The Clare Echo 13\10\22

ROVERS

Ireland set to lose Lenihan archives?

PÁRAIC McMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

No Irish institute has expressed an interest in housing his collection which has not surprised Eddie but has annoyed him.

CRUSHEEN

seanchaí Eddie Lenihan has voiced his disgust with the lack of interest from Irish institutes in culture as the United States of America prepares to get its hands on his near five-decades collection of stories.

Eddie told The Clare Echo, “It is disgusting especially when you see all the money dithered away on nothing. I did the work willingly, I met the most wonderful people and heard their stories, that was a privilege to do. The fact that people in Ireland are not interested in the collection but are happy to spend money on nothing is disgusting.”

l Fergus Rovers Aisling Costelloe - Player of the match - with proud mam and sister Fiona and Rachel Costelloe Photo by Burren Eye Photography

TAKE

THE CUP

'No more than 24hr waiting'

ACLARE

SENATOR has said the €169m HSE Win ter Plan needs to be more ambitious for delivering for the people of the MidWest region, writes Páraic McMahon

Much of the €168m is understood to have already been included in pre vious allocations. Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly (FF) brought the plan to Cabinet on Tuesday.

As part of the Winter Plan 2022/23 the system will aim to ensure that no patient aged over 75 years is waiting for a bed for more than 24 hours. The target of having no more than 236 pa tients on trolleys awaiting admission on any given day is also set.

Recruitment of 608 posts across a range of services forms part of the plan. Measures also include additional staff in emergency departments, increased ambulance services and supports for elderly people in their homes.

Senator Martin Conway (FG) said: "The rapid and effective implantation of these measures must be prioritised by Minister Donnelly. It is essential that we monitor how these initiatives unfold to ensure any logistical issues do not stand in the way”.

lCHAMPS: A proud Fergus Rovers Manager Eamon Finnucane with captain Méabh McCarthy following their intermediate final win over Kilrush Photo by Burren Eye Photography

Lenihan 'disgusted' with lack of interest

by PÁRAIC McMAHON

Continued from front...

FORthe past 47 years, Brosna native Eddie has practised the ancient tradition of storytell ing, obtaining thousands of hours of unheard recordings from people of all ages sharing their ex periences on Irish life since the turn of the 20th century.

Within the past five years, he was first approached by a US institute about po tentially donating his vast collection of tapes which touch on everything from Gaelic mythology to local superstitions, and even memories of the Civil War. Presently, three institutes based in the States have expressed their desire to get their hands on Lenihan’s work, no such interest has been evident in Ireland. The approaches came about as Eddie was be ginning to think what would happen his collection of stories when he died.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Eddie ex plained that there is a notable difference in how culture is valued in the US and in Ireland. “I’ve dealt with US universities

very often telling stories, they are very good and do their business well.

"They see the values of the stories, they know from the stories I tell that I give the background. You can’t just tell a story unless you’re reading from a book, you have to give the context, I always give credit for where I get my informa tion from”.

First refusal will be given to Eddie’s

son Eoin, he confirmed. “There could be another twist, my son Eoin has ex pressed an interest in the collection. He lives and is married in Germany, he has a family and bought a house there. He would have first choice. Before I give the stories to anyone I would need to look at them all because there was stories told to me in confidence”.

See Clareecho.ie for full story.

Ennis 'legend' laid to rest

“A LEGEND of the town” will be laid to rest today (Thursday) as Co Clare bids farewell to one of its most popular adopted sons, Jack Heaslip, writes Páraic McMahon

Jack Heaslip died peacefully at his home in the early hours of Tues day morning. Hours pre viously he had celebrated his 96th birthday at The Diamond Bar and sang ‘The Rose of Mooncoin’ and ‘Galtee Mountain Boy’.

For most of his life, Jack traded in the heart of En nis town. He retired in March 2020. He came to Clare in 1953, first operat ing on the Kilrush Rd.

Very proud of his

Kilkenny roots, Jack held a deep love for hurling and was delighted to see his grandson Aaron Fitz gerald help Éire Óg reach a first Clare SHC final since 2000 on Sunday.

Jack was predeceased by his wife Eilis and grand daughter Gilly. He will be sadly missed by his be loved family and friends, including his loving chil dren Therese, Seán, Fran cis and Rosalie, in-laws Kevin, Margaret, Pat and Marie, adored grandchil dren Miriam, Niamh, Colin, Caitriona, Cian, Caoimhín, Aaron, Ead aoin, Alan and Jack, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, relatives, neigh bours and great friends.

lEddie Lenihan

lThe late Jack Heaslip

'Shannon is competing with Mediterranean, not Dublin'

PÁRAIC MCMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

SHANNON

Airport is not competing with Dublin Airport but rather oth er European destinations when air lines are opting to add more routes, a senior official in Ryanair has said.

Director of Commercial with Ryanair, Jason McGuinness (pictured right) was in Shannon Airport on Friday to announce new routes to Béziers and Newcastle plus the addition of a third based aircraft. He re vealed that more positive news will soon be announced for Shannon with further routes to be unveiled by Christmas.

It follows the announcement in May of a €10m heavy maintenance facility at a hangar in Shannon.

“Our first aircraft will be going in for a service at the end of this month, we’ll be employing 200 highly skilled aeronautical engineers here,” he stated.

Undoubtedly another aircraft is to be wel comed, bringing the total of Ryanair’s Shan non based aircraft to three, a combined in vestment of $300m. At Dublin Airport, the

airline has 23 aircraft.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, McGuinness explained that Shannon is instead competing against similar sized airports outside of Ireland when it comes to Ryanair planning for the future.

He said, “I know that’s a Shan non or Dublin question but that’s not really the way it works.

Ryanair is operating to al most 40 countries and 225 airports, when we look at capacity, Shannon is com peting against the likes of Valencia, Bologna, Seville, it’s not really a Shannon or Dublin question, Shannon will continue to grow I’ve no doubt about it giv en the sensible longterm deal we have here, we will continue to add aircraft and continue to add routes, it’s not a question of Dublin versus Shannon, it’s a very competitive market given that the airline industry and avi ation has structurally changed

in Europe, there’s simply less capacity in the system and the Shannon management know that, they’re competing against airports

Of the airports referenced, Valencia is the 10th busiest Spanish airport and sec ond in the region after Alicante, Seville Air port is the sixth busiest inland airport in Spain and the main interna tional airport serving Western Andalusia in southern Spain, and neighbouring provinces while Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport in Italy had 4.1m passengers last year.

Costs remain the factor that in fluence Ryanair when deciding whether to opt for Shannon or these airports, he outlined.

“When we’re look ing at capacity across Europe, Ryanair has al ways been unequivocal on this, the main capacity driver for Ryanair is always cost, we have those costs down to

enable us to keep the low fares which drive our load factor.

"We have a sensible long-term deal and it’s going to stand to Shannon Airport and the Mid-West region in very good stead over the next number of years”.

For the past 15 years he has worked in Ry anair’s commercial department, during this time he admitted that the airline’s trust in Shannon Airport has risen.

“I think Shannon Airport particularly during the pandemic, have performed par ticularly well, they’ve been one of the stand out performers in terms of operations this year, they’ve done an exceptional job across the summer, we’ve all seen the pictures of airports across Europe, not just Dublin Air port of Airports who have struggled, Shan non has performed exceptionally well and our investment, the heavy maintenance fa cility investment, the extra aircraft is a vote of confidence in the Mid-West region, Shan non and the Shannon management team”.

On plans for new Ryanair routes at Shan non, he said, “I can’t tell you the routes just yet, we’re working on those and I’ve no doubt we’ll be back here in the next few weeks, hopefully before Christmas to an nounce some more new routes from Shan non for next summer”.

Shannon to Chicago to take flight

services we already offer from Shannon to New York, Boston and New ark/New Jersey”. The an nouncement was “proof that United Airlines sees further opportunities for growth at Shannon”.

10k challenge invites revellers to Feel The Burren

ANEW

dai ly nonstop season ser vice from Chicago to Shannon Airport is to take flight next summer, writes Páraic McMahon

United Airlines on Wednesday announced that the new service will commence on May 26th 2023 departing Shannon daily at 09:30am on a Boeing 757-200 aircraft for Chicago O’Hare In ternational Airport.

From 2013 to 2017, United previously oper ated a Shannon to Chica go service. At that time, the airline operated fivetimes weekly, the 2023 service will see it expand to a seven day a week ser vice.

This new route has the capacity to generate an additional 30,000 passen

gers through Shannon Airport next year, sup porting the West of Ire land economy in terms of business connections and an increase in tourism numbers.

In 1998, United Air lines began operating from Shannon Airport and have carried over 2.2 million passengers in the intervening 24 years. This new daily Chicago ser vice will be an addition to the daily service to New ark/New Jersey that Unit ed operate at Shannon and which is set to return on the 8th of April 2023.

CEO of The Shannon Airport Group, Mary Considine said it was “fantastic news for our customers and our staff”.

She stated, Chicago is a really important U.S. gateway and is a posi tive addition to the daily

She continued, “Over the years Shannon has performed strongly sup porting the local econ omy with flights to and from North America, boosting tourism and benefitting the business community. Our avia tion development team have been working hard over the last few years to secure the return of this popular service”.

Commenting on the new service Martina Coogan, United Coun try Sales Manager Ire land said, “As the only U.S. airline to offer direct flights from Shannon, we are excited to announce this further expansion of our route network from Ireland to the U.S. We expect another busy summer for internation al travel in 2023 and are proud to build on our industry-leading global network to offer our cus tomers in the west of Ire land even greater travel choice and the possibility to connect via our U.S. hubs to other destina tions across the Ameri cas”.

STUART HOLLY

IRELAND’S newest outdoor challenge is in viting hikers, runners and revellers to Feel the Burren this October Bank Holiday weekend for a unique 10k challenge set in the wilderness of Clare’s national park.

Feel The Burren was set up in 2019 with the intention of running a challenge in each season. Disrupted by Covid, Feel The Burren returned in June of this year and after a successful event, organisers have opened up entries to their au tumn event, the Samhain Challenge.

The Samhain Challenge is a 10k event which will see up to 200 people challenge themselves on the hills of the Burren.

“People can hike, run, jog, whatever they want to do. It’s not a race, the point is to get people into nature, breathing in the fresh air and taking a break from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life,” explains organiser Josephine Forde.

Starting off on Arthur's Field in beautiful Burren grasslands, competitors run through an cient stone paddocks and fields, through hedge rows and along lines of Silver Birch trees. The first five kilometres are on the lowlands of the Burren on a working farm before competitors make their way up a hill where the reward is ex pansive views across Clare and parts of Galway.

At the Summit, the runners must pass through the 20ft High Standing Dolmen where the Bell of Bouleevin must be rung at the Dolmen, sig nalling the hill has been climbed.

“The killer is getting up that hill, it’s an ob stacle in itself but once you make it up there you ring the bell as a bit of a pat on the back for yourself. There you can stop and enjoy the view before you get going again.”

Markers will be in place for each completed kilometre and there will be water stations in place with stewards on course. Visitors are ex pected to visit from far and wide to Feel The Burren’s Samhain Challenge. “It is an experi ence for people and when they get to the end, there’s a lovely atmosphere and they get to enjoy the refreshments and catch up with the other people who participated.”

Despite the hill climb, Josephine says people of all fitness levels are welcome with partici pants ranging from all ages up to the 70s. “If you take it easy, take your time, you will make it up the hill and it’s well worth the trip.”

A percentage of the proceeds will go to the Burren Beo Trust with the event coinciding with the Burren Winterage Festival.

All participants will be given a Feel The Bur ren T-shirt when they register. The Samhain Challenge begins at 12 noon on Saturday (Octo ber 29) at Mary and Frank McCormack’s farm. Participants must be 18+. Visit feeltheburren.ie to enter.

'Future has to be secured soon'

CORRESPONDENCE

has been issued to the Taoiseach seeking the appointment of a liaison of ficer to accelerate the transfer of Shannon Heritage sites, writes Páraic McMahon

Clare TD, Michael McNamara (IND) has written to An Taoiseach, Micheál Mar tin (FF) calling for the appointment of a high-level intermediary to bring together government departments and national and local government bodies to ensure that the proposed transfer of Shannon Heritage’s Clare assets to Clare County Council be brought to a conclusion without delay.

Deputy McNamara remarked that the deal appears to be “bogged down in a bu reaucratic, Departmental pass-the-potato”.

According to the TD, “Shannon Airport Group has questions to answer on its treat ment of Shannon Heritage assets and staff. The Group comes under the remit of the De partment of Transport which, I understand, has referred the matter of funding the trans fer to the Department of Local Government and Housing which, in turn, has recently told Clare County Council that it will not meet its funding request of €15m. That sum, which is a very large ask in these increasing ly difficult times of so many competing de

mands, especially housing, may need to be modified”.

“Fáilte Ireland is the State agency tasked with supporting tourism capital investment projects and initiatives by both the public and private sectors. It comes under the remit of yet another department, the Department of Tourism. All of those departments ulti mately look to the Department of Public Expenditure for funding. The future of Shannon Heritage has to be secured soon to allow it to start planning for 2023 and beyond without further delay and distraction," he concluded.

lKnappogue Castle

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

for a pint, a bite to eat or traditional Irish music

The Brendan O’Regan Restaurant

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

'Sport was always dissected at the table growing up'

Crowe is one of the top voices and faces when it comes to sports broadcast ing in Ireland presently but its her upbringing in Six milebridge that she credits for instilling her passion and love of the games.

MARIE

Since October 2019, Marie has been fronting RTÉ 2FM’s flagship sports show Game On which airs weekdays at 6pm. It has brought her to an audience across the country but since she dipped her toes in the world of journalism in 2008, she has dived straight into the national sphere.

Sport is part of the daily diet for the for mer St Caimin’s Community School student with her consumption of the latest news via multiple means described as “a way of life” while at home with her husband Billy Shee han and their three sons.

She told The Clare Echo “Even if I wasn’t working I’d be doing it anyway, when you’re coming from a sporting background and

family, it’s all you know, it’s your water cool er chat. What I talk about when I ring home is how Sixmilebridge and Clare are getting on, who’s going to be the next minor manag er or whatever it is, it’s a larger scale of that. Billy my husband is mad into sports and the kids are, the boys come home from school and ask will Haaland be coming over when Ireland play Norway, our conversations are what I’m doing for work anyway”.

It comes as no surprise given her up bringing with her father Tim well known in sporting circles.

Sport was always dissected at the table with her mother Bernie’s iconic apple tart also regularly served up. “I’m so proud of being from Clare and Sixmilebridge and having had all those experiences and values instilled in me because we were surround ed by sport which was the backbone of our family, it makes me the person that I am and I’m really proud of that”.

There’s little surprise that this has contin ued for her own sons, Timmy, Billy and Da vie. “Billy coaches the Laois senior football team, they know that too and they’re always very aware of results and how things are go ing, it’s normal life for us."

Jacqueline O’Brien

lTEAM CROWE: Marie Crowe and her kids, Timmy, Billy, and Davie, at Aviva Ireland’s new community garden

Crowe Park is getting used to hosting some fierce contests between the Crowe grand-children with Marie earmarking Liam McMahon of Kilmaley as the grand child to watch. “Liam is a pretty special little hurler, he has the stand and the strut, from when he was young he just got the skills”.

In the media sphere, Marie first got the foot in the door with Clare FM and stayed at the local radio station for a brief spell work ing alongside Colm Flynn, John Cooke, Ross O’Donoghue and Trudy Waters.

What started as work experience with The Sunday Independent resulted in her spending seven years with the title. Landing exclusive interviews and a two page spread with then Tipperary captain Shane McGrath and Ger Loughnane on the week of the 2008 Munster SHC final proved her worth and capability from an early stage.

An opportunity to lead UTV Ireland’s sports coverage led to Marie’s foray into tele vision but the short-lived station brought with it the first big career setback for the Sixmilebridge woman when its closure was

announced in 2017.

“It was difficult, I had a baby in Septem ber 2018, that was my third baby, I’d three small kids and no job”.

Speaking to The Clare Echo as part of Aviva Ireland’s launch of a new communi ty garden at the Aviva Stadium, Marie ad mitted she was of little help when it came to assisting Tim and Bernie in the garden in Sixmilebridge.

“There was seven of us, all we did was go and wreck the garden, it was a big garden and they had the goals in it, it was just grass so we’d go out and play football at the time. Mam cut the grass at the time I think, it was definitely not me, it’s pretty much a foot ball pitch out the back and there’s so many grand-children out there running around and making use of it, that’s what you want to have the kids out the back running and playing, making the most of they have, we don’t have that in Dublin, we’ve a small gar den and a small house so my lads love going down to the open space”.

Visit clareecho.ie for full story.

Sport has and always will be part of the daily diet for Sixmilebridge native broadcaster Marie Crowe

Vitalograph to create 72 jobs

by PÁRAIC McMAHON

ANINVESTMENT OF €5m is to result in the creation of 72 new jobs with Vitalograph Ireland purchasing the Ballymaley En terprise and Innovation Centre from Clare County Council.

Approval of the €1.2m sale was granted by elected representatives of the Ennis Mu nicipal District last week and further sanc tioned by a full meeting of Clare County Council on Monday.

Pinpointed as one of the first wins of the Ennis 2040 strategy, the sale of the building will see Vitalograph Ireland develop its new Clinical Trials Services Centre of Excellence in Ballymaley. The company which produc es respiratory diagnostic devices, previously announced a €10 million expansion and the addition of 200 jobs in Clare and Limerick in April. The extra 72 jobs will bring Vitalo graph’s staff in Clare to 310 by 2024.

CEO of Vitalograph Ireland, Frank Keane said the expansion “represents a significant development” for the company. “The new premises will enable us to support the in ternational growth of our ground-breaking clinical trial solutions. Creating a ‘Centre of Excellence’ here in Ennis reflects the tal ent and skill that exists in the Vitalograph

workforce and will offer many opportuni ties to people looking to build their careers in this exciting business,” he explained.

Chief Operating Officer of Ennis 2040 DAC, Kevin Corrigan estimated that the €5m investment by Vitalograph would equate at annual wages worth an approxi mate €3m. He said the development would be equal to €37m over 10 years.

lEMPLOYMENT: CEO of Vitalograph Ireland, Frank Keane

l Ennis Home Furniture showroom at the Quin Road Business Park, Ennis, is fully stocked with suites, beds, dining table sets, chairs, rugs and occassional furniture

Photos by Gary Collins

SHANNON NEWS

in association with

Two Ambassadors get Banner welcome

SHANNON Airport has welcomed Ambassadors from Poland and Slovenia in recent weeks with areas for future collaboration and Eu ropean expansion explored, writes Páraic McMahon

On Monday, H.E. Ambas sador of Poland Ms. Anna Sochańska accompanied by First Secretary Klaudiusz Tchórzewski and Senator Maria Byrne (FG) visited Shannon Airport.

Ambassador Sochańska, who was appointed as am bassador to Ireland in Octo ber 2019, received a briefing on The Shannon Airport Group followed by a tour of Shannon Airport and the

Shannon Campus.

CEO of The Shannon Airport Group, Mary Con sidine said, “It gave us the opportunity to highlight the initiatives we have under taken across our Shannon Campus and explore our connections with Poland.

Shannon offers three routes to Poland from this region with services to Krakow, Warsaw, and Wroclaw, and many of our passengers are from the Polish community, who are either living here or visiting friends and loved ones. We are pleased to be able to offer these services from Shannon”.

At the end of September,

representatives of the Shan non Airport Group greeted the Slovenian Ambassador, Stanislav Vidovič who was accompanied on his visit to Shannon Airport by his wife Lilliana Vidovič, Liam Maloney, Honorary Con sul of Slovenia for Ireland, and Senator Timmy Dooley (FF).

Appointed in October 2020, Ambassador Vidovič was also given a tour..

Ms Considine outlined, “It gave us an opportunity to explore areas for future col laboration and showcase the initiatives we have under taken across our Shannon Campus.”

Ryanair add two new routes to Shannon

PÁRAIC MCMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

RYANAIR

have announced two new routes from Shannon Air port and the addition of another aircraft.

Béziers in the south of France and Newcastle in the UK have been added to Ryanair’s summer schedule at Shannon Airport. The airline is also to situate a third aircraft at Shannon, creating an additional 30 direct jobs.

Bézier’s Shannon service commenced on March 27th 2023, it will operate twice weekly on Mondays and Saturdays. The Newcastle service is to run three times a week (Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday) from March 26th 2023.

It means Ryanair will operate 24 routes and over 180 weekly flights at Shannon Air port next summer, a 60 percent increase on pre-pandemic levels. This builds on Shan non’s biggest ever Ryanair winter sched ule which currently operates 60 flights per week, a 66 percent different to pre-pandem ic levels.

Jason McGuinness, Director of Ryanair Commercial said the airline will now be op erating flights to a record number of Euro pean destinations from Shannon with over 180 weekly flights to 24 routes. The summer schedule represents a $300m investment in Shannon, he said at a press conference in the viewing gallery of Shannon Airport on Thursday morning.

He detailed that this would support 880

total jobs including 300 directly comprised of 200 in the hangar facility and 90 plus in pilots and cabin crew.

“Efficient operations and competitive air port charges provide the foundation from which Ryanair can deliver long-term traffic growth and increased connectivity. We have worked directly with our partners in Shan non Airport to agree terms which will de liver growth and investment at the Airport, including a new €10 million maintenance facility, and improved services for those that live, work, or wish to visit the mid-west re gion of Ireland”.

CEO of the Shannon Airport Group, Mary Considine maintained it was a very encouraging day for Shannon Airport and the Mid-West region while also offering another "vote of confidence". “We know our customers will be excited by these two new destinations. Days like today, when an airline announces new services, are always very encouraging not only for the general public, but for those at the coalface of the tourism industry here and right along the Wild Atlantic Way, who rely on our air ser vices to bring international visitors to their doors”.

She stated, “Aviation plays a critical role in our economy and serves as a driving force for tourism and business. The results from today’s announcement will provide further connectivity for Shannon and the region and highlights the considerable strides Shannon has made since the pandemic”.

In July, Ryanair celebrated 35 years of fly ing from Shannon Airport, during this peri od it has carried over 18 million passengers from the International Airport.

lCONNECTIVITY: CEO of Shannon Airport Group Mary Considine and Director of Ryanair Commercial Jason McGuinness celebrate the announcement with Ryanair crew members

Consultancy fees questioned

Country Library project.

Economic crisis

“SPIRALLING

costs”

spent on consul tancy fees by Clare County Council need to be ad dressed, a Shannon representative has stressed. Since 2017, there has been a threefold increase in the amount of expenditure on con sultants from the coffers of Clare County Council.

Data obtained by Clare FM re vealed that the local authority spent €1.6m (2017), €3.2m (2018), €4.4m (2020) and €5.5m (2021) on advice and assistance from con sultants. Of the 2021 payments, €580,000 (Shannon Bridge cross ing), €540,000 (Inis Cealtra proj ect), €512,000 (Cliffs of Moher visitor centre) while ‘a significant portion’ was forked out for the

In a proposal before the local authority, Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) pointed to “the economic crisis af fecting the citizens of Clare” when he urged the Chief Executive “to reduce the Council’s expenses to outside consultants. The motion was seconded by Cllr Donna Mc Gettigan (SF).

Director of Finance and Support Services, Noeleen Fitzgerald said “over the past number of years the level of expenditure budgeted on professional fees and consultan cy in the revenue account has re mained static”.

She added, “Consultancy and professional fees in 2021 to the Revenue account was €742k (0.88% of non-pay expenditure in 2021). Of this total, €275k was recouped from several entities as it related to specialist services that this Council does not have em

ployed as there may not be a reg ular full time need for the service".

According to Ms Fitzgerald, the Council’s use of external con sultants was for “multifactorial” reasons. “Expertise is procured from a combination of in-house expertise from experienced staff and/or outsourced services where the work may be once off and may not warrant the permanent skill in house over the long term, or where there is a specialist requirement for these works,” she said.

'Substantial money'

So far as Cllr Flynn was con cerned “substantial” money was being put towards consultants. He encouraged the Chief Executive to make “greater use of in-house staff, we’ve a lot of expertise in Clare County Council. We have more than capable people to do the job rather than having consultants running out of the county with our money. Whether it is capital

or revenue, it is all coming out of public purse”.

'Huge expertise'

Across the different director ates of the Council there is “a huge amount of expertise,” Cllr Ann Norton (IND) agreed. “I know there is certain areas that Clare County Council have to use exter nal bodies but if at all possible, it would be better value if we could use the staff in-house more so than looking for external companies”.

Paying for consultants was de fended by Cllr Joe Killeen (FF). “I can think of a lot of projects put forward since I became a council lor, they have complex planning and public consultation, we have to realise that the projects have to be shovel ready in order to drawn down funding. Unless everything is ready to go, then it is very dif ficult to draw down funding. I can think of a lot of projects that would not have moved forward if it were

not for the consultants”.

Better balance needs to exist, Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) maintained. He recalled that the first time consul tants were mentioned to him, “I was told they lived 50 miles away and had briefcases”. He continued, “I think we’ve more money spent on consultants than the job done, projects are prolonged. We’ve now more spent on consultants than on the job”.

Value for money

Addressing the meeting, Chief Executive, Pat Dowling said the local authority “will always try to find value for money and efficien cies in what we do”. He added, “It’s a measure of the productivity and innovation we’re displaying as a county. We always need to look at our internal resources. We’ve gone from buying houses to building houses, the requirement for con sultancy continues there. We can not manage without it”.

Pamela Vaughan set to share slimming secrets

A SLIMMER who has transformed her life by losing 4 stone 2lbs is using her success to shape a whole new career helping other people change their lives and achieve their weight loss dreams too.

Pamela Vaughan (pictured right) joined her local Slimming World group in Ennis in February and reached her target weight, losing 4 stone 2lbs in just 30 weeks.

Before joining Slimming World, Pamela

hated looking in the mirror or at photos of herself and her weight was really impacting her life. “We are a fairly active family”, Pa mela says, “but I was finding myself having to turn back, unable to complete fast walks with friends and my weight was re ally getting me down”.

“The turning point for me was when my daughter got sick ear lier this year. I knew I’d have to look after her for several months and I knew that I wouldn’t be able to do it feeling as low as I did then and so unhap py in myself. I made the decision to join Louise’s Slimming World group in the Au burn Lodge in Ennis and I can honestly say, it’s the best decision I have ever made!”

“I now feel amaz ing and my confidence is back" she said. "I bounce out of bed at 7:30 every morning, and I have way more energy. I love Slim ming World’s Body Mag ic programme and I’m now hitting nearly 25,000 steps most days. My kids are happier and the whole family have become healthier.”

“The best thing about Slimming World’s Food Optimising plan is that it’s family friendly and I don’t have to cook separate meals for myself”, says Pamela. “Our favourite meals are Diet Cola Chicken and Pasta Carbonara!”

Pamela decided to become a Slimming World consultant herself, to support people to make those healthier changes to transform their own health and wellbeing. “I can’t wait to launch my Slimming World group in En nistymon in Teach Ceol on Wednes

day 26th October at 5:30pm and 7pm”.

According to a recent HSE study, Ireland has one of the highest levels of obesity in Europe, with 60% of adults and over one in five children and young people living with overweight and obesity. Because of this, Pamela says her new role has never been more important. She says: “After losing over 4 stone and completing my training, it’s a privilege for me to be able to pass on the experience, insight and understand ing that helped me, so that I can give my members the support they need.

“Support is really the most important thing. I couldn’t have lost over 4 stone without the weekly help, encourage ment and understanding of my own Consultant and group”.

“Setting targets, sharing recipes and other ideas, and working together as a group to overcome challenges and celebrate success is so important to a successful journey. That’s why, at my Slimming World group, there’ll be tons of support, encouragement and fun”, says Pamela.

Maura O’Connor, who runs Slimming World groups in Gal way and Gort and supports Pame la as a Team Developer, says: “Slim ming World Consultants are chosen for their positive outlook and because they genuinely care about the health and happiness of others. With Pamela’s ex perience of being a successful Slimming World member and her kind and warm personality and great sense of humour, I just know that she’ll be an amazing sup port to members, cheering them all the way to their target weight.”

Pamela’s Slimming World group will be held at Teach Ceol, Ennistymon every Wednesday at 5:30pm and 7pm from Oc tober 26th. For more information, call her

DUCK CONFIT

ROAST WITH THE MOST

Kearney Cooks

up on Insta this weekend, where you can see how I handle my little duckies.

YOU WILL NEED:

DUCK

is a fan tastic protein to cook with, and it is a fan tastic meat to slow cook, particularly the duck legs. I love cooking these confit style.

Submerging them in fat and leaving them in the oven to cook low and slow for the day.

It really is a luxurious dish that people only seem to get in restaurants, but I would love to see more people trying out this style of cooking at home.

The below recipe is about as simple as I can make it, and I even threw in a handy little sauce recipe to boot.

Once you get the hang of this recipe then you can really get into adding more ingredients and personal izing it to suit yourself. As usual I will have an instruc tional video that I will pop

• 2 duck legs

• 400g duck fat

• 1 onion cut into quarters

• 3 cloves of garlic

• A few sprigs of rosemary and thyme

For the sauce

• 100g blackberries

• 1 litre of chicken stock

• 100ml of Balsamic vinegar

Step One

Pop your duck legs into a small oven dish along with the garlic, onion and herbs. Cover everything in the duck fat. Wrap your dish with a layer of tinfoil and bung it into the oven @120 Celsius for five hours.

Step Two

Time to make an easy game sauce. Feck the ber

ries, stock and vinegar into a pot and boil aggressively until the sauce has reduced to a thick syrup. Pass through a strainer and set aside until you need it.

Step Three

Carefully take the duck out of the oven and gently remove from the oil. Pat the legs dry and place on a wire rack above an oven dish. Pop into the oven for 30 minutes at 200 Celsius or until the skin is crispy and golden brown.

Step 4

Serve the duck up with your favourite sides. I went with buttery mashed potatoes and asparagus, but bean stews, lentils and fried greens all work sensational ly with this dish. Pour over your sauce and tuck in.

Enjoy Steve K

lTASTY: Pictured at the announcement that Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel in Adare, Co Limerick has won the Overall Winner of Ireland’s Favourite Roast competition is (l-r): Da vid Fitzgerald, General Manager, Woodlands House Hotel; Audrey Crone, Executive Chef, Unilever Food Solutions and Guest judge Bobby Kerr Photo by Brian Arthur

The Burren Inn ‘has brought Tubber community back together’

STUART HOLLY

FIRESIDE pints, coffees and good conversation are back on the menu in Tubber as The Burren Inn opened its doors for the first time on Friday last to great fanfare. The North Clare establishment has under gone an extensive refurbishment and will serve as a focal point for the community, of

fering a venue for weekend socialising, com munity events and special occasions.

Visitor accommodation is also being de veloped which will support tourism in the area, an ideal place for anyone to base them selves while exploring the Burren with the premises facing the iconic Mullaghmore.

New owner Martin Baker tells The Clare Echo that preparations for the grand open ing last Friday began in January with exten sive work being carried out to modernise the historic public house, which has been in existence for a century but closed its doors in 2016 under the name O’Grady’s. Martin recently purchased the property and enters the new venture alongside his daughter Niamh.

Martin has lived in Tubber for almost 25 years and gained vast experience as a publican having run a pub in Lon don. When he returned from England, the Mul lagh native purchased a farm in Tubber where he has remained. With new owners on board, it’s hoped The Burren Inn will safeguard the future of the village’s last pub for many years to come.

Having started ren ovations on January 3, Martin, Niamh with the help of friends and fami ly worked six days a week to prepare for opening. The building is listed and Martin regularly liaised with the Heritage Coun cil throug the process, who contributed a grant for roof repairs. The Bur ren Inn is now a member of the Burren Ecotour ism Network and Martin believes its excellent lo cation will be key to the business’s success.

Martin acknowledges the opening night was “absolutely fabulous” thanks to the support of the local people. For mer Clare hurling cap tain Patrick O’Connor was MC, former County Councillor Michael Kelly cut the tape with Fr Tom my Marrinan blessing the premises. He stresses that the absence of a public house in Tubber has been acutely felt by in recent years, with Tubber’s only other pub being sold at auction recently for resi dential use.

“There’s been brilliant support. The commu nity are really up for it and the community needs it,” says Martin. “They’ve been without a pub in recent times. The other pub in Tubber was

closed during Covid so the community are very happy that The Burren Inn has opened. People were concerned they would have no place to socialise and meet up. Someone said to me at the weekend, with Covid ev eryone was going in different directions and this has brought the community back to gether.” The Bakers are delighted to provide employment to young people in the area.

The Burren Inn is complimented by a newly-developed sports room equipped with a pool table, tele vised sport, along with a modernised beer gar den. There are also dis ability facilities on site.

Martin and Niamh hope the community will embrace The Bur ren Inn as a venue for community occasions, noting the success of the Tubber GAA Club and the famous racing fraternity in the locality among which Martin counts himself part of having bred and owned race horses, his most re cent winner being Dix ie Flyer (14/1) at Down Royal last December.

Martin’s daughter Niamh moved home from Dublin during Covid and couldn’t miss the opportunity to join the venture as partner, having previ ously worked in digital advertising with The Journal news website. Niamh currently works in tech sales but since relocating to Tubber, has volunteered with Tubber GAA for whom she is building a web site. She says the move home has highlighted the importance of com munity, stressing that The Burren Inn has an important role to play

in this.

Martin notes that the publican industry has changed in recent years and The Burren Inn will be open early each day for coffees and snacks, opening its doors to locals, tour ists, walkers and cyclists.

Find The Burren Inn on Facebook or email theburreninn@gmail.com for enquiries.

l CHEERS: (from top); Niamh pulls a few creamy porters; the colourful beer garden; Niamh and dad Martin Baker; (right) O’Gradys Pub before the extensive renovation; (below) the sports room; (opposite page) the stunning exterior of The Burren Inn, Tubber’s newest pub

GREEN CLARE

€4.5m of €6m Active Travel fund to be spent by year end

€4.5M

OF A €5.9M of an allocation for Active Travel will be spent in Clare by the end of this year, local authority officials have insisted.

In March of this year, The Clare Echo reported how Clare County Council drew down only €1.3m of the €5.7m allo cation from the Active Travel Programme issued by the National Transport Authority (NTA). At the time, Council officials flagged how the funding was for a five year pro gramme while Senator Roisin Garvey (GP) insisted “they can get €5.4m every year if they spend it”.

Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) has since called on the Council to source funding to appoint an Active Travel/Sustainable Travel Officer “to support the work already being carried out by the Road Design Team”. He also re quested a breakdown of the monies drawn down since the inception of the Active Travel funding stream, completed projects, projects which have commenced and those approved.

Colm McDonagh, an executive engineer with the Council confirmed that a submis sion has been made to the NTA for extra resources such as an Active Travel Officer. Senior officials in the Council met with the NTA prior to the August break. For 2021, €1.26m was spent by the Council from Ac tive Travel funding with €1.35m utilised as of September 2022. The projected spend for all of 2022 is €4.5m, McDonagh outlined.

Kilrush, Miltown Malbay, Doolin and 14 towns and villages throughout the West Clare Municipal District have had new foot paths constructed under the scheme. Quin, Kilmurry and Clonmoney has benefitted from new footpaths and pedestrian cross ings. Boston and Ruan have seen the addi tion of new pedestrian crossings while La hinch has been boosted by additional public lighting. Shared walkways have been built in Shannonbanks, new footpaths in Bally beg and Cappahard in Ennis while park and stride locations have been assessed in the county town.

Ongoing projects include the upgrade of walking facilities for St Flannan’s NS in Inagh, footpaths and pedestrian crossings for Spanish Point, Shannon, Sixmilebridge, Meelick, Tulla, Killaloe and Dromindoora. Lisdoonvarna is to get five new pedestrian crossings alone with the move of the starting point for a walking bus for Ennis National School prompting the need of a pedestrian

crossing at the grounds of Éire Óg GAA club. Cycling facilities are to be upgraded in Ennis along with pedestrian permeability through the town, an Area Based Transport Assessment (ABTA) will also be completed for Ennis. Ballybeg and the People’s Park in Clarecastle is to receive new public lighting. Discussions continue with the NTA on the provision of footpaths through Lissycasey village. Among the approved projects yet to commence are an upgrade of permeabil ity measures at narrow bridges throughout Clare, new linkages from Ardnacrusha to Athlunkard, upgraded light segregation of cycling lanes in Ennis, new cycling facilities on the N85 bypass in Ennis and upgraded walking facilities for Holy Family NS and Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Cíosóg in Ennis.

Work of the Council’s road design team would be “strengthened by an expert in the field,” remarked Cllr Murphy who welcomed the submission for funding for an Active Travel Officer. He stressed that he was not critical of the ongoing work. “When you look at the success of the Ennis NS walking and cycling bus on a daily basis, that is the evidence that you can get children invigorat ed by the measures”.

Clarecastle based Murphy who is an avid cyclist suggested that cycling paths be locat ed on the one side of the road, “it makes a better job of keeping the traffic segregated”. He questioned media coverage in both The Clare Echo and The Clare Champion on the subject of Active Travel funding.

There has been “ambition” within the Council when it comes to applications for Active Travel funding, Cllr Shane Talty (FF) maintained. “What’s been achieved under Active Travel has been really transforma tive”. He continued, “We can be grateful of the ambition to apply for the maximum we can apply for, okay the delivery can be bet ter but I think it is a positive”. The Cathao irleach of the West Clare MD disputed an RTÉ report which included an Ennistymon pedestrian crossing as an example of Active Travel projects, “that was delivered under the Fáilte Ireland scheme,” he said.

Senior engineer in the roads and trans portation department of the Council, John Leahy said the Active Travel programme “has been a fantastic opportunity” for the county. “We’ve been able to deliver projects that otherwise we would have had difficulty in securing funding for”. He said it “ws nev er going to be the case” that the entire allo cation would be spent in the one year. He praised the support of the NTA who shared that “they are very happy with the progress of work in Clare and have engaged very pos itively in Clare”.

lFOOTPATHS: Kilrush is among the areas to benefit from the scheme

Photo by Home Thought Productions

'We need to be more strategic in securing community gains'

by PÁRAIC McMAHON

CLARE

County Council have been urged to deliver added income in development levies from renew able energy companies.

While Clare’s potential for off shore renewable energy has been well flout ed, dividends have yet to bear fruit with both Equinor and Shell opting to exit the Irish market having previously committed to sep arate projects off the coast of West Clare.

Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) in a question to the local authority cited “the extremely sig nificant future investments” to be made in Clare in the area of offshore renewables “and in the absence of rates income” for these de

velopments.

Director of Economic Development with the Council, Liam Conneally outlined that the Economic Development Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) has commenced prepara tory work on the new scheme. “A full review of contributions payable for all types of de velopment will be undertaken as part of the preparation of the new Scheme which, sub ject to adoption by the Members, will come into effect in 2023”.

Conneally also flagged that the Planning and Development Act provides for the con ditions requiring the payment of a contri bution in respect of public infrastructure and facilities benefiting development in the functional area of any coastal planning authority in which the development con

cerned is (in whole or in part) proposed to be situated.

This prompted him to sur mise, “I consider that there are sufficient mechanisms in legisla tion to deliver community benefit from all future strategic infrastruc ture development proposals on and off the coast of Co. Clare”.

According to Cllr Murphy, this detail “gives us a real sense of the develop ment fees open to this Council in light of the hundreds of millions of euros to be invested in Clare in the future”.

He suggested a working group be established immediately.

“We need to look down the road and see what’s coming down the track.

I think the developers are quite critical to this with public consultation in communi ties and work on the ground ongoing”. The Kilkee representative noted “significant community ben efits” associated with the devel opments as another argument to set up the working group.

“It brings to the fore what community really means,” Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) stat

He felt a strategy would prevent devel opers from paying off local areas through sponsorship. “It might help to stop what some groups can get away, sponsoring a community garden or building a GAA field in a community isn’t enough, we need to be more strategic”.

Tragedy in Creeslough

SCULLY

Thought for the week

SOMEdays more than others we are hit with just how fragile, vulnerable and precious life is. In the whirlwind of our day-to-day life, we lose track of the preciousness of life until we are confronted with the loss of someone dear to us or a tragedy like what has happened to the people of Creeslough in Co. Donegal.

Suddenly, we are struck with something we all try to forget, our mortal ity. Faced with just how precious and fragile life is and it changes us forever. I know myself from the experience of the tragic loss of life of my 14 year old niece Aoife.

The Village of Creeslough

I have been praying so hard these last few days as has nearly everyone in our country for the 10 people who have died in the tragic event in Creeslough in Co. Donegal and also praying in a very special way for those who are seriously in jured in hospital and all the families that are bereaved and praying for all who re sponded and who continue to respond to this accident in our emergency services and others who helped and are helping at this time.

It just reminds us that while we go about our daily lives, our lives are all so fragile. Our life is fragile, vulnerable and precious. If the last few days have been a reminder for anything to us, it should be a reminder to us of how important family, friends, colleagues and neighbours are and how important relation ships are. I didn’t know any of the people who so sadly passed away in Creeslough but have had the pleasure of being in the Applegreen store with their amazing staff a number of times on my travels with work in Donegal getting a snack and a bottled water,

but my heart breaks for all of them and everyone who knew and loved them and for all the people of Creeslough and Donegal. They are all in my thoughts and prayers.

I cried during a number of the many news reports and tributes, thinking about the people who passed away especially the children and everyone touched by the Creeslough tragedy, and also thinking about my niece Aoife, my grandparents, and every one important who I’ve lost in my life, as well as all of the loss and grief we each experience as human beings. Death can be so painful, and grief can be so very hard. And yet, it is one of the most universal expe riences of being human. It reminds us of the fragility, preciousness and vulner ability of life in a body, forces us to put things in perspective, challenges us to expand our understand ing of how things work, and connects us with one another in a profound way.

The Light of Your Soul

Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach, the part that we come in contact with in our own daily living. After Aoife's and some other members of my family's sad passing I have realised that any small, loving, car ing, compassionate, mer ciful, prayerful and calm thing that one soul can do to help another soul, to assist some portion of this poor suffering world, will help immensely.

One of the most calming, revitalising, refocusing and powerful actions you can do, to intervene in a stormy world or to make the storm within you and without, is to stand up and show your own soul. A Soul for example, is like a

shining light on the deck of a ship at sea that shines brightly in dark times. The light of the soul, actually the light of your soul can throw sparks, can send up flares, build signal fires and cause proper matter to catch fire. To display the light of your soul in shad owy times like these, to be fierce and to show mercy, love, care, compassion toward others, are all acts of immense bravery, kind ness, empathy and greatest necessity, especially during these worrying times.

Struggling souls like mine, at this bereft time, catch light from other souls, who are fully lit and willing to show it. If you would help to calm the tumult and the fear, this is one of the strongest things you can do. There will always be times when you feel despair and some what at sea. I too, have felt discouraged, fearful, angry, lost, hurt, abandoned and afraid at times in my life but I try hard not to keep a chair for it, I try hard not to let it live rent free in my head.

Thought for the week

As your thought for the week, always remember that life's road is sometimes extremely tough, because the time we have with our loved ones is just simply not long enough, especially when they are taken away tragically. Here is a reflec tion written just recently by poet Ronan P. Berry especially for the people of Creeslough in Donegal called "No Words" - "And then sometimes there are no words. They who dreamed of the weekend, stopped off for a drop of diesel, the daily paper and 20 Major, a perm, a sand wich, collect their pension; a chit chat that salvaged the day from the sombre tick of a kitchen clock. In these days when apple green on labour boughs, lift the handle of a petrol pump, scan the pages of a national paper, stand silent in a deli counter line and turn thoughts to those lives changed and lost at Creeslough. Amen."

Plans need to be 'tweaked'

EOIN NEYLON Political insight

AS

THE fall out from the budget continues, focus has begun to shift back from taxation and cost of living to the housing crisis as it rumbles on.

Whereas there is some light at the end of the tunnel, as various report ers and industry experts, report a slowdown in house price growth and even falls in certain areas, prices remain stubbornly

nities in years.

However, at last week’s Ennis Municipal District council meeting, plans for a 289-house development on the verge of Ennis town came before the councillors for discussion. As some one involved in planning and development, many of the comments were a bit predictable.

Firstly, Councillors have every right to represent the best interests of their constituents and the area as

development is valid, as is the single roadway into or out of the 289 units, although this could easily be alleviated if a roadway access into the neighbour ing Ballymacaula View development is agreed in place of the currently proposed pedestrian only entrance at this location.

However, fears over den sity, scale and “social prob lems” appear completely unfounded. One need only take a trip around Citywest and Saggart of the outer most edge of Dublin to see many developments 3 or 4 times the size of this proposal being construct ed presently. And many of these without the same garden size, amenities or public green space avail able, nor the creche and community space.

high. In Ennis alone, at the time of writing there are only just 82 properties for sale, ranging from a tiny 20m2 apartment for €75,000 in the town centre, to a house in Shanaway with a €650,000 asking price. What’s more, only 11 of these have an energy rating of B, the rest falling below that threshold. There are also only 6 sites listed on Daft.ie and a ridicu lous 5 rental adverts on the same website, from a €500 a month bedroom on the Gort Road to a 4-bed house in Clarecastle with a €3,000 a month price tag. It’s fair to say that the pro vision of available housing in the county town is low. For the county as a whole, there are only 30 rental listings and 387 properties for sale at the time of writing. This in a county with a population of around 127,500, that hasn’t seen a major devel opment of large construc tion employment opportu

they see it. Secondly, their opinion doesn’t have to align with mine and there are even aspects of the pro posed design that I myself don’t agree with.

Having reviewed the drawing and specification package for the proposal online, there are certain aspects of the design that should be tweaked in order to improve it for those 289 families that would end up living in the state, which will include at least 57 bad ly needed social housing units at an average cost of €217,543 to the Council. This would cater to roughly 2% of the total number of the 2987 applicants report ed as being on the housing waiting list in the county as recently as just last April. Yet last week’s meeting was met with an almost ubiquitous negative reac tion to the proposal from the elected representatives present. Comments on the lack of a distinct playing pitch for kids within the

One comment that did get my attention that I felt was bang on was that from Cllr. Clare Colleran-Molly though, in pointing out the distance it would take for kids to get to school from this proposed estate. The fact that Ennis National School is only 560m away as the crow flies, but to access the school, it would take a 2km to 2.5km drive, walk or cycle is ridiculous. Surely, the successful Cnoc na Scoile route on the southern side of the school, linking it with the Kilrush Road, could be replicated from the northern or west ern side of the school also.

There is a dire need for housing, and putting it next to main arterial routes, within the bounds of the largest town in the county seems like the most ideal place for it. The fact that the golf club will be on the doorstep, Éire Óg GAA grounds are only 1km away down the bottom of Cahercalla hill, the rugby club slightly closer still along Showgrounds Road and entertainment centre with all weather pitches just beyond that, it’s hard to find an area with more to offer kids right on their doorstep in the town, the centre of which will be only a 20-minute stroll away. If this 11.3 hectares of land represents what some Councillors call, “the wrong area for develop ment”, then I genuinely don’t know what is.

lDevelopment

Gold for Ennis' O'Connell at IMRO Radio Awards

MÁM marathon at glór

by PÁRAIC McMAHON

A DAZZLING 90 minute marathon is prom ised for glór later this month as the dancers and players of MÁM take to the stage of the Ennis venue.

Described as a meeting place between so loist and ensemble, classical and tradition al – MÁM will bring together the virtuoso, Irish traditional concertina player Cormac Begley, the European classical, contempo rary collective, s t a r g a z e, a young girl and 12 international dancers from the Teaċ Damhsa company.Tickets costing between €27 and €30 are currently on sale at glór for the show which will be held on Tuesday Oc tober 25th and again on Wednesday Octo

ber 26th.

The original music from Cormac Begley and the stargaze ensemble plays a key role in manipulating the mood, as the initial cel ebration turns savage, as tenderness is juxta posed with rage, as joy trembles on the edge of violence. Michael Keegan-Dolan and Teaċ Damhsa have created another mythic yet timely production that acknowledges how life’s opposing tensions and contradictions can on occasion come together and find resolution. The show was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New Dance Produc tion in 2020 and was nominated for two UK National Dance Awards in 2021. MÁM fol lows on from the success in 2016 of Loch na hEala—his acclaimed reimagining of Swan Lake.

ENNIS’

Brian O’Connell won gold at the IMRO Radio Awards, writes Páraic Mc Mahon

A reporter with RTÉ Radio One, Brian’s work in highlighting the delays experienced by the Terry family for Adam (10) who has scoliosis to get vital sur gery, touched the hearts of the nation with honest and emotional interviews given by Adam and his mother Christine.

They had dealt with mul tiple delays for Adam’s sur gery since August 2019 and finally underwent surgery in October 2021. In an in

terview with Brian after the surgery, Adam remarked, “this is the start of the rest of my life”. Tipperary TD, Alan Kelly (LAB) raised the matter with An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin (FF) in the Dáil.

It faced stiff competition to be named ‘News Story of the Year’ at the IMRO Radio Awards. O’Connell’s work took home gold with silver for Cork 96 FM’s reporting on The Owenacurra Case and bronze for RTÉ Driv etime and the reporting of Barry Lenihan on the Kerry Mental Health Scandal.

Educated at Ennis CBS and Rice College, Brian (45) has been living in Cork for

the past 25 years. A twotime author, he is a familiar voice for listeners of Today with Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio One, having began re porting for Today with Sean O’Rourke in 2013. Both of his parents are still based on the Kildysart Rd.

Brian paid a visit to Adam this week to show him the gold award and noted that he was in flying form, “what an impact he and his fami ly have had”. Adam’s moth er Terry was also named as the 2021 Blarney & District Person of the Year following Brian’s reports. At the IMRO Radio Awards, Clare FM won silver in the Best Local Radio station category.

lRADIO STAR: Adam Terry and Brian O'Connell

lMÁM

ENNIS

Gamblers Anonymous will hold a meeting for existing and new members on Tuesday (October

COMMUNITY GAMES

18th) at Clarecare, Harmony Row in Ennis beginning at 8pm.

CROSS COUNTRY NATIONAL FINALS

ST FRANCIS Credit Union Clare Community Games were represented by 33 children in the National Finals of the U13 1200m Cross Country and the Mixed Distance Cross Country Relays for U12 and U14 boys and girls on Saturday 8th October in Navan Adventure Centre, Navan, Co Meath. The weather conditions were fantastic. The U13 Cross Country team put in a fantastic display to maintain County Clare’s very good record and brought home the gold medals with Emma Haugh, Ballynacally/Lissycasey and Ryan Kelly, Newmarket-on-Fergus both finishing 2nd in their races and winning Individual Silver medals. In the Mixed Distance Relays the U12 Girls also won gold medals. Bronze medals were won by both the U14 boys and girls Relays.

lMUSICAL MILESTONE: Doora Barefield Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Branch celebrated the 50th anniversaryof its foundation with a celebration function in Fahy's Hall. Pictured with Comhaltas President Éamon Ó hAirgáin are the branch committee: Marjorie Molloy, Grainne O'Keeffe, Johnny Lyons, Mary O'Halloran, Joe Keary, Eamon O hAirgain, Liam Hansbury, Tadgh Mulcahy (Munster Chairman) Joe Conlon.

lFUNDRAISER: The Relay for Life Ennis committee recently presented a cheque to the Irish Cancer Society. Pictured are (l-r) Chloe Heaney, Tara Cooney, Ronan McMahon, Mary Murray from Irish Cancer Society, Anne Maloney, Auriol Considine andTara Donnellan

l

FEET: The U12 girls brought home the gold in the cross country mixed distance relays national finals in Navan at the weekend

lSILVER MEDALS: Ryan Kelly, Newmarket-on-Fergus and Emma Haugh, Ballynacally/Lissycasey both finished second in their respective races at the Cross Country national finals

GAMBLERS

SHANNONCOUNTYWIDE

HOSTING REFUGEES IN THE COMMUNITY

ON THURSDAY, October

13th at 6pm, Doras and Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) are hosting a regional information event for anyone who is providing host accommodation for Ukrainians in and around the Mid West region. It will take place in the Kilmurray Lodge Hotel, Dublin Road, Limerick, Limerick, V94 WTC9. This is an opportunity for people to meet other hosts, and to ask questions of experts in the field. Representatives from the Irish Red Cross,

LCCC, Doras and other organisations involved in supporting hosts and beneficiaries will be present. This event will also be of interest to others involved in supporting people from Ukraine.Registration for this free event can be done through Eventbrite. ie. Info https://www. eventbrite.ie/e/limerickevent-hosting-ukrainianrefugees-in-the-communitytickets-435742436357.

Contact John Lannon at Doras at j.lannon@doras. org or www.doras.org

GUAIRE MAGAZINE 2022

THE magazine will hit the retail outlets in Gort, Labane, Cloone, and Kinvara at the end of October.

Packed with articles on history, current events, poetry, and the results of our 2022 Children’s Creative

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IBTS CLINIC

Arts Contest, you won’t want to miss it. Josephine Ward has painted another spectacular cover, and our Down Memory Lane feature covers the decades from 1950s to today. Look for your copy soon!

THE Irish Blood Transfusion Service are holding a five day Clinic at the West County Hotel in Ennis spanning the following dates: Wednesday October 19, Thursday October 20, Monday October 24, Tuesday October 25, Wednesday October 26. Each clinic runs from16:45 to 20:00. ppointments may be booked on 1800 222 111. Existing and new donors are welcome!

NORTH CLARE ENNIS

CLARE ROOTS SOCIETY

October 20 at 8.15pm in Maria Assumpta Hall, Ennis. Thomas J Westropp: a centenary lecture (1860-1922). Presented by Liam Eirwin. Liam Eirwin is the retired

ENNIS

WILD ATLANTIC MUSIC IN ST COLUMBA’S, ENNIS

CLARE musicians ‘Jaskane’ will launch an EP of new music, inspired by the Doolin landscape in a concert at St Columba’s Church, Bindon Street, Ennis on Friday 14th October at 8pm.

At the concert, Jaskane will play an eclectic mix of world music and original pieces and this latest EP offering is a blend of trad style airs, reel and jigs, composed by oboist and cor anglais player Etain McCooey.

With Karen Kelly on violin and Jason Noone on guitars, this promises to be a wonderful nights’ entertainment.

This concert has been made possible through the support of the Clare Co Council Arts Office and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, through the Local Live Performance Scheme 2022.

Rev Kevin O’Brien, Rector of St Columba’s, is interested in supporting bands and musicians and in providing a quality acoustic performance space for them.

St. Columba’s Church as an ideal venue for both formal and informal concerts and a series of six concerts is already planned to take place over the Autumn.

Visit https://clareanglicans.ie/ drumcliffe/ for more.

Head of History at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick and also Editor of the North Munster Antiquarian Journal. He has published extensively on J.T. Westropp.

lTEA AND BUNS: Shannon Senior Citizens Club held a coffee morning in aid of Milford Hospice last week. First opened at 9 Purcell Park, Shannon Citizens Club has since extended to also include 11 Purcell Park. Both houses serve as a meeting place for seniors with dinners served twice a week at the house with meals delivered by volunteers to the housebound three times a week. Funds for the group were recently raised with the Shannon Town Golf Society holding a golf classic which was sponsored by Ei Electronics. Pictured are (front row) Pauline Cronin, Marguerite O’Keeffe, Bridget Kirby, Sheila Doody and (back row) Nora Hogan, Ursula Barkley, Martin McMahon, Frances Kelly, May Farrell, Breed Mannix Photo by Joe Buckley

Life coach urges working moms to ‘invest in yourself’

STUART HOLLY editor@clareecho.ie

WORKING

mothers and business people are being offered a new outlet to cope with the demands of mod ern life.

Ennis psychotherapist Laura Gallagher has established a new business called Peace Together, a life coaching hub which will give people the tools to achieve their personal goals. A mother to two young children, Laura understands the pressures of working while trying to tend to her family’s needs having previously worked in the insurance sector.

Laura (BSc in Counselling & Psychother apy) recently earned a Diploma in Personal & Business Life Coaching and is putting it to use by coaching people who find themselves in need of a life adjustment. Laura specialises in helping working mothers find more bal ance in their lives.

so it’s almost impossible for a working moth er to keep up with the day-to-day challenges.”

Laura explains that having observed many women being forced to sacrifice their careers to be at home – or equally missing out on quality time with their kids in order to prog ress their career – she is passionate about giv ing these women the tools to better manage their responsibilities and achieve their per sonal and work goals.

“I want to help mothers create a worklife balance because I would have needed that when I was coming out of college and going back to work. I didn’t have the skills or support back then to juggle the two. The mom-guilt was the number one reason why I stepped back from work.”

down, compartmentalise, and help them become aware of certain things they can do around all that.”

Laura explains that she helps people tune into their body’s needs when it comes to de cision-making and prioritising in their lives.

lBALANCE: Laura Gallagher

“I’m starting to come across more stay-athome moms because the demands – espe cially nowadays – are so hectic,” Laura tells The Clare Echo. “Even young kids’ lives have changed because of the demands they face,

Laura believes ‘mom guilt’ is a subject that’s sometimes spoken about flippantly but demands our full attention. “There’s great sacrificing for a mother who’s working 9-5. In some working scenarios a boss may not care necessarily about home and the kids, and what a person has to sacrifice to be at work. So, it’s about boundaries and minding your own mindset because there are various demands you see of a mother such as the emotional need of tending to her family and other relationships in her life as well. These are all things I’d like to help women break

“The body tells all,” she says. “If a mother can pay attention to how she feels in any situation to where her energy is going – that’s the big thing. If you’re exhausted and feel like you’re getting nowhere with something, that’s when I’d be inclined to say, ‘could you do without that?’ If she’s putting energy into something that’s rejuvenating her, that’s something I’d be more inclined to encourage. So, I always try to get clients to tune in and see how they feel about certain things, do they feel exhausted and drained, or do they feel joyful and hap py?”

And for those who don’t have time for a lifecoach? “It comes down to whether they value their time. There’s always going to be something that our attention needs but if you don’t invest in yourself it’s going to be hard to invest that time into other things.”

To learn more about Laura Gallagher’s life coaching and counselling services, visit peacetogether.ie. To get in contact with Lau ra, email hello@peacetogether.ie or call 085 260 2198.

'An opportunity to improve people’s health and happiness'

their mindset and form new habits around eating and becoming more active. The real key to success is found in the weekly group where Consultants motivate and inspire members to achieve their weight loss dreams. For anyone who has ever struggled with their weight, finding understanding, care and support to help you stay committed and reach your target is invaluable. And this is a rare chance to make a real difference”.

and flexibility could find that opening a Slimming World group offers the perfect solution. For more information or to book your

place at the Opportunity Events on October 17th or 19th, please con tact Maura on 087 2768935 or go to slimmingworld.co.uk/careers.

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ACT 2000 (AS AMENDED)

SLIMMING

World, Ire land’s largest and best loved weight loss organisa tion, is looking for people with a passion for helping others. They have launched a cam paign to recruit more people to start their own weight loss group with special Slimming World ca reers Opportunity Events planned

for the Woodstock Hotel Ennis on Monday 17th October at 7pm and the Maldron Hotel Oranmore on Wednesday 19th October at 7pm. Maura O’Connor, who manag es a team of consultants who run Slimming World groups in Clare and Galway, says: “For more than 50 years, Slimming World has been helping people to change

The opportunity to be come a self-employed Slim ming World Consultant provides plenty of flexibility and can be done alongside other commitments such as other jobs or family life. Slimming World Consul tants are trained in every aspect of running a suc cessful group – from de livering Slimming World’s programme based on the science and psychology of behaviour change. As self-employed micro-en trepreneurs, Consultants also learn how to build a suc cessful com munity-based business. Pa mela Vaughan, Clare’s newest consultant, who is launch ing a Slimming World group in Ennistymon on October 26th says she can’t wait for the new chal lenges run ning her own business will bring. “For me becoming a self-employed franchisee was a great option. I wanted a job that was well paid, flexible and could fit around my busy family life and other part-time job.”

Anyone looking for a career that offers oppor tunities for growth and development

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS 2001 (AS AMENDED)

PART 8 DEVELOPMENT

DRUMGEELY TOWN & VILLAGE RENEWAL PROJECT

Location

Drumgeely Neighbourhood Centre, Drumgeely, Shannon, Co Clare. Public open space area enclosed by Drumgeely Avenue, Fergus Drive and Allen Park.

Nature & Extent of the Proposed Development

In accordance with Part XI, Section 179 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and Part VIII, Article 80 & 81 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) notice is hereby given that Clare County Council proposes to carry out the following development;

The refurbishment of Drumgeely Neighbourhood Centre. The proposed development will include:

•

Removal of all existing walls, flower beds and hard surfaces.

• Install new level access surfaces to the entire public realm area including paving, low level vegetation and grass lawn areas, incorporating Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS).

• Installation of seating areas, benches, covered canopy area and bicycle parking stands.

•

Provision of two Accessible Disabled Parking Spaces and ten car parking spaces on the perimeter of the site.

• Provision of public lighting and low-level ambient lighting.

• Construction of a raised flower bed re-using the natural stone from the existing raised grass area.

• Connect to existing onsite drainage services.

• The installation of associated signage.

• All ancillary site works.

In accordance with the Habitats Directive, Clare County Council has carried out Appropriate Assessment Screening on the project. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening determination has been made and Clare County Council concludes that there is no real likelihood of significant effects on the environment arising from the proposed development and as such and EIA is not required. Nonetheless, a person may, within 4 weeks beginning on the date of the publication of this notice, apply to An Bord Pleanála for a screening determination. Such a submission should be addressed to the Secretary, An Bord Pleanála, 64, Marlborough Street, Dublin 1.

AA & EIA Screening Reports together with Plans and Particulars of the proposed development will be available for inspection free of charge, or may be purchased on payment of a small fee (which fee shall not exceed the reasonable cost of making such a copy) during normal office hours 9.00am – 4.00pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), for a period not less than four weeks beginning on the date of publication of this notice at the following locations;

• Planning Department of Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare, V95 DXP2

• Shannon Municipal District Office, Town Hall, Bothar Linne, Shannon, Co Clare, V14 HF20

Submissions or observations with respect to the proposed development, dealing with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area in which the proposed development would be situated, may be made in writing to the Senior Planner, Planning & Enterprise Development, Clare County Council, Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare up to and including 25th November 2022 (6 weeks from publication date) and should be clearly marked ‘Drumgeely Town & Village Renewal Project’. Liam Conneally, Director of Services, Economic Development Directorate, Clare County Council

lTasty recipies

Banks set to 'make a fortune'

Financial

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

• Administrative Officer Panel 2022 (Senior Management Role: Grade VII)

Completed applications must be emailed to: recruitment@clarecoco.ie not later than 4.00 p.m. on Tuesday 1st November 2022

Application forms and further particulars may be obtained by requesting same from the Human Resources Department, Clare County Council at 065-6846439, via e-mail: recruitment@clarecoco.ie or can be downloaded from the following website: www.clarecoco.ie

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

Scriobh chugainn as gaeilge más fearr leat.

Director Darach Honan gives the latest Irish market updates

Making It Happen

I G I T A L S T A R T

IRISH

banks are set to make a fortune as a per fect storm of increased interest rates combine with exit of competi tors will increase profitability over the coming years. In an effort to curb inflation, the ECB increased rates by 1.25% so far in 2022. Many expect this increase to steadily in crease over the coming years. This has been reflected in in creased mortgage rates for the Irish borrower. However, as

yet we have seen no significant increase in the interest rates banks are offering for money held on deposit.

The exit of Ulster Bank and KBC has seen massive inflows of money to the remaining banks. PTSB, Bank of Ireland, EBS and AIB have attracted a huge increase in the money they hold on deposit for cus tomers as people are forced to close their existing accounts and find a home elsewhere. The lack of competition from

the exit of Ulster Bank and KBC will leave the banks left standing with no major incen tive to attract new customers.

While Irish Banks will avail of more attractive interest rates in Europe, there is no sign of any plans to pass this on to their customers as yet. While we have already seen signif icant increases in the rates at which they are lending. With inflation at an almost 40 year high in Ireland for 2022, those who are holding money on de

posit long term will see their purchasing power dramatical ly decreased over the past year. People who hold money they are not planning to use within the next five years, should consider alternative investment options. There is a wide range of attractive investment options ranging from, unit linked funds to structured products. Get in touch on darach@honanfs. com or 087-1277155 to learn more.

The value of funding your pension

AS THE personal tax deadline approaches, many hand over more money to the revenue than needed to by not availing of tax reliefs. Chief amongst them is pension tax in centives. Those paying tax at the high rate of 40%, receive 40% back on their pen sion con tribu tion.

lDarach Honan

I V I N G S M A L L

B U S I N E S S T H E D I G I T A L E D G E

For example: Joe Bloggs is 42 and owns a carpentry business and earns €70,000. His tax bill for the year will be €12,450. He has no pen sion and would like to start so he can retire at 65. As Joe is in his 40s, he can contribute 25% of his annual earnings to pension, €17,500. He will receive 40% tax relief on his contribution, €7,000. He is now in a position whereby he has €17,500 in a pension and has reduced his tax bill from €12,450 to €5,450.

Joe decides to invest his pension in equities. Over the last 100 years, most global equity in dices have averaged an annual return of be tween 8-10% per annum. However, we will use a very conservative expected return of 4.5%. If Joe contributes €17,500 to pension each year until age 65 he would have a pension pot

worth €704,375. His total contribution would be €402,500 which after tax relief would have only costed him, €241,500.

It is crucial to review your pension with a fi nancial advisor you can trust. If you have not sat down with a financial advisor to review your pension in the last year, get in touch through darach@honanfs.com or 087-1277155.

In Ireland we are in a precarious position of not having a sustainable state pension system in place. The state pension as it stands current ly is completely unsustainable because of the demographics of the population here in Ireland.

Due to a political unwillingness to address the issue young people in Ireland will be forced to rely on their own pension benefits that they have built up rather than the state pension benefit.

N ew car sales in Clare up on 2021

NEW car sales in Clare are slightly up on 2021, accord ing to the latest statistics, with a big increase in elec tric sales noted nationwide.

The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), has released the official 222 new vehicle registration figures for September. New car registrations in County Clare for January to September have reached 2,049, a 0.89 per cent increase on 2021.

Nationally, there was a big upward trend for September, with new car regis trations up 42.5% (6,340) when compared to September 2021 (4,449). Registrations year to date are up 0.7% (101,492) on the same period last year (100,745) but al most 11 per cent behind (113,945) that of pre-Covid levels.

Used car imports for September (4,344) have seen a decrease of 12.4% on Septem ber 2021 (4,952). Year to date imports are

down 26.8% (37,418) on 2021 (51,138), showing a continuation of customers moving away from imported vehicles.

For the month of September 1,858 new electric vehicles were registered compared to 770 in September 2021. So far this year 14,513 new electric cars have been regis tered in comparison to 7,819 on the same period 2021 an increase of 85.6%.

Electric Vehicle, Plug-in Hybrids and Hybrids continue to increase their mar ket share, with a combined market share now of 40.76%. Petrol continues to re main dominant with 30.09%, Diesel ac counts for 26.99%, Hybrid 19.67%, Elec tric 14.30% and Plug-in Electric Hybrid 6.79%.

SEMI FINALS

14-man Ballyea show fight

FACTFILE

BALLYEA

Frees For: 5 (3/2)

Wides: 3 (1/2)

Scores from Play: 0-18

Spread of Scorers: 7 Top Scorer: Mossy Gavin (0-6)

Bookings: Gearoid O’Connell (5 &17), Robbie Hogan (41) (manager), Morgan Garry (47)

Own Puck-Outs won: 14 from 28 (50%)

CRATLOE

Frees For: 6 (4/2)

Wides: 9 (4/5)

Scores from Play: 1-12

Spread of Scorers: 7 Top Scorer: Rian Considine (0-6 4f 1’65)

Bookings: Shane Gleeson (22).

Own Puck-Outs won: 19 from 26 (73%)

REFEREE: Rory McGann (Newmarket)

when there’s such small margins, that’s what hap pens. Fair play to Ballyea, they’re a great side and will take beating in the final.

Tulla aim for senior return

Tulla 2-23 Sixmilebridge 1-11

ROBBIE HOGAN, BALLYEA MANAGER:

“We’re delighted to be back in a final, it’s great for the community and great for the parish. You’ve got to relish these days becuase they don’t come around too often. There were 18 teams that started out and now there are only two left so we’re delighted to be one of those and that’s down to the lads’ heart and effort.

“We were put to the pin of our collar today as

we were down a man for the bulk of the game but once there’s fight in the lads, they just keep going and going and the hooks, blocks and tackles, that’s ultimately what it’s all about and they did it in spades today."

CONOR EARLEY, CRATLOE MANAGER:

“We’re gutted, we’d be working really hard all year but today we were a small bit off the pitch of it and Ballyea were a bit ahead of us so

“When the man was [sent off] we had plenty of possession and chances but just didn’t take them but to be honest, Ballyea used the ball extreme ly well and we were probably lucky to be still in the game by the time they went down to 14.

“In saying that, with five or 10 minutes to go, I still felt we were in with a great chance to win and we had one of two great goal chances at the end but look, that’s the way it goes sometimes.

“We just have to take it on the chin now and the club will have to go back to the drawing board."

Reidy stands up as leader

FACTFILE

ÉIRE ÓG

Frees For: 18 (6/6/4/2)

Wides: 7 (3/1/3/0)

Scores from Play: 2-12

Spread of Scorers: 6 Top Scorer: David Reidy (1-10) Bookings: Own Puck-Outs won: 13 from 26 (50%)

SIXMILEBRIDGE

Frees For: 19 (8/8/1/2)

Wides: 10 (3/4/2/1) Scores from Play: 1-7

Scorer spread: 5

Top Scorer: Jamie Shanahan (1-11) Bookings: Caimin Morey (11 & 47), Barry Fitzpatrick (70), Brian Carey (76).

Own Puck-Outs won: 19/29 (66%)

REFEREE: Joe Mullins (Clonlara)

MATT SHANNON, ÉIRE ÓG MANAGER:

“Everyone gave 100% today and showed great character but that doesn’t surprise me as they are great lads.

“We nearly imploded twice at the end of both halves in normal time but the character we showed to stick at it and come back each time was immense especially in those conditions.

“Hats off to the ‘Bridge as well as they’re never beaten easily so it was a serious battle

throughout with great players on both teams. The conditions were atrocious out there but it’s always a battle with Sixmilebridge and I’d say there was some excitement for the neutrals as well as the supporters of Sixmilebridge and Éire Óg.

“When leaders were needed today, David [Reidy] really stood up but all over the field I felt that everyone did their job. There are no egos in the team, everyone just does their job and does their best and win or lose after that, you can only do your best."

SEAN STACK, SIXMILEBRIDGE MANAGER:

“We made it a real contest towards the end of normal time and we thought that we might get over the line. Despite the conditions and being down a man, we ground our way into a con test that we thought was going away from us. However when your opposition have players like David Reidy, Shane O’Donnell and Dan ny Russell, it takes good men then to contain them and that in turn takes from your own performance a little bit.

“We had Seadna Morey playing exception al stuff around the middle of the field all year and taking the game to the opposition but we simply had to retreat him as Shane O’Donnell was causing too much trouble.

“When [Caimin] went off we had to regig everything and while we did get back into it,

when extra-time came they [Éire Óg] just had the legs on us.

“Of course we’re disappointed but ... we’ve had a great intermediate campaign and we ac tually finished normal time today with six of last year’s intermediate team who per formed really well. So to do as well

SCAN HERE FOR

REPORT

David Reidy put his hand up as a leader for

Venue: Clarecastle Compiled by Páraic McMahon

JIM MCINERNEY, TULLA MANAGER:

“Our goal was to get to the intermediate final and hopefully win it, we feel that we have a team good enough to play senior championship again, we’ve a lot of good young lads coming into the fold now and we’re glad to be back in the final.

“In the first half we had 11 wides and that’s too many, we can’t afford to hit that many wides in a half, our first game that we lost to Ogonnelloe we had 13 wides in the first half too and it’s something we’re going to have to work on.

“Sean Withycombe had 100 percent with the frees today, it was his first 100 percent but in fairness he doesn’t miss many anyway, I think he is a fantastic player, he got some great scores from play too, he is really beginning to develop into a great player”.

JAMESY HASSETT, SIXMILEBRIDGE MANAGER:

“When we scored the goal they went up the other end of the field nearly straight away and answered it back, the goal had brought us back into the game but their reply deflated us a small little bit and we ran out of steam. They are a big strong team, they are very phys ical and at the end of the day it’s our second team, we com peted and we had a great year, we came up with no pressure on us to compete, we had an unbelievable year to get to this stage."

FACTFILE

TULLA

Frees for: 11 (6/5)

Wides: 13 (7/6)

Spread of scorers: 7 Scores from play: 1-12

Top scorer: Sean Withycombe (1-16 10f 1’Pen 1’65)

Bookings: Niall Bolton (13), Andrew Conheady (23)

Own puckouts won: 11 from 17 (65%)

SIXMILEBRIDGE

Frees for: 17 (10/7)

Wides: 5 (3/2)

Spread of scorers: 4 Scores from play: 1-05

Top scorer: Sean Lynch (0-06 4f)

Bookings: Kevin Lynch (1 & 56), Aidan Quilligan (37) Own puckouts won: 19 from 38 (50%)

Sean Withycombe gets away from Adam Breen Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Ballyea 0-24 Cratloe 1-17 Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis

Compiled by Eoin Brennan

Morgan Garry brings Rian Considine to ground as James Murphy closes in; (inset) Robbie Hogan and Jude Quinlivan embrace at the final whistle Photo by Gerard O'Neill

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

Óg 2-23 Sixmilebridge 2-17 (AET) Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis

Compiled by Eoin Brennan

REFEREE: Chris Maguire (Wolfe Tones)

'Relief' for the Parish

Doora/Barefield 3-26 Corofin 2-15 (AET)

Venue: Clarecastle

Compiled by Páraic McMahon

MICHAEL GUILFOYLE, ST JOSEPH’S DOORA/ BAREFIELD INTERMEDIATE HURLING MANAGER:

“It’s relief, absolute relief, we battled, battled and battled, we thought it was going and gone. We’ve had three finals this weekend, we lost two of them and we won one yesterday, we told the lads we wanted heart, determination and every ounce they had and we got it, we just about deserved it. A lot of injuries but we’ll just have to get on with it for the next day”.

“We’re glad to have two weeks now, we’ll need ev ery bit of it, it starts from here, that’s another day’s work after this, it’s a sense of relief to be back in the county final again but that’s another day’s work”.

“We’ve a lot of injuries but that’s life, we have to get on with it, we’ve good players and we’ve plenty of players, we proved it there at the end, we’re going to be in a battle for the final and we’ll be ready for it”.

Michael O’Dell, Corofin intermediate hurling manager:

“It was like two boxers going hammers and tongs, they got the split decision at the end of it, a couple of chances went their way, we were unlucky but some goal chances, we didn’t take them, they took them and that was the difference. It was a titanic battle, we will try and reset the button to go again next weekend. The lads died with their boots on out there on the field, I couldn’t ask anymore of them, Barefield took their chances and that was the difference”.

“We kept going till the end, we were unlucky not to get a penal ty near the end but we couldn’t stay here all night going to pen alties. I’m proud of the lads and I wish Doora/Barefield the best of luck in the final”.

DOORA/BAREFIELD:

Frees for: 17 (6/6/1/4)

Wides: 13 (6/4/2/1)

Spread of scorers: 7

Scores from play: 3-09

Top scorer: David Conroy (0-06 4f 2’65)

Bookings: Cian Barron (20), Brian Guilfoyle (29), Michael Guifoyle (31) (manager),

Own puckouts won: 21 from 32 (66%)

COROFIN:

Frees for: 22 (8/8/4/2)

Wides: 15 (5/4/4/2)

Spread of scorers: 7

Scores from play: 2-08

Top scorer: Gearoid Kelly (0-07 6f)

Bookings: Shay Malone (57), Mikey Kelly (71), K Heagney (73).

Red: Gearoid Kelly (80)

Own puckouts won: 21 from 32 (66%)

(Smith

Cooraclare senior return the aim for boss Garry

by SEAMUS HAYES

FAILURE

to win a game in the senior championship in 2021 led to Cooraclare being relegated to intermediate level. There are many examples of clubs who suf fer a similar fate failing to get back up for some time. Indeed some clubs drop fur ther down the ladder and end up back at junior level.

Cooraclare were determined that this would not happen. Their management team of Michael Garry (manager), Tom Queally, Michael Lillis, Paddy Keane and Niall Murphy with Martin Davis (S&C) which took charge in 2021 quickly con firmed that they would continue in their roles this year.

All are former players with the club and they have served in a variety of manage ment roles for the club since their playing days came to an end.

Competing in Division 2 of the league they struggled a little in the early stages of that competition but winning three of their seven games kept them from drop ping to Division 3 for next year.

To date, they are unbeaten in the cham pionship and if they can manage to win on Sunday they will be back in senior ranks. In the championship they were grouped with Ennistymon, Banner and Kilfenora.

They beat all three to qualify for a quarter final where they had to work hard to get over Naomh Eoin. This set up a meeting with Ennistymon and they re peated their earlier victory over the North Clare side to advance to Sunday’s final.

“We took it game by game and we never looked past our next game this season. Now the focus is on Sun day’s final when we face a massive battle. We are up against a team which has contested this final on a number of occasions in re cent years while they were in the Cusack Cup (se nior league) this year. They are a well sea soned team and we will have to be up for it if we are to win”, team manager Mi chael Garry said this week.

“Our focus is on Sunday’s final with Kildysart and nothing else.

We want to get back up to senior ranks and a win on Sunday will see us do that. We are facing a big challenge. Kildysart are an experienced team and it will take a big effort to achieve victory. We will be focussing on that at training this week”,

With the exception of Eoin O’Driscoll who suffered a collar bone injury recently, Cooraclare have a full panel from which to se

The Milesians will be looking to Pearse Lillis, Sean O’Donoghue, Bri an McNamara, Micheal Garry, Jack Morrissey, Mark Tubridy, Padraig and Ciaran O’Donoghue to give them the upperhand in this one.

Relegation forced Cooraclare regroup

by SEAMUS HAYES

BEING relegated last season has allowed Co oraclare to re-group ac cording to Mark Tubridy, one of the players who has helped steer them to Sunday’s intermedi ate final.

“Look, it was very disappointing to drop down a grade but the results of the last few years showed that we weren’t good enough. We were well beaten last year and relega tion has allowed us to regroup. It’s been good to win games this year”, he told The Clare Echo on Tuesday.

That said Tubridy commented “we have been a bit lucky too this year. Our opponents Kildysart have had a tough run, their side of the draw proved tough er. After seeing their semi-final on Sunday last, we have a savage battle in front of us”.

Tubridy continued, “they have contested a number of finals in re cent years and they will

have gained valuable experience. Not many of our players have played in a county final. Corof in snatched victory over them in last year’s final and look at what they have done since. They have stepped up and are through to the se

nior semi-final. Kildysart have a lot more experi ence than us. There will be no shortage of hun ger in their camp and they have been the fa vourites since the start of the championship. They contested the Cu sack Cup final earlier

this year. I have been lucky enough to win a few Cusack Cups. They are very hard to win but success in the cup bodes well for the year.

Kildysart have compet ed well against senior teams which has been a huge boost for them”.

That said Tubridy pointed out “we hav en’t focussed on them till now as were con centrating on our own games. We won’t be taking anything for granted”.

Asked if the fact that Kildysart have had tough battles for the past three weeks might lead to tiredness Tubridy replied “Playing games every week is great and players love playing games rath er than training. We have three guys who play hurling and they have had games every week”.

He went on to say, “lads might not want to be playing in the winter like conditions that were there last weekend.

Look Kildysart will be sharp after a real battle with O’Currys last week end. That really puts them in a good place going into the final”, he concluded.

Jack Hannan celebrates as Conor Tierney hits the net Photo by Mark Hayes

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Cooraclare's Mark Tubridy says the panel gained valuable experience since being relegated

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Success hasn't diluted the desire for Doyle & Scariff/Ogonnelloe

by SEAMUS HAYES

ACCORDING

to Scariff/Ogon nelloe player Ciara Doyle there is no shortage of hunger for success amongst the players and management.

“We have had our ups and downs over the last few years but we have a great club behind us. There are great structures set up, there are great people involved and they all have the same objective, they all want to win. We also want to enjoy ourselves, do our club and our families proud”, she told The Clare Echo ahead of this week’s final.

Bringing young players through is very important for the club according to Ciara. “All the younger girls are pushing the older girls as everyone wants to be on the team. Everyone wants to be in the starting fifteen and if they are not they want to be coming off the bench. Everyone has a role to play from number one to number thirty. It’s a credit to the club with the structures they have set up and the support they give us. Whatever we want they provide and it’s a credit to them”.

Ciara, on behalf of the panel, paid tribute to outgoing manager David Sullivan and his team. “We commend them for every thing they did for us. It was a professional set up and David did his job. He recently got married and we wish him and his wife Cia ra all the best. Thankfully Alphie (Rodgers) stepped in. He has experience behind him with Pat Minogue and Sarah Skelly and all the rest involved. We are so grateful to them

for stepping in and taking over the job”.

Ciara believes that “the Clare club cham pionship is probably one of the best in the country with players of exceptional calibre on show. Every club is pushing to be in the final stage of the competition. It’s a credit to the club set up in the county. It’s brilliant

for Clare camogie to see such a competitive competition at all levels”.

For the second year in a row they will face Truagh/Clonlara in the decider, an outfit she described as “serious opponents.

"Their players are exceptional. Roisin Beg ley is a player that would probably make any

club team in the country and they have her back this year. They have multiple players from the county team.

"They have an exceptional management team which includes John Conlon. They will be coming with a vengeance. They proba bly felt last year that they were unlucky not to get over us the first day and they will be coming to take the cup.

"They have really been the form team this year, they have shown their class in all of their matches. They will be seriously tough opponents. When you get to this stage and in any match in Clare you are going to be up against serious opponents. It will come down to who wants it more”.

“Anyone that plays at this level wants to keep winning for your club, your parish and your families. Everyone gives up a lot to play at this level and they all want to win and the motivation is there far all who play”, Ciara added.

Representing Clare in the provincial cam paign “hasn’t even crossed my mind. We take every match as it comes. We know that we have a huge battle ahead of us against Truagh/Clonlara on Saturday and that’s as far as we are looking”.

Ciara is delighted that the final will be tak ing place in Cusack Park “It’s phenomenal. It’s a credit to Clare GAA that they have got their ducks in order and that they have al lowed us in there. We are looking forward to getting in there”, she concluded.

Sole agenda is to retain county title

SCARIFF/Ogonnelloe had “an unusual start to the year”, se lector Sarah Skelly explained this week ahead of their coun ty final date with Truagh-Clonlara at Cusack Park on this Saturday, writes Seamus Hayes

Off the back of their county and provincial success, the management team headed up by Dave Sullivan departed. When the non-county player league was to commence, the reigning county champions had no management team in place.

“We weren’t too sure what would happen but the motto of the club is that we don’t panic and we just have to do what needs to be done,” recounted Sarah Skelly who is a selector in the set-up which includes manager Alphie Rodgers and Pat Minogue.

Pat Minogue brings a lot of experience to the set up as “he has been there or thereabouts for fifteen or twenty years and he was there in 2012 when the club got to the junior All-Ireland and again in 2016 when they were in the junior All-Ireland and he stayed on when the club won the first se nior title in 2019,” she said.

Rodgers who is highly regarded within the Scariff club having aided the development of many of their current senior hurlers was formerly involved with the Clare minor hurlers.

Sarah added, “The agenda of the management and play ers is to retain the Clare title and that comes with some diffi culty. We have come through some battles but we are glad to be in the final”.

“This has been a very competitive championship. We have found over the last few years that the standard in Clare is nearly tougher than what has been the case in some of the battles outside the county. Two Clare teams have com

peted in Munster finals over the last few years. We were lucky last year. This year St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield really put it up to us and against Inagh/Kilnamona it took us a long time to get a grip on that game and we were lucky to come out on the right side”.

The former corner back con tinued, “there is resilience in the team. We knew at half time what was going wrong and the few positional changes we made allied to the never say die atti tude of the girls. We are facing a great side on Saturday, a team with some fabulous hurlers. They have a great management which includes John Conlon and to have someone like him on the sideline gives them a fantastic start”.

The Scariff/Ogonnelloe mentor is delighted that the game is in Cusack Park. “Finally the recognition has been award ed to camogie to be allowed to play in that venue. We have played in most venues across the county and never had the opportunity to play in Cusack Park. Our minors played there a while ago and were successful but some of our players have never played there. Its great to have the opportunity to finally play on the main field in Clare. Fr. McNamara park is the home of camogie but it just doesn’t lend itself too well to spectators and we hopefully will have a big following”.

Apart from “a few niggles”, Scariff/Ogonnelloe will have a full squad to pick from for this final. Most of the team’s training has been at Craven’s field in Scariff and Ogonnelloe as the main pitch in Scariff is unavailable at present due to im provements been carried out there. She is in no doubt but that “the hunger is still there. Winners want to win, that would be a common theme amongst the girls. They don’t want to give up this cup. There is an absolute hunger and appetite there but I know Truagh/ Clonlara are bringing that appetite and hunger also”.

Aisling Corbett and Ciara Doyle celebrating Scariff/Ogonnelloe’s Munster final win over Drom & Inch last year Photo by Gerard O'Neill

PICTURED: Labhaoise O’Donnell. Photo by Gerard O’Neill

CLARE SENIOR CAMOGIE CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL PREVIEW

Truagh/Clonlara back for final revenge

by SEAMUS HAYES

IT WON'T surprise anyone that Truagh/ Clonlara have retained the same manage ment that led them to their first Clare senior camogie championship final last year.

Manager Bob Caulfield is again joined by Eamonn Noonan, John Conlon, Ryan Mor ris, Cathy Hally and Cian Foley.

“We were in a very tough group and we just took it one game at a time. Our approach was that we were playing a final every day”, manager Caulfield outlined.

“The training has gone very well. At the beginning of the year we were very slack with players with many gone away travelling but gradually they all came back and every thing fell into place and we were just lucky to get out of our group”, Bob told The Clare Echo

Selector Eamonn Noonan accepts that their final opponents Scariff/Ogonnelloe “are a serious outfit, very very talented all over the pitch. They were better than us last year and we have to see how we shape up this year. We know its going to be a massive test. We know they are excellent. Only Ou lart the Ballagh beat them last year and Ou lart were All-Ireland champions at the time. We have nothing to lose. Not many give us a chance but we will give it a go and see how we get on”.

He added, “this was a tough champion ship, the group was very strong. The girls performed very well throughout and we took it just one game at a time. We just

looked at the next game and that has worked for us so far”.

Manager Bob is happy that “we have a clean bill of health heading into the final. We gained a few players this year with a few minors coming into the squad and they are going well too. The training has been going well and the extra few girls have made a huge difference”.

Qualifying for the minor and junior finals is a positive, Noonan added. “Everyone is coming together and all are performing to a very high standard and you have got to give credit to all the people who train those underage teams and transfer the love of the game to them at that young age whether in the club or the school. There is a great crop of young players coming through. We see that and its great. When things are go ing well its easier to get people to come to training and if there are more there it drives the competitiveness. The younger kids who are seven, eight, nine and ten years of age all want to be like the senior girls now and the club will just have to capitalise on that”.

“It’s great for camogie to have this game in Cusack Park. The standard of camogie in Clare has risen in the last few years. Every team has a brilliant management team now. We have a good few on the county panel. If we could win for the parish it would be bril liant. We are not looking at anything now but this final”, manager Bob concluded.

Novelty of final appearance gone for determined Truagh/Clonlara

by SEAMUS HAYES

TRUAGH/CLONLARA are delighted to be in the county senior camogie final for a second successive season according to joint captain Eimear Kelly.

There was a novelty reaching the decider for the first time in 2021 but they are more determined this time round. “When you get there the first time it’s a massive novelty but to get there a second time it’s a bigger achievement to back it up. We are preparing as best we can to put our best foot forward on Saturday. There is that bit of extra hunger this year which we hope will stand to us,” she said.

Her fellow joint captain Michelle Pow ell believes that the South-East Clare outfit will benefit from their run to the final last year. “We had the drawn and replayed final last year so we know the team that will be up against us. We have to get ourselves up to that level and I have no doubt but that we can do that. It’s a matter of putting our best foot forward, concentrating on what we are doing, meet Scariff/Ogonnelloe head on and hope that it will get us over the line”. Eimear is of the view that the standard

of camogie in Clare has risen considerably in recent years. “There has been fantastic competition within the groups in the last two or three years. Kilkishen/Bodyke have been pushing every single team. We all saw how they got on this year, only losing out on

score difference. You can never write Inagh/ Kilnamona off. Feakle-Killanena are coming through. It makes the whole championship from start to finish more beneficial. We are really delighted about the fact that the final will be in Cusack Park and we are hoping that it will be a good game for the spectators”.

Michelle is equally delighted that the fi nal will be played in Cusack Park and she is confident that there will be big support. “The support we had last year was incredi ble. It was like a cauldron in Clarecastle the first day with the crowd that was there and there was even more at the replay and I have no doubt but that the crowd will be there again this year. It’s such a lift when the team comes onto the field and when you are in the depths of the match to hear the crowd and I expect it will be the same in Cusack Park”.

On the way to the final Truagh/Clonlara beat Feakle/Killanena in their opening game and then accounted for Clooney/Quin. “We had a really tough game against Kilkishen/ Bodyke in the third round and we then met Inagh-Kilnamona in the final game which was a winner takes all with victory ensuring top spot in the group. In the semi-final we had a great battle with Kilmaley. It’s been

a real good championship which has been really competitive”, Clare forward Eimear recalled.

She went on to say that the fact that a number of young players have come into their panel has helped the preparations.

“The interest in camogie has increased and there is a great bond there with the younger players. Our minors played in Cusack Park already this year along with Scariff. We are in the junior A final. There is a great buzz. It’s great to see the underage players down around when we are training”.

“You always want to be playing the best. Scariff/Ogonnelloe are coming off a great campaign last year. They are the Munster champions, they got to the All-Ireland semi. We are under no illusions as to what we are facing. I have no fears of the fifteen that will be starting for us and the girls that will come off the bench”, Michelle concluded for the Truagh/Clonlara joint captains who, no doubt, will be delighted to climb the steps in Cusack Park to accept the McMahon cup if they manage to be ahead when the final whistle sounds.

l READY FOR ACTION: Michelle Caulfield will be hoping to win a first senior championship this weekend Photo by Gerard O'Neill

PICTURED: Eimear Kelly. Photo by Gerard O’Neill

Sweetest one of all for Banner Ladies

JJ O’DEA, BANNER LADIES MANAGER:

“Today was the sweetest one of all. A case of lucky 13 for us. It was a battle, a war and we had to grind it out. Our players gave everything. The wind never put the ball over the bar. You have to work it through the hands and then kick over when you get the chance. We played some love ly football in those conditions and Niamh was outstanding. She just wanted her sister to lift the cup and that's what got her motivated. When the

FACTFILE

BANNER LADIES

Frees: 19 (12/7)

Wides: 3 (1/2)

Top score: Niamh O’Dea & Grainne Nolan (0-4 each)

Scores from play: 0-4

Spread of scorers: 3

Own kickouts won: 5 from 9 (55%)

REFEREE: Frank Culleton

KILMIHIL

Frees: 14 (7/7)

Wides: 3 (3/0)

Top scorer: Catriona Callinan (0-3)

Scores from play: 0-3 Spread of scorers: 3 Own kickouts won: 8 from 12 (66%)

point that was over was disallowed her blood was boiling and she kicked a monster score straight after.

“We would like to do well in Munster but it's tough. There are some very good sides not it's the worsening of conditions that will be our biggest challenge. We are a sunshine team who like to play fast attractive football”.

KEVIN CALLINAN, KILMIHIL MANAGER:

“We got no rub of the green out there today. I have to take my hat off to our girls. They gave 110 percent. They gave everything they had. They did everything that was asked of them. Dervla Higgins was unbelievable but she was one of many. They are great girls and great players. It was a great county final in horrible conditions but that's no consolation to us. We came out the wrong side of it again. We got no luck. They got some very soft frees in front of the post and that killed us. It's hard to take to be honest. But look all 30 plus players gave everything they had and Clare Ladies football is in a good place with some truly magnificent players”.

Kildare man Freeman appointed as Clare ladies football manager

by PÁRAIC McMAHON

KILDARE native, Wayne Freeman has been appointed as the new manager of the Clare intermediate ladies football team.

From Monasterevin, Wayne stepped down as manager of the Louth intermedi ate ladies football team at the end of June. He had been in the role for three seasons with promotion to Division 3 of the Na tional League among the highlights, the Wee County also defeated Clare in last year’s All-Ireland championship in Cusack Park.

Freeman takes on the Clare role for a two year term with the option of a third. He was ratified at Tuesday’s County Board meeting and succeeds Evan Talty. He is the first 'outsider' in the hotseat since Neil Moynihan who guided Clare to con test the All-Ireland final in 2016.

Coaches Lee Hunt and Brian Willis, also of Kildare, who were part of his man agement team in Louth also join the Clare setup, the

trio have worked together for five years. Kilmurry Ibrickane’s Sarah Cunningham will continue in the role of female liaison officer for a third season.

Other additions to the management are to be made with Mike Frawley announc ing his departure as S&C coach in the past fortnight.

As first reported by The Clare Echo, the new manager will have to plan without two of Clare's most experienced players. Both Roisin Considine and Orla Devitt are believed to be unavailable for the 2023 campaign with Liscannor’s Considine set for a move to London while study commitments will keep Ennis’ Devitt

“I am delighted to be appointed to the role of Clare Ladies Intermediate Manager. My goals and values are shared with the Clare County Board and I am gladly accepting the chal lenge of bringing future success to Clare Ladies. It is an exciting opportunity for me to work with such a talented and ambitious County and I look forward to the journey we are about to undertake togeth er,” the new manager stated.

Fergus Rovers back in senior ranks

West Clare Gaels win Senior B

West Clare Gaels were crowned Clare LGFA Senior B champions after they recorded a 0-11 0-08 victory over Burren Gaels at Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown Malbay on Saturday.Clare LGFA Chairman Sean Lenihan presents the trophy to West Clare Gaels Joint captains Fidelma Marrinan and Ciara McQuaid Burren Eye Photography

Fergus Rovers have retained their senior status with a 0-10 1-03 win over Kilrush on Sunday. It ends an eleven year wait for the club’s return to the top tier and topped off a special day of celebrations, twenty five years on from the club being crowned senior champions. Fergus Rovers Hannah Mai Neylon with Kilrush Ladies Caroline Keating. Burren Eye Photography

Emma O'Driscoll clears her lines under pressure Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Banner

Kilmihil

Venue: Doonbeg Compiled by Derek Dormer

l LADS ON TOUR: Left to Right: Sean Daly, Patrick Murphy, John Neylon, PJ Garry, Seamus Bowe, Mick O’Sullivan, Don Ryan, Sean Fitzpatrick, PJ Quinn, Eamonn Kelly, Ken O’Farrell, Liam Pyne, Michael Ball, Dave Boylan, Kevin Murray, Richard O’Connell, Eamon Corry. Mem bers from Ennis Golf Club, Seniors Club in Salou Spain recently.

Good results for Aideen & Áine while Ennis Seniors Club return from Salou

by SEAMUS HAYES

LAHINCH GOLF CLUB:

THE Lahinch ladies senior cup team compet ed in the European ladies club trophy at CUBO golf in Slovenia last week.

Torrential rain and thunderstorms suspended play on the first day and the tournament was re duced to a 36 hole competition. Aideen Walsh finished tied 16 in the individual competition.

In the United States, Áine Donegan has had a great start to her season following her sum mer move to Louisiana State University (LSU).

In her first competitive start, Áine finished tied 13 in the individual competition (-10) helping her team to victory in the Green Wave Fall clas sic. She backed this up with an impressive per formance at the Mason Rudolph championship where she finished tied 18 to assist LSU finish fourth overall.

Four of the club’s junior boys, Mikie McMa hon, Gabriel Considine, Bob Casey and Jack Clarke who were part of the Ennistymon CBS team that qualified from the North Munster area Irish Schools boys senior championship at Newcastle West. Bob Casey and Danny Lyne who have been selected to participate in Golf Ireland’s performance development panel (West) over the winter months.

The Greg Young Memorial trophy (Over 50) will be played for on this Friday, October 14 (Castle Course) and Saturday, October 15 (Old Course).

Greg was a five-time finalist in the South of Ireland championship and represented Lahinch with distinction at senior cup and Barton shield playing a key role in bringing All-Ireland Barton shield (1955) and Senior Cup (1959) success to the club. He represented Munster at interpro vincial level on eight occasions and represent ed Ireland at the Home Internationals in 1958.

Known for his wonderful sportsmanship throughout his golfing career, Greg served as club captain in 1976.

This year’s tournament is reserved for mem

bers only and the format is singles strokeplay with a maximum handicap index of 9 or lower. Both days play will be off the white markers and the overall winner will be the lowest gross score (combined over the two days).

On Friday October 28, the club’s annual Mass for deceased members will take place in the clubhouse commencing at 7.30pm.

On the following night, Saturday October 29, there will be a ‘Club Night’ in the clubhouse to celebrate the success of the ladies and men’s senior cup teams.

ENNIS GOLF CLUB:

Patricia O’Reilly (25) was the winner of last week’s 9 hole stableford competition at En nis with 18 points, She had one to spare over Therese Lillis (24) with Mary O’Halloran (16) in third spot with 16 points.

Sunday’s competition was won by Ethna Murphy (29) with 35 points from Bridie Hanrah an (21) with 34 points.

In the senior ladies competition last week the winners were Brid Cunningham, Bernie Brooks, Peig Cleary and Eileen J Corry with 58 points from Therese Lillis, Maureen Moloney and Mary Kearns with 61.5 points.

Best of luck is extended to Ruth Nihill from Ennis Golf Club who has been selected by Golf Ireland to play in the under 18 girls finals in Woodbrook golf club on November 4.

Last week’s men’s fourball was won by John McInerney (25) and Gerry Daly (14) with 49 points. In second place with 45 points were Noel Kenny(14) and Vincent Neylon(16).

Friday’s open singles was won by Michael Byrt (16) with 42 points from Donagh Stack (16) with 41 points while Dave Kenneally (3) won the gross with 35 points.

Members of the men’s senior club have re cently returned from a trip to Salou where they tested out the Spanish fairways.

KILRUSH GOLF CLUB:

The weekend men’s singles at Kilrush was won by Sean Finnucane (25) with 44 points. Thomas Downes (10) was in second place with 39 points with third place filled by Tony McMa hon (15) with 37 points.

DROMOLAND CASTLE GOLF CLUB:

Dromoland Castle golf club hosted a fourball mixed scramble in aid of Cahercalla hospice at the weekend when the winners were Conor and Gary Ryan, Killian and Stefan Howard with 56.1.

Second place was filled by Brian Sheedy, Noel Hoban, Tony O’Brien and Seamus Lawlor with 56.6 with third spot going to George and Eoghan Smith, Cian Connellan and Damian Finnerty with 58.2

FANNY O’DEAS SOCIETY

Adare Manor Golf Club was the venue on Saturday last for an outing for the Fanny

O’Deas golf society. Brian Kilker was the win ner with 37 points from Peter O’Leary with 36 points, Michael McMahon with 35, Declan Con way with 35 and Tony McMahon with 34. Gerry Lernihan won the prize for nearest the pin.

GORT GOLF CLUB:

The men’s competition at Gort at the week end was an 18 hole singles stableford which was won by Niall O’Shaughnessy (12) with 41 points.

Trevor Cummins (6) won category A with 39 points, Ray Beatty (15) was the category B winner with 36 points and Gary Kavanagh (27) won category C with 39 points. The open sin gles on Friday was won by Gerry Lally (14) with 37 points.

CELTIC POWER ON IN MUNSTER JUNIOR CUP AND OLYMPIC DUMP TULLA

Ennis U18 Reds secure first win

Ennis Red hosted Bruff Yellow in their Round 2 pan mun ster clash on Saturday at the Showgrounds.

Both teams coming off the back of Round 1 defeats away from home were looking to get back to winning ways.

Ennis got off to a strong start with big carries from Co nal O'Donovan and Owen O'Gorman in the pack eventually leading to Cillian McInerney crossing for the opening score. Ennis were back at it again from the restart, applying pres sure through their midfield. Good hands from Killian Bo land and Bobby Power saw David Moses finding himself in space in midfield which he happily exploited and went in at the corner for Ennis's second of the day.

A Bruff try followed but that wouldn't stop the momentum for Ennis, who were dynamic from the restart with big car ries from Frank Coffey and Jack O'Sullivan before Killian Halpenny crossed for Ennis's third of the half. Killian Boland added the conversion.

Bruff responded with a try of their own before Ruairí O Loughlin cut through with a powerful run to dot down with a minute left in the half. Again Killian Boland added the extras and the half ended Ennis 24-12 Bruff.

SCAN HERE FOR FULL ROUND-UP

Right from the start of the second half Ennis looked to have a bit more in them. Ruairí O Loughlin crossed under the posts again for another great try before Jack O Sullivan folowed up with a bruising run seeing him dot down for his season's first. One of the standout trys came from David Moses. It was once again built on some hard work from the Ennis pack before Seán Queally's long cut-out pass to Boland saw him find David Moses once again who had too much pace for a Bruff team that never gave up. A standout for Ennis was the relentless tackling of Mathew Jordan Al len and the electric pace of Moses. The game ended Ennis 41-19 Bruff. Next week's game is at home to undefeated Cashel-Thurlus on Saturday at 1.

15 Paddy joseph Phelan; 14 Evan Casey; 13 Captain Bobby Power ; 12 David Moses; 11 Krystian Zimny; 10 Killian Boland; 9 Sean Queally; 1 Conall O'Donovan; 2 Killian Halpenny; 3 Darren Halpin; 4 Frank Coffey; 5 Cillian Mcinerney; 6 Owen O''Gorman; 7 Matthew Jordan-Allen; 8 Jack O'Connor; 16 Tadhg Kearins; 17 Gerard McWeeney; 18 Daniil Kolesnikov; 19 Adam Healy; 20 Michael O'Connell; 21 Ruairi O'Loughlin; 22 Oisin O’Donoghue; 23 Séamus Queally

Ennis/Clarecastle coursing club meet

by MICHAEL MAHER

THE Ennis/Clarecastle Coursing Club held their annual two-day meeting over the weekend. Despite poor weather conditions, attendees remarked that it was one of the strongest crowds present at a meeting.

The following are the results from Ennis & Clarecastle Coursing Meeting.

Member Stake: One In The Barrel owned by The Experts Syndicate which includes Shane Flanagan, Kieran Browne, Liam O Doherty, Dylan Hayes, Gerry Collins and Dave Burke. Beaten finalist was Smalltown Hero owned by The Betterlatethannever Syndicate, Clarecastle.

Surplus Member: Clonfeigh Wonder owned by Johnny Maher. Beaten finalist

Erril Star owned, Frank Casey, Newmarket. Reserve Dog Trial Stake: Newhall Mag ic owned by the Colins Dream Syndicate (Gerry Barry, Noel Coote, Jenna O Dono ghue & Johnny Moroney) and trained by John Browne. Beaten finalist was Lakeside Ranger owned by Jack Mahony and Chris topher Daniels, Loughrea.

Oaks Trial Stake: Imperial Faberge owned by Mr Gavin Johns (Kerry) and trained by Paudie Lyons. Beaten final ist was A Happy Marilyn owned by Flynn Heeney from Cavan.

H J Murphy & Ryan Memorial All Age: Sammy Be owned by The Banner Gentle men Syndicate from West Clare. Beaten fi nalist was Woodpark Beauty owned by Mrs Anne Quinn, Bunratty.

Eoin Hayes shields the ball from Fair Green Celtic goalkeeper Aiden Jordan Photo by Mark Hayes

Member Stake: Liam Daly presents The Haulie Daly and Mickey McNamara Memorial Cup to Shane Flanagan. Also, in photo are Noel Hehir, Tom Bourke, Tom Keating and Club Treasurer Paul Keating

PLANNING

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL MARKET STREET, COROFIN, CO. CLARE

Take notice that P. Tansey intends to apply to the Planning Authority for permission to retain 3No apartments and storage area at the above address. This is a protected struc ture (RPS 435).

The Planning Applica tion may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the plan ning authority during its public opening hours. A submission or observa tion in relation to the ap plication may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, €20, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the au thority of the application and such submissions or observations will be con sidered by the planning authority in making a de cision on the application.

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

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL 3, INIS EALGA, SHANNON, CO. CLARE

Take notice that S. Lee intends to apply to the Planning Authority for permission to demolish boiler house and to ex tend existing dwelling at the above address.

The Planning Applica tion may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the plan ning authority during its public opening hours. A submission or observa tion in relation to the ap plication may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, €20, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the au thority of the application and such submissions or observations will be con sidered by the planning authority in making a de cision on the application.

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

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL

BLEAN, KILDYSART, CO. CLARE FURTHER INFORMATION/

REVISED PLANS

Planning Ref: P21/1266

Development Descrip tion: The construction of a new dwelling house and garage complete with a new entrance, sewage treatment system and ancillary works

Location: Blean, Kildys art, Co. Clare

Take notice that Gearoid O’Connell has lodged significant further in formation in respect of planning application P21/1266. This informa tion and planning appli cation may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Plan ning Authority of Clare County Council, Plan ning Department, Aras Contae an Chlair, New Road, Ennis, Co Clare during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the further informa tion or revised plans may be made in writing to the planning author ity 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 authori ty.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL GLENINAGH, BALLYVAUGHAN, CO. CLARE, H91 Y9F8

Take notice that Sarah Hiseman intends to apply for permission to extend the existing dwelling house, upgrade/replace the existing septic tank & all other associated site and ancillary works at the above address. The plan ning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of mak ing 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 applica tion.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL FANOREMORE, BALLYVAUGHAN, CO. CLARE

Take notice that Vanes sa McQuaid Breffitt and Richard Breffitt intend to apply for permission to build a new dwelling house, install a waste wa

ter treatment system & all other associated site and ancillary works at the above address. The plan ning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of mak ing 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 applica tion.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL ARDATAGGLE, O’BRIEN’S BRIDGE, CO. CLARE

I, William Slattery, am applying to the above authority for permission for the following devel opment on property at Ardataggle, O’Briens Bridge, Co Clare.

Permission for change of house design from that previously granted un der planning reference 15/672 and subsequently extended under plan ning reference 20391, detached home office, entrance, onsite waste water treatment system, connection to necessary services together with all associated ancillary and incidental works.

The planning applica tion may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the plan ning authority during its public opening hours and a submission or ob servation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee with in the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL SHANAKYLE, PARTEEN, CO. CLARE

We, Altonwiz Ltd., are applying to the above au thority for retention per mission for the following development on property at Larkin’s Bar, Larkin’s Cross, Shanakyle, Par teen, Co Clare.Retention

Permission for change of use of first floor from res idential use to use as con sulting/treatment rooms, retention permission for as constructed detached outdoor function room and additional bar to gether with all associated ancillary and inciden

tal works. The planning application may be in spected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of mak ing 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 with in the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL ARDNATAGLE, O’BRIEN’S BRIDGE, CO. CLARE

Take notice that Sinéad Nihill & Paul Leigh in tend to apply to the Planning Authority of Clare County Council for outline planning per mission for development at Ardnatagle, O’Brien’s Bridge, Co. Clare. The development will consist of a storey and a half dor mer dwelling house, de tached domestic garage, septic tank with perco lation area, new site en trance and all associated site works. The planning application may be in spected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of mak ing a copy, at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours.

A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the pre scribed fee, €20, within the period of 5 weeks be ginning on the date of re ceipt by the authority of the application and such submissions or observa tions will be considered by the planning author ity in making a decision on the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions or may refuse to grant permission.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL FURTHER INFORMATION –NATURA IMPACT STATEMENT

Planning Ref: P22/162 Date planning ap plication Received: 23/02/2022

Development Descrip tion: Permission for the renovation and extension of a derelict dwelling house and the construc tion of a treatment unit and soil polishing filter to service same Location of Develop ment: Rannagh West, Carron

Take notice that follow ing a requirement of the Planning Authority, Oliver O’Connor will be lodging a Natura Im pact Statement (NIS) in respect of planning ap plication P22/162. This NIS will be available for inspection or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the of fices of the Planning Au thority of Clare County Council, Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, En nis, Co. Clare during its public opening hours. A submission or observa tion in relation to the NIS may be made in writing to Authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the Natura Impact Statement and a copy of this public notice.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL MAIN STREET, TULLA, CO. CLARE

Take notice that J. and M. Minogue, intend to apply for permission for the following works, (A) Renovate and make changes to the eleva tions and internal layout of the existing dwelling, including the addition of roof windows to front and rear (B) Demolish existing single storey porch and chimney to rear of dwelling, and (C) Replace an existing flat roof over a section to the rear of the dwelling, with a pitched roof, all with associated site works, at above address. The plan ning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of mak ing a copy, at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the pre scribed fee, €20, within the period of 5 weeks be ginning on the date of re ceipt by the authority of the application and such submissions or observa tions will be considered by the planning author ity in making a decision on the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions or may refuse to grant permission.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL LEAMNALEAHA, BALLYNACALLY, CO. CLARE

Take notice that Gerard

Meaney is applying to Clare County Council for planning permission to construct a new dwell ing house, access road, entrance, private garage and install a new waste water treatment system along with all associat ed works at the above address. The planning application may be in spected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of mak ing a copy at the offices of Clare County Council during its public opening hours and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee with in the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL BALLYNACRAGGA, NEWMARKET- ON -FERGUS, CO. CLARE

Take notice that Pádraig Markham & Clare O’Donoghue are ap plying to Clare County Council for planning permission to construct a new dwelling house, new entrance, private garage and install a new wastewater treatment system along with all associated works on an infill site at the above address. The planning application may be in spected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of mak ing a copy at the offices of Clare County Council during its public opening hours and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee with in the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL 22 KNOCKNAHAD ERRY, LISCANNOR, CO. CLARE

Take notice that T. & A. Fox intend to apply to the Planning Authority for permission for the following: a) to increase the ridge height of the dwelling house, increase the roof overhang at the rear single storey section of the dwelling house and changes to the NE and NW elevations of the dwelling house from what was granted under P21/1072 b) to construct a new shed and associ ated wall c) addition al landscaping works to the rear garden area

along with associated site works at the above address.That the plan ning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of mak ing a copy, at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours and that a submis sion or observation in re lation to the application may be made to the au thority in writing on pay ment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the au thority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL BALLYCASHIN, KILNABOY, CO. CLARE

We, Neill Killeen & Linda Mc Mahon, wish to apply to the above named local authority for planning permission to construct a new detached single sto rey dwelling house, new site entrance, wastewater treatment system, per colation area, detached domestic garage and all ancillary site works at Ballycashin, Kilnaboy, Co.Clare. The planning application may be in spected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of mak ing a copy, at the office of the planning authority during its public opening hours and that a submis sion or observation in re lation to the application may be made to the au thority in writing on pay ment of the prescribed fee within the 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

Acknowledgements

ARTHUR, PATRICIA

Late of Station Court & Parnell Street, Ennis, Co. Clare. Died on September 10th 2022.

We the family and extended family of the late Patricia wish to thank most sincerely all who sympathised with us on the untimely passing of Patricia. We will be forever grateful to all those who sent mass card, letters and online condolences.

To Patricia’s dear friends and fantastic neighbours who were there to help us through this sad and difficult time. To the doctors and staff of Saffron and Blue Medical centre, Critical Care unit, renal unit and Intensive Care Unit of University Hospital Limerick for the wonderful care they gave to Patricia. Special thanks to Siobhan her heart nurse who was a great support to Patricia over the years. To Kennedy’s Undertakers a million thanks for your utmost empathy and professionalism in looking after Patricia. To Fr Tom Ryan, Fr. Joy, Monica Morgan and Michael organist thank you for the beautiful funeral mass. To the staff at Shannon Crematorium for their exemplary professionalism on receiving Patricia’s remains. As it would be impossible to thank each and everyone individually please accept a heartfelt thanks to you all.

Patricia’s Month’s Mind Mass will be held on Friday October 14th at 7:30 pm at the Cathedral of Ss Peter and Paul Ennis. The mass can also be viewed on the parish webcam at www.ennisparish.com

ENRIGHT, MICHAEL (25th Anniversary)

In loving memory of Michael Enright of 65 O’Connell St Ennis and Wexford, who died October 15th 1997.

Those we love don’t go away They walk beside us everyday Unseen, unheard but always near Still loved, still missed, and very dear.

Lovingly remembered by his sister Marisa and nephew Paul.

Rest in Peace Michael

Prayer Recent Deaths

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.

EM

Browning, Mary Ennis, Clare

Date of Death: October 7th 2022

Keane (née Gorman), Patricia Kilrush, Clare

Date of Death: Thursday 6th October 2022

O’Neill, Gearoid Quin, Clare

Date of Death: Saturday 8th October 2022

Traynor, Michael (Eamon) Ennis, Clare

Date of Death: Wednesday 5th October 2022

Bugler, Sr. Theodore Scariff, Clare

Oh, most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven. Blessed Mother of the son of God; Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity.

Oh, Star of the sea, help me and show me you are my Mother. Oh Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth! I humbly beseech from the bottom of my heart to succour me in my necessity.

There are none who can withstand your power. Oh, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

(3x).

Holy Mary, I place this prayer in your hands (3x). Amen

Say this prayer for 3 consecutive days and then you must publish it and it will be granted to you.

Date of Death: Friday 7th October 2022

Mullane, Dermot Clare

Date of Death: Friday 7th October 2022

Clair (née McNamara), Rita Tulla, Clare

Date of Death: Friday 7th October 2022

Cullinan, Paul Shannon, Clare

Date of Death: Friday 7th October 2022

Mroz, Artur Ennis, Clare

Date of Death: Tuesday 4th October 2022

Oh, most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven. Blessed Mother of the son of God; Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity.

Oh, Star of the sea, help me and show me you are my Mother. Oh Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth! I humbly beseech from the bottom of my heart to succour me in my necessity. There are none who can withstand your power. Oh, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

(3x).

Holy Mary, I place this prayer in your hands (3x). Amen

Say this prayer for 3 consecutive days and then you must publish it and it will be granted to you.

Dillon, Michael Ennis, Clare

Date of Death: Tuesday 11th October 2022

Heaslip, Jack Ennis, Clare

Date of Death: Tuesday 11th October 2022

Keating, Mary Kilrush, Clare

Date of Death: Wednesday 28th September 2022

The Clare Echo Quiz

1

A documentary about surfing in Clare aired on RTE in 2019, what was its title?

Ailleens

Between Land & Sea

Surf Dudes with Attitude

2

The Boys & Girl of County Clare was filmed where?

Killaloe

Miltown Malbay

The Isle of Man

session at which famous Clare pub in 2015?

Gus O’Connors

Brogans

YOLO

7 Clare actress Aoibhin Garrihy played which character in Fair City?

Treasa Dillon Neasa Dillon Mary Dillon

3

The Oscar winning Ryan’s Daughter (1970) was primar ily filmed in Kerry, however the storm scenes had to be moved to the wilds of which location?

Bridges Of Ross Kilkee Cliffs

Liscannor

8 Which actor unveiled the stat ue of Richard Harris in Kilkee?

Leonardo Di Caprio Pierce Brosnan

Russel Crowe

9

Name the Clare actress who starred in BBC’s Call The Mid wife.

aired

was

4

The Cliffs Of Moher have not appeared in which of the fol lowing movies

Harry Potter

Lord Of The Rings

The Princess Bride

5 What links singer and TV host Dusty Springfield to Clare?

She died in Clare

Her ashes were scattered here

She was born in Ennis Hospital

6 ’Step Brothers’ actor John C Reilly joined in on a music

Kelly Gough

Simone Kirby

Ann-Marie Doyle

10

Which Love Island contes tant was set to appear at the Queens nightclub in 2019?

Tommy Fury Amber Gill

Molly Mae Hague

Spot the Difference

MollyMaeHaguer

KellyGough

RusselCrowe

NeasaDillon

GusO’Connors

Last weeks answers

Jacket different colour

Programme different colour (centre)

Crest missing (left)

missing (left)

Herasheswerescatteredhere

LordOfTheRings

BridgesOfRoss

TheIsleofMan

BetweenLand&Sea

. Shoes different colour (left)

White logo on black top missing (left)

logo on pants missing (centre)

The victorious Banner Ladies panel

Photo by Gerard O’Neill

HOW TO PLAY

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.