The Clare Echo 11/06/20

brought to you by Clare County Council

JUNE 11 2020

County Clare moves to phase 2 of Roadmap PAT DOWLING Chief Executive, Clare County Council

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ROUND the county, and the country, this is a time for hope. As we move to phase 2 in the Government’s accelerated Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, measures are gradually being lifted and the country is reopening in a phased, careful manner.

Based on the medical evidence and the recommendations of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and on Government reports on the economic and social impact of Covid-19, all elements of phase 2 were implemented on June 8th and Ireland has moved further along the Roadmap.

Thanks to the efforts of the public, and owing to the many sacrifices that everyone has made to restrict the spread of the virus, we are collectively taking a step forward.

This is also a time for care. As restrictions are eased, we must hold firm and continue to comply with all of the guidelines issued by Government. The rate of the virus in the community will be constantly monitored by the NPHET, and this will be foremost in all planning.

Continue to follow the basic health advice. While the measures seem simple, they are vital to protect us all: wash your hands, practise good cough and sneeze etiquette, stay 2m away from others, avoid crowds and know the symptoms.

Clare County Council is acutely aware of the challenges facing business as a result of Covid-19. The Council is implementing the national policy on commercial rates alleviation measures and is facilitating the Restart Grant application process for all applicants in County Clare in order to restart the local economy.

Through Local Enterprise Office Clare, the Council is implementing national Government support schemes such as the Business Continuity Voucher, Trading Online Voucher, Free Mentor support and free online training programmes.

Clare County Council wishes all businesses in County Clare that have recently reopened or are planning to do so a safe and successful reopening. Everyone is encouraged to shop locally, shop safely and support businesses in the community as we work together to rebuild the local economy.

Please continue to comply with public health guidelines as we move forward.

l Pictured are Carmel Kirby (front right), Director of Physical Development at Clare County Council and Leonore O’Neill (at rear, centre), Ennis Municipal District Co-ordinator, with members of the business community in Ennis Town Centre. Under phase 2 of the government roadmap, many businesses in Ennis and around County Clare reopened this week following Covid-19 closures. For more information, see back page.

brought to you by Clare County Council

‘Difficult decisions ahead, but county will recover’ PARAIC McMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

Photo by John Mangan

ADDRESSING elected representatives at the June 8th meeting of Clare County Council, Chief Executive Pat Dowling expressed confidence that the county will recover from Covid-19 but cautioned that there is still a long road ahead.

“It has been a difficult few weeks for everybody. We are still on that journey,” Mr Dowling said. He praised all the Council staff for the way in which they have adapted to the challenges posed and outlined his appreciation for the daily messages of support received from County Councillors.

Mr Dowling said “the scale and depth of this societal effect is unknown for us all” and referred to statistics which included over 7

million confirmed cases around the world in 200 different countries and over 406,000 deaths.

“That is the scale we are dealing with. All of our challenges and difficulties must be put in that context,” he said.

Communities in County Clare have shown “compliance and common sense”, Mr Dowling added. “Without doubt, the future will be tough. For many, the fear of the unknown consumes them but it is more the fear of the loss of the known, that is the kernel of the matter.”

In terms of the economic impact thus far, Mr Dowling noted that gross domestic product (GDP) was down by more than 10%, over 220,000 jobs were lost and 25% unemployment. “It is a picture and a canvas we could never have anticipated at the start of the year.”

As previously reported by The Clare Echo, the local authority is to convene an economic taskforce in the coming weeks that

will be headed up by Director of Economic Development, Liam Conneally. This group will include “key leaders” from the public and private sector, the Chief Executive revealed. The initial focus of the taskforce will be to identify priority economic actions for County Clare and to assist economic sectors, such as tourism and retail, that are in need of support.

A tourism taskgroup is also to be established.

“We’re all dealing with all of these challenges across every county, we’re not alone like former crises and depressions we’ve had.

Difficult decisions will have to be made, it will be very difficult not to be in a deficit situation this year and in coming years,” the Kilkee resident added.

Mr Dowling concluded with a message of hope: “Come out the other end, we shall; maybe not unscathed, but we will come out the other end.”

Applications open for Restart Grant for small businesses

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LARE County Council is facilitating the Restart Grant application process for applicants in County Clare in order to restart the local economy.

The Restart Grant will provide direct grant aid to micro and small businesses to help them with the costs associated with re-opening and re-employing workers following Covid-19 closures.

The grants will be equivalent to the rates bill of the business in 2019, with a minimum payment of €2,000 and a maximum payment of €10,000.

Qualifying criteria are as follows: • A business must have a turnover of less than €5m and have 50 or fewer employees • The business must have suffered a projected 25+ per cent loss in revenue from 1st April, 2020, to 30th June, 2020 • The business must commit to remain open or to reopen if it was closed. The business must also declare the intention to retain employees that are benefitting from the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) • Businesses should retain supporting documentation as spot checks may be carried out to verify a declaration to this effect.

Allen Flynn, President, Ennis Chamber of Commerce, said: “Ennis Chamber welcomes the launch of the Restart Grant scheme. Aware of the acute need for small and medium sized businesses to access cash to pay towards the costs associated with re-opening and re-employing workers, we believe this grant will be very helpful. We are relieved that Clare County Council has been tasked with the administration of this grant, knowing they will process applications in a timely and efficient manner.

“Many of our members are facing into the toughest and most challenging business environment they have ever experienced and they need all the support they can get.

In line with lobbying activities at a national level through Chambers Ireland, we will continue to seek further cash supports for our members, to help boost Ireland’s economic recovery.”

For further information or to make an application, please visit the Clare County Council website: http://www.clarecoco.ie/services/business/supports-and-grants/grants/restart/default.html

l Noeleen Fitzgerald, Head of Finance, Human Resources and Corporate Services, Clare County Council; Liam Conneally, Director of Service, Economic Development and Planning, Clare County Council; Allen Flynn, President, Ennis Chamber of Commerce; Trina Rynne, Financial Accountant, Clare County Council; and Pat Dowling, Chief Executive, Clare County Council.

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JUNE 11 2020

GIANT IN PLANE SIGHT Shannon welcomes monster PPE delivery on world’s largest aircraft

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HANNON Airport is housing the largest aircraft in the world, The Antonov AN-225 for an overnight stay. The one of its kind six-engine aircraft touched down in Shannon on June 10 at 2pm. The arrival of the plane from China marks the largest consignment of Personal Protective Equipment to arrive in the state on a single aircraft, writes Cian O’Broin.

The Antonov AN-225 arrived with 874,780 gowns to be redistributed to medical personnel throughout the country. The accessibility of Shannon Airport throughout the pandemic has led to a multitude of essential deliveries of Personal Protective Equipment by air, making Europe’s most westerly airport the forerunner in the fight on Coronavirus in Ireland.

The Ukrainian built, six-storey high AN-225 weighs 640 tonnes and has a wingspan of 88 metres, almost four times the height of Loop Head Lighthouse. This is the fifth time that the aircraft has visited Shannon, with the first visit taking place on November 22, 1991 when it was carrying 140 tonnes of medical supplies donated from America, heading towards Chernobyl for victims of the 1986 nuclear disaster.

Shannon resident and Clare Echo photographer Joe Buckley reflected on the magical moment that the heaviest operational plane in the world touched down on Shannon soil. “I’m in Shannon 45 years and the only thing it compared to was the 1970s when the Concord came first, there were hundreds and hundreds of people out for the landing.. I counted eighty cars on the way up, parked on the grass. Everyone is still flocking at the hundreds to see the unloading of medical supplies.”

l 8 year old Colin Slattery, Lissycasey Co Clare, gets a close up view at Shannon Airport.

Photo by Arthur Ellis

Ennis

2 NEWS

THURSDAY, JUN 11 2020

Index NEWS

2-13

YOUR B&W PHOTOS 14-15 GREENER CLARE

17

RONAN SCULLY

18

BUY INTO CLARE

19-29

PROPERTY

31-35

SPORT

36-39

CLASSIFIEDS

41

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

BUNRATTY CLOSURE ‘AN INSULT’ TO LOCALS PĂ RAIC McMAHON

W paraic@clareecho.ie

ORKERS at three Clare tourism sites owned by Shannon Group are set to be temporarily let go for the bulk of 2020.

As first reported by The Clare Echo online last week, Shannon Group has let staff at Knappague and Craggaunowen go as a cost-cutting measure. At Shannon Heritage operated sites, up to 350 people are employed during peak season with approximately 145 full-time staff.

Bunratty Castle and Folk Park and King John’s Castle were set to open for a six week window from July to August but the reopening has been brought forward to June 29 in line with Government guidelines.

Visitor attractions managed by Shannon Heritage in Dublin will remain open in line with contractual obligations. Staff that don’t return to work will remain on temporary lay-off with direct engagement ongoing. “It is becoming increasingly likely that there will be no international tourists in Ireland for the remainder of this year, a market that Shannon Heritage relies heavily on. As a result of this, Shannon Heritage has had to take difficult but necessary business decisions,� a spokesperson for Shannon Group told The Clare Echo.

Staff have been informed that the decision was made to allow the reopening of the Shannon Heritage owned sites in 2021.

Fears have been voiced by laid-off employ-

l RAINY DAY: Cathal Crowe TD, Willie O Dea TD, Sinead Moloney - Bunratty Castle SIPTU and Joe Kiely - King Johns Castle - SIPTU pictured at Bunratty Castle

ees that they may have no job to return to.

Trade Union officials have met with Shannon Heritage over the decision.

Elected representatives have called on management to reverse the decision to close Shannon Heritage sites in the Mid-West citing the potential to capitalise on an expected increase in staycations later this year.

At Monday’s meeting of Clare County Council, Cllr Ann Norton maintained that Shannon Heritage “jumped the gun with

PPE from Taiwan to Tuamgraney

TAIWAN Chambers of Commerce located in Ireland made a donation of personal protective equipment (PPE) to a Clare nursing home this week, writes PĂĄraic McMahon.

On Monday, a small donation of PPE was made to Raheen Community Hospital.

The Tuamgraney facility has had no confirmed cases of Covid-19 but the act was carried out so that staff and patients are prepared should further risks arise. Included in the donation were surgical masks, medical gloves, goggles, protective gowns and non-contact infrared thermometers.

Former TD Timmy Dooley was involved in orchestrating the arrival of the PPE on Tuesday. “Over the last number of weeks we’ve all recognised the difficulties nursing homes and medical facilities all over the country are having in getting what is referred to as PPE to assist staff and patients

O'Connell Square, Ennis

065 68 48 635

Photo by Brian Arthur

the decision� and that it was “an insult to the local people within Co Clare and Limerick�.

She stated, “When you see what Aer Lingus have done to Shannon, it seems the West of Ireland is the poor relation.�

Cllr John Crowe (FG) declared, “If ever we needed the likes of Bunratty, we need it now�. He added of the planned closure from August onwards, “When you look at your county, you look at your strengths, we can’t afford to let something like this happen�.

l HOT TAKE: Dooley with Ambassador of Taiwan Dr Pierre Yang Photo by John Mangan

in effectively transacting their business without the spread of COVID,� he said.

Dooley - unrecognisable with his new beard according to some - praised the efforts of those in Raheen for how they have responded to the pandemic. “The nursing home in Raheen has been very successful in that there hasn’t been any spread of Covid, they have been working hard but I had some contacts in the Taiwanese deputation in Ireland. In conversation with one of them in recent weeks, it was mentioned that they might be able to source some of this PPE and that they’d be willing to make a donation to the facility there.�

A handful of boxes of PPE and supplies were given to the East Clare facility on Monday. Dooley continued, “The hospital isn’t under pressure for PPE, they have an adequate supply at the moment but when the donation was offered I thought on behalf of the friends of the hospital that it would be appropriate to accept this on the basis that there will be a continuing need for the use of this equipment for many months to come until there is such time that there is an end to Covid and that certainly isn’t in sight.�

He described the donation as “a return gesture� which was done in appreciation for Dooley travelling to Taiwan in the past decade to “see how the country operates�.

Taiwan Ambassador to Ireland, Dr Pierre Yang who last month did a similar deed for Limerick-based Rathfredagh Cheshire Home travelled to Tuamgraney and was greeted by Timmy Dooley, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF), Chairperson of the Raheen Hospital Support Group, William McLysaght and HSE Director of Nursing, Catherine Lillis.

HomeGallery-ReopenV2-Ennis2020.qxp_Layout 1 10/06/2020 14:30 Page 1

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4 NEWS

THURSDAY, JUN 11 2020

COVID-19 CONFIRMED CASES IN CLARE TOTAL No. of CASES NEW CASES

400 368 306

368

322

315

300 249 229

200

164

106

100

65 40

10

4

5

5 +1

12 0

+7

+58

+41

+65

+38

+57 +20

+15

APRIL

No Covid cases in one week CLARE is continuing to suppress the spread of Covid-19 with no additional cases reported in the last week, writes Páraic McMahon.

As of Wednesday evening, the latest figures from the Department of Health show that there are 368 confirmed cases of Covid-19 across the county as of Sunday (June 7). As a result, it confirms that Co Clare went a full week without confirmation of an additional case, this previously occurred from March 9-16 when just five people had tested positive for the virus in Clare.

County cases are analysed by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre with a lag of two days on data. The county’s first four cases were recorded on March 4.

Department of Health press briefings up until Monday of this week were held five days a week, in a new move the gatherings have been reduced to twice a week. The reduction

in the briefings acts as a further sign that the country is on the right path to overcoming the virus which has claimed close to 1,700 lives in Ireland since March. Earlier this week, a group of leading Irish scientists wrote an open letter to Government stressing that Covid-19 needed to be eliminated, not suppressed.

Restrictions were described as “very costly” in the letter. “The costs of childcare, already high, will be impossible for many. Many workplaces will need expensive re-design. Many people will drop out, or be pushed out of the labour force. All of these are real costs, and will, we believe, far exceed the short-term costs of lockdown. For these reasons we strongly encourage the two Governments to take resolute actions to suppress this pandemic at once. Eliminating the virus represents the most scientifically sound strategy in terms of public health and economics alike”.

+46 +9

+7

MAY

0

JUNE

The Clare Echo is ‘back with a bang’

Return praised at council meeting PÁRAIC McMAHON

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paraic@clareecho.ie

HE Clare Echo’s return to shops of the county has been broadly welcomed and met with excitement from individuals of all ages. Discussion of the paper’s return proved to be the final contribution to Tuesday’s special meeting of the West Clare Municipal District.

While highlighting the importance of promoting Co Clare over the coming months, Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) took a moment to praise the return of The Clare Echo and noted that it had given people a lift during the week to hear it would be available in print format.

He observed how The Clare Echo was the only media outlet present at the meeting and described its role in reporting on such gatherings as a vital public service.

“It is good to see The Clare Echo is back with a bang. Its promotion will be very important. I see Páraic is busy typing down there, I hope he will be talking about West Clare this week,” Cllr Keating quipped.

Ahead of The Clare Echo’s planned edition on March 19, management took

the difficult decision to cease its print operation and move to online only for the duration of heavy Government restrictions due to Covid-19. It is the first time since the newspaper’s foundation that it was forced into a printing hiatus.

The Clare Echo staff were unaffected and have remained in full employment for the duration of this period.

The locally-owned media company has generated more than 2.2 million page views since the beginning of March as members of the public flocked to www.clareecho.ie for news and trusted updates on Covid-19.

l COMMENTS: Cllr Gabriel Keating at the meeting in glór

Photo by John Mangan

NEWS 5

THURSDAY, JUN 11 2020

UL Arena transformed into COVID-19 field hospital CIAN O’BROIN

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cian@clareecho.ie

HE University of Limerick has announced the opening of an Intermediate Care Facility on campus, which will act as a contingency facility in an effort to alleviate pressure within the UL Hospitals Group and assist with the possibility of a second wave of COVID-19.

The ICF is a Model One hospital facility which will provide a space for non-Covid patients or those who have recovered from the virus and subsequently require further care or rehabilitation. The facility contains 68 beds with the possibility to expand to 84 and holds a further 16 beds for patients with more serious health requirements. The ICF is systematically laid out in typical ward accommodation, with partitions separating the beds. The facility is due to remain in place until September which could possibly be extended to November in the face of a second wave.

On the importance of the facility, UL President Dr Des Fitzgerald commented, “Repurposing the Arena, which would otherwise

remain closed, as a care facility allows us to remain at the centre of our region’s response to this pandemic, to serve our community and to be ready for the next wave of the pandemic, should that happen. This facility will mean that the people of our region can rest assured that contingency capacity is now in

place to support UL Hospitals Group, in case of general capacity issues or indeed in the case of a second surge of COVID-19.”

The UL Arena sports facility was repurposed within a strict four-week time-frame as a result of incredible work by UL’s Building and Estates Department in partnership with

lGOOD SPORTS: UHL staff put the finishing touches to the intermediate care facility Photo by Sean Curtin

the HSE Estates Department locally and nationally, contractors and suppliers, Limerick City and County Council, and Defence Forces personnel.

The care team within the ICF is comprised of all grades, with UL nursing and medical students providing support as Health Care Assistants (HCAs) as well as a collection of UL allied health professional staff and students.

An experienced network of doctors and nurses will work with the students in an effort to assist in the rehabilitation and discharge of as many patients as possible, tempering the patient flow and overcrowding challenges that are expected to arise in the coming months.

Several facilities in UL’s Arena will now be closed off to students in the first semester of the 2020/21 academic year as a result.

Professor Paul Burke, Chief Academic Officer at UL Hospitals Group and Vice Dean of Health Sciences at UL, who was executive lead on the ICF project, said: “This facility will mean that the people of our region can rest assured that contingency capacity is now in place to support UL Hospitals Group, either in the case of the general capacity issues or indeed in the case of a second surge of COVID-19”.

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THURSDAY, JUN 11 2020

Risk of €264m climate change damage to Clare properties CIAN O’BROIN

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cian@clareecho.ie

LARE properties in both the residential and commercial industry could potentially be hit with large scale flooding and coastal erosion by 2050, incurring damages of up to €264 million.

A recent study published by global information systems group, Gamma Location Intelligence looks at the impact of coastal flooding and Climate Change in Ireland.

The study notes the pernicious implications of climate change on rising sea levels, citing Co Clare as the second most affected county in terms of total properties affected by coastal flooding, with 13.3 per cent of addresses susceptible to proprietary damage.

Coastal flooding transpires as a result of rising sea levels, with extreme sea levels occurring directly from a combination of waves, tides and storm surges. Ireland's vast-

ly exposed coastline makes it extremely vulnerable to storms and storm intensities are expected to increase due to marine heatwaves in the ocean.

Richard Cantwell, in his study, affirms, "Climate change will have many impacts on Ireland, more erratic weather conditions leading to increased rainfall and more intense storms as well as water shortages in summer months. One important component of change is rising

sea levels. Globally sea levels are expected to rise by 3 to 4mm per year, increasing to 15mm per year by 2100. In Ireland satellite measurements have shown that sea level has risen by 3.18mm per annum between 1993 and 2018."

The Office of Public Works published the Irish Coastal Protection Strategy in 2013, identifying past instances of extreme sea levels which give to a 0.5m and 1m rise in sea level. A detailed infographic

l WILD: Clare’s exposed coast makes it more vulnerable to climate change

GP service back in Newmarket PÁRAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

NEWMARKET-on-Fergus will have a GP from Monday June 22nd.

Dr Colum Gavin, the Principle Medical Director of Saffron and Blue Medical Centre will provide the GP service from Carrigoran’s Health and Wellness Centre, beginning later this month.

Confirmation has been issued by the HSE that Ballynacally native, Dr Gavin will be providing the service.

Following the retirement of Dr Colm Hackett last May, the people of Newmarket-on-Fergus have been without a GP. Those that needed treatment had to travel to Shannon Medical Centre while locals had lost faith in the prospect of an appointment with the possibility of a new GP falling through in September.

“It’s taken a lot of time and work to finally get to this point, but I’m relieved we finally have confirmation that full-time GP services will resume at Newmarket very soon,” Deputy Joe Carey (FG) told The Clare Echo.

He admitted that his preference and that of many personnel from Newmarket-on-Fergus was for the service to be located in the village.

“Ideally we would have liked the

new service to be a more central location and this was something I raised on several occasions. However, Dr Gavin has determined that Carrigoran House, which also houses a health and wellness centre, has the facilities which will enable it to deliver the best service to the people of Newmarket.”

Residents of Newmarket-on-Fergus have welcomed the development while others have expressed concern that the provision of the GP from Carrigoran will prove problematic for the elderly. The Clare Echo understands that premises within the village were suggested to the HSE as suitable locations for the GP but landlords have confirmed their offer was not taken up on.

Photo by John Mangan

was produced, denoting 337 points on the island where a 1m rise in sea level was marked. A further 75cm was added for future extreme sea level projections. The inferred calculations have allowed for a table to be drawn up, detailing the most affected counties in terms of number of flooded addresses and percentage of total addresses within the county.

Dublin tops the leader board in relation to total properties affected, with the Capital seeing 23,435 properties at risk of flooding. This amounts to 4.5 per cent of total properties. Percentage wise, Louth tops the chart with 19 per cent of total properties potentially in jeopardy. Next up is Clare, notorious for its vast and highly indulgent coastline. 8,969 properties are at risk in Clare, constituting 13.3 per cent of total properties, commercial and residential, within the county.

For most home and business owners in Clare, such projections are trivial. However, an in-depth analysis of the financial costs that are due to incur as a result of climate change and rising sea levels,

Clare ICA sew scrubs for frontline workers

l SEW KIND: ​ICA’s Jenni Bostok, Ailish Malone and Mary Neylon

donate scrubs to Director of Nursing Sini Paul and staff at St Senan’s Nursing Home, Kilrush.

l APPOINTMENT: ​Dr Colum Galvin

are certainly a cause for concern.

Richard Cantwell reveals, "Applying inflation and other factors to these figures we have assumed an average household claim of €21,450 and an average commercial claim of €80,720. We can estimate the cost of climate change influenced sea level rise on property in Ireland at over €2 Billion."

The breakdown of financial implications places Clare third highest on the list, next to Dublin and Louth, respectively. The capital can expect expenses of €616 million generated from both the commercial and residential sectors. Co Clare then, could potentially incur damages of €158 million in the residential sector and €106 million in commercial costs, totalling a significant, €264 million. This figure does not account for the restoration of infrastructure or motor vehicles in the face of heavy flooding.

The study serves as a stark warning for those coastal regions most afflicted by flooding and erosion, however; all is not in vain. Premeditation and positive action prevent such physical and economic ruin.

CLARE ICA have donated 100 sets of scrubs to nursing homes around the county.

They offered to get involved in the Sew-Scrubs-for-Ireland campaign just before Easter.

The campaign was set up by Sinead Lawlor to provide much

needed PPE for healthcare settings and she collected funds by setting up a Go-fund-Me page, which is still running.

Bales of fabric arrived at ICA headquarters towards the end of April and volunteers came on board to sew the scrubs. Both

ICA and non-members offered their services. Many sewing machines had to be dusted down and oiled to get them ready for the task!

Sinead provided the Scrubs pattern and fabric pieces were cut out in two marathon sessions, in Quin and Kilmurry McMahon. Packs were delivered to volunteers all around Clare in early May, with a set of instructions.

The outfits had to be sewn so that they could be worn inside-out or right-side out. Most clothes are only designed to be worn right-side out, so this set of instructions was unusual.

Perplexed sewists made heroic efforts to get the fabric to do what it was supposed to do, and eventually, they succeeded.

Very few of the volunteers were professional sewing people, so their ingenuity was well tested.

Just over 100 sets of Scrubs were made by the team of volunteers organised by Clare ICA.Last weekend, the finished Scrubs were delivered to nursing homes throughout the county.

“The Nursing Homes personnel were very appreciative and hopefully, the Scrubs will be useful,” said a spokesperson for the ICA.

NEWS 7

THURSDAY, JUN 11 2020

New campaign to support domestic abuse victims

lTRUE BLUE: Kilkee Beach Photo by Valerie O'Sullivan

Nine Clare beaches retain Blue Flag PÁRAIC McMAHON

N

paraic@clareecho.ie

ine Clare beaches have retained their Blue Flag for 2020 while Kilrush Marina has been recognised for the first time in 15 years.

An Taisce have confirmed that for the sixth year in a row, nine beaches in the county have retained the coveted Blue Flag. The environmental eco-label is distributed to over 4000 beaches and marinas in 49 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean.

It represents high standards in water quality, environmental information and education, environmental management and safety, services and facilities.

Clare County Council has retained all nine of its blue flags.

As a result, flags will be flying at Ballycuggeran, Cappa Pier, Fanore, Kilkee, Lahinch, Mountshannon, Spanish Point, White Strand Doonbeg and White Strand Miltown Malbay.

Last year, Ballyalla, Seafield and Bishops Quarter were honoured with Green Coast Awards, they have kept this distinction for 2020 but are also joined by Carrigaholt Beach which is managed by the local authority in co-operation with Carrigaholt Tidy Towns. Clean environment, excellent water quality and natural beauty are among the criteria for the coast awards which are aimed at beaches that may not have the necessary built infrastructure required to meet the criteria set for Blue Flag status.

Two Blue Flags have been distributed to Kilrush Maritime, one of which recognised Kilrush Marina. It is the first time since 2005 when it was under previous management that the Marina has received such acknowledgement.

A “MARKED increase” in the amount of emergency phone-calls from victims of domestic abuse have been recorded by Gardaí in Clare during Covid-19, writes Páraic McMahon.

Twelve organisations including domestic and sexual violence services, An Garda Síochána, Clare County Council and the Courts service have come together to launch a new campaign to let women at risk of violence and abuse aware that a unified support system is in place in their community.

Now More Than Ever is the awareness campaign led by the Clare Local Area Network (CLAN) opposing violence against women. A purple heart is the symbol of the campaign and organisers have appeared for people to put it on their windows as a show of solidarity.

Chairperson of CLAN and Liaison Sergeant for Domestic Abuse, Sgt Caitriona Holohan stated that monitoring domestic

and sexual violence has been prioritised during the pandemic. Gardaí have witnessed “a marked increase” in emergency calls from victims of domestic abuse, including children.

“Each incident reminds me of the seven women killed in County Clare since 1996, five of whom were murdered by a partner or ex-partner,” Sergeant Holohan noted.

“From early in this crisis, we have made domestic and sexual violence a priority concern. We know from other countries who had experienced the pandemic before us that containment could be a serious danger for women living with coercive control and abuse. In collaboration with all of the CLAN agencies, we have helped provide protection and support for many women over the past few months ”.

Clare Haven Services’ 24 hour help-line can be contacted any time on 065 6822435.

cal o L y a #St

Wishing the Clare Echo every success in the future

Billy

Kelleher M.E.P.

Keeping Ireland at the heart of Europe constituency@billykelleher.ie

087 336 6421

8 NEWS

THURSDAY, JUN 11 2020

‘A hive of anti-social behaviour’ in Shannon PĂ RAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

OVERGROWN trees by St Aidan’s NS in Shannon have been used as a “hang out areaâ€? for anti-social behaviour during the early stages of the COVID-19 restrictions causing frustration for local residents. “Serious safety concernsâ€? of residents at Gort na RĂ­ in Tullyvarraga were highlighted

by Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) at the May meeting of the Shannon Municipal District. The location has become busier during the current restrictions implemented by the Government on the advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

He flagged that “large overgrown trees� between the estate and St Aidan’s NS have become “a hang out area and shelter for anti

lVANDALISM: Tullyvarraga, Shannon Photo by Joe Buckley

social behaviour and at times fires are started very near some residents’ homes and causing fear and anxiety for the residents who are at the receiving end of unacceptable behaviour�.

Citing health and safety, Cllr Flynn requested “the complete removal of these trees� and a cleanup of the area.

The Cathaoirleach of the Shannon MD referenced previous verbal requests made to the County Council but lamented the lack of action. The restrictions have led to increased stress “on some very vulnerable residents who deserve protection�.

Trees at the location are on Council owned property, senior executive engineer, Aidan O’Rourke confirmed. He outlined that the approximately 100 mature evergreen trees “provide a screening and noise reduction function between the residential areas and the nearby school�. A removal cost and replanting of suitable native species has to be determined subject to the wildlife acts, O’Rourke added. An interim measure to remove trees where anti-social behaviour occurring is possible, he said.

O’Rourke’s response was not “as serious as the issue,� Flynn maintained. “COVID-19 has not made thing easier, if anything it has been worse for the residents�. He believed the housing section of the local authority had “a duty of care� to protect the homeowners.

Reduction in homeless figures A slight decrease in Clare’s homelessness figures were recorded in April, writes Påraic McMahon.

In what is marked as a small decline from January 2020, a total of 474 men, women and children accessed emergency accommodation across Co Clare and Co Limerick in April of this year.

Published this week by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the April 2020 Homelessness Report detailed that 82 families with 144 children plus 227 single adults were classed as being homeless throughout the month of April. A 3% decrease in homelessness has been recorded in the Mid-West since the beginning of the year.

CEO of Mid West Simon, Jackie Bonfield noted that the growth of homelessness hit a peak in July 2018 with a total of 555. “From the outset of this Covid-19 crisis, teams from across the sector, ourselves, Limerick City and County Council, Clare County Council and Tipperary County Council and

other NGO partners have rallied together and done great work in the face of extraordinarily challenging conditions,� she stated.

Over 2,000 families and individuals have availed of their foodbank services to put food on the table. Across the Mid-West, they are providing 65 families and individuals with their own homes.

Jackie warned that there cannot be a waterfall effect of homelessness as restrictions are eased with the aim now on prevention. “As we have seen over the last few months, great work has been done by all involved to stem the flow into homelessness. Now, as we begin to relax emergency measures and re-open the economy, we simply cannot allow a waterfall to happen. As we take our first steps back into a new kind of normal, we must be conscious of those who have lost jobs, struggling to pay rent, or whose financial situation has been decimated by this pandemic. These people are among the most vulnerable in our society right now and cannot be left behind in this new world�.

Miracle Ella gives back to NEO unit ELAINE TUBRIDY

A

news@clareecho.ie

T JUST 26 weeks gestation Ella Blennerhassett was the smallest baby born at UHML last year, weighing in at a tiny 506grams or 1lb2oz.

Though you wouldn't know it to look at her now, Ella had a tough ride to make it to her first birthday. Her parents, Mark and Lisa Blenerhassett from Lisnagry, nearly lost Ella when she was 16 days old.

They got a phone call at 5:30am from the Neo natal team urging them to come in straight away as Ella had stopped breathing and her heart rate was dropping. After 15 minutes of CPR and five shots of adrenaline, she came round.

"When Ella was born, we were told her chance of survival was 50/50. The first 24 hours, then the next 48, then 72 hours and the first week were all huge hurdles for her. After that the main objective was to avoid infection and make her grow. She spent the first seven weeks of her life on life support and every day was such a rollercoaster," Lisa said.

Such was her critical state at the beginning, her parents were advised to have her baptized. During her time in hospital she battled two serious lung infections with countless drops in sat-

urations and heart rate levels, low sodium levels, an open heart vessel which had to be treated medically, four blood transfusions, low sugar levels, an abscess on her thigh after Men B vaccine and retinopathy of prematurity in her eyes which resulted in a trip to Dublin by ambulance.

She got another setback after her four month vaccines and had to go back into the incubator on oxygen for 24 hours. She had numerous x-rays, often in one day and several over the weeks, more IV and cannula lines than can be counted, brain ultrasounds, morphine sedation, countless antibiotics and she was tube fed continuously for her first 12 weeks.

Ella began her life on a life support machine for seven weeks, then on CPAP, hi flow and intermittent oxygen before being finally able to breathe on her own after three and a half months.

"Every day we walked through those double doors, we didn't know what was facing us or what the doctor was going to tell us that day. The night she had to be resuscitated was the lowest point. “When we arrived she had thankfully come round, with a whole team of nurses and doctors around her. She was critically sick for quite a while but thankfully as time wore on and with weight gain, she was able to handle and tolerate things better.

"Now she weighs 16 pounds and is full of mis-

chief. She is crawling and brings so much joy to everybody. She is followed up closely by dietitians, physios, speech and language therapist, consultants and opthamologists but takes everything in her stride," Lisa added.

To celebrate Ella's first birthday and the amazing milestones she has reached, Mark and Lisa have set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at University Maternity Hospital Limerick.

"The NICU became our home away from home and what work these people do on a daily basis is nothing short of incredible. The staff were always ready to offer much needed reassurance, positivity, arm around the shoulder, a cup of tea, tissues to dry the tears, laughter, personal experiences and stories, explanations numerous times to help make sense of everything and the utmost care and love for the babies.

"Whatever amount raised will go towards much needed resources for the babies and their parents during one of the most stressful and emotional times in their lives. We are forever indebted to all the staff in Neo in UMH Limerick for saving our girls life and would like to give back something in return for Ella's first birthday," Lisa said.

To donate to this amazing cause, visit www.gofundme. com.

Mary

Howard

Claureen, Lahinch Road, Ennis, Co. Clare.

Mobile: 086 8780 298 • Email: maryhoward2009@gmail.com @maryhoward2009 Mary Howard & Cllr Mary Howard maryhoward1187 Mary Howard

l BRAVE: ​Ella Blennerhassett celebrates her first birthday. She weighed just 506gm when she was born (inset)

NEWS 9

THURSDAY, JUN 11 2020

Ryan rallies to help Navajos PÁRAIC McMAHON

A

paraic@clareecho.ie

NEWMARKET-ON-FERGUS native has been helping to spearhead the efforts of volunteers in Arizona whose supplies have filled two 53ft lorries.

Jason Ryan assisted in the organisation of a major donation from the Irish community in Phoenix for the Navajo Nation American tribe. As of June 5th, 269 people have died in the Navajo Nation from COVID-19 with 5,808 confirmed cases.

His sister-in-law, Doreen McPaul is the Attorney General for the Navajo Nation while his wife and four children are all Navajo. Jason outlined that the State is the size of Ireland yet only has 13 department stores.

“For the 13 stores, there are almost 200,000 people that are looking for essential items and they are just not there because the stores don’t get them because all the distributors are cutting back on work because they are afraid too. We came up with the idea to do a donation drive through the Irish Cultural Centre in Phoenix where we would ask people to do a contactless drop-off, we had our PPE and people drove up in their cars and stayed in

them while we took all the items out that they wanted to donate, we did that over four days in total,” he explained.

Their efforts proved to be an incredible success, the Arizona National Guard had to send two 53-foot trucks and 22 soldiers to help distribute the huge donation. The response “was a little bit crazy,” Ryan reflected.

When he began the appeal he expected that the contents of everything donated would fit into his mini-van. “Day one we started off and it was pretty mediocre, day two doubled and day three just tripled and the last day was phenomenal, we had cars coming for three hours non-stop, they weren’t coming with one or two items their cars were full of stuff like paper products and water”.

Owner of the Arizona Cardinals, Nicole Bidwill, Captain Mark Kelly who is running for the US Senate and Irish Ambassador Dan Mulhall were among those to lend their support to the donation appeal. “The Irish Cultural Centre in Phoenix is centrally located, it is like looking at Ennis compared with Clarecastle, Doora, Barefield, Ballyea, that is what it looks like so people we’re coming from all different cities around.

“When we finished on Sunday at 12pm, we were looking at donations and my idea of putting it in the van was thrown out the

lDONATION: The Arizona National Guard pack trucks with supplies and (inset) Jason Ryan and his family

window. We got in contact with the National Guard, we had bales of hay, dog food, almost 200 cases of water, I was expecting a guy with a truck, they came in with two 53ft trucks and they filled them to capacity, they helped bring them all the way to Windrock in Arizona which is the capital of the Navajo Nation, to see their operation was phenomenal, they had 22 soldiers to get the stuff up. I was overwhelmed, everybody was shocked, when we brought the stuff into the 53ft trucks, to see how much was there, it took us an hour and a half to fill the trucks, there was 30 of us”.

Everything that they put on the trucks had a shamrock sticker placed on it to let everyone in the Navajo Nation aware it was

Violet Anne

Wynne TD

Dear Constituents, I hope that you and your family are safe as we fight the Covid-19 virus. My thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones.

My team and I are here to help you with any issues you may have. As soon as this crisis has passed I will be holding face to face clinics throughout our county. You can contact me at:

 085 1705361  Violet-Anne.Wynne@oir.ie  https://www.facebook.com/voiletannesf  Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

the Irish community that led the initiative.

Guardian Air were called on to fly prioritised items down which included “almost 2,500 face shields and 27 boxes of feminine products”. The donations are inspired by the donation that the Choctaw Nation sent to Ireland in 1847 at the height of The Great Famine and Jason said they are in the process of planning for another big appeal. The official COVID-19 Navajo Nation relief fund has raised over $1.3m while the efforts of the Clare native and the Irish community in Phoenix brought in over $37,000.

Subscribe to The Clare Echo’s YouTube channel to watch this interview in full.

10 NEWS

THURSDAY, JUN 11 2020

Schools are crippled by ‘chronic under investment’

l FRUSTRATED: Ennis Educate Together Principal Catriona Golden

PÁRAIC McMAHON

“C

paraic@clareecho.ie

HRONIC under-investment” in education and childcare will “come home to roost” with the attempted reopening of schools and creches in the coming months according to a Clare principal.

Frustration between teachers and the Department of Education has been building during the COVID-19 pandemic with an ‘increasing disconnect in communication’ a source of added stress and anxiety for teachers. Fears of how schools can reopen when some are unable to fund a cleaner have also been expressed.

Catriona Golden is bringing to an end her two year stint as principal of Ennis Educate Together having recently submitted her resignation to the Board of Management at the Gort Rd school to take up a new role as principal of Owenabue Educate Together National School in Carrigaline. Not having the closure of saying goodbye to staff and students in a traditional manner is “the hard bit” of the move.

She was critical of how the Department of Education have communicated with schools during the pandemic. “I think it is fair to say from the start there have been issues with how the information has been communicated, what is in the information and the timeliness of it”.

Firstly, Trina referred to the announcement that schools were to close, one that principals all over the country had no prior warning about. “Right from that it set a tone that there seems to be a disconnect between how the Department are going about the communication, we appreciate it is an unprecedented situation but the announcements since then have been leaked to the media before there has been any engagement with teachers and schools”.

Such behaviour “has caused an anxiety for parents” and their kids with schools unable to provide sufficient information when fielding questions such as will the schools be reopening in June. “It puts schools, principals and teachers in a very difficult situation where we’re reading the same thing parents are but parents of course assume we know more, it is putting

schools in a challenging position with the information that is getting shared in the media before we get a chance to start to process anything”.

Guidelines on remote learning which were focused on digital and online didn’t factor in pupils and families that wouldn’t have strong access or the fact that four children could be sharing one device in a house, Ms Golden felt. She praised the document on supporting children with special needs but maintained the information from the Department was “hit and miss”.

Consultation prior to the first document was “non-existent” according to Trina. She commented that focus groups that have been established failed to reflect the wide-range of schools such as DEIS schools like Ennis Educate Together.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education told The Clare Echo, “The Department has made strenuous efforts to communicate clearly and in an upfront manner with all education partners and stakeholders on a range of issues since the Covid-19 crisis hit. This productive engagement will continue”.

Numerous principals in the county have told The Clare Echo of their frustration with Department circulars being issued late on a Friday evening. Teacher’s well-being is not acknowledged by such a move, Trina said the Department’s “favourite time” to release a circular was on a Friday.

“That guidance document came on the Friday afternoon of the Easter holidays, rather than us trying to take a break and recharge you’re reading a 15 or 20 page document, trying to process it and get it across.

It is very common timeliness, there doesn’t seem to be a focus or a consideration of school and staff well-being when they are releasing these, it does put pressure on staff, it has teachers worrying are they doing things right or doing them wrong, then you’re going into a weekend wondering what will I do on Monday rather than get a chance to recharge”.

Last week, guidelines were issued on sending home end of year reports. Again the timeliness caused frustration with most schools having already commenced the process. “It is putting them in the position where they just work away and half ignore the guidelines or else you have to review all the work that has already been done and get your

staff to re-read their reports to see they meet the guidelines. I know the staff in the Department are under pressure as well, this is new for everyone but I do think there needs to be more of an understanding of how it impacts the staff on the ground when these things are done in such a way”.

“It is causing stress. We have finished our reports, they are being printed this week, I’m not going to ask my staff now to go back and redo them, that is not a reasonable expectation and it wouldn’t be in the best interests of our staff well-being. I understand that they are figuring it out and are thinking better late than never but I would say better never than late and causing stress,” she added.

“

The track record to now wouldn’t give you a huge amount of faith

”

As per the phased roadmap for reopening Ireland, schools are expected to reopen in September. The Cork City native has questioned if the “uncertainty” surrounding communications will be an issue in preparing schools. “What do we need to put in place in the summer, what do we need to be looking to buy, how do we lay out our classrooms, there are so many unknowns. There are things we can’t know right now and that is completely understandable. The track record to now wouldn’t give you a huge amount of faith that we will get the information early enough to put it into practice. Then there is the constant media back and forth of whether schools might reopen in June, there is a lack of clarity and it doesn’t fill people with optimism of what we need to have in place for September without that taking up the summer or last minute in August”.

Arguments that schools should reopen to assist working parents struggling to obtain childcare is one the Mary Immaculate College

graduate has sympathy for. “Our primary school system isn’t childcare and it shouldn’t be, that is not the purpose of it but I also have a lot of empathy and sympathy for the families that are really struggling right now and they are being asked to go back to work potentially in the next few weeks and they don’t know what to do. The parents calling for the need for schools or some childcare option to reopen”.

Insight into what preparations school must follow to reopen are as of yet unknown but Trina is concerned that events over the past years will mount stumbling blocks.

“Continuous and years of underinvestment in our childcare and education system have led us to a point where we don’t have many options, we’ve never really had proper wraparound childcare to support parents who are working particularly mothers, now we’re seeing the impact of that more strongly because it is not safe to open schools”.

Relations between educators and the Department have been strained for some time, she said and flagged that frustration has been increasing for the last five to ten years. This has been heightened by “the expectations” now placed on principals.

“At the rate it was going it is completely unsustainable, we’re seeing principals burn out very quickly, we’re losing principals, the level of applications for principal posts is dwindling”.

Ireland cannot follow countries like Denmark in a seamless reopening of schools because of “chronic underinvestment for the last two decades”. She stated, “Our education system is hugely underfunded,

our class sizes are far too big, now we’re seeing that come back and bite us because it is very different trying to send a class of 15 back in a big room to sending back a class of 35 in a smaller room. While parents are looking at international examples saying they can do it so why can’t we, it is because we built a system which doesn’t allow for it. Look at the election before this happened, education didn’t get a mention, not once”.

“My fears would be we’re looking at potentially another recession and generally the first thing to get cut is education, our chronic underfunding is going to come back to bite us and the fact that parents will be less capable of contributing from September, parents have always picked up the slack. A survey done a few years ago said about 57% of school funds come from the Government, the rest is picked up by parents, voluntary contributions and fundraising, if that money is not there what happens”.

“She concluded, “There are certainly concerns going forward, if this is to continue ongoing where we may have to look at periodic closures or more remote learning options, none of it is doable without money. Some schools don’t even have enough money to have a regular cleaner so if we’re going back in September, what happens there, we need increased funding to make any of the hygiene practices possible. There is a lot of questions to be answered but the chickens are coming home to roost, we ignored the education and childcare system for a long time and this is the fallout”.

TOONING UP FOR SCHOOL

l BRIGHTER DAYS: ​Toonagh National School Enrolment: Should any

parent still require a school place for September when schools reopen, please contact the school at toonaghschool@gmail.com or leave a message on 0656820143. Application forms can also be downloaded from the school website toonaghns.com. Toonagh NS is located 5km from Ennis.

THURSDAY, JUN 11 2020

Ennis virtual Relay for Life EVENTS this summer are cancelled across the globe, but Relay for Life Ennis is keeping their promise not to give up until Cancer does.

Instead of gathering at Tim Smythe Park, Relay for Life Ennis will be gathering virtually this year to help raise awareness and needed funds for the Irish Cancer Society. On Saturday 20th June 2020 the Ennis community are asked to Relay from Home.

Auriol Considine, Relay for Life Ennis Chairperson, explains, "The virtual event is themed '24 for Life' as the event runs typically for 24 hours.

Everyone can get involved with activities related to the theme; do 24 laps of the garden, bake 24 cupcakes, sing 24 songs or 24 of anything else you enjoy doing. We are also running a chil-

dren's art competition with pictures of being at home for 24 hours. We're encouraging everyone to send in photos and videos of their activities by email. Entertainment, exercises classes and much more will be broadcast over our social media channels on the day from 6 pm-10 pm."

Funds raised by Relay for Life helps to provide volunteer drivers to bring patients to chemotherapy, night nurse care, family supports and end of life care. Relay for Life Ennis have launched www.relayforlifeennis. ie where teams can register to raise money, buy candle bags or donate.

For more information and to join the event on Saturday 20th June, visit the Relay for Life Ennis Facebook and Instagram pages.

lRELAY READY: Auriol Considine, Rory Hickey, Elaine Gannon, Averil Scanlan and Clare Nilhill

NEWS 11

BOI to reopen three branches

PĂ RAIC McMAHON

T

paraic@clareecho.ie

HREE Bank of Ireland branches that were feared to be closing permanently as a result of COVID-19 are to reopen at the end of the month.

Branches in Kilkee, Miltown Malbay and Tulla are among the 83 that will reopen to the public from June 29th. Bank of Ireland had closed 101 branches across the country as a result of COVID-19, the 18 that will remain closed “are mainly located in areas of restricted access or low footfall, hospitals, airports and college campuses,� a spokesperson told The Clare Echo.

All operations and services are being kept under review. A total of 161 prioritised branches stayed open during the restrictions, modification are to be made to those which closed prior to June 29th “to allow for social

lSAVED: The BOI branch in Tulla

distancing and the protection of customers and colleagues in branch�. Lodgement and withdrawal services will be restored to all ATMs. “We have been monitoring and adapting our operations throughout COVID-19 to reflect customer demand and public health advice. As the economy starts to reopen, which is critically important for families and businesses across Ireland, we are updating our operations over the coming weeks,� CEO of Retail Ireland at Bank of Ireland, Gavin

Photo by PĂĄraic McMahon

Kelly commented.

Kelly added, “We continue to see steady demand for support from our SME customers, as well as increasing enquires about the State supports which are planned to be introduced.

"As businesses start to reopen they are keen to access these supports. We are preparing our operations and resources to ensure that as soon as the full range of State supports are ready to be rolled out we can process applications for customers without delay."

This week Clare has reopened and we are all presented with a powerful opportunity to breathe life back into our rural towns and villages. Lets all focus on doing exactly that through supporting our local shops and businesses. They are owned and operated by our neighbours, our friends and by people who support our communities year in year out.

Cathal Crowe 1/4

Cathal Crowe TD 4 Francis Street, Ennis Tel: (087) 1368882 Email:

cathalcroweoďŹƒce@gmail.com

12 NEWS

THURSDAY, JUN 11 2020

CYS summer camp People ‘poking holes’ in my effort to support Clare to go digital in July banks - Fianna Fáil TD

TIMES are rapidly changing and in response to the current situation Clare Youth Service Summer Camps are changing too.

For the second two weeks in July the Young Leaders of CYS will be offering an interactive, creative and fun Camp for 7 to 12 year olds all over digital media such as Zoom and YouTube.

“This is all new to us but we are up for the challenge of putting all the things that young people love about our camps and taking them digital” said CYS leader Cian Hughes.

As with all years, the aim is to offer each child a wide range of activities but this year it will be done remotely.

Children will log on through Zoom from 1pm to 2pm and again from 4 to 5pm each day (adult/parent required).

They will then be guided through some live activities by the leaders and some

video based activities as well. Later they will come together to show off their creations and get stuck into some world famous summer camp songs.

The camp will provide the majority of materials through packs in the post and instructional online videos.

The camps themselves will be run from Monday 13th - Friday 17th and Monday 20th - Friday 24th July. Application forms are available on request through CYS Facebook CYS are advising people to register early to avoid disappointment: Camps will cost €30 per child to cover the cost of the packs.

Full leadership training will be given in June.

Young people interested in applying for this role can contact Jean O Keeffe on 086-1568650 or Thomas O Hara on 085-8019666.

lFUN AND GAMES: Clare Youth Service are hosting a digital summer camp

PÁRAIC McMAHON

A

paraic@clareecho.ie

CLARE TD has defended a series of video posts online this week despite claims that misleading information was being spread as a result.

Deputy Cathal Crowe (FF) on Wednesday last posted a video from Baggot St in Dublin and claimed to be “just across the street from Bank of Ireland’s headquarters” and spoke of how he met with officials to seek an urgent meeting regarding the future of branches in Kilkee, Miltown Malbay and Tulla. In a subsequent video from Crowe on Monday, he stated, “I went to their headquarters in Dublin” when welcoming the announcement that the branches would reopen.

Contact was made with The Clare Echo following the publication of the initial video where it was flagged that Deputy Crowe was indeed on

Baggot St in the capital and not Mespell Rd where the Bank of Ireland HQ is situated.

Further individuals of different political creeds also spotted the error and highlighted the matter with The Clare Echo, including some of the Crowe’s party colleagues. Some sources accused the former primary school teacher of deliberately lying, a stance he has rejected.

When first speaking to The Clare Echo on Tuesday afternoon, Crowe recalled that he had phoned headquarters and asked to speak with Francesca McDonagh, Group CEO of Bank of Ireland. He said that he travelled to Mespell Rd and mentioned Baggot St by mistake in the video, “I was on Mespell Rd and I saw the sign”.

“People shouldn’t get caught up on an address that I erroneously put on the post, I did go to headquarters, I did meet with staff and did get in contact with Francesca McDonagh.

I did raise it within the parliamentary party and my colleagues, they are caught up on the address of a street, the real

address they should be concerned about are Kilkee, Tulla and Miltown, they were the addresses I was focused on. They would want to give up on the pettiness at this stage, I’m there to represent communities.”

With senior officials within the bank working remotely, Crowe admitted that employees he met with “weren’t very senior” but were individuals he was directed to meet to pass on his letter to Ms McDonagh.

However, in a further conversation with The Clare Echo on Tuesday, Crowe clarified that he was not on Mespell Rd when the video was recorded and he did not meet with officials at Bank of Ireland HQ as it is closed due to Covid-19, and he was in fact on Baggot St. Crowe took aim at the sources who flagged his error to this newspaper. “I’m disappointed that individuals are trying to poke holes in my efforts... I’m the only representative in the region that went to Bank of Ireland and if I put the wrong street address on it, then that is an error I have to own”.

Carrygerry Country House Carrygerry Our Home to Yours available Fri & Sat from 4 - 9 pm & Sunday 1 - 4 pm

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We also will have a wide selection of antipasti products as well as our delicious freshly baked breads, scones, sweet treats, Wine & Juices.

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Starting this Sunday in the grounds of Carrygerry.

Social distancing policies in place.

For enquiries call 061 360500 or email: info@carrygerryhouse.com

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www.carrygerryhouse.com

Shannon masterplan due to be completed by October PĂ RAIC McMAHON

S

paraic@clareecho.ie

l POTENTIAL: Shannon Town Centre

Photo by John Mangan

HANNON’S latest masterplan must not become a document that gathers dust on a shelf and represents “the one chance� to plan the future of the town.

A spatial masterplan for Shannon Town is to due to be completed in October 2020.

Funding of â‚Ź100,000 has been allocated for the plan under the Urban Regeneration and

Development Fund (URDF).

An overview of the preparation of the Shannon Town Centre Action Masterplan was presented to Shannon Municipal District councillors on Friday by senior planner with Clare County Council, Brian McCarthy. Three quarters of the funding is provided by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.

The aim of the latest document is to “guide and stimulate the development� of the town centre into the future to make it “a more attractive destination in which to live, work and do business�.

McCarthy advised that SkyCourt Shopping Centre to the area south of Newtown Park and a link with the Estuary are the parts of the town covered in the plan. He stressed that it was not a development plan and that the next three to four weeks would see a period of engagement with key stakeholders take place.

Director of Economic Development, Liam Conneally reminded councillors that the plan started in “a different economic environment to which we find ourselves in, the goalposts have moved on us so that is going to have to be taken into account�.

Shannon Shamrock like ‘a second World War German prisoner camp’ PĂ RAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

RENEWED calls have been made for Shannon Group to purchase the now derelict site that was once the Shannon Shamrock Hotel while Clare County Council have said they are considering applying the derelict sites act to lead to an improvement.

For the third time in 17 months, the potential of the site and its current failings were discussed by councillors of the Shannon Municipal District. The Shannon Shamrock has been closed since 2009, the property has been for sale since 2018.

Last January, Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) appealed to the local authority to encourage Shannon Group to purchase the site and create a theme park there. At their May meeting, McMahon issued a renewed appeal for

such an approach to be made, “it is a total eyesore and it is hampering the growth of Bunratty�.

Acknowledging the absence of tourists, Cllr McMahon highlighted that a proactive approach is needed for Bunratty’s future, “the lands that are available their value has deteriorated, there is no better time to buy�.

He believed the onus was on Shannon Heritage and Shannon Group who operate the nearby Bunratty Castle & Folk Park to do so.

Director of Service with Clare County Council, Liam Conneally commented, “If something doesn’t happen immediately, we have the derelict sites act that we can apply, we are at that stage now. We will look at the legislation and see what we can do�.

Under the Derelict Sites Act 1990, local authorities are responsible for dealing with derelict sites in their area. They can use certain powers to enforce the clean-up of these sites such as prosecuting owners who do not comply with notices served, make compul-

sory land purchases and carry out necessary work themselves while charging the owners for the cost. “Bunratty is a unique village, the banquets at Bunratty Castle have been copied all over the world, you have Durty Nellys, Meadows & Byrne, it is a brand that has gone world-

wide,� Cllr McMahon remarked. “It reminds me of a second World War German prisoner camp,� he said.

He acknowledged the work of the Bunratty Development Association and outlined voluntary groups in the area “feel bitter and let down by the attitude of Shannon Group.�

l DERELICT: The Shannon Shamrock Hotel has been closed since 2009

Photo by John Mangan

Â

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14 NEWS

THURSDAY, JUN 11 2020

THE PEOPLE WHO MADE US THE Clare Echo recently ran a photo competition in association with FUJIFILM’S Wonder Photo Shop Ennis.

We asked people to send in old famliy photos to be in with a chance to win an Instax camera.

The response we got was nothing short of phenomenal.

We received over 50 entries, with photos stretching all the way back to the 1900s.

We even received an unexpected picture of Clare Echo Editor Stuart Holly’s ancestors, sent

to us by his cousin Barry Burke in the USA. This newspaper would not exist without the people in that photo. That got us thinking about the people who came before us and made it possible for us to live the lives we enjoy today.

We are going through troubled times at the moment, but they will pass. There will come a time when people will look back on photos we take now and wonder what it was like to live through a global pandemic.

Enjoy a snapshot of the people who made us.

lHERITAGE: Deirdre Creamer’s grandad Joseph Skerritt (sitting down) in 1915

lOLD TIMES: Twins Bridie & Kathleen Duffy, 1937, sent by Bridie’s daugher Siobhan Mulderrig

lPROUD DAD: Kathleen Beirne and her father Joseph Beirne taken in 1946, sent by Kathleen’s daughter Catriona ni Scanlain

lSWEET: Stacia Mounsey and Sean Mounsey taken in 1932, sent

by Sean’s daughter Jackie

lI’M NEXT: Tom Eustace cutting hair outside his shop in Kilmaley in the 1950s, sent by his daughter Joan Eustace Daly

lWE ARE FAMILY: Competition winning photo featuring three generations, Mick Walsh, Mary Anne Walsh Killoughery and Gerard Killoughery sitting on the Harrow, taken 1937. Sent by Gerard’s daughter, Tara McInerney

lGOING PLACES: John Mungovan and Mary Mungovan (nee Reidy) in Ennis in the 1930s, sent by their son Peter. Other people in the picture are unknown

lFIELD DAY: Thomas B Walsh ploughing his field in Shragh, Doonbeg in 1979.

Sent by Linda Owens

NEWS 15

THURSDAY, JUN 11 2020

lANCESTORS: Clare Echo Editor Stuart Holly’s great grandfather Michael and his great great grandmother Bridget King circa 1900 sent by Barry Burke lNEW LOCALS: Larry & Anna Clohessy, their children Seanie, Larry, Joe, Mary and Ann with their neighbour in Hermitage, Ennis in 1961 shortly after moving to the area

lPURE JOY: The Kirrane family, 1960s. Sent by Lily Guthrie Kirrane, Kildysart

lWORKING HARD: Kilrush Wood workers 1950s with Vandeleur house in background. Jim Lorigan is in the second row third from the right. Sent by Caoimhin O’Hailpin, Jim’s grandson

lALL ABOARD: Michael Hehir with his son Michael and Paddy McCarthy from Kilmihil with Bengy the dog.

lSAY CHEESE: The Murphy family from Carmody St, Ennis. Back Row (L-R) Bernard, George, Nancy. Front (L-R) Bernard, Phil, Maura, The little girl is Chris. Taken in 1946

lHAY DAY: Eileen Byrnes, her son Ollie and neighbours the Hurleys, Glasha, Doolin. Taken in 1960s. Sent by Marie Brew

16 Arts & Entertainment

THURSDAY, JUN 11 2020

‘Culture is massive for the wellbeing of society’ CIAN O BROIN

G

cianobroin@clareecho.ie

LÓR Theatre Ennis has felt the adverse effects that continues to trickle down through society as a result of intense restrictions on large social gatherings.

Since the beginning of March there has been a total of 75 events cancelled and approximately 24 staff members placed on temporary leave at the Clare county town’s theatre, casting a cloud of uncertainty over the future of the arts and entertainment industry on a local level.

Director of glór Theatre, Orla Flanagan, admits that the deconstruction of the programme has been challenging but she firmly believes that there is a silver lining hidden within every situation.

Orla talks with The Clare Echo about glór’s adaptation to digital performances, the National Arts Recovery Plan and the significant role that the arts has played in all our lives in recent weeks.

Last week, the Government published the National Arts Recovery Plan in a bid to provide a blueprint for the arts and entertainment industry, in moving forward along with the phased reopening of the country. Logistical elements have impeded on many smaller theatres and performance centres due to an inability to accommodate social distancing measures by minimising capacity.

Orla feels that glór are lucky in that there is a flexibility provided by a large capacity of 500 seats, complemented by removable seating. Plans have been drawn up to develop a safe and comfortable space for audience members to

lTRYING TIMES: glór will be forced to adapt to new customer trends

once again attend the magic of live theatre, whereby a cabaret style format will be trialled within the auditorium. This adaptation could potentially provide some recompense for the cancellation of all commercial touring at glór this year, assisting local artists which make up one-third of business across the year.

On the acuity of the National Arts Recovery Plan, Orla comments, “Looking across the sector, the arts could be absolutely decimated without the support of the government and the Arts Council working collectively with us to ensure that we can survive this crisis.

“Arts centres with a maximum capacity of 200 seats are facing a real challenge in terms of reopening. Reducing to 30 seats is just not viable. There are also the pro-

duction companies, the freelance sound engineers, technicians, production managers and then of course, all of the artists. We are keen to support the artists, who at the best of times, endure fragile livelihoods financially and need serious support to get us through this. That is why I, as the Director of glór, am in support of the public plan they have proposed.

It’s really pragmatic but it’s also realistic. One thing that has been massive is the role that arts and culture has played throughout this period. It needs to be recognised by the structures within society, particularly Government. We’re not asking for a handout; we are asking for investment.”

Evolving with the changing environment and nature of the industry was something that Orla

initially felt hesitant about, but quickly learnt of the intrinsic value and enriching experience of digital performances in lockdown.

Acclimating to online theatre was realised through the unique, glór Sa Bhaile series, which has become a weekly string of Facebook Live performances. Started as somewhat of an appetizer to the imminent return of live performances, glór Sa Bhaile has been successfully shining a light on local talent for six weeks now.

Orla notes the reach of online performances, with the series registering over 20,000 views outside of County Clare alone. Real time feedback online during concerts has renewed that sense of community and intimacy, although Orla is certainly looking forward to the magic of in-house performances

once again. glór Theatre Ennis is likely to be one of the last venues to fully reopen, however Orla has incepted the development of an on-site livestreaming studio whereby artists can come to glór and deliver a performance that contains both a small intimate audience group as well as digital delivery to those most vulnerable confined to the sanctity of their homes.

“There are a lot of hoops to jump through in order to implement this, such as funding. We have some technical expertise but not a huge amount in terms of livestreaming.

We have found new ways of going forward beyond the pandemic, in some forms. Obviously, the live experience is special but there is something to be said for reaching a wide international community that has no borders.

“The ask that we are making as a collection of venues, is that people could tell their TDs how important the arts is to them. Also, if the public can share the Save The Arts video online and ask their friends and family so that it spreads. Arts can’t get left behind and forgotten about. Culture is massive for the wellbeing of society.”

Cruinniú na nÓg is an initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme supported by Clare County Council, Local Authorities and RTÉ. It is one of 18 actions of Creative Youth – a plan to enable the creative potential of every child and young person. Support glór Theatre Ennis by looking at this amazing programme which airs online on Saturday June 13 at 9am.

glór will reopen its doors on September 1, 2020 and urges the community to reacquaint themselves with the building through the café and gallery.

GREEN CLARE

St Joseph’s Community College Kilkee wins prestigious Green Flag award CIAN O BROIN

W

cianobroin@clareecho.ie

EST Clare’s St. Joseph’s Community College Kilkee is one of thirty-two Clare schools who have successfully been awarded the prestigious Green Flag Award, for the academic year 2019/2020.

The high-flying flag comes as a novel achievement for the school of one hundred and fifty students, strengthening an already deeply seeded model of sustainability practiced within the classroom and the wider community.

Mirroring a flagship project, Deputy Principal Agnes Hehir outlines the school’s implementation of edifying environmental awareness within the school system and of how internationally renowned street artist Banksy, inspired St. Joseph’s Art Teacher, Caitriona White, to spearhead a decorative anti-graffiti campaign within the community.

The Anti-Graffiti Through Art project stemmed from an articulation of interest put forward by Mary Arthur of Kilkee Tidy Towns and Rural Development Officer Margaret Cotter.

Agnes notes the proliferation of graffiti in urban areas and in particular, a well-known incident in Kilkee, where a building was illicitly defaced with the statement

‘The Earth is Flat’.

Funding of ₏5,000 euro was received to assist in tackling the ambitious project and Clare County Council’s Environmental Officer Karen Foley was invited into the school to discuss the legality and financial consequences of producing illicit works of graffiti.

Caitriona White set about producing five unique street art images throughout the town, in doing so, harnessing the creativity of second- and third-year students in a collective effort to rid the town of graffiti through educational awareness.

Agnes Hehir details the landmarks dispersed throughout the town that will accommodate the student’s works of art, “The signs will be displayed outside five properties in Kilkee.

The girl holding the umbrella is here, outside our school, the girl reading the book is in the sensory garden at the library in Kilkee, the image of a footballer at the local GAA pitch, the boy holding the cup of coffee at the Diamond Rocks cafÊ and the girl with the balloon at Mace.�

The highly successful anti-graffiti through art campaign was the progenitor to St. Joseph’s recently awarded green flag and Agnes Hehir observes its direct relationship with their award-winning anti-litter campaign.

Green Flag co-ordinator within the school Lisa Harvey organised a beach clean-up under the project name, ‘Plastic Police’, where a video was produced focusing on

lARTY:JJ Hickey launching the Kilkee Community School Anti Graffiti campaign Photo by Arthur Ellis

raising awareness around the use of plastic within the school environment and community.

A number of keynote speakers were invited into the school to host workshops for students concentrating on essential environmental issues such as biodiversity and climate change, forming a symbiotic curricular link between sustainable practices and the importance of raising awareness through geography.

As well as the installation of water fountains and the banning of plastic bottles within the school grounds, a practical approach to environmental issues was taken

within the school as Deputy Principal Hehir outlines that, “bottles were hung up along with fun facts as regards to raising awareness week. “These fun facts included details of how long it takes items to biodegrade and addressed other waste items such as chewing gum, focusing completely on the educational side of things. “These bottles will remain suspended across a chord. These facts were printed out and placed along the doorways that students will be accessing. “Other fun challenges were run on that week that allowed students

to get directly involved.

The anti-graffiti and anti-litter campaign were two intertwined projects that led to St. Joseph’s Community College Kilkee achieving Green Flag status for the first time.

Agnes Hehir asserts that the school will continue with renewed vigour on its continued journey of sustainability, sailing into uncharted and progressive territory in a new three-year Blue Schools project.

This three-year project in which Agnes is hopeful the school will receive funding for looks at the ocean and recycling.

18

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

THURSDAY, JUN 11 2020

Ronan Scully

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK Author spreading the word of positivity

Lockdown life values T

HIS thought for the week is a reflection from my recent weeks of Lockdown. It made me look on and think about my values, hopes, prayers and dreams for the future.

When out and about each day look at the beauty of the sky no matter what the weather, time or the season; to do so draws you up and out of your thoughts whether they be good or not so good.

Look at the Seas, Lakes, Rivers or Streams whenever you get the opportunity to do so again; in their flowing tides and ripples, and see its calms and its storms an analogy of what our lives can sometimes be for it will give you a sense of perspective. Look up from the ground as you walk and meet the world with compassion, love, care, empathy, acceptance, prayer, forgiveness, hope and mercy. The quality of our lives are best judged by the quality of our compassion.

Live seasonally, healthily and sensibly if you can and enter fully to the joy and the beauty of each of our seasons, winter, summer, autumn and spring as they arise and then do not cling to them as they bid you farewell. There is nothing you can do about the passing of time except to learn from the past and then be grateful and live in the present and hope and pray for the future. The beauty of our world around us, which is one of our many gifts from God can unlock the beauty and love within us.

Experiences without reflection, prayer and meditation are just events. Experiences with reflection, prayer and meditation become wisdom and life giving. Know the difference between the tears that purify and the tears that do not. Never hold back the former. Touch, taste, smell, feel, see, pray, meditate and listen deeply to all that is, remember, if it exists it has meaning even if it does not reveal it to you. Nature is not a part of us, we are a part of it and we must protect all of it.

Living plants and flowers are better than cut plants and flowers but always try and have a little bit of the God given beauty and life enhancing forces of nature near you. Live so as to cause as little harm to other human beings as is possible especially to our children. Protect our children and their chance of a good childhood always.

Remember that there is much hope and resilience deep within us

all if only we would go deep within ourselves to go looking for it and then share it with others so that they can find their own hope and resilience. Advocate and stand up for the weak, marginalized, homeless, orphaned, abused, abandoned, the downtrodden, the diaspora, the people who suffer racism and racist attacks, the refugee and those on the edges of our societies.

This time of lockdown has taught me that time itself is precious and that all people and children are precious especially our loved ones, families, friends, colleagues and neighbours and especially all the people we have loved so much who have sadly passed away because their time has run its course.

Our own Hopes, Dreams and Prayers

We at times abandon hope, dreams and prayers, actually our own hopes, dreams and prayers.

We should try as much as possible to consult not our fears but strive valiantly to look after our hopes, our dreams and our prayers.

Think not about our frustrations, but about our unfulfilled potential.

Concern ourselves not with what you and I tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for us to do. Hope is the basis of existence and we should never give up hope or give up on our dreams or prayers for a better, more loving and fulfilled future.

Hope, dreams and prayer should be our true companions at all times.

I am sure if we allow it, our hope, dreams and prayer will light many candles figuratively speaking in our life and in the lives of many people we come in contact with. For when you light up the candle of hope in the life of others, in the days of adversity you will receive strength and capacity to overcome all of your fears.

I pray that your candle of hope may start to shine brightly again very soon especially after these days of lockdown and of Coronavirus Times!! A prayer of Hope I like to say to keep me going each day during this time of lockdown goes as follows - "Dear Lord, I try so hard to be your humble servant, I come before you today at the start of another new week in need of hope.

There are times when I feel helpless and lost. There are times when I feel weak and addicted. “I pray for hope. I need hope for a better future. I need hope for a bet-

ter life. I need hope for love, care, shelter and kindness. Some say that the sky is at it's darkest just before the light. I pray that this is true, for all seems very dark in my life at times. I need your light, Lord, in every way.

I pray to be filled with your light from head to toe. To bask in your glory. To know that all is right in the world, as you have planned, and as you want it to be. Help me Lord to walk in your light, and live my life in faith and support to those most in need. In your name I pray.�

Thought for the week

As your thought for the week be the first to help those most in need during these worrying times .

When a new day begins, be the first to smile gratefully. When there is darkness, be the first to shine a light.

When there is injustice, racism and inequality, be the first to condemn it. When something seems difficult, be the first to do it anyway.

When there seems to be no hope, be the first to find some. When you're feeling tired, be the first to keep going. When times are tough, be the first to be tougher. When love hurts you, be the first to love again.

When someone is hurting, be the first to help them heal. When another is lost, be the first to help them find the way.

When our frontline workers, our nurses, our emergency workers, our doctors, our teachers, our gardai, our elderly, our homeless, our lost, our farmers, our people in direct provision, our refugees, our diaspora, our abandoned and those excluded to the edges of our society and all their families need our help and support, be the first to help and support them.

When a friend falls, be the first to extend a hand. When you cross paths with strangers, be the first to welcome them and to make them smile.

When you feel great, be the first to help someone else feel great too.

When the day has ended, be the first to feel as you've done your best. Be the best you can be and show gratitude at all times and Pray for what is right not for what you want. Pray also for anyone who has lost a loved one during these times of the Coronavirus and that much healing will befall everyone who is sick and unwell at this time.

Finally; before all else and above all else; act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with your God. Amen.

Buy into Clare

#buyintoclare

P20

Buy into Clare

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'Buy into Clare' a motto we all must now live by EDITOR’S OPINION

Stuart Holly

S

EVENTY-FIVE long days after the retail sector was forced to close its doors across County Clare and across Ireland on March 24, businesses reopened their doors to a new world on Monday morning not knowing what lies ahead in the coming weeks, months or even years.

Firstly, it's important to note that the preservation of life was the ultimate goal of government in introducing these measures as the Covid-19 pandemic headed towards peak levels and they have to be commended to a good degree for their success.

While numbers have been suppressed - having not reported one new case in Clare this past week - there are unwavering indications that we have not heard the last of Covid-19. However the reopening of the retail sector and an ability to travel freely around our county has restored great freedoms amongst the local population. The hills and beaches of Clare are calling like a long lost family member and our sweet reunion with them will be

cause to take stock and be grateful.

For the most part, everybody has acted with a fine degree of responsibility during the last three months in maintaining social distancing and played their role in stopping the spread of the virus. Many went months without seeing close family members while others suffered with grief in an incomprehensible manner. These sacrifices must not be taken for granted.

We now, as a community, have another great responsibility which is arguably almost as important as abiding by government restrictions and that is lifting the local business community off its knees. Together.

Nobody could be blamed for shopping online in recent months and there's certainly an onus on local retailers to find genuine solutions to start competing in this market to effective levels however there are more benefits to physically going into our towns and spending than just that

shop's coffers.

Firstly, every â‚Ź1 you spend in the locality is worth â‚Ź4 to the local economy - there's no amount of online shopping that will benefit your local economy - and indirectly you - to that level. It's called the multiplier effect and we all need this message to be reinforced as we claw our way out of economic distress. Part of the reason this works is there is a greater local economic return generated by money spent at locally-owned independent businesses compared to corporate chains or other absentee-owned businesses.

This week The Clare Echo started an online campaign called Buy Into Clare, where we are encouraging shoppers to post photos online of them making purchases at local businesses with the hashtag #buyintoclare. Equally, I would encourage readers to email me photos of you supporting a local business to editor@clareecho.ie. It will undoubtedly encourage others to do the same.

The business community is the lifeblood and daily heartbeat of our county and without them we have nothing. No jobs, no streets, no vibrant community and no income stream to fund local projects.

We are all connected and the best way to help us get our society back on track is to support these businesses.

In doing so you are buying into Clare and buying into the future of your county and your community.

P21

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Pedestrianisation ups need for Ennis town electric bus service PĂ RAIC McMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

M

IXED views have been expressed following the decision to pedestrianise Ennis’ main streets as part of the temporary mobility plan but according to Ennis Chamber it has heightened the need for a town bus service.

In order to accommodate social distancing, streets along the county town have been pedestrianised for the past three weeks. “Already it has highlighting how exposed we are as a town when it comes to parking and especially when it comes to public transport,� CEO of Ennis Chamber, Margaret O’Brien stated.

There is no set timeline on how long the mobility plan will remain in place. However Ennis Cham-

ber have said they are committed “to ratcheting up our lobbying efforts to ensure the NTA (National Transport Agency) accedes to long-standing calls for the introduction of a town bus. Not only that, but we believe the time is right to convert the delay into an advantage by insisting that a future town bus for Ennis must be electric�.

Elected members of the Ennis Municipal District have expressed their agreement for the town bus in the past. On Wednesday, Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) sought an update on the plans at their

June meeting.

Town bus services to be introduced by the end of the year in Carlow, Mullingar and Letterkenny are referred to by O’Brien who flagged that all three “have smaller populations than Ennis.

We can’t continue to allow the town lag behind in this respect. A town bus would help ease access to the town centre for town centre based staff, for shoppers, for the elderly and for those who are less mobile. In addition with an LIT campus now located in En-

nis and set to grow in the future, we also have a student cohort who would benefit from such a service.�

Clare’s five Oireachtas members have been asked to publicly support the Chamber in their goal to secure an electric town bus.

Ennis Chamber is currently conducting research among its members to determine the distance their employees travel to work on a daily basis. “Thus far we have found that over half travel more than 10kms, so for them walking or cycling is not an option, especially when we consider weather conditions and lack of lighting once you reach the fringes of town.

"What we need for that commuting cohort as well as for shoppers coming to Ennis are places on the periphery of town to park and to connect from there to a regular town bus service. We know the demand exists for such a service and the time is right to provide it,� Margaret added.

SH OP LOCA L SH OP SA F E SUPPOR T LOCA L BUSI N E SSE S

Digital hubs to aid remote working EXTRA emphasis is to be placed on utilising digital hubs in Clare in an attempt to aid more individuals working remotely during Covid-19.

Clare County Council operates four digital hubs which are located in Kilrush, Feakle, Miltown Malbay and Ennistymon. Hubs are to reopen to the public with social distancing in place.

Less work desks will be in place to comply with HSE guidelines. “It will help people to work remotely and it highlights the opportunity for people to work remotely,� said Director of Services with Clare County Council, Leonard Cleary.

Urban McMahon, Head of IT with the local authority is now moving fulltime into a role focused on the hubs.

A further appointment on the rolling out of broadband is also expected.

Commitment has previously been voiced by the Council in expanding its network of digital hubs. A broadband hub in Ennis had been expected to be completed in the coming months.

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Ironman estate agent adopts virtual reality in work and life STUART HOLLY editor@clareecho.ie

C

ORMAC O’Sullivan is known to most as a leading auctioneer however in recent years he has delved head first into the world of ironman competition.

Not many parallels can be drawn between selling property and competing in gruelling 12-hour races that comprise of a 4 kilmotre swim, a 180km cycle followed by a full marathon, all in one go. However as life took its twist in early March - sentencing much of the business world into closure and athletes into isolation - Cormac was forced to reassess his business methods and training schedule to function effectively in the ‘new world’ we find ourselves in.

Since lockdown measures began to be introduced, Crusheen resident Cormac has racked up almost 2,000km on his bike in a virtual online racing world all from the comfort of his own garage. Meanwhile, along with his work colleagues at DNG O’Sullivan Hurley, Cormac has begun the process of providing prospective property buyers with virtual home tours.

Cormac’s journey as an ironman competitor began in December 2016 when he decided to take up swimming, despite not being able to doggy paddle at that point. “I went into the swimming pool in December 2016 and kicked off my swimming lessons in January having not been able to swim a stroke.

I did it because I wanted to do the half ironman in Portugal. My coach Rosemary Perkins thought I was mad, I thought I was mad to be fair as well but I always wanted to learn to swim. I did my first open water swim three weeks before that, and nearly drowned. I did my second open water swim the day after and I loved it. The final morning I went down to White Strand and everyone seemed to know my story because my swimming coach was down the day before telling them. They actually sent a swimmer out ahead of me on the 1km route to make sure there were no jelly fish because they knew I’d have a panic attack. Two weeks later I went over and did that. It was six months between not being able to swim and going out swimming 2km.”

Joining Cormac at his home, he is finishing a training cycle using an app called Zwift which allows you to cycle in a virtual world which replicates real cycling conditions such as hills and ‘drafting’ whereby you become more aerodynamic when tucked in behind another cyclist. The app is connected to a smart turbo trainer which is attached to the back wheel of the bicycle and your progress is fed on the monitor akin to a 3D computer game.

Cyclists and runners can use the app to cycle numerous routes in famous landscapes such as New York or London, Austria, Italy and more and cyclists have the option of go-

REACTING TO A NEW WORLD: (left and underneath) Ennis auctioneer Cormac O'Sullivan cycling in the virtual reality world of Zwift and (above) the Matterport software which allows customers of DNG O'Sullivan Hurley to view homes from their desktops or phones online

ing on training cycles or entering virtual races against thousands of other virtual cyclists.

Reaching for breath, Cormac explains, “If I’m climbing a mountain, this unit at the back begins to tense up and makes it exactly the same as climbing a mountain. So then I’m cycling behind this guy, it recognises that I’m drafting and it eases pressure on the pedals.

It replicates real world conditions.

“The good thing is the more you progress on the system, the more you get upgrades on bikes and courses so it makes you push yourself. I can be cycling and I can pass someone from Northern Ireland and I can give him the thumbs up and that comes up on his screen. You can chat away as well, you can message nearby Zwifters, so I can type here and send a message to everyone around me.”

Cormac uses the app primarily in the wintertime but has found it to be an effective tool to help him abide by lockdown restrictions in recent months and has clocked up almost 2,000 virtual kilometres while restrictions

were in place. “For me with my job, for me to train like this I need to do it in the morning so I’d be getting up at 5.30am or 6am. In the winter it’s dark, people are going to work, the last thing they expect to see is an eejit on a bike coming around the corner. When I was training for the ironman you’d be out at half 4 and I’d be cycling through Gort at half 5 and the gardai would drive by and you can see them wondering ‘where in the hell is he going?’.

Cormac completed his first full ironman competition in Copenhagen last year – with the help of his coach Cathal Murphy of Planet Tri in Killaloe – and “enjoyed every single minute of it”.

Despite claiming to not be tech savvy, Cormac has not only adapted his training to the virtual world. DNG O’Sullivan Hurley have now introduced a new system called Matterport which allows you to take a 360-degrees tour of properties new to the market.

“Pre-Covid, we were doing open viewings.

Going forward the open viewing process will not be possible for the health and safety of everyone. Normally high levels of people attend so you’d be there for the day if you were trying to maintain social distancing and health and safety standards.

“To still allow the open viewing process but this time digitally, we have the new system which is called the Materport, which provides 3D 360-degree tours of the property which also shows the 3D imagery plans of the house so you can see exactly where each room is positioned, where the doors are positioned to enter each room, and it allows you to look at additional storage that

you may want on the property.

“It allows you to look at electrical appliances, the fireplace and all the features within the house, almost exactly the same as if you were in the house in person. It’s a remarkable system and one that will allow people the open viewing experience, allows them to see if it’s a property that suits their requirements, is it a property that will allow them to do the modifications they would like to do, be it an extension or whatever else because it shows them the outline of the site, it walks them into the garden and it will also reduce people taking time out of their employment to go looking at a house that might not be suitable for them so for that reason we thought this is definitely the way forward for us.

“With this system you can go to the corner of each room, you can look at the coving, how many plug points, everything is visible on this as if you were there in person.”

Cormac believes the Matterport system will become an integral part of the new normal. “When people see the Matterport system in operation, they’ll actually realise that this is probably how it should always have been done.”

Cormac added that while embracing new technology has been an exciting development, he’s delighted to be able to operate to more normal levels now that the easing of restrictions have allowed estate agents to reopen their physical offices.”

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Quin and Feakle set for paint scheme works

Tourism strategy forced into last minute changes

Quin will benefit from the scheme Photo by John Mangan

T

WO East Clare villages have been selected to benefit from the 2020 paint scheme in the Killaloe Municipal District.

A grant of â‚Ź5,000 each has been allocated to Quin and Feakle for the coming year as part of the paint scheme administered by the Rural Directorate of Clare County Council. The funds will be used for private and commercial buildings.

Speaking at the May meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) proposed that the ₏10,000 be split into two for a successive year. He put forward Quin to take a

section of the funds, a call which was seconded

by Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF). “Trojan work� carried out by Feakle Community Council was acknowledged by Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) as he nominated them to benefit from the other half of funds.

An application was made six months ago by the Community Council, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) outlined when seconding Cooney’s proposal. “When you’ve a good community like Feakle particularly with everything closed down, it would be good to see the paint scheme�.

CLARE’S tourism strategy that has been over 18 months in the making has been forced to make a last-minute update on account of the current global pandemic, writes Påraic McMahon.

A ten year strategy for creating further development in the tourism sector in Clare while also addressing concerns and issues of the past, the document has entered the final draft stage and was due to appear before the steering committee in recent days.

Director of Service with Clare County Council, Leonard Cleary confirmed that an unforeseen chapter has been added to the strategy. This will address tourism in a “post COVID-19 scenario,� he told councillors at a special meeting of the West Clare Municipal District. “The model has changed drastically within the last ten weeks,� he added.

Collaboration with Shannon Airport forms a key part of the new chapter and how international visitors can be enticed to the county in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Cllr Roisin Garvey (GP) was dissatisfied with the lack of an input county councillors have had into the process. “I still have no idea what Deirdre O’Shea (acting head of tourism) is working on. Cillian (Murphy) is the tourism expert, Joe (Garrihy) knows his stuff, we’d like to help, we’re all passionate about our communities,� she stated.

Videos produced by Visit Clare that will promote the county are ready to go but Cleary outlined that they have been holding off on releasing them. “We don’t want to jump the gun on the lifting of restrictions,� he said.

Six public workshops were held across the county in March of last year in Ennistymon, Ennis, Shannon, Kilrush and Killaloe to get the public’s input to the strategy. The final public consultation evening was held at the beginning of February this year.

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A CRACKING START FOR MELODY PASTURED EGGS 'It has worked in our favour' - the egg business that began during Covid-19 PÁRAIC McMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

A

GLOBAL pandemic is not the typical time an individual would choose to start a business but for Frank Melody it has proven to be a successful starting point.

Plans have been thrown into disarray for people all over the world as a result of Covid-19. A three month travelling stint in Central and South America went out the window for Melody in March. The extra time on his hands and money in the back-pocket prompted him to follow through on something he has been passionate about for some time. From here, Melody Farm Pastured Eggs was born.

Recent weeks have been devastating for businesses. As one of the newest enterprises in Co Clare, Melody Farm Pastured Eggs have had nothing only a very positive outlook to report on aided by the time on people’s hands and the avian flu. “It probably has worked in my favour, both myself personally having the time and also people seemed to be using an awful lot more eggs during the lockdown because they are not going out to eat food. The amount of people baking and putting banana bread up on Instagram, if anything it had a positive effect which is fairly unique considering most businesses have been struggling”.

Although he hadn’t been plotting setting up a business for months on end, Melody has always been passionate about pastured eggs and has seen the success of his father JJ and brother Joseph on the farm while the support from his mother Ann has been a constant.

“For the last few years I’ve been following a guy called Joel Salatain in Virginia in the States, he owns

Polyface farms, it is a regenerative farm and it’s all about direct sales to customers in his locality, it is like cutting out the big food business. I’ve been following him for a good few years on YouTube, listen to his podcasts and read his book. He was always a big advocate that pastured eggs were a far better egg in nutrient profile, taste, texture, everything and they were quite profitable”.

An egg mobile which took two weeks to build has been set up on the Melody’s Bunratty farm, it is where the 402 hens will lay eggs and also sleep. Frank linked in with the innovative Swedish farmer, Richard Perkins when planning the structure.

Market demand exists for “a high quality, farm fresh good,” the two time Munster minor hurling championship winner maintained.

“If you go into supermarkets and you see free range or fresh farm eggs, to be honest, the labelling and packaging is very misleading, that product is coming a long way to get to your table.

“People are becoming more food and health conscious, you can see with the likes of Sweet 'n Green in Ennis because it is healthy good food with a lot of produce supplied within a local radius, a place like that would inspire you because when you see the uptake there is no reason to say it wouldn’t be the same for my eggs.”

With only a handful of people in the country selling pastured eggs, the 27-year old explained why he believes this is more appealing than free-range eggs. “Pastured is grass-fed, the hens are in their most natural environment, they would be eating grass, insects, feed and whatever foraging they can do. The normal free-range or caged, they don’t get the same access to fresh grass and you will see that in the texture and the taste of the egg, there is a different nutrient profile with less cholesterol in

Frank Melody on his farm in Bunratty Photo by John Mangan

the pastured egg, higher vitamin D because the hens are constantly out in the sun and they are moving so they are healthier in general.

“There is an ethical element too, the mortality rate with pastured hens is far lower than it would be for caged or barns, it’s a double whammy and is ultimately regenerative agriculture.

"Even the egg mobile we have, it actually fertilises the ground.

When they are inside the egg mobile at night, the whole ground floor is meshed so their droppings go straight down to the ground, it builds up a fertile top-soil plus the hens fertilise the ground as they

move along, they pick up a lot of the worms and the like that would make cattle sick. Hens are moved regularly so they don’t pick up the parasites on the ground themselves. I don’t give them any doses or antibiotics or anything like that because there is no need because they move so regularly, pastured is grass-fed in its most simple form but there is a whole other element.”

Melody Farm Pastured Eggs is also unique in the sense of an agriculture business in that it is utilising social media to drive direct sales to customers. “People like the idea of knowing where their food comes from and it very easily done over

social media. It is one great tool, there are a lot of negatives with social media but for businesses and especially small businesses you can really gather momentum quiet quickly through social media if you do it right and try to get your brand done properly you can get a lot of steam”.

So far, the regenerative form of agriculture has built up plenty of steam. Less than eight weeks since it began, the Bunratty farm is beginning to supply to businesses across the county on top of their direct sales from the farm.

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#buyintoclare Projects focused on economic recovery to benefit from â‚Ź15m town & village renewal scheme

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COMMUNITY groups across the county are being encouraged to apply for funding under the 2020 Town and Village Renewal Scheme. A total of ₏15m has been allocated to this year’s scheme, which is one element of a ₏30m package of integrated supports announced by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring.

Projects that place a particular emphasis on the economic and social recoveries of towns and villages in response to COVID-19 are expected to be receive more support from the scheme.

This would include initiatives such as temporarily repurposing or pedestrianising public areas to facilitate street trading, the development of an online platform to promote online retailers and small-scale events to attract people into town centres safely. “Towns and villages in Clare are at the heart of our economic and social activity and will play a pivotal role once again in providing safe spaces for people to meet and do business as the current restrictions are eased in line with the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business,� Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) commented.

Accelerated support will be provided throughout the country courtesy of the scheme, Council Chief Executive, Pat Dowling stated. This will “enable them to quickly adapt to public health requirements such as social distancing in the short term, and to encourage increased footfall.

Grant funding of â‚Ź20,000 up to â‚Ź200,000 is available under the standard scheme while maximum grants of â‚Ź25,000 are available under the new Accelerated Measure element of the scheme, with the possibility to increase to â‚Ź40,000 for some high-impact projects.

Community groups who have identified projects are being invited to submit an Expression of Interest to Clare County Council. Expressions of Interest received will be assessed based on the priorities as contained in the scheme. A total of 16 proposals can then be put forward for submission to the Department of Rural and Community Development.

The deadlines for receipt of applications are as follows: Round 1 Accelerated Measure is 4pm on Friday, 19th June, 2020 Round 2 Accelerated Measure is 4pm on Tuesday, 30th June, 2020 Standard Town and Village Renewal Scheme is 4pm on Tuesday, 30th June, 2020.

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Uber can help save rural pubs, says Quin publican STUART HOLLY editor@clareecho.ie

PUBLICAN Eamon Duggan believes the Government don’t appreciate the importance of the pub in combating rural isolation.

The man who runs Malachy’s Bar in Quin insists that a rural Uber taxi service needs to be established in Ireland in order to help pubs thrive and combat rural isolation in a post Covid-19 world.

Eamon, who breeds national hunt foals, came into the pub industry three years ago thanks to his long-standing relationship with his now landlord Pat ‘Malachy’ Hassett, another man with a deep association for horses.

Originally from a dairy farming family in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Mr Duggan always had a strong connection with Quin where he and his five siblings attended primary school and he returned to Clare from Tipperary to take over Malachy's three years ago.

Having built a strong loyal customer base, Eamon was preparing for one of his busiest weeks of the year in Cheltenham week when

the pandemic forced him to close the bar’s doors in early March. The demise of the family-owned rural pub has been well-documented over the past 15 years in a rapidly-changing 21st century Ireland, which includes zero tolerance on drink driving – however it is feared this latest threat could spell carnage for the industry.

Eamon describes it as “shameful” that the passing trade is being lost by people who fear coming to the pub for a sociable pint, however he has greater concerns for the ageing population in danger of rural isolation. He admits that it’s “inevitable” that some rural pubs will now be forced to close forever.

“I totally support the philosophy of not drinking and driving. I also totally support the idea of the country pub and the rural pub for people to come in for a bit of community, for a bit of friendship, discussion, craic and a few pints. There’s a lot of loneliness and isolation in rural Ireland and that has been missed I think in the main part by our national Government. So to put on top of that the pandemic, that would have huge concern for me for some people. This rural isolation that was already there, still is there for people who are afraid to come out be-

cause of the impact of the zealous nature of policing towards drinking and driving,” argues Eamon.

He believes that the introduction of a rural Uber service would go a long way in breathing life back into the rural pub trade. “Most countries in the EU have it - that is something that the Government haven’t followed through. It would be a win-win for those I mentioned that I have concern for, it would be a win-win for everybody who wants to go out for a pint."

While Eamon is frustrated by inaction from local TDs in promoting the cause of the rural pub, he thinks now more than ever pubs will have to introduce a new angle into their business. “Gone is the day you can just serve pints,” he admits. Malachy’s for their part, serve pizzas from their authentic Italian pizza oven, a service which has been a hit with locals during the Covid-19 lockdown. Eamon describes delivering pizzas in through car windows using a pizza paddle while extending a basket in the other hand “which for all the world looks like a Sunday mass collection basket” to collect payment.

“When pubs reopen, we have to continue with the offering of a food trade in the pub, be it a toast-

Eamon Duggan at Malachy's in Quin ed sandwich, soup, pizza or some innovative ideas on food… it’s not an easy thing for people to do but if we are going to survive and be successful and thrive, then we’re going to have to offer a greater product to the customer.”

Eamon added that reopening will be cause for great excitement and he hopes that the importance of socialising will be recognised. “I’d love to think that when the pubs reopen that the phones can be left outside and that people can chat

Photo by John Mangan

and converse. I suppose that’s one of the attractions of coming into the pub, is for the chat, the pint, and maybe a bit of colourful conversation and opinion from the barman.

“We’ve made friends here and we miss that connection in the evening time. We have a good, sound customer base and there is a welcome for everyone that comes in and not having that for those people, I feel for that, but I also for ourselves as we don’t have that interaction as well, so we miss that.”

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Adventure tour company urges locals to explore Clare

by AOIFE O'MARA

T

HE Killaloe kayaking tour company, My Next Adventure, had anticipated launching for the summer season in April. However, with the emergence of COVID-19, they found themselves having to wait until Phase 2 of Ireland’s easing of lockdown restrictions before launching again.

Last year, My Next Adventure took over a thousand people out on trips of Lough Derg, the majority of which were tourists. With holidaymakers’ plans on hold and travel restrictions in place, My Next Adventure has found itself encouraging those in Killaloe and the surrounding area to explore their locality.

On Friday, June 5, they released a video on their social media platforms titled “Discover a world closer to home”, in which they reiterated the Government’s message of “stay local.” With scenic shots of Killaloe’s historic landmarks and kayakers paddling on the Killaloe canal, the video showcases some of the highlights of a trip with My Next Adventure.

As the people of Ireland come to terms with the new normal, My Next Adventure has found that there is more interest than ever before from locals in activities on Lough Derg and the River Shannon. “Due to the travel restrictions that have been in place more and more people have decided to explore a world closer to home,” said Cillian O’Mara, co-owner of My Next Adventure.

The twin towns of Ballina and Killaloe are steeped in rich history, which often leaves locals surprised by some of the facts and information that they learn on a trip. “When we take locals out on a trip what we find is that people don’t realise what is on their doorstep,” Cillian said.

On Lough Derg, there are various hidden treasures which are only accessible by boat or kayak. “Unfortunately, a large number of locals have never experienced the waters of Lough Derg. Hidden gems such as the lower

canal close to Clarisford Park are explored by few,” said Cillian.

My Next Adventure extends an invitation to those in the area to explore what Lough Derg has to offer from the comfort of a kayak. An informed and local guide will take you on a trip up the Killaloe canal and out onto the River Shannon, leaving you with a memorable experience not too far from home.

With a lot of staycations expected in Ireland over the summer as the easing of travel restrictions continues, My Next Adventure is optimistic for the summer ahead. “We are hopeful that staycations will be of great

benefit to small local businesses like us,” said Cillian.

Multiple COVID-19 safety procedures have been implemented such as equipment being sanitised between uses, two metre physical distancing being enforced and staff wearing face coverings and gloves. It is a change in comparison with how things were run last year, but My Next Adventure is looking forward to the season ahead.

In the lead up to their reopening, My Next Adventure launched a new website, www. mynextadventure.ie where all information on trips and bookings can be found.

Public toilets at beaches to be staffed by county council PÁRAIC McMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

A PLAN has been finalised

by Clare County Council to allow public toilets at beaches across the county to reopen.

Since May 18, beaches have reopened to the public as part

of Ireland’s roadmap for the reopening of business and society for those living within 5km. Social distancing is to be maintained at the beaches as per the guidelines.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) have previously individuals meeting in groups of four to do so outside and to avoid go-

ing to the toilet in another person’s home. Public toilets in Lahinch and East Clare have reopened to the public.

“There is a clear plan in place around beaches, we are strictly following all Government guidelines,” Director of Service with the County Council, Leonard Cleary stated at a special meeting of the West

Clare Municipal District.

He confirmed that the local authority was putting a plan in place to staff the public toilets when it was appropriate to reopen them.

“We weren’t ready for the 18th and it wasn’t safe to reopen them. We have to make sure our staff are safe,” Cleary added.

Engagement key to revive business in East Clare A “PROACTIVE programme” to aid the recovery of businesses in East Clare has been requested by an elected representative of Clare County Council, writes Páraic McMahon.

Staff in the Killaloe Municipal District are currently assessing “to best promote social distancing” in towns and villages throughout East Clare. “We believe social distancing is going to stay with us for a year if not two,” acting senior executive officer Morgan Lahiffe outlined.

Road staff within the District are to assess footpaths whereby it will be possible to put social distancing measures in place on a long-term basis. Similar evaluations will take place across the county, “Killaloe Municipal District will be looking at villages independently to assess them,” Lahiffe said.

Issues affecting businesses in the area need to be factored into any plans, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) believed. He referred to “a very proactive programme” run by Cork County Council where 28 locations have been taken on with teams appointed to look at towns and villages. He suggested a countywide equivalent with “someone leading it from the Killaloe Municipal District and look at issues that affect businesses”.

He highlighted the Council’s dependence on rate-payers and felt the Cork example “has given us confidence that we can be independent” and noted how they finalised a deal in the middle of a pandemic. The Chair of the Rural Development SPC appealed to the SEO to liaise with businesses, “it is an opportunity for us to show our mettle as a local authority”.

“I hear what Cllr Hayes is saying,” stated Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) who praised the work of the local authority during COVID-19. He labelled the time and effort put in as “something unbelievable”.

“We have been well up to the mark in this county as regards COVID-19”.

Director of Service, Anne Haugh confirmed that there will be engagement with business representatives in local towns, “That consultation piece is very important. We do need to engage with the business community in the towns and villages to determine what they need to gradually get back on track, that will be happening”.

Financial assistance from the National Transport Authority is to be sought as part of a fund to aid temporary mobility measures. “We’re only getting off the ground now, a lot of businesses haven’t opened yet so now is the time to be engaging with them,” she added.

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'We've nothing to fall back on' - West Clare reliance on tourism could prove costly

The Bridges of Ross in West Clare

PÁRAIC McMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

S

WIFT movement at a national level is needed to sustain the future of North and West Clare, areas which are heavily reliant on tourism.

Elected representatives made a call for action at a special meeting of the West Clare Municipal District. Clare Co Council are finalising plans to examine the countywide impact of Covid-19 led by the Economic Development Directorate.

Addressing councillors, Director of Service, Leonard Cleary stated, “The economy of West Clare and communities in the area have some challenges ahead. Our economy relies heavily on tourism

Photo by John Mangan

and visitors to the area”. He said the West Clare MD needed to put a clear plan in place and see how the County Council could help “kickstart the economy” while being mindful of the various phases and guidelines in places.

Already the impact of Covid-19 has been felt in West Clare, Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) outlined. Having secured information from the Council’s finance department, he highlighted that 20 per cent of the rates base for the local authority comes from the hospitality sector, small local shops and petrol stations. The impact on communities needed to be factored into any plans, he believed.

IBEC has stated that 11 per cent of jobs in Clare are dependent on tourism. “We’ve nothing to fall back on,” Cllr Murphy commented in reference to 40 per cent of the jobs and 30 per cent of the rates in the West Clare MD being reli-

ant on tourism, “We almost left the west of this county survive on tourism, now tourism has collapsed”.

He cautioned that “an awful lot of people” in the tourism industry are employed on a casual basis, “The impact on those household budgets in winter will be severe. These businesses are the absolute social fabric of these communities, it is where we met for a coffee, hear music or go for a pint”.

Clare must be unique to bounce back, Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) declared that trying to replace the financial plus of tourism in West Clare “is going to be a mammoth task”. The Kilrush representative called for the West Clare Greenway to be prioritised.

Lean on Me, a new online platform that allows people to buy vouchers online that will be redeemable in North Clare outlets was referred to by Cllr Roisin Garvey (GP) who maintained it was “a

solution to a lot of problems Cillian has mentioned”. The Inagh native praised advertising by the Council and Visit Clare on TG4 during a series on the Burren.

“Solidarity has been shown across communities, it needs to be shown now to the businesses that have had to close,” Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) stressed. “The businesses in Doolin, Lisdoonvarna and Lahinch won’t survive on Joe Garrihy going to dinner there once a month, we need the visitors,” he added. More resources must be pumped into the Council’s Rural Development Office in his view.

Last year, €1.6m people visited the Cliffs of Moher, Cllr Garrihy predicted “it will be a long time” before that figure is matched again.

He was adamant that COVID-19 showed rural living in a different light, “it shows the nonsense of the spend talked about on broadband and how we can effectively com-

municate via Zoom” and it must be strengthened by clever marketing of Co Clare. He suggested that an action-group be established, “this is an emergency and it requires an emergency action”.

Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) added that a deduction in the VAT rate was one form of financial support needed for the tourism businesses in North-West Clare.

Support for the establishment of the action-group was voiced by Cllr Shane Talty (FF). He hoped that the refurbishment of Lahinch Seaworld would be one of the first “flagship projects” to lift spirits in the coming months. He urged the Council to “work with every business that we can” and said people will need to see the local authority “making active changes”. Talty continued, “Some way of living with COVID-19 around us is going to have to be found”.

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Clare Echo creates contactless menus Cootes Shop & Bakery T The contactless customised menus which are available in a range of styles and textures (right)

The Clare Echo has developed a contactless menu to assist restaurants and cafés as we embrace the ‘new normal’ in a post Covid-19 world.

In a move to help ensure social distancing, the menu will allow customers to read their menu from their handset phone.

The Clare Echo will offer customised sizes, designs and materials to cater for the unique style of the establishment, which can be displayed at the entrance to a restaurant or applied to every table.

To use the menu, customers will point their smart

phone camera at the menu which will scan the QR code and direct the phone to the restaurant’s menu online. If the menu changes, the QR code remains the same so there will be no need for added printing costs.

Editor of The Clare Echo Stuart Holly said, “We are delighted to be able to provide this service for the local hospitality industry. We wanted to come up with a practical solution to help local businesses in maintaining the highest standards of hygiene and encourage more footfall into their establishments.

“I believe this solution, which eliminates the need

for physical menus, will encourage potential customers to visit restaurants and increase their confidence in spending their money in the local economy once restaurants, pubs and cafés are allowed to do business as normal once again.”

Materials will be provided at cost price to support local businesses at this time with a minimal supplementary charge for design services.

To enquire about our contactless menu service, please call 065 671 9021 or email niall@clareecho.ie.

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Beautiful homes all over the County

Property

Property prices expected to hold firm in Clare STUART HOLLY

editor@clareecho.ie

O

PPORTUNISTIC house hunters and investors looking to swoop for a post-Covid deal will be sorely disappointed, it appears, with high levels of demand driving continued price stability in the property market in County Clare.

A leading auctioneer predicts that there will be no signs of dropping prices across County Clare’s property market follow-

ing the fall-out from Covid-19’s impact on the local economy. Speaking to The Clare Echo, Cormac O’Sullivan of DNG O’Sullivan Hurley said that the level of enquiries his Ennis-based team is currently having to process indicates that the biggest issue facing the industry continues to be a lack of housing stock.

The agent explained that throughout the lockdown period, DNG O’Sullivan Hurley did not go one week without selling at least two houses, including one bumper week in which the firm sold a house every day of the week.

A recent report from the ESRI (Economic

Mortgage advice available at EBS Ennis

E

BS Ennis has been open throughout this covid crisis with some restrictions in place that enabled us to social distance.

Many customers have needed assistance with mortgage repayments and we have been working with customers throughout this crisis to meet their needs. We have also been busy putting new mortgages in place and advising those that were in the process of buying/building over the last few months. We are happy to report that most of the mortgages that were scheduled to issue in March, April and May have done so although in most cases it took a little longer than it normally would to advance those monies.

We are delighted to talk to people who are thinking of buying or building. We are available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.

& Social Research InCORMAC O'SULLIVAN PARTNER AT DNG O'SULLIVAN HURLEY ENNIS stitute) predicted a 12 per cent fall in house prices over the coming 18 months however Mr O’Sullivan insists that despite initial concerns, it does not appear like this will now materialise. He conceded that between 10-15 per cent of sale agreed deals fell through due to potential buyers’ personal circumstances being affected by Covid, however in most cases other buyers were on hand to complete the failed deals.

“The level of enquiries coming in on each property that is for sale is still quite high and that’s instilling confidence in us that perhaps this will not have the impact that some reports had in terms of high percentage falls and that comes down to supply and demand,” said Mr O’Sullivan, who as such. Whenever we see something going is in business partnership with Douglas down, one of the first things we start talking Hurley at DNG in Ennis. about is ‘how much will houses fall by?’ and “We went into Covid where it was known how difficult will it be going forward from a on the open market there was a shortage of banking point of view. The banks are open supply. We come out of this with the same for business [this time]. problem. Prior to Covid, we saw the end As the property market begins to fully price exceed the asking price by 5-10 per reopen this week, Mr O’Sullivan is advising cent. You might not see that in some cases potential sellers to continue their course in going forward, but I think the guide price getting their property to the market. “We’re will probably stay the same. Your typical finding any property we valued pre-Covid, three-bedroom semi in Ennis is typically at we have now prepared it to go to the mar€195-200k, still less than cost to build a new ket and they’re returning at the same price house. The prices in Clare were still in re- we had valued them pre-lockdown. Because covery from the recession we had previously the level of enquiries we’re seeing coming in gone through so we won’t probably see guide – one property in Ennis has had over 50 reprices fall in any amount going forward.” quests for viewings, that’s phenomenal and Cormac admits that while as a nation we it shows the volume of people still looking are “hitting into unknown territory”, the – there’s no house up for sale where there’s fall-out will not be comparable to the last not in excess of five requests for viewing on economic downturn 10 years ago. “The last our return. So I’m encouraging vendors to recession was financially driven so the ma- get their property up for sale because from jor industries affected were the likes of de- where we’re sitting, clearly the demand is velopment, auctioneering practices, finan- still there in a market that was undersupcial services and indeed the banking sector plied.” who were highly exposed to significant debt.

That debt had all been restructured, the assets all sold on, so you don’t have that go- For any property enquiries, contact DNG ing into this recession. This isn’t a property O’Sullivan Hurley on 065 6840200 or email driven or indeed financial driven recession info@dngosullivanhurley.com.

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12 CARRIG DUBH, TOBERTEASCAIN, ENNIS V95 W6X7

€220,000

This 4 Bedroom, semi-detached property is meticulously maintained and modernised to include extensive timber flooring, quality tiling, feature fireplace with solid fuel stove, quality fitted kitchen and built in wardrobes to two bedrooms. Each room is bright spacious and well proportioned.

6 MEADOW COURT, CLON ROAD, ENNIS V95 CCN9

€199,000

This 3 bedroom semi-detached family home is presented in excellent condition. With all amenities on your doorstep it offers the prospective buyer a bright, spacious and well-proportioned home which has been modernised in the past two years with new windows and doors, new kitchen and new bathroom aligned with redecoration throughout.

45 HAZELWOOD, ENNIS V95 FC6K

POA

20 CATHEDRAL COURT, ENNIS V95 KF38 €140,000

No. 45 is a three bedroom semidetached home located in the popular and small cul de sac of Hazelwood, a popular development of semi-detached and detached family homes, just 150m from St. Flannan's College, a five minute walk to all town centre amenities and offers easy access to transport bus and rail links and the M18 is within 3km.

No.20 is a rare gem to come to the Ennis market. With private door access, this 2 (double) bedroom ground floor apartment offers bright spacious and well proportioned living accommodation. The hidden treasure of this property is to the rear, which features a wrap around site that is normally reserved for your 3/4 bedroom semi-detached homes.

AGENT; CORMAC O'SULLIVAN

AGENT; JOHN CLOHESSY

19 BANNER COURT, LIMERICK ROAD, ENNIS V95 KVF2 €150,000

76 HERMITAGE, ENNIS V95 YCX7 €129,000

AGENT; CORMAC O'SULLIVAN

AGENT; CORMAC O'SULLIVAN

33 MOYGLASS, CRUSHEEN V95 NY70 €195,000

1 LIFFORD FIELD, ENNIS V95 RWC8

A stunning 5 bedroom semi-detached family home located in the popular village of Crusheen in the quite cul de sac estate (just 50 houses) of Moyglass. Inside the property is finished to a very high standard with top quality fixtures and fittings. Outside offers ample off street parking and large rear gardens (not overlooked).

This 4 bedroom property is located just off St. Senan's Road, one of Ennis Towns most mature and sought after residential locations. Tastefully extended and renovated in 2009, the property would suit a broad range of purchaser, be it the first time buyer, family buyer or those more senior in years, with all amenities of Ennis town just a short stroll.

Boasting off-street parking and an amazing rear garden.

AGENT; CORMAC O'SULLIVAN

AGENT; CORMAC O'SULLIVAN

AGENT; JOHN CLOHESSY

40 MARIAN AVENUE, ENNIS V95 AYF1 €110,000

72 THE HAWTHORNS, LIMERICK ROAD, ENNIS V95 K2P0 €179,000

12A STATION ROAD, ENNIS V95 Y7WE

Number 72 is a 4 bedroom semi-detached home presented for sale in excellent condition, fronting onto the green amenity of the development and boasting bright and spacious and well proportioned living accommodation. Within walking distance of all local and town amenities and with excellent connections onto the M18, this property would make a fantastic first time buyer/ family/investor home.

Station Court is a 3 bedroom, mid-terrace property located beside Ennis bus & rail station and within walking distance of the Town Centre and all its amenities. The property overlooks communal courtyard area to the front, with private landscaped rear garden and gated access to the rear. Internally the property is presented in excellent decorative order throughout.

Located in Quin Village, immediately adjacent to Quin National School and within walking distance of all local village amenities, Number 19 Ard na Mainstreach is a 3 bedroom semi-detached home, finished to an excellent standard throughout and would make a fantastic first time buyer or growing family home, offering countryside living but the conveniences for commuters to Shannon, Ennis, Limerick and Galway.

AGENT; CORMAC O'SULLIVAN

AGENT; JOHN CLOHESSY

AGENT; CORMAC O'SULLIVAN

Marian Avenue has become one of Ennis towns hidden gems, boasting a town centre location, generous rear garden, with the added advantage of having rear access and block built workshop/storage shed.

The accommodation is set over two floors, with main reception, kitchen/dining and shower room at ground floor level and 3 bedrooms on the first floor with shower room to main bedroom. This property requires some renovation/redecoration but offers excellent potential for owner occupier or investor AGENT; CORMAC O'SULLIVAN

POA

Number 19 is a 3 bedroom terraced home brought to the market in excellent condition throughout. This is an excellent first time buyer or investment property.

Mid terrace 2 bedroom property in an excellent location, within walking distance of the town centre and all amenities. The property enjoys prime location on elevated site overlooking Ennis Town. Mature residential area with front and rear garden area with gated side access. Rear garden is laid to lawn with paved BBQ area directly from kitchen/dining room. The property has recently been redecorated and is presented in excellent order.

AGENT; JOHN CLOHESSY

COURT,

QUIN

€179,000

19 ARD NA MAINSTREACH, QUIN V95 W651 €199,000

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This may affect your credit rating, which may limit your ability to access credit in the future.

Warning: If you do not keep up your repayments you may lose your home.

Lending criteria, terms and conditions apply. For eligible customers, 2% will be paid back into your current account. Additional 1% paid on the 5th anniversary of the EBS mortgage.

Offer valid until 31st December 2020.

Emer O’Reilly Financial Services Limited is a tied mortgage agent acting solely on behalf of EBS d.a.c. EBS d.a.c. is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

WARNING: YOUR HOME IS AT RISK IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP PAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER LOAN SECURED ON IT. A typical €100,000, 20 year mortgage for an Owner Occupier Residential Property with Loan to value greater than 80% will have a variable interest rate of 3.7% and Annual Percentage Rate (APR) 3.8%, and 240 monthly repayments of €590.29. If the APR does not vary during the term of the mortgage, the total cost of credit i.e. the total amount repayable less than the amount of the loan would be €41,884.48 (inclusive of valuation report fees of €215.00). The total amount repayable would be €141,884.48. The effect of a 1% increase in interest rates for such a mortgage will add €53.21 to the monthly repayments.

Note: The above notice in respect of adjustments to repayment rates will not apply during any period when the loan is at a fixed rate. If you or your dependants intend to use the property as a principal place of residence, you must show evidence of mortgage protection insurance, unless you are exempt under the Consumer Credit Act 1995. Maximum loan to value of Owner Occupier Residential Properties - 90% of purchase price or valuation whichever is lower and 80% loan to value on one bedroom properties. Lending levels are subject to monthly repayment burden, typically not exceeding c. 35% of borrower’s disposable income and will vary according to individual circumstances. Mortgage loan requests are considered on the basis of proof of income, financial status and demonstrated repayment capacity (including capacity to repay at higher interest rates). Loans not available to people under 18. Mortgage loans are secured by a first legal mortgage/charge over your property. The property must be within the Republic of Ireland.

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Sport Clare Echo THE

11-06-20

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CLUB KNOCKOUT A NON-RUNNER PÁRAIC MCMAHON

C

paraic@clareecho.ie

LARE GAA are unlikely to put in a place a knockout format for the 2020 club championships while underage campaigns are at risk of not going ahead.

Different options are being assessed by the Clare County Board to determine how championships will be completed this summer. A roadmap is being prepared by the County Board which will outline the manner in which games will take place and if spectators will be allowed to attend matches.

Chairperson, Joe Cooney told The Clare Echo that he is hopeful this roadmap will be completed “in the next couple of weeks” but highlighted that Government guidelines may change in the interval and that officials were monitoring the advice on a daily basis.

“We are hopeful to play all championships at adult level,” Cooney stated, this would include senior, intermediate and junior grades while it is possible the U21 club campaigns will be completed.

As of yet the structure of each championship is unknown. “We are not sure of the structure,” the O’Callaghans Mills man said on Wednesday. One official has told The Clare Echo that a knockout format is not a runner for the Clare SHC and Clare SFC. According to Cooney, “it is our belief that we cannot use the current format because

there are not enough weeks to play the games”. He said clubs would be unable to play games midweek as players are working in different parts of the country and as such a new structure would have to be found for 2020. Consultations with the committee behind the Master Fixtures Plan is ongoing.

Social distancing will have to be maintained by spectators if they are granted access to attend club games in Clare.

The roadmap is to provide clarity on how this can be achieved and may also preclude certain venues from hosting games.

At a meeting of Co Board officials this week, the prospect of running underage championships was not discussed. The prospect of finding pitches, referees and time has been flagged as a concern by some officers which may impact on underage hurling and gaelic football championships taking place.

Further discussion of the formats and underage games are to take place at a County Board meeting in the near future. Cooney confirmed that Clare GAA are contemplating holding such a meeting via teleconference as over 50 clubs will be expected to have a delegate present.

lBETTER DAYS: Scenes from 2018 championship and (inset) Joe Cooney Photo by Martin Connolly

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Duggan helps out with Covid-19 testing PÁRAIC MCMAHON

T

paraic@clareecho.ie

RAVELLING to Cusack Park or the Gaelic Grounds would ordinarily offer Orlaith Duggan the rare prospect of lining out for Clare in a county ground, instead she’s found herself taking swabs at both locations over recent weeks.

In a stark comparison from her usual role as a speech and language therapist, Orlaith is redeployed for three days of the week in Covid-19 testing centres and then carries out her normal occupation from home for two days of the week. It comes as SLT services provided by the Department of Health are reduced during the pandemic, prompting the redeployment of staff.

Unsurprisingly, she is outside her comfort zone by taking the swabs of individuals referred for a sample to

be taken. “At the start you would be apprehensive, it’s well outside what I’m used to and you would be worried about bringing the virus home with you. We’re really well protected and we have all the PPE, it is nice to be contributing in this whole scenario. Anyone that has come for testing, they are nervous or apprehensive, it’s nice to be friendly and put them at ease as well as doing our jobs, it’s nice to feel that you are contributing in some way.

“I’m happy to be working, to be busy and not idle in the house. I’ve been in the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick and now the testing centre in Cusack Park, I’m inside more county grounds than the whole of my camogie career,” Duggan quipped.

A greater emphasis has been placed on testing in nursing homes which Orlaith described as “different and challenging”. She stated, “It’s the same for everyone, every week is different which adds to the uncertainty and anxiety about everything but there is no routine for anyone but I’m happy to be going

out of the house, contributing and working”.

Collective training for the Clare senior camogie panel has been shelved since March. “Some days are good, some days are not so good, maybe that is something we’re not familiar because we have routine and things to keep us busy, we’ve put a lot of emphasis on it being okay to have bad days where you haven’t anything to structure your day for or have motivation to do a lot of things”.

Coping strategies to deal with anxiety during the current restrictions have been worked on by the panel. The side’s sports psychologist, Nollaig O’Sullivan has been on hand to help panellists that may have higher levels of anxiety and those that are feeling down. Orlaith commented, “It is hard for everyone. I read a good quote, ‘we’re all in the same storm but we’re in different boats’, people are just experiencing the lockdown in different ways, the mental health side of it is really important and it’s great we

Health considerations at forefront of IGB plans ahead of racing return GREYHOUND racing trials drew a big turnout of dogs and owners in Galway and Limerick this week ahead of the sport’s behind closed doors return next week.

In line with Phase 2 in the roadmap for reopening society and business in Ireland, greyhound racing will be permitted behind closed doors. Since Monday, a series of greyhound trials have been underway at fourteen tracks across the country as organised by the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB).

Owners and trainers were requested to bring their own muzzles and trap sheets when attending the trials.

Racing returns at Galway on Tuesday and Wednesday evening with Limerick cards scheduled for Friday and Saturday of next week.

Chairman of the IGB, Frank Nyhan said the return was “critical for the wider industry and to support jobs across our stadia network, greyhound owners, breeders trainers and a wide range of support services. The loss of racing for the twelve-week period has impacted on the greyhound industry similar to all other industries during this difficult period”.

Officials within the IGB have said health considerations will be “at the forefront of our activities”. Protocols and response plans have been prepared with stadia and tracks equipped to adhere to recommendations from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

During the suspension of greyhound racing, the IGB put in place a Covid-19 Greyhound Care Payment Scheme which provided a subsistence payment in respect of 6,647 greyhounds to ensure that the care and welfare needs of racing greyhounds were fully addressed during the period of suspension.

Expenditure on the scheme will be of the order of €1.3m.

can contribute that type of charity as well as helping ourselves a bit”.

Weekly check-ins are done “to ask those kind of questions like how are you getting on, what challenges did you have this week, what went well for you, what didn’t and they are not camogie related which is something that came from management and players. It’s important to link in too, there is all the Zoom quizzes going on but sometimes no one ask actually how are you and give you the platform to discuss the good and the bad days, the feelings that come with the unknown”. Webinars have also been provided by the WGPA to help players focus through breathing, meditation and yoga.

With more time at her disposal, the former captain is prioritising performance aspects that she would have previously neglected. “I would be in the group that would train away and turn a blind eye to the niggles. I’m more conscious of minding my body and not overdoing it which is hard because you’re looking on social media and peo-

lHELPING OUT: Orlaith Duggan

Photo by Gary Duggan

ple are running 5km every day. I’ve become more aware of what I can fit into my schedule and what my body is able to handle. Before in a collective group you’d put the head down and do whatever, now I’m listening more to my body and doing more mobility and walking for your headspace, some of the nicer things and slower pace things that I would ignore in our regular season or wouldn’t prioritise mobility or yoga, now I’m doing them because they are helping me cope day to day”.

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11-06-20

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Wall hopeful for Kennedy Cup

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LARE’S Kennedy Cup manager is hopeful the prestigious schoolboys soccer tournament will be played late this year or into 2021.

Having initially announced the cancellation of the 2020 Kennedy Cup, the Schoolboys Football Association of Ireland (SFAI) appeared to row back on their decision and released a follow-up statement declaring “we will examine all avenues that might allow the 2020 version go ahead at an alternative date,” should the health of the nation improved.

Preparations for the June tournament began in August, a squad of 29 was finalised for the Emerging Talent Programme and over the passing months they conducted 34 training sessions. Clare’s squad followed suit with their sporting counterparts all over the country by stopping training in March. Away from collective training, players have been encouraged to work on their fitness and ball mastery with challenges also set by the management team.

Manager, Davy Wall expected the announcement from the SFAI but maintained the 2020 Kennedy Cup should proceed when it is safe to do so as opposed to cancelling the tournament. “Everybody wants this to go ahead. Unfortunately it just happened at this time for this age-group, there is nothing we can say or do to change it, it’s just the way it is. The National Cups have been cancelled, some teams were nearly in the quarter-final stages of the National Cup, that has been cancelled. I think it was a bit premature of the SFAI to cancel it so early but they did come back and I think they realise there may be opportunities to get these played”.

“I wouldn’t be confident we’d go in 2020 but there is a big opportunity for them to play in Christmas but definitely in the Easter of next year for this group, a lot of them have been together for three years, not all of them but most of them, they really want to play in the Kennedy Cup,” the Shannon native told The Clare Echo.

Wall waited until confirmation was issued from the SFAI before passing on contacting the parents and panel of players. “I didn’t want to be updating them with stuff I heard off the street and this fella said that or this, that is not the way I work, I had told them we’d wait to hear what the plan was from the SFAI. We messaged the group and we broke it to them that way,” he explained.

Coaching and management has provided great enjoyment for Davy since retiring from his playing days where he lined out as a striker for Newtown FC and Newmarket Celtic. His move into coaching coincided with the establishment of Shannon Hibs, he took charge of their first team for two seasons and then focused on the underage ranks taking the club’s youngest side from when the players were aged four and stayed with them until U12, the highlight being reaching the last sixteen of the SFAI U12 National Cup. He is also involved with the Limerick academy, Dynamic Coaching and is using the break from Clare training to complete assignments to get his UEFA B coaching licence. His time thus far with the county Kennedy Cup side has been very positive and he is eager the players will get the opportunity to line out in the tournament in the near future.

Jamie Malone undecided on Clare return Jamie Malone at Mullachmore in the Burren Photo by Gary Collins

PÁRAIC MCMAHON

G

paraic@clareecho.ie

AA action is to scheduled to commence in October, at the beginning of the year Jamie Malone was not part of the Clare senior football panel and he is currently unsure if he will return when

they resume training in the coming months.

Jamie was one of the key figures involved in Corofin’s fundraiser for TLC4CF as members of their intermediate hurling and gaelic football panels made fifty ascents of Mullaghmore, their total distance then equalled the height of Mount Everest’s peak.

An All Star nominee last season as Clare agonisingly missed out on a place in the Super 8s, Malone was not part of Colm Collins’ panel for 2020 as he spent the beginning of the year overseas.

He told The Clare Echo no decision has

yet been made on whether a return to the saffron and blue is on the cards this year. “I couldn’t give a yes or no on that. I don’t know would it be fully up to me, there’s a panel of players that have been working hard since last November that have been trying to keep things going as best they can. I don’t know to be honest.

“The club season looks like it will be done first so that is what I’d be concentrating on at the minute, I’m looking forward to getting back playing and hopefully we will be there or thereabouts with Corofin in the interme-

diate championships this year, we’ll see how that goes first and cross the next bridge when we come to it”.

In October, Jamie headed off to South-East Asia and Australia coming home “just before the craziness of COVID-19 began”. He added, “Not long after I came home, I realised that heading away again wasn’t going to be an option for me, once that was the state of play I was okay with that. I’ll be around for the next couple of months, I was on a career break from my job as a teacher so I’ll heading back to school at the end of August if they can reopen all going well”.

First called up to the county senior panel in 2014, Jamie admitted that his time away from the GAA through travelling and restrictions has been refreshing. “It does open your eyes.

When I was away, you really are away from it, you’re not listening or thinking about it at all, it was nice to switch off from it. When I came home, I wasn’t back too long and there was no GAA at all, the last few months I haven’t missed it greatly because I’ve had time to do other things.

“In the last few days with the mention of going back training, you do get an itch, I’m looking forward to going back, I don’t know if it is something I’d go back all in for, I’ll have to see how things pan out, I’m looking forward to going back but I did enjoy the time away from it”.

One of Clare’s key men, Jamie has been a vital player in both codes for Corofin but his efforts on the fundraising front have been very successful with over €16,000 raised for TLC4CF due to their ascent of Mullaghmore.

Further donations can be made on GoFundMe, the donation link can be found by visiting Corofin GAA on social media.

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‘POETRY IN MOTION’ The story of Jason Titley’s Grand National win 25 years on STUART HOLLY

A

PRIL 8, 1995, Aintree.

Some 150,000 roared from the stands as Clareman Jason Titley steered Royal Athlete to Grand National glory. Millions more tuned in from their homes, many hanging on the words of iconic BBC commentator Peter O’Sullevan.

“Is this going to be another one for Jenny Pitman? They’re racing towards the elbow. And it’s Royal Athlete being chased now by Party Politics, a previous winner. They’re coming into the final hundred yards and Royal Athlete is sprinting! Royal Athlete cannot be caught now. Royal Athlete under 24-yearold Jason Titley comes to the line to win it.”

It was his debut outing at the Aintree Grand National – alongside fellow debutante AP McCoy – and one in which he would record the second fastest ever time on the track, on board a horse that hadn’t run over fences that season. Now 25 years on, pace of life is slower for Titley at home in Quin where he lives with his wife Paula and two children, Leah (9) and Jessie (6).

Asked if he spends much time reflecting on his greatest day in the saddle, Jason responds, “Ah, I don’t.

Well I suppose I do now and again.

The kids would put it on the odd day and have a look at it and have a bit of a laugh. It was a great day, an unbelievable day. I couldn’t even believe it even until I pulled up. I never even thought about winning, it was a National!”

Thirty-five horses took to the track at the then start time of 3.45pm, some 20 of which would not finish the race. Animal rights demonstrators had tried to disrupt the event by setting off an orange smoke bomb near the 11th fence but most of the smoke didn’t make its way onto the course and the horses were able to continue without incident. However after nine minutes and three seconds, Jason smoked across the line on Royal Athlete having blitzed the leading pack to race clear by seven lengths on the final stretch. Only then did Jason take the opportunity to stand up in his saddle and welcome the feeling of elation. “Oh my God,

the energy of the crowd and everything. It was unbelievable, it was nearly like riding your first winner, you get the butterflies in your belly.”

It was a ride that came by chance for the then 24-year-old. Two weeks prior to Aintree, legendary English trainer Jenny Pitman was having trouble finding a suitable jockey for the veteran chaser who had finished third in the Gold Cup earlier that season. She didn’t want to run the horse in the National but her hand was forced by Royal Athlete’s owners. Several jockeys had turned down the ride so Ms Pitman was watching the racing channels trying to find the “right person” when she spotted Titley giving horses what she described as a quiet ride, something which would prove conducive to winning with Royal Athlete as Jason explains, “You couldn’t interfere with his mouth too much, you see.”

The Shannon native takes up the story. “My agent Graham James rang me. You had agents that time, you wouldn’t be talking to most trainers yourself. He said ‘you have to be at Jenny Pitman’s in the morning’. I said ‘oh yeah?’. This was 10 days before the National. He said ‘She wants you to sit on Royal Athlete, well Alfie was his nickname so that’s what he said, Alfie. So I went in and met her and she said ‘sit on him there’. I rode him a bit of work and he worked well and he settled and she said to us coming off the gallop, ‘you get on with him, that’s fine’. She rang my agent and said, ‘you can ride him’. So that was the start of that.”

The story goes that Pitman understood Titley to be a man who enjoyed a night out and had him pre-warned not to drink the night before arriving at Aintree. Jason has a slightly different take on the story.

“She did [issue a warning] but it wasn’t just for me, now. There were three or four of us riding for her, Rodney Farrant, Warren Marston, Brendan Powell and myself. On the Saturday morning of the National you have to go up and ride out at 7am and she said ‘I don’t want the smell of drink off any of ye Saturday morning’ so we all just laughed. She looked at us and said, “I’m warning ye lads, I will not let ye ride the horse if any of ye smell of drink.’

“So actually, I didn’t go out at all.

I stayed in the hotel in Haydock Park, I shared a room with Nick Skelton the showjumper. We had to be at the course at 7am in Liverpool

so I was just getting up as he was coming in and I said ‘don’t come near me’ and he says ‘why?’. I said ‘if she smells drink off me from you, I won’t be allowed on the horse.”

Reflecting on the National victory, Pitman has been quoted as saying that Jason on board Royal Athlete was “poetry in motion” and for the many followers of Titley’s young career, that’s exactly what it was. Jason describes Royal Athlete as a very brave horse with “some bit of class” but his thoughts were never on winning the race. However Titley did have a penchant for the big occasions.

The eldest of two, horse racing came early to the man who split his younger years living between Newmarket-on-Fergus and Shannon. His uncle owned race horses, including one named Our Greenwood that ran (and fell) under Aidan O’Connell in the 1980 Grand National at 100/1, while his grandfather Harry Russell was part of the Limerick Harriers. “I started off with Little Finch,” recalls Jason, recounting one of the first thoroughbreds he ever rode. “Danny King owned him and he used to call to Conheady’s yard to me for years, I used to ride her out at the time. She was placed more times than she won, I think she was second 11 times in a row for Michael Conheady. I was only nine or 10 at the time.”

Having attended St Conaire’s Primary School, Jason continued his education at St Patrick’s Comprehensive School in Shannon howev-

er the lack of equine studies in the classroom meant he was losing interest fast. “I was gone after my Inter Cert,” says Jason with a chuckle.

“I ended up going to the teacher, Miss O’Donovan. I went up to the door myself one morning and said ‘look, I’m wasting teachers’ time and my own time, could I have a year out and if I don’t ride two or three winners, I’ll come back’ and she agreed with me. And I was leading claiming rider that year.” So that was the end of school.

By 1992 at the age of 21, things took off for Titley. His first major win came riding the John Brassil-trained How’s the Boss (20/1) in the 1992 Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle. Then came a winning Cheltenham debut, My View in the Coral Golden Hurdle Final. This was followed by success in the Jameson Irish Grand National on Vanton for the now deceased Michael O’Brien.

He then rode Natalie’s Fancy to win in the Galway Hurdle for Pat Kelly.

“It was a great year,” remarks Jason.

As his career continued on an upward trajectory, so did his thirst for success and a move to the UK followed which had a far more active racing scene. With his Aintree win in 1995 came greater opportunities.

Titley didn’t get home to Shannon for a month to celebrate with family and friends such was the demand from media and trainers in its aftermath. But with the demands came success. “In 1996, I think I had 50 winners in England and about 26 in Ireland. I used to come back to Ireland on Sundays, so I had about

76 wins altogether. It was probably my best year.”

Another memorable win would follow in 1997 in a highly dramatic photo finish at the Irish Grand National under Jenny Pitman’s Mudahim, who for all the world looked to have been pipped by Amble Speedy.

The Shannon man would then begin to gravitate back to Ireland towards the end of the decade, fatigued by the persistent trips up and down UK motorways while spotting an opening at home. “I did four or five years in England.

I wasn’t homesick or anything but the racing in Ireland and the prize money was starting to get better and there was kind of an opening here, not as a stable jockey but with the likes of Noel Meade, Eddie O’Grady and Clontarf, they were bringing lads over from England to ride their horses on Saturday and Sunday and they had nobody on the weekdays so I just started saying I’d stay if I got good enough rides on the Thursday. It just worked out that way.”

Riding in Thurles in November 2001 at the age of 30, Titley made the snap decision to retire from racing. Much of his decision lay in the constant battle to reach 10 stone.

“Yeah, the weight was killing me, I just had enough of wasting and said I’d give it a break for a month and that was it, I never went back.

When I got out I had no injuries really, I had a few when I was racing but I walked out of it perfect and I have no regrets now.”

He would finally settle in Quin where he started working at the Monks Well Inn pub which his mother had purchased and still runs today, before continuing on his chosen path of working with horses. He now runs a successful pre-training yard educating young thoroughbred horses for big owners such as Philip Reynolds and Luke McMahon.

Trainer Pat Kelly once referred to Titley as “a wild man but a helluva jockey”. In a county that has produced celebrated jockeys including Kieren Fallon and Derek O’Connor, Titley can proudly claim his place among the best for producing magic moments on the biggest of days.

“It was unbelievable, I have two Irish Nationals and an English National. I’d never dreamt in my wildest dreams when I was a young lad that that would happen. I rode in all the big races and couldn’t have been happier.”

40 CLASSIFIEDS

THURSDAY, JUNE 11 2020

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STORAGE

The Clare Echo Planning Contact 065 671 9021

065 671 9021 sales@clareecho.ie

CLARE CO COUNCIL THE SQUARE, MAIN ST. NEWMARKET ON FERGUS, CO CLARE

Permission sought as follows: [a] To refurbish and carry out mainly internal alterations, including minor elevational adjustments to existing two storey dwelling house including all associated site works & services. (b) To sub-divide and alter part of existing first floor over existing pharmacy, including ‘Change of its Use’ from domestic residential to a one bedroom ‘over the shop’ apartment. (c) Permission is also sought to alter, extend & renovate Vardens Pharmacy including all associated siteworks / services at The Square, Main St. Newmarket on Fergus, Co Clare, applicant: Joseph Varden.

The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application,

and such submissions or observations will be considered by the planning authority in making a decision on the application.

The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions or may refuse to grant permission.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL, 13 RIVERSIDE PARK, SHANNON BANKS, CORBALLY, CO. CLARE V94T1HW

We, Kay and Kevin Bridgeman, intend to apply for Permission to Retain attic conversion to domestic store room at the above address.

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

The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission.

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42 PUZZLEPAGE

THURSDAY, JUNE 11 2020

Best Daily Word Search

THIS WEEKS PUZZLES JUNE 11 Best Daily Word Search: 20 May 2020

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QUIZ 43

THURSDAY, JUNE 11 2020

The Clare Echo FARMING QUIZ

first farmers settled in Clare 1The over how many years ago?

6A fulachta fiadh was used for?

first farmers practiced crop 2The cultivation in which age?

226 _______ have been record7Over ed in County Clare?

Field systems emerged on Clare 3 farms in from which century onwards?

and Blanket are two types of 8Basin _____ which reside in County Clare?

. 2000 . 4000 . 6000

. Mesolithic . Neolithic . Paleolithic

. 14th and 15th c . 16th and 17th c . 18th and 19th c

. Hiding . Cooking . Living

. Fairy Forts . Holy Wells . Castles

. Rock formations . Rivers . Peat bogs

head office in Clare is ancient farming apparatus is 9Teagasc’s located in?

4What located at Caherconnel?

5

10

How many ringforts are located in Ireland?

. 30,000 . 45,000 . 65,000

. 100 . 300 . 500

Clare contains over ________ lakes.

6. Cooking 7. Holy Wells 8. Peat bogs 9. Ennis 10. 300

. Kilrush . Shannon . Ennis

ANSWERS

1. 6000 2. Neolithic 3. 18th and 19th c 4. Stone fort 5. 45,000

. Stone fort . Well . Castle

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

The answers will be revealed in next weeks edition.

Glenn Murray, Shane Cusack, Callum McNamara, Katie O’Flanagan, Peter Power and Brid Walsh

brought to you by Clare County Council

T

HE Clare Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) has approved over €73k in funding for community and voluntary groups under the Covid-19 Emergency Fund.

Speaking on behalf of the members of the LCDC, the Chair of the LCDC, Andrew Dundas, commented on “the significant volume of applications received, all of which were deserving of funding and very worthwhile, which made the task of distributing the limited resources all the more difficult”.

The Mayor of Clare, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy, welcomed the funding allocation by the LCDC and the timing of its distribution: “Community and voluntary organisations involved in the Community Call have a very clear focus as to the needs of the most vulnerable in our local communities, and the application of the available funding will assist towards the provision of resources to continue to respond to those needs.”

Bernadette Haugh, Chief Officer of the LCDC, said that two very clear countywide needs emerged from the funding requests for projects in excess of €1,000, namely hardship/food requirements and psychological support, and noted the importance of the LCDC in “ensuring that the operational costs associated with

these two specific requirements became the primary target of the Covid-19 Emergency Fund allocation to achieve a countywide focus on these critical areas during the current crisis.”

The list of grant beneficiaries is as follows: • Ballyvaughan Community Development Group • Clare Care • Clare Haven Services • Clare Local Development Company • Clare Women’s Network • Irish Red Cross – Clare • Killaloe Ballina FRC • Lisdoonvarna Failte CLG • Love Shannon Group • Mounshannon Community Council • New Quay Community Development • Newmarket on Fergus GAA • North West Clare Family Resource Centre • Obair Newmarket on Fergus CLG • Ogonnelloe Community Centre CLG • Scariff Community Council • Scarriff Bay Radio • Shannon Family Resource Centre • Tuamgraney Development Association • Tulla Reaching Out Heritage Group • West Clare Family Resource Centre.

LCDC approves €73k in funding for community and voluntary groups l Bernadette Haugh, Chief Officer of the LCDC; Mayor of Clare, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy; and Andrew Dundas, Chair of the LCDC.

Town and Village Renewal Scheme COMMUNITY groups across County Clare are being encouraged to apply for funding under the 2020 Town and Village Renewal Scheme. A total of €15m has been allocated to this year’s scheme.

The 2020 scheme will, in particular, support projects and strategic interventions that place a particular emphasis on the economic and social recovery of towns and villages in response to Covid-19. This might include public realm projects to make towns and villages more accessible in the context of Covid-19 public health requirements, or supports for projects with a direct economic component such as enterprise hubs or remote working solutions.

The Mayor of Clare, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy, has welcomed the announcement of the scheme at a time when the county’s towns and villages need to increase footfall and adapt to Covid-19, noting that “towns and villages in Clare are at the heart of our economic and social activity and will play a pivotal role once again in providing safe spaces for people to meet and do business as the current restrictions are eased in line with the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business”.

Clare County Council’s Chief Executive, Pat Dowling, particularly welcomed the scheme’s new standalone Accelerated Measure, which he said “will provide accelerated support for Clare’s towns and villages to enable them to quickly adapt to public health requirements such as social distancing in the short term, and to encourage increased footfall.”

Grant funding of €20,000 up to €200,000 is available under the standard scheme while maximum grants of €25,000 are available under the new Accelerated Measure element of the scheme, with the possibility to increase to €40,000 for a small number of high-impact projects.

More details on the scheme and an Expression of Interest form for both the Accelerated Measures and standard Town and Village Renewal Scheme can be downloaded from the Clare County Council website: http://www.clarecoco.ie/services/community/grants/townand-village-renewal-scheme/ or telephone 065-6846471.

The deadlines for receipt of applications are as follows: • Round 1 Accelerated Measure is 4pm on Friday, 19th June, 2020 • Round 2 Accelerated Measure is 4pm on Tuesday, 30th June, 2020 • Standard Town and Village Renewal Scheme is 4pm on Tuesday, 30th June, 2020.

CLÁR programme to help rural communities respond to Covid-19

C

LÁR is a targeted investment programme for rural areas which aims to provide funding for small-scale infrastructural projects in areas which have suffered the greatest levels of population decline.

The 2020 CLÁR programme is one element of a €30 million package of supports under the Department of Rural and Community Development’s Rural Development Investment Programme.

Welcoming the funding, the Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling, said the revised approach to CLÁR this year “has been specifically tailored to help rural communities to respond to the new challenges arising from Covid-19, targeting funding to adapt local spaces and support community interaction safely”.

The measures being funded un-

der the 2020 CLÁR programme are: Measure 1: Schools/Community Safety measures Measure 2: Community Recreation Areas Measure 3: Community Wellbeing, comprising funding towards: • Meals on Wheels and linked services (new in 2020) • Mobility and Cancer Care Transport.

Measure 1, which funds items such as pedestrian crossings and footpaths to provide safe access to schools, has been broadened to allow additional investments to adapt areas around schools and community facilities to help meet new public health requirements arising from Covid-19.

Funding will be provided under a new Measure 2 for community recreational areas where friends and families can socialise outdoors in

safe, accessible, community spaces while respecting public health guidelines. These recreational areas will be particularly important for community social interaction in the coming months, in line with the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business.

Clare County Council will be operating Measures 1 and 2 of the CLÁR scheme. Up to 10 applications in total may be selected by Clare County Council in respect of Measures 1 and 2. The maximum grant funding for projects under Measures 1 and 2 is €50,000. The application form, guidelines and map of eligible areas of Clare are available at www.clarecoco.ie/services/community/grants/clar/ or telephone 065-6846222.

Applications under Measure 3 should be submitted directly to the Department of Rural and Community Development.

brought to you by Clare County Council

Ennis Town Centre welcomes safe reopening of businesses

W

ITH phase 2 of the Government Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business coming into effect on June 8th, 2020, Ennis Town Centre is welcoming people back into the town while adhering to key public health guidelines.

Many retail operations in Ennis Town Centre are reopening this week for the first time since the introduction of restrictions, and there is excitement among businesses to welcome people back into the town to kick-start the local economy.

Ennis Town Centre is implementing protocols and has introduced new measures to adapt to physical distancing and other requirements necessitated by Covid-19.

Clare County Council, in consultation with a stakeholder group comprising representatives from businesses, the community, and the wider public sector, is continuing to support residents, the business community and all citizens to access the town safely as we move into the new phase.

In addition to new signage and information notices, visitors can expect to see other visual changes around Ennis which are aimed at refreshing the appearance of the town. Planters with spring flowers have been put in place to complement the visual appeal of Ennis.

Additional measures are being introduced at this time under the temporary Covid-19 Mobility Plan for Ennis Town Centre to facilitate business operations and to support vulnerable persons who need to access the Town Centre, while enabling compliance with physical distancing and other essential public health measures.

These measures are as follows: • ‘Click and Collect’ parking spaces have been provided to assist the broadening remit of courier/delivery services. These spaces have a maximum 15-minute time limit, to facilitate the collection of purchases from business. Four spaces are located in the Abbey Street Carpark near Brewery Lane, and a further four spaces in Friar’s Walk Carpark (near Clare Museum).

• Priority parking spaces have been provided to enable vulnerable members of the public to park in close proximity to the Town Centre. These spaces are subject to the standard time limits and ‘Pay and Display’ charges will apply.

Cormac McCarthy of Ennis TidyTowns has welcomed the improvements to Ennis Town Centre, saying: “Ennis TidyTowns sincerely appreciates the collaborative and inclusive approach adopted by Clare County Council in developing this Mobility Plan. In particular, the attention afforded to softening measures and enhancing the public realm with planting and sensitive design interventions is very welcome.”

Leonore O’Neill, Ennis Municipal District co-ordinator, Clare County Council, said: “Clare County Council wishes to work proactively with business, retail, community and event-organising sectors in each town to plan for and work collaboratively on reactivating local economies and building resilience and confidence in our future. The aim of these changes is to allow businesses to attract footfall into towns, but in a safe manner.”

Towns across County Clare are examining Mobility Plans for their own areas.

Employers and workers are reminded that the Return to Work Safely Protocol is available to support businesses to put measures in place that will prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace.