The Clare Echo 26/09/24 by The Clare Echo

Nugent family ‘quietly hopeful’ of a breakthrough

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

PATRICK Nugent’s brothers are “quietly hopeful” that the fresh investigation into his death forty years ago will lead to a breakthrough.

Before dawn on Tuesday morning, work began on exhuming Patrick’s remains to allow for a formal State post-mortem to take place.

His brothers John and Martin said, “Our decision to agree to this

unusual and unique step wasn’t taken lightly. It’s really very poignant for us as a family to experience the disinterment of our brother’s remains especially given the proximity of the grave to our family home. We accept that it’s for the best if the results can shed some additional light on what we already know”. They added, “Having agreed to go through with it we are all quietly hopeful that we might just get a breakthrough”.

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Liam doing the rounds

Anne Devitt Killeen and Michael Clohessy, catering staff, proudly wore their Banner colours and held the Liam MacCarthy Cup during their hurling heroes’ recent lunchtime visit to Ennis Hospital

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Dr Eva on Scariff Bay Radio

Scariff Bay Community Radio has signed up Dr. Eva Orsmond.

Dr. Eva has joined the roster of volunteer presenters to broadcast a brand new show Dr. Eva’s Life in Balance. Produced by Eoin O’Hagan, Dr. Eva’s new show will commence its monthly broadcast on the airwaves and ethers of Scariff Bay Community Ra-

dio, next Saturday 28th September at 3pm, with a repeat on Sunday evening 29th at 8pm. It will broadcast live on 88.3 and 92.7 FM, locally in East Clare, Online all over the world via the player on www. scariffbayradio.com.

Eva, originally from Finland, who considers herself to be an adoptive Irish person, is a straight talking, no nonsense

General Practitioner who specialises in weight loss programmes to control diabetes and promote healthy eating and lifestyle change. If listeners would like to ask Dr. Eva any questions on achieving a healthy, fulﬁlled Life in Balance, which could feature on the show, then email dreva@scariffbayradio. com.

Dooley calls for UHL debate in the Seanad

by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

A CLARE SENATOR is seeking a debate with his party colleague, the Minister for Health over ongoing issues at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) asked for a debate to be arranged in the Seanad with Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly (FF) to discuss ongoing issues at UHL “with particular focus on the deaths of a number of people in recent times”.

Speaking in the Seanad, Senator Dooley commented, “A report was issued recently by the former Chief Justice. It is a harrowing read into the death of Aoife Johnston. It must be harrowing for her family, friends and community. The troubling thing that came out of the report is that there is still the potential for this to happen. There were failures and abject failures across

the piece. There are some learnings.

“There has been some signiﬁcant investment in the hospital in the last four years since the Minister Donnelly, came to the brief. A debate here might be helpful insofar as we can to try to take the politics out of it because this really is about people who have lost their lives unnecessarily through the failures of others. It is always easy to lay the blame at one Minister when there are 110,000,115,000 or 120,000 people working in the service.

“Yes, there has to be political accountability too for the continued lack of investment in that hospital and in the region, but it would be remiss of us not to try to ﬁnd a united way forward to see if we can get to the nub of what actually happened.

Are there cultural issues?

Are there management issues? Are there interper-

sonal issues? Are there problems between the various different silos that exist in the hospital? It cannot just be about one individual, one person or one discipline,” he added.

“I hope we can have that debate as soon as possible. We owe it to the memory of Aoife Johnston and the others who have been failed by the system. The difﬁculty we have is that there has been more than a fair share of failures. There will always be an element of misadventure in medicine, and I think people understand and get that, but when they see a consistent trend then there is a need to look at all aspects and facets of the operation of the hospital. I would appreciate if the Leader could arrange that at the earliest possible opportunity,” Dooley concluded.

Reports on Clare SHC quarter finals

Photo by Briant Arthur

An Bord Pleanála delays on Newmarket-on-Fergus

wastewater treatment plant ‘not acceptable’

DELAYS from An Bord Pleanála in announcing the outcome of an appeal to the building of a wastewater treatment plant in Newmarket-on-Fergus is “not acceptable”.

Strong criticism of the planning authority was issued by Cllr David Griffin (FF) who pointed out that young people born and reared in Newmarket-on-Fergus are missing out on housing options and the chance for the parish’s population to grow has also been hindered.

A decision was due to be made on March 21st by the planning authority, this was later delayed to June and approaching the month of October there has been no update.

An appeal was made to An Bord Pleanála in November 2023, one month after Clare County gave the green light to Uisce Éireann to carry out upgrade works to the wastewater treatment plant in Newmarket-on-Fergus, subject to seven conditions. Chartered civil engineer, Michael Duffy in his appeal claimed that the upgrades cannot proceed due to a “blatant” circumvention of planning and environmental legislation.

At this month’s sitting of the Shannon Municipal District, Cllr Griffin appealed for the local authority to seek an update “on the overdue planning decision”.

Acting senior executive officer in the Shannon MD, Anne Griffin confirmed that they have written to An Bord Pleanála. She outlined, “the correspondence to An Bord Pleanála re-iterated the strategic importance of the construction of the facility which includes a wastewater treatment plant, high chemical storage tanks, ground discharge pumping station, high tertiary treatment system, electrical control kiosk, standby generator, outfall rising main, outfall diffuser and site development works at Boheraroan, Newmarket-on-Fergus. Natura Impact Statement (NIS) was submitted with the application by Irish Water”.

Cllr Griffin said the outcome of the decision is vital for the future of Newmarket-on-Fergus. He criticised the pace at which An Bord Pleanála have moved. He stressed that his motion was not trying to influence the decision but believed a decision needs to be made public ‘sooner rather than later’ and labelled the delay as “not acceptable”.

Seconding the proposal, Cllr

Donna McGettigan (SF) said a decision whether approved or not needs to be made known. Cllr John Crowe (FG) also voiced his support and praised the work of the retired Pat McMahon (FF) in raising the matter in the past.

‘You’re being sold a pup’ Kilkee locals told over Uisce Éireann’s plans for treatment plant

UISCE ÉIREANN’s proposals for a wastewater treatment plant in Kilkee “will be out of date before it is built,” one of the country’s most prominent chartered civil engineers has said.

82 people attended a public meeting at Kilkee Community Centre which had been advertised as ‘Save Kilkee Cliff Walk’. The meeting was organised by a group of six individuals, Tom Boland, Kevin Heenan, Brian Melican, Martin Busher, Mary Arthur and Joseph McCloskey.

Among those in attendance were Clare TD, Cathal Crowe (FF), Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District, Rita McInerney (FF), Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) and Cllr Dinny Gould (IND).

Organisers said apologies were issued by Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne (IND), Senator Timmy Dooley (FF), Senator Martin Conway (FG), Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) and Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG).

On January 3rd, Uisce Éireann submitted a planning application to Clare County Council for the development of a new Pumping Station at Victoria Park, Kilkee and the construction of a new Sewage Treatment Plant on Dunlicky Road. 89 submissions were made to the County Council by early February, further information was sought by the Council later that month which was received in August.

Speaking at the public meeting, civil engineer Michael Duffy said, “like most places around the coast Kilkee is behind the curve on wastewater”, he estimated that it was in fact thirty years behind. “This proposal in

engineering terms you’re being sold a pup, primary treatment no different to an ordinary septic tank, two percent of treatment in septic tank, the rest happens in soil outside of you have good soil and if you don’t you need treatment,” he said.

Kilfenora based Duffy said the treatment plant will be outdated on the day they are commissioned. “Unfortunately this proposal will be out of date before it is built,” he stated. Duffy who ﬁrst visited Kilkee aged seven said with a ten year planning application, “Irish Water will have ten years to sit on their hands before they do anything”.

Addressing the meeting, Joseph McCloskey stated, “We want public money spent properly, we don’t want more raw sewage on the beach or the Cliff Walk to be spoiled in any way. We’re representatives of the group behind the professional submission made in January. Our key purpose is to put the facts out there as best as we know them, the way we see it, Clare County Council has a decision to make, either yes grant planning or no refuse it”. He outlined, “we don’t believe we’re scaremongering, we’re putting serious facts to you that will last the test of credibility”. McCloskey said, “we do not oppose a wastewater treatment plant, we want a properly designed one, we deserve a plant which will leave no raw sewage on the beach and be sympathetic to the residents of Victoria Park and not to spoil the Cliff Walk”. Opposition is based on the plan for primary sewage treatment only and not for the highest level of tertiary sewage treatment. Martin Busher has lived on Dunlicky Rd in Kilkee

for the past thirty six years, he said he was not aware of any public consultation initiated by Uisce Éireann for their plans. He said the plant is proposed to be located right opposite the farm stead of Sean Haugh. “Our Cliff Walk is the jewel in the crown, it is visited by thousands of people every year,” he said while criticising the planned location of the plant. He said the vegetation will now grow at the plant as detailed by Uisce Éireann and the planting plan will not screen the industrial plant from view. Kilkee’s proposed plant is “a copy and paste” job of what exists in Kilrush, he believed. Population figures of 6,990 provided by Uisce Éireann in their application are flawed, Martin said and pointed out that they based their data from the Census which was completed in April “when the holiday homes are closed, we had no holiday home makers here”. He produced figures based on studying Eircodes in Kilkee and came to a population of 10,546. He said it was unfair on the people of Kilkee that Uisce Éireann expected construction works could be completed over 18 months with works to be carried out six days a week for twelve hours from Monday to Friday and eight hours on a Saturday.

Alternative sites for the location of the plant were put forward by Tom Boland which included the Quary and Lisdeen Recyling Centre.

Kilkee needs a sewerage scheme, Deputy Crowe outlined. He warned locals “another risk is what if it doesn’t get done, at any given time we are vying for a pot of money to deliver schemes, if not delivered it gets ab-

sorbed elsewhere”.

Cllr Lynch said he was accused of “having a tinfoil hat” when he expressed concerns in Kilrush. He predicted it was going to be “very difﬁcult” to tackle the application. He criticised Uisce Éireann for using “incorrect ﬁgures”. He added, “the plant in Kilrush is out of the way but in the future it won’t be because the greenway is going through it”.

“We all love Kilkee and want to see it thrive and grow, it has to happen in right place and protect the few amenities we have to make sure the landscape is protected,” commented Cllr McInerney. She said a brieﬁng took place on Tuesday morning between councillors and Uisce Éireann, “the ﬁrst thing I said to them is when all wastewater is taken from Councils you are losing connection with the councillors who know the issues on the ground”. She added, “I told them we were having this meeting and they’d have pushback on location & protecting beautiful landscape, I was shocked with how surprised they were with the level of objection to it”. The Doonbeg native said several towns and villages are unable to develop because they don’t have a wastewater treatment plant and felt this was a “serious project” for Kilkee and the Peninsula.

by Paraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

Photo by John Mangan

COUNTY COUNCILLORS in Clare could up climbing ladders themselves to fix public lighting, writes Páraic McMahon

Concerns on the pace of fixing public lighting across the county has been regularly flagged by elected members and with the evenings getting shorter, some councillors have said they may be reaching for the ladders themselves to tackle the matter.

Cllr Bill Slattery (FG) told Monday’s meeting of the West Clare Municipal District that nothing has been done since the Chief Executive of the Council, Pat Dowling said he would look into the matter a fortnight ago. “Some people are suggesting that they might get a ladder themselves and go check,” the Lahinch man commented.

Acting senior executive officer in the West Clare MD, John Corry said the matter of public lighting will be on the agenda for a briefing with councillors on October 8th.

‘It’s a success story of which we are incredibly proud of’ - Madden family

sell Temple Gate Hotel

by Paraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

ENNIS’ Madden family have sold the four-star Temple Gate Hotel to the owners of the Shannon Springs Hotel.

In what came as a major surprise within the hospitality industry in the county, the sale of The Temple Gate Hotel by the Madden family has been confirmed. Their eminent association with the hotel industry in Clare comes to an end with the sale of the four star hotel located within the heart of Ennis town centre.

Staff and services will be retained as part of the transition as the seventy bedroom hotel, bar and restaurant comes under new ownership.

Founded by John Madden in 1996, hotel operations have been overseen by his son Paul for more than twenty years.

“It’s a success story of which we are incredibly proud,” said Paul. “My father John lived and breathed the hospitality industry in every moment of every day of his working life. However, now is the time that feels right for us to sell our business and I personally look forward to the new and exciting opportunities that lie ahead.

Our hope is that under new ownership, the Temple Gate Hotel will begin a bright new chapter in its continuing story”.

He added, “The loyal, friendly and committed staff of the Temple Gate is central to the hotel’s unique identity. Their professionalism and kindness continue to draw favourable comment from guests, tour operators, food & beverage customers, community and sports groups. We will always be grateful to them and I am confident that our new owners feel the same”.

Managerial experience in the hospitality trade for John began in the Lynch-owned, West County Hotel before realising a dream to start his own, family-run hotel business in 1996 at the site of the Old Convent of Mercy in Ennis. John and his wife Vera navigated a complex design and interior fit-out with developer Egan O’Connor, mindful of retaining the gothic theme of the original building.

John recalled, “The decision to open our own hotel in the centre of Ennis was a mighty leap of faith for the Madden family. Over almost 30 years, the Temple Gate became very successful in spite

of the Celtic Tiger crash, economic uncertainties and more recently Covid. These hammer blows could have ended the story, but we survived and thrived in no small part due to the dedication and hard work of our team, our loyal customer base and Paul’s leadership qualities”.

Kelvin Hotels Ltd has acquired The Temple Gate Hotel. They are comprised of two well-known hoteliers, Dermot Kelly and John Gavin, the owners/directors of the Shannon Springs Hotel. Ironically, Dermot is a native of Ruan as is Gerry O’Connor who was one of the key developers in building the hotel almost three decades ago.

The duo said, “We are hands-on, experienced hoteliers. We recognise and value the culture and ethos of the Temple Gate Hotel, which has been nurtured so carefully by the Madden family over the years. The Temple Gate Hotel has deep roots in the Clare community, which we intend to serve to the best of our ability in the years ahead”.

Ryanair adds extra flights to five destinations from Shannon Airport

by Paraic McMahon

RYANAIR has added extra ﬂights to ﬁve of its most popular routes from Shannon Airport as part of its 2024 winter schedule.

On Tuesday morning, Ryanair ofﬁcially launched its winter schedule at Shannon Airport with seventeen routes and extra frequency in services to Kaunas, Krakow, London, Manchester, and Tenerife.

Three of Ryanair’s Shannon based aircraft will be relied upon for the schedule, two of which are enviro efﬁcient B-737 Gamechangers which cut CO2 emissions by 16% and noise by 40% which according to the airline represents a €269m investment.

For the past thirty seven years, Ryanair has operated to and from Shannon Airport carrying over 20m passengers and investing in the Mid-West region such as its €10m stateof-the-art 3-bay maintenance facility, which created over 200 high-skill local jobs for the re-

gion.

Alicante, Birmingham, Budapest, Edinburgh, Fuerteventura, Grand Canaria, Kaunas, Krakow, Lanzarote, London (Gatwick), London (Stansted), Malaga, Tenerife, Turin and Wroclaw are the destinations that Ryanair will be ﬂying to and from via Shannon Airport this winter.

Jade Kirwan, Ryanair’s Head of Communications said the airline hitting 20m passengers at Shannon was “a signiﬁcant milestone and reﬂection of our thirty seven plus years of operating to/from Shannon, during which time we have invested heavily in the region”.

Speaking at the launch of Ryanair’s Winter Schedule for Shannon Airport, Mary Considine, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group said, “We are excited to welcome Ryanair’s winter schedule, with 17 routes and increased frequency on ﬁve key Shannon Airport services to Tenerife, Kaunas, Krakow, London, and Manchester creating an additional

seat capacity of almost 30,000, a 5% increase over last winter.

In addition, we are delighted to celebrate a signiﬁcant milestone as Ryanair has carried over 20 million passengers through Shannon Airport since they began their Shannon operation in 1987.

“To mark this occasion, this morning we were thrilled to present a lucky Ryanair passenger with a pair of tickets to a destination of their choice from Shannon with Ryanair. We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with Ryanair, whose investment supports over 1,000 jobs and underscores their vital economic contribution to enhancing connectivity for both business and leisure travel,” she added.

John and Vera Madden

Photo by Paul Cory

The Temple Gate Hotel

paraic@clareecho.ie

Photo

Brian Arthur

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Ennis Garda charged with unauthorised disclosure of PULSE personal data

by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie

A GARDA charged with the unauthorised disclosure of Garda PULSE personal data on 14 individuals to a co-accused charged with a drug trafficking offence has been sent forward for trial.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Judge Alec Gabbett sent Shane Flanagan (39) of Lifford Rd, Ennis for trial to Ennis Circuit Court where he is facing 14 separate counts of disclosing personal data on the Garda PULSE Information system to another person on dates between January 12th 2020 to September 24th 2020.

Inspector David Finnerty of Ennis Garda Station gave sworn evidence that he served the Book of Evidence on Mr Flanagan in court. The Book of Evidence was due to be served on Mr Flanagan at an earlier court sitting this month but was adjourned to today after Sgt John Burke said, “it is a complex matter”.

Judge Gabbett told Mr Flanagan that if an alibi forms any part of his defence his solicitor was to inform the State within 14 days in writing.

Acting as agent for Mr Flanagan’s solicitor, Dan O’Gorman, solicitor Daragh Hassett told Judge

Gabbett that he “has no instructions” to apply for legal aid for Mr Flanagan.

The charges relate to Mr Flanagan disclosing the personal data without authorisation from the Garda PULSE system to Colm Meere (43) of Knockanean, Ennis of fourteen separate individuals and only their initials are provided on the charges in order to protect their identity.

The individuals’ initials are listed as LL, FS, LMc, RN, SH, DC, WS, LG, GL, NC, KR, KD, DD and IS.

Mr Flanagan is charged under the Data Protection Act.

Mr Flanagan’s co-accused, Colm Meere is facing companion PULSE charges where he is charged with inciting Shane Flanagan to disclose personal data from the Garda PULSE Information system on the same 14 individuals on dates between January 12th to September 24th 2020. Those charges are also under the Data Protection Act.

Mr Meere is also facing a drug trafficking charge where on April 14th 2022, at Henry Garda Station, Limerick within a 161 D vehicle did possess a number of articles - a tick list, bag sealer, tin foil,

scissors, baggies, mobile phone, purple folder, and a number of Dunnes Stores bags “in circum stances giving rise to a reasonable inference that these articles were in your possession for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation, facilitation or instiga tion of a drug trafficking offence”.

The charge is under the Crimi nal justice Act 2007.

In court, solicitor for Mr Meere, Daragh Hassett asked that two counsel represent Mr Meere in the circuit court in view of “the par ticularly serious charges” his client is facing.

Judge Gabbett granted Mr Has sett’s request for legal aid for two counsel to represent Mr Meere. Judge Gabbett also gave Mr Meere the alibi warning.

Mr Hassett has previously told the court that while his client may be a co-accused in theory, he would be looking for a separate trial for his client and he agreed with Judge Gabbett that this could be done at the circuit court.

Judge Gabbett further remand ed Mr Flanagan and Mr Meere on bail on the same terms to appear before the next sittings of Ennis Circuit Court which commences next month.

Garvey devises rates refund for small businesses

by Paraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

A RATES refund for more than 100,000 small businesses across the country has been proposed by a Clare Senator.

Under the Green Party proposal which has been made for the upcoming Budget, small businesses who pay rates in the region of €3,000 a year would receive a complete refund, with larger businesses availing of a 50% reduction, up to a limit. The move would provide a signiﬁcant boost to shops, restaurants and small businesses – many of whom are struggling with recent cost increases and competition from online retailers.

Senator Roisin Garvey (GP) devised the strategy. The Green Party deputy leader said the move would help support small employers while also recognising the vital role they play in drawing people into towns and villages. “Family-owned shops, restaurants and busi-

nesses form the heart of our towns and villages – they breathe life into our urban centres and are a key part of what makes each community unique. In recent years, however, we’ve seen more and more family names disappear from over shop doors to be replaced by big brands or even worse, empty spaces.

“Whether it’s in our city suburbs or the smallest village, we have to support our small businesses and give them a ﬁghting chance of competing against the big boys. A similar rates refund has proved very effective in Scotland and would mean one less bill to worry about for such businesses. Local shops for example, have been the beating heart of our villages and small towns for generations, but they’re under increasing pressure from major chains. It’s vital that we do everything we can to support these local businesses to survive and thrive. The rates refund would ease the burden on businesses, protect jobs and keep our town

centres active,” she added. Small businesses are charged rates by their local authority based on the “rateable valuation” of the property, which is equivalent to its rental value minus certain costs. The ﬁnal bill is calculated by multiplying the rateable value by the local rate, which varies according to each council.

Under the Green Party proposal, businesses with a rateable value of up to €15,000 would qualify for a full refund on their ﬁnal rates bill, while businesses with a valuation of between €15,000 and €20,000 would beneﬁt from a 50% refund. A property with a rateable value of €14,000 in Clare County Council which levies rates at 0.239 would normally face an annual rates bill of €3,346. Under the Green Party proposal, it would receive a full refund. A property with a rateable value of €19,000 would normally face a bill of €4,541 but would face a 50% reduction of €2,270.

€9m win for Clare clubs and organisations

by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

MORE than €7.3million has been allocated to 75 sporting groups in Clare to improve playing and training facilities, including the provision of astro-turf pitches, handball alleys, walking tracks, hurling walls and floodlights.

A further €940,495 in regional funding went to three Clare projects with the GAA Centre of Excellence receiving €478,668 for an all-weather pitch; the Clare District Soccer League allocated €410,656 to upgrade Frank Healy Park in Ennis and €51,171 going to Kilkee Sub Aqua Club to develop a Centre of Excellence for scuba div-

ing and snorkelling.

Within the county, the biggest allocations were received by Clarecastle GAA Club for LED floodlighting (€200,000).

Clare TD, Cathal Crowe (FF) stated, “this round of funding places a major emphasis on clubs or organisations who demonstrate a strong underage structure or who place importance on promoting female participation”.

He added, “When we invest in sport we get a great return and I wish to thank Minister Byrne for the funding allocated to Clare today”.

General Election candidate, Leonora Carey (FG) commented, “Active engagement in sports not

Sports Capital Grant awardees

only helps keep people healthy, but it also builds confidence, independence and promotes team building.I will always advocate strongly for sports clubs and organisations

because of the positive impact they have on our community. All those who submitted successful applications on behalf of their clubs are deserving of our thanks for the in-

valuable contributions they make to our community and I look forward to seeing the improvements they make with this funding”.

l Richard Cahill, Cathal Crowe TD (FF), CDSL Chairman Jason Ryan and committee member Mickey Guilfoyle at Frank Healy Park

West Clare ‘falling behind’ on greenway delivery claims Keating

by Paraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

WEST CLARE is “falling behind” on plans to deliver a greenway along the tracks of the iconic railway line.

Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) voiced his concern this week at the pace of works for what is expected to become a major tourist attraction in the county.

Initially in 2022, officials in Clare County Council set an opening date of 2025 for the West Clare Greenway but in June 2023 they said it was intended to submit an application to An Bord Pleanála by 2024 with the potential of starting construction by 2027. The planning submission for this due to be lodged this October.

In total, the West Clare Railway Greenway is set to span 85km and is split into the four sections. These include, Ennis to Ennistymon, Ennistymon to Miltown Malbay, Miltown Malbay to Moyasta and Kilrush to Kilkee.

A briefing was requested by Cllr Keating in a motion before the West Clare Municipal District to give elected members an update on the present position, funding, preferred route and the planning submission for the Kilkee to Kilrush section.

Senior executive engineer in the project management office of Clare County Coun-

cil, Gráinne Reddan in a written reply outlined that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is the funding authority for National and Regional Greenways, while Clare County Council is responsible for delivering the projects in compliance with TII’s standards and guidelines. “Currently, Clare County Council is seeking approval from the Transport infrastructure Ireland (TII) to close out Phase 2 of the project (Options Selection) and proceed to Phase 3 (Design and Environmental Evaluation)”.

Work completed in phase two included three rounds of public consultation, engineering environmental design, addressing technical and environmental challenges, project appraisal which involves assessing the feasibility, costs and benefits and the completion of the ‘option selection report’ to develop the preferred route for the Greenway. Reddan advised that the project will move into phase three once approved by the TII which will include participation in the ‘voluntary land acquisition process’ and preparation for the planning application stage.

She stated, “During phase three, Clare County Council will be permitted to formally issue an invitation to potentially affected landowners to

participate in the ‘voluntary land acquisition process’. This new process introduced as part of the ‘Code of Best Practice for National & Re-

process’ will take a minimum of twelve months to complete, meaning it will extend into next year before process can be fully applied”.

greenways completed since we spoke about this first. It is vital for our tourism to have a greenway from Kilkee to Kilrush, people are travel-

gional Greenways’ in 2021 is a significant change in how land is acquired for greenway projects. The most notable aspect of this new process is that all key aspects, including design and compensation must be agreed upon before a planning application is submitted. This ensures that all stakeholders, particularly landowners are fully engaged with in advance, however it is important to note that the ‘voluntary land acquisition

Clare is at a crossroads with regards to the development of greenways, Cllr Keating felt. “I looked for a briefing, I got a reply but not the reply I was expecting, I understood from a motion I put in a year and a half ago that two preferred routes were identified, I was expecting that we would be working on planning”. He continued, “I don’t know where we go from here, in Limerick they have three

ling all over West Clare”. The Cross native continued, “I still think we should have a briefing on it when we have an up-to-date position, we’re waiting for TII to close out phase two, that will cause a delay”.

Acting senior executive officer in the West Clare Municipal District, Colette Costelloe said she would speak with the engineer to arrange a briefing. “It would be nice to have a briefing on

it by January, people are asking me and our other councillors what is the story with the greenway, there are major works going on in other parts of the country, we seem to be falling behind and we have an ideal location,” Keating replied.

Work of the project management office to date was praised by Cllr Ian Lynch (IND). “I understand Gabriel’s frustrations, Limerick retained land in their ownership whereas this is on private land,” he pointed out. “It’s been very clean this process which is very good for the landowners, it has been given the time needed to make sure it is done correctly, I think we are making very good progress”.

Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District, Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) said “voluntary land acquisition is the key to it” but acknowledged, “we are not as far down the road as other counties”. She added, “We’ll keep supporting the team but the briefing is a very good idea”.

Carrigaholt man waited two hours and a half for ambulance & went to hospital via helicopter

by Paraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

AN ELDERLY MAN in Carrigaholt had to wait two and a half hours for an ambulance to arrive after sustaining an injury earlier this month.

At approximately 5:45pm on September 8th, the Carrigaholt man sustained the injury, an ambulance was immediately called but did not arrive in the West Clare village until approximately 8:15pm and even then an alternative method of transport was used to bring the man to hospital.

When the ambulance was initially called, personnel indicated that they would be on the scene within forty minutes but were called to another incident which caused the delayed arrival. In the interim the Shannon based Coast Guard Helicopter R115 was tasked to assist and arrived in Carrigaholt at 8.10pm while a unit from Kilkee Fire Service also attended the scene, the injured

man was removed to hospital by helicopter at 8:30pm.

Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District, Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) labelled the delay as “extremely concerning” and has requested a full explanation from the National Ambulance Service. “This is a further example of the urgent need for additional ambulance services to be made available with immediate effect particularly to people who live in remote communities in areas like West Clare”.

She told The Clare Echo, “It is just not acceptable that an injured person should have to wait two and a half hours for an ambulance to arrive. The consequences of a delay such as this could be catastrophic and it is extremely concerning”.

Availability and cover of the ambulance service in West Clare needs to be reviewed, she maintained. “It should be protocol that once a location is further than a certain distance from an ambulance base, the helicopter

should automatically deployed to remote areas such as the Loophead peninsula,” the Doonbeg woman stated.

According to the General Election candidate, “Until the arrival of the ambulance the only pain relief that could be administered to the injured man was paracetamol. This is simply not good enough and I am determined to represent the very understandable concerns of people who live in the peninsula with regard to very serious issues like this. This incident further justiﬁes the need for an A&E in Ennis given that if the patient had to go to hospital by ambulance, it would have been a signiﬁcant additional distance to Limerick”.

She added, “The people who live in places like Carrigaolt, Kilbaha and Cross deserve better than this”.

l A family cycling on Limerick Greenway

Sixmilebridge man refusing to pay TV licence due to RTÉ “corruption”

by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie

A CLARE pharma worker has stood up in court to tell a judge that he will not paying his TV licence or any fines for not doing so because of “the corruption in RTÉ”.

At Ennis District Court, James Scanlon told Judge Alec Gabbett that it is “an unjust law” that requires him to pay the annual €160 TV licence.

In the case, an An Post licence inspector gave sworn evidence in court of calling to Mr Scanlon’s home at O’Garney Heights, Sixmilebridge on January 26th last and Mr Scanlon did not have a TV licence.

The case against Mr Scanlon was one of 70 An Post prosecutions listed against people who did not have a TV licence.

Mr Scanlon said that he had no issue with the evidence by the An Post inspector but stated that he would not be paying for his TV licence or any fine.

Addressing Judge Gabbett, Mr Scanlon said, “I have no intention of paying the TV licence, no intention of paying any fine or costs because of the corruption in RTÉ and how it is funded”.

Judge Gabbett said that Mr Scanlon was setting out his position “which is fine” but he said that he was convicting him and fining him €160 for not having a TV licence and ordered him to pay an additional €80 in costs.

Speaking outside court after the case, Mr Scanlon said that he was willing to go to prison over the

non-payment of the TV licence fine.

The jailing of those refusing to pay TV licence fines is now seen as a last resort and an attachment of an earnings order, a recovery order and community service are steps before imprisonment is considered.

Mr Scanlon said, “Like any unjust law if you go back to the rod licence, if there is civil disobedience then it becomes uncollectible and the law is got rid of”.

The native of Listowel, Co Kerry said, “If everyone refuses to pay their TV licence then the law will become obsolete”.

Mr Scanlon said that he wasn’t disheartened that he was the only person in court refusing to pay his licence because of the scandal at the broadcaster last year, “Maybe some people who were present might now do something different”.

He said, “I wasn’t going to go into court and weasel my way out of it and pretend the TV belongs to someone else. It is an archaic system and there are modern ways of collecting it. All RTE has to do is put everything behind a paywall and if they want to give OAPs a free code to watch RTE, technology would allow that”.

He said, “Inspectors peering in windows and walking around interviewing people - it is a relic from the 1960s”.

Mr Scanlon said that paying a TV licence “should be voluntary. It is the involuntary and compulsory nature of it that I object to”.

He pointed out: “I don’t have to have a toaster licence - I don’t have to have a fridge licence. Why do I have to have a TV licence? It is a device I can buy in any shop”.

He said: “ RTÉ should be a private enterprise and collect their money by selling a high quality product to the customer. If they did that I would take out a sub-

scription to RTÉ but I will not pay a compulsory licence.”

He explained, ”It was in my wife’s name and she paid it but she took a principled stand that she would stop paying it as she had had enough. On the day of the inspection I answered the door and it now transfers from her name to my name - much to her amusement”.

Mr Scanlon said, “I don’t have contempt for the court. I engaged with the process - I have nothing but respect for the judge. It is the law itself that is wrong and it must be changed - it can only be changed if there is pressure from the citizens”.

The latest figures from the Deparment of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and the Media show that the numbers paying for their licence has recovered from the dramatic fall off in the immediate aftermath of the RTÉ ‘secret payments’ scandal to Ryan Tubridy last Summer.

The number of TV licences sold during July and August 2024 total 131,567 and this compares to 108,546 - an increase of 23,021 or 21 percent.

The RTÉ annual report has confirmed that licence fee income received by RTÉ last year was down €17.3m on 2022.

In July, the Government announced a funding package of €725m for RTÉ over the next three years funded by a mix of licence fee revenue and exchequer contributions.

Enhanced design drafted for Miltown

Malbay traffic management plan

by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

A NORTH CLARE councillor has pledged to keep the pressure on local authority staff to bring about a traffic management plan for the square in Miltown Malbay.

Cllr Bill Slattery (FG) at Monday’s meeting of the West Clare Municipal District echoed his frustration with the failure to introduce traffic management at the square in Miltown Malbay, twelve years on from proposals by retired councillors Christy Curtin (IND) and Michael Hillery (FF).

Attempts to improve safety at the square have been ongoing for “twelve to fifteen years,” Cllr Slattery remarked. He said it was im-

portant to keep pressure on Transport Infrastructure Ireland, “The TII can object to a planning application within five weeks but is there anything back on them from this since our last meeting. I will be pursuing this, this project is not going to die, it has to happen”. Acting senior executive officer, John Corry said he and senior engineer Tony Neville held “a productive meeting with road design” since the July meeting of the West Clare MD. “We’ve also engaged with local landowners with regard to the proposal to improve issues at the junction, we’ve had positive engagement since, a further enhanced design has been drafted which we are proposing to share

with local councillors before we go back to the TII. There has been significant progress since we last spoke at the July meeting”.

At the July meeting, Cllr Slattery and Cllr Shane Talty (FF) both tabled motions on the matter. Cllr Slattery requested the design of a new traffic management plan such as a roundabout at the square while Cllr Talty asked for “a commitment of resources a timeline to progress a traffic management solution at the Square in Milltown Malbay. In reply to a motion in September 2022, we were told designs were to progress in the following months but no evidence of anything having been done”.

Both councillors received the

same reply from Anne O’Sullivan, a senior executive engineer in the transportation section of the Council. “A site meeting was held with TII regarding safety improvements at this junction in March 2024. A topographical survey is scheduled for July and this will allow for the update of the existing concept design to incorporate pedestrian and cyclist facilities in line with the new Cycling Design Manual. An application was made to TII in June 2024 for Active Travel ‘Seed’ funding to progress a project to deliver improved pedestrian & cyclist facilities at this junction which would incorporate improved traffic management at this location.

l Cllr Bill Slattery

l The RTÉ annual report conﬁrmed that the licence fee income last year was down on 2022

Aoife’s death ‘almost certainly avoidable’

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

SHANNON teenager Aoife Johnston’s death was “almost certainly avoidable,” a new report has found.

An investigation into the death of 16-year-old Aoife who died at UHL in December 2022 has found that doctors and nurses at the Emergency Department were unaware of her sepsis risk, and because of overcrowding she was sent to the wrong section of the ED where sepsis forms were not kept or filled out.

On Friday, the HSE published the report of the former Chief Justice Mr Frank Clarke SC on the independent investigation that he led into matters connected with Aoife’s death. The report was commissioned by the CEO of the HSE Bernard Gloster after he received the report of a Systems Analysis Review (a SAR report), prepared under the HSE’s National Incident Management System (NIMS). Bernard Gloster commissioned the Clarke report having considered the conclusions of the SAR and having determined that further investigation was necessary.

Clarke’s report found there was a thirteen-and-a-half hour gap between when Aoife was seen by a GP who queried the possibility of sepsis and when she received treatment. “All of that needs to be seen

in light of the National Protocol on sepsis which suggests that treatment should take place within one hour”.

There was severe overcrowding in the hospital’s emergency department that day. Patients are triaged in UHL in accordance with the Manchester Triage System. This places patients in categories 1 (the most severe) to 5 (the least acute). The ideal maximum time to first contact with a treating clinician for a patient categorised as Category 2, as Aoife was, is 10 minutes, the report said. There was “no reality” to patients being seen within that window, considering the number of them and the number of staff members available. “Indeed, it would appear that it would have taken over 10 hours (as opposed to 10 minutes) to see all Category 2 patients”.

The report said that while it is impossible to determine at which point in the hours Aoife waited that it was “too late” to save her life, “there can be no doubt that the greater the delay the greater the risk of the tragic outcome which ultimately occurred and, consequently, the less the delay the greater the chance of there having been a positive outcome”.

In his overall conclusions, Mr Clarke said some of the measures which have been adopted since Aoife’s death “may well reduce the risk of similar events occurring in future”. However, he cautioned, “All of the evidence seems to me to confirm that these risks will not be further minimised without addressing the fundamental problem of overcrowding in ED.”

Mr Clarke said the position in ED at UHL “is inextricably linked with the overall capacity of the hospital”. He said on many occasions patients are “boarded” in the ED “simply because there are no beds to which they can be moved” in the hospital. As a result of that challenge, Mr Clarke warned that a repeat of the tragedy in December 2022 “will inevitably be present”. He said, “Unless and until that problem is addressed, then it seems likely that UHL ED will, unfortunately but regularly, be under pressure and, despite the im-

provements introduced since 2022, a risk of reoccurrence will inevitably be present”.

The Johnston family have previously expressed their disappointment with the report, having received it in recent weeks. Their solicitor Damien Tansey said that the restrictions imposed on the former chief justice by the HSE “flew in the face of assurances that were given”. In the report, Clarke says that the terms of reference did not allow for the making of adverse findings against individuals or resolving conflicts of fact, contrary to what Aoife’s family had called for.

The HSE said that this made for a much more prolonged process which would have had to ensure that any individuals, who might be the subject of any such adverse finding, were given the full opportunity to present their own side of events and challenge any evidence through cross-examination.

The report gave a series of recommendations, including that the HSE should consider whether GPs could give initial treatment to patients suspected of having sepsis, in an effort to avoid a long wait. It said the HSE should consider ways patients in urgent need of treatment could be triaged more quickly at an emergency department. A patient, once

seen and prescribed medication by a doctor, should not be waiting over an hour, as in Aoife’s case, for those medications to be administered, the report said, “Equally the ad hoc system of a doctor asking a nurse in a busy ED to administer a prescription to a patient with no prompt follow-up is unsatisfactory”.

The report also recommended reviews into the prescription and administration of medication, as well as the roles of doctors in a busy emergency department. A study is also needed on how the HSE will respond to an apparent higher number of presentations and a higher percentage of those leading to admission in UHL compared to other hospitals, it said.

HSE CEO Gloster stated, “This report has enabled us already to bring clarity to the concerns that arise from Aoife’s case based on a consideration of the evidence. It has given us a pathway to both learning and accountability. That accountability is and will be pursued fairly and appropriately in a confidential process. The learnings from the report and the recommendations are all being actively considered in the many aspects of improvement that are underway and indeed have relevance to assisting the overall patient safety agenda in all our settings.”

SOCIAL DANCING BREAK

6TH - 10TH OCTOBER 2024

If you like dancing for pleasure, then this midweek break is for you! Practice your favourite steps in a relaxed and fun way with a different band taking to the stage each evening.

COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL

3RD - 7TH NOVEMBER 2024

The Gleneagle will sway to the sound of the Irish Country Music Festival next November as a selection of Ireland’s best country acts take to the stage in the famous ballroom.

l Aoife Johnston

Aoife Johnston’s death ‘needs to be watershed moment’ for UHL

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

AOIFE JOHNSTON’s death must be “a watershed moment” for University Hospital Limerick and health services in the MidWest region.

Health activists and politicians have labelled the Clarke Report into the death of the Shannon teenager as “harrowing”.

A spokesperson for Friends of Ennis Hospital told The Clare Echo, “It shows that systematic systems failures across several layers of medical and management staff in UHL caused the ‘almost certainly avoidable’ death of a 16 year old. Our hearts break all over again for her family, friends and loved ones as Justice Clarke lays out the failures in her care from the moment of admission. To say that ED in UHL on the night of December 17th 2022 was ‘operating’ more by good luck than good

guidance is not an exaggeration.

“Aoife Johnston was failed by the HSE. She was failed by systems that are not fit for purpose. She was failed by management who told the Dail Joint Committee on Health a mere three months previously (21/09/22) that ‘UHL continues to provide safe, quality services for its patients’. And she was failed by staff who are now facing disciplinary proceedings as a result of her death. Aoife Johnston was also failed by us, both the public and the health campaigners who did not shout loud enough, or long enough or often enough about the failures we saw and continue to see in UHL. Our children should not be dying of treatable conditions in our acute hospitals in a first world country in the 21st century. Aoife Johnstons death must be a watershed moment for University Hospital Limerick & the wider Midwest

The Town Hall Bistro

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

Region,” the spokesperson added.

Shannon based Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) described the report as heart-breaking and that it shows a compelling case for a second model three hospital with an emergency department in the MidWest. “The conclusion of

the Clarke Report that Aoife Johnston’s death was ‘almost certainly avoidable’ is heart breaking. My thoughts are with her family, friends, and loved ones, whose pain is unimaginable”. She added, “The report is devastating in its critique of the closure of emergency departments in Ennis

administered immediately, since her GP had already identified sepsis risk”.

and Nenagh, a chronic lack of capacity at UHL, and a litany of failures in management and adherence to sepsis protocols. Aoife faced delay at every stage, from admission, triage, and assessment, to treatment, which left her waiting for more than 13 hours for care which should have been

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.

Clare TD, Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) pointed out that there were countless failures in UHL on the night of Aoife’s death. “Those failures as far as I can see were three pronged: The failure of the chain of command and management, the failure of the alert system used, and the catastrophic overcrowding which was and still is a direct result of the failure to properly implement the 2008 Horwath Report. In closing the Ennis ED before ensuring that the Dooradoyle facility had the capacity to handle the obvious increased case load, the government of the day doomed UHL to struggle into a centre of chaos, a far cry from excellence as promised. Every politician that voted in favour of that decision traded political capital for uncountable suffering”.

The Poets Corner Bar

A traditional Irish pub that opens its doors onto the main town street of Ennis. Perfect for a pint, a bite to eat or traditional Irish music session.. The Brendan O'Regan Restaurant is ideal for special occasions. The menu features traditional cuisine with a modern day creative twist.

The Brendan O’Regan Restaurant

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

lCONFERENCE: Inspector David Finnerty outlines plans for the investigation earlier this week

Gardaí to speak with over 100 witnesses from Bunratty party

matter thoroughly”.

OVER 100 witnesses who attended a party in Bunratty forty years ago on the night that Patrick Nugent are to be interviewed as part of a fresh investigation into the death of the Sixmilebridge man.

Senior investigating officer, Inspector David Finnerty confirmed that all witnesses that are still alive will be spoken to as part of their investigation into Patrick’s death.

Patrick had been a banquet manager at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park which on the night of February 11th 1984 was hosting a wedding anniversary party for the then head chef of Aer Rianta, and local man William Ryan and his wife, Chrissie.

This function was attended by over 100 people who Gardaí are to speak with. “There are in excess of 100 witnesses, they will all be interviewed in time,” Insp Finnerty said. When asked by The Clare Echo if it was voluntary for these witnesses to come forward, he replied, “I won’t be dealing with that operational matter but we will be engaging with all witnesses that attended the party in 1984”.

There is no timeframe set for all these interviews to be completed, he confirmed and he declined to say how many had been interviewed to date, “All witnesses will be spoken to”. He added, “All information that people have we ask them to please come forward, they will be treated in the strictest of confidence”.

He said, “This is a fresh investigation that we are carrying out, I am treating this investigation as though it happened yesterday, we want to bring clarity to the Nugent family and also investigate the

Formal State post-mortem to be carried out on remains of Patrick Nugent

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

A FORMAL state post-mortem on the body of Patrick Nugent will be carried out. No timeframe has been put in place for the interviewing of all witnesses as part of a fresh investigation into the February 1984 death of Sixmilebridge man, Patrick Nugent. Gardaí are hopeful that advances in technology could lead to a new breakthrough with the investigation, 40 years later.

“Operational reasons” prevented Insp Finnerty from giving further detail on whether the two off-duty Gardaí present in Bunratty on the night were still alive and if they were able to provide further information to the probe. When asked if their work to date has suggested Gardaí could have handled the investigation better 40 years ago, Insp Finnerty declined to comment.

An exhumation of Patrick’s remains commenced on Tuesday morning at Feenagh Graveyard located close to the Nugent family home.

In an original post-mortem conducted 40 years ago, it detailed that Patrick suffered “abdominal injuries which were consistent with crushing”.

Insp Finnerty was hopeful advances in technology over the intervening four decades could offer fresh information.

“In conjunction with the State Pathologist, Forensic Science Ireland and forensic anthropologists, this fresh post-mortem may present opportunities to this investigation team. In addition and most importantly, it may provide clarity from the Nugent family.

“Every investigation presents challenge, this investigation is 40 years old, 40 years ago the investigation team didn’t have the benefit of a forensic collision expert, we have that and a forensic collision expert has visited and examined The Barn,” Insp Finnerty outlined. He said it was hoped the forensic collision expert would be able to use information from 1984 in their analysis.

The new probe is being led by the Clare Garda Division based in Shannon, supported by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Serious Crime Review Team, the Scenes of Crime Unit and the Garda Technical Unit.

For the past four decades, the Nugent family of Sixmilebridge have been seeking answers into Patrick’s death, subsequent manslaughter trial and inquest.

On Tuesday morning as part of a new investigation into Patrick’s death, An Garda Síochána has commenced the exhumation of Patricks remains to allow a new State Post Mortem examination to take place.

In 2022, An Garda Síochána commenced a new investigation into the circumstances of Patrick’s death in the early hours of the 11th February 1984.

Speaking at a press brieﬁng at Shannon Garda Station on Tuesday morning, senior investigating ofﬁcer, Insp David Finnery stated, “An Garda Síochána is very aware that the Nugent Family suffered the bereavement of their son and brother on the night of the 10th/ 11th February 1984, and have had to live with that bereavement and the uncertainty around the circumstances of Patrick’s death for the last 40 years”.

He conﬁrmed that the exhumation of Patrick’s re-

Nugent

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

mains will allow for a new State Post Mortem examination to take place. “An Garda Síochána has kept Patricks family informed of the current status of this Garda investigation and the events that are taking place this morning and over the coming hours and days”. Patrick was twenty three years of age when he died, he was working as The Banquet Manager in Bunratty Folk Park, Bunratty County Clare. In the early morning (approx. 4am) of the 11th February 1984 an incident occurred in the carpark of The Barn when he sustained serious injuries, from which he died.

On the night that Sixmilebridge native Patrick suffered fatal injuries, two off-duty Gardaí were at the party. His death at the time was investigated at Shannon Garda Station assisted by the ‘Investigation Section’ from the Technical Bureau, Garda Headquarters.

Following that investigation, the late William Ryan was charged in connection with Patrick’s death, but was subsequently acquitted and cleared of any criminal charges. To date no other person has been charged in relation to the death of Patrick Nugent. Ryan who was a a long-time chef at Shannon Airport was celebrating his wedding anniversary that night, he gave three different statements to Gardaí about what happened on the night.

A Coroner’s Inquest took place in October 1985. The Jury returned a verdict of accidental death but attached a rider which included “the

PATRICK Nugent’s family are “quietly hopeful” of a breakthrough as they continue to fight for the truth to come out surrounding his death in February 1984.

Before dawn on Tuesday morning, an exhumation on Patrick’s remains began at Feenagh Graveyard as part of an investigation into his death.

Answers have been sought from the Nugent family over the intervening forty years on the circumstances surrounding Patrick’s death. His father Joe died on October 20th 1999

jury are far from satisﬁed as to the circumstances under which Patrick Nugent sustained the injuries which caused his death. Accordingly, the Jury requests the Minister for Justice to have the matter further investigated”.

Allegations that his death was not properly investigated were considered by an independent review mechanism in 2014, which recommended that the case be examined under the Section 42 provisions of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. The Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) recommended the establishment of a special inquiry under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. In 2017 the Government appointed Judge Patrick Clyne to carry out this inquiry. Judge Clyne reported to the Minister for Justice in October 2020. The 111 page report was sent to the Garda Commissioner and in 2022 the Garda Com-

aged 73 and his mother Mary Ellen Nugent died on December 22nd 2003 at the age of 79, having attempted for decades to get more clarity. Patrick’s brother Martin said that the death of his sibling, “had a big impact on all of us, sure, but especially our parents”.

Speaking following the confirmation of Mr Nugent’s exhumation, Patrick’s brothers John and Martin said they were appreciative of the work Gardaí have undertaken over the last few years. “Our decision to agree to this unusual and unique step wasn’t taken lightly. It’s really very poignant for us as a family to experience the

missioner directed a fresh investigation into the circumstances of the death of Patrick Nugent. An investigation team, from within the Clare Garda division, has been established at Shannon Garda Station under the direction of a Senior Investigating Ofﬁcer. The local Clare Divisional Investigation team is supported by the Serious Crime Review Team, Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

nsp Finnerty outlined, “This new investigation team have been gathering, reviewing and re-examining all available material. The investigation team are utilising advances in modern day investigative techniques. The original scene at The Barn has been re-examined by a

disinterment of our brother’s remains especially given the proximity of the grave to our family home. We accept that it’s for the best if the results can shed some additional light on what we already know.

“We have worked very closely with Gardai and our solicitors on the complicated logistics involved in organizing this exhumation. Having agreed to go through with it we are all quietly hopeful that we might just get a breakthrough,” they said.

John told RTÉ’s Drivetime that his brother Patrick “was in the wrong place at the wrong time, he was working hard and he would have to

Photo by Joe Buckley

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

l Fr Harry Bohan at Feenagh Graveyard on

Forensic Collision Investigator.

“Following consultation with the State Pathologists Ofﬁce and Forensic Science Ireland the remains of Patrick Nugent are being exhumed, this morning. This sensitive operation, will be carried out expeditiously and respectfully. A Forensic Anthropologist, Dr Laureen Buckley will assist with this exhumation. Dr. Hedi Okkers, Assistant State Pathologist will carry out a formal State Post Mortem. It is hoped that with advances in technology and investigative techniques will progress this investigation forty years later”. He conﬁrmed that new Garda investigation team at Shannon Garda Station are currently in the process of interviewing witnesses who attended the party. However, there is no timeframe in place for this piece of work, he said.

Issuing a renewed

appeal to the public, Insp Finnerty said, “The primary focus of this investigation is the victim, Patrick Nugent and his family. Patricks family deserve to know, and to bring closure to what happened to Patrick on the night of the 10th/ 11th February 1984. I want to speak to any person who has any knowledge of the events that took place at The Barn, Bunratty Castle on the night of the 10th/ 11th February 1984”.

The investigation is focused on all those who attended the party on the night as either a guest or a member of staff. Do you now recall something that previously you were unable to share with the investigation? Are you a family member or friend of anyone who attended the party? You may be able to assist the investigation? Do you have photographs which were taken on the night.

“There may still be persons, who have in-

formation on Patrick’s death, either at the time or subsequently, and who haven’t yet spoken to Gardaí, or may have spoken to Gardaí but were not in a position to tell everything that they know; I am appealing to those persons, forty years later, to please come forward and speak to the investigation team. I would urge person(s) with information in relation to the death of Patrick Nugent to contact the Incident Room at Shannon Garda Station on (061)-365900, the Garda conﬁdential number (1800) 666 111 or any member of An Garda Síochána at any Garda Station. I ﬁnally appeal to any person who may have information relative to Patricks death not to assume we know and/or that it has limited value. Let us make that decision. I cannot reiterate that enough”, he concluded.

of a breakthrough

have everything right but unfortunately something happened at the end that we still don’t want to know”. He added, “We’re hoping with the exhuming of the body that it might bring something closer and we might find out something more, at this stage we want to come to a conclusion and pretty soon, maybe the end of this year it might be finished for good”.

A statement issued by KRW LAW Human Rights lawyers acting for the Nugent family outlined, “The family believe strongly that Patrick was killed and his murder covered up. They have been fighting over 40 years now for justice for Patrick. However no one has ever been

convicted in connection with his killing.”

“As part of the renewed Gardai investigation into the controversial circumstances surrounding his death an exhumation will take place on Tuesday 24/9/24 at the family grave in County Clare,” continued the statement.

“The family have been through a criminal trial; the outworkings of a Gardai disciplinary process; an inquest; a section 42 Gardai Inquiry following a miscarriage of justice investigation by the IRM together with a renewed criminal investigation after the Attorney General reviewed the findings of District Judge Patrick Clyne”.

Tuesday morning as the exhumation was being carried out Photos by Joe Buckley

€20k increase in the average price of Clare homes

FÓGRA DE BHUN ALT 175 AGUS ALT 177AE DEN ACHT UM PLEANÁIL AGUS FORBAIRT, 2000, ARNA LEASÚ, AGUS NA RIALACHÁN UM PLEANÁIL AGUS FORBAIRT, 2001, ARNA LEASÚ

SCÉIM FAOISIMH TUILTE CHILL CHAOI I MBAILTE FEARAINN CHILL CHAOI, CO. AN CHLÁIR

FÓGRA I DTAOBH IARRATAS PLEANÁLA CHUIG AN MBORD PLEANÁLA AR CHEADÚ

Tugtar fógra leis seo go bhfuil sé de rún ag Comhairle Contae an Chláir ceadú a lorg ón mBord Pleanála faoi Alt 175 agus Alt 177AE den Acht um Pleanáil agus Forbairt, 2000, arna leasú, chun oibreacha beartaithe a dhéanamh i mbailte fearainn Chill Chaoi, Co. an Chláir. Tá an fhorbairt bheartaithe sócmhainní cosanta dobharthuilte comhdhéanta de na nithe seo a leanas:

• Is é atá sna hoibreacha beartaithe ná claífort nua a thógáil ag Óstán Bhá Chill Chaoi.

• Bealach oscailte a chur ar mhalairt slí i dtreo lár na tuilemhá, agus ceannbhalla agus lintéar cuaisín nua a shuiteáil faoi bhun an chlaífoirt.

• Airde an bhalla teorann láithrigh ag Eastát Dhún an Óir a mhéadú.

• Claífort nua a thógáil ag an bPáirc Tithe Soghluaiste agus Carbháin Pháirc an Ghainimh.

• An scáileán smionagair láithreach ag Waterworld Chill Chaoi a athsholáthar.

• Dhá dhúnpholl cuaisín a thógáil ag Cúirt Radharc na Cluana.

• Na dúnphoill agus na lintéir láithreacha ar Thrá Chill Chaoi a uasghrádú.

• Claífort a thógáil ar an taobh thiar theas de Pháirc Saoire Cunningham.

• U-bhealach coincréite a shuiteáil feadh ailíniú reatha Shruth an Tobair.

• Lintéar láithreach Shruth an Tobair ag Plás an Chorráin a athsholáthar.

• An balla teorann ó 20 Cúirt Victoria chuig 21 Cúirt Victoria a athsholáthar.

• Na ballaí láithreacha ag Plás an Chorráin a dheisiú agus a athsholáthar.

• Claífort nua a thógáil taobh thiar de Bhóthar Charraig an Chabhaltaigh.

• Balla nua cosanta tuilte a thógáil feadh bhruach na láimhe clé ó Bhruach Victoria chuig Plás an Chorráin.

• Bealach oscailte a chur ar mhalairt slí i dtreo lár na tuilemhá, agus an bealach oscailte láithreach a líonadh isteach.

• Balla teorann Chorrán Victoria a atógáil.

• Claífort nua a thógáil ar an taobh thuaidh de Chorrán Victoria.

• Claífort nua a thógáil ar an taobh theas de Pháirc Victoria.

• Bealach oscailte a chur ar mhalairt slí i dtreo lár na tuilemhá, agus bealach láithreach a líonadh isteach.

• Tuilemhá a athghrádánú i ngort ar an taobh thuaidh d’eastát Chluain na Mara.

• Tuilemhá a athghrádánú i ngort ar an taobh thiar de Pháirc Saoire Cunningham.

• Áirítear leis na hoibreacha beartaithe tógáil bóithre, athghrádánú bóithre, oibreacha draenála, leagan crann, cur crann, tírdhreachú, agus na hoibreacha coimhdeacha gaolmhara uile eile.

Ullmhaíodh Tuarascáil ar Mheasúnacht Tionchair Timpeallachta agus Ráiteas Tionchair Natura mar chuid den iarratas i leith na forbartha beartaithe Féadfaidh an Bord Pleanála an t-iarratas ar fhorbairt a cheadú fara coinníollacha nó gan choinníollacha nó féadfaidh sé an t-iarratas ar fhorbairt a dhiúltú. Beidh cóip de phleananna agus sonraí na forbartha beartaithe, den Tuarascáil ar Mheasúnacht Tionchair Timpeallachta agus de Ráiteas Tionchair Natura ar fáil lena n-iniúchadh saor in aisce (nó féadfar iad a cheannach ar tháille shonraithe a íoc, ar táille í nach mbeidh níos airde ná an costas réasúnach a bhaineann le cóip den sórt sin a dhéanamh) le linn uaireanta oscailte poiblí (gan Laethanta Saoire Poiblí a áireamh) ón 03/10/2024 go dtí an 15/11/2024 (agus an dá dháta sin san áireamh) ag na láithreacha seo a leanas:

• Oifigí an Bhoird Pleanála, 64 Sráid Mhaoilbhríde, Baile Átha Cliath 1, D01 V902

• Comhairle Contae an Chláir, Áras Contae an Chláir, Bóthar Nua, Inis, Co. an Chláir, V95 DXP2

• Oifigí Cathartha Chill Rois, Halla an Bhaile, Cill Rois, Contae an Chláir, V15 XK70

• Oifig Comhairle Inis Díomáin, Bóthar Inse, Inis Díomáin, Contae an Chláir, V95 YX81 Féadfar amharc ar phleananna agus sonraí an iarratais, ar an Tuarascáil ar Mheasúnacht Tionchair Timpeallachta agus ar Ráiteas Tionchair Natura, nó iad a íoslódáil, ag an suíomh Gréasáin seo a leanas freisin: www.pleanala.ie Féadfar aighneachtaí nó tuairimí maidir leis an bhforbairt beartaithe maidir le:

I. Impleachtaí na forbartha beartaithe do phleanáil chuí agus forbairt inchothaithe sa limistéar lena mbaineann, agus II. Na héifeachtaí is dóigh a bheidh ag an bhforbairt bheartaithe ar an gcomhshaol, má dhéantar í, agus III. Na héifeachtaí suntasacha is dóigh a bheidh ag an bhforbairt bheartaithe ar láithreán Eorpach, má dhéantar í. a dhéanamh i scríbhinn, agus i scríbhinn amháin chuig an mBord Pleanála (‘an Bord’), 64 Sráid Mhaoilbhríde, Baile Átha Cliath 1, D01 V902. Ní foláir táille €50 a bheith ag gabháil le haon aighneachtaí/tuairimí (seachas i gcás comhlachtaí forordaithe áirithe) agus ní foláir iad a bheith faighte ag an mBord Pleanála tráth nach déanaí ná 5.00pm an 15/11/25. Ní foláir d’aighneachtaí nó tuairimí an teideal “Scéim Faoisimh Tuilte Chill Chaoi” a bheith orthu agus an fhaisnéis seo a leanas a bheith san áireamh:

1. Ainm an duine, an údaráis nó an chomhlachta atá ag déanamh na haighneachta nó atá ag tabhairt na tuairime, ainm an duine atá ag gníomhú thar ceann an duine, an údaráis nó an chomhlachta sin, más ann, agus an seoladh ar cheart aon chomhfhreagras a bhaineann leis an iarratas a sheoladh chuige,

2. Ábhar na haighneachta nó na tuairime, agus

3. Na cúiseanna pleanála a bhaineann leis an aighneacht (i.e. cúinsí agus argóintí) agus aon mhíreanna gur mhaith leat a chur le do chúiseanna nó do thuairim. Féadfaidh aon duine bailíocht aon chinnidh ón mBord Pleanála ar an iarratas ar chead a cheistiú trí bhíthin iarratas a dhéanamh ar athbhreithniú breithiúnach, faoi Ordú 84 de Rialacha na nUaschúirteanna (I.R. Uimh. 15 de 1986, arna leasú le I.R. Uimh. 691 de 2011), de réir alt 50 den Acht um Pleanáil agus Forbairt, 2000, arna leasú. Féadfar faisnéis phraiticiúil faoin sásra athbhreithnithe a rochtain faoin gceannteideal ‘Foilseacháin – Fógraí faoi Athbhreithnithe Breithiúnacha’ ar shuíomh Gréasáin an Bhoird ag www.pleanala.ie nó ar shuíomh Gréasáin na Seirbhíse um Fhaisnéis do Shaoránaigh ag www.citizensinformation.ie Ba cheart aon cheisteanna a bhaineann leis an bpróiseas iarratais a chur ar an mBord Pleanála (Teileafón: 01 8588100).

Arna dhátú an 27ú lá seo de mhí Mheán Fómhair 2024.

Alan Farrell, Stiúrthóir Seirbhísí.

THERE HAS been a €20,000 increase in the price of an average second-hand three-bed semi-detached home in Clare in the last three months.

An eight percent rise in the average house prices across the county from €250,000 to €270,000 has been recorded, a new national survey from Real Estate Alliance has shown.

Average selling times fell by a fortnight this quarter to an average of six weeks. The REA Average House Price Index concentrates on the sale price of Ireland's typical stock home, the threebed semi, giving an accurate picture of the second-hand property market in towns and cities countrywide.

Ennis is reporting a €20,000 quarterly rise, an annual increase of seventeen percent with properties achieving up to twenty percent above guide price due to a lack of both stock and new developments.

It joins other large towns around the country such as Tralee, Tullamore and Athlone which have experienced average increases of €20,000 in the past three months. Across Clare, sixty percent of purchasers were first-time buyers and five percent were from outside the county. Five percent of sales this quarter were attributed to landlords leaving the market.

Liam Browne of REA Paddy Browne remarked, “The recent SCSI proposal for the establishment of a dedicated adjudication body or ‘rental court’ to deal with serious disputes between tenants and landlords as well as a thorough revision of the Residential Tenancies Act would be of great benefit to the property market as a whole”.

Nationally, the actual selling price of a threebed, semi-detached house across the country rose by 2.7 percent in the past three months to €323,741. Time taken to reach sale agreed nationally has dropped to four weeks as low supply continues to drive sales.

Demolition works to commence for Ennistymon car park

AN EXTERNAL CONTRACTOR has been appointed and demolition works are due to commence in the coming weeks as part of the delivery of a new car park in Ennistymon.

Planning permission was granted two years ago for an off-street car park on Monastery Lane in Ennistymon with delays encountered while trying to rehouse the bats in situ around the vicinity of the proposed car park. The planning application was lodged in July 2022. An approximate 45 parking spaces will be delivered.

At Monday’s meeting of the West Clare MD, Cllr Shane Talty (FF) sought “a deﬁnitive timeline for the delivery of the Monastery Lane Carpark and a commitment that the surface will be Asphalt (Black Top) and lined up opening. This car park will be a permanent replacement for many existing spaces around the town”.

Twelve of the 28 county councillors attended a special meeting in July which granted Part VIII approval for enhancement and public realm works in Ennistymon. This gathering was referenced by acting senior executive ofﬁcer in the West Clare MD, John Corry in his reply, “The Chief Executive addressed the members at this meeting and acknowledged that the streetscape enhancement works were very important to the town of Ennistymon and advised that the Monastery Lane carpark was anticipated to be completed by the end of 2025. Mr. Dowling noted that the public realm works will be progressed at the earliest opportunity possible”.

Corry conﬁrmed that demolition works are to commence “in the coming weeks at the Monastery Lane car park site with a view to the completed car park being provided within the timeline suggested by the Chief Executive. It is proposed that the completed car park will have a lined and black top ﬁnish”.

Speaking on Monday, Cllr Talty said he was “almost embarrassed” to have to raise the matter at another meeting. He recalled that the purchase of the car park was ﬁrst discussed with former Director of Service, Liam Conneally in December 2019.

An external contractor has been appointed. “It has been always been a given that it would be complete to facilitate wider enhancement works in Ennistymon,” said Corry who told councillors that the County Council intended to deliver the car park before other works in the town.

NOTICE PURSUANT TO SECTION 175 AND SECTION 177AE OF THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ACT 2000, AS AMENDED AND THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS 2001, AS AMENDED KILKEE FLOOD RELIEF SCHEME IN THE TOWNLANDS OF KILKEE, CO. CLARE NOTICE OF PLANNING APPLICATION TO AN BORD PLEANÁLA FOR APPROVAL

Notice is hereby given that Clare County Council intends to seek approval from An Bord Pleanála under Section 175 and Section 177AE of the Planning and Development Act 2000, As Amended to carry out proposed works in the townlands of Kilkee, Co. Clare.

The proposed development of fluvial flood defence assets comprises of the following:

• A new embankment to the south of the Kilkee Bay Hotel.

• A diversion of the open channel to the south of the Kilkee Bay Hotel into the centre of the floodplain and the installation of a new headwall and inlet culvert under the new embankment.

• The increase in height of the existing boundary wall at the Dún an Óir Estate.

• A new embankment at the Sandpark Mobile Home and Caravan Park.

• The replacement of the existing debris screen at Kilkee Waterworld.

• The construction of two inlet manholes on an existing culvert at Meadow View Court.

• Upgrades to the existing Atlantic Stream culvert system at Moore Bay, including the installation of non-return valves.

• A new embankment to the west of Cunningham’s Holiday Park and the installation of a new headwall and inlet culvert under the new embankment.

• A new reinforced concrete u-channel along the existing Well Stream alignment to the north of Cunningham’s Holiday Park.

• The replacement of the existing Well Stream culvert at Crescent Place.

• The resurfacing and regrading of the Well Road, the junction of Well Road with Marine Parade and the junction of Geraldine Place with Marine Parade.

• New surface water pump stations at Well Road and Carrigaholt Road and associated infrastructure.

• New surface water drainage infrastructure at Well Road, Crescent Place, Victoria Park and Carrigaholt Road.

• New sluice gates at various locations along the Well Stream and Victoria Stream flood defences.

• The reconstruction of the Victoria Court boundary wall along the Victoria Stream.

• Repairs and replacement of the Victoria Stream left bank wall at Crescent Place.

• A new embankment to the west of Carrigaholt Road.

• A new flood defence wall along the left bank of the existing Victoria Stream alignment from Victoria Park to Crescent Place.

• A diversion of the Victoria Stream to the centre of the floodplain to the west of Carrigaholt Road.

• The reconstruction of the Victoria Crescent boundary wall along the Victoria Stream.

• A new embankment to the north of Victoria Crescent.

• A new embankment to the southwest of Cunningham’s Holiday Park.

• A diversion of the Western Tributary to the centre of the floodplain to the north of the Cluain na Mara estate and a new outlet culvert under the new embankment.

• The regrading of lands to the north of the Cluain na Mara estate and to the west of Cunningham’s Holiday Park.

• The proposed works include for road reconstruction, road regrading, drainage works, tree felling, tree planting, landscaping and all associated ancillary works.

An Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) have been prepared as part of the application in respect of the proposed development.

An Bord Pleanála may give approval to the application for development with or without conditions or may refuse the application for development.

A copy of the plans and particulars of the proposed development, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIAR) and the Natura Impact Statement (NIS) will be available for inspection free of charge, (or may be purchased on payment of a specified fee which shall not exceed the reasonable cost of making such a copy) during public opening hours (excluding Public Holidays) from 03/10/2024 to 15/11/2024 (inclusive of both dates), at the following locations:

• The offices of An Bord Pleanála, 64 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1, D01 V902

• Clare County Council, Arás Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare, V95 DXP2

• Kilrush Civic Offices, Town Hall, Kilrush, County Clare V15 XK70

• Ennistymon Council Office, Ennis Road, Ennistymon, County Clare, V95 YX81

The application plans and particulars, the EIAR and NIS may also be viewed at or downloaded from the following website: www.pleanala.ie

Submissions or observations on the proposed development in relation to:

I. The implications of the proposed development for proper planning and sustainable development in the area concerned, and II. The likely effects on the environment of the proposed development, if carried out, and III. The likely significant effects of the proposed development on a European site, if carried out.

may be made in writing only to An Bord Pleanála (‘the Board’), 64 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1 D01 V902.

Any submissions / observations must be accompanied by a fee of €50 (except for certain prescribed bodies) and must be received by An Bord Pleanála not later than 5.00 p.m. on 15/11/24. Such submissions or observations should be titled “Kilkee Flood Relief Scheme” and must include the following information:

1. The name of the person, authority or body making the submission or observation, the name of the person, if any, acting on behalf of that person, authority or body, and the address to which any correspondence relating to the application should be sent,

2. The subject matter of the submission or observation, and

3. The planning grounds of the observation (i.e. reasons and arguments), and any items you wish to support your grounds or observation.

Any person may question the validity of any such decision by An Bord Pleanála made in respect of the application for permission by way of an application for judicial review, under Order 84 of the Rule of the Superior Courts (S.I. No. 15 of 1986, as amended by S.I. No. 691 of 2011), in accordance with Section 50 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 as amended.

Practical information on the review mechanism can be accessed under the heading Publications – Judicial Review Notice on the Board’s website www.pleanala.ie or on the Citizens Information Service website www.citizensinformation.ie

Any enquiries relating to the application process should be directed to An Bord Pleanála (Telephone: 01 8588100).

Dated this 27th September 2024.

Alan Farrell, Director of Services.

Ennis workers leaving town for work

by Stuart Holly news@clareecho.ie

A NEW SURVEY has revealed that more people living in the Ennis catchment area are working outside the town than in the town itself.

This is one of the findings of a new report carried out by the Western Development Commission (WDC), which has carried out in-depth research into the commuting patterns of those at work in the Western Region.

The report on the Ennis labour catchment area - the area from which a town draws most of its workforce - details that this is unusual for a main urban centre. The data shows that 37.2 per cent of workers resident in the Ennis labour catchment work within the town while a further 62.8 per cent work outside the town.

Deirdre Frost, Policy Analyst at the WDC noted, “This is significant in the context of the revision of the National Planning Framework and understanding the importance of proximate urban centres and good transport links between them.”.

A large proportion of people in the Ennis labour catchment area are travelling to work in rural county Clare (21.3%). Other destinations for workers are Limerick City (10.3%), and Shannon (8.4%). Both of these centres have increased in importance as workplace destinations for those living in the Ennis labour catchment.

The numbers working in the catchment area is 1.8 times the number of workers within Ennis town highlighting the significantly larger labour supply available to the town.

The impact of improved transport links and greater numbers working from home may explain the increased popularity of more distant workplaces, for example the numbers living in the Ennis labour catchment and reporting Dublin as their work location has increased from 265 in 2016 to 459 in 2022. The numbers reporting Galway city as their place of work has increased from 370 to 468 in 2022.

Some of the other findings relating to Clare in the report include that the single largest employer in the Ennis labour catchment is the ‘Education, Human Health and Social Work’ (25%), followed by the ‘Wholesale, Retail and Commerce’ sector which accounts for a quarter (22.2%).

MACE,

the launch of their newly revamped store

customers to their BBQ celebrations with plenty of family fun such as face painting, music, Clare FM broadcasting live from the store and plenty of games with the crowd favourite wellie toss! Attending the celebrations were Clare hurler

who

the

Fitzpatrick, Liam

Keith Crawford, MACE Sales Director, Anne Keyes and Joe Greensmith, owners of Anne’s MACE with John Quinn, store manager and Sarah Roughan

Notes

PALESTINIAN FILM AT THE ARC

The People of Clare against Genocide (POCAG) group are delighted to announce that the Arc Cinema, Ennis has responded positively to requests to show “The Teacher” about a Palestinian teacher. The film is the story of a Palestinian school teacher and his relationship and activism and will be showing from friday 27th September to Thursday 3rd October. POCAG welcome this opportunity for Clare people to learn more about Palestine and to support Palestinians.

JERSEY DAY

Ennis Lions Club and Clare FM are inviting schools, offices, workplaces and teams of all sorts to host a Jersey Day in support Sláinte an Chláir. This event connected with the Charity Radio Auction which will be covered on air from October 7.

David Goodstein, Ennis Lions Club President, said, “Sláinte an Chláir are funded entirely by charitable donations and our Charity Radio Auction and Jersey Day are essential to keep them running, for the benefit of all people in Clare. Register at Jerseyday@ennislionsclub.ie

Clare ladies spearhead national diabetes conference

TWO Clare women living with type 1 diabetes are are spearheading a national conference tackling the issue which is expected to attract over 250 people.

Gráinne Flynn, Ennis and Christine Meehan from Quin are founders of Thriveabetes, which will this year take place for the seventh time on Saturday, October 5, in Portlaoise.

Thriveabetes is organised by volunteers who live with the condition across Ireland. It will include many speakers living with type 1 diabetes including former world championship kickboxer from Louth, Catherine Brady, along with opportunities to meet others with diabetes, and to find out about the latest technology in diabetes treatments.

Gráinne was diagnosed with diabetes at age 20, over 30 years ago. She created a diabetes support group in Clare in 2007 when she struggled to find the care and support she needed to help her manage her diabetes, where she first met Christine. Christine was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in her 30s in 2006. She describes those first few years of trying to get to grips with it as often being “a

daily struggle”.

“The event aims to bring people with diabetes together so that no one feels alone and to connect with others, share experiences, and feel supported in our journey.”

Advanced registration is required to attend. For more information, visit the website Thriveabetes.ie.

Cutting the ribbon at Anne’s MACE

Anne’s

Lahinch Road celebrated

on Saturday, September 21. The store invited local

Shane Meehan

cut

ribbon with (l-r) Amanda

Attridge, MACE,

l Gráinne Flynn and Christine Meehan

Roast Duck Breast with Plum & Apple Sauce

INGREDIENTS

n 2 Duck Breasts

n A sprig of thyme

n A sprig of rosemary

n One star aniseed

n 30grams butter

n For the Plum and apple

sauce:

n One shallot, ﬁnely diced

n One tablespoon of grapeseed oil

n 150 grams of plums, halved, stoned and cut into wedges

n One sweet apple, example Pink Lady, cored, peeled and diced

n 50 grams of dark brown sugar, example, demerrera

n 50ml of red wine

n 300ml of chicken stock

n Seasalt and ground black pepper

METHOD

The Sauce:

- Sweat off shallots in oil, until softened but not coloured.

- Add plums, apple and brown sugar. Cook until sugar has dissolved.

- Add red wine and chicken stock. Add star aniseed.

- Reduce all until it becomes a glaze.

Cooking of duck breast:

Step 1

Have oven preheated to 180C/ 160C fan. Meanwhile, season your duck breast with salt and pepper.

Step 2

In non- stick cold frying pan, place duck breast, at medium heat, with skin side down. You are caramelising the skin. This may take seven or eight

minutes, until your skin becomes crispy and golden brown.

Step 3

When satisﬁed your skin is a nice colour, add butter, hard herbs, thyme and rosemary, and star aniseed.

Step 4

Turn the breast over, baste with butter, transfer to roasting dish, ﬁnish in the oven, at 180C, ﬁve to six minutes for pink, which I recommend, and ten to twelve minutes for well done.

Tip: Before carving or serving, let the duck breast sit for ten minutes to rest.

Suggested serving: With fondant potatoes and buttered green beans.

Freshen up your front door pots

AUTUMN can be such a magical time with the leaves dropping and the colour changing in the garden.

It’s nice to freshen up the pots at the front door a nice welcome of colour and texture depending on what plant you like.

Some ideas for pots if you are looking to freshen them up. Buxus are a lovely lush green shrub that come in a nice cone shape or round and are a lovely simple structure plant on their own or with colour around them.

Bay trees are another popular one - the lollipop style is very nice and again can look nice surrounded by bark or decorative stone.

If you are looking for some seasonal colour, cyclamen and prim-

rose and viola or pansy bring lovely autumn colour. But a lovely idea is to plant a selection of shrub colours like grass to give a flow effect and the colourful heuchera to give a pop of autumn and a bit of sliver with a trailing variated ivy.

This is a long-lasting pot and would need very little care. I must admit I like to mix colour and some shrubs - one of my favourites at the minute is using Skimma and Heathers shrubs. There is lots of lovely colours to choose from and adding viola and pansy and primrose give a lovely effect and colour too.

So, lots of perennials in the garden are coming to a finish but continue to deadhead those that are still in flower especially the Dahlia,

they are going to continue following till frost appears and even some of the roses are starting to rebud so lots of the perennial are still going strong.

If you haven’t thought about planting spring bulbs now is the time lots to choose from lovely tulips selection available and daffodils Iris bulbs and many more to choose so, get your thinking caps on where you want to see that pop of colour in spring.

“September is for planting dreams in the soil, knowing that the quiet work of today will bloom in tomorrow’s Spring.”

Kilrush people urged to have their say on use of Mars Cinema

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

FUTURE uses for the old Mars cinema are to be discussed at a walk-in clinic in Kilrush next Thursday.

Tourism Development International in conjunction with Clare County Council and Kilrush Town Team, are inviting local people and business owners of Kilrush and West Clare to attend the walk-in clinic in the Town Hall, Kilrush from 4pm to 7pm on Thursday (October 3rd) to discuss the future use of the old cinema building on Frances Street.

Designed by Patrick Tubridy, Mars Cinema was established in 1950. The Tubridy family previously operated another theatre called The Palace Theatre at John’s Street from 1920 to 1950 which showed the silent films of the day. The Mars itself with a 850 seater theatre with 600 seats in the ballroom and another 250 seats in the balcony. It was the home of the Kilrush Operatic Society from 1951 to 1966 and Kilrush Boxing Club used the building in the 1980s.

A 3,310 square foot building, the former cinema is located on Ireland’s second widest street. It closed its doors in 1991 and was acquired by Clare County Council for €175,000 in March 2023 through Town and Village Renewal Scheme funding.

Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) who is also a member of Kilrush Town Team stressed, “It is vital that as many people as possible come down to the Town Hall to have their say on the Mars Cinema.

“The commissioning of a Feasibility Study is a priority project for the Council along with the work being done by Kilrush Town Team to get locals involved and provide better community facilities and infrastructure.

“The old Mars Cinema has happy memories for so many people around Kilrush, from family days out to their first time ever seeing a film.

“Now is the time for the local community to come together and tell us what they want the old cinema to be for this generation and those to come”.

‘Game is up’ for woman (63) selling fake Gucci bags

by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie

A JUDGE has told a 63-year old west Clare woman that “the game is up” for her selling counterfeit Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Victoria Secrets designer goods for knock-down prices.

At Kilrush District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett made his comment after Eileen Bracken of Woodﬁeld Drive, Kilrush pleaded to 11 separate counts of selling or offering for sale counterfeit designer goods from her home on dates between October 31st to December 12th 2022.

The offences are contrary to the Trade Marks Act 1996 and some of the counterfeit labels that Ms Bracken has pleaded guilty to selling or offering for sale include Louis Vuitton, Prada, Northface, Gucci, Tommy Hilﬁger, Victoria Secrets, Adidas, Alexander McQueen and Chanel.

Sgt Frank O’Grady told the court that Gardai under warrant seized a large amount of counterfeit designer items at Ms Bracken’s home in Kilrush.

Sgt O’Grady stated that Gardai later conﬁrmed that Ms Bracken had no authorisation from the individual designer brands to sell the goods.

Sgt O’Grady told the court that the estimated cost of the designer items from the 11 brands was €23,170 and Eileen Bracken was selling them for €1,455 resulting in an estimated loss of €21,715 to the companies.

He said that Gardai received statements from the different trademark companies conﬁrming that the items Ms Bracken was selling and that she was advertising to sell were counterfeit items and she was not authorised to sell or advertise the trademark designer items.

Sgt O’Grady said that Ms Bracken has

no previous convictions.

Judge Gabbett asked Ms Bracken’s solicitor, Patrick Moylan “was this entrepreneurship?”.

Mr Moylan said that Ms Bracken had purchased the goods from Turkey to sell to local people. He said that Ms Bracken is separated with two adult children and they have signiﬁcant addictions to heroin.

He said that “the family came under pressure”. “She thought this might be some new way to earn some money."

He said that Ms Bracken has worked previously but is now on disability where she is dealing with a medical condition.

Judge Gabbett said: "The victims here are the large multinational corporations and if they don’t protect their rights and entitlements under those intellectual property laws, they lose that.”

Mr Moylan said: “The guilty plea is hugely valuable in the case because if I was to put the State through their paces, we could be here a week with witnesses coming in from far and wide from the companies concerned.”

Mr Moylan said that Ms Bracken hasn’t engaged in any selling since Gardai seized the goods.

Judge Gabbett said that he would mark convictions in the case but stated that Ms Bracken was a good candidate for a Probation Report.

Judge Gabbett said that the Probation Report would be very helpful in terms of assessing risk of future offending.

Judge Gabbett said that there would be no requirement for a victim impact statement as “this is corporate image at the end of the day”.

Judge Gabbett adjourned the case to November 19th for the completion of the Probation Report.

Young dancers doing Cooraclare proud

Two dancers from Cooraclare did West Clare proud as they attended the Irish Dancing Nationals Competition in Killarney last weekend, both bringing home national cups. Alannah Considine placed 3rd in the U8 competition with Abbey McNamara placing 4th in the same event.

Notes

MENTAL HEALTH WEEK 2024 West Clare Mental Health Association will run a programme of free events to celebrate Mental Health Week 2024 and World Mental Health Day on October 10.

Thursday Oct 3rd, 7pm: Kilrush Community Centre - John Lonergan Talk. ‘Finding Happiness & Contentment in our lives’

Friday Oct 4th, 10:30am: Kilrush Community Centre - Laughter Yoga with Ciaran Ennis.

Saturday Oct 5th, 11:30am: Vandeluer Woods Cafe - Soundbathing with Fiona Guiheen. Sunday Oct 7th, 2pm: Banner books - Breda latham Talk: Problem Solving “My Plan”

Tuesday Oct 8th, 11am: Vandeleur WoodsWoodland for Wellbeing Walk

Thursday Oct 10th, 11am - Curtins Farm Lacken: Farm Walk & Breakfast Enquiries to: westclaremha@mentalhealthireland.ie. Phone: 085 8559511

lICONIC: The old Mars Cinema in Kilrush, which was established by the Tubridy family in 1950 and closed its doors in 1991, was acquired by Clare County Council in 2023

Deilginis assessment to take place

by Páraic McMahon

AN ASSESSMENT of Deilginis in Shannon is to be completed following a request for improvements to the surface in the locality.

Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG) called on Clare County Council to “pave the road and parking spaces” in Deilginis when submitting a proposal to the Shannon Municipal District.

A high-support mental health facility was

Senior executive engineer, Tom Mellett stated, “An assessment of the road will take place to determine its condition. This will determine if the road can be included in the 2025 Road Works Programme”.

formerly located in Deilginis until its closure shortly before January 2013. It had been downgraded to a low-support facility a year before the doors shut. Four houses are interconnected within the building.

Former Mayor of Clare, Patricia McCarthy (IND) previously called the closure a “serious mistake” and “short-sighted”.

Laneways are becoming

‘trip hazards’

LANEWAYS in Shannon have become “trip hazards” and impassable according to an elected representative from the town, writes Páraic McMahon. Clare County Council have not maintained Shannon Town to the same standard as when Shannon Development were responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the county’s second largest town, Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG) remarked.

In a proposal before the Shannon Municipal District, Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) ﬂagged, ““While it is great to see the streetsweeper out doing a great job, there are several laneways in Shannon that are completely overgrown, covered in moss, are a trip hazard and in some cases are inaccessible particularly to residents, particularly to those in need of walking aids or wheelchairs”.

Senior executive engineer Tom Mellett advised, “A number of laneways have been highlighted to the Ofﬁce. We have programmed in a tidy-up of the lanes running south from the Gort Road towards Tradaree, using the mini sweeper in the coming weeks. We also intend to carry out further works in Finian, following from the public realm clearing recently”.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Mulcahy noted that when Shannon Development was responsible for maintenance of the town, there were much fewer problems and complaints. He pointed out that the people of Shannon were paying their local property tax and deserved a better standard of service from the County Council.

Hundreds fill venues across Shannon on Culture Night 2024

HUNDREDS of people filled Drumgeely Plaza and other venues across Shannon town to celebrate creativity, entertainment, and community pride last Friday for Culture Night 2024.

The evening featured standout performances, including a vibrant display of Yarn Bombing by Mná le Chéile - Women’s Shed Shannon, a captivating Dancing at the Crossroads performance by The Kirby Family, and an uplifting set by the Shannon Gospel Choir. Christina Bennett’s art film Sionna Go Breá: A Journey into Shannon’s Beginnings was a highlight, offering a beautiful exploration of Shannon’s

history, as was the thrilling drumming session by Mná le Chéile.

The night concluded with a deeply emotional performance by Blackie O’Connell and Eoghan Neff, two members of ‘Dubhlinn’, paying tribute to their late bandmate, Cyril O’Donoghue, who recently passed away.

Their heartfelt music was a moving tribute, closing the event on a poignant and powerful note.

Events across town also drew in crowds throughout the day, from free access at the Shannon Aviation Museum, to storytelling at Sean Lemass Public Library, a short Bahaii film, and an inspiring art display by Inis Artists at Shannon Town Centre.

Shannon Community Partner-

ship, a recently formed local community development and advocacy group hosted Culture Night 2024. SCP would like to extend a massive thank you to all the performers, volunteers, local businesses, food vendors, and the incredible people of Shannon for their support and participation.

For those who missed the night and would like to see more photos of the festivities, visit www.shannoncp.ie for more details.

paraic@clareecho.ie

l CULTURE VULTURES: Amy O’Halloran, Jamie Walsh, Tadhy Scullion McGettigan, Donna McGettigan, Mark McDonagh and Katie Halpin attend Culture Night at Drumgeely Plaza Photo by Joe Buckley

l Scenes from Culture Night in Shannon where hundreds gathered at venues across town including Drumgeely Plaza Photos by Joe Buckley

C U S A C K D A Y 2 0 2 4 C U S A C K D A Y 2 0 2 4

Celebrating the founder of the GAA at Michael Cusack Heritage Centre in Carron

The 5th annual Michael Cusack Day was held on Sunday at the Michael Cusack Heritage Centre where Michael Cusack was born in the heart of the Burren on 20th September 1847. The event, which took place just weeks before the 140th anniversary of the Gaelic Athletic Association, featured hurley

Photographs by Eamon Ward.

making demonstrations by Inagh-based Macóda Hurleys and live music from the children of Carron National School, while Clare County Council’s Elected Members were each presented with a Clare GAA Michael Cusack commemorative jersey.

Visit michaelcusack.ie for more.

Chloe and Amy Cuddihy at Cusack Day.

Councillor Mary Howard pictured with Councillor Alan O’Callaghan, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, and Tim Madden and Dónal Ó hAiniféin of the Michael Cusack Heritage Centre.

Tim Madden of the Michael Cusack Heritage Centre, John O’Malley of Clare County Council, Ger O’Malley and hurley maker Tom Cuddihy.

Agnes O’Loughlin, Donal O’Loinsigh, Cllr Joe Killeen and Aishling Tully at the Michael Cusack Day.

Councillor Alan O’Callaghan, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council pictured (centre) with Tim Madden and Dónal Ó hAiniféin of the Michael Cusack Heritage Centre; Back L-R: Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua, Faruk Bashua, Councillors Rita McInerney, Joe Garrihy, Tom O’Callaghan, Paul Murphy, Tom O’ Callaghan and Tommy Guilfoyle.

Burren and Cliffs of Moher join world famous geological sites in Top 100 list

by Páraic McMahon news@clareecho.ie

BOTH The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher have joined Vesuvius volcano, Yosemite Valley and The Dead Sea in being designated a Geological Heritage Site in a prestigious programme managed by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS).

The “Carboniferous evolution of The Burren and Cliffs of Moher” was named in the list of the Second 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites at the 37th International Geological Congress in Busan, Republic of Korea.

More than 700 experts from 80 nations and 16 international organisations contributed to the selection process which has given official recognition to the world’s best demonstrations of geologic features.

Inclusion of the Clare geological site follows its nomination by Dr. Eamon Doyle, Geologist with the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark. He explained that the Burren and Cliffs of Moher’s inclusion in the

“Second 100” was based on the site being “one of the most complete sections with Mississippian limestones in exceptional karst landscapes and Pennsylvanian deltaics in spectacular sea cliffs”.

He said, “This is a fantastic honour for the Geopark and to all interested in Irish geology considering the Burren and Cliffs of Moher is only the second entry from the island of Ireland included in the two Top 100 lists, with Giant’s Causeway in County Antrim being named in the First 100 in 2022”.

Dr Doyle stated, “The Burren is a remarkable limestone area. Its geology, flora, caves, archaeology, history and farming traditions set it apart as a place of great mystery and beauty. This new designation will help to create a greater sense of awareness and appreciation of area’s ancient geological history and its evolution through time from its formation through the retreat of the ice sheets some 12,000 years ago to the vibrant region we know of today”. He acknowledged the support of Geological Sur-

lDESIGNATION: Dr. Clare Glanville, Geological Survey Ireland; Dr. Eamon Doyle, Geologist, Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark; William Cormacan, National Parks and Wildlife Service; and Carol Gleeson, Manager, Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark pictured with the Clare Green Team

vey Ireland (GSI) and Professor Patrick Wyse Jackson of Trinity College Dublin, who is the IUGS representative in Ireland, for supporting the application.

Director of GSI, Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, Koen Verbruggen outlined, “The Second 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites, as with the First 100, receive IUGS recognition because they are of the highest scien-

tific value.

He continued, “They are the world’s best demonstrations of geologic features and processes. They are the sites of fabulous discoveries of the Earth and its history and have served to develop the science of geology. The recognition and visibility received by the inclusion of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher in the “Second 100 will lead to the further appreciation of the site, to its use as an ed-

ucational resource, and, most importantly, to its preservation”. The announcement of the Second 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites was made by IUGS President John Ludden, IUGS Secretary General Stanley Finney, and Asier Hilario, chair of the International Commission on Geoheritage during a special event of the 37th International Geological Congress.

Talk on Mills in Ennistymon and Miltown

THE ﬁrst talk in the North Clare Historical Society’s Autumn/Winter lecture series will be on Monday next. The guest speaker on the night will be Michael Talty.

His topic for the talk is: "That enlightened spirit of enterprise: Industrial-scale Milling in Ennistymon and Miltown Malbay in the 19th and 20th centuries".

The talk will ﬁrst outline a general history of milling in Clare, and speciﬁcally in North and West Clare. The small-scale nature of corn, flour and textile milling in the area up to the end of the 18th century will be discussed.

The talk will also explore the factors which facilitated the development of industrial scale mills/factories in Ennistymon and Miltown Malbay from the mid - 19th century, alongside the survival of smaller family mills, and follow the history of these concerns until their closure in the 1940s and 1950s.

Michael Talty is a librarian and archivist, and works in the Local Studies Centre in Ennis, and with the County Archives.

The talk will be held on Monday, September 30 at the Courthouse, Ennistymon at 8pm. All are welcome.

Tale of Leamaneh Castle features in children’s book of ghost stories

AN ICONIC County Clare castle features in a new publication about haunted houses, castles and bridges across Ireland.

The new children’s book called Haunted Ireland: An Atlas of Ghost Stories from Every County, written by Kieran Fanning and beautifully illustrated by Mark Hill, delves into the world of ghosts, banshees, witches and monsters.

County Clare’s story is about the notorious Red Mary or Máire Rua, whose ghost is said to haunt the ruins of Leamaneh Castle on the edge of the Burren, between Corofin and Kilfenora.

When Mary MacMahon’s husband died in 1639 under mysterious circumstances, she inherited his wealth, making her a much sought-after widow. She soon caught the eye of Conor O’Brien, and after they married, they built Leamaneh Castle. With her husband off fighting the English, Mary

ruled the castle with an iron fist and was said to have hung her unruly servants from the battlements by their hair. Whether it was due to her fiery temper or her red hair, she soon gained the nickname of Máire Rua or Red Mary.

Her husband, Conor, was killed by the English, meaning that his land could be seized, so Mary immediately married again to retain her property. Her third husband was a Cromwellian officer called John Cooper but he too died under suspicious circumstances. Some say that Mary cut his throat. Other say she pushed him off the top of the castle. Whichever is true, the fact remains that marrying Máire Rua was not good for your health.

In all, she is believed to have married up to 25 men, each of whose lives came to a grisly end. Her favourite way to dispatch of a new husband was to challenge him to ride her black stallion. The horse had been trained by Mary to gallop to the Cliffs of Moher and fling its rider onto the rocks below, mean-

ing that Mary herself, could never be accused of murder.

Some say that the name of her castle derives from this story. ‘Leamaneh’ may have come from the Irish léim an eich, which means ‘the horse’s leap’.

The locals grew to fear Mary and branded her as a witch. They hatched a plan to put an end to her evil deeds by capturing her and tying her to the inside of a hollow tree. They left her there to die, where she cursed her captors and promised to return from the dead to seek her revenge.

At night, high-pitched screams can still be heard coming from Leamaneh Castle. Some might say they are the cries of a fox, but those who know the story of Mary MacMahon know it is her ghost looking for vengeance.

Photo by Eamon Ward

Haunted Ireland is published by Gill and is available in all good bookstores.

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

lAUTHOR: Kieran Fanning

Windfarm plans in East Clare sparks public meeting

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

THE Broadford to Oatfield Windfarm Action Group has expressed deep disappointment over the latest planning application lodged by Future Energy Ireland to develop “yet another” windfarm in East Clare.

According to the group, the proposed site located in the Knockshanvo area, will overlook the communities of Kilmore, Broadford, Trough, Ardnacrusha and Sixmilebridge.

This move comes amidst local opposition and, according to the group, “mounting evidence of the detrimental ecological impact, noise pollution, and shadow flicker that windfarms bring to nearby residents”.

Currently, six windfarms are seeking planning approval in a concentrated area of East Clare, which would total a staggering 61 turbines. Under the application, each turbine would stand at 180 meters — a tip-to-tip length longer than a hurling pitch —

Gort

and accompanied by six electricity substations.

Objectors predict that this potential development would result in at least a decade of traffic disruptions for the facilitation of underground cables to be laid to Ardnacrusha, “severely impacting roads in and around Broadford, and forcing daily commuters from East Clare heading to Limerick City to find alternative routes”.

A statement from the Broadford to Oatfield Windfarm Action Group stated that much of this diverted traffic would pass through Sixmilebridge, further increasing the burden on local infrastructure.

Speaking on behalf of the group, spokesperson Alex O’Connor voiced frustration at the lack of consideration for local communities and their environment:

“While we support the responsible development of wind energy, what is happening in East Clare is not about sustainable energy — it’s about commer-

lCONCERNS: The group claims that developers are ‘bombarding the planning system with applications’ in East Clare

cial opportunism.

“By bombarding the planning system with individual applications, these developers are cynically attempting to bypass local authorities and disguise their true intention: turning East Clare into a giant windfarm, without a

thought for the communities who will have to live with the consequences.

“The environmental damage, noise nuisance, and long-term traffic disruption will fundamentally alter the character of this region. We urge An Bord Pleanála to see this for what it truly is—an attempt to push through an industrial-scale project under the guise of green energy.”

The group is calling on residents, community leaders, and environmental advocates to join them in opposing the reckless proliferation of windfarms in East Clare, ensuring that the future of the region is protected from “unsustainable and intrusive developments”.

Broadford to Oatfield windfarm action group are holding a public consulation clinic in Broadford village on Saturday October 12 to assist local residents make their observations to An Bord Pleanála. The APB case number is 320705 and closing date for observations is 5pm on October 31.

Kinvara showcases Pride of Place

KINVARA was placed under the Pride of Place spotlight on Thursday and Friday when adjudicators for the 22nd annual all-island competition visited Co Galway.

Alongside Williamstown, Kinvara is seeking to emulate the county’s longstanding track record of success in the competition, which is run by Co-Operation Ireland to recognise and celebrate the vital contributions that communities make to society.

They will be hoping to secure a place on the winner’s podium at the overall IPB Pride of Place Gala Dinner & Award Ceremony at the Hillgrove Hotel in Monaghan on November 2nd.

Kinvara Tidy Towns has been selected by Galway County Council to represent County Galway in the ‘Climate Action and Biodiversity’ Award category, which was won by Creggs Rural Develop-

lLOOKING WELL: Pride of Place judges pictured with community representatives from Kinvara during an adjudication visit on Friday, September 6

ment Group in 2023. During last week’s visit by Pride of Place judges, local representatives outlined how the collaborative efforts of the wider community towards climate action and biodiversity have culminated in the development of the Biodiversity Action Plan 2021-2024, which was developed in partnership with Burrenbeo and the Kinvara Ballinderreen Tree

Gang. The Plan has so far led to the planting of more than 9,000 native trees by local families, landowners, schools and community groups. The Community Climate Action grant application submitted on behalf of eight local groups was successful thus will facilitate the rollout of many biodiversity and climate actions throughout the community.

Further work highlighted during the judges’ visit included the development of a new Biodiversity and Heritage Plan for 20242027 and collaborative projects with Kinvara Hockey, Kinvara GAA, Kinvara Community Council, residents, schools and businesses to develop habitat mapping, a biodiversity trail, and a series of wildlife and biodiversity citizen science ex-

River walk held for suicide prevention

A river walk took place on Saturday 21st September from Lough Graney to Tuamgraney to raise awareness and funds for suicide prevention.

The walk/swim called ‘Water is Life and Fire is Hope’ began at Caher on Saturday morning with six brave individuals accompanied by kayakers with life jackets and other supplies.

The participants including Ennis man Shane Milllar, the organiser of the event, have been raising sponsorship money with over €2000 raised so far which will go to the Samaritans in Ennis and to The Fire of Hope near Tuamgraney.

The walk was inspired by a version of a local myth, that the ancient Irish goddess, Gráinne was told be her father she could not marry the man she loved and she threw herself into Lough Graney, becoming the first documented suicide in Ireland. Her body floated over 10km to Tuamgraney, which is where she was buried and where the place got its name from - the tomb of Gráinne.

Halfway through the walk, the swimmers were met at Cooleen Bridge by supporters who had a fire, hot soup and basins of hot water to warm up the feet. After the walk, after approximately eight hours in the water, the swimmers were picked up by Sean Kilkenny’s horse and carriage and warmed up at a local home in Tuamgraney. When they felt refreshed, they placed flowers at the rock in Tuamgraney, where Gráinne is said to be buried.

The swimmers were then joined by supporters for music and a well-deserved hot meal at Sean Kilkenny’s land where the Fire of Hope is continually lighting with the intention of healing for mental health problems.

All are welcome to support the fundraiser.

Donations for the Samaritans can be made here: https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/WaterisLife or to The Fire of Hope here: https://www.idonate.ie/crowdfunder/ ShaneMillar.

First Gort Arts members show

ploration projects with the local schools in conjunction with local Ecologists and Galway County Council. Sustainability initiatives by Kinvara Plastic Free and Kinvara Tidy Towns were also outlined, including plastic-free awareness campaigns in schools and to communities first public realm water filling station to permanently reduce consumption of single-use plastic in the community. All local groups are members of the Kinvara & District Sustainable Energy Group, which has completed a Master Energy Audit of the village to underpin large energy upgrades of community facilities.

Located in the northeast of the county on the Galway/Roscommon border, the village of Williamstown has been selected by Galway County Council to represent County Galway in the ‘0-300 Population’ Award category.

THE Gort Arts Group is to launch its frst member’s exhibition on Culture Night, Friday September 20 in an intimate seting in the heart of Gort town.

The exhibition titled Beginnings promises to be a vibrant showcase of the diverse talent of its 25 participating artists. The show will feature painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, and ceramics. Curated by Galway based artist Conor Burke, the exhibition celebrates the accomplished artistic community in Gort.

Gort Arts is honoured to hold the exhibition at the former studio of renowned artist and potter Michael Kennedy on Boland’s Lane.

Part of the Beginnings exhibition will feature collaboratively made willow lantern pieces, created in a community workshop run by artist Shona MacGillivray. The lanterns will form an outdoor installation in the courtyard at the entrance to the potery studio.

On Saturday September 21st printmaker and illustrator Esther Blodau will host a workshop in mono-print, dry point and collagraph printing techniques in the Harvest Studios, also on Boland’s Lane from 11-4pm. In tandem with the exhibition and Culture Night, puppeteer and member of Gort Arts, Tommy Baker performs his new puppet show for adults ‘Luca in Limbo’ at the Gort Town Hall at 8pm.

Beginnings will launch on Friday, September 20th with the local youth orchestra, Sonic Strings playing music and leading Gort pedestrians to the Kennedy potery studio for the show’s wine reception. Doors open at 6.30pm and an official launch with special guest Lelia Doolan will commence at 7pm. The show runs over the weekend and will be open to the public on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd 11am until 7pm.

Gort Arts was founded in 2022 and continues to grow as it aims to nurture artists, promote their work and advocate for the importance of art in the community.

& South Galway

EMS for back pain relief: modern approach to pain management

Back pain is one of the most common ailments, affecting millions of people worldwide.

Whether caused by poor posture, an injury, or degenerative conditions like arthritis or disc problems, chronic back pain can severely impact one’s quality of life.

If you want to alleviate back pain while maintaining physical activity, try EMS training. It activates all muscle groups, including the deep muscles that support the spine. EMS not only helps you lose unnecessary weight and shape your figure, but it also strengthens weakened muscles, providing significant health benefits.

The vests used in EMS personal training have specially shaped electrodes placed in four areas on both sides of the spine. This allows the entire length of the spine to be targeted. EMS works by sending electrical impulses to the muscles, causing them to contract, which provides multiple benefits, including muscle strengthening, pain relief, and improved circulation.

Numerous scientific studies confirm that nearly 88% of people who engage in EMS training experience a reduction in back pain. This is

due to increased stabilization of the torso (both abdominal and back muscles), which relieves tendons and joints, leading to the elimination of back pain.

Muscle Strengthening

One of the key contributors to back pain is muscle weakness, particularly in the core and lower back muscles that support the spine. When these muscles are weak or underdeveloped, they place added pressure on the spine and surrounding tissues, leading to pain and discomfort. EMS helps strengthen these muscles by inducing controlled contractions. As the muscles become stronger, they can better support the spine, reducing strain on discs and joints, and alleviating pain.

Pain Reduction

EMS can also directly reduce back pain by interrupting pain signals to the brain. The electrical impulses generated by EMS devices stimulate sensory nerves, blocking pain signals from reaching the brain. Additionally, EMS promotes the release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain-relieving chemicals.

Improved Blood Flow and Circulation

Another way EMS helps with back pain is by

improving circulation in the affected area. The repeated contractions caused by EMS stimulate blood flow, delivering oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and tissues. This increased circulation speeds up the healing process, reduces inflammation, and prevents muscle stiffness.

Muscle Relaxation and Spasm Reduction

EMS therapy can help relax tight muscles and relieve spasms, which are often a source of back pain. Muscle spasms can occur when the

muscles surrounding the spine are overworked or injured. By encouraging muscle relaxation, EMS reduces tension, allowing for improved mobility and pain relief.

The Role of EMS in Posture Correction

Many back pain issues stem from poor posture, especially in today’s world, where people spend long hours sitting at desks or hunched over smartphones. Over time, poor posture can lead to muscle imbalances and weakening of the muscles that support the spine. A poor condition of the lumbar-pelvic-hip complex increases the risk of injury and significantly reduces the transfer of force between body segments. By improving core stability and spinal alignment, EMS can help prevent the recurrence of back pain, particularly in individuals with sedentary lifestyles.

Conclusion

By strengthening muscles, improving circulation, and providing direct pain relief, EMS can help regain mobility and improve quality of life. If you’re struggling with back pain, EMS could be an option worth trying.

Our journey with Slimming World...

THE Clare Echo Slimmers have hopped on the scales for their final weigh-in after 12 weeks of eating their way to a healthier lifestyle with Slimming World. Head of Advertising with The Clare Echo, Denise Quinn and Account Manager Kieran Murphy both set themselves the target of losing two stone during their Slimming World journey, enlisting the help of local leaders including Pamela, Martina, Tarah and Louise. Let’s see how the pair got on.

SLIMMER PROFILE

Denise Quinn

Title: Head of Sales

Starting weight: 14st.05lb

Finishing weight: 12st 1lb

DENISE

AS I near the final steps of my Slimming World journey, with just half a pound left to reach my target of losing 2 stone, I find myself reflecting on how much more this process has been than just watching the numbers on the scale go down. It’s been a complete transformation, not just of my body but of my mindset, habits, and overall well-being.

When I first joined Slimming World, I was focused primarily on weight loss. But what I quickly learned is that it’s not just about eating less—it’s about eating better. The Slimming World plan taught me how to fuel my body properly. I became more aware of what I was putting into my body and, more importantly, why. The concept of counting “Syns” helped me manage my intake in a way that didn’t feel restrictive but instead empowering. I learned to control my cravings, to savor indulgences without guilt, and to make balanced choices without feeling deprived.

One of the most profound changes I experienced was realizing that it wasn’t just about food. It was about planning ahead and preparing for success. Whether it was ensuring I had healthy meals ready for the week or making smarter choices when eating out, the ability to think ahead became a cornerstone of my journey. I broke old habits like skipping meals during the day, and instead, I began to fuel my body regularly, giving it what it needed to function at its best. And the benefits? They went far beyond the scales. With better nutrition came more energy and mental clarity. The brain fog I didn’t even realize I had started to

lBEFORE AND AFTER: The Clare Echo’s Denise and Kieran (left) on week 1 of their Slimming World journey and (right) looking fantastic after losing almost three stone combined after following Slimming World leaders in Clare over a 12-week period

lift. Suddenly, I felt sharper, more focused, and full of life. Exercise became a natural extension of this newfound energy, and rather than feeling like a chore, it felt like a gift I was giving myself. The “high” of movement supported my healthier eating habits, creating a cycle of positive reinforcement.

Slimming World was never just about losing weight; it was about gaining control. Control over my habits, my decisions, and ultimately my health. I feel amazing, not just because of the physical changes I see in the mirror, but because of the confidence and strength I’ve gained throughout this process.

This journey has taught me that the key to lasting change lies in small, sustainable choices. It’s not just about cutting out foods but understanding the balance, learning to enjoy life while taking care of your body. As I stand just half a pound away from my target,2 sizes down in my clothes from a size 16 to now wearing a size 12

I’m proud of what I’ve achieved, not just in pounds lost, but in how

SLIMMER PROFILE

Kieran Murphy

Title: Account Manager

Starting

Finishing

Total

I feel. I’m healthier, happier, and more in tune with my body than ever before. And that’s a success far greater than any number on a scale.

KIERAN

Over the last 12 weeks, I’ve not only lost weight but gained valuable insights into creating a healthier lifestyle. One of the biggest lessons was the importance of group support. Attending weekly meetings kept me motivated, accountable, and inspired by the success stories of others. Staying in the group helped me realise that I’m not alone in this journey, and

that support makes all the difference.

I also learned that being prepared is key to success. Meal planning became a crucial part of my routine, ensuring I always had healthy, satisfying meals ready, which helped me avoid unhealthy choices in moments of hunger.

Slimming World’s Food Optimizing Plan gave me the tools to make smarter food choices while still enjoying my favourite meals.

By following Slimming World’s 10 steps to success, such as tracking food with a food diary, using Syns wisely and staying hydrated, I developed habits that I feel are sustainable long-term. The journey has been a rewarding challenge, and I now have the confidence and knowledge to continue living a healthier, more balanced life.

I would like to thank the Slimming World leaders Martina, Louise, Tarah & Pamela (the peptalk queen) who supported and guided me on this wonderful journey.

This program has been life-changing, and I look forward

to maintaining my progress!

Slimming World Venue Details

Louise: Friday at 9.30am, Newmarket on Fergus Community Hall, V95 RH93. Facebook: Slimming World Newmarket on Fergus

Tarah: Monday at 7pm, Hope Cafe In Shannon, also at Treacys West County Ennis every Tuesday at 5.30pm and 7pm. Facebook: Slimming World with Tarah

Pamela: Tuesday and Thursday 8am and 9.30 am at Treacys West County Ennis. Also on Wednesday 4pm and 5.30pm Teach Ceoil Church Ennistymon. Facebook: Slimming World Ennis & Ennistymon with Pamela

Martina: Saturday at CBS primary school, New Road Ennis 8.30am and 10.30am. Facebook: Follow Slimming World Southcourt and Caherconlish.

County Clare’s Health and Wellbeing Age Expo to be held on October 3rd

FOLLOWING on from the success of last year’s event, Clare Older People’s Council, part of Clare County Council’s Age Friendly County Programme, will again host this year’s Health and Wellbeing Age Expo on Thursday, 3rd of October at Treacy’s West

well-being.

Guest speakers will discuss a range of topics, from nutrition to mental health, and the taster sessions, which proved popular at last year’s event, include Tai Chi, chair yoga, tech support and singing. These taster sessions are

County Hotel, Ennis from 11am to 4pm.

The Age Expo will showcase the supports and services available in County Clare that are aimed at Older People. The Mid-West Community Healthcare support team, the Integrated Care Programme for Older Persons, ComReg, ALONE, Clare Libraries, Local Link and the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme are among those displaying at the event.

The Age Expo will provide valuable insights into various services available locally to enhance quality of life, including healthcare, nutrition, and social programs tailored for older adults. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with experts, gaining knowledge on health trends and preventive measures. The Age Expo will also present networking opportunities which allows for connections with service providers and peers, fostering community and support. The event aims to promote awareness, education, and resources, helping older people in County Clare to maintain their independence and

to show people what it might be like to participate in a singing group or attend a Tai Chi class. All the talks and the activities are free, as is entry to the expo.

The Irish Heart Foundation will also carry out free health checks during the event. Onsite parking is available, and the public bus stops just outside the venue.

Cllr. Alan O’Callaghan, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council said, “I wish to acknowledge the work of the Clare Older People’s Council and its members in coordinating the ‘Health and Wellbeing’ Age Expo for Clare. I have read through the program, and it is set to be an informative, practical, and fun event. I would like to encourage everyone interested in learning about supports, services, and opportunities available for older people in County Clare to attend the Age Expo.”

Pat Dowling, Chief Executive, Clare County Council and Chair of the Age Friendly Ireland Alliance said, “Clare County Council recognises the importance of being an Age Friendly County, particular-

ly through our ongoing commitment to both the Age Friendly Clare and Healthy Clare Programmes. Being an Age Friendly society benefits everyone in the county, regardless of their age. Such work cannot happen in isolation, however, which is why I would like to commend all the community, voluntary, public and private sector organisations participating in the Age Expo. Events like this are an important platform for service providers and users to meet and talk to one another.”

Madge O’Callaghan, PRO of Clare Older People’s Council encouraged not just older people to attend the Expo, but younger family members too, “One of the great things about growing old in Ireland today is that we in the Clare Older People’s Council are helping to pave the way for older people to enjoy a healthy and happy third stage of life. Ireland has an ageing population and we all

need to be taking care of ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally. This year’s event will showcase a range of goods and services to support older people to do this”.

Kelly Slattery, Clare Age Friendly Programme Manager, added, “One of the key goals of the Healthy Ireland Framework for improving Health and Wellbeing is ‘increasing the proportion of people who are healthy at all stages of life.’ The Clare Age Expo is supporting this goal, raising awareness of the health enhancing opportunities available for older people living in County Clare.”

The Clare Age Expo is supported by the Clare Older People’s Council and the Department of Health’s ‘Healthy Ireland Fund’.

GREEN CLARE

Estimated 2.9 tonnes of litter removed

in Clare for the Big Beach Clean

CLEAN COASTS received overwhelming support and commitment from volunteers and communities across Ireland for the Big Beach Clean weekend that took place between 20th and 22nd of September.

Moneypoint a major part of our 'untapped potential'

by Ocean Conservancy and invites communities and volunteers around the country to remove litter from around the Irish coast after the end of the bathing season.

awareness and drive educational programs on sustainable practices to protect marine ecosystems.

PÁRAIC MCMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

This year, a record number of over 600 clean-ups were organised by volunteers who removed over 95 tonnes of litter nationwide, making this Clean Coasts’ largest clean-up event yet.

MIn County Clare, over 25 groups and more than 450 volunteers removed an estimated 2.9 tonnes of marine litter with clean-ups taking place in various locations across the county.

INISTER for the Environment, Eamon Ryan (GP) has pinpointed Moneypoint as a vital component in Ireland reducing its energy emissions.

Among them, Doonbeg Tidy Towns ran a Big Beach clean-up at Doughbeg beach as part of the Big Beach Clean where 18 volunteers collected 14 large bags of litter. Tea, coffee and biscuits were provided afterwards. Two interesting ﬁnds during the clean-up included large boat pieces and a construction barrier.

Members of the Shannon Estuary Economic Taskforce are currently assessing the strategic strengths and comparative advantages of the Estuary will be assessed by the Taskforce while also scoping out potential economic opportunities. The group is to have a report compiled by the end of November.

Clean Coasts joined forces with Kia Ireland who supported the initiative this year by providing cleanups kits and supplies to our volunteers throughout the country.

The Big Beach Clean is an annual call to action that runs as part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), operated internationally

Chairperson of the Taskforce, Barry O’Sullivan recently met with Minister Ryan and for the Green Party leader their engagement hammered home the possibilities for the entire region surrounding the Shannon Estuary.

Communications, Energy and Natural Resources from 2007 to 2011, Ryan set a target of 40 per cent of the country’s energy com

ing from renewable sources, this was met in 2020. Now, he wants this doubled to 80 percent by 2030.

“I’m convinced we can do it, one of the ways we can do it is by switching offshore, our sea area is seven times our land area, there is a limit in Kerry as to how much turbines you can put up in any area but at sea, the resource is huge and the wind power is really strong,” he stated.

Each year this initiative is also an opportunity for Big Beach Clean volunteers to get involved in a worldwide citizen science project, which entails collecting the amount and types of litter on Irish beaches and ﬁlling in Clean Coasts’ Marine Litter Data Cards to share with Ocean Conservancy, help heighten awareness about the issue of marine litter serving as an indicator of the magnitude of the problem and help shape future policies and campaigns. In 2023, the top three items recorded during the Big Beach Clean weekend were plastic caps and bottles, cigarette butts and food wrappers.

Offshore wind energy by Moneypoint is central to this. Speaking on Radio Kerry’s flagship current affairs show, Kerry Today, Minister Ryan outlined, “We will have a lot of offshore wind which will come into shore at the Shannon Estuary, that’s where we have the deep-water port.

Data from the International Coastal Cleanup has led to policies banning single-use plastics like bags, straws, and utensils, and has influenced global efforts to reduce ocean pollution. It has contributed to international agreements, national waste management reforms, and extended producer responsibility programs. These findings also support initiatives like littering fines, improved recycling, and the promotion of a circular economy. Additionally, the data helps raise public

"If you look at what the likes of ESB are proposing and look at Moneypoint on the other side of the Estuary and similar with Tarbert on this side, you’ve all you need there, you have a really good deep water jetty so any ships can get in, you have a platform there

Clean Coasts welcomed the support of Kia Ireland and enjoyed meeting with dealerships across the country who also got involved in clean ups in their area. Cathal Kealey, Head of Marketing and PR at Kia Ireland said, “Kia Ireland was delighted to support the 2024 Big Beach Clean initiative from Clean Coasts over the weekend and witness the dedication and hard work of the Clean Coasts staff and volunteers throughout the country. Their work is truly inspiring, with many of them out there every weekend, come rain or shine, making a huge difference to Irish beaches, and for that we want to say a huge thank you.”

connecting to both Tarbert and Moneypoint, you can put that electricity onto that grid to power the country.

“When the wind isn’t blowing, the ESB are saying we should do and everyone in Europe is now talking about and starting to do, you convert the electricity into hydrogen and use electrolysis, it is a new but advancing technology, when the wind isn’t blowing you burn the hydrogen to generate power and you run the power out on the same grid, you have a continuous stable electricity source,” he explained.

Bronagh Moore, An Taisce, Clean Coasts Programme Manager said; “We’re delighted to see so many volunteers and community groups across the country take part in The Big Beach Clean. This year’s event was the largest yet and is a powerful reminder of the collective impact we can

first “major offshore projects” is to commence this year on the east coast, Minister Ryan said. “Most of them you drive the turbines into the sand banks on the coast, we’re now planning phase two which goes to the west and south-west, it can be done”.

Minister Ryan insisted that this was necessary. “We will have emergency generators to provide back up as well, we do need that, the really big strategic option by 2030 what we’re planning to have is 5GW of offshore wind and to put that in scale, that is equivalent to the amount of energy we’re using

government approved the pro curement of 450 megawatts of emergency generators to help close the gap over winter if there was no wind to generate power and one of the larger power stations experienced a shutdown, this will cost

make when we work together. The dedication and support of all of these groups is hugely inspiring and we thank each and every one of them for their contribution. We

would encourage everyone to stay involved, keep active in their local Clean Coasts Group and enjoy the many beneﬁts that come with volunteering in the community”.

"We by 2030 can deliver that level, then the following decade and this is the really big industrial plan for the country, we can use that to go further to really tap into the scale of power that is available”.

Mud matters - workshops to be held at Hastings Farmhouse

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

MUD and lime building workshops are to take place at Hastings Farmhouse in Shannon across the first week of October.

Dúchas na Sionna have announced details of two upcoming workshops in traditional Mud and Lime Building. The workshops which are supported by the Heritage Council will take place at Hastings Farmhouse in Shannon on Monday 30th September to Tuesday 1st October and Thursday 3rd to Friday 4th October.

Attendees at the recent Heritage Week Event at Hastings Farmhouse, Shannon were given a preview of the techniques that will be taught during the workshops.

These will be experiential two-day workshops on the use of mud as a

building material for restoration, conservation and traditional building, together with the use of hot lime renders for external and internal breathable finishes.

The aim of the workshops is to give course participants a thorough grounding in traditional building techniques which are not only simple involving family and community participation but are also low cost and sustainable. The courses will be of interest to conservation professionals, building owners, administrators, homeowners and those proposing self-build and environmental building projects.

The courses will be delivered by the conservation team that has been drawn together by Dúchas na Sionna to work on the restoration of Hastings Farmhouse. They are Chris Southgate

of Southgate Associates, Conservation Engineer, Colm Murray Conservation Architect, Eoin Madigan of Madigan Traditional Masonry and Damien Condon of Calx Renders. The tutors have many years’ experience and are passionate about disseminating knowledge of these traditional building materials and techniques. For more details and an application form email duchasnasionna@gmail.com.

Constructing a mud wall

Photo by John O’Brien

SO here’s the deal: oxygen is everything when it comes to making our cells do their job. Without it, our bodies cannot function. Every cell in your body relies on oxygen to function properly—whether it’s your brain thinking, your muscles recovering, or your immune system fighting off sickness. And when we’re stressed, injured, or dealing with chronic inflammation (which most of us are, even if we don’t realise it), our bodies need even more oxygen than normal to stay on top of things.

Normally, the air we breathe is about 21% oxygen which is sufficient for running a healthy body. However, when we need more oxygen due to injury or illness, there’s a problem—there’s only so much oxygen you can get from your everyday environment. That’s where hyperbaric oxygenation shines!

The addition of pressure in a hyperbaric chamber helps your body absorb way more oxygen than it could ever get from breathing normally. The pressure used actually dissolves the oxygen directly into your plasma (liquid part of the blood). This helps to not only look

after the increased demand for oxygen, but also delivers oxygen to areas that may be deprived of oxygen due to chronic inflammation. When more oxygen is delivered to your tissues and cells, your body can repair itself faster and more efficiently. Think of it like hitting fast forward on your recovery. And it’s not just me saying this; scientific studies show that HBOT helps reduce inflammation, supports faster healing from injuries, and also boost the immune system.

We’ve all heard about inflammation being the root of most health problems, right? Whether it’s heart disease, arthritis, or that annoying chronic pain in your lower back, inflammation is the body’s way of screaming “Help!” When your body is inflamed, it’s basically demanding more oxygen to fix the issue. By using HBOT, you can provide your cells with the extra oxygen they need to cool down the inflammation and get back to doing what they do best.

Translation: when you’re hurt or inflamed, HBOT acts like an internal fire extinguisher, putting out those little fires inside your cells

Ranganna Gaeilge I gCois na hAbhna / Irish Classes in Cois na hAbhna

Macalla an Chláir

LE MACDARA Ó CONAOLA

Monday Nights / Oícheanta Dé Luain. 7-8pm. 3 Levels le múinteoirí Stephanie, Tadhg, agus Niamh.

To Register, contact An Clár as Gaeilge for more information: anclarasgaeilge@gmail.com / 0656864474

AN BHFUIL SCÉAL LE ROINNT AGAIBH ?!

Bígí i dteagmháil linn agus leanaigí ar Facebook agus Twitter muid ag: @macallaanchlair R-phost: macallaanchlair@gmail.com

Imeachtaí/Events:

that are slowing you down. Making Hyperbaric Oxygenation Easy and Accessible

Let’s face it: fitting health treatments into our busy schedules is no easy feat. That’s where OxyGeneration comes in. They’ve recognised that hyperbaric oxygenation is gaining popularity and are making it way easier to get into a chamber by offering more sessions daily. Whether you’re recovering from surgery, dealing with a sports injury, or just want to take your health up a notch, OxyGeneration is making it simple to give HBOT a try. They’ve expanded their sessions so there’s no more waiting around, making it super convenient to add this therapy into your routine.

The fact that OxyGeneration is offering more slots every day isn’t just convenient—it’s proof that people are realising just how powerful hyperbaric oxygenation is. So, Is HBOT for You?

If you’ve ever felt sluggish, struggled with recovery, or dealt with chronic pain or inflammation, then the answer is probably yes. Whether you’re an athlete, someone dealing with a chronic condition, or just

• LUIMNEACH – AIFREANN GAEILGE, chuile Dé Domhnaigh, 10.30am, Mainistir an tSlánaitheora, Sráid San Doiminic, Luimneach

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• 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

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

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looking to feel your best, HBOT is a tool worth exploring.

And thanks to places like OxyGeneration, it’s easier than ever to

experience the benefits. Give it a try and see how a little extra oxygen can make a big difference.

Thought for the weekResilient Faith

Spreading the word of positivity

At times in our life we can find ourselves mentally and physically stretched to the limit. We feel our life is like a tight ball of stress and worry. How can we go about regaining our true shape or true strength? For me being spiritually resilient is the answer. Being spiritually resilient gives me the capacity to be flexible, to say sorry, to forgive, to be adaptable and face up to the worries and stresses in my life. Being a spiritual person has helped me to face and overcome problems with courage and determination, to say sorry when I am in the wrong of which I have been in the past few years and to forgive when someone is in need of forgiveness and it has given balance to my life. I’ve seen it help others, too. My spirituality is the thing that gets me through tough times and what helps other people endure unbelievable suffering and live to tell the tale! It’s what lifts people up. It’s what makes us strive. It’s the mysterious strength we all have - the ability to endure anything, dream anything and accomplish great things. And we need that spirit now more than ever as we face many worries, stresses and unknowns in our future. I hope that we all in time, may find kindness and goodness in all that we do and receive.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

As a final thought, always remember that life is fragile and in the blink of an eye can change drastically. The resilience of our human spirit and faith, however, is another matter. Resilience is that quality, that ability that

RONAN SCULLY

enables some people to be knocked down by life and come back stronger than before. Rather than allowing crises or failure to drain their resolve, they tapped into a reservoir of determination and faith that allows them to rise up again stronger and more resolutely. My prayer is that you will have that strength of resilience in your life and faith when you most need it and that it will help you as it says in the following prayer that helps me with my living, “Dear Lord, scripture shows us that there will be tough times and many challenges in life, and there may be some that we’re not sure we can survive. But whether tragedy or temptation, you don’t leave us defenseless. Thank you for the armor that unleashes your power so we can stand strong. Help us to be able to recognize the unseen elements at work trying to confuse or deceive us. Make us wise to the tricks of the enemy, trying to make us doubt your promises and distract our focus. Give us power to be alert and vigilant. Help us to know what your word of truth says for us in every situation, that we might experience the peace you made possible for us. May we always remember that picking up our shield is as simple as trusting in you and your words of promise. And, may we store up those words in our heart so they will be available for us to quote, as we intercede for others and ourselves in times of need. In Jesus name. Amen.

‘The Atelier for clothing repairs’ project brings new life to your favorite items

by Jane Hinchy

A SKILLED seamstress has opened her second business in County Clare due to growing demand for her unique services.

Following its huge success at Skycourt Shopping Centre, The Atelier has opened its second store at a convenient location on the Lahinch Road, Ennis, adjacent to Anne’s MACE.

The Atelier offers a wide range of services, from simple repairs to complex restorations you can get a zipper fixed, have clothing tailored to fit, or even completely transform an old garment.

“Our skilled tailors provide quick high quality services at affordable prices,” says Tatjana, who employs seven people between her two stores where a relaxed and jovial atmosphere is evident.

The Atelier shop has expert tailors with years of experience in tailoring and garment care. The atelier offers a quick turnaround of approximately 5-7 days but they also offer an express service.

In a world of fast fashion and disposable goods, The Atelier’s uniqe selling point lies in the fact that they not only offer repairs, but also the preservation of beloved items for its clients.

One of the key aspects of the Atelier’s work is its focus on ecology and support for mindful consumption. Clothing repairs are not just about saving money. They are a contribution to reducing waste and preserving resources.

‘Atelier for Clothing Repairs’ is a project born from a love of fashion and the awareness of the importance of sustainable consumption.

Tatjana has always had a passion for upcycling.

“I’ve always liked the idea of creating something new from the old,” explains Latvian native Tatjana, who has lived in Ireland for 18 years.

“Every piece of clothing has its own story, and our job is to extend that sto-

ry. The idea for the Atelier came to me when I noticed how many clothes are thrown away due to minor damages. Instead of buying new things, why not restore what you already have?

“The Atelier aims to inspire its clients to care for their belongings and choose high-quality materials that will last longer. We pay attention to detail and strive to work with each client individually”.

Tatjana has vast experience in sewing, something she took up at just 16 years old and began working as a seamstress.

Having worked at the Shannon Oakwood Hotel after her move to Ireland, Tatjana admits “I missed sewing’’ and made a return to the sewing industry a decade ago.

The Atelier last weekend hosted a fashion show of unique upcycled designs which were handcrafted with care and creativity at the workshop, enlisting the help of local models and those from the Ukrainian community.

In the future, the Atelier plans to expand the business and potentially introduce master classes for those who want to learn the basics of clothing repair.

“I believe this skill can be useful for everyone. It’s not only practical but also helps you appreciate your things more.”

news@clareecho.ie

l Owner Tatjana (far right) with staff and models during the fashion show last weekend and (below) Tatjana at work in the new Ennis workshop

Vitalograph acquires Massachusettsbased Morgan Scientific

by Paraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

ENNIS headquartered Vitalograph has conﬁrmed its acquisition of Massachusetts-based Morgan Scientiﬁc.

In a move which will strengthen Vitalograph’s commercial footprint in the United States, it has become the new owner of its long-term partner. The addition of a new subsidiary coincides with Vitalograph’s 50th anniversary of operating and growing in Ennis.

It forms a key milestone in Vitalograph’s plans to develop its respiratory diagnostics business globally. The company is in the middle of an ambitious growth strategy and is on track to treble its respiratory diagnostics business in the four years leading to 2026.

Frank Keane, CEO of Vitalograph stated, “We have a long and successful relationship with Morgan Scientiﬁc. This agreement is the natural progression for both companies as our combined expertise allows us to focus on delivering the best possible diagnostic solutions that can enable a better understanding of lung health”.

Morgan Scientiﬁc is an expert in customer-facing software for advanced PFT systems. ComPAS2, the company’s ﬂagship software powers Vitalograph’s innovative range of advanced PFT solutions, the Vi-

taloPFT Series. Morgan Scientiﬁc is also a key distributor for Vitalograph’s pulmonary function testing solutions in the US.

Speaking of their collaboration to date, Frank outlined, “The recent creation of the VitaloPFT Series has given us valuable experience in working as a team and built mutual respect for our individual expertise. Morgan Scientiﬁc is a natural complement to the Vitalograph brand, and this development brings incredible value to our customers all over the world. This acquisition paves the way for us to develop our comprehensive PFT range further”.

He continued, “Vitalograph is a family-owned company and recognises the pioneering drive of the Morgan family to create a business founded on people, integrity, quality, and innovation. These values are at the heart of Vitalograph and are instilled in every part of our business today”.

Gareth Morgan, son of the founder of Morgan Scientiﬁc, Patrick Morgan, commented, “There is no other company in the world that we trust to uphold our legacy of innovation and to continue to put the needs of customers at the forefront of every decision. Joining a globally present and renowned brand such as Vitalograph will enable us to concentrate our efforts on building the business through what we know best - excellence in innovation and customer service”.

• We have been retained by a Semi-State client to identify suitable industrial space of approx. 700 – 1,200 sq.m

• The space should be available to lease and located within the environs of Ennis.

• Available for immediate occupation.

• Yard space required.

• For further details please contact Patrick Mcloughlin E-mail: Patrick.Mcloughlin@avisonyoung.com

Pictured at the recent ERS Congress in Vienna: Gareth Morgan, Morgan Scientific, Inc. President; Helen Venn, Vitalograph Chief Science & Strategy Officer; and Gary Lancaster, Vitalograph Chief Commercial Officer

Clare County Council first local authority to be awarded Platinum for Excellence Through People

by Paraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

CLARE COUNTY Council has become the first the local authority in the country to be awarded Platinum for Excellence Through People (ETP) by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI). Organisations are provided with a business improvement model from the ETP specification to enhance performance and realise strategies through the management and development of its people. Clare County Council is one of a number of organisations from the private, public and SME sectors to become certified to ETP standards.

This upgrade to the ETP Platinum Level Certification follows on from Clare County Council’s recent Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) award for ‘Embracing New Ways of Working’ in February 2024, and the CIPD award for ‘Embedding a Culture of Workplace Wellbeing’ in 2023.

Initially granted ETP Gold Level Certification by the NSAI in May 2018, the Council has undergone assessments annually to maintain the certification. When upgrading Clare County Council from gold to platinum level, NSAI auditors noted the ongoing improvements in human resources and learning and development, including business coaching;

a wellbeing hub; a new HR newsletter; and improved use of technology in information management, recruitment and analytics.

Monica Meehan, Senior Executive Officer in Human Resources, Clare County Council, said, “This is an independent assessment process with a rigorous evaluation. Achieving the platinum certification speaks volumes and demonstrates Clare County Council’s innovative and progressive culture. It shows that by working together staff can achieve success and this collaborative effort has now resulted in this prestigious and sought-after ETP certificate”.

Chief Executive of the County Council, Pat Dowling noted, “This platinum ETP certification is testament to the partnership approach adopted within Clare County Council. It is also a demonstration of the commitment of council staff to improving the working environment within the organisation and to their planning, organisation and hard work in providing a quality, year-round service to the people of Clare”.

NSAI’s Head of Business Excellence, Stewart Hickey explained, “Platinum Level Certification from NSAI recognises employers, such as Clare County Council, which are exemplars in how they attract, manage and develop their staff. Clare County Coun-

cil continues to embrace the concepts outlined in the ETP scheme and works consistently at developing its HR systems, structures, values and culture towards a people-focused environment for its staff. Achieving ETP Platinum Level Certification requires constant effort and focus and is a remarkable achievement”.

McInerney wants more money for Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant applicants

CLARE Fianna Fáil general election candidate

Rita McInerney has said that if she is elected to Dáil Éireann she will campaign for an increase in the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant which currently is worth up to €70,000 for a vacant property which is also derelict.

The most recent ﬁgures from Clare County Council show that the local authority has received 430 grant applications for the grant, 267 of which were granted since September of 2022.

“There are 5,079 vacant dwellings across the county according to the Clare Local Economic & Community Plan 2024-2030,” Councillor McInerney said.

“In West Clare there are several hundred vacant houses, some of which are derelict from the Loop Head peninsula right up the coast,” Councillor McInerney added.

She noted that unﬁnished houses are also eligible for the grant and that “people who might have started a house and ran out of money can get the grant.”

“The housing crisis in Ireland is often focused on large urban areas but it is almost equally difﬁ-

cult for people in rural west, north and east Clare to rent or buy a house at the moment,” Councillor McInerney said.

“This has to change and one of the ways of doing that is to signiﬁcantly increase grant assistance particularly for upgrading a derelict house.

“This would not just bring life back to houses that are currently not in use. “It would also help with numbers in some local primary schools where attendance ﬁgures are decreasing and showing no signs of improving.

“If areas like West Clare are to be reinvigorated we need to make it possible for people to live here for local shops and businesses to survive and hopefully thrive in the long-term,” Councillor McInerney reiterated.

“One of my primary aims as an election candidate is to highlight the need for a housing solution in west, north and east Clare.

“If I am elected I will continue to focus on that and my aim is to increase the grant to make it feasible for people to buy a house at a reasonable price and then have the money to refurbish it,” Councillor McInerney concluded.

San am i láthair, tá Comhairle Contae an Chláir ag iarraidh iarratais ó dhaoine a bhfuil na cáilíochtaí oiriúnacha acu ar na comórtais thíosluaite. Tar éis an phróisis agallaimh, cruthóidh Comhairle Contae an Chláir painéil le haghaidh na réimsí atá leagtha amach thíos óna bhféadfar folúntais ábhartha amach anseo a líonadh faoi réir ceadú a fháil ón Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil & Oidhreachta. Comhlánaigh, le do thoil, an fhoirm iarratais ar líne atá ar fáil ar www.clarecoco.ie faoin rannán dar teideal ‘Careers’. Ní ghlacfar ach le hiarratais atá comhlánaithe ar líne.

• Comhairleoir Gnó, Oifig Fiontair Áitiúil

Dáta deiridh: 12 Meánlae, Dé Máirt, 15 Deireadh Fómhair 2024.

• Painéil Chomhraiceoir Dóiteáin ar Áirithíocht (Páirtaimseartha) – Cill Rois, Cill Chaoi, Sionainn & Cill Dalua

Dáta deiridh: 12 meánlae, Déardaoin, 17 Deireadh Fómhair 2024.

Is fostóir comhdheiseanna í Comhairle Contae an Chláir agus fáiltíonn sí roimh iarratais ó gach cuid den phobal.

Scriobh chugainn as gaeilge más fearr leat.

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. Please complete online application form available on www.clarecoco.ie under Careers Section. Only applications completed online will be accepted.

• Business Advisor, Local Enterprise Office

Closing date: 12 Noon Tuesday 15th October 2024.

• Retained Fire-Fighter Panels (Part-time) – Kilrush, Kilkee, Shannon & Killaloe

Closing date: 12 Noon Thursday 17th October 2024.

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

Scriobh chugainn as gaeilge más fearr leat.

ENHANCED DEFECTIVE CONCRETE BLOCKS GRANT SCHEME

Clare County Council will be hosting an information evening regarding the application process only for those applying for the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme. This information evening is targeted for people with limited digital resources / capabilities.

Venue: Seán Lemass Public Library, Shannon

Date: 8th October, 2024

Time: 18:00p.m. to 20:00p.m.

It should be noted that spaces are limited, so booking is essential.

To book your place, please phone: 087 6669326 / 065 6846511.

Or email: dcb@clarecoco.ie

Staff from Clare County Council celebrating the NSAI Excellence Through People Platinum Level Certiﬁcation at Áras Contae an Chláir with Chief Executive Pat Dowling and Director of Service Finance and Support Services Noeleen Fitzgerald

Photo by Eamon Ward

14 All Star nominations for Clare hurlers

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

14 Clare hurlers have been nominated for All Star awards off the back of a season which saw Brian Lohan’s side crowned All-Ireland SHC champions.

Shane O’Donnell is the favourite to be named as Hurler of the Year where he is nominated alongside Darragh Fitzgibbon of Cork and Limerick’s Kyle Hayes. Corner back Adam Hogan is nominated for Young Hurler of the Year for a second year running. The Feakle man is shortlisted alongside Cathal O’Neill from Limerick and Cork defender Eoin Downey. Clare’s nominees include Eibhear Quilligan, Adam Hogan, Conor Cleary, Conor Leen, Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon, David McInerney, Tony Kelly, Shane O’Donnell, Mark Rodgers, Aidan McCarthy, Peter Duggan, David Fitzgerald and David Reidy.

Cathal Malone, Clare’s unsung hero is the only member of the starting team in the All-Ireland final to miss out on a nomination.

There are eight counties represented in total. The breakdown is Clare 14, Cork 10, Limerick nine, Kilkenny four, with Waterford, Wexford, Dublin and Antrim having two representatives each.

Nominations were chosen by a panel of Gaelic Games journalists from across, print, radio, TV and digital media. The All-Stars scheme dates back to 1971, and the PwC Hurling All-Stars will be announced live on RTÉ tv at a special banquet in the RDS on Friday, November 1st – the 140th anniversary of the formation of the GAA.

TUBBER COME OUT ON TOP OF CLARECASTLE

Parish hold their nerve well

TUS CLARE SHC RELEGATION PLAYOFF

St Joseph's Doora Bareﬁeld 0-19

Coroﬁn 0-14

Venue: Clarecastle

Compiled by Seamus Hayes

STORY OF THE GAME

ST JOSEPH’S DOORA/ BAREFIELD

Frees For: 16 (6/10)

Wides: 12 (4/8)

Scores from play: 0-14

Spread of scorers: 8

Top scorer: David Conroy (0-9 4f)

Own puckouts won: 18 out of 24

Bookings: Brian Guilfoyle (50)

COROFIN

Frees For: 16 (8/8)

Wides: 10 (4/6)

Scores from play: 0-8

Spread of scorers: 5

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

Own puckouts won: 23 out of 31

Bookings: Marc O’Loughlin (50)

REFEREE: Gus Callaghan (Feakle)

“

MANAGER COMMENT

Oisin O'Brien, St Joseph's Doora Bareﬁeld:

“It was all about winning possession, take your score, don’t concede. A goal is different than in other games because it's such a sucker punch. We didn’t concede and neither did they. The nerves come in and it's all about damaged limitations and who doesn’t make the mistake that would cost the game. We shot a few wides towards the end but we held on.

“We wasted chances but we improved in that area in the second half. We got our match

up right, we held our shape and that was the difference. Corofin are a great team they play a good brand of hurling and no team wants to be in this position. I am delighted for Doora/ Barefield.

"This is my third year with them, we came up and we stayed up and we are staying up again. They have a load of lads coming and hopefully they can build on this. It’s hard when you come out of intermediate, it’s just a different animal.

“All the boys stood up today, especially in the defence, there are a lot of good leaders and they showed that today and I am immensely proud of everyone."

Joe Cahill, Coroﬁn

“Things were going well for us in the first half and if we had maintained that in the second period our tally would have gone to 20 or more which would win most games. Our injuries

came back to haunt us. The injured lads hadn’t trained or played in recent weeks and as a result didn’t have the fitness levels. Only one of our forwards scored from play. We asked the lads to give it all they could and they did that. We have one more chance and when it comes down to the final day anything can happen. We will go out again the next day and try to win.”

'Relief' as Clooney-Quin are safe

TUS CLARE SHC RELEGATION PLAYOFF

Clooney-Quin 3-18 O'Callaghan's Mills 1-18

Venue: Dr Daly Park, Tulla

Compiled by Eoin Brennan

STORY OF THE GAME

CLOONEY/QUIN:

Frees for: 6 (2/4)

Wides: 12 (4/8)

Scores from play: 3-15

Spread of scorers: 6

Top scorer: Peter Duggan (2-4 3f)

Bookings: 0

Own puckouts won: 23 from 32 (74%)

O’CALLAGHAN’S MILLS: Frees for: 12 (7/5)

Wides: 13 (9/4)

Scores from play: 1-9

Spread of scorers: 7

Top scorer: Seán Boyce (110 9f); Red Card: Eoin McInerney (57)

Own puckouts won: 21 from 33 (65%)

REFEREE: Chris Maguire (Wolfe Tones)

MANAGER COMMENT “

Fergal Lynch, Clooney Quin:

“Relief is the first thing. It’s a place we didn’t really want to be and we just had to deal with it. We worked really hard over the course of the last two weeks since the Clonlara game. Thankfully we’re out the right side of it now and we can focus a little bit over the winter to getting our heads right and ourselves right for next year.

“There’s a hare’s breath between our performances

against Éire Óg and Clonlara. If we won the first game, anything could have happened for these young lads.

“We’ve been absolutely dogged with injuries. Peter Duggan is due an operation on his ankle. John Conneelly and Jack O’Neill are only just back. Someone must have killed a black cat in Clooney or Quin because we’ve had no luck.

“We’ve been playing against

high calibre teams and we’ve probably been focused too much on them and not our own strengths and abilities. Look at Callum Hassett today, back from the Clare U20s where he couldn’t play because he was injured. He scored six points and had an unbelievable work rate through the game. You have to be happy for the lads who have come back from injury and played well. They played with a little bit of freedom and we wanted to play with our style today and thankfully it’s a win.

“We’ll go back to the drawing board and create a new plan and hopefully it will be a plan that will put us into the knockout stages for the senior championship next year”.

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

l Jack Hannan on the attack for Doora/ Bareﬁeld Photo by Gerard O'Neill

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

l Evan Maxted blocks the strike of Jacob Loughnane Photo by Ruth Griffin

l Shane O'Donnell is up for hurler of the year

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Tubber top scorer Ronan Monahan

Photo by Ruth Griffin

Bridge thrilled to dethrone Clonlara

TUS CLARE SHC QUARTER-FINAL

Sixmilebridge 2-18 Clonlara 0-21

Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis

Compiled by Eoin Brennan

STORY OF THE GAME

SIXMILEBRIDGE

Frees For: 12 (7/5)

Wides: 7 (4/3)

Scores from Play: 2-9

Spread of Scorers: 7

Top Scorer: Alex Morey (0-9)

Bookings: Conor Deasy (26), Stiofan Fitzpatrick (joint manager) (43), Seadna Morey (63) Own Puck-Outs won: 18 from 30 (60%)

CLONLARA Frees For: Wides: Scores from Play: 0-8

Spread of Scorers: Top Scorer: O’Loughlin (0-15)

Bookings: O’Connell (36) Own Puck-Outs won: (67%)

REFEREE: Eoghan O’Leary (Whitegate)

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

MANAGER COMMENT “

Tom Liddy, Sixmilebridge

“The boys have been absolutely incredible since the draw came out. I mean this was the draw they really wanted as they were taking on the best team

“We’re obviously disappointed to come up agonisingly short but hats off to Sixmilebridge. It was an excellent performance so well done to them. Their shooting efficiency was far superior to ours. We wasted a lot of chances and lot of wides were largely pendent on to keep us game.

“Even at half-time I felt we were in the game and was still confident that we would get over the

“Look, we had the chances in the second half. We had three decent goal opportunities but didn’t take them and goals win games as the ‘Bridge proved again.

Feakle goals kill off Crusheen

TUS CLARE SHC QUARTER FINAL

Feakle 5-19 Crusheen 1-14

Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis

Compiled by Eoin Brennan

STORY OF THE GAME

FEAKLE

Frees for: 9 (6/3)

Wides: 8 (4/4)

Spread of scorers: 9

Scores from play: 5-10

Top scorer: Shane McGrath (1-14 8f 1’65)

Bookings: None.

Own puckouts won: 19 from 24 (79%)

CRUSHEEN Frees for: 11 (4/7) Wides: 9 (5/4) Spread of scorers: 3

Scores from play: 1-3

Top scorer: Ross Hayes (0-8 6f 1’65)

Bookings: Cian Dillon (25).

Own puckouts won: 19 from 32 (59%)

REFEREE: Fergal O'Brien (Broadford)

“

MANAGER COMMENT

“We’re delighted, I mean to get into a semi-final in such a competitive championship is brilliant. Things just seemed to run for us today. It was probably a little easier that we expected as we’d have been equally delighted to get over the line by a point or two but we just seemed to hit the ground running today and perhaps got the bounce of the ball that Crusheen didn’t.

“I’m really proud of all the lads because this was a great team display from one to 19. Shane [McGrath] was obviously

in top form out there and did the bulk of the scoring but all of them have worked so hard so personally I’m delighted for all of them that we get to continue on this journey one step further at least.

“We hit them for two early goals but the third one was probably the biggest sickener for them as coming out after half-time with time to regroup, that last thing Crusheen would have wanted was to concede another goal straight away in the second half.

“It’s a long time since we

were in two semi-finals in a row so it’s great for this bunch of players first and foremost but it’s also great for the parish.

“We never hurled at all and that’s not to take away from Feakle as they were excellent. They were physically strong, were very present in the game the whole time and they had their homework done on us as well so well done to them and best of luck in the next round.

“It’s very hard to explain and right now I have no answer. It’s funny, I had a feeling all week that something just wasn’t right. In some ways I could see it coming, not like this but I could see that maybe we weren’t going to perform as well as we could do.

“But look. at the end of the day, nobody went out to lose the game, nobody went out to play badly."

TUS CLARE IHC QUARTER-FINALS

Wolfe Tones 0-16 Parteen-Meelick 0-15

Venue: Pairc Uí hEithir, Cratloe

Compiled by Páraic McMahon

WOLFE TONES

Frees For: 18 (8/10) Wides: 10 (4/6)

Scores from play: 0-10

Spread of scorers: 6

Top scorer: Cian O’Rourke (0-4 4f) & Aron Shanagher (0-4)

Bookings: None

Own puckouts won: 11 out of 19 (58%)

PARTEEN/MEELICK

Frees For: 10 (7/3)

Wides: 4 (2/2)

Scores from play: 0-11

Spread of scorers: 6

Top scorer: Jack Kirwan (0-5 3f)

Bookings: Jack Kirwan (37), Sean Connolly (46) Daniel Cooney (61). Own puckouts won: 18 out of 26 (69%)

REFEREE: Johnny Healy (Smith O’Briens)

TUS CLARE IHC QUARTER-FINALS

Ruan 5-15 Sixmilebridge 1-13

Venue: Gurteen Compiled by Ross O'Donoghue

RUAN: Frees for: 9 (5/4) Wides: 10 (5/5) Scores from play: 5-11 Spread of scorers: 7

scorer: Frankie Lyons (3-2)

Bookings: None Own puckouts won: 63% (16/26) SIXMILEBRIDGE: Frees for: 11 (7/4) Wides: 12 (5/7)

from play: 1-7 Spread of scorers: 6

scorer: Sean Lynch; (0-7, 4f 2 65s)

A.N Other (30’) Own puckouts won: 16/30 (52%)

REFEREE: Jim Hickey (Cratloe)

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Ger Conway, Feakle:

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

l Shane McGrath gets away from Tadhg Dean

Photo by Ruth Griffin

Michael Browne, Crusheen:

Donal Madden, Clonlara:

Shanagher gets away from Jack Kirwan

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

l The Ruan team in a huddle

Photo by Chris Copley

TUS CLARE IHC QUARTER-FINALS

Killanena 1-19 Whitegate 1-18

Venue: Scariff

Compiled by Páraic McMahon

STORY OF THE GAME

KILLANENA

Frees for: 6 (3/3)

Wides: 9 (4/5)

Spread of scorers: 5

Scores from play: 0-15

Top scorer: Keith Smyth (1-9 1-4f 1SC)

Bookings: Shane Broderick (23), Cathal Noonan (25), Gerard Keane (28), Tobias O’Meara (35)

Own puckouts won: 14 from 29 (48%)

WHITEGATE

Frees for: 10 (6/4) Wides: 11 (7/4)

Spread of scorers: 5 Scores from play: 1-11

Top scorer: Conor Whelan (0-11 4f 2’65)

Bookings: Ronan Hayes (13), Liam Murray (53)

Own puckouts won: 18 from 29 (62%)

REFEREE: Aaron Hogg (Clonlara)

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

TULLA SURVIVE TO SEAL STATUS

Inamona show character 'when needed'

TUS CLARE SHC QUARTER FINAL

INAGH-KILNAMONA 2-16 Éire Óg 0-20

Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis

Compiled by Páraic McMahon

STORY OF THE GAME

INAGH/KILNAMONA

Frees for: 10 (6/4)

Wides: 9 (5/4)

Spread of scorers: 9

Scores from play: 2-11

Top scorer: Aidan McCarthy (0-7 5f)

Bookings: Shane Woods (31), David Fitzgerald (57)

Own puckouts won: 17 from 23 (74%)

ÉIRE ÓG

Frees for: 17 (10/7)

Wides: 3 (1/2)

Spread of scorers: 7

Scores from play: 0-10

Top scorer: Danny Russell (0-12 8f 1’65)

Bookings: Conor Malone (maor uisce) (28), Robert Loftus yellow x2 (61)

Own puckouts won: 19 from 27 (70%)

REFEREE: John Bugler (Whitegate)

MANAGER COMMENT “

Tomás Kelly, Inagh-Kilnamona:

“It’s great, we weren’t looking at a semi-final or anything like that, it was just a matter of trying to win this game and see where it took us, we knew the battle we were in for, the calibre of players and the people involved with Éire Óg, we were just delighted to get over the line in the end and show a bit of character when it was needed.

“The last time we were here against Éire Óg things didn’t go well

for us and they didn’t go well from the start, we never recovered from that so to get a good start was a tonic for our confidence, we were able to ease ourselves into the game and the lads could play the brand of hurling that they are capable of.

“It was a total team effort from the guys that started to the finishers at the end who made the difference, it was a small bit of resilience when it was turning against us in the second

half, Darren Cullinan got a great score at a crucial time, that was the one which got us over the line, the key was the collective and the boost we had from the bench”.

O'Connor,

“They got two goal chances and took them, we probably got three goal chances and didn’t take them. To be fair to Foudy in goals, he was excel-

lent, he managed the game with his puckouts but also managed to make two unbelievable saves in fairness.

"We also left David Fitzgerald loose in the first half and he got two points, in a tight game a lot has to go right for you, everything didn’t go right for us but ultimately they got two goal chances and they took them."

'Penalty a big score' for Cratloe

TUS CLARE SHC QUARTER FINAL

Cratloe 2-15 Scariff 2-14

Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis

Compiled by Páraic McMahon

STORY OF THE GAME

CRATLOE:

Frees for: 15 (3/12)

Wides: 14 (9/5)

Spread of scorers: 7

Scores from play: 2-12

Top scorer: Conor McGrath (0-7)

Bookings: Cathal McInerney (28)

Own puckouts won: 15 from 22 (68%)

SCARIFF Frees for: 6 (3/3)

Wides: 7 (4/3)

Spread of scorers: 4

Scores from play: 2-11

Top scorer: Patrick Crotty (0-7)

Bookings: Shane Kavanagh (28 & 63)

Red Card: Tomás McNamara (63).

Own puckouts won: 26 from 31 (84%)

REFEREE: Jarlath Donnellan (Wolfe Tones)

MANAGER COMMENT “

John O'Gorman, Cratloe:

“We said we wanted to be in the semi-final pot and we’re there now, thank God.

“We found it hard when they ran at us because they created overlaps but the penalty was a big score to get before half time because it brought the gap back down to two points so we said in the second half, we knew we really had to improve, the boys did, they stepped up and fought harder”.

“Our target was to get out of the group, once you get to the quarter-final the target then is to win it, there is no point being there without winning it and moving on, it will be the same approach in the semi-final, there’s no point being in it unless you’re going to go on and win it”.

“We have a good mix but on the day you have to turn up, hurl and perform”.

“I thought we contributed enormously to a hugely entertaining game of hurling, Cusack Park was in fabulous condition with two teams going at it hammer and tongs, what else would you ask for in the quarter-final of the championship but we are very disappointed.

“Mark (Rodgers) was recov-

ering and coming back, Keelan (Hartigan)’s groin was at him, it was an issue and it showed, we gave him every chance and he wanted to give it a go, whether it was the right or wrong decision that is what we went with and it’s where we are now so best of luck to Cratloe”.

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

l Patrick Ryan flicks the sliotar away from Riain McNamara

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Mark McKenna, Scariff:

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT l Shane Woods holds onto Danny Russell

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Gerry

Éire Óg:

l Keith Smyth takes a sideline cut Photo by Gerard O'Neill

l Jamie O’Donnell

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

l Daragh Corry receives treatment

Photo by Ruth Griffin

Tubridy previews three derby quarter-ﬁnals in 'huge weekend'

by Seamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

WITH three ‘derby’ contests, the quarter final games in this weekend’s TUS senior football championship contain the ingredients for exciting ties.

It’s a huge weekend for football in the county as, in addition to the senior games, the quarter finals of the intermediate, junior A and junior B premier championships will take place as well as the relegation finals at both senior and intermediate levels. With a new Jack Daly cup to be presented to the winners of the senior competition, there is sure to be some lively play.

There are few people better placed to give a view on the likely winners than Doonbeg’s David Tubridy. His native Doonbeg is the venue for the first of the quarter finals which sees near neighbours Kilmurry Ibrickane and St Joseph’s Miltown clash at 2pm this Saturday.

Miltown will feel the loss of Conor Cleary (pictured), he noted. “Conor Cleary is a huge loss to Miltown. Against us he won great ball around the middle of the field and gave a great supply to the forwards and to Cormac Murray. Given his absence I think Kilmurry will get through by a whisker but I won’t be

surprised if it goes to extra time. Kilmurry know how to win and they have Keelan Sexton back this year”.

Later on Saturday evening the focus will be on Cusack Park when champions Cratloe will face Lissycasey. “Cratloe have proved that they can win. Against them we were on top for a lot of the second half but they found a way to win. Podge (Collins) is back to fitness which is a massive addition for them. The question is will legs catch them as they are chasing both titles. Lissycasey have a young team with fresh legs but Cratloe know how to win and I give them the nod to progress to the semi-fi-

North Clare rivals St Breckan’s and Ennistymon will clash in Hennessy Memorial Park in Miltown Malbay on Sunday. “St. Breckans have more of a scoring threat, I feel and I expect them to outscore Ennistymon in what is likely to be a low scoring game. Padraig Kelly is a massive loss for St Breckans but they have Dale Masterson back this year and this is a huge addition. Ennistymon have been inconsistent and they had a lot of wides against Cratloe. I think St Breckans will get through here”.

Turning to the meeting of Éire Óg and St. Joseph’s

Doora/Barefield on Sunday in Cusack Park, David notes “Éire Óg are the hottest of favourites. They are going well and it’s hard to see anyone beating them. They were caught last year but I don’t see that happening this time. They have played most of the championship so far without three inter county players in Manus Doherty, Mark McInerrney and Gavin Murray and they are back now. They have found a few new players as well this year and they are out of the hurling now. They won’t fall into the same trap this year”.

Looking to the relegation final between Kilmihil and Corofin which takes place at Miltown Malbay on Sunday he said, “I think Kilmihil will stay up. The scoring threat from Ciaran Downes and Martin O’Leary allied to Dan Keating’s presence at midfield will be enough to see them win. They put us to the pin of our collar last week. Corofin have been waiting a month for this game which won’t help”.

Concluding the Doonbeg star commented, “it’s a big weekend for football. It’s disappointing that Mark (Fitzgerald) has gone but hopefully Clare can get someone in that can drive forward as there is a lot of young talent out there”.

East Clare Golf competition ﬁnale

The 2024 East Clare Golf Club competition curtain comes down this weekend with a ﬁnale all about golfers of the future.

The Claregolf County Scramble will take place at the pristine Coolreagh, Bodyke course on Saturday and Sunday in a key fund-raiser for next summer’s junior county championships.

Organisers of both events have upped the ante on promoting and supporting young golfers and next summer’s competition is an extension of that. The competition is focussed on promoting the game’s youngest players and includes the U13 short course Junior League, the Parkland Championships, and the county Match Play championships for both boys and girls.

Brendan Magill, Director of Claregolf and organiser of this weekend’s competition, says that number one objective is to ensure every young boy and girl who wants to play golf gets the opportunity to do so.

“Our County Scramble may be our ﬁnale for the year in terms of competitions but it’s a ﬁnale that’s all about the future, with the proceeds going towards next year’s junior county championships.

“We have put huge effort in East Clare Golf Club and across Clare over the past few years into developing our young talent and it’s only right that we do given the incredible heritage Clare has in golf, the amazing courses we have and the great young players we’re developing. We really do punch above our weight in population terms and our junior county championships is one of the reasons why.

“These county championships have provided a competitive starting point for our county club juniors. Since introducing the Clare championships more than ﬁfteen years ago, we have seen many succeed at national and international levels. This year alone, Annie Donegan was selected to play in the Curtius Cup, which

Cash proves rock solid in Construction Man’s decider

by Michael Maher news@clareecho.ie

THE ﬁnal of the Construction Man’s A3 525 yards stake was the centre piece of Friday night's 12-race programme at Galway which was a Gala Fundraising night in aid of the West Clare Cancer Care Centre organised by the Western Greyhound Owners And Breeders Association. As the runners headed to traps for the €1500-to-the-winner decider, the John O’Meara (Nenagh) owned Ballygibbon Cash was the favourite to remain unbeaten throughout the competition and once the son of Ballymac Cashout and Sive To One negotiated the opening bend those who took the odds were forming an orderly queue, as he went on to defeat Rosshill News by ten & a half lengths in 28.82.

The Declan and Gerard Lillis of Cooraclare-owned Alva Mist trained by Declan McDonagh (Liscannor) delivered a ﬁne performance in taking the Noelle McLoughlin A4 525 race number 11 as he powered to a 12.5-length success over On The Radio in a superb 28.93.

In race two the Gary Pepper A8 525 Killdoo Lass was smartly into her stride and racing towards the opening bend she was closely attended to on either side by both Pinnacle Venture and Burnpark Taylor. Racing down the back under pressure from Burnpark Taylor, the Donal Cooney and Gerry Maloney of O’Callaghans Mills owned Kildoo Lass (Burgess Bucks and Notimetotalk) kicked again to hold the renewed effort of Burnpark Taylor by three parts of a length in 29.87.

The ﬁfth contest was a Galway versus Clare challenge sponsored by Clare native and now Gort-based butcher Gerry O’Donoghue and it proved to be a clear sweep for the Tribesmen as the Amy Burke-owned Burkos

Breeze (Grangeview Mac and Emma’s Dream) never saw another rival as she routed her rivals headed home by Hanover Mellie and Pierview Toony by seven and three quarter length in 29.51.

The A5 graded sixth contest was sponsored by Meaney/Casey Construction and racing towards the opening bend the ﬁeld were well grouped with Badgerfort Denis just shading the issue. Turning down the back Badgerfort Denis led by two lengths from Annadown Zara who had ran off the rails rounding the opening bend. Racing past halfway Annadown Zara made rapid progress to join issue on the leaders outside at the third bend. Striking the front on the crown of the home bend the Gary Dillon owned Annadown Zara (Jacob Tashdalek & Headford Laura) drew clear to score by ﬁve and a half lengths in 29.57.

The Bernie Mullins Memorial 810 was the seventh contest and ﬁttingly it was won by the Top Beneﬁt Syndicate-owned Fantasy Tuppence trained by the late Bernie’s son Albert Mullins who made all to defeat Sweet Melodies owned by the Mullins Curtin Syndicate by a head in 46.65.

The Williams Concrete A3 contest became a match from an early stage as Gainstown Choice trapped well towards the inner and racing towards the opening bend he led from Knockanoura Kate and Claudegreengrass. Turning down the back Gainstaiwn Choice led Knockanoura Kate by two lengths and although the latter closed right up approaching the penultimate corner she couldn’t ﬁnd a way past as the Paul Hogan owned Gainstown Choice(Grangeview Ten-Ballymacken Boby) stayed on well to score by a length and three parts in 29.30.

all about the future

she and her teammates won. Donnacha Halpin won the U16 Leinster Boys Championships, Oscar Kolushs won the Munster boys U13, and Aideen Walsh won Irish Mid-Amateur championship.

“That’s the standard that’s out there and we want to make sure the pipeline of talent grows and the game becomes accessible to all who want to play it.”

This weekend’s compe-

tition will include a gross and net section, as well as a Family Cup. Anyone interested in participating and supporting the next generation of Clare golfers, can do so by calling the golf shop at

East Clare at 061-921322

Magill at

and booking a tee-time.

l (back, l-r) Camian Heffernan Liam O’Callaghan Sam Davern Ryan Murphy; (front, l-r) Amelie Mc Mahon Aoife Mannion

nals”.

Rory denied back-to-back wins

by PÁDRAIG MCGRATH

RORY McIlroy came up just shy of winning two weeks' running on the DP Tour, narrowing losing to Billy Horschel in a thrilling three-way playoff at Wentworth last Sunday evening. What an exciting ﬁnal day it was at the historic pristine Wentworth club in London.

Overnight leader Matteo Mannassero struggled on his ﬁnal round, surely due to the pressure of being at the top of the leaderboard. After playing three remarkable rounds he fumbled to a oneover par ﬁnal round, still only three shots off the winning score.

McIlroy and Billy Horschel shot five under and an amazing final round of -7 by Thristan Lawrence meant all three players would eventually finish on the same score of -20 par. Rory was chasing on the back nine and needed a strong finish and strong he did finish with two birdies and an incredible eagle on the Par 5 17th. One of Rory's

strengths is his accuracy with his longer clubs, in particular his long irons. He flushed a long iron straight at the pin on the 17th but the ball stopped very quickly leaving him a long 30-foot plus putt that he duly rolled into the centre of the cup. He hit an incredible fairway wood over the trees on the 18th to ﬁnd the centre of the fairway, however he was left an awkward yardage to the pin because his four iron wasn't enough to reach the pin but his ﬁve wood would be too much club.

The front of the final green is protected with a water hazard that comes across the whole front of the green. With the back left pin position Rory tried to hit a strong draw with his four iron with the hope it might run up the green however, he over drew his shot and it came up a long way short of his intended target. He still had a chance to get up and down to secure the win. It wasn't meant to be though and Rory would eventually have to settle for a par five on his final hole which

would be good enough to get him into a three-way playoff. Billy Horschel went into the playoff full of conﬁdence after two remarkable birdies on 17 & 18.

On the ﬁrst playoff hole unfortunately, Lawrence over faded his tee shot close to the trees where he was left with a soft wet lie from where the crowds had been walking all week. He had no choice but to go for the green in two but the lie meant he did not get his second shot airborne and it scooted into the nearby fairway bunker, a scenarios from which he did not recover, knocking him out of contention.

Rory having hit a poor second shot in real time ended up over compensating in the playoff going too far right. Billy took dead aim at the pin but also bailed right on his approach making sure he didn't ﬁnd the water hazard but instead found the bunker that protects the right side of the green. Rory and Billy were left with two difﬁcult third shots however both hit brilliant third shots leaving themselves as close as sev-

en to eight feet from the pin.

Rory conﬁdentially rolled in his right to left putt and Billy follow suit with another conﬁdent putting stroke meaning they would go back to the 18th tee once again.

This time both players once again hit flawless tee shots over the trees on the right corner of the left to right dogleg. Both were left with long iron shots to this final green again and with Rory first up he flushed his long iron to about 35 feet from the pin putting a lot of pressure on Billy. Billy however having played fearless golf all week follow Rory in flushing his long iron with a slight fade into the heart of the final green.

Billy, a few feet closer than Rory, had the advantage to seeing how Rory's putt would react as Rory grazed the edge of the cup on his noble attempt. Billy, cool as a breeze, stood up and conﬁdentially struck his 30-footer and watched it roll into the centre of the cup.

None of these players deserved to lose but unfortunately as it always does in

golf it comes down to who holds the putts at the right moment. Rory did not lose the tournament, it was won by Billy. In an interview afterwards Billy was feeling sorry for Rory as he has had quite the year of close calls :

“I mean I’m thrilled, excited for the way I played, but at the same time a little disappointed. Rory’s a really good friend of mine and I think the world of him. A generational talent and I know how close he’s been this year so I can feel for him, but at the same time and I’m pretty excited for just being able to get it done today.”

Horschel was undoubtedly alluding to how Rory’s 2024 season has been ladened with multiple disappointments. He notoriously missed out on winning the US Open to Bryson DeChambeau, was left outside the medal ceremony at the Olympics having come 5th in the Men’s stroke play, and lost the Irish Open by a single stroke to Rasmus Højgaard a week earlier.

All-Ireland Granard cup victory for Woodstock

by Seamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

WOODSTOCK GOLF CLUB:

WOODSTOCK Golf Club were crowned winners of the newly named Flogas Vision Ireland Granard Cup, following the Grand ﬁnal of the tournament which took place at Mullingar Golf Club.

Mary McNamara and Hannah O’Brien from Woodstock took the spoils at one of the longest running charity club competitions in Ireland where all proceeds go to Vision Ireland (formerly NCBI).

In 2024, over 15,000 people from over 212 clubs around the country took part with one male pair from each club advancing to the Holmpatrick Regional and one female pair advancing to the Granard Regional. The four regional ﬁnals took place at Castletroy, Wicklow, Lucan and Strandhill Golf clubs. The top three winners of each of the regionals progressed to the All-Ireland Final at Mullingar.

The winners of the Granard and Holmpatrick Cups will get to experience a golfer’s trip of a lifetime to the historic St. Andrews where they will stay for three nights at the magniﬁcent Rusacks Hotel and will play three of the St Andrew’s Golf courses including The Eden, New Course and The Castle Course.

Mary McNamara and Hannah O’Brien scored 54 points to win the Granard cup from the K club with 50 points.

Meanwhile on the home front, Paul Coote is the Golfer of The Year for 2024 at Woodstock. Paul dominated the year winning the Al Hayes Singles Matchplay and the AMR Golf fourball Matchplay with his playing partner Adrian Kearney. Paul picked up more points in the April, May and September medals as well as Jarlath Fahy's Captain's prize and the club championship. Stephen Clancy (19) emerged as the winner of the Woodstock masters competition at the weekend when he scored 45 points. He had a comfortable ten points to spare over Barry McNamara (15) who was one ahead of Barry Scanlan (12). The leading qualiﬁer was Bryan Clune. In the club singles at the weekend John McBride (12) was the winner with 38 points while Kieran Dromey (6) won the gross with 31 points, The category 1 winner was Ken Hogan (10) with 35 points from Mark Sweeney (8) also with 35 points.

Category 2 was won by Martin Nugent (12) with 37 points while Greg Fogarty (27) won category 3, also with 37 points.

EAST CLARE GOLF CLUB: East Clare senior men narrowly defeated Loughrea last week 286 points to 280. The top six cards for East Clare were returned by Teddy O'Hanlon and Chris Davis 50; Danny Minogue and Jackie McHugh 48; Terry Coughlan and Jim Fahy 48;

Michael Hayes and Brendan Moloney 47, Tom Larkin and Sean Ahern 47; Ailbe McDonnell and J.J. Barton 46.

The winner of the ladies 18 hole stableford competition was Geraldine Finnegan (30) with 41 points from Siobhan Shanahan (15) with 37 points. The gross was won by Evelyn Skehan (17).

The ladies Wednesday competition was won by Brid Hayes, Siobhan Mulcahy and Brid Gurnett from Ursula Hogan, Hannah Guinnane and Pauline Nugent with third place ﬁlled by Mary Bugler, Phil Burke and Noreen Doyle.

DROMOLAND GOLF CLUB:

Thomas Cooney (6) was the winner of the Fred O’Flanagan V Par competition at Dromoland with 3up from Diarmuid O’Connor (7) who had a similar score. Brian Arthur (9) was third with 2up while Enda Heneghan (scratch) won the gross with 1up while the category for handicaps 20 and over was won by Mwrvyn Frazer (20) with 2 up.

The 9 hole competition last week was won by Brian McMahon with 21 points.

Mairead Toomey won the ladies 18 hole stableford competition from Cathy Casey while the 9 hole competition was also

won by Mairéad Toomey with 22 points from Anne McMahon with 20 points.

ENNIS GOLF CLUB : Golfer of the Year for 2024 at Ennis is Daire Meehan.

The Masters ﬁnal, the last golfer of the year competition for the season, was won by Michael Neylon(18) with 68 from Ger Donohue(16) who had a similar score. They were one ahead of Flan Lyons(11) and Pat McInerney(19) who also had 69.

The men’s competition at the weekend was a scotch foursomes which was won by Flan Downes and Barry Lee with 42 points from Thomas Gallery and Brendan Pyne with 42 points with third spot ﬁlled by Ronan Herbert and Diarmuid Meere also with 42 points.

Friday’s open singles winner was Ian Myatt (9) with 40 points from Geoffrey O'Toole (13) with 38 points.

The Knox Cup, a men’s singles matchplay competition was won by Andrew Turner from Donagh Stack with Flan Lyons in third spot and Niall Hannon in fourth.

The Cyril Walsh fourball matchplay competition was won by John M Lillis and David Pender from Gerry Daly and John Nevin. Third spot was ﬁlled by Mark Geraghty and Jim Grifﬁn followed by Niall Hannon and Martin O'Neill.

Seamus McEnery won the Abbey cup matchplay from Donagh Stack. The leading qualiﬁer was Flan Downes (12) with 63. The ladies 18 hoke masters competition, sponsored by The County Boutique took place at Ennis on Saturday when Bridie Hanrahan (19) won with 70 nett from Sinéad O'Sullivan (47) with 74 nett and Rose Enright (20) with 77 nett.

Mary T McMahon (14) won the gross with 88 while the best qualiﬁer was Mary Lenihan. Meanwhile the 9 hole masters competition was won by Mary Leahy (17) with 18 points from Geraldine O’Mahoney (15) with a similar score. Geraldine Cummins (22) was third with 17 points while the best qualiﬁer was Mary Walshe.

KILRUSH GOLF CLUB: The winner of the men’s open singles at Kilrush last weekend was Thomas Coffey (13) with 41 points, Brian Scanlan (10) won category 1 with 37 points from David Keane (9) with 35 points. David Browne (19) won category 2 with 38 points from Cyril Kelly (17) with 37 points John McNeilis (20) was the category 3 winner with 38 points from Eamonn Rigney (21) with 37 points. The nines were won by Michael J Hogan with 20 points and Eoin Fitzgerald with 19 points

The Koley Cup matchplay winner is Michael Irwin from Vincent Healy with Patrick Cuddy in third spot followed by Gerard Connellan.

l Mary McNamara (left) and Hannah O'Brien (right) from Woodstock, winners of the Granard cup national title

'WHAT AN EXPERIENCE'

-Ennis

star

Cotter

lines out for Old Trafford clash

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

ENNIS’ Barry Cotter fulfilled the dream of a lifetime by lining out in Old Trafford last week.

Cotter was full-back on the Barnsley side to face off with Manchester United in the third round of the Carabao Cup. The result, a 7-0 win for the hosts was their biggest win under Erik ten Hag as Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and Christian Eriksen all scored twice while Antony put a penalty to the net.

Barry was part of a strong Irish contingent involved with Barnsley which also included former U21 international Luca Connell and ex Cork City defender Conor McCarthy.

Speaking about the experience, Barry said, “The most beautiful sport in the world full ups and downs. What an experience to play against such opposition forever grateful of my blessings and opportunities”.

Following underage spells with Avenue Utd and Ennis Town FC, Barry signed for Limerick FC in August 2015 and broke into the first team in 2017, making eleven appearances during the 2017 League of Ireland season.

January 2018 saw Barry sign for Ipswich Town for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of €80,000. Having impressed on his debut, he was unfortunate that this transpired to be the last game of Mick McCarthy’s reign, the former Irish captain having signed the Ennis man on a three year deal. His time here consisted of just 193 minutes of football

across only four games, in a little over three years.

After eventually leaving Portman Road, he had an unsuccessful trial at Leyton Orient and also spent time training with Swedish side GAIS. Cotter moved to Dublin and signed with Shamrock Rovers in August 2021. The following summer, he linked up with another Dublin side in St Patrick’s Athletic on loan.

A second chance in England has been taken with

open arms by Barry who joined Barnsley last January. “I’d say that since my spell at St Pat’s under John Daly and Tim Clancy is probably when I really found more joy in football again. I enjoyed it at Rovers. Ipswich wasn’t exactly the most positive experience for myself, but really when I hear the word happiness, St Pats comes to mind.

So I think I have just carried that happiness on,” he recalled. Cotter continued, "You hear young lads in big academies and they are thinking: ‘you want to go to a respected league’. When I was in my early days at Ipswich as a 19-year-old, Ireland wasn’t considered as a respected league and I’d just come from the league. There’s great talents back home and I think the league is only progressing and getting better. The more people you see coming back over to England after ‘taking a break’ and going to split up their English journey and coming back (to Ireland); there’s definitely a gateway. You can’t dismiss the opportunity to play in Europe if you get in the top sides in Ireland. You can’t pay for those experiences”.

PICTURED: Cotter in action for Barnsley against Man United and (below left) walking out to meet the famous Old Traffod crowd

l Lifford FC's Chuks Obadeyi and David Keenan

Photograph: Lifford AFC

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL

FURTHER INFORMATION/ REVISED PLANS PLANNING REF: __P24-60256

Permission sought to construct a 2-storey dwelling house, domestic garage, vehicular entrance, connection to the village wastewater treatment system & public watermain, including all associated site works and services at Scart, Kilkishen, Co Clare

Take notice that “Tracey Byrne & Adrian Donovan” has lodged significant further information in respect of planning application ‘’P20-60256’’ 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, Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the further information or revised plans may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, not later than 2 weeks after the receipt of the newspaper notice and site notice by the planning authority.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL

Ronan Leahy intends to apply to the abovenamed authority for planning permission for the extension and refurbishment of the existing dwelling at Knockacarn, Inagh, Co. Clare. The development will include single-storey extensions to the either side of the existing dwelling incorporating an entrance porch, a kitchen and utility room, four bedrooms, bathrooms and a sun room. Works to also include refurbishment of the existing dwelling and all ancillary drainage, site works and external landscaping. 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 CAHERMACLANCHY, DOOLIN

Take notice that L. Mantoan intends to apply to the Planning Authority for permission to extend existing dwelling house 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 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 conditions or may refuse to grant permission.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL ROGER G CAREY, ARDANE, BALLYMULCASHEL, KILKISHEN, CO. CLARE.

Take notice that Roger G Carey intends to apply for planning permission for development comprising: 1) the demolition of existing side and rear extensions to existing cottage, 2) demolition of existing garage and shed, 3) decommission and removal of existing septic tank, 4) to construct new side and

rear extensions to the cottage, 5) construct a new domestic garage, 6) to install a new wastewater treatment system and polishing filter, and 7) construct a new stone roadside boundary wall including all associated site works at Ardane, Ballymulcashel, Kilkishen, Co. Clare.

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

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL

QUILTY EAST, QUILTY, CO CLARE.

Take notice that Stephen Cunningham intends to apply for permission to build a Dwelling House, 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, SALLYMOUNT, KILMORE

Planning Permission is sought by Joe and Patricia Mullins for refurbishment of and extension to; an existing derelict cottage, construction of a three bay detached garage, a waste water treatment system, a bored well and all associated works at Bo-

land’s Lane, Sallybank, Kilmore, Co. Clare.

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

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL 14 ST. SENAN’S ROAD, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

Planning permission is being sought by Olivia Cahalane & Jason Murphy for the construction of a new two-storey extension to the side of the existing house, single-storey extensions to the front and rear of the existing house, replacement windows throughout, widening of existing vehicular entrance, external insulation and all ancillary site works at 14 St. Senan’s Road, Ennis, Co. Clare.

Licence Applications

THE CIRCUIT COURT (AN CHUIRT CHUARDA)

SOUTH WESTERN CIRCUIT COUNTY OF CLARE

IN THE MATTER OF THE LICENSNG ACTS 1833 - 2012 AND

IN THE MATTER OF THE COURTS (SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS) ACT 1961

IN THE MATTER OF SECTION 2 OF THE LICENSING (IRELAND) ACT 1902 AS AMENDED BY SECTION 23 OF THE INTOXICATING LIQUOR ACT, 1960 AND

IN THE MATTER OF AN APPLICATION BY P,J. MURPHY, KILMALEY, CO. CLARE NOTICE OF APPLICATION - P.J. MURPHY THE KILMALEY INN TAKE NOTICE that P.J. MURPHY whose place of abode is Kilmaley, co. Clare, intends to apply to the Circuit Court sitting at The Courthouse, Ennis in the County of Clare on the 15th day of October 2024 at 10.30 am in the morning or on such day thereafter as this Application may be taken in it’s order in the Court List for such Certificate as is mentioned in Section 5 of the Licensing (Ireland) Act, 1833 entitling and enabling the said Applicant to obtain an Excise Licence (commonly called an Ordinary Seven Day Publican’s On Licence) to sell intoxicating liquor for consumption on and off the premises known as “The Kilmaley Inn” and situate at Kilmaley in the County of Clare which said premises are more particularly described on the plans and drawings accompanying this Application.

Dated this 17th day of September 2024

Signed: Hassett Considine Solicitors LLP.

Solicitors for the Applicant

9 Carmody Street Business Park Carmody Street Ennis Co. Clare

The Superintendent, An Garda Síochána, Ennis, Co. Clare

And: The Chief Fire Officer, Clare Co. Council, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare

And: The County Registrar. Circuit Court Office The Courthouse Ennis, co. Clare

An Chuirt Duiche

The District Court District Court Area of Ennis District No. 12

LICENSING ACT (IRELAND) 1874, Sections 9 and 10 INTOXICATING LIQUOR ACT 2008, Sections 6, 7 and 8 NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE FOR A NEW WINE RETAILER’S OFF-LICENCE

Darragh Neil as Nominee Applicant of NHG Nenagh

Limited

TAKE NOTICE that the abovenamed Applicant Darragh Neil as nominee of NHG Nenagh Limited of Gala Shop, Seares Street, Kilmallock, Limerick intends to apply to the Court at Ennis District Court on the 23 Oct 2024 at 10:30 for a certificate to hold a WINE RETAILER’S OFF-LICENCE in respect of the premises known as Gala, Quin, County Clare and situate at Quin Gardens, Quin, Clare in court area and district aforesaid.

Dated this 17th September 2024

Signed: Micheál Glynn & Co., Solicitor for Applicant, 98 O’Connell Street, Limerick

The District Court District Court Area of Killaloe District No. 12 LICENSING ACT (IRELAND) 1874, Sections 9 and 10

INTOXICATING LIQUOR ACT 2008, Sections 6, 7 and 8 NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE FOR A NEW WINE RETAILER’S OFF-LICENCE

Darragh Neil as Nominee Applicant of NHG Nenagh

Limited

TAKE NOTICE that the abovenamed Applicant Darragh Neil as nominee of NHG Nenagh Limited of Gala Shop, Seares Street, Kilmallock, Limerick intends to apply to the Court at Killaloe District Court on the 05 Nov 2024 at 10:30 for a certificate to hold a WINE RETAILER’S OFF-LICENCE in respect of the premises known as Gala, Main Street, Kilkishen, County Clare and situate at Main Street, Kilkishen, Clare, in court area and district aforesaid.

Dated this 17th September 2024

Signed: Micheál Glynn & Co.

Solicitor for Applicant 98 O’Connell Street, Limerick

An Chuirt Duiche

ANNIVERSARY

SINÉAD DILLON 18 INCHICRONAN, CRUSHEEN, CO. CLARE

FIRST ANNIVERSARY

In loving memory of Sineád whose first anniversary occurs on 27/09/24.

Deeply loved, sadly missed and always remembered by her family and friends.

Sineád will be remembered for her upbeat personality in the face of adversity which was reflected in her ubiquitous ringtone “Always look on the bright side of life”

Her motto on life was “Be Happy” and this is the message she has left for us all.

1ST Anniversary Mass will be celebrated on Friday 27th September 2024, at 7.00 p.m. at St. Cronan’s Church, Crusheen.

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

O Star of the Sea, help me and show me here you are my mother.

Oh Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech Thee from the bottom of my heart to secure me in my necessity. (Make your request)

There are none that can withstand your power.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee. (repeat three times)

Holy Mary, I place this cause in Your hands. (repeat three times)

Mulvaney (née Wynne), Bridget (Breda) Inagh

Curtin, John Miltown Malbay

Monaghan, Martin Killaloe

Moran (née Kelly), Mary Newmarket-on-Fergus

Whyte Jr, Michael Sixmilebridge

McInerney, Michael Kilbaha

McInerney, Michael Cross

O’Beirne, Bernard Ennis

O’Brien (née Horan), Geraldine Shannon

Recent Deaths

Queally (née Downes), Margaret Ennistymon

Fragata, Claudia Shannon

Hannan (née Dillon), Marie Clonlara

Ruth (née Lynch), Máire Scariff

Walshe, Don (Donald) Newmarket-on-Fergus

Gavin, John Ballynacally

Mahon (née Costello), Mairéad Ballyvaughan

Williams, Vincent Flagmount

Curtin (née Long), Mary Inagh

Lemon, Debby (Cicely) Miltown Malbay

McGuane (née O’Brien), Kathleen Kilnamona

O’Keeffe (née Greene), Ann Kilrush

Prenderville, Sr. Patricia Parteen

The Clare Echo Quiz

O’Connell Monument in Ennis faces in which direction? East West North

2 When was Lee’s Road sports facility established?

3 What was it renamed in 2017?

John O’Sullivan Park

John O’Connell Park

John O’Bama Park

Shannon Airport is famous for many things, but which of the following is NOT true of the airport. Only place in Ireland equipped to land a space shuttle First airport to fly a giraffe World’s first duty free

5 The Fair Green is also known as Tim Smythe Park, but where was the athlete / politician Tim Smythe from?

Ennis O’Callaghan’s Mills Kilnaboy

6 Where in Clare would you most likely find a legless lizard? The Burren Loophead Meelick

7 St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay’s home ground is known as what?

Morrissey Park Millenium Stadium

Hennessy Memorial Park

8 Glór arts centre was built at a cost of €8.5m in what year? 1999 2001 2004

9 Scattery Island was home to a monastery founded by who?

St Senan

Brian Boru St Flannan

10The Armada Hotel was previously known as what, when it opened for business in 1809?

Spanish Point Hotel Spinach Point Hotel The Atlantic Hotel

Spot the Difference Last weeks Answers

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

Senan

The Atlantic Hotel

l QUESTION 9: Scattery Island was home to a monastery founded by who?

THIS WEEKS PUZZLES Sep 26

Daily Word Search: 21 March 2019

WORD SEARCH

Antipathy

Centipede

Desktop

Fingertip

Hardtop

Hilltop

Laptop

Octopus

Rooftop

Stipple

Stopgap

Tippet

Tipster

Tiptoe

Topaz

Topcoat

The Clare Echo Crossword

Antipathy ()

7 Suitable (11) 8 Removal of abuses (6) 9 Indian tent (6) 10 Sea between Greece and Turkey (6) 12 Spanish rice dish (6)

Topic

Topper

Treetop

Wingtip

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 Female horse (4)

2 Resist (6)

3 Scottish New Year

celebration (8)

4 Black bird (4)

5 Hang loosely (6)

Centipede ()

. Desktop ()

. Fingertip ()

Hardtop ()

Hill ()

Fuss (3) 14 Science of plant life (6) 16 Kidnapper’s demand (6)

(/games/best-daily-word-search/? puzzleDate=20190321)

Sauntered (6) 20 Exaggerate (6) 22 Futility (11)

6 Harem (8)

11 Huge (8)

12 Marine mammal (8)

15 Slumbering (6) 17 Required (6)

19 Profound (4) 21 Twilight (4)