The Clare Echo 24/07/23

Racism in GAA is ‘upsetting’

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

CLARE footballer Ikem Ugwueuru has said skin colour should not be used to hold people back from playing sports.

Ahead of his side’s scheduled appearance in the Munster final against Kerry, Ikem says that racial abuse hurled at Wexford’s Lee Chin at a charity game recently between the Model County and Tipperary was “upsetting” and “disappointing”. “I’ve known most of my team-mates for most of my life so if anything was to happen to me, even if it wasn’t a racial comment, they’d always have my back.

“Obviously what happened to Lee was

disappointing. And it was upsetting, because no one playing the game should ever have to go through that,” the 23 year old said.

He led a Black Lives Matters protest in Ennis during the lockdown and Ikem himself has experienced racial

“I’m not going to say it happens all the time, it’s just a small few instances. I kind of take it as motivation in a way, like, ‘I’m going to show you that everyone is allowed to play this game, that you should not discriminate against me on the colour of my skin or where I’m from or whatever. The game is for everyone.”

l Martin Sheppard and Peter Duggan at the launch of the Odd Socks Cycle in Shannon

Photo by Joe Buckley

‘This game is for everyone’ says Ikem

‘The game is for everyone’

ENNIS’ Ikem Ugwueuru has said skin colour should not be used to hold people back from playing sports, writes Páraic McMahon

Ikem is part of the Clare senior football panel and was introduced in Saturday’s win over Limerick to help the county qualify for a first Munster final since 2012. Born to Nigerian parents, he has was first exposed to gaelic games while attending primary school in Cloughleigh with particular mention given to Joe Garry for encouraging him to play gaelic football.

Racial abuse hurled at Wexford’s Lee Chin at a charity game between the Model County and Tipperary prompted Ikem to praise the reactions of his teammates for calling out the individual.

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“That’s how all of us should be really. If your team-mates are ever in bother, everyone should come around him and support him. The whole situation is very, very bad. I’ve known most of my team-mates for most of my life so if anything was to happen to me, even if it wasn’t a racial comment, they’d always have my back”.

“Obviously what happened to Lee was disappointing. And it was upsetting, because no one playing the game should ever have to go through that,” the 23 year old said.

He led a Black Lives Matters protest in Ennis during the lockdown and Ikem himself has experienced racial abuse. “I’m not going to say it happens all the time, it’s just a small few instances. I kind of take it as motivation in a way, like, ‘I’m going to show you that everyone is allowed to play this game, that you should not discriminate against me on the colour of my skin or where I’m from or whatever. The game

is for everyone.”

Speaking at of Supervalu’s Community Includes Everyone campaign, Ikem commented, “Like, you’re putting on your county’s jersey. You’re Irish, and you shouldn’t really be called anything other than that”. He added, “We’re just trying to battle this. And hopefully things will get better, but I’m all for this kind of campaign because it

sheds light on it”.

A two-time Clare SFC winner with Éire Óg, Ikem has immense pride that he has inspired other black families to join the Ennis club. “Even back in Ennis, there’s young black girls and boys playing for Éire Óg now. I feel like we’re doing a really good thing in this country so, yeah, hopefully bigger and better things to come”.

lON THE BALL: Ikem Ugwueru Photo by Gerard O’Neill

County now ‘one of the biggest tourism operaters’

CLARE County Council is now one of the biggest international tourism operators and must flex its muscles to compete with leading Irish destinations such as Killarney, Galway and Dublin, writes Páraic McMahon

At a special meeting of the local authority on Monday, elected members voted unanimously to back a €6m offer for 2023 from Government for the Council to take over the four Shannon Heritage sites in the county from the Shannon Airport Group.

An initial sum of €15m had been sought following a detailed due diligence report by the Council. The Government offer covers this year with additional funds expected to bring it past the €10m mark as Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Knappogue Castle & Medieval Banquets, Crauggownen Bronze Age Park and a retail outlet at the Cliffs of Moher move under the Council’s control.

Speaking on Monday, Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) noted that repairs to Bunratty Castle alone would cost €2m. Praise to the Council’s negotiating team for playing hardball with counterparts in various Government Departments was lauded by councillors, “they didn’t think our negotiating team would be as tough,” Cllr PJ Ryan (IND) remarked.

Tourism consultant, Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) noted that the sites were national and international tourism and heritage assets.

“At the stroke of the pen, Clare County Council will become the biggest operators of tourism in the country and probably one of the biggest internationally”. The Kilkee representative added, “If we don’t leverage these properly, people will still fly into Shannon and go to Galway or Killarney because that’s where the bednights are”. He added, “Ask not what we can do for tourism, ask what tourism can do for us”.

Clare must now match the leading tourism

counties, Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF) stressed. “Every person you’d meet in this county would say you can’t beat Killarney for a night out, you can’t beat Galway for a night out, once this is up and running people will be able to say Clare is the place to go. It won’t be Killarney or Galway to go for food or nights out, it will be Clare”.

Mayor of Clare, Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF) said the decision to back the deal represented “an iconic day” for the county. “This has been a long struggle but as everyone knows in the county, this is part of our community, the people working there are our neighbours, we’re here to support them,” Cllr John Crowe (FG) stated. “It is a very complex asset, it takes a lot of cooperation to bring this to a conclusion,” Cllr Michael Begley (IND) noted.

Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) reminded his colleagues that he brought a motion to the Council in June 2020 to consider taking on the sites, “we’re here now in April 2023, we’re nearly there and ready to be signed”. Efforts of Junior Minister, Jack Chambers were referenced by Cllr O’Callaghan and later the Council Chief Executive, Pat Dowling. “We have something on the table that we can push forward, hopefully we can go back to the stage in the 90s when Bunratty was hopping, Craggaunowen was hopping and Knappogue was hopping, there was a huge buzz,” Kilmurry based O’Callaghan stated.

“This can’t all be about money, money is to be welcomed and we like black numbers on the screen but it is about protecting our heritage, I’ve always wanted to have a castle and now we do,” Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) commented”.

Addressing the meeting, Council Chief Executive Dowling said the occasion was symbolic of their logo which translates as ‘true to our heritage’.

€6m Heritage sites offer backed unanimously

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

CLARE Councillors have unanimously backed a €6m offer from Government which will see the County Council boost its tourism offering and take over ownership of four Shannon Heritage sites.

Last Tuesday, Cabinet approval for €6m in exchequer funding for 2023 was agreed to facilitate the transfer of Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Knappogue Castle & Medieval Banquets, Crauggownen Bronze Age Park from Shannon Heritage under the control of the Shannon Airport Group to Clare County Council’s ownership. Despite the transfer of sites, Shannon Airport Group are to hold onto 129.42 hectares of land in the Bunratty Folk Park environs.

Briefings were held by elected members of the Council and senior management on Wednesday and Friday where queries were raised and any con-

cerns abated in the second sitdown.

At a special meeting of Clare County Councill on Monday, elected members from all corners of the county and political divides in their united views to take control of the four heritage and tourism sites.

Along with agreeing to a shared purchase agreement, the local authority will also work out a property contract with Shannon Airport Group plus establish legal governance and structures for a new Designated Activity Company called Clare Tourism.

On foot of the decision, the Council will complete negotiations with relevant parties over the coming days to complete the shared purchase agreement. “We won’t rush into it and we will sign that, I anticipate all going well that will happen in the coming days,” Chief Executive of the Council, Pat Dowling outlined. “Following immediately after that, the Mayor and I will be more than

happy to meet the staff of Shannon Heritage,” he added.

The Clare Echo understands that the Clare Tourism DAC will see the county’s tourism offering divided in three. It will include subsections, Clare Tourism North, Clare Tourism West and Clare Tourism East.

Clare Tourism East will have the largest portfolio with Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Knappogue Castle & Medieval Banquets, Crauggownen Bronze Age Park joining Inis Cealtra.

Clare Tourism North accounts for the Cliffs of Moher with Loop Head Lighthouse and the Vandeleur Walled Gardens included in Clare Tourism West.

Newmarket-on-Fergus based Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) proposed the transfer proceed with Cllr PJ Ryan (IND) seconding the recommendation. All councillors who spoke at Monday’s meeting backed the call for the Council to take over the sites.

lAGREED: Bunratty Castle and Folk Park

Appeals board give green light to €65m private housing scheme amid concerns

by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie

AN BORD Pleanála has given the green light for the single largest ever private housing scheme proposed for Ennis.

The appeals board has given the green light for plans by Glenveagh Homes for a €65 million 289 unit scheme on the outskirts of the town despite Clare County Council recommending a refusal and some local opposition.

The Strategic Housing Development (SHD) scheme is made up of 125 three-bed townhouses, 74 3/4 bed semi-detached homes, 66 two bed townhouses, 12 two bed duplex and 12 one bed maisonettes.

The site with an address at Ballymacaula, Drumbiggle, Keelty, Circular Road fronts into the Ennis bypass link Rd between the roundabout near Ennis Golf Club and the roundabout on the N85 Lahinch Rd.

The appeals board has granted planning permission after its inspector in the case, Colin McBride endorsed the scheme.

In his 130 page inspector’s report, Mr McBride stated that the proposed development would not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity and would be acceptable in terms of urban design, height and quantum of development. Mr McBride stated the principle of development is acceptable as the site is suitably zoned for residential development and is a serviced site.

The inspector concluded that the proposed development “is of a suitably high quality and provides for a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments and two, three and/four-bed-

room dwellings, which are served by suitable quality communal, private and public open space”.

He stated, “I do not foresee that the development will negatively impact on the existing residential and visual amenities of the area. Suitable pedestrian infrastructure is available to serve the development”.

Mr McBride endorsed the scheme despite the Council recommending a refusal across four grounds.

The Council recommended refusal after pointing out that the scheme would contravene materially a zoning objective of the Clare County Development plan as the lands

are zoned “Low density Residential”.

The Council also recommended refusal due to the development's design, layout, parking, public open space and private open space layout would not provide for an appropriate standard of residential amenity for future occupiers of the development.

The local authority also recommended refusal having regard to the scale of the development and the location of the site which is at a remove from Ennis town centre.

The Council also found that the scheme constitutes a traffic hazard and would negatively impact on vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the area.

Dream Bigger!

Eight third party submissions were made and the locals contended that the proposal is excessive in density and a material contravention of Development Plan policy.

The objectors claimed that the development is out of character and scale at this location, which is rural in character.

In compliance with its Part V Social and Affordable housing obligations, Glenveagh is proposing to sell 57 homes to Clare County Council and has put an indicative price tag of €12.4m on the 57 homes.

The two sides can now enter negotiations on a final price with planning permission now granted.

lAn artist’s impression of the development

Friar’s Walk multi-storey pulled from Ennis 2040 Strategy

by Páraic McMahon Paraic@clareecho.ie

PLANS to develop A multi-storey car park as part of the Friar’s Walk transformational project in the Ennis 2040 strategy have been dropped but it can be reinstated if demand for car parking is established.

In the original Ennis 2040 Strategy launched in 2021, the Friar’s Walk project was to include a multi-storey car park to “provide for travel to the town centre, alongside a new bus shelter to promote and provide for public transport infrastructure”.

Diarmuid McMahon of Sherry Fitzgerald McMahon who represented Ennis Chamber on the steering committee for Ennis 2040 prior to its publication said they first heard in 2023 that the plans for a car park adjacent to the Temple Gate Hotel were dropped.

A spokesperson for Clare County Council told The Clare Echo, “The multi-storey car park is associated with the large-scale Friars Walk development and could potentially if demand was established be delivered as part of this development subject to Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 considerations”.

“Last year Clare County Council granted plan-

ning permission for 306 new parking spaces in Ennis Town centre (156 Ennis Boys National School and 150 Cloister Car Park). Clare County Council is examining the delivery of additional parking at Waterpark House with a planning application to be lodged later this year. This is a substantial addition to parking facilities in Ennis,” the spokesperson added.

Parking was a priority during discussions according to McMahon, a former President of Ennis Chamber. “Because parking availability has long been a problem in Ennis, it was dealt with as a priority during the steering group discussions.

“It was clearly identified that parking spaces lost to accommodate future development and public realm works, required a multi-storey car park solution as close to the town centre as possible, as an integral part of the plan. The solution to provide a multi-storey car park beside Temple Gate Hotel was considered an ideal solution given its proximity to the town centre”.

Diarmuid said Ennis 2040 was an ambitious plan focused on keeping the town as a vibrant and attractive place to live into the future.

He noted that the use of cars in regional towns across the country will not disappear anytime soon. “Critical-

ly, we simply don’t have the public transport infrastructure in place to allow for a speedy transition. Even the long-promised Ennis town bus service won’t be in place until 2025 at the earliest”.

“We therefore need to ensure there are enough parking spaces to satisfy the needs and demands of

along with a vacuum that is being filled by a plethora of dissenting voices. It is important that the vision and potential of the plan as a whole, is not undermined by this important single issue,” he added.

both staff and customers. It would be a great shame that the vision of the plan should unnecessarily be consumed with parking alone. The plan envisages a significant increase in the population of the town to 40,000 people. Current parking capacity, even with significant public transport and cycle / pedestrian infrastructure, would not be sufficient.

The solution included in the launched version of the 2040 Plan for a multi-storey car park in Temple Gate, has the potential to accommodate proposed developments elsewhere in the town centre. By pivoting away from that solution, a parking conundrum has been created

Ennis Chamber completed a Distance to Work survey of over 500 employees of town centre businesses revealed that 61.5 percent of those surveyed live more than 3km from their workplace. Only 28 of the individuals have access to private car parking, representing an approximate 5.5 percent of respondents. Findings also revealed that of the 500, 38.5 percent live within 3km of their workplace.

President of Ennis Chamber, Sheila Lynch stated, “Much as we all want to see a reduction in car use, while there continues to be a deficit in public transport infrastructure, we will continue to rely on cars as a key mode of transport in regional towns such as Ennis, and therefore we will depend on parking being available to meet those needs and demands”.

While the survey was carried out by Ennis Chamber, to provide data for the Area Based Transport Assessment (ABTA), it was inspired by a meeting with Ennis 2040 and Ennis Municipal District senior administrators earlier this year when it was made apparent that Abbey Street and Parnell Street car parks, were to be subject to extensive development as part of the evolving Ennis 2040 Strategy.

“We knew from talking with our town centre members that many of their employees live a considerable distance from work, but we also knew we couldn’t rely

on anecdotal information and hence the survey was launched, to garner facts,” Sheila said.

Only two of the car parking solutions put forward by Clare County Council, in lieu of projected lost parking at Abbey Street and Parnell Street car parks, and on-street, lost due to urban regeneration works, are permanent solutions.

One of those - The Cloister Car Park - is in the private ownership of Clare GAA. The other is for 80 spaces at Waterpark House, Drumbiggle Road, owned by Clare County Council.

Sheila added “Many of our

members fear that the parking needs of our town, for both staff and customers will not be satisfied going forward and the vibrancy and economic health of our town will be negatively impacted.”

The view of Ennis Chamber is that Ennis needs and deserves an Ennis 2040 Plan to shape its future and to leverage investment, balanced with a need for immediate local frequent public transport, safe cycle and pedestrian access for those that live close enough to the town and a permanent parking fix that gives easy access to the town centre, to guarantee its future vibrancy and footfall.

A parking conundrum has been created ”

“

l Diarmuid McMahon

‘Phones are hopping in Doonbeg’ with Trump to visit next month

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

DOONBEG has many high-profile business personnel within its community and is gearing up for the return of former US President Donald Trump who is to visit his hotel and golf resort next month.

Valued at $30m, Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Doonbeg Ireland has been owned by the Trump family since 2014. It continues to be one of the biggest employers in West Clare which has 305 staff at peak season.

Talk of a potential visit had been mooted in recent weeks but has been confirmed by hotel management.

Donald Trump or the West Clare hotelier as he is commonly known around these parts is to stay in the five star hotel for two days next month. He is to arrive in Shannon Airport on May 4th, flying in via private jet. He will depart on May 5th and move onto Scotland where the Trump family also own two luxurious properties.

Trump’s visit means by the end of 2023, half of the living Presidents of the United States of America will have visited Ireland in the one year with both Bill Clinton and Joe

Biden having been to the Emerald Isle over recent weeks.

A large-scale security operation is expected to be rolled out, led by US Security and the US Secret Service. A high amount of Gardaí are expected to be involved while ironically West Clare remains without a Superintendent since the end of February.

He last visited West Clare and Ireland in June 2019 whilst he still resided in The White House as US President. Although he did not venture outside the Trump resort during this stay, he held a meeting with then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (FG) at Shannon Airport. This trip which wasn’t an official state visit saw no fly zones and road closures

in place across the county.

Last August, Trump had been due to travel to Co Clare but the trip was cancelled at the last minute.

“My phone hasn’t stopped ringing over it,” local publi can David Tubridy quipped following Clare’s three point Munster semi-fi nal win over Limerick about the impend ing visit of Trump.

Local Fi anna Fáil councillors used the visit as a source of ribbing at a meeting of the Rural Development Strate gic Policy Committee (SPC). Cllr Shane Tal ty (FF) told the meeting that he looked forward to Kilkee based Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) “welcom ing ex President Trump to West Clare” to which Murphy swiftly replied, “you are the Cathao irleach of the West Clare Municipal District”. Cllr

Talty confirmed to The Clare Echo on Monday that he had not yet received a formal invite to welcome Mr Trump to West Clare.

Rita McInerney of The Wild Atlantic Break Café explained, “He plans to visit in conjunction with his visit to Scotland, it is primarily a business visit”. She added, “The Trump family have owned the business since 2014, they are very familiar with the property and any security or US security given the last visit would be very familiar with the resort, we’re quite remote and isolated so it is quite easy to navigate and secure a property like that, we haven’t had the Guards in to check us yet but I’m sure they will and keep us informed. The 2019 visit went off very successfully”.

lTHE DONALD: Trump International Golf Links and Hotel Doonbeg Photo by Arthur Ellis

Former US President Donald Trump

Guilfoyle yet to decide if he’ll ‘come off the ditch’ and run in elections

by Páraic McMahon paraic @clareecho.ie

CLARECASTLE’S Tommy Guilfoyle has said he is undecided on whether he will be putting his name forward to contest the 2024 local elections.

Currently Chair of Sinn Féin’s Ennis Cumann, Guilfoyle has stepped forward as a spokesperson on the Francis Street Alliance who are opposing the planned demolition of six properties to build a temporary car park as part of the Ennis 2040 Strategy.

Tommy was campaign manager for Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) when she was elected as a Sinn Féin TD, the first for the county in nearly 100 years at the 2020 General Election.

He had also been involved with the successful campaign when Michael McNamara became a TD for the first time in 2011 as a Labour party candidate, he was elected in 2020 as an Independent.

He is currently the trade unions representative on Clare County Council’s Social Development Strategic Policy Committee (SPC). This SPC deals with housing among other topics and Guilfoyle has been vocal on this topic and the need to build more houses across the county.

Given his prominent role within the Francis Street Alliance and his frequent appearances on local media particularly Clare FM, he is viewed as a likely contender for Sinn Féin in the Ennis Municipal District for next year’s local elections.

When asked by The Clare Echo if he would be putting his name on the ballot paper next year, Tommy stated,

“I’ve no aspiration of any bid, not yet. People have said to me ‘Tommy will you come off the ditch, you’re like the hurler on the ditch’, I’ve been involved in the election of two TDs from the county, I’ve been involved in many other elections which weren’t successful, will Tommy come off the ditch is a decision I will have to have with my family and others like that.

“At the moment, I haven’t confirmed anything, we’re going to work hard in the community, I’m a spokesperson for the Francis Street Alliance, we’re working hard in the community to grow within the community and allow it to expand their voice and open up their voice to create change, we’re creating that for now and what happens in the future I’ll let you know if that changes”.

One protest has been held to date by the Francis Street Alliance to voice their opposition to the Ennis 2040 plans for the temporary car park where they marched to the offices of Clare County Council.

When it was put to him by The Clare Echo if the exercise would have been better had they done it on a day that the Council offices were opened, Tommy replied, “Jees Páraic it’s great to see you joining the group now by giving us advice on what to do! By all means you’re welcome, if we need to address people and call them out of the offices and hand them a petition or letter, of course we will, if you have any more good ideas make sure to let us know because we will use them”.

Sinn Féin’s press office have ignored queries from The Clare Echo on when it will be holding selection conventions across Co Clare to formalise its ticket for the 2024 local elections.

Conway appointed Chair of Seanad select committee

SENATOR Martin Conway (FG) has been appointed as Chairperson of the newly established Seanad Select Committee on Scrutiny of EU-related Statutory Instruments, writes Páraic McMahon

A first public meeting of the committee was held last week. It will take the lead in scrutinising draft statutory instruments which transpose EU

Directives into Irish law.

Conway said he was “absolutely delighted” to be elected to the role.

He explained, “Many reports on Seanad reform have recommended that the House should have a much greater role in scrutinising EU legislation and I’m looking forward to working on this”.

Conway who has been success-

ful in three elections to the Seanad since 2011 outlined, “We will be holding Ministers and Departments accountable for unnecessary delays in transposing directives which will benefit the people of Ireland”.

From 2004 to 2011, he was an elected member of Clare County Council while in February 2020 he was an unsuccessful candidate in

the General Election. He is currently Fine Gael’s Seanad spokesperson on Justice and Equality.

Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar (FG) stated, "Martin, and the Committee,

will play a crucial role in ensuring greater transparency in how EU directives are transposed into Irish law, and their implications for the wider public.”

Ministers’ advice most sought by Clare TD

FORMER Clare Fianna Fáil TDs, Tony Killeen and Brendan Daly are among the political figures whose advice is most sought by the party’s only current TD from the county, writes Páraic McMahon.

Clare’s TDs that last served at the Cabinet table, Daly who over a 10 year period was Minister for Fisheries, Forestry, the Marine, Defence and Social

Welfare and Killeen who was Minister for Defence from March 2010 to January 2011 are among those who the Meelick native turns to for counsel.

“Tony Killeen and Brendan Daly have been fantastic to me, Willie O’Dea continues to be a really close friend of mine, there are other colleagues particularly the new TDs that have came in that I get along great

with.

It’s no different to when I was teaching, I would have seen teachers with decades of experience often having to sound out a colleague looking for advice, it’s the same in politics, we’ve many WhatsApp groups with politicians and we often chew over issues on lunch breaks and see how we can resolve it better,” he told The Clare Echo

l

CAMPAIGN: Tommy Guilfoyle Photo by John Mangan

lSenator Martin Conway

Councillor & ex publican pays out €500 for COVID-19 breach

by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie

GARDAÍ detected over 50 people after 1am in a rural pub then operated by a Fianna Fáil member of Clare County Council during Covid-19 restrictions, a court has heard.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Alan O’Callaghan (46) paid out €500 to the Court Discretionary Fund or Poor Box after pleading guilty as license holder to contravening regulations to prevent, limit, minimise or slow the spread of Covid-19 at his Pump House pub on two successive nights on Saturday October 16th and Sunday October 17th 2021.

After Mr O’Callaghan of Rosroe, Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge paid over the €500, Judge Mary Larkin struck out the two cases against the man.

Judge Larkin struck out the cases after solicitor for Mr O’Callaghan, Stiofan Fitzpatrick asked that she not criminalise his client.

Mr Fitzpatrick said that Mr O’Callaghan never had an issue or any difficulty in 12 years of operating the Pump House. He said that it is a testament to Mr O’Callaghan’s good history

that he operated the pub for 12 years without receiving any summons.

Mr Fitzpatrick said Mr O’Callaghan no longer operates the pub after the lease expired late last year.

In court, Sgt Aiden Lonergan said that on October 16th 2021, Gardai entered the Pump House, Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge, at 00.57am during Covid-19.

Sgt Lonergan said, “There were three persons with full alcohol

drinks in front of them at the bar and they left when asked to do so by Gardai”.

Sgt Lonergan said that when asked to produce a receipt of the last alcohol sold, it showed that alcohol was still being served at 00.24am.

Sgt Lonergan said that Gardaí returned the following night at 1.05am and this time found that there were over 50 people on the premises and when asked Mr O’Callaghan produced a till re-

ceipt for 00.38am.

Sgt Lonergan said that Mr O’Callaghan said that this was for a drink bought earlier in the night.

Sgt Lonergan stated, “There were a number of alcoholic drinks at the bar and on the tables. On both dates, the premises were in breach of Covid regulations that were in place at the time”.

On Mr O’Callaghan’s behalf, Mr Fitzpatrick said, “Mr O’Callaghan had this premises for over 12 years without issue and never had any difficulty. Covid times hit and no one suffered more than the publicans did”.

He said that on the first night, the only reason the three people were there was because Mr O’Callaghan agreed to drop them home

Mr Fitzpatrick said, “The premises is in a rural area and three miles outside the village of Sixmilebridge. It is a stand alone pub and outside the school functions and brings people together in a close knit community”.

He said, “As things were relaxed with Covid, people were coming out more frequently and learning what was involved and they were facilitated and unfortunately the Garda called”.

l Fianna Fáil Councillor Alan O’Callaghan

Shannon and region poised to be exemplar contributor to sustainable development

When launching its strategic plan 2023 –2026, Shannon Chamber president Eoin Gavin stated that one of the Chamber’s key objectives over the next three years will be to collaborate on promoting sustainability and renewable energy.

He said that the Chamber would do this in several ways but particularly through creating a platform to brainstorm and undertake initiatives that can enable Shannon and the region to play a meaningful role in Ireland attaining its national targets.

A key part of making this a reality has been the formation of a Sustainability Forum which has already attracted over 40 member companies to its fold.

This Forum, which is led by sustainability professional, Barry Gavin, has a singular purpose, to support Chamber members in their sustainability journeys and in the delivery of their sustainability goals.

Feedback from the meetings held so far is that companies are at different stages of their sustainability journeys - some have definitive plans in place whilst others need direction and assistance on where to start.

As Shannon Chamber operates a Skillnet, it will be encouraging companies to engage with it to have a conversation on how the Chamber can support them into the future.

As Skillnet Ireland has established a Climate

Ready Academy, the Chamber will be linked to this to enhance its offering to members.

In the short time since the Task Force has been formed, companies have demonstrated a willingness to share information and to help others, as is the ethos of the many Forums the Chamber has set up - the CEO Forum, the HR Forum, and the Mid-West Lean Network. All of these Forums are industry-led which means that they are delivering on the real needs of businesses.

Sustainability encompasses so many areas and that’s why the Chamber is setting up separate working groups – to focus in on energy, biodiversity, waste and water and to enable those with the expertise in these areas to lead the way and assist in setting attainable goals that will make a difference in Shannon and the region.

To quote Eoin Gavin: “Shannon Chamber is only at the beginning of its journey and we hope to have some notable wins that we can report on in the next twelve months.”

A recent sustainability-focused event, held in Ei Electronics in Shannon, included contributors from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and Chamber members, Ei Electronics, Element Six and The Falls Hotel. All spoke about the benefits of focusing on sustainability.

Shannon Chamber chief executive Helen

Downes says that this event was one of many events that the Chamber will be organising through the Sustainability Forum.

“We want to support our members in their

sustainability journeys and ultimately enable this region to be a stand-out example of what can be achieved through collaborative endeavour.”

Increasing costs prompt Rice College to hit fairways

INCREASING costs associated with extra curricular activities is the motivation for a golf classic for one Ennis secondary school, writes Páraic McMahon

Rice College will hold a golf classic at Woodstock Golf Club on May 4th and 5th to raise funds to enable the school to continue to hold extra-curricular activities across the school semester.

Ennis native Pat Devitt has been Deputy Principal of Rice College for three years, he has been on the staff for a total of 28 years and previously attended the school. He explained, “Sport is always important in school, it is a crucial part of the holistic development of all the kids that pass through Rice College, extra-curricular activity has always been an important part of the school, we’re very lucky to have had a huge number of teachers that have actively got involved in and have driven in”.

On the need to raise funds, Mr Devitt stated, “We’re a voluntary secondary school at the end of the day, we rely on contributions to try fund a lot of the activities, the way society is going now everything is going up in price, even bus hire and rental of pitches is

increasing, that is the main reason we’re trying to generate funds to assist the school in promoting the extra curricular activities”.

Participation of future school teams is not in doubt just yet, he confirmed. “The Board of Management have been fantastic in supporting the extra curricular activities, money wise and every other aspect of it. The purpose is to generate that extra bit to push it on and try introduce new sports to the school and other activities”.

Inagh native Brian Foudy joined the teaching staff in September. Alongside, Conor Cleary he is driving the fundraiser. From their time over school hurling teams, they noticed that more funds would aid their participation, “we noticed that funding was quite low and it is hard to come by funds for sports equipment, paying for buses and referees, we’re using this golf classic as a way of helping teachers drive our extra curricular activities without the need of having to look at extra funding”.

Mr Foudy is hopeful up to 30 teams will partake and commended local businesses for their support to date. Tee times can still be booked by contacting the school.

lCOLLABORATION: Pictured at the sustainability event in Ei Electronics’ Centre of Excellence in Shannon (seated l-r): Helen Downes, chief executive, Shannon Chamber, Ali Doherty, SEAI, and Sharon Malone, the Falls Hotel. Back row (l-r): Robert McCarthy, SEAI, David Keating, Ei Electronics and Steve Gorvel, Element Six Photo by Eamon Ward

lFIVE: Teeing up for the golf classic Photo by Joe Buckley

The Clare Echo teams up with Relay For Life - sign up today ‘To get a cancer was so bizarre,

THE Clare Echo has been announced as the media partner for this year’s Relay for Life Ennis, writes Elaine Tubridy

The two-day event, taking place on June 17 and 18 in Ennis, is a unique and beautiful opportunity to celebrate those that have survived cancer, remember loved ones lost to cancer, and to stand shoulder to shoulder with those battling cancer. Funds raised at Relay enable the Irish Cancer Society to continue its life-saving work.

The Clare Echo Editor Stuart Holly commented: “I would like to encourage local businesses, community groups and families to show their support for this incredible initiative. The Clare Echo is proud to partner with Relay For Life, yet again. Almost every family in Clare has been touched by cancer and the Relay For Life not only raises funds and awareness for such vital services, but it is also a wonderful way to support families in our community going through a difficult time in their lives.”

Chair of Relay For Life Ennis Auriol Considine said: “We are thrilled to have The Clare Echo on board for this event. The Clare Echo and so many other businesses around Ennis have been extremely generous with their support of this event.”

All cancer survivors are invited to attend the Cancer Survivors’ Reception and the Survivors’ Lap of Honour which opens Relay For Life Ennis on June 17 at 2pm in Tim Smythe Park, Ennis.

Lorraine urging teams to enter

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

CANCER survivor Lorraine White is preparing for her daily ritual, a swim in Ballyallia Lake, as she speaks to The Clare Echo about her story of survival.

“We broke the ice with our little pick-axes in early January during the big freeze so we could go for a swim,” Lorraine recounts with a laugh. It’s this resilience and defiance which has helped her overcome a few tumultuous years following her diagnosis.

Not long after being diagnosed with lobular breast cancer in 2019, Lorraine went on a retreat at Shannon Estuary Way which is run by Lorraine’s cousin Rosie McMahon. After a plunge into the Atlantic off Doolin Pier, Lorraine caught the bug for outdoor swimming. “I have never looked back.”

While teams and people from the community walk the track over a 24 hour period, a festival of fun and entertainment takes place. Funds raised at Relay enables the Irish Cancer Society to continue its life saving work.

A feature of every Relay For Life is the Candle of Hope ceremony which takes place at dusk. Before the event, everyone in the community is invited to dedicate a Candle of Hope bag to someone they know who has been touched by cancer.

To register or find out more visit https:// relayforlifeennis.ie/ @relayforlifeennis

Fitness enthusiast Lorraine is part of two social swimming groups called the ‘Ballyalla Bravehearts’ and the ‘Lough Bunny Hunnys’. She has since fully recovered from cancer but admits there are some side-effects and symptoms which continue to impact her life such as bone density issues, night sweats and fatigue. The cold-water swimming, she believes, helps keep these issues in check.

“If I haven’t swam for four days, I can start feeling those symptoms coming back,” says the mum-of-three. “It also definitely benefits the ‘mind monsters’. I ride a motorbike and I do cold swimming, and in that situation in the cold water or on the motorbike, you can’t think of anything other than the present moment.”

Lorraine was in the height of her health in July 2019 when she received the shocking news of her cancer diagnosis, noting that she had never previously spent time in a hospital only to give birth to her three children.

“To get a cancer diagnosis at 39 was so bizarre, an awful shock to me, my husband, kids and family.” Thanks to catching the diagnosis early, Lorraine was able to have the tumour removed without the need for a mastectomy. However, she recounts the “debilitating” process of undergoing three months of chemotherapy and 23 rounds of radiotherapy.

Lorraine admits it took her time to come to terms with her illness, even blaming herself at times but the greatest outlet ultimately was connecting with other people.

“You’re wondering why, why why? You’ll cry, you’ll shout, you’ll give out, and then all of a sudden I said, ‘I want to live, I don’t want this to take me. I have three kids, I have a husband, I love my life’ and then straight away I decided to put it out there, speak about it online and talk about it.”

‘Talking about it’ will be among the focus of this Friday’s Survivors’ Coffee Morning, which takes place at the Temple Gate Hotel in Ennis at 10:30am. A Daffodil nurse from the Irish Cancer Society will be there to talk about the services available to cancer patients and their families, and all those going through treatment or cancer Survivors are welcome to come along and bring their spouses.

Last year, Lorraine became involved with Relay for Life and admits to being “blown away” by it. “All of a sudden I was in a room with people with the purple T-shirt on who had gone through what I went through. You know they’ve had cancer and they came

l BRIGHTER DAYS: Anne Maloney and

l MEDIA PARTNERS: Niall O’Connor and Stuart Holly

at 39 an awful shock’

‘amazing’ Relay For Life

out the end of it, they’re the same as you. I was absolutely blown away by it.” Lorraine describes the Survivors’ Lap at the beginning of the 24-hour event as “so emotional”. “All the Survivors gathered at the start line, and we all just looking at each other and we’re not alone. We walked around in quietness and it was so moving, so touching, so emotional. It’s hard to describe it unless you’ve been to it.”

As well as being involved in Relay for Life, Lorraine is also the County Clare ambassador for 100k in 30 Days, which raises awareness and funds for the Marie Keating Foundation.

Speaking about her journey to becoming an ambassador, Lorraine explains, “You’re essentially on your own and it can be a very lonely and dark place. I turned to my Instagram and reached out online to real people, I needed factual instant information and I wanted to know everything that was going to happen to me as I

started going through treatment. I got an awful lot of interaction with people and in turn I was able to help loads of people.

“It’s almost like a counselling service, I’m helping people who helped me and in turn I can give advice.”

Lorraine is urging people to get involved in Relay for Life and enter a team. “There’s not one person I know who hasn’t had a family member or friend who has been touched by cancer or lost a loved one to cancer. Relay for Life is a 24-hour event and everyone who turns up is there for someone else or themselves and it’s an amazing initiative about creating awareness and funds. There’s so much happening on the day, activities for kids, face-painting, music, it’s a really nice family day out and I’m screaming from the rooftops for people to come out and support it.”

Relay For Life Ennis takes place on June 17-18, 2023 at Tim Smythe Park, Ennis. To enter a team, visit https://www.relayforlife.ie/ event/ennis. The Survivors’ Coffee Morning takes place at the Temple Gate Hotel in Ennis at 10:30am tomorrow (Friday, April 28).

Chloe Heaney take part in Relay for Life

Clare Student Raises €2,500 for Women’s Aid

by Flynn Egan news@clareecho.ie

Ayoung student from Clare has raised €2,500 by shaving her head for Women’s Aid. Grace

O’Doherty, Biomedical Sciences student at Trinity College, held the fundraiser on March 1st and was shocked and delighted by the result.

Grace took the opportunity to shave her head while in college.

“It’s not a very professional time in my life, so it’s okay to have crazy hair for a little while,” aside from the timing Grace said:”Domestic violence in Ireland is a big issue and it’s a charity that’s quite important to me.”

Grace has previously donated her hair to The Little Princess Trust twice. During her time in Colaiste Mhuire, she grew her hair out into plaits 12 inches long, until she cut them off to be made into wigs for children affected by cancer.

The change was prompted by her drive for women’s rights. “I have three older sisters so I think that’s why Women’s Aid stuck out to me, women’s rights and gender equality have always been very important in our house.”

Pat McHugh

Ennis Art School has won top prizes in this year's 69th Texaco Children's Art Competition. First prize was won by six year old Zoey Kennedy for her work entitled JoJo. In the 7 to 8 category, Sara McHugh won second prize for an artwork entitled 'The Waterfall'. Ennis Art School also received 16 Special Merits. Summer Art camps take place at Ennis Art School all of July and August. Pictured are Zoey Kennedy and Sarah McHugh

She shaved her hair during a small gathering of around 20 friends. The donations mostly came from friends and family, but Grace had also posted about the fundraiser on her Instagram account, and found that work mates, and even strangers were happy to donate:“I was taken aback by it, but really touching at the same time to see how supportive and generous people were.”

During the event each of her friends cut off a

Notes

strand of her hair, initially for fun but Grace added: “As they were doing it, bit by bit, it was actually kind of emotional, it became important that it was my friends that were doing it.”

As her hair got shorter and shorter, Grace tried on several different styles, such as a bob, a mullet, and a mohawk. She particularly liked the wolf cut, and said:”I’ve kinda what it’s gonna be like growing out now

so it’s nothing to be scared of.”

The reaction to the change has been overwhelmingly positive, “People have been so lovely about it. Even in work a few strangers have come over just to be like, ‘oh I have to tell you that your hair is so so nice’.”

Grace’s fundraiser has since closed, but you can support Women’s Aid directly at:womensaid.ie/ support

CENTENERY MEMORIAL LECTURE

THERE will be a Dawn Memorial Lecture at Drumcliffe Cemetery by Dr. Tomás Mac Conmara on Tuesday morning May 2nd to commemorate 3 Ennis men who were executed by the Freestate at the end of the Civil war in Clare 1923. The lecture will commemorate Patrick O'Mahony from Market Street, who was executed at Ennis Gaol on the 26th of April 1923. Christopher Quinn from the Turnpike and William O' Shaughnessy from the Kilrush road who were executed together on the 2nd of May at Ennis Gaol after the ceasefire had been called will also be remembered. The lecture takes place at 7am (the exact time of the execution) on Tuesday morning the 2nd of May at their graveside in Drumcliffe. All are very welcome to attend.

Ennis Art School paints with gold

Photo by

l Grace O’Doherty

SHANNON NEWS

in association with

Cronan residents protest over grass cutting

CRONAN residents in Shannon took to the offices of the Shannon Municipal District to protest over the state of grass cutting in their estate, writes Páraic McMahon Shannon’s largest estate has only had its grass cut once this year prompting local residents to protest over the matter on Friday morning. Cronan Gardens, Cronan Grove, Cronan Lawn and Cronan Park are all included within the vast estate of Cronan.

Chairman of the Cronan Residents Association, Derek Clune said they had been “taken for complete mugs”. He said, “We had one cut down on the 28th of Feb-

ruary this year, that was the first cut for 2023, nine weeks have gone and there’s been none then since. We’ve contacted the Shannon MD on several occasions complaining about this and we’ve been told that the reason from the contractor is underfoot conditions are not good enough.

“We, the people living in Cronan, I’m there 45 years, we know our area, we know the dry areas and there are a few wet areas.

“Last week, the contractor went into one area, he had a bit of a problem and left, we have walked all these areas and they are dryer than the areas cut. We invited the grass contractor and representatives from the Shannon MD to walk the areas with us and show us what they are talking about, as of yet they

haven’t responded or said they will come down”.

Clune added, “The grass cutting contractor informed the Council a cut was done on the 19th of March but anyone who knows their calendar knows that the 19th of March was a Sunday and Mother’s Day, there was no grass cut and the residents felt that was the final straw they had been taken for complete mugs”.

A source for Clare County Council told The Clare Echo, “the weather conditions prohibited maintenance as the ground was getting damaged” with cutting machines sinking on the ground”.

Prior to the 2019 local election, grass cutting or the lack of proved to be one of the main election issues in Shannon Town.

Odd socks cycle to raise funds

for Down Syndrome

CYCLISTS will take to the road this Sunday to raise much needed funds for Down Syndrome Ireland’s Clare branch, writes Páraic McMahon

Commencing at 09:30am outside Shannon Leisure Centre, the Odd Socks Cycle gives participants the option to cycle 50km or 100km.

Jointly organised by Club Rothaíochta na Sionainne and Down Syndrome Clare, there will be plenty of spot prizes for cyclists with the best socks on show.

In the longer 100km spin, cyclists leave Shannon and travel through Quin, Kilkishen, Bodyke and Broadford. The shorter 50km loop is via Quin, Ballycar and Newmarket-on-Fergus. Refreshements will be provided on both routes and at the finish line.

Laura Cahir of the Clare branch of Down Syndrome Ireland explained, “People with Down Syndrome have three copies of chromosome 21 and chromosomes just so happen to look like odd socks”.

She said that their local committee is made up of twelve volunteer parents “who strive to organise fundraising to help pay for essential therapies for their 85 members spread throughout the Banner County, such as speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, home tutoring, swimming, therapeutic horse riding, singing and music groups”.

All funds raised from the Odd Socks Cycle “will be so appreciated by our amazing Down Syndrome Clare members and their wonderful families. The organisers would like to acknowledge also the amazing support received from local businesses such as Zimmer, Cup Print and Carey Corbett in sponsoring the event,” she added.

lLAWN ORDER: Protesters outside the Shannon Municipal District offices

Photo by Joe Buckley

lALL SMILES: Martin Sheppard, Peter Duggan, Hannah Cusack and Kathleen Shannon

Photo by Joe Buckley

Hillery honoured in Miltown Malbay

On Sunday 30th April the Mid Clare Brigade Commemoration Committee with the Hillery family will unveil the second in a series of commemorative blue plaques.

This plaque marks the life at his birthplace on the main street in Miltown Malbay of Dr Michael Hillery, who assisted the dying and injured that day as well as serving the Mid Clare Brigade, in particular the 4th Battalion, throughout the War of Independence and both sides during the Civil War period.

Dr Michael Hillery and his life will be remembered on Sunday 30th April 2023 with a blue plaque unveiling at 1:15pm at his birthplace Hillery’s Pub, Main Street, Miltown Malbay. All are welcome.

First crime thriller novel released by Gaye Maguire

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

AFORMER RTÉ senior promotions producer with strong ties to Kilkee has released her first crime thriller.

Gaye Maguire in June 2022 left behind a long and award-winning career in television to pursue her passion for creative writing and crime fiction. Her debut novel, ‘Blood Mothers’ an Amazon exclusive title, is available worldwide in Hardback, Paperback and Kindle editions. Published by Inkubator Books, it featured in the Amazon Top 100 in its first week of publication. It’s also hit the number one spot in Irish Crime on Amazon. Book Bloggers and Goodreads have given it a five star rating.

Originally from Co Limerick, Gaye has a special place in her heart for Kilkee. She explained, “My grandfather Tom Honan was the Station Master in Kilkee back in the 40’s and 50’s before I was born. There were five Honan sisters and one brother and my mum Maura was the eldest girl, she became a national school teacher, married a Limerick man and moved to Dublin, where I was born. We went back to Kilkee every Summer on holiday, and it holds a special place in my heart”.

Described as a fast-paced thrilled, ‘Blood Mothers’ is the first of a crime series introducing Detective Sergeant, Kate Hamilton. When a rich socialite is found hacked to death in her Dublin home, it marks the beginning of a killing spree that leaves five apparently unconnected elderly people brutally slain. Kate is described as a brilliant and ambitious detective, she soon uncovers the connection between the victims, they were all involved in an illegal and cruel adoption scheme originating in a private Mother and Baby Home many years earlier. When she

discovers she has a personal link with both victims and murderer, Kate realises her own life is in danger, as never before.

Getting a book published was always a goal for Gaye who had been writing in her spare time for many years including taking creative writing courses, attending seminars and festivals. On the idea behind her first book, she said, “I’m old enough to remember a time when becoming pregnant out of wedlock was considered catastrophic, I remember girls who disappeared from school with mysterious illnesses, but who I later found out had been pregnant, and had given up their babies for adoption. Families either sent them away or hid them away, it was a cruel and harsh world to be a young woman in”.

Already, she has been offered a four-book deal with Inkubator Books, the second book ‘Dark Waters’ will be released next June.

East Clare

Bridgetown 'well beyond the time' for speed surveys

BRIDGETOWN is “gone well past the time for traffic speed surveys,” the Mayor of Clare has said, writes

Páraic McMahon

Installation of speed control ramps on the approach to Bridgetown National School and church on the R466 was sought by Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF). He also wished to see such measures introduced on the approach to Killaloe Boys National School and both the approaches to the community creche and playground in Killaloe.

Acting senior executive engineer in the Killaloe Municipal District, Derek Troy outlined that traffic speed surveys would be undertaken on foot of the request “to establish traffic volumes and extent of vehicular speeds”. He also committed to examine the existing infrastructure such as flashing school lights,

warning signage and driver feedback signage. Gardaí will be notified if excessive speeding is detected during the surveys.

As a result of the survey works in Killaloe, completed in the winter, a successful funding application for €20,000 was made under the 2023 Safety Improvement Works on Regional and Local Roads for traffic calming in the vicinity of the creche, tennis club and Benson Box factory in Killaloe.

Cllr O’Brien stated, “It has gone well past the time for traffic speed surveys. The amount of trucks and cars using the R466 at Bridgetown, the speeds they are travelling at is dangerous, we need to take action. It is the same on the approach to the Boys NS, we have put in warning lights but it’s still a dangerous junction, I could think of similar other places in Killaloe”.

Ramps in Ennis by Tierney’s Shop on the Tulla Rd and at Daly’s Cross in Limerick on the approach from O’Briensbridge were referenced by the Killaloe councillor as examples of ramps to slow down the traffic.

“The volume of traffic has increased hugely in the area, I don’t want to labour the point but the time for surveys and talking about it are done, I would like to see action. I would look at hopefully this being done in the very short-term,” he added.

Contacting An Garda Síochána before the survey was suggested by Cllr Joe Cooney (FG). “There are other areas we have that concern, we all know funding is required but we need to explore the options. We’re getting calls on this the whole time, maybe we need to call An Garda Síochána”.

Surveys could show “limited speeding”,

Notes

BLUEGRASS RETURNS

Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) cautioned. “We’ve seen them in Kilkishen and estates, are we getting a true reading of what is happening. Could it come back in two months and say only two per cent of cars are over the speed limit, I don’t know is it a true reflection.”

Clarification was provided by Troy that the surveys are the “standard measure” used by local authorities across the country. “They give a snapshot of what is happening from that period. The perception is traffic is going faster than what’s recorded but the only other measure is if the Guards have been out. We have to rely on the survey, if we detect a small amount of speeding over the average or norm then it is justified. We undertook the survey, minimal speeding was detected and we have now funding to make improvements at the Benson factory”.

AFTER an absence of four years, the highly acclaimed US Bluegrass band, High Plains Tradition, makes a welcome return to Sixmilebridge on Thursday, 4 May for a concert, hosted by Sixmilebridge Folk Club, in the concert venue in Gleeson’s Bar.

Hailing from Colorado, the band is a true favourite of the Folk Club’s audiences, having made a number of appearances in the Shannonside Music Festival over the years. This five-piece bank will entertain with their mix of vocals, mandolin, fiddle, banjo guitar and solid rock bass. The incredible lineup features Doug Elrick (mandolin/vocals), Bobbie Vickery (fiddle/vocals), Steve Gilmore (guitar/vocals), Mark Leslie (banjo/vocals) and Kenny Pabst (bass/vocals). The concert will be an all-seated event. Booking is via https://SmbFolkClubHighPlainsTradition.eventbrite.ie and early booking is advisable.

TULLA DRAMA TAKES TO STAGE

TULLA Drama Group take to the stage at Tulla Courthouse for four nights this week. Bernard Farrell’s ‘I Do Not Like Thee Dr Fell’ will be presented by Tulla Drama Group. Shows run from Thursday (April 27th) to Sunday (April 30th) with each production commencing at 8:30pm every night. Tickets are available for €10 for adults with children and students able to avail of discounted prices at €5. To reserve tickets, contact Siobhan on 0872356124.

lGaye McGuire Photo by Owen Tighe

Festival of Finn plans finalised

The Festival of Finn promises to offer something for everyone this weekend, writes

Elaine Tubridy

Following a cheese and wine reception

Friday night at the community hall Cumann Staire is Duchais Chora Finne will host a talk on the legacy of Corofin native son and former Supreme Court Justice Seamus Henchy, starting at 8:30 p.m. Given by Paul Minihan, this is history lecture is not to be missed.

All nature lovers will want to go on a ‘Burren ramble’ on April 29 at 10:30 a.m., with Burren National Park guide Marie McGauran. Kids will be dazzled by Myster Magic, who will be performiat the community hall on Saturday morning at 11 a.m.

A new event takes place at 3 p.m. Saturday, with a fun 5-aside indoor football blitz at the GAA sports hall. Whet your whistle at the ‘boogie in the beer garden’ at the Yellow Submarine starting at 4 p.m., with music by Loose Change. All trivia experts are invited to participate in the ‘Salmon of Knowledge’ quiz at Mike Hogan’s bar starting at 9 p.m. Saturday night.

Sunday has yet more to offer for everyone. The Festival Village Market gets underway at 10 a.m. at the community hall. The family and friends ‘car treasure hunt’ starts at 12 noon from the hall. Frisbee golf takes place at the community field at 12:30 on Sunday. Calling all artists and would-be artists to the Morning Dew Café at 2 p.m., for a ‘right-brain challenge.’ And the ever-popular World Stone Throwing Championship is not to be missed at Bofey’s Beer Garden starting at 4 p.m.

At 9.45am on Monday, Brendan Medium difficulty, meet at Lake Inchiquin. The annual Fancy Dress Parade kicks off at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, May 1. This Parade is always fun to participate in and watch, and the theme this year is the Corofin Time Machine. Be sure to check out the ‘Lark at the Lake’ after the parade

Monday at 2:30 p.m. at the Morning Dew Café, Breda Shannon will read from Dermot Hayes’ memoir, “The Road that Rises.” And the festival wraps up that night starting at 9 p.m. at Bofey Quinn’s.

The Festival of Finn takes place from Friday, April 28 to Monday, May 1. There is a small fee to attend some events. Look for the Festival of Finn brochure available throughout Corofin and in neighboring communities, or visit www.festivaloffinn. com. Search Festival of Finn on social media.

Notes

HEALTH & WELLBEING TALK IN ENNISTYMON LIBRARY

Did you know that spending time in nature is scientifically proven to promote physical and mental wellbeing. Would you like to know more? On Tuesday 2nd May at 6pm in Ennistymon Library, you can join local psychotherapist, Joanne Hanrahan, who has specialist training in Trauma as well as Eco-therapy, for an informal talk on how spending time outdoors can ease anxiety and regulate your nervous system! With Bealtaine approaching, Joanne will inspire you to get outside and teach you how to connect more with the natural world, be more mindful in nature, and have fun! This is a Free event. Contact Ennistymon Library for more information on 065 7071245. A Healthy Ireland at Your Library event.

Burren Wellness Month bids to improve health

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

AMONTH-LONG schedule of wellness events will be held in the Burren next month.

Organised by the Burren Ecotourism Network, ‘Burren Wellness Month’ will feature a variety of activities aimed at improving physical and mental health, while providing an opportunity to experience the stunning landscape of the area.

Known for its ancient rock formations, wildflowers, and expansive vistas, the Burren region has been enjoyed by visitors for centuries. During Wellness month, local businesses and attractions are offering special packages and events that promote physical activity, mindfulness, and healthy eating.

More than 20 businesses in the Network are taking part, offering activities and events during the month. These include yoga classes, guided walks and cycles, cave tours, surfing, spa retreats meditation, painting classes, music sessions, food events and much more.

Included in the line-up is the annual ‘Burren Slow Food Festival’ in Lisdoonvarna on the 21st of May, which celebrates the unique GEOfood producers of the region.

Jarlath O’Dwyer, CEO of the Burren Ecotourism Network said, “We are thrilled to designate May as Wellness month – it’s a beautiful time of year here in the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, with the wildflowers in bloom and nature at its best. Our aim is to highlight the importance of self-care and wellness and encourage everyone whether they be local or

visitors to experience the diverse range of activities both outdoor and indoor which are available in the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global GEOpark”. Visitors can take advantage of the Burren’s natural resources, in the vast range of outdoor activities available, such as walks on Mullaghmore, surfing at Fanore beach, yoga at Doolin Pier, spa and beauty retreats at both the Falls hotel in Ennistymon and the Lady Gregory hotel in Gort and painting

workshops at the Burren College of Art.

Many of these events are led by local experts in health and wellness, who can share their knowledge and insights into how to live a healthy balanced lifestyle.

For more information about Wellness Month in the Burren, including a full schedule of events and activities visit the Burren Ecotourism Network website, www.burren. ie

Hayes takes to the road with book tour

AUTHOR and activist Dermot Hayes is taking to the road for a series of readings and discussions from his no-holds-barred memoir at venues across the county throughout the month of May, writes Páraic McMahon

Over 1,000 copies of Dermot’s memoir, ‘The Road That Rises’ have been sold with the book now on its second print run. The book which was launched to a packed crowd at St Patrick’s Hall in Corofin in March, lifts the lid on a life of campaigning that has challenged the establishment for over 50 years.

It was published after an online fundraising campaign guaranteed the publishing costs and now the volume of sales has ensured that there will be some profits to be shared amongst local causes.

Published by the Limerick Writers’ Centre, its director Dominic Taylor has hailed its immediate impact,“The Road that Rises has been a great success to date. It is proof that books have a special place in our society and communities. People respond to great stories of lives fully lived, of roads less travelled, crafted by skilled wordsmiths and Dermot’s life is certainly up there as a great story, needing to be told”.

As a lifelong activist, Dermot knows the value of social engagement and he is excited to be visiting venues beginning in Corofin next week, especially in the company of his ghost-writer Breda Shannon, “Breda has brought my story to life in a stunning but sensitive way. Anyone who has read the book knows the effect of her writing,” he said.

Dermot and Breda will be discussing how the book came about and the nature of the collaboration between writer and subject. There will also be frank discussion on the causes in Dermot’s life and changes in Clare over the decades.

‘Taking to the Road that Rises’ with Dermot Hayes and Breda Shannon will visit the following venues: May 1st Corofin Morning Dew Café 2:30pm; May 18th Ennis Library 6:30 pm; May 25th Scarriff Library 6:30 pm; May 30th Ennistymon Library 6:30 pm.

All are welcome and entry is free to each event. Large servings of personal and community struggle as well as humour and heritage are guaranteed. As space is limited for the Morning Dew event in Corofin, booking is advisable – call Dermot on (086) 315 7591 to reserve a seat.

lKARST: Experience the stunning landscape of the Burren

lMEMOIR: Author and activist Dermot Hayes

Macalla an Chláir

le MACDARA Ó CONAOLA

An Clár as Gaeilge Teo Togra Páirtnéireachta Forbairt Teanga Pobail do Chontae an Chláir

PreabGhaeltacht Oíche amárach

Pop-up Gaeltacht Tomorrow evening!

DÉ HAOINE / Friday, 28ú Aibreán/April, 9PM

Tigh Considine / Considine’s, Sráid Parnell, Inis Bígí linn / Join us!

Caint, comhrá, comhluadar, agus ceol! Chat, conversation, company, and ceol!

Youth Work Plan launched in Ennis

Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board officially launched its Youth Work Plan 2023 - 2026 at glór Ennis on Wednesday 19th April. The plan aims to ensure the ETB succeeds in its responsibilities to support the provision, coordination, administration and assessment of youth work services in the Limerick and Clare region. Pictured are Donncha Ó Treasaigh, Director of Schools at Limerick and Clare ETB; Ell Simons; Cora Foley, ETB Youth Officer Team Lead; Aoimhe McNamara and George O’Callaghan, Chief Executive at Limerick and Clare ETB

Thought for the week: Believe in love

Spreading the word of positivity

RONAN SCULLY

THE world is forever asking the question, in poetry and song, “What is real love?”

In fact, God has already revealed to us the answer: “This is love: not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 Jn 4:10). Love, it really makes the world go round. At least that is what I like to believe.

is what you do. Love requires much more than those three simple words to bloom. Love is respecting boundaries. Love is communicating.

THE LOOK OF LOVE

CAINT agus Comhrá na hInse (Ciorcail Comhrá)

* Cheithre huaire sa tseachtain /

Four times a week *

Dé Luain ag 11am sa gCopper Jug,

Dé Céadaoin ag 11am in Insomnia

(Tesco), Oíche Déardaoin ag 8pm sa Temple Gate, Dé Sathairn i

Imeachtaí/Events:

nGlór, 11am-12pm.

Lean ar na meáin-shóisialta muid / Follow us on social media, @ ClárAsGaeilge, Twitter, Facebook agus Instagram.

Go dtí an tseachtain seo chugainn, bígí ag caint i nGaeilge libh fhéin agus le chéile!

• Rang Amhránaíochta ar an sean-nós le Domhnall Ó Braonáin, gach Déardaoin, 7pm, Cois na hAbhna, Inis

• Scéalta agus Rannta le Chéile, chuile Dé Céadaoin i Leabharlann Shráid na Cathrach ó 10.30 – 11am, Saor in aisce / Free of charge

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

• Ciorcal Comhrá san XPO, i gCill Iníne Baoith, chuile Dé Céadaoin ag 7.30pm

• Rith le Ruairí, chuile Dé Máirt ag 7.30pm, ag Local Motion, Inis

• Caint agus Comhrá, chuile Dé Luain ag 11am sa gCopper Jug, Dé Céadaoin ag 11am in Insomnia (Tesco), oíche Déardaoin sa Temple Gate (8pm), agus Dé Sathairn i nGlór, Inis, 11am-12pm

Without love, we are nothing. Without it, humanity could never survive. But do we believe in what true love really means or do we just throw around those three words for the sake of it? Because I get the feeling that nowadays, we have no idea what it really means to truly love someone. We fall in love with our idea of a person, but when it comes to accepting the darkest corners of their soul, we are suddenly lost. We don’t know what to do. Everything is wrong. We think we know what true love is, but we are so selfish that we could never let ourselves love someone so freely. Love is not possessing someone. Love is not sharing the good moments but avoiding the bad ones. Love is not taking advantage of someone. Love is not asking someone to change. Love is not what you say. Love

Sounds like a tall order, and yes it is, but the answer is small, simple and sweet. It’s a simple suggestion that came to me when I was playing some discs on a weekly radio programme and it was during the playing of the 1967 Dusty Springfield song ‘The Look of Love’, which was used as one of the James Bond movie themes. The melody is playing gently in my mind right now as I write this thought for the week.

I don’t know all the words, I just keep hearing, ‘The Look of Love’ and it made me start thinking about what True Love really is. True love, quite possibly the most beautiful, powerful, amazing, confusing, misapplied, and overused words ever spoken. There is only one true love and it comes from God alone. God’s kind of love is self-denying, self-sacrificing, and self-giving. It is entirely different from the so-called love being proclaimed at times today. Love is a word commonly used to describe how we humans feel about all sorts of things. Today love is more of a generic term without any specific relevance. Suffice it to say that in a lot of cases the word love has lost its meaning and its significance. It is only when we love God

first and foremost that we can reach our full potential in loving others. As we grow in our love for God and in our knowledge of His love, we begin to change. We begin to see and love others differently.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

As your thought for the week, see what act of True Love you can do or give to someone that might need it most and sometimes it is someone very close to you that needs it! Just do it! Seek out opportunities to think about and remember those people who are often forgotten in our world especially those who are elderly, alone, abandoned, orphaned, ill, abused, lost, homeless or living on the edges of our society need our love too. Remember them in your giving, actions, prayers, intentions and meditations. And may God bless you with discomfort, at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships.

So that you may live deep within your heart so that you may live out God’s Beatitudes of Love! May God bless you with anger, at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people. So that you may work for justice, freedom and peace!

May God bless you with tears, to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, homelessness, illness, starvation, abandonment and war. So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain into joy! And

may God bless you with enough foolishness, to believe that you can make a difference in this world. So that you can do what others claim cannot be done! Remember that our days are far happier when we give people love from our hearts rather than a piece of our mind!

So, remember your relationships will have more meaning if you celebrate God’s True Love each and every day of the year by showing your love every day! Here is a prayer I love to say now and then, when love is the only answer needed - THE LOVE PRAYER - Today I remove all boundaries and walls, Once used as a means of defence, I forgive those things from the darkened past, That in love’s divine realm make no spiritual sense. Releasing all worries, all burdens and doubt, I bring light to the shadows of fear. By centering myself with a loving thought, Harsh judgments I no longer hear. The greatest experience that life has to give, Is love from an open heart, For it moves me to appreciate all there is, And I’m one with it all, not apart. It’s love that brings me closer to God, And leads me according to God’s way, to live “The Beatitudes of God’s Love.”

For love’s light warms my spirit, it nurtures my soul, And assures me everything is okay. I am one with God and never apart, As I live this day with an open loving heart through God’s guiding and loving grace. Amen.

Photo by Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick

l Tigh Considine

Programme rolled out in Clare for people with chronic illness

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

A LIVING Well Programme has been introduced in County Clare to help people with chronic long-term illnesses to improve their quality of life. Some 20 programmes will be rolled out to 300 people across the Midwest this year; most recently a programme was completed in Kilkee last week.

According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the number of people aged 50 and over is projected to rise by 33 per cent in Ireland between 2019 and 2030; which will lead to a corresponding rise in people living with chronic conditions. With this projected increase, the HSE Midwest has begun delivering self-management programme to enable people to develop the skills necessary to manage their disease on a daily basis.

A long-term condition can typically include asthma, COPD diabetes, heart conditions, stroke, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, Parkinsons, and chronic pain, for example. “Anybody with a chronic condition can come,” notes Philip Hennessey, the HSE’s Living Well Coordinator for the Midwest.

The six-week Living Well programme was introduced to the Midwest last year in conjunction with its nationwide rollout, which was a result of independent Slaintecare / Trinity College national research study which found the programme had a number of benefits to people living with chronic illness; it was proven that GP attendances were down by 35 per cent among participants; levels of anxiety and depression were down; there was a decrease impact on social

life and employment life; there was an increase in perceived quality of life, and increase in exercise and aerobic activity; an increase in confidence to self-manage conditions; and an increased awareness of other supports within the community through signposting.

“The programme came out of Stanford University in the USA in the early 90s,” says Philip, who along with Liz Cox is one of the programme facilitators. “It was put together by top healthcare professionals in the US, and it has been evaluated and changed to keep up with current best practices. It’s done all over the world. The HSE has bought a licence to run it here in Ireland.”

The first programme was run in March 2022 online however currently all programmes are being run face-to-face with groups of 15 attendees, who learn to equip themselves with tools of self-management which can include setting goals, implementing action plans, healthy eating, managing medication, increased physical activity, improving their sleep, and being emotionally prepared for lifestyle changes in their daily lives.

“We ask people to do an action plan every week and they report back the following week – that’s what takes the behaviour home. It can be activity based, emotional based, diet based, it can be anything,” explains Philip. “The three key skills we talk about are action plans, problem solving and decision making. The programme is over 6 weeks, 2.5 hours per week, we also provide people with a 400-page reference book called Living A Life with Chronic Conditions which has sold over 2m

copies, and they can use that during or after the programme.”

Philip adds that a key benefit of the programme is the peer support. “People really enjoy and benefit from meeting others and sharing experiences of what life is like for them living with a condition. There is a lot of wisdom in the room and people really relax into the programme as the weeks go along and you can see a bond forming in the group.”

The Living Well Programme currently has an 87 per cent completion rate in the Midwest, with Philip adding that the group bond often continues beyond the programme with “a lot of people swap numbers”.

Upcoming programmes include Ennistymon starting on June 12, Shannon on September 14 and Ennis on November 1. Anybody living with a chronic condition aged over 18 is welcomeTo get in contact or to find out more, visit HSE.ie or see details in the attached poster.

GREEN CLARE

Long-finger approach to offshore renewable energy is ‘baffling’

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

PACE at which offshore renewable energy is developing in Clare has been labelled as “baffling” by Ennis Chamber.

In a submission to the public consultation process on the DRAFT Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan ll (OREDP ll), Ennis Chamber put forward the view of its membership which includes businesses operating directly in the renewable energy sector, including those specifically operating in the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) and Floating ORE sectors.

Floating ORE was described as “an economic game-changer” for the county in Ennis Chamber’s submission for “positioning county Clare and the region as a world leading location for the development of Floating ORE, generating high quality jobs with the potential to develop a supporting supply chain system. Access to ORE/Floating ORE will also place county Clare to the forefront of helping to meet Ireland’s climate action targets”.

Tourism sensitivities with the need to harness renewable energy can be balanced on the Atlantic coastline and with Moneypoint’s deep-water port, the submission noted. “Fol-

lowing discussions with industry members, we are concerned that the Broad Area of Interest (BAI) off vounty Clare is too small, too shallow and too close to the coast. Given Floating Offshore Wind is more suited to depths of between 85m and 200m, limiting the areas to less than 100m depth undermines industry /investment, lacks ambition, stymies potential and is ultimately unsuitable. Furthermore, the BAI off County Clare at 1.5km from the coast will in our view cause unsuitable visual impact in what is a scenic tourist location. At 1.5km from shore it will also impact on the inshore fishery area”.

“Ireland has a window of opportunity to become a world leader in Floating ORE, but this won’t be achieved by putting development of that sector on the long finger, as outlined in DRAFT OREDP ll. Now is the time for a show of ambition and vision from Government, worthy of the vision shown by the founders of our state when they invested in Arnacrusha Hydroelectric Power Station. Now is the time to start converting the promise inherent in Floating ORE to reality,” the submission added.

A “lack of ambition” in the Draft is viewed as “a significant missed opportunity” for the county, Shannon Estuary region and the

country. “The content of DRAFT OREDP ll as it pertains to this county and region represents a very disappointing shift in policy and narrative”.

Moneypoint’s €50m synchronous compensator can enable higher volumes of renewables on the system and add greater grid stability, the submission noted.

“Having established County Clare has the necessary conditions and infrastructure in place for the development of (Floating) ORE including, Moneypoint which is set to

become a hub for green energy, grid connectivity to deliver green energy to areas of high demand, plus interest and commitment from private sector developers, a move to ‘long-finger’ the development of ORE in this region is baffling.

“The founders of our state showed determination and vision with the development of Ardnacrusha Hydroelectric Power Station, what’s required now is similar resolve and vision to grasp the long-term opportunities presented by Floating ORE”.

Charges stopping communities from installing drinking water stations

A CLARE Senator is among those calling for the abolition of public water charges to enable access for all to free water drinking points, writes Páraic McMahon

On Wednesday, the Green Party proposed a Private Members Bill in the Seanad to make it cheaper and easier to install public water refill stations, which are a crucial tool to help us reduce plastic waste.

According to the EPA, 81 per cent of people in Ireland own refillable water bottles but 80 per cent don’t know where they can access free public water to refill them.

It is estimated that over three million plastic bottles are purchased in Ireland every day but less than a third

of these bottles are recycled. In their argument, the Green Party said that public refill stations that provide free drinking water not only save people money, but they also allow people to reuse bottles instead of buying a new one each time.

There is a cost of €2,272 to connect each refill station to the network, which is a significant barrier for towns and villages to install water stations.

To support more local authorities and community groups to make water freely available to the public, the Green Party is calling on Uisce Éireann to waive this connection charge.

Ireland is the highest producer of plastic packaging per capita in the European

Union, producing 65kg of plastic waste per person each year, which is double the EU average. Plastic bottles are one of the most common forms of litter disfiguring our towns, villages and beaches, and even more waste lies unseen in our ocean.

Microplastics have been documented in over 90 per cent of Ireland’s protected marine environments.

Inagh native, Senator Roisin Garvey (GP) stated, “It is time we abolished a charge of almost €2,300 connection charge for public water refill stations.

We need to enable people to access drinking water publicly to reduce the waste of money on buying bottled water and reduce the stag-

gering figure of 3 million plastic bottles being used daily in Ireland”.

She said it took two years to get a refill station in Ennistymon.

“The first hurdle was coming up with the sum of €2,300 just for the connection. If we ever want people to be able to refill water bottles and reduce waste, we have to abolish this charge.

“We need water refill stations in every town and village and sports facility and along walking routes in Ireland. It seems an unnecessary burden for one arm of the state to charge another in the same department this prohibitive fee”.

Banning some common single use plastic items and plans to introduce a deposit

and return scheme for plastic bottles and cans are among the other actions to be taken

to reduce litter and plastic waste.

l FREE: Senator Roisin Garvey (GP) pictured at the public water refill station in Ennistymon

Photo by Eamon Ward

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

• STAFF OFFICER PANEL 2023

Completed applications must be emailed to: recruitment@clarecoco.ie not later than 4.00 p.m. on Tuesday 16th May 2023.

• TEMPORARY TECHNICIAN GRADE I (CIVIL, ARCHITECTURAL & BUILDING)

Completed applications must be emailed to: recruitment@clarecoco.ie not later than 4.00 p.m. on Thursday 11th May 2023. Application forms and further particulars may be obtained by requesting same from the Human Resources Department, Clare County Council at 065-6846250, via e-mail: recruitment@clarecoco.ie or can be downloaded from the following website: www.clarecoco.ie

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

Garda vetting may apply prior to any appointment(s) that are made.

Scriobh chugainn as gaeilge más fearr leat.

Shannon & China links have potential for growth

OPPORTUNITIES to co-operate with companies in the Shannon Free Zone were explored by a Chinese delegation who visited Co Clare last week, writes Páraic McMahon

A nine-person delegation from Lin-gang Special Area of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone were in Shannon last week where they held meetings with Shannon Chamber, the Shannon Airport Group and Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI).

Representatives from Lingang Special Area Administration, including its director Mr. Chen Jinshan, member of the Standing Committee of CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, and representatives from Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office were part of the delegation.

Former CEO of Shannon Development, Kevin Thompstone gave a presentation on the Shannon Free Zone. A presentation on the 873 square kilometers Lin-gang Special Area Administration was given by Mr Lin Yisong, director of Yangshan Free Trade Zone Division, Lingang Special Area Administration.

Lin-gang is located at the

Airport Facilities Manager

We are seeking to hire an individual with senior facilities and management experience to lead the development of Shannon Airport into the future.

Role Purpose

The purpose of this role is to manage all aspects of airport facilities; landside, airside, and terminal buildings. The Airport Facilities Manager must ensure all airport facilities are managed and maintained to the highest standards. This role will report into the Airport Director.

Key Areas of Responsibility

The Airport Facilities Manager’s prime responsibilities include:

• To manage the electrical, mechanical, operative and engineering teams to ensure effective and efficient maintenance of the terminal and airfield infrastructure to the highest safety, regulatory and operational standards.

• Ensure safety standards in accordance with current safety certified specifications and adherence to safety management systems.

• Participate with the implementation of the ongoing capital investment programme.

How to Apply:

Mechanical Fitter

Role Purpose

southeast corner of Shanghai, with Pudong International Airport, the third largest airport in the world, at its north, and Yangshan Deep-Water Port, the largest container port in the world, at its south. Commenting on the value of a visit of this nature, Shan-

non Chamber chief executive, Helen Downes said: “As evidenced during the presentations, China offers many opportunities to our member companies, in terms of export and business growth. The potential to develop linkages between both economic

zones is more long-term; the starting point is to develop a mechanism to encourage companies to move in both directions. This is something we would be keen to explore”. The visit was arranged in conjunction with SEABRIDGE.

The primary focus of this role is to operate, maintain and support the various Shannon Airports mechanical plant, systems and equipment, to the highest standard and to ensure overall business continuity.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Ownership and responsibility for effectively and efficiently maintaining the Airport terminal facilities, including the baggage handling system, air-conditioning systems, airbridges, lifts and escalators, boiler and heating distribution systems.

• Planned preventative maintenance programme and completion of reactive maintenance and repairs/modifications of all mechanical facilities and systems (excluding electrical

ww.snnairportgroup.ie/careers

Applications in the form of a cover letter and current CV (MS Word or pdf) should be sent to: recruitment@snnairportgroup.ie not later than 12 noon on Thursday, 11th May 2023.

The selection process will include an assessment, interview, 5-year background Garda Vetting and pre-employment health assessment.

l EMPLOYMENT: Mr Chen Jinshan (centre) pictured with members of the delegation, Shannon Chamber president Eoin Gavin, CEO Helen Downes and director Kevin Thompstone as well as Shannon Chamber member companies, FMCI, Tekelek and AGC Instruments

Photo by Eamon Ward

How to Create an Outdoor Room that Doubles as a Retreat

Deirdre Coleman Interior Designer

AS the temperature rises, our thoughts turn to planning our outdoor space and how to create the ultimate room outside to relax, unwind and spend time with family and friends. Outdoor living shouldn’t be restricted to the warmer months; with some planning and styling, you can create an outdoor space that can be enjoyed all year round.

Overhauling the garden and the physical and mental benefits of getting our hands in the soil is something many of us started in lockdown and the “golden age” of gardening is set to continue as people continue to work from home. “We’ve seen a massive surge in spend on gardens and creating spaces to entertain at home. People are investing in garden rooms, patios, pergolas, fire pits and outdoor kitchens as they are spending more time at home and are prepared to invest in their outdoor space’, says Michael Eustace of Elm Landscaping. “That demand is why we are opening a showroom in Ennis that will showcase everything we offer from decking and paving to jacuzzis, swim spas and saunas. People are using their gardens year round and are investing accordingly”.

CREATE A HARMONIOUS SCHEME

The divide between inside and out can almost become nonexistent when you keep both areas on the same level with consistent flooring. Low maintenance large format tiles, textured natural

stone or hard-wearing concrete effect floors work perfectly to draw your eye out towards the garden. By choosing materials that fuse naturally with their outdoor surroundings, you can create a sense of harmony and tranquility. When it comes to kitchen colours, opt for soothing blues or grounding greens for that ultimate sense of cohesion with the garden. These natural shades work beautifully with crisp white worktops that reflect natural light, ensuring your kitchen feels fresh and airy whatever the season.

LET LIGHT FLOW

One way to create flow between your home and garden is to entirely remove non-bearing walls, replacing them with a glass wall, large sliding glass or bifold doors. Frame landscapes and install glass along the entire width of your living space to fully open up and extend your home. If you overlook magnificent countryside, an eye-catching coastline or a gorgeous garden, work around these stunning vistas. You can also embrace views from above with the inclusion of skylights or a roof lantern. These glazing solutions let a significant amount of natural light in and help divide open plan kitchen and living areas.

When planning your outdoor space, you need to put the same thought and planning into it as when deciding on your house plan. Here are 5 tips on planning and achieving the ULTIMATE outdoor retreat at home.

1PURPOSE: Consider the purpose of the space and plan accordingly

Think about the purpose of the space and the many functions it will need to serve. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you host dinner parties or BBQs?

• How many guests do you typically entertain?

• Are you looking for a quiet space to relax and unwind?

• Does your space need to be kid or pet friendly with a separate area just for them?

• Do you need a home office in the garden as a separate room?

• What areas do you want to create (fire pit with low seating, greenhouse and growing area, outdoor kitchen and seating space etc.)?

2

EXPOSURE: Consider the direction your outdoor space faces

This can define its functionality. South-west facing gardens suit us best because, at the end of a working day, they still offer us light and heat. But the good news is, that even a northfacing garden will still have areas that catch the morning light (eastfacing) and evening light (westfacing), so not all of it sits in deep shade all day. Dropping the idea of having the seating area near the house is often a good plan with a north-facing garden as the far end is usually the place that catches most sun. Flipping expectations like this has the added benefit of encouraging a journey through the garden by making the main destination furthest from the house.

It means that north-facing gardens can hold their own in terms of adding an element of surprise with a slow reveal. 3

WEATHER INDEPENDENT: Install a pergola to cover your outdoor relaxation area for year-round use

For relaxing and entertaining friends and family or simply enjoying some quiet time in the garden, a pergola provides extra outdoor living space and is a solid investment in your home. Property experts estimate that homeowners with beautiful outdoor living spaces can more than double this investment when selling their property. Depending on how you wish to use it, a pergola can be left open on all sides or equipped with fixed or sliding perimeter glass closings with optional lighting and heating for a cosy space in all seasons. You can opt for fully retractable removable roof models which can be automated. Vertical blinds can be perfectly integrated into the supporting profile of the pergola, offering wind and sun protection and privacy. They are available in a range of screening and blackout fabrics. Create atmosphere inside the pergola with LED perimeter lighting which is dimmable and colour adjustable to create spectacular visual effects. Spot lighting is also available as additional lighting which may be recessed into the louvre blades of the roof. Pavilion Outdoors has a stunning range of pergolas, awnings, shade sails and outdoor furniture to add a sophisticated style and contemporary feel to your

outdoor space. Their showroom is in Eyre Square Centre, Galway.

4YOUR PATIO AS THE SOCIAL CENTRE: Use multiple materials to create zones for a large patio When choosing the right materials for your patio, it’s a good idea to mix up materials to help add some interest and break up a large area. Using multiple materials can help to make a smaller space feel larger if used correctly. Hiring a landscape designer can be helpful when coming up with the right patio design for your garden space. From concrete, to decking, stone, tile, brick and gravel, changing materials can create separate zones within your patio. Ideal if you want to use your patio for multiple things such as a dining zone or a reading corner. Alternatively, create a patio garden that looks nothing like your traditional idea of a patio garden! Installing sliding means you can roll back the doors from your kitchen and increase space with a seamlessly adjoining al fresco space beyond; make the tiles match up perfectly to create a fluid dining area. You could move the table and chairs out easily for fuss-free and family friendly weekend meals.

To give the illusion of more space outside, we recommend going with a larger paving stone size such as 900 x 600 or 800 x 800. The larger the paver, the less grout and therefore it helps to create a seamless space that isn’t broken up by numerous grout lines. We also recommend choosing a grout colour that is a close colour match

to the paving stone itself – again, this helps the grout to blend in and gives the illusion of a larger area. Opt for porcelain for durability and low maintenance.

5DESIGN AN OUTSIDE KITCHEN: Up your entertainment game with a year-round, outdoor kitchen

Outdoor kitchens are a popular addition to homes and are perfect for those who love to entertain guests or enjoy cooking in the open air. They often include a grill, counter space, cabinets, and sometimes even a sink, refrigerator or built-in bar area. These kitchens can be designed to fit any outdoor living space, from a small patio to a large back garden. They allow homeowners to expand their living space and bring the convenience of indoor cooking to the outdoors, making outdoor meals and gatherings easier and more enjoyable. Outdoor kitchens are also a great way to enhance the value of a property and create an inviting atmosphere for both homeowners and guests. A canopy is a must if you want to make the most of your outdoor kitchen year round. But while it may give you shelter from the rain, it’ll also block out the sunshine. That’s where a bioclimatic canopy becomes essential; the rotating and/or retracting roof blades mean that sun, shade, breeze can all be accommodated. So you (literally) have everything covered - a must in Irish weather. When it comes to material and, in particular, worktop surface choice for outdoor kitchen ideas, the

most important consideration is the weather and the climate. Make sure you choose materials that will withstand changes in temperatures, exposure to the sun’s UV rays and also to the moisture of rain and dampness. One of the most important considerations when it comes to covered outdoor kitchen ideas is making sure that the area is adequately ventilated. While not such a problem with open-roofed structures such as pergolas and gazebos (as air and smoke can escape), with covers or roofs that are semi-enclosed, ventilation to prevent smoke, steam and fumes from accumulating under the roof is a must have. Providing adequate ventilation for gas, wood or charcoal-burning appliances in sheltered spaces is an essential safety requirement too.

For grills and barbecues, opt for an outdoor vent hood, which is more powerful than a standard kitchen hood, but will draw away smoke, heat, grease and food odours and keep the area safely ventilated. Pizza ovens will require a chimney flue to draw heat and smoke away from the oven. Bear in mind that metal flues get extremely hot, so should always be positioned so that they are not touching wooden structures and away from overhead greenery so that they aren’t a fire hazard. An awning or louvred roof is safe to use above outdoor cooking equipment provided that any flues are positioned a minimum of 0.3m from the underside of the roof and any side screens are kept safely away from heat surfaces.

5 Tips for Styling Your Outdoor Dining Space

THERE’S something about outdoor dining that resonates with us all and the return of long, warm evenings calls for an update to your outdoor dining space. Set the stage for meaningful, conversational gatherings by creating a dining space with high-end outdoor pieces that add to the natural beauty of your garden.

can see everyone else, conversations are easier to carry on, and the setting feels cosier and more intimate. Aesthetically, a round shape can soften any space, with a lack of sharp corners meaning these designs work perfectly in multiple spots throughout your back garden.

Embrace the art of tablescaping

Here are 5 tips to style your al fresco space like a pro: 1

Style matters for cohesion

A great design tip that works well for your outdoor space is to take a look at the style you already use inside your home. If one of your rooms opens into the garden, then consider carrying the same style from one area to the other. This could help to provide a more cohesive look that will help you extend your indoor living space as well. Think about flooring, colours and textures as well as styles of furniture.

Invest in high quality furniture

The design, quality, versatility and practicality of outdoor furniture has moved forward in leaps and bounds. We can now create outdoor spaces that complement our indoors and substantially increase the footprint and liveability of our homes. Consider modular furniture that allows for refiguration to suit your needs. Performance fabric is a solid investment as it protects against UV damage/colour fading and mould and mildew in damper climates. It’s also easier to clean if children, pets and wine-spilling adults are a consideration!

Layer from the ground up

Start with an outdoor rug to add interest and tie your seating together. Round dining tables are ideal for connection and conversation. It is one of the best shapes for small gatherings since everyone

4

Showcase your creative talent and channel your inner Martha Stewart by draping your table with a botanical tablecloth and add woven tablemats, melamine table and glassware and linen napkins in an accent colour. Add a floral centrepiece or multiple tiny vases for visual interest. A cutlery caddy saves a lot of trips in and out to the kitchen. Tablescaping is all about creating a theatrical ambience and a sense of occasion. Dot battery powered tea lights and candles to create a party ambience. Don’t forget your lighting. Adding side tables with battery-operated table lamps will help bring your garden to life at night. Bring a festival vibe to your to garden with solar string lights. Perfect for areas with no access to electricity or lighting up darker corners in your garden. String them over pergolas or around patios for that instant boho feel outside. 5

Plan for the weather

Layer your seats with individual blankets and add a patio heater to elongate your party and keep the Pimm’s flowing. Designed to give a Mediterranean feel to your outdoor space, the addition of a parasol adds an extra element of shade and coverage to your garden set while protecting you from the sun. Cantilever parasol models are designed to look like they float effortlessly above your chosen spot and as they can follow the sun, they are the ultimate in practical luxury. They are not meant to be used in windy conditions and it is recommended that they are not left up overnight.

Self.ly Interior Design based in Ennis, Co. Clare is focused on wellness interior design, creating spaces that enhance our wellbeing. Interior Designer, Deirdre Coleman, is passionate about designing for the wellness of her clients and focuses on delivering restorative spaces that positively impact on health and wellbeing.

With an interest in designing for wellness, Deirdre is putting her considerable wealth of experience in self-care, health and wellbeing to design homes that make people feel their best

selves.

Self.ly Interior Design offers one hour online design consultations, room designs and full house designs customised to your needs. We also offer property staging and showhouse design focused on wellbeing and hybrid working.

For more information and design inspiration, follow us on Instagram: @Self_ly

Tel: 086 3868058

Email: selflydesign@gmail.com

PERGOLAS AVAILABLE FROM PAVILION OUTDOORS, GALWAY

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Hayes family at Celtic's beating heart

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

OVER its 55 year history, families have always been central to the success of Newmarket Celti

The Sheedys, Ryans, O’Malleys, Collins’, Donlons, Cusacks, the list goes on. In the current day, there’s few families devoting as much hours to the Newmarket-on-Fergus as the Hayes family from Avondale nestled right in heart of the village.

The highly-regarded Grainne Hayes has been club secretary for close to a decade. Eoin - capped by Ireland at ameteur level over 25 times - is the first team's captain. Cathal has represented the club at all levels. Their father, Dessie lined out in the 1985 Munster Junior Cup final for the club and their mother Catherine is one of 16 children from the famed Sheedy clan. Roisin, their sister continues to be one of their most loyal supporters.

It comes as no surprise that chat in the family home regularly circles back to Celtic. “Every Sunday we all go down home for dinner, it’s like all we do be talking about, a synopsis of the match, how did things go,” Grainne admitted.

At times, the topic has been kept off-limits. “Last year wasn’t too easy I won’t lie. It’s easier to talk about things when you win, in fairness to Mam it doesn’t change her one bit. She does care but at the same time family is more important to her,”

Eoin said.

Grainne and Cathal claim to be the quiet ones of the family. Trying to ascertain the various roles in the family isn’t too difficult. “Mam would do anything for any of us, Dad has his favourite, I won’t say who but it’s not me or Eoin anyway,” Cathal outlined with Grainne laughing beside him.

Eoin continues, “She is the eldest, anything Grainne wants she gets. With my mother, we’re all equal. Roisin is fairly dominant isn’t she? She’d be the more dominant personality in the house, really the grand-kids dominate now”.

Ever-present since the club was founded in 1968 has been a link with their family be it through their uncles on the Sheedy side or their father wearing the red and white. “Even at the semi-final in Jackman Park, anywhere you looked there was someone be it uncles, aunts, cousins, it’s a real family,” Grainne acknowledged.

These family ties to the club run deep, Eoin explained. “After the last game, I met Noreen (Cusack, aunt) who didn’t go to the semi-final, neither did Mam. They were saying they were crying the whole time at home with nerves, it’s that deep. The fundraising draw that the club does every month, there’s a long-running joke that the Sheedys will be pulled out but that’s because they are all in the draw... I think it goes back to

years ago when the likes of Briany and David were still playing, Shag was heavily involved and managed the A team. Noreen’s husband PJ would have been Chairman, they’ve been heavily involved in fundraising and anything they can do for us.

"A lot of people would associate the GAA with the community and tight-knit but the soccer club really is the same which isn’t what other soccer clubs have be it in other counties, it’s fairly good in Clare."

During the conversation, Grainne also drops the bombshell that their

mother Catherine will be attending the FAI Junior Cup final. “The last big match she was at was against St Michael’s in Tipperary, it was the day we beat them on penalties. She was there but did she watch it, I don’t think so, she went for a walk and went into a church to say a prayer, she said she was praying to her father and everyone, she found out after it was a Protestant church."

Throughout their careers, there’s been many sporting highlights for the Hayes’ whether it is soccer or hurling such as national accolades,

All-Ireland and county titles. Cathal also has a unique sporting feat, lining out in goals for the Newmarket-on-Fergus minor hurlers with a packet of sweets hidden in his sock, he recalls that he offered jellies during a particular home game to local taxi man Pat Corry and his neighbour Colin Martin. “We’ve played sport since we could walk, we’ve won a lot with the soccer club and a good bit with the hurling club underage. The best moment is winning all the Cups with Eoin and all the lads, winning the Youths with my best friends,” he commented. This season has seen Eoin take on the captaincy but Cathal has had to contend with less minutes on the field, “It’s obviously not easy when you’re not playing but when you’re winning you can’t complain. We have a massive squad, we have thirty players who can start on any team in Clare, it’s good to have the competition and all I can do is keep working,” the Ei Electronics employee said.

In the list of priorities for Cathal, it’s almost at the top, “Family would be number one for me in life but then Newmarket Celtic is number two, it’s like a family, everyone is so close, all of our family is involved, everyone on the teams are friends, I don’t think there’s a club like it in any sport”.

For an extended version of this article, visit www.clareecho.ie.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

l Lee Cregan, Grainne Hayes, Eoin Hayes, Dessie Hayes, Roisin Hayes, Evie Loughnane & Cathal Hayes

Photo by Joe Buckley

Fluid Newmarket Celtic management hope to stay on winning formula

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

THEY soldiered alongside each other on the field for seven years, and their ability to finish each other’s sentences could see Paddy Purcell and Eoin O’Brien labelled as the unofficial married couple of Newmarket.

Following the conclusion of last season where Celtic came agonisingly short in their bid to retain Premier Division and Clare Cup titles, Mark O’Malley brought an end to his tenure which included him and Donal Magee guiding the club to backto-back league and cup titles.

To fill the void, the officers turned to someone who has been described as one of the club’s greatest signings, former League of Ireland great, Paddy Purcell. This prompted the former Limerick FC man to call time on his playing career.

Paddy admitted, “I was at the stage where I was ready to hang up the boots and give something else a go. I also thought this would be a good transition from playing as opposed to stopping dead and not being involved.”

Adding Eoin O’Brien to his setup and securing the return of the highly-rated Stephen Austin as coach was top of his agenda. O’Brien had doubts about joining a management where he would be dealing with so many of his close friends and up until months prior, his teammates. Ultimately injury dictated that he would be sidelined for an extended period and “by September, it was easier to put it in the back of my head and focus on my role as a coach".

An Irish and PE teacher at St Munchin’s College, Eoin is hopeful of a return to the playing field, he made his debut for the A team in 2006 and has been a central player for both Celtic and the Newmarket-on-Fergus senior hurlers in that time.

Speaking to The Clare Echo in the front of the Inn at Dromoland, the duo admit their communication levels are far greater now than when they were teammates. Paddy jokes, “As Claire [his wife] would say, we’re practically married at this stage and Steve is an extension to that too because the messages going on left, right and centre are so consistent...I

know more about Eoin now than I did ever before after playing with him for six or seven seasons”.

Between the two of them, they boast an impressive set of contacts in the junior game which has been vital in securing information on opposing teams. “Homework is really

important, it is the bedrock for the games we’ve played and how we’ve progressed,” Paddy admitted. Assisting them at various stages in compiling the homework has been former Oscar Traynor boss, Liam Murphy who is currently the club’s PRO. Ssetting expectations was

the main focus for Purcell, Director of European Transportation with Stryker, when he stepped into the role. It was a stance fully endorsed by O’Brien, “Goal setting is a word that is thrown around but it can actually hurt you in an amateur setting. Believe it or not, even though we’re in a fantastic position, we never spoke about winning the Munster Junior or winning the FAI, all we spoke about trying to get through August unbeaten, getting through September unbeaten, then October, then November, ticking it off incrementally... we’ve taken it month by month and tried to put our goals in the short-term”.

Getting a jolt from Avenue last season has been very important to reigniting Newmarket’s challenge, Eoin admitted. “Any rivalry is so important, look at Leinster and Munster, Man Utd and Liverpool, when it is at its most intense that is when the standards are driven”.

Standards have been lifted across the board including the addition of video analysis which Eoin takes a lead on.

In his 17 years involved with the A team, there has never

been as much excitement as there is now, Eoin acknowledged. “None of that takes place if you get knocked out in September or October, we’re constantly reminding lads for future years that it doesn’t just happen that you are zoomed into the last 16, the last eight or the semi-finals, going forward your preparation and pre-season in July and August has to be equally good, I think it is just brilliant that our young lads have got a taste of that, the publicity and the people being interested, that will be enough to inspire them to keep their standards for the rest of their careers."

History between both St Michael’s and Celtic is similar, Eoin pointed out. “We class them club wise and personnel wise as very similar to ourselves, there’s a great degree of respect between us.

"It’s so close between us, three games have gone to penalties. The rivalry hasn’t been as intense in the last few years but come Saturday we’ll get a serious reminder of how close those games were and how similar the teams are."

l Paddy Purcell, Owen McCarthy, Eoin O'Brien and Stephen Austin

Photo by Joe Buckley

FAI JUNIOR CUP FINAL: NEWMARKET CELTIC VS ST MICHAEL'S AFC, TIPPERARY

DAVID McCARTHY DAVID O'GRADY DAVY LENNON

CATHAL HAYES

CONOR McDAID DARRAGH LEAHY

DARREN CULLINAN

EOIN KELLY

DEAN HEGARTY DERMOT GANNON

EOIN HAYES

AARON RUDD ALAN KELLY BILLY McNAMARA

ALL PHOTOS BY JOE BUCKLEY

KEVIN HARNETT LEE CREGAN

STEPHEN AUSTIN coach

JAMES FAHY

GARY HIGGINS

GEAROID O'BRIEN JACK KELLY

TADHG NOONAN

MARTIN McMAHON

PADDY PURCELL manager

HARVEY CULLINAN ETHAN FITZGERALD

EUNAN DOHERTY

JASHAR ALIU

SEAN PERILL SHANE CUSACK

STEPHEN KELLY

OWEN McCARTHY kitman

RONAN McCORMACK

EOIN O'BRIEN assistant manager

From Dubai to Jackman Park for Ronan Arthur

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

CELTIC have been one hell of a journey this season, reaching finals of the FAI Junior Cup and Munster Junior Cup.

Their run has lifted the spirits of the village of Newmarket-on-Fergus, a sea of red and white has been visible for the past fortnight. Supporters will travel to Jackman Park from near and far to get behind them this Saturday as they take on Tipperary's St Michael’s AFC but few will have clocked up more miles than Ronan Arthur.

A former player and mentor with the club’s flagship side, Ronan is based in Dubai and as soon as they defeated Ballynanty in the semi-final, he began making arrangements to return for the decider.

After a 15-hour commute into Shannon Airport via Heathrow, Ronan joined The Clare Clare Echo on the back nine of Dromoland golf course - where golfers could have been mistaken they were in the midst of an impromptu recording of Gary Neville’s podcast.

A co-founder of Arthur & Lees Auctioneers, Ronan is a chartered surveyor with Cavendish Maxwell. He had initially planned to stay in Dubai for two years but has been there for 10. Having set off in 2013, “I had never been there before but I knew it was a monopoly board and my qualifications and set of skills would be worth something there”.

Prior to moving, he had been part of Liam Murphy’s management that guided Celtic to win what would become the first Clare Cup in their historic nine in-a-row run. “That

Club media gurus look ahead to final

was the start of the nine in-a-row, last year was the end of it, a lot of us including me thought the cycle had finished”. He is full of praise for Paddy Purcell and his management for ensuring Newmarket bounced back stronger.

“Now it’s run as professionally and seriously as a GAA team. I am surprised, I wasn’t expecting this kind of run in any of the competitions. Avenue are a good side, David Russell has them well organised, they knocked us out of the Cup and are vying for the League, it’s interesting times”.

Sources like Twitter for match updates and The Clare Echo are followed by Arthur to ensure he stays in the loop while he has managed to get his hands on some videos of games from this season. He points out that himself and Arizona-based Jason Ryan are among the most regular people to interact with the club’s social media.

“You spend so much time in your formative years on that field ... it’s part of who you are, it’s part of your identity. These are the lads you went to school with, played hurling and soccer with, it’s lucky then when you win something with them, the bond that you have with lads that you grew up with and played sport with and if you’ve had a bit of success with them I think it reinforces it even more and makes it stronger”.

That DNA has become stronger since moving away. “You become more Irish the further you move away and you become more Newmarket-on-Fergus, more Newmarket Celtic, more Newmarket-on-Fergus GAA the

further you go. When we won the semi-final, I was saying to my wife who is from the Philippines, I said I wouldn’t mind going back for the final, she said ‘Ronan you have to go back for the final’."

On Saturday, he unexpectedly was Assistant Manager as the Youths team managed by his good friend Barry O’Driscoll lost 4-1 to Avenue Utd. Even though he is thousands of miles away, he has contributed to the club with Arthur and Lees sponsoring a set of jerseys for underage sides. “No more than when I was at home I’d try be involved in some capacity with the soccer club but also with the hurling club, I feel it’s very important for the two clubs to work together. Kevin Halpin said it to me a few years ago, he said ‘Ronan they’ve football and hurling clubs in Éire Óg and Cratloe, we’re a dual club too because we’ve a hurling team and

a soccer team’, that makes sense and for what it is”. A winner of two Premier Division titles, Ronan admits that occasions like this weekend will strengthen the draw of home in Urlanmore for Ronan. Returning home permanently is part of the long-term plan.

“I’m up here and talking to you, we’re not related but have the same cousins, this is where I’d be on a Sunday morning and then down to the A team.

"While I’m waiting I meet Christy Ryan, a legend. I love the man and all the Ryans, then I meet Kieran Collins, at some stage I’ll bump into your father, it’s the family and an extension of family is the sport which draws me to it. Economically it is better where I am, like I said I only went for two years and ten years later I’m still there”.

For the extended interview, visit www.clareecho.ie.

IT’S Newmarket Celtic vs St Michael’s AFC, Clare versus Tipperary - or another way of putting it Ryan Corry versus Jackie Cahill.

Two passionate soccer men, the pair both work in the world of sports communications and have strong allegiances to the clubs competing for the FAI Junior Cup title this Saturday evening in Jackman Park.

Clenagh native, Corry is currently the website and social editor at Norwich City FC while Cahill, originally from Golden, is the Ladies Gaelic Football Association's Commercial and Communications Manager.

Before moving across the water, Ryan had been a Communications and Media Executive with Leinster Rugby for three years. Prior to this, he had been PRO of Newmarket Celtic FC and in 2018 was named as PRO of the Year by the FAI.

His time as PRO is well remembered by club members and often mentioned by his father, local taxi man Pat Corry. This week, Ryan recalled that among one of his favourite tweets from the time was pointing out how current kit man Owen McCarthy had a run in with the water bottle holder.

During his time as a member of the Newmarket-on-Fergus Junior B hurling side, Corry proudly stepped into the team photo before a League final with Wolfe Tones sporting a Newmarket Celtic top, an occurrence that would just as eas-

ily happened in reverse order at McDonough Memorial Park when he served as a mentor to numerous underage sides.

While Jackie has not had an official role with St Michael’s, he has been “following their fortunes at various matches for a good few years including the highs of winning the FAI Junior Cup and losing it”.

Ex-St Michael’s player and manager James ‘Chalky’ Walsh is a close friend of Jackie’s while he would be very familiar with the likes of Jimmy Carr, Russell Quirke and Christopher Higgins. “As a big soccer fan, they are arguably the leading light in Tipperary soccer circles,” he admitted.

Similar to Newmarket Celtic, St Michael’s started off the season more focused on transition but things have snowballed. “A fuel for them is that people on the outside thought they were finished. They are under no illusion of the scale of the task or the challenge they are up against in Newmarket Celtic, I don’t think there’s going to be much between the teams in the final”.

Tradition between both clubs is also referenced by Cahill. “When you’re following the local junior soccer scene you become aware of the progress of clubs in other counties when you go deep into other competitions, Clare have started to make more waves in recent times no more so than Newmarket Celtic who have emerged as a standout team”.

Hegarty out for season

NEWMARKET will be without Dean Hegarty for the remainder of the season.

Kilnamona native Hegarty, who joined from Ennis Town FC in August, sustained a serious knee injury in the opening five minutes of Newmarket’s Munster Junior Cup semi-final win over Fair-

view Rangers.

He opened the scoring for Celtic in their FAI Junior Cup semi-final win over Ballynanty.

Dean's scoring prowess was also evident in Waterford for their Munster Junior Cup quarter-final win over Ferrybank. His absence creates an opportunity for either

Gearoid O’Brien or Eunan Doherty to enter the starting 11, ironically both O’Brien and Doherty have been part of panels for the Clare and Donegal senior footballers respectively.

Doubts also remain over the fitness of right winger Aaron Rudd who has struggled with a hamstring injury.

l Ronan Arthur

Photo by Joe Buckley

'Delight' as Clare reach final

MUNSTER FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL

Limerick 0-16 Clare 1-16

Venue: TUS Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Compiled by Páraic McMahon

STORY OF THE GAME

LIMERICK

Frees: 10 (6/4)

Wides: 5 (3/2)

Yellow Cards: Jim Liston (36), Brian Donovan (53),

Spread of scorers: 9

Scores from play: 0-11

Top scorer: James Naughton (0-3, 0-3 frees), Hugh Bourke (0-3, 0-1 mark)

Own kickouts won: 19 from 24 (79%)

CLARE

Frees: 14 (7/7)

Wides: 7 (2/5)

Yellow Cards: Dermot Coughlan (12),

Spread of scorers: 9

Scores from play: 1-14

Top scorer: Keelan Sexton (1-04)

Own kickouts won: 19 from 21 (90%)

REFEREE: Liam Devanney (Mayo)

MANAGER COMMENT “

Colm Collins, Clare:

“All credit to Limerick for a fantastic display, they lost their best player Iain Corbett at half time and still put in a tremendous second half, great credit due to our boys for the way they came back when it was put up to them and they got the three scores at the end”.

“Keelan got some amazing scores, Ciaran Russell is Ciaran he has an amazing heart and is the guy you want on your side when you’re in trouble, he proved it again tonight”.

“We wanted to be playing for Sam Maguire, thankfully that’s where we are. A first Munster final, it’s nice to be getting ready for it now, the big prize is that we’re back in the Sam Maguire and playing at the top level which is very important for us”.

“Whatever it is when it’s Clare and Limerick, there is nothing between them. The really good excellent teams narrowly beaten in the Munster Final, I remember them coming to Ennis and they barely got over us at that time, they were unlucky not to win the Munster final, Limerick and Clare is

PLAYER WATCH

DARRAGH BOHANNON midfiled

MINUTES PLAYED: 40

10 (9/1)

9 (9/0)

Pass: 7 (7/0)

Pass: 2 (2/0)

Pass: 3 (3/0)

1

l

0

6 (6/0)

3 (3/0)

always very close, I expected nothing else”. “They showed great composure to get the scores at the end, I’m delighted to be ahead and back in the Sam Maguire”.

MANAGER COMMENT “

Mark Fitzgerald, Limerick:

“You couldn’t be prouder of the lads or have asked for anything more, we had chances to win it but such is sport. An absolutely fantastic performance from our lads, they died with their boots on, every last one of them. Let’s see can we build on that for the Tailteann Cup”.

Married bliss on the pitch for Podge

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

HE SACRIFICED his honeymoon

to line out with Clare’s senior footballers as they booked their passage to the Munster final and All-Ireland SFC and Podge Collins said it was worth it to qualify for a first provincial decider with the county’s footballers.

Cratloe’s Podge was part of the county senior football panel in 2012 before making the decision to join the Davy Fitzgerald managed hurling squad that year where he made his championship debut.

As a result of leaving the football panel on that occasion, he missed out on lining out in the Munster SFC final that year when the Micheál McDermott managed footballers lost out to Cork. For his efforts on the hurling field, he won an All-Ireland SHC medal in 2013 plus an All Star, seasons as a dual-star followed before concentrating fully on football from 2020 onwards.

Getting the opportunity to play in the Munster Final is something he had been aspiring to for a long time. “It was mentioned a good bit during the week by different lads (to qualify for All-Ireland series) but I just wanted to play in the Munster final, even if we lost today I think

the Tailteann Cup is a great competition, obviously we wanted to win big time but there was more motivation to get into a Munster final for me”.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Podge admitted it was “definitely” worth missing the honeymoon to the Algarve to feature in a Munster semi-final in the Gaelic Grounds, he married Ellen Roche earlier this month. “I can go on honeymoon when I’m forty but while I’m old enough to play I’ll try keep playing”.

Podge’s absence for the honeymoon meant Ellen’s sister Aoife got the call-up. He was confident his sister-in-law would show her gratitude for getting to take his place by the pool. “She better have got me a nice present, they just flew in before the game to get to this, I’m sure I’ll get a lovely present”.

Reflecting on his own display, Podge was critical in his self-evaluation. “Personally I had a few frees against me with possession and a few turnovers, you’ll always be disappointed with that any day you go out because you don’t want to turn over the ball, unfortunately today I had a few of them so I’d be disappointed with myself, I had a few mistakes which is obviously disappointing but some lads really

stepped up, Keelan was excellent, defensively Cillian Rouine was very strong, Ciaran Russell was super and kept getting forward he has some engine, the lads that came on really held possession well Mark McInerney, Gavin and Ikem did great.

“Keelan was obviously class today, he got 1-03 or 1-04 from play, he took on shots that he probably had no right to take on, he’d get given out to in training for taking them on but he scored them, some lads really stepped up which is the main thing, we got the result and I’m delighted”.

Though he may have been overly harsh on himself, Podge as ever clocked up among the highest tally

of miles on the Clare team, delivering another workmanlike display which saw him cover plenty of grass.

He felt a colleague from Cooraclare would question the observation that he had the highest kilometres ran on the field of play. “Pearse Lillis would have something to say about that because he gets around. I pride myself on workrate and stuff like that, I also pride myself on keeping the ball but today I had two frees against me in possession and then another turnover, you don’t want to be doing that no matter how much running you’re doing, you want to have results and get on the end of scores, I had no shots off today, I had one free outside the scoring zone so you can run all you want but what you’re doing with the ball is important, it wasn’t my best performance but it doesn’t matter because the team got the result, we’ve a Munster final to look forward to and that’s the main thing.

“When you see the fixtures, you’ve Cork and if you win Limerick away and then a Munster final, they’re tough and it was always going to be a challenge, the league ended disappointingly but we’re delighted today”.

Limerick to host final

CUSACK PARK will not host the Munster senior football final.

Instead, the provincial decider between Clare and Kerry will be held at TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.

A meeting of the Munster GAA CCC on Tuesday night agreed to set the Gaelic Grounds as the venue for the fixture, the first provincial final between the counties at this level since 2000.

Fixture details were also confirmed with a 4pm start on Sunday May 7th agreed by administrators.

Clare GAA officials had approached their Kerry GAA counterparts about the possibility of hosting the tie in Cusack Park, a call which had received widespread support including from the former President of the GAA and Kerry man Sean Kelly.

This bid didn’t receive the necessary support from senior officials at Munster GAA.

TITANIC BATTLE: Jamie Malone is tackled by Brian Donovan

Photo by Gerard O’Neill

'Those kind of goals are gifts'Lohan eager to bounce back

MUNSTER SENIOR HURLING CHAMP'SHIP, RD1

Clare 3-23 Tipperary 5-22

Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis

STORY OF THE GAME

Compiled by Páraic McMahon REFEREE:

MANAGER COMMENT

"We're obviously delighted to capitalise on a couple of errors in the Clare defence to get that cushion. When you take that out of it there was nothing in the match for long stages, but you have to take those chances when they arrive and I was very happy the way we went about our business up front. Hurling needs to see goals, interlinking play and excitement. We’re not there to over elaborate on what the game of hurling is about, but when the opportunities arise and you get a little overlap, it’s nice to create a goal. It gives a good buzz throughout the panel and the stadium, and gives the supporters something to shout about”.

"We needed the league to find our way again, and we’ve done that. Throughout the league we blooded a couple of new players and some of them have stood up today to the intensity of Cusack Park. It’s all good at the moment

but as you know, these things can be turned on its head very quickly. It's still only the first round.”

MANAGER COMMENT

“It’s very hard to win games when you’re conceding so many goals and making so many mistakes, there’s a good bit of fight and

spirit in our lads but when you’re conceding goals and making so many mistakes it is just so hard to keep recovering and that’s what happens.

“They were gifts, when you do concede those kind of goals, it’s so hard to score them at the other end.

“Sometimes these things happen, people sometimes make mistakes and we have to get on with it, it’s tough.

Minor footballers playoff hopes hang by a thread

CLARE’S minor footballers hopes of advancing to the play-off stages of the Munster championship are hanging by a thread.

Limerick hit Clare for four goals in Miltown Malbay on Thursday and are back in action this evening (Thursday) away to Tipperary.

Manager, Dermot Coughlan reflected, “We put ourselves in a great position to win the game. We kicked some great scores but we conceded some bad scores. We were a bit unlucky with the first goal as it hit the post but they opened us a bit for the second and third goals, they found space and goals cost us for a finish”.

Kilmurry Ibrickane clubman Coughlan added, “It’s knock out for us now. We have to go down to Tipperary. I am happy enough with the football we are playing but we have to tighten up a bit and stop conceding the scores we are conceding”.

Meanwhile, Brian O’Connell’s Clare minor hurlers will have a home semi-final tie with Cork this coming Tuesday. Fixture details are yet to be confirmed but the penultimate clash is likely to be held in Cusack Park.

“It’s so hard to get scores at the opposite end when you’re conceding them so soft, they really were gifts of scores and you can’t give a team like that gifts of scores, that’s about it.

“There doesn’t seem to be too many other teams that get hit with these black card penalties, we’ve been hit with them twice against Tipp actually, has there been another black card in the champion-

PLAYER WATCH

CONOR CLEARY fullback

MINUTES PLAYED: 70

POSSESSIONS: 6 (5/1)

PASSES: 4 (3/1)

Short Pass: 4 (3/1)

Long Pass: 0 Hurley Pass: 0 Hand Pass: 4 (3/1)

TACKLES: 8 (5/3)

Turnovers for: 0

Turnovers against: 2 (2/0)

Hooks: 0 Blocks: 0

Frees for: 0 Frees against: 1 (1/0)

ship? There certainly wasn’t in 2021 or in 2022 but we seem to get them which is tough on our guys. We found it very hard to get frees.

“It is a tough championship, it is a tough gig, they don’t come any harder than what’s coming next Saturday night, we’ll dust ourselves down and see how we get on."

MOMENTUM & WINS FOR BRIDGE & FEAKLE

SCAN

Kilmaley’s Brian Cahill

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

For full match reports, visit clareecho.ie/subscribe

l Clare captain Daire Culligan is tackled by Callum Buckley

Photo by Gerard O’Neill

Liam Cahill, Tipperary:

l Ronan Maher tries to block Shane O’Donnell

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

Brian Lohan, Clare:

Keane returns for Clare ahead of camogie championship opener

by Seamus Hayes sports reporter

THERE’S more than one Shannonside derby this weekend, with the camogie clash of Clare and Limerick to entertain GAA followers this Saturday when the neighbours clash in the Munster senior championship semi-final, a game that will open proceedings at the TUS Gaelic grounds where the throw in is 4.30p.m.

It’s a curtain raiser to the eagerly awaited Munster senior hurling championship clash of Clare and Limerick which will have a 7p.m. throw in and for which a full house is expected.

According to Clare manager John Carmody “this is a huge opportunity for the girls to show their skills. Munster has become a particularly important championship since the camogie authorities and the GAA have joined forces to showcase the game by having the fixtures as curtain raisers to the hurling games”.

Like all Clare versus Limerick

Four Clare Ladies footballers named in league team of year

FOUR CLARE FOOTBALLERS

have been honoured for their performances in the National League, writes Páraic McMahon.

Clare may have come up just short in their bid to win promotion to Division 2 of the Lidl Ladies National Football League but have seen four players rewarded by their inclusion on the Division 3 of the League.

Full-back Síofra Ní Chonaill of St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield, captain Caoimhe Harvey of West Clare Gaels at wing back, midfielder Chloe Moloney of Kilmurry Ibrickane and West Clare Gaels forward Fidelma Marrinan at wing forward have been named in the team of the league.

Winners Kildare had five players named, followed by Clare’s four, there are two players each from Down and Wexford, while players from Sligo and Louth are also acknowledged.

clashes in recent times, it’s expected to be a close affair. “We met in the league last year and we got two points in injury time to win by two. Limerick beat Clare twice in 2021. It’s likely to be a typical Clare Limerick game with little between them on the day”, Kilmaley clubman Carmody said.

Clare’s hopes have been boosted by the news that both Aoife Keane and Eimear Kelly will be available for this one. Keane missed the entire league campaign due to injury while Kelly only played part of their last league game. Both are experienced and talented players and their availability is a huge boost to a side that will be jointly captained by Claire Hehir and Niamh O’Dea.

Truagh/Clonlara’s Michelle Powell has been ruled out of this one due to a knee injury suffered last week.

Satutrday’s game starts a busy period for the Clare side which is eager to get back to the Munster final and hopefully go a step further

than last year when they lost the provincial decider to Cork after two periods of extra time. Cork play Waterford in their first round game with the winners facing Tipperary in the semi-final.

The Munster championship is a separate competition to the All-Ireland championship which, for Clare, begins with an away fixture against Down on June 3 before they enjoy home advantage against Galway and Cork, two of the favourites for national honours.

For now, the focus is on Saturday’s meeting with Limerick in the Munster semi-final. Clare boss Carmody is, understandably, excited about the prospect of seeing the teams playing in front of a big attendance which he believes is a huge boost for the game.

A Clare win would not only be great for the game in Clare but it would be a huge boost for Banner followers ahead of the Clare hurlers meeting with defending All-Ireland champions Limerick.

First Year success for Kildysart footballers

ST JOHN Bosco Community College are 1st Year Ladies Football B Cup champions following their victory over Kilkee.

At Kilmihil GAA pitch on Monday, an early goal set St John Boscos on their way thanks to corner forward Erin O’Connor. The Kildysart outfit took advantage of a strong breeze in their favour in the first half and the goal was followed by two points from captain Orla McGee and Jessica Kennedy.

At half time Kildysart were in the lead however Kilkee came out much stronger when they were playing with the wind at their backs in the second half. Gradually, Kildysart put three scores on the scoreboard through Naoise Talty, Erin O’Connor and Megan Browne. Kilkee went on to score two goals and four points in the second half, however after a hard fought battle the first years from St. John Boscos Community College came out with the win, 4-07 to 2-05. Michael Talty presented captain Orla McGee with the cup. Referee on the day was Michael Talty.

l Aoife Keane is barged by Áine Cunningham

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

l Caoimhe Harvey (above) and (left) Fidelma Marrinan were among the four Clare players named in the team of the season

League glory for Inch & Fairgreen

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

INCH CRUSADERS and Fairgreen Celtic are celebrating league success.

For the first time in club’s history, Inch Crusaders were crowned league champions after they recorded a 2-0 win over Fern Celtic in Tiermaclane on Sunday. They won the last six games in a row to finish one point ahead of Bunratty Cratloe to claim the Brian Pyne Tiles Second Division League. The club was formed in 2005 by Oliver Fitzpatrick and Conor Clancy.

Inch started the game well and went in front after 20 minutes. Padraig Talty made a good run down the right wing and crossed for Peter Ronan who setup Colin Carmody on the edge of the box. Carmody made no mistake with a well struck effort low to the corner of the Fern net. Inch went 2-0 in front before half time when Bradley Higgins played a great ball over

the top to Padraig Talty who made no mistake when one on one with the keeper.

Inch were denied a third goal on 50 minutes when Padraig Talty linked up well with Colin Carmody and Carmody's well struck effort low to the corner was brilliantly

Clare Cup semi-final pairings confirmed

SEMI-FINAL SHOW-

DOWNS in the Ennis Carpets Clare Cup are to take place next weekend.

Reigning champions Avenue Utd take on Fairgreen Celtic on Saturday (May 6th) with Lifford FC facing off with Tulla Utd

on Sunday (May 7th).

Kick-off is confirmed for 5:30pm for both semi-finals with Frank Healy Park the venue.

David Russell’s Avenue are favourites to retain the Cup but will face off with Fairgreen for the

first time, a club that will feel they have nothing to lose and are buoyant from their Division 3 success.

Lifford who reached the penultimate stage last year only to lose to Newmarket Celtic from a Stephen Kelly header in extra time.

saved by Gerard Healy in the Fern goal. Inch continued to play well throughout the second half and saw out the game for a deserved victory on the day and an historic first ever league title.

Inch Crusaders: Cormac Killilea, Conor Cahill, Eric Griffin, Frank Roche, Sean Talty, Enda Finnucane, Luke McMahon, Colin Carmody, Padraig Talty, Bradley Higgins, Peter Ronan. Subs: John Clohessy, Martin Moran, Ronan Grace, Diarmaid O'Ceallaigh, Noel Barry

Fairgreen Celtic’s 4-1 win over Shannon Town C was enough to see them crowned Brownies Barbershop Divi-

sion 3 champions. The Ennis club who were only formed last summer are expected to continue to climb through the ranks and have a Cup semi-final showdown with Avenue Utd to look forward to.

AVENUE STAY TOP OF PREMIER DIVISION

Adrian Walsh’s charges will also be in Hugh Kelly Cup final action while Mike Moloney’s Tulla Utd have forged a strong Cup run and will look to end their season on a high.

GOLF: Glory for McGill at Ennis Golf Club

by Seamus Hayes sports reporter

ENNIS GOLF CLUB:

The winner of the men’s 3 T’s singles competition, played off the yellow markets, was Darren McGill with 40 points.

He will now join the club captains and the winner of the ladies 3Ts qualifier at either the Ryder Cup course in the K Club or Portmarnock Golf Club.

The overall winner of last week’s ladies competition at Ennis was Kathleen Pyne (32) with +1.

Kitty Morris (15) won division 1 with a level score while Peggy Costello (22) was the division 2 winner with plus 1 with the division 3 honours going to Patricia O’Reilly (47), also with plus 1.

In the 9 hole competition, the division 1 winner was Claire Ruane (9) with 16 points while Mary Gardner (17) winning division 2 with 18 points while Carmel Cummins (22) won division 3 with 20 points.

The Ennis senior men’s social group

competition played on Thursday April 20 was won by Ollie Kennelly, Tim Kelly, Noel Connellan and Tony Kehoe with 69 points.

In second place were Martin Coffey, Michael Kerin, Sean Ryan and Matt Flynn also with 69 points and in third place were Liam Pyne, John O Flynn, Larry Parks and Paul Mockler with 68 points.

SHANNON GOLF CLUB:

In the Australian Spoons qualifier at Shannon the winners were Jane Kennedy and Emma O' Halloran with 39 points, winning on the back 9 from Michelle Pyke and Laura O'Brien with third place filled by Linda Boland and Joan Hoctor with 37 points.

DROMOLAND GOLF CLUB:

The weekend competition at Dromoland was a men’s 18 hole foursomes event which was won by Eric Flynn and Stephen Bergin with 41 points. They had one to spare over John Hayes and Cian Connellan with club captain Jimmy McManus and Gerry McInerney a

further point back in third place.

Alan Pyne won the midweek 9 hole competition with 20 points from Paul Morrissey with 19 and Sean Hayes with 18.

In the men’s seniors competition last week, Bart O’Brien won category A with 18 points. William Fitzgerald was second with 17 points with John Casey in third place, also with 17 points.

In category B the winner was Matthew Cooney with 22 points from John Murphy with 19 and Paul Dyar with 12.

EAST CLARE GOLF CLUB:

Heather Cullen (22) with 34 points was the winner of the ladies green jumper competition at East Clare last week.

Noreen Doyle (22) was in second place with 33 points while the gross was won by Evelyn Skehan (14) with 14 points.

Last Wednesday’s ladies competition was a team scramble which was won by Joan Kinsella, Hannah Guinnane and Breda McCarthy with 32 points. In second place, a point behind

were Mary Collins, Ursula Hogan and Ann O’Grady.

The winners of last week’s senior men’s competition were Brendan Moloney, Terry Coughlan and Jim Bradley from Stefan Hahne, Jimmy Nagle and John Farrell while third spot was filled by Seamus Mason, Pat Duggan and Martin Kelly.

KILRUSH GOLF CLUB:

Last weekend’s open singles competition at Kilrush was won by Malcolm McCarthy (9) with 41 points.

Tom Dillon (12) was the category 1 winner with 39 points, Bernard Coleman (17) won category 2 with 41 points while Noel Kilkenny (20) won category 3 with 39 points.

WOODSTOCK GOLF CLUB:

Hugh McGrath (11) won the club singles at Woodstock last week with 39 points, a point ahead of Oisin Kenneally (9).

Ray, Edward and Stephen Casey and Frank McEnery were crowned Spring league champions at the week-

end.

Woodstock won the Costelloe cup the annual fixture with their neighbours Ennis, winning on a score of 221 points to 211 points.

This weekend there will be a club singles competition and a modified fourball betterball event for which re-entry will be allowed with a different partner.

GORT GOLF CLUB:

The Rockfield cup, an 18 hole stroke competition for ladies at Gort, was won by Fran O’Reilly (46) with 67. In second place was Phil Mulkerrins (25) with 72 followed by Charlotte Kelly (28) with 73. The gross was won by Hannah McInerney (7) with 88.

In last week’s 18 hole singles stableford competition the winner of category 1 was Sara Broderick (20) with 33 points. Category 2 was won by Patricia Skehill (28) with 34 points, category 3 by Evelyn Fahey (32) with 34 points and category 4 by Anne Flaherty (45) with 39 points.

PICTURED: (main) Inch Crusaders and (below left) Fairgreen

Ennis/Kilrush ladies make rugby history

THE Ennis/Kilrush (Clare) senior rugby team were in their second cup final in three weeks. They created history in Musgrave Park when they beat Midleton in the Munster Division 2 Cup final two weeks ago and became the first female adult rugby team to win silverware.

On Sunday they went in search of their second trophy when they faced the cup favourites Thurles in the Munster Bowl Final. These teams met in the league and the Clare side suffered a huge defeat 52-0 in that encounter. However, Ennis/Kilrush side have shown huge commitment and there were evident signs of development as their season progressed. Going into the game they would have been unquestionable underdogs but it seems like there was inner self-belief amongst this young group of players.

The Clare side took an early lead and Micaela Glynn barged her way over the line after some exquisite team play. From the get-go it was a bruising encounter with

Karen O Sullivan, Sophie Roughan and Ciara Coughlan putting in a huge shift from early on. Thurles threatened early on but the ever reliable Grace Molloy put her body on the line and made a huge try saving tackle. The Clare sides defence finally gave way and Thurles took the lead 7-5.

However, there was an immediately response and Cayla Flannery showed great foot work to make her way through the defensive line and touched down under the posts, she converted her try the leave the score 12-7.

Thurles showed their experience and scored an intercept try from the kick-off and went under the posts untouched 14-12. The Clare side showed great resilience and straight from the kick off Aoibheann Hahessy made a 50 yard break and was just hauled down short of the line. Moments later Amy Flavin managed a magnificent turnover and Caoimhe Flynn linked up with Caoilfhionn Morrissey and sent Micaela Glynn on a 30 yard run and she dotted

down in the corner, making a 17-14 halftime score in favour of Ennis/Kilrush.

The Clare side started the second half brightly and Ailish Dunne, Sarah and Patricia Coote made a number of line breaks. Aoibheann Hahessy who always looked dangerous with ball in hand showed great determination to fight her way over the line leaving two scores between the sides, 22-14.

Thurles fought back but the Clare women showed huge courage in defence to keep them from crossing the white wash. Caoilfhionn Morrissey and Anna Purcell came up with a number of big tackles when their team needed them most. Pressure remained on the Clare side for the majority of the second half but they showed great discipline to keep Thurles out.

This was a complete performance and 1-21 played a huge role. The final whistle sparked huge celebrations in UL. To win two Munster trophies in their first season is nothing short of what they deserve.

Greyhounds: Clonbrien Treaty is one for the future

by Michael Maher news@clareecho.ie

AFTER the most incredible four weeks of canine action, the Con & Annie Kirby Memorial saw the aptly named Clonbrien Treaty announce himself as a future superstar, producing a brilliant display to emerge an easy winner of the €80,000 showpiece at the Limerick Track on Friday night last.

It was yet another special night at Limerick with a huge crowd providing an incredible atmosphere and while each of the six finalists are training in Tipperary, the winner is very much a Limerick winner.

While he is trained by the all-conquering Graham Holland from his Golden, Co. Tipperary based Riverside Kennels, his Limerick owners Jim and Muireann Murphy are a proud son and daughter of the Treaty County as the dog’s name would attest to.

So much had been made of Clonbrien Treaty’s tendency to move off an inside line in the opening yards ahead of Friday’s decider but we saw a more mature display from the exceptional son of Pestana and Clonbrien Millie.

At the same venue on Thursday night last Droney Said No, recorded her second career success for the Cranny/Kildysart based Dontellpettycoatgov syndicate in 29.08 for a graded A4 contest, a daughter of Droopys Sydney and Estimate, she is in the professional care of Donie Duggan from Tulla.

Newmarket’s Breda Casey and Myles Cummins were in the winner’s enclosure with Snuggie Bunty for a 10th time, a son of Paddys Magic and Miles Girl he stopped the clock in 29.19 for an A3 contest.

In the Novice 525 event, despite encountering early trouble, Primely Branno finished strongly to claim the honours in 29.92, Branno is owned by Donal Cooney from O’Callaghan Mills and Leo McNulty from Drumline and is a son of former prolific sprinter Lugs Branno and Primely Sceptre.

Friday night’s Galway card had the concluding A3 graded contest as its feature race of nine with the semi-finals of the Sprinters S7 also down for decision.

In the first semi-final of the Sprinters S7 Stake Killala Cabra was just about best away and racing towards the opening bend she led by over a length from Rosshill News with Show No Fear in third place on the outside. Racing between the two bends the Joe and Brendan Long of Ballyea-owned Rosshill News began to close on the leader and tracking well around the home bend the son of Good News & Bumblebee Zeta took command before kicking clear to score by three & a half lengths in 19.08.

The Brendan Browne of Kilkee owned Glasheen Tiger made it two wins from two starts in the S6 graded sprint contest as the son of Wolfe & Glasheen Covid comfortably made all to defeat Bark Wahlberg by four and a half lengths in 19.37. Both winner and runner up were away well but as they approached the opening bend Glasheen Tiger took command of affair. Tracking well

’Tiger” began to ease away from his rivals for an authoritative success.

The Finals of both the Ann Cheevers Memorial A5 525 Stake and the Great Blue Shark/WGOBA A2 Tri-Distance (575 Final) were the twin features of Saturday night’s ten race Galway card in front of a fine attendance .

As the traps rose for the €1900 to the winner Ann Cheevers Memorial A5 525 Yards Stake Final, Claudegreengrass and Springwell Denny were both away well with the Mathew Harte of Gort trained Caislean Bleu just behind the pair on the wide outside approaching the opening bend. Rounding the bend Springwell Denny got the better of the argument and turned down the back two lengths to the good over Caislean Bleu who maintained a wide berth turning down the back. Racing toward the penultimate corner Caislean Bleu began to bridge the gap and although running very wide on the crown of the home bend the Ciaran Connolly owned Caislean Bleu (Magical Bale-Notimetotalk) gradually wore Springwell Denny down close home to prevail by a neck in 29.27.

In the final of the Great Blue Shark/WGOBA Tri-Distance Stake over 575 Pats Angela was away very smartly in the centre of the track and racing towards the opening bend she led from Knoppogue Time and Canya Dream. Turning down the back, Pats Angela continued to show the way as the Imelda Sinclair owned Canya Dream a powerful stayer began to close.

At the third bend Canya Dream went for the rails run but found her path blocked by the leader but turning to face the long run in the David Flanagan trained daughter of Droopys Sydney & Lear Avalo got her gap and she powers through to lead and race away for a two & a half length success over Knoppogue Dream in 31.63.

The A1 graded eighth contest went in trap to line fashion to the Thomas Keane of Kilmihil owned Glynnscroos Liz who never saw another rival as she recorded her fifth career success from eight starts by five and a half lengths over Abigails Power in 28.98.

Trapping superbly the daughter of Droopys Sydney & Glynnscrosstyler led Abigails Power and Hyde Park bib over three lengths rounding the opening bend and by halfway the lead was over five lengths, Striding out well at the head of affairs Glynnscross Liz maintained the tempo all the way to the line for an impressive success.

The Michael and Alanna Browne of Cree owned Burnpark Ronaldo registered his seventh career success in the S2 graded sprint contest leading at the opening bend on his way to a two and a half length victory over Grangeview Liz in 19.24.

Grangeview Liz and Caislean Honcho were away well toward the inner to lead early but approaching the opening bend Burnpark Ronaldo set round the outside to take command . Despite running quite wide the son of Watchman and Burnpark Grainne stayed on well in the straight for a comfortable success.

PLANNING

CLARE

COUNTY COUNCIL RHYNAGONNAUGHT, DOONBEG CO. CLARE

Take notice that M. Fitzpatrick intends to apply to the Planning Authority for permission to erect 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 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 AHASLA, MAURICES MILLS, ENNISTYMON, CO. CLARE V95 F8C1

Further Information / Revised Plans

Planning Ref: 23/19

Development description: (A) Demolish existing stone ruin, (B) Renovate and make changes to the existing dwelling, (C) Construct extension to the side of the dwelling, and (D) Construct detached garage to the side of the dwelling, all with associated site works.

Location: Ahasla, Maurices Mills, Ennistymon, V95 F8C1

Take notice the Jake Mellor and Loraine Nolan have lodged significant further information in respect of planning application P2319. This information and planning aplicatio may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exeeding the resonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Authority of Clare County Council,

Planning Department, Aras Contae an Chlair, 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 plaanning aauthority on payment of the p[rescribed fee, not later than 2 weeks after the reciept of the newspaper notice and site notice by the planning authority.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL POULNAGUN, LISDOONVARNA, CO CLARE

Take notice that Sheila Considine intends to apply for permission to build a new dwelling , install a wastewater treatment system &all other associated site and ancillary works at the above address.

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

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL LARAGHAKEA, KILFENORA, CO CLARE

Further Information/ Revised Plans

Planning Reference

P22/844, permission to extend the existing dwelling house & all other associated site and ancillary works at Laraghakea, Kilfenora, Co Clare. Take notice that Cara & Fergal O’Donoghue have lodged significant further information in respect of planning application P22/844. 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, New Road, Ennis, Co Clare, during its public opening hours. A submission or observation

in relation to the further information or revised plans may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, not later than 2 weeks after the receipt of the newspaper notice and site notice by the planning authority.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL SHANDRUM, MULLAGH, CO CLARE

Take notice that Padraic Flynn intends to apply for PERMISSION to add a new dry shed for livestock accommodation onto the existing slatted shed, alter an existing machinery shed and repurpose it as a feed storage area & all other associated site and ancillary works at the above address. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL SEAPARK, LAHINCH, CO CLARE

Take notice that Liam and Eilin Grant intend to apply for OUTLINE PERMISSION to build 2 no. 2 storey houses, connect to services & all other associated site and ancillary works at the above address. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL AUGHINISH, KINVARA, CO CLARE

H91 N8YN

Further Information/ Revised Plans. Planning Reference P22/966, permission to extend the existing dwelling house & all other associated site and ancillary works at Aughinish, Kinvara, Co Clare H91 N8YN. Take notice that Mary and Tom Noone have lodged significant further information in respect of planning application P22/966. 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, New Road, Ennis, Co Clare, during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the further information or revised plans may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, not later than 2 weeks after the receipt of the newspaper notice and site notice by the planning authority.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL, GAURUS, ROSLEVAN, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

Planning permission being sought by Liam & Edel Flynn to construct private dwelling house, detached garage, new site entrance, new on-site wastewater treatment system, connect to existing infrastructure services and all associated site works at the above address. This planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours and that a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL CLOONAMIRRAN,

MOUNTSHANNON, CO. CLARE, V94 PW1C

Take notice that Frank O’Brien intends to apply for planning permission for development at Cloonamirran, Mountshannon, Co. Clare, V94 PW1C. The development will consist of demolition of existing single storey extension and replacement with larger single storey extension that includes a carport and all associated site works and services.

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

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL CLOONMOHAUN, WHITEGATE, CO. CLARE

Please take note that Edel Burke intends to apply to Clare County Council for permission to construct a dwelling house, new site entrance, wastewater treatment system and all associated site works at Cloonmohaun, Whitegate, Co. Clare. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of Clare County Council during its public opening hours and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE CO. COUNCIL LEAMANEIGH MORE, NEWMARKET ON FERGUS CO. CLARE

Take notice that Gerard McMahon intends to apply for permission for

development, the development consists of the construction of a milking parlour, slatted cubicle unit and associated site works at the above address.

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

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL KELLS, COROFIN, CO. CLARE

Further Information –Natura Impact Statement

Planning Ref: P 22 / 801

Date Planning Application Received: 07/09/2022

Development Description: Planning permission to demolish a derelict structure and construct a new dwelling house, private garage, access road, entrance, and install a new wastewater treatment system along with all associated works.

Location of Development: Kells, Corofin, Co. Clare.

Take notice that following a requirement of the Planning Authority, Ronan & Janine Howard will be lodging a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) in respect of planning application P 22 / 801. This NIS will be available for inspection or purchase, at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Authority of Clare County Council, Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the NIS may be made in writing to the Authority on payment of the prescribed fee €20.00 within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the Natura Impact Statement and a copy of this public notice.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL SHYAN, KILMIHIL, CO. CLARE

Take notice that Emma Callinan & Michael Doran are applying to Clare County Council for planning permission to construct a new dwelling house, new entrance, access road, private garage and install a new wastewater treatment system along with all associated works at the above address. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of Clare County Council during its public opening hours and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL STONEPARK, BALLYALLA, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

Take notice that Noel & Siobhan Kennedy are applying to Clare County Council for planning permission to construct a new dwelling house, new entrance, access road, private garage and install a new wastewater treatment system along with all associated works at the above address. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of Clare County Council during its public opening hours and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

ROOF MOSS CLEANING

The Clare Echo Quiz

MAURA O’CONNELL

1Where in Clare is singer Maura O’Connell from? Crusheen Ennis Fanore

2Her family owned what type of shop? Fish Shop Sweet Shop Shoe Shop

3Maura performed in a band called Tumbleweed with which Clare musician?

Nonie Lynch

Tom Lenihan

Mike Hanrahan

4Where in Clare did Maura go to secondary school? Kilrush Kilmihil Spanish Point

5In which city did Maura perform her first gig with De Dannan? London New York Sydney

6In what year did Maura record her first solo album

7How many times has Maura been nominated for a Grammy? Once Twice Thrice

8Maura was cast by Martin Scorsese for which film?

Shutter Island The Departed Gangs of New York

9Which of these is not a Maura O’Connell song? Feet of a Dancer Never Be The Sun Guns of Love

10Which city does Maura now reside? Galway Rio de Janeiro Nashville

Spot the Difference

Last

THIS WEEKS PUZZLES April 27th

WORD SEARCH

Beam

Blaze

Bright

Dazzle

Effulgent

Gleam

Glisten

Glitter

Gloss

Golden Lambent

Lucent

Radiant

Rosy

Sheen

Shining

Shiny Sparkle

Sunny

Vivid

The Clare Echo Crossword

HOW TO PLAY

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

ANSWERS

DOWN

1 Holiday (8)

2 Tell-tale (5)

4 Dynamo (anag) (6)

5 Broadcasting medium (5)

6 Ice-cream flavour (7)

7 Composition for two performers (4)

8 Dried plums (6)

13 Least expensive (8)

15 Design (7)

17 Charlatans (6)

18 Escargots (6)

20 Back tooth (5)

22 Tempest (5)

23 Bluish-white metal (4)

CROSSWORD ANSWERS