide range of issues. No special knowledge is required. We want to hear what people really think and my role will be to ensure that all points of view are heard in a respectful and open atmosphere. That is why I encourage anyone who is approached as part of the random selection process to consider joining us."

Amárach Research is selecting citizens by calling door to door in a method similar to that used in selection of the previous Citizens' Assembly. Amárach Research will select 99 Members who are registered to vote and broadly representative of demographic variables as reflected in the Census including age, gender, social class and regional spread.

Politicians, officers in political parties, journalists, employees of polling companies and members of advocacy groups active in the area of gender equality are not eligible to serve on the Assembly. Sixty different sampling points across the State have been selected using Census Data and the HP Deprivation Index.

CONTACT NEWSDESK

065 671 9021 news@clareecho.ie

WEST CLARE

l OUTSTANDING: Christopher Dixon O’Meara of Cappa, Kilrush was recently awarded the Convery Medal from

University College Dublin. Pictured are Professor Frank Convery of University College Dublin, Christopher Dixon O’Meara and Professor Thomas Sterner University of Gothenburg. The medal is awarded for outstanding academic achievement by a graduate student of the college in the area of environmental policy

ENNIS TOONAGH WALK The annual Toonagh walk this year takes in the scenic roads of Toonagh/Dysart on Sunday, January 12, 2020.

Registration takes place from 11am in Toonagh Hall. €10 per adult, children free.. There will be three routes to suite all fitness levels. Hot/cold refreshments /treats/ home baking served and a Monster Raffle in the hall after. All funds this year go toward The Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and The Huntington Disease Association. All welcome.

MILL ROAD LIGHTING Attempts to improve public lighting at the pedestrian crossing on the Mill Rd are to be conducted during the month of January.

Motions from Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) and Cllr Mark Nestor (FF) at the November and December meetings respectively of the Ennis Municipal District appealed for measures to be introduced to maximise safety at pedestrian crossings. Nestor singled out the Mill Rd pedestrian crossing as one that requires upgrading. As per Cllr Flynn's motion, all crossings are being examined to examine public lighting.

"The Ennis MD office are presently arranging the provision of two zebra crossing type poles with integrated overhead lighting units (similar to Francis St) to improve the lighting at this crossing.

It is expected that this work will be carried out in January 2020," senior executive engineer Eamoon O'Dea stated.

Since the matter was raised in November, Cllr Nestor said he had received several phonecalls from concerned Cloughleigh residents who informed him of "some near accidents".

SOUTH-EAST CLARE CRATLOE WOODS The world famous oak woods of Cratloe may soon be partially restored.

Mayor of Clare Cathal Crowe has held talks with senior officials of Coillte with the view to having the native species of oak; the Sessile Oak, replanted in large sections of Cratloe Woods.

For many decades Coillte have operated a commercial forest, covering more than 700 hectares of land, at Cratloe. The main crop of trees planted there are fast-growing softwood conifers and in the last three years large quantities of these have been felled.

“Coillte are currently working towards replanting the sections of the forest that have been felled and I have asked them to give serious consideration to reintroducing the native oak trees that once thrived in Cratloe,” Mayor Crowe said.

Cratloe oak beams were used in the construction of many landmark buildings throughout the world including the Houses of Parliament in Westminister and the Royal Palace in Amsterdam.

It has also been said that the oak timbers were used to construct the hull of Lord Nelson’s flagship; HMS Victory, at the Battle of Trafalgar. Closer to home, beams from Cratloe Woods were used in the construction of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Limerick City.

“It’s an absolute shame that for centuries the beautiful oaks of Cratloe have been obliterated without any replanting whatsoever.

Coillte have asked me to continue to engage with their management on the matter and I hope that over the coming months some acres of Cratloe Woods can be identified for the replanting of oak,” Mayor Crowe added.

26 OUT & ABOUT

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

ANNUAL CHRISTMAS TREE THROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS

l OUT WITH THE OLD: Taking part in the ninth annual Christmas Tree Throwing Championships at Tim Smyth Park in Ennis on Sunday were (clockwise from above): Niamh Barnes; Kieran Conti; Tim Forde, Active Ennis and Cllr Mary Howard with Christmas Tree Throwing Champion Clem McInerney; Lauren Ryan, Sean O'Connor; and Michael Carey

Photos by Eamon Ward

28 BUSINESS

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

BUSINESS

CONTACT US WE’RE ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM #CE

Student Enterprise Programme ‘great initiaitve’ - Van Der Flier

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ECONDARY students across Co. Clare are dreaming of a Final appearance in Croke Park in 2020 following the launch of the Local Enterprise Offices’ Student Enterprise Programme for 2019/2020.

The programme, which is Ireland’s largest business and enterprise programme for second level students, was launched by Minister of State Pat Breen and rugby star Josh Van Der Flier. Van der Flier is the Student Enterprise Programme Ambassador for 2019 / 2020 and a former participant in the programme.

Students from 16 secondary schools in Co. Clare are taking part in this year’s Programme in the hope of making the National Finals in Croke Park in May. Clare has a strong track record in the Student Enterprise Programme with students

from Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon and St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Spanish Point representing Clare last year.

“The students of today are increasingly aware of the role they can play in changing the status quo. Encouragement of entrepreneurial and innovative skills allows them to change things, to create new opportunities and to contribute to solving some of the many issues facing society today and in the future.

“This spirit has always been very evident in the Student Enterprise Programme. Every year we see creative young minds bringing fresh thinking to all areas of business, whether it’s innovative design, new software, revolutionary apps, or simply

solving a daily issue.” Minister Breen said.

Student Enterprise Programme Ambassador Josh Van Der Flier (inset) said; “Having a good grasp of business will stand by you at any age and in any profession and that’s why the Student Enterprise Programme is such a great initiative by the Local Enterprise Offices. I know from having been involved myself at school how great it is to learn how to create that idea, make it happen and then make sales from scratch. I certainly didn’t win any awards for my business, but it gave me a great knowledge of how

a business works at an early age and the thousands of students who take part will always have that.”

Padraic McElwee, Head of Enterprise at LEO Clare said; “The aim of the Student Enterprise Programme is to instil that little bit of entrepreneurship in every student that takes part.

“The Local Enterprise Offices work closely with the schools to help spark their ideas but also ground them in what will help them make sales. These skills are invaluable and to see the amazing ideas, year on year, many of which have become viable businesses, is inspirational not only to their fellow students but to anyone involved in business and entrepreneurship.”

The Student Enterprise Programme also has a new website for 2019/2020 at www.

StudentEnterprise.

LIT President Cunnane takes up office as Chair of THEA PRESIDENT of Limerick Institute of Technology, Professor Vincent Cunnane, assumes the chair of THEA for the 50th anniversary year of Technological Higher Education in Ireland.

“I am very much looking forward to my time in office as Chair of the THEA board for 2020”, stated Professor Cunnane.

“2020 marks a significant and challenging milestone in the development of higher education in Ireland.

“2020 will see further evo-

lution of this sector as Institutes of Technology progress towards Technological University designation, bringing with it all the challenges and opportunities that such a major change entail.

“It is our hope that 2020 will see a resolution of the sustainable funding issue for our institutions. We expect that the report prepared for Government by Peter Cassells will finally be addressed and that a model of sustainable funding for higher education be agreed”.

l NEW ROLE: LIT President Vincent Cunnane Photo by Alan Place

BUSINESS 29

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

BUSINESS

CONTACT US WE’RE ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM #CE

Clare will be seen by billions

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HE Banner county is soon to be promoted across 6,349 airplanes and 1.375 billion passengers who fly to Ireland.

InflightFlix International, the Irish provider of destination video guides to the airline industry, have announced that it is to distribute its destination video guides promoting great Ireland experiences, which includes Co Clare.

The company will make its Wild Atlantic Drive and Dublin video guides available free of charge as inflight content to the airlines.

Making the announcement, InflightFlix founder Martin O’Regan said: “Our premier destination video guide to the Wild Atlantic Drive, which showcases great things to do, places to go, stay, eat, drink and shop in Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, Galway (city and county), Clare, Limerick, Cork and Kerry went live on Aer Lingus transatlantic flights in April 2018 and the Dublin video guide is currently in production.

“We have received phenomenal feedback at inflight entertainment events in Boston, Dublin, London, Los Angeles since and, at

the Aircraft Interiors Exhibition in Hamburg in April, most of the world’s inflight entertainment and connectivity providers

demonstrated the Wild Atlantic Drive videos.

“More recently, at the Airlines Passenger

l NEW HEIGHTS: Liz Halpin, head of Dublin Region Fáilte Ireland, Niall Gibbons, chief executive, Tourism Ireland and Martin O Regan, CEO, Inflightflix International celebrating Ireland's global reach via inflight entertainment.

Experience Expo in Los Angeles, we announced a partnership with Viasat Inc., a global communications company listed on the Nasdaq, to bring destination video guide content to airlines’ in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems, to help airline passengers connect with leading destination experiences.

Viasat delivers in-flight Internet to American Airlines, United Airlines and other airlines globally.

“This offers tremendous potential to showcase all that Ireland has to offer as a destination, both for leisure and business, to an even wider global reach,” added O’Regan.

Commenting on the news, Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “The InflightFlix destination video guides are a great opportunity to showcase Dublin and the Wild Atlantic Way to prospective international visitors, inspiring them to come and sample some of the many wonderful experiences on offer right here. We wish InflightFlix continued international success.”

InflightFlix has offices in Shannon as well as Cork.

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30 COLUMNISTS

REELING IN THE YEARS

with Cian O’Broin

1998

ENNIS WOMAN’S DOUBLE MURDER APPEAL Mary Druhan (nee Guilfoyle) of Ennis was imprisoned for double murder in June 1988. Mary was born in Ennis in 1935 and emigrated to the United Kingdom at the tender age of seventeen. After marrying Waterford man John Druhan, the couple went on to have three children. The allure of promise and opportunity held dear by so many hopeful young migrants soon began to fade away for Mary.

Originally coming over to work as a nurse in a private hospital, Mary fell foul to alcoholism following the death of her husband and soon began to frequent vacant buildings along with other alcoholics. On June 27, 1988, the death of Mary’s partner and another man in a house fire in Kingston Upon Thames led to a swift and severe investigation. In June 1989, Mary was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment.

Evidence against the Ennis woman was provided by two other homeless men who claimed that Mary had fought with her partner Kenneth and threatened to kill him. Ten years later, in 1998, the case was revisited by the Criminal Cases Review Commission following inconsistencies in evidence. The manager of the Kingston Mill Pub refuted the evidence given by one witness, claiming that there was no such fight between Mary and Kenneth on that fatal night. Perhaps there was renewed hope for Mary’s case. The double murder appeal was subject to a documentary series, ‘Trial and Error’ looking to exonerate wrongful convictions and the programme took a special interest in Mary’s case.

Eventually, in 1999, Lord Bingham of Cornhill, the Lord Chief Justice, ordered the release of Mary Druhan from custody, after serving ten years at Bullwood Hall Prison in Essex.

Exonerated and emotive, the 66-year-old Mary outlined her future plans, “I have not given it much thought. But I am going to stay with my sister and then find a job. What I have really been looking forward to is a Cornetto and at last I have had one.”

THE LAHINCH STONE RUSH In 1998, another legal controversy was the talk of County Clare. The west coast is infamous for its myriad of remarkable shipwrecks, decorating seaside shores for centuries.

The schooner endowed with the title of Elizabeth McClean was bound for Glasgow with a large quantity of stone aboard when it ran aground in Liscannor harbour, in the winter of 1904, according to the most up-to-date local knowledge at the time. Two opportunistic locals put this theory to great use in 1988, relieving the ship of its valuable cut stone, which lay buried beneath sand and sea for decades.

The firm hands of justice decided to intervene in 1998, in an act that deeply disheartened locals in Lahinch who proclaimed that the Elizabeth McLean was a national treasure. Illegal excavation was the inferred accusation by the Irish government. Legislation protects shipwrecks dating back more than 100 years.

Documentation emerged confirming that the schooner ran aground in 1894 as opposed to ten years later as was previously believed by locals, contrary to testament of the last living eyewitness many years previous. The defendants claimed they purchased the salvage rights for £1 from the Customs and Excise Receivers of Wrecks and were operating within the confines of the law. The escapade was later named the ‘Lahinch Stone Rush.’

PYROMANIACS POLLUTING ENNIS A malevolent string of grand theft auto and pyromania caught the attention of Gardai in the Ennis and Clarecastle area in 1998. In January a string of attacks on vehicles led Garda Inspector Michael Barry to start an investigation.

Five vehicles were set on fire in one weekend alone. A lorry in Lissane was set on fire which required the local Fire Brigade Unit to take care of the situation.

The very same night at 2am, a Renault 18 was set on fire in Francis Street and completely destroyed. Several hours later a car stolen from Quinn car park was found burned out in Newhall. The shell of another burnt out vehicle was found at Drumbiggle rugby grounds after being stolen in Carlow. The fifth and final vehicle was discovered by the railway bridge in Clarecastle. The Inspector at the time told the media that a new craze had hit Ennis, the burning out of vehicles and he asserted his intentions to implement a strict plan to prevent the frenzy from spreading further. He concluded that there was zero tolerance for such vandalism.

Check back next week as we conclude our final year of the millennium. Until then, take care everyone.

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

Eoin Neylon

An inside look at Clare’s political spectrum

Fianna Fáil squabbling won’t help credentials

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EW year, new you!” – or so the refrain goes. In political circles though, it appears the dawning of the new decade isn’t heralding much by way of change as the General Election date gets ever closer. The Christmas break did little to hasten any goodwill, as a war of words broke out over several issues between the two largest parties in the Dáil. Spending plans were ridiculed, health care issues highlighted, new homeless figures sparked outrage and accusations of stoking up instability and tension were levelled in both directions.

Nothing new there then! However, the surest sign that a General Election date is getting closer is often rarely garnered from inter-party squabbles but from intra-party squabbles. The first clear sign of this coming in Clare from the Fianna Fáil contingent.

Over the weekend a phoney war attempted to erupt in the most mannerly of fashions when FF election candidate Rita McInerney posted on Facebook taking exception to an earlier post by her running mate Cllr Cathal Crowe.

Crowe had posted a screenshot of analysis of the constituency by another publication in which they alluded to the fact that the South East based Councillor had a good chance of winning election to the Dáil this year. Once more, nothing new there. Pundits in this paper, other local media organisations and even national pundits looking in at the county have been giving Crowe backing as a possible victor in the upcoming election.

Nevertheless, McInerney seems to have started the new year with aplomb and is not content with being labelled an “also ran”. That’s all well and good. Her post had a certain tone to it but there was nothing untoward about it as she asked Crowe’s supporters for their number 2 votes. In fact, if FF are to secure two seats in Clare, this is the exact strategy they need, with all their candidates transferring heavily to one another.

Later that day though the East Clare Comhairle Ceantair FF Facebook page chimed in with screenshots of both candidates’ previous post with the tagline, “Self confessed underdog versus Self proclaimed favourite to take the second FF seat in Clare!” [sic].

This post, from the heartland CC of sitting TD Timmy Dooley, seemingly misrepresenting the words of Crowe who, in his earlier statement, pointed out that if The Clare Champion analysis was correct, he’d be competing at the back of the field. This post was itself shared by Crowe’s County Council colleague Alan O’Callaghan.

Fast forward to Sunday just gone and the aftermath of Crowe’s decision to boycott the state commemoration of the Royal Irish Constabulary. Given the national coverage and social media commentary on same, the Clare Mayor’s decision has proven to be a very popular one. Not so though with Cllr O’Callaghan who, on a poll on the Ennis/Clare Political Facebook Page publicly commented that he didn’t agree with the Mayor’s decision and that if he didn’t wish to go, the Deputy Cathaoirleach should be offered

the invite instead. Crowe replied that his deputy, Fianna Fáil’s Clare Colleran-Molloy, had indeed been offered the invite but agreed that such a State commemoration was not appropriate and that she would also not attend. Other Mayors have followed suit and the RIC commemoration has since been “deferred” by the Government due to the boycott which was sparked

by Cllr Crowe.

Some small bit of public tension in FF ranks going into election season, but nothing too salacious or malicious. One may even say that public debate is healthy. Many political pundits would agree that signs of such tension within a party are, in a way, a good thing.

They show people are hungry for seats which they believe are there to be gained. But it also alludes to the old Irish political adage; “It’s not the people in the other party you’ve to watch out for but your own!”.

It’s something FF authorities would want to keep a close eye on though. Managing tensions between the various camps within a party election ticket is tricky, especially when transfers are key. FF will badly wish to avoid making the mistake of 2016 where they outpolled Fine Gael by five per cent yet managed to lose that advantage with poor vote management.

If Fianna Fáil are to make it back to Government buildings, then they will need a second seat in Clare. Spats within the ranks certainly won’t help that endeavour. It’s one to keep an eye on with all parties as polling day looms.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SHAME IS ON MR VARADKAR

Dear Editor, In December I received an application form from Clare County Council re an initiative supported by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht under the Community Strand of the Decade of Centenaries Programme to commemorate events which happened in Clare during 1920. I thought this was a wonderful initiative. To remember the men and women who fought and died for our country.

We had in Lissycasey three men who were “murdered” by the black and tans. Men who were going about their daily business. One man feeding his animals , another coming out from mass at Lissycasey church. Willie Shanahan, Micko McNamara, John Breen, John O’Halloran, The Loughnane brothers and many, many more were tortured and murdered. I remember my Grandmother speaking about the Black & Tans,

the RIC and the Scottish guards and the terrible atrocities carried out by these people and I considered this a wonderful initiative to remember the innocent who died. We were urged to apply as community, historical and commemorative groups wishing to commemorate events which happened in Clare during 1920.

Now it seems that Fine Gael intend to commemorate the “Thugs” who perpetrated these atrocities. Well done to Cathal Crowe and Claire Colleran Molloy for declining the invitation to attend this farce. Mr Varadkar says it a “shame” that there are not attending. Well Mr Varadkar THE SHAME IS ON YOU. The crimes of the RIC and Black and Tans will long be remembered in Clare and should NOT be Commemorated.

Aine Ni Aodha.

Lios Ui Chathasaigh.

MOTORING

MOTORING EXPERT NEIL BRISCOE GIVES HIS VIEWS

SKODA LAUNCHES NEW KAMIQ IN IRELAND

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KODA has added a third model to its successful SUV portfolio called the Kamiq. The Kamiq sees Skoda compete in the rapidly growing city or small SUV segment for the first time. The Kamiq blends the typical advantages of this segment such as increased ground clearance and a raised seat position with the agility of a compact car and Skoda’s characteristic emotive design. With state-of-the-art assistance and infotainment systems, a generous amount of space and numerous Simply Clever features, the new Kamiq equally fulfils the needs of both family- and lifestyle-oriented customers in true Skoda style.

At first glance, the new Kamiq shares the Skoda SUV design language of the Kodiaq and Karoq, but with closer inspection the split headlights, which feature daytime running lights above the main headlights, distinguish the Kamiq from its larger siblings. The Kamiq is also the first Skoda to have dynamic front and rear indicators. The Kamiq is one of the largest cars in its segment. In tangible terms, the Kamiq is 20mm longer; has 24mm more headspace and is

the very same width as the Skoda Yeti that ceased production in 2017. Viewed from the rear the tailgate confidently bears ‘Skoda’ in block lettering instead of the Skoda logo; a trait now shared with all models in the Skoda range.

The Kamiq has a familiar and tested engine line up with three TSI petrol engines with cylinder capacities of 1.0 or 1.5 litres and a 1.6 litre TDI producing 70 and 110 kW (95 to 150 BHP). The engines can be coupled with a 5- or 6-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed DSG. The Kamiq is the second Skoda to incorporate the new interior concept. The elevated seat position and generous amount of space provide easy access to the car combined with excellent road visibility. The boot has a capacity of 363 litres, which can be increased to 1,360 litres by folding down the asymmetrically split back seat (60:40).

The Kamiq possesses a premium interior atmosphere created by soft materials on the dashboard and front door trims, as well as quality new seat designs.

Based on Volkswagen Group’s MQB-A0 platform, the Kamiq offers the highest lev-

el of active and passive safety. It is equipped with up to nine airbags including a driver knee airbag and front side airbags as standard.

The Kamiq is generously specified with Active, Ambition and Style grades available.

Active and Ambition models feature the 6.5-inch Swing touch screen infotainment system, LED headlights and tail lights. Lane Assist, Front Assist with City Emergency Brake and Predictive Pedestrian Protection, and Multi-Collision Braking are also standard. Style versions receive the 8.0-inch Bolero infotainment unit and full LED headlights with AFS and dynamic front and rear indicators.

Skoda Ireland Head of Marketing & Product, Ray Leddy, commented, “The Kamiq is another excellent product from Skoda. We are very ambitious for this new model and expect the Kamiq to follow in the footsteps of the Karoq & Kodiaq. The Kamiq has already seen unprecedented sales success on the continent; as a result, demand is expected to outstrip supply in many markets including Ireland. We would advise customers to order early to avoid disappointment.”

The Kamiq goes on sale in Ireland priced from €21,300 for the 1.0 TSI, 95bhp Active.

Competitive PCP finance is also offered from 2.9 per cent APR.

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MOTORING

MOTORING EXPERT NEIL BRISCOE GIVES HIS VIEWS

CITROEN’S NEW BERLINGO MAKES FOR A HAPPY FAMILY VAN COMMERCIAL VEHICLE WITH WINDOWS? WELL, YES, BUT THE BERLINGO IS RATHER MORE THAN THAT…

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CITROEN BERLINGO

KNOW what you’re going to think.

That because this new Citroen Berlingo is an affordable, rugged, practical, family-friendly, and utilitarian car that it’s the modern-day successor to the legendary 2CV. Well, it’s not. Sorry Berlingo, but the 2CV was an instant legend, a car that changed utterly the way cars could be, and one that deserves its hall of fame placing alongside such significant others as the Beetle, 911, Land Rover, Mini, and DS. Now that might make it sound as if we’re a little down on the Berlingo, but happily, nothing could be further from the truth.

There’s something hugely appealing about the idea of a roomy, practical, family car based on van, and we’re nothing if not practically-minded people.

For those worrying that van roots makes for a crude, unrefined car, actually you’d have to argue that the new Berlingo isn’t really based on a van at all. I mean, yes, clearly the bodywork is donated by the hard-working Berlingo panel van, but underneath it rides on the same EMP2 platform as the

posher C5 Aircross SUV and the C4 SpaceTourer MPV, so there are passenger car genes within the Berlingo’s makeup.

However, as soon as you crack open a door, you can soon see that the Berlingo’s idea of what makes a practical family car is some way ahead of its two EMP2 platform cousins. First off, those two rear side doors slide, which is of inestimable benefits when parking in tight places (have you seen how narrow the spaces are in Merchant’s Quay these days?) and so getting people in and out of the back is just so much easier.

There are also three, individual, seats in the back. Now that’s something that, in fairness, the C5 Aircross and C4 SpaceTourer also offer, but it puts Citroen ahead of most of the competition when it comes to carrying kids around. It’s just so much easier to sort out booster seats and baby seats when there’s a proper, full-sized pew in the centre of the rear.

Up front, there’s a relatively simple dashboard that is the biggest clue as to the Berlingo’s van origins. You can tell that the plastics used are of a cheaper and lower grade than those of the passenger car range. You could take that as a criticism, but then a Berlingo such as this is very definitely going to be bought as a family car, so perhaps having some plastics that you just don’t care about as much is not a

bad thing. After all, if your kids/dogs are going to destroy them anyway…

You do get some creature comforts, though. There’s a big touchscreen infotainment system, which includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the steering wheel is pinched from the C3 hatchback, and feels good to hold. Then there are the seats, which use Citroen’s ‘Advanced Comfort’ design to be as restful as possible.

Speaking of length, you can have a longer Berlingo than this. Our test car was the ‘M’ for medium sized version, 4.4-metres long, with five seats, and a massive 775-litre boot. You can get a longer 4.75-metre version, which comes with seven seats and a boot that measures a colossal 1,050-litres. Worth remembering the next time you start thinking that an SUV makes for a practical family car…

Of course, to drive, the Berlingo can’t quite measure up to its more car-like siblings, but it’s not as far off the mark as you might expect. The steering is light, and a touch long-winded, but as long as you give it a chance to roll and settle itself for a given corner, it gets about alright. The ride quality is actually a major highlight — it’s soft, without allowing the Berlingo to be excessively floppy nor floaty, and is particularly good at soothing away urban road scars. Given the Berlingo’s nimble turning circle and good visibility, it’s tempting to

FACTS & FIGURES Model tested: Citroen Berlingo Size M Feel 1,5 BlueHDI 100 Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel Transmission: five-speed manual, front-wheel drive Body style: five-door, five-seat MPV CO2 emissions: 149g/km (Band A4, €200 per annum)* Combined economy: 50mpg (5.6 litres/100km) Top speed: 171km/h 0-100km/h: 12.3 seconds Power: 100hp at 3,500rpm Torque: 250Nm at 1,750rpm Boot: 775 litres (seats up); 1,414 litres (seats down) Safety: EuroNCAP Safety Rating for Citroen Berlingo: four-stars; 91 per cent adult; 81 per cent child; 58 per cent pedestrian; 68 per cent safety assist

call it an ideal urban car.

Power comes from a 100hp 1.5-litre BlueHDI diesel, and it’s a decent engine — a touch noisy at times, but frugal and with decent poke..

So no, it’s not the new 2CV, but then it was never meant to be. It’s the new Berlingo, and that means it’s simply carrying on a (more recent) tradition of being one of the best, most affordable, and most sensible family cars around.

MOTORING

MOTORING EXPERT NEIL BRISCOE GIVES HIS VIEWS

KIA SHOWS OFF FUTURISTIC SUV CONCEPT

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IA has revealed its new Futuron Concept, an illuminating allwheel drive SUV coupe which proposes new designs for future electric vehicles.

The Kia Futuron Concept is built around a single, strong ‘360-degree’ design notable for its pure, smooth form devoid of ornament. The delicate diffusion of the body’s surfaces creates a series of taut, flowing shapes which twist, expand and contract around the body. The result is a sleek and streamlined shape, creating an aero-efficient profile.

Its low-profile SUV coupe body makes a strong statement of intent for Kia’s future cars, which will be confident, sporty and modern, yet also elegant. At 4,850 mm in length, 1,550 mm tall and with a 3,000 mm-long wheelbase, the Futuron’s elevated ground clearance is matched with a low, lean body to create a dynamic, confident posture.

A high-capacity battery is mounted low in the vehicle’s body, beneath the cabin floor, providing electrical energy to four powerful in-wheel electric motors. The elevated

stance of the car is therefore matched with a low centre of gravity and a cutting-edge e-AWD system which delivers lightning-fast responses to driver inputs.

The front wings flow backwards from the front of the bonnet before plunging into the cabin itself, establishing a connection between the driving seat and the road ahead.

The concept’s roof is a diamond-shaped panoramic glasshouse which sits atop the 360-degree core, in the best traditions of UFO and flying saucer design. While flooding the cabin with natural light, it also extends down the bonnet to give drivers an unparalleled view ahead. The glasshouse also incorporates a network of LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors capable of providing Level 4 autonomous driving features, enabling hands-off and eyes-off driving in most conditions.

The front of the Futuron features a new reinterpretation of Kia’s ‘tiger nose’ grille, a signature for Kia design now for over a decade. While maintaining the basic principle of the design – a clear outline with tabs in the middle – Kia’s designers have expanded the boundaries, widening the shape across

the front of the car to create a restrained, yet elegant ‘tiger face’.

With a wider ‘tiger face’ shape, the grille incorporates the Futuron’s headlamps, an innovative ‘Star Cloud’ design which gives the car a dazzling new night-time identity.

The concept’s Star Cloud lighting not only highlights a new design form for the front of the car, but also embodies a new lighting concept for Kia, taking inspiration from nebulae in the night sky to create a geometric patchwork of matrix LED lighting. The Star Cloud is also incorporated into the rear of the car, displaying a distinct light signature to anyone following the Futuron.

The Futuron also incorporates Chinese legend in the design and form of its new Star Cloud lighting. The Dragon Skin surface which covers the lighting area emulates the scaled armor that adorns Chinese dragons, both in mythology and modern-day cultural celebrations. The Star Cloud lighting incorporates a kinetic surface, enabling the car to alternate between daytime running lights and full-beam headlamps as the ‘scales’ open and close.

Inside, the two front seats are created out

of flexible materials and can offer an upright ‘driving’ position, or a reclined ‘rest’ position, similar to the flexibility afforded to first-class airline passengers. With the activation of the Futuron’s autonomous driving features, the two front seats recline as the steering wheel retracts. The ‘zero-gravity’ seating position this creates helps to reduce fatigue on long journeys.

The Futuron’s seamless interior also reflects its autonomous driving nature, with surfaces flowing uninterrupted from the dashboard and through the door panels.

The doors feature the same Star Cloud lighting and scaled Dragon Skin motif found on the outside of the car, creating a glittering interactive ambient lighting system.

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34 SPORT

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

Ladies football collisions ‘like mini car crashes’ with PÁRAIC McMAHON

This week as part of our 20x20 series we meet Bernie Regan, who after a decade of involvement on the executive of Clare Ladies Football, laments the player drop-out rate

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ACKLING the rate of player dropout in college is one of the most difficult issues facing Ladies Football, a long-serving administrator in the county believes and also warned that player collisions are “like mini car crashes”.

In December, Bernie Regan called time on her decade long stint as part of the county executive. During this period she held key positions such as Chairperson, Secretary and for the last six years that of Treasurer. Clashes at the top table are common but friendships are also made which meant the deaths in recent years of Johnny Hayes and Kieran Harvey were sad times for all concerned in the sport.

As someone with such a heavy involvement in Clare Ladies Football, she does not need reminding of the amount of players that have come and gone from the county setup since they reached back to back All-Ireland finals in 2008 and 2009. Just ten of the 17 women that featured in the 2016 decider were part of last year’s squad.

Bernie reflected, “The biggest fall-off in Ladies Football is when they start going to college. College is an amazing place to be, when you get there you have so many things going on, the course, commuting to college, the Clare girls in Limerick and Galway are lucky.

I do think social life takes over in the first year because you are trying to fit in, I know all colleges have Ladies Football and Camogie, I would encourage any girl whatever her level to play with a team in college regardless of it’s the first or second team.

“If you keep the interest in fitness and sport, it will stay with you, if you can get over that first or second year in college and you’re back playing it will stand to you from a personal and fitness point of view, the course will take care of itself, that’s what the lecturers are there for. For mental health, being involved in a team sport is absolutely paramount.

College is a whole new world for them, away from the structured home life, you’re looking after yourself in your own accommodation.

You have to make the decision yourself, it’s easy when you’re at home, parents will drop you to training or remind you, now the responsibility is back on you”.

Born in Crossmolina, Bernie is one of 13 children from the sports-mad Lavelle family.

Three of her brothers picked up All-Ireland club medals in 2001 with Crossmolina while her niece Rachel Kearns collected her first All Star in recognition of a season where Peter Leahy’s side reached the last four.

Growing up in the 1970s, the schedule of games was not as hectic as it is for today’s dual-stars. Subsequently, getting to play hockey, volleyball, camogie, basketball and ladies football at secondary school was an

l FAMILY FIRST: Bernie Regan pictured at a match with her grandchildren Katie Lynn and Sophia Photo by Burren Eye Photography

enjoyable time for Bernie. “They had the old style all-weather pitches which nobody in the country had. The nuns in Gortnor Abbey were so progressive, they were way past their time”.

Though for the past 38 years, Clare has been home for Bernie. Living in Drumline in the parish of Newmarket-on-Fergus didn’t stop her from being one of the founding members of the ladies football club in Wolfe Tones. This in itself was fitting as the Regan family that she married into were pivotal figures in the formation of the Tones’ GAA club.

“We’re in the parish of Newmarket-on-Fergus, it has been contentious since the beginning. From the outset with the involvement of the Regans in Wolfe Tones I don’t think going to Newmarket was ever an option”.

Playing junior football for the Tones also gave Bernie the opportunity to line out alongside her daughter Stephanie. One of her sporting highlights was to see Stephanie

receive an All-Ireland medal as part of the Clare intermediate panel that prevailed over Fermanagh in 2009. However, the physical therapist also had to watch the promising dual-star suffer devastating injuries including rupturing her cruciate ligament on three separate occasions as well as her other daughter Leona sustaining two serious knee injuries.

“Injuries are a huge part of the game now because it has gone so physical. Strength and conditioning is fantastic, it’s great but every player impact on the pitch is more than it was 10 or 20 years ago, you’re hitting a body that is so conditioned that some collisions are like mini car crashes. I do feel that down the road for every player, arthritic knees, hips, shoulders and necks is going to be a huge problem.

I would hope that injury would always take precedence with the player on the pitch, unfortunately results sometimes is what managers look at rather than the player welfare. Every club is driven by a result and that conflict

will always be there... Relationships between management and the medical team has to be strong and has to have 100 per cent trust that when a player is called off it’s for their own good; player welfare has to be the top priority”.

More supports are needed for players recovering from injuries, she maintained. “I would like to see a fund so that players are compensated when they are out, you have people playing sport giving freely of their time, everything they do is for their sport.

“You might be out of work and could be married with children paying a mortgage with everyday bills and now an injury which means your income is gone. The GAA and insurance companies are big enough, the support has to be there for players, they have to be supported and if we don’t support them it’s not going to carry on in the community spirit that it should”.

December saw the Mayo native call time on stint on the County Executive. “You get to a stage where you say ‘I’ve done my bit’, I think I had. I was very happy to leave it when I had a good pot of money in the bank for them and hopefully it will move on,” Bernie admitted. Her time as secretary she described as the most challenging due to the changing make-up of the Board but playing a part in improving their financial state is an achievement she is proud of.

As Chairperson, the decision was made to drop Clare from senior to intermediate. “It was a difficult decision to make, we definitely made the decision, I know that now when I see how difficult it is for us to get out of intermediate, with a bit of luck last year they could have got out but sometimes it’s not luck you need, you need a team that will come out of intermediate that is ready for senior football.

If you’re not ready for senior football you will be ate alive, you will be destroyed mentally.

It’s a big step for a lot of players and players not playing in the A division. If you’re playing in the A there is a higher level and a higher commitment from players, you’re competing with stronger teams and challenging yourself, it’s very easy to look like a good player when you’re playing a team not at the level of a senior player, you can look good but when you’re put up against the big players and the committed players that is when you measure yourself. The right decision was to go down to intermediate, any competition you’re in it’s very hard to come out of because everyone else is on the same boat”.

For 2020, Bernie Regan will be taking up golf and getting more involved with ladies football in Wolfe Tones. She believes this could be the year that sees Clare return to the senior ranks and pinpoints coach Ger Keane as the man to help them do just that.

SPORT

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

Keane to coach ladies footballers FORMER Clare senior footballer, Ger Keane has been recruited as coach to the county’s ladies football side.

James Murrihy has enlisted the five-time McGrath Cup winner to succeed DJ Collins who stepped down following the conclusion of Clare’s 2019 season with an All-Ireland QF defeat to champions Tipperary.

Keane spent three years as a selector with the Clare senior footballers.

Meanwhile, the county team are on the search for an official jersey sponsor for the season ahead. A jersey sponsorship draw is being carried out where prospec-

tive businesses can pay €500 to enter. All entrants will receive exclusive invites to championship player meet and greet events, ten tickets to all home National League games, acknowledgement on social media plus the use of players for promotional events.

Officers within Clare LGFA say the sponsorship package has a potential advertising market value of €5,000.

Thursday January 23 is the closing date for entries with funds to go towards gear, player nutrition and transport. Interested businesses can make enquiries to Kevin Callinan at 087 6744179.

Townies see red in 2019 SOME 133 red cards were dished during adult GAA games in Clare in 2019. Éire Óg and Lissycasey appeared in referee’s notebooks more than any other club in the county. Both clubs had 11 dismissals, however over half of Lissycasey’s were for black card offences.

Kilmurry Ibrickane were close behind with 10, followed by St Josephs Doora/ Barefield Clonde-

gad, Bodyke, Wolfe Tones and Inagh/ Kilnamona (eight).

In the case of Bodyke three of their disciplinary matters were for unfulfilled fixtures, for which they were fined a total of €600.

With one sending off amongst their adult sides, Ballyvaughan, Kilrush Shamrocks, Smith O’Briens, Ruan and Whitegate were best in the county when it came to maintaining their cool.

35

New Year off to a flyer for Clare greyhound owners CLARE greyhound owners kicked off the New Year in style with wins recorded in Galway, Shelbourne and Limerick.

Its My Party, the Mullins-Curtin syndicate from Gort recorded their maiden success in race eight at the Galway Greyhound Track on Saturday night last, leading off the home turn racing clear in the straight to get off the mark at the seventh attempt by six and a half lengths over Pendys Val in 29.49.

John Browne, John Collins and handler Albert Long all from Clare were on the mark in the A2 fifth race over 575 yards at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night last with Rathmeehan May leading from the opening turn.

She was chased throughout by McCool Boy, but the daughter of Romeo Recruit and Rathmeehan Holly was not going to be denied and stayed on well to cross the line two lengths clear in 31.61.

Down Limerick way, the Paddy Conlon of Cree owned Milesian Melody got the New Year off to a flyer when winning the Dan O Connor Feeds A1 Final worth €800. Boxed in trap two, Melody had a neck to spare in a time of 28.97.

Race eleven saw Snuggie Bonnie owned by Breda Casey of Newmarket-on-Fergus take the spoils finishing in a time of 29.82 with Mullagh’s Christy Kelly’s dog Finnure Storm taking fourth spot.

Clare secure Oscar Traynor home quarter final

C

LARE have secured a home Oscar Traynor quarter-final after picking up a 2-1 win on Saturday night against Desmond League (Limerick) in Askeaton.

Avenue’s Mark Roche was causing problems on the right wing and it appeared

that he broke the deadlock only for his 20th minute strike to skin the crossbar.

However it was the home side who snuck ahead after Kevin Murphy swung in a corner which was headed home by Sean O’Shea. Halftime saw the introduction of Shannon Town’s Kieran Hackett who made an im-

pact from the get-go. Three minutes into the second half, Hackett was involved as a cross was sent into the box which was volleyed to the back of the net from 12 yards by Kieran Mahony.

Unsurprisingly the sharpshooter’s equaliser gave Clare a timely lift. Within eight minutes, they took the

St Flannan’s prevail in Harty Cup derby ST FLANNANS COLLEGE 3-17 ST JOSEPHS TULLA 0-16

A

VENUE: CUSACK PARK, ENNIS

CLARE team will line out in the semi-finals of the Dr Harty Cup for the first time since 2011 as St Flannans sealed their place in the last four on Wednesday.

In what was a novel first meeting of St Flannans and St Josephs Tulla in the Harty Cup, it was the more balanced Ennis side that amassed a 10-point victory and thus secured their place in the last four of the provincial competition. Though ten points separated the sides, it is more accurate to say three scores was the difference as the gulf in class was not as substantial as the final score suggests.

Playing the smarter hurling, St Flannans’ linkup play was easy on the eye and allowed them put together nice passages of play which demonstrated their high skill levels. Diarmuid Cahill and Conner Hegarty reigned supreme in this regard with the duo amassing a tally of 3-07 between them.

Cahill’s 11th minute point in which he sidestepped Paddy Donnellan gave the Kevin O’Grady managed side a three-score lead, their biggest of the game thus far. It proved to be the wake-up call for the East Clare outfit who rattled off four points in succession and went in front for the first time.

For the first but not the last time, a Flannans goal quelled their momentum with Hegarty raising the green flag on 19 minutes. Tulla responded with two points but once again they were left reeling when Peter Power scooped the sliotar into the hands of Cahill who batted to the back of the net for another goal giving the 21-time champions a five-point cushion at the break.

Undaunted by having to make a comeback, St Joseph’s started well with two super Andrew Con-

heady points coming after a missed goal opportunity by Cormac Murphy. Terence Fahy’s side reduced the deficit to two however their efforts came undone when a fantastic Diarmuid Cahill run was matched by an even better finish to the top right corner of Aaron Shanahan’s net to make it game, set and match on 40 minutes.

Third time was a charm for Flannan’s in shaking off the spirited Tulla who were unable to dust themselves off following Cahill’s second goal. They were always going to bring the fight to Flannan’s but came undone in dealing with their opponents biggest threats. Daragh Keogh shipped in an excellent display with Andrew Conheady and Oisin Clune also doing well.

It was Flannan’s ability to stick the sliotar in the back of the net that guided them to this win.

Cahill and Hegarty were outstanding with strong showings also from Killian O’Connor, Jarlath Collins and Niall Walsh.

Scorers St Flannans: D Cahill (2-04), C Hegarty (1-03), A Brohan (0-04 4f), K O’Connor (0-03), P Power (0-01), C Galvin (0-01 1f), D Nagle (0-01) Scorers St Josephs: D Keogh (0-10 8f), C Murphy (0-02), A Conheady (0-02), S Withycombe, (0-01), O Clune (0-01).

St Flannans College: Cian Broderick; Niall Walsh, Darragh Healy, Matthew Reidy; Stephen Casey, Cian Galvin, Tony Butler; Conner Hegarty, Oisin O’Donnell; Ashley Brohan, Diarmuid Cahill, Killian O’Connor; Jarlath Collins, Colm Cassidy, Peter Power. Subs: James Doherty for O’Donnell (48), Dylan Cunningham for Cassidy (57), Dara Nagle for Power (59), Conor Halpin for Collins (60).

St Josephs Tulla: Aaron Shanahan; Liam McInerney, Adam Hogan, Enda Madden; Ronan O’Connor, Paddy Donnellan, Cian Mulqueen; Daragh Keogh, Cormac Murphy; Daniel Withycombe, Oisin Clune, Andrew Conheady; Seán Withycombe, Murrough McMahon, Jimmy O’Gorman. Subs: Aaron Curtis for O’Gorman (48), Evan Maxted for D Withycombe (56), Liam Hogan for McInerney (58), Dara Ryan for A Hogan (62).

Referee: John O’Halloran (Limerick)

lead as a David McCarthy cross was powerfully headed home by Cian O’Dea (left).

Although a draw would suffice in terms of qualification, it would come at the cost of losing home advantage in the last eight clash.

An all round positive team display, Clare now look forward to the quarter-finals, a

PGA Golf Professional

date has yet to be confirmed.

Clare: Shane Cusack (Newmarket Celtic), Conor Mullan (Avenue Utd), Aidan Leahy (Shannon Town), Dylan Casey (Avenue Utd), Cian O’Dea (Corofin Harps); Callum McNamara (Newmarket Celtic); Mark Roche (Avenue Utd), Cian McDonough (Avenue Utd), Ruairi Norby (Lifford), David McCarthy (Newmarket Celtic), Kieran Mahony (Newmarket Celtic).

Subs: Kieran Hackett (Shannon Town) for Norby (HT), Stephen Jordan (Manus Celtic) for Roche (75), Liam Buckley (Bridge Utd) for Leahy (85)

#PadraigKnowsGolf

Padraig McGrath

GOLF ANALYSIS

The Scorecard in association with

ENNIS GOLF CLUB Captain’s Drive In 01-01-2020 Oliver O’Loughlin & Nuala D’Auria 13 Hole Scramble 1ST Johnny Kearse, Tommy Heath, Joe O’Brien 71pt 2ND Una O’ Reilly, Dave Pender, Liam Mc Cannon 71pts 3RD Gerry Bredin, Jim Casey, Pat P Mc Inerney 70pts Saturday Scramble 4th January 2020 1ST George Touhym, Gerry O’ Brien, Ml Ball 76-2 74pts 2ND Una O’ Reilly, Denis Cahill, John Mc Inerney 72pts 3RD Leo Herbert, Steve Burns, Tony Mc Inerney 73-2 71pts 4TH Carmel Verling, Ger Donohue, Domnic O’ Connor 69pts Gent’s Singles 18 S/F 4th & 5th January 1ST Tony Flynn(14) 41pts 2ND Gerard O’ Brien(17) 41pts GROSS: Kieran Fox(5) 71 Gross 3RD Richard O’ Connell(15) 41pts 4TH Noel Normoyle(13) 41pts KILRUSH GOLF CLUB KGC Christmas Week Men’s Singles 1 James Murtagh (16) 28 pts 2 John Saunders (13) 27 pts Back 9 3 John McNelis (16) 27 pts Dec 30 / Jan 05 Men’s Singles 1 Anthony Gilmartin 30 pts 2 Michael Miniter 29 pts 3 Pat Shannon Ksh 28 pts Back 9

4 Brian Scanlon 28 pts Jan 01 New Year’s Day Scramble 1 M Hehir, Tom Clancy, Pat Shannon, Sean Lyons 37 2 R Brew, Rory Lillis, M Studdert 38.78 3 Claire Pyne, Michael McNamara, S Phelan 39 SPANISH POINT GOLF CLUB 5th January Captains’ Drive-In John Lewis & Yvonne O’Keeffe 9-Hole Scramble WINNERS: Michael (Flick) O’Brien, Eileen Murrihy, Greg Davidson 4th January Open 9-Hole Singles S/F 1ST Seamus Conway 23 pts 2ND Johnny Leahy 20 pts 3RD Michael Reilly 20 pts 3rd January - Open 9-Hole Singles S/F 1ST Gerry Meade 19 pts 2ND Eamonn Murphy 18 pts 3RD Oliver McNamara 17 pts 2nd January - Open 9-Hole Singles S/F 1ST Evan Kilroy 19 pts 2ND John O’Donnell 19 pts 3RD Mervin Hehir 13 pts 1st January - Open 9-Hole Singles 1ST Thomas Byrne 24 pts 2ND Michael O’Connor 20 pts 3RD Seamus Conway 20 pts 31 Dec - Seniors’ Open 18-Hole Singles 1ST Michael O’Connor 35 pts 2ND Eamonn Murphy 34 pts 3RD John Croke 33 pts

Classifieds 36 CLASSIFIEDS

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THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

PLANNING CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL ARD RATHA, MOUNTIEVERS (MOUNT IVERS) SIXMILEBRIDGE CO.CLARE

Take notice that we, DTW Construction Ltd. intend to apply to Clare County Council for permission to complete the construction of 4 dwellings (House No.s 34-37 inclusive) including alterations to house designs, as completion of the development as granted under P05-2260.

Also for permission for the construction of 23 new dwellings (House no.s 3860 inclusive) including connections to existing site services, completion of revised roads layout, footpahts, lighting & green areas (including retaining existing green area) as a variation from original layout as granted under P05-2260 including ancillary site works.

The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not

exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the planning authority of Clare County Council, Planning Department, Aras Contae an Chlair, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authoority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee of â‚Ź20 within the period of 5 weeks beginning on ht edate of receipt by authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL BALLYNOTE WEST KILRUSH CO.CLARE

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, Aras Contae an Chlair, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authoority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee of â‚Ź20 within the period of 5 weeks beginning on ht edate of receipt by authority of the application.

Take notice that I, Ann Marie Mulqueen intend to apply to Clare County Council for permission for the construction of a Dwellinghousem new entrance and connection to public services including ancillary site works at aboce address.

The planning application

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The Clare Echo Classifieds Contact 065 671 9021

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PLANNING 37 CONTACT SALES

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THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

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QUIZ 39

THURSDAY, JAN 9 2020

The Clare Echo Quiz

2

How many nature reserves are there in County Clare?

a. Two b. Four c. Six

3

Which of the following plants can not be seen side by side in the Burren region? a. Arctic b. Mediterranean c.

South American

4

The Cliffs of Moher are home to the largest colony of ____ in Ireland? a. Hummingbirds b. Puffins c. Finches

5 a. b. c.

What is the population density of County Clare?

8 person per Km 16 person per Km 32 person per Km

6

What percentage is Clare’s coastline of the overall coastline of Ireland? a.

10 percent 15 percent

what year was Shannon given 7InTown status? a. 1976 b. 1979 c. 1982

of the following is Shan8Which non’s Eircode? a. V11 b. V14 c. V18

In what year did the Shannon 9 College of Hotel Management open its doors? a. 1951 b. 1961 c. 1971

10

The Shannon College of Hotel Management is an official college of? a. b. way. c.

l QUESTION 2 : How many nature reserves are there in County Clare?

Limerick Institute of Technology.

National University of Ireland GalUniversity of Limerick.

By Cian O’Broin

5 percent

Spot the Difference Can you spot the difference? Spot the 7 differences.

The answers will be revealed in next weeks edition.

Liz Halpin, head of Dublin Region Fáilte Ireland, Niall Gibbons, chief executive, Tourism Ireland and Martin O Regan, CEO, Inflightflix International celebrating Ireland’s global reach via inflight entertainment

6. 5 percent 7. 1982 8. V14 9. 1951 10. National University of Ireland Galway

a. 125km b. 366km c. 525km

b. c.

Photo by Shane Gilligan

ANSWERS 1. 366km 2. Four 3. South American 4. Puffins 5. 32 person per Km

many kilometres is County 1How Clare’s coastline?

Last weeks Answers . Kilrush missing on bucket (right) . RNLI missing on Bucket (left) . Person missing in background . Women (left) colour different inside jacket

. Woman (right) zip is missing . Mans boxer shorts different colour . Telephone pole missing from background