The Clare Echo 26/11/20

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Mayor’s cards highlight isolation suffered by public

We are ‘here to support each other’ during Covid-19 STUART HOLLY editor@clareecho.ie

T

HE Mayor of Clare is reaching out to members of the community who may be experiencing isolation or loneliness due to Covid-19 and the associated restrictions.

Cllr Howard is offering to write a personal card or letter to those in the community who would appreciate a message of support at this challenging time.

Cllr Howard said: “From my engagement with people in all walks of life across the county, I know that there are many people for whom the Covid-19 restrictions have limited their opportunities for social interaction, causing them to feel more alone.

“Those who have been cocooning for long periods, for example, can feel somewhat cut off from the community on account of having to forego many of the activities that had hitherto been so important to them.

“I want everyone to remember that communities in Clare support each other, and to make a gesture as May-

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or that acknowledges the challenges people are facing and to remind them that assistance is available.”

Cllr Howard hopes to personally deliver as many letters as possible, and meet some of the recipients, when Covid-19 guidelines permit.

If you would like information on this initiative, please email mayor@ clarecoco.ie including ‘Letter from the Mayor’ in the subject line.

Cllr Howard has reminded people that the Clare Covid-19 Community Response Helpline (1800 203600) is open from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, for vulnerable members of the community who require support.

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NOV 26 2020

West Clare Railway button sells at auction

A

UNIFORM button belonging to a member of staff at the West Clare Railway has sold online for more than €500.

In what is believed to be one of the first instances a button belonging to a West Clare Railway worker has gone up for sale, it sold this week on eBay following a bid of £470 equating at over €528. Other railway buttons from around Europe are priced from €1.11 to €248.47 and the fee paid for the Clare button greatly surpasses this. Local historians were “very surprised” by the sale price.

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

l STORY TIME: One year old Ríadh Geoghegan from Carrigaholt helps launch children’s Christmas book Finding Nutmeg, created

by The Santa Experience and written by Greg Clarke. The book features a little boy called Sean who goes on a magical adventure to the North Pole

PJ Kelly bemoans Cahercon inactivity PĂ RAIC MCMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

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CLARE councillor has hit out at the failure to capitalise on the potential of a South-West Clare pier.

Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) had requested a plan be drawn up to develop commercial activity at Cahercon Pier in a motion that went before the November meeting of the West Clare Municipal District.

However, in a written reply, acting senior planner Helen Quinn stated “it is not considered necessary that any further plans be commissioned at this point in time� regarding commercial activity at Cahercon.

She cited the Strategic Integrated Framework Plan (SIFP) for the Shannon Estuary in the County Development Plan and a feasibility study completed in 2017 as examples of the work already invested into the facility.

Cahercon was zoned for marine-related industry in regional and local statutory plans following an examination of the Shannon Estuary, Ms Quinn added. “Sustainable growth, development and appropriate diversification� for marine related industry were underlined as economic development objectives for the site.

Projects that have commercial viability

were flagged as part of the feasibility study, she said. Examples include tidal energy, offshore wind energy. Gkinetic are currently in the final stages of seeking approval for testing of two tidal energy devices at Cahercon, if successful this could lead to the creation of “a number of jobs locally�.

An annoyed Cllr Kelly admitted he was disappointed to have to put the item on the agenda. He outlined that one businessman in West Clare was trying to export to London but when he approached the Council, “he was refused with no explanation�. Use of waters as a navigation area is prevented, Cllr Kelly stated. The Lissycasey native said that last February he visited West Limerick and found all boat installations to be developed but upon doing a similar tour in West Clare noted “they were all abandoned. If they were on the far side they would be exploited to the nth degree�.

Kelly called on Director of Service Leonard Cleary to take up the matter. “Forget about the red tape and red paper. We already have problems where you can’t build a house if it’s seen from the water or seen from the road, it is discrimination to the highest degree. It is not good enough. We have a chance to do something positive, we should do it. Put the red tape in the fire and do something that would be advantageous to West Clare. It’s bad enough to be second to Limerick in hurling, let alone in economic development�.

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4 NEWS

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

New 60 bed block at UHL will tackle high trolley numbers A NEW 60 bed block at University Hospital Limerick opened on Monday while funding for design of a new 96 bed ward has been granted, writes Páraic McMahon.

This is the first in a series of three wards that are to open at UHL with December 14th earmarked as the date in which the second ward will open while a third ward will open on January 4th. The new ward block will provide single-room inpatient accommodation and allow to isolate patients and improve infection prevention and control capabilities and is seen as a step in addressing the underlying bed capacity shortages in the Mid-West which are acknowledged by all parties.

The €19.5m 60-Bed Block comprises four stories, with three inpatient wards of 20 en-suite single rooms over a basement level. The projected opening timeline means 78 single rooms will be added by the end of this year and a further 20 beds will be added early in January 2021.

A recruitment campaign has been undertaken to support the opening of the new capacity and we have in recent days reached agreement with trade unions over the phased opening of the new capacity.

CEO of UL Hospitals Group, Colette Cowan believed the new accommodation will ‘greatly improve’ the care environment for oncology/haematology patients and “allowed us to increase our isolation facilities at a time when the need was never greater”.

Clare TD, Joe Carey (FG) said the “long process” would “greatly assist in reducing trolley numbers it will not solve the issue entirely.

He received confirmation from Ms Cowan that funding for design work for a new 96-bed ward at UHL has been provided in the HSE Capital Plan for 2021.

A planning appplication was submitted to the local authority in August with confidence expressed that this will be granted in the coming months.

West Clare Railway button sells for €528 on eBay PÁRAIC MCMAHON

A

paraic@clareecho.ie

UNIFORM button (pictured right) belonging to a staff member at the West Clare Railway has sold online for £470.

In what is believed to be one of the first instances a button belonging to a West Clare Railway worker has gone up for sale, it sold this week on eBay following a bid of £470 equating at over €528.

Manufactured by Comyns in Dublin, the used button was advertised as be-

ing in “excellent” condition with “little sign of wear” by a seller based in Powys in Wales.

An Irish Loyal National Repeal Association button which was also manufactured by Comyns & Son is currently available to bid for €250. €99 is the fee requested for an old antique historical button of the Picture of Victory in War. Other railway buttons from around Europe are priced from €1.11 to €248.47.

The fee paid for the Clare button greatly surpasses this. Details on the buyer are unknown but it is believed to be an individual who collects buttons, has an interest in rail transport and

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has connections to the Banner County. A bid between two individuals also drove up the price demonstrating the purchaser was very keen to get their hands on it.

Local historian, Declan Barron told The Clare Echo that in his regular searches for Clare historical items online he has never seen a button connected to the West Clare Railway for sale.

“I’m very surprised with the price that it went for, a

Over 40 wildfires ‘a negative consequence’ of staycations PÁRAIC MCMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

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Daniel O’Connell button would cost around €100, there are people advertising them for €250 or €300 online but just because someone advertises it doesn’t mean that someone would pay it”.

He estimated that the fee paid was among the highest ever paid for a button of Clare significance and noted that button sales related to Clare are not a common occurrence online.

WILD camping in North Clare resulted in over 40 wildfires over the staycation period prompting calls for park and beach rangers to avoid repeat scenarios.

In what he described as "shocking" scenes, Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) has highlighted that over 40 wildfires were visible in Ballyreen en route to Fanore.

Both Garrihy and Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) penned a motion to the November meeting of the West Clare Municipal District seeking the assignment of either a park or beach ranger "to deal with the negative impacts and upsurge in wild camping and visitors to the West and North Clare area at high season".

Acting senior executive officer, John O'Malley confirmed that the West Clare MD is working with Clare County Council's HR department to assign resources to areas in need of attention. "I am working with the UNESCO Burren Geopark staff in identifying the best method of protecting facilities contained in the Geopark area. There are also plans in place that there will be a designated crew to deal with these type of issues at our beach locations and other sensitive locations in the area from next year.”

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Garrihy recalled that the "summer experience went on for a very long time all over Clare". He outlined, "I was really shocked in Ballyreen, a place where my father and grandfather went fishing, I counted 40 wildfires and noticed camp-

ing going on all over the summer".

Fanore locals were unable to go to the beach this summer due to the volume of visitors, the Cathaoirleach lamented, "I don't think there is recognition of local people to the experience we give to tourists and the visitors". He said, "The staycation is here to stay, we will be depending on it for the foreseeable years, it brought a different and positive experience to North Clare in relation to cars rather than buses. We need to put things in place to protect our landscapes and the local community".

Damage also occurred at "lots of remote beautiful places in West Clare," Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) outlined. "We could copy and paste some of the excellent examples in Australia, we don't have to apply a lot of energy to this.

We're not saying no you can't do that but giving other options".

Cllr Garrihy concluded, "Maybe we need to strategically become the best referee by blowing the whistle".

l DANGEROUS: A wildfire in Ballyreen

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8 NEWS

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

Clare’s ‘computer illiterate’ residents feeling ‘abandoned’ by solely online motor tax transactions PÁRAIC MCMAHON

'C

paraic@clareecho.ie

omputer illiterate' residents of North Clare have been "abandoned" by the policy of making motor taxation services solely available online.

North Clare representatives, Cllr Shane Talty (FF), Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) and Cllr Susan Crawford (GP) called for "an immediate full reinstatement of over the counter motor taxation services at the Ennistymon area office. This service should be returned to the level of service available at the beginning of 2020".

Administrative officer, Fiona Mooney in a written response noted that the amount of personnel renewing their motor tax online had been growing prior to the change in service in March. The county is currently ranked fifteenth out of twenty seven for the amount of people that use this option.

There are no plans to reinstate the services in Ennistymon in the current climate, she confirmed.

"By January 2020, 72 percent of all motor tax in Clare was done online and the

remaining 28 percent of business was carried out in the Ennis or Ennistymon motor tax office," she added. The figure rose to a peak of 91 percent in April and most recent figures which are from July standing at 83 percent.

Prior to the pandemic, Clare County Council rationalised the provision of over the counter sales of motor tax discs in Ennis.

An assisted motor tax online service was established in Ennistymon instead of the over the counter sales, similar to the model followed in Scariff and Kilrush.

Councillors had agreed to the change in Ennistymon but on the proviso that customers would be facilitated in the office to complete necessary steps online, Cllr Talty recalled.

He stated that an alteration soon followed where a personal email address was required, "the people paying by cash don't have an email".

He added, "These people are resorting to friends, family and relatives doing this for them, clearly they will get it renewed but they are falling back on others to do it. We're abandoning these people on one hand, I don't think it is the correct way for local authorities to treat people".

Talty said that instances had occurred whereby people were paying others to com-

plete the act for them with credit and debit cards also borrowed.

Frustration on the thinking of the local authority was voiced by Cllr Crawford. "It is important to emphasise, we don't want to disenfranchise older people or people who are not computer literate.

“Have we learned anything from COVID?

Allow people the scope to meet other people when they are completing services".

A change to the current policy is needed, Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) stated. "Just because you can doesn't mean you should. We need to be looking outside the box at the value of the engagement between people in rural areas".

Kilfenora man denies reality of COVID-19 CIAN O’BROIN

K

cianobroin@clareecho.ie

*This advert has been paid for by cphet.ie and does not represent the views of The Clare Echo newspaper

ILFENORA man Johnny O’ Gorman has established a Citizen’s Public Health Emergency Team (CPHET) in response to the Irish Government’s NPHET and hopes to stop what he describes as the spread of “misinformation” with regards to Covid-19.

The campaign leads with the message that Covid-19 is an attack on culture, society, humanity and ultimately spirituality, with Mr O’ Gorman stating that we are, “Living under a medical tyranny.”

Former footballer Johnny asserts that his credentials around health and fitness are well known and respected within his community, and he claims to be one of the fittest men in Kilfenora.

His aim here, is to put out a message of positivity, explaining that, “Fear is an emotion that causes illness.”

Affirming his strong views, Johnny feels that the fabric of Irish society is paying the price when it comes to Covid restrictions, “Since the outset, there has been a plan in place to wipe out spirituality, wipe out all human connection and to wipe out Christmas.

There are many parts of the constitution that are being flouted here.

The laws that they have passed are absolutely repugnant to the constitution. Every person should be aware of that, and that they have a constitutional right to operate their business, to go to church and to not have their body interfered with by having to wear face masks like they do in the schools.”

CPHET’s campaign, Johnny explains, is against falsehoods.

Small businesses are being put out of business permanently due to these falsehoods.

“Small businesses are taking the blame for this. Our country is being destroyed from the bottom up and being rebuilt from the top down, “ he states.

Continuing his argument, Johnny believes that businesses such as Covid-19 testing centres and PPE production are taking off due to baseless assumptions, despite the fact that there have been 70,930 Covid-19 cases in Ireland which have resulted in 2,028 deaths.

Johnny states, “These new laws are based on three assumptions. One, that there is a virus.

“Two, that the virus is highly contagious and number three, that the virus is passing from person to person.

“So, if reality is based on opinion, and opinions are based on beliefs, then why doesn’t everybody simply believe that there is no virus. Life would be a lot easier.”

Concluding his conversation with The Clare Echo, Johnny leaves with the following words for the Irish public, “This is a planned out, wipe out of the Irish race on the island of Ireland.

“Step out of the mist and step into the light. There is no virus. Get on with your life, open your business and get back to being human.”

The Clare Echo can confirm that the Covid-19 virus is in fact real and advises the public to adhere to Government health guidelines.

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10 NEWS

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

lAMENITY: Sunset at Ballyallla Lake

Photo by Michael O'Brien

Ballyalla 7km loop development underway A "STRATEGIC development" of plans for the development of Ballyalla Lake Amenity are in motion, writes Páraic McMahon.

Approval for funding to the tune of €40,000 to develop a 7km Ballyalla Lake loop walk was announced in October.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) who helped to fund the report through his General Municipal Allocation (GMA) tabled a motion before the Ennis Municipal District asking that a long and short-term report for the amenity be provided.

Under beach maintenance to the MD, €12,000

is funding is allocated to the Ballyalla Amenity Area.

"This covered the cost of the facilities for the lifeguards and general maintenance of the amenity area.

This is facilitated by the litter bin collection on a daily basis as part of the street cleaning operations, routine grass cutting and more significant maintenance works by the district works crew in the spring and autumn," senior executive engineer Eamon O'Dea outlined.

Planter build outs between the road-side parking area are intended to be cleaned, O'Dea confirmed.

"The long-term proposal is to proceed with the detailed design and planning process for the proposed enhancement of Ballyalla Amenity".

A means of funding must be identified to allow the detailed design and planning process match the proposed implementation.

"A strategic development of these plans is the way," Cllr Flynn said. "The Executive have shown they can use proper strategic planning".

Recent activity and use of the facility was described as "fabulous" by Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF).

'This is 2020 and loved ones are pulling family from the floor' PÁRAIC MCMAHON

S

paraic@clareecho.ie

USTAINED absence of daycare and respite services for individuals with disabilities in Co Clare has been described as "an appalling situation" by a North Clare councillor who commented that family members are having to pull loved ones 'from the floor'.

Detail on the resumption of full day services and respite services for personnel with disabilities was sought by Cllr Susan Crawford (GP) at Tuesday's meeting of the Regional Health Forum West.

Chief Officer, HSE Mid West Community Healthcare, Maria Bridgeman acknowledged the "difficulties, challenges and anxiety that service users, parents/carers and families have experienced throughout COVID-19".

Public health guidance and the 'Framework for Resumption of Adult Disability Services' set out "clear guidelines" regarding a safe reopening of services, Ms Bridgeman stated while adding that close engagement with all service providers "to ensure the earliest possible resumption of day services" was ongoing".

A reduction to capacity across day services "has been necessary" to comply with public health guidance, she said and cited the need to maintain physical distancing and the availability of staff due to redeployment.

Speaking at Tuesday's meeting, Cllr Crawford admitted that she did not accept the explanation regarding COVID restrictions and the lack of staffing being a factor, "this is an ongoing situation pre COVID".

One man in Clare informed the Inagh native that he has had no daycare services since the beginning of March. "It is an appalling situation in Clare.

“Concerns are being highlighted to management by service providers. Centres are lying empty which makes no sense whatsoever. There is also a complete lack of communication in responding to emails and calls from distressed parents. We cannot overlook the impact it is having on people," she commented.

Emergency action is needed from the HSE, she felt. "One man picked up his elderly brother from the floor last night. This is 2020. I think really and truly we need emergency intervention from the HSE on what is going on down here, it is absolutely appalling," Cllr Crawford concluded.

No HSE or Mid-West Community Healthcare availed of the opportunity to respond to Cllr Crawford's contribution.

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THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

Ennis to become University town PÁRAIC MCMAHON

E

paraic@clareecho.ie

NNIS is on course to become a university town as early as next September following confirmation that the AIT-LIT Consortium has formally submitted its Technological University application to Government.

The new Technological University for the Mid-West and Midlands is expected to comprise a student population of up to 15,000 and a staff complement of approximately 1,200 people across six campuses in Ennis, Athlone, Clonmel, two in Limerick and Thurles.

An economic impact study commissioned by the consortium has found that the combined impact of the two institutions on the Irish economy is close to €420 million euros in economic output, while they support more than 800 jobs

in addition to their own staff complement.

The consortium – which formally commenced in October of 2019 – has targeted a date of September 1 next year for the new university to open, and is also embarking on a broad consultation process to name the new Technological University.

Academic unions in both LIT and AIT have voted overwhelmingly in favour of measures contained in the Technological University project plan.

LIT opened its Ennis campus in December last year. An approximate investment of €1m saw the refurbishment of a once vacant building on Bindon St. Clare County Council were responsible for purchasing and refurbishing the building with construction work carried out by Jada Construction.

Commenting on the application, President of LIT, Professor Vincent Cunnane said, "We are on a path-

Kilmihil’s Eimear Considine part of Irish broadcasting history A KILMIHIL woman was part of a first for Irish sports broadcasting on Sunday, writes Páraic McMahon.

Eimear Considine (inset, photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile) formed part of the all female lineup that presented, analysed and commentated on Leinster's 40-5 win over Cardiff Blues in the Guinness PRO14.

Considine was on analysis duty alongside fellow Irish internationals Derbhile Níc a Bhaird and Jenny Murphy. The coverage was presented by Máire Treasa Ní Dhubghaill with Máire Ní Bhraonáin in the commentary box.

Full-back for Ireland during the most recent 6 Nations, Eimear has been an analyst with Rugbaí Beo for the past three seasons.

A co-captain with Munster, the

way to deliver a unique new Technological University that will cross regions and transcend geography.

While this will be an institution of scale, it will retain the familiarity of local campuses across two significant regions.

"This enables us to act as a regional development powerhouse into the future, delivering education and research that will benefit students, educators, communities, business and industry in a strategic way".

He previously spoke of his desire to grow the amount of students that could be catered for at the Ennis campus. Prior to COVID-19, under 100 students were based at LIT's Ennis facility.

President of AIT, Professor Ciaran Ó Catháin said, "Becoming a TU will broaden access to higher education and create opportunities in areas that have previously been underserved with respect to apprenticeships right through to PhD".

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"TG4 have a deep commitment to female participation in sport and firmly believe in the underlying principle of the 20×20 campaign, that 'if she can't see it, she can't be it'," he added.

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12 NEWS

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

Government negotiating with Council over pyrite scheme PÁRAIC MCMAHON

E

paraic@clareecho.ie

NGAGEMENT is ongoing between the Government and Clare County Council regarding the potential extension of the defective concrete blocks grants scheme.

Up to 35 homeowners in Clare have reported significant cracking of external walls due to the presence of pyrite in the building blocks used to construct the houses. Officials in the Department of Housing have said there is an opportunity for Clare's local authority to take the lead by demonstrating the issues are prevalent in the county.

In August, Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien (FF) announced a new

defective concrete blocks scheme for Mayo and Donegal.

Clare TD, Michael McNamara (IND) noted "the problem is not, unfortunately, unique to Donegal and Mayo". He like fellow Oireachtas members and Clare councillors have called for the scheme to be extended to Clare. "A number of houses have been found to be essentially crumbling, without exaggerating the matter, as a result of defective concrete blocks. Owners have had engineers examine the dwellings and it has been found that it is as a result of pyrite in the concrete."

"One manufacturer of concrete blocks in the Mid-West links all of those buildings. It is an issue which goes beyond Clare. I understand 35 people are involved in an action group and approximately 33 houses have been identified in Clare," he said.

"If the Government saw fit to fund a scheme like this in respect of Mayo

and Donegal, which I welcome, I see no reason whatsoever my constituents and any other constituents in the country who suffer from exactly the same problem should not be treated in exactly the same way," he added.

Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan (GP) confirmed that Departmental officials are in communication with Clare County Council "regarding the evidential data requirements. Any consideration of an extension to the defective concrete blocks grants scheme would require the same rigorous analysis as that carried out in Donegal and Mayo."

McNamara replied, "The majority of the homeowners in this instance are retirees and have family homes. They have worked all their lives and paid the mortgages on them. Like most people having paid their mortgage, they are retiring on a pension and they just do not have the money".

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lDAMAGE: One Clare house affected by pyrite

'Proper air quality and ventilation can lower Covid spread’ A COUNTYWIDE public awareness campaign on the benefits of improved air quality and ventilation in lowering the spread of COVID-19 is needed in Clare, a county councillor has said while criticising the 'unsustainable' lockdown approach favoured by the Irish Government, writes Páraic McMahon.

Clare County Council were called on by Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) to a public awareness campaign "around the extremely significant impact that better indoor air quality, through ventilation & low-cost filtration, in our homes, businesses and public buildings has in reducing the spread of COVID-19". Any information from this campaign should be forwarded to equivalent local authorities across the Republic of Ireland.

Many issues surrounding public health have been brought into focus as a result of the pandemic, senior engineer with the County Council, Cyril Feeney acknowledged. He admitted that the HSE and not the local authority were "the competent authority" to deal with the proposal.

Speaking at the November meeting of the local authority, Cllr Murphy noted the emphasis both the World Health Organisation and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have placed on the importance of ventilation in indoor settings.

"This local authority and all the others have been instrumental especially at a local level in delivering the awareness campaign based on HSE recommended interventions designed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

So far from asking Clare County Council to do a solo run here without medical advice, I'm simply asking that they give equal weighting to this new advice from the HSE, and others the WHO, CDC, ECDC in our future awareness campaigns to the communities in our care around ventilation and indoor air quality and its role in reducing the spread of COVID-19," the Kilkee representative stated.

He felt it was "ironic" most public houses had thrown out their ventilation systems which had been there at a time when smoking was permitted indoor, "they would be a priceless commodity now".

Cratloe's Cllr Pat O'Gorman (FF) seconded the motion. Further support was provided via Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) who noted households and functioning workplaces were unable to open windows "at this time of year because it is freezing".

Additional costs for implementing such measures were cautioned by Cllr Pat McMahon (FF). He noted that the operation of "most of our premises" such as restaurants, bars and public gatherings were already on hold.

"Ventilation comes at a cost factor to these people who have been working under huge duress".

He believed "extraction is key" and noted that new ventilation equipment was available.

Concluding the discussion, Cllr Murphy stated, "Completely locking down the country every five or six months is a totally unsustainable way of living with this virus from a social or economic perspective.”

NEWS 13

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

Remote working can bring life to derelict properties PÁRAIC MCMAHON

O

paraic@clareecho.ie

PPORTUNITIES arising from COVID-19 will benefit Clare in bringing life into derelict properties, the Chief Executive of Clare County Council has stated.

Speaking at a Council meeting, Pat Dowling noted that the "unintended opportunities following COVID-19" will serve Co Clare well.

Up to 50 towns will benefit from "significant capital funding," he stated with a large chunk of this to focus on remote working. Subsequently, he expected derelict properties to be dealt with.

Dowling's comments came on foot of a motion from Cllr Joe Cooney (FG). Cooney had requested infor-

mation meetings be held across the county to highlight "what criteria and grants are available to renovate and lease derelict vacant property".

Workshops had been postponed on account of COVID-19, Director of Social Development Anne Haugh outlined.

Rejuvenation of towns and villages is a focus of the renewal scheme offered by the Department of Rural and Community Development, Leonard Cleary noted.

He stated that the repurposing of buildings in the centre of towns and villages to facilitate remote working or community use would be considered eligible for the Rural Development Investment Programme.

"Most of our rural villages that don't have proper infrastructure, we need to try and get these workshops up and running. With restrictions it is not easy," Cllr Cooney acknowledged.

102 YEARS, OH MAI

"We're all aware there is submissions for the County Development Plan, a lot of them villages and towns don't have the infrastructure. You could see these villages die completely. I'm very concerned about them, we can see how villages are dying with shops and post offices closing down".

Cathaoirleach of the Rural Development SPC, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) declared, "We have to get our house in order. In the town of Tulla, we're building 26 houses in Tulla yet a recent survey said there was over 30 properties vacant, it doesn't add up in my mind.

We have a scheme that doesn't deliver, we need to have re-think and put forward innovative ways".

Areas with infrastructure also suffer with dereliction, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) felt. "There are 30 to 40 derelict buildings in the town of Ennis, the only way you will sort it by charging them full rates."

lSTILL GOT IT: Mai O’Neill from Coolmeen celebrates her 102nd birthday this week

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14 NEWS

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

Visionaries needed to save airport PĂ RAIC MCMAHON

V

paraic@clareecho.ie

ISIONARIES are key to saving the future of Shannon Airport, a recent meeting of Clare County Council has heard.

Citing a “disappointing drop in passenger numbers� over the past decade alloyed with “the disastrous impact� of COVID-19, Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) led the call for Clare County Council to engage with other public and private stakeholders to commission “a far reaching report setting out positive attainable goals for the future of the airport�.

A need to strengthen air access was identified in the Clare Tourism Strategy 2030, Director of Service Leonard Cleary acknowledged in response. He said the local authority continues to work collaboratively with Shannon Group.

Addressing the sitting of the local authority, Cllr McMahon noted that Shannon Airport was facing “unbelievable� problems.

He believed strong expertise already exist-

ed within the Mid-West to aid its recovery referencing the five third level institutions in the area, respective Chambers of Commerce and the Slattery brothers Domhnall and John who are highly regarded figures in the aviation world. “We have 78 aviation companies in Shannon and 63% of aircraft companies in Ireland based in Shannon�.

Separation from the Dublin Airport Authority did not work, Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) maintained. Evidence will base plans for the future, he said. “We will need EU policy support, we need somebody who would write the story properly for us. We need to support the view that our Chief Executive be added to the Shannon Group board�. “The thrust of the motion is that we need new thinking, outside bodies need to get involved in the promotion of Shannon Airport. Funding needs to be made available.

The management of Shannon Airport have not done a good job, they have concentrated in building up the Industrial Estate which they have done a very good job on but that came at a cost which was the Airport,� Cllr PJ Ryan (IND) stated.

He added, “We need to go back to attracting the people who used Shannon Airport over the years and that is the North Ameri-

can traffic, we are the closest Irish airport to North America, we need to promote it a lot more. Shannon is a far safer airport than any other airport in this country, when you fly out of Shannon Airport you are flying over water and not residential areas�.

Seeing “the demise of Shannon� was very difficult, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) commented. “This is a complete failure of our national politicians to maintain and protect a national asset in the west of Ireland. This is a complete lack of commitment by our national politicians to address the decline,� she said.

Introducing a national policy with an emphasis on regional development is required, Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) outlined. “Various Governments have done nothing to support Shannon Airport, they were making it up as they were going along. It is time they realise that they have to stop their total focus on Dublin. They have over populated Dublin, they have closed down the West of the country for the sake of the capital�.

Ennis representative, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) declared, “Shannon is in a crisis, if something is not done it will be gone before us�.

Pressure is on the county’s seven Oireachtas members to step up, he added. “Our nation-

al Government is not delivering. Dublin Airport is a bottle neck, you have to drive three miles to get a parking space�. “All of us know what the problem is in Shannon but none of us have the solution,�

Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) reflected. “We have to learn from the past and have to find visionaries, they are very rare today but we have to find them. Brendan O’Regan or Sean Lemass, we need somebody like them today to come up with ideas or solutions. We’ve a habit of setting up taskforces today, some have little to contribute other than keeping the seat warm. We have been let down at national level�.

There is a feeling of Shannon and the people being let down by the national Government, Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) flagged.

The Copenhagen Report commissioned by the Limerick Chamber of Commerce was referenced by Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG), “National aviation policy has to be changed to direct customers in and out of Shannon was the key finding of the report�. Council Chief Executive. Pat Dowling described Shannon as “a victim of the international collapse of aviation�. He said the future of Shannon remains a key discussion on their economic taskforce.

Ei Electronics say farewell to ‘The Doc’ after four decades STUART HOLLY

editor@clareecho.ie

DR. MIKE Byrne was officially bid a warm farewell by his colleagues at Ei Electronics recently. This comes after 44 years as Head of Research and Development with the Shannon-based Company.

Dr. Byrne, a UCD Physics graduate, joined what was then ‘The Ei Company’, an affiliate of US Multinational General Electric in 1976.

In 1988 he was involved with CEO Mick Guinee in the successful Management Buy Out (MBO) that led to the formation of what then became Ei Electronics. ‘The Doc’ as Mike is fondly known, can be credited with the development of Ei Electronics’ first smoke alarm in the 1970s; the Ei100B, which is still in

production today. “With over 25 patents to his name, his vision and genius has continuously positioned the company at the forefront of smoke and CO alarm innovations, right up to the present day,� said a spokesperson for Ei. Dr Mike was awarded the UCD Alumni Award for Science in 2018. His most recent achievements saw the release of Ei’s latest IoT Gateway and Remote Inspection solutions in 2020.

Speaking at the retirement function, Mick Guinee, CEO attributed the Company’s product quality over the years to Mike’s attention to detail and meticulous design validation.

His legacy, he added is “an unrivalled range of products at the leading edge of sensor and IoT technologies.� On a personal note he acknowledged Mike’s humility, integrity and sense of humour, and noted that he will be greatly missed.

At the function for Mike and his wife Patricia at the company’s Shannon

campus, many tributes were paid by colleagues, past and present from all over the world.

Mike paid tribute to his fellow Cofounders and Directors, Mick Guinee and Jim Duignan and the talent and commitment of the many engineers and employees with whom he worked over the years.

As he looks to the future, Mike will remain a strong advocate of Ei’s culture of supporting deserving voluntary projects and charitable organisations throughout the region, having recently established a charitable foundation with his family.

Today Ei Electronics employs over 1,000 people worldwide, with over 900 at its Headquarters in Shannon, where manufacturing and all key functions are based.

The Company is one of the largest employers in the region and holds a leadership position in the residential smoke and carbon monoxide alarm sectors in which it operates globally.

lINNOVATOR: Dr. Mike Byrne with his wife Patricia

Â

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Arts & Entertainment 15

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

Connolly sculpture features in Netflix series The Crown CIAN O’BROIN

A

cianobroin@clareecho.ie

RECENT episode of Netflix’s The Crown featured a bronze bust of James Joyce created by Jim Connolly of Kilbaha Gallery, in West Clare. The cast bronze miniature figure of the Irish novelist was on display in the opening credits and several scenes of Season 4, Episode 8.

The piece was first produced by Jim over 20 years ago, as part of a collection of miniatures of Irish authors and playwrights. Co-owner of Kilbaha Gallery, Ailish Connolly states, “The Crown contacted us and said they were interested in this piece. We sent it over and they sent us back contracts and non-disclosure agreements. Jim is delighted but really the whole family are very proud.”

Ironically, Ailish was sitting in James Joyce’s Bar in Dublin, meeting a publisher on the day that that The Crown reached out to the West Clare gallery owners. “I rang the owner of the bar after, to tell him about it. There must have been some strange James Joyce energy going around that day,” she admits.

The link to one of Netflix’s most critically acclaimed shows is a testament to 50 years of craftsmanship within the Bronze Foundry at Kilbaha Gallery. Ailish acknowledges that some of the best sculpted work she has seen has been produced throughout the pandemic, however; older crafts and trades such as stonemasons are slowly dying out. For years and years, Jim and his son Seamus worked side by

side in the Foundry. Jim has since retired but still tips away at some sculpting work in his spare time.

Seamus is delighted that the piece got another lease of life, opining that, “portrait pieces don’t go out of fashion. They are forever and there is always that extra little niche that might pop up that you wouldn’t expect.”

Seamus grew up sculpting with his father Jim and felt that assuming the role in The Foundry was a normal progression, having always known what he wanted to do with his life. Some of his work in the small commercial foundry includes casting his own work, as well as the work of other people at times, “They bring their work in wax or clay or whatever material.

“We will then take moulds of it and turn it to bronze for them.”

Another element of Seamus’ work is life sized commissions,

something which he looks upon as “a duty of care as people are entrusting you with hopes and dreams of a life size statue and it’s important not to get it wrong.” Adding that he feels, “a sense of responsibility towards the committees as it’s really important for them. It’s something I truly love and take really seriously.”

On a final note, Ailish alludes to the growth of a potential business relationship with The Crown, “We hope to continue it into the future. They were really impressed and really happy with what we had supplied them. They picked a lovely piece. We’ve had people contact us since The Crown, asking us can they buy the actual piece once we get it back. The answer is we won’t be, as they actually own it and it’s a real collector’s piece now. What’s really nice is that was sculpted over 20 years ago by Jim. It’s a beautiful piece.”

lHEAD OF STATE: The sculpture of James Joyce created

by Kilbaha artist Jim Connolly

New work details history of county town laneways CIAN O’BROIN

cianobroin@clareecho.ie

LARRY Brennan of The Clare Roots Society has produced a new book on the laneways of Ennis, detailing the lives of the poorest of people to come from the Clare capital.

Tackling 88 names of laneways, Larry hopes that the book will be a starting point for family’s looking to pinpoint and map out their family trees, believing that a wealth of genealogical history has been overlooked and forgotten about within the great connectors substantiating the spirit of the town.

Very little was known about the people of the Laneways, Larry explains, “When a shopkeeper died, it was written in the papers and everybody knew about it. With the people in the laneways, nothing was written about them unless they were involved in a court case or a row. There were no obituaries as they were not seen as people of substance. Very little is known or written about them, which made this a difficult project to take on.”

Larry’s book paints a very different picture of the town. At one time, Abbey Street car park was lined with a row of slaughterhouses. Here, the entrails of the animals would be disposed of over the back wall and into the River Fergus, producing a pungent odour that prevailed throughout the town.

An old brewery and a farrier could also be found in this part of town. The old Court House was positioned at O’ Connell’s Square, there was no bridge at Bank Place and the laneways found off Parnell Street would all be flooded frequently due to the small stature of the wall. This is where the poorest of the poor used to live, Larry informs.

“A lot of these people lived in oneroomed hovels. There were no toilets and no running water. The most important thing was a joey under the bed, where they could pee at night-time.

These were different times. The conditions were fairly tough in the hovels down there. The two most important places, with regards to the upmarket people were Bow-Lane and Lysaght’s Lane. We had a young boy of the Morrissey’s then, who in the troubles in

lLOCAL HISTORY: There are laneways dotted all over Ennis

1922, got caught in a crossfire in Lysaght’s Lane. He was playing marbles.

He was six years old. He got shot in the laneway. We are hoping that one of his family members will present themselves to us as we are hoping to organise a commemoration for him next year. He was just an innocent child.”

The book goes into detail about the names of laneways and of how townspeople accumulated nicknames which took on more complete forms, meaning that history and knowledge of the people from those laneways was lost.

Larry felt that this was one of the hardest projects he has put his hand to so far, admitting that in 2012, when his daughter Laura Brennan fell sick, he had to put everything aside. Dedicating the book in honour of her memory and her work as a HPV Advocate, Larry explains that it was Laura who pushed him to see the project out, “I would get a kick out of her, she was always pushing me to finish it.”

On a reason to pick up a copy of The Lanes and Bow-Ways of Ennis, Larry professes, “The whole purpose of it, is for those people who came from the Laneways, to realise that they did come from here and start their family history. My book is an introduction to encourage people to write further about the laneways. We have an exceptional amount of records to do with families that come from these Laneways that are not in this book. Hopefully, people will come together and use the values and histories of these laneways. If only we could realise where we came from.”

16 FEATURES

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RONAN SCULLY

Thought for the week

M

ANY people around the world and especially in America are just about to celebrate Thanksgiving and just today my beautiful daughter Mia was also feeling thankful to celebrate her 14th birthday.

So at this time of the year even though we are still in the throes of Covid-19 Lockdown I have been giving a lot of thought about personally needing to develop a deeper gratitude for those things which I am truly thankful for.

Great power comes into our lives when we choose to live with thankfulness and gratitude. Gratitude means thankfulness and giving thanks makes people happier and more resilient, it strengthens relationships, it improves health, and it reduces stress.

I am so thankful for all the wonderful people who allow me to share my life with them such as my family, my friends, my colleagues and people who help me with my charity work and many of whom have become friends. I am extremely thankful for the privilege of having all of you in my life.

Thanksgiving for Mia

So I want to dedicate this thought for the week to my daughter Mia whom myself and my wife Jacqui and our other beautiful daughter Sophie, love very much. We are so thankful for her, especially now as she celebrates her 14th birthday. You are one the most special gifts along with your sister we have ever been given and we will remember that always.

From the moment we knew you were on the way, we felt the love that is so overwhelming. We never knew a love so fierce as the love we felt for you the moment you were placed on our chests.

We heard there is nothing like a parent’s love, but we never understood what it meant until that moment. We know we are far from perfect, and can only hope to be half the parents that we were blessed and fortunate ourselves to have, but we can promise you one thing, we couldn’t love you more. We will always try our best but there are times when we will fail, times when we will let you down and we hope you can forgive us.

We will try to give you everything you need and some of the things you would like. We will put yours and your sisters' needs as much as we possibly can before ours always. Writing these honest words give us a sense of purpose

and joy that cannot be explained.

Birthday Advice

So here's some advice on your 14th birthday although how can it be possible that 14 years have passed since the first time we held you in our arms, a prayer came through. You have created a love inside of us so fierce, so unbreakable, so unending, and so unconditional. We are incredibly lucky to have been chosen to be your and your sisters parents. We really must have done something right in life to have been given such amazing children like you.

You are growing into an amazing young woman. You are beautiful, confident, smart, and well-liked by everyone. You shine in everything you do. Your younger sister always looks up to you. Please know how incredibly proud I am of you. I hope and pray all of your greatest dreams come true. I never want you to feel undeserving of anything, because you deserve the absolute best that life has to offer. I want you to keep that confidence you have now, and continue to try new things; to meet new people. You never know what door will open if you just put yourself out there.

You will make mistakes, but it’s okay because that’s how you learn lessons and become a better person. I’ve certainly made my share of them, and still make them today.

Remember always to love with all your heart and soul. Love is the greatest feeling anyone could ever have, give, receive or experience.

It is free to give or receive. Always remember it is important to love yourself too. Fall in love with every single piece of yourself. The great, the bad, the good, the beautiful and the ugly. The majority of your happiness will come from self love.

You'll never be happy in life if you don't accept and love yourself. So start this moment by loving yourself so you can spread that love and more to others, especially those most in need in our world.

We want you to remember that love is worth it when it’s real, but love is not the same thing as affection, gifts, or other romantic movie type stuff. Love is sacrifice and hard work.

Love is being more concerned about the wellbeing of others and your loved ones than you are for your own. Love also means sometimes having your heart broken, and that’s okay too. Broken hearts heal, and loving deeply and truly is worth it. We want you to fall in love, and fall hard, but also let yourself–your true self–be loved

deeply in return. Don’t hold back when you find your love. Love is always worth the risk and love is always kind, passionate and caring.

Thought for the week

As your thought for the week, always remember that you and your sister and all children are the greatest joy and miracles in our world.

When you both arrived into our lives we were so blessed, honoured and grateful beyond words. All our prayers were answered.

We always tell you that when you are happy, we are the happiest. When you cry, we cry harder.

Our beautiful daughter, when all else fails in your life, where things get rough and you don’t have any glimpse of hope, keep in mind that very moment when Mammy and Daddy are holding your hands and telling you that everything is going to be alright. Life is too short to be hanging around people who keep you down. Be as confident as you can be and speak up for yourself, for your sister and for what is right.

Remember this: What you have to say and offer this world matters.

You are an inquisitive, gentle, loving, caring, kind, generous and beautiful young woman. Don’t let the world rob you of that. When you see something wrong, do something about it. Stand up for what you believe in. Challenge the status quo. Don’t accept an inferior status for yourself or those around you.

Find time each day to see the beauty and love in the world around you. May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility. Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience. May you find enough inner strength to determine your own worth by yourself, and not be dependent on others judgments of your accomplishments. Our dreams for you is that you walk your journey in life with humility and a strong sense of right and wrong.You are our lives and all we live for. Remember these words.

You Are Enough. There will be many days when you feel like everything is going wrong, and that you cannot do it. Push those words out of your head. You are more than enough, and you can do anything. You will have to fight against the glass ceiling, the glass walls, and the glass slipper syndrome, but you are built to shatter ceilings. Don't let anyone ever put you down. Please don't ever get tired of being a good person with the gentle heart that you have.

Your potential is infinite and your light is bright. And as long as I am on this earth, I vow to fight the forces that would dim it.

Pursue your dreams with gusto and always know that even in your weakest moments, we are so proud, blessed and honoured to be your Mammy and Daddy who will always be your biggest fans.

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

Very generous gesture to Gort Cancer Support TADHG HOLLAND

C

news@clareecho.ie

REATIONS By Clodagh, a personalised Christmas ornament manufacturer last week made a donation of €340 to Gort cancer support.

Creations By Clodagh donated €1 to Gort Cancer support for every ornament ordered over the weekend of the 7th of November. Andrew O’Donnell from Creations by Clodagh told The Clare Echo “I just got so much support locally this year through Facebook and the Shop in Ireland page. So, I just got so much support there I just felt that I should give something back.

That’s really why I did it, just

a small little gesture”.

Creations by Clodagh is a Gort based company which makes personalised Christmas ornaments. The business is geared towards creating Christmas decorations which remember significant moments in people’s lives such an engagement, a first Christmas or a graduation.

Gort cancer support, a centre which provides support services to all those affected by a cancer diagnosis in Gort and the surrounding areas thanked the company on their Facebook page saying, “We are so grateful to Creations

by Clodagh, who very kindly made a donation to Gort Cancer Support for every order placed last weekend. Thanks to all those who placed orders & helped raise €340 for our support centre.”

lCHARITY: Andrew O'Donnell of Creations by Clodagh is

pictured with Gort Cancer Support Treasurer, Maura Costello

Mister West Clare ELEVEN gentlemen from the West Clare area have been nominated to take part in Mister West Clare which is being organised in order to raise funds for three worthy causes.

The contestants are Declan Meaney Cree, Martin Flynn Miltown Malbay, Justin Ryan Cooraclare, Martin Kelly Doonbeg, John O'Meara Lahinch, Patrick Mungovan Quilty, Kevin McNamee Kilmaley, Martin Quinn Cloonanaha, Martin Corry Coore, Barry Flynn Mullagh and Eoin Haugh Spanish Point.

One can vote on www. if undr aise. ie/ M ist er West Clare/5625/donate or by contacting the Misters them-

selves. Cost per vote is €5 and voting is open until next Monday.

When voting one must enter the 'Mister' you are voting for under the 'Message to Cause' section.

All proceeds raised are in aid of Sláinte an Chláir (40%) West Clare Cancer Centre (40%) and Rockmount NS (20%). Further details can be seen on the Mister West Clare facebook page. To date over €4000 has been raised and the Mister who raises the most funds will be crowned Mister West Clare.

All voters will be entered in a raffle with lots of prizes on offer.

FEATURES 17

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

GREEN CLARE

Dark Beacon - a harbinger of sea level rise CIAN O’BROIN

N

cianobroin@clareecho.ie

EWMARKET-ON-FERGUS man Kieran Donnellan recently won an Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI) Award for a project relating to raising climate awareness, called the Dark Beacon.

The purpose of the Dark Beacon is to raise awareness of sea-level rise.

Mr. Donnellan, now a Senior Software Engineer with a degree in Architecture, says that his idea stemmed from the societal impacts of sea-level rise and how, “decisions made by designers in the industry have a significant effect on the energy use, carbon emissions and environmental pollution of a project.�

Kieran graduated from Dublin School of Architecture during the recession and despite changing career paths, has always kept up designing and building pavilions as a hobby. On the idea behind the Dark Beacon, Kieran admits, “It’s possible that this interest was influenced in part by the fact that my family home is built close to the reclaimed land of an estuary. If climate scientists are correct, this type of land will likely be adversely affected by 2100.�

The name of the project is an intentional play on words. The Dark Beacon is located on top of a hill close to a lighthouse. The part of a lighthouse that contains the light is called a beacon. While the lighthouse warns boats of immediate danger, the Dark Beacon warns people of the future danger of significant sea-level rise. “It is dark both in appearance, due to the effect of the charred wood, and in its message,� Kieran states.

The project was built during an international design event called MEDS, which takes place in a different country each year.

This particular instalment took place on an island called Spetses, in Greece. The organisers of the event held a competition for designers to create projects of different types in response to their brief.

Kieran’s submission was a pavilion that addressed sea-level rise, a growing concern for the Greek islands. After winning a place in the line-up, he became the tutor of a workshop to build the design. The main workshop took place over a two-week period in the summer of that year. Kieran was assigned a team of volunteers from many different countries, and together they built the project.

The maritime culture of the Greek island Spetses is largely influential in the project.

The external form of the pavilion resembles a simplified straight-edged outline of a boat, vertically extruded. There are two pools of water located within the structure. One on the ground floor and another on the first.

These are connected by a ladder. The dis-

tance measured between these two pools equates to estimations of the projected sea level rise by the year 2100. The structure is made of charred wood, of which Kieran explains, “is a sustainable way to protect wood.� Charred wood is used for two reasons. Charring is a technique used in traditional boat building, and there is a connection between the burned appearance and the theme of global warming.

On winning the prestigious award, Kieran states, “It meant a lot to win the IDI Award.

This was my first time entering these particular awards and the standard of applicants and winners is normally very high. The awards have a large number of categories, which gives designers of all types the chance to compete. “The category that I won was for Built Structures. The ceremony took place remotely a couple of weeks ago, and I will receive a trophy at some point in early December.� The reach and influence of Kieran’s project has meant that a global audience has come to familiarise itself with the Dark Beacon. Having been detailed in several high-profile publications, the project is now being used as a case study for architects in some colleges.

In addition to the IDI Award, the Dark Beacon also won an award in the Architec-

ture category of the BigSee awards in Slovenia during the summer. On a final note, Kieran exclaims, “If any Clare Echo readers are interested in creating their own special projects and would like my help or advice, let them know that they can find me on social media or check out my website.�

More information on the Dark Beacon can be found at http://kierandonnellan. com/dark-beacon/

lDESIGN: (right) The Dark Beacon and (above) creator Kieran Donnellan

YOUR COUNTY. YOUR WASTE? Dumping waste is a crime.

Let’s all take responsibility. #StopIllegalDumping Report Illegal Dumping Call: 1800 606 706 Email: enviroff@clarecoco.ie

18 COMMUNITY

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

CRANNY

COUNTYWIDE

GORT

lCENTENARY: (inset) Irish

ICA

GORT RESOURCE CENTRE

THIS year Clare ICA decided to mark the International day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25th November) by having a display of butterflies made by members throughtout the county.

All guilds in Clare were asked to create a butterfly in any medium - knit, sew, crochet, paper fold, draw, or colour a butterfly as brightly coloured as possible.

ICA members carried out this work at home due to the restrictions. Caroline Quin, craft promoter, received 350 butterflies in total.

She has put together all the butterflies into one large buttetfly measuring 60ins square.

revolutionary Peadar Clancy was born in Cranny on November 9, 1888. (main image) Peadar Clancy’s grand-nephew, also called Peadar Clancy, still lives in the original homestead. He is pictured laying a wreath at his grand-uncle’s memorial in Cranny on the Centenary of Bloody Sunday. Fourteen people were killed at Croke Park on Sunday November 21, 1920.

Peadar Clancy was tortured and murdered by British guards while under detention in Dublin Castle on the same day.

The remembrance ceremony was organised by Pat Shannon, also a grand-nephew of Peadar Clancy

Photo by Michael Neylon

BLOODY SUNDAY

TWO Clare men have been remembered with a new display at Kilmainham Gaol Museum on the centenary of Bloody Sunday, writes Páraic McMahon.

Last Saturday marked the centenary of Bloody Sunday, 21 November, 1920. Early on that morning, IRA members killed 12 men believed to be British Army intelligence officers and two auxiliary policemen in locations throughout Dublin. British forces retaliated by firing into a crowd attending a match in Croke Park, killing 14 civilians.

A new display unveiled in Kilmainham Gaol Museum on Saturday focused on the killing of Cranny's Peadar Clancy and Conor Clune of Quin and Dick McKee from Finglas while

they were in British custody at Dublin Castle.

Dick McKee was the Commandant of the Dublin Brigade of the IRA, while Peadar Clancy was Vice-Commandant. Both men were arrested in a safe-house on Gloucester St. in the north inner city the night before Bloody Sunday. A third man, Conor Clune, was mistakenly identified as a member of the IRA during a raid on Vaughan's Hotel by British Auxiliaries. Among the items on display are a lock of hair cut from Peadar Clancy's corpse and a copy of Pearse's Irish-language writings owned by Clune while a ring made for May Gibney,in memory of her fiancé, Dick McKee also features. A sympathy note written by Michael Collins for Clancy and McKee is also included.

Mind your wellbeing We’re having quite a year, and we all need a little help to get us through.

Starting with a plan to do one small thing that will keep you well is a great way to look after your mental health and wellbeing.

The ‘Keep Well’ campaign is aimed at showing people of all ages how we can mind our own physical and mental health and wellbeing by adding healthy and helpful habits to our daily and weekly routines. It will provide guidelines, information and tips on activities and resources that will help us keep well through the coming months. The Keep Well campaign is focused on five main themes.

Keeping active Keeping active and being outdoors, even during the winter, is important to help physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Staying connected Staying connected with people, addressing isolation, supporting volunteerism and initiatives that support person-to-person connection are important to our wellbeing.

Switching off and being creative Switching off and being creative or learning something new, getting back to nature and finding ways to relax can help our general wellbeing.

2020 is proving to be a challenging year for us all. Do you think it would help to talk with someone? Gort Family Resource Centre offers a low-cost professional face-to-face or telephone counselling service (including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). You can expect to be seen by a respectful, open, and genuine person who will not judge you.

Confidentiality is an integral part of the counselling process and is assured to everyone.

Are you struggling with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, Covid related issues, fears, trauma, relationship problems, stress, grief, illness, bullying? To find out more or arrange an appointment, please phone our qualified resident counsellor Clare on 085 7706674, who will refer you to a counsellor.

The Gort Resource Centre also offers a range of other supports and services; Information, Advocacy, Advice, Internet Access, Photocopying, Laminating, Food Cloud Breast Feeding Support Group, Play Therapy, Homework and Afterschool Club, The

ENNIS CRS BOOK LAUNCH

lDISPLAY: Clare ICA created a butterfly

collage to mark the International day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

CLARE Roots Society are launching their fifth book on Drumcliff cemetery burials.

This publication on Drumcliff (excluding St. Bridget’s section) completes Clare Roots Society’s current works in the cemetery. The book contains maps of the burials, names of 960 burials along with details of 133 obituaries. These obituaries allowed friends and family members to give us an insight into the lives the deceased lived and to acknowledge and pay tribute publicly to the deceased. It will be in the shops on Friday 27th November

Find ideas on what you can do and what’s available in your local community at

clarecoco.ie/together the food we eat and how we feel and positively impact our physical and mental wellbeing.

Minding your mood It’s normal to be worried or to feel stressed during this difficult time, but there are many things we can do to help us mind our mental health and wellbeing and to keep ourselves well.

Community Response Helpline A helpline is available to respond to the needs of vulnerable members of our community. If you need practical supports, like your shopping delivered, or you just need someone to talk to you, the Clare Covid-19 Community Response Helpline is here for you.

Call Freephone 1800 203600 or email clarecommunityresponse@clarecoco.ie

Eating well By nourishing our bodies and minds, we can develop a better connection between

Follow Clare County Council on social media

OPINION 19

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

Opinion

Ennis 2040 plan must prioritise green spaces

STUART HOLLY Editor

A

NY person who spends much of their time in Ennis, like me will be aware there are no green spaces in the town centre. It lets our wonderful streets down, unequivocally.

Sitting on a bench in a car park staring at concrete grounds and public toilets - or indeed sitting in a parklet on O’Connell street where you are on public display - are not the most inviting scenarios, although well intentioned. All this promotes Ennis as a town where you park, purchase, and get out.

Works are underway on the Parnell Street lane ways and bow ways development and I look forward to the project’s completion. However the problem will continue to exist that there are no open spaces connected with nature and until this is addressed, our town fails to be a complete product.

Earlier this year I met a family member in town for coffee. The sun was shining and as takeaway coffee was our only option, we decided to find a spot to sit and chat. We looked at each other searchingly as it became clear that places to sit in one’s company, or indeed alone, are very limited. Finally, after deciding against the benches which unavoidably face that building in the Market, we settled for a steel, backless bench facing the impressive sunflower structure in Abbey Street Car Park, which paradoxically stands coldly in the shade.

The tone of this article is intended as passionate rather than prickly.

I don’t find fault in too many things and am a man of simple pleasures.

When I walk into town next summer with my young daughter to purchase an ice-cream, we will sit together on a roundabout outside Specsavers, surrounded by traffic, as we indulge ourselves and indeed make precious memories to last a lifetime. There is something very wrong with that.

The business community in Ennis are doing their part by creating the town’s famous “boutique shopping experience� - but where

are Pat and Mary going to sit when their bags are heavy from all that boutique shopping and they need a break?

The answer has been staring us in the face for a long time in the form of the Post Office field. As we focused on flood defences to protect our town over the years, the walls separating walkers from the banks of the Fergus have become higher and in parts, too high for many to see over at Abbey Street and Parnell Street car parks.

Many towns and cities across the world have developed boardwalks with beautiful and well serviced respite areas to showcase their rivers and nature. It seems odd that Ennis, a town with no open green spaces, has not done so.

Due to volatile water levels, a boardwalk may not be the answer but surely it would be fair to suggest proposing a feasibility study to investigate the public amenity opportunities that do exist along the riverbank. One idea that springs to my mind is a fixed viewing platform (equipped with benches and a waste disposal point) over the post office field which would be connected by a sturdy footbridge to points at Parnell Street Car Park and Bank Place. Alternatively a relocating of the taxi rank in favour of a raised, mini park which would overlook the river may work.

I’m encouraged that the soon-tobe released Ennis 2040 plan might tackle this long-standing issue.

We’re told that it’s ready for release and all that’s holding it back is an agreed launch date pending the availability of An Taoiseach. I think the sooner, the better as it may stand as a beacon of positivity for businesspeople of Clare who have endured a dour year.

Point No7 of the plan aims to make Ennis a “place to arrive and spend time where the urban area and scenic landscape meet�. With this in mind, I hope the above suggestion is duly noted by our councillors. It goes without saying, the idea would have the full support of Clare’s most-read newspaper.

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

YOUR LETTERS WHAT DID OUR FOREFATHERS DIE FOR? Dear Sir, What a disgrace we could not see the Clare v Waterford match at the weekend on terrestrial television. What did our forefathers die for on the centenary of Bloody Sunday in 1920, including the death of a brave Clareman Peadar Clancy butchered by British forces in Dublin castle? Only for our national sport Hurling to be hijacked to a private tv channel controlled by British media and a misguided Australian.

Yours Faithfully, Denis Vaughan.

Ennistymon, Co Clare CAR PARK FULL OF PARTNERS AT MATERNITY HOSPITAL Hi, I felt compelled to reply to a recent article by Cian O’Broin, which featured Ciara McGuane.

As an expectant mother, I absolutely agree that these restrictions are not conducive or consistent to meet the needs of expectant parents and the variability between hospitals due to the various approaches to implementing the restrictions at each hospital makes it all the more frustrating and upsetting.

However, this is where I have an issue.

The restrictions are horrific, but they are being actively implemented. Having attended my appointments in Limerick, alone of course, I have been greeted by a carpark full of partners, sitting in cars, taking up spaces for people that actually need them.

I have come across the incident (a number of times) that both the expectant mother will drive her car to an appointment and will be met by the expectant partner in a separate car. This results in one couple occupying two spaces.

My partner does not attend my appointments as we do not see the point in him twiddling his

thumbs in the carpark for hours and taking up a valuable space for someone who might actually need it (all while he is missing work!).

I am not saying any of this lightly. This is my second child and my first pregnancy and birth was very traumatic, leading to my baby being hospitalized for quite a while in the high dependency unit before being able to come home. It was a terrifying experience with such a sick baby and moments where it was very much touch and go! So, I fully understand the anxieties of expectant parents - it is no plain sailing when there are issues during pregnancy.

I myself had to forgo an appointment this morning at the clinic in Limerick Maternity due to the fact that I had nowhere to legally park my car and due to another difficult pregnancy and limited capacity to walk long distances I need to be near the building. But I was surrounded by cars with men sitting in them waiting for there partners to finish appointments. If you know you can’t attend, then drop off, wait for a call, and then pick up. I had to call the reception and reschedule for another day. I feel the responsibility lies with both the hospital as the HSE and hospitals are implementing the restrictions that are creating this problem so ultimately they should manage the problem, but I feel common sense on the part of the expectant parents should also come into play. I find it astounding that the pregnant woman has to sacrifice an appointment so partners can occupy spaces in a carpark for appointments they cannot attend.

Again, I don’t agree with the restrictions, but they are being enforced whether we agree with them or not.

This is another fallout of the Covid-19 impact, and one I feel is not addressed. But, definitely needs to be highlighted.

My Kindest Regards, Michelle Keane

Well done to all across Clare for staying home and staying safe We're in this together and I'm here to help in any way I can.

I'm doing appointments via Zoom, to arrange one please email cathal.crowe@oireachtas.ie or call 087 1368882

#SupportLocal 4 Francis Street, Ennis, Co. Clare V95 W9NP

20 COLUMNIST

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

Eoin Neylon With

An inside look at Clare’s political spectrum

With With

The Clare Echo’s farming columnist Joe Melody says we need to place Irish interests as a priority when food shopping

I

WANT to talk to you about nationalism. We are in the season of commemorating the centenary of Bloody Sunday, so the concept of nationalism has been on my mind.

Nationalism has become a dirty word in some quarters especially since The Troubles in the North where sometimes it wasn’t all patriotism and in the name of a free Ireland.

However the nationalism that I’m speaking of is the loyalty to Irish food and the sourcing of in season food. There have been two major events that come to mind in recent times where there has been a panic over food supply. During the “Beast from the East� that struck in the form of a storm with heavy snowfall and at the start of the first COVID-19 lockdown.

Bread and milk shortages were pervasive during both events. How have we gotten to a place where this can happen in the era of instant gratification? You want to talk to your friends? Send them a message on WhatsApp. You want to be told how good you look? Post a photo on Instagram. You want to find a love interest? Swipe on tinder.

This is may well be convenient, but there are unintended consequences when it comes to something that is life giving such as our food.

If I were to tell you that should the central distribution model of importing food and delivering it to large supermarkets throughout Ireland were to be interrupted, it would take less than three days for those supermarkets to run out of supplies, should that come as surprise to you? I think not, in the day of just in time deliveries. Add to this our changing food tastes. An example of this is how the not so humble potato which we still produce in large quantities within

this island has been to a degree displaced by rice, a product which has to be imported. Is this a safe strategy for our nations food security? I think not. This is where Irish food nationalism comes into play.

Like any idea there’s a balance, we can’t be nationalist in our food choices to the total exclusivity of other nations produce as after all we are in a federation of States and we need trade as we produce enough food to feed almost 40 million people.

What I’m calling for is the kind of nationalism that looks to Ireland’s interest first.

We have seen examples in recent times of our national media especially RTÉ who have not acted in Irish interest and lead the charge to push out Phil Hogan from his position as trade commissioner during these tumultuous times.

RTÉ are no longer an unbiased State broadcaster, much of their programming is anti-farming or makes a caricature of rural Ireland, this was evident in the program ‘what planet are you on’. This program was littered with negative falsehoods about Irish farming, the industry where much of the tax that pays their wages comes from.

On the home front we have dried off more batches of cows which we have moved to grass on the outside farm. We have dosed the weanlings for worms with an oral dose.

Our theory on this is, it is only killing the worms that are in the animals system therefore not providing a long window of protection. This is important because we don’t want to have a young animal who builds up resistance as an adult to the likes of the pour on ivermectin. Heifer prices continue to creep up in the marts so we hope to get the last of our Charolais stores sold this week.

ď ŹDON’T CALL ME CHAROLAIS: Joe Melody hopes to get the last of his Charolais stores sold this week

Repeal the 27th

T

HROUGHOUT the past few weeks, a lot of people have had the monotony and stress of the pandemic broken up by the joys of sport.

Despite the loss by Clare at the weekend, there is still a lot of sport for us to be distracted by over the next couple of weeks before restrictions are lifted. There’s the GAA championships, soccer from around the world, Provincial rugby and, of course the national rugby team in the new Autumn Nations Cup. It is said that Ireland is an especially sports mad country.

You’d have to say that is true when, despite our small size, you see Irish athletes rise to the top of their field in a plethora of sports. Arguably more so than any other nation of our size. However, it is with sport that we also see one of the great dichotomies of Irish society exposed.

Ireland’s tourism campaign has long been based on this being the land of a thousand welcomes. But that welcome only applies if you promise to spend money and then swiftly go home to wherever you came from. There has been recent, serious discussion about racism, both casual and outright around the world.

But institutional racism rarely gets the attention it deserves, especially in this country.

The 27th amendment to Bunreacht na hÉireann in 2004 was one of those times that underline, casual, institutional racism, masquerading, as it often does, as a genuine concern, washed over Ireland.

Then Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell of the Progressive Democrats, brought forward the amendment, backed by his Fianna FĂĄil coalition partners and Fine Gael, the then main opposition party.

The reason given was that passing the amendment would bring Ireland into line with the rest of the EU in not allowing citizenship by birth.

In truth, the campaign centred around baseless fear-mongering of pregnant immigrants arriving at Irish ports waiting to give birth, attain Irish citizenship and with it generous welfare payments. It’s the type of argument that Irish people rightly mocked Brexiteers for in recent times, showing up the hypocrisy of many people on these shores.

That vote, coinciding

with the local and European elections, represented my first ever vote. Having turned 18 only a fortnight before polling day, I would have been one of the youngest electors in that referendum.

And to my shame, I voted for it. A Europhile and unashamed supporter of the European project, I felt it our duty to bring the country into line with the rest of the EU and secure EU citizenship as a result. How wrong I was. I remain a supporter of the European project but also remain a committed Irish Republican, and with that, our right to self-determination. We owe other countries nothing with regard to how we confer Irishness on our people.

The land of 1,000 welcomes though, voted 80 per cent in favour of blocking citizenship to people born here. What has transpired in the 16 years since has been travesty after travesty unfolding in school, colleges and communities in all corners of the country. Students cannot move onto third level as, being denied citizenship in the country in which they’ve lived their entire life, they will not qualify for free fees like their classmates.

College is beyond their economic reach as a result.

We’ve seen many cases of kids who have lived here from their birth being plucked from school to be sent, along with their parents, to a country they’ve never known.

It’s very easy to scaremonger about the nefarious wave of immigrants coming to our

shores to freeload on our hard work. We know how easy this narrative is to create because, throughout the 19th century and well into the 20th century, we, the Irish, were among the chief recipients of said treatment.

The policy has been a disaster, socially, for many communities and has been proven in the decade and a half since, to not have put any dent in the small number of babies born here to non national parents.

There has been no measurable economic effect. Yet, should any of these kids prove to be good sportspeople, watch as we rush to get them citizenship so that they can wear the green jersey.

Watch as the 80 per cent of people who voted that these kids should not be Irish cheer them on as they sprint, kick, jump, tackle and shoot, all for the sporting glory of this country. We already do this today as we happily, and rightly, cheer on New Irish athletes like Sanita Puspure, CJ Stander and Michael Obafemi.

We see it more and more in the GAA too. New Irish talent like Chibby Okoye have already worn the saffron and blue with pride and distinction.

There’ll be many more.

Irishness isn’t necessarily a matter of birth. It’s a state of being. And what’s more Irish than to cherish all the children of the nation equally, regardless of where their parents came from. It’s time to do the Irish thing and repeal the 27th amendment.

ď ŹIRISHNESS: World rowing champion Sanita Puspure

COLUMNIST 21

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

HANDY SAUSAGE CASSEROLE Kearney Cooks

W

E ARE blessed in this country with great meat produce, and one meat that tends to be overlooked is pork. Indeed, Irish pork sausages are amongst the best in the world (if you have ever had a fry abroad you know what I’m talking about).

So this week I thought I would take a break from sweet thangs and whip up a handy sausage casserole.

your veggies Step 4 Horse the Cannellini beans and chicken stock into the pot and simmer for a minute and then add in your can of chopped tomatoes. (rinse off your beans before you add them) boil for ten minutes until your sauce has thickened.

Step 5 Cover your casserole and put it into the oven for a half hour at 160 Celsius. ( your casserole is actually

already cooked but this will just help to intensify the flavours) I like to serve this over baby boiled potatoes, but honestly this dish goes very well with pasta or rice too.

This will comfortably feed four adults, and an added bonus is this dish can be cheap as chips to make.

Enjoy

Steve K

For this recipe you will need • A dozen butcher sausages • One red onion • Three garlic cloves • A couple of yellow or red peppers • Some fresh thyme • A squirt of tomato puree, • A few drops of Worcestershire sauce • A tsp of turmeric • A tsp of smoked paprika • 1 Can of cannellini beans • 1 Can of chopped tomatoes • A half pint of chicken stock Step 1 In a casserole dish or pan brown off your sausages Step 2 Add in your chopped onion, garlic, peppers, thyme and tomato puree to the pan and gently soften Step 3 Lob in your turmeric and smoked paprika and stir it through

R

ebecca O’Neill

I

FOR VIDEO DEMO, SCAN THE QR CODE WITH YOUR PHONE

Top five Irish influencers Miss Clare Rebecca O'Neill hails the role of positive influencers on Instagram and selects her top five favourite Irish influencers

NFLUENCING on social media has gotten extremely popular nowadays.

Influencing the public to stay positive, how to get the latest and greatest products and much more. I love following positive influencers that have a genuine love for what they do. Being so successful, unique and having a big impact on people in a positive way.

A lot of people gravitate towards genuine influencers who act more like themselves. I want to recommend and talk about my top five favourite Irish influencers that you could start following, mainly based on Instagram. These women not only inspire me every day but also motivate others.

1 Rosie Connolly Quinn: Rosie inspires people of all ages. Being so elegant and fashionable, she has a very close relationship with her followers. My respect grew for this women when she spoke out about Breast Cancer and brought a tremendous amount of aware-

ness to her followers. Also being a mother of two, a large amount of women can relate to her in terms of motherhood. Rosie showcases fashion and style on her aesthetically pleasing Instagram grid, which is packed with IGTV’s, including makeup and hair tutorials and even fashion hauls. Instagram name : @rosieconxxx 2 Terrie McEvoy Fitzpatrick: The comedy, light hearted jokes and positivity Terrie brings to her Instagram is like no other. From

FAB: Irish influencer Rosie Connolly Quinn

being the creator of “Bahama Body Tan” to recently launching her new makeup collection with one of Ireland’s most successful brands, Sosu by Suzanne Jackson, this woman has created a successful empire. Terrie brings classy and elegant fashion to a whole new level and truly inspires a lot of women’s wardrobes. Instagram name: @terriemcevoy 3 Sophie Murray: Sophie truly is a fashion queen. Her Instagram grid really speaks for itself in terms of high fashion and uniqueness. Sophie’s following catapulted throughout the first Covid lockdown and has truly worked out in her favour. From doing her “Agony Aunt” sessions every Sunday night on her Instagram stories, to inspiring followers on the latest fashion staples. She recently created her own YouTube which shows off her hilarious personality involving Q&A videos and fashion hauls.

Instagram name: @sophie_murraayy 4 Chloe Walsh: This Limerick

woman has been so successful in her influencing journey. From getting signed to the renowned Andrea Roche Agency in Dublin, to becoming a brand ambassador for Dripping Gold Tan, Chloe has certainly shown how passionate she is about her Instagram, and the work shows. She promotes the best products and shows off some beautiful fashion. Chloe also shares some tips in her IGTV’s on hair, makeup and loads of fashion hauls. Instagram: @chloewalshxo 5 Sinead O Brien: Sinead’s Instagram involves so much positive and wholesome content. From fundraising for Limerick Suicide Watch, to getting involved in local events. She even promotes some amazing clothing from Irish stores such as Carraig Donn, Pamela Scott and Virgo Boutique. Sinead shows her positive personality and inspiring work ethic on her very successful platform, while also informing you on the best beauty products to purchase. Instagram name: @sineadscurvystyle

22 CLICK FOR CLARE

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

Airmid aim to wash away woes of 2020

SCAN WITH PHONE CAMERA TO VISIT AIRMIDSOAP.COM

TADHG HOLLAND

news@clareecho.ie

A

Tina Robinson and Kevin Lynch of Airmid Photo by Atlantic Geoparks Project

IRMID Soap, a handmade soap company based in Kilfenora, was founded

by Kevin Lynch and Tina Robinson in 2012 when their son was born with eczema and they struggled to find a gentle and effective soap for him which was kind to the environment. This led to Kevin, a natural horticulturalist, making his own pure Camomile soap to help his son’s condition.

Since then they have greatly expanded their range. They now sell over 40 products including body oils, perfume oils, lip balms, beeswax lotion bars, shampoo bars and shaving and grooming products all with a focus on natural and organic ingredients.

“Our unique selling point is the quality ingredients,” said Kevin.

“We grow all the flowers and herbs ourselves, we collect the beeswax from all the beekeepers locally, everything is as Irish as possible.

We are genuine manufacturers we don’t buy anything in which sets us aside from the rest.”

Despite their success, Airmid was hit hard by Covid-19. When lockdown came Airmid lost all the shops and hotels which stocked their products. Yet Kevin and Tina have remained resolute. “We’ve re-invented ourselves and we just got leader funding to put up a new factory pre-Covid so that’s finished and we’re back in higher production then we have ever been.”

Kevin admits the Local Enterprise Office trading online voucher was “a huge help” with their website and online sales have been a major player in Airmid’s recovery - Kevin estimates sales from their website have risen by about 80 per cent this year.

Kevin thanked local suppliers and the LEO Clare for help them overcome the various struggles the pandemic has posed, and he has belief that Airmid will now be able to wash away the difficulties of this year and keep selling their natural handmade products long into the future.

Mods & Minis eager to welcome back customers CIAN O’BROIN

M

cian@clareecho.ie

ODS & Minis has been trading in the town of Ennis since 2011. The colourful children’s store is a one stop shop for kids’ clothes up to the age of 12, stocking a range of popular, fashionable and functional clothing at a very reasonable price.

Founding member and Managing Director Deirdre McCloskey speaks to The Clare Echo about the contents of a very warm and welcoming safe haven clothing store she has created for moms, the challenges posed

by Covid-19 as well as her delight in welcoming the Clare community back into the store once more following the lifting of Level 5 restrictions.

“Our brand is all about giving a quality item at a reasonable price,” tells Deirdre.

“Seasonal clothing is always popular here with party dresses, loads of occasional wear for gifting, very pretty long-sleeved tops and dresses. We have noticed an increase in popularity of our basic type clothing like sweatpants, tracksuits and our Davina leggings for girls, which are a mix between leggings and sweatpants. This gives you the flexibility of a legging and the durability and comfort of a sweatpants. Winter jackets are also very popular and of great quality and value.”

Children’s clothing, unlike many other types of businesses, has peaks and hollows, Deirdre explains. “For instance, our real peaks are Easter, Communion, Halloween and Christmas. We have been closed for all of those,” she concedes.

READY TO REOPEN: Mods & Minis on O’Connell Street, Ennis

The tribulations of a tumultuous year of trading has allowed the business to touch up their website and trading online. Thanks to the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) and Enterprise Ireland, Mods & Mini’s has a brand-new website up and running, having been

launched on November 18.

“While we don’t have our full compliment of products on it, we have a good representation of what is in the shops. Any of our customers will know that we have a huge selection of items in our shops,” Deirdre details.

Throughout restrictions,

Mods & Minis has been operating a click and collect service form their store, including personalised Christmas gifts that come wrapped.

With an eye on next week, Deidre admits, “We have all of our amazing team in the shop this week, preparing

SCAN WITH PHONE CAMERA TO SHOP AT MODS & MINIS

for reopening, with huge deliveries coming in for Christmas. We have personal shopper assistants, so if somebody is concerned about coming in, they can phone Mary, our manager, and get them to recommend an outfit. The recommendation will always be based on what the customers’ needs are.”

On a final note, Deirdre concludes with, “We cannot wait to reopen our doors once again. We are getting phone calls all the time, asking us when are we going to be open. We have plenty of stock in store and people won’t be disappointed.

There are girls in the shop every day between 10am and 3pm this Thursday and up until 4pm on Friday and Saturday.”

Anyone looking to get in touch with Mods & Minis ahead of reopening can phone the Ennis shop at 065-684 8612.

CLICK FOR CLARE 23

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

FIVE TIPS TO HELP CUSTOMERS FIND YOUR WEBSITE

THE Clare Echo has teamed up with Local Enterprise Office Clare to bring readers our Click For Clare series, which promotes shopping locally online and supports businesses which are trading online.

This week Cian O’Broin speaks to Sandra Hennessey about increasing your business’s search engine optimization (SEO). The owner of the Be Dynamic marketing agency, Sandra first became acquainted with SEO in 2002.

This involves optimizing your website to become top of the search engine, with Google as the main focus. Billions of searches are taking place all the time, Sandra tells, asserting that, “It’s important to be able to compete in the marketplace by optimizing your website for products and services, giving yourself that chance to be found.”

Sandra gives her top five tips to The Clare Echo, with the aim of assisting you in bolstering your visibility as a business through SEO. 1 Focus on your user’s experience: Google focuses on the user’s experience and businesses must focus on this key point. Within this, businesses must look at the conversion optimization of their website. This ensures that their website is designed for optimum conversion. On this, Sandra admonishes that, “there is no point in sending people to a website that is not converting. This means that people are going in and purchasing their product or querying their service.”

2 Make the most of your product: In SEO, the product name typically defaults to other key elements on the page, for example, the URL, the main heading, the meta-title coming up in the search result. “This is a really key element on the page. Instead of just saying it’s ‘a black boot with a high heel’, be descriptive and think about the brand.

‘Sandra’s block heel boot large buckle black.’ It involves every product trying to stand out as an individual.” This helps differentiate the individual products.

3 Make it your own: “A lot of shops sell the same product and you want your product to stand out,” she asserts.

Take the manufacturers description and make it your own. Think about the type of fitting, size or material of the product.

Thinking about what you can tell the customer as if they were standing beside you is essential, Sandra informs, “Make it unique to the business.” When it comes to SEO, everything you do has an impact. When people click into your website and come out again quickly, that is a negative signal to the search engine. This tells Google that those key words don’t match that listing, reaffirming that “What you do on the website is as important as what you do for Google.”

4 Analyse website speed: “We want to specify to the web developer how fast we want our website to perform,” Sandra says. From a mobile perspective, Google looks for 2.5 seconds or under as a load time. This comes from Google’s ‘Test my Site’ speed testing tool.

A large number of customers online are going to be using a mobile device.

Another tool Sandra encourages business owners to use is ‘Page Speed Insights’, which is another Google tool that reports where businesses are falling down from a speed perspective.

One way of boosting a website’s speed is ensuring that server compression is enabled. This is a conversation with the hosting provider, Sandra tells. The second, is to ensure that images are not too heavy for the website as image configuration slows down sites. ‘Screaming Frog’ is a free tool that can tell the weight of images on your website. Resizing and compressing your image is the solution here.

5 Category level: “Most people don’t optimize the category level. Typically, what we focus on is the product. It’s important to make sure that the category name includes key words where possible. If you have a shop website and you’re selling a history book, it’s not just ‘book’ or ‘history book’. If its particular to the 1800s, then that’s what the category is called. Ideally, there would be a small block of text on the category page, introducing the category but also allowing you to get key words onto the page.”

As a bonus tip, Sandra would like to add that anyone with an E-commerce website needs to implement Schema Markup. This is an extra piece of code, called JSON-LD. This allows businesses to enhance their Google listing. Your listing here will include other key pieces of information, for example, whether it’s in stock or out, price and reviews. This should help enhance the click through rate from the Google search results.

“Anyone that runs events or sells products, needs this,” Sandra concludes with.

A number of training courses can be found on the LEO Clare website, where you can further enhance your business through Search Engine Optimization. Visit https://www. localenterprise.ie/Clare/ Training-Events/ for more.

SCAN WITH PHONE CAMERA TO SHOP IN COUNTY CLARE EAST CLARE Bia Folláin Healthstore www.biafollain.ie Bridge House Studios bridgehousestudios.ie East Clare Yoga www.eastclareyoga.com Glendara Art www.glendaraar.com Happy Out Forest School happyoutforestschool.ie Inward Bound Mindfulness inwardboundmindfulness.ie Palm Free Irish Soap palmfreeirishsoap.ie Planet Tri www.planettri.ie The Greene Room www.greeneroom.ie Wilde Irish Chocolate wildeirishchocolates. com ENNIS & SURROUNDS BEO Wellness www.beowellness.ie Berka Solutions www.berksolutions.com Blackbird Jewellery www.blackbirdennis.ie Brass Boutique www.brassboutique.ie Bridget Haren Hair www.bridgetharen.com Buckets.ie www.buckets.ie Carestore www.carestore.ie Carmel T Madigan Art carmeltmadigan.com Carries Bakery www.carriesbakery.ie Candles With Character candleswithcharacter.ie Club Dangan & CD2 clubdanganmenswear. com Cornucopia www.cornucopia.fashion County Boutique www.countyboutique.ie Ela Maria Boutique www.elamaria.ie Ennis Art School ennisartschool.com Ennis Blinds www.acmeblinds.com Ennis Electrical www.enniselectrical.ie Ennis Gourmet Store gourmet-hampers.ie Ennis Home Furniture ennishomefurniture.com Fitness4Fun www.fitness4fun.ie Fun Kidz Klub www.funkidzklub.ie GA Sports www.gasports.ie Gift Works giftworksstore.com Jackson’s Pig & Poultry www.jacksonspp.com K2 Hair www.k2hair.ie Kilkenny Shop www.kilkennyshop.com La Jolie Femme www.lajoliefemme.ie Laserderm Clinic www.laserderm.ie

Max Business www.maxservices.ie Meya Boutique meyaboutique.com Mods & Minis www.modsandminis.ie NAIIAD Designer Jewellery www.naiiad.com Neighbourfood www.neighbourfood.ie Nozomi Shoe Boutique www.nozomishoes.ie Quin Art Shop https://quinartshop.com/ Old Ground Hotel oldgroundhotelennis. com Ollie’s Tours www.olliestours.com Pamela Scott www.pamelascott.com Patrick Bourke Menswear patrickbourkemenswear.ie Physio Recovery Room physiorecoveryroom. connect.tm3app.com Rena Casey Lewis art renacaseylewis.net/ Rochfords Pharmacy rochfordspharmacy.ie Risk Assess It www.riskassessit.com Salon Glow www.glow.ie Siar Photography www.siarphotography.ie Smelly Bees www.smellybees.com Strike Sport www.strikesport.org Sweet N Green www.sweetngreen.ie The Candle Emporium www.candleemporium.ie The Record Break therecordbreak.com The Woollen Market thewollenmarket.com The Wine Buff www.thewinebuff.com Tomas O Maoldomhnaigh www.tomasartist.ie/ Vigour www.vigour.ie Water Online www.wateronline.ie Western Herd www.westernherd.com Wix & Wax wixandwaxireland.com Wonder Photo Shop www.fujiennis.ie Wowwee.ie www.wowwee.ie YOU Therapies www.youtherapies.ie

NORTH CLARE Airmid Natural Handmade Skincare www.airmidsoap.com Anam Coffee www.anamcoffee.ie Banner Books http://bannerbooks.ie Burren Smokehouse www.burrensmokehouse.com Celtic T-Shirts www.celtictshirts.ie

Climb It www.climbit.ie Doolin2Aran www.doolin2aranferries.com Doreen Drennan Art doreendrennan.com Doolin Ferry company https://doolinferry.com/ Eko Tree Cashmere ekotreeknitwear.store Folded Leaf www.foldedleaf.ie Glas Grazing www.glasgrazing.ie Healing Hearths healinghearths.com Hitching For Hope hitchingforhope.com Irish Crafts Online irishcraftsonline.com Irish Hand Weaves http://www.irishhandweaves.ie/ Irish T-Shirts www.irishtshirts.ie Kenny Woollen Mills kennywoollenmills.com Lahinch Art Gallery lahinchartgallery.com Lahinch Surf Shop lahinchsurfshop.com Moher Cottege www.mohercottage.com Morrisson Gallery phillipmorrison.com Nature’s Pocket www.naturespocket.ie Rowena Sheen Jewellery www.rowenasheen.com Ruth Vaughan Photography ruthvaughanphotography.com Secret Fashion Fixes secretfashionfixes.ie St Tola Goat Farm www.st-tola.ie Susan Quirke Meditation www.susanquirke.com The Design Lodge www.designlodge.ie The Russell Gallery www.russellgallery.net The Salmon Bookshop www.salmonpoetry.com Tunes From Doolin tunesfromdoolin.com West Clare Flowers westclareflowers.ie SHANNON AREA Ann McBride Design www.annmcbridedesign.com/ Avokado and co avokadoandco.com Back Baller www.backballer.com Carrygerry Country House carrygerryhouse.com Creative Clay creativeclayireland.com Genisis Beauty www.genisisbeauty.net Gleeson Goldsmiths gleesongoldsmiths.ie KMF Eco www.kmf.ie Lavender Beauty www.lavenderbeauty.ie Shannon Springs shannonspringshotel.com

The Inn At Dromoland theinnatdromoland.ie Torpey Hurleys www.torpeyhurleys.com SOUTH EAST CLARE Galanta Jewellery www.galanta.com Hungry Soul hungrysoulplantpower. com I-Spy Clothing www.i-spy.ie JC Safety www.jc-safety.ie ONS Site Support www.onsitesupport.ie WEST CLARE Anchor Crafts anchorcraftskilrush.ie Armada Hotel www.armadahotel.com Carsten Krieger Photography irelandsnaturestories. com Cocolemon Hair www.cocolemon.ie Cottage Garden Centre cottagegardencentre.ie Daisy Days www.daisydays.ie Irish ICE Cards www.irishicecard.ie JJ Corry Irish Whiskey www.jjcorry.com John O’Dwyer Concrete johnodwyerquilty.ie Kilbaha Gallery www.kilbahagallery.com Loophead Alpacas loopheadalpacas.ie Malone’s Pharmacy malonespharmacy.ie Nevsail Watersports nevsailwatersports.ie Nia Natural Beauty nianaturalbeauty.com Riverside Hair & Beauty www.rsbeautyshop.ie Sallyann’s Handmade Bags sallyannsbags.com Sew Irish www.sew-irish.ie Smaointe www.smaointe.com SMT Consultants www.smt.ie The Family Store www.thefamilystore.ie The Pantry Cafe www.pantrykilkee.ie The Perfect Touch Beauty Salon www.theperfecttouch.ie Wild Atlantic Living wildatlanticliving.com Wild Irish Seaweed wildirishseaweeds.com

24 BUSINESS

BUSINESS AND RECRUITMENT

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

CONTACT US WE’RE ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM #CE

Businesses urged to avail of Brexit Business Loan PÁRAIC MCMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

C

LARE’S small businesses have been encouraged to apply for a new loan to allow them prepare for Brexit.

From €5,000 to €25,000 in funding will be provided under the new Microfinance Ireland (MFI) Brexit Business Loan. Eligible enterprises are those whose turnover already is or is likely to fall 15% or more or if the business has a short term cashflow need as a result of Brexit. Loans are available for between six months and three years.

Any business, including a Sole Trader, Partnership or Limited Company, with less than 10 employees and annual turnover of up to €2 million can apply, where they are unable to secure finance from a Bank or commercial lending provider. Senator Martin Conway (FG) has encouraged Clare businesses to apply for the scheme. “There are less than 50 days until the end of the transition period on December 31.

“It is urgent that all businesses large and small in Clare now revisit their readiness plans. From 1 January, the UK will no longer apply the rules of the EU’s Single Market and Customs Union. This means that any business that moves goods from, to or through Great Britain will be subject to a range of customs formalities, SPS checks and other regulatory requirements that do not apply to such trade today,” Conway stated.

“I know that Brexit will be challenging for businesses and they want to be prepared, so I welcome the opening of this new scheme by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar T.D. “The new Microfinance Ireland (MFI) Brexit Business Loan, will provide up to €25,000 to businesses whose turnover already is or is likely to fall 15% or more or if the business has a short term cashflow need as a result of Brexit. Loans are available for between six months and three years.

Applications can be made via Clare Local Enterprise Office or directly to Microfinance Ireland (MFI).

BUSINESS 25

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

Recruitment

Sponsored by

Finding you the right candidate, Hassle Free Jobs in Clare

065 68 28100 info@key2recruitment.ie

First of a kind co-working spaces launch STUART HOLLY editor@clareecho.ie

H l NEW WAY OF

WORKING: Leah Morgan, Happen operations manager says the goal is to facilitate work-life balance

APPEN, a network of co-working spaces in the Midwest region has been launched. The network, facilitated by Innovate Limerick and the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) in Clare, Limerick, and Tipperary, comprises both public and private co-working spaces across these three counties as well as in North Kerry.

Happen will connect new and existing hubs in the Midwest to facilitate working in a changed environment and create a community for remote workers in the Midwest.

The creation of the network was prompted by the impact that COVID-19 has had on how and where people work and the demand for a more collaborative form of remote working. It will create a community for isolated workers in the region. Happen also aims to reduce commuting time in the Midwest by facilitating remote working for those whose main office is based in other urban areas, for example Dublin.

The overall aim of Happen is to create a better work-life balance for workers throughout the Midwest and enable them to do so under a common umbrella. Being part of a Happen co-working space gives users and tenants access to an online community portal, exclusive workshops and events being organised by Happen and the ability to share business news via the network’s newsletter and website www.happenspace.ie .

As Padraic McElwee, Head of Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Clare explains: “Recent months have highlighted the need for flexible working environments which meet the needs of small businesses and remote workers.

«While some may opt to work at home, a significant number require quality, yet flexible, office space with high speed connectivity and modern facilities. Happen Midwest Co-Working Spaces provides the solution throughout the Mid-West Region but it also does more than that. Happen Midwest Co-Working Spaces provides the opportunity to participate in a social and

collaborative environment which fosters innovation and enhances job satisfaction.”

Leah Morgan, Happen operations manager with Innovate Limerick outlines the rationale for the new brand: “How and where we work is changing and Happen’s goal is to facilitate this change. Our members realise that there is more to life than a long commute and living somewhere they don’t enjoy.

“Happen strives to help people create a better work-life balance, by providing high-quality co-working facilities in the Midwest. We are challenging traditional urban-rural divides and offering flexible work locations in cities, towns and villages.

“Happen’s brand identity celebrates innovation and collaboration while being supportive and accessible. As well as supporting member’s, Happen strives to create a supportive network for the owners and managers of co-working spaces. We will continuously be focusing on upskilling and training managers to ensure best practise and high standards are followed across all of our co-working spaces in the Midwest.”

Each hub within the Happen network will provide modern co-work spaces for freelancers, start-ups and remote workers alike and enable tenants and users of each individual space to connect and collaborate with each other through their membership of the network, be that through the use of a hot desk, a fixed desk or a private office within the specific hub. Working from a Happen space is simple; all that is required to avail of a desk or office is to book via a centralised online booking system.

Co-working spaces within the Happen network include Engine Limerick, the Yard Workspace, Newcastle West, and HQ Tralee and Listowel with new hubs being added in counties Clare and Tipperary in the coming months.

To find out more about Happen or to book a co-working space, simply log onto www.happenspace.ie. Happen can also be found on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @happenmidwest

26 BUSINESS

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

Local collaboration, that makes scents...

TWO businesses have come together to launch a new product, just in time for Christmas. Wix and Wax has created an exclusive wax melt scent for the well-known salon, Bridget Haren Hair and Beauty.

Bridget Haren has been running her hair salon in Ennis since 2009 and has built a loyal clientele by staying ahead of trend. During lockdown, she has worked to grow her online shop of professional hair care products, develop an online consultation process for vulnerable clients and is getting ready to launch her own merchandise line.

Bridget explains, “I’m always looking for the next new and unique thing to offer my customers. The products and service that Wix and Wax provide is top quality and I wanted to collaborate with a local

business that valued the customer experience as much as we do.”

Longtime friends Danielle Kenneally and Chantell Keane made the most of their time during lockdown by launching their own business selling highly fragranced wax melts and candles. Everything they source is cruelty-free, and packaging is recyclable in so far as possible.

“We decided after a long search for amazing wax melts that we would give up and just make our own. The response we have got since launch is unbelievable and we were so excited to work with the Bridget Haren Team,” comments Chantelle.

The scent of the salon is a blend of Patchouli and Plum Rose fragrances with a unique twist and can be purchased on l JOINING FORCES: Bridget Haren and Wix & Wax duo Danielle Kenneally and Chantell Keane www.bridgetharen.com.

Pandemic shifts focus to dual supply chains

A

REQUEST from a key customer at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to undertake a five-fold ramp up in the production of its ventilator hardware, led Shannon-based Bolgers to assess and overcome the potential challenges it faced in its component supply chain.

A significant scale-up of this level could have posed challenges for continuity of supply from its global suppliers, however Bolgers rose to the challenge by building a capacity plan to support this increase in production.

This resulted in the recruitment, induction, and training of 30 new operatives, and increasing working capital to buy forward key input requirements to guarantee a resilient, steady, and reliable throughput of materials and product output.

Addressing a Shannon Chamber CEO grouping recently, Bolger’s director Ian Bolger said that while pandemics can be hugely disruptive, they can also create opportunities. “It forced us to review our supply chain and to initiate a dual supply chain, local and global. This has proven extremely beneficial. The gap between sourcing from low-cost countries and Ireland has diminished and by having a dual system, we have brought predictability into our supply systems and not only have we increased our local and domestic sub-supply spend but we have also increased our growth and profitability.”

Bolger is keen to see more companies adopt this type of dual sub-supply system within their businesses. Given the initial supply concerns at the outset of the pandemic, it is important for companies, who themselves are sub-suppliers, to have a predictable supply chain.

This sentiment was also echoed by Modular Automation’s chief financial officer, Don Foynes. As a leader in the delivery of technologically advanced turnkey automation solutions, and with 500 suppliers in countries as diverse as Malaysia, Germany, Switzerland and the USA, Modular has to continually assess the risks inherent from its suppliers with regard to supply of raw materials, logistics and transport. As a supplier itself, Modular is also conscious that its customers also assess the company’s resilience as a supplier.

“When you consider that some of our products can have as many as 3,500 unique components and our products are customised, we cannot stock up on components. We need certainty of supply and quality from our suppliers and that’s why we have dual supply within many jurisdictions.

“We are currently looking at six new vendors and in doing so, we assess each supplier on their ability to do the work and on their lead times. Any impact on our schedule has a knock-on impact on our customer. Resilience in supply chains is now paramount; efficiency alone is no longer adequate,” added Foynes.

Hosting this event has prompted Shannon Chamber to encourage more companies to source locally, where the supplier can successfully compete with a low-cost country source and guarantee sustainability in the supply chain.

“These events, which are part of a new member company CEO collaboration, are being organised to assess what more we, as a Chamber, can do to strengthen our industry base here in the Mid-West region. This region is renowned for its generosity of spirit with companies willing to share knowledge and experience to help others, and that’s our goal too.”

MOTORING

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

MOTORING

MOTORING EXPERT NEIL BRISCOE GIVES HIS VIEWS

27

EL ECTR IC P ERFORMAN C E FROM FO R D ’S PLUG-IN KUGA PLUGIN-HYBRID COMES WITH NICE STYLING, A SHARP PRICE, AND LOTS OF ELECTRIC MILES

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FORD KUGA 2.5 PHEV ST-LINE X

E’VE become so used to Ford being in crisis in recent years. Falling sales both here in Ireland and across Europe. A new management that replaced the global ‘One Ford’ vision of former chief exec Alan Mullaly with a more traditional, regional focus. The abandoning of model lines and even entire segments in favour of nothing-but SUVs. Being given a lower market value than Tesla.

The thing is, while all of that was going on, Ford was still steadily getting on with making some truly, maybe even surprisingly, excellent cars. Last year (remember last year? When we could go out and had jobs?) the two flat-out coolest cars we drove all year were Fords — the Mustang Bullitt and the Ranger Raptor. OK, so a big, hefty diesel pickup and a V8 petrol coupe are hardly in keeping with the modern zeitgeist, but even better was to come.

Back in January, (remember January?

When we could go out and had jobs?) we drove the new Puma, which overcame early internet car-nerd anger about the recycling of a classic name to prove itself as, with its mild-hybrid engine lineup, a truly entertaining drive and the first small crossover we could recommend without caveat.

Following hard on the Puma’s heels comes this, the new Kuga. Now, the old Kuga was something of an underrated car, but also something of an anonymous one. It was quietly styled, and suffered somewhat from a too-cheap cabin, but was engaging to drive and really very practical. This new one both platform shares with the current Focus and nicks quite a bit of its styling. Indeed, from the outside, it looks very much as if someone’s taken a Focus and just stretched it up and out a bit.

That’s fine for our test car, which in its ‘Lucid Red’ paint job, and ST-Line bodykit, looks rather good — there are even faint hints of Aston Martin’s DBX SUV around the lights and grille — but we’ve seen the Kuga in other colours and trims where it looks a touch big and bland, so choose carefully.

Far more significant than the styling, though, is that this new Kuga is Ford’s first-ever plugin-hybrid, which means that at last Ford has a proper rival to the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and Honda’s hybrid CR-V. As with the Toyota, the Kuga uses a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine running on the fuel-sipping Atkinson cycle (it’s complicated, but basically it breathes more efficiently than a conventional petrol engine,

although it develops less power) hooked up to an electric motor fed by a 14.4kWh battery pack. Fully charge the battery (which takes around three hours from a wall-mounted home charger) and you can go for as much as 56km on pure electric power. Actually, you might even manage better than that, as the Kuga, once you click the rotary gear selector around to ‘L’ mode, is unusually good at scavenging a little extra power from its regenerative braking system. Even on main roads, it hold onto charge well, so you should get at least 40km out of the battery before you need to ask the engine to kick in.

When it does so, the 2.5 motor is reasonably refined, although it does make the ‘elastic moo’ noise common to all hybrids when you accelerate. With 225hp, though, you shouldn’t need to keep your foot down too long to get to a comfortable cruising speed, so it’s not too bad.

The Kuga is also very comfortable, with well-damped (if occasionally noisy) suspension and excellent seats. It actually makes a great motorway cruiser, and you won’t even do too much harm to your fuel economy in that mode. Whereas once, long motorway miles were anathema to a plugin-hybrid (hauling, as you were, a dead-weight of now-useless batteries) the Kuga actually scored a very decent 6.3-litres per 100km fuel consumption figure on a long run, with a depleted battery, in our hands. Even without topping up the battery, out of 300km driven, 70-oddkm were covered on just electric power.

When you do get a chance to charge, there’s an unmistakable, enjoyable, smugness that comes with whirring, silently and cleanly, around in a big, hefty SUV. That heft, though does mean that where the Kuga is a little less impressive is when you take it off the motorway, away from city streets, and onto a country road. The 1,751kg kerb weight doesn’t look excessive on paper, but the Kuga does occasionally struggle to easily control the mass of batteries. You can feel the extra weight, all too clearly, in understeer and body roll when cornering briskly. A shame, that, as the Kuga does have Ford’s typically well-geared steering and a supple chassis.

Better stick to cruising, then, which is fine as the Kuga has a very pleasant cabin.

In the current Ford idiom, the cabin’s surfaces don’t look as lustrous as those of a rival Toyota or even Skoda, but the quality of assembly is palpably good, there’s lots of space front and rear, and a decent boot out the back.

It’s also conspicuously well-priced. A basic Toyota RAV4, which is a hybrid, as opposed to a plugin-hybrid, costs ₏36,900. The cheapest Honda CR-V Hy-

FACTS & FIGURES

brid will set you back ₏41,650. Our Kuga test car — in ST-Line trim, and including the eight-inch SYNC3 touchscreen and the rather attractive 12.3-inch digital instrument display — has a list price of ₏38,425.

For did hit a bit of a snag with the Kuga PHEV, though — all the 259 plug-in Kugas sold in Ireland in 2020 had to be recalled for a battery replacement, but that process is now nearing completion, and if a plug-in doesn’t suit you, there are regular diesel and conventional non-plug-in hybrid versions of the Kuga available too.

What we have here is a handsome, decent-to-drive, and practical SUV that has ample zero-emissions capability, and returns solid fuel economy numbers when you take it on a long journey. What was that about a crisis, again?

Model tested: Ford Kuga 2.5 PHEV STLine X Pricing: â‚Ź44,572 as tested; Kuga starts at â‚Ź33,358 Engine: 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine with electric motor Transmission: CVT automatic, frontwheel drive Body style: five-door, five-seat SUV CO2 emissions: 32g/km (Band A1 â‚Ź170 per annum) Combined economy: 201.8mpg (1.4 litres/100km) Top speed: 200km/h 0-100km/h: 9.2 seconds Power: 225hp (system total) Torque: Not quoted Boot space: 475-1,534 litres Safety: Euro NCAP rating for Ford Kuga: Five-stars: 92 per cent adult, 86 per cent child; 82 per cent pedestrian; 73 per cent safety assist

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28

MOTORING

MOTORING

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

MOTORING EXPERT NEIL BRISCOE GIVES HIS VIEWS

N I S S A N S E E S FA L L I N G L E A F P R I C E S BUDGET CHANGES ADD UP TO CHEAPER ELECTRIC CARS

T

HE cost of buying a 100 per cent electric Nissan Leaf has fallen by up to €1,843 as a result of the recent Budget with Nissan also making it possible for Irish motorists to get behind the wheel of a new electric vehicle (EV) for just €27,595.

“The Budget VRT changes and recent VAT changes have had a very positive impact on the cost of buying a new Nissan Leaf and this in turn has led to a significant upsurge in interest from EV buyers online and across our dealer network,” said James McCarthy, CEO of Nissan Ireland.

“This upsurge is also being driven by our ‘Power of Zero’ initiative with AIB and Electric Ireland which offers 0 per cent finance, the free provision and installation of a home charger and one year’s free servicing to anyone buying a new Nissan Leaf,” he added.

The recent changes to the VRT and VAT rates have led to attractive tax savings across the Nissan Leaf range. These tax savings start at €506 for the Nissan Leaf SV 40 kWh which now costs €29,384 or €440.76 per month, while the top of the range Nissan Leaf SVE 62 kWh has fallen by

€1,843 to €38,657 or €579.85 per month.

In addition, the introduction of the new entry grade Nissan Leaf XE 40 kWh means that motorists can now make the switch into an electric vehicle for an affordable €27,595 The new tax savings which have cut the cost of buying a new Nissan Leaf have also led to a sizeable reduction between the cost of buying the 40 kWh Leaf which has a range of up to 270 kilometres and the 62 kWh Leaf which has a range of up to 385 kilometres zero emissions driving.

Buyers have expressed a strong interest in stepping up from the Nissan Leaf SVE 40 kWh, which has fallen by €999 to €32,801, to the longer range Nissan Leaf SV Premium 62 kWh which now costs €36,332 having benefited from a tax saving of €1,508. This trend is expected to continue.

Customers switching into the 100 per cent electric Nissan Leaf who avail of the ‘Power of Zero’ offer which includes 0 per cent finance, the free provision and installation of their home charger and one year’s free servicing can save more than €13,000 in finance and running costs as well as 11

tonnes of C02 emissions over five years, which is equivalent to planting 181,887 trees.

The Nissan Leaf has long been Ireland’s best-selling EV and almost 6,000 Irish EV drivers have already chosen the zero emissions vehicle as the most effective way to reduce their motoring costs and carbon footprint. It is also firmly established as Ireland’s and the world’s favourite EV with more than 100 global awards and over 500,000 sales since its launch ten years ago.

“There has never been a better time to buy a new Nissan Leaf.

The tax savings that the changes to the VRT and VAT rates deliver and our ‘Power of Zero’ offer presents a golden opportunity for motorists to join the thousands of Nissan Leaf drivers who are already saving money and the environment,” said Mr. McCarthy.

“Nissan is committed to creating a sustainable Ireland. We are making EV driving affordable and are helping families to switch to 100 per cent electric driving today, to become more sustainable and to make a very real impact in reducing Ireland’s CO2 emissions,” he added.

MAZDA SET S OUT 211-REGIS TRATIONS S TALL

M

AZDA Ireland have announced offers to save motorists up to €2,000 on a new 211 Mazda with low finance rates across the range. The electrified Mazda range will be forefront of the savings with the Mild Hybrid Mazda3 and Mazda CX-30 available with a €2,000 contribution and 4.9 per cent APR on PCP and HP finance.

Mazda2, also with Mazda M Hybrid technology will give new buyers a choice of €750 contribution or 4.9 per cent finance.

The all new, all-electric Mazda MX-30 will be in showrooms to test drive from December with first customer orders arriving in February. A limited First Edition model will be available offering an extensive array of additional specification for a lower price.

Also on offer with 4.9 per cent finance, Mazda MX-30 has recently been awarded 5 stars in the Euro NCAP safety rating, making it an even more attractive offering for families.

The 211 offers don’t just extent to the electrified range with €2,000 savings also available on Mazda6 or a choice of 4.9 per cent finance. Mazda CX-5 buyers will avail of a €1,500 contribution or 4.9 per cent finance.

John Perry, Managing Director of Mazda Ireland commented; “The latest Mazda product has seen a steady progression towards premium which is reflected in customer and motoring journalist reviews. To encourage new customers to experience the quality of the latest Mazda product and return savings to our loyal customers, we have compiled competitive 211 offers across the Mazda range, with a strong focus on our award winning powertrains.

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Soccer stalls Newmarket Chloe Moloney scores another jockey up for National League with Peamount until January PÁRAIC top honour MCMAHON A Newmarket-on-Fergus jockey has been shortlisted for a top honour in the UK. Dylan Hogan is nominated for Best Flat Ride of the Year in the Lesters following what has lauded “an audacious front running ride” in Wolverhampton in January of this year.

Wanaasah’s cosy victory at the beginning of the year earned Hogan a nomination alongside William Buick, Hollie Doyle and Tom Marquaand.

Already this year, the past pupil of St Caimin’s Community College has 23 winners. He previously represented his county in handball and is now hopeful the people of Clare will give him their backing in the public vote on racingtv.com/lesters.

paraic@clareecho.ie

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LARE’S Chloe Moloney has collected her second Women’s National League medal following Peamount Utd’s success on Saturday.

Peamount retained their Women’s National League title in dramatic fashion as they came from behind to beat Shelbourne 3-1 in a winner-takesall game at PRL Park on Saturday night. A late brace from captain Áine O’Goman and one from midfielder Karen Duggan turned the tie on its head after

Emily Whelan had fired Shels in front early in the second half.

Chloe transferred to the Dublin club in January 2017 having represented her country at U16, U17 and U19 level. Prior to that, the central defender lined out for Connolly Celtic and Galway Utd. Christy Lougheed’s side won the game in front of the eyes of Republic of Ireland Women’s National Team Manager Vera Pauw.

There was no game time afforded to Chloe as the Peamount claimed the title. At the beginning of the month, the club suffered penalty heartbreak in a Champions League qualifier losing 6-5 to Glasgow City on penalties.

This year, Chloe has played a key role in attack for Clare’s intermediate la- d i e s footballers and is currently top scorer in the championship.

The Kilmurry Ibrickane clubwoman has formed part of a lethal f u l l - f o rward line alongside Grainne Nolan and Niamh O’Dea for James Murrihy’s side.

This week, she described football as “my first love”.

CLARE soccer leagues won’t get underway until mid-Januray Club action in the Clare District Soccer League (CDSL) will not resume until January at the earliest.

A statement released on Sunday afternoon by the CDSL confirmed that an agreement had been reached regarding the start of the 2020/21 season.

Members of the CDSL committee “have decided that there will be no competitive football in the Clare leagues until the weekend of the 17th January 2021 at the earliest”.

There is currently no chairperson or secretary of the CDSL following the double resignations of both Oliver Fitzpatrick and Michael Lydon in September. The pair had been praised for managing to conclude all leagues and cups in a limited time window.

Officials are monitoring COVID-19 statistics before setting a date for the AGM. It is hoped this gathering will take place before Christmas.

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The Liam Dowling owned and trained Ballymac Wild is the short odds favourite ahead of the classic decider and is expected to give Dowling back-to back titles.

There is also a number of Stake Finals to be decided on the night with several Clare Greyhounds in the line up.

It was back to two nights racing at Galway Greyhound Stadium last weekend and on Friday night, the opening contest of the night was an A8 graded affair in which Blakemount Flash and Pats Choice disputed the early lead ahead of Flyers Job in third place and as they rounded the opening bend Flyers Job moved

through to show in front just ahead of Blakemount Flash and the pair were clear racing past halfway.

Between the final two bends they pair were locked in combat but close home the Colm Fitzgerald and Cathal Meaney owned Flyers Job (Secreto-Confey Eve) just proved the stronger prevail by a neck in 29.99.

Race 7 was an S5 graded contest where Kilbannon Louise was very smartly into her stride on the wide outside but racing towards the opening bend the Seamus Fahy trained Aulton Zero showed fine pace towards the inner to just shade Kilbannon Louise as they exited the back straight. Approaching the home bend the pair were locked in combat but off the home bend the Pat Hogan of Ennis owned Aulton

Zero(Zero Ten-Heathlawn Gold) edged in to ease away and score by one and a half lengths in 19.41.

All six runners were lined across the track on the run towards the opening bend in race 8 for this A4 graded contest but as thy rounded the bend the Shane Flanagan of Ennis owned Rockmount Kamala just nipped round in front out wide and turning down the back she led by over two lengths from Beslow Norajame.

Racing along the back straight Rockmount Kamala opened up a four length advantage over her rivals and railing well between the final two bends the daughter of Taylors Sky and Yahoo Tina extended her advantage to five and a quarter lengths over Beslow Norajames at the line in 29.40.

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2021 will be a truer test of Brian Lohan as Clare manager Darach Honan’s

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CHAMPIONSHIP ANALYSIS

FTER the joy of last week’s triumph over Wexford, the Clare hurlers and their supporters suffered the disappointment of a loss to Waterford. This was a game in which we experienced the full range of emotions as Clare’s performance ebbed and flowed after a terrible start.

The team was dealt a blow before a ball was pucked when Tony Kelly went down with an ankle injury in the warm-up. Having lost Aron Shanagher to injury in last week’s warm-up, I am sure Brian Lohan feared the worst. However, while Tony battled on and started brightly, he re-injured it 10 minutes into the game and from that point on we did not get to see him in full flight.

Despite this blow, the game was still there to be won. Concentration lapses led to goals that gave us a mountain to climb in the early exchanges. It may have been a result of standing around for 10 minutes longer than anticipated before the game when the public announcer talked to an empty stadium, but our lads’ mental sharpness was not what it needed to be, and Waterford exploited this.

While we hoped the defence had been shored up after keeping a clean sheet last week, it looked like a mirage as the step up in quality of opposition hurt us for two early goals. Rory Hayes, who had

an excellent game afterwards, was caught for two early goals. Dessie Hutchinson has shown himself to be an outstanding hurler for Ballygunner this season and he proved that he can continue that form into the county game if given the chance.

The ease with which Stephen Bennett sliced through the defence for the first goal was a throwback to problems we had in the Laois game. He seemed to be unmarked for the initial sideline cut, which is unforgivable given we should have had a covering defender for such a set piece. Once he had built up a head of steam he could not be caught, Eibhear Quilligan made a good save but unfortunately the rebound fell to an unmarked Hutchinson who tapped in.

Clare settled after the first water break and began to play great hurling. In the lead up to the game I noted that some of the other forwards would get space this weekend and needed to step up to the plate.

Aron Shanagher did that and then some on Saturday. Aron and Shane O’Donnell were dangerous, and their markers were clearly in trouble.

Aron’s second goal was the result of a short puckout to Pat O’Connor who then hit a long ball to the edge of the D. It was great fielding from Aron and showed that he could win the ball whatever way it came. He was

on fire and needed to be fed.

It was hugely disappointing that the next few plays resulted in pot shots from out the field sailing over his head. I can only imagine Shanagher’s anger at watching this when the right play was to get the ball to our inside line. When a team is fatigued this sort of selfish play can deflate them completely and it sucked the life out of our lads. After this period Waterford hit us for a third goal where our defending could only be described as shambolic. Four players were drawn to the ball leaving a Waterford attacker unmarked in front of goal.

If we had taken the right options, we could have gone in at half-

time leading; unfortunately, we were still chasing the game despite hurling well at times during the first half.

The third quarter is where this game was lost. The structure of the team was non-existent. Our half forward line were sitting too far back the field and were not able to get forward to support the attack. This allowed Waterford the perfect platform to extend their lead. Led by Tadhg De Burca, Waterford started to exert their dominance in the middle third, this is how they have built a platform for success in previous games also.

Despite these errors, Clare still had a chance at a late rally. Aaron Cunningham was introduced and looked lively. When he was put through by his clubmate and namesake I was ready to celebrate on the couch, but Stephen O’Keeffe pulled off an extraordinary save.

If this had hit the net it would have made it a two-point game with Clare on the ascendancy. Instead Waterford went down the other side of the field and extended the lead to six, killing off any hopes of a comeback.

After a rollercoaster of a year, it will be interesting for Brian to reflect on his team’s performance.

Overall, the team looked happy in their system and gave some very good dis-

plays. Brian found some new players, most notably Rory Hayes, and some of the older lads, like Cathal Malone, improved hugely also.

While there were definite improvements from last year’s season, there will also have been mistakes that they will not accept from players in the Waterford performance. Next year will be a truer test of Brian as a manager as he will hope to have a full uninterrupted season. With players coming back from injury and young talented players coming through, the future should be bright.

While the last few weeks have been busy on the field for Clare GAA, it is important that the next few are just as busy off the field.

It was interesting to read Niall O’Connor’s open letter to clubs last week. Niall called for a committee to be established which would recommend improvements to governance, infrastructure, and commercial activity of Clare GAA. Clare GAA is crying out for a progressive approach like this to be taken. Currently, our governance structures have left us with a training centre which is unfit for purpose despite the €4.8 million spent on it. This led to a sense of disillusionment among many donors and GAA people across the county and the globe.

Clare clubs need to pressure the executive to bring in new blood with ambition and ideas as to how to untap the huge potential we have in this county. If that is done, I have no doubt we can compete with any team in the country.

While we are currently at the low end of the spectrum, we have what it takes to get to the top.

what improvements can be made to ensure we are operating at the highest level required”. If passed, this body would report back no later than June 30, 2021 so that any changes may be in place for the beginning of the 2022 season.

Convention will also be asked “to commission an independent report to examine the cost effectiveness of county teams hiring other venues as opposed to using Caherlohan and that this body also report on what is required to bring Caherlohan to the required level so that all county teams can train ade-

quately in Caherlohan”.

Water breaks have been a talking point throughout the 2020 GAA season and are expected to appear on the agenda. Convention will be asked that if they are to remain “the water should be brought to the players and the one minute time should be strictly adhered to and not used for tactical reasons”.

The hardy annuals include proposals that fixtures be e-mailed to all clubs by lunchtime each Tuesday while there are also calls for changes to the re-grading system that currently operates.

Pictured: Brian Lohan Photo by Jim Campbell

Calls for Clare GAA commecial manager among motions SEAMUS HAYES CALLS for a Clare GAA commercial manager, the establishment of a committee to develop a five year strategic plan and an independent report on the cost effectiveness of county teams using venues other than Caherlohan are among the motions to go before Convention.

One of the motions to go before the 2020 County Convention of Clare GAA which is to be held

remotely asks for an examination to be conducted to determine “the feasibility of appointing a commercial manager to adequately maximize the advertising and marketing potential available to Clare GAA”.

A separate proposal has asked Clare GAA to establish within six weeks of the convention, a committee to develop a five-year strategic plan. This committee to consist of a 5-person group independent of the county board, drawn from business and commercial interests with a strong record of involvement in the GAA. The committee will make,

within six months from its establishment, recommendations on finance and fundraising, optimisation of the Centre of Excellence and other facilities, coaching and development, governance, public relations and marketing. Recommendations from this group would be circulated to all clubs and discussed at a special convention to be held no later than September 2021.

There will also be a proposal for setting up an independent body to look at “how our underage hurling development squad system is operated and to report on

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ALL-IRELAND SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP: QUARTER FINAL Compiled by Páraic McMahon

Banner fall short to dominant Déise Waterford 3-27 Clare 3-18 Venue: Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Cork WATERFORD Frees For: 12 (6/6) Wides: 16 (7/9) Scores from Play: 3-20 Spread of scorers: 12 Top scorer: Stephen Bennett (0-10 7f) Own puck-outs won: 24 from 32 (75%) CLARE Frees For: 9 (4/5) Wides: 11 (4/7) Scores from Play: 3-11 Spread of scorers: 8 Top scorer: Tony Kelly (0-08 6f) Own puck-outs won: 31 from 46 (67%)

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

PLAYER WATCH CATHAL MALONE (CLARE) Possessions: 11 (4/7) Passes: 6 (1/5) Long Passes: 3 (1/2) Short Passes: 3 (0/3) Hand Pass: 1 (0/1) Hurley Pass: 5 (1/4) Turn Overs: 4 (2/2) Turned Over: 2 (1/1)

LIAM CAHILL, WATERFORD MANAGER “That’s the reaction we wanted. It’s high on the agenda to take the opportunity as it arises, we looked at all matches we played to date and we do create chances but we hadn’t been taking them, we took them today, we didn’t put them all away but it is good to get a green flag”.

“Conceding three goals would be a major concern for me. There was a big lapse in concentration for the two goals in the first half when we looked to be in control of the game early on, it meant we went in at half-time and the game was still a dogfight. We really have to shore up at the back if we have any chance of progressing to an All-Ireland final”.

“Players want to hurl, you can’t beat matches.

It was a tough game in Thurles last week, guys were physically drained after it but we have a good atmosphere in Waterford at the moment, they’ve been through this before and they know what they have to do to get themselves right”.

“I know we’re in tough times and the GAA in fairness to them have got so much right and they have to be commended on what they’ve done today. At the moment it seems ludicrous that there are ten players who are really pushing our guys on the field and they can’t come to see their teammates today. The media are here,

Shots: 5 Scores: 0-04 Wides: 1 Dropped Short: 0 Tackles: 11 (4/7) Blocks: 1 (1/0) Frees Won: 1 (1/0) Frees Lost: 2 (2/0)

in fairness it is your jobs and ye have fridges to fill but the bottom line for me is there are lots of yellow bibs around, it doesn’t make sense. I would appeal to the GAA to really look at that for Croke Park, we’ll be going to an 82,000 capacity stadium and if we can’t allow 20 people, ten from each side to socially distance up there then it beggars belief ”.

BRIAN LOHAN, CLARE MANAGER “We were beaten by a better Waterford team who hurled very well. They have great energy all over the field and unfortunately we gifted them two goals at the start and then a third goal. In thirty five minutes of hurling to concede three goals like that is always going to be a tough struggle, it’s tough to bring that back”.

“I thought we did well to get back into the game. We’re happy enough with how we played and to have went in at half-time the way we did. The second half we did okay and maybe didn’t get the return we expected to get. Aaron Cunningham came on, he had a great shot and Stephen O’Keeffe went straight down the field and got a point, it was a four point swing”.

“Tony damaged ligaments in the warm-up and was under pressure. We had to go on and in fairness to Tony, he produced what he always does and gave one hundred percent”.

Cathal Malone Photograph: Martin Connolly

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Bugler leaves Wexford role Two time All Star and 2013 All-Ireland winner Brendan Bugler has left his role on the Wexford management, writes Páraic McMahon.

Whitegate’s Bugler began his inter-county coaching career with the Davy Fitzgerald managed Wexford hurlers earlier this year. Following their exit from the championship at the hands of Clare, the secondary school teacher has called time on his involvement.

Bugler told The Clare Echo his decision to leave is based on family reasons and the lengthy commute to Wexford. He outlined that the nine to ten hour round trip two to three times week was “just too much” when factoring in a young family, coaching roles with St Flannan’s College and his club career with Whitegate.

Clarecastle native Noel Considine is also to leave the Wexford backroom team. He had been goalkeeper coach for Davy Fitzgerald’s four seasons in charge of the 2019 Leinster champions.

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ALL-IRELAND WOMEN’S INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL SEMI-FINAL: CLARE V MEATH, SATURDAY 1.30PM @ O’MOORE PARK, LAOIS

O’Connor keen to return to coalface PÁRAIC MCMAHON paraic@clareecho.ie

Eimear O’Connor

Photograph: Burren Eye Photography

EIMEAR O’Connor was on the frontline for her country earlier this year, and the Coolmeen woman is anxious to be in the coalface this weekend but this time for her county.

An occupational therapist in Kilrush, Eimear was redeployed at the beginning of March dealing with swab samples as testing for COVID-19 began. Ironically, the Clare footballer was based between LIT Gaelic Grounds and Cusack Park, the respective homes of Limerick and Clare GAA. She outlined, “I’m back to base now, this time around we’re staying where we are because they’ve hired agency staff to cover the centres. It was good to have something to do, keep a routine and get me out of the house, it was well set up and we were well protected”.

Every player is kept on their toes on account of the management’s tactic to often make widespread changes to their team for championship matches this year.

“It makes you keep your focus, you always have that in the back of your mind going to training that you have to show at training that you want that jersey and keep that jersey, you have to perform at training as well as in the game. It

keeps things fresh”.

O’Connor told The Clare Echo, “If you look at the panel, they are so young. There are a lot that are under 20. It keeps me on my toes, it is hard to keep up with them but they do add something fresh to the panel every year and it is great to have the youth coming through.”

Saturday’s semi-final opponents Meath will represent a difficult obstacle but the midfielder is comforted by the ability within their panel. “It will be a tough challenge, we met Meath two years ago and they knocked us out and we met them earlier in the league this year and drew that one. They were up by six points and we came back to draw it. The panel this year there has such strength in depth, there are girls on the sideline that are just as good as the girls on the field, there is no weaknesses there.

Eimear admits that going into the championship Meath would be recognised as favourites having lost the last two All-Irelands.

“We knew if we did get to the latter stages that we would be coming across them. We’re preparing well for them, we won’t shy away from them or be afraid of them but it will be a big challenge. They like to do a lot of running so it is what we need to work on. What has changed this year is that we are focused more on our game rather than getting bogged down in what

other teams are doing.”

This method of getting their own house in order is one welcomed

by Eimear. “It is paying dividends, we know exactly what we want to do and what our game plan is and you do look at that team and there is certain players that you are targeting or whatever, we will cover that too but it is mainly focused on our game”.

Satisfied with the level of coaching on offer in the county panel, Eimear often receives demonstrations from her father John on how she and her brother, Cathal, midfielder on the men’s side can improve their game. “The father especially likes to give us plenty of tips and acts out how we should be getting this ball or that ball, it is great that they have such an interest in it too because it keeps them going as well”.

A member of the Clare panel that lost out to Fermanagh in the 2009 decider, the NUIG graduate is keen to make the most of Saturday’s opportunity to seal a return to the final. “Back in 2009, it was my first year playing and maybe I took it for granted that those days would come around, 11 years waiting and you’re almost there. You can’t take any game for granted even the last three years when we’ve fallen at the quarter-final stage. We’re at the semi-final stage so we have to drive it on and hopefully get the win next Saturday”.

Ellie wants to lift spirits of county

CLARE captain Ellie O’Gorman believes the 2020 intermediate panel is the strongest she has been a part of, writes Páraic McMahon.

Centre-back on the last Clare intermediate side to contest the All-Ireland decider in 2016, Ellie now finds herself wearing the number three jersey and in the role of captain as the county seek their return to the final for the first time since that one point defeat to Kildare. She described the manner in which they qualified for the last four was equated as ‘peak 2020’.

To be training with Clare at the end of November is not unusual for the ladies footballers, the big change is that they are preparing for an All-Ireland semi-final as opposed to beginning pre-season training. “We’ll take it, it might be cold here in Kilmurry Ibrickane but any day you are preparing for an All-Ireland semi-final you don’t really care about the weather,” Ellie

pointed out to The Clare Echo.

On Saturday they will head for MW Plant Hire O’Moore Park against a Meath side that eliminated them from the intermediate championship at the quarter-final stage in ‘17 and ‘18. “We’ve played Meath the last five or six years whether it is league or championship and it has always been a close battle. In 2018 and 2019, they beat us in the All-Ireland quarter-finals and we met in the league this year and came back to make a draw of it,” the Kilmihil defender reflected.

Nothing less than a high-intensity game is expected by the Coláiste Bhaile Chláir maths teacher who highlighted the strength at the disposal within their ranks. “To think five or six girls came in and by no means weakened the team. It is the strongest panel I’ve played on in a few years, a lot of credit for that goes to the management who are bringing the best out of them. In

recent years we had nearly a set 12 or 13, this year there’s six or seven girls disappointed every day who feel they should have been playing”.

“There is 32 girls on the panel, the competition for places is massive, you couldn’t pick a team for any game. The last day there was six changes and it in no way weakened the team, it goes to show the massive efforts girls are putting in this year and the competition for places is really healthy.”

A senior championship winner with Kilmihil last year, O’Gorman cited the mistakes in the opening round against Kildare as costing them a victory while the attitude shown by everyone involved in the set-up has taken on a new level since that setback, she felt.

Familiarity is provided in the guise of their opponents at the weekend but for Ellie there is always a sense of intel given that it is her clubmate Michaela Glynn that

will line out in goals right behind her. “It is reassuring that she is behind me and that I am in front of her, we work well together and get on well”.

Their run thus far has given a lift to the county and she is hoping to continue this when their latest outing is streamed live by the official Ladies Football Facebook page on Saturday. “We didn’t think that football would continue into these last few months but it is massive for the girls and for the county in general, it is great to see games going ahead. Every weekend there are matches on whether it is rugby, GAA or soccer, it is great for people to have something to talk about and something to look forward to at the weekend. As a group of girls we’re delighted that games have gone ahead and anything from here on is a bonus”.

Ellie O’Gorman

Photo by Gerard O’Neill

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Our best needed to defeat Meath

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LARE’S ladies footballers are showing strong form at the right time, selector Enda O’Halloran maintains ahead of the All-Ireland intermediate semi final, writes Páraic McMahon.

Following a dramatic third round which saw Laois shock Kildare and Clare overcome Sligo by 7-18 0-02, the Banner County advanced to their first last four clash since 2016. The manner in which such events transpired were described by selector Enda O’Halloran as “extraordinary”.

As Clare gathered for an early morning training session in Quilty on Sunday, the Kilmihil man was on media duties; manager James Murrihy was busily carting items into Páirc Naomh Mhuire and began searching for an extension lead to carry out some video analysis in

the stand; coach Ger Keane was offering one-on-one advice to players on what to expect this coming weekend; selector Evan Talty was sipping coffee while goalkeeper coach and sport scientist Conor Shannon dusted off the gloves; and PRO Micheál Talty conducted temperature checks and kept everything running smoothly.

Workloads of personnel involved in inter-county teams has risen noticeably, Enda admitted.

“It is nearly a five-day gig between video analysis, studying the opposition and everything, James’ job is probably seven days a week.

Some people will say why have ye so many in the backroom team but nowadays you need that to get everything done.”

The 2017 Clare IFC winning manager is confident they will have a full panel to pick from ver-

sus Meath, a side they are familiar with. “They are a fine team, they’ve been in the last two All-Irelands, they have some really good players and would be strong around the field with Aoibhín Cleary, Vicky Wall and Emma Duggan...we’re going to have to be really on it to get a result.”

Trying to peak at the right time also forms a challenge for sporting teams, the signs from the third round win over Sligo are promising in that regard for Clare but a much tougher test awaits in Portlaoise.

Numerous tasks have been completed by the management, the most pressing is to now select a starting fifteen, one which won’t be easy given the impact six changes made prior to the Sligo game. “We have a panel of thirty, you take one girl out and put another in you’re

Selectors Evan Talty and Enda O’Halloran Burren Eye Photography

not really losing a whole pile, the standard is very high within the girls and they are all pushing each

Chaplin steps down from coaching role PÁRAIC MCMAHON

other for a starting position for next weekend which is great and it is a great headache to have”.

Cratloe’s Chaplin in the running for chairman post

paraic@clareecho.ie

SEAMUS HAYES

CLARE GAA have confirmed that Sean Chaplin is stepping down from his coaching role with the Association.

Appointed Games Promotion Officer in April 2005, Sixmilebrige native Chaplin was promoted to the role of Games Development Manager in June 2009. His initial role was primarily based on working with schools in the county at a time when All-Ireland winner Colin Lynch and former Clare football selector David O’Brien also held coaching roles with Clare GAA. A spokesperson for Clare GAA has confirmed the former coach of the Sixmilebridge and St Josephs Doora/Barefield senior hurlers will be departing his position at the beginning of December. He is due to take up employment with Clare County Council’s HR department.

Chaplin previously left the role for a period in 2017 to take up a sales role with an Ennis company but later returned to his post with Clare GAA. He has been responsible for overseeing the Kelloggs Cúl Camps in the county which has seen a continuous rise in the numbers attending, last year Clare GAA made a profit of €27,000 from the Cúl Camps, money which Treasurer Michael Gallagher said was used for development squads and training

A CONTEST for the position of chairman of Clare GAA is certain after Cratloe’s Jack Chaplin confirmed that he is a candidate for the post.

Outgoing vice chairman P.J. McGuane (Cooraclare) had already confirmed that his hat is in the ring to succeed Joe Cooney who completes his five year term in the position.

Whether or not there will be more than two candidates in the race remains to be seen as the other two nominees, Robert Frost (O’Callaghans Mills) and Michael O’Connor (Crusheen) have yet to confirm their position.

Nominees for posts on the executive must confirm by this Friday whether or not they will be allowing their names go forward for election.

Both O’Connor and Frost told The Clare Echo this week that they won’t declare their positions until Friday. Frost is a former board chairman while O’Connor is the board’s current PRO while he is also chairman of his club.

Meanwhile all four nominees for the position of vice chairman, Kieran Keating (Naomh Eoin), Neil O’Brien (O’Callaghans Mills), Michael Maher (Kilmaley) and Niall Romer (Kilmaley) have already confirmed that they are seeking election to the position.

There will also be a contest to elect two delegates to represent the county at Munster Council. John Fawl, Bernard Keane and Niall Gilligan are seeking election here.

Ennistymon clubman Fawl is currently a delegate while Keane, a former treasurer of the board was narrowly beaten last year. Gilligan was also an unsuccessful candidate last year. A vacancy has arisen as Kieran Keating has completed his three year term on the Provincial body.

Former board officer Michael Lee (Tubber) and former Clare hurler Naoise Jordan (Whitegate) are both nominated for the honorary position of president. Current holder of this post, Padraig McMathuna will complete his two year term at convention which takes place on Tuesday December 15.

Former Games Promotion officer Sean Chaplin Photograph: Burren Eye Photography

coaches.

During his time as GDO, Sean’s area of remit included the development squads, primary and secondary school coaching, the organisation of the Clare

Puc Fada and tutoring for coaches. He also chaired the committee tasked with the development of the Clare GAA Strategic Plan 2010 – 2015 and was tasked with overseeing its implementation.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 35

THURSDAY, 26 NOV 2020 ANNIVERSARY

Michael McKee’s First Anniversary Mass on Sunday 29th November on the Shannon Parish Webcam in St. John & Paul Church at 10am In loving memory of Clare County Councilor Michael McKee Sinn Fein, a beloved husband, father, son & brother on the first Anniversary of his death on 29th November 2019.

Greatly missed every day by his Wife Eileen, Daughter Jeanette, Son David, Mother Theresa, Brother’s Paul & Liam, Grandson Oran and Rian, Sisters-in-law, Teresa, Lissett, Cathy, Marie and Brotherin-law Kevin, Motherin-law Maureen, Nephews and Nieces and the Extended McKee / Grimley / Kirby Family.

Pre-deceased by his father Harold and brother Stephen.

I want to firstly thank My daughter Jeanette and Son David, for all your love and support.

You are my life.

Together we would like to express our sincere thanks to all those who sympathised with us on our loss, and travelled both near and far. Thank you to those who attended the wake at our home and the funeral mass in both St. John & Paul’s and the Shannon Crematorium.

Thank you to everyone who sent mass cards, flowers and wreaths.

We want to express our deep gratitude to those who donated to the Pancreatic cancer research organisation, especially our friends from Guingamp in Brittany France.

Our thanks go out to all our family, friends and neighbours who sent messages and get well cards, and who visited Mike at home and in hospital, with offers of help and support to both of us and all the family. A special word of thanks to all our friends and neighbours who supplied refreshments during the Wake, especially Nicole and Tricia who looked after everyone at our home.

It was very much appreciated.

We wish to thank Dr. Ronan Flynn for his care, Dr. Grzegorz Korpanty for his care and kindness during Mike’s last few days and all the Doctors, Nurses and Health Care Workers in St. Vincent’s hospital Dublin, St. Jame’s hospital Dublin and University Hospital, Limerick.

Special thanks go to all the Pallative care staff of Milford Hospice who were with us caring for Mike day and night.

To our friends in the Shannon Order of Malta, thank you for your care when helping Mike on his journey by Ambulance.

Thank you Eavan, Carmel, Nicole and Jennifer.

You kept Mike’s spirits up.

To Fr. Arnold Rosney for organising and officiating at the mass on the 2nd December, it was a beautiful Service. Thank you to Fr. Francis Xavier Kochuveettil for helping and especially Fr. Henry of Glenstal Abbey for coming here at the request of Theresa McKee. Thank you to Canon Brendan O’Donoghue for your comforting words and prayers on your visits to Mike during his illness at home.

Our thanks go out to Tony and Richard for

their care of Mike on his journey from Limerick, and then to our home.

Thanks go to Darragh and Chris for their care of Mike at his final resting place in Shannon Crematorium.

Our Thanks to Pat Clarke-Brown and Colm Flannagan for the Kind Words and Music arrangement during the Humanist Service Mike was lucky to have 4 guards of honour outside the church with members of Clare County Council, Shannon Order of Malta, Our dancers and entertainers of HT Promotions / Captain Jack Show and finally the Sinn Fein Guard of honour and coffin bearers who stayed with Mike over the weekend at our home and accompanied him on his final journey to the Crematorium.

Thanks to JJ and all the Kitchen and bar staff of Mike’s local the Shannon Knights.

This was Mike’s favourite place of work and rest Thank you for the friendship and refreshements you supplied.

A word of thanks to all the Girls and Boys of HT Promotions who carried on with all the Christmas Shows

during that weekend.

Mike’s request the week before was that the show must go on.

A note of thanks to all Mike’s close friends who were constant visitors at our home and the hospitals.

To Billy, for organising the funeral just the way Mike requested and always looking out for him.

To Donna and Dermot for speaking so wonderfully about their friendship with Mike.

To Colm, Mike, Kairi, Ilona, Stewart, Sandra and Jason for being just a phone call away.

To the insensitive corner and all his Sinn Fein Comrades for always being there for him.

And finally to Mike’s Uncle Michael and Aunt Carmel who made us so welcome during our dark days in Dublin. It became our home from home, A light at the end of the day. Thank you Michael for all your chats with Mike during his stay in the hospital.

Darling Mike, you lived your life to the fullest, everyone misses you, nearly as much as I do.

Love you forever Eileen

ACKOWLEDGMENTS

Dave Chamberlain Abbey Lawn, Kildysart Road, Clarecastle Dave’s wife Noreen and son Mark wish to thank most sincerely all those who sympathised with us on our recent sad loss.

Thanks so much to those who phoned, sent messages of sympathy and mass cards.

Thanks to the palliative care nurses who took such good care of Dave so that he was able to spend his last days at home with us.

Thanks also to all at Clarecastle Health Centre for their help.

We would also like to thank Kennedys funeral home for their kindness shown to us at such a very difficult time.

Also thanks to Kate O’ Shaughnessy for the beautiful service.

Thanks to my wonderful neighbours

and friends for all your help , I don’t know what I would have done without you.

Thanks to all for the beautiful send off Dave got as he left his home on his final journey, it makes us very proud to think he had so many people who cared about him.

36 CLASSIFIEDS

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PLANNING NOTICES

PLANNING 37

THURSDAY, 26 NOV 2020

Clare County Council 36 St Flannans Terrace, Ennis, Co. Clare Take notice that Claire Honan intends to apply to the Planning Authority for permission to construct an extension to the rear of her dwelling and associated site works at the above address.

The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, New Road, Ennis, during its public opening hours (9am to 4pm). A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the planning authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks, beginning on the date of receipt by the planning authority of the application.

Clare County Council Caherkinallia, Kilshanny, Co. Clare Take notice that Patrick Woods intends to apply to the Planning Authority for retention of the garage constructed to the north of his dwelling 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, New Road, Ennis, during its public opening hours (9am to 4pm). A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the planning authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5

weeks, beginning on the date of receipt by the planning authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL Knocknageeha, Dooras, Caher, Co Clare Take Notice that Cathal Dillane intends to apply to the Planning Authority for permission to construct a single dwelling home, domestic garage, waste water treatment system, entrance, and all associated site works at the above address. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Authority, Clare County Council, during its public opening hours, and that a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of five weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

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 Further Information / Revised Plans Planning Reference: P 20/386 Development Description:

Planning permission for development consisting of the development of an organic farm enterprise including the regeneration, renovation and extensions to existing farm buildings to convert them to short term tourism accommodation units for visiting guests, erection of animal enclosures and greenhouse, to provide parking for staying guests, regenerate an old farm building as a store and workshop for guests and provide sewerage treatment and water facilities along with all associated works.

Location: Carrowntedaun, Lahinch, Co. Clare.

Take notice that Pat & Liz

Rouine has lodged significant further information in respect of planning application P 20/386.

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 Chontae 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 or in the case of a planning application accompanied by an EIS within 5 weeks of receipt of such notices by the planning authority.

Clare County Council Lisheen, Ballynacally Take notice that D. Kelly intends to apply to the Planning Authority for permission to erect proposed dwelling house, foul sewer treatment plant, percolation area and new site entrance 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

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THANKSGIVING THANKSGIVING. ST. JUDE. Most Holy Apostle St. Jude faithful servant & friend of Jesus. The Church honours & invokes you universally as the patron of hopeless cases, of matters almost despaired of. Pray for me I am so helpless & alone. Make use I implore you of that particular privilege given to you, to bring speedy help where help is almost despaired of.

Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation & help of Heaven in all my necessities, tribulations & sufferings & that I may praise God with you & all the Elect forever. I promise O Blessed St. Jude to be ever mindful of this great favour to always honour you as my special & powerful patron & to gratefully encourage devotion to you. Amen.

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

Audi Service Plan 38 PUZZLEPAGE

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

THIS WEEKS PUZZLES NOV 26

Best Daily Word Search: 23 November 2020

Copland Copland Portland

N N C L D D N A L G N E D N W

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Scotland

A A W E T L A N D A D L A A L

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QUIZ 39

THURSDAY, NOV 26 2020

The Clare Echo Quiz Clare Football Quiz

Which GAA Club has won the How many times has Clare won 1pionship most Clare senior football cham6 the Munster senior football titles? championship?

Kilrush Shamrocks Lissycasey Milltown Malbay

1 2 4

Which club currently holds the When did Clare last win the 2 Clare senior football champion7 All-Ireland Senior ‘B’ Football ship title?

Championship?

Kilmurry-Ibrickane Éire Óg, Ennis Cratloe

1950 1999 2004

Since 2015 only two teams have Clare have won one all-Ireland 3 won the Clare Senior Football 8 minor football championship.

Championship. Kilmurry-Ibrickane Who did they beat in the final?

In what year did the Clare football 4 team make it to their first and only senior all-Ireland final?

1917 1956 1988

5 Who did they play in that game?

Dublin Wexford Kerry

l 9: In what division do Clare play in the national football league?

division do Clare play in 9 Inthewhat national football league?

3 2 1

A low point for the Clare foot10 ball team was in 1979 in game known as the Milltown Massacre

6: 2 7: 2004 8: Longford 9: 2 10: Kerry

Kilrush Shamrocks Doonbeg Milltown Malbay

Longford Offaly Dublin

when they lost on a score line of 1-9 to 9-21. Who were they playing in that game?

Offaly Cork Kerry

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

The answers will be revealed in next weeks edition.

ANSWERS

1: Kilrush Shamrocks 2: Kilmurry-Ibrickane 3: Milltown Malbay 4: 1917 5: Wexford

won 3 of them but who won the other 3?

Last weeks Answers . ‘N’ Missing on the football . Writing missing on glove . Piece of players foot missing . Writing on players sock missing . Stripe on refs top missing

. Laces on boot missing . Writing on other sock missing

Nóirín Hegarty, Lonely Planet; Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland; and Catherine Martin TD, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, at the announcement that Burren Ecotourism Network has been named a ‘Best Community Tourism Project’ by Lonely Planet.