The Clare Echo 13/06/24

‘GOOD MAN DINNY’

‘An angel in this life’

Clare Haven founder passes away

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

FOUNDER OF CLARE Haven Services, Mary Fitzgerald a trail blazer for addressing issues surrounding domestic abuse and violence in Clare has been laid to rest.

Inagh native Mary was buried in Kilnamona on Wednes day, she died on Sunday following an illness.

In 1993, she founded Clare Haven Services which eventually led to the development of a 24-hour refuge for those escaping domestic abuse. Her tire less work saw her honoured the Christine Buckley Volunteer

of the Year in 2018 and two years ago she was presented with the Hall of Fame award by the Clare Association Dublin.

Five years ago, she was the Grand Marshal for the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Ennis. Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) who nominated Mary for this honour said, “The incredible good works accomplished by Mary made her an angel in this life. An Angel that has left this world too soon, but one who will remain our angel forever”.

l Dinny Gould is lifted shoulder high after winning the first seat in the Kilrush LEA. For comprehensive local election coverage see inside

Photo by Joe Buckley

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History repeats itself

Bingo night for school

SCOIL NA Maighdine Mhuire fresh from competing in the Cumann na mBunscoil Division 2 hurling final are doing their bit to raise funds for a new all-weather pitch, writes Páraic McMahon

This Saturday (June 15th), Scoil na Maighdine Mhuire will be running a bingo night in the Newmarket-on-Fergus community hall.

Organised by the schools’ Parents Council, fun for the entire family is promised with seasoned bingo goers to set the way for the next generation.

Raffle tickets will be sold on the night where the prizes include a 40 inch television and there will be a dedicated children’s raffle where the opportunity is there for a child to win a class party for their entire class.

Driving ban for partner of TD

A JUDGE has imposed a driving ban on the partner of Clare TD, Violet Anne Wynne (IND) after commenting that John Mountaine “continues to drive in breach of the law”, writes Gordon Deegan

At Kilrush District Court on Tuesday, Judge Alec Gabbett imposed the three month driving ban on Mr Mountaine (42) of Pella Rd, Kilrush for driving unaccompanied on a provisional licence at Lack West, Kilmihil, Co Clare in October 2021.

Judge Gabbett said, “I am quite concerned that Mr Mountaine continues to drive in breach of the law. The law is simple here - if you have a provisional licence, you must be accompanied when driving”.

Judge Gabbett said, “This is an ongoing offence with Mr Mountaine and he continues to drive unaccompanied while on a provisional licence”.

Judge Gabbett said that he had indicated in court exactly one year ago that he would convict Mr Mountaine of the offence but had given him time to sit his driving test and Mr Mountaine had failed to do so.

Imposing a €200 fine on Mr Mountaine for driving unaccompanied while on a provisional licence in October 2021, Judge Gabbett said that he was using his ancillary powers to impose the three month driving ban on Mr Mountaine.

He said, “I am concerned that there is an unlicensed driver on the road - albeit he is insured and that is the only comfort I take from it. That is for as long as his insurer indulges that particular position. I am not sure if they will into the future”.

Solicitor for Mr Mountaine, Patrick Moylan

said that his client has been on a waiting list for the driving test since November 3rd 2020 “and has not been called”.

Mr Moylan said, “He has been repeatedly told that a slot will become available”. Mr Moylan said, “He started his own business, Mounty’s Carpentry. He is doing his best with that and two people work for him”.

“He needs his driving licence. He has six children aged 14, 13, 11, eight, six and two”.

Mr Moylan said that Mr Mountaine was considering withdrawing his driving test application in Clare and re-submitting one for the Dublin area.

Judge Gabbett said that he found it ‘extraordinary” that Mr Mountaine has not been called for a driving test.

He said, “I have completed the BE trailer licence myself in the last year - in the time that he has been applying I have done my trailer test so I can’t understand how Mr Mountaine can’t sit his driving test”. Judge Gabbett said, “I am concerned that he is meeting all these obstacles”. Judge Gabbett also imposed a €300 fine on Mr Mountaine after convicting him for holding a mobile phone while driving in October 2021.

Mr Mountaine was on a call to Deputy Wynne at Leinster House during a ‘preschool run’ for two of the couple’s children on October 21st 2021 when he was spotted by Garda Patrick Hanley holding a mobile phone up to his ear while driving. Judge Gabbett set recognisance of Mr Mountaine’s own bond of €200 in the event of appeal against the driving ban to the circuit court.

Harry Hook, a grandson of Cllr John Crowe (FG) holds up a copy of The Clare Echo where his grandfather is seen kissing him after his election in 2019

Photo by Joe Buckley

Michael McNamara still in line for MEP spot as counting continues

CLARE TD, Michael McNamara (IND) remains in the mix to become a MEP and win one of the five seats in Ireland South having polled in third position.

At the time of going to print on Wednesday, only one of the five seats in Ireland South was filled with Sean Kelly MEP (FG) elected on the first count on Monday night.

This left a total of 22 candidates vying for the remaining four seats in the constituency which covers ten counties.

Among those in the field are McNamara, Cratloe farmer Eddie Punch (II) and Corofin architect and planner, Michael Leahy (IFP).

McNamara received 56,339 first preferences, Punch had 20,751 and Leahy returned with 12,259 number one votes.

As per the tallies in Clare, Deputy McNamara received a very strong backing from his native county with 16,236 votes, Punch obtained 3,029 and 975 for Leahy.

Ireland South’s quota is 114,761, sitting MEP Billy Kelleher (FF) was just over 20,000 votes shy of the quota after the first count, has gained little more than 3,000 transfers.

By the twelfth count, McNamara’s vote has increased to 64,761, he is followed by Cynthia Ní Mhurchí (FF) on 59,194, Mick Wallace MEP (IND) on 59,511, Kath-

leen Funchion TD (SF) is on 54,297 and Grace O’Sullivan MEP (GP) on 51,290 is also in the reckoning.

Transfers of Limerick Senator Paul Gavan (SF) and John Mullins (FG) plus those of Susan Doyle (SD) and Niamh Hourigan (LAB) are going to decide who claims the final MEP seat. Hourigan is expected to give Deputy McNamara a boost given that he formerly served as a Labour TD.

The process of transferring votes between the South’s candidates, as per Ireland’s proportional representation, has taken longer than had been estimated by observers at Nemo Rangers GAA Club in Cork.

While a first count was called at 10pm on the first day of counting in the 2019 European elections, the first count results took 24 hours longer to announce this year. The 2019 poll also saw a lengthy recount take place for days, after just over 300 votes separated Sinn Fein’s incumbent MEP Liadh Ni Riada and Ms O’Sullivan, a former Greenpeace activist.

Asked if the prospect of another taxing recount is looming over the count staff in the Cork sports hall, and whether that is extending proceedings, returning officer Martin Harvey told stated, “We’re always meticulous, recount or not.”

Pre-renovation stock clearance Sale at

THE well known popular destination Home Trends Ennis are continuing to clear out all stock from their showroom on Parnell Street Ennis. With up to 70% off, it promises to be a fantastic opportunity to purchase yourself some real quality furniture or that luxurious bed at an absolute bargain.

All stock must go in order to commence some necessary renovations on the building.

The Keaveney family's dedication to offering top-notch furniture and service has earned them a reputation as a trusted choice in county Clare and beyond.

With trends always changing, the family run business who have been operating for over a decade now also have plans to renovate the showroom to introduce some new lines from Irish Suppliers and abroad.

All stock from the warehouse has been trans-

ferred to the main showroom and all stock must go. Home Trends are having this fantastic Sale with special reductions on all furniture, bedroom and mattresses in store.

All stock will be clearly labelled from 3-piece suites, coffee tables, console tables, desks, chests of drawers, dining room furniture, rugs, living room chairs, sofa beds, storage beds, wall beds, divans, mattresses, to smaller items like lockers, pictures, and mirrors. With many clearance lines, ex display models and with up to 70% off, early attendance will guarantee massive savings. Co-owner Eileen Keaveney says “This Sale is an excellent opportunity for those wanting to redecorate their house or rental property or simply to add that something extra special while picking up a bargain”

The experienced staff at Home Trends will ensure you have a very positive shopping ex-

Home Trends

perience and will go the extra mile to ensure your needs and requirements are catered for. The delivery team do nationwide delivery. They will take away your old piece of furniture or mattress for a nominal fee and all packaging will be recycled free of charge. For the customer who is unable to come to the store, Home Trends have an up to date ecommerce website and customers can browse from the comfort of their home / www.hometrendsfurniture.ie

For everyone who likes a Bargain, visit Home Trends in Ennis.

Home Trends Parnell Street, Ennis – Eircode: V95ED79 - OPEN Mon-Sat 09:30am06:00pm. Call (065) 6797853 / website address - www.hometrendsfurniture.ie. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Tick Tock for daily updates.

lDEALS: Home Trends Ennis Coowner Eileen Keaveney

Photo by Tom Micks

by Paraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

lIN THE MIX: Michael McNamara TD (IND)

Magowna House operator receives €3.2m in first quarter of 2024

by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie

STATE payments to the owner of Magowna House to accommodate Ukrainians and International Protection (IP) applicants total €3.2m for the first quarter.

Last year, the housing of IP applicants at Magowna House at Inch in Co Clare was a flashpoint in the nationwide controversy concerning the accommodation of IP applicants when locals erected blockades on local roads.

Now, new Government figures show that the operator of the centre for IP applicants at Magowna House, Cork firm CRM Properties Ltd received €3.2m for housing Ukrainians and IP applicants in the first quarter made up of €2.59m for accommodating Ukrainians and €706,000 for accommodating IP applicants.

The firm operates other properties outside Clare where it receives State payments.

The €3.2m paid out to CRM Properties was part of an overall State bill for accommodating Ukrainians and IP applicants for the first three months of this year totals €428.34m - of €4.7m per day - which is a 18pc increase on the €363.7m paid out for the first quarter of last year.

The figures show that there was a €213.44 million pay-out to accommodation providers accommodating Ukrainians between January 1st and March 31st this year.

Payments to those accommodating

Ukrainians was down €10.97m or five percent on the €224.3 million paid out for the corresponding period last year.

However, payments to those accommodating International Protection (IP) applicants soared by €75.5m or 54pc year on year to €214.94m as the system reached breaking point in efforts trying to accommodate the

growing number of IP applicants arriving into Ireland.

Commenting on the overall figures, Michael McNamara TD (IND), “We need to move away from making millionaires of accommodation providers and instead start building State accommodation. Also, as persons seeking International Protection are entitled to accommodation until their application is determined, and the vast cost of providing that accommodation, the €34 million that was allocated for the decision making process seems inadequate”.

The detailed figures show that the owner of the country’s largest hotel, Citywest, the Tetrarch Capital Group owned Cape Wrath Hotel UC in west Dublin received €16.76m for the first quarter in accommodating Ukrainians and IP applicants with the bulk of the payments at €12.7m for providing accommodation to Ukrainians.

This follows the firm receiving €53.7m for 2023 to provide board and accommodation to Ukrainians and IP applicants.

Earlier this year, Total Experience Limited, trading as Pastures New Accommodation, secured a temporary High Court order restraining protesters from blocking the entrances to a site where it was constructing emergency accommodation facilities for hundreds of Ukrainian refugees at Newhall, Naas, Co Kildare.

The new figures show that the company received one of the highest payments in the first

quarter where Total Experience Ltd received €7.7m for accommodating Ukrainians.

Plans to accommodate IP applicants at the D Hotel in Drogheda has also been a source of controversy and the new figures show that the move has been a lucrative one for the owners receiving payments of €1.52m in the first quarter.

The figures show that Tirawley Ltd trading at Breaffy House Resort in Co Mayo received €3.2m in the first quarter for accommodating Ukrainians and IP applicants. Ends

The figures also show a company controlled by former Monaghan GAA football manager, Seamus ‘Banty’ McEnaney, Brimwood UC received €5.6m for the first quartering addition to the €30m it received in 2023.

Brimwood UC has unlimited company status and is not required to file annual accounts with the Companies Office showing the level of profit it enjoys.

The figures show that Travelodge Hotels has received €11.18m for the first quarter in addition to the €25m it received in 2023.

The figures show that the businesses of other major hotel operators continued to flourish.

Holiday Inn Dublin Airport received €10.3m for the first three months Red Cow Hotel operator, Guestford Ltd receiving €9.4m while Travelodge Ltd received €11.18m. TIFCO owns Travelodge business here and TIFCO received €8.39m for the first quarter housing IP applicants.

361 self-catering homes in Clare under threat

THREE hundred sixty-one self-catering homes in Clare are under threat over a new short-term letting tourist bill, writes Páraic McMahon

An Taoiseach, Simon Harris (FG) has received a letter from a coalition of tourism industry chiefs including the Irish Self-Catering Federation, the Vintners Federation of Ireland, the Restaurants Association of Ireland, the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, and Ireland’s Association of Adventure Tourism.

They have urged the Taoiseach to work with them to “stop unintended and serious harm being inflicted on Ireland’s rural tourism economy”.

Their letter was delivered prior to Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting where among the items on the agenda was the new General Scheme for the Registration of Short-Term Tourist Letting Bill which provides for the registration of self-catering homes and short-term holiday lettings across the country.

Tourism leaders welcome the register, but warn that it is being introduced “without clearly stating who can and cannot be on it” which “risks causing untold damage to rural Ireland by closing down self-catering homes and short-term holiday lets in rural communities and tourism towns across the country”.

This register the Government has estimated will move 10,700 self-catering and short term holiday letting properties to the long term rental market, with the majority in rural Ireland. Counties along the Wild Atlan-

tic Way will be most impacted by the loss of tourism accommodation.

Figures from Fáilte Ireland show that 361 self-catering homes in Clare are under threat as a result while Kerry will lose 1,858 shortterm tourism accommodation units, Galway 1,459 and Cork 1,313. In total, counties along the Wild Atlantic Way will lose over 6,500 properties, more than 60% of the total targeted by Government.

Maire Ní Mhurchu, CEO of the Irish Self Catering Federation said, “Members throughout regional Ireland are worried that they will be unable to secure a place on the new register and therefore will be prevented from trading after years in business”.

l Magowna House Photo by John Mangan

l Maire Ní Mhurchu

Distraught driver heard say ‘why didn’t I hit the fox?’ at crash site

by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie

A “VERY upset and distraught” grandson and driver was heard saying ‘why didn’t I hit the fox” at a crash scene in West Clare where his 73 year old grand-mother died.

On June 18th last, rear seat passenger, Margaret Wright died from blunt force injuries sustained after the car being driven by her grandson, Connor Wright (32) of Pella Rd, Kilrush, crashed in the single car accident.

An inquest was told that Mr Wright had lived with his ‘nana’, Margaret Wright, since he was four days old.

Mr Wright had brought Margaret Wright and his girlfriend, Chantelle Burke for a Sunday drive on Father’s Day last year.

In a Garda interview after the road traffic accident, Mr Wright said, “A fox or a badger came out onto the road while I was driving home from the chipper past Cree, instead of just hitting the fox I swerved in and hit the brakes.

“I turned my car in instead of turning out and crashed my car”.

He said, “I moved the car to the right as there was nothing coming against me. I felt in control of the car and all of a sudden I lost control. I remember the impact but nothing else”.

One of the first on the scene was off-duty nurse, Maureen Nagle who performed CPR in an attempt to revive an unresponsive Margaret Wright on a sleeping bag laid out on the road.

Ms Nagle said that the young man at the scene at Ballinagun West, Cree in West Clare didn’t say anything, only “why didn’t I hit the fox”.

Connor Wright said that he had brought his granny and girlfriend, Chantelle Burke to a pub in Cooraclare where he said that his grand-mother had five pints and a glass of Coors Light while Chantelle had five pints of Bulmers.

He said, “We had a good time there as we did most Sundays when we were out”.

Ms Burke’s deposition said that herself and Margaret Wright of Pella Rd, Kilrush had two to three drinks each in the pub and Connor had only two drinks all day as he wasn’t feeling well.

Ms Burke said on the way home from the pub and chipper while a front seat passenger, she saw out of corner of her left eye, a fox came across the road.

She said that her recollection is

Ms Burke said that Margaret Wright was not wearing a seat belt.

In separate proceedings at Ennis District Court in April concerning the fatal crash, Mr Wright pleaded guilty to drink driving at Ballinagun

l Cree village

a little bit fuzzy but “all of a sudden a bang happened - we went across the road and hit a ditch or something - I don’t know exactly what we hit”.

West, Cree in West Clare on June 18th last.

Judge Alec Gabbett imposed a two year mandatory driving ban after the construction worker was

found to be driving over the alcohol limit at the time.

Judge Gabbett said that Mr Wright’s alcohol reading “was not a particularly high reading” but comes into the mandatory two year driving ban range.

Solicitor for Mr Wright, Joe Chambers told the court that Mr Wright “was very close” to his grand-mother.

Connor Wright was not present at the inquest and County Coroner, Isobel O’Dea asked “how is Connor doing?” and in response was told “he is okay - he is holding his ownhe is doing day to day”.

Connor’s mother, Catherine arrived at the scene and in a deposition said that Conor was “very upset and distraught”.

Catherine said that when medics removed her mother, Margaret’s top to perform CPR, she told Connor to leave the scene “as he didn’t need to see this plus my mother would be mortified - Conor seeing her with no top on”.

Catherine said that she genuinely thought her mother would be fine and she didn’t want Connor to see his grandmother naked on the ground.

Brian O’Donoghue leaving role as principal of Ennis schools

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

BRIAN O’Donoghue is leaving his role as principal of Ennis Community College and Gaelcholáiste an Chláir.

Staff were informed of O’Donoghue’s departure last month and he will take up a new post as principal of Castletroy College in Limerick where he will succeed Padraig Flanagan.

O’Donoghue’s appointment was confirmed by the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board.

Since 2017, Brian has held the top post at Ennis Community College and Gaelcholáiste an Chláir. During this time, the campus underwent a major extension and refurbishment programme while student enrolment recorded an increase.

This rise in numbers was aided by the introduction of a common application process for post-primary schools in Ennis and its environs which O’Donoghue was a leading figure in implementing. He also oversaw changes to programmes offered to school leavers at Ennis College of Further Education.

George O’Callaghan, chief executive of the ETB said, “I would like to sincerely thank Pádraig for his significant con-

tribution to Castletroy College in his role as principal and to education locally, regionally and nationally down through the years. I congratulate Brian and his family on his appointment as Principal at Castletroy College and wish him every possible success and happiness as he embarks in this new role”.

Brian began his teaching career in St Munchin’s, teaching biology, science and mathematics and was later appointed deputy principal in Corbally. He is a graduate of Maynooth University, where he qualified with a Bachelor of Science degree. He later completed a Higher Diploma in Education at Trinity College, Dublin, and a Graduate Diploma in educational leadership.

He said, “I am really looking forward to working closely with the entire school community of Castletroy College in the months and years ahead. I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead and to continue to grow the legacy of the school through the support of the ETB”. He has served as secretary to the Limerick Principals and Deputy Principals Association and has been a board member of Limerick Education Support Centre.

'An angel in this life' - founder of Clare Haven Services Mary Fitzgerald laid to rest following long illness

TRIBUTES have been paid to the founder of Clare Haven Services, Mary Fitzgerald who died on Sunday following a long illness, writes Páraic McMahon

Originally from Maghera in Inagh, Mary had resided at Ballymacahill in Ennis, she made a pioneering contribution over many years in helping to address issues surrounding domestic violence and abuse, assisting countless women and children.

In 1993, she founded Clare Haven Services which eventually led to the development of a 24-hour refuge for those escaping domestic abuse.

Her tireless work saw her honoured the Christine Buckley Volunteer of the Year in 2018 and two years ago she was presented with the Hall of Fame award by the Clare Association Dublin.

Mary volunteered from an early age and previously travelled to volunteer with Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta.

She was keen to assist girls and boys to identify abusive patterns early on in a relationship and in the 1990s she delivered school workshops about healthy relationships. These workshops have now become part of the current SPHE programme in secondary schools.

Speaking at The Falls Hotel when honoured by the Clare Association, Mary dedicated the award to the 251 women and 20 children who had been murdered in Ireland since 1996. “To quote Bishop Desmond Tutu there comes a point where we need to do more than taking people from the river. We need to go upstream and find out what is the cause,” she said.

“Haven Horizons was set up to address prevention. Domestic violence is a patterned crime and we need to focus on solutions and there in lies an opportunity for change. Haven Horizons is capably managed by Madeline McAleer and alongside Katarina Tarinova and they and the board were providing courses, working with gardaí and

On her return to Ireland, Fitzgerald started to take in families who were fleeing from domestic violence so they wouldn’t have to sleep in Ennis Garda Station.

frontline workers. Home is still the most dangerous place for women and children. It really prove to us

all that together we can change anything”. She also paid tribute to her

mother Kathleen whom she said was a source of encouragement and inspiration to her.

Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) who as Mayor of the Ennis Municipal District in 2019 nominated Mary as the Grand Marshal for the St Patrick’s Day parade in the county town said she was “so saddened” to hear of Mary’s death. “The incredible good works accomplished by Mary made her an angel in this life. An Angel that has left this world too soon, but one who will remain our angel forever”.

Mary died on Sunday at Galway Clinic on Sunday. Large crowds attended her reposal at her home in Ballymacahill on Tuesday and the funeral mass was in Kilnamona Church on Wednesday.

She is predeceased by her father Gerard, sister Geraldine and sisterin-law Bridie, she is survived by her husband Martin Feerick, children Caoimhe and Enya, mother Kathleen, siblings Brendan, Raymond, Gerard, Kevin, Sheila and Sinead, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.

l Mary Fitzgerald

lDELIGHTED: Ennis Community College Gaelcholáiste an Chláir Principal Brian O’Donoghue with students

The Brendan O'Regan Restaurant is ideal for special occasions. The menu features traditional cuisine with a modern

6 times daily 14th - 22nd June at Mount St. Alphonsus

The Town Hall Bistro

Providing a welcoming environment with great value food championing local ingredients.

The Poets Corner Bar

A traditional Irish pub that opens its doors onto the main town street of Ennis. Perfect for a pint, a bite to eat or traditional Irish music session..

The Brendan O’Regan Restaurant

Ideal for special occasions. The menu features traditional cuisine with a modern day creative twist.

Mount Saint Alphonsus Church, Limerick

Woman with black eye in court tells judge assailant “needs help”

by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie

A WOMAN sporting a black-eye in court has told a judge that the man, her partner, who gave her the black eye needs help.

At the Family Law Court in Ennis, Judge Alec Gabbett granted the woman a Protection Order under the Domestic Violence Act after she gave evidence of the alleged assault carried out on her by her partner last week.

After seeing the woman with the black eye as she entered the witness box, Judge Gabbett asked, “How are you? I can see what the issue is already. You have a fine black eye”.

Judge Gabbett said that the woman was looking for a Protection Order against her partner because he assaulted her on May 29th.

He said to her, “You called the Gardaí and you had to go to hospital for a CT scan as a result”. Judge Gabbett asked, “Where else did he hit you? You are very swollen on your face. I can see it”.

Judge Gabbett asked was the relationship over with the man and she replied “No”.

Judge Gabbett said, “You are going back?”

And the woman replied ‘yes’.

She said that her partner “needs help”.

Judge Gabbett said that the woman’s ap-

plication was “very appropriate for a Protection Order and I will grant you the Protection Order in the circumstances”.

With the Protection Order in place, Gardaí can now arrest the man without warrant if the woman says there has been a breach of the order.

In a separate Protection Order application by another woman, Judge Gabbett granted the order after he was told that the woman’s ex-partner recently threatened to release private intimate videos to the public which caused the woman distress.

In her statement grounding her application, the woman said that the man following their break-up “turned up at my house and turned up at work unannounced”.

The woman said that the man told her that he would come to her town “and that I would pay for what I have done and I am in fear for my life”.

Judge Gabbett said, “In the circumstances you are in fear that he will come to your home and your work - he is not backing down is he”.

He added, “He is not stopping - even when the Gardaí intervene he keeps coming”. Judge Gabbett said that he was happy to grant the Protection Order.

l Ennis courthouse

Moloney Fuels expands offering after 25 years in business

MOLONEY Fuels has expanded its product range and are now serving the people of Clare with decorative stone, bark mulch, topsoil and much more, writes Stuart Holly Renowned for delivering fuel and keeping homes across Clare warm for 25 years now, Moloney Fuels offers a year-round service

and now stock a full range of Glenview Decorative stone, with everything from light gold to pink granite to slate mulch and much more.

The family-run business, run by Seán Moloney, also stocks 1 and 2-tonne bags of Bark Mulch, Topsoil and Tippland Horticulture compost and deliver all over Clare.

“We can bag smaller amounts also and if there’s any stone we don’t have in stock, we can work with our suppliers to source it,” Clarecastle man Seán tells The Clare Echo. In addition to this, Moloney Fuels stocks sand for children’s play areas, barbecue charcoal, patio and camper gas, and they now

carry a range of Kasco dog food.

With the business operating Monday to Saturday, 9-6pm on the Drumbiggle Road, Ennis, customers can visit to see the different products available in store or make delivery orders.

Call Moloney Fuels on (065) 671 5096.

Tips for combatting hay fever in June - part two

WE’RE bringing you hay fever tips for the month of June. With pollen counts on the rise in the early summer, hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, tends to become more bothersome in the west of Ireland.

Last week we brought you four helpful tips to combat hay fever, here are four more practical tips brought to you in association with Duffy’s Pharmacy Ennis to help alleviate symptoms and make the most of the beautiful summer weather.

1. TRY NATURAL REMEDIES: Local honey is believed by some to help build immunity to local pol-

len. While scientific evidence is limited, it’s a harmless and tasty option. Additionally, rinsing your nasal passages with a saline solution can help clear pollen from your nose.

2. WEAR SUNGLASSES AND A HAT: Wearing wraparound sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat can reduce the amount of pollen reaching your eyes and face. This can be especially useful on windy days when pollen is more airborne.

3. MAINTAIN INDOOR AIR QUALITY: Use a high-efficiency particulate

air (HEPA) filter in your home to trap pollen and other allergens. Regularly vacuum with a HEPA-filtered vacuum cleaner to minimize indoor allergens.

4. CONSULT A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL: If symptoms are severe, consult a doctor. They may prescribe stronger medications or refer you to an allergist for more specific treatments, such as immunotherapy.

By taking these steps, you can manage hay fever symptoms more effectively and enjoy the Irish summer to its fullest.

A peace offering for Limerick Clare supporters at the Munster SHC final in FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles Photo by Gerard O’Neill

For the chicken

n 1 garlic clove

n 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

n 1 pinch of black peppercorns

n 3 tbsp of pomegranate molasses

For the salad

n 125g of quinoa, red or white, rinsed

n 2 handfuls of pistachio nuts, gently toasted and roughly chopped n 1/4 red onion, finely chopped n 1/2 pomegranate, deseeded

n 1 celery heart, finely sliced

Method

n 1 tbsp of olive oil, plus extra to fry n lemon juice

n 6 chicken thighs, boneless n 1/2 pomegranate, deseeded

n 1 red pepper, deseeded and finely diced n 1/2 bunch of parsley, leaves and stalks finely chopped

n 2 handfuls of mint, large, finely chopped

n 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

n 1 lemon, juiced

seeds and peppercorns and crush them too, then stir in the molasses, oil and lemon juice.

2) Transfer to a large bowl, then add the chicken thighs and rub the marinade into them thoroughly. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for 1 hour.

3) Meanwhile, prepare the salad. Place the quinoa in a pan with a few pinches of salt and cover with 800ml boiling water. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15–17 minutes.

4) Remove from the heat, drain in a sieve, then sit the sieve on top of the hot pan and cover it with a clean tea towel. Leave to steam-dry for at least 10 minutes.

5) Combine the remaining salad ingredients in a bowl (except for the oil and lemon juice) and lightly season. When the quinoa has steamed dry, fluff it up with a fork.

6) While still hot, pour over the oil and half the lemon juice, mix well and season lightly. Combine with the other salad ingredients, squeeze over the remaining lemon and mix well. Set

high heat. Season the thighs with a little salt and add them skin-side down to the pan when hot. Fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden and crisp.

8) Turn the thighs over once more, add the pomegranate seeds, any leftover marinade and a splash of water.

9) Cover, reduce the heat to low and

cook for another 3 minutes, until cooked through (the juices should run clear when you insert a skewer. Uncover and leave to rest for 3 minutes.

10) Cut the thighs into thirds and sit them on top of the salad, spooning over the cooking juices and cooked pomegranate seeds.

Bunratty brings circus to the castle

BUNRATTY is going to see the circus roll into town this weekend.

Bunratty Castle and Folk Park in Co Clare will host ‘The Big Top’ of Ireland’s national circus this weekend.

On Saturday and Sunday (June 15th and June 16th), the award-winning Fossett’s Circus is visiting the country’s most famous medieval castle and will feature the very best of international circus acts, including jugglers, aerial acrobats and dare devils.

Charlotte Rebers, Operations Manager at Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, said, “We are excited to welcome back Fossett’s Circus to the Folk Park. Circus goers will receive free entry to the Castle and Folk Park, which guarantees a fun-filled day out for families and peo-

ple of all ages at our visitor attraction”.

Marion Fossett, the ringmaster of Fossett's Circus has been carrying on a family tradition that has lasted for generations. “All of our performers and crew have very fond memories of our previous Bunratty visits and this year, we promise to put on an even bigger and better show to the people of Clare.

Highlights of our circus include the Globe of Speed featuring FMX Stunt Motorcycle riders, The Wheel of Death, and the thrilling Flying Trapeze high in the roof of the Big Top,” she said.

Ticket bookings for Fossett’s Circus at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park can be made at www.bunrattycastle.ie/events. Shows will be staged at 1.00pm on Saturday and Sunday.

l THE BIG TOP: Fossetts Circus is making a welcome return to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park this weekend

Photo by Brian Arthur

Lack of truth in lead-up to election, says Howard

THE last few months there were a lot of curve balls,” Mary Howard (FG) told The Clare Echo moments after her election on Saturday night, writes Stuart Holly Speaking about the Ennis 2040 controversy which set the scene in the run-up to the Ennis MD election, she said, “It wasn’t a necessary distraction. There was a lack of truth in a lot of what was being said and a lack of accuracy. The one thing coming up at the door no matter where I went was speed, that’s the huge issue that people want us to deal with.”

Reacting to her election, Ms Howard admitted it’s been a long three months. “I did 68 days on the trott of canvassing without a break because I felt I needed to physically get to as many houses as possible myself. I got quite emotional when I heard I got over the line because you work so hard for it and I worked really, really hard for five years. So I’m just delighted.”

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

SURROUNDED by his wife Tiki, his three children and five grandchildren, Cllr Pat Daly sang a rendition of ‘Will Ya Go Lassie Go’ after being elected first with 1,832 votes. He told The Clare Echo

Echo that his grandchildren “are proud as daisies, they’re absolutely delighted. I’ve all my family here which is great”.

Daly supporters admitted to The Clare Echo that Pat surely capitalised on Cllr Johnny Flynn’s retirement from politics.

“It’s my sixth time going and it’s the highest vote I ever got. I’d like to thank all the people of Ennis Municipal District and all my canvassers, they were fantastic and it’s like rolling in the years to 25 years ago when I topped the poll.”

n Cllr Mary Howard and (right) Pat Daly with his grandchildren

Photos by Joe Buckley

‘It’s not a sport but like a blood sport’

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

BUILD-UP to the local election could have been described as bruising at least, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) came out swinging on occasion in defence of a new vision for the county town and following the counting of votes she is still standing and even in a stronger position.

An increase of eight votes to her first preference saw Cllr Colleran Molloy poll 1,192 on the first count in the Ennis MD but for the second election in a row she was the fourth of the seven councillors returned.

Her support for Ennis 2040 has been unwavering, aspects of the spatial and economic strategy are contentious to say the least among the business community of the town. She along with Cllr Mary Howard (FG) and Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) are in favour of all aspects of Ennis 2040, despite the criticism from the business community and other groups, all three

recorded an increase in their first preference vote.

Reflecting on the campaign, Clare said, “It was always competitive, it’s not a sport but it is like a blood sport arguably with all the blood, you can’t do this without a lot of people helping, I’ve to give huge kudos to my manager Mary Naughton Foley, all of my family, my husband, the love and support was enormous.

“There was a lot of time when you wonder why are you doing this because there was a lot of acrimony along the way but we never felt it at the door and we were on the campaign trail for three months and one week, the people were receptive to the message and it is very clear coming out from the whole County Council it is a very positive message for good representation,” she added.

Dominant issues were repeatedly brought up at the door, she reflected. “The main issue that came up on the door was young people working and not being able to afford their own homes, that

*Cllr Pat Daly (FF)

*Cllr Mary Howard (FG)

*Cllr Paul Murphy (FG)

*Antionnette Bashua Baker (FF)

*Tommy Guilfoyle (SF)

*Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF)

*Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF)

Bridget Ginnity (GP)

Hillary Tonge (SD)

Ruairí Keenan (IND)

Seamus Ryan (LAB)

Amanda Major (IND)

Jacek Kazimierz Kwasny (IND)

is actually the biggest issue, the next one is we need the model three hospital in Co Clare, hopefully it will be in Ennis and it makes sense to have it in Ennis, that is a central location for all the county to get the healthcare that they need”.

During The Clare Echo’s election debate, her comment that persons attached

to Save Ennis Town (SET) were “bananas” led to it becoming the buzz word of SET. In the week leading up to the election, banana skins were placed on some of Clare’s posters, a picture of which was shared online by John O’Connor from the Retailers of Ennis Group received a strong backlash and was described by Colleran

ENNIS LOCAL ELECTORAL AREA

Molloy as “distasteful”.

However it didn’t impact on the Quin native. “I have fabulous people with me so it doesn’t bother me at all, people do these things for whatever reasons they have but it doesn’t affect me at all, I have huge support and it came through in the ballot paper”.

In what was a brave but bold move, Clare’s election slogans were branded ‘Love Ennis Town’. She remarked, “I love Ennis Town, I love it, for God sake everybody knows myself and Tony are going to be here for the rest of our lives, we’re fixing up the old derelict house at number one Clonroad and we can’t wait to be walking up the town in twenty years time as eighty year olds in a vibrant beautiful town and that is what will happen”. By focusing on the campaign, Clare didn’t get to properly mark her sixtieth birthday in April but she admitted to The Clare Echo that another milestone was missed. “I’ll tell you another thing, I didn’t get to celebrate

my sixtieth but myself and Tony forgot our nineteenth wedding anniversary, we had to be reminded about it a day after by a friend who said ‘happy anniversary’ and I said ‘what are you talking about’. When you are involved in a campaign like this, it is all consuming, it is like you put on the blinkers and you have all these people helping you, you keep going forward to meet as many people on the doorstep as possible, that is exactly what we did.

“We knocked on close to 9,000 doors. I was asked by Patrick Bourke of Patrick Bourke’s Menswear, what do you think the percentage engagement was at the doors, how many doors opened and I’m guessing about sixty percent, that is 6,000 doors which is a lot of engagement and it takes a lot of effort to get those votes in, then you have competition which is natural because it is democracy.”

CANDIDATES: 13 SEATS: 7 VALID POLL: 11,776 SPOILED VOTES: 183

n Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy and her husband Tony enjoy a moment together after she is elected Photo by Joe Buckley

‘It was getting upsetting for all candidates,’ says O’Callaghan

HAVING been co-opted by Fianna Fáil to Ennis MD following the vacant seat left by Mark Nestor in late 2022, Tom O’Callaghan said it was a proud moment to finally be given a shoulder ride on his own merits on Saturday night, writes Stuart Holly

The postmaster nailed his colours firmly to the ‘Save Ennis Town’ mast in the lead-up to the local election campaign, taking a stance with the local business community against potential developments at Abbey Street Car Park in particular.

He told The Clare Echo, I just think everyone was very much aware that I was trying to take a stand and we all know that within the whole campaign, certain tensions were brought to the stage where it was getting upsetting for all candidates involved which was disappointing.

“At the end of it all, it was concern about our town and that came out in our own party. When there’s difference of opinion you have to value that. I actually believe it grabbed the imagination of Ennis and people saw there are candidates who really do care, making a debate. I hope from this tonight, and we can clearly see that about 3,700

first preference votes went to Save Ennis Town candidates in general, and tonight there was very little between all of us. So that says to me, we really need to sit down around the table and hopefully come up with a solution that will benefit all in a very transparent and democratic way and at the end of it all our town benefits from it.

I believe Abbey Street Car Park was part of the reason I was elected. I was trying to stand for the right of the public. I think very strongly of people with disabilities, I think of our more mature members of the public, when they want to get into town they have a right like anybody else and I thought it was wrong to build on a civic space that’s valued by the town. There are other options and we all know that.”

O’Callaghan paid tribute to his deceased sister Yvonne, who he said would have really enjoyed the occassion. “It is a very proud moment. I also think of my grandfather Michael Lawlor, a passionate Fianna Fáil man. It was a fight to the bitter end and just a proud day to see my mam and dad seeing me being lifted which by the way, I have to compliment them because I’m not a small fella!”

'I've a taste for the blood now' says Clare's youngest candidate Keenan

CLARE’s youngest candidate to have contested the local elections has said the campaign has affirmed his love for politics, writes Páraic McMahon

Twenty one year old, Ruairí Keenan (IND) polled 399 first preference votes in his first run for office.

Of the thirteen candidates in the field for the Ennis Municipal District, he lasted until the fifth count and was the fourth to be eliminated, surviving longer than Seamus Ryan (LAB), Amanda Major (IND) and Jacek Kazimierz Kwaśny (IND).

Speaking to The Clare Echo following his elimination, Ruairí remarked, “I feel incredible, when I was

coming into this tonight I expected to go out on the first count but I survived to the fifth count, to beat major political parties (Labour) is quite the feat for me, I came in with humble ambitions but to very much over exceed those expectations. I entered late, I wasn’t really known, I was Independent, I’m twenty one years of age, I’m untested but people clearly had confidence in me. I didn’t get a seat on the Council but that’s for five years time, I’ve five years to prepare now because I will run again”.

“I couldn’t tell you, I don’t know what I’ll be doing tomorrow,” he said when asked of his plans to go

about increasing his vote and profile prior to the 2029 local elections. “It is a 100 percent guarantee (to run in 2029) unless I become a TD or some higher office. I’ve always loved politics but it is a sport for me now, I’ve had a taste for the blood and now I’m a shark honing in”. Support from his parents Kevin and Margaret has been a constant on the campaign for the Oakleigh Wood resident. Overall he said the experience was “incredible”. He added, “I’ve been here since 09:39 this morning, we’re getting to midnight now so it’s been a long enough day”.

‘Votes were low but spirits stayed high’ for Kazimierz

LAST to enter the race in Ennis but first to be eliminated was the outcome for Polish native Jacek Kazimierz Kwaśny. A software engineer with Vitalograph, Jacek has lived in Ireland since 2007. He received 68 first preference votes and was eliminated on the second count. “The numbers were low but the spirits are high, I was late to the race so obviously people wouldn’t be looking to me and maybe they didn’t like

my policies,” Jacek told The Clare Echo following his elimination.

Having opted not to go door to door with his canvassing, use posters or advertising via local print media, Jacek’s profile was the lowest of the thirteen candidates in the field. He has not ruled out a future bid for politics, “We’ll see, I’d like to be involved and start again in five years but we’ll see what life will bring”.

n Tom O’Callaghan’s supporters hoist the big man into the air

Photos by Joe Buckley

‘Ferocious campaign’ for Shane Talty

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

FIVE YEARS on from topping the poll in his first run for office, Cllr Shane Talty (FF) was pleased to get over the line regardless of the position when it came to retaining his seat following a “ferociously intense” campaign.

There can often be a bounce for first-time candidates and often the second campaign is the trickiest as Cillian Murphy (FF) this time round, Paul Bugler (FG) and Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF) in 2004 can attest to.

In 2019, Shane topped the poll in the Ennistymon LEA with 1,977 first preferences which saw him elected on the first count. Five years on, his vote dropped to 1,569 and he had to wait until the fifth count to take the third seat but the postmaster crucially took one of the four seats on offer in North Clare.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Shane said, “It was a challenge after topping the poll as a first-timer in 2019,

the second election was always going to be very difficult and in fairness there was five credible and very strong candidates so the key was to be in the top four of them five and get enough support to be comfortably ahead of the fifth position was great”.

A drop in his vote “was inevitable,” he explained. “I got a phenomenal boost with the vote the last time and to be fair with the chit chat on the street and the media coverage when you’re referred to as a poll topper, other candidates can refer to that and you’re actually under threat then, people try to take it to their advantage and that is what happened, it is to be expected”. He added, “I was happy enough that the overall decline didn’t have too much of an impact”.

With Fianna Fáil coming close to have winning sixteen seats, there was a possibility of the party ruling the County Council but such a move may not have worked, Shane felt. “From my experience of the five years on the Council working together and try-

ing to make progress on a countywide basis has been a positive way of working it. I’m not sure trying to control the Chamber would be a helpful move”.

Credited by the four Ennistymon LEA representatives during the last term was their approach of a pact of four and fighting for issues as a collective. Whether such an arrangement re-

mains is unclear with political commentators including Clare TD, Cathal Crowe (FF) pointing out that a big story in advance of the election was the “grudge match” between Fine Gael duo, Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) and Cllr Bill Slattery (FG).

Slattery’s success has resulted in him taking the spot of the Greens with Senator Roisin Garvey (GP), Susan

Crawford (GP) and Liam Grant (GP) having occupied that seat in the last term.

There has been no discussions or commitment since the election to reignite this pact, Talty told The Clare Echo on Tuesday. “We haven’t discussed it yet, there is a change in personnel now, what the dynamics are between the four there today it will take time to see, there hasn’t been a discussion”.

Despite this, Shane was adamant that a united approach will deliver the best outcomes for North Clare, a stance was echoed by Cllr Garrihy before the election.

“Only a fool would be trying to battle between one another, we need to be trying to keep people in the loop and pushing in the same direction,” Talty stated.

Having retained the seat, Shane is eager to get working on “a lot of projects. Progress has to be made with the sports campus in Ennistymon, it is at a delicate stage of land acquisition and it wasn’t at a stage to get over the line before the

election”.

Within the GAA, the split-season sees inter-county take priority until July with the autumn dominated by the club scene. Shane’s own split-season has saw him prioritise the election but his focus and energies once regained will divert back to football matters, he currently serves as chairman of Ennistymon football club and a selector with their intermediate side. “I’ve a lot of catching up to do on a few different parts of the world but I am glad the campaign is over, it is an awful intense six to eight weeks when you’re juggling the day job and ongoing responsibilities, it is ferociously intense.

“I’ve great sympathy for the three sitting councillors that were not re-elected, Liam Grant, Cillian Murphy and PJ Ryan, I’ve huge sympathy for them because I know the work they’ve put in over the last eighteen months in Liam’s case, Cillian for the last five years and PJ for the past fifteen. It just shows it is a perilous game,” he added.

n Cllr Shane Talty celebrates his reelection Photo by Joe Buckley

It’s good to be back!

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

“IT FEELS great to be back!”

These were Bill Slattery’s first words to local media in an interview with The Clare Echo after he romped home first with 2,224 first preference votes.

Slattery (FG), who was the only sitting councillor in North Clare to lose his seat five years ago, said minutes after being hoisted in the air, “I was in a bad place five years ago after my defeat and it was either ‘keep going’ or give it up and I started working then straight away. “I had a set-back getting prostate can-

cer after my defeat and maybe I was a bit dejected at the time but I stayed positive, and by staying positive it has helped me to go back working for the people which I have been doing with the last five years since 2019 and thank God, they have come out in abundance to support me and reward me for the work I had done the previous nine years.”

Reflecting on his overwhelming success this evening, Lahinch man Slattery admitted, “I never expected to get that vote and I really appreciate the people who came out and voted for me in this election. As I said, last time I was first out,

this time I was first in and it’s a way different feeling.”

Slattery, in thanking his wife and family, quipped, “They often say women have moodswings but so do men and I’ll tell you, I had a lot of them and fair dues to them, they supported me all the way.” He also thanked his canvassers. “I’m 70 years of age, I’m no social media guru so I did it the old fashioned way, banging on doors. They say we have a TikTok Taoiseach, but I guarantee you I was up against some TikTok candidates in this election.

“It was a long three months, I don’t know where I got the energy.”

ENNISTYMON LOCAL ELECTORAL AREA

Garrihy ‘over the moon’

LISDOONDVARNA’S Joe Garrihy (FG) told The Clare Echo he was “completely over the moon” having secured election on the second count on Saturday at Treacy’s West County.

“It’s up to me to work hard enough to try and get enough people to vote for me to fulfil what everybody wants, which is hopefully me carrying out their wishes for another five years,” he told The Clare Echo.

Lisdoonvarna has seen an influx of Ukrainian nationals and those in direct provision in recent years, something which he admitted “brought a huge focus on the doorsteps on what is a profound change to our area in new people coming in and an uncertainty around the future”.

“I’ve been on record of looking for and calling for a sustainable plan and a recovery plan and an exit strategy.”

Joe added that the reaction he received while canvassing “was incredibly humbling and positive”.

“But you just never know in this game as we can see from some of the other counts that are going on here. Incredible councillors that have worked their fingers to the bone and they’re struggling at the wrong end of it. As they say, democracy is the worst form of government except every other one we have tried. It’s really unpredictable. But to be straight and answer your question, the reception I got could not have been warmer.”

Killeen thanks 99-year-old voter

A 99-YEAR old received immediate praise from Cllr Joe Killeen just seconds after he was voted in on Saturday evening, writes Stuart Holly.

“My initial reaction is thank an almost 100-yearold person who voted in Fanore today, Willie Doherty, who turned out to vote” he told The Clare Echo. “He’ll be 100 years old in a month’s time. We hear that the turnout was around 50 per cent - it’s important that people cast their vote and have their say, and if they have suggestions or issues, please make contact with one of the candidates who are now elected, we can improve our communities and improve our area, keep North Clare vibrant and alive.”

ENNISTYMON LEA

Grant says politics 'so mentally tough'

ALTHOUGH he was a sitting councillor, Liam Grant (GP) was contesting an election for the first time.

Co-opted to Clare County Council in October 2021 following the resignation of Susan Crawford (GP) who took the seat following Senator Roisin Garvey’s (GP) nomination to the Seanad, Liam was one of three outgoing councillors to lose their seat alongside PJ Ryan (IND) and Cillian Murphy (FF).

His return of 1,150 first preference votes was actually higher than that of six successful candidates across the county in different electoral areas and was a strong vote considering it was his first election. In 2019, the Greens polled 1,302 in the Ennistymon LEA through Garvey. Indeed for the elec-

tion count, he swapped his wetsuit for a more traditional suit, the more formal look of the surfer catching his colleagues by surprise.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, the Lahinch man admitted that he found the campaign and life as a politician to be very difficult. “It is hard not to be disappointed, the last few months have been gruelling going door to door asking people, friends, family and everyone involved for long days and to just fall short even though I got a good vote.

“I finished above the Ennis quota but there was just a big turnout and the four ahead of me ran good campaigns, they are good politicians and I wish them the best of luck. I want to thank my Mam in particular but all my family and friends who got behind me, I got a lot of young people, the surfers and maybe the alternative crowd out to vote, it didn’t happen for me

this time but I am proud in a way but it is tough not to feel sad”.

He explained, “I found it so mentally tough, it broke me so many times, it’s been the toughest job for me and I’m in it because I’m passionate about water quality and

housing, that is the only reason I did it. Even if I got elected, I’d have been terrified to try follow through on all the hope people had in me. At the doors, so many people were saying the health care isn’t good enough or the housing, they are breaking down cry-

ing and they are looking for me to try help them, it is hard and I found the expectations really difficult. I was in for the right reasons, issues I was passionate about but to be honest there isn’t a lot of other good reasons to be in it, it isn’t for money or for the popularity”.

Even though Liam polled second of the three Lahinch candidates behind Cllr Bill Slattery (FG) but above Cllr Shane Talty (FF) from the local boxes, the strength of the top candidates in the field did not aid his cause.

“I had the least amount of time served between the five, Bill was there for eight years, the other lads had five, I did two and a half, it may seem like I was a sitting councillor but I was a double co-optee and it was tough, I battled between me, Shane and Bill in the one area, I knew when I saw the Lahinch box open that Bill got a good showing there, Mil-

town and Lisdoonvarna, I got a good showing in Doolin, I’m happy with the two and a half years I did in the Council, highlighting water quality, getting the lifeguard season extended and highlighting issues for younger people like housing, I’m happy to see two people in their twenties elected, the more people we have involved whether it is voting or elected themselves is important because I know a lot of young people are disenchanted with politics”. Grant’s defeat means the Greens are once again left without a voice on Clare County Council. “It was a reflection of the feeling nationally rather than locally, it was a hard flag to fly at times, the Green flag but I think most people in North Clare are quite eco-minded... maybe the personnel at the top of the Green Party are not connecting with rural Ireland enough,” he surmised.

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

n Pundits watch on during the count Photo by Joe Buckley

Poll-topper 'Dyson Cooney' to come under pressure to run for Dáil

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

HAVING TOPPED the poll in East Clare for the fourth election in a row, Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) stands out by a mile as Fine Gael’s best viable option of the newly elected Council to potentially stand for the party in a General Election.

Dubbed the “dyson of East Clare” on The Clare Echo’s political podcast, The Electoral Chair by communications consultant Mark Dunphy for his ability to hoover, Cllr Cooney once again delivered in spades when it came to cleaning up the vote of the Killaloe Municipal District with 27 percent of the entire first preference vote.

His return of 2,819 votes is up on the 2,697 he received in 2019 and the 2,790 of 2009 but it doesn’t eclipse his personal best of 2,843 in

2014.

Such a high return is likely to increase the pressure Cllr Cooney may come under from the party to allow his name forward for the next General Election. He has been approached in the past but given the party’s risk of ending up without a TD in Clare due to the ill-health of Joe Carey TD (FG), they may try power up the dyson for a tilt at the Dáil.

“We will take it one step at a time, we’re at a Council election here, we’ll get over this election first. As far as I’m concerned I’ve got a mandate to represent the people of the Killaloe MD for the next five years, that is what I will be focusing on at the moment,” Cooney responded when asked if another approach to him to run for the Dáil would be made.

Efforts over the last five years were rec-

*Joe Cooney (FG)

*Cllr Pat Hayes (FF)

*Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF)

*Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF)

*Cllr Pat Burke (FG)

Matt Moroney (II)

Fiona Levie (SD)

Martina Cleary (SF)

Audrey Flynn (GP)

ognised with his vote, he maintained. “The hard work has paid off.

This hard work started five years ago when I got re-elected to the

Council on the fourth attempt, I’ve worked hard for the people I’m

KILLALOE LOCAL ELECTORAL AREA

TOTAL POLL: 10,481 QUOTA: 1,735

CANDIDATES: 9 SEATS: 5 VALID POLL: 10,404 SPOILED VOTES: 77

representing no matter where the call is made from, I’ll always go and try do my best for the people, the hard work has paid off but a lot of time, commitment and travelling has gone into the hard work”.

O’Callaghans Mills native Joe said it was his work-rate and not hoovering ability that led to the outcome.

“Shur look at as far as I’m concerned I’m elected again to represent the people of the Killaloe MD, I cover every corner as much as possible and in fairness to the other elected councillors in the Killaloe MD they do their job as well, I get a lot of calls and I know the area, I wouldn’t say the hoover of East Clare, it is the work I’m doing for the people, I will be there to continue working for the people for the next five years”.

To get such a large backing from the pub-

lic is rewarding, the current Mayor of Clare admitted. “It is very satisfying and in fairness to the public out there they are well aware of what I and other councillors are doing for the Killaloe MD, an awful lot has been achieved for the Killaloe MD over the last ten to twenty years, all we can do is keep progressing our area, make the area a better place to work, to live and to enjoy, that is always very important and it has always been my motto. We’ve a lot achieved but I must say a lot more needs to be achieved going forward”. For the next Council term, he will once again be joined by the familiar faces of Cllr Pat Hayes (FF), Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF), Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF) and Cllr Pat Burke (FG) in the Killaloe MD. “We’d all love to see the same team continue on, my belief is the way the team has worked over the last five years we’ve worked as a team, we all work to represent the people”.

Fine Gael increasing their representation by one on the Council is a plus for the party, the former Chairman of Clare GAA maintained.

“Locally we have eight seats and we’re hoping to improve on that and maybe get an extra seat or two but whatever the outcome is the votes are cast and we will have to see what the outcome is over today and tomorrow, hopefully it will be a good outcome, I’d like to compliment everyone who put their name forward for election, for the whole county especially the whole Killaloe MD area, we’re there to work for the people, that is what I will continue to do and I’m sure everyone elected will be doing something similar”.

n Fine Gael’s Joe Cooney celebrates with supporters on Saturday evening Photo by Joe Buckley

KILLALOE LEA

Tears flow in the Pat Hayes camp

TEARS flowed in the Pat Hayes (FF) upon confirmation he retained his seat in Clare on Saturday night, writes Stuart Holly.

He told The Clare Echo that his biggest motivating factor is fighting for the people of East Clare, however he admitted there were difficult times in the lead up to this election.

“If you listened to the media last March or April, you might not want to go out at all and sometimes it’s hard to get yourselves mentally in that place to go out and get yourselves motivated, but the backing of family and friends really got me going,” said Cllr Hayes. “You have that feeling because national media doesn’t portray politicians in the best light. I think that’s a serious issue for us all. We need to make sure that politicians are elected to represent and are there to do it and that’s an honour that’s bestowed on me today and has been done for the last 25 years.”

He added, “I suppose it’s emotional then that I lost a lot of good friends in the last couple of years and particularly my mother.

“Sometimes it’s hard to keep re-inventing yourself but once I got out on the campaign and had the backing of my family and everyone, I really hit the ground running.”

Fiona 'really disappointed' no woman in East Clare

AN ATTEMPT to end a twenty five year wait for a female representative to be elected in East Clare came up short for Fiona Levie (SD).

Mary Mannion (PDs) had served in the Killaloe electoral area from 1991 to 2004, she was the last female elected representative in the area but since the formation of the Killaloe Municipal District in 2014 no woman has been elected as a county councillor.

Of the nine candidates on the ballot paper in the Killaloe MD for this year’s local elections, a third were women and Fiona Levie (SD) with 613 first preferences had under double the combined vote of Martina Cleary (SF) and Audrey Flynn (GP).

Her vote was also considerably more than Beckha Doyle (SD) who ran for the party in 2019.

East Clare remaining without a female voice on the Killaloe MD was a source of disappointment for the Whitegate woman. “I’m actually really disappointed that there isn’t a woman because I feel strongly that there is no representation there for women, I don’t think women recognise the representation there when they they see it is five men there, for that reason I’m really disappointed a woman hasn’t been returned this year”.

She told The Clare Echo, “I finished with 1,050 or thereabouts, that is pretty good going, it was a relatively

strong finish, I’ll take 1,050. I did lose time in the time coming up to the last three weeks, I got ill with a chest infection so I lost a good two weeks of campaigning and faltered at the final hurdle with campaigning around the home turf so I could have picked up extra votes, I got a lot of transfers from Audrey Flynn and Martina Cleary which pushed me over 1,050, I’ll take it because I’m a complete rookie”.

Fiona was one of two Social Democrats to run in Clare with Hilary Tonge (SD) also losing out in Ennis. The party ran three candidates in 2019 but increased their amount of votes this time round despite running one less candidate, jumping from 849 to 1,211.

'Getting Wiggy with it'O'Callaghan hails use of Snapchat & social media

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

ELECTED for a third time, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) received his largest first preference vote and is now among the leading Fianna Fáil contenders to get a 12 month stint as Mayor of Clare in the upcoming term.

Given that he is entering his third term on the local authority, in terms of service given Cllr O’Callaghan is among the next in line Fianna Fáil councillors to serve as the county’s first citizen over the next five years.

In the last two term, two East Clare representatives Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF) and Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) had the honour of serving as Mayor of Clare. With the power-sharing arrangement expected to remain in place, it is possible that East Clare could have two more Mayors in the next term in the guise of Cllr O’Callaghan and Cllr Pat Burke (FG).

Speaking following his election to the Council, O’Callaghan confirmed he would be putting his name in the ring to don the mayoral chains. “When I went in back in 2014 I got Deputy Mayor which was an honour. I presume it will still be the same power sharing agreement so I will be in line and I’ll throw my hat into the ring”.

On Saturday, he was elected to the Killaloe Municipal District while on Sunday he turned forty eight making it a birthday weekend to remember.

This was also the first time he got over the quota to get elected with his 1,475 first preferences seeing him as the third candidate to get over the line. “It is something that we grew and grew all the time, when I ran in 2014 my first preference was about 791 but it was a six seater then, then in 2019 it went back to a five seater because we lost Clonlara at the time and my vote increased again to about 1,117 and now it has increased again”.

Key to this swelling vote was not having any competition from a candidate in Quin or Clooney. “I was lucky with the Quin area because there was no other candidate in the area. You have to get the votes locally. As five councillors we are very lucky that geographically we are not on top of each other and jostling for position. I always say as five councillors for

the last five years that we all work really hard and that we should be returned”. He added, “I’m thrilled, we kept it tight to our area where we felt the boxes were going to be most strongest to us, this is the first election that I had to manage it myself because I had a guy called Pat Lenihan who died 12 months ago, he looked after my first two campaigns and was on the phone telling us where to go, telling us what to do. He was laid to rest and I know he is watching down tonight and he’d be proud that I got over the line”.

Teams behind the candidate are vital, he outlined. “Getting elected isn’t a one man or one woman operation, you need everyone behind you, you need your brothers, your family, your mother, the dog, the cat, anything, you need friends and to be able to connect, I had a couple of nephews this time who are 18, 19, 20 and 21 now, they are in that age-group and are from different areas, they really got behind me, they canvassed, chased people and got them to register... it takes all that but there is pressure and there’s pressure in the household because we’ve two small kids and you’ve to park everything for a run into the election, everyone is put on the back burner but I had a great team supporting me.”

Another thing to grow has been O’Callaghan’s hair which he promised in an election video will be cut not long after the election has concluded. “There’s a great guy in Quin who gives me a hand canvassing, his wife is a hairdresser and I said we’ll leave the scissors till Tuesday or Wednesday, there will be some celebrating between now and then”. This video was among the new ways in which Wiggy approached social media along with creating a Snapchat group. “I did a nice video recently that was made, I thought it was class, we got young lads to speak and they spoke genuinely. We even set up Snapchat groups, there would be a couple of hundred young lads and ladies in that, the craic we used to have in it, at eight o’clock someone rang the Snapchat and we were all on it live, it was just craic, it was lively and it is something that we as councillors need to be cognisant of that we don’t leave the youth behind us.”

n Dinny Gould was first across the line in West Clare. Surrounded by family members, he told The Clare Echo on Saturday night, “I tought one of the sitting councillors would come in first. I’ll do my best for West Clare, the people who elected me, especially in my own parish where I got a great vote, and the surrounding parishes.” The well-known bookmaker, who is a Fine Gael party member but wasn’t added to their ticket, said that people were delighted to meet an independent candidate on the doorsteps. “My friends and my own family canvassed for me and I’m delighted to be here as an elected councillor.

*Dinny Gould (IND)

*Cllr Rita McInernty (FF)

*Cllr Ian Lynch (IND)

*Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG)

*Michael Shannon (FF)

Alan Troy (FF)

Cillian Murphy (FF)

Therese Doohan (FG)

Joseph Woulfe (II)

Dawn Bennett (SF)

Kevin Hassett (II)

Susan Griffin (GP) John Hill (IFP)

Rita: I don’t mind a dogfight

A REMARKABLE first preference vote from Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) saw her secure a strong mandate from the people of West Clare to represent them over the next five years.

Co-opted to Clare County Council in January following the retirement of Bill Chambers (FF) in November, Rita hit the ground running and garnered top marks for her attendance at meetings including that of the Rural Development SPC and the Regional Health Forum.

There was plenty of competition but Rita topped the poll in the Kilrush LEA with 1,340 first preference votes narrowly ahead of Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) with 1,318 and Cllr Dinny Gould (IND) on 1,310.

Rita told The Clare Echo, “Coming into it the pundits who have great experience and witnessed many counts were putting me as fighting for the last seat which I didn’t mind being there because I’ve only been co-opted for six months even though I’ve been involved in politics for a while but I don’t mind a dogfight as long as I was in contention I was happy enough coming up to the election.

“To get that tally last night was amazing but to get it readjusted in the morning was interesting but I’m delighted with the mandate I’ve been given and there’s a real onus on me to do the work but the work starts now.

In Clare Fianna Fáil now has an all-time high amount of Fianna Fáil councillors with Rita joined by Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF), Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF) and Cllr Rachel Hartigan (FF). “I’m delighted we have four female councillors for Fianna Fáil in the county, it is a big step up from one with Clare since 2014, me for the last five months and now two more with Rachel and Antoinette, it is brilliant”.

KILRUSH LOCAL ELECTORAL AREA

Photo by Joe Buckley

Photo by Joe Buckley

Murphy misses out on second term ‘due to

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

FIANNA FÁIL’s chances to hold a majority on Clare County Council slipped through their fingers but they also managed to see one of their top-performing councillors in the guise of Cillian Murphy (FF) lose out on his bid for re-election.

Although Fianna Fáil gained an extra seat overall on the County Council with wins in the Ennis MD and Shannon MD, the party is down a representative in West Clare following the defeat for Murphy who was eliminated on the eighth count in the Kilrush LEA.

A drop in Murphy’s vote from 1,100 in 2019 to 1,011 in 2024 saw him become the seventh of the thirteen candidates to bow out. Just six votes separated him from party colleague Alan Troy (FF) at the time of his elim-

ination which prompted him to seek a recount but this did not alter the result.

Gerry Reidy, Fianna Fáil’s Director of Elections told

The Clare Echo’s political podcast that it was a mistake for the party to run four candidates in the Kilrush LEA.

“You’d have to look at that again because that strategy didn’t serve us, the circumstances that it arose in, it just developed that the four people were proposed just went straight through.

“At this stage you would have to say it was an error to do that. In Ennis we ran four but it worked, they were really motivated here but back in the West we didn’t have the capacity to do that and that was a decision made by the constituency committee”.

Speaking to The Clare Echo on Sunday after losing his seat, Cillian said party management need to be held accountable for the loss in

representation for Fianna Fáil in West Clare.

“I had a different campaign in 2019 because I was parachuted in as a candidate and it was hot and heavy for eight or nine weeks, the party completely rowed in behind me, it was either get me across the line or lose a councillor’s seat for the party so now here we are and the irony is that they are down a seat in the electoral area.

I worked hard, I think myself I’ve been proud with the way I worked and I think it is reflected with the party, the people see a high quality, articulate and well-spoken councillor for Fianna Fáil and it lifts all our boats, I’m out the door now”.

“To be fair I got great support as a new candidate the last time and the new candidates this time got great support which is fine. I was left a little to fly my own aeroplane with a very small team, Cath-

al Crowe and his family gave me great support, Pat Keane, Paddy Hurst, I had guys that did a great job as a small team but I think if you were to be critical and analyse it we’ve lost a seat, that is down to party management that we’ve lost the seat”.

Pat Keane who served as Mayor of Clare described Cillian as “one of the best county councillors in Ireland” when speaking to The Clare Echo prior to Murphy’s elimination. “I’m sure the people of West Clare will wake up tomorrow morning and be very upset at the fact that they’ve lost a councillor of the calibre that Pat Keane refers to me as, I’m not one for slapping my back, it’s not how I do my business, if Pat says and my messages have lit up on the phone so I think there is a lot of people who feel the same way then that’s on the party in a way,” Cillian reflected.

Fianna Fáil party management’

He continued, “At a local level I think we’ve missed the ball, we had three sitting councillors and we shouldn’t have lost one. Ultimately that comes down to management, Clare lost a hurling match today too and ultimately it comes down to management, you send your team out they can only do what they do but if they are not providing with some of the skills and management well then we end up losing and we’ve lost today.

“We were on the cusp as a party of having a majority in the Chamber, we don’t know and that is down to a management issue, there’s local, there is ultra-local, there’s county and then there is national but ultimately it is a management issue”.

“I’ve loved working for my community, I’ve been a community activist for a long time, I don’t see myself doing anything different, I will be

taking the pressure off because I can’t but, I need to go out and find a job and make a living for myself as well, there is going to be a consequence to that but I won’t rule anything out, there’s a lot that happens in five years and in five years I’ll be 62 so I don’t know if I’ll have the appetite for a canvass and I need to process this”.

Regarded by elected colleagues and staff of the Council as one of the top performers in the last term, Cillian’s performance was not reflected when it came to the vote and lack of transfers he received.

“We had a lot of people picking each other’s pockets and again we’re back to management so could things have been different, of course and then there’s the wildcards Dinny has a phenomenal job done, is that something people could have seen six weeks or three months ago or six

months ago no, no more so than I’d have been very involved with the community in Doonbeg, when Rita runs their allegiance is to move so a lot of work I’d have done transfers to Rita but that is the way of the world and I don’t get stuck in those stuff, I love being a councillor and working with the staff, I love the problem solving of it and the fact that you can actually deliver real tangible stuff at a ground level for the community, I’m sorry to be going but that’s the will of the people”.

PICTURED: (opposite page) Doonbeg’s Rita McInerney (FF) is elected by the people and (right) Michael Shannon’s supporters showed unrivalled enthusiasm in their celebrations

West Clare MD

Thank you to the people of West Clare for giving me the honour of representing them on Clare County Council.

I am indebted to those who supported my election campaign and I look forward to delivering for the people of County Clare over the next 5 years.

Photos by Joe Buckley

n Scenes from Treacy’s West County across the weekend at the count centre. For more interviews and election coverage, visit www.clareecho.ie Photos by Joe Buckley

*David Griffin (FF)

*Cllr Donna McGettigan (FF)

*Rachel Hartigan (FF)

*Cllr John Crowe (FG)

*Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF)

*Cllr Michael Begley

*Tony Mulcahy

Cllr PJ Ryan (IND)

Val Gillane (FG)

Keith McNamara (IND)

James Ryan (SF)

John Haugh (AON)

Fursa Cavanagh (GP)

Pat Barry (IND)

O’Brien (IND)

SHANNON LOCAL ELECTORAL AREA

'In parts of Newmarket people wouldn't have known me’

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

Elected on the first count with a vote of 1,534, David was beyond the quota and on his way to becoming a county councillor.

As was detailed by The Clare Echo on several occasions in the build-up to the local elections the success for Griffin was going to depend on the vote he received in the village of Newmarket-on-Fergus. Following the retirement of long-serving Pat McMahon (FF), Newmarket-on-Fergus certainly came out to back the new candidate where he obtained an estimated 694 votes.

David admitted to The Clare Echo he was “surprised” with the quantity of his vote. “My election hinged on nailing the village vote and I think we did that successfully, I was surprised with the level of vote I got, I was expecting to be in around the 1,100 to 1,200 to be on 1,534 is a huge achievement, the goal was to nail Newmarket-on-Fergus and spread the wings into Shannon and Sixmilebridge, we seem to have done that, we have a base to build on and it’s important for the party to be able to be strong in those areas. I’m delighted”.

He continued, “We’re the fifth largest parish in the county, the way the constituency is drawn it has divided us so it is always a challenge to keep a seat when you only have half the parish but I did put a lot of work into it, we’re on the road seven months which definitely helped, I got

strong support from the party and from Pat McMahon himself who was in my corner which was an endorsement that helped me over the line, it is a multiple of factors but the most important thing is we’re not voiceless for the next five years”.

Selected as a Fianna Fáil candidate in November, the Newmarket-on-Fergus native admitted that several people in the parish would not have known him eight months ago. “When it is your first time it has to be planned. In certain parts of Newmarket-on-Fergus if you asked in November ‘do you know David Griffin’, the answer was no so we needed to put our shoulder to the wheel, the plan was to get multiple points of contact and use not just traditional door knocking which we did an awful lot of but also to do leaflets and keep the name going, I think social media definitely helped with name recognition as well, building name recognition was step one, widening the relationship pool was step two and driving it home was step three, it seems to have come off”.

With David (28) and Cllr Rachel Hartigan (FF) (22) elected in the Shannon MD, it dramatically reduces the average age of the elected representatives in the area.

“What I was saying going around the doors is that not everybody can be 28, we do need the mix of youth and experience, if the numbers come off the way they are looking then we’ll have a very nice mix, we’ll have people there a long time including

Mayors that know the system inside out but also fresh eyes, people communicating a little different and looking at things differently bringing the things from their own generation from housing to everything else, it is going to be a successful five years for the area”.

After receiving such a strong vote first-time out there is naturally speculation that the Council could be a stepping stone for an ambitious politician like Griffin. “Certainly not at the moment,” he replied when this suggestion was put to him.

“I’ll get my foot under the table in Ennis first. We need strong representation in the Shannon MD, we’re going to have a very different Council to what we had the last time, I hope we’ll be able to drive a lot forward from sewerage to housing, there’s a plethora of issues we’ll be going through. There’s two strong Oireachtas members for Fianna Fáil in Clare at the moment, I don’t think they’re quaking in their boots just yet”.

Currently working as a political assistant to Senator Fiona O’Loughlin (FF), the Stonehall man said combining the roles will be “a challenge but I made a commitment when I was going around that I will prioritise the seat if elected, there is a lot of benefits to having access in the Seanad and a lot of things which can’t be done in a Council setting that you can have influence over, politics is not so much about what you know but who you know and being able to see around the cor-

ner, it is a huge asset for the area if we can do that but I won’t be focusing on that as

my main priority”.

Working in Leinster House gives him a direct line to the

persons in power. “It was a huge benefit to me throughout the campaign, I had an advantage with that access so if people were coming to me with passport issues I could ring Micheál Martin’s special advisor and put a word in for them, there were representations that went to sitting councillors that I was able to get done through the office and contacts I made, there is a huge benefit to it, some people might try spin it as a negative for political reasons but I see it as a positive, if you can keep the access you can keep the connectivity on the ground in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Shannon and Sixmilebridge, it is a huge benefit”.

Given this working role the tag of Junior TD or Junior Senator is one that could be adorned to his shoulders but he points out, “I’ll stick with Cllr for now because it was hard enough to get it”.

n Newly elected councillors Rachel Hartigan and David Griffin with Senator Martin Conway (FG) Photo by Joe Buckley

Mulcahy re-energised after receiving mandate

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

TWENTY FIVE years after travelling up the road from Shannon to Ennis for his first successful election count to gain a seat on Clare County Council, Tony Mulcahy (FG) was back in the thrust of the West County and once again celebrating.

Eight years after finishing up in the Seanad, Tony marked a successful return to politics by claiming the seventh and final seat in the Shannon Municipal District. His win along with Cllr Bill Slattery’s (FG) successful comeback sees Fine Gael gain a seat on the County Council despite not fielding a seat in the Ennis MD after Johnny Flynn’s (FG) resignation and subsequent exit from the party.

Getting the backing from the public has been reenergising, he said. “The walking around the road, up and down the hill nearly caught

me alright because it has been a long time since I’ve done that but I certainly have the energy at the back end of a vote make no mistake about that, that will never change and it hasn’t changed in the last seven years and it won’t change for the next five years”.

In 1999, Tony obtained 451 when standing for the Council for the first time. He drew parallels between his return and that of first-time candidate Keith McNamara (IND). “It was one regret that I would have, young Keith McNamara was a candidate there in Shannon with 500 votes, if we had a Town Council Keith would be on the Town Council”.

Town Councils would be a big asset for developing politicians, he said. “If you go back to Shannon that time there was a time we had thirteen public reps in Shannon, we had nine on the Town Council, three on the County Council and I was in the Seanad, the town and

surrounding area had massive representation. I never agreed with Phil Hogan and

I’ll put his name out because I’ve no qualms, on the abolition of the Town Council

and the so-called savings we were going to make, there was no savings, the Town

Council was getting about €180 a month, it was nuts”. Misinformation that existed within Shannon on the use of facilities for IPAS could have been tackled with more representation, he said.

“You come to my town, we are one of the most cosmopolitan towns in the country, there is only about twenty people originally born in that square kilometre.

“Pat O’Brien and the O’Brien family would have been one that are there that length of time, there are a few others that were born in the town.

“Over the years, we’ve had Chileans, Syrians, Filipinos with great communities in our town, we’ve always been an open, cosmopolitan and welcoming town, I’d like that to continue, I think there is a lot of misinformation out there, if we had the Town councillors you could represent that better and put the message out clearer”.

n Tony Mulcahy with supporters at the count centre on Sunday

Photo by Joe Buckley

IN THE line of work I do I have met many women who live their lives in so many different ways. But a way I have adapted to living, and that has changed my life, is living in alignment with my menstrual cycle.

The world we live in is predominantly patriarchal, and our society functions in a way that suits the hormonal cycle of men, which is a 24 hour cycle. It’s not that well known that men also have a variety of hormones like we do as women, but in much smaller doses, and their cycle happens in a period of 24 hours. Our hormones can really control our moods and energy levels, which is why around the time of ovulation, women have an abundance of energy, are in a good mood, and are happy to take on more work and new projects. It is also why in our luteal phase (the week leading up to our period) our energy levels drop, we need to sleep and rest more and we need to take in more calories.

All of this is due to different hormones rising and falling. And for women, this is over a sustained period of time. Our cycle happens roughly over a period of 28 days. This means we could have the phase where we need to sleep and rest more for a whole week. For men, every day they will have a part of the day that they are full of energy and extremely productive. It

is said that this is part of the reason why the “9-5” structure for the working day came about, because these are the hours in which hormonally, men are at their best and most productive. Their testosterone levels peak in the morning and fall in the evening, which suits the 9-5 model perfectly. If only it were so simple for women.

Instead of allowing for the hormonal and physical differences between men and women, women have had to adapt to suit this daily cycle which goes against our nature. I believe that men and women should be treated equally, but I think that is often confused as us being the same, when we simply are not. We are completely different creatures. I think educating women about what is happening in

their body at any given time of the month might allow them to harness their productivity and high energy levels when they are at their peak, and learn to nurture themselves when these energy levels drop. This is what I mean by living cyclically.

Of course, we can’t all quit our 9-5 jobs or take a week off every time we are in our luteal phase. But there are simple ways of planning your life, activities, and workload in a way that works with your cycle. A good way to start this process is by doing some research into the different phases of our cycle and starting to track your cycle so you know what phase you’re in. Our cycle begins on the first day of our period. This is sometimes referred to as “Winter”. During winter, we hibernate, we try to stay warm,

we rest more, we eat warm foods, we often go to sleep earlier due to shorter days and less daylight. The same can be applied to your period or your “Winter”. Lots of rest, more time indoors, time spent alone, warm foods, warm baths and basically anything that will nurture you and allow you to rest. When it comes to exercise, something more gentle is preferred like yoga or walking.

Once your period has ended, you enter your follicular phase. Physically, this is the stage where your body is growing follicles in preparation for your body to ovulate. This time is often referred to as “Spring”. Spring is when we plant seeds, spend more time outdoors, make plans for the summer, we see new life growing in plants, flowers and even animals. Your “Spring” is a time to plant the seeds for the new projects you want to do, to take on some more work, to get out and meet friends more often, to spend more time outdoors and to plan activities that might take more physical energy, like more intense workouts.

As your Ovulation is approaching, you are at your peak energy levels. This is known as your “Summer”. This is when women often feel much better about themselves, they want to put themselves out there more socially, and they find it easy to complete and finish work

and projects. This is the time in which you can plan to make sure everything you need to get done for this month is being ticked off the to do list.

After this you are entering into your “Autumn”, the luteal phase. This is when your estrogen dies off and progesterone rises. Most women feel a drop in their energy levels, their mood changes and a very common symptom is an increased appetite. It is said that during your “Autumn” you do need more calories.

This is mirrored with hunter gatherers and animals that would spend their time gathering food and supplies to keep safe, warm and fed during the Winter. The luteal phase is preparing you for your menstruation, your “Winter”. It’s important to know that your energy levels can drop, you can feel less motivated, and you might want to put off important projects for a week or two and focus on rest and self care.

Since adapting my life to this way of living I have found my productivity has increased, my stress levels have dropped and I find more time for self care and rest. I trust my body to tell me what it needs and listen to the ques of my cycle. I couldn’t recommend it enough, and it feels a lot more natural then trying to fit into a structure that wasn’t created to suit me or my body.

IT WASN’T long after starting my role at OxyGeneration before I witnessed the remarkable benefits that hyperbaric oxygenation brought to those attending. The stories and transformations I’ve observed further convinced me of HBOT’s profound impact on health and well-being.

One of the most impressive aspects of HBOT is its ability to enhance natural defences by boosting immunity. I’ve seen people who used to suffer from frequent colds and infections experience a noticeable decrease in illness. Because HBOT supercharges the immune system it makes it more efficient at fighting off infections. It performs like a natural antibiotic allowing your own body’s responses to be more potent and efficient. Watching individuals go from being constantly under the weather to thriving and full of energy is nothing short of amazing.

I like to describe HBOT as a tonic for the body, accelerating natural responses by optimising cellular activity. During sessions, the increased pressure allows more oxygen to dissolve into the blood plasma, reaching

areas that might otherwise be deprived due to poor circulation or chronic inflammation. It is a treatment used in a hospitals across the globe but generally in extreme or emergency medical cases due to accessibility issues. However clinics like OxyGeneration allow people to access the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen prior to cases being so severe. This regularly leads to incredible recoveries and improvements in people’s health.

Athletes regularly attend sessions to speed up muscle recovery and reduce inflammation-related issues. Their stories of quicker recoveries and fewer injuries echo the effectiveness of HBOT. It’s clear that this treatment gives their bodies a much-needed boost, allowing them to perform better and recover faster.

The natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of HBOT are truly remarkable and scientifically proven. Many pathogens thrive in low-oxygen environments, so by flooding the body with oxygen, HBOT creates a hostile environment for these pathogens helping individuals with chronic infections see

significant improvements in their health.

The anti-inflammatory benefits are equally impressive. Chronic inflammation can lead to numerous health issues, and HBOT helps keep it under control. People with conditions like arthritis and chronic pain find relief through regular sessions. It’s important to note that HBOT does not cure arthritis but it does reduce the severity of the symptoms and can help slow down the progression of the condition.

The sense of community at OxyGeneration is another aspect that stands out. Many people attend regularly to boost their general health, manage chronic conditions, or simply maintain a higher quality of life. The supportive atmosphere and knowledgeable staff make each visit a positive experience. For so many, HBOT has now become a cornerstone of their health routines.

If you’re curious about how Hyperbaric Oxygenation can benefit you, I highly recommend visiting OxyGeneration. The team is always ready to answer questions and guide you through the process. Call them at 091 -

394444 to learn more. Experience the benefits for yourself and see the difference it can make!

Add colour with perennials

IT’S been a different season so far. Some of our flowers and shrubs are not doing as well as we would like, but that’s okay; I am sure it will improve.

However, we can see that a lot of the shrubs are now in full bloom, and the garden is thriving. It is easier to see where you might like to add that pop of color. The perennial selection is extensive now, and the choice is fabulous. Like everyone else, I too want one of each, so we have a lot of choices in stock. Some of the taller perennials are great for poking up between shrubs and adding an abundance of color to create a touch of vibrancy.

Rudbeckia, commonly known as Black-eyed Susan, has bright yellow petals with a dark center.

It’s very easy to grow, can reach up to three feet tall, and does well in all soil types. It’s a

great pollinator perennial for bees and butterflies.

Verbena bonariensis is another tall, slender perennial with clusters of small purple flowers that form at the top of the stem.

It can grow one to two meters in height and is another great pollinator to have in the garden for bees and butterflies. It’s hardy and easy to grow, thriving in any welldrained soil.

Delphiniums are another beautiful perennial. They can grow four to six feet tall and have tall spires of blue, purple, or white flowers. They do well in any well-drained soil but may need a bit of support against the wind.

Lupins are in full flower and give a fantastic show this time of year. They are very distinctive for their tall spike flower clusters that come in a variety of colours.

The flowers are densely

packed on the spike, creating a dramatic and colorful display. They can give a cottage garden look to any border.

Digitalis, also known as foxglove, is well known for its tall spikes of tubular bell-shaped flowers. They come in a variety of colors and can grow two to five feet tall. They thrive in any well-drained soil and are good pollinator plants.

As you can see, these are only some of the taller perennials available; the choice is vast. If you’re hoping to achieve a uniform color scheme, it’s easy to do so.

The cottage garden look never goes out of fashion, and it’s so nice to see lots of people going back to this style of gardening. Whatever style of beds or borders you are hoping to achieve, please come in and ask, and we will do our best to help you fill your garden with lots of color this summer.

lRudbeckia

Thought for the week: Happy Father’s Day

Spreading the word of positivity

RONAN SCULLY

THERE’S a Spanish story of a father and son who had become estranged.

The son ran away, and the father set off to find him. He searched for months to no avail.

Finally, in a last desperate effort to find him, the father put an ad in a Madrid newspaper. The ad read: Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven.

I love you. Your Father. On Saturday 800 Pacos showed up, looking for forgiveness and love from their fathers. In case you don’t know, it’s Father’s Day this coming Sunday. Father’s Day is a day to honor fathers and father figures alike. It is a day to celebrate fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of the many good fathers in society and is also a beautiful opportunity to celebrate the deep, God-given desire to respect, impress, and follow honorable men in our lives.

These are the men who have shaped us, invested in us, been patient with us, and given us the love and stability we have needed to become mature and competent adults. I would like to dedicate this thought for the week to all fathers this weekend, as a tribute to them for all they have given to us and the joy they have brought to our lives and especially to my own amazing

Dad, Ricey. Happy Father’s Day to fathers, grandfathers, and stepfathers! This celebration gives us reason to pause, to pray for, and to reflect on our Fathers whom we honour. On this Father’s Day, we celebrate, congratulate, and pray for the men who continue to reflect the Divine qualities of fatherhood as they lovingly establish, nourish, and maintain their families. Fathers are a

Foclóir an tsamhradh

Summer glossary Gaeilge

Macalla an Chláir

LE MACDARA Ó CONAOLA

SEO chugaibh roinnt fhocla eile len úsáid an samhradh seo / Here are some more Irish words for you to use this summer.

• Tá barr-theas ann! – it’s roasting!

• Ag gearradh féir/baint an fhéir - cutting the grass/making hay

• féar tirim – hay

• speal - scythe

• coca féir - haystack

• slaghdán teaspaigh – hay fever

• ag snaofairt – sneezing

• smaois – snot

• Tá slócht/ceochán orm – I’m hoarse

• Is capall mé – I’m a horse

• allas – sweat

• ag cuir allais – sweating

• ag lapadóireacht – going for a paddle

• caisleán gainimh – sand castle

• mála chips - a bag of chips

• bainis – a wedding

Imeachtaí/Events:

• Tabhair ‘om dearg – gimme a light/got a light?

• Ar mhaith leat deoch? - would you like a drink?

• Ag radaireacht - flirting

• súgach – tipsy, merry (www. drinkaware.ie)

• croch suas é! - sing out!

• craic – craic

• póit (tá póit orm) – hangover (I’m hungover)

AN BHFUIL SCÉAL LE ROINNT AGAIBH?

Bígí i dteagmháil linn agus leanaigí ar Facebook agus Twitter muid ag: @ macallaanchlair

R-phost: macallaanchlair@gmail.com

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

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

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

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

highest honors. We all know how our parents cared for us over the years and gave us every little thing that we ever needed. Love them, respect them, and care for them. Most of all let your dad know how much you love him not just for Father’s Day but for all time.

blessing, and we thank them for blessing us with lives of dedication, endurance, and love.

THOUGHT FOR FATHER’S DAY

As your thought for Father’s Day, make your dad feel the most special man in the world by showing your care, love and affection. To care for those who once cared for us is one of the

In being a dad to Mia and Sophie I have learned how to be a better listener, to be more compassionate, tender and patient. However, the most important thing that I may have learned from being a dad is to be respectful. I believe being a dad has helped me to better respect the gift of life, the people and friends in my life and the people around me whom I come into contact with. Writing this thought for the week has helped me to realize that Fathers’ Day is so much more than a celebration of fathers. It’s a celebration of all of the people in our lives like our parents, our wives, our friends, and the father figures who help father’s carry out their important role each and every day. So be truly grateful for your dad and for the other father-like figures that have selflessly supported you in your life.

To my Dad, Ricey, thank you

for all the things you’ve led me and my siblings through and taught us and continue to do. Through and through you’ve shown me the ropes. Helping me in anything and everything I face. Everyday you’re there for me by simply calling your name. Daddy, if you end up reading this at some point, I love you. With all of your amazingness and imperfections, you are a man I look up to, a man I am proud to call my dad, a man I look forward to learning more about as the years progress, a man with heart and soul that I love dearly. Unconditionally! Rarely do I get to thank you enough. So on this special day, I do exactly that. Thank you Ricey for being my Dad and to all Dad’s, Happy Father’s Day. I love you Daddy! Thank you, thank you, thank you for you. I’m so grateful for my Dad and for the other father-like figures that have selflessly supported me in my life. Nevertheless, these earthly role models and mentors serve to make me aware that there is a heavenly Father whose providential grace has guided my entire life. Happy Father’s Day to all our fathers!

lFather’s Day

Relay for Life brings community together for celebration and commemoration

RELAY for Life Clare returns this weekend, writes Páraic McMahon

Taking place on Saturday and Sunday at Tim Smythe Park in Ennis, the 24-hour community event welcomes everyone who has been touched by cancer, whether they have battled cancer, lost someone to cancer, or witnessed its impact on family and friends.

Teams will take turns walking the track with at least one team member on the track at all times throughout the 24 hours. Funds raised during Relay for Life Clare enable the Irish Cancer Society to continue its vital, life-saving work.

Tour de Burren returns

TOUR de Burren will take place on Saturday June 22nd starting and finishing in the village of Barefield, writes Páraic McMahon

Cyclists will journey from Barefield up through the scenic Burren region. There’s a choice of routes which lead out into the Burren Geopark before looping back home along the incredible coastal road.

Road users in Clare have been advised that there will be an increase of cyclists on roads in the county next Saturday with organisers appealing for patience and cooperation.

Notes

ALZHEIMERS CAFÉ

Funds raised from the cycle will be split between the Burren Cycling Club, Clare Crusaders Clinic and Relay for Life Clare. Also on June 22nd, Barefield will turn into a cycling mecca with live entertainment, family friendly games and the Tour de Burren After Party BBQ all taking place. Organised by the Burren Cycling Club, the sportive is open to all participants, each year bringing together over 2,200 regular and new cyclists – united in a passion to cross the beautiful countryside in the most exhilarating of ways: on two wheels.

THE Clare Branch of the Alzheimer Society are delighted to have our Ennis Information Cafe continuing on the third Wednesday of each Month, in our Ennis Centre, Cuan An Chlair, Cahercalla, from 11.30-13.30. Guest speaker on the 19th of June is Fiona Staunton, Dementia Advisor, Clare, speaking about Communication/Responsive Behaviours. Join us for tea and a chat. For more information contact Linda Murphy 0879152151, e-mail : linda.murphy@alzheimer.ie

IBTS CLINIC

THE next IBTS blood donation clinic will take place at the West County Hotel on Wednesday 19th & Thursday 20th June 2024 from 4.50pm to 8.10 pm. New Donors welcome Phone 1800 222 111 for appointment. Existing donors have the additional option of booking online. Blood donation saves lives. By promoting the clinic, we can encourage more people to donate blood and help those in need. The hospitals requirement for blood is now 6% higher than for the corresponding period last year.

All cancer survivors are invited to register to attend the Cancer Survivors’ Reception and the Survivors’ Lap of Honour, which opens Relay for Life Clare on Saturday from 2pm - 3pm. The event will feature a variety of entertainment including live music, inflatable games for kids, performances from Clare Community Games, local choirs, and much more. There will even be a bike-powered smoothie maker available for a few hours on Saturday afternoon. Everyone from the community is invited to come along and experience this inspiring event of celebration and commemoration at any time throughout the 24

hours.

A highlight of the event is the Candle of Hope ceremony on Saturday at 10pm. The community is invited to dedicate a Candle of Hope bag to someone they know who has been touched by cancer. Hundreds of candle bags personalised with messages of hope and remembrance will be lit, accompanied by music and speeches. Candle bags can be purchased online or on Saturday at Relay for Life Clare.

To find out more about the event visit https://relayforlifeclare.ie/ or Relay for Life Clare on Facebook and Instagram.

lEXPERTS: Ann-Marie and the Kelly Hearing Specialists team

Free hearing aid servicing with Kelly Hearing Specialists

KELLY Hearing Specialists are currently offering free hearing aid servicing to all customers, writes Stuart Holly

Based in the heart of Ennis, Kelly Hearing Specialists are extending the offer to all hearing aid patients along with their own existing clients who already avail of complimentary lifetime free servicing. “After a hearing aid warranty is up, our patients still have free lifetime service of hearing aids and any fine tuning that they need or updating a prescription,” says Ann Marie Kelly, founder of Kelly Hearing Specialists.

Award-winning audiologist Ann Marie Kelly has been supporting the people of County Clare for 12 years.

Based from their clinic at Haven Pharmacy Hollys on Abbey Street in Ennis, Kelly Hearing Specialists is a family-run business specialising in a comprehensive range of audiology services.

Ann-Marie has built up a very loyal customer base over her 12 years working in the hearing business as she continues to grow and foster her relationships with clients across County Clare from her Ennis base.

Ann-Marie is also on hand to support and advise customers on PRSI hearing aids. “People who don’t qualify under their own PRSI might qualify under a livign or dead spouse,” she tells The Clare Echo, “and Kelly Hearing can guide patients through the entire process.”

Kelly Hearing Specialists is headquartered in Ballaghaderreen in Roscommon, and provides more than 20 clinics nationwide.

Ann-Marie first started her audiology services from Haven Pharmacy Hollys in 2013, working alongside Frank Holly and his team.

As has been the case with Ann-Marie over the last 10 years, she and her team will work closely alongside ENT

specialists and GPs to provide the best hearing solutions.

Kelly Hearing Specialists is truly a family-run business. With a staff of five, two of them are Ann Marie’s daughters. Vicky is an experienced hearing aid dispenser while her other daughter Adrianna is branch co-ordinator.

The comprehensive services offered by the company include the latest hearing aid technology from the world’s leading manufacturers; free hearing tests and consultations; free PSRI hearing aids; ear wax removal service such as irrigation and microsuction; tinnitus rehabilitation and therapy; and custom-made swim moulds. Kelly Hearing Specialists are now looking forward to meeting many more of their customers, both old and new.

Contact Kelly Hearing Specialists and book your appointment on 086 865 8259 or 094 986 1698.

l Relay for Life

Shannon accused charged with false imprisonment of alleged assault victim

ASHANNON man accused of a ‘very serious’ assault on his then girlfriend on St Patrick’s Day that allegedly left her with a broken eye socket, broken ribs and a collapsed lung is now also charged with her false imprisonment, writes Gordon Deegan.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, two new charges were brought against Mark Hayes (35) of Aidan Park, Shannon.

Mr Hayes is now charged with false imprisonment of his then girlfriend at a house at Rineanna View in Shannon on March 17th last contrary to Section 15 of the Non Fatal Offences against the Person Act.

In the second new charge, Mr Hayes is also charged with threatening to kill his then girlfriend at the same address on the same date

Thumbs up for election wins

contrary to Section 5 of the Non Fatal Offences against the Person Act.

Det Garda Noel Carroll of Shannon Garda Station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution on Wednesday morning at Ennis courthouse and said that Mr Hayes made no reply after charge and caution.

Solicitor for Mr Hayes, Stiofan Fitzpatrick said that his client has been on remand in custody since April 12th stating that he was anxious that there would be progress in the case.

Last month, Judge Alec Gabbett refused bail to Mr Hayes and Mr Fitzpatrick said that a bail application for Mr Hayes is going to go before the High Court this Thursday (June 13th).

At a previous court hearing in the case, Det

Sgt Kevin O’Hagan of Shannon Garda Station alleged that the victim in the case sustained a broken eye socket, stitches to her face, staples to her head, a collapsed lung that required to be drained, bruises to her body and broken ribs arising from Mr Hayes’s alleged assault.

Det Sgt O’Hagan said that it is the State’s case that Mr Hayes assaulted his then girlfriend at a house in Rineanna View, Shannon on St Patrick’s Day and assaulted another man unknown to him on April 11th at Aidan’s Park, Shannon.

Det Sgt O’Hagan stated that arising from the alleged assault against the woman on March 17th, she spent 11 days in hospital and required surgery on her broken eye socket.

Det Sgt O’Hagan said that it was “a very serious assault.”

In the second assault, Det Sgt O’Hagan stated that it will be alleged that Mr Hayes assaulted a man unknown to him on the street in Shannon punching and kicking him and forcing him to the ground.

Sgt John Burke told court today that the DPP has directed that the case is to go forward to the circuit court and that a Book of Evidence is required.

Judge Gabbett remanded Mr Hayes to appear in custody via video link at Ennis District Court to next Wednesday.

He told Mr Hayes that he if he does obtain bail in the High Court, he must appear in person in court next week. Mr Hayes replied “yes - of course”.

Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF), Cllr David Griffin (FF) and four time Mayor of Shannon, Geraldine Lambert pictured at the election count

Photo by Joe Buckley

Doolin FolkFest expected to generate €2million for the local economy

AN ESTIMATED €2m has been forecast to be generated for the village of Doolin with the return of Doolin FolkFesk in June, writes Páraic McMahon

Doolin Arts, the not-for-profit company created by Hotel Doolin has confirmed that Doolin FolkFest is returning from June 14th to 16th.

Organisers are expecting thousands of people from all over the world to travel to North Clare for the festival generating an estimated two million in economic impact for the region.

Although small, FolkFest is known to punch above its weight when it comes to its line-up of musicians. This year is no different with Jack L, The Scratch and Eddi Reader in place as headliners, whilst an eclectic collection of more than 50 local and international traditional and folk acts including Aldoc, Síomha and Niamh Bury will support the diverse festival programme.

Director of Doolin Arts, Donal Minihane explained, “Although we’re in our eleventh year, we’re still not interested in being a big, mainstream festival or making a profit. Doolin FolkFest is about giving people who appreciate great music the opportunity to come together. It’s that unique communal experience, paired with the unrivalled setting of the village, that keeps people coming back.

“We’re incredibly proud that our festival contributes to the local economy, whilst also providing an important platform for local artists to share their talents. The arts form the lifeblood of many a rural community across

Ireland. Co. Clare is well known for its rich musical heritage and year-on-year FolkFest brings this legacy to life. Our role at Doolin Arts is to ensure that all creative expression - music, literature, dance – remains in the region for people from near and far to benefit from, and we’re really proud that FolkFest continues to be a key driver in that ambition,” headed.

Now in its eleventh year, Doolin FolkFest is also billed as a ‘festival without a footprint’,

in that it’s one of a handful of carbon neutral festivals to be held on the island of Ireland. It’s held in the barn of Hotel Doolin, the first carbon neutral hotel in the country, and the winner of Green Medium Sized Business of the Year and The Green Tourism & Entertainment Award at this year’s Green Awards. Over the course of Doolin FolkFest 2024, no single use items will be available, and the tickets sold will result in the planting of 500 native trees.

Conor Byrne, the Festival’s artistic director said, “Once again we’ve put together an incredible line-up - 50 diverse acts over three days and three stages. Early sales are indicating that our headliners will help us deliver another memorable instalment, and it’s no surprise with The Scratch well-loved in Clare having had a phenomenal performance on the White Horse Session Stage at the festival three years ago, we’re delighted that they now return to headline the weekend. Sibling duo, Caoimhe and Séamus Uí Fhlatharta, and Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin will showcase the music and sean-nós style of the Gaeltacht, whilst performers Siobhán Peoples, Tony Linnane, James Cullinan, and Steve Cooney will make sure there’s a solid local representation.

“Since we started the Folk Festival more than a decade ago, we’ve been intentional in what we want it to represent. If a small festival like ours can achieve carbon neutrality, and pay a fair rate to performers, then there is no reason the bigger festivals, with all their resources and profits can’t do the same. We’re really looking forward to welcoming people to Doolin this June, and we thank our supporters – performers and guests – for their continued support and for recognising the essence of what we want to do,” he added.

Doolin FolkFest takes place June 14 – June 16 at Hotel Doolin. Weekend tickets are priced at €149 plus booking fee and day tickets are €60 plus booking fee. For bookings and more information visit doolinarts.ie.

Bathing prohibition lifted at Lahinch beach following tests

FOLLOWING additional investigative sampling and on the advice of the HSE, Clare County Council on Saturday morning lifted the bathing prohibition at Lahinch, writes Stuart Holly In accordance with An Taisce’s Blue Flag programme, the Blue Flag at the bathing area will be reinstated.

A red flag was raised at Lahinch Beach with a ban on swimming on Thursday on the advice of the HSE.

Results from routine bathing water samples showed elevated levels of bacteria in Lahinch which prompted the introduction of the swimming ban.

l Swimming at Lahinch beach

lDoolin

Lara keeps the Third Stage in Kilkee

AN ART EXHIBI-

TION by Larisa K. Jourdan is running at Cultúrlann Sweeney in Kilkee until June 24th writes Páraic McMahon

‘Third Stage’ is Larisa’s exhibition which is inclusive and welcome for everyone to attend at the Kilkee gallery.

Larisa is a professional visual artist and alumnus of the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, and Griffith College, Dublin.

She works primarily in oils and has been painting and drawing since early childhood. Her artwork covers a broad and diverse range of subject matter. She has been teaching art professionally in Ennis since 2009.

She owns and operates Restore, an art gallery and restoration shop in Ennis town centre, and in addition to her painting she restores paintings, sculptures, statues, antiques and collectibles across the country.

Notes

OLD KILFARBOY

THE Old Kilfarboy Society has organized its first summer outing for Sunday next, 16th June. John Daly, Local Historian will guide us through the history of the Seafield area and nearby Tromra Castle. Meet at Seafield Pier car park at 2pm. All are welcome.

BOOK LAUNCH

A NEW book by Kevin Haugh about well known Kilkee resident Manuel Di Lucia will be launched in Ennis tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. The book, titled Manuel Di Lucia, You Only Live Once, will be launched at Sheils Car Showrooms, Gort Road, Dulick, Ennis, V95 CP27 at 5.30pm. The proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to RNLI Lifeboats, Kilrush Lifeboat Station and West Clare Cancer Centre, Kilkee

OUR last article was the introduction to a bigger and more in-depth chapter on what metabolic health means and why we should understand it, as it is the core of our overall health.

When we look at science, we find out that our adult body is made up of approximately 30 trillion cells. It is hard to comprehend this number alone. Understanding how our body works is our business because it empowers us and helps us to self-advocate for our health and wellbeing in a world where it seems like everything is so confusing and overwhelming. Understanding that our body is powered and governed by amazing universal laws makes us want to understand more about how these laws work and what we can do to support these universal laws rather than work against them. You might think: wait a second, what is the connection between metabolic health and universal law?

Metabolic health is defined by the health of our cells. If the cells are healthy and working optimal-

ly, they can do their job of fuelling our bodies and furnishing us with the energy we need to function as human beings. We are the most complex and holistic form of life to date, and we are driven by energy because we are energy.

The cells we are born with are our genetic inheritance and they can define us, but they are not definitive, luckily. This is im portant to understand and accept when it comes to our metabolic health. Our genet ic inheritance is not a life sentence. Good or bad, what has a decisive power over our genes is the environment, which decides which genes are activated and when, in response to our lifestyle.

Our primary functions as a human body are: breathing, moving, thinking, and keeping us safe from external dan

gers. To understand this, I will give you an example: our brain’s primary function is to help us move and stand up, and thinking and making sense of the environment is its secondary function. Fascinating, to say the least.

This means that what we do daily—feeding our body, moving our body or not, exposing our body to too much stress, and so on—decides which genes get activated. We definitely didn’t consciously have our say in our gene inheritance, but we do have our say in our environmental choices, also known as our lifestyle.

Despite what the current western medical care system tells us, we are not supposed to be on a drug for the rest of our lives because our parents had certain medical histories. Yes, that can save someone’s life when that’s what that person is

willing to do, but there is no drug invented to date that has no side effects on other systems or cells in our body. This is the part that our current medical system is not really showing us because everything seems to be on fast forward in our current world. This ‘fast forward’ approach numbs us, disconnects us from our human design, and leads us to give our power away to a drug or a fast-food system that feeds us into a chronic disease epidemic.

A gene can’t activate on its own. The environment is what decides that. Please read that again because if you understand that, you take back your power from the current modern world. If you are very lucky and have inherited very good genes and have a health history with no metabolic health disruptors such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, cancer, or obesity, all you have to do is work on keeping those genes active and healthy. Work with your body, not against it, by giving your cells real food, the right amount of exercise, and keeping stress levels within your resilience.

I will talk more in my next article about the role of resilience in our metabolic health and how to manage stress better and more effectively. You can also find out from your parents what they did to keep their genetic inheritance in good shape and continue doing the same thing, multiplied, to pass on the ‘good fortune’ to the next generation.

If you consider yourself ‘less lucky’—which, by the way, I don’t necessarily agree with—and you come from a background of inherited metabolic health challenges, your main job would be to work with a practitioner who can help you understand your own unique body and write your own lifestyle prescription to help keep those ‘challenging’ genes shut off. If this article surprised you or opened your eyes a bit more, you will understand why my clients stay with me and recommend me to their loved ones. This is what I do to help my clients: I translate science into a basic language that our brains can digest and understand, enabling us to act on it.

lVISUAL ART: A piece by Larisa K. Jourdan

Outdoor infrastructure funding boost for three Galway communities

COMMUNITIES of Maam, Glinsk and Kilconly have received a major funding boost after Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD announced an allocation of €420,404 to Galway County Council under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS), writes Páraic McMahon

This funding will facilitate the upgrade of walking trails at Glinsk Heritage Park, the construction of a car and bus park at Ionad Pobail an Mháma and the upgrade of the existing trail at Castlegrove Woods.

Allocations for ORIS were submitted earlier this year with the support of Galway County Council’s Community and Rural Development section.

Liam Conneally, Chief Executive Galway County Council commented, “These projects are all about making our rural towns and villages great places to live, work, and raise a family. I want to thank the local communities who brought forward

these proposals and worked with our staff in Rural and Community Development to develop applications for the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme. I look forward to seeing these projects coming to fruition over the coming months”.

Jackie Carroll, Director of Services with Galway County Council said, “The three local projects in receipt of funding will help to breathe new life into their respective communities and we look forward to works getting underway in the coming months. The investment is being provided to Galway County Council under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme”. She continued, “The funding will benefit local communities with new or enhanced outdoor facilities while also helping to support local economies by continuing to offer domestic and international visitors an attractive and exciting array of outdoor amenities,” concluded Ms. Carroll.

Glinsk Community Development Society has been allocated €200,000 to upgrade of 2km of existing trails at Glinsk Heritage Park. Works include the improve-

ment of pathways and the surface of the parking area, as well as the creation of an attractive entrance with improved signage. The project will greatly improve accessibility at

the park which is a popular stopping point on the Beara Breine Way and the Suck Valley Way and is near Glinsk Castle.

Coiste Forbartha an Mháma has been allocated €172,582 worth of funding for the construction of a car and bus park at Ionad Pobail an Mháma.

The development will facilitate those seeking to walk the Western Way. The car and bus park also will provide proper and secure parking for a range of community and commercial outdoor recreation events held throughout the year.

Meanwhile, Castlegrove Woods Tales & Trails Group has been granted €47,820 to develop the existing trail at Castlegrove Woods. The project aims to develop both Castlegrove Woods and barracks as nature trails and historical trails with improved signage. Accessibility will be at the heart of the development, upgrading trails to make the surface even and suitable for walking, cycling and wheelchairs.

Contracts signed for €9m social inclusion scheme

CONTRACTS for the delivery of the new €9m Social Inclusion & Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2024-2028 in County Galway have been officially signed, writes Páraic McMahon

As per the contracts, there will be a combined budget for SICAP in County Galway of almost €1.8m per year across the five years of the programme, which will be implemented

across Galway West by Forum Connemara CLG and in Galway East and Galway Islands by Galway Rural Development CLG.

SICAP is Ireland’s primary social inclusion programme and is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development through the European Social Fund and managed at local level by the Local Community Development Committee with support from

Galway County Council.

It is a targeted, holistic programme for individuals who are most disadvantaged and less likely to use mainstream services. Under the programme, the Programme Implementer provides supports directly to individuals based on their identified needs, with a view to promoting personal development and progressing to longer-term outcomes such as employment and education.

The programme is expected to support over 100 community groups and over 1,000 individuals on a one-to-one basis each year in the most disadvantaged areas and communities of County Galway

Cllr Noel Thomas (IND), Chairperson of Galway County Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) said, “SICAP is a vital scheme to improve the life chances and opportunities of those who are marginalised in society. The LCDC’s role is to coordinate the delivery of community development programmes and funding at local level, and I look forward to working in partnership with Galway Rural Development and Forum Connemara to enhance interagency cooperation and collaboration in the design and delivery of SICAP and other public funding programmes over the next five years”.

Liam Conneally, Chief Executive of Galway County Council welcomed the commencement of the new SICAP programme in line with the public consultation process on a new Local Economic & Community Plan (LECP) for County Galway. “It is important that the actions carried out under SICAP are

in line with the LECP and this represents a key opportunity for individuals, community groups, and other stakeholders, to input into the identification of key objectives and actions to tackle poverty and promote social inclusion which will form the basis for the development of SICAP Annual Plans over the coming years,” explained Mr. Conneally. “I am confident that the delivery of the new SICAP Programme will build on the work done to date across SICAP and all LCDC public funding programmes”.

Collective community needs are focused on in the programme. The LCDC has identified ‘People living in communities impacted by Disadvantage’ as a priority target group, and the Programme Implementers will use a flexible community development approach to design and deliver the most appropriate types of interventions, projects, and initiatives to tackle poverty, high unemployment rates, and other issues associated with the most disadvantaged small areas and communities in the County.

In this way, SICAP aims to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion and equality through local engagement and interagency collaboration with local, regional, and national services.

This week, the contracts for the delivery of the programme were signed by the Programme Implementers, namely Galway Rural Development CLG and Forum Connemara CLG, along with Galway County LCDC (Local Community Development Committee) and Galway County Council.

lHOLISTIC: Back Row: Jacqueline Carroll, Kieran Coyne. Front Row: Steve Dolan, Cllr Noel Thomas, Liam Conneally, Mary Claire Brennan Photo by Mike Shaughnessy

lNEW LIFE: Glinsk Heritage Park

350 free water fountains to be installed across Ireland

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

A CLARE senator has said her research was central to the launch of a new scheme which will see 350 water fountains installed across the country.

Minister of State with special responsibility for Communications and Circular Economy, Ossian Smyth (GP), and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien (FF) have launched a public drinking water fountain scheme.

Reduction of plastic bottle use and the provision of widespread public access to drinking water as required by the recast Drinking Water Directive, are the aim of the scheme.

€2m in funding from the Circular Economy Fund will be made available for the rollout of public water infrastructure through Uisce Éireann, Local Authorities and the National Federation of Group Water Schemes.

Initially the scheme will focus on the installation of drinking fountains within public buildings, with future phases of the scheme to include the installation of drinking fountains in public outdoor spaces.

Over 350 water fountains will be installed across the scheme, this will be done in phases over “the next few years” according to the De partment of the En vironment, Climate and Communica tions.

Phase 1 which will commence later in 2024, will focus on the provision of drinking water fountains within public build ings, such as coun ty buildings or libraries where there is an existing mains water supply. Phase 2 is to commence in 2025, will see the scheme extended to

public outdoor spaces such as community centres, swimming pools, parks, greenways and beaches.

Senator Roisin Garvey (GP) pointed out that the scheme will save the public money through the provision of free public access to drinking water in towns, villages and amenities all over Ireland. She said almost five million drinks are consumed in single use containers each day in Ireland, a large volume of which are plastic water bottles. She stated, “Ask and you shall receive. Four years ago I got one water bottle refill station fitted in Ennistymon. When I posted it on social media people from all over Ireland asked me how they could get one. There was no one place I could send them and it had been very complicated and costly for me to get that installed. I set about working on making it easier so communities could get them installed and fully funded”.

Inagh native Garvey added, “As a result of my work and research and through my securing of funding through the Minister for Circular Economy, Ossian Smyth we launched a fund to roll out water refill stations in every village and town in Ireland. We got Irish Water, all County Councils and all group water schemes on board in order to simplify the process”.

“The scheme will focus on the installation of drinking fountains within public buildings, public outdoor spaces such as parks, sports grounds and town and village public spaces,” she

l REFRESHING: Senator Roisin Garvey (GP) at the water fill station in Ennistymon Photo by Eamon Ward

Minister of State Ossian Smyth (GP)

Stronger measures needed to tackle water pollution according to SWAN

FAR stronger measures are needed to address the country’s water pollution crisis, the Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) has argued, writes Páraic McMahon.

SWAN is a network of 25 of Ireland’s leading environmental organisations including the Kilrush based Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.

Reacting to the EPA’s water indicator report, SWAN called on the Government to put in place far stronger measures to address Ireland’s water pollution crisis and tackle ongoing pollution from agriculture and forestry run-off, and discharges of raw and inadequately treated human sewage.

Forty-five per cent of rivers and forty six percent of lakes according to the report are still in an unhealthy condition and are not meeting legal standards for biological quality.

Forty-two per cent of rivers, and 17% of estuaries and coasts are exceeding healthy levels for nitrogen, while over a quarter of rivers (27%) and over a third of lakes (35%) have phosphorus concentrations above legal limits.

Average nitrates levels have shown no improvement across our rivers and have increased in our groundwaters, while nutrient loads have remained largely unchanged in our marine environment over four years.

Sinéad O’Brien, SWAN Coordinator, said: “Another year and another report from the EPA showing yet again the ongoing failure of the government to address our water crisis and to stem the tide of water pollution”.

She stated, “The lack of improvement in nitrate pollution is of very

serious concern. The elevated levels kporfare mainly in the south, east and south east and are attributed to intensive agriculture.

“This shows that current measures to tackle pollution for intensive

livestock farming are not working here and we need strong additional measures such as nutrient restrictions based on the carrying capacity of these already nutrient-saturated catchments and risk-assessments

for intensive farms, with a licensing system similar to pigs and poultry farms to protect vulnerable rivers and estuaries. These measures would result in a marked reduction in agricultural water pollution.

“The high levels of phosphate concentrations are similarly coming from agriculture run-off but also from wastewater discharges. Government must commit to urgent investment to halt discharges of raw and inadequately treated sewage into all water bodies. The report is even more evidence of the urgent need for much more ambition and commitment from the government to finally fix our escalating water pollution crisis and restore our rivers, lakes and seas back to good health. We are calling for this to be reflected in the upcoming Water Action Plan,” Sinead concluded.

l Pig farming

Men - know the signs and find cancer early

Bernadette Mullins is a Senior Health Promotion & Improvement Officer Cancer Prevention with HSE Midwest. For Men’s Health week 2024, she speaks about the possible signs of cancer and some of the things that men can do to reduce their risk:

More than 1 in 2 men will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. The most common cancers in men are lung, prostate, bowel and skin cancer.

The risk of getting cancer is affected by many things. There are things that we can’t change, like our age and family history. But there are things men can do to reduce their risk, including:

• Do not start smoking. If you are already a smoker, it’s never too late to quit

• Manage your weight

• Take part in HPV and Hepatitis B vaccination programmes

• Limit alcohol. The less you drink, the lower your risk of cancer

• Protect your skin from the sun and do not use sunbeds

• Take part in cancer screening programmes

• Check radon levels in your home

• Eat a healthy balanced diet

• Be physically active

• Follow health and safety rules at work to avoid exposure to cancer-causing substances

Not all cancers can be prevented but finding cancer early means patients are more likely to survive. Cancer can cause changes to how your body normally looks, works or feels such as:

• A new lump or bump on your body

• A changing lump or bump on your body

• Unexplained bleeding from any part of the body

• Changes to your skin e.g. a new or changing mole

• Weight loss without trying

• Unexplained tiredness

• A new cough lasting more than 3 weeks or a change to your normal cough

• A change in bowel habits, such as looser poo, pooing more often or constipation

• Persistent heartburn or indigestion

If you notice anything that is unusual for you or someone you know, it’s important to contact your GP without delay. Survival is better than ever – especially if cancer is found early.

If you would like more information on reducing risk of cancer please contact bernadettem.mullins@hse.ie or search online for ‘HSE Reduce your risk of cancer’

Reversing the stigma of mental health in West Clare

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

THE West Clare Mental Health Association is helping people in West Clare overcome stigma through a series of unique community-based events.

Next year the Kilrush-based group will be 50 years in existence and Peer Support Coordinator James Fennelly stresses that the group’s primary aim is to offer peer support to those struggling with mental health, and to break down the stigma around mental health issues and suicide.

“Our primary model is peer support where people with lived experience support people,” James tells The Clare Echo. “You don’t get that through the mainstream services such as the HSE. That’s a really important avenue for people to access. We’re non-clinical. There are barriers that stop people from accessing services and sometimes people have negative experiences with the HSE so at least they can come and we can share our experiences with them and give them confidence to go back again.”

The West Clare Mental Health Association has delivered a number of suicide awareness talks for the peo-

ple of West Clare, including bringing survivors of suicide into the community to “try and destigmatise” mental health and suicide.

Last October on Mental Health Day, the group brought renowned clinical psychologist, Dr David Coleman to Kilrush where he delivered a talk to more than 100 people. James contends, “You won’t get State agencies doing that and that goes a long way to reverse the stigma because you have 100 people in a room and they’re all there for one reason.”

One of the primary and unique functions of the group is delivering WRAP (Wellness, Recovery, Action, Plan) courses free of cost across Clare, a 16-hour course to equip people with the tools to improve their mental wellbeing. Currently a course is being delivered in Miltown Malbay with one planned for Kilrush later this year.

James says he wishes he found WRAP earlier in his life, explaining, “It’s very interesting when you get a number of people in a room and you touch on certain subjects, it strikes a chord with a lot of them. Behind closed doors, a lot of people would be very similar in

families, same troubles, tribulations and insecurities. So WRAP helps people develop a pathway to a wellness toolbox they can develop for themselves. You spend time developing what works for you and from that, people go on and apply it. A lot of people, myself included, would dip in and out of their WRAP plans. It’s helpful for when you might be in a bit of a lull or low place.”

On a weekly basis, The West Clare Mental Health Association also delivers Woodlands for Wellbeing walks at the Vandeleur Gardens (Tuesday at 11am), Edel’s Music Club (online every Wednesday) where people can share their love of music in an online setting; and peer support groups every Friday from 5-7pm, where visitors can meet peers who have lived experience of anxiety, depression, addiction and survivors of attempting suicide.

People can get in contact with James Fennelly, Peer Support Coordinator by calling 085 8559511 or 065 9062329 or visit Facebook (WestClareMentalHealth) or Twitter @ClareMental. Visit westclarementalhealth. ie for more information or email westclaremha@mentalhealthireland.ie.

IN THE wake of recent local and European elections, the country has seen a fresh influx of newly elected representatives joining the ranks of seasoned politicians.

This phenomenon is not unique to the political sphere; it is also a common occurrence in corporate teams, where new leaders are brought in to represent the voices of their people and stakeholders. The University of Limerick’s Student Life team, for whom I recently had the pleasure of facilitating a two-day induction programme for its newly elected student body, provides a compelling example of this process.

The Student Life team, comprising both existing staff and newly elected student representatives, including the student president and their supporting team members, presents a unique challenge.

The task is to integrate the new voices into the existing team while respecting the established vision and processes. This requires a delicate balance between embracing new ideas and ensuring continuity.

To achieve this, we employed a three-pronged approach to onboard

1. LINKING THE NEW TO THE ESTABLISHED VISION

The first step was to link the new representatives’ manifestos to the wider and already established vision of the Student Life team. This involved a collaborative visionboard exercise, where the incoming and outgoing staff worked together to bring the new staff’s manifesto to life. This exercise not only helped the new members understand the existing vision but also allowed them to contribute their own ideas and perspectives. By doing so, we ensured that the new voices were not only integrated but also empowered to shape the future of the team.

2. SUPPORTING THE NEW LEADERS

The second step was to provide the new representatives with the necessary support to bring their manifestos to life. We did this by hearing from the established support team about the various resources and initiatives available to them. This included guidance on existing processes, training programs, and mentorship opportunities. By doing so, we

3. LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND GUIDANCE

The final step Is to provide the new representatives with ongoing leadership training, advice, and guidance to help them navigate their new roles. This will include workshops on effective communication, self-awareness, conflict resolution, and time management. We also shared insights on common pitfalls to avoid

on the team’s goals. These three steps not only help the new representatives integrate into the existing team but also ensure that they are equipped to make a positive impact. The outcome is expected to be a harmonious and productive working environment where new and existing voices alike, are valued and respected.

LESSONS FOR CORPORATE

Life team at the University of Limerick offers valuable lessons for corporate teams. When new leaders are brought in to represent the voices of their people and stakeholders, it is essential to strike a balance between embracing new ideas and ensuring continuity. By following the three steps outlined above, corporate teams can ensure a smooth transition and foster a collaborative working environment. In the words of Éamon de Valera, “The old and the new must be merged. The old must be preserved, but the new must be allowed to grow. The old must be respected, but the new must be given a chance to develop.”

This sentiment is particularly relevant in the context of integrating new leaders into established teams, where the old and the new must come together to create a cohesive and effective working environment. As we continue to navigate the complexities of leadership and representation, it is essential that we prioritise collaboration, inclusivity, and effective communication to build a brighter future for all. On that note, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all newly elected candidates the very best of

We are inviting you to apply for the role of Maintenance Electrician at Shannon Airport

We welcome applications from persons who have completed a recognised role in a fast-paced airport environment

The role requires a highly motivated and resourceful individual who is capable of working both collaboratively and independently to further develop their skills while enhancing core service product. This full-time, shift-based role of nights, systems as well as airport campus electrical infrastructure

How to Apply:

Role

Purpose

electrical infrastructure and communications systems at Shannon Airport are maintained to the highest standards. The role encompasses planned, reactive, and emergency maintenance in a diverse infrastructural assets including but not limited to: PLC’s, SCADA systems, HMI systems, Apron and Stand HML’s. As aspects of this work provided.

Applications in the form of a cover letter and current CV (MS Word or pdf) should be sent to: recruitment@ snnairportgroup.ie no later than 12 noon on Monday, 24th June 2024. Ensure your email and telephone number (including mobile) are included with your application. Short-listing may apply. No late applications will be accepted.

As these are shift positions, applicants must be over 18 years of age on date of application.

* Candidates will be required to successfully complete an interview, Garda Vetting and enhanced background check in accordance with National Civil Aviation Security Programme (NCASP) requirements and pre-employment medical.

Overview

World Bicycle Day celebrated in Shannon

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

• Library Assistant

Closing date: 12 Noon Thursday 4th July 2024. Please complete online application form available on www.clarecoco.ie under Careers Section. Only applications completed online will be accepted. Clare County Council is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sectors of the Community.

Scriobh chugainn as gaeilge más fearr leat.

EMPLOYEES from Shannon companies took to their bicycles last week to celebrate World Bicycle Day, marking Shannon’s inaugural participation in this annual global celebration of the humble two-wheeler, writes Elaine Tubridy

This unique lunchtime event was organised on Wednesday, 5 June by Shannon Chamber in conjunction with Shannon Municipal District and Fine Grain Property with the support of Shannon Town Centre, HSE, CoMotion, Clare Sports Partnership and The Bike Doc, Ballycasey.

Thanks to the generosity of CoMotion, operators of the shared bicycle scheme in Shannon, the majority of cyclists availed of the offer to use CoMotion’s electric bikes free of charge, resulting in a sea of colour emblazoning the bikes as they wove their way from Shannon Free Zone, across the pedestrian overpass on the N19, onto Drumgeely Road and into Shannon Town Centre. Shannon Municipal District staff took up marshal positions along the route to ensure cyclist safety.

The cyclists stopped off at the Town Centre for a light lunch, free health checks provided by HSE staff, bike repair advice from Ballycasey-based The Bike Doc, and ice cream cones compliments of Fine Grain Property.

Councillor Donna McGettigan, Cathaoirleach of Shannon Municipal District, welcomed the cyclists to Shannon where they were also addressed by Mick Guinee, chairman and chief executive of Ei Electronics, a keen cyclist who encouraged people to use their bikes to get around Shannon. Mick continued his journey on bike to a meeting at Shannon Aviation Museum showing that meetings in Shannon can

be achieved by using the bikes.

Chamber CEO Helen Downes was delighted with the day saying that this is just the beginning of the Chamber’s push to champion the use of bikes by businesses in Shannon.

“CoMotion has a fleet of 50 electric bikes located throughout Shannon. We would love to see more people using these, particularly Shannon’s workforce during their lunch breaks or to travel to any meetings they may have in Shannon. We are already planning for a larger World Bicycle Day in 2025.”

Commenting on the event, Alan Farrell, Director of Services, Clare County Council, said: “Shannon Municipal District was delighted to assist with this exciting initiative which has created further synergies between the industrial zone and Shannon town. The Council is working to respond to the needs and expectations of the area, and this involves creating social connections between people whilst contributing to a greener and healthier society. There was a large number of people involved in the organisation of the lunchtime cycle event and I would like to thank our proactive partners who were instrumental in spearheading it, particularly Colin MacDonald, Fine Grain Property and Helen Downes, Shannon Chamber.” Colin MacDonald, CEO of Fine Grain Property, which owns Westpark Innovation Campus added: “Westpark is very grateful to Shannon Chamber of Commerce and Clare County Council for working with us to organise such a fun day, highlighting the sustainable two-wheeled connectivity of Shannon Town and the Business Zone. It’s a healthy, convenient and sustainable seven-minute cycle from Westpark to Shannon Town Centre, whether you’re going to work, popping into town for lunch, or just going for a spin!”

l UNIQUE EVENT: (top) Councillor Donna McGettigan, Cathaoirleach of Shannon Municipal District launching Shannon’s participation in World Bicycle Day with Kevin Conlon, Fine Grain Property; Alan Farrell, Director of Services, Clare County Council; Conor Healy, Nova Systems; Anne Griffin, Shannon Municipal District; and Helen Downes, CEO, Shannon Chamber.

(above) A colourful sight as cyclists make their way from Shannon Free Zone to Shannon Town Centre and (right) Employees from Aerogen Shannon participating in the event enjoy ice cream cones before cycling back to work Photos by Eamon Ward

IN OUR previous articles, we delved into the intricacies of employment law legislation and the essential policies and terms that must be included in a contract of employment.

Building on that foundation, this article explores the critical importance of having comprehensive workplace policies, both in the form of a Staff Handbook and within other internal documents, to protect, support and inform employers and employees alike.

In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving business environment, having robust workplace policies is not just a legal requirement but a critical component of fostering a healthy and productive workplace. As HR and Business Consultants at ERA LTD, we have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of well-structured policies in enhancing workplace culture, ensuring compliance, and mitigating risks. Equally, we have seen the devastating effects of not taking the need for policies in the workplace seriously. This article aims to elucidate the importance of workplace policies, highlight the essential policies that employers must implement, and inform you of the comprehensive policy development and implementation services offered by ERA LTD.

THE NECESSITY OF WORKPLACE POLICIES

Workplace policies serve as a foundational framework for business operations, delineating expectations, responsibilities, and procedures for both employers and employees. They provide clear guidelines on acceptable behaviours, outline procedures for handling disputes and processes, and ensure compliance with internal regulations and employment laws. Without these policies, businesses risk facing legal challenges, decreased employee morale, operational inefficiencies and lower customer satisfaction. Having procedures, including SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) in place ensures the same standards and steps are applied to a process each time, regardless of who carries it out. This, in turn, results in uniform quality of product or service and intended outcome of processes and actions. Our strategy is to prevent issues and incidents where policy is concerned but that if they do occur then you have the policies to deal with them.

MUST-HAVE POLICIES

Certain policies are indispensable for ensuring legal compliance and protecting both the employer and employees. Employers are required to outline the content of these policies to their staff. These include:

highly recommend to assist you in meeting these requirements, further safeguarding the workplace and enhancing employee relations:

• Data Protection

• Protected Leave

• Domestic Leave

• Mobile Phone, Email, and Internet

• Social Media

• Equality

• Code of Conduct and Behaviour at and Outside of Work

• Recruitment & Selection

• References, Personal Information & Eligibility Clauses

• Training & Development Policy

• Staff Appraisal

• Attendance, Punctuality, Time Keeping, and Absence

• Young Persons Working Hours

• Signing/Clocking In Policy

• Double Employment

• Paid & Unpaid Leave

Under current employment legislation, all employees must have received a copy of and signed that they have read the company disciplinary procedure and grievance processes. However, the practice expected both by WRC and the Courts is to have many more relevant policies set out in place. The following policies are just some of what we

• Key Holding

• Sectorial Order Related Policies

• Food Safety & Hygiene

• Environmental Policy

BENEFITS OF COMPREHENSIVE WORKPLACE POLICIES

Legal Protection: Well-drafted policies help ensure compliance with employment laws and regulations, reducing the risk of legal disputes

Consistent Treatment: Policies provide a consistent framework for decision-making, ensuring fair and equal treatment of all employees

Clear Expectations: Employees understand their roles, responsibilities, and the consequences of their actions, fostering a transparent and accountable workplace

Enhanced Productivity: Clear guidelines reduce confusion and misunderstandings, allowing employees to focus on their work

Risk Mitigation: Policies help identify and

• Incapability & Competence

• Right to Disconnect and Working from Home

• IT

• Honesty Policy

• Dress Code and Hygiene

• Working from Home & Remote Working

• Expenses & Waste

• Flexibility & Mobility

• Adverse Weather

• Lay-Off and Short Time

• Retirement

• Redundancy

• Smoking & Vaping

• Intoxication

• CCTV Policy

• Stress in the Workplace

• Obligations & Conditions on Termination

AS-REQUIRED POLICIES

Depending on the specific needs and context of your business or industry, additional policies might be necessary.

These include:

• Travel and Expense Reimbursement

• Workplace Accommodation

• Company Vehicle

• Tips and Gratuities

• Cash Handling & Till

• Licensing & Serving under 18s

• Staff Purchases

mitigate risks before they escalate into larger issues

By following this comprehensive approach, employers can create a more harmonious, efficient, and legally compliant workplace, ultimately contributing to the success and sustainability of their business.

CONSEQUENCES OF NOT HAVING PROPER POLICIES

Failure to implement and enforce workplace policies can lead to numerous adverse outcomes, including:

Legal Issues: Non-compliance with employment laws can result in costly legal battles and fines

Decreased Employee Morale: Lack of clear guidelines can lead to confusion, frustration, and decreased job satisfaction among employees

Inconsistent Practices: Without standardised procedures, managers might make inconsistent decisions, leading to perceptions of unfairness

Increased Turnover: Poor workplace culture and unresolved grievances can drive valuable employees away

MORE THAN A PIECE OF PAPER!

Having the required and necessary policies in place means more than just having them

on paper, stored in an office drawer.

Providing employees with a copy of the Handbook and training them to understand key policies and procedures is a fundamental step in embedding these policies into the company culture and making them a default approach. Employers, Managers, and Supervisors must know these policies by heart and put them into practice in their daily activities. In court cases, employers are often asked not only to prove that they had relevant policies in place but that they also adhered to these policies in their actions within the scope of the case.

SO HOW CAN WE HELP?

At ERA LTD, we specialise in helping businesses develop, design and successfully implement comprehensive workplace policies and procedures. Remember your policies are living documents.

Our services include:

Policy Development: We work closely with employers, managers and staff to adapt or draft essential policies tailored to their specific needs and industry requirements. Our on-site presence helps us to better understand the business and employee needs and promotes co-operation on all levels.

Staff Handbooks: We create detailed staff handbooks that compile all necessary policies and procedures, ensuring employees have a clear understanding of expectations. Training Programmes: We provide training for employees and managers to ensure they are well-versed in the company policies and can apply them effectively.

Ongoing Support: We offer continuous support to update and refine policies as laws change and business needs evolve.

LEGAL AND STATISTICAL INSIGHTS

According to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in Ireland, a significant number of complaints are related to the absence or mismanagement of workplace policies. In 2022, the WRC received 6,263 complaints, representing 12,790 specific complaints.

Whilst the Complaint Applications in 2023 have decreased slightly by 1% (6,172), the individual specific complaints have increased significantly by 11% (14,158). A substantial portion of complaints pertained to issues that could have been prevented with proper policies in place. This underscores the critical importance of having a comprehensive set of workplace policies.

CONCLUSION

Implementing robust workplace policies is essential for fostering a positive work environment, ensuring legal compliance, and protecting both employers and employees. By partnering with ERA LTD, businesses benefit from expert guidance in developing and maintaining these policies, ensuring a well-managed and compliant workplace. Investing in the right policies not only mitigates risks but also promotes a culture of fairness, transparency, and productivity. Be proactive, ensure you have policies in place that are specific to your business but give you peace of mind.

We have outlined for all parties the importance and the benefits of having them in place. We ensure our clients and their teams are trained and fully understand the policies, entitlements and rights.

For more information on how ERA LTD can assist you in developing and implementing effective workplace policies, please visit our website at https://eraltd.ie/ or contact us directly – we are only a call or email away!

€365,000

This five bedroom detached family home is located in the popular residential area of Lissane within walking distance of Clarecastle Village and all the amenities it has to offer including shops and services. Access onto the inner relief road and M18 motorway is just 1.5 km from the home making it ideal for those commuting to Ennis, Shannon, Limerick and beyond with Ennis Town Centre accessible within minutes drive.

Set on a site of 0.27 acres (0.11 hectares) this home is presented for sale in good decorative order both internally and externally and benefits from a number of upgrades such as solar panels for electric and hot water, upgraded wall and attic insulation and new oil boiler helping this home to achieve a fantastic B1 energy efficient rating. The internal accommodation boasts 2 reception rooms to the front with a large kitchen/living/dining room to the rear.

Contact: DNG O’Sullivan Hurley

Tel: (065) 684 0200

PSL 002295

€575,000

Approached by the automated gated sweeping and hedge bound drive, leads to the stunning courtyard to what can only be described as a magnificent family home offering the best of both worlds with an abundance of countryside to be enjoyed, just 7 minutes from Woodstock Golf Country and Leisure Centre, 10 minutes from Ennis town, and connectivity onto the M18 by the inner relief road is within 8 minutes making this the perfect family home private and convenient. Meticulously maintained, the home offers bright, spacious and well-proportioned living accommodation evident from the outstanding ground floor layout boasting an enormous open plan kitchen/dining with double connections into the half-moon shaped main reception room with all 3 living spaces boasting vaulted ceilings, and finishes such as solid cherrywood kitchen with ample granite work surfaces and integrated appliances, oak flooring to the formal dining.

Contact: DNG O’Sullivan Hurley

Tel: (065) 684 0200 PSL 002295

€395,000

Positioned on a magnificent elevated site, with outstanding views over Ashfield Lake, this bright and spacious 4 bedroom detached family home is presented for sale in excellent condition both inside and out. The gated entrance leads to the vast tarmacadam drive to the lower level double door garage, which further connects to the mature rear gardens and patio where the views are simply breathtaking.

On entering, the extensive timber flooring and tiling that are expressed throughout, the solid oak fitted kitchen, marble surround feature fireplace, ceiling coving, and outstanding quality fixtures and fittings, 4 double bedrooms round off this fantastic family home with every amenity on your doorstep, just a short walk to Ennis town centre, immediately opposite Lidl Supermarket, the Auburn Lodge Leisure Centre, easy access to the M18 for those connecting to Limerick, Shannon and Galway.

Contact: DNG O’Sullivan Hurley

Tel: (065) 684 0200 PSL 002295

The Treaty lower the Banner in the Munster final for a thirs consecutive year in a row

MUNSTER SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

Clare 1-20 Limerick 1-26

Venue: FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles

Compiled by Eoin Brennan & Séamus Hayes

CLARE

Frees for: 20 (9/11)

Wides: 10 (6/4)

Scores from play: 1-12

Spread of scorers: 7

Top scorer: Aidan McCarthy (0-8, 6f's)

Bookings: Cathal Malone (22) & Conor Cleary (43)

Own puckouts won: 9 out of 34 (26%)

REFEREE: Colm Lyons (Cork)

LIMERICK

Frees for: 16 (9/7)

Wides: 7 (3/4)

Scores from play: 1-19

Spread of scorers: 9

Top scorer: Aaron Gillane (05, 4f's, Diarmudi Byrnes (0-5, 2f's), & Gearoid Hegarty (1-2)

Bookings: Mike Casey (12), & Diarmuid Byrnes (50)

Own puckouts won: 27 out of 32 (87%)

“ MANAGER COMMENT

“You have to put your hand up and say you are up against a really good opponent and while disappointed, we are still proud of our lads. They are still a resilient bunch, our lads fought hard”.

“There were so many crucial periods in the game. We probably left a bit behind us as well and you can’t leave scores behind you. When we were missing crucial scores they get the only score. They were efficient as well, most of what they struck went over the bar. They are a tough team to play against”.

“It was a four or five point breeze and to come in level was a bit disappointing for us”.

"This competition is finished now and we move on to a new competition. We will try and approach it as best we can. We have experience of losing to these guys before and the last time we lost to them we were able to bounce back”.

'hugely dissapointed' but hopeful Clare will bounce back in

by Séamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

CLARE are “still in the championship” and are determined to bounce back, defender Adam Hogan has said.

Like all of those involved, players and backroom members, Adam was “hugely disappointed” with Sunday’s Munster final result as Clare lost out to Limerick on a score of 1-26 1-20, the third provincial final in a row that Brian Lohan’s side have lost to the Treaty County.

Young Hurler of the Year in 2023, Hogan explained that Clare had earmarked trying to curtail Limerick in certain ways but that matters didn’t go according to plan. “Preparing for this game we looked at Limerick’s power play and we tried to slow their momentum. Sadly we didn’t manage that and, in the first few minutes of the second half, they struck for four points”.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, the Feakle man acknowledged

that the concession of those scores at the start of the second half after they had been boosted by a Peter Duggan goal in the final play of the

All-Ireland series

opening half “put us on the back foot straight away and we had to fight back again”.

Hogan was hoping to pick his first Munster SHC medal,

not doing so of course was a difficult pill to swallow but there was fight in Clare’s display, he felt. “We didn’t drop the heads when we were down six points early in the second half. We had a goal chance which, if converted, would have closed the gap. We knew the fight was there and we never gave up”.

He is confident Clare can bounce back in the All-Ireland series to potentially line up another shot against the reigning All-Ireland and Munster champions. “We are still in the championship and hopefully in two weeks time we will right the wrongs and hopefully go on to meet Limerick in the All-Ireland final”.

“We have learned for the last few years, and hopefully we will get it right. Wexford or Laois will be tough. We were here for the last few years and hopefully we can drive on. We need to get over the line against Wexford and then Kilkenny who we haven’t beaten for the last two years,” the Mary Immaculate College student stated.

'We

will drive on again' says selector Ralph

CLARE SELECTOR Ken Ralph believes “Limerick played their best hurling of the year in Sunday’s Munster final”.

Speaking following Clare’s six point loss to Limerick in the Munster SHC final, Ralph stated, “A couple of their games in the Munster championship suggested that they were not firing on all cylinders but that wasn’t the case today. They play with a lot of confidence. They seemed to be sharper than us, we were always chasing it and we needed a goal or two”.

Clarecastle clubman Ken added, “the minutes before and after half time were crucial. We were always chasing it and the goal came at the right time. We missed a few frees and everything they hit seemed to go over. We got chances and there were some great saves. On the day they were that bit better than us and there is no point in saying otherwise”.

Limerick displayed a confidence all over the field, the Clare selector felt.

“You would be hoping to meet Limerick on a bad day. They play with a lot of confidence and today they were really confident all over the field. They were able to go through all their moves and execute them really well. They were that bit ahead of us today”.

There is still a lot to play for, he pointed out. “There are two ways one can go now, you can throw your hat at it and feel sorry for yourself on start again. At the moment it’s disappointing but we are still in the championship and we are three games from winning that”. He added “it’s disappointing at the moment” but stressed “we have to look ahead. At the moment it is disappointing and we will feel sorry for a few days but then we will knuckle down and drive on again”.

by Séamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

l Ken Ralph.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Brian Lohan, Clare manager

l Shane O'Donnell collides with Dan Morrissey.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

l Adam Hogan in action against Shane O'Brien.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

'The biggest disappointment is the performance' - Kelly states following Munster Final loss

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

CLARE’S TONY

KELLY says the performance from Sunday’s Munster final is the most difficult aspect to stomach from the defeat.

Speaking at the launch of the All-Ireland SHC at the Michael Cusack Centre in Carron on Tuesday, Tony admitted that Clare’s display in the six point loss to Limerick in the provincial decider added to their pain.

He said, “Losing is obviously disappointing in itself, but it’s the performance that would eat at you more so”.

While it was the third Munster final meeting in a row between the two counties, the 2024 edition proved to be a comfortable victory for John Kiely’s Limerick who won the provincial championship for the sixth year in a row.

Kelly said, “The 2022 final was just a helter-skelter and anyone

could have won it. Last year, we felt we left chances after us coming down the home straight, but we performed relatively well. The last day, we didn’t play well

enough in general. We got a bit of a purple patch. When I say we got a bit of a purple patch eight, nine, 10 minutes of the second half and we didn’t even capitalise

on it or get closer to ask the question”.

He outlined, “It’s a feeling like we didn’t force them to win it, whereas the two previous years we felt we did,

as in we performed. We could have no complaint at the weekend. They were the better team from start to finish. We probably didn’t make use of the wind in the first half and we knew we needed that goal big time before half-time. Then, in the second half, we needed to get the goal that they got. Obviously, losing is disappointing. We’re trying to win the Munster championship, but the biggest disappointment is the performance”.

Defeat to Limerick once again means the wait for a first Munster SHC in Clare which stretches back to 1998 continues. “It’s a huge motivation for ourselves individually, collectively. It’s a huge thing within the county as well. There’s no getting away from it. The county is starved of Munster success,” the Tiermaclane man said.

According to the St Flannan’s teacher, Clare “hit a wall” and didn’t recover following their 2022 Munster final loss to Limerick before suf-

fering a 2-26 0-20 hammering at the hands of Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final. “We probably didn’t deserve to get out of the 2022 quarter-final [against Wexford], whereas last year we probably learned from it, didn’t hit a wall in the quarter-final, but didn’t play well in the first half of the semi-final [against Kilkenny] but played very well for 20-25 minutes of the second half. It’s [Munster title] obviously something we want to achieve, but we have to park it now until next winter.”

An ankle injury has disrupted the four-time All Star’s involvement in the championship, the Munster final was his first start of 2024 and he’s hopeful of having a more influential role as Clare look to bounce back. “It’s on those lads and the panel members to really drive it on because now you’re heading into an All-Ireland series coming off a defeat and there are probably a couple of places up for grabs,” he said.

Minors must overcome Cats to advance to All-Ireland final

by Páraic

LEINSTER champions

Kilkenny stand in Clare’s way of making back to back All-Ireland minor hurling finals for the first time.

Clare will line out in the All-Ireland minor hurling final for the third season in a row when they make the journey to FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles on Sunday, the game commences at 1pm.

Brian O’Connell’s side recorded a 2-16 0-13 win over Wexford in the quarter-final after eventually shaking off the threat of the Model County.

Clare concluded the Round robin campaign in the Munster championship in top spot with four wins from four defeating Waterford and Limerick the opening rounds at home in Cusack Park and Sixmilebridge, and claiming concvincing wins over the Premier County & the Rebels to find themselves in the Munster Final.

The Munster Final was not to be for the Banner young guns where they suffered a seven point defeat in TUS Gaelic Grounds against James Woodlock's Tipperary.

Captain Marc O’Brien (Cratloe) is ruled out for the season with injury but apart from this Clare are close to full strength for the tie and will be looking to Liam Murphy, Harry Doherty, Rian Mulcahy, Paul Rodgers, Patrick Finnernan, Dara Kennedy and Matthew Corbett to set the way in Sunday’s showdown.

McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

l Harry Doherty in action against Tipperary.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

FEAKLE & BLUES BATTLING TO JOIN INAMONA IN CLARE CUP

l Tony Kelly in action against Waterford in Round 4 of the Munster Senior Hurling Championship.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

l Patrick Finnernan in action against Limerick.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Date with Donegal sends Clare to Castlebar

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

FOR THE SECOND year in

a row, Clare and Donegal will do battle in the All-Ireland SFC.

There’s a much different picture

thirteen months on from that 0-14 0-9 win for Donegal though.

Donegal are Ulster Champions now, whereas then they were a county under pressure following a 2-13 1-11 Ulster quarter-final loss to Down. They have had a change in management with the return of

Jim McGuinness as manager following the departure of then caretaker boss Aidan O’Rourke.

Clare are also under new management with Mark Fitzgerald succeeding the long-serving Colm Collins.

Late Clare goal takes no shine of rousing Rebel win

by Séamus Hayes

Cork had their expected victory over Clare in round 3 in the Glen Dimples All-Ireland senior camogie championship at Cusack Park this Saturday afternoon.

The Leesiders went into this tie as the hottest of favourites and they were well on their way to victory by the halfway point when they led 2-11 to 0-1.

They played with the aid of whatever breeze was there in the opening half and they held the upper hand throughout the field. Their lead could well have been much greater at half time but for Clare goalkeeper Rachel Daly who had pulled off two superb point blank saves.

She continued in that form after the break and produced another two superb stops in the second half.

Clare rarely got the ball past the halfway line in the opening half with only Aine O’Loughlin offering any threat up front.

She was instrumental in Clare’s only score of the half, providing the pass to Caoimhe Carmody who pointed in the second minute of ‘added time’ for Clare’s only score of the half.

Clare did better in the second half but they had to wait until the turn of the final quarter for their second point of the day, Aine O’Loughlin pointing from a 50m free.

The home side battled bravely to the end and they were rewarded

Only six members of Clare’s side which lined out in Ennis last May will be featuring this weekend, Stephen Ryan, Ronan Lanigan, Cillian Brennan, Cillian Rouine, Daniel Walsh and Emmet McMahon all started in the encounter while Darragh Bohannon, Aaron Griffin, Brian McNamara, Ikem Ugwueru and Mark McInerney were introduced off the bench.

with a goal from Roisin Begley in the final minute of the half.

For Clare, it’s back to the drawing board and in two weeks’ time they will travel to play Galway. They will be hoping to have Laura Foley and Cliodhna Queally available for that one Clare; 1; Rachael Daly (Scariff-Ogonnellloe) 2; Susan Daly (Scariff-Ogonnelllo)e 3; Caoimhe Lally, (Newmarekt-on-Fergus) 4; Muire-

They will be looking to make their mark on Saturday in Castlebar with Bohannon to miss the tie through suspension.

A win for Clare can see them qualify for a preliminary quarter-final while Donegal will be determined to put out a message that they are contenders for All-Ireland glory following their shock loss to Cork a fortnight ago.

Clare Girls claim fourth whilst Boys seek a Semi-Final spot in Gaynor/ Kennedy Cup

by Adam Maloney news@clareecho.ie

THE GAYNOR & KENNEDY CUPS kicked off this month in the University of Limerick with schoolboys & girls from the Banner county taking part.

Both sets of the boys and girls were drawn into Group 3 of their respective campaigns, the ladies drawn in a group with Sligo/Leitrim, Kerry and Inishowen, whilst the boys were drawn with Galway, Limerick County and Kildare.

ann Scanlan (Cratloe) 5; Ellen Casey (Newmarket on Fergus) 6; Ciara Grogan Joint Captain (Clooney Quin) 7; Niamh Mulqueen (Broadford) 8; Caoimhe Carmody (Kilmaley) 9; Grce Carmody (Kilmaley) 17; Lynda Daly (Scariff-Ogonnelloe) 11; Aine O’Loughlin Joint Captain (Truagh Clonlara) 12; Jennifer Daly (Scariff-Ogonnelloe) 13; Zi Yan Spillane, (Feakle-Killanena)> 14; Roisin Begley (Truagh Clonlara) 15; Hannah Mai Neylon (Ballyea)

Subs; 20; Laoise Ryan (Inagh-Kilnamona) for C. Lally (20)) 18; Caoimhe Cahill (Kilmaley) for H. M. Neylon (38) 10; Labhaoise O’Donnell (Scari9ff-Ogonnelloe) for E. Casey (45) 19 Aoife Anderson (Ruan) for Grace Carmody (54); Cork; 1; Amy Lee (Na Piarsaigh) 2; Maebh Murphy (Ballinora) 3; Maebh Cahilane (St. Finbarrs) 18; Grainne Cahalane (St. Finbarrs) 5; Izzy O’Regan (Ballygarvan) 6; Aoife Healy (Aghada) 7; Laura Hayes (St. Catheraines 8; Ashling Thompson (Milford) 9; Hannah Looney (Killeagh) 10; Saoirse McCarthy (Coursey Rovers) 26; Cliona Healy (Aghabullogue) 12; Sorcha McCartan (St, Finbarrs); 13; Amy O’Connor (St. Vincents) 14; Katrina Mackey (Douglas) 15; Orlaith Cahalane (St. Finbarrs) Referee; Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny)

The girls campaign took place last week where they manage to finish in fourth place of Gaynor Cup Shield. Their campaign started with a loss to Sligo/Leitrim on Monday in a 1-0 commencement. They bounced back the following morning with a crucial 1-0 victory over Kerry. But with a second 1-0 loss to end the group against Inishowen meant that the Banner girls would compete in the Shield competition.

The group were drawn against Cavan-Monaghan in the Quarter-Final where they came out victorious with a 4-3 win on penalties following a 0-0 stalemate in regular time.

Their hopes of reaching the Gaynor Cup Shield Final came to end where Galway claimed a 2-0 win, knocking Clare into the Third-Place Play-Off Final against Limerick County.

After another scoreless stalemate in the competition, the Banner girls would finish the campaign as Third Place Play-Off Runner-Ups following a 6-5 loss on penalties.

The Kennedy Cup campaign kicked off on Monday where the Clare boys drew their first outing against Galway in a scoreless draw. Their hopes of reaching the Cup or Bowl competition were boosted after claiming a 1-0 victory in the second round against Limerick County, although following a 1-0 loss to Kildare, the boys would take the same path as the girls and enter the Shield competition.

The boys took on Midlands in the Kennedy Cup Shield Quarter-Final at 4pm yesterday.

news@clareecho.ie

l Niamh Mulqueen attempts to put in a block. Photo by Gerard O'Neill

l Aaron Griffin atttempts to break away from Nill Devlin and Pádraig Hampsey in the second round of the All-Ireland Group Stage. Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Cusack Park, Ennis

Payment for Clare's trip to Tyrone, potential of renaming Jack Daly Cup & Gaza debate at Clare GAA meeting

by Séamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

Clare GAA’s June meeting was held at Caherlohan on Tuesday night when there was a lively debate on a number of topics.

Among those criticisms of a report that suggested members of the county senior football were prevented from travelling to Clare’s away tie versus Tyrone and whether the GAA was becoming political in supporting a statement on the ongoing war in Gaza.

Cost of footballers trip to Tyrone “was paid for by Co Board”: Referring to a recent item on social media which claimed that some members of the Clare senior football panel weren’t brought to Tyrone for the recent championship game because the board wouldn’t pay, Munster council delegate Bernard Keane who is the senior football team’s liaison officer, told the meeting “the football management requested that thirty players travel as per the charter.

“Thirty players travelled and their accomodation and meals were paid for by the board and everybody was satisfied. I think somebody was trying to put a different slant on things and that is unhelpful to Clare GAA in either football or hurling. If somebody wanted information I am sure they could have asked any officer of Clare GAA or, indeed, asked me and I would gladly have pointed out to them that thirty players travelled and thirty

players were accommodated as per the charter”.

Chairman Kieran Keating commented, “You see things in social media that you know are wrong but there is no point in engaging with them because you are only putting fuel on fire. My own view is you are better off letting them pass”.

Newmarket-on-Fergus delegate, Pat Keogh said, “it’s not right”. He stated, “For Mr. Ó Muircheartaigh to put out something like that is totally disingenuous to what we are all doing, whether it is football or hurling”.

Keogh responded, “I am aware of that as well. That makes it worse”.

Éire Óg delegate, Rory Hickey clarified, “Just for the record, Joe Ó Muircheartaigh is not a member of Éire Óg”.

The Clare Echo has confirmation from a member of the Clare football support committee that they were approached to provide payment for two extra rooms for additional members of the Clare football panel as Clare GAA had informed management that they would only cover the cost for 30 players.

It is understood that because of exam studies and work commitments the additional players did not travel until the day of the game and, hence, the additional accommodation was not required.

The Jack Daly Cup:

For the second successive meeting the question was raised as to whether or not the Jack Daly will be presented to the senior football championship winners this year. Raising the issue Clondegad del-

egate Seamus O’Reilly who told the meeting that the cup was first presented in 1969 asked “if anyone has offered a replacement” to which chairman Kieran Keating replied “a couple have offered” and he went on to agree with the Clondegad delegate that a nephew of the late Jack Daly had made an offer.

Ruan’s Michael O’Regan noted that “it is a well-respected trophy honouring a man who gave great service. I have never heard of any suggesting changing the Sam Maguire or Liam McCarthy cups” before adding that he would be against any possible change from the Jack Daly cup.

“If a proposal to change comes before the board you will have an opportunity to object”, chairman Kieran Keating said before refusing to “vehemently say that there will or won’t be change”.

“That answer is only fanning the rumour mill”, stated Kildysart delegate John Meade.

Éire Óg’s Rory Hickey said, “the question is who is going to be presented with the Jack Daly cup this year” leaving Cooraclare’s P.J. Mc Guane to say “it won’t be Cooraclare” (they are in the intermediate championship).

GAA/GPA statement on Gaza endorsed

A call for Clare GAA to endorse a statement issued by the GAA at national level in relation to the ongoing humanitarian crises in Gaza was met with some resistance at this week’s meeting.

The proposal came from Sixmilebridge delegate P.J. Fitzpatrick who

Clare take Gold in three events at Community Games in Kilkenny

by Séamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

St Francis Credit Union Clare Community Games were represented by fifty-seven children at the National Finals of Swimming, Gymnastics and Quiz in Kilkenny over the weekend. The standard in all these events were very high. Clare won gold in three events, silver in two and bronze in five, bringing home a total of twenty-three medals.

Results;

Gold; Dylan O’Toole – Quin/ Clooney – U10 Backstroke. Nicole Mc Inerney – Cratloe – U14 Freestyle. Inch/Kilmaley/Connolly U14 Quiz – Ciara Hughes, Cara Liddy, Mary Kate Lynch, Roise Mc Guane, Ciaran O’Neill, Grainne O’Neill.

Silver; Adam O’Dea – Newmarket-on-Fergus – U10 Freestyle. Newmarket-on-Fergus U13 Boys Squad – Conor Keogh, Dylan Keogh, Rob Sheedy, Jack Hickey, Finn O’Malley.

Bronze; Cillian Mc Cullagh –Ennis St John’s – U14 Backstroke Roger Hornecker – Clarecaste/

Ballyea – U16 Freestyle. Orla Blake – Doora/Barefield – U14 Butterfly. Nicolas Dooley Oviedo – Crusheen/Ballinruan/Tubber – U12 Freestyle. Doora/Barefield U16 Girls Squad – Roisin Hogan, Courtney Flynn, Orla Blake, Leah O’Connor, Laoise Moore. Cathal Downey of Cratloe in U14 Freestyle was unlucky when placed fifth just outside the medals County Hurling; The St Francis Credit Union Clare Community Games Hurling competition was held during the week in Newmarket-on-Fergus GAA Pitch. It was coordinated by Alan O’Leary ably assisted by his referees. Ten teams participated. Preleminary Rounds -Doora/ Barefield beat Cratloe and Moylusa beat Shannon.

Quarter Finals – Newmarket-on-Fergus beat Ballynacally/ Lissycasey, Quin/Clooney beat Inch/Kilmaley/Connolly, Sixmilebridge/Kilmurry beat Crusheen/ Ballinruan/Tubber, Doora/ Barefield beat Moylusa.

Semi Finals Newmarket-on-Fergus beat Quin/Clooney while Doora/Barefield beat Sixmile-

in asking for the meeting’s report read the GAA/GPA statement to the meeting.

The statement read, “the GAA and the GPA share the deep concern expressed by many of our members about the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the escalating violence in Gaza. We support the Irish Government and the calls of the international community for an immediate and sustained ceasefire which will allow aid to reach Gaza and for all hostages to be release”.

“You might say does that make any difference”, Fitzpatrick told the meeting “but like anybody that has suffered a personal crisis a kind word or a word of support goes a long way to ease that”.

Seconding the proposal, Central Council delegate Robert Frost said “at the last Central Council meeting it was decided to make to make a contribution. There wasn’t a figure mentioned but it was left to the finance committee to decide. I expect the GAA will be making a fairly sizeable contribution”, he said before replying to a query from Éire Óg delegate Rory Hickey that there were no dissenting voices to the Central council decision.

bridge/Kilmurry.

In the Play off Sixmilebridge/ Kilmurry beat Quin/Clooney for the Bronze medals.

The final was a very good close contest right through with the local Newmarket-on-Fergus boys edging ahead to win 1-2 to 0-3.

1, Newmarket-on-Fergus –Liam Boyce, Ger Carroll, Cathal Corry, Danny Coyle, Luke Darcy, Noah Donlon, Oisin Galvin, AJ Grogan, Declan Kilker, Oran Mc Gahon, Adam O’Dea, Cian O’Leary, Finn O’Malley, Rob Sheedy, Colin Sweeney.

2, Doora/Barefield – Dylan Ball, Liam Clune, Cillian Crowley, Shane Fennell, Hugh Garvey, Ben Hanrahan, Oisin Hennessy, Ben Kenneally, Ronan Lahiff, Daniel Madigan, Luke Maloney, Evan Mc Cormack, Donnacha Mockler, Ruairi Murphy, Ben O’Loughlin, Thomas Ryan. 3, Sixmilebridge/Kilmurry. 4, Quin/Clooney. Newmarket-on-Fergus now goes forward to represent Clare in the Munster competition in July.

Ruan’s Michael O’Regan said his “immediate reaction is that one of the first regulations of the GAA is “non-political and for the promotion of our games, our language, our culture. Individuals can support but associating the GAA with this and there are so many atrocities happening all over the world. I would concur with the Clondegad delegate. I am not anti this but it is going away from the ethos of the GAA as an organisation”.

Chairman Kieran Keating said “yes, the GAA is non-political and we shouldn’t’ get involved in politics. This is a matter of people giving in their thousands. Perhaps the original atrocity on October 7 should have been condemned and I am sure it was by individuals. Nobody can argue what has happened since then that many women and children have been killed. It’s the opinion of most of the people here is that we endorse the statement and I am happy with that”.

On a show of hands, the meeting endorsed the statement with some voting against.

Clondegad’s Seamus O’Reilly said, “I didn’t hear anything like this when 2,000 Jews were massacred by Hamas. I think we are going down a very dangerous road. I have strong views on the GPA and I think we should concentrate a bit more on issues pertaining to the GAA and I know we are a worldwide organisation. I didn’t hear any condemnation of Hamas when they butchered 2,000 Jews. We should be very careful of the road the GPA like to go down and I know they are supported by the GAA. Have we lost the run of ourselves? I have the ultimate sympathy with regard to all the deaths”, according to O’Reilly who added that “I presume we haven’t forgotten about the H Blocks and the stance the GAA took being neutral in that”.

Clare Primary Schools Tennis tournament to take place in Ennis

by Elaine Tubridy

THE Clare Primary Schools tennis tournament will take place at Ennis Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club on Tuesday, June 18 2024 from 10am to 2pm.

The format will consist of teams of four players (10 years plus), with two boys and two girls on each team. Maximum two teams per school. Boys and girls doubles. Register by June 14. Contact Danny Comerford on 085-7696979 for more information.

l Roisín Moore and Ciarán O'Brien playing at the Ennis Tennis Club.

Photo by John Moylan

Portumna Golf Club - A Modern Mastery

by PÁDRAIG MCGRATH

Nestled in the heart of County Galway, Portumna Golf Club stands as a testament to over a century of golfing tradition. Established in 1913, the club has evolved from a modest nine-hole course to one of Ireland's premier golfing destinations, renowned for its challenging layout and stunning scenery. Located where the River Shannon enters Lough Derg, their 18 unique golf holes flow naturally through Portumna Forest Park in County Galway. Our course is consistently ranked among the top parkland courses in Ireland and No.1 in Connacht. Famed for its warm welcome, the club invites all golfers to come to play.

The origins of Portumna Golf Club trace back to the early 20th century when a group of locals laid out the original course on lands generously provided by several local farming families. Over the decades, the course underwent significant transformations, most notably in the early 1990's when it was expanded to 18 holes under the guidance of course designer Eddie Connaughton, which was completed and officially opened in June 1992. His vision harmo-

nized the natural beauty of the area with the strategic demands of modern golf, creating a layout that has stood the test of time. A year later in 1993 the club purchased the outright title of the existing course of 88 acres plus another 38 acres for further development. This was a momentous moment for the club because the club now owned the course itself for the first time, securing the future of the club for generations to come.

Today, Portumna Golf Club boasts a stunning par-72 championship course that stretches over 6,334 yards of lush fairways and meticulously maintained greens. The course meanders through mature woodlands, presenting golfers with a blend of tree-lined corridors, open parkland, and the occasional water hazard. Each hole offers a unique challenge, requiring a blend of precision, power, and strategic thinking, ensuring a rewarding experience for golfers of all skill levels.

Beyond the course itself, Portumna Golf Club is celebrated for its warm hospitality and vibrant club life. The clubhouse, a hub of social activity, offers members and visitors a welcoming atmosphere, complete with modern amenities and panoramic views of the course. The club

regularly hosts a variety of events, fostering a strong sense of community among its members.

In 2003, the club invested in upgrading its facilities to a bigger modern build, including a state-of-the-art practice putting green, two new greens on the 11th and 13th holes and enhanced course maintenance equipment, ensuring that Portumna remains at the forefront of Irish golf. These improvements, coupled with the club’s rich history and stunning setting, have solidified its reputation as a must-visit destination for golf enthusiasts.

As it celebrates over a century of golfing excellence, Portumna Golf Club continues to honor its past while looking forward to an exciting future. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a casual player, a round at Portumna promises an unforgettable experience amidst the timeless beauty of County Galway. Every time I visit Portumna the course seems to get better and better. It is truly a memorable day out at Portumna Golf Club, strolling in mother nature, watching the deer graze while you take on the challenges of this stunning championship golf course. It definitely needs to be on your list of courses to visit this year.

Sutton's captain's prize to the ladies played for in Ennis Golf

by Seamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

Captain Padraig Sutton’s prize to the ladies at Ennis golf club was won by Phil Butler (31)`with 70 nett.

She had one to spare over Mary T. McMahon (22) With third spot filled by Bridie Hanerahan (21), also on 71. Ruth Nihillk (17) won the gross with 90.

The division winners were Mary Nagle (24) with 72 nett, Anne Casey (31) also with 72 nett and Bernadette Morrissey (44) with 74 nett.

EAST CLARE GOLF CLUB

Anne Harte (45) with a nett 64 was the winner of the ladies 18 hole stroke competition at East Clare on Sunday.

The category winners were Evelyn Skehan (20) with nett 70, Bridget Minogue (30) with nett 71 and Breda McCarthy (38) with nett 70.

WOODSTOCK GOLF CLUB

Last week’s open singles at Woodstock was won by Chris McGrath (12) with 40 points and he won on a countback from Cathal O’Sullivan (11). Tony Cleary (-2),

Club

East Clare won the gross with 39 points. The singles competition for handicappers over 19 was won by Oisin Kelly (24) with 43 points and he had a point to spare over Aaron Lavery (28).

DROMOLAND GOLF CLUB

The men’s competition at Dromoland at the weekend was an 18 hole singles v par which was won by Fergus Cooney (12) with 5 up from Shane Ryan (15) with 3 up with third spot filled by Thomas Halpin (10) with 2 up. The gross was won by Killian Howard (-2) with 2 down while the category for handicaps 22 and over was won by Mark Skehan (25) with 3 down.

GORT GOLF CLUB

The winner of the mid week 18 hole singles at Gort was Denny O'Dea (24) with 34 points. The Friday 18 hole open was won by Patrick Phelan (25) with 46 points.

KILRUSH GOLF CLUB

The men’s competition at Kilrush on Sunday was sponsored by Tom Nolan Tyres and the overall winner was Barry Coleman (21) with 42 points. In category one, the winner was first Tom Buckley (12) with 38 points from Terry O'Hare (11) with 38 points.

Cloneyogan Sydney Leads Late To Land Feature in Galway

by Michael Maher news@clareecho.ie

The Feature contest on Friday nights ten race programme at Galway Greyhound Stadium

The opening contest of the night was a Novice 525 yards contest in which Burkos Bacardi and Mall Bonnie were both away smartly and racing towards the opening bend the pair matched strides. At the turn the Michael Casey of Mullagh owned Mall Bonnie took command on the inner and although she drifted towards the middle of the track at halfway, she led by four lengths. Exiting the back straight the daughter of Burgess Bucks & Newport Diva was in total control as she scored by five & a half lengths from Burkos Bacardi in 29.71.

The Mrs Kay Lynch of Quin owned Cragataska Black made it back to back success in the A4 graded contest as she saw off a succession of challengers to prevail by a neck from Clonkelly Cat in 29.60. The daughter of Skywalker Logan & Drumbeg Dancer was away well in company with Bonzo Bourke and Rubies Are Red and railing well she led by a length entering the back straight. Approaching the third bend the lead was still a length as Clonkelly Cat began to close with every stride but out front Caragartaska Flash gamely saw off all challengers as she scored in determined fashion.

The feature contest on Saturday nights card was the A1 Go Greyhound Racing A1 525 Stake Final. As the traps rose for the A1 decider Donies Wood, Lillys Beauty and Hanover Storm were all away well with Mr Bluewood just in behind the trio as the opening bend loomed. Racing into the third bend the

Pat Carey of Cratloe owned Mr Bluewood led by two lengths and although One-in-all-out and Hanover Storm tried hard in the straight Mr Bluewood prevailed by three parts of a length from One-in-all-out in 29.18.

As the runners began the long trek towards the opening bend for the 550 Decider Balroebuck Shadow just about led the charge ahead of Crokers Barky and Fast Fit Rex. Approaching the home bend though the pack headed by the John Croker owned Stephen Murray of Sixmilebridge trained Crokers Barky (Doratos Wildcat-Crokers Ruby) began to close and in a three way go for the line Crokers Barky proved a neck too good for dead heaters Balroebuck Shadow and Annadown Loki in 31.00.

The opening contest of the night was an S8 graded sprint contest in which Bumblebee Freya and Rathmeehan Suzy were both smartly into stride with Rathmeehan Suzy taking a length advantage as the opening bend loomed. Rounding the bend Springwell Henry moved back up on the leaders inner but as he did the Kieran Browne and Brian O’Halloran of Cree owned Burnpark Lorna (Newinn Wonder-Burnpark Marylnn) swept round the wide outside to take command and go clear to defeat Springwell Henry by a length and a half in 18.56.

Racing towards the opening bend in the A5 graded contest Dynamic Josie and Millroad Penny disputed the lead ahead of Hollywell Goose but with crowding bend in Dynamic Josie and Millroad Penny kicked clear racing down the back. Racing along the back Millroad Penny led by a length but at the third bend the Burgess Bucks-Allegra Blue regained the upper hand before drawing clear to score by three & a half lengths in 29.69.

l Portumna Golf Club

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL

CASTLEQUARTER, CRATLOE, CO. CLARE

Planning permission is being sought by Ciara Murphy-Wright for a change of house type from that permitted under planning ref P22/1027 to include the additional construction of a detached garage adjacent to the house. Works to include upgrading and extending the existing access road, providing a proprietary waste water treatment system & soil polishing filter and connecting to all ancillary site works already approved by Planning ref P22/1027 at Castlequarter, Cratloe, Co. Clare.

The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours and a submission or

observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL

NOOAN, RUAN, CO

CLARE V95 NT3F

Take notice that Kevin & Nelsa Davis intend to apply for Retention Permission to retain the en-suite shower room to the rear of the existing dwelling house and the detached garage including all ancillary services and works at the above address.

The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority, Clare County Council, Aras Contae an Chlair, New Road, Ennis, Co.

Clare during its public opening hours.

A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Planning Authority, in writing, on payment of a fee of €20.00 within five weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the Planning Application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL

Further Information/ Revised Plans Planning Ref: P24 / 60005 Development Description: for the demolition of a story and a half, derelict, detached cottage and for a replacement part two storey, part single storey house, a waste water treatment system and all associated works.

Location: Kincora, Ballyvally, Killaloe,Co. Clare. V94 ACR7. Take notice that Michael Horan has lodged significant further information in respect of planning ap-

plication P24/60005. This information and planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Authority of Clare County Council, Planning Department, Aras Contae an Chlair, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the further information or revised plans may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, not later than 2 weeks after the receipt of the newspaper notice and site notice by the planning authority.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL FURTHER INFORMATION/ REVISED PLANS PLANNING REF: P24/60118

Development Description: The con-

struction of a new dwelling house and garage, complete with a sewage treatment system and ancillary works

Location: Lackennaskagh, Darragh, Ennis, Co. Clare

Take notice that Emma Carey has lodged significant further information in respect of planning application P24/60118. This information and planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Authority of Clare County Council, Planning Department, Aras Contae an Chlair, New Road, Ennis, Co Clare during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the further information or revised plans may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, not later than 2 weeks

after the receipt of the newspaper notice and site notice by the planning authority or in the case of a planning application accompanied by an EIS within 5 weeks of receipt of such notices by the planning authority.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL BALLYGASTELL, KILFENORA, CO

CLARE

Take notice that Avery McGuire intends to apply for permission to renovate and extend the existing derelict dwelling, install a wastewater treatment system & all other associated site and ancillary works at the above address. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may

be made in writing to the authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

PRAYER

THE MIRACLE PRAYER

Dear Heart of Jesus, In the past, I have asked for many favours. This time, I ask you This special favour. (Mention Favour) Take it dear Heart of Jesus, And place it within Your own broken heart Where your Father sees it, Then in His Merciful Eyes It will become your favour Not mine. Amen. Say this prayer for 3 days. Promise publication.

Recent Deaths

Foley (née Hickey), Esther Ennis

Colville, Paul Doonbeg

WATKINS (née Murphy), Brigid ( Bríd)

Carey, Michael Killaloe

Fitzgerald, Mary Ennis

Fitzgerald, Mary Inagh

Mitchell (née Kelleher), Mary Broadford

O’BRIEN, PATRICK (Paddy) Quin

O’Malley, Frank Doora

O’Malley, Frank Ennis

TWOMEY, Anne Kilrush

Costello (née Murphy), Nuala Ennis

Costello (née Murphy), Nuala Newmarket-on-Fergus

Coughlan, PJ Kilmihil

Mc Gorrian, Siobhán Shannon

McNicholas (née Browne), Mary Cooraclare

Price, Brendan Coolmeen

Culshaw, Luis Connolly

Delaney, Therese Ennis

Vontszemu, Ludvik Ennis

Canny, Philomena Carron

Cunningham (née Woodford), Jean Shannon

Glynn (née Hegarty), Bríd Kilnamona

Keane (née McNamara), Tess Kilkee

Keane (née McNamara), Tess Carrigaholt

Kennedy (née Moloney), Mary

The Clare Echo Quiz

1

Daniel O’Connell was elected to Parliament in the 1828 Clare by-election, the first openly Roman Catholic to do so. But what party did he represent?

Tory Labour Radical

2

Ennis man Moosajee Bhamjee (Labour) was Ireland’s first Muslim Teachta Dála (TD). What is his profession?

Postman

Barista

Psychiatrist

3

Sinn Féin candidate Éamon de Valera won The East Clare by-election of 1917. Which Irish Clare politician did he defeat?

Patrick Lynch

Arthur Lynch

Willie Redmond

4 President Michael D Higgins grew up in Newmarket on Fergus. But which school did he attend?

Shannon Comprehensive St Flannan’s Rice College

5 How many county councillors currently serve in Clare? 18 24 28

6 In 2016, only one Clare candidate got more than 10,000 1st preference votes. Who was it?

Pat Breen

Michael Harty

Timmy Dooley

7 Thirty-five TDs have been elected from Clare since 1922. But how have been female?

8 President Patrick Hillary was from where?

Ennis

Spanish Point Ennistymon

9 Which politician got the lowest number of first preference votes in Clare history with 21 votes?

Hugh O’Brien (Ind, 1981)

Dermot Mulqueen (Ind, 2016)

Noel Moran (PD, 1989)

10 Up until 1898 until it was transferred, which Clare village was in the Galway constituency?

Tubber Mountshannon Ballyvaughan

Spot the Difference

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

l HISTORY: Sinn Féin candidate Éamon de Valera won The East Clare by-election of 1917. Which Irish Clare politician did he defeat?

weeks Answers

THIS WEEKS PUZZLES June 13th

WORD SEARCH

The Clare Echo Crossword

affected boastful conceited condescending disdainful haughty imperious lofty lordly nosed pompous proud sneering snobbish snooty strutting swanky

toffee uppish

vain

Waterfall (8)

(5)

(5)

(6)

(6)

(6)

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

DOWN

1 Higher-ranking (8)

2 Banquet (5)

4 Relaxed (2,4)

5 Ire (5)

6 Make progress (7) 7 Very small (4) 8 Fervour (6) 13 So to speak (2,2,4)

Vanquish (7)

Card suit (6)

Aircraft (6) 20 Mannequin (5) 22 Receded (5) 23 Elegantly stylish (4)