The Clare Echo 15/10/20

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OCT 15 2020

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l GETTING BUSY: Testing centres in Clare such as Cusack Park have seen a noticeable increase in traffic in recent weeks

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CLARE REACTS TO BUDGET 2021 Business, Tourism and Political reaction to how Budget 2021 will affect the people of Clare 

PAGES 8-9

OUR ORDER Y EEN HALLOW OW MASK N

FOURTH

HIGHEST RATE IN IRELAND More Covid-19 cases now than during lockdown PÁRAIC MCMAHON

C

paraic@clareecho.ie

LARE’S incidence rate per 100,000 of population is the fourth highest in the country while the county also recorded its highest amount of new cases in the space of 24 hours in the past week.

An incidence rate as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) is the number of new cases of disease

during a specified time interval.

Only Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan have a higher fourteen day incidence rate than Co Clare in data presented by the Department of Health this week.

County figures from Friday (October 9) revealed Clare recorded its highest amount of new cases (59) in 24 hours.

A total of 215 new cases have emerged in the county from October 4th to October 11th representing a worrying period of growth for the virus in Clare.

In order to suppress the rate of growth of Coronavirus,

Chief Medical Officer with the Department of Health, Dr Tony Holohan has appealed to people to reduce their amount of social contacts. “It is vital that the entire population consistently implement public health advice into their daily lives, keep your social contacts to an absolute minimum and keep physical distance when you need to be out of your home”.

Full story Page 4

2 NEWS

Index NEWS

THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

SCOIL CHRÍOST RÍ TAKE TO THE FERGUS

2-18

ENTERTAINMENT

19

SCULLY

20

GREEN CLARE

21

EOIN NEYLON

23

HOME FEATURE

25-29

SPORT

31-35

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

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

l ROW YOUR BOAT: Students from Scoil Chríost Rí in Ennis get to grips with their kayak

St. Michael’s Community College, Kilmihil

CIAN O’BROIN

S

cianobroin@clareecho.ie

ENROLMENT FORMS For 2021-2022 Now Available From School Office

Telephone 065 9050021 Email: stmichaels@kilmihilcc.com

COIL Chríost Rí have launched Kayak Le Chéile, which aims to make the River Fergus as accessible as possible for local children engaging in river sports. A total of 90 children from 4th, 5th and 6th classes, led by tutors from the Burren Adventure Centre, took to the water in kayaks for the grand opening recently.

The brand-new Kayak Le Chéile extra-curricular activity came together through the offices of Clare Sports Partnership along with support from Clare County Council.

After the successful launch of a pilot programme for the children, Committee Secretary and teacher Joe Garry pronounced, “It was just phenomenal on the day. Better than we had expected.

“The kids loved it and have now developed a better appreciation of the town and the river. There are a number of safety aspects covered in the curriculum. Due to the inability to access the aquatic strand in the pool, there was a focus on the outdoor and adventure strand of the curriculum.”

Envisioned through Joe in early 2020 and now actualised, Kayak Le Chéile has opened up the town for Scoil Chríost Rí.

Joe concedes that out of the 90 children that broached the River Fergus on October 6th, only five had sat into a kayak before.

“It’s hugely important at the moment.

There is a big emphasis on wellbeing and physical fitness. This is not a weather dependent sport. Once they were out on the water, they simply loved it. All in all, it is one of the best initiatives we have ever done.”

Building on the success of the launch, the Kayak Le Chéile committee, led by Chair-

Photo by Gary Collins

man Conor Healy have put in an application to the Dormant Accounts Fund to set up an outdoor adventure hub, which would include a kayak shed to house kayaks and relevant safety equipment on the school grounds. The goal is to cover the expense side of the new Kayak Le Chéile outdoor adventure activities, whereby a tutor can travel on site and take the children out on the river. Joe is optimistic that this project will be up and running by early 2021.

On further upskilling and an uptake from teachers within the town, Joe concludes with, “We are here beside the river, we have our own slipway, we got good support from Clare County Council and Clare Sports Partnership and a number of teachers have done their Level 1 kayaking course. There is another Level 1 course starting this week for teachers and staff in four different schools within the town. We are hoping that it will gather a bit of momentum, not just for kids in our own place, but for the town in general.”

l DUCK TO WATER: A student from

Scoil Chríost Rí in Ennis takes part in Kayak Le Chéile Photo by Gary Collins

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4 NEWS

THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

Garda Covid checkpoints to be set up TARGETED Garda checkpoints are hoped to tackle the complacency that has resulted in increased COVID-19 cases in Clare over the past month, the county's Chief Superintendent has stated, writes Páraic McMahon.

316 new cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in Clare from September 28 to October 11 as it also holds one of the highest 14 day incidence rates per 100,000 of the population.

Speaking at Monday's meeting of the Clare Joint Policing Committee, Chief Superintendent Seán Colleran noted the resumption of Operation Fanacht and the resulting checkpoints in different locations.

"More checkpoints are out there now, we have a number of mobile checkpoints which are staggered". Throughout COVID-19, An Garda Síochána have adopted a graduated policing response based on its tradition of policing by consent. This has seen Garda members engage, educate, encourage and, as a last resort, enforce.

Colleran acknowledged that the public have been frustrated with the delays caused by checkpoints but insisted the measures were necessary. "As a nation all of us became complacent and the figures reinforced that. Our presence has made people more aware of the situation we are in".

Council counting €12m cost of COVID-19 PÁRAIC MCMAHON

C

paraic@clareecho.ie

OVID-19 is calculated to have left a dent of approximately €12m in the coffers of Clare County Council.

“Severe” financial challenges have been reported by the local authority in light of the global pandemic. “Extraordinary financial and cash flow impacts” have been

l PANDEMIC: Covid-19 has caused severe financial challenges

experienced in areas including commercial rates, income from goods and services plus additional expenditure incurred in responding to the pandemic crisis.

Head of Finance, Noeleen Fitzgerald and Director of Service Liam Conneally outlined, “The financial shock to businesses in Clare and its impact on the ability to meet the Commercial Rates demand for 2020 has been calculated as €19.7m annualised income”. The figure represents approximately 15 per cent of the annual revenue budget and was estimated based on a review of the rates business profile highlighting areas of aviation, hospitality and retail accounting in excess of €10m.

“When the €19.7m is adjusted for the vacancy property credit and the July Stimulus six- month commercial rates waiver, the impact in 2020 is forecast at €5m,” they added.

As part of the Council’s 2020 Budget, €13.3m (10 per cent) of income is budgeted under headings such as parking charges, road opening licences, planning receipts, civic amenity sites, litter fines, fire safety control, library receipts, leisure/tourism facilities and casual trading. “When these income areas were reviewed in June 2020, an annualised

impact of €5.6m was calculated. Due to the level and importance of the income involved it is also clear that as matters evolve and if it becomes necessary to impose further restrictions”.

Other income sources such as housing rents and loans will also experience an impact in a time delay with payment. Providing match funding for capital projects is also under review.

An “unplanned and significant expenditure” has also been incurred in dealing with the pandemic and efforts to keep essential services active during the lockdown. The costs of this are said to be in the region of €2m.

Clare County Council’s interaction with Government Departments plus other bodies and agencies is now confined to virtual meetings. A ‘significant investment’ is being prepared by the local authority to facilitate remote working of its staff.

Speaking at Monday’s meeting, Cllr McMahon stressed the need to keep local and social infrastructure. He cautioned that the financial impact of the virus was leaving families and businesses bruised. “I’ve seen families crying with the frustration of running a business”.

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PÁRAIC MCMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

CO CLARE has recorded more new cases of COVID-19 in the past 53 days than it did during the entirety of the lockdown measures.

Amount of new cases in the county have more than doubled from August 19th to October 11th rising from 439 to 890. During the 53 days of lockdown from March 27th to May 18th, 311 personnel were diagnosed with the virus.

The Department of Health failed to respond to queries from The Clare Echo on Tuesday night for further detail on the new cases emerging in the county. Cases had been showing an increase in all five local electoral areas of the county, health officials had previously stated.

At a press briefing at the Department of Health on Monday evening, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan outlined that Co Clare had the highest test positivity rate in the country. The figure for the county is at 11.5 percent and is followed by Monaghan (9.7%), Cavan (9.6%), Meath (9.6%).

l HEALTH: Covid-19 numbers have spiked

Photo by John Mangan

Dr Holohan confirmed that the test positivity percentage was up to 5.6 percent over the past seven days with the figure reaching 6.2 percent on Saturday and 7.2 percent on Sunday.

Only Cavan (412.2), Donegal (354.9) and Monaghan (312.8) had a higher fourteen day incidence rate per 100,000 of population than Clare (303.0).

A report from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) issued on Wednesday highlighted that of the cumulative incidence rates of confirmed cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population had Clare as the eleventh highest county (740.6).

Latest figures by electoral area from the HPSC which cover the period from September 29th to October 5th show there to be 70 confirmed cases in the Ennis electoral area, 61 in the Kilrush electoral area, 30 in the Shannon electoral area, six in the Killaloe electoral area and five in the Ennistymon electoral area.

Both the Kilrush (290.6) and Ennis LEAs (226.5) are above the Republic of Ireland incidence rate per 100,000 of population with slightly less in the Shannon LEA (98.7) and lower amounts in the Ennistymon LEA (30.5) and Killaloe LEA (29.8).

Appeals for further information and detail regarding COVID-19 cases in Clare has been issued. The manner in which they are currently reported by electoral area has been criticised. “This has been a source of additional concern for people who are already worried about COVID-19. It has also had a negative impact on businesses in the town as well as people’s mental health,” Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) commented of the impact experienced in Kilrush.

Cllr Lynch has spoken with two Clare TDs Michael McNamara (IND) and Cathal Crowe (FF) requesting the Government to revise how the figures are reported. “It is important that figures are shared but this must be in a manner that provides accuracy and clarity”.

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6 NEWS

Ennis deemed one of the cleanest towns in Ireland PÁRAIC MCMAHON

E

paraic@clareecho.ie

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NNIS has achieved the highest cleanliness level in the most recent Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) nationwide litter survey, with eight out of 10 sites surveyed in the town being awarded the top litter grade.

Carried out by An Taisce, the survey commended Ennis for being “cleaner than European norms”. Examples of the top-ranking sites included Abbey Street Car Park, Ennis Bus and Train Station, Abbey Street, Tim Smythe Park and Clare County Museum.

Gort Road Business Park was by far the most heavily littered site surveyed, a couple of isolated areas within the business park took away from the remaining clean areas.

Overall, Ennis was ranked sixth out of 40 towns and cities in the 2020 IBAL Anti-Litter League – Round 1. The positive result comes less than a week after Ennis was named the winner in the 14,000+ population category at the Bank of Ireland ‘Begin Together’ Awards, which selected Ennis as Ireland’s most enterprising town in this category.

It was the first nationwide litter survey by

IBAL since COVID-19. There was a dramatic fall in the number of towns and cities deemed to be ‘clean’, to its lowest level since 2007. Kilkenny was again judged best of the surveyed, with ‘seriously littered’ Dublin North Inner City at the foot of the table. The survey showed PPE litter to be widespread and a rise in the prevalence of cans and glass bottles.

Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) wel-

l PICTURESQUE: Ennis Cathedral

Photo by John Mangan

and

MOLONEY FUELS

comed the results and believed it heightened Ennis’ appeal as a place to live, work and visit. Senior executive officer with the Ennis Municipal District, Leonore O’Neill felt the result reflected the hard work of Council staff, street-cleaning crews, the gardening section of the local authority and local community and voluntary groups, “It’s a credit to the general public and reflects the strong community spirit that we have in Ennis”.

Chairman of Ennis Tidy Towns, Cormac McCarthy expressed his delight with the findings.

“Litter management in the town is a concerted effort by not only Tidy Towns volunteers but by Ennis MD staff and local businesses. We would warmly welcome new volunteers to join our ranks, such as our local Hope Church congregation, who undertook a dedicated clean-up of the railway station recently. We were delighted to see the railway station improve its ranking to grade A in this survey.”

“Achieving the highest level in the IBAL nationwide litter survey is testament to the effort and commitment that goes into maintaining the town’s cleanliness.

Ennis is a medieval town characterised by charming streetscapes, and its appeal is greatly enhanced by a clean, litter-free environment,” Director of Services with the Physical Development Directorate of the Council, Carmel Kirby stated.

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Works to begin on Miltown watermains WORKS to replace the old watermain from Miltown Malbay to Mullagh are set to begin in November, writes Páraic McMahon.

Improvements to the water supply in Miltown Malbay had been due to commence in early 2021 but had been brought forward

by Minister for HousingDarragh O'Brien (FF) to the third quarter of this year. Works have yet to commence.

Healy-Rae Plant Hire are scheduled to arrive on site later next week. Replacement works are to begin on November 3rd, Deputy Michael McNamara (IND) outlined.

"This is positive news for the communities concerned as there have been numerous false starts regarding this infrastructure project in recent years. It has been a frustrating and disruptive experience for the people and businesses of Miltown Malbay, Mullagh and Spanish Point, and those on surrounding Group Water Schemes with regular water outages occurring due to burst mains," McNamara stated.

Ennis General Hospital considered for service expansion PÁRAIC MCMAHON

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THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

HSE officials are said to be considering the expansion of services provided at Ennis Hospital. A business case has been submitted to the HSE for a further expansion of services on offer at Ennis Hospital. No such application is under consideration for St John’s Hospital in Limerick or Nenagh Hospital.

Clare TD, Michael McNamara (IND) has been vocal on the need for tier two hospitals such as Ennis to be utilised to a greater extent in order to ease some of the pressure on University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

He stated, “In recent months, I have outlined the requirement for the HSE to explore ways of reducing the number of patients from across the Mid-West being funnelled into University Hospital Limerick, which is the most overcrowded hospital in the country. The COVID-19 crisis has heightened the need for services to expanded at Tier 2 hospitals to alleviate this pressure and to reduce the numbers on trolleys at UHL”.

“At Ennis Hospital, the HSE currently runs a 7-day service from 8:00am to 8:00pm, seeing up to 24 new patients per day Monday to Friday, and up to sixteen

per day at weekends. The HSE has responded to my most recent query in the COVID Committee and has confirmed a business case has been submitted for further expansion. This follows the confirmation I received from Liam Woods, the HSE’s Director of Acute Services, of the HSE’s consideration of proposals around radiology and surgical assessment in Ennis, as well as an investment in additional geriatricians to enable them to stay in their home rather than being admitted to hospital,” McNamara told The Clare Echo.

McNamara concluded, “While I welcome the fact that a business case has been prepared for consideration, the apparent lack of urgency is a cause for concern given the strain the UL hospital group was already under and the added pressure that COVID-19 will inevitably bring”.

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8 NEWS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15 2020

Banner Budget in brief B UDGET 2021 is the largest Budget in the history of the Irish State and forecasts the impact of COVID-19 on society and the economy will continue well into next year.

Described as 'a Budget like never before', it was delivered

by Minister for Finance Pascal Donohoe (FG) at the Convention Centre on Tuesday with

plans to spend €17.75bn. It was the first Budget of the Micheál Martin (FF) led coalition Government.

Commitments to hire more workers in the public sector as Gardaí, teachers and special needs assistants have been included along with a number of measures to assist businesses during the pandemic which was

labelled by Minister Donohoe as the "invisible enemy".

The Clare Echo's Páraic McMahon and Cian O Broin have crunched the numbers and digested them down into eleven different categories while gauging the immediate reaction in the county on those set to be impacted by the measures.

BUSINESS •

• • • • • • •

John Burke, MD of The Armada Hotel

There will be a new Covid restrictions support scheme to provide targeted support for businesses that have temporarily closed because of the pandemic VAT for hospitality will be reduced to 9% from November 1st until December 2021 Section 481 scheme for film will now run until Dec 31st 2023 at its highest rate of 5% Capital investment of €10.1 billion in 2021 €500m in additional expenditure for businesses in addition to tax measures Commercial rates waiver extended for final quarter of this year at cost of €300m 10,000 upskilling opportunities and 4,000 new apprentices €1.1bn to department of enterprise

Maurice Walsh, General Manager of Durty Nelly's "IT'S a very encouraging budget in relation to tourism for a couple of reasons. The first is the extension of the wage subsidy scheme to 2021.

This means that we can now plan for 2021. The extension of VAT on food and accommodation, with a reduction to 9 percent marries up with the fact that we can now factor in where we are in relation to 2021. It's very encouraging to see both being looked at. The third thing is in relation to the waiver of rates until the end of 2020. That's very encouraging for the hospitality sector, we would hope to see that being extended in 2021. If it was reviewed every three months that would help. Rates in January, February and March aren't going to go away, and we don't see much business in those months. They have

mentioned a scheme up to €5,000 if a business is in Level 3 or more.

When you are in a position to pay that back, you will pay it through your taxes. It's not a handout but it's a help, in deferring bills that you will have to pay back. It's kicking it down the road but it's great that the government are supporting it. It's a very positive budget in relation to the hospitality sector.

Nobody seems to know though, what is entailed in the €55 million business supports. The same with the €5 million in tourism development.

We are also hoping that the 4,000 new apprenticeships will relate to chefs in training. We are understaffed in skill workers in the hospitality sector with chef 's being the biggest concern. It's a good budget, but for the Mid-West and Clare, we need to get planes in the sky.

Aviation is the key for the west of Ireland."

INFRASTRUCTURE

EDUCATION •

•

• •

•

•

•

Department of Education will have an €8.9bn budget; €2bn of that will be put towards children with special education needs; 900 additional SNAs and 403 additional teachers €80 million extra for school building programme, ICT and minor works scheme for Department of Education €270m for Higher Education for 20 building projects Reduction in the pupil teacher ration by 1 to 25:1 in primary schools by providing more than 300 posts €3.3bn budget for Higher Education Department; about 5,000 places for demographic changes arising from calculated grades SUSI grant for postgraduates will rise by €1,500 to €3,500 and income eligi bility threshold has been changed. €50m fund to give all third-level full time students €250 Social welfare rates to be maintained in 2021 John Boyle, INTO General Secretary "This is a necessary and welcome commitment from government to begin the process of reducing our class sizes in primary schools. This measure will be of most benefit to the one in five pupils who learn in classes of thirty or more.

While tens of thousands of children will continue to learn in classes above the EU average, we are at least on the right road now. This change will have a positive impact on the primary educa-

tion landscape. In a normal year, smaller class sizes have a positive impact on pupils learning and development, contributing to better life outcomes.

During a pandemic, we had the particular shame of being the only country in the EU to issue guidance for social distancing for a class of thirty or more.

Smaller class sizes will make it easier to keep our distance. The additional special education teachers are also very welcome to ensure that children with special educational needs receive much needed additional support".

• €10m for Cork and Shannon airports • An additional €44 million for Irish Water for infrastructure • Construction on N56 in Donegal, N4 in Sligo, N5 in Mayo, N22 and Dunkettle interchange in Cork

“IT IS still unknown how many hospitality casualties there will be, but there will be many, and whilst this is a small step in the right direction, the industry still needs to hear more from Government on the longterm repair strategies and it’s hoped that this cut to VAT and the new payment scheme is just the start of their plans.

At this point I feel deeply for business owners like myself. Even all the creativity and gumption in the world doesn’t make it feasible to keep investing in innovation in response to the guidelines. I give credit to my peers in the industry who have not given up, especially those who have adapted their offerings consistently since March, be it by rolling-out takeaway or online services. The strength and resilience of business people and hospitality staff across Ireland, including our own here at the Hotel and other venues we operate, has been evident every single day throughout the last seven months”.

•

• • •

Purchase 41 additional InterCity railcar carriages and sign contract with potential for up to 600 electric carriages as part as DART+ €132m for National Broadband Plan Additional €1bn for public transport in 2021 Increased deployment of electric cars across the public service

Cathal Crowe, Fianna Fáil TD

Michael McNamara, Independent TD

“BUDGET 2021 is the biggest investment in the history of our State. It is coming at a time when lives and livelihoods need to be protected. I believe this Budget does just that”.

“The announcement of this funding, combined with Ireland adopting the EU traffic light system for aviation later this week, will, I hope, be of major benefit to our airport. This capital expenditure will throw an essential lifeline to Shannon and give the airport some much-needed breathing space and I’m glad to have been able to play a part in securing the funding. This fund acknowledges the fact that regional connectivity is a critical part of our economic prowess and Shannon and Cork Airports can’t be left to flounder. As well as this much-needed injection of finance, by bringing Ireland in line with the EU’s aviation policy – the ‘traffic light system’ – planes will be able to get back into the sky and this will instil a higher level of confidence amongst the public. That said, I am also a realist and I know that more supports will be required in the coming months if we are to turn around Shannon’s fortunes once and for all. I am fully committed to fighting for these supports. A priority for me will be getting the Heathrow route back up and running from Shannon.”

“THE €10m provided to Shannon and Cork Airports is utterly inadequate. Aviation is one of Ireland’s largest sectors, yet the Government has chosen to shut it down in a way that no other European country has done. Clarity is required around the exact breakdown and conditionality of this funding given that it is to be shared between two airports. Shannon Group alone is facing weekly revenue losses of €1.3m and is expecting annual revenue for 2020 to be down by 80%, and as Group CEO Mary Considine told me last week, the airport’s costs have not substantially reduced. The Government’s track record on providing money to Shannon Group doesn’t inspire confidence. We saw great fanfare around the announcement of €2.6m in funding for Shannon Heritage but it has since transpired that only €550,000 is being provided”.

Joe Carey, Fine Gael TD “THE importance of Shannon Airport cannot be understated and it is clear we must do whatever it takes to safeguard the airport and the 40,000 plus jobs it supports throughout the Mid-West and western regions”.

NEWS 9

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15 2020

REMOTE WORKING

SOCIAL WELFARE

•

•

•

• Increase in the Living Alone allowance of €5 to €19 • Fuel allowance up by €3.50 a week to €28 • The qualified child payment for over-12s is rising by €5 and by €2 for under-12s • Increase in carers support grant by €150 to €1,850 a year • Parents Benefit to be extended by a further three weeks • Rise in pension age to 67 on 1 January 2021 will no longer go ahead, a commission will examine the issue.

• Self-employed on PUP can take up some freelance work and not lose their benefit • Christmas bonus to be paid to those on PUP and other welfare if they have been on that for four months instead of usual 15 • There will be funding for the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to support in comes for at least 370,000 job seekers in 2021 and a further 350,000 on Employment Wage Subsidy Schemes.

People working from home will be able to claim tax deductions on utilities such as a light, heating and possibly broadband.

In cases where the employer makes payments towards the expenses of working from home, up to €3.20 may be paid to employees.

Where the employer does not make a contribution, the worker may claim a tax deduction for utility expenses, which may include broadband.

Roisin Garvey, Green Party Senator "REMOTE working is the way people are going to be working, even after Covid. To that end, that's why I put in a pre-budget submission. At the moment, we don't all have reliable broadband in rural areas. I did a pricing. You can take an existing room or an existing building.

For between €20,000-30,000 you can turn it into a state-of-the-art Wi-Fi hub.

I worked out the number of villages and towns with a population of less than 6,000 over Ireland. I put in a submission that would enable up to 50 percent of them to get their own Wifi hub. I worked from home for years myself, you do miss having colleagues. We have a great hub here that is oversubscribed in Ennistymon. I think it's a great way of getting people back into small villages as opposed to going into big towns. You have all sorts of people living in rural Ireland nowadays and we don't always meet.

The traditional ways of meeting people

are going to mass and in the pubs. We don't have that nowadays. Wifi hubs can now be the new social space. They have fully committed to €5 million worth of funding which is amazing as I had initially asked for €4.2 million. I have great plans for these hubs and with my involvement I hope to make applications as uncomplicated as possible."

Seamus Ryan, President of the Clare Council of Trade Unions: "IRELAND has the youngest workforce in Europe but was set to have the highest pension age in Europe too. This rapid increase in the pension age would have seen the goalposts moved on workers twice in the next decade. This increase in the pension age would have seen people who have played by the rules have the date of their retirement pushed out and out again.

"The changes to the pension age along with the way it is calculated would have seen people lose out not only on their pensions, while being forced on jobseekers benefit and

allowance for up to 2 years since many people have contracts that end at the old retirement age of 65, after that it's up to the kindness of an employer in the private sector to decide if they want to keep you on after your contract ends. This amounts for a serious hole in the finances of an older person as each year of age increases costs workers €13,000, as well as secondary benefits such as free travel and the fuel allowance which unfortunately many people rely on as a support in their old age. It's good to see that this government has seen sense on this unlike unfortunately the issue of statutory sick pay during Covid-19."

HEALTH • • •

• • • • • • •

An extra €4 billion for the health service Ireland has signed up to EU advance purchase agreements for potential Covid vaccines An extra 1,146 acute beds; increase in permanent adult critical care beds to 321 by end of year from 255 pre-Covid; 1,250 community beds in 2021 including 600 new rehabilitation beds Five million extra homecare hours €5 million for development of community based dementia supports €50m for new drugs and €25m for Healthy Ireland and National Drugs Strategy €38m for mental health under Sharing the Vision €100m for disability new services 16,000 health sector posts An extra €20 million for disability services through transforming lives programme €10 million in this year funding for voluntary hospices Noeleen Moran, Mid-West Hospital Campaign "WHAT we are being told and what the Unions like SIPTU are promising their members on is that there are issues with staff shortages that need to be addressed. I know there is an extra €4 billion being designated for health and that's really welcome and

there's additional beds supposedly to come with that. Any money being directed at health is so necessary now, given all that is going on with this pandemic. It will remain to be seen, how it will address staff shortages, especially in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and in the Mid-West region. That is our main concern. We need to see how it is going to be brought into effect. Addressing

HOUSING • •

•

• • • •

• • • •

Help to buy scheme extended until end of 2021 at the higher max €30,000 rate Stamp Duty scheme which refunds a portion of stamp duty paid on acquisition of non-residential land where it is then developed will be extended until end Dec 2022 Extension of stamp duty relief for the transfer of agricultural land to family members until Dec 2023 €5.2bn for Department of Housing - increase of €773 million on 2020 €500m for capital expenditure on housing for 9,500 new social housing units in 2021 €65m for deep retrofitting of existing social housing Expansion of HAP tenancies; 800 more rental accommodation scheme tenancies; 85,000 tenancies supported through next year €22m for homelessness programmes including additional beds €110m for affordable housing package for affordable and cost rental €210m under Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme The Land Development Agency will have €1.2 billion of funding available

staff shortages is really crucial, as in every workplace, if someone comes into contact with a person that has Covid, they have to go out and that's really impacting the health service and we are dealing with this on a daily basis. The funding is welcome, but it remains to be seen how it is going to be filtered down to stabilise the situation in the Mid-West."

Larry Brennan, Director with Woodhaven Developments Ltd. "WE WELCOME the extension of the Help to Buy Scheme. There is a certain amount of disappointment that there was nothing put in there for the investor. All new homes that are being sold now are being sold for owner-occupiers. There are no homes being bought for rental purposes. The problem there is the HAP's. People are off looking for rental properties and there's none out there. The small investor is getting out of that. The Council will tell you that the HAP Scheme is coming under pressure. If there's no accommodation out there, it's a problem for the Council. The biggest problem coming down the track is rental property. Another thing that wasn't mentioned was the additional costs for house building, with the requirements for the

BER rating after going from an A3 home to an A2 home. We are trying to look at how to bring down the costs. There are costs involved in bringing a home down from an A3 to an A2 house. We are looking at alternative ways to maintain these existing house costs. The minister tells us that the affordability of a three-bedroom home is about €265,000. After that, that's not affordable. The problem is that there is no mention of the banking there. Trying to get up to a mortgage at that level is difficult enough. The Council are buying up for social housing, taking from the private sector, houses from the ordinary person. While we welcome the budget, there are problems coming down the track with regards to housing and affordability and the volume of housing. The volume of private housing isn't the same as it was 20 years ago. With 50 per year being built now as opposed to 100 each year, back then."

10 NEWS

THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

Consumers urged to support local economy this Christmas CIAN O’BROIN

N

cianobroin@clareecho.ie

EW research conducted by dmg media Ireland focuses on the importance of shopping local this year with an overwhelming majority (70%) of respondents stating their commitment to shop on local sites for Christmas gifts this year.

More than 8 in 10 (82%) of Irish people are shopping more online than ever before with over half (55 per cent) of respondents conceding that they will commence their Christmas shopping earlier this year.

Despite 7 in 10 Irish shoppers agreeing that convenience and safety are leading factors in why they have increased their online shopping habits, the same proportion (70%) admitted that they still rely heavily on the in store experience ahead of shopping online.

Almost one third of those questioned (29%) intend to spend up to €1000 shopping this Christmas while almost one in ten indicated that they are likely to spend up to €2000 this coming festive season with clothes, toys

and technology ranking top of their upcoming shopping lists.

Four in ten now shop online several times a month. Over one in ten indicated that they shop online several times ('a few times') a week, with 76% admitting that they typically don't just shop for themselves, but instead for their whole family online.

More than one third of respondents (36%) spend €50 to €100 per month online shopping while one in five admitted that they now spend over €200 a month on web purchases alone with 88% of users selecting home delivery rather than collection when making an online transaction with 78% agreeing that they are confident online orders will be delivered on time.

Further research unveils that 80% of all respondents have saved money through the pandemic.

When asked in this current shopping survey "would you consider credit financing your Christmas gifts this year" 66% said they wouldn't with a further 19 unsure; only 15% said they would.

CEO of Ennis Chamber, Margaret O' Brien, urges Clare shoppers to take to their local streets for this year's Christmas shopping, stating,

"For every €10 you spend, it affords €24 back in to the local economy and keeps the jobs local. It makes so much difference in the lives of the local shopkeepers if people are

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“It keeps some of the budget local and to look around and see what the town has to offer. People will be surprised."

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Warning: If you do not meet the repayments on your loan, your account will go into arrears.

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

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

WARNING: YOUR HOME IS AT RISK IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP PAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER LOAN SECURED ON IT. A typical €100,000, 20 year mortgage for an Owner Occupier Residential Property with Loan to value greater than 80% will have a variable interest rate of 3.7% and Annual Percentage Rate (APR) 3.8%, and 240 monthly repayments of €590.29.

If the APR does not vary during the term of the mortgage, the total cost of credit i.e. the total amount repayable less than the amount of the loan would be €41,884.48 (inclusive of valuation report fees of €215.00). The total amount repayable would be €141,884.48. The effect of a 1% increase in interest rates for such a mortgage will add €53.21 to the monthly repayments.

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

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12 NEWS

THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

Crowe's stores hit by 'professional criminals' PÁRAIC MCMAHON

A

paraic@clareecho.ie

FAMILY run chain of stores in South-East Clare have been victims to a sustained series of robberies by a "professional" outfit.

Crowe's Grocery and Bakery at the Ministers Cross in Bunratty experienced 11 robberies from October 2019 to March 2020 of this year while already this month there have been two robberies with an additional one at their Quin store.

Up until September of this year, 223 thefts from shops in Clare have been reported to Gardaí in the county. It represents a 12 per cent reduction on figures from the same period in 2019.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Tim Crowe commented: "They are so professional, they come with their balaclavas and gloves on, everything is pre-arranged, they change their number plates, these aren't petty criminals, they are serious criminals, they are occupational and this is their job, they identify shops that they can break into that particular night.

The last time they did the Minister's Cross

was done, they did two of my friends, one in Newport and one in Monard in the space of an hour and a half.

"They have a high-powered car, they use the motorways, Quin is very easy to get on the motorway from and the Minister's Cross is very easy to get on the motorway from. They are pretty well-organised, the way they can destroy the inside of a shop in six or seven minutes is incredible".

Similarities in the appearance of the individuals carrying out the robberies are visible by the CCTV footage. "The CCTV footage would suggest there to be a lot of similarities in the gangs that are operating this, proving it is the most difficult job. I know people will say up your security but the security we have in the Quin shop is as good as you would get anywhere but just what they did in six minutes was incredible. It's part and parcel of business, you can't become paranoid about it, it is very demoralising when you see your shop absolutely destroyed with broken glass and doors, cigarettes and cash being taken but you have to accept it. The difficulty is the insurance is like a flood, they might cover it once or twice but after that you are on your own".

Communities have also felt the impact of the robberies, Tim highlighted. "In Quin they went after the ATM but failed to get into it,

‘Time to reestablish angling destination’

they did put it out of service and the people of Quin are suffering as a result of that, it's going to be a process to get it replaced and back up in action".

The Sixmilebridge man is of the view that neither themselves nor the Gardaí can do more to combat the frustrating reoccurrences.

"The Gardaí can't spend every evening outside every shop in Clare waiting for the robbers to arrive, all they can do is react when it is after occurring". He added, "When they do get criminals, they spend such little time in prison that it is frustrating for the Gardaí as well, they know the punishment doesn't fit the crime. Until we give them an appropriate time in prison it will be an ongoing problem, there is an incentive for the criminals to continue".

lCRIME: Crowe’s service station in Minister’s Cross

NORTH Clare needs to be re-established as an angling destination, local representatives have emphasised.

Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) issued an appeal to Clare County Council to begin working in conjunction with Burren Lowlands to make the areas “a recognisable destination for angling, hiking and outdoor pursuits.

Manager of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, Carol Gleeson detailed that engagement between the Council, Fáilte Ireland and Burren Lowlands would commence on the topic. “The rural and community development will provide the necessary supports through the rural and community development officers,” she stated.

Speaking at a meeting of the West Clare Municipal District, Cllr Killeen recalled, “Look at those areas and what sustained them in the past, Corofin was known as the angler’s paradise. The Burren Lowlands is the fishing district of Clare”.

“The former INTO President added. need to re-establish the angling clubs, we need a web presence and quality video advertising. We need a more co-ordinated visitor experience. We need to get back to where we were and need to engage local communities to get that done,”

Millions required to capitalise on Spa Wells PÁRAIC MCMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

RENEWED energy and investment needs to be pumped into Lisdoonvarna Spa Wells to prevent authentic selling points of the landmark being “lost forever,” according to North Clare representatives.

Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) appealed to the Council to engage with Lisdoonvarna Failte CLG and the Rooska & SPA Wells with the objective of bringing the Spa Wells under their umbrella.

Cllr Garrihy stated, “This site and unique, authentic destination Heritage Center with the authentic universal selling point of Wellness is in danger of being lost forever”.

For over 200 years the waters that flow in Lisdoonvarna have attracted visitors for their curative properties.An opportunity for “real sustainable rural settlement Ireland’s original Victorian spa town and destination for well-

lIDYLLIC: The Spa Wells in Lisdoonvarna

ness visitor experience” exists in Lisdoonvarna, Director of Service, Leonard Cleary noted in response to Garrihy’s motion. “It is important to consider this opportunity in the context that over 80 acres of lands in the town are assets in community ownership and management based on a 99 year lease scheme”.

Findings from feasibility studies by Lisdoonvarna Failte CLG and the Rooska & SPA Wells Trust have indicated that there is a significant business opportunity for wellness tourism and that a multi-million euro investment is required.

An insufficient staff capacity will prevent the Council’s rural development directorate and West Clare Municipal District from taking the project on, he admitted.

The Director committed to engage an external advisor to quantify at a high level the scale of the Spa Wells project referring to structures, investment, partners and project management.

Cleary believed that the two parties would have to partner with a private sector investment or consider releasing the property into private ownership to enable private sector investment.

Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling told the meeting that all staff regardless of their section were kept busy. “Clare County Council can’t keep stepping in to salvage these things,” he stated.

“We can’t just keep going out there and putting our arms around everything that is getting into difficulty, we can’t sustain that as an organisation”. Dowling highlighted that community ownership remained “a very important principle”.

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14 NEWS

‘Early detection and early treatment are key to survival’ CIAN O’BROIN

Q

cianobroin@clareecho.ie

UIN native, Liz Canny, is living with advanced stage breast cancer. This year, the Marie Keating Foundation has asked her to take part in their October Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign.

For Liz, life's long-term goals have now become short term and this year's campaign, 'Not Always Pink', has struck a deep chord with her.

In 2020, cancer is being represented as purple, which for Liz means, "the loss of life I won't be living, that I thought I would be."

Diagnosed in March 2019, Liz admits that once cancer comes into your life, it puts you on a different track. Speaking with The Clare Echo, Liz shares her personal story in coming to grips with her stage 4 cancer, keeping a positive outlook, the unsung heroes you meet along the way in your treatment, as well as deliberating on some of the most concerning issues relating to breast cancer in Ireland today.

Liz now looks at life through a different lens.

After being diagnosed, everything happened so quickly, in her opinion. This meant that there was very little time to process. Her first symptom presented itself in the form of an unusual, discomforting pain in her hip. Liz decided to go for screening straight away, after which specialists subsequently uncovered a lump.

On her breast cancer journey so far, Liz states, "The service was fantastic. I couldn't

fault the treatment or care. My consultant decided that I should have chemotherapy straight away. Within a couple of days of diagnosis, it had started. I had six rounds of chemo; I lost my hair.

“The thing about this is that you will come into contact with people that will help you on every level. I met the most amazing hairdresser, Andrea Moran.

“She specialises in wigs. You meet people that you never really knew existed and they are just real heroes. The specialists have such a knowledge base, and they guide you. You meet things that haven't happened to you before and their reassurance, solutions and guidance is amazing. Your long-term planning becomes more immediate. I had to give up my job and career.

All that matters now, is making memories, with my husband and with my children. We are all replaceable at work, but not within the home."

Liz points to a number of pressing issues concerning cancer screening in Ireland. She feels that the standard screening age must be lowered, citing five women that she personally knows who discovered their cancer before this age. In addition, Liz asserts that women must take full ownership of assessing their risks.

"What we know about cancer constantly changes," she contends. "After going for a family assessment, things may change," she adds.

Assessing your family history is key, Liz feels.

This is what happened in her case. A risk assessment was done 10 years previous to her diagnosis, but the information had changed, unbeknownst to her. Early detection and early

THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

lBRAVE: Liz Canny is living with stage 4 breast cancer

treatment are key to your survival. People aren't dying from cancer; they are living with it. I am one of those. By the time they found mine, it was already in my bones.

There has been such progress with the drugs now that it's not necessarily a death sentence," she adds. Women need to know what breast tissue they have. If you have a dense breast tissue, you may need an ultrasound as well, Liz informs. Liz propounds that if any sort of lump is felt or change in the breast, it is imperative to go and check it out. "Don't be put off by Covid," she declares.

On a final note, Liz reaffirms the importance of listening to stories like her own and not to be dismissive or complacent, "I

Photo by Eamon Ward

would advise women, when they see these campaigns popping up on their feed, to listen to the stories because it could be a story similar to your own. It could be something that you think, 'that is very like my family.'

It may just provoke you to go for a screening and could end up saving your life.

“This year is just so important with the 'Not Always Pink' campaign. Breast cancer presents itself in many different colours, in many different ways, to many different women. It's important to listen to these stories and not just flick by." Liz recommends that all women sign up and log on to the cancer risk register either through the Marie Keating Foundation or the Irish Cancer Society.

Wix and Wax to share profits with Breast Cancer Ireland CIAN O’BROIN

cianobroin@clareecho.ie

LIFELONG best friends Chantell Keane and Danielle Kenneally have put a positive spin on the pandemic, after setting up Wix and Wax, a brand-new candle making company in Clare. The pair, both mothers who managed to keep their day jobs throughout the nation's first lockdown, admit that the new business venture has 'totally exceeded their expectations.'

After life's pace slowed down from chaos

lMELT: The Wax and Wix Touch of Pink snap bar

to a canter in the middle of the lockdown, Chantell and Danielle decided to take a candle making course online. "Danielle, now a new mum, was on maternity leave at the time. We were both working our day jobs during the lockdown. It all started from a shared love of candles. We wanted to set up something together," Chantell outlined.

Research and planning set the foundations for the growing success of Wix and Wax. Designing a website, researching Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tips and sending packages to bloggers helped bolster the company's profile online. Danielle admits that the pair received 95 orders in one day, after sending a promotional gift box to a blogger to review on Instagram.

"It was all about finding the right waxes, sprays and fragrances. It was a process of trial and error, finding exactly what we wanted from our products. We wanted cruelty free, meaning that none of the ingredients are tested on animals. Our products are vegan friendly, and our packaging is sustainably sourced and recyclable. There was a lot of research conducted. All our candles are soy based. We wanted to avoid paraffin, which is

less clean. ," Danielle states.

Danielle and Chantell are also delighted to announce that for each Touch of Pink snap bar sold in the month of October, 50 cent will

be donated to Breast Cancer Ireland.

Check out Danielle and Chantell's business on Instagram on 'wixandwaxireland' or on their website: wixandwaxireland.com.

THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

Shelley honoured with Pritzker Prize PÁRAIC MCMAHON

L

paraic@clareecho.ie

I S D O O N VA R N A architect, Shelley McNamara has won the coveted Pritzker Prize alongside Yvonne Farrell.

They are the first Irish citizens to win the internationally recognised distinction which is viewed as the architecture equivalent to the Nobel Prize.

The duo were announced as the 2020 laureates of the award last March.

Shelley was reminded of "the empty stage of a Samuel Beckett play" when accepting the prize without an audience at the Long Room of Trinity College Library.

"But of course, we are not alone. We are in a space which holds time, and knowledge, and treasures of the mind. We can feel the presences of all

the great people who passed through this great space. We chose this room so that we could celebrate the power of architecture here in our own city.

So that we would feel part of a bigger order, which of course is one of the functions of architecture."

Founders of Grafton Architects in 1978, Shelley and Yvonne first met at university in 1974. They will become the 47th and 48th Pritzker laureates.

They are also the fourth and fifth women to claim the award in its 42 year history.

President Michael D. Higgins congratulated the duo in an online video describing the honour as "a wonderful achievement". He said the naming of Farrell and McNamara as Laureates "accorded the highest accolade within your profession".

When named 2020 laureates earlier this year, the Dublin based architects were praised for their "unceasing commit-

ment to excellence in architecture, their responsible attitude toward the environment, their ability to be cosmopolitan while embracing the uniqueness of each place in which they work" as well as their "belief in collaboration" and their "generosity towards their colleagues".

Tom Pritzker, chairman of The Hyatt Foundation, which sponsors the award, said the pair had "demonstrated that friendship, socialization and partnership are the wellspring for the humane ideals to which their built work is dedicated."

Grafton Architects were the recipients of the 2012 Venice Biennale silver lion award with Ms Farrell and Ms McNamara going to curate the 2018 Venice Biennale.

In 2019, they were awarded the RIAI James Gandon medal for lifetime achievement in architecture and earlier this year they received the 2020 Royal Gold Medal, the UK's highest honour for architecture.

lTRAILBLAZERS: Grafton Architects founders Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara

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NEWS 15

Protocols need to be followed for stray horses AGREED protocols surrounding stray and loose horses trespassing on property within Clare needs to be implemented, writes Páraic McMahon.

That was the call issued by Cllr Mary Howard (FG) at the September meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. She appealed to the Ennis MD and Clare County Council "to agree, display and share the correct protocols when dealing with stray, loose or trespassing horses".

Clare County Council is responsible for the operation of the Control of Horses, 1996 legislation for the county. Bye-laws were published as required under the act in March 1998. Many of the responsibilities of the local authority under the are carried out on a contractual basis by Hungry Horse Outside, Longford.

Horses which are strays, causing a nuisance, not under adequate control or posing a threat to persons or property (as defined by Section 37 of the act) can be seized and detained. They are impounded. Horses are only released to owners who provide evidence "that they are bone-fide in occupation of lands sufficient for the horses in their possession" as required under 4, Schedule A of Part III of the bye-laws.

Senior staff officer, Marie O'Neill referred to the regulations in a written reply to Cllr Howard.

The bye-laws are "in the main administered" by the Council's environment section, she said.

Other directorates may have an input "depending on the nature of specific cases".

A year ago, Cllr Howard brought a motion to the Ennis MD and claimed that stray horses were "causing havoc" on the Kilrush Rd in Ennis. She admitted that there "hasn't been a lot of progress" on the matter. The motion was seconded by Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG).

16 NEWS

Coding the future for Limerick and Clare with LCETB THROUGH the national Skills technical competences in coding to Advance initiative, Limerick and software development are and Clare Education and Train- now the norm in SMEs and coring Board is taking a pro-active porates alike. These high-level approach to reskilling affected digital skills are also critical in workers to transition into sus- raising regional visibility to potainable tech jobs. tential investors and FDI. The ETB has launched the DiThe Mid-West has successfulploma in Full-Stack Software ly positioned itself as a tech hub, Development, delivered by attracting high-skilled, sustainCode Institute, which will take able jobs. Multinational compalearners from beginner to qual- nies employ over 20,000 staff in ification as a software develop- the region. It is home to 130 IDA er studying part-time over 52 Ireland client companies with a weeks. This course represents particular emphasis on the ICT, a fantastic opportunity for those Life Sciences, Engineering and whose jobs are at risk or those Content, Consumer and Busiwho are currently unemployed ness Services sectors. to avail of existing opportunities By delivering high-tech digital locally, regionally and remotely. skills, LCETB aims to secure LCETB and Code Institute long-term growth by reskilling will co-host a webinar on Thurs- the community it serves to create day, October 22nd from 12noon a deep pool of technical talent. to 1pm where you can find out This innovative plan is a proven more about how this course way to accelerate economic recan help you or your business. generation in the region.

Graduates, career services and Code Institute works on a a Skills to Advance advisor will one-to-one basis with learners be on hand to answer questions providing extensive tutoring, about the Diploma in Full Stack mentoring and career support.

Software Development, the job This programme is fully funded opportunities it opens up and by the Government and the ESF. how it can help a business progTo find out more about the Diress its digital transformation. ploma in Full Stack Software DeCovid-19 is driving a radical velopment visit https://learninshift in the required and20200916.pdf gandskills.ie/skills-to-advance/.

Top skills Part Ennis & Shannon 1 22/09/2020 09:28

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THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

‘Well spoken lady causing problems’ PÁRAIC MCMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

T

ALKS are underway between Clare County Council and Google to dilute the instances of traffic being diverted to local minor roads via the technology company’s web mapping service.

Google have been alerted by Clare County Council’s roads department of “certain instances where they are directing traffic on to minor roads not suitable for such traffic,” administrative officer

with the Council’s transportation department, John Corry confirmed.

Further communication will be issued to Google “emphasising to them to stop directing traffic on to such roads that are not suited physically or infrastructurally to the volume and nature of traffic being directed there,” he stated.

His comments came in response to a motion by Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) to a meeting of the West Clare Municipal District.

He asked that ways be explored “of persuading Google to stop directing traffic on to minor roads that are not suited physically” to the volume of traffic.

Speaking on

the matter, Cllr Killeen felt the multinational company had demonstrated an “insistence on sending cars through local roads”.

He flagged that motorists were exiting the M18 from Gort and travelling by Kilnaboy Church while those trying to leave Kilnaboy for Kilfenora are directed towards Kilshanny.

“If you look at the map and leave Gort to come to Corofin you are bypassing the very villages we are talking about supporting, Corofin, Ennistymon and Lisdoonvarna are all bypassed. We cannot afford the costs of doubling the roads,” Killeen said.

Support for the request was voiced by Cllr PJ Kelly (FF). “A well spoken lady is causing a lot of problems for us,” he declared.

“Obviously she is not familiar with the county of Clare, we could invite her to Co Clare for a holiday and make her familiar with the roads of Clare. Let’s solve the problem by giving her a céad míle fáilte,” he quipped.

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18 NEWS

THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

Shannon man considering living in a car due to struggle to find a home PĂ RAIC MCMAHON

A

paraic@clareecho.ie

SHANNON man has revealed he is considering buying a car for the purposes of sleeping in it after spending the last four months living on the couch of

a relative.

Forty six year old Ollie Gray has lived at 35 addresses over his lifetime and has been unable to secure a permanent residence.

Many landlords have turned down his applications on account of him owning a dog, a small terrier, he said.

Both of Ollie's parents tragically died in a house fire in 1989 which had a devastating impact on him and his sister. For the past 18 years, he has worked for ITW in Shannon but has struggled when it comes to getting on the property ladder.

For the past four months, Ollie has not slept but lived on the couch of a relative. Prior to this he had been staying in Rossbracken but was given three weeks notice that he had to leave house, "it was very short notice," he recalled.

Current living arrangements have taken their toll, Gray admitted. "My back is destroyed, every morning I get up with pains

in my back and it takes two or three hours to get it right, I have to walk around and do stretches to get rid of the pain, I take Nurofen, I'm taking it practically every day to get rid of the pain". It has also led to the deterioration of his relationship with family members.

Attempts to obtain a property have not been pleasant for the Shannon native. "A lot of the houses out there are nearly â‚Ź1000, the most I can afford is about â‚Ź600 or â‚Ź700, our wages were cut in July by â‚Ź50 a week which is â‚Ź200 a month I'm down since the start of July. “I've been onto the Homeless Action Team in the Council, they don't have emergency accommodation in Shannon, I'd have to go to Ennis. I work at 6am, that means if I'd to come from Ennis I'd be at 4am, I've to be up as it as to get the bus at 05:15am.

They've told me there is no guarantees I would get accepted at the minute because of COVID-19".

Affordability of housing plus the fact he lives on his own has made the task more difficult. "There are only a handful of rooms to rent out because of the situation with COVID and the dog. A lot of landlords now say strictly no smoking or pets. I'm on daft. ie about 40 or 50 times a day, if something comes up I've to email or phone straight away because hundreds of people are view-

ing it within 10 minutes. The cheapest property up there now is â‚Ź1000".

Speaking to The Clare Echo, the past pupil of St Caimin's Community School revealed that he is contemplating buying a car solely for the purposes of living in the vehicle. "It is

lSTRUGGLE: Ollie Gray has been living on a relative’s couch for four months

Photo by Joe Buckley

very stressful with the family and is leading to arguments the whole time. “I have been trying my best but I can't keep living on a couch. I don't drive or have a licence but I was going to buy a car and am still thinking about doing it for â‚Ź400 or â‚Ź500, parking it up and sleeping in it at this stage".

Should he have some success in getting a place, Ollie said he would be able to avail of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) but added, "One of the flats I viewed was â‚Ź850 a month, with the HAP scheme it would take three weeks to come back. With so many people looking for flats right now the landlords are looking for money straight away and I don't have â‚Ź1700 to give out straight away, I'd have the one month but that is about it".

He praised the assistance of Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) in trying to find a solution but he is not confident an improvement will be found.

"I'm hoping it will change but the way it is going I can't see it changing. I wasn't expecting to be living on a couch for this long, I thought it would be four weeks at most, I'm on the choice based letting website and have put in for two bedroom houses and three of them fell through, that was in July. They were only allocated three weeks ago, it took a long time for them to allocate".

Tree of hope planted in Town Park

lMENTAL HEALTH: Carolann McDonald and Serhii Lytvynenko plant the tree of hope Photo by Joe Buckley

A TREE of hope was planted in Shannon to mark world mental health day and is hoped to become a symbol of support in the town, writes PĂĄraic McMahon.

Members of the Shannon Darkness into Light committee hosted the event with the tree sponsored by Pieta House. After receiving permission from Clare County Council, the Shannon Town Park was chosen as the location for the ceremony. Chairperson of the committee, Bren-

da Leahy led the ceremony with a reading while the tree planting was done by Carolann McDonald and Serhii Lytvynenko. Joanne and Don O'Sullivan gave a special musical performance while LCM Graphics sponsored the signs for the tree.

Giving the closing speech at the ceremony, Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) acknowledged that the tree was planted in respect of family, friends and loved ones lost to suicide.

"The significance of this tree, not only represents those we have lost to suicide but it also acts as a reminder as its roots and branches reach out, we too need to reach out to those we see struggling, and offer help, understanding and support.

A gentle reminder that you are not alone, despite all the darkness there is light. This tree will always be a symbol of the support within our community�.

Â

TAKE AWAY COCKTAILS

Each Cocktail Bottle Serves 4

Arts & Entertainment 19

THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

COVID-19 brings increase in Clare podcast producers

lTRAD CAST: Therese McInerney

TADHG HOLLAND

news@clareecho.ie

GLOBAL podcast consumption went up 42 per cent between March and April of this year while an increase in the amount of Clare people producing their own podcasts has also been noted Most people in Clare were aware of how flour became scarce as competitions began on who made the best sourdough bread while the appearance of gardens went from rustic to pristine in a matter of weeks.

However, the huge increase in Clare people taking up the hobby of podcasting will undoubtedly be

a surprise to many.

There has been a large number of notable Clare podcast productions that have begun during and since lockdown.

Pa Sheehan, a native of Sixmilebridge, now living in Canada started a podcast in July called 'Ar imeall na cearnóige' focusing on Irish sport through the language of Irish. He has had some impressive guests on the show including former Cork hurler Tadhg Óg Murphy and Cratloe's Naomi Carroll who has represented her country in hockey.

Sheehan's series is still ongoing with a new episode releasing roughly every two weeks. Each episode lasts a very easily digestible 25 minutes and are perfect for the lover of sport and the Irish lan-

guage. The podcast is available on Spotify and Apple podcasts.

'Trad Cast with Therese' is a new 10-episode podcast series from Clare FM presenter and traditional musician Therese McInerney from Mitown Malbay in association with the Arts Council.

The series is aimed towards traditional musicians, dancers and teachers although people who simply listen to trad music will be sure to enjoy it as well.

Therese is joined every episode by a guest from the world of trad including Jack Talty, musician and composer and Riverdance member Tara Howley to discuss topics such as recording an album, forming a band and what it's like to be on tour.

The podcast is an indispens-

able resource for those involved in traditional music. 'Trad Cast with Therese' has ended now but you can find all the episodes on Spotify.

Poet, author, actress and playwright, Aimee Levey originally from Clonlara, now living in Sligo has also turned her focus to podcasting during quarantine.

Her show 'Live from the Convent' is an experimental, comedy podcast covering a vast range of topics from poetry readings to stories about the mafia. It is self-described as "a podcast for those of us who used to mess around with a tape recorder as children making our own ridiculous radio shows".

It's not like your average podcast. The show really tries to push the medium in new directions making every episode a very interest-

ing listen.

A new episode of 'Live from the convent' releases every Tuesday and is available on Spotify or www. tootsiecupcakes.com.

Clare's Local Enterprise Office also began podcasting with a new show #MakingItHappen launched in September. Ex Clare FM presenter Ger Sweeney interviews a Clare business person in each episode, topics include how they began in business, the support of Clare LEO, the impact of COVID-19 and their reaction to the pandemic.

Eight episodes have already been released with contributors ranging from Wilde Irish Chocolates to Clare Spring and even 'Torpey Hurleys. It is available to listen to on Spotify.

New psychological crime thriller set in fictional Clare SARAH CLARKE

P

news@clareecho.ie

lGUILTY: Siobhán McDonald signs copies of her new book

SYCHOLOGICAL crime writer, Siobhán MacDonald has set her latest novel in Clare and focuses on how a successful individual's life can spiral out of control in one weekend, writes Sarah Clarke.

Released in June of this year, Guilty is about a well respected heart surgeon who is at the top of his career. He is living in an architecture designed house with his wife and teenage daughter Nina, on the shores of a lough in Co Clare. His life begins to fall apart one weekend, all beginning when the big white letters 'guilty' are scrawled along the side of his boat house.

Siobhán explained that the plot for her third novel was inspired by a crime story she came across in the media. "I had wondered how somebody, a normal person could do something like what happened in this particular incident. I tried to come up with a set of circumstances where that might be understandable, so I created my own set of circumstances where you can see how someone got into this predicament."

Guilty is set on a fictional lake in Clare called Lough Carberry but Siobhán imagined in her mind it would be somewhere around Kilkishen or Feakle. "Clare offers so much in terms of scenery. It's such a diverse and dramatic landscape." She has holidayed in Clare quite a few times and is familiar with Loop Head, Kilkee, Lahinch and Liscannor, "living in Limerick you are only a hop skip and a jump over the border to plen-

ty of places that you can go for staycations".

Before Guilty was published, Siobhán got great reviews from some established Irish crime writers including Jo Spain and Patricia Gibney. "I thought if it appeals to these crime writers, it should hopefully appeal to their audience".

Her fourth novel is planned to be released in June of next year. "For my next book, I thought I haven't really written about a serial killer before and I thought I might create a gripping serial novel".

Small steps are advised by Siobhán for aspiring writers. "I would actually encourage people who may find the idea of a novel daunting from the get go, to maybe try and do a short story first off and there are just many outlets at the moment. That is a more reasonable undertaking than a novel if you are just starting out".

20 FEATURES

You're not alone

RONAN SCULLY

Thought for the week

T

HE month of October is designated World Mental Health Month. It has already been the toughest, worrying and most upsetting of years and by the looks of it, it’s not done with upsetting and worrying us yet.

Please remember to pray for everyone affected by mental health difficulties including myself at times this month and always.

Never has it been more appropriate that we should think about and pray for all the people who are suffering with their mental health and ourselves included. This year more than others we need to watch out for each other, for signs of stress or worry and they are there in all of us as we all make our journey through life.

Be Open

Let me be honest with you as I write this thought, I have lit a candle and said a prayer for all who will read it. Life is awful tough at times and trust me although you might not think it at times, i definitely truly know it is!!

I am definitely not okay at times. At times I need help. I need support. I need care. I need love. I need forgiveness. I need mercy. I need counseling. I need prayers. I need guidance. I need protection.

I need care. At times I have felt and feel wrecked, lost, lonely, hurt, guilty, abused, bullied and abandoned. There I said it!! We should all say it and have a good honest to god chat about how we feel at times. At times I am not okay. I do get stressed, and I am a total worrier.

I worry about my family. I worry about my friends. I worry about my work colleagues. At times I am sad and sometimes confused.

I can be distant. At times I worry that I may not have the resources or wisdom to help my family and friends through the journey of life or do the work I need to do to help the poor especially in Africa.

Indeed there are times when I feel alone albeit that I am surrounded by loving, caring and the most amazing, brilliant people. I get upset about things in life, in the past and in our world, particularly injustice and inequality in society.

So at times I am not okay.

At times we are all not okay.

And you know what. That’s okay.

Because I know I won’t always feel this way. As my good friend David says to me regularly during our weekly get togethers, "This too shall pass."

Giving myself time, I will figure

things out and I will pray for guidance and protection not to hurt myself or others. I will discover or rediscover my purpose or focus in life. I will be okay.

What Can You Do

So what can you do to ensure you have a healthy mental state?

Well, there are various ways to maintain positive mental health and live a more fulfilling and enjoyable life. Besides seeking professional help if you need it, you should make time to connect with others, think positively about yourself and get physically and spiritually active.

Also, make sure you get enough rest, you’re mindful of your present moment, and be helpful to others. A healthy mental state will help you leverage your energy to achieve the success you seek and live a purposeful life. Self- esteem is so important to our well-being .

It is essential for physical, spiritual, emotional and mental health and for happiness. Mental health is often missing from public health debates even though it’s critical to wellbeing and our way of life.

It’s up to you today to start making healthy choices. Not choices that are just healthy for your body, but healthy for your mind, heart and soul.

Don’t let your struggle become your identity. Also children’s mental health is just as important as their physical health and deserves the same quality of support. There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t. While taking care of your mental health might mean getting professional support, you should also consider making the right changes for you.

Hopefully, this thought for the week has inspired you in some way to always maintain positive mental health for success, peace and happiness.

We become what we think.

When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.

There is nothing so disobedient as an undisciplined mind, and there is nothing so obedient as a disciplined mind.

Thought for the week

As your thought for the week, remember, everything will be okay if we love and believe in ourselves, and understand that hope floats around us and when we can we should always spread that hope and love with others especially those who mean the most to us. I don’t know how it goes down for People who have died by suicide but if I am honest I at times really

do!!

I remember vividly recently trying to save a young girls life in the river corrib and how it breaks my heart daily that I and the amazing emergency workers and first responders couldn’t. It seems people who do die by suicide get hit by a heavy downpour or cyclone of worry and then everything becomes dark and it’s winter all the time.

I firmly believe that understanding, love, mercy and compassion have to be the base of effective action. It’s important to understand what depression and suffering from mental health illness is, how it feels, what it’s like to live with it, so you can help people both on an individual basis and a policy basis.

I’m not putting heavy philosophy out there to make you’re reading this opinion piece make you sad.

I know it feels sad and worrying to read it, and realistically it can be unpleasant to be around it, that’s why people pull away. I don’t have a message for people with depression like “keep pushing on” or “it will be alright tomorrow”.

Of course you’re going to keep pushing on as I try to do the best you can and hoping it will be alright tomorrow until you physically or emotionally or spiritually can’t, because who wants it all to end?

I know what the stakes are. My message to everyone else is let’s start helping one another rather than judging one another, let’s care for one another and hopefully leave no one behind or lost.

Let’s petition all county and city councilors and TD’s to strive to change and do more for people affected by mental health problems especially now during these strange and awful times of the Coronavirus.

Depression and Mental Health illnesses are in some way like it’s raining all the time and sometimes extremely heavy.

And like the weather, it is a mindless process, powerful and unpredictable with great potential for harm. But like climate change, that doesn’t mean we are helpless.

If we want to stop losing so many people and especially young people to this disease, it will require action at every level and especially at government and policy level. As I said this month is as good a month to pick a good place to start your "walk and talk" journey through life as the month of October is Mental Health month!!

Get out there if you can and be well and take care of one another!!!

Also know that the best of help can be got from contacting some of Ireland's best charities and organisations in the Samaritans, Pieta House, Aware, Jigsaw, St. Vincent de Paul, your local GP's, your local religious, Chaplain's, HSE groups and various qualified counsellors.

Keep as well as you can everyone!

THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

Kevin runs 400 kilometres in 40 days

lSUPER FIT: Kevin Cullinan

TADHG HOLLAND

news@clareecho.ie

CLARE man Kevin Cullinan has completed a 400km run in aid of charity over the 40 days leading up to his 40th birthday.

Originally his aim was to raise €1600 for charity. He greatly exceeded that goal however, raising close to three times that. Over 137 people donated, including his niece who chipped in with some of her communion money. As of now, €4500 has been donated.

Kevin has chosen to split the money between multiple charities. Half of it will be given to the mental health support services Jigsaw and Limerick Suicide Watch.

The other half will go to Clare Animal Welfare and Limerick Animal Welfare, with Kevin commenting that he’s a “big animal person”.

Kevin decided to do the run as a substitute for the fact he couldn’t have a party for his

40th birthday this year. Instead he marked the occasion with a daily 10km socially distanced run with friends, family and supporters.

In the end he completed a distance the equivalent of 10 marathons in a time of just over 32 hours. He finished it with 25 laps of the Ennis Fairgreen track on his birthday, Saturday last.

Kevin hopes his run will raise awareness for mental health. “everyone needs mental health support at some time in their life” said Kevin, “In the past I’ve struggled with that”.

He documented his journey on his Instagram account ‘craicrunner’ where you can also find a link to donate.

On the last day of his run he made a post there saying “thanks for all the support and thanks for just being awesome.”

It doesn’t look like he’s giving up running any time soon ending the post with the question “who’s up for a run tomorrow?”

Bahá'í plaque to be unveiled ON SUNDAY 18th October, Mayor of Ennis Cllr. Paul Murphy, will unveil a specially commissioned plaque at the grounds of the Civic Room in Ennis.

The plaque further commemorates the bicentenary of Bahá'u'lláh, the Founder of the Bahá'í Faith.

Coinciding with this event, a significant County Clare connection to the dramatic early history of the Bahá'í religion in Persia (Iran) has come to light.

Lady Mary Woulfe-Sheil was born in 1825 at Tiermaclane, near Mayor Murphy's home village of Clarecastle.

She was one of very few Westerners in Persia during the early days of the Bahá'í Faith and she left a vivid account of her experiences, in which she wrote about the new religion.

“This is a most exciting link to uncover,” said Ennis Bahá'í,

Maria McNamara, whose brother's research revealed the Clare connection.

Ms. McNamara continued, “Maria may have an even closer connection to Lady Mary as Mary's grandmother was also a McNamara!

She recorded her impressions of the country in her diaries, which were subsequently published as Glimpses of Life and Manners in Persia, a book that gained some renown among researchers of 19th century Persian history.

Due to the current current Covid-19 situation, attendance at the event is limited to invitees.

“Ordinarily we love to invite all our family and friends to join with us for an occasion like this but we will, of course, be adhering to current guidelines, having a socially distanced gathering of no more than 15 people,” says Maria.

FEATURES 21

THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

GREEN CLARE

‘Breathe new life into used items’

CIAN O’BROIN

T

cianobroin@clareecho.ie

HE Gort Road’s Clare Haven Horizons are doing their bit to contribute to the circular economy for October reuse month.

The charity fashion and furniture home store, are promoting the upcycling of furniture this month through their shop window, displaying pertinent examples of how both businesses and individuals can repurpose and restore items for a second life. The charity store, now in its seventh year, provides a local outlet to buy fashion and furniture products, rather than disposing.

Shop manager, Mairead Mannion, firmly believes that the fashion industry is one the main contributors to the current climate crisis. Speaking to The Clare Echo, Mairead talks about the process and importance of upcycling, a recent surge of anti-consumerism gripping the newer generations, as well as the advent of a ‘Green Friday’ to replace the traditional Black Friday commercial chaos that takes place annually on November 27th.

Clare Haven Horizons, now teeming with a wealth of revitalised items, are putting a call out for, “people to become creative by restoring, up-cycling and breathing new life into quality used items. Whether it’s reupholstering and restoring an old chair; painting an 1970s mahogany sideboard a funky

bright colour or transforming a broken lamp shade or picture frame into something new and exciting.� Through little money and few means, staff members are getting creative with upcycling for October reuse month.

Mairead notes that the charity store previously ran beginner’s upcycling classes and that due to the uncertainty of Covid, classes have grinded to a halt. “Upcycling is funky, it’s new and people are going with that,�

Mairead maintains. The most commonly upcycled items are chairs and bedsides lockers. Both items are an easy starting point, in Mairead’s opinion.

Culminating with the expense of brandnew furniture, Mairead feels that through an anti-consumerist ideology, the younger generation are embracing upcycled and reusable furniture and fashion materials more emphatically. “The shop is now full to the brim with upcycled materials and old treasures. The younger generation seem to be more aware. There is an anti-consumerism drive to it all.

How much is enough? We all have so much stuff in our homes. I say to my customers all the time, ‘the best thing you can do is spend it on new experiences, rather than material goods.’ People get a great kick out of getting a bargain from us. “It’s a win win, all the way. We are winning, because we are making money for a local charity that needs the funds. Customers are winning because they are getting a bargain. The donor is winning because they have a place to bring their stuff rather than placing it in the bin and paying by weight or bringing it to landfill. I do feel that what we have here, is a social enterprise in action. I

lFAB: A dresser upcycled by Clare Haven Horizons

like to see it as sustainable economics, as it’s circular and it’s a win for everybody.’ The next milestone for Clare Haven Horizons after finishing up with the upcycling shop window display is a brand new ‘Green Friday’ which will replace the traditional, consumer centric, notorious ‘Black Friday.’ Mairead entreats the November 27th unofficial commercial calamity as both unethical and unfeasible in the current Covid climate.

Clare Haven Horizons, in alignment with countless other charities registered with the Irish Charity Shops Association (ICSA) will trial a ‘Green Friday’ on November 27th, this year. Mairead hopes to use October reuse month as a platform to advertise for ‘Green Friday.’ “This year, it is all about sav-

ing money, saving the environment as well as spending money ethically and wisely,� she affirms. Adding, “What this does, is promote the charity shops under that sustainable, reuse label.�

On a final note, Mairead concludes with, “Make your Christmas gift this year the gift that keeps on giving. Save yourself money in these challenging economic times and instead of buying new gifts check out your local charity shops and buy something unique which is ethical, sustainable, environmentally friendly and does not cost the earth.

Check us out by visiting our spacious store or follow us on Facebook or Instagram at: Clare haven horizons charity shop or Haven horizons charity.�

22

COLUMNISTS

THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

Council lights up for Pregnancy & Infant Loss memorial day

CLARE County Council is helping to raise awareness of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, which takes place on 15th October this year.

The Council will light up Áras Contae an Chláir in the colours pink and blue on this date.

Gemma O’Gorman, from Kilmurry McMahon, is raising awareness of the cause and the need for supports for families affected by miscarriage and infant death.

Ms O’Gorman said: “In lighting up its headquarters, Clare County Council, in my opinion, is creating a platform for those who wish to acknowledge their loss and show a sense of solidarity with each other and that they are not alone. It may also encourage those who wish to gather and talk.”

The Mayor of Clare, Cllr Mary Howard, said: “Clare County Council is pleased to support Gemma in raising awareness of the issues around miscarriage and infant death. We will be lighting up Áras Contae an Chláir on 15th October in sympathy with those who have experienced a loss and to mark this important day of remembrance.”

Pictured is Gemma O’Gorman (centre) from Kilmurry McMahon, who is raising awareness of the issues around miscarriage and infant death, with Pat Dowling, Chief Executive of Clare County Council, and the Mayor of Clare, Cllr Mary Howard.

PART TIME

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COLUMNISTS 23

THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

Opinion

Get in contact Become part of the conversation. Submit your letters to the editor by emailing editor@clareecho.ie or via post addressed to 36c Abbey Street, Ennis, County Clare

Budget: each party played to their base

S

INCE taking office in June, the opposition has been at pains to try to portray the new tri-party Government as ‘right wing’. That message was well and truly blown out of the water on Tuesday as Ministers Donohue and McGrath unveiled the single largest commitment to spending of any budget in the history of the state.

Among the items were huge commitments on spending to expand public services, capital infrastructure and housing projects, hiring of additional teachers, gardaí and medical personnel all while not touching the basic tax rates or bands. A cursory glance through opposition party social media profiles on Tuesday evening spoke volumes. The main criticisms of the largest tranche of Government spending ever announced by opposition politicians was that it did not go far enough. A sign that they feel the Government were somewhat stealing their clothes.

In all, there was a whopping €17.75bn in additional spending announced. This is mainly down to heavy Government borrowing, making use of the fact that, at

EOIN NEYLON Politics

present, the State can borrow at negative interest rates. Effectively, investors are paying Ireland to take their money. Of course, this money will have to be paid back when the bonds mature, meaning the debt will need to be serviced in the future with the national debt set to hit €21bn. The Government will also approach the EU for €2.5bn in Covid support funding.

There was a lot of attention on the ‘Just Transition Greens (JTG)’, the left wing group loosely affiliated with the Green Party with leading members like Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan. She issued a press release welcoming the budget and the JTG social media accounts were strangely quiet on Budget Day. A clear sign that they were pleased with the fact that what the Greens asked for, they got. Most notable amongst these were the Carbon Tax hike and the reform of motor tax to punish heavy polling vehicles. All

Government parties were at pains to stress that the Carbon Tax hike was being done in an equitable manner. They had approached the ESRI to ensure a Carbon Tax rise would not disproportionately affect low income families. The result was an increase in the fuel allowance, the living alone allowance, increase to the qualified child payment and one parent family payment to offset any impact on those on low incomes. Much of the increase is earmarked for a Climate Action Fund which will go towards retrofitting homes, sustainable agriculture, public transport improvements and renewable energy schemes.

For Fianna Fáil, the party tried to frame February’s election as being about housing and healthcare and that was reflected in this budget.

Unsurprisingly, with a global pandemic raging, health spending is set to increase by €4 billion in 2021. Not only will this go towards

fighting Coronavirus, including the commitment to increase ICU beds in Ireland from 255 to 321, but also towards filling 16,000 new posts across the health service. €100 million extra is going towards disability services and an additional €38 million is ear marked for mental health services.

The party was most vocal though about housing commitments.

Starting next year, Government will provide funding for local authorities and approved housing bodies to begin directly building.

This is a major change in Government policy when compared to the last government. Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien welcomed it citing that, if achieved, it would represent the largest annual housing construction programme ever. Opposition parties, having seen housing targets missed by the previous government, remain sceptical.

In all, Government aim to provide 12,750 new social homes and have set aside €110 million for an affordable purchase scheme as well as extending the first-time buyers assistance into next year.

By greatly expanding the housing stock directly, coupled with activity in the private sector, Government are banking on this also having a

downward pressure on rents.

Fine Gael were out championing the new CRSS programme to aid businesses forced to close due to the pandemic. This will act in the form of a cash rebate, based on a businesses turnover from 2019 and capped at €5,000 a week. This forms one part of the Covid Recovery Fund for 2021 which equates to €3.4 billion. This will also form part of the Brexit contingency should it be needed in the event of a hard Brexit. FG also released budget promos directed at the farming community to highlight the lower flat rate for farmers and Stamp Duty Relief. Many of their TDs were also talking up the PAYE credit equalisation for the self-employed.

Effectively, each party in Government played to their base with various aspects of this historically large budget. Opposition was focused on PUP payments, but over the course of the weekend, the public will make their true feelings known. In all, for such a large budget, there was always going to be a little something for everyone.

For the country’s sake, let’s hope this Keynesian style economic investment program pay dividends for us all.

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24 COMMUNITY

Community ENNIS

THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

CONTACT NEWSDESK

065 671 9021 news@clareecho.ie

KILRUSH

lGREEN FINGERS: Fourth class students of Ms. Aoife Kelly’s class and Mr. Griffin’s

Sunshine Class from Ennis National School plant Elm and Rowan trees on National Tree Day. The 4th Class students planted trees that are all natural to Ireland, including an oak tree donated by a family of the school and a beautiful rowan tree. The Sunshine Class planted the Spruce tree which they intend to light up at Christmas time.

KILRUSH

GORT GUAIRE MAGAZINE

The Guaire Magazine is at the printer’s shop and should be in your local shops by the end of the month. No, the calendar hasn’t slipped, the Committee recognized that this year, we will be unable to hold our grand launch at the end of November, so decided why wait? An extra month before Christmas gives everyone a chance to post a copy to their distant relatives. And what an issue #37 is! Remember Willie Quinn? We do and you can read Mary Lynskey’s article about him here. Look for news of the 1923 Hurlers from Gort, a history of the Town Hall, the RiverWalk and the latest on the flooding decision. Get it all and more, still for the low price of €5.

lBIG DAY: A very Happy 90th Birthday to Ann Mahoney from Kilrush. Ann celebrated the

big day with her great grandchildren Isabelle, Faye and Michael through the window due to Covid-19 restrictions

CREE lFOLKLORE: The Clare oral history and

folklore group Cuimhneamh an Chlair are once again pleased to present dvds to the nursing homes in County Clare. This month we presented dvds on Marriage and Matchmaking Memories from our rich archive. Pictured is Bridget Garry presenting to Yvonne Grogan, St Theresa’s Kilrush

CREE SPOT FLOODING

Cleaning of gullies in Cree is hoped to limit the instances of flooding there. "If subsequently, spot flooding remains an issue at this location Clare County Council will install a dished channel to improve the effectiveness of the gullies," senior executive engineer Alan Kennelly said. His comments came in response to a motion from Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) to the West Clare Municipal District. He had asked that a channel linking the gullies already in place be installed to avoid ongoing flooding from the village cross to Lenihan's Garage on L2048".

ROTARY BIKES FOR AFRICA

Is your bicycle spending too much time by itself in the garden shed? Maybe it’s time to send it to prison for rehabilitation and then be shipped off to do some good in the African country of Gambia.

That is what is happening to 75 good quality bikes collected in County Clare since the project launch on 19 August. Last Wednesday, 7 October the Irish Army in the persons of Corporal Mark O’Flynn and Private Declan Keogh, Sarsfield Barracks, Limerick, loaded a container full and hauled them to the Shelton Abbey Prison in Arklow. They were aided by Eamon Rynne, Site Manager and other County Council staff as well as Annie Walsh, project coordinator for the Ennis Rotary Club.

In helping to sort the donated bikes Annie Walsh emphasized that for these bikes to be useful under the rough conditions in rural Gambia they must have mountain bike type wheels of 24 inch diameter or larger.

Any bikes not up to standard are scrapped for metal. She also repeated her statement from the project launch: “Children in Africa often have to travel up to 10km to get to school and back in a day and doing this on

foot, in extreme heat, can be difficult at best.

We urge you to get involved and help to transform the lives of these children.”

The Rotary Ireland School Bikes Africa project, with the support of Clare County Council, gives members of the public across Clare the opportunity to bring their unwanted bicycles to the Central Waste Management Facility at Ballyduff Beg, Inagh, for FREE. From there, the Army will deliver the bicycles to the open prisons at Loughan House, County Cavan, and Shelton Abbey, County Wicklow, where they will be refurbished by prisoners. Then Rotary ships them to Gambia in Africa to be distributed to school childrenr.

Over the last few years Rotary Ireland has delivered 4,000 bikes and therefore helped more than 4,000 children. Currently Co. Clare is budgeted for 300 bikes to be collected over the next several months. They must be in reasonable condition. If a new chain, saddle or brake cable is required that is fine but if a bike is buckled or very rusted, then it is not suitable for this scheme.

Jason Dempsey, Rotary Ireland District International Services Team Lead, summed up this project as being a “win, win, win”:

a win for the climate, given the benefits of “repair and re-use, as well as promoting sustainable transport”; a win for inmates “providing training and rehabilitation”; and a win for children “providing a better chance for education”.

Members of the public can donate their unused and unwanted bicycles at the Central Waste Management Facility in Ballyduff Beg, Inagh. Opening hours are as follows: Tuesday to Friday – 8.30am to 4.30pm; andSaturday – 8.30am to 1.00pm.

l RE-CYCLE: Private Declan Keogh, Anne Walsh, Corporal Mark O’ Flynn and Eamon Rynne

IT’S TIME TO RENOVATE YOUR HOME

The home renovation demand keeps hopping

I

f you’re going to be stuck at home for an extended stay – as many in Ireland and indeed County Clare have been at times this year - you might as well do it in style. That appears to be the sentiment of many who suddenly became all too familiar with the walls and ceilings of their own homes in the Covid-19 lockdown.

LikeFolio, a US-based consumer analyst company, found that consumer mentions of “home renovations” rose 40 per cent year over year during the threemonth period starting in March 2020.

That coincides with the beginning of the nationwide shutdown.

With an abundance of time and a

propensity for prolonged boredom, a number of people seemed to have caught the “do-it-yourself ” (DIY) bug, at least enough to venture a few major upgrades, add some pizzazz to their decor, or just fix a few things around the house that were off-kilter. Overall, every area of the house registered a year-over-year uptick in renovation mentions as consumers were stuck at home and desperate for something to do. LikeFolio found that the top two renovations mentions included the living area and kitchen.

The Clare Echo this week looks at some of the freshest trends and best ways to bring some freshness to your home in 2020.

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26 REFURBISH YOUR HOME

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15 2020

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UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS WHAT’S THE FLOOR PLAN? W HEN it comes to flooring, the options these days seem endless. Current trends can be hard to keep up with - what’s the first step with my new floor? Do I want carpet, hard wood, laminate, tiles, or luxury vinyl flooring? What will suit my kitchen unit, my stairs or sitting room furniture?

Once your floors are fitted, it’s quite the long term commitment so it’s important to get it right and whatever you opt for must stand the test of time.. Here, we bring you some trends and ideas to help you on your way.

DOWNSTAIRS New wooden floors can transform your living room, and an authentic grainy look will serve you the longest; while real hard wood is still a very popular option, there are a multitude of options to suit your budget (pop in to your local floor specialists for infor).

Grey wood are becoming popular as they provide a good neutral base to style your living area around and offer a bright fresh alternative to the traditional darker tones we usually associate with living rooms. Adding depth of colour can be achieved with cushions and rugs, or wall art.

With more and more open plan living spaces, it’s a very clever option to continue the same flooring throughout your entire downstairs shared spaces such as kitchen, hallway and living area. But if your home

isn’t set up like so - or even if you prefer to break up an open plan area and create different atmospheres - then flooring can be the perfect way to achieve this.

Create a modern parquet look in your kitchen with luxury vinyl flooring; it gives an authentic look without the difficult upkeep, it’s the perfect style to add character to your kitchen design project. Of course, tiles are still the staple in many Irish kitchens but vinyl flooring is definitely on the rise.

UPSTAIRS The bathroom can often be left as an afterthought because it’s hidden away and becuase tile trends move fast, it’s not unusual to see a LOT of outdated bathrooms so it’s important to give this the attention it deserves in order to get years out of your bathroom.

Therefore the more pared back the better; the humble subway tile paired with darker neutral floor tiles is a safe bet but also a classy one.

Bedrooms, meanwhile, are one area where carpeting is and probably always will be very popular - nothing like a soft, warm landing when you get out of bed in the morning!

Again, it’s neutral all the way and a light grey carpet works with a number of bedroom decor styles. You won’t go wrong with a high quality carpet that will stay in good shape for a long time.

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28 REFURBISH YOUR HOME

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15 2020

Is it time to go solar?

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OLAR PV grants of up to €3,800 are available for homes around Ireland and with that in mind, we look at the process of taking the next step in modernising your home heating needs.

The only factors effecting whether it’s right for you are the physical constraints of your property. The panels measure 1.6m x 1m and it’s preferable to have six, along with a shade-free surface that faces either south, east or west.

How it works: Solar panels convert the sun’s energy into electricity, before a control device changes this electricity enabling it to power electrical items. The electricity then passes through a breaker box to outlets in the building. Items such as a refrigerator and lamp can plug into the outlets for power.

BENEFITS OF A SOLAR PV SYSTEM Lower Electricity Bill The average Irish home can save up to €1,100 on their electricity bill with a Solar PV system. Solar energy lets you save money for what really matters to you.

Property Value A Solar PV System will enhance your BER (Building Energy Rating) and increase the value of your property.

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electricity.

Maintenance Free Solar PV systems have no moving parts and are essentially maintenance free. The rain gives them a wash periodically.

Source of Income You can earn money selling your excess solar energy to the electricity grid.

Locally-run company Solarfit can answer any questions you might have and visit your home to give an exact quote based on your requirements.

For more information, visit solarfit.ie or call 085 844 2526.

2020 DECOR TRENDS FOR YOUR RENOVATION A

S WITH new season fashion trends we see new emerging home decor trends each season, that tempt us to update our homes – rather than change them entirely.

Here, we bring you some key trends for 2020 and simple ways to update your existing decor. This means you don’t have to redecorate your whole home to be on song with the latest styles.

Trend 1. Abstract Energy This is the fun, free-spirited interiors trend that takes inspiration from abstract expressionist artwork. With bold geometrics, hand-drawn sketches and playful blocks of colour this look is all about expressing personality in our homes. The purpose is to evoke emotion and create a mood – and that, it certainly does.

Bold patterns and punchy colours lend a more playful approach to styling a decor.

As with the expressionist art movement this trend celebrates the imperfect and fluidity of hand-drawn forms – line drawings play a key focus within this look.

Trend 2. Structured Simplicity Evolving from the Nordic Retreat trend of 2019 this look is stripped back style back.

The purpose is to create a calm, comfy, chilled-out space to relax in – it’s all about making our homes a safe, inviting space to rest and regenerate.

Has grey had its day? The new neutrals are warming, as we look to create a calm yet uplifting space to retreat to from the

feel instantly inviting. This approach will see you through the winter and still light enough to see your home fashionably dressed ready for spring.

The colour palette: The emphasis on natural pigments remains at the roots of this trend. Go for a mix of cool blues and greys teamed with accents of warmer pinks and browns. This organic colour palette can be complemented by washed teals and mossy greens, that are easy to work into a relaxed, neutral scheme.

outside world.

Trade bold and bright for soft and neutral and go for pared-back pieces and considered choices. This element of more thoughtful home choices comes from the trend for being aware of sustainability.

Where to use it? This look works in any setting, whether it’s a rustic kitchen or a small modern bathroom, but it’s especially at home in a living room or bedroom, paired with a dark accent colour.

Trend 3. Honest comforts Layer up comforting cushions, throws, knits and faux furs to make any space

Trend 4. Eclectic Glamour A move on from Retro Revival last season, this is 2020’s bold, confident and sassy take on the glamour trend. Taking it up a notch this reimagined trend is a grown-up look that channels Thirties sophisticated elegance with a little sexy Seventies-style opulence thrown in. Here shapely furniture with rounded curves and fluid shapes takes centre stage within this elegant theme.

Think 1920s elegant occasional chairs with the scalloped shell-like backs and soft edges.

Pick rich tones for key pieces, such as royal blue or ruby, mixed with warmer tones of ochre, rose and bronze. Layer on the bling with lashings of metallic touches – think gleaming gold, burnished copper, brushed brass and bronze.

Trend 5. Japani There’s been a strong Japanese design element running as an undercurrent through interior collections over the past few season. This autumn winter it’s really

coming into it’s own as a stand out trend.

Several big retailers have presented us with collections bursting with rich silk textures, graceful bird motifs, stylised oriental prints and structured furniture shapes.

A mash-up of elegant Japanese minimalism and rustic Scandinavian simplicity, Japandi is a hybrid trend bringing together the best of these two much-loved styles.

This trend is the one for you if your home is your sanctuary and you take a less-ismore approach with uncluttered spaces, clean lines and a calm, subdued colour palette.

Combining the mindfulness elements of Scandinavian hygge and the Japanese theory of ‘wabi-sabi’ this trend finds effortless beauty in the simple things.

Lantern style lighting, like this bamboo floor lamp, helps to add a soft ambient light that’ll keep homes in a state of calm serenity at all times.

Trend 6. Refined Glamour The new glam is less sheen, more sophisticated. Luxury materials such as pewter, marble and velvet all mix together beautifully to create fine decorative details.

Fringing is everywhere this season, from lampshades to wall hangings – fringe is in!

Key colours: Dusky rose and pewter.

Key materials: Velvet, marble, brass and smoked glass The new metallics are more muted than in previous seasons, feeling more sophisticated. The brass is matt and the silver, despite being almost liquid silver, has a less shiny look compared to chrome.

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Sport Clare Echo THE

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Clare must be ‘totally focused’ for football League resumption SEAMUS HAYES CLARE V FERMANAGH Sunday, 1pm, Cusack Park S FAR as the Clare players and officials are concerned, Sunday’s national league division 2 fixture with Fermanagh, scheduled for Cusack Park at 1pm is going ahead Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have led to the shut down of activities within Fermanagh GAA and officials in that county have called on the authorities at Croke Park to postpone the game. That request has been rejected and Croke Park have ruled that the fixture will go ahead and this has led to suggestions that Fermanagh may not be in a position to field a team.

“From our point of view, we must assume that the game is going ahead and we have to prepare ac-

A

cordingly. It’s out of our control and its between the GAA and Fermanagh. Its important that we are totally focused”, Clare manager Colm Collins told The Clare Echo.

He added, “We have three very important games in a three week period. We have to be aware of the schedule and take it one game at a time and focus on each one. We cannot get side tracked.”

As revealed by The Clare Echo last week, Clare have been boosted by the news that both Gary Brennan and Jamie Malone have rejoined the panel and since then Podge Collins has returned to the squad and came off the bench in their challenge match win over Galway last week. Éire Óg’s Aaron Fitzgerald has also returned to the panel, the defender missed the beginning of the League with a knee injury.

For Sunday’s game Clare must plan without Conal Ó hÁiniféin who is out due to a recurrence of a hamstring injury which has been troubling the Ruan man for some

Clare senior football manager Colm Collins says we must assume the games are all going ahead

Photos by John Mangan

time. Kilmurry Ibrickane’s Dermot Coughlan is ruled out and is set to miss the entirety of the 2020 inter-county championship with a knee injury.

Otherwise Collins and his backroom team have a full squad from which to select from. A victory will strengthen the Banner side’s chances of remaining in division 2.

“Division 2 is so competitive.

There is nothing between the teams and every game is vital and this is no different”, according to the team boss. and to us. Hopefully we have prepared well enough”, he concluded.

Victory on Sunday will strengthen Clare’s chances of retaining division 2 status for 2021. The Banner side are due to face current league leaders Armagh in the final game of the campaign on Saturday week, a fixture which is also scheduled for Cusack Park. A week later they will travel to Semple Stadium in Thurles to take on Tipperary in the quarter final of the Munster championship.

Smyth ruled out as McCarthy injury blow for u20s minors face Cork

by SEAMUS HAYES

A

S THE Clare minor hurlers complete preparations for Saturday’s Munster championship clash with Cork, they have been dealt a massive blow with the news that Keith Smyth is out due to injury.

The Killanena clubman (pictured, photo by Martin Connolly), a member of last year’s team, suffered a broken collar bone in a challenge game against Wexford two weeks ago.

“Like all counties, preparations have been difficult this year because of Covid 19. We were due to play Galway last weekend and this was to be the final test before Saturday’s game but we had to cancel due to the latest restrictions”, explained team manager Brian Coffey this week.

With a number of dual players in the squad, there were some players in isolation in recent weeks after an outbreak of the virus amongst the minor football team. “It was unfortunate for some players that they were missing at a critical point in the preparations but they are all back now”, the manager told The Clare Echo.

Amongst the dual players are Michael Nash, Josh Guyler, Cillian McGroary and Mark O’Loughlin. Adam Hogan from Feakle will captain the minor team with Crusheen’s Oisin O’Donnell and Eire Og’s Jarlath Collins as joint vice captains.

Cork are the reigning Munster under 16 champions while Clare were crowned Provincial under 15 champions the previous year which all points to a lively contest on Saturday. Saturday’s game has a throw in time of 1pm and the winners will qualify for a provincial semi-final against Limerick on Friday October 30 at Thurles at 6.30pm, whereas it will be the end of the season for the losers as this is a straight knock-out competition this year.

AS CLARE put the final touches to preparations for their Munster u20 hurling championship quarter final clash with Tipperary on Monday, they have been dealt a big blow with news that Aidan McCarthy will miss the game.

The Inagh-Kilnamona man sustained a broken thumb while training with the county senior squad last week and currently has his hand in plaster which won’t be removed until Tuesday, the day after Clare’s meeting with the defending champions in Semple stadium in Thurles at 7pm.

Despite McCarthy’s loss, team manager Sean Doyle is upbeat.

“We have a good young squad ready to go. It includes a lot of last year’s minor team. The squad also includes a number of the players that helped St Flannan’s to Harty Cup glory and they gained a lot of experience from that campaign. Twenty five of the panel will be available for this

grade again next year”, the manager told The Clare Echo.

In his second season in charge at this grade, Sean is joined in the backroom team by Evan Kilroy from Oranmore and Val Murnane from Limerick (team coaches) and by selectors Ger Rodgers (Scariff) and Jim McInerney (Tulla).

The manager readily acknowledged, “It’s been a very difficult season to prepare a team because of COVID-19. We had started early in the year and we had done a good few sessions before the lockdown came. We only got to resume five or six weeks ago but we have had a great response from all involved.”

The squad’s preparations were upset again last weekend when challenge games against both Offaly and Wexford were cancelled as a result of COVID-19 restrictions moving to Level 3. “We had already played the Kerry seniors and the Limerick under 20’s and the form was good and we are

expecting a big performance on Monday evening”.

Victory on Monday would earn Clare a home semi-final date against Waterford, a match which is scheduled for October Bank Holiday Monday in Sixmilebridge.

Kilmaley’s Bradley Higgins is also ruled out of this year’s championship. He suffered a cruciate knee injury last year and isn’t expected to return to hurling until 2021. Conner Hegarty is battling a knee injury while Shane Meehan is recovering from a broken nose sustained while playing with his club, Banner, in the Clare junior football semi-final.

Meehan is one of a number of players who are part of the county senior panel at this time.

They others are Paddy Donnellan (Broadford), Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones), Cian Galvin (Clarecastle), Mark Rodgers (Scariff) and the injured Aidan McCarthy

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McMahon grateful for return PÁRAIC MCMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

TIPPERARY V CLARE Sunday, 2pm, The Ragg

A

PERSPEX screen surrounds Laura McMahon’s desk during the working day as an English and PE teacher at John the Baptist Community School in Hospital, but there will be no such protection when the Clare captain takes to the field for the start of the All-Ireland senior camogie championship on Sunday.

Laura is in her second year as captain and for this campaign a move to the forwards has been mooted.

Camogie has always been a welcome outlet for the Newmarket-on-Fergus native, especially this year. “It’s been a way of releasing stress and maintaining fitness.

There has also been that social el-

ement which has been lacking in a large aspect of our lives during the pandemic. It has given us something to focus on aside from COVID-19 and whether loved ones would be affected by it. At the beginning of the pandemic with gyms and facilities being closed during lockdown, it was good to be able to train away in our back garden, against the gable wall or doing basic bodyweight exercises in order to keep active.”

McMahon continued, “People have trained hard all year so it is nice for that training to be put towards something but obviously the health and safety of players and management and the entire county is the number one priority so it’s important restrictions are in place. There’s no dressing rooms, if you’re going to the physio you have to wear a mask. ” As per guidelines from Croke Park, players must travel on their own to and from training and

Laura McMahon chases Niamh Kilkenny of Galway Photos by INPHO / Laszlo Geczo

matches unless they are with someone from the same household. The return of her older sister Roisin to the panel has shortened the journeys while the county captain is also pleased to see Chloe Morey back with the squad.

“It’s great to see the return of

Roisin and Chloe as they hadn’t been part of the panel earlier in the year. Everyone has returned from the club campaign eager to progress in this year’s championship, we had been performing very well in the opening league matches before the lockdown and we want to em-

ulate the same performances and more. It’s great to have my sister back playing with me, I’ve played with her all my life. On and off the field, we get on so well together.

“Travelling to and from training is more enjoyable with Roisin, we get to discuss the trainings and if there was anything we were unsure of we can clarify it for one another, although her singing needs a bit of work if she is to continue coming with me.”

Ger O’Connell’s side are placed in a three team group alongside Tipperary and Dublin, the Ashbourne Cup winning captain doesn’t feel this will pose a disadvantage to their chances. “To be the best you have to beat the rest, we’re in a group with Tipperary and Dublin, two teams that we have a recent history with. Last year we lost to Tipperary and drew to Dublin in games we felt we could have won so this group gives us the opportunity to rectify those results.”

Clare dogs continue to show top form

THIS RUNS www.grireland.ie

CLARE dogs have continued their top form in Galway and in the capital with Coolavanny Chick’s latest wins among the highlights.

The Noel Hehir of Inagh owned Coolavanny Chick turned in another win in the English Derby on Saturday night last - the fourth Irish trained winner of the night as she flew up the straight to record a length and three quarters victory in 29.52.

For her next outing she is boxed in trap six and will be fancied to book her place in the semi-final.

Clare dogs were again on top form at Galway on Friday. As the traps rose for the A2 graded 575 contest Astro Abby was best away with Wee Small Hours out wide but on the long run to the opening bend the Michael Casey of Mullagh owned Mall Finn Junior surged between runners and took command. The Martin Fahy trained son of Rio Quatro & Paradise Maria was clear off the home bend and he crossed the line four and a half lengths clear of the gallant Astro Abby in 31.55.

In the early strides of race three, an A5 contest over 525 yards Cragbrien

Bengie and Flighty Lady were both away smartly with Cragbrien Bengie leading by a length rounding the opening bend. Turning down the back Flighty Lady took a narrow advantage on the outer but approaching the penultimate corner the Martin Cronin and Robbie Markham of Ennis took command as the son of Sparta Maestro and Cragbrien View went clear to defeat Zero Space by six lengths in 29.53.

Tromora Skip owned

by Quilty’s David Hogan recorded her third career success in race four, an S6 graded contest. She made all to defeat Corrandulla Brae by five and a half lengths in 19.28. Very smartly into her stride the daughter of Good News and Tromora Sonic was in control rounding the opening bend. Tracking well between the two bends she drew right away off the home bend for a convincing success.

It was fifth time lucky for Ferryfourth Jess in race six, an A6 graded contest.

Owned by Frank Casey of Newmarket-on-Fergus, she led at the crown of the home bend on her way to

a six and a quarter length success over Callanna Psycho in 29.80.

The outcome of race seven, an A4 graded contest was effectively decided at the opening bend with all six runners within two lengths of the lead there was plenty of bunching but right along the rails the Eve & Martin Crowe of Roselevan owned Mr Logan held his ground well and turned down the back three lengths to the good. The Donie Duggan trained runner stayed on really well to defeat Knockmeale Star by five and a quarter lengths in 29.29.

Clare’s only winner on Saturday night came in the concluding A3 graded 525 Yards contest. Puck Out and Heathlawn Wonder were away well but on the run up the former edged outwards all the way leading to some crowding at the opening bend. Tending down the back though the John Browne of Ballyea owned Rathmeehan Queen moved through along the inner and once she drew alongside Puck Out the outcome never looked in doubt, winning by six lengths in 29.20.

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A GAA Compendium highlights Clare contribution to game CIAN O’BROIN cian@clareecho.ie

J

ohn Scally has penned a brand-new GAA sports book, providing a glimpse into the life of Clare Senior Hurling Manager Brian Lohan. John also details the life of Jimmy Smyth, labelling the late Clare man as ‘one of the greatest hurlers of all time, with a unique expertise in the folklore of the

GAA.’ The Dublin based, former-journalist turned teacher provides a profile of Brian Lohan, admitting, “I have no hesitation in saying that he was the greatest full-back I have ever seen.” Captivated by the current Clare manager, John informs that he decided to look into his life after coming across a famous hurling marketing campaign from the 1990s, adorning the slogan: Not Men But Giants.

John states: “To me the man who most encapsulates this

phrase is Brian Lohan. There was no more thrilling sight in hurling than seeing Brian charging up the field in his iconic red helmet. To sum him up in three words is easy: Simply the Best.”

The Peoples Games: A GAA Compendium is laden with fascinating anecdotes, information and entertainment.

It is available to purchase in all bookshops and online on Amazon.

‘Brian Lohan should have been called the Postman’ An excerpt from The People’s Game “Brian Lohan should have been called the Postman.

He always delivered for Clare.

He led by his actions and raised the standards of everyone else.

In the 1990s a drinks company sponsored an advertising campaign promoting the game of hurling under the slogan ‘Not Men But Giants.’ To me the man that embodied this idea more than any other was Clare’s full-back at the time Brian Lohan. It was a time when rumours of the savage intensity of what went on inside the high walls of Clare training sessions had been common currency. Has there ever been a more iconic artefact than Lohan’s red helmet as he thundered up the field yet again to turn defence into attack and whip the Banner brigade in the stands into a frenzy? Has there ever been a more inspirational full-back? Was there ever a better full-back?

In 2001 Ger Loughnane predict-

ed that Brian Lohan would go on to manage Clare. In 2019, after a controversial and sometimes turbulent process, he was appointed Clare manager. His first major test as a manager came in the League away to Wexford, managed by his former teammate Davy Fitzgerald.

The media went into a frenzy beforehand about whether both men would publicly shake hands afterwards given the high profile spat between them. There was no grand reconciliation.

Whatever Lohan achieves as an intercounty manager his place in the annals of Clare hurling is secured because of his achievements as a player: full-back on the All-Ireland winning teams of 1995 and ’97.

Munster appointments for Clare refs TWO Clare referees have been appointed to take charge of games in the Munster minor championships next week, writes Seamus Hayes.

On this Sunday, Éire Óg clubman Niall Malone will take charge of the minor hurling first round meeting of Kerry and Tipperary which will be played at the LIT Gaelic grounds in Limerick with a 1pm. throw in.

Niall refereed the Clare senior hurling final in 2019 while he handled the 2020 intermediate hurling decider.

On Sunday week, October 24, Miltown native Niall Quinn will be in charge of the minor football first round meeting of Limerick and Waterford which will also take place at the LIT Gaelic Grounds in Limerick with a 1pm. throw in.

Now living in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Niall took charge of his first Clare senior final two weeks ago and also handled a number of other games in the competition.

15-10-20

Clare Echo THE

pg 34

instagram.com/ClareEcho twitter.com/ClareEcho facebook.com/clareecho clareecho.ie

No adult supervisor on minor bus that went against COVID recommendations

Only two confirmed cases amongst panel, according to County Chairman Cooney PÁRAIC MCMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

N

O ADULT supervisor accompanied the Clare minor footballers when they travelled by bus for a recent challenge game going against recommendations from the GAA in the process.

As previously reported by The Clare Echo, guidelines from the GAA were broken by Clare GAA in September when 25 Clare minor football panellists travelled by bus to a challenge game in Galway. Only individuals from the same household are permitted to travel in the same vehicle as each other as per advice from the Department of Health.

Manager of the county minor footballers, Dermot Coughlan confirmed to The Clare Echo that the bus driver was the only adult present on the 52 seater bus which had 25 of the panel on board. All players wore a face covering getting onto the bus but he conceded that he could not account for what happened on the bus and therefore was unable to say if social distancing was maintained for the duration of the journey. “They were made aware before they got on the bus that

the mask had to be worn at all times while in close contact, we can only take it on the advice we gave out.”

Coughlan explained, “Before the lads leave home, they have to fill out a return to play app to see if there is anyone that has symptoms before they come to training”. He believed that the team’s COVID officer, Sean Haugh had done “a great job” since they returned to training.

Reports that a player had travelled on the bus while waiting to receive results from a COVID test were “untrue” according to the Kilmurry Ibrickane clubman.

“The first sign of it was Sunday evening, we got a phone call to say a player had a few symptoms. On Monday evening, we heard from a second player showing symptoms.

Automatically we contacted the HSE about it. No player got onto the bus with symptoms or while waiting for results from a test.”

No bus was planned for the trip, Dermot stated. “There was no such thing as a bus being planned. We asked if the parents would be able to drive separate to the match, only a handful were able to drive so we approached the County Board and said the parents weren’t in a position to drive, the challenge match had been arranged for two months.

We had twenty five players travelling, we

Clare County Chairman Joe Cooney

Photo by Martin Connolly

said we needed a bus and that was how it came about.”

He added, “There is no guarantee that it was the bus [which spread the virus], players had filled out the return to play before they got on the bus. Through the HSE guidelines on their website it takes five or six days from the date of infection to the symptoms, there is nothing to say anything was passed on the bus”.

When asked by The Clare Echo if the minor management went against the recom-

mendations of Clare GAA by getting a bus, Co Board Chairman Joe Cooney replied, “We worked together on it”. He said, “Management came onto us that they were looking for a bus to go to the challenge on the Friday evening once it was organised. It was made clear that they had to meet criteria and guidelines which the management spoke on and it was done. Naturally enough, between the management and Clare GAA the bus was agreed on to go to Galway to the challenge game.”

Cooney insisted he was satisfied with the manner in which the management organised and dealt with the situation. “There has been consultation the whole time and we are working with the management, our belief is they are back training and everything has moved on again.”

Both men outlined that they are still awaiting results from the HSE to determine exactly how many panel members tested positive for the virus, the game in question was held on the last Friday of September.

“We started off with a couple, the HSE are dealing with it at the minute, they haven’t confirmed fully how many we’ve had, we’re still waiting on results to come back so it hasn’t been clarified. We definitely have two,” Coughlan stated.

Lyne, Sexton, Morris & Killeen among winners in Lahinch SEAMUS HAYES SUNDAY’S men’s singles stableford competition on the championship course was won

by Tadhg Lyne (11) with 37 points from Frank Doherty (9) who returned a similar score.

Michael Considine (16) was third followed by Kieran Shanahan (10) and they both also returned 37 points.

The Pretoria cup was played for on Saturday last on the old course where Theo Gosseau (17) was the winner with 78 from Shane Doyle (14) with 81 with Eamonn Connaire (13) in third spot with 82.

The Kilcoran cup was also played for on Saturday on the old course where Neil Kennedy Walsh (6) was the winner with 72 from Michael A Lynch (9) with 74 and Conor Brannock

(6) who also returned 74. Noel Sexton won the gross with 79.

In the Frank O’Brien cup competition on the championship course last week Noel Sexton (3) was the winner with 32 points from Neil Kennedy Walsh (6) with 31 and Michael A Lynch (9) with 31.

In a men’s fourball stableford competition on the Castle course, David Mescall (11) and Brian Rochford (14) were the winners with 49 points from Ronan Cooney (2) and Peter Hennessy (2) with 48 points while John McInerney (12) and Derek O’Neill (7) were third, also with 48 points.

The ladies hamper competition on the old course last week was won by Niamh Reddan (18) with 40 points from Mary Fahey Coen (16) with 38 points with Emma Frazer(19) in third spot with 38 points.

The hamper competition on the Castle course was won by Kitty Morris (13) with 41 points

from Peggy Costello (21) with a similar score. Martina McInerney (38) was third, also with 41 points.

The ladies turkey competition on the old course last Monday was won by Margaret Ann Killeen (15) with 36 points from Ann Ui Nuallain (27) with 33 points.

ENNIS GOLF CLUB: There was a big entry for the men’s hampers competition, sponsored by Ryan’s Centra, at Ennis at the weekend.

Brendan Pyne (12) with 42 points was the winner with two to spare over Christy Cusack (11). Pat G. McInerney (14) was third, also with 40 points followed by John Considine (12) with 40 points, David Considine (12) with 39 points, Oliver O’Loughlin (12) with 38 points, Liam Pyne (6) with 38 points, Cathal Ryan (19) with 37 points, Barry Vaughan (20) with 37 points and Steve

Keane (14) with 37 points. Sean Myatt (1) won the gross with 34 points.

Friday’s open singles was won by Cillian O’Connor (9) with 39 points from John McCarthy (17) with a similar score. Derek Healy (12) was third and he also returned 39 points while Dave Kenneally (6) won the gross with 73.

DROMOLAND GOLF CLUB: The Cahercalla 3 ball scramble members competition proved a popular attraction at Dromoland at the weekend.

The winners with 55.8 were Kieran Crosby, Brian Arthur and Brian Hickey. In second place with 56.3 were Mike Daffy, Paul Clune and James Casey while third spot was filled by Seamus Cusack, Tom O’Sullivan and John O’Shaughnessy with 57.5 Gordon O’Neill won the Friday open singles with 41 points from Declan Colleran who had

a similar score while Donagh Murphy was third with 39 points. Jason O’Leary won the gross with 36 points..

The mid week 9 hole competition winner was Billy O’Mahony with 20 points from Chris Maguire with a similar score.

Darren Reilly, also with 20 points, was third.

In the men’s seniors outing last week Michael Bennett won category A from John Casey with Noel McMahon in third spot. In category B, Kevin Kent was the winner from Michael Leyden with Frank Travers in third spot.

Last week’s ladies 9 hole competition was won by Frances Bergin with 20 points from Siobhan Doohan with a similar score. Colette Colleran with 18 points was in third spot.

KILRUSH GOLF CLUB: Joe Daly (15) won the open men’s singles at Kilrush last week with 36 points from Cyril

Kelly (18) with 34.

The Clean Ireland open men’s singles was won by John M Cuggeran (12) with 42 points from Terry O’Hare (14) with 40 points, Rory Flynn (19) with 40 points and Michael Miniter (16) with 40 points.

The competition this weekend will be an open singles.

BANNER GAA Banner GAA club will host a golf classic on this Friday and Saturday at Woodstock golf club. The format will be a team of four and anyone wishing to book a tee time should contact Kevin Toner (0877188427).

The Ennis based club with their headquarters at Shanaway Road adjacant to Woodstock golf club, recently won the junior B hurling title while they have qualified for the junior A football decider for the second year in a row. Their opponents in the football final will be Ballyvaughan.

pg 35 27

10-09-20 15-10-20

Clare Echo THE

instagram.com/ClareEcho twitter.com/ClareEcho facebook.com/clareecho clareecho.ie

CDSL successfully appeal FAI decision on ‘bringing game into disrepute’

S

HANNON’S Ryan Nolan has signed with La Liga outfit, Getafe.

A decision by the FAI that the Clare District Soccer League (CDSL) was guilty of bringing the game into disrepute has been successfully appealed.

In March, the FAI issued a €500 fine and warning to the CDSL for ‘bringing the game into disrepute’. It followed a decision by the CDSL in November to ban Shannon Town C footballer Jordan Downes for six months for “abusive comments” posted on the social media pages

of the CDSL criticising their support of ex FAI CEO, John Delaney.

His suspension made national headlines at the time.

Downes’ ban was lifted following the March hearing.

Stuart Gilhooly, solicitor of the League of Ireland players’ union, the PFAI who

represented Downes had branded the handling of the matter as a shambles.

Ex Chairperson, Oliver Fitzpatrick in one of his final acts in the role lodged a successful appeal against the FAI decision. The appeal was made in March but was not heard until the end

of August due to COVD-19 restrictions.

Fitzpatrick prepared the submission and represented the CDSL at the hearing.

He flagged “a number of discrepancies” in the FAI’s handling of the original case.

Both parties reached an agreement that leagues are

not responsible for communication between a club and its players on disciplinary matters.

Last month, the €500 appeal fee was returned to the CDSL.

Clare boasts connections to Ireland’s latest world champion PÁRAIC MCMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

IRELAND’S latest world champion, Oisin O’Callaghan has strong links to Co Clare.

On Sunday morning, the seventeen year old claimed the UCI MTB Downhill Junior World Championships Title in Salzburg, Austria. He blasted down the 2.3-kilometere course, dubbed the “Speedster” as speeds approaching 65 km/h on the rough terrain to finish in a time of 4:02.142.

O’Callaghan finished ahead of Great Britain pair Daniel Slack and James Elliott to win Ireland's first ever Downhill world title at the Mountain Bike Championships.

Speaking after being awarded the rainbow jersey, Oisin said, “I don’t think it’s sunk in fully yet, later on I think it will. It’s a bit overwhelming right now. I think every racer aims to win. But top five would have been really good. Everyone has been sending me messages and hoping that I do well”.

“When I was in the hotseat at the bottom, riders were coming down ten seconds slower and I was wondering what I had done because it was my first race at this level, I was too young before and the manager then told me I was guaranteed a medal but we didn’t know what colour,” he added.

From Ardpatrick in Co Limerick, Oisin’s father Chris hails from Hermitage in Ennis while his mother Mary is from Kilfinnane.

The majority of Chris’ siblings still live in the Banner County.

Currently in Slovenia, Oisin and his father have yet to return home for the celebrations. Speaking to The Clare Echo on Wednesday, Oisin’s aunt Michelle Dormer said the entire family has been on cloud nine since the win over the weekend.

“We’re ecstatic, we’re dreaming of when we can see them and congratulate them properly, it was a wonderful success and we’re all delighted”.

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THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

PLANNING NOTICES CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL Ballyloughnane, Ogonnelloe, Co. Clare Planning Permission is sought by Grainne Quigley and Matthew O’Brien for the construction of a new two storey detached house, a single storey detached garage, a waste water treatment and disposal system, a bored well, a new site entrance and all associated works at Ballyloughnane, Ogonnelloe, Co. Clare. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL 73 Cluain Ros Leamhain, Ennis, Co. Clare Take notice that Claire Neylon is applying to Clare County Council for planning permission for an extension to the rear of an existing dwelling house along with all associated works at the above address. The planning application

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

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL Doolin Tld., Doolin.

I Aiden Fitzgerald B.Eng. MIEI of AF Engineering, Doolin, Co. Clare, 087-9955689, intend to apply to Clare County Council on behalf of Aiden & Natalie Fitzgerald for planning permission at the above address, the development will consist of a dwelling house and garage, proprietary wastewater treatment system, sand polishing filter and percolation area together with ancillary works. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee,

€20, within a period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application and such submissions or observations will be considered by the planning authority in making a decision on the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions or may refuse to grant permission CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL, Glascloon, Doonbeg, Co Clare Take notice that P. & G. Crotty intend to apply to the Planning Authority for permission to alter and extend their existing dwelling house. The works involve the following; a) to construct a new single storey rear extension b) to construct a new first floor extension area with associated rear projection c) to install a new window and door on the existing east elevation d) to alter the internal floor layout e) to install new rooflights along with associated site works at the above address.

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

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

PLANNING 37

THANKSGIVING

THANKSGIVING. ST. JUDE. Most Holy Apostle St. Jude faithful servant & friend of Jesus.

The Church honours & invokes you universally as the patron of hopeless cases, of matters almost despaired of. Pray for me I am so helpless & alone. Make use I implore you of that particular privilege given to you, to bring speedy help where help is almost despaired of. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation & help of Heaven in all my necessities, tribulations & sufferings & that I may praise God with you & all the Elect forever. I promise O Blessed St. Jude to be ever mindful of this great favour to always honour you as my special & powerful patron & to gratefully encourage devotion to you. Amen.

This prayer must be said for 9 consecutive days & published immediately & in 3 days the favour will be granted.

NOTICE OF DETERMINATION The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (“the Minister”) hereby gives notice that he has determined an application dated 05 July 2020 for a Foreshore Licence under Sections 3 (3) of the Foreshore Act, 1933 to ESB, Moneypoint Power Station, Carrowdotia South, Co. Clare for ecological surveys by benthic grab sampling at Ballymacrinan Bay, Co. Clare.

The full Notice of Determination which was published on the Iris Oifigiúl website on 13 October 2020 can be viewed at: http://www.irisoifigiuil.ie/ All documentation in regard to the application including the Notice of Determination can be viewed on the website of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government at: https://www.housing.gov.ie/planning/foreshore/applications/esb-moneypoint-ecological-survey-ballymacrinan-bay. This material may also be inspected free of charge by appointment at the following office of the Department: Foreshore Section Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Newtown Road Wexford Y35 AP90 Tel: 1890 20 20 21 Email: foreshore@housing.gov.ie.

REVIEW PROCEDURE An application for leave to apply for judicial review shall be made within three months from the date when grounds for the application first arose under Section 21(1) of the Order 84 of the Rules of the Superior Courts as amended by S.I No 691 of 2011. The time-limit for such a review commences from the Date of Publication of the full Notice of Determination. Further information on the review mechanism can be obtained on the Citizens Information Board website: www.citizensinformation.ie Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Dated this 15th day of October 2020

THIS WEEKS PUZZLES OCT 15

SUDOKU

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QUIZ 39

THURSDAY, OCT 15 2020

The Clare Echo Quiz John Philip Holland, inventor of

the submarine was born in

which Clare village?

Lahinch Liscannor Cooraclare Mullagh



Which Ipswich town footballer comes from Ennis?

Barry Manilow Barry Cotter Barry McGuigan Barry White



Novelist Edna O’Brien, who hails from Tuamgraney is best known for which ground-breaking novel from 1960?

The County Council The Country Girls The County Final The Country Boys



Ryan Tubridy’s great grandfather came from West Clare. How many years has he been hosting the ‘Late Late Show’?

7 years 9 years 10 years 11 years



Which former Irish President was born in Spanish Point?

Erskine Childers Patrick Hillery Éamon de Valera Douglas Hyde





What was the name of the founder of the GAA, born in Carron?

Michael Cusack Marty Morrissey Daniel O’Connell Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh What is Muhammed Ali’s connection to Clare?

He was born in Clare.

His Mother is from Clare.

His Grandmother is from Clare.

His Great Grandfather is from Clare



Former light heavyweight boxing

champion of the world Mike Mc

Tigue came from what part of

county Clare?

Kilmaley Kilnamona Kilrush Kilkee



Which screenwriter and actor who starred in ‘Adam & Paul’ comes from Ennis?

Mark O’Halloran, Marky Mark, Mark Ruffalo Mark Zuckerberg



Rachael English, presenter of

morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1

grew up in what Clare town?

Kilkee Lisdoonvarna Scarriff Shannon

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

The answers will be revealed in next weeks edition.

QUESTION 9 : Which screenwriter and actor who starred in ‘Adam & Paul’ comes from Ennis?

ANSWERS 6: Barry Cotter 7: 11 Years 8: Kilnamona 9: Mark O’Halloran 10:Shannon

1: Liscannor 2: The Country Girls 3: Patrick Hillery 4: Michael Cusack 5: His Great Grandfather is from Clare

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By Tadhg Holland

TY student at Pobalscoil Ghort Inse Guaire

Last weeks Answers . Grout line on tile missing . Mic missing (woman right) . Green part of dress missing (woman left) . ‘with’ missing on box

. Pole missing near window (left) . Handle missing on cupboard . Gap between cupboard doors missing (right)

Pictured at the Cliffs of Moher following the awarding of the Fáilte Ireland Service Excellence Business Award and the Fáilte Ireland Covid-19 Safety Charter to the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience (COMVE) are (l-r): Eoin Flanagan, HR Manager, COMVE; Kevin Quinn, Enterprise Development Advisor, Fáilte Ireland; Mark O’Shaughnessy, Head of Operations, COMVE; Siobhain King, Projects Officer – Wild Atlantic Way, Fáilte Ireland; Geraldine Enright, Director, COMVE; Noel Lyons, Operations Manager, COMVE; and Noreen Doherty, Bookings Administrator, COMVE.