The Clare Echo 20/06/24

‘We

are living in a death trap’ CHOP CHOP

Doolin locals fearful of further accidents

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

DOOLIN residents say they are “living in a death-trap” amid constant “near-misses” on the local road network.

Doolin’s road network is com ing under increased pressure, with the Cliffs of Moher visitor numbers scaling their way back up to pre-pandemic levels, along with those using Doolin Pier and tourism business to the Burren.

Lack of investment in the road network to match this activity has been criti cised by locals.

toppling over, while he also claims people have been injured by passing busses adjacent to his land.

Owner of Garrihy’s Aran View Service Station, Donie Garrihy said “We still have the worst roads in Ireland from here to Ennis and from here to Kinvara, if you go through Cooraclare it is like Beirut”. He said a new ‘cave’ which has emerged on the road is the latest Doolin tourist attraction.

“We’re living in a death-trap here,” said local farmer Pat Sweeney.

Mr Sweeney assisted the recent recovery of a bus which came close to

A spokesperson for Clare County Council told The Clare Echo that almost half of their regional roads allocation from the Department of Transport has been allocated to Doolin and that all roads in Doolin will be considered for inclusion in all future multi-annual Roadwork Programmes.

Full Story page 12-13

l Tadhg McMahon, Knockerra NS, chops his hair for the Laura Lynn Locks of Love campaign

Photo by Tom Micks

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Starting them young in Scariff

Parents and their children stepped into the world of imagination with delightful Clever Little Handies Rhyme & Sign storytime! As part of of Cruinniú na nÓg in in Scariff Public library through rhythmic rhymes and expressive signs, where they were transported to enchanting realms where stories leap off the pages and into their imagination lead by

O’Callaghan to

be named mayor

ON Friday, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) will be elected as the county’s first citizen, writes Páraic McMahon.

Kilmurry based O’Callaghan was returned for a third term on Clare County Council after he secured 1,475 first preferences and surpassed the quota for the first time in his political career.

The Clare Echo has learned that for the duration of this Council term up until 2029, the position of the county’s first citizen will also be held by Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG), Cllr Ian Lynch (IND), Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) and Cllr Paul Murphy (FG).

O’Callaghan had confirmed he would “throw my hat in the ring” when asked by The Clare Echo on the potential of becoming Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council.

Fianna Fáil councillors met on Tuesday night as they finalised their plan to continue with the power-sharing agreement in the Council. The party fell just short of securing a majority on the local authority, a move which may have put the agreement in jeopardy.

With O’Callaghan to become Mayor, it will mean that for the third year in a row the Mayoral chains are resting in East Clare, he will succeed Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) who was preceded by Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF).

Retirements of both Pat McMahon (FF) and Gerry Flynn (IND) have led to vacancies to head up Strategic Policy Committees. These posts bring with them an annual allowance of €5,978.48.

Remaining in the portfolio as Chair of the Rural Development SPC is Cllr Pat Hayes (FF), Cllr John Crowe (FG) keeps a post as an SPC Chair but takes over the Social De-

velopment SPC which has responsibility for housing and succeeds Flynn.

Creation of a new Tourism Directorate in the Council has resulted in a new SPC which will be headed up by Cllr Shane Talty (FF).

Having been tipped as a potential Mayor during this term, Cllr Pat Burke (FG) has instead landed a new role as Chair of the Physical Development SPC.

Replacing McMahon in the Economic Development SPC as Chair is Cllr Pat Daly (FF) fresh from topping the poll in the Ennis MD.

Numerous appointments will be made at Friday’s AGM. However, none of the six female councillors in Clare will take on any of the senior roles.

Claire Glynn

Photo by Liam Burke/Press 22

l Cllr Alan O’Callaghan

Photo by Joe Buckley

75 Ukrainians to be relocated from Shannon to Lisdoonvarna

SEVENTY-FIVE Ukrainian refugees in Shannon are to be relocated to Lisdoonvarna on Monday.

On Monday last, Ukrainians residing at Phoenix House in Shannon were informed they would be relocated to North Clare unless they found alternative accommodation by Monday (June 24th).

Phoenix House has been home for 200 refugees but 75 of these are to move to Lisdoonvarna with 60 to go to the Imperial Hotel and the remaining 15 to the Burren Castle Hotel. 27 of the residents had been in full-time employment in the Shannon area.

Residents have said they will have to leave the jobs they have secured in Shannon with many children already enrolled in Shannon schools. Ukrainians have raised concerns on the difficulties posed to them now in securing employment and school places in North Clare.

There had been no prior notice given to elected representatives in Shannon or Lisdoonvarna prior to the residents receiving the correspondence that they had to move.

An Taoiseach has said leasing accommodation for refugees has had a “significant cost” to the taxpayer and that the Government are keen to reduce their footprint in this sphere.

Clare TD, Cathal Crowe (FF) raised the matter in Dáil Éireann in recent days.

Minister for for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gor-

man (GP) in a written response to Deputy Crowe stated, “the contract for this property was terminated due to concerns raised fol-

lowing a site visit by the Ukraine Compliance team, along with QTS, an independent inspection company hired by the Department, and the Department of Social Protection.

“The Department is consolidating the BOTP accommodation portfolio, with a focus on ending contracts with non-compliant providers, and in this context a decision was taken to terminate this property”.

Minister O’Gorman added, “Every effort has been made to keep BOTPs as local as possible, but there are very few vacancies in the area due to a significant number of moves. BOTPs are free to make their own arrangements for accommodation, or to reach out to the Red Cross or the Local Authority to avail of pledged or offer a home properties.

“All accommodation provided by DCEDIY is temporary, and BOTPs are informed of this when the request accommodation from the State. Over the next months a significant number of contracts will be ended across the country, and as much notice will be provided to BOTPs to allow them to make their own arrangements if they wish to do so”.

In Clare, there are 5,581 Ukrainians benefitting from temporary accommodation, 2,992 of which are located in 39 multi-occupancy facilities throughout the county.

Raising the matter with the Taoiseach, Deputy Crowe commented, “The enactment of Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda Bill has put huge pressure on counties in the Border area. It has added to fear and anxiety for the migrant community. Many in Britain are seeing that migrating to Northern Ireland may now be their best option. This has manifested itself in many pressures here in the South.

“Perhaps one manifestation of the problems we have seen in the past 48 hours has been at Phoenix House, which is a very large building in Shannon in County Clare housing 200 refugees.

“On Monday, letters were issued to all Ukrainian war refugees there to say they need to be out in two weeks and will be moved to Lisdoonvarna. Most of these people are working in factories and companies in Shannon. They have kids enrolled in schools.

This is devastating.

“Instead of a community saying it does not want them, we actually have a community inundating Councillor David Griffin and I with messages saying these people work in the community, their children are being schooled in local schools and the community wants to keep them there.

“We have trade unions, locals and activists all telling us it is illogical to take them out of Phoenix House in Shannon and move them 60 km up the road. May I add that when they do move 60 km up the road, with them goes the employment. They will be on social welfare at that point because they will be in Lisdoonvarna, where there is no centre of employment. Can the Taoiseach please put eyes on this? Can he and the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman, please intervene in this? It makes sense to keep them in Phoenix House rather than moving children, women and families 60 km up the road and discommoding them entirely. The community is very much speaking in unison to Councillor David Griffin and I on this matter”.

Responding to Crowe’s contribution, the Taoiseach said, “I need to be honest with people that as we are seeing the number of Ukrainian people in State accommodation reduce, we are reducing our footprint in terms of the amount of accommodation that we are leasing because there is a significant cost to the taxpayer here.

“I will raise this issue specifically, and the concerns raised to the Deputy Crowe and Councillor Griffin with regard to Phoenix House as well”.

Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) said it was “deplorable” to give two weeks notice to residents. “Children have already gone through horrific circumstances to get here and have been attending local schools and made friends.

“This may affect schools too. We need to listen to their stories and how this is affecting them, those who work here and are contributing, they have made friends , they have become involved in local community volunteer groups”.

by Paraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

lLisdoonvarna

Over 500 homes prevented from bulk sale in the last three years

by Elaine Tubridy news@clareecho.ie

Over 500 homes in Clare have received planning permission with conditions restricting their sale to bulk buyers over the last three years.

New data has revealed that 529 homes were granted planning with conditions restricting the bulk buying or multiple sales to a single purchaser from May 2021 to May 2024.

The measures introduced b per cent stamp duty levy on the cumulative purchase of 10 or more residential properties, excluding apartments, within a year. This was aimed at deterring institutional investors from bulk purchasing homes.

Nationally, in the past three years, almost 50,000 homes have been prevented from bulk purchases.

The Ministerial Planning Guidelines are part of a series of government measures designed to prohibit the bulk buying of houses and duplexes in order to increase housing stock for home

ownership.

Commenting on the data, Deputy Cathal Crowe said: “Fianna Fáil in Government is committed to supporting home ownership and first-time buyers.

“This latest data demonstrates that our measures designed to prohibit the bulk buying of houses and duplexes in order to increase housing stock for home ownership are working.

“As well as restricting bulk buying, we are also boosting supply through our plan, Housing for All, with recent data for new home commencements at record levels.

“Furthermore, the continuation of the development levy waiver and Irish Water connection charge rebate shows that we are using every lever at our disposal to tackle the housing crisis.

“Fianna Fáil’s top priority remains doing everything we can to help people to afford to buy or rent a home. My focus is on doing whatever I can to keep this positive momentum going.”

Plan your Dream Wedding Day

Voted once again as Wedding Dates 'Top Rated Venue in Co. Clare’ for a third year in a row (2021, 2022 & 2023)

‘A long way to go to have gender balance’ - Women for Election

by Elaine Tubridy news@clareecho.ie

THE Women for Election advocacy group have welcomed the increase in women elected to Clare County Council but notes that there is still a long way to go to tackle the gender imbalance in local government in Clare and calls for gender quotas in local elections.

Four of the existing women Councillors and two new women candidates from the total of 17 women running across Clare have been elected. This gives an increase from 5 to 6 women on the Council, coming in at 21% of the Council, of 28 members in total. Two Local Electoral Areas, Ennistymon and Killaloe, do not have any women Councillors.

“We welcome the increase in the number of women elected to Clare County Council and salute the hard work that it took to get there from the candidates and their campaign teams” said Katie Deegan of Women for Election. “We commend the 16 women who stood in the election, 27% of all candidates.”

“More women at deci-

The Town Hall Bistro

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

The Poets Corner Bar

A traditional Irish pub that opens its doors onto the main town street of

Perfect for a pint, a bite to eat or traditional Irish music session..

sion-making tables makes politics work better for everyone. Our local government will be stronger with better representation of the people it serves, and a balance of men and women involved”, continued Deegan.

“However, the pace of change is too slow. At the current rate, the people of Clare will have to wait for decades to address the gender imbalance on Clare County Council. We need to accelerate the pace of change and it’s time for gender quotas in local elections.”

“Women for Election will continue our work to inspire, equip and support women to run in local and national elections, ensuring that our local and national government truly reflects the diversity within our communities.

“Local Government also serves as a crucial entry point for women to national government, and if we are to change our world standing of women in national government – currently Ireland is 103rd in the world – we need to do much more to support more women to enter local government” concluded Deegan.

The Brendan O’Regan Restaurant

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

The Poet's Corner Bar is a traditional Irish pub that opens its doors onto the main town street of Ennis. Perfect for a pint, a bite to eat or traditional Irish music session.

Ennis.

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

lCAMPAIGN: Rachel Haritgan (FF) was elected to the Shannon Municipal District

‘Fine Gael’s tribal campaign squeezed North Clare challengers’

lSURPRISED: Denis Vaughan

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

FINE Gael ran a “tribal campaign” in North Clare which “squeezed” challenging candidates according to one of Labour’s two unsuccessful candidates across the county.

Denis Vaughan (LAB) polled 92 first preference votes in the Ennistymon LEA and was eliminated on the third count following the elections of both Bill Slattery (FG) and Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG).

Speaking to The Clare Echo if he was surprised by his vote, Denis answered briskly, “yes, next question”.

Asked why he believed his vote was the lowest of the nine candidates, the impresario outlined, “I think we’ve been squeezed by the Fine Gael tribal campaign in North Clare, Bill has been working on the campaign for the last three or four months, nobody with a full-time job can spend that amount of time on it”.

Gort based stonemason, Michael Loughrey (IP) who had a low profile in North Clare ran for the Irish People managed to get a higher vote than Ennistymon’s Vaughan.

When asked why he felt such a scenario occurred, Denis stated,

“I’m not answering that question. I’m representing the Labour Party and we have certain values.

“That is democracy, I’m a democrat unlike lots of other people, I fought for democratic principles and I will continue to do so”.

There are lessons to take from the campaign, the former Chairperson of Labour’s branch in Clare said,

“You always learn lessons, this is my first campaign as a candidate myself, I’ve learned a lot from it and I’ll keep on learning from it”. Vaughan continued, “To start campaigning earlier is the first lesson. I fought a campaign of anti-racism, in this campaign we have a labour shortage and it’s been filled by the immigrants, the refugees and the Ukrainians, these people are very welcome, what would we do without them, they are helping our economy and keeping the taxes down”.

On what his future holds in politics, Denis commented, “We’ll see but I will continue campaigning as I have for many years, we’ve the General Election coming up”. When asked if he may throw his name into the ring, he said, “We’ll see”.

Ex Clare FM producer Sweeney hired as new PA to Deputy Crowe

FORMER producer of Clare FM’s Morning Focus, Ben Sweeney is to become the new parliamentary assistant of Clare TD, Cathal Crowe (FF).

Last month, The Clare Echo reported that James Mulhall, himself a former news reporter with Clare FM was to finish up as PA to Deputy Crowe. The Offaly native had been in the role since April 2020 after the Meelick man was first elected to Dáil Éireann.

Once again Deputy Crowe has opted for a former member of the newsroom at the Francis Street based Clare FM to take on the mantle as his PA.

Ben Sweeney who left Clare FM shortly after Mulhall’s exit has been a communications executive at his alma mater Mary Immaculate College for the past four years. The Ennis man is a past pupil of St Flannan’s College and was heavily involved with Wired FM during his time as a student at MIC and was nominated for a SMEDIA award.

Sweeney served as producer on

Clare FM’s Morning Focus when it was presented by Gavin Grace. Prior to this, he held the same role on Tipp FM’s Tipp Today which is

fronted by Fran Curry. Ben’s father Ger was the first voice heard on Clare FM and has held many presenting roles with the station since

its formation in September 1989.

Before Ben begins his new role as PA, the role will be filled temporarily by Cllr Rachel Hartigan (FF)

who last year worked as an intern in Crowe’s constituency office. She said this experience was a factor in influencing her decision to contest the local elections where she was elected and is now the youngest elected member of Clare County Council.

Deputy Crowe in a statement to The Clare Echo said of the new appointment, “I have known Ben for many years and he will be a superb addition to our small, but very effective, office team”.

Ben said of the new role, "Cathal has proven himself to be a hardworking and dedicated representative for the people of Clare and I'm excited to join him and his busy team in the coming weeks".

Mary Skehan and Sonya Wood Fahey both work as secretarial assistants in Crowe’s constituency office.

Meanwhile, Clare TD, Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) has hired her latest parliamentary assistant. Kathleen Coll has commenced employment as PA to Deputy Wynne.

Man accused of assault on flight diverted to Shannon flies home

by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie

THE 19-year old man accused of carrying out two ‘serious assaults’ on board a flight that was forced to divert to Shannon last week was able to fly home from Dublin airport two days later, a court has heard.

At Ennis District Court yesterday (Wednesday, June 19), solicitor for Jay Dalziel, Stiofan Fitzpatrick said that Mr Dalziel flew back from Dublin last Friday evening after a €5,000 cash surety was presented at Limerick prison earlier on Friday.

Mr Dalziel spent one night in Limerick prison after Judge Alec Gabbett remanded Mr Dalziel in custody with consent to bail last Thursday after Mr Dalziel appeared before court arising from an incident on board a Tenerife bound flight from Glasgow on Wednesday afternoon.

In the case, Mr Dalziel of Cornelia Street, Motherwell in Scotland appeared after being charged with two counts of assault causing harm against on board the Glasgow to Tenerife flight on Wednesday, June 12th.

Mr Dalziel is also facing two

breach of the peace charges contrary to Section 20 of the Air Navigation Act on board the jet2.com flight no L3155 on June 12th where he is accused of engaging in behaviour of a threatening, abusive or insulting nature whether by word

or gesture with intent to cause of breach of the peace.

In the case, Mr Dalziel - who turned 19 at the end of last monthis charged with the assault causing harm of Amie Hendry and assault causing harm of John Mills country

to Section 3 of the Offences against the Person Act 1997 on June 12th.

The flight departed Glasgow at 3.30pm on Wednesday and diverted to Shannon airport shortly after following an incident on board.

Mr Dalziel was arrested by Gardai after the aircraft touched down and was brought to Shannon Garda Station and the flight continued its journey to Tenerife.

l

Explaining the requirement for the independent surety of €5,000 last Thursday, Judge Gabbett said: “These are serious assault charges and it is important that I know someone is going to face trial.”

Mr Dalziel was excused from attending court today and in court, Judge Gabbett said today “there is potential for other charges there”.

In reply, Mr Fitzpatrick said: “There is a lot of potential for a lot of things.”

Judge Gabbett said that Mr Dalziel “was a very lucky man that his grandfather was available” to provide an independent surety and accompany him back to Scotland.

Mr Fitzpatrick said it is a reflection on his client that his grand-father travelled so quickly to court.

Judge Gabbett said that he will be testing bail at some stage and require Mr Dalziel to attend court.

Directions from the DPP are still awaited and Sgt John Burke asked that the case be adjourned to July 24th for DPP directions.

Tips for combatting hay fever in June - the don’ts

MET Eireann is forecasting a high pollen count in Munster today and tomorrow, so with that in mind we continue our series of hay fever tips in association with Duffy’s Pharmacy.

The last two weeks have provided tips on how to combat hay fever, this week we’re bringing you the ‘don’ts’.

Hay fever is a common allergy that causes sneezing, coughing and itchy eyes most commonly. It can’t be cured but there are things you can do to help your symptoms.What not to do:

CUTTING THE GRASS:

Avoid mowing the lawn yourself. Grass cutting releases pollen and other allergens into the air, which can aggravate hay fever symptoms. Consider hiring someone else to do it or wear a mask if you must do it yourself.

KEEPING FLOWERS IN THE HOUSE:

Refrain from bringing fresh flowers indoors. Flowers can release

pollen into your home, increasing the concentration of allergens in your living space and triggering hay fever symptoms.

DRYING CLOTHES OUTSIDE:

Do not hang your laundry outside to dry where pollen can cling to your clothes.

SMOKING:

Avoid smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke. Smoke can irritate your respiratory system, making it more susceptible to pollen and other allergens.

KEEPING PETS OUTSIDE:

Pets can bring pollen indoors on their fur. Regularly groom your pets and consider keeping them indoors during peak pollen times to minimize the amount of allergens they carry into your home.

For professional advice, visit Duffy’s Pharmacy at Ennis Shopping Centre on Francis Street, Ennis and speak to your local pharmacist.

l Avoid drying clothes outside

The alleged incidents occured on board a flight to Tenerife

Professor Kerstin Mey resigns as UL President

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

PRESIDENT of the University of Limerick, Kerstin Mey has resigned from her role.

UL Chancellor, Professor Brigid Laffan confirmed in a statement on Friday afternoon that Professor Mey is stepping down as President but will remain employed within the University.

She stated, “Professor Mey shall resign from her role as President of the University of Limerick. From 1 September 2024, Professor Mey shall be taking up a Professorship role within the University”.

At the end of March, Professor Mey went on sick leave at a time when she was facing increasing pressure to resign from her post after a botched property deal involving UL.

She extended her period of sick leave in the middle of April.

Professor Mey has been asked to consider her position by a number of groups, including members of the college's executive committee, after it emerged the institution lost €5.2m after paying inflated prices for 20 homes in Rhebogue last year.

Her decision to go on sick leave occurred before college management were due to appear before the Public Accounts Committee.

Both UL Unite, the union that represents over 900 staff at the university and the UL Postgraduate Students Union passed a no confidence vote in the

in Germany and the UK.

She had been appointed President of UL in September 2020 on an interim basis following the early retirement of Prof Des Fitzgerald who took on the role in May 2017. In October 2021, she was appointed President on a ten year term.

After studying for an MA equivalent in Art and German language and literature at Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany, and obtaining a PhD in Art Theory and Aesthetics there, Kerstin held academic positions in universities

Before she joined the University of Westminster as Pro-Vice Chancellor and Dean of Media, Arts and Design, and Professor of Contemporary Art and Theory in 2013, she was Director for Research and Enterprise at the University for the Creative Arts, UK.

From 2009–2013, she led the research strand Art and its Locations in Interface: Centre for Research in Art, Technologies and Design at the University of Ulster and was Director of the Research Institute of Art and Design there.

Sister Soundsa celebration of tradition at glór

FOLLOWING the success of glór’s First Friday Traditional Music series in spring, the venue is delighted to continue the series with some unique collaborations for summer.

This July 5th, our First Friday features the combined talents of three sets of sisters, in Sister Sounds. Join them for an unforgettable evening of traditional Irish music as three sets of sisters grace the stage with their exceptional talent and deep-rooted musical heritage.

Liz and Yvonne Kane, hailing from Letterfrack, Co. Galway, are renowned for their mastery of the fiddle, captivating audiences with spirited performances steeped in tradition.

The Kane Sisters have performed in prestigious venues all over the world, from Carnegie Hall in New York to the Royal Albert Hall in London and have recorded and collaborated with many well-known artists from The Chieftains to Cherish the Ladies to Steve Earle.

Multi-instrumentalists, Michelle and Louise Mulcahy, from Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick, born into a family deeply rooted in Irish music tradition, have emerged as leading fig-

ures in the contemporary Irish music scene but it's the sweetness and tunefulness of their ensemble playing that is most striking. They have an unmistakable, infectious sound and their skill and enthusiasm come from a lifetime of playing together.

Carmel and Teresa O’Dea, from Ballynacally, Co. Clare complete the line up for this celebration of sisterhood, on fiddle and concertina, showcasing their exceptional traditional musical talents with a terrific night of music in store.

Sister Sounds, Friday 5 July at 8pm. Tickets €20/€18 conc. + €1 booking fee. Call glór on 0656843103 or visit www. glor.ie.

President.

lNO CONFIDENCE: Professor Kerstin Mey

l Liz &Yvonne Kane

‘We’re living in a death trap here’

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

DOOLIN residents are “living in a death-trap” with locals beginning to make their voices heard when it comes to demanding better road infrastructure and safety.

Last summer, the death of Jerry O’Connor in Ballyvaughan prompted his wife Helga Himmelsbach to launch a campaign seeking better road conditions in North Clare. Now in nearby Doolin as the tourist season prepares to intensify and the dawning of a fresh term for newly elected councillors in North Clare has prompted locals to ensure further tragedies are avoided.

The Clare Echo spoke with two community leaders in Doolin and accompanied them on a tour around the village where this writer drove the black-spots and junctions, the through road from Doolin to Liscannor among those with next to know visibility for motorists emerging from the junction.

Chairperson of Doolin IFA, Pat Sweeney highlighted that farmers face constant difficulties when travelling with machinery due to the nature of the tight roads and the frequency of oncoming buses while pointing out that the road structure has not been improved in the last twenty five years. He outlined that near-misses are a constant for farmers in Doolin when they are drawing silage. “We were drawing silage on Wednesday night and there was another near miss, it happens every night when we’re drawing silage or moving cattle.

next door to me in the field and a Spanish girl was hit by a bus. The bus driver came down to me and wanted to know had we flash lights, he thought he hit something so myself and my son Alan went up and we found the girl in the field, that was in the month of November, he didn’t know what he hit. Over the road from me, there was a person killed, a GPS sent this person up from Doolin, they came straight out on the road, a motorcyclist came and killed your man inside in the car, two helicopters landed and I don’t know how many people were brought to hospital. We’re living in a death-trap here”.

There is going to be another fatality, it is only a matter of time “ “

“We have the Cliffs of Moher over the road, it is a great employer, I understand all that but the road structure is not there for the Cliffs of Moher Centre, the new centre was put in in 2008 and I’m astonished that in 2008 when they spent €33m on it that it wasn’t part of a planning stipulation that the road structure be improved, the road structure there today is still the same as it was in 2008. They are now on about this Cliffs of Moher 2040 strategy to develop the centre again and there is not one mention of the main roads leading to it, over 100 buses pass my road every day, even to walk or cycle is gone completely, we got our roads back during COVID and it is gone again,” Pat added.

Having witnessed serious accidents including recently where a bus almost toppled over, Pat is frightened at what could happen next. “We have serious safety concerns with the buses, it is only

Both avenues leading up to Sweeney’s house “have been taken out in the last ten years by accidents, not alone that, about 50 metres over from the main road into my house, a campervan went straight into the field so I went to Clare County Council to see could they upgrade or repair the wall because the campervan went straight through it, I repaired the wall myself because I got sick of it. My two roads have been taken out with different accidents, I was below home one day and I could see this car overtaking another and next thing he lost control and somersaulted over the wall on the other side and landed inside my field, I opened the gate and went to pull him out”. Visitor numbers for the Cliffs of Moher are welcome for the boost they bring to the area but it must result in an improved road structure, Pat insisted. “We got the roads back during COVID and that is when we realised how our lives had changed, you could see the local people out walking and cycling, I could see local families out on the road with their three kids coming behind them on the road with bicycles, we can’t see that anymore. 2019 was the busiest year at the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre, they recorded 1.6m visitors, the numbers aren’t back there yet but they are climbing. We’ll be going back to those numbers again with the same structure, I could not believe how they got away with planning for the new visitor centre in 2008 and it wasn’t stipulated that the road structure had to be upgraded whether it be in Liscannor or Doolin”.

Sweeney continued, “There are roads resurfaced left, right and centre of us here, a great job has been done on them roads, this is the R478 and surely to God the R478 the turn must come around some

time for it to be done, they did the street in Lisdoonvarna a couple of years ago and they’ve done it again, how does it make us feel when they aren’t getting half the traffic that we get from Garrihy’s Shop to the Cliffs, every bus that comes out of the centre comes past my road. A motorbike came a half hour ago, did you see the speed he went at”. Owner of Garrihy’s Aran View Service Station, Donie Garrihy was at boiling point when it came to his frustration on the infrastructure in Doolin. “I was in the fish game for 21 years, the worst road in Ireland is from Doolin to Kinvara, it was Doolin to Kilcoglan but they improved from Kinvara to Kilcolgan, I used to be gone at 4am and it was horrendous, I should have got a gold medal every time I completed the journey. Then I used to go to

Skibberean, leave at 2:30am and arrive for 5:30am, the worst part of the road was from Doolin to Ennis, from Ennis all the way down to Cork was perfect, hello. Fast forward another 20 years, I was in the ferries, the only part of the ferries I knew was the ferries and the concrete pier, I knew nothing else only football and GAA, I lost contact with my locals and as Gerry Howard from Fanore says ‘not everybody gets a second chance Donie’, I appreciate the comment because I get to engage with my locals again. I’m 59 on November 7th, I’m a Scorpio, thank God I wasn’t born in 66 when England won the World Cup or I’d have to change my name, I was thinking, I left school, fish, ferries and the roads are still the same, it is unbelievable”. Donie recalled that he brought

a representative of the Council to Doolin last Autumn to showcase the issues they face but no improvement has been observed in what has been almost a year. “We still have the worst roads in Ireland from here to Ennis and from here to Kinvara, if you go through Cooraclare it is like Beirut, go through Cooraclare and remember my comment. Sitting councillors, Joe Garrihy, Joe Killeen, Bill Slattery and Shane Talty can they wave a magic wand?

“I don’t know if they can or not, where is the stumbling block, is it in Dublin or Europe that they can’t get the money for this, why is the road from the Cliffs of Moher to Liscannor to Lahinch to Miltown Malbay to Ennistymon far superior than the road from the Cliffs of Moher to Lisdoonvarna, why is that, I’ve been a nobody all my life talking about this

lROAD SAFETY: Owner of Garrihy’s Aran View Service Station Donie Garrihy and Chairperson of Doolin IFA

Pat Sweeney and it is awful, coming up to the elections they say I did this and I did that but the biggest comment inside in the shop is that the roads are a disgrace and I’ve been radicalised, the roads are a disgrace. If you want to go see the new tourist attraction in Doolin, it is a cave from Mike O’Callaghan’s down to Tom Shannon’s, you’re driving on the Lisdoonvarna to Doolin Road and you nearly have to take sea sickness tablets, you’re driving along and you go down, it is unbelievable”. Both men said they had no confidence in the local authority to bring about necessary road improvements. “I’ve no confidence, I’ve none, we’ve no confidence in them. Will they hit me with rate charges and denying planning permissions for my sons well God love them, I’ll live where they will die, it is awful,” Donie remarked. He added, “I have no confidence in the powers that be in this county, power my hole”.

Garrihy continued, “They can go about building another white elephant in Ennis while they soak the money out of the Cliffs of Moher and run off with a big bag of money, fair play to them but distribute it. This country in my opinion is not suitable for extreme weather conditions, when there is a storm we have a power cut, when there’s frost there is no salt and when there’s too much heat everything melts and the tar comes off the road, when there’s snow the farmers have to clear it”.

Elected representatives in Clare could learn from the Healy-Raes, Donie maintained. “Go down to Healy Rae country and come back to me then you’ll say ‘Donie you’re dead right’, beautiful roads, landscape because they take pride in their area and look after their communities. Go up to Donegal where there isn’t a quarter as much tourism but they have beautiful roads, we have the busiest place in Ireland but the worst roads are there”.

There has been fatalities on the roads of North Clare, plenty of crashes and further near-misses but no action has been taken to the warning signs, Pat flagged, “There is going to be another fatality, it is only a matter of time”.

He continued, “We’re two ordinary community people, we shouldn’t have to be speaking out on this, it should be done and we shouldn’t be wasting our time but we are so passionate about it now that we’re at the end of our tether, we’re dealing with this day in day out and all the near misses, it is a nightmare, we had a near miss doing silage last night”.

“Everytime we go doing silage there are near misses. There is no way in the world that traffic can pass out, the local drivers know where to pull in but the foreign drivers don’t. Outside my house is a passing out point, when I got planning permission to remodel my house, part of it was that I had to pull the front wall in as part of the stipulation and surface it, that was part of my planning application, I went and did that I abided by the rules but now it is a passing out point for the Cliffs of Moher,” he added.

Having waited until after the local election before making their voices heard, the people of Doolin will be paying close attention to see if the sought-after improvements materialise.

A spokesperson for Clare County Council told The Clare Echo that almost half of their regional roads allocation from the Department of Transport has been allocated to Doolin.

“€691,110 towards Regional Roads has been secured under the 2024 Restoration Improvement Grant - €301,500 of this has been directed to the R479 Doolin to Ballinalacken Road

“Separately, €450,000 has been secured to provide new footpath links between Fisherstreet and Doolin Pier (R459) and Fitz’s Cross to Roadford, Doolin (R479).

A Low Cost Safety project has been identified at the junction of the L-5142 and the R478. This will be completed later in 2024, subject to landowner agreement”.

According to the Council, in 2023 “significant surface improvement works took place on the R459 at Fisherstreet, Doolin

During 2022, 1km of the R478 from Liscannor towards the Cliffs of Moher was upgraded. During 2021, 1.5km of the R478 from the Rock Shop towards the Cliffs of Moher was upgraded. During 2022, a pedestrian crossing and footpath link were provided between Fitz’s Cross and Fisherstreet, Doolin. During 2022, a Low Cost Safety project implemented at the junction of the L-5138 with the R478. Multi-annual drainage programmes carried out along the R478 will enhance any future upgrade projects.

“All roads in the Doolin area, including the R478, will be considered for inclusion in all future multi-annual Roadwork Programmes.

Communication between the very active Doolin Community Group and Clare County Council staff in North Clare, including road concerns for the area, is ongoing and aims to address any local concerns,” the spokesperson added.

McNamara

‘overwhelmed’

by huge Clare vote & doesn’t rule out future General Election run

NEWLY ELECTED MEP, Michael McNamara (IND) has not ruled out putting his name on the ballot paper for a future General Election and admitted he was ‘overwhelmed’ to receive such a strong vote in Co Clare writes Páraic McMahon.

Scariff native McNamara took the third out of five seats in Ireland South to become the first Clare MEP since Paddy Lane (FG) was elected in 1989, prior to this Sylvester Barrett (FF) was elected in 1984.

people in parliament, there are important laws that affect the people and I hope to be able to reflect the people’s views

Canvassing the ten county constituency was “very tough,” he outlined. “In terms of getting around and trying to engage with people and create awareness of one’s campaign across a big area and getting posters up in each county is difficult”.

In a lengthy count, McNamara was elected alongside Kathleen Funchion (SF) and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú (FF) as sitting MEP, Mick Wallace (IND) lost out on the twentieth and final count. Grace O’Sullivan (GP) lost her seat earlier in the contest.

Michael finished with 92,871 in third spot with Ní Mhurchí on 92,502 and Funchion on 90,070. All three were short of the quota of 114,761 which had been exceeded by poll-topper Sean Kelly (FG) on the first count and later by Billy Kelleher (FF) who was flanked by Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) and hoisted in the air when his re-election was announced.

Cratloe farmer Eddie Punch (II) and Corofin architect and planner, Michael Leahy (IFP) joined Scariff’s McNamara as the Clare candidates in the field. McNamara received 56,339 first preferences, Punch had 20,751 and Leahy returned with 12,259 number one votes.

As per the tallies in Clare, Deputy McNamara received a very strong backing from his native county with 16,236 votes, Punch obtained 3,029 and 975 for Leahy. “It was overwhelming and I’m very honoured by the vote I got in Co Clare. I take it as a compliment, I hope half the county didn’t want to see the back of me,” Michael quipped to The Clare Echo of the strong backing he received from the Banner County.

He added, “It is a highpoint, getting re-elected as a TD in 2020 was another high point, when you lose a seat, the chances are low of getting it back so that was a high”. He is hopeful he can still give a voice to the people of Clare, “I will be able to represent the views of Clare

McNamara was unsure what exactly his success could be attributed to. “Maybe begin an Independent who generally tended to poll well was a factor but I’ve been vocal in the Dáil on issues that mattered to people at the time, I know COVID is a while back but COVID and the COVID response affected so many people. More recently a lot of people were taken aback by the Referenda proposals and how badly thought through they were”. Having the support of prominent Independent politicians during the canvass was another asset, he acknowledged.

An initial aim for the farmer and barrister in Brussels is to get on “committees which have an impact”. Agriculture, data protection and the laws governing data, energy, fisheries, trade and human rights are among the issues Michael is hopeful to keep to the fore during his time as an MEP.

He has to commence negotiations on which particular grouping he will form part of in Brussels. “I was only elected on Thursday night so I’ve been concentrating on getting all the posters down as we’re required to do and to try spend a little bit of time with my family because I didn’t see a lot of them for the last six weeks”.

Although he will be based in Belgium, Michael is hopeful to maintain an office in Ennis and that it will be staffed. Currently his office in Lower Market St car park is occupied by his parliamentary assistant Edel Carroll and secretarial assistant Mary Cusack, however an MEP generally has their staff in Brussels with McNamara in the process of finalising such arrangements.

“That will be discussed but I won’t have those discussions in the media,” he stated when asked what will happen his

constituency office and staff. Fresh from his election to European Parliament, McNamara did not rule out a return to Leinster House and contesting another General Election. “It will depend on the timing, I wouldn’t say I’d never appear on a ballot paper for the Dáil but I’d like to give Europe a chance, it is very important and it will be particularly important because of the issues I’ve highlighted to give it a proper go and see what I can do there on behalf of the people who elected”.

At present he felt the Dáil “is becoming more centralised and when it comes to legislation it is rubber stamping. It is the Cabinet who are legislating and the Government backbenchers fall into line, that is not an attack on the backbenchers but it is how it is”. He added, “a planning bill was guillotined at midnight because Govt didn’t want to debate with opposition, that is unusual. I accept legislation has to be passed urgently but I don’t accept the use of the guillotine”.

Use of the guillotine “was a lot more common” in this term than when he first served from 2011 to 2016. “The country is becoming a lot more centralised and we are seeing more powers taken from local authorities and given to unelected representatives”.

Local issues will still be monitored closely by the MEP, he confirmed. McNamara has been praised for his advocacy by Save Ennis Town, he has been the most vocal Oireachtas member when it comes to the Ennis 2040 Strategy. “I grew up in Scariff, we went into Ennis, Limerick or Nengah as much as one another, Scariff is a distance from all three, in that time I’ve seen Ennis improve considerably because of good decisions of local government, I’ve seen Limerick deteriorate considerably because of bad decisions, copying an idea developed for Limerick just for the sake of it and to have a project like this seems to be bizarre”. Ennis “like every market town” has unused buildings overhead in Parnell Street and Abbey Street that could be better utilised, he felt.

‘It was an

emotional time and

it

still

is’

- PJ Ryan devastated to lose Council seat

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

ONE of three sitting councillors to lose his seat at the local elections, PJ Ryan (IND) said he was “devastated” with the outcome.

Five years on from recording his highest vote, PJ lost his seat in the Shannon Municipal District on the eleventh and final count when he was 82 votes behind Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG) who made a successful return to politics, eight years after finishing up in the Seanad.

For the 2024 local elections, PJ polled 986 first preference votes. The big focus during the tallies and following the first count was that Cllr Michael Begley (IND) with 831 first preferences was the sitting councillor in the most danger. However, transfers from Cllr Rachel Hartigan (FF) and Val Gillane (FG) proved to be Begley’s saving grace while PJ needed Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF) to get elected sooner to save his cause. When the result was announced, he had Cllr Mary Howard (FG) by his side, she patted his back as he turned to his left commented “well that’s that” and exited the count centre. “It was an emotional time and it still is, it is hard to put it behind you but you have to put it behind you and march on. At the end of the day, who knows what is down the road, nobody knows what will happen”.

Ryan polled 1238 first preference votes in the Shannon Municipal District in 2019, a sharp rise on his previous tallies of 825 (2014), 1013 (2009), 700 (2004) and 452 (1999).

An elected member of the Council since 2009, PJ said he was “devastated” to lose his seat. “I had done three terms but I’ve been involved at politics at a local level for a lot longer, I was involved with the Community Forum and Clare Local Development Company, I’ve been involved in politics for fifty years, I was a member of a party (Fianna Fáil) for thirty years and served at every level in the party, unfortunately in 2008 they decided they wouldn’t go with me and I was successful in three elections after that and always increased my number one vote in the three elections. I was always aware going into this election that there was going to be a decrease in my number one vote because of my parish man (Pat O’Gorman) running in my parish, I knew my vote was going to be cut back”.

O’Gorman conducted a “massive campaign”, this was cited as a key factor in PJ’s decrease in votes. He admitted that he hadn’t forecasted a drop of 252 first preference votes and that he underestimated the importance of social media. “I said to myself coming into the election that if I got somewhere between 950 and 1000 I had a great chance of taking a seat, as it turned out I got 956 and that was after Pat O’Gorman took the bones of 300 votes out of Cratloe which I would have got the last time”. Subsequent to the election he became aware that phone calls were

made were voters were told that PJ’s seat was safe and this influenced them to give their vote to someone else. “The phone calls were saying ‘PJ is okay there is no need to vote for him, vote for X instead’, that affected me a bit”.

When asked by The Clare Echo if that was ‘dirty politics’, PJ said, “It might sound like sour grapes if I described it as dirty tactics and I don’t want to go down the road of saying that. I’d be more inclined to say it was cute moves, it was part of the well-oiled Fianna Fáil machine and I’m very slow to go down the road of sounding sour, that was part of it, I had a phone call last Tuesday morning from a former Minister and he said ‘if people had the chance today you would get 1500 or 1600 votes’, I’ve had phone calls from very senior people in the last couple of days and I’m getting emotional now,” he said with tears in his eyes.

He added, “At the end of the day I still didn’t get a bad vote, I’d be still happy enough and under normal circumstances 950 votes would have got you over the line, Fianna Fáil with Rachel Hartigan’s vote, Pat O’Gorman’s vote and David Griffin’s vote amounted to 4,500 which is a huge take of the vote when the total was around 11,500 in the Shannon MD, it is a massive amount”.

Of annoyance to PJ was that new arrivals to the country got a vote. “If I want to go down the road of talking about sour grapes the one thing that I’d be slightly sour about is the amount of immigrants and migrants that voted, they all had a vote including Ukrainians and they probably will be gone out of the country in twelve months or a year and a half and we the people of the electoral area in Clare will be left with the aftermath of that, they will have had a say on the day but they possibly could have changed the course”.

Persons residing in Knockalisheen, the Radisson, the Castle Hotel and the Oakwood were among those he referenced. In terms of candidates who benefitted as a result, PJ said, “I suppose some of the smart people who got a mini-bus went into a polling booth and voted with them, fair play to them for doing that but the gripe I would have is that they got the chance to vote in our local area and will probably be gone out of it in twelve months time and we’ll be left with what they chose, it is the one thing I’d be sour about”.

O’Gorman damaged his vote in Cratloe but the addition of poll-topper David Griffin (FF) to the ticket took from him in Sixmilebridge. “He has Sixmilebridge connections, his mother (Veronica) is from Sixmilebridge and his grandfather and grandmother are from Cratloe which didn’t help me either, it wouldn’t be a very big secret that Pat McMahon, John Crowe and myself always managed the vote in the Newmarket-on-Fergus, Sixmilebridge and Cratloe area between us, that helped a lot but we always pulled together and have been great friends and we

knew what to do to pull out the maximum vote between the three of us”.

With the Shannon MD electorate opting for fresh blood, PJ was a casualty of this approach, he acknowledged. “There’s no doubt about it. When you bring in fresh blood it is easier to convince people that they have a better chance but at the end of the day without sounding sour either I think experience is essential as well, with the best will in the world new people coming in will take at least three years to get used to what is happening. Young people are ambitious and will want to move on further, I wouldn’t have had any ambitions of moving on anywhere only looking after the local people”.

Prior to the election, PJ had expected the 2024-2029 Council term would be his last. “I had envisaged that but I don’t know because if you said to me today will you run again I would say yes but that depends on my health five years down the road, we’ll see how it goes, I’m not ruling out a comeback but it is dependent on my health. I will look at it before the next election and see how much business is unfinished and if it would benefit my community if I put my name on the ballot paper again, I’d be thinking in those terms”.

He will only return to politics if it could benefit the area, PJ stressed. “You are at the public’s mercy. I wouldn’t ever like to tell the public what to do, I’d be saying whoever is around judge me on what I did before, if it is a thing that when I come to making my decision that I feel the people who have been elected have done a good job then I wouldn’t stand in their way either. At the end of the day my main thing would be that my Municipal District and county is going well, a personal thing wouldn’t come into it, I would always have the interest of the Shannon MD and county at heart, if that meant I stand back then I would do that”.

Reflecting on his loss, he said he should have used social media more. “I wouldn’t be terribly well conversed with social media, I’ve learned a lot about it but I could have got members of my family to do more on social media, I have five relatively young sons, they or their wives and partners would have helped me if I asked for help”.

That he didn’t forced him to confess that he was complacent in advance of polling day, “I thought that I’d be elected on my work”. LIS and CIS schemes in Cratloe, the primary care centre for Sixmilebridge, the One Shannon Hub, completion of the LNDR, the South Clare SDZ, Brennan’s Cross safety improvements in Meelick and affordable housing schemes across the MD were among the projects he had hoped to progress further in the next five years.

Given that the Independents were polling well nationally, it added to the expectation that PJ would have been returned. “Maybe I relied too much to what I was listening to in the media, what was coming out of national and local media maybe I was relying

too much on that and what I was hearing with Independents top of the pile but it is easy to be wise a day after or a week after. Financially I’m going to find it a massive shock because I spent a lot of money, there is a gratuity payment but most of that will go on what I spent and there is no pension”.

On the spending, he estimated his total costs to have be in the region of €30,000, “I won’t get reimbursed for that but I will get a gratuity payment but it will eat up that and there’s bills out there that I don’t know about it. I’m not entitled to a pension”.

Two of his former colleagues, Gerry Flynn (IND) and Pat McMahon (FF) opted to exit politics on their own terms, the loss is made more difficult for the Cratloe man given that the choice was taken out of his hands by the electorate. “It makes it more devastating but what makes it worse altogether is when you’ve all these people ringing you the following day to say ‘we’re devastated you lost your seat’. I came up against a massively oiled Fianna Fáil machine, I don’t think there was any intention there to get me out but it was just the tactics worked like that”.

Although he was unsuccessful in getting elected in 1999 and 2004, PJ said the 2024 campaign was by far the most competitive. “I’ve ran in a couple of elections, another I was unsuccessful in but this was definitely the most competitive, when you’ve fifteen candidates and that is another thing, the ballot paper was a total disaster altogether, people just didn’t know where to go with the ballot paper, it is something that needs to be looked at and even for the European elections with 23 candidates it was a total disaster, talking about a secret ballot it was hanging all over the place, I went into the polling booth when I was voting myself and I could see the ballot paper hanging out and there was no secret ballot paper, there needs to be a different system for the names. Alphabetically I was down at the bottom of the list so I was the very last name on it, they say when you’re top of the ballot it gives you a fifteen percent better chance but there again if you look at it like that there was people up at the top who didn’t get in so I don’t know is that a weak argument”.

To improve this, he suggested the names of candidates go side by side rather than one long list on the ballot paper and to have a bigger font. “You’d be surprised the amount of people that go to vote and never

bring their glasses, they’d be depending on people able to see the names, several people called me to say they couldn’t read the ballot paper because the font was so small”. Life out of politics will require a big adjustment for the Cratloe man. “In my own business, I’m only there in an advisory capacity because my sons are running the business, I’ve to look after my wife which is the most important thing, she has had serious health problems over the last number of years, she was on life support for eleven and a half days a short while ago, I have to look after her, that is my most important task so I have to put my own devastation and sorrow behind me. I’d always be advocating positivity so I’ve to do that myself and tell other people to think positive so now I’ve to do a reverse strategy and think of myself”.

Elected Mayor of Clare in June 2021, this was the high-point of his political career. “I was Mayor of Clare and of Shannon which was massive, I was involved in several high profile projects like the Nan Hogan Memorial and the erection of a monument in honour of her, if I started naming projects I was involved in you’d want two papers to write it. One of the things I would be extremely proud of was some of the people I proposed in my term and other terms for Mayoral awards, I was really proud to propose young people for Mayoral awards, sometimes people don’t think of people who can’t vote and young people that I proposed couldn’t vote but they were worthy of a Mayoral award. I was always a massive advocate for Shannon Airport, I will try to promote it, both Pat McMahon and myself were always fiercely fighting for Shannon Airport, I would like to continue that because I genuinely believe Shannon Airport is the engine of our county”.

Shannon grabs the opportunity with both hands to be a voice for West Clare

HE BIDED his time to return to politics but Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) grabbed the opportunity when it came before him.

Twenty years in from contesting the 2004 local elections where he polled 612 first preferences and was eliminated on the third count, Michael’s name was back on the ballot paper but this time he was going all the way.

Michael took the fifth and final seat in the Kilrush LEA. He was elected on the tenth count and secured 1,051 first preferences.

Speaking to The Clare Echo following his success, Michael said it was certainly worth the two decade wait. He paid tribute to his family, supporters, his canvassers, those who voted for him “and the people who believed in me”.

“It’s a lovely thing to happen someone that you are chosen by the people to be one of five representatives for West Clare but is bittersweet because we lost a colleague, I hope Cillian (Murphy) will be back again, he is a young man, he was a full-time councillor and a fantastic councillor for West Clare but unfortunately that is the way counts go”.

Falling victim to the count is something Shannon had prior experience of. “Twenty years ago I probably wasn’t at the races but it stood to me this time because I learned so much, I bided my time because I had to. An opportunity only comes around now and again, you have to recognise it when it does, you have to have patience in politics like us waiting at the count for two days. I spoke to you last December when Rita won the co-option for Bill Chambers’ seat and my message is still the same, it is about getting people back into West Clare I want to encourage the youth back to West Clare, to our town lands and to accommodate these young people to contribute to our communities”.

Building a strong future for the young people of West Clare is something that the Aer Lingus clerical officer is conscious of given that his three young sons Andrew, Niall and Ross all aged in their mid twenties and lower. They were keen spectators in the count centre and may have caught the political bug given rise to the potential of a new political dynasty, such a scenario is quickly rebuffed by Michael, “tonight is our first night, I’m only elected and we’re starting the foundation”. Given that he waited for the opportuni-

ty, Michael said he “will grab it with both hands”. He added, “we need to sit down as new West Clare councillors and outline what our priorities are. We will have broadband infrastructure in the next two to three years all over West Clare but we need the regional roads upgraded and in my view we’ll need to look for a special package to get the roads upgraded, to take out the dangerous bends and we have dangerous junctions, we need to address those. If we have roads and broadband we are halfway there but we need the investment in the roads”.

Shannon was very appreciative of persons who travelled back from different counties and some from England to give him their vote. He singled out Tom Daly who voted on the way home from hospital. “It takes that commitment from a community to get me to where I am now or to get any councillor elected”.

Flanked by Therese Doohan (FG) and Joseph Woulfe (II) in the parish of Kilmurry Ibrickane it made things very competitive on his home turf. The predication of ex Mayor, Patrick Keane (FF) on The Electoral Chair that the one of the trio which polled highest would be elected came to fruition.

Both Doohan and Woulfe were “fantastic candidates,” Michael said. “Joey ran five years ago and had a very strong performance, this time he had a good performance but it wasn’t as good as before. Therese had a fantastic performance for a first time candidate, she did an excellent canvass and I knew I was under savage pressure because we had a late entry into the field in Dinny Gould and he

was the first elected”.

When travelling to the second day of the count, Michael admitted he was “apprehensive” but told his family to expect movement by the sixth or seventh count. Indeed it was the sixth count when Doohan was eliminated that he powered away from his party colleagues Alan Troy (FF) and Cillian Murphy (FF) to take the final seat.

One of the largest parishes in the Diocese of Killaloe, it is 1999 since Kilmurry Ibrickane had a voice on the Council, that being the late Pa Joe Burke (IND).

Having a representative on the Council will help Kilmurry Ibrickane but also Michael’s native Miltown Malbay, he said while pointing out Kilmaley, Cranny, Labasheeda, Kilmurry McMahon, Kildysart and Ballyea won’t be left behind. “All the people there need to be represented, it is a big task and probably a full-time task but I am up for the challenge, I am delighted to be chosen by the people, over 11,000 voted and I’d encourage the youth to continue to come out, the youth in my family and parish have engaged in it and they have seen the process and how the courts work, they have seen first-hand how important every vote is”.

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

l ELECTED: Michael Shannon hoisted in the air by family and friends

Photo by Joe Buckley

Baker Bashua says strong candidates will try change minds of Ennis 2040 supporters

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

NEWLY elected Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF) says the success of “really strong candidates” in the Ennis Municipal District could lead to alterations of the contentious Ennis 2040 strategy.

Antoinette took the fourth of seven seats in the Ennis MD after polling 1,168 in her first run for politics.

Reacting to her election, Antoinette told The Clare Echo, “I’m Cllr Baker Bashua wow! We did an awful lot of hard work, we knocked on a lot of doors, we did a fantastic social media campaign right down to the ads in the paper, the front page thanks to The Clare Echo they were amazing”.

Constituents found Baker Bashua to be very on the canvass, possibly because she was not flanked by seasoned campaigners. “Do you know what 99 percent of my canvassers were first-timers like myself, we’ve never been to a count before and we had never canvassed before that. We just took it that we were nice people, we were going to knock on the doors and ask people for their vote”.

She continued, “I remember my sister in February saying ‘you need to practice what you’re saying at the doors’ so in between doors we did our practice. By the time the end of March came along we knew whatever they were asking us that we would have the answers, you are the only one that

caught me out in the debate”. This was in relation to her lack of information on the Ennis Data Centre.

So while she was running under the Fianna Fáil banner, voters looked beyond the party and in her case backed the person.

“You need to be relatable as a councillor, I’m not saying councillors are not relatable but in my area we knew who our councillors are since we were really young but in the last few years Mark Nestor came and he was fantastic, if you had a problem he was there.

“I remember my mother asked him to do something which he couldn’t so he called down and as he was there he carried in the coal for her, he said to me he can’t really help but I told him he was helping and to remember that”.

Nestor’s election in 2019 lifted Cloughleigh, his exit from politics in November 2022 prompted the Hermitage woman to step up. “When he left I felt we really needed somebody so I asked Mary Heuston of Sláinte an Chláir, she said she knew someone and like a fool I fell into it and it was me. I went away, I thought about it and I said why not, we need someone in the Council and I’m strong enough to do it. The people came out in their droves and I can’t ask for anymore”.

She acknowledged both Cllr Pat Daly (FF) and Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) did raise issues in the locality following Mark’s exit. “Pat Daly did amazing in Cloughleigh and Drumbiggle, they know he is a safe pair

of hands and so did Clare Colleran Molloy because she has been up there with issues, people respect that and that was a massive issue but the councillors are working on so many issues, we’ve seven strong councillors now”.

Big issues include plans for Abbey St and Parnell St car park as part of Ennis 2040, both of which she is opposed to. She said she know has a platform “to say what my views are, we do need to invest in our town but it has to be the right investment. There are four really strong candidates going in to try change their minds, we can only do our best”.

When asked if her own mind could be turned to back the Council Executive and Ennis 2040 DAC, she said, “not at all, no way, just ask them”.

Guilfoyle pledges to be a socialist republican brand of councillor

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

SINN Féin’s first councillor in the Ennis MD has promised to bring “a socialist republican brand of councillor” to the local authority.

Election on the eighth and final count of the local elections in the Ennis MD saw Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) double the representation of the party on Clare County Council where he joins Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF). Increasing their voice on the local authority will benefit Sinn Féin, he maintained. “If you look at Donna’s track record over the last five years and you have been covering it, she has ideas and a proper way forward for the people of Co Clare. Donna would have had to always work with other parties to get a seconder to get her motion to the floor, we can now bring it to the Council Chamber and work with other councillors to bring it over the line. That will be a great step forward for us but we need to work hard as councillors to grow the Sinn Féin brand heading into a General Election and see where that goes”.

Guilfoyle polled 1,191 first preferences and was one of three Ennis councillors to get elected without reaching the quota, he was just three votes short. Pundits had tipped Tommy as a potential poll-topper but he was not surprised with the final outcome.

“You started that with your podcast and put the kibosh on me, it’s an old political tactic

that makes people think ‘oh Tommy is flying it’ and they go back their own man or woman but ye didn’t get away with it because I was elected. I think some of your pundits misgauged it, anytime I met you on the street I said I wouldn’t top the poll but I was hopeful to do well,” he said.

Putting in a strong canvass was key, Tommy felt. “I love the enthusiasm that people thought we were pushing so hard for them on the canvass, it doesn’t guarantee you a seat but it is a great assistance, we’ve been canvassing since last August, we had Mary Lou flyers in August, we had my flyers in December and all the way there to the day before the ballot we kept it going, I’d like to say go raibh maith agat to everyone who voted for me, I hope and I know I will put it to good use”.

He said this vote will go towards someone willing to fight for the future of the county town. “I’m not a member of Save Ennis Town but I support what they are doing, I am a member of the Francis Street Alliance which is opposed to many of the projects proposed by Ennis 2040, I’m not opposed to development, there is massive development needed in the town of Ennis for Ennis to become the next Killarney, why aren’t we the next Killarney, Ennis should be the next Killarney. I haven’t been in the Council or the Government so I can’t say why Ennis isn’t like Killarney, a hub of tourism and the gateway to the Burren.

“We as councillors need to sit down and put together a tourism plan, a business plan and a plan to put more people in houses so we can turn Ennis into a thriving buzzing town,” he continued.

Historian Tomás MacConmara pointed out to Tommy that he was the first Sinn Féin councillor elected in Ennis. “It’s a historical step in the right direction for the party, as a

Clarecastle man inside there I’ll be bringing a socialist republican brand of councillor to the Chamber, it will be a Clarecastle man standing up for Clarecastle, doing my best for the county town and let’s see where it goes”.

l Antoinette Baker Bashua pictured at the local election count

Photo by Joe Buckley

Tommy Guilfoyle celebrating with fellow Sinn Féin candidates, family and friends

Photo by Joe Buckley

WHO’S A HAPPY CAMPER

l Two Clare astro-photographers have been selected for the next stage of the prestigious ‘Reach for the Stars’ astrophotography competition, run by the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS).

The competition aims to find the best astro-photographs taken in Ireland over the past year. Shortlisted photographers include Declan Finn, from Sixmilebridge, hin the ‘Back on Earth - Landmark’ category for his image ‘Loop Head Lightshow’.

Matthew Kelly, from Lahinch has been shortlisted in the ‘Back on Earth - Landscape’ category for his image ‘Milky Way Camper’ (pictured).

While a judging panel will select the overall winning entries in the coming weeks, members of the public can also have their say by visiting www.reachforthestars.ie, and cast their vote for their favourite image.

The winning images selected by the judging panel and the public vote will be announced in July, and an outdoor exhibition will be staged by DIAS to showcase the best images.

Clare artist to exhibit at prestigious event

TOMÁS Malone, a visual artist from Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare, is set to showcase his artwork on a national level as part of the Connecting Artists 2024 programme.

Tomás is one of ten artists selected from across Ireland to participate in this 10week online programme, which culminates in an exhibition hosted by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) in Dublin. The exhibition will be held from Wednesday, 3rd July to Sunday, 7th July.

The Connecting Artists programme, designed by Miriam Spollen, founder of Connections Arts Centre, aims to empower visual artists with

intellectual disabilities by providing a platform for them to develop their creative practice and gain professional recognition.

Tomás finds inspiration in nature, the outdoors, running, and gardening.

Using a blend of paints, chalk, crayons, and pencils, he creates art that is abstract and reflects his emotions and experiences. Tomás embraces the process of letting his brushes speak.

Reflecting on

his participation, Tomás shared, "I love being part of the Connecting Artists 2024 programme and connecting with other artists. I’m looking forward to learning different ways of expressing myself through art. I’m really looking forward to exhibiting at the RCSI. I’m very proud of this opportunity."

The Connecting Artists 2024 exhibition will be officially opened by RTÉ presenter and broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan.

Minister to open new addiction treatment centre for Mid West

THIS Friday, Saoirse, the Limerick-based addiction treatment organisation will mark two massive milestones with the official opening of the new centre bought for them by JP McManus and the launch of a pilot treatment programme for people who are addicted to gambling and gaming, catering for clients as young as fourteen.

The new centre was bought for the service by the JP McManus Pro-Am fund at a cost of nearly half a million euro and means that Saoirse can now begin expanding the services it offers.

A non-residential, free, treatment service for people addicted to drink, drugs and gambling in the MidWest, Saoirse will now be one of a number of HSE approved pilot schemes nationally for the treatment of people addicted to gaming.

Since two volunteers went out to buy a van load of chairs from a company that was closing in 2012. Saoise has offered treatment programmes to almost 3,500 addicts since that time.

Last year alone, the service had 380 clients, 187 crisis interventions and 66 short term interventions for people - that's 633 individual clients.

Said service administrator, Tim Evans, "demand is always very strong for all of

our services. We know there is a very big need for the new pilot programme to help those addicted to on-line gaming and we are now setting up that service and opening it to the public".

Speaking about the move to the new building in Clare Street, Tim said that Saoirse is "so very grateful to the JP McManus Pro Am fund. This makes a world of difference in terms of our future planning and in terms of the therapeutic environment we can offer.

"Saoirse couldn't survive without the support we have had since we started from the HSE, Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership (LEDP), Limerick City and County Council and now the JP McManus fund. And not forgetting the Redemptorists, EI in Shannon and all of the hundreds of individuals and local organisations that have fund-raised for us.

Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the Drugs Strategy, Colm Burke, will perform the official opening of the new centre at Old Clare Street at 2.30pm on Friday June June 21.

You will need

n 2 tbsp olive oil

n ¼ fennel bulb, finely sliced n ½ onion, finely sliced

n salt and freshly ground black pepper

n 1 medium tomato, sliced n 2 fish fillets, about 175g/6oz

Method

each, such as cod, sea bass or trout n olive oil, drizzle n squeeze lemon juice

n 1 tbsp chopped parsley

n 1 tsp capers

n 2-3 tbsp white wine

n 2 tablespoons olives

1) Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Cut out two squares of baking paper about 40cm/16in square, and two squares of tin foil the same size. Lay a square of baking paper on top of each piece of foil.

2) Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the fennel and onion with some salt and pepper for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Divide the fennel and onions between the two squares of baking paper, and layer on the sliced tomatoes then put a fish fillet on top of each heap. Drizzle over some olive oil, a squeeze of lemon

juice, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle over the chopped dill and a few capers, if using. 3) Fold the foil and paper over the fish and double-fold each edge to make a sealed parcel, leaving a gap at the top to pour in a few tablespoons of white wine (if using). Pour in the wine, then fully seal the parcel, but not be too tight, as it needs to expand in the oven as it cooks.

4) Place the parcels on a baking tray and bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the fish is just opaque and cooked through. Serve the parcels on each plate so they can be opened at the table.

Sensitive skin

Style, Beauty and Lifestlye

protect the skin from the UV rays of the sun, the Anthelios Invisible Anti-Shine Mist (€18.50) has very high UVA and UVB protection in the lightness and freshness of a thermal spring water.

Rachel Porter @rachels_day_

HAVEN Pharmacy Hollys Ennis has a huge selection of La Roche-Posay skincare in store which includes the Toleriane range, specifically formulated for sensitive to ultra-sensitive skin!

The Toleriane Dermallergo Crème (€23.50) is a gorgeous nourishing and soothing day cream that is clinically proven to hydrate skin and reduce signs of sensitivity such as dryness, tightness, and itchiness. This lightweight cream works by reinforcing the skin barrier function and provides up to

48h hydration. For the extra sensitive eye area, the Toleriane Dermallergo Yeux eye cream (€22) is also a lightweight soothing fluid formula that is clinically proven to hydrate the skin around the eye contour. It is suitable for use on allergy and eczema-prone skin. For nighttime the Toleriane Dermallergo Night (€25) is the perfect daily repair moisturiser. Its formula is proven to soothe, hydrate and reduce skin sensitivity night after night. This fragrance-free night

cream is ideal for reactive skin prone to dryness or redness.

Once your skin has been soothed its time to add back some glow!

The Pure Vitamin C10 Serum (€46) is also suitable for sensitive skin. This must have product is renowned for its anti-wrinkle and antioxidant properties, providing skin with visible radiance and glow. It is extremely important to

This spray is perfect to pop into your handbag and re-apply throughout the day as needed, even over makeup!

Be sure to call in and speak to the helpful staff in Haven Pharmacy Hollys Ennis who are happy to help you with your personal skin care needs.

Visit Haven Pharmacy Holly’s at 23 Abbey St., Ennis or give them a call on (065) 682 8568 more information.

Teresa celebrates a century of birthdays

Teresa Corcoran (nee Lyons) celebrated her 100th birthday on June 14. Teresa grew up on High Street in Ennis and worked in the Lyons family pub for many years. Very active in the community, Teresa was a founding member of the the swimming pool committee, as well as volunteering at SS Peter & Paul Cathedral, Respond and Cuan an Chlair. She was named Clare Older People’s Volunteer of the Year in 2019, as well as receiving awards from Ennis Parish for her dedication. Teresa is celebrated by her son James, daughter-in-law Valerie, sister Patsy McHugh (Clon Road), nieces, nephews and her wide circle of friends.

Council to establish new Town Teams

CLARE County Council has begun the process of working with communities in Kilrush, Lisdoonvarna and Tulla to establish Town Teams, and will similarly work with the community of Clarecastle in the coming weeks, writes Elaine Tubridy

The Local Authority is inviting Expressions of Interest from a diverse range of stakeholders representing the business, retail, sporting, community, voluntary, youth and education sectors in each of the three towns.

Interested individuals will work in conjunction with the local authority to set up a representative group for the town, which will participate in thematic working groups, assist in preparing grant applications and support fundraising activities.

Joe Cooney, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council said, “Clare County Council is looking forward to engaging with representatives from local community and business groups to form the new Town Teams. It is our ambition to ensure each Town Team features a wide cross section representing all of

the community.”

Joan Tarmey, Town Regeneration Officer for Clare County Council stated, “Established by the Department of Rural and Community Development under the Town Centre First initiative, Town Teams will bring residents, business-people, community representatives and other stakeholders together to make their area a better place to live, work, visit and invest in. Once established, the Town Teams in Tulla and Lisdoonvarna will engage on a Town Centre Health Check as part of a research project with Queen’s University in Belfast. While in

Kilrush, the new Town Team will engage on the development of a Town Centre First Plan for the town.”

Individuals interested in joining the Kilrush, Lisdoonvarna or Tulla Town Teams and contributing to the future development of their communities are invited to submit their Expression of Interest through https:// yoursay.clarecoco.ie on or before Monday, July 1st, 2024. Further information is available from Clare County Council’s Town Centre First team at 065 6846398 / towncentrefirst@ clarecoco.ie

IT’S June, and we are halfway through the year. Time seems to be flying by. Hopefully, at this stage, your baskets and pots are in full bloom and thriving. This week, I thought I would remind people how to care for them and hopefully give you some ideas to get the blooms to last longer.

For me, I start by deadheading pots and baskets. This can be done throughout the flowering season on a weekly or even daily basis. You are essentially removing the dead flowers. With hanging baskets, especially with petunias and trailing plants, the petunias can feel sticky, so wear gloves and lift the petunias to clean away dead leaves as well as removing the crinkled-up flowers.

Some plants may need a little snip to cut the flowers as they may not come away easily, like the daisy plants, Bidens, and some Bacopa stems, which can snap and

die and need to be snipped. The baskets will benefit from a feed every two weeks, and if the weather changes and we get a lot of rain, consider taking the baskets down and giving them shelter in a shed.

Window boxes are similar to baskets and need a weekly check to remove any dead flowers. Some of the bedding plants, like Salvia and marigolds, sometimes don’t fall away easily and need snipping. Again, if you have trailing plants, lift them up and clean under them, as this will help prevent mildew from forming.

In the garden, the perennial beds and borders are thriving. The Lupins are giving a lovely show, so once the stem has finished flowering, you can snip it down to the first leaf on that stem, and new growth will continue. They are great for staying in bloom all summer, and by remov-

ing old stems, you encourage more flower growth.

The wallflower (Erysimum) is another beautiful perennial with loads of flowers. Check the stems and cut back the ones that have finished flowering. Nepeta, also known as catmint, is another long-flowering perennial. Cut it back once the flowers are finished, and it will reflower again in the summer.

Lavender has such a beautiful aromatic scent that most people will have somewhere in the garden. Again, cut the flowers back, and they will bloom again this summer. Dahlias will flower all summer with a variety of blossoms and will benefit from repeated deadheading. They will need to be snipped as the stems are strong. All flowers benefit from feeding over the summer. The more you tend to them, the longer the blooms will last. Enjoy!

lLupins

lKilrush

'Thirty year Gaeilcholáiste fight coming to a head'

The Dáil heard last Wednesday of the “extraordinarily long” fight Gaelcholáiste an Chláir has had for independence from the wider Ennis Community College, writes Stuart Holly Census 2022 says there are approximately 67,000 Kerry Gaeilgeóirí (44%) to Clare’s 56,000 (47.1%). Clare is second only to Galway for the percentage of their population to speak Irish – and yet there is only one secondary school teaching through Irish, the Aonad Gaeilge at Ennis Community College.

In a statement to The Clare Echo, Clare TD Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) stressed that the Aonad Gaeilge is "a mere unit of the larger college" and has no roll number of its own, in spite of a thirty-year fight for that recognition.

"This has huge knock-on effects for gaeilgeóirí in the wider county who want to continue learning through what is supposedly the primary language of this country. The 700 pupils from Irish language primary schools in Ennis, Kilrush, Shannon and Moy cannot even benefit from the free transport scheme supposed to support Irish language development."

Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne said she was appalled to learn they have been fighting since 1994 to get this recognition.

“Secondary school places are extremely limited in Ennis, and we are supposed to be a Baile Lionraí na Gaeilge,” said Deputy Wynne, referring to Ennis’s designation as one of five Irish Language Network Hubs in Ireland.

“It seems, to quote the Tao-

iseach when I put this state of affairs to him in the Dáil Chamber, ‘extraordinary’ that there is some unknown impediment to solving one with the other by supporting an independent Gaelcholáiste an Chláir.”

Deputy Wynne intends to raise the issue it again when Minister for Education Deputy Norma Foley takes questions on the 11th of July "if no satisfactory answer emerges in the meantime".

“Deputy Foley gave a written answer in October of 2021 to say the transition from Aonad to standalone Gaelcholáiste was ‘under consideration within the Department.’ Is thirty years not enough to consider Clare worthy of the same support other counties get with a much lower proportion of Irish speakers?”

Comparisons between Aonad Gaeilge an Chláir and other similar units show "a perplexing lack of consideration for Clare".

Gaelcholáiste Osraí in Kilkenny was granted independence eleven years after it was founded with less than 100 students on the roll. Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí achieved independence five years after it was founded with 64 students – less than half the number currently enrolled in the Aonad Gaeilge an Chláir.

“Is fearr go mall ná go brách,” said Deputy Wynne. “it is better late than never to give Irish a chance in Clare. Our population is ready for it – we have some truly amazing statistics for Irish speakers in this county in census 2022. I want to see those numbers increase even further, with the amazing support and dedication of staff and students in Gaelcholáiste an Chláir.”

Munstergroup present new jerseys to Ennis Town FC

Ennis Tidy Towns on the hunt for best kept garden

ENNIS Tidy Towns are on the hunt for the best kept garden in the county town, writes Páraic McMahon

As part of their way to express a gratitude to those who take such pride in their garden, Ennis Tidy Towns’ annual awards recognise the best kept garden in Ennis.

In memory of the late Margaret Neylon, a beloved volunteer and founding member of Ennis Tidy Towns, a new award has been introduced. There will also be a new miniature garden award.

Chairperson of Ennis Tidy Towns, Mary Howard explained, “Like the National Awards our Best Kept Garden Competition is recognising the importance of native biodiversity and therefore we are continuing our ‘Biodiversity Garden’ Category for 2024. These are gardens which purposely make room for traditional garden plants as well as native flora, bees, butterflies, hedgehogs and other wildlife”. She said, “We would also like biodiversity be catered for, where possible, in the Large, Medium, Small and Miniature Garden categories. Don't worry if your garden is at the back of your house we will contact you to arrange a time to view it, so please do enter”.

Categories include miniature,

small, medium and large plus the biodiversity campaign.

To enter all you need to do is email info@ennistidytowns.com with your name, address and Eircode, telephone or email and specify which category you wish to enter.

Alternatively this information can be sent via text to 0838700349 or via message to Ennis Tidy Town’s Facebook or Instragram pages. If you wish to drop this information in a physical format, it can be left in the Ennis Chamber letterbox on 54 O’Connell Street, Ennis.

Ennis Town FC Under 10s recently won the jersey competition sponsored by Munstergroup. Pictured are Colm Greene, Finn Gleeson, Michael Henchy Munster Group, Kieran Greene and Sam Crean

lGRATITUDE: Winner of the 2023 Best Garden, Robert Moorehead with Ennis Tidy Towns Chairperson, Mary Howard

lViolet AnneWynne TD (IND)

Fantastic Mr Fox - Aodan wins at AIMS

SHANNON’s Aodan

Fox took home a top award from the Association of Irish Musical Societies (AIMS), writes Páraic McMahon

Aodan was chosen as best actor in a supporting role for his performance as Ursula in The Little Mermaid.

At the AIMS awards held at the INEC, he was joined by fellow members of the Shannon Musical Society.

Well known to Shannon audiences for his many roles with Shannon Musical Society, Aodán has also performed with Icarus Drama Group and more recently with Muse Productions.

Newmarket-on-Fergus’

James Cullinan was named runner up in Best Youth Performance for his performance as Flounder in our production of Disney's The Little Mermaid The Musical. He is a student at St Patrick’s Comprehensive School in Shannon.

Shannon Musical Society’s

front of house management team were placed as runners up in the best house management.

Over 130 musical societies, throughout the whole of Ireland, are members of AIMS –this relates to around 14,000 people directly involved with musical theatre and an audience base of around 1.2 million.

AIMS provides many services to its members, ranging from help and advice in choosing shows, resolving any difficulties that they may face, running various workshops on all aspects of theatre, through to an adjudication and awards scheme that is constantly pushing forward the standards of musical theatre.

Membership of AIMS is open to any society that is involved in Musical Theatre in Ireland, subject to their membership application being approved by the AIMS ruling body – the National Council.

Cllr McGettigan demands action for suffering patients

SHANNON Councillor Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) has called on the Government to address the low numbers of dentists in Clare providing care under the medical card scheme, writes Elaine Tubridy Cllr McGettigan recently submitted a parliamentary question to the minister for Health Stephen Donnelly (FF) on the subject.

“I was concerned about the lack of dental services after hearing from constituents that they couldn’t find a dentist to treat them or their children. Some of them were in pain and some had to leave the county. I was worried when we had only 17 to 19 dentists in the scheme. So, I submit-

ted a parliamentary question through my colleague Maurice Quinlivan TD, to find out which dentists they were.

“The reply from the minister’s office indicates that the number of Clare dentists in the scheme is now twelve, however, only eight have submitted monthly claims in the first five months of this year so the true figure is probably eight.

“People told me the dentist they had been using all along were no longer in the scheme. They are in pain, they are at risk of infections because they have teeth that need to be extracted. It’s a debilitating pain and it can lead to further complications,” she stated.

Donna will liaise with dentists to find

out why they are not participating in the scheme. “I submitted the parliamentary question to see if I could find dentists for these patients. But to find out there are only eight dentists claiming for treatment under the scheme, that is something I will be looking into in the coming days. I asked in a motion to Clare County Council that the council request ministerial intervention on this. They need to talk to dentists, find out exactly what the issues are and resolve them in the interests of the health of people in Clare.

“Lack of dental care can lead to other health issues, so this is a very serious matter”, Donna concluded.

lUNDER THE SEA: Shannon Musical Society pictured at the awards ceremony

lDENTAL HEALTH: Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF)

Lahinch Links to host South of Ireland Amateur Open

of

Championship from Wednesday 24th July to Sunday 28th July 2024. 150 of Ireland’s leading amateur golfers will play in the 36-hole strokeplay qualifier over Wednesday and Thursday, with the top 64 qualifying for the matchplay stage of the competition which starts on Friday and concludes with the semi-finals and final on Sunday 28th July.

Callout for filmmakers to take part in inaugural Ennistymon festival

THIS Summer will see the launch of Ennistymon’s inaugural Community Film Festival, A Pot of Films Festival, set to take place on Saturday 24th August, 2024, writes Elaine Tubridy

This exciting new festival aims to celebrate local and national talent, foster creative expression, and bring the community together.

The efstival will feature a diverse range of workshops during the day followed by an evening of short films spanning various genres, culminating with the screening of award winning feature film and director’s Q&A. After 2023’s successful film screening event which took place in Pot Duggans, event organisers Aoibheann Boyle and Jo Barker saw the great appetite for films and filmmaking in the local area. The evening saw films by local filmmakers screened alongside a teaser to a local feature film. The evening finished with music from local musicians who had appeared in one of the short films leaving a palpable interest from the audience for more events in the area.

“There are a myriad of talented filmmakers in the area of North Clare”, mentions Barker, filmmaker and co-founder of both Black Bark Films and A Pot of Films Festival, “we would like to nurture this talent and inspire a new generation of filmmakers while also creating a space for people within the industry

to connect.”

“The Burren and North Clare has always been regarded as a hub for creativity with its stunning landscape rich in heritage and history”, adds Boyle, “it feels right to further ignite the creativity of the local community and have a festival they can all come together for”. There is currently an open callout for submissions for short films to be featured in the festival which is free to enter. Filmmakers of all experience levels are encouraged to participate. This is a fantastic opportunity to have your work seen by a broad audience, including industry professionals, fellow filmmakers, and cinema enthusiasts.

Selected films will be evaluated by a panel of judges and will be announced in July. The closing date for submissions has been extended from the 1st July to the 15th of July. Submissions can be made to apotoffilmsfestival@gmail.com.

A Pot Films Festival is dedicated to promoting the art of filmmaking and providing a platform for filmmakers to showcase their work. Our mission is to support and celebrate the creative spirit of our community through film, fostering an environment of collaboration, inspiration, and cultural enrichment. We want to bring communities together to watch, discuss and feel inspired by their local storytelling talent.

lINSPIRED: Ennistymon

Photo by Martin Connolly

The world-famous links at Lahinch Golf Club will host the 122nd staging

the South of Ireland Amateur Open

Pictured are Gary Pierse (Director, Pierse Motors); Michael Coote (Chairperson Munster Region, Golf Ireland); John McInerney (Captain, Lahinch Golf Club)

Tadhg cuts the ribbon - and his hair - as Knockerra NS open new wellbeing room

KNOCKERRA NS officially opened their new Wellbeing Room, a space within the school where every pupil has the chance to benefit from a calm, relaxing space.

The new space was officially opened by inspiring 6th class pupil, Tadhg McMahon, who was also celebrated by classmates and teachers in a generous fundraising venture for a national children’s hospice.

“Today, we are not only marking the opening of this space, but we are also celebrating the amazing and generous venture of our 6th class pupil, Tadhg McMahon, who we are very proud of,” said Trish Nugent, principal at Knockerra National School.

Tadhg with the support of his family, came to the decision to grow his

hair in 2020 during the Covid 19 Pandemic. On Tuesday, he said goodbye to his long locks after deciding to donate it to a very worthy charity, Locks of Love for Laura Lynn.

“Tadhg has been fundraising and as a final gesture to the school, he is donating the money raised to help develop Health and Wellbeing further, for future pupils in Knockerra National School,” explained Trish.

This year Knockerra NS decided to develop a wellbeing space as part of the School Improvement Plan, working with artist Leigh O’Connell under The Artists in Schools Programme, along with parents and pupils to develop the ideas for the room.

“The pupils did all the work and made all decisions,” explained Trish.

“All elements of the paintings were brainstormed by the students, each mural is thematic inspired; sport, farming in the area, history/folklore of the area, weather and nature. The students solely completed the murals under the guidance of the artist.”

The school moved to thank Shannon Ferries who made a kind donation to kickstart the project.

Speaking at the event, Ms Nugent said, “We are delighted to welcome parents, parish priest Fr Larkin, and members of the school community to bless our room and celebrate the generosity of Tadhg. We would like to thank all of you who supported Tadhg on his journey.”

l A CUT ABOVE: (clockwise from left) Before and after shots of Tadgh McMahon getting his hair cut; prior to cutting off his locks for Laura Lynn, Tadhg officially cut the ribbon on the Wellbeing Room at Knockerra NS; Tadhg with classmates; and the Wellbeing Room being blessed by Fr Pat Larkin

Photos by Tom Micks

Kilrush Art Group take inspiration from nature for new exhibition

Originally founded in the 1970s and still going strong, Kilrush Art Group has announced not only one, but two exhibitions this summer, writes Elaine Tubridy

The inspiration behind this year’s theme, Nature’s Palette, is the wild landscapes and seascapes of Co Clare, which has always proved to be an impressive and rich source of colour and vibrancy.

Kilrush Art Group will kick of their summer season with an exhibition at Curtúrlann Sweeney Library, Kilkee in July, before moving to Kilrush Library in August. The group currently has 21 members from all ages and it continues to grow. This year, they welcomed five new members, all supported and guided under the skillful eye of local artist Pauline Dunleavy.

Kilrush Art Group meets and paints together every Friday evening between 7pm and 9pm during the winter months from September, from 7pm to 9pm at the Community Centre in Kilrush and new members are always welcome.

In addition to painting, the group offers learning opportunities for members to improve their skills and learn new techniques. Members work in oils, watercolours, charcoals, felting, encaustic and acrylic paints. Specialist workshops are offered throughout the year featuring a range of professional artists from all over the world, who in return, enjoy and take inspiration from the beauty of the West Clare landscape during their visit.

Artists such as John Dinan, Jessica Henry, watercolourist Keiko, Michael Wann and encaustic Tutor Isabelle Gabroit to name but a few are regular visitors to Kilrush.

The Nature’s Palette exhibition is the highlight of the group’s annual event calendar, and this year they are particularly excited about the range of works on display, all inspired by the West Clare landscape. The members invite everyone to come and enjoy the exhibition.

Visit the exhibition at Cultúrlann Sweeney, Kilkee from July 2.

STRESS comes in many shapes and forms, and one common denominator of all of them is that stress occurs daily in our lives. If you are a bit puzzled by the association of stress and your blood results, I am here to tell you that our body reacts to stress by releasing certain chemicals to signal the brain about ‘the danger’ that you are in. These chemicals trigger the liver to release cholesterol to deal with the stress. This is only one example. Last month was one of the most challenging periods in my life as a business owner, coinciding with my son’s graduation from Secondary School and his preparations for the Leaving Cert exams. While my diet and lifestyle are pretty good, the stress levels exceeded my capacity to deal with unexpected, challenging news in my business. Trying to juggle everything as a single parent and solopreneur took a toll on my physical health. It was a silent attack on my body until I had a severe headache and took an Ibuprofen. Within the next 30 minutes, an ambulance was on the way to take

me to the hospital to ensure I was not having a heart attack. The Ibuprofen landed on a stressed, rawlike digestive tract, and what I felt was the sensation of swallowing acid. My old friend ‘gastritis’ was re-activated by all the stress I had experienced in the last month. A silent effect only became seriously loud when the damage was done. Thankfully, it was reversible but not without having further effects on my daily life and activities.

Lesson learned: prioritising rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation is as important as dealing with stress factors. It is, in fact, part of dealing with stress factors.

Here are two definitions of stress:

‘The technical definition of stress is the body’s nonspecific response to any demand –pleasant or unpleasant.’ (The American Institute of Stress)

‘Stress can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Everyone experienc-

es stress to some degree.’ (World Health Organisation)

When you look at those three definitions, one aspect is clear: there are two types of stress. One moves us forward and contributes to our evolution as human beings, while the other keeps us stuck, unhealthy, and prevents us from reaching our potential.

Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional, or psychological strain. Stress is your body’s response to anything that requires attention or action. Your personal level of re sponse to a trigger determines whether the stress is toxic to your health or beneficial to your life. You may ask, “How do I know if I am dealing with bearable stress or

not? And how can I increase my resilience when I can’t do anything about what stresses me because it is completely out of my control?”

These are very valid questions, and I will answer them for you here.

How do you know if you are dealing with positive and bearable stress? The simple answer is: it motivates you, keeps you on your toes, and doesn’t create a distressing state that affects your physical and mental well-being or keeps you awake at night. Here are a few common physical signs that your stress is out of the bearable range if you experience any of them: changes in mood, clammy or sweaty palms, de-

creased sex drive, diarrhoea, difficulty sleeping, digestive symptoms, dizziness, feeling anxious, frequent sickness, grinding teeth, headaches, low energy, muscle tension (especially in the neck and shoulders), unexplained physical pain, racing heartbeat, and trembling.

How do you increase your capacity for dealing with stress? That is called resilience. The first line of defence is to look inside and see if your body has the right conditions: healthy, wholesome food, eight hours of sleep per night, and a minimum of 30 minutes daily for walking or exercising, preferably outdoors. Then, look at the stressors and see what you can eliminate or reduce. Prioritise creating or having a safe space where you can share, vent, and learn how to be more mindful. Your nervous system deserves that therapy session because it is the system that keeps you alive and healthy. Stay tuned and breathe deeply until next time when I will take you a little deeper into heart health as a means of managing stress.

lCOLOUR & VIBRANCY: Members of Kilrush Art Group

Scariff Bay answers London’s Call

Like father, like son

Thirty years ago when St. Finnachtas national school Sixmilebridge won the Clare cumann na mBunscoil primary schools hurling title Podge Flannery, Paul Fitzpatrick and John Toomey were part of the victorious team. Last week St. Finnachtas again won the Clare title and their sons, Cian, Jack and Darragh were part of the winning team. Pictured are Podge and Cian Flannery, Paul and Jack Fitzpatrick, John and Darragh Toomey

SCARIFF BAY Community Radio completed a broadcasting first for the East Clare community station when airing live from the home of the BBC, writes Páraic McMahon.

Over the weekend, BBC’s Broadcasting House was the venue as Scariff Bay went live from London. Flagship show, Saturday Chronicle went further afield than East Clare as presenters Jim Collins, Tom Hanley, Timmy Hogan, Darragh Leamy and Terry Hogan settled into the studios of the BBC.

Indeed their show began with a remix of London Calling meets the Banner Roar. They spoke to East Clare natives including well-known actor Frank Blake from Tuamgraney.

Sergeant Declan O’Keeffe a former Kerry goalkeeper was the first guest on the show, he dialled in from East Clare with Hanley pointing out to the twotime All-Ireland winner, “we’re playing senior hurling now”.

On the subject of sport, Sportsline presented by Leo Doyle and Pat McNamara focused on the experiences of East Clare hurlers in the UK where they spoke to Killanena duo Sean Glynn and Colin McNamara plus Bodyke’s Oisin Slattery.

As part of the Saturday Chronicle broadcast, they also conducted interviews from the London Irish Centre on Camden Square.

lSENIOR HURLING: Jim Collins and Tom Hanley at BBC Broadcasting House

Kinvara’s Eising to receive Lero Research Award for radar car

A UNIVERSITY of Limerick researcher from South Galway was among the recipients of the Lero Research Awards 2024, writes Elaine Tubridy

Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, brings together expert software teams from universities and institutes of technology across Ireland in a co-ordinated centre of research excellence with a strong industry focus.

Kinvara’s Dr Ciarán Eising, Associate Professor at UL, will use the award to further his research into improving technology for driverless vehicles.

“Radar is a key technology for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Autonomous Driving, as it provides both the position of obstacles and information about how other obstacles are moving. However,

radar is not perfect. This project will tackle the issue of low resolution, for example, by combining the radar information with camera information, cameras being almost ubiquitous on modern vehicles,” he explained.

Announcing the research awards, Lero director Professor Lionel Briand said the array of research topics selected for support shows how software is integral to every aspect of the world we inhabit.

“Lero is a world leader in software research. The centre fulfils a vital role in sustaining and developing Ireland’s reputation as a global hub of software research excellence and in maintaining Ireland’s position as a home for some of the world’s top technology companies.

“As well as attracting additional researchers, the Lero Research Awards incentivise

and reward continued impactful and outstanding research among our membership nationwide.

“Today, we are presenting 10 exceptional Lero researchers across Ireland with awards, which will allow them to hire postdoctoral researchers for two years to take on some really important work. These excellent postdoctoral researchers will join the Lero family to develop better and smarter ways of overcoming many of the obstacles we face today to foster job creation, innovation and competitiveness in software engineering and ICT,” he added.

Using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve brain tumour identification is just one of 10 research projects to benefit from a €1.3m investment by Lero at University of Limerick. Lero researcher Dr Malika Bendechache

will lead a team researching the use of AI to accurately and swiftly delineate brain tumours.

“This project will address challenges in using a sophisticated AI-based computer model on brain MRIs to enhance prediction and localisation of brain tumours. It represents a significant advancement in improving the prognosis and management of brain cancer, ultimately enhancing patient well-being, as manually delineating tumours on MRI scans is a challenging and time-consuming task that can vary among different physicians,” she said.

Lero director Prof. Lionel Briand said these are just some examples of the research programmes Lero is supporting that will deliver solutions and insights to benefit society and the economy.

lOUTSTANDING Dr Ciaran Eising, Lero Researcher UL pictured at FMCI (Future Mobility Campus Ireland) test centre for Autonomous Car Technology in Shannon

Photo by Arthur Ellis

Thought for the week: Stop racism

Spreading the word of positivity

RONAN SCULLY

IN A multicultural Ireland, we have many positive things to learn from one another. But, sadly, not everyone thinks that way. It was so sad to hear that our amazing, fabulous Irish athlete Rhasidat Adeleke has been left ‘in a dark place’ after a number of racist online comments directed at her and her family. Despite her incredible achievements for Ireland in the green, white and gold bib, Adeleke has faced abuse from a minority of trolls on social media.

The incredibly talented Tallaght woman has been left upset by such toxic comments, and her own coach says that it has left the sprinter ‘in pain’ and that ‘she was really in a dark place when she read those things on the internet. She doesn’t cry ever, so when she cries it’s like, ‘oh my God’, so that bothered her more than I ever thought and I just let her handle it.’

Despite the unacceptable nature of Ireland’s most

exciting young sportsperson, Floreal her coach notes that it is just something that his athlete will have to put up with.

But why should Rhasidat or any human being have to put up with racism. No one should have to put up with that form of evil or any form of evil in our world.

As our Taoiseach so truthfully said, “Rhasidat Adeleke is not only a worldclass champion, she is a world-class person. You

have inspired a nation this week, especially young girls & boys. You are class, so please do not let online cowards bring you down. You are Ireland and Ireland could not be more proud of you.”

For myself and my family personally we are so delighted she’s Irish. What a great athlete she is and seems like a lovely person in her interviews after the races. We hope and we pray also that she doesn’t let the

begrudgers get her down.

Us as a family for personal reasons love Rhashidat. She is not just an inspiration to the “next generation“ but you can see and hear what an inspiration she is to her current team mates.

You can see also how grounded she is at such a young age and her humility in how she always likes to thank the people who got her where she is most emotively her mother and her faith in God.

Such qualities make her the most amazing role model for society as a whole. She is absolutely amazing, keep on progressing as you are and push harder for your records and goals. There will be a lot more success to come for her. There are a lot of people out there that will hate for the sake of hating because they are jealous and ignorant, they will always try to tear people down instead of building up and supporting others. Focus on yourself, the team and your family.

They will always be there for you. Keep it up Rhasidat Adelke like a lot of Irish sports stars and like your teammates you are inspirational.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

As your thought for the week, I ask you to join me in this race for racial justice, to do your part, so that together we can create a new world. The society we live in is the result of human choices and decisions. That means that human beings can change things. For what human beings break, divide and separate, we can—with God’s help—also heal, unite and restore. What is now does not have to be. Therein lies our hope and our challenge. Racism, bigotry, discrimination, sexism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, xenophobia, should have no place in our society.

So as another new week begins, may you be blessed and may others be blessed by you. May you be blessed with all things good. May your joys, like the stars at night and the leaves falling in autumn, be too numerous for you to count. May your victories be more abundant than all the blades of grass on all the fields in all the world or grains of sand on all the beaches, on all the oceans in all the world.

May racism be absent

from your life and may beauty, order, real love and abundance be your constant companion. May every path you choose lead to that which is pure and good and caring. And when there is only darkness and storms closing in, may the light at the core of your being illuminate the world.

May you always be aware you are loved beyond measure and may you be willing to love unconditionally in return. May you always feel protected and cradled in the arms of God, like the cherished child you are. And when you are tempted to judge, may you be reminded that we are all one and that every thought you think reverberates across the universe touching everyone and everything. And when you are tempted to hold back, may you remember that love flows best when it flows freely and it is in giving that we receive the greatest gift.

May you always have music and laughter and may a rainbow follow every storm. May gladness wash away every disappointment. May joy dissolve every sorrow and may love ease every pain.

Trasna na dtonnta go

Macalla an Chláir

LE MACDARA Ó CONAOLA

TÉIGH thar toinn go hInis Oírr an deireadh seachtaine seo, áit a bheas an seó iontach de shean-amhráin an Chláir á chanadh ag togha na n-amhránaithe agus na gceoltóirí.

Is san oíche Dé Sathairn beag seo a bheas scoth na h-amhráin a bhailigh an siamsóir ildánach, Diarmuid de Faoite don togra iontach seo, Dúchas agus Dóchas. I measc na n-amhránaithe a bheas le cloisteáil beidh Diarmuid, an t-eagraí é fhéin, Therese McInerney, Emer O’Flaherty, Gráinne Cotter, Edel Vaughan, Philip Fogarty, agus aoi speisialta as Inis Oírr, ag 8.30pm, Dé Sathairn, an 22ú de Mheitheamh, in Áras Éanna, Inis Oírr.

Costas: €15/€20

AN BHFUIL SCÉAL LE ROINNT AGAIBH? Bígí i dteagmháil linn agus leanaigí ar Facebook agus Twitter muid ag: @

Imeachtaí/Events:

macallaanchlair

R-phost: macallaanchlair@gmail.com l Emer O’Flaherty

• LUIMNEACH – Grianstad an tSamhraidh le Conradh na Gaeilge, Clog Tait, Sráid Pery, Luimneach, 7-9pm, Dé hAoine, 21ú Meitheamh - IN AISCE!!!

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

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

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

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

lRhasidat Adeleke

Attending the Shadow Puppetry with Sarah Fuller Workshop as part of Cruinniú na nÓg in Killaloe library was Molly Rose McCormack who came and created her own shadow puppets and brought them to life Photo by Liam Burke/Press 22 Cruinniú na nÓg brings joy to Killaloe

SCHOOLS from across the country were awarded their Gaelbhratach at a funfilled celebration in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary on 11th of June.

The flag represents and acknowledges the efforts of these hard-working schools in promoting the active use of Irish in a more social and natural way. The schools have organised a wide variety of activities and initiatives such as; Quizzes, Drama, Concerts, Games, Storytelling, Welcome Committees and Buddy Schemes along with a variety of Workshops in Sport, Yoga and Cooking through Irish. In total, there were 72 flags awarded at Primary level this year, the most ever achieved in the same school year. This was the first time the awards ceremony was held in Munster - the Cistercian College and Fun Academy Campus provided an ideal setting for a day of fun, laughter and spraoi as Gaeilge.

Bhí Barry Ó Síochrú, iardhalta de chuid na scéime agus an chéad Leas-Uachtarán don Ghaeilge in Aontas na Mac Léinn, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, ina fhear an tí ar an ócáid bhronnta. Ba í Niamh Ní Chróinín, Láithreoir Cúla 4, TG4, a bhronn na bratacha.

Is scéim spreagtha Gaeilge í Gaelbhratach atá á reáchtáil ag Gael Linn. Fáiltítear roimh scoileanna ar fud na tíre ag an mbunleibhéal agus ag an iar-bhunleibhéal a bheith páirteach sa scéim. Aithnítear na scoileanna as a gcuid iarrachtaí úsáid ghníomhach na Gaeilge a chur chun cinn lasmuigh den rang Gaeilge. Schools focus their energies on linking the language with things the students enjoy such as music, sport and art. They create regular, natural opportunities to practice Irish through their daily routines.

I measc na scoileanna a fuair bratach i mbliana, bhí Scoil Náisiún-

ta an Tobair agus Scoil Náisiúnta Chill Mhichíl Co. An Chláir. Tá SN Chill Mhichíl ag glacadh páirt gníomhach sa scéim le fada. Scoil Náisíunta an Tobair achieved their first flag this year. We spoke to them about their experience of the programme and the differences it is making in the school commmunity.

Tá spéis ollmhór ag Scoil Náisiúnta an Tobair i nGaeilge, Stair agus i dtíreolaíocht. I rith na bliana, rinne siad staidéar domhain ar an mBoirinn, ainmneacha na bplandaí agus ainmnithe dúchasacha a chónaíonn ann, uilig trí mheán na Gaeilge. Buaicphointe na bliana is ea nuair a tháinig an t-údar Aiden Courtney ar cuairt ó Choimicí Gael agus chruthaigh na páistí a gcoimicí féin trí mheán na Gaeilge. Bhí an-spraoi ag na daltaí leis sin agus bhí gach duine an-bhrodúil as a saothar féin! Tá siad le moladh!

Tobar National School have a keen interest in Gaeilge, History and Geography. During the year, the students completed a study of the Burren where they learned about the native plants and animals that inhabit the area through Gaeilge. One of the highlights of the year was when author Aiden Courtney from Coimicí Gael visited the school to do a workshop where pupils created their own comic books as Gaeilge. The pupils had great fun, and everyone was very proud of their creations. Well done everyone!

Tá Gaelbhratach á reáchtáil ag Gael Linn le maoiniú ó: Foras na Gaeilge, An Roinn Oideachais, An Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán, tríd an Crannchur Náisiúnta agus an Straitéis 20 bliain don Ghaeilge.

l (above) Daltaí ó bhunscoil Tobair leis an mbrat nua/Tubber NS students with their new flag and (right) Baill foirne Patricia Lee & Joan Geraghty ag ardú an bhrat le daltaí ó Tobair NS/ Members of staff Patricia Lee & Joan Geraghty raise their flag with students from Tubber NS

l gaelbhratach 2024

More men than women not disposing of their gum correctly

A “SMALL minority” are still disposing of gum incorrectly in Co Clare but behaviours on gum disposal are moving in the right direction, writes Páraic McMahon

As part of its summer roadshow, the Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT) was in Co Clare over the past week. This interactive roadshow works with local authorities and communities across the country to carry out fun and engaging education and awareness initiatives that demonstrate the proper means of gum disposal.

Now in its 17th year, the campaign is a collaboration between Food Drink Ireland, the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, the chewing gum industry, and local authorities.

Cathaoirleach of the Shannon Municipal District, Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) welcomed the roadshow to Clare and Shannon Town Park. “Each year this campaign seeks to educate people on the correct disposal of gum. It raises awareness of the environmental and financial impacts of improper disposal of chewing gum and encourages us all to ‘Bin Your Gum When You’re Done’.

“We want to continue encouraging a positive behaviour change among the small minority who are still disposing of gum incorrectly,” she said.

Attitudes towards gum litter continue to change, as children are educated on the negative environmental and fiscal impacts of gum litter. The GLT 2023 campaign had a positive impact on both attitudes and behaviour regarding gum disposal, with a five per cent increase in those reporting ‘always’ or ‘usually’ putting their chewed gum in the bin, bringing the figure to a record high of 92 per cent.

Speaking at the roadshow Derek Clune, Chairperson of Shannon Tidy Towns, commented, “We are delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with the Gum Litter Taskforce team and Clare County Council to help us deliver this campaign at Shannon Town Park with a common goal to fight gum litter. We are especially delighted to see that 92 per cent of people now dispose of

their gum properly”.

One in seven people continue to drop their gum on the ground, according to new findings from the Gum Litter Taskforce, the national awareness campaign which aims to make gum litter an issue of the past. This accounts for 19 per cent of men and nine per cent of women, showing a higher tendency in men to not properly dispose of their gum.

Attending the roadshow Terence McDonald, Environmental Community Warden for the Shannon MD, explained, “The Gum Litter Taskforce is a fantastic initiative for communities to get involved in. Each year, we see communities coming together with the common aim of reducing the level of littered gum within their respective localities.

“The latest results of the National Litter Pollution Monitoring report (2022) show a continuous decline of percentage of gum as a proportion of litter at 8.6 per cent. I am hopeful that this year’s campaign will continue to further build on those results. We look forward to continuing to work with the Gum Litter Taskforce to promote greater gum litter awareness throughout County Clare for the betterment of all our local communities”.

l CHEW’N OUT: Shannon Tidy Towns, including Cllr Donna McGettigan; the Gum Litter Taskforce; and Clare County Council staff at the GLT roadshow in Shannon Town Park

BDS Clare opposes tech giants Amazon and Google as clients of Data Centre

A LOCAL human rights group has voiced strong opposition to either Amazon or Google as the end user of the controversial Ennis data centre, writes Elaine Tubridy.

BDS Clare has claimed that the tech giants “are deeply complicit in human rights crimes by providing the Israeli military with their technology”.

In a statement to The Clare Echo, the group argued that Amazon have been heavily investing in Israeli state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries.

BDS Clare also argued that Amazon and Google’s billion dollar Cloud contract ‘Project Nimbus’ with Israel requires backing from state entities.

“Google executives know the depth of their company’s complicity in genocide, war crimes, and illegal

settlement expansion. The fact that they fired 50 of its employees last April in response to a protest, would suggest that Google have something to hide,” a spokesperson for BDS Clare said.

Of the plans for Ennis Data Centre, the group said: “If Amazon is indeed the proposed end user of the data centre, the town of Ennis will be bringing in a company that is deeply complicit in human rights crimes that allows the Israeli government to use their technology.”

The group concluded their statement by adding: “With Amazon as the end user, it will most likely build a hyperscale data centre, with higher-density infrastructure which are power-optimized, automated, and self-healing. As hyperscale is an automated infrastructure, only a few jobs would be needed.”

l

Artist’s impression of Ennis Data Centre

Holly Unit Sensory Garden helps revive memories for Dementia residents

WITH support from the Healthy Clare 2023 Micro Fund, Ennis Men’s Shed and St Joseph’s Hospital, Ennis have come together to help bring to life memories for Dementia residents on the grounds of the hospital.

The vision to create a sensory garden outside the Holly Unit of St. Joseph’s Hospital came to fruition as members of the Ennis Men’s Shed group came together to plant a sensory garden. With guidance from Joan Rayner, St. Joseph Staff Nurse, this vision for a sensory garden that could appeal to all senses, has now become a welcome and safe spot for residents, family members and friends to sit and connect to nature and to each other.

Careful consideration was given to all aspects of planting. The site is directly accessible to residents from the Holly Unit. Beds are raised to ensure that they can be enjoyed by wheelchair users and residents with mobility issues. Plants are vibrant in color and appeal to all the senses.

“The garden will consist of various shrubs, grasses, herbs and perennials. Sensory plants are colorful, scented and tactile. Such features in plants can support a sense of calm

Ennis Men’s Shed is a ‘chilled out and pressure

OVER 140 man hours went into the labour of love that is the new sensory Garden at St Joseph’s Hospital in Ennis, writes Elaine Tubridy Members of Ennis Men’s Shed, in association with Healthy Clare, donated their time free of charge to create a stunning sensory experience for dementia care patients of the Holly unit.

Healthy Clare supplied €2,000 worth of micro-funding to complete the garden. Ennis Men’s Shed committee member Pat O’Shea hopes the residents will enjoy the results of their latest project.

“The thing that’s nice about it is, the area we developed is actually about two feet off the ground. So if they’re sitting in their wheelchair, they will be able to go out and they’ll be able to physically touch the plants if they want to. So I think that will probably work in their favour as well.

“We also brought over a few other items that we made. We have a few bird feeders and bird boxes that would be around the area there. I think the patients will enjoy those things as well,” he says.

Fellow committee member Flan Hehir explains that the plants were chosen to give a pleasing visual ex-

perience to the patients.

“It’s supposed to be having a positive effect on those dementia patients who are being brought out there, because it was only a load of weeds out there up to now,” he adds.

Flan joined Ennis Men’s Shed nearly 10 years ago when his wife brought home a flyer from one of their flag days. He has been getting stuck into their many activities with gusto since. He noted that there is a very relaxed atmosphere and men are free to participate in projects or just have a cup of tea and a chat if they prefer.

“It’s just a bit of camaraderie, a bit of craic with the lads. They take on a project if they are happy to do it, or they just relax and have a cup of tea. It’s just totally chilled out and a pressure free zone. Just what the doctor ordered at this time of our life,” he says.

Pat’s decision to join coincided with the closure of Roche in Clarecastle in 2019. Financial backing from the company allowed them to develop a new, purpose built facility in Doora.

Pat believes the Men’s Shed is an important outlet for men who would otherwise be isolated.

while also awakening memories for residents of previous gardens. The memories in turn give rise to reminiscence, this is a valuable therapy frequently used in the Dementia Unit,” says Joan.

Joan also stated that she was delighted that Healthy Clare could provide funding to the Ennis Men’s Shed to bring this vision to life.

“The planted garden is a beautiful area for visitors and relatives to walk or sit with a family member or friend. It is an ideal place to initiate conversation and so it becomes a place to sit and be at rest with them. Together with Ennis Men’s Shed, the existing garden has been improved and turned into a dementia friendly space.”

Healthy Clare Coordinator Samantha McCarthy added: “Exploring the new garden will have a profound effect on individuals as it will allow residents to enjoy nature in a safe and tactile environment.”

In the future there is a hope to add bird houses, water features, fairy lights and ornaments. Birdhouses and a water feature will help to attract wildlife which will add to the experience of the sensory garden.

free zone’

“There’s a lot of lads that retire and they don’t have hobbies or they don’t have things to do and they’re stuck in the house at home. So this gives them an outlet. One of the strengths that we have is we have a big range of activities that guys can get involved with. We have woodworking, we have metalworking, we have gardening, we have music sessions on Monday mornings,” he says.

Flan adds: “We have leisure activities then. We have a pool table, we have darts, we play cards. We’d have a games night over the winter months now. We have a Wednesday night games night as well. And you have the lads who will just come in for a cup of tea and a chat. They might read their newspaper and chat away for an hour and off they go again.”

Ennis Men’s Shed have also been the backbone of many community projects in the area including working with the Tidy Towns, creating sculptures, making bug hotels to aid biodiversity and crafting dozens of bird feeders.

Visit menssheds.ie or call 0818 900 800 for information on joining your local branch.

lGREEN FINGERS: Ennis Men’s Shed members Pat Keegan & Pat Madden add the finishing touches Photo by Tom Micks

lCONNECTING TO NATURE: (back row) Members of Ennis Men’s Shed Pat Keegan, Pat Madden, Stephen Flynn and Pat O’Shea. (front row) Tony Burke, Joan Rayner of St Joseph’s Hospital, Samantha McCarthy, Healthy Clare Coordinator, and Flan Hehir

Photo by Tom Micks

Vitalograph announces open call for memories to mark 50 years

TO MARK 50 years of being based in Ennis, global leader in respiratory diagnostic solutions Vitalograph is curating an exhibition entitled ‘Vitalograph 50: Growing with Ennis’ which will feature in Glór, writes Elaine Tubridy.

Based in the county town since 1974, Vitalograph plays a key role in helping to improve the lives of people living with respiratory conditions such as asthma, COPD and cystic fibrosis.

Vitalograph is seeking contributions from people in Clare who have a connection with Vitalograph between 1974-2024 to feature in the upcoming exhibition.

“The central focus of this exhibition is our people, past and present. If it weren’t for the Vitalograph team over the past 50 years, Vitalograph would not be where it is today, or indeed be in existence at all,” said CEO, Frank Keane.

“Vitalograph has an extensive archive. However, there are a few gaps from the pre and early internet era. This is why we’re asking people in Clare who have a connection with Vitalograph to share their memories, stories, and photographs. Between our own team and contributions from the wider public, I am sure we will produce an interesting historical commentary for all to enjoy.”

There are undoubtedly many stories to be heard, friendships that have formed and milestones shared along the way.

All contributions to the exhibition are welcome, memories, stories or photographs. However big or small your contribution, Vitalograph would love to hear from you.

If you are interested in getting involved, call (065) 686 4100 or email your contributions to vitalograph50@vitalograph.ie before Friday 28 June.

Ennis Chamber wins national award

THE Chamber Awards 2024 saw Ennis Chamber win the inaugural ‘Community Support Initiatives’ category in recognition of its work with local schools around Climate Action and Offshore Energy initiatives, writes Elaine Tubridy Ennis Chamber CEO, Margaret O’Brien, said, “It’s great to get positive feedback and acknowledgement from objective adjudicators. We were delighted to fight off stiff competition in our category to win this award.”

She added, “It was a team effort and I’d like to acknowledge the work, not just on this initiative, but across the year from Ennis Chamber team; Margaret Whitworth, Maria Boland, Caroline Kalonga and Tetiana Burchenko”.

Ennis Chamber was represented at this year’s Chamber Awards by board members Eimear Brophy and Pat Morris, who accepted the award for ‘Community Support Initiatives’ on behalf of Ennis Chamber.

Ballina Chamber was named ‘Chamber of the Year’. Category winners were: Cork Chamber, Galway Chamber, Dublin Chamber, Ennis Chamber, Carlow Cham-

ber, Tralee Chamber and Letterkenny Chamber. The annual awards, hosted by Chambers Ireland were sponsored by

Zurich. The awards are designed to recognise the hard work and dedication of Chambers across the country.

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

• Clerical Officer

Closing date: 12 Noon Wednesday 31st July 2024.

• Canteen Attendant –Sporadic Cover

Closing date: 12 Noon Friday 5th July 2024. Please complete online application form available on www.clarecoco.ie under Careers Section. Only applications completed online will be accepted. Clare County Council is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sectors of the Community.

Scriobh chugainn as gaeilge más fearr leat.

l ARCHIVE: The company is seeking stories for a specially curated exhibition

RECENTLY, I had two experiences that struck a chord with me and highlighted the importance of continuous development and maintenance in both personal and professional settings.

The first experience was a trip to the beautiful village of Garrykennedy in Co Tipperary. After a calming forest walk, we walked along the pier where many boats are moored. We came across several boats left unused and in disrepair. Some of these boats were beyond saving, while others could be restored with a little TLC. This observation led me to reflect on the importance of maintaining and developing our skills and abilities, just like maintaining a boat to keep it seaworthy.

The second experience was a conversation I had with someone who had recently attended a leadership development program in their corporate setting. Despite knowing they had attended the course; they couldn’t recall much about it and weren’t sure if they had implemented any changes as a result. This conversation reinforced the idea that leadership development programs can be ineffective if they are not linked to the individual’s key performance indicators (KPIs) and performance deliverables.

These experiences led me to draw two key conclusions. Firstly, standing still is going backwards. In life and in leadership, when we don’t use a skill or don’t upskill, we can become stagnated and find our skillset out of date. The longer we leave anything unattended, the harder it can be to get it back to a state of repair. This is particularly relevant in today’s rapidly evolving business environment, where staying ahead of the curve requires continuous learning and development.

Secondly, leadership development programs can be a waste of money if they are not strategically aligned with the organization’s goals and objectives.

As I mentioned in a previous article, “When Leadership Development is a Waste of Money,” ineffective programs can be a “tick the box” exercise, failing to deliver meaningful results. To avoid this, any training, development, and leadership coaching must be linked to the business strategy and goals, as well as the individual attendee’s KPIs and performance deliverables.

For business owners and those responsible for overseeing the development of their staff and teams, there are two key reminders:

A. Any training, development, and leadership coaching must

be both linked with the business strategy and goals and also linked to the individual attendee’s KPIs and performance deliverables.

B. All resources, including people, need to be cared for and maintained so that they can perform at their best. This includes providing the necessary support and resources for employees to develop their skills and stay up-todate with industry developments.

In addition, understanding the optimum conditions for the transfer of learning within an organization is crucial. Research suggests that several factors influence successful

transfer of learning, including:

1. Motivation to Learn and Motivation to Transfer: These are key factors identified by Colquitt and colleagues (2000) that increase the transfer of training. Motivation to learn and motivation to transfer are essential for ensuring that employees are engaged and committed to applying their new skills and knowledge.

2. Organisational Climate: The organizational climate plays a significant role in fostering transfer of learning. A supportive and inclusive environment can increase employee motivation to learn and

transfer what they have learned.

3. Pre-Training, During Training, and Post-Training Interventions: These interventions are critical in maximising the transfer of training. Pre-training interventions can include setting clear goals and expectations, during training can include active learning and feedback, and post-training can include reinforcement and support from within the organisation.

4. Trainee Characteristics: Individual differences such as IQ and self-efficacy can influence how much employees learn and transfer to their jobs. Conducting a needs analysis before training can help identify trainee characteristics that predict training transfer.

5. Design of Trainings: Trainings should be designed to encourage active, self-regulated learning that facilitates the acquisition of complex skills. This can include interactive and engaging methods that increase learner motivation and participation.

6. Managerial Support: Managerial support is essential in influencing whether employees choose to participate in nonmandatory developmental activities. Leaders can shape the degree of learning transfer through informal reinforcement of transfer activities.

Zimmer Biomet: 3D Printing Healthcare Transformation in Oranmore

THE Med Tech sector is evolving. In part, this is powered by the cuttingedge magic of additive manufacturing or 3D printing as it is more commonly known.

Fusing technology and medicine, global Med Tech company, Zimmer Biomet is at the leading edge of this change & is driving its mission to alleviate pain worldwide.

3D printing fuses materials together using laser technology, layer-by-layer, to construct a final product. This allows flexibility in the design process and enables efficient production of both off-the-shelf and personalized medical devices.

At the heart of this exciting transformation lies Zimmer Biomet's Oranmore site, where creativity & ingenuity combined with a highly professional Engineering & Operations team have launched several successful products to the market.

Zimmer Biomet established a presence in Ireland in 2008, opening a facility in Shannon Co. Clare, which now employs over 500 people. In 2015 they opened a second facility in Oranmore Co. Galway, bringing the total employed close to 1100 people across both sites. The sites produce products including Knee, Hip & Shoulder replacement implants, are distributed worldwide and eventually sold in more than 100 countries.

Our success can be attributed to our talented and culturally diverse team, our relentless focus on quality, investment in leading edge technology, and our strong culture of innovation and continuous improvement. Welcome to the future of healthcare. Welcome to Zimmer Biomet.

“In recent times, we have invested heavily in this cutting-edge technology. Our team members not only get to work with the latest technology, but they are also proud to be advancing the quality of patient care and increasing the efficacy of healthcare, globally,” said Tom O’Carroll Manufacturing Director, Ireland.

REVOLUTION: 3D printing at Zimmer Biomet

WHEN you hear the term “hypnobirthing”, you may have an image of hypnosis in the way that Hollywood portrays it. Swinging pendulums, being out of control of your body, or someone casting a spell over you. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

If I asked you if you have ever been in a state of hypnosis before, your answer would probably be no. Again, not true. Everyone will be in a state of hypnosis at least once a day, right before they fall asleep. Being in a state of hypnosis is simply when you slip into the unconscious mind.

It happens when you are daydreaming, meditating, or being absorbed in a task you enjoy and losing track of time.

Hypnosis can be an extremely helpful tool when you are labouring and giving birth, because it allows you to go into your unconscious mind, which aids your body in doing what it already knows how to do; birthing your baby. In my hypnobirthing course, I teach you and your birthing partner techniques for self-hypnosis and powerful relaxation techniques. But a hypnobirthing course is also so much more than that.

It is a positive birth preparation course arming you with tools and techniques that will allow you to have the best possible birth experience for you. Hypnobirthing is for all births; natural births, cesareans,

medicated, unmedicated, hospital births, home births and everything in between. All the techniques taught in a hypnobirthing course will prepare you for every eventuality.

The premise of a hypnobirthing course is to prepare you in every way. To empower you to know your

options and to help you understand you have choices and can ask questions. The course also goes into the anatomy and physiology of what is happening in your body towards the end of your pregnancy, and throughout your labour and birth. What we will be focusing on most during this course is the “Fear-

Tension-Pain” cycle. This theory is that when we are fearful it creates tension in our bodies, and tension leads to increased pain. Tension is also extremely unhelpful during labour because if our muscles are tense it is very hard for them to birth our baby. This is just an example of what we will be learning

about during my course.

Most people don’t know what happens in our bodies during labour and birth, it’s something we are never taught and that we must go looking for for ourselves. So, signing up for this course will help you understand the process better, and therefore trust it more. You can be sure it is a very safe, inclusive and unbiased environment. We will also be doing lots of relaxing and practicing these powerful techniques!

Another very important part of the course is discussing your birth preferences. I don’t like the term “birth plan” as anyone who has given birth before will know its something that cannot be perfectly planned. And if something changes, you don’t want to feel like your plan has changed.

However, having preferences, and visualising those scenarios can be very helpful during your labour, and it also makes sure that you feel comfortable and safe throughout the entire process.

Overall, my course aims to empower you, make you feel more at ease and relaxed, and show you just how incredible your birth experience can be. Through hypnobirthing you can see how much influence you have over the process and how you can stack the odds in your favour of having the birth you dream of. It is a life-changing investment in yourself and your baby.

AT OXYGENERATION, we have witnessed remarkable transformations in the lives of many individuals through the power of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBOT). This natural healing method has not only enhanced the quality of life for countless people but, in some cases, it has been nothing short of life-changing.

Take Anne, for instance. Anne has become one of OxyGeneration’s most ardent supporters and advocates, a testament echoed by her family. Anne’s journey with HBOT began as a quest for relief from persistent pressure sores on her spine, a side effect she developed during her chemotherapy treatment. The results she experienced exceeded all expectations.

“I started going to OxyGeneration to treat pressure sores on my spine, which developed when I was getting chemotherapy,” Anne shared. “The Oxygenation therapy has accelerated wound healing by months, and both pressure sores are nearly gone. Another benefit I noticed after my first session was that my ‘chemo

brain’ is gone - I feel like the chemo fog has lifted, and I feel so much better cognitively and more engaged with the world. My daughter says, ‘We got Mummy back,’ as my quality of life has greatly improved. I would highly recommend OxyGeneration to anyone who has been through chemotherapy.”

Anne’s story highlights the profound impact HBOT can have, not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. Her recovery journey has inspired her family and countless others, demonstrating the potential of HBOT to restore vitality and well-being. It is a perfect example of what regularly occurs at OxyGeneration: someone comes in seeking relief for a specific symptom or condition, only to experience a multitude of additional benefits. Every cell in the body requires oxygen, and by boosting oxygen levels throughout the entire body, it’s no surprise that overall health improves.

Hyperbaric oxygenation works by delivering high concentrations of oxygen to

the body’s cells, which might otherwise be deprived due to various circulation issues. This process naturally accelerates healing and recovery by providing cells with an abundance of oxygen, essential for their repair and function.

At OxyGeneration, we take immense pride in the positive feedback and recommendations from our past clients. Their satisfaction and experiences are the primary reasons new clients reach out to us, underscoring the efficacy and transformative potential of HBOT.

If you or a loved one are seeking a natural and effective way to enhance healing and recovery, consider the benefits of HBOT. Contact OxyGeneration at 091394444 for more information and discover how we can help improve your quality of life. How fortunate it is that Anne discovered OxyGeneration! Her story is one of hope for others on a similar path, illustrating the life-changing potential of hyperbaric oxygenation.

lLIFE-CHANGING: Cancer survivor Anne

RECENTLY SALE AGREED A SELECTION OF PROPERTIES

SALEAGREED

Lough Garr House, Dromore Ruan

16 Cuirt an Fhile ENNIS

“Seascapes”, Rockmount LISCANNOR

“Maabit”, Clonreddan CREE

Ballymaquiggin ENNIS

Ballinahoun LISDOONVARNA

Rockmount House LISCANNOR

The Square KILDYSART

24 Westwood ENNIS

Ballyduff BAREFIELD

116 Moore Bay KILKEE

Bidsie Brickes, The Square CARRIGAHOLT

48 An tSean Dun ENNIS

Moyriesk QUIN

Strand Camping DOONBEG

'The damage was done at the start of extra time' - O'Connell reacts following minor exit

ELECTRIC IRELAND ALL-IRELAND MINOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL

Clare 2-20 Kilkenny 2-23

Venue: FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles

Compiled by Séamus Hayes

STORY OF THE GAME

CLARE

Frees for: 13 (2/7/4)

Wides: 16 (5/8/3)

Scores from play: 2-9

Spread of scorers: 9

Top scorer: Matthew Corbett (0-6, 5f's) & Harry Doherty (0-6, 4f's)

Bookings: Seán McNamara (9), Tadhg Lohan (11), Darren Moroney (45)

Red Card: Paul Rodgers (70)

Own puckouts won: 30 out of 43 (70%)

KILKENNY Frees for: 17 (7/6/4) Wides: 18 (11/3/4) Scores from play: 2-14

Spread of scorers: 7

Top scorer: Jake Mullen (0-13, 9f's)

Bookings: None

Own puckouts won: 27 out of 35 (77%)

REFEREE: Colum Cunning (Antrim)

“ MANAGER COMMENT

“I have been saying for a good couple of games that this team has that special characteristic where they never give up even when things aren’t going their way. We really needed that for the final five minutes of normal time where we really had to grind it out and thankfully Paul (Rodgers)threw over that score to level the game”.

“I am really happy with the effort, it’s a really devastated dressing room in there but they will dust themselves off and get on with it as young fellas do”.

“Character is there in spades. These guys put their hands up for selection. It’s something we have been looking for. That’s the character we have been looking for in terms of the management group, that’s the foundation in terms of what we want to work with and all 35 have that”.

“Reaching a third All-Ireland semi-final in a row and a

third Munster final in a row is not usual for Clare hurling but it’s something we want to see on a regular basis. We want to see Clare teams experiencing this. What comes with this is TG4, kids at home looking to say they want to be there and join development squads”.

“The damage was done at the start of extra time, they got a couple of scores on us and we didn’t seem to be able to claw it back”.

“Six or seven of the group are there again next year. This group lapped up coaching instructions, asked lots of questions wanted to learn and develop and if you keep doing that it’s a massive attribute and these lads have it in spades and the future is bright for them”.

Clare’s quest to bounce back begins in Thurles

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

CLARE’s senior hurlers will look to bounce back from the disappointment of their third successive Munster final loss when they do battle with Wexford this weekend.

FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles hosts a double header of All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals with Brian Lohan’s side bidding to make a third All-Ireland semi-final in as many seasons. The game starts at 15:15 and is the second game with Cork versus Dublin starting at 13:15.

After coming up short by six points to Limerick in the Munster final, there is a growing expectation among the Clare public that changes need to be made by Lohan and his management.

Ryan Taylor’s energy and vibrancy around the middle of the field has been lost and the potential of Cathal Malone being partnered by either David Reidy or Tony Kelly in this sector could strengthen the

Clare cause.

Similarly Ian Galvin’s continued absence from the starting fifteen may be changed if the Clonlara sharpshooter is trusted with a starting berth in the full-forward line.

Both counties last met in the All-Ireland SHC in 2022 when Clare emerged victors on a

score of 1-24 to 3-14.

Wexford’s attempts to move the game from Saturday to Sunday didn’t receive the 60% backing required at a special meeting of Central Council.

The change in schedule was sought because Wexford is hosting the national Féile na nGael Under-15 hurling

competition on Saturday. The yellowbellies had flagged the issue with Croke Park officials last month.

Wexford beat Laois by twelve points in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final with a final result of 0-32 to 0-20, where Lee Chin scored eleven points for the winners.

Home quarter-final for Clare Ladies Footballers

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

CLARE will host Tyrone in the TG4 All-Ireland intermediate ladies football quarter-finals.

Wins over Monaghan and Offaly afforded Clare home advantage in the last eight where they will face Tyrone on Sunday June 30th.

Wayne Freeman’s side lost out to Kildare in the All-Ireland decider last year but have bounced back with a series of impressive displays so far in 2024. They already have secured silverware this year after winning the Lidl Ladies Football National League Division 3 title when they overcame Roscommon.

Should they hold off the challenge of Tyrone, Clare will meet Ulster opposition in the last four on Sunday July 14th with the winners of Down and Monaghan waiting in the wings.

1. Down v Monaghan

2. Wexford v Westmeath

3. Clare v Tyrone

4. Leitrim v Roscommon

Semi-finals:

1. Down or Monaghan vs Clare or Tyrone

2. Wexford or Westmeath vs Leitrim or Roscommon

l Ciara McCarthy is tackled by Antrim's Lara Dahunsi.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Brian O'Connell, Clare manager

l Paul Rodgers prepares to shoot.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

l John Conlon bursts away from Limerick's Shane O'Brien in the 2024 Munster Senior Hurling Final.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Drubbing from Donegal ends the Banner’s involvement in football championship

“ MANAGER COMMENT

“Any day when you get a beating like that it’s not good but it just shows the gulf in class really”.

“They [the players] have to be exposed, they have to live it to learn it, that is true and we won’t let this day damage the overall positive season we’ve had, I’d have taken it at the start of the year albeit I wouldn’t have wanted it to end like this, you have to recognise what we lost last year whereas where we are now, I’d still say we’re better off in the Sam Maguire on the basis that we were competitive for two matches, what can you say, these are tough games”.

“There’s talks of one or two of the lads who stepped away coming back, I don’t know but the lads themselves will be better for it, the younger lads will be better for it certainly. I would say the lads have learned more about themselves since the Kerry game than they had in the previous nine weeks of the Division 3 campaign, that is hugely important but we have to get into Division 2 if we want to keep developing Clare football”.

“We had some really good days, the Munster final where we were competitive for large parts and we were able to do a few things that we worked on throughout the course of the year but relatively pleased with the year but not happy to take a beating

like that”.

“Obviously losing Stephen and losing Darragh (Bohannon) forced our hand on kickouts, it did affect us and I felt the energy was way less the last couple of weeks after we didn’t get the result in the Cork match, albeit we were decent in patches against Tyrone but it is a learning curve for the lads, we have to manage the energy and try get up a level for all these matches, in the Sam Maguire you’re playing Division 1 opponents and they (Donegal) are a serious outfit”.

“What can you say, tactics go out the window at that stage, everything we had tried to do wasn’t working, we’d one or two attacks when we dropped the ball at the last hurdle and we needed them all to go over just to keep challenging them, dust yourselves down and try go again to improve on the first half. They are a really good side, I saw them in Ballybofey up close and I saw them up close, they will take a bit of stopping”.

Fifty game ban for Celtic's Leahy

by Páraic McMahon páraic@clareecho.ie

NEWMARKET

Celtic’s Darragh Leahy has received a fifty game ban. Leahy is on course to be suspended for two years after the Clare District Soccer League (CDSL) clamped down on indiscipline shown in the aftermath of Newmarket Celtic’s Clare Cup final loss to Avenue Utd.

In footage that circulated online following Avenue’s penalty shootout win over Newmarket Celtic, Leahy is shown throwing punches at up to three Avenue squad members, Stephen Jordan, Conor Mullen and Jamie Roche. These actions were despite the attempts of Celtic manager Paddy Purcell to restrain Leahy.

None of the Avenue trio reacted at the time while one member of their squad had to be pulled back and family members of those hit voiced their disgust.

Officials in the Clare District Soccer League had been coming under pressure to try stamp out such events with tensions between both clubs

high during their meetings this season. The heavy-handed suspension indicates that such behaviour cannot be tolerated. Leahy had previously been struck Mullen in the head during the side’s meeting in the Hugh Kelly Cup final while suspensions were dished out to Gearoid O’Brien and Mikey Dinan following their meeting in the FAI Junior Cup, a game that Avenue won but was the scene of unsavoury scenes after Steven McGann scored the winning goal and substitute Dinan ran onto the field.

With the onset of a fifty game ban, Leahy will be unavailable for Newmarket Celtic for the next two seasons and his future at the club is in doubt.

When Celtic won a historic FAI Junior Cup title last April, the Shannon native was a key cog in their wheel and produced many decisive moments on their way to victory.

Following this success, Darragh signed for Ballynanty Rovers but this turned out to be a brief spell with the Limerick club and he returned to Newmarket in January.

PLAYER WATCH

MANUS DOHERTY (CORNERBACK)

Minutes played: All

Possessions: 10 (7/3)

Passess: 9 (6/3)

Long Pass: 0

Short Pass: 9 (6/3)

Hand Pass: 8 (5/2)

Foot Pass: 1 (1/1)

Tackles: 4 (3/1)

Turnovers For: 2 (2/0)

Turnovers Against: 0

Frees For: 1 (1/0)

Frees Against: 0

Shots: 1

Shots Saved: 1

Ryan sustains serious knee injury

CLARE goalkeeper Stephen Ryan has sustained a knee injury that will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the year.

Vice captain of the county senior footballers and first choice netminder, Stephen missed out on Saturday’s loss to Donegal in the All-Ireland SFC in Castlebar. Goalkeeper Ryan sustained what is understood to be an anterior cruciate ligament injury. This injury will preclude him from lining out in Kilrush Shamrocks’ bid to secure promotion to the senior ranks.

He picked up the knee injury in training subsequent to Clare's second round loss to Tyrone. A shoulder injury is also set to be tackled as Stephen prepares for a lengthy spell out of action.

During Mark Fitzgerald’s first year as manager, Stephen’s role within the set-up has enhanced with the goalkeeper having a much more frequent involvement in Clare’s open play.

He had been named to start in the Clare team for Saturday’s drubbing at the hands of Donegal but Tristan O’Callaghan made his first appearance of the championship between the posts. Given the length of time associated with a recovery from an ACL injury, Stephen will miss the 2025 Allianz National Football League campaign.

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

l Stephen Ryan in action against Tyrone

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Mark Fitzgerald, Clare manager

l Aaron Grffin bursts away from Donegal's Brendan McCole.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

l Leahy is consoled by management.

Photo by Joe Buckley

Six Career Wins For Noel Gavins Ballyea Jet at Galway track

by Michael Maher

There was a thrilling finish to this S4 graded sprint contest at the Galway Track on Saturday night last as the Noel Gavin of Ballyea owned Ballyea Jet got up close home to collar the pace setting Burnpark Jaytee and prevail by a neck in 18.16. From traps Burnpark Jaytee, Ballyea Jet and Rathmartin Boy all came away well but approaching the opening bend Burnpark Jaytee took a definite advantage but he ran slightly wide off the turn forcing his main rival Ballyea Jet (Jaytee Jet-Seekers Vision) to switch inside. On the run hone the Albert Mullins of Gort trained Ballyea Jet gradually wore his rival down to land career win number six.

In the opening S9 garden sprint contest all six runners came away as one but the blue jacketed Mirabel quickly opened up two length advantage over On The Latt and Glasheen Charlie as they raced towards the opening bend. Rounding the opening bend On The Latt ran quite wide and this allowed the Miss Harper Ward of Spancilhill owned Miracle open up a three length advantage between the two bends. Off the home bend Mirabel (Droopys Sydney-Cactus Sapphire) was in control and although On

The Latt did close late on the gap was still two lengths at the line in 18.30.

Tulla Trainer Donie Duggan completed a double on the night initiate in the A7 graded third contest as in the early strides of this contest Dublin Ben showed pace on the wide outside and racing towards the opening bend, he led Rylane Lady by just about a length with Burnpark Ollie in third place. Turning down the back Dublin Ben continued to show the way and at halfway he led by three lengths from Rylane Lady who along with Burnpark Ollie began to close right up on the leader approaching the third bend. Off the home bend the Donal Duggan owned and trained Rylane Lady (Burgess Bucks-Notimetotalk) gradually gained the upper hand to defeat Dublin Ben by a length in 29.74.

The double was completed in the A4 garden seventh contest as the Pat Kelly owned French Fearless who made almost all to defeat Five Alley Duke by half a length in 29.53. The son of Slippery Robert & Clodagh’s Legend trapped smartly and led from Hollywell Flash racing towards the opening bend rounding which he ran pretty wide allowing Pats Best Girl to join issue briefly along the inner. Racing towards halfway French Fearless was back in command on the outside as Five Alley Duke began to make progress through the pack to exit the back

straight in second place. Rounding the home bend French Fearless was still holding the call but he was all out also home as Five Alley Duke closed with every stride.

The concluding A3 was the feature contest on the night where from traps Brickhill Tara was best away along the inside and racing towards the opening bend she led from Paradise Brook trained by Sean Meade of Miltown Malbay and De Big Champ. Rounding the bend the leader moved slightly off the rails and turning down he back the blue jacketed Paradise Brook slipped through along the rails to join issue. Racing towards halfway the Honk-Away-Syndicate of Newmarket on Fergus owned Paradise Brook took command of the contest as Portumna Buck tried to get involved but out front Paradise Brook (Skywalker Canny-Paradise Summer) was in command and she readily maintained the tempo all the way to the line to defeat Brickhill Tara by three lengths in 29.13.

The concluding A3 graded 525 yards contest was the top graded event in Friday night’s card at Galway Greyhound Stadium and as the traps rose Own Lullaby was just about best away from his trap five berth and racing towards the opening bend the Thomas O’Doherty of Cooraclare owned Droopys Sydney & Droopys Lullaby showed pace to lead from Guideys Bullet along the fence and Banter Buzz. With

Clare duo included in U20 squad for World Rugby Championships

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

CLARE DUO, Luke Murphy and Emmet Calvey have been named in the Irish U20 squad for the World Rugby Championships.

Head Coach Willie Fallon named his thirty player squad for the upcoming World Rugby U20 championships with Murphy and Calvey among the contingent heading for South Africa.

Taking place in the Cape Town region, the global showpiece tournament for the Under-20 grade runs over five match days from Saturday, June 29 to Friday, July 19.

Ireland open the 2024 World Rugby U-20 Championship against Six Nations rivals Italy on Saturday, June 29 (kick-off 4.30pm local time/3.30pm Irish time), at DHL Stadium in Cape Town.

They then face Georgia on Thursday, 4 July (kick-off 2pm local time/1pm Irish time), with that

game taking place at Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch, and Australia are their opponents at Athlone Sports Stadium in Cape Town on Tuesday, 9 July (kick-off 2pm local time/1pm Irish time).

Among the 17 forwards in the squad are Luke and Emmet who both play their club rugby with Shannon RFC.

Luke from Cratloe and Newmarket-on-Fergus’ Emmet both made their mark in the 6 Nations. They have both attended Ard Scoil Rís.

crowding among the chasing pack, the John Browne of Ballyea trained Own Lullaby set sail for home early in the back straight. Passing halfway the gap back to Guideys Bullet was in excess of Six lengths as Own Lullaby powered clear out front and crossing the line she was ten lengths clear of Guideys Bullet in 29.19.

Following a pretty level break in the A6 graded contest it was the

Seamus McMahon of Cooraclare owned Lissatouk Suzy that was first to break rand and approaching the opening bend the daughter of Laughill Blake & Lissatouk Dolly led Peteles Spirit by just over a length. Turning down the back Lissatouk Suzy led by two lengths as the front pair began to leave their rivals toiling behind.

Byrne & Mata line out for Ireland

TWO Clare footballers were representing their country this week.

Iarla Byrne and Kaylum Mata got to don their national colours when lining out in the Associations Cup in Blackpool.

Both teenagers were part of the

Irish schoolboys twenty person squad. Last week they were lining out with their county as part of the Kennedy Cup squad where they finished in twentieth position overall. Burren Utd’s Iarla from Lisdoonvarna has been the pride of his club for this achievement while Lifford FC’s Kaylum was one of the standout players throughout for Clare in the Kennedy Cup.

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

l Iarla Byrne & Kaylum Mata

l Irish rugby U20 players Emmet Calvey and Luke Murphy with Ennis RFC's Jake Corry.Photo by Joe Buckley

l CLARE PRIMARY SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS 2024 Ennis National School were winners of the Clare Primary School Championship 2024. Pictured are Mr Brian Troy, Robbie Lyne, Finn Gleeson, Emma Gleeson, Sophie Lyne and Danny Comerford (Ennis Tennis Club)

Bryson Shines in Epic US Open Showdown with Rory

by PÁDRAIG MCGRATH

In a stunning display of power and precision, Bryson DeChambeau triumphed over Rory McIlroy at the US Open yesterday, securing only his second major title in spectacular fashion. The final round at Pinehurst was nothing short of electrifying as DeChambeau's faced off against McILroy. Although both players were in separate groups the atmosphere was incredible throughout the final round.

From the outset, the final round lived up to what the spectators wanted, as the competition was fierce. McILroy, who had shown remarkable consistency throughout the tournament, starting the day three behind

Bryson, but birdied the first to reduce that lead to only two strokes. Then on the 5th hole Rory hit a stunning long iron with a big sweeping high draw into the front of the green, however his ball never fully settled and eventually it rolled off the false front all the way back down the fairway into the sandy wasteland into a horrendous lie. This misfortune led to a bogie six on what briefly was looking like a sure birdie and this was his only drop shot on the front nine. He would go on to birdie the ninth and finish the front nine in one under par which would see the gap close to only one stroke behind Bryson, who shot one over par. Now they both had teed up a real exciting back nine on Sunday at the US Open for all of the spec-

tators. Rory would continue on from his birdie on the 9th to follow up with three more birdies on the 10th, 12th and the 13th to charge ahead of Bryson who also managed to birdie the 10th and 13th but unfortunately, he double bogied the 12th, which saw Rory get ahead of him for the first time in the final round. It was evident Rory had one hand on the trophy after the 15th when he was now two full shots clear of Bryson, however shockingly to everyone's horror Rory's short putting deserted him on both the 16th and 18th where he missed two extremely short putts leading to bogies on both these holes. Rory's poor finish of three over par for the last four holes opened the door for Bryson as he went one shot ahead going down his

Garry victorious in Kevin Stanford's captains

prize at Shannon Golf Club

by Séamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

Over four hundred members (349 men and 53 ladies) played in Kevin Stanford captain’s prize over Friday and Saturday at Shannon.

John Garry (12) played superb golf to win with 66. John, who has been a member for 21 years was a very popular winner and this is his first major.

David Ryan (15) was second and he also had a 66, Michael Sweeney (11) was third with68 followed by Michael Corry (8) with a similar score. Damian Casey (+1) won the gross with 72.

Alan Small (8) won category A with 72 from John O’Connell (7) with a similar score with third spot filled by Edward Hickey (1) with 73.

EAST CLARE GOLF CLUB

The winners of the ladies Coronation Foursomes at East Clare last week were Siobhan Shanahan (17) and Marie Donnellan (22).

WOODSTOCK GOLF CLUB

Last week’s open singles at Woodstock was

won by Paudie O'Connell (19) with 39 points. In second place with a similar score was Barry McNamara (16) with Callum Hayes a points back on 38 points in third spot.

DROMOLAND GOLF CLUB

The 18-hole rumble at Dromoland at the weekend was won by John McCarthy and Ciaran Kelly with 54 points. They had a point more than Sean Burns and Niall O’Connor with third spot filled by Cyril O’Neill and P J Conway with 51 points.

ENNIS GOLF CLUB

The overall winner of the ladies 18-hole stableford competition at Ennis last week was Mary Lenihan (18) with 41 points.

GORT GOLF CLUB

Christy Fahy's captain's prize at Gort was won by James Moran from Niall Finnegan with Barry Cahill third, Michael T. Ryan fourth and Ollie Curtin in fifth place. Paul Brennan won the gross.

KILRUSH GOLF CLUB

The Bowman's Lane Restaurant men’s open at Kilrush was won by Gearoid Williams (16) with 39 points.

l Congratulations to our 2024 group who completed the Ladies Get into Golf programme recently. It has been a very successful year with over 50 women taking part. Many thanks to Kitty Morris for organising and to our many members who assisted with coaching along with our Golf –Pro Martin Ward and to Clare Sports Partnership for their support.

final hole. A poor tee shot down the last saw Bryson under serious pressure it looked like a bogie would be on the cards. With a very restricted backswing all Bryson could manage was to nudge his ball forward into a deep bunker with still over 60 yards from the pin, which is possibly one of the toughest shots in golf. Bryson wasted no time in committing to this shot and, in my opinion, played one of the best golf shots I have ever seen especially, considering the pressure of the situation. He blasted the ball out of the bunker and used a downslope on the front of the green to roll his bunker shot to four feet which he would hold to win the 2024 US Open at Pinehurst. I can't help but feel this showdown was not just

Rory V Bryson but rather The PGA Tour V's LIV. It was noted also Rory did not hang around to congratulate Bryson and it was clear to see the pain he felt when Bryson hold that winning putt on the 18th. It is an interesting time in golf now with so much talent on both tours it is hard to win any event not alone a major and I am sure Rory is sickened he allowed Bryson the opportunity to win this major by missing two extremely short putts that he would usually hold in his sleep. The question is how does Rory react to this loss, can he bounce back and keep his current form going after this major setback. Only time will tell but I think we all felt his pain when he lost the tournament but missing those two putts, when he

has worked so hard on his putting with his new putting coach Brad Faxon. As the golf world reflects on another unforgettable showdown on the back nine of a major championship, DeChambeau’s win is sure to spark so much confidence in his ability for the rest of this season. Both of his victories at the US Open not only cements his status as one of golf’s elites currently but for the foreseeable future. The change I have seen in Bryson's course management, control of his ball flight and how impressive his distance control has gotten in the past couple of years tells me he now has the ability to win any of the four majors. I can see him now contesting a lot of majors in the coming years ahead.

Golf will be the talk of the village when the South

returns to Lahinch next month

by Michael Maher news@clareecho.ie

LAHINCH GOLF CLUB will host the 122nd staging of the South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship next month.

Beginning on Wednesday July 24th and running until Sunday July 28th, it will take place following the Arnold Palmer Cup which Lahinch hosts from July 5th to 7th.

150 of Ireland’s leading amateur golfers will play in the 36-hole strokeplay qualifier over Wednesday and Thursday, with the top 64 qualifying for the matchplay stage of the competition which starts on Friday and concludes with the semi-finals and final on Sunday 28th July.

Previous winners of the competition include John Burke, JB Carr, Paul McGinley, Darren Clarke, and Graeme McDowell. The closing date for entries is midnight on Wednesday 26th June 2024

John McInerney, Captain Lahinch Golf Club, said “played mid-summer at peak holiday time in Lahinch, the South is highly regarded amongst the players where golf is the talk of the village throughout the week. Lahinch and the surrounding area is looking forward to another memorable Championship and all visitors are welcome to come along and join in the festivities”.

Michael Coote, Chairperson, Munster Region Golf Ireland, said “Golf Ireland is delighted to continue its long association with Lahinch Golf Club. The South of Ireland Championship is one of the oldest and most prestigious championships in the world and we wish all the competitors well when the tournament commences in a few weeks. The roll of honour of past winners truly re-

flects the high esteem in which the South of Ireland is held by both the players and supporters of amateur golf.”

Pierse Motors Volkswagen, based in Tipperary and Ennis have continued their sponsorship of Ireland’s oldest Championship. Gary Pierse, Managing Director of Pierse Motors, commented “Pierse Motors Volkswagen’s partnership with Lahinch Golf Club and the South of Ireland Championship commenced in 2016 and we are delighted to continue to support this prestigious tournament. Lahinch boasts one of the finest links golf courses in the country and I am sure this year’s championship will be another huge success.”

l Lahinch Golf Club.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL

ARDKYLE, NEWMARKET- ON -FERGUS, CO. CLARE

Take notice that Mary Nihill intends to apply to the planning authority for permission for alterations, rear extension and change of use of existing domestic garage to a granny flat accommodation, along with ancillary works at the above address. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, Clare County Council, Aras Contae an Chlair, New Road, Ennis 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 planning authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL DRUMQUIN, BALLYNACALLY, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

Take notice that Keelan McNelis intends to apply to the planning authority for permission to construct a new dwelling house and garage, complete with a sewage treatment system and ancillary works at the above address. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, Clare County Council, Aras Contae an Chlair, New Road, Ennis 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 planning authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL. FURTHER INFORMATION/REVISED DRAWINGS

Concerning planning ref-

erence number P23/60417 pertaining to Retention Permission to retain inadvertent demolition of existing cottage and partly built dwelling house to first floor level. Planning permission is also sought to complete the said dwelling house and associated site works at Kinturk, Connolly, Co. Clare V95 D320

Take notice that Aimee Landers and Colm Reidy have lodged significant further information in respect of planning application P23/60417. This information and planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Authority, Clare County Council, Planning Department, Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis Co. Clare 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 not later than 2 weeks after the receipt of the newspaper notice and site notice by the planning authority.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL

RINUNA, BALLYBEG, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

Consequent to previous grant of permission Ref. P23/60279, permission is being sought by Gerry & Orla Barry to (a) retain modifications to existing attached garage currently being renovated and (b) extend existing garage to facilitate change of use to granny flat and all associated site works at the above address. The Planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made 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. Opening hours 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL

LEITRIM , CREE, KILRUSH, CO CLARE

Take notice that Anne and Conor Maxwell intend to apply for permission to build a new dwelling, garage, bore a well, install a wastewater treatment system & all other associated site and ancillary works at the above address.

The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL KNOCKNEPPY, LAHINCH, CO CLARE

Take notice that Maryanne and Tim Palmer intend to apply for permission to renovate and extend the existing derelict dwelling, build a garage, install a wastewater treatment system & all other associated site and ancillary works at the above address.

The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL FURROOR, LISSYCASEY, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

Take notice that Grace Kelly intends to apply to the planning authority for permission to construct a new dwelling house and garage complete with a new entrance, sewage treatment system and an-

cillary works at the above address. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, Clare County Council, Aras Contae an Chlair, New Road, Ennis 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 withing the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the planning authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL FAHY BEG, BRIDGETOWN, CO CLARE I, Noel Daly, am applying to the above authority for permission/retention permission for the following development on property at Fahy Beg, Bridgetown, Co Clare:

Retention Permission for partially constructed detached dormer dwelling house and permission for completion of same, onsite wastewater treatment system and percolation area, connection to necessary services, construction of new entrance detail together with all associated ancillary and incidental site works. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority 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

FURTHER INFORMATION/ REVISED PLANS

Planning _Reference Number: P24/59

Description of Development:

Outline permission for a dwelling house, septic tank treatment system and access to public road

Location: Ballygriffy South, Fountain, Ennis, Co. Clare

Take notice that Lily O’Connor has lodged significant further information in respect of planning application P24/59. This information and planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Authority of Clare County Council, Planning Department, Aras Contae an Chlár, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the further information or revised plans may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, not later than 2 weeks after the receipt of the newspaper notice and the site notice by the planning authority or in the case of a planning application accompanied by an ElS within 5 weeks of receipt of such notices by the planning authority.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL 11 SYCAMORE DRIVE, LIMERICK ROAD, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

I Tareq Ghani, intend to apply for retention permission for development on this site at 11 Sycamore Drive, Limerick Road, Ennis, Co. Clare V95 P2CN. The development will consist of: Retention of a pergola to the rear of the dwelling house. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee, not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the office of the planning authority during its opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of a fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application and such submission or observation 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.

Signed Pat Kelly, Chartered Building Surveyors, Unit 10, Shannon Business Centre, Shannon, Co. Clare V14 K448 (Agent).

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL

ARMADA HOTEL

HOLDINGS LTD. intend to apply for permission for development at this site; Armada House, Spanish Point, Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare which is a protected structure (RPS No. 025). The development will consist of the provision of a footpath between Armada House and the R482. The development will also include for associated landscaping, public lighting, the opening of a new 2m wide pedestrian access that links to the public footpath as well as all 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 (9:00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m. Monday to Friday).

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 the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application and such submissions or observations will be considered by the planning authority in making a decision on the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without fuse to grant permission.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL, KNOCKLOSKERAUN, MILTOWN MALBAY, CO. CLARE

Take notice that L. Collins intends to apply to the Planning Authority for permission to alter and extend her existing dwelling house, modify existing site entrance and create a new agricultural entrance along with ancillary 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.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL, FINTRA BEG, MILTOWN MALBAY, CO. CLARE

Take notice that G. Quilligan intends to apply to the Planning Authority for permission to alter and extend his existing dwelling house along with ancillary 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.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL, FREAGHAVALEEN, MILTOWN MALBAY, CO. CLARE

Take notice that E. Zidrunas & K. O’Donovan intend to apply to the Planning Authority for permission to retain the roof finish and alterations to the front boundary wall 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.

THE MIRACLE PRAYER

Dear Heart of Jesus, In the past, I have asked for many favours. This time, I ask you This special favour. (Mention Favour) Take it dear Heart of Jesus, And place it within Your own broken heart Where your Father sees it, Then in His Merciful Eyes It will become your favour Not mine. Amen. Say this prayer for 3 days. Promise publication. E.M

perweek from as little as

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The Clare Echo Quiz

Which of these monastic sites would you find on the outskirts of Gort?

Kells

Kilmacduagh

Skellig Michael

 Which is of these well-known hurlers from Gort won the 2017 All-Ireland SHC at wingback?

Jack Grealish

Aidan Harte

Greg Lally

Which Motorway is the town accessible to?

M1

M7

M18

Which of these Irish female boxers comes from the town, and won the 2022 IBA Youth World Boxing Championships?

Cliona D’Arcy

Kellie Harrington

Katie Taylor

Which of these famous writers took up residence in Gort?

James Joyce

Seamus Heaney

W.B. Years

What colours do Gort RFC play in?

Blue & White

Green & Yellow

Navy & Grey

What of these names is the proper name for the café found in the town?

Exhibition Café

Gallery Café

Museum Café

What is the name of the hotel in Gort?

Flannery’s Hotel

Sullivan’s Royal Hotel

The Connacht Hotel

What tourist attraction is on the outskirts of Gort:

Ailwee Cave

Bunratty Castle Coole Park

What nickname has been associated with Gort?

Little Argentina Little Brazil Little Italy

Compiled by Adam Maloney

Spot the Difference

Can you spot the difference? Spot the 7 differences. The answers will be revealed in next weeks edition.

Last weeks Answers

Dermot Hayes and Denis Vaughan pictured at the Local Election count

Photo by Joe Buckley

THIS WEEKS PUZZLES June 20th

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Premiere Prologue Start . Womb

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Preface

The Clare Echo Crossword

HOW TO PLAY Sudoku is a logic puzzle where you have to populate the grid with numbers. A number can appear only once in each row, column and house. Each puzzle can be solved using logic from the given information and requires no guesswork.

1 Mislead (7)

2 Exclusive news story (5)

3 Guaranteed (7)

Best Daily Word Search - 8

Beginning

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Distinguish (7) 5 Revolves (5) 8 Wooden shoes (5) 9 Lingered (7) 10 Endangered (2,5) 11 Wingless parasitic insect (5) 12 Portuguese currency unit (6) 14 Foreigners (6) 18 Father Christmas (5) 20 Loss of memory (7) 22 Place of shelter for ships (7) 23 Maladroit (5) 24 Large, unwieldy (5) 25 Nullified (7)

4 Stinging plant (6)

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5 Of the country (5)

6 Free time (7)