The Clare Echo 29/02/24

065

DOING IT FOR DAMIEN

Johnny bows out of politics

n ‘Unelected officials dictating Ennis’ future’

n Election race blown wide open

n ‘An honour to serve for 20 years’

by

Páraic McMahon

EXCLUSIVE

Bednight crisis causing strife in Clare tourism

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

THE Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) currently has contracts for one third of bed nights in Co Clare.

Lack of accommodation for visitors to the county is proving to be one of the biggest issues facing tourism providers in the county and this is set to be de-

bated at the Tourism Together networking event which takes place on Wednesday. Chairperson of the Clare Tourism Advisory Forum, Sean Lally explained, “This event is as much about reimagining our approach to tourism development in the county as it is about identifying current challenges faced by our sector”.

three candidates in the Ennis Municipal District last June, Cllr Flynn in an exclusive interview with The Clare Echo has confirmed his decision to withdraw from the race. Party sources in Fine Gael have described the decision as “a

Cllr Flynn said the decision has been made for personal reasons but stated that the Ennis 2040 Designated Active Company has diluted the value and input of elected county councillors.

l Seven year old Max Carmody who was man of the match in the U13 game in the Damien Carmody memorial tournament gives a speech at the event held in honour of his late uncle. More on page 10

Photo by Tom Micks

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Schools highlight frustration over ‘neglectful’ SET model

by Páraic McMahon @clareecho.ie

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PRINCIPALS in East Clare have come together issuing a letter to the Minister for Education, Norma Foley (FF) expressing their dismay and concern with proposed changes to the special education training model.

A collective letter on behalf of fourteen schools in Clare, thirteen of which are in East Clare and the other from Lissycasey NS has been sent to Minister Foley criticising the “lack of empathy, judgement and insight to the needs of pupils within the educational system”.

Clare TDs, Cathal Crowe (FF) and Michael McNamara (IND) plus Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) have met with representatives of the fourteen schools to discuss the new SET allocation model which is due to come into effect in September.

Supporting Women in Local Elections

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• Building your leadership and resilience

• Making best use of social media

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Officials in the Department have been implored by the principals to redesign the SET allocation model “and stop the discrimination by ignoring the individual needs of vulnerable pupils within mainstream schools and instead to provide the necessary supports and investment to children so that they can thrive in an inclusive educational journey”.

They have requested the model be re-drafted to “better suit the needs of pupils” similar to the pre-2017 allocation model. On Friday of last week, a private secretary in the Department of Education acknowledged the correspondence but responded that “this matter is more appropriate to the Minister’s colleague, Ms. Josepha Madigan TD, Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion, and I have referred your correspondence to her office for direct reply”.

Penning the letter stemmed from the frustration on the “very difficult conversations” that principals will have to have with parents in the coming months. This will include informing parents that schools do not have the hours to provide support to their child. “As schools we wanted to get ahead of it and hold the Minister accountable but inform parents of the detrimental impact this new model has on their children and their academic achievements and outcomes in education”.

Under the new model, the new pillar has been stream-

lined to three criteria instead of five with complex educational needs no longer considered as a factor in the allocation of special education teaching hours.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Michelle Kelly an SET teacher in Lissycasey warned that under the new model the majority of SET hours will now be based on results from standardised tests in second, fourth and sixth class. “You have students in schools for four years before they sit a test, the score of that test in second class won’t impact on anything for another year and a half. If you have a child coming into school with dyslexia or dyslexic traits, they’ll struggle to first class and they won’t sit an assessment until second class so they may not be recognised on a system until fourth class and they won’t be recognised as eligible for support hours”.

For some students having to wait until fourth class to receive SET will be too late. “We’re held accountable to provide early intervention which means junior or senior infants, it’s not too late, they would have a better opportunity if SET was provided in senior infants,” Michelle said.

She continued, “The Department claims the allocation is fair and is done with the best data they can get but there are tests that students can do and students do right up from junior infants that can be counted for test scores”. The Kilmurry McMahon native felt the Department could secure wide scale data scores from schools and it would not be a labour

intensive process.

“They also claimed in the new model that they had no accurate sources of information of children diagnosed with complex needs, each child is registered on a system called pupil online database, every child has to be registered on that to be registered as a student in a school. Schools could input information on diagnosed disabilities or learning needs on the system and it could be available to Department if they wanted to get it, our concern is the Dept of Education in rolling this out they have not taken wider view of students in our schools,” Michelle added. This approach from the Department was labelled as “very presumptive” by Ms Kelly. The fallout from COVID has not been recognised with the increase in motor, speech and language difficulties encountered by students.

On the response from the Department of Education, Michelle said it was “very neglectful”. She stated, “it shows a contempt to not alone the teachers in the school but the parents and students of our schools. There is a lack of morality in this, as teachers we have a moral obligation to the students we teach to provide them with the opportunities, we put an awful lot of stress to do it but for the best outcomes of the students, every child is a person and is valuable, we give our time and energy to them. When we are not given the manpower to do it, we are failing the students in front of us, it is a failure not by us but by the people supposed to supporting us”.

lEDUCATION: Mary Flanagan, Noel Murphy Joe O’Riordan, and Jim Collins Photo by Ruth Griffin

Making it Happen

Ennis Lions Club support

Bushypark

Ennis Lions Club (ELC) in conjunction with Clare FM, were delighted to present €11,600 to Bushypark Addiction Treatment Service. These funds are part of the proceeds of the ELC/Clare FM 2023 Radio and Online Auction.

Local Government Act could stall Ennis 2040 warns Cllr

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

CLARE’s longest serving politician has hinted that “a seldom used” section within the Local Government Act may be examined to halt the Ennis 2040 strategy.

Ennis 2040 is an economic and spatial strategy with a pri-

mary purpose of guiding the long-term development of the county town and to highlight investment opportunities that will deliver competitive advantage over the short, medium and long term.

Officially launched by the then Tánaiste Leo Varadkar (FG), the strategy initially had

nine transformative sites, alterations to the original concept such as tweaked plans for the Riverside project at Abbey Street car park have met strong opposition.

Speaking to The Clare Echo ahead of his forthcoming retirement from politics, Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) stated that the strategy is proving to be one of the few items that elected members in the County Council are willing to challenge in the present era,

He commented, “In recent times there is little or no legal engagement, with the exception of Ennis 2040 nobody challenges anything inside, I voted against Ennis 2040, I gave my reasons on the day, it was giving preferential treatment to one corner of the county and is taking control away from the local councillors. You had five against it at that time, if there was a vote tomorrow morning you would

have four for it”. In June 2021, councillors voted 23-5 in favour of drawing down a €10m loan for Ennis 2040 DAC. Cllr Kelly, Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF), Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND), Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) and Cllr Susan Crawford (GP) were those to vote against the decision. “I voted against it, I was concerned about it, I note others are now concerned and there’s many people who voted for it have now changed their mind so we could end up with a situation where it is five for and the rest against”.

Lissycasey native Kelly predicted, “What is going to happen in my view is that a seldom used section within the act might be invoked”. This is in reference to a section of the Local Government whereby elected members can direct the Chief Executive of the Council not to do something.

Fianna Fáil finalise West ticket

FIANNA FÁIL have put forward four candidates in the Kilrush local electoral area for the local elections in June, writes Páraic McMahon

As reported by The Clare Echo in advance of the selection convention, the directive from party headquarters was to put forward four candidates in West Clare as Fianna Fáil bids to hold onto three seats, two of which belong to retiring councillors. Glowing tributes were paid to Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) at the convention held in Kilrush Golf Club ahead of his looming retirement from politics. Tipperary TD, Jackie Cahill (FF) chaired the convention which was attended by Clare TD, Cathal Crowe (FF), Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) and Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF).

While Fianna Fáil won three seats in the Kilrush LEA five years ago, Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) is the only one of these successful candidates seeking re-election. His place on the ballot paper was confirmed in the directive issued by party headquarters. He will be joined by Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) who was co-opted to the Council last month following the retirement of Cllr Bill Chambers (FF). Michael Shannon (FF) and Alan Troy (FF) have also been given the seal of approval by the party. In 2019, Fianna Fáil returned three candidates in the Kilrush LEA with Cllr PJ Kelly (FF), Bill Chambers (FF) and Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) securing 23.4%, 15.6% and 12.10% respectively of the first preference vote. Now living in Doonaha, Cllr Murphy had resided in Kilkee prior to this where he remains an active member of the community. Retired councillor Patrick Keane (FF) had been one of his key advisors for his successful six week campaign in advance of his 2019 election. The co-founder of Loop Head Tourism is a respected tourism consultant. Doonbeg woman McInerney contested the 2020 General Election where she received 4,136 first preferences and her transfers proved crucial to the party retaining a TD. She is also a former CEO of Ennis Chamber.

Annagh based Shannon was just seven votes off McInerney in the December vote to select Chambers’ successor. The clerical officer with Aer Lingus contested the 2004 local elections where he polled 612 first preferences. For the 2004 elections, 132 of his votes transferred to the then Cllr Chambers after he was the third candidate eliminated while the first candidate eliminated was Cillian Murphy then flying under the Green Party banner. Lissycasey based Alan Troy who is a native of Carrigaholt currently serves as Operations Manager in glór. He is expected to pull a strong amount of votes from South-West Clare.

‘Potholes’ of Ennis 2040 will be overcome says chief

CHIEF EXECUTIVE of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling has said the “potholes” encountered so far with the Ennis 2040 strategy will be overcome, writes Páraic McMahon Opposition to plans associated with the economic and spatial strategy resulted in the establishment of the non-political and voluntary community group, Save Ennis Town (SET). In October, SET submitted a petition with 3,500 signatures against the proposed riverside developments on Abbey Street car park and Harvey’s Quay (Parnell Street car park) to the Mayor of the Ennis Municipal District, Cllr Pat Daly (FF).

Pat Dowling was appointed Chief Executive of the County Council in September 2016 for a seven-year term with the option

of a three-year extension which this year he informed the Department of Local Government and the Public Appointments Service that he wished to avail. When asked by The Clare Echo was he surprised with the level of backlash received to Ennis 2040 given all the strategies he has been involved with, Dowling responded, “That is terminology I wouldn’t use. Everybody has a right to express their view and object to plans, Ennis 2040 was endorsed by members of Clare County Council as a way forward, we’re now trying to implement that way forward for the town of Ennis”.

Dowling was responsible for the nomination of the nine board members to the Ennis 2040 DAC, it includes the Council’s Director of Economic Development Carmel Kirby and

Head of Finance Noeleen Fitzgerald plus Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF), Cllr Mary Howard (FG) and Cllr Ann Norton (IND).

Speaking at the announcement of a new deal between the Council and Clare GAA for the delivery of 200 car parking spaces in the Cloister car park, he stated, “What we’re doing here with a car park is in many ways separate because any development we may do in Abbey Street or any other place in Ennis town is a number of years away, proper planning and consultation has to be entered in to and that will take a number of years.

“People have a right to express their view and many people have a right to say they don’t like change but my job as Chief Executive of Clare County Council is to make Clare

a better county, to make its capital town of Ennis economically viable into the future where people can live and work, a town that is user friendly, that is important and collectively we will all find a way to reach consensus to go forward in the betterment for everybody, along that journey there will be some potholes that we have to deal with along the way, I’m happy that we will end up going the one direction in due course”.

Addition of the 200 car parking spaces plus plans for the development of 136 car parking spaces in Waterpark House was not done to counter the arguments put forward by those opposed to the riverside developments that Ennis does not have an adequate supply of car parking options presently, he said.

Pictured are James O’Loughlin ELC, Michael Neylon, Conor Smith, Susan Ward (all ELC), Mags Nash, CEO Bushpark and Maria Molloy (ELC)

l Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) Photo by Eamon Ward

Tragedy hits Shannon with death of ten year old Dylan Coady-Coleman

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

A TEN YEAR old Shannon boy has died following a road traffic incident outside the town on Sunday afternoon.

On Sunday afternoon, shortly after 2pm, Dylan Coady-Coleman was knocked down by a car in Cluain Airne.

Emergency services were contacted by a local resident who witnessed the boy getting hit by the vehicle. A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána confirmed that an “incident occurred in the Purcell Park area and involved a car and a male juvenile child”.

An air ambulance was needed to transport the boy from the field on the grounds of St Patrick’s Comprehensive to University Hospital Limerick (UHL) where his condition was critical.

Shortly before 9pm on Sunday evening, he was transported to Temple Street Hospital in Dublin where his condition was described as critical.

At 11:12 on Wednesday morning, Dylan’s life support was turned off and his organs will be donated to young children.

In what was an incredibly difficult period of days for the Coady and Coleman families, Dylan’s parents welcomed a

new son into the world on Tuesday with the birth of Shane Dylan Coady-Coleman.

Shannon Town as a community has come together with a memorial fund set up for Dylan. In the space of two days, €40,000 has been donated.

Dylan had been a member of the Shannon Town Utd U11 squad having played with the club since the age of four. In a statement, the club said they were “heartbroken” to hear of Dylan’s death. “He was a joy to be around and always had a great big smile on his face when he played. On behalf of his teammates and coaches Pa, Kieran and Jason (who he never paid any attention to), we’re all heartbroken. His infectious smile and energy will never be forgotten”.

Sports-mad Dylan was also a member of the Shannon Kickboxing club and represented his county in soccer.

Gardaí confirmed that a man in his 20s was arrested on Monday afternoon in connection with the road incident, and has since been released pending further investigations. “A forensic examination at the scene has been completed,” a statement from An Garda Síochána read.

Craggaunowen to undergo €1m redevelopment

CRAGGAUNOWEN is to undergo a €1m upgrade this year, writes Páraic McMahon

An investment of €1m in the East Clare visitor attraction has been confirmed by Clare County Council. Craggaunowen reopens to the public for the 2024 season on St. Patrick’s Day.

Last year, it welcomed 15,451 visitors with the figures forecast to exceed 20,000 in 2024 and 30,000 in 2025.

Amongst the works earmarked for completion during 2024 is the upgrade of Craggaunowen’s signature crannógs and woven hut lake dwellings, along with the bridge that connects them to

Notes

ST PATRICK’S DAY IN TULLA

the remainder of the site. A new playground themed on St. Brendan’s Voyage will be developed, while significant upgrades to the public carpark, public toilet facilities, fencing and pathways will be carried out.

Other developments include the installation of wayfinding signage throughout the site and an audio-visual experience to complement the 'Brendan Boat’.

Centred around a 16th century castle, the 20-acre site recreates what life would have been like for the Bronze Age inhabitants of Ireland and features reconstructions of ancient Irish architecture, including a dolmen, crannógs and

the original ‘Brendan Boat’ used by Tim Severin during his 1973 recreation of the transatlantic voyage of St. Brendan the Abbot. Stephen Hanley, General Manager of Clare Tourism East commented, “Craggaunowen is an important landmark on the Clare tourism landscape, and it is a key contributor to the local economy. With the support of the Hunt Museum Trust, we are committed to investing in one of Ireland’s most important and best known archaeological open-air museums as part of a comprehensive capital investment programme in the Local Authority’s portfolio of visitor attractions”.

Council announces training to support women candidates in local elections

CLARE County Council has announced details of a free training programme for women who are considering running as candidates in the 2024 local elections.

The ‘Supporting Women in Local Elections’ initiative has been organised to support greater involvement by women in local government.

Sinéad Doody (Doody Facilitation and Consulting Ltd), on behalf of Clare County Council, will deliver the free online training programme over four workshops in March and April.

Potential local election candidates will learn about local government and why it matters, as well as the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion in local politics.

dy said, “The workshops will be relaxed and interactive and suitable for women from all backgrounds and experiences. My aim is to help women to develop their leadership skills and to better understand the role of a councillor. I’ll also be focusing on campaigning, canvassing and communication media. There will be lots of practical information, tips and templates to take away. I’m looking forward to engaging with women from across the county on this important programme.”

TULLA’S St Patricks Day parade will take place on Sunday 17th March starting at 4.30pm. This years theme is “Movies and Magic”. Assemble at St Mochulla’s national school from 4pm. Entry is free. The parade will be led by the Tulla Pipe band. The parade route is from school, up the main street, past the library. We would love people to send us their photos on the day, email to tullaparade@hotmail.com, we will post on our Facebook page “Tulla Sports and social club”.

KILDYSART DRAMA SOCIETY

Following last year’s five sellout shows, Kildysart Drama Society are hopeful for another successful year. This year the group decided to repeat John B Keane’s classic play “Big Maggie”. Colin McMahon is directing the production. Newcomers from last year Flan Enright and Carmel Murrihy are returning to the stage. They are joined by Kerry Carrigg and Mark Bagnall. Big Maggie is a two act play set in 1960s rural Ireland. Following the death of her husband, Maggie Polpin has a newfound freedom. As the play unfolds, we see how she deals with her family and her freedom alike. The play will be staged on March 2 & 3rd 9th and 10th in Kildysart Community Centre. Doors will open at 7.15pm. Curtain goes up at the earlier time of 8:00pm sharp.

The workshops will provide practical information on running a successful election campaign including advice on getting your message and communication strategy right, how to build your leadership and resilience, and how to make the best use of social media.

Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Joe Cooney, said, “I am very pleased that Clare County Council is organising this event to support first-time women candidates in the upcoming local elections. I look forward to seeing greater gender balance on the ballot paper and in the Council Chamber following the elections.”

Programme facilitator Sinéad Doo-

Anne Haugh, Director of Rural Development, Clare County Council, said, “It is very important that we enable and empower all those who wish to participate in the local elections to ensure that we are truly representative of the people we serve. Initiatives such as this one will help to address the well-publicised gender imbalance in local politics.”

The free online training workshops will take place during March and April. Dates and times will be finalised following registration of participants. The workshops are free of charge but those interested in participating must register. Register at: https:// www.surveymonkey.com/r/SupportingWomenLocalElections

‘Supporting Women in Local Elections’ is organised by Clare County Council and is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

l Dylan’s friends hold a vigil and (inset) Dylan Cody-Coleman

Tulla man who bit off top of brother’s ear gets 17 month suspended sentence

by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie

A TULLA medical professional who bit off the top part of his brother’s left ear in a farmyard row “around land, monies and a shed” has escaped jail for the offence.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Francis Comerford imposed a suspended 17 month prison term on Conor O’Halloran (42) for the “unprovoked” and “very serious” assault causing harm of Daniel O’Halloran (37) that left the younger farmer brother losing the top part of his left ear.

Judge Comerford has also directed that solicitor for Conor O’Halloran offer to pay €10,000 compensation to Daniel O’Halloran within the next three weeks.

Counsel for the State, Lorcan Connolly BL (inst by State Solicitor, Aisling Casey) said that Daniel O’Halloran is not interested in the €10,000. Judge Comerford has also ordered as part of the conditions attached to the suspended prison term that Conor O’Halloran continue to engage in counselling.

In his victim impact evidence, Daniel O’Halloran told the court that his “ear is disfigured and I will have to live with it as a constant reminder for the rest of my life of what my brother did”. Radiographer at a Dublin hospital, Conor O’Halloran pleaded guilty to the assault causing harm of Daniel O’Halloran on May 5th 2021 and counsel for Conor O’Halloran, Patrick Whyms BL (instructed by solicitor, Darach McCarthy) said that Conor O’Halloran has no previous convictions, has never been in court before this and has been “a model citizen” apart from

this one act.

Judge Comerford said that Conor O’Halloran had led “an exemplary life” before the assault and has shown “genuine remorse”.

In a report handed into court Conor O’Halloran said, “I am sad and disgusted with myself. It shouldn’t have happened. I wish it had never gone that far. We were close at one time. I am godfather to his son and he is godfather to my daughter”.

In evidence, Garda Brian Quinn told the court that when he arrived at the farm-yard

scene on May 5th 2021, he entered the farmhouse and saw Daniel O’Halloran “shirtless and the top part of left ear removed and blood down his face and down his body”.

Garda Quinn said that colleagues were with Conor O’Halloran of Rosebank, Old Bawn, Tallaght, Dublin 24 in the farm-yard and he was arrested at the scene and replied “why am I being arrested and not him?”.

In a statement to Gardaí at the scene Daniel O’Halloran said that earlier in the morning, he saw his brother and described him “as being in a rage”.

Daniel O’Halloran told Garda Quinn that Conor O’Halloran was roaring ‘Come outwe will have it’ and Conor O’Halloran took off his top and charged at his brother.

Daniel O’Halloran said that he was knocked to the ground and while on the ground, Conor O’Halloran bit off the top of his left ear.

Daniel O’Halloran was brought by ambulance to the A&E at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and counsel for the State, Mr Connolly said that a medical report confirmed that “trauma to the left ear was consistent with a bite and tissue loss was noted”.

Daniel O’Halloran was treated and discharged the same day at the A&E. Photos of the ear injury in the immediate aftermath of the assault were handed into court and Daniel O’Halloran also turned his head in the witness box to allow Judge Comerford view the “significant disfigurement” close up.

Garda Quinn said that relations between the two brothers had deteriorated and there were “issues around land, monies and a shed”.

He said, “Matters came to a head that day.”

Mr Connolly said that Conor also owned farmland in the Tulla area and these lands were being farmed by his brother.

Mr Whyms said that Conor O’Halloran works as a radiographer at a Dublin Hospital and is married with young children.

Mr Whyms said that Conor O’Halloran is hopeful that he can reconcile with Daniel but doesn’t believe it will happen in the short term. Mr Whyms said that civil proceedings have been issued in the case and his client’s plea of guilty means that his client will not be contesting liability in the case.

In his victim impact statement, Daniel O’Halloran said “my family is broken and I have not even been told sorry once”.

Aontú to contest first election in Clare 15 for Catatonia campaign

NEWMARKET-ON-FERGUS based

John Haugh (AON) will be Aontú’s first ever Clare candidate, writes Páraic McMahon

A native of Montpelier in O’Briensbridge, John has lived in Co Clare for the past 13 years with his wife Karen. He went to school in Castleconnell and hurled for Ahane.

This month, he was announced as Aontú’s candidate in the Shannon Municipal District for the local elections. It will be the first time since Peadar Tóibín (AON) set up the party in 2019 that they will contest an election in Clare.

Qualified as a project manager, John has worked as an assistant director on television productions such as Game of Thrones, Vikings and Hidden Assets since completing a masters degree in 2007.

Two years ago he joined Aontú due to growing frustration with the political outlook. On putting himself forward for election, John said, “I want to do this, it’s always been in me, I’ve always loved politics, I’d always have been giving out about politics and one of my mates said ‘Jesus Johnny would you not go into politics because you’re always giving out’ so I said I’d put my money where my mouth is”.

Deputy Tóibín’s defection from Sinn Féin to form the party over prolife views is what appealed to John, a father of four. “I love the way Peadar stood up on the rights of life, he is a man of conviction, I’ve always been pro-life and it was good to see him take a stance on what he thinks is right. When I spoke to him first, I applauded him for doing what he did, it is hard to take such a stand today but he stood up for what he knew was right. I’ve never been in politics, I always listened to political coverage and I’ve got sick of doing nothing”. The death of his daughter Ava is what has formed his pro-life stance. “The reason why I’m pro-life is because when he had Ava there was an issue”. Both Karen and he were offered the option of an abortion “but we wanted to give her a chance, there is always something in you saying hope can come out of it but we gave her a chance to try survive and hope she would, she never did, that is why I’m pro-life”.

He told The Clare Echo, “I’ve heard stories where the same problem happened with other kids and they didn’t have an abortion with nothing wrong with child, my wife is pro-life and her mum is massively into theology and has been pro-life”.

led by Cleary raises €4k

ON THE football field, Eoin Cleary (inset) was always one to set the way and he’s now showing leadership off the pitch by spearheading a fundraiser for Down Syndrome and autism research, writes Páraic McMahon

Running since 15th February for 15 days with 15 prizes on offer, 15 for Catatonia is a fundraiser seeking to create awareness and further research into catatonia.

A wide range of Eoin’s inter-county gear and jerseys swapped with opponents from other counties is on offer as part of the fundraiser which has a €10 fee for one entry, €20 for two entries and so on. 85 percent of funds raised will go to the Catatonia in Autism and Down Syndrome Research and Support programme. This initiative seeks to create aware ness and further research into catatonia. The remaining 15 per cent goes to the collaborative Clare

Sports Partnership and Get Autism Active Clare schools initiative. This entails training TY students to teach fundamental movement skills to autistic students in their schools.

Former Clare football captain Cleary explained why he decided to launch the fundraiser. “I was getting married at Christmas and I wanted to do something for charity, funnily enough Susan Crawford a few days later was passing the house running with her son Tomás, Susan is a very inspiring person in the community, she has dedicated her life to research in autism between helping people and creating awareness around it, I wanted to give something small back for her. When I was working in SuperValu, Seán Nestor also worked there, he is a big Clare and Miltown Malbay supporter, Seán has Down Syndrome. Catanoia affects the Down Syndrome and autistic population, this

is something Susan wanted to put forward to put research into and put money into Clare Sports Partnership”.

At the time of going to print, the fundraising target of €4000 has been surpassed which Eoin described as “unbelievable”. He said, “the generosity people have shown is unbelievable and also messages from people who have people in their own lives affected by autism and down syndrome has been really touching, it creates awareness around it and gives more perspective that people need an extra bit done and it all helps”.

Having attended one of Susan’s autism seminars five years ago, Eoin’s perspective changed. “I see how much passion Susan has for creating awareness around autism, there was Gardaí, teachers, SNAs all there on that night, it all helps people to become more aware and how to communicate with them and make their lives better, I got that perspective five years ago and contacting Susan was the reason I wanted to do something for her because she is a very inspiring woman”.

Miltown Malbay native Cleary stressed the importance of GAA players using their profile for positive actions.

l Conor O’Halloran

l Danny O’Halloran

Damien Carmody memorial tournament

DAMIEN Carmody’s family have said they are “overwhelmed” with the support received for a memorial tournament which attracted hundreds to Doonbeg on Saturday and proved to be a “magnificent success”, writes Páraic McMahon. Shanahan McNamara Memorial Park was a hive of activity on Saturday for the inaugural Damien Carmody memorial tournament. The Moveen man died in a farm accident on 21st January 2021, five days after his first wedding anniversary. The tournament took place on what have been his 40th birthday.

His wife Elaine was presented with a framed number 12 O’Curry’s jersey on Saturday, a jersey Damien wore with distinction for the club, the pinnacle coming when he captained them to win the Clare IFC for the third time in 2012.

Action on the field saw Doonbeg crowned winners of the inaugural tournament when they defeated O’Curry’s 3-10 0-7 in the final. First half goals from Darragh Burns and David Tubridy sent the senior side on their way as they led 3-5 0-2 at the interval, Michael Tubridy raised their third green flag in the second half while two excellent saves in either half from Eamonn Tubridy denied O’Curry’s a goal. Doonbeg had defeated Naomh Eoin in the semi-final with O’Curry’s overcoming St Senan’s Kilkee.

Thomas Clancy of O’Curry’s was selected as player of the tournament, he was presented with his award moments before Doonbeg captain Cian O’Mahoney lifted the Damien Carmody memorial trophy.

In the U13 competition, it was Damien’s nephew Max who stole the show. The seven year old picked up the man of the match award after scoring 0-3 when he was introduced from the bench as Western Gaels claimed the bragging rights over Doonbeg.

Fr Michael Casey conducted a blessing before the action while Charlie Killeen sung Amhrán na bhFiann.

Addressing the crowd in Doonbeg, Damien’s sister Lourda admitted, “We’re overwhelmed with the support”. She paid tribute to all participating clubs, the referees, Doonbeg for hosting and O’Curry’s club “for their support and generosity”.

Efforts of Michael Foran, Michael Carmody and Eoin Murray in making the event a success were singled out by Lourda plus the involvement of Damien’s nieces Elaine and Tara along with local photographer Patrick Keating. She added, “we’re overwhelmed with the generosity from the community, thanks to everybody for coming and making this day so special. Damien would have loved today, he loved football, his family and his great many friends, happy birthday Damien and thanks everyone”.

Manager of the O’Curry’s intermediate football team, Dinny McMahon noted, “It is truly heart-warming to see so many faces gathered here to pay tribute to his life and his legacy. Damien was not only a talented athlete but he was also a kind-hearted and hard-working individual, he brought so much joy and excitement to the game, his passion for football was unreal. We will always remember his dedication, his sportsmanship and his courage both on and off the field. He touched the lives of so many, his memory will continue to live on”.

McMahon acknowledged Doonbeg for hosting the tournament plus Naomh Eoin and St Senan’s Kilkee for their participation. “Thanks to the Carmody family for arranging such a fitting tribute to Damien’s memory and a special thank you to his wife Elaine, organising such a magnificent event speaks great volumes of the impact that Damien had on all our lives”.

Former Clare senior football captain, Eoin Cleary who presented medals and picked the player of the tournament felt the event was “an unbelievable success”.

He said, “When tragedy hits, it is tough to pick yourself up and do something like this but it is a day when everyone remembers Damien Carmody, they will tell stories about him tonight, those who knew him best are here today, it is great to see the support from the people of West Clare. I didn’t know Damien personally but from people who knew Damien that spoke about, when you’d ask them what was he like they’d smile before they go into talking about him which tells you how much of a character he was and how loved he was, the crowd today typifies that and the warmth people had towards Damien Carmody”.

Miltown Malbay man Cleary believed it was fitting the tournament took place in Doonbeg seeing as it was where Damien captained O’Curry’s to glory in 2012.

“Today is perfect for Damien Carmody because he was a football man, he was a man who loved the craic and he was tough. The man I did know was the man you met on the football field, in fairness to him he left everything out there for O’Currys, you knew when you were playing against O’Currys and Damien Carmody that you were going to get a fierce battle. Himself and Michael on the field, they were brothers who always had each other’s back, one thing you knew for certain was that if you started a row with one of them, the other fella was going to be in on top of you within seconds. Well done to everyone on the success today, especially his wife Elaine, it is a tough thing to do but you have shown great courage to do this and I’m sure there will be loads of stories told about Damien tonight, he will be fondly remembered”.

lFOR DAMIEN: Pictured at the Damien Carmody memorial tournament were (clockwise from above): Damien Carmody’s nieces and nephews, Cathal Carmody, Kieran Weaver, Ally O Hara, Daithi Carmody, Lily O’ Hara, Aidan Weaver, Tara Weaver, Max Carmody, Lorraine Carmody, Michael Drinan and Seamus Drinan; Thomas Clancy is named as player of the tournament; Max Carmody wins man of the match; Dinny McMahon addresses the crowd in Doonbeg; Matthew Carmody, Catriona Carmody, Elaine Carmody, Ann Carmody, Michael Carmody and Lourda Carmody Photos by Tom Micks

Maura O’Connell named as grand marshal for Paddy’s Day

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

ENNIS singer Maura O’Connell will be the grand marshal for this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade in the county town.

Maura will travel all the way from Tennessee to Ennis for the parade with the honour bestowed upon her by Mayor of the Ennis Municipal District, Cllr Pat Daly (FF).

Born into a musical family, Maura was the third of four sisters. Her mother’s family owned Costello’s fish shop in Ennis where O’Connell worked until music became her full-time career. She got very involved in the local folk club scene and together with Mike Hanrahan, who later fronted trad/rock outfit Stockton’s Wing, they performed a country music set, as a duo called ‘Tumbleweed’.

During a six week tour of the US in 1980, Maura began her professional music journey as vocalist for De Dannan. The following year, she was featured on the band’s landmark album, The Star Spangled Molly. She released her debut album in 1980.

In 1986, she moved to Nashville and went on to have a very successful career in the US releasing albums with Jerry Douglas and Béla Fleck and sharing the stage with many top artists such as Dolly Parton, John Prine, James Taylor, Alison Krauss, Kris Kristofferson, John Oates, Van Morrison and Bonnie Raitt.

Aside from the music world, Martin Scorsese cast O’Connell, scruffed up for the role, as an Irish migrant street singer in his 19th-century epic Gangs of New York, released in 2002.

A delegation from Ennis’ twinning town in Germany, Langenfeld. The Mayor of Langenfeld

lLEGEND: Maura O’Connell

Frank Schneider and members of the city administration and twinning committee will participate in the parade and experience St Patrick’s Day in Ennis.

Clare FM’s Colum McGrath will be MC for the parade with the stage to be located in Abbey Street carpark.

Pre-parade entertainment will begin from 10:15am with Com- haltas Ceoltóirí Éireann performing on stage in Abbey Street carpark while Scoil Ui Ruairc Irish dancing school will entertain on

stage at Steele’s Terrace.

‘Remembering the Past – Embracing the Future’ is the theme for this year’s parade which will begin at Áras Contae an Chláir at 11:00am and will proceed via New Road, Newbridge Road, Club Bridge, Abbey Street carpark, Bank Place and Bindon Street.

Roads being closed on a rolling basis include Steele’s Terrace/Newbridge Road (from Kelly’s Corner roundabout to the Club Bridge), New Road from its

junction with Tulla Road to Newbridge Road, Dr Daly Road from its junction with Lifford Road and New Road, College Road (local access only), Mill Road in an easterly direction from the Maid of Erin roundabout to its junction with Bindon Street, Harmony Row, Abbey Street, Francis Street from Francis Street car park to Abbey Street, Bank Place, Bindon Street, Old Friary Lane. Diversions will be in place and pedestrian access will be available.

Clare Association accepting nominations for annual awards

CLARE Association Dublin are now inviting nominations for its annual awards for 2024, writes Páraic McMahon People wishing to nominate someone from Clare for Person of the Year and Hall of Fame can send their nominations

to info@clareassociationdublin.ie outlining details of the persons they are nominating. The award winners will be named later on in the year and introduced at the association’s annual dinner dance. Meanwhile the associ-

ation is preparing for its annual general meeting at the Clasac Centre, Alfie Byrne Road, on March 21st at 6.30 p.m. Prior to the start of the meeting, mass will be celebrated in the centre for deceased members of the association.

The past year has been another successful one for the association and all its activities will be reviewed at the meeting which will also elect officers and committee members for the coming year.

Among its highlights was the annual Martin

Notes

SUB AQUA CLUB FLAG DAY

ENNIS Sub Aqua Search & Recovery unit will hold their annual Flag day collection on the streets of Ennis on Saturday 9th March. This is the clubs main opportunity for fundraising to assist our volunteer group in Search & Recovery on our rivers, lakes and coastline. All donations are very welcome.

PIANO RECITAL

PIANO Recital for the Dánlann, Ennis

Thursday, March 7th, 8.00pm

Cyril Van Ginneken is an award-winning young pianist and composer who started his piano studies at the Montpellier Conservatory at the age of 7. In 2017 he was spotted by director David Delayat who invited him to compose his first soundtrack for the film Birth of a Hero: interlude. At the age of 21, he became the youngest French composer to have his music recorded by the Orchestre National de Montpellier and the film was awarded Best Fantasy film of the year at the New York Movies Awards. Marc-Antoine Laloi is a videographer and makes documentaries on various subjects but with a focus on adventure. He studied at the same music conservatory as Cyril where they became good friends and he now combines the two arts in a unique live visual performance where he will control the images projected while Cyril plays the Liszt Sonata.

IBTS CLINICS

THE next Irish Blood Transfusion clinics will take place at the West County Hotel, Ennis on Monday, March 4, Tuesday, March 19 and Wednesday, March 20 from 4.50pm to 8pm.

New Donors welcome. Bookings can be made by phoning 188 222 111

CHAPEL LANE MARKET REOPENS

County Clare’s weekly art and craft fair, Chapel Lane Market, is re-opening for the 2024 season on Saturday 2nd March at 10am! Chapel Lane Market opens from 10am - 5pm every Saturday. Follow the signs and chalk arrows on the pavements around Ennis to find us!

CUIMHNEAMH AN CHLÁIR

Corry Memorial Charity Walk the proceeds of which will go this year to Ennis Voices For Autism, a parent run voluntary group for families of autistic children.

On Friday 8 March, International Women’s Day 2024, Cuimhneamh an Chláir will hold a public event, exploring the rich tapestry of Clare women’s voices in its archive and sharing some of their stories.

Fri 8th March will also see the launch of Cuimhneamh an Chláir’s Clare Women’s Stories collection at the Digital Repository of Ireland.

Please join us in the Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis, Fri 8 March at 7pm for this International Women’s Day celebration.

The event is free and all are welcome.

‘I have a serious

problem with Ennis 2040’

JUNE’s local elections in the Ennis Municipal District have been blown wide open as Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) has confirmed he has withdrawn from the race, writes Páraic McMahon

A two-time Mayor of the Ennis MD, Cllr Flynn was tipped as the favourite to top the poll for the second time in his career in politics. He was first elected to Ennis Town Council in 2004, remaining there until its abolition in 2014 while he has prevailed in three elections to Clare County Council (2009, 2014 and 2019).

In an exclusive interview with The Clare Echo, the Ennis native announced the shock decision that he would be not going forward for re-election and criticised the Ennis 2040 Designated Active Company (DAC) for stripping power from elected representatives. He is married to Catherine who runs Flynn’s Pharmacy, they have four adult children, Patrick, Thomas, Jack and Kate, all of whom are engineers in different disciplines. He said, “I’m going to focus on my family, I’m fortunate to have four grown-up adults, recently I became a grandfather to Molly who is our first grandchild”.

Last June, he was selected alongside Cllr Mary Howard (FG) and Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) as Fine Gael’s candidates in the Ennis MD for the 2024 local elections. Twenty years of serving the people was “an honour”. “After 20 years it is for personal rather than political reasons that I’ve decided not to put my name forward for election on the 7th of June but I wish all of my colleagues and candidates well who are stepping forward, it is great people are willing to”.

As Mayor in 2015, he was a key figure involved in the bid which resulted in Ennis hosting the hugely successful Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 2016. Ennis’ Purple Flag designation is another area he played an influential part along with securing funds in the region of €20m for the state of the art redevelopment of both Scoil Chríost Rí in Cloughleigh and the CBS primary school.

Health was also a consideration in his decision. “I had a cardiac issue from being diabetic, I have prostate cancer the last few years and I’m recovering from that, you get to the stage where you’re not like the wind you’re not renewable, you have to face up to realities and the 20 years has taken up a lot of my personal and family time”.

After the local elections in May 2019 and his election as Mayor in the Ennis MD in June of that year, the Tulla Rd resident had a health scare. “The thing with diabetes and conditions is a lot of stress isn’t healthy, (...) there are people who have given longer and greater service and I’d like to thank them because I’ve seen fantastic officials working in Ennis and Clare County Council, I’ve seen fantastic councillors in both the Town

Council and County Council, it’s been great working with people”.

When launching his foray into politics, Johnny billed himself as a ‘no expenses, no junkets and no top-up payments’ councillor, a label he has kept. This stance was due to the cynical view towards politicians in light of the Mahon Tribunal. “On average after tax my net cost over the years as a town councillor was around €5,000, as a county councillor my net cost after tax and PRSI was around €10,000,” he calculated.

Flynn’s decision to exit politics is one that will cause a big shock across the county. “I do have a serious problem with Ennis 2040 and what they are proposing for the town. I will be continuing to work with Save Ennis Town which is a non-party, voluntary community group to challenge what is a private company that is not accountable to the elected members of Clare on what their plans are, that would have been a serious consideration in my decision not to go again,” he admitted”.

From the launch of the Ennis 2040 strategy in October 2021, the qualified civil engineer was one of three elected members sitting on the Board of Ennis 2040 DAC but he resigned from this post in September 2022 after submitting an objection to An Bord Pleanála to Clare County Council granting the green light to a data centre in Ennis which was one of nine transformational sites identified in the strategy.

Financial decisions of the DAC need to come under scrutiny, the law graduate believed. “It has recently been disclosed that they spent €2.2m of a €10m loan the Council gave them, for that money Our Lady’s Hospital and all the grounds could have been bought for a third of the price, that money could have been used to provide housing, job opportunities, the Information Age Park is beside it with sites serviced where you could build the office blocks they are talking about, the Boys National School could have been bought for less than that which is a vacant derelict site, it is the wrong building in the wrong location for both Abbey Street and Parnell Street, because of my frustration in how that is operating. Unfortunately the Government abolished the Town Council ten years ago which was a flaw, I worked with fantastic town councillors for the betterment of the town, we’ve gone to a Municipal District structure which is working very well for most of the rural districts but now we have a private company created which is deciding on the future of the town so we got rid of a democratic town council and replaced it with a private company in my view and what is the role of a local politician in that, I’d prefer to act as a concerned citizen in dealing with what their plans are”. Ennis 2040 has taken away powers of elected officials, he maintained.

Flynn withdrawal leaves opens door for Save Ennis

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

FINE GAEL have been left “completely shocked” with the decision of Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) not to contest the local elections in June.

On Tuesday morning, Cllr Flynn contacted senior officials in the Clare branch of Fine Gael to inform them he was withdrawing his name from the ballot paper.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Cllr Flynn stated, “They were very supportive of my decision, they were disappointed and would have liked me to have continued but they understand it is for personal reasons.

I let party HQ know I was going through this process, I got a phone call on Friday or Saturday from someone involved in the campaign and I let them know that I had made a decision. I rang all my colleagues in the Ennis MD over the weekend, to thank them for working with me and wishing them well, they all said ‘you won’t go away’”.

Senior party sources told The Clare Echo the decision was “a complete shock” and that it “came

out of the blue”. Party members said the Ennis man was one of Fine Gael’s “strongest candidates” in Clare.

The Clare Echo understands that Fine Gael have not yet moved to organise a selection convention to add an alternative candidate and are instead going to plead with the two-time Mayor of the Ennis MD to change his mind.

Flynn’s departure opens the door for an individual connected to Save Ennis Town or local business groups to come forward as an independent candidate to capitalise on the momentum of the silent protest march and opposition to Ennis 2040.

Save Ennis Town have never discussed running a candidate in the local elections, Cllr Flynn outlined while stressing it was a voluntary non-political grouping. “They may very well decide that but it has never been an option that has been considered”.

Chairman of Save Ennis Town, Gearoid Mannion told The Clare Echo they have not discussed the idea of running a local election candidate.

Two candidates, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) and

SHOCK: Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) pictured at his home in Ennis Photo by Tom Micks

Fine Gael shocked & Town candidate

Brigid Ginnity (GP) are currently connected to Save Ennis Town.

When asked who he will now be rowing in behind for the local elections, Cllr Flynn commented, “I certainly won’t be negative canvassing, that is not good for democracy. I would hope when somebody knocks on their door that people will be informed and be asking local questions.

“What I found very interesting is I’ve been out canvassing at national level and I’ve seen the debate at the door being about local issues like a pothole or a light not working and I’ve seen local elections where people are revved up on national issues.

“It would be great if people became more informed of what the role of local government is and what we are and are not responsible for.

“If people inform themselves and ask the candidates at the door what

they stand for on various issues that people are concerned about like migration, health and other serious issues but local government hasn’t any influence on those.

“I’ve been amazed that before a local election when I’m knocking on a door and willing to discuss local issues that I’m met with people revved up on national issues”.

Cllr Flynn has also ruled out the prospect of running in a General Election. “I was approached a number of times at a national level to consider it but local politics is tough enough and it takes a lot of time, I wouldn’t like to have.

“We had four children under the age of six at one stage, Catherine my wife was very busy in the pharmacy and I was busy as well, it was flattering but it wasn’t really feasible”.

SHANNON NEWS

in association with

‘Calling it affordable housing is wrong because it is not affordable’

NAMING the affordable housing scheme as such is misleading county councillors in Shannon have argued given the stringent eligibility criteria surrounding it writes

Páraic McMahon

Under the affordable purchase scheme, Clare County Council make new, local homes available for purchase by first time buyers and fresh start applicants at reduced prices, whose combined mortgage and deposit will not cover the market price of the newly built home. In return, Clare County Council takes a percentage equity stake in the affordable home, equal to the discount of the purchase price from the full market value of the home.

To qualify for affordable housing in Rahairc Doire in Shannon applicants must be classified as a first-time buyer and do not own or have legal interest in a dwelling, have the right to reside indefinitely in Ireland, in-

tending purchasers from a member state of the EU/European Economic Area can apply for an affordable home, provided they are living and working in Ireland, the affordable home must be the household’s normal place of residence and where intending purchasers are not an Irish/EU/EEA citizen, they must have indefinite leave to remain in the State.

Officials in the County Council confirmed to The Clare Echo at the beginning of January that they had been successful in application to the Department of Housing for an affordable housing project in Shannon, this is to include ten affordable homes.

Despite this approval, Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien (FF) during a recent visit to the county called on Clare County Council to up the ante in their submissions of affordable housing schemes for Clare.

Speaking at a meeting of the Shannon Municipal District, Director of Services,

Alan Farrell welcomed the approval of the ten affordable units. “This is due to the hard work of the social development strategic policy committee and the char of that SPC is a member of this electoral area, it is also due to the hard work of elected members and the executive of Clare County Council”.

He noted that the Council in 2023 looked for expressions of interest from potential developers for an affordable housing scheme. He said the houses would be located in the Oak View area of Shannon.

Chair of the Social Development SPC, Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) commented, “I’d question why is affordable housing”. He outlined, “the people earning between €30,000 to €49,000 there’s nothing there for them. The ten houses in Shannon are welcome, when we put it out for people to apply it will give us an indication if we can sell on ten”. Flynn quipped, “I’m only on €30,000 so I must be down in

the third world”.

Clonlara based Cllr Michael Begley (IND) stated, “it is very welcome on the face of it but if you look at the detail the window for the number of people that can fit on the scheme would be very small”.

Cathaoirleach of the Shannon MD, Cllr Donna McGettigan (IND) questioned, “who are the affordable houses affordable to. It is crazy the amount of money you have to earn to be able to qualify. Labelling it as affordable is wrong because it isn’t”.

Responding to the views expressed, Farrell replied that he was “conscious” of the difficulties surrounding the scheme, “it is really about influencing the national policy. Looking at the ones in Shannon and Ennis, the response to that will give us hard facts, I will talk to Jason (Murphy, Director of Social Development) on the clientele coming forward and the issues they are having”.

Airport welcomes 11 new recruits to rescue service

SHANNON AIRPORT has welcomed eleven new recruits to its Police and Fire Service (APFS), writes Páraic McMahon

Of the eleven, ten are from Co Clare, they were selected following an exhaustive process which saw applicants being whittled down from over 150 to under a dozen.

New candidates commenced their training in

January and are currently undergoing an intensive three-month programme which will equip them with the necessary skills to work in the combined role of airport police and fire service personnel.

The new recruits are expected to complete the training programme in mid-April, at which time they will commence work in the Shannon Airport Police & Fire Service.

Sixmilebridge pair Gerry O’Halloran and Jack Parker, Ross Clair from Lahinch, Killmier man Eoghan O’Donnell, Ennis’ Oisin Kenneally, John Gillivan from Crusheen, Newmarket-on-Fergus native Hayden Cullinan, Clarecastle duo David Tuohy and Lorcan Clancy and Corofin’s David Partington have been made the cut along with Evan O’Neill from Corbally.

l The candidates are due to finish training in April

Golfer Jamie receives ‘VIP treatment’ at Lahinch, breaking 130 year tradition

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

LAHINCH Golf Club has been praised for its royal treatment of a former Special Olympics golfer – after allowing him to use a buggy on the course for the first time in the Old Course’s 130-year history.

Starter Tony Molloy and caddie Dave O’Brien have been singled out for their kindness in giving a 32-year old with special needs the VIP treatment on his visit to Lahinch Golf Club.

American golfer Jamie Bérubé, who has Down Syndrome, visited Lahinch last summer with his dad Michael to play the famous Old Course. After booking their round, Michael spotted a notice on the website stating that “golf carts/buggies are not available for hire” in Lahinch, which is a “walking course”.

Recounting the pair’s experience on leading golf website golf.com, Michael admitted that a round at the Old Course would be physically challenging for his son. They were greeted on the first tee by well-known starter and former Ennis businessman Tony Molloy, to whom Michael explained, “if Jamie can’t manage it after a few holes, we’ll understand. We don’t want to hold anybody up”.

Having been directed to follow Tony to the club’s offices, Tony re-emerged and told Michael, “I’ve made an executive decision… Here’s what we’re going to do. Your son will have a buggy and his caddie will drive it. I’m going to get you the most experienced caddie we have available. We’re going to make sure he can play this course.”

Recounting the experience, Michael wrote, “What struck me immediately, forcefully, was that Tony’s reaction was not tinged with any sense of pity or condescension.

“Our caddie, Dave O’Brien, a tall, lean man who seemed to be in his late thirties or early forties… assured me that he understood how Jamie would play and would make sure that

he enjoyed his round. As Jamie took his seat in the buggy, Tony said again, ‘all right now, Jamie, this is the VIP treatment. You go and have a good time and play some great golf, now’.”

Following the article on golf.com, Tony admits his phone has been “hopping” with well-wishers congratulating him on his treatment of Jamie and Michael. He confirmed that it was his first time to make an exception by allowing a golfer use a buggy on the historic course, which has been played by top professionals including Phil Mickelson, Jordan Speith and Tiger Woods, and celebrities such as Michael Jordon.

Tony, who previously ran Tony’s Fashions in Ennis and is married to local Fianna Fáil councillor Clare Colleran Molloy, told The Clare Echo, “I said to myself ‘this golf course is going to be a real challenge for him’ so I asked Dave to caddy for him and it worked out perfectly. “You get emotional when you see a young lad like that, mad to play in Lahinch. There’s no way I wasn’t going to let him out on the golf course. They had a ball of a day. When he came around the following morning he thanked me. I swelled up a little bit, I saw the joy in his eyes, and I told him he’s welcome back any time.”

Michael reserved praise for both Tony and Lahinch native Dave O’Brien, adding that the day prior to catching their flight from Shannon Airport to JFK New York, “all we wanted to do was to circle back to Tony and tell him how much we loved our round at Lahinch. Our VIP round.

“Tony greeted us warmly, congratulated Jamie for playing the full 18 and playing so well, and insisted on taking our picture at the goat statue behind the first tee.”

He added, “I will simply always be grateful, for the rest of my days, that Lahinch Golf Club welcomed Jamie — and gave him the VIP treatment.”

Community welcomes Uisce Éireann sanction

SANCTIONS against Uisce Éireann for a major fishkill in North Clare have been welcomed by local groups, writes Páraic McMahon Ennistymon based community group, Restore Ballymacraven River Association welcomed the decision in Ennis District Court last week to fine Uisce Éireann €10,000 for the discharge of sludge for the water treatment plant into the Ballymacraven River at Calluragh East, Ennistymon killing over 2,000 fish, including Atlantic salmon and eels of multiple age profiles on a 2.6km stretch of the Ballymacraven River. A spokesperson for the Restore Ballymacraven River Association (RBRA) welcomed the actions of

Inland Fisheries Ireland to secure the prosecution of Uisce Éireann before Judge Alec Gabbett. The spokesperson noted the efforts of Inland Fisheries Ireland staff, in gathering the evidence required to make those responsible for the fish kill accountable.

The RBRA was established specifically in response to the anger and frustration in the local community following this major fishkill in May 2023. The RBRA said it looks forward to working in partnership with Uisce Éireann, Inland Fisheries Ireland and all other interested parties in beginning restoration work on the river. It notes the work carried out by Uisce Éireann since

the fishkill to avoid a repeat occurrence.

Since the fishkill, the RBRA has organised multiple community meetings, major river clean-up days, citizen science outings and community outreach events. Following the court case the RBRA will now hold a community meeting on the Friday (March 1st) in the Falls Hotel at 8 PM. At this meeting the planned work programme of the Restore Ballymacraven River Association for 2024, will be discussed and funding for this work will be outlined. One of the initial planned events will be a tree planting day along the banks of the river on the 18th of March the details of

which will be outlined at the public meeting.

Meanwhile, the North Clare branch of the Labour Party have said they remain very concerned with the operations of Uisce Éireann. “We were upset, but not surprised, by the evidence given by Uisce Éireann in the recent court case that followed last year’s disastrous river pollution at Ennisty- mon. At that hearing Uisce Éireann pleaded guilty to two water pollution charges that caused the death of up to 2,000 fish in North Clare. That arose from poisonous effluent being allowed to enter the local river at Calluragh East, Ennistymon,” said Denis Vaughan.

He added, “Evidence given in that recent court case showed that the killing of salmon extended over their entire age span. It was admitted that salmon may never return to breed in the Ballymacraven River again.

“Clearly this calls for more than a treatment works upgrade. Any such work must be part of a wider renewal and a management system that will restore the lost diversity of fish and will also restore the damaged habitat. The people of North Clare deserve a lot better from Uisce Éireann and from Clare County Council. We will campaign to secure the improvements that are so clearly needed”.

l FAIR PLAY: Caddy David O’Brien with American golfer Jamie Bérubé

ESB warns of outages if Moneypoint does not convert to heavy fuel oil

by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie

IF THE 900MW Moneypoint coal-burning power station doesn’t convert to Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) to produce electricity, “it is possible that extended power outages could occur to cover the Winter peaks in the period 2024 to 2029”.

That is the stark warning contained in a new ESB Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) Moneypoint ‘Security of Supply’ application lodged with An Bord Pleanála seeking to convert Moneypoint from a coal-burning power generating station to one powered by HFO for the years 2024 to 2029.

Consultants for the ESB, Mott MacDonald state that if the proposed conversion does not occur “this would have a significant adverse effect, in terms of energy requirements and supply on the island of Ireland”.

The planning application includes the construction of two HFO tanks each with a capacity of 25,000 tonnes and the construction phase will result in the creation of 90 to 100 jobs. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) shows that a Moneypoint conversion to gas was ruled out after the conversion of the three Moneypoint coal units to gas would

take five years to design and build.

The EIS states that the costs associated with a conversion to gas included an estimated €150 million on a 21km gas pipeline and an additional €90 million to convert the three coal units to gas. The conversion to gas “has the potential to much greater and more complex environmental impacts than the planned HFO conversion.

Asked to provide the costs of the HFO Moneypoint conversion, a spokesman for the ESB said that the ESB “is not in a position to comment on matters relating to commercial contracts on this project”.

Figures provided in the extensive documentation lodged with An Bord Pleanála show that Moneypoint will continue to be a significant contributor from within the energy sector to greenhouse gas emissions after the conversion from coal to HFO.

In the EIS’s chapter on the impact on climate lodged with the application, it concedes that “emissions from the operation of the proposed development are expected to be major adverse and significant”.

The EIS states that the proposed development “has a 12% lower emissions intensity than the existing coal-fired plant and pres-

ents lower emissions through transition to HFO than a ‘do nothing’ scenario with continued use of coal”.

On the proposed development’s impact on climate, the EIS states that the proposed development annual emissions “would be approximately 39-46 per cent of total projected Irish energy sector annual emissions if operating in 2030”.

The EIS states that a HFO operated Moneypoint is estimated to account for 4-5% of projected national emissions across all sectors in 2030, which is the closest projection available.

The EIS also state that the HFO operated Moneypoint is to operate “with limited run hours from late 2024 until the end of 2029”.

The 489 page EIS compiled by consultants Mott MacDonald states that the proposed development “will act as an out of market generator of last resort and will operate only when required by EirGrid for security of supply reasons”.

Mott MacDonald state that the project

“aims to ensure that the power station remains viable as an energy generation node until 2029”.

The EIS states that currently Moneypoint “is a strategically important part of the energy generation network” and meets on average ca.12-15% of national demand.

The report states that after 2029, the ESB intends on transforming the site and redeveloping it as a hub for the offshore renewable sector as part of the ESB’s ‘Towards Zero’ Strategy.

The EIS states that the project “also aims to deliver the phasing out of fossil fuels under the Programme for Government”.

The report states that in recent years, Moneypoint has responded to national demand for electricity, particularly during unscheduled outages of other major generating stations, the Covid-19 pandemic and the prevailing energy crisis. Generating schedules are in place up to 2024, with Moneypoint anticipated to continue to play a key role meeting national electricity demands.

Aughinish licence renewal faces objections

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

FUTUREPROOF Clare (FPC) has made a submission to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to object to the renewal of the Aughinish Alumina (AAL) dredging and dumping at sea licence.

Last July permission for the expansion of Aughinish’s bauxite disposal area was quashed when FPC took a High Court case against An Bord Pleanála’s decision. Futureproof Clare claim they are concerned about potential detrimental effects of the refinery’s operations on water sources and ecosystems in the local area.

Emanuela Ferrari of EPC stated, “Futureproof Clare has already successfully legally challenged the bauxite refinery, which has operated in the area for the past four decades, with huge environmental and social costs”.

Presently the Russian owned company has applied to renew its permit for the loading and dumping of dredged material as part of its

maintenance operations, which entails disposing of 668,454 tonnes of dredged material over a 8 year period. The new licence application proposes dumping at a site north west of Foynes island, whereas before it was discharged in the vicinity of the jetty.

“If the EPA grants Aughinish Alumina this licence to dredge and dump, it will entail the dredging of 80,000 tonnes of sediment per annum, and that amounts to the equivalent of 5,000 double decker buses of potentially contaminated muddy sand every year” said Ms Ferrari.

She continued, “Futureproof Clare is concerned about the rampant industrialisation of the Shannon Estuary and the proliferation of polluting industries in the area - on the basis of the incompatibility of the operations with the status of the estuary as a Special Area of Conservation under the Natura 2000 European directives”.

An increase in dredging would detrimentally affect the seabed habitat as well as the water quality, FPC claimed. Operations are due to take place for 21 days at a time if ap-

proved which will lead to noise disturbance and potential detrimental effects for wildlife in the area, FPC flagged.

Sinéad Sheehan, a member of FPC Clare commented, “Dolphins communicate through sound for hunting, mating and social purposes, so they are particularly sensitive to noise. The area is also home to otters, coral reefs, marine animals, food chains and plankton, so the proposed dredging and dumping seems bound to disturb this precious life. This should not be allowed as most of the area is part of the River Shannon Special Area of Conservation which means that the habitat is legally protected”.

Ireland has “slack enforcement of environmental protection laws,” Sineád said. This allows industries to “benefit from this lax regulatory framework to implement highly risky practices that imperil the habitat of humans and other species. The EPA is mostly there to regulate the rate of environmental destruction to suit the industry’s expansion, not to guarantee the preservation of the environment and the life it supports.

l Aughinish Alumina plant

Now it is time for the agency to show where its loyalty stands, when the urgency and importance of biodiversity protection cannot be overestimated. According to UNEP, up to

one million species are threatened with extinction globally as a result of human activities, and this decade is crucial in preventing collapse of the biosphere and human civilizations”.

IN TALKING to others about what I do, I often refer to the phrase ‘authentic leadership’.

The dictionary definition of authentic is ‘of undisputed origin and not a copy; genuine’. We often use the word ‘genuine’ in Ireland when describing people. It is a great compliment to pay someone when we say that they are ‘genuine’. And on the flip side of that coin, when we say that someone is not genuine, or disingenuous, it is a low blow. We mean that they’re in some way fake and we would all agree that this is an unattractive trait in others when we see it.

My main mission in the work I do, is to transform organisational culture, one leader at a time. I work with the inner world of both the leader and of the organisation, so that a healthy, thriving culture which breeds authenticity, can be crafted from the inside out. I provide the space, the tools and the language for teams and individuals to blaze this pathway together.

In keeping with the spirit of authenticity, here are the strides that I’ve gained in life so far, from committing to an authentic life.

I am always learning and evolving my mind is open to seeing things differently.

“I’m open to seeing things differently”. I have a mantra which goes like that, on a daily basis. When something doesn’t go ‘my way’, I remind myself that something else is happening, because it is simply meant to be that way. I don’t mean that I take a defeatist atti-

tude towards life, quite the opposite. Through the work I do, and particularly in coaching, I try to help clients to visualise success and then let go of the outcome. This is quite a paradox and can be difficult to do. But it’s the difference between being bitterly disappointed when things don’t seem to go your way, versus, shaking it off, dusting yourself down and getting back on the horse again relatively quickly and unscathed.

I cultivate compassion for myself and others.

There was a time when I was my own worst critic and my harshest judge. I do not berate myself anymore or scare and bully myself into doing things differently. Now, I try new things because they interest me and excite me, and because I want to learn and grow! I do not fear failure, simply because the evidence has shown me that in my life, no matter what has happened, things have always worked out ok. Even if they didn’t work out as I thought I wanted, everything really has been ok in the end. And I’ve also learned through experience, that if it’s not ok, then it’s not the end!

I realise that I am unique and it’s ok to have my own take on things.

This is a really important point, in my opinion. In leadership we talk about representation. We talk about equality, diversity, gender balance and such topics. For years, working in a corporate setting, there was sometimes

a tendency to ‘blend in’ rather than have the confidence to ‘back myself’, and express my creativity. Nowadays, I have creative license in my business, and I am surrounded by supporters and mentors that I can bounce ideas off. I don’t judge or blame myself anymore for ideas that don’t seem to work out and I give myself full permission to change my mind if I

no longer think that an idea is worth pursuing. What can you do today, to be more authentic? How can you bring more of the unique and wonderful ‘you’ that you are to your job or your life today?

If you’d like help to explore questions like these further, please get in touch at denise@ obrienlearningsolutions.ie.

Rising star award for Shannon's Hannah Pike

SHANNON’S Hannah Pike has been named as the winner of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) Rising Star Award, writes Páraic McMahon

A receptionist at the Shannon Springs Hotel, Hannah was presented with the Rising Star Award at the IHF’s annual conference which took place at the Slieve Russell Hotel, Golf & Country Club, Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan on Monday and Tuesday of this week. Denyse Campbell, President of the IHF presented the accolade.

Hannah started her hospitality career in the Shannon Springs Hotel’s Accommodation Department in 2021 before moving to the Restaurant and Bar in the summer of 2022, and then to her current role in Reception in early 2023.

In each role, Hannah quickly adapted and excelled, increasing her knowledge of the hotel’s various operations and departments.

This coming September, Hannah plans to apply to the Shannon College of Hotel Management. The judges commended Hannah for her professionalism, maturity and adaptability when selecting her as the Rising Star winner.

Integration Dept occupies a third of beds

A THIRD of bed nights in Clare are currently contracted to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), writes

Páraic McMahon

Both the Clare Tourism Advisory Forum and Visit Clare are issuing a rallying call to the wider tourism sector to attend a networking event in the county next month to discuss the urgent need for increased collaboration and the development of new initiatives to bolster the local sector in light of the unprecedented challenge posed by the reduced accommodation supply in the county.

Tourism interests from across Clare gather at The Inn At Dromoland on March 6th for the annual ‘Tourism Together’ Networking Event 2024, which features a keynote address by travel writer and Irish Independent

Travel Editor Pól Ó Conghaile.

With a third of bednights in the county occupied by displaced Ukrainians, refugees and asylum seekers, the event will discuss how Clare can position itself to meet current challenges and attract new business.

Chairperson of the Clare Tourism Advisory Forum, Sean Lally explained, “This event is as much about reimagining our approach to tourism development in the county as it is about identifying current challenges faced by our sector”.

Registrations for the ‘Tourism Together’ Networking Event 2024 at 5.00pm on Wednesday, March 6th at The Inn At Dromoland, Newmarket-On-Fergus can be made www.visitclare.ie/ tourismtogether.

lGREAT RECEPTION: Hannah Pike receives her Irish Hotels Federation Rising Star

Award from IHF President Denyse Campbell

Council workplace practices recognised at national HR awards

CLARE County Council’s workplace practices have been recognised at the CIPD HR Awards in Ireland 2024, writes Elaine Tubridy.

The local authority was named winner of the ‘Embracing New Ways of Working’ award at the Mansion

House in Dublinlast week. This award recognises organisations of any size that can demonstrate how they are excelling in their support for their people and managers in embedding new ways of working.

Clare County Council was shortlisted in the category

along with Bank of Ireland, ESB, KPMG and McKesson Cork. The organisers of the awards noted that all entries were very strong across this category.

The judges commented that, “Clare County Council’s approach focused on how to embed hybrid working and deliver on the benefits. The judges were impressed with the approach that moved beyond a Covid response to be a real retention and inclusion initiative. With multiple strategies for different staff, it resulted in quantifiable and demonstrable benefits on culture, learning and development, and achieved cost benefits.”

“The Council adopted innovative methods, especially for outdoor staff. They significantly progressed the digitalisation of activities, using digital check-ins, new digital devices, reducing paperwork and the need for time in office, allowing more time onsite,” the judges added.

The Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Joe

Cooney, congratulated the Council’s Human Resources staff on winning the award:

“I want to commend the staff and management of the Council on achieving this award and on maintaining such high standards of work practices in the delivery of services.

“The Council’s success is testimony to the commitment of staff to improving public services in County

Clare and to improving the working environment within Clare County Council. I would like to acknowledge their adaptability in responding to the need to enhance the way we work.”

Pat Dowling, Chief Executive, Clare County Council, said, “Clare County Council has a proven track record of innovation and change management. Embracing new ways of working has clearly

been demonstrated by our staff and this level of commitment is crucial to being a successful and a responsive organisation. This award is a reflection of the central importance that Clare County Council places on its staff. We are to the forefront in advancing our services, in being able to work on the move while improving health and safety and quality of life for our staff.”

lWINNERS: Monica Meehan, James O’Neill, Cllr Joe Cooney, Deirdre Power, Noeleen Fitzgerald, Patricia McNamara, Pat Dowling, Jim O’Sullivan, Bhavesh Patadiya

Photo by Chris Bellew, Fennell Photography

Thought for the week: Life is so tough

Spreading the word of positivity

RONAN SCULLY

THROWING in the towel is an old boxing term or phrase that was first expressed around 1913.

The trainer would throw in the towel when he saw that his fighter was in danger and beyond the strength or ability to continue the fight. There was a boxing match taking place around that time in 1913 between a boxer named Murphy who was going against his opponent named Burns. Murphy was landing lefts and rights on Burns. The crowd could see that Burns could not take anymore so they begged the referee to stop the fight.

This is where the first towel was thrown in. It was thrown into Burns corner as a token of defeat. Have you ever felt like throwing in the towel? When I look over my life there are many times I wanted to throw in the towel and simply give up. Nothing is more discouraging than a series of failures, defeats, and setbacks.

Those are the times when we are overwhelmed with the odds in life that we feel like giving up. Maybe you’ve been there too. I know I have. There have definitely been days when I’ve written my resignation letter, at least in my thoughts, usually on the drive home from a long and exhausting day. I have even done it a few times recently in the past year. Whether it was due to a relational issue, a disappointment, or unrealized expectation, there are some

days when you want to call it quits. Dealing with tough situations takes a whole lot of adjusting. Some folks never get ready for tough times and they simply throw in the towel. Have you ever felt like giving up? Those are the times when you ask yourself the question, “What’s the use?” There are times in the best of lives, when the temptation to quit is overwhelming. Everyone wants to succeed at the goals, which they establish. We are encouraged when there are indicators that our efforts are not in vain.

DON’T GIVE UP I want to encourage you today not to quit. Life is tough; Don’t throw in the towel. Don’t give up. In life, we will experience disappointments, frustrations, sadness, and so forth. However, there is hope in Christ. The enemy of our souls will make us think we are the only ones going through or have gone through this. But don’t allow him to fool you. Others have experienced the same things and made it through.

When you are going through, look to God for his strength and wisdom. When you are going through these times, above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. What you are thinking or saying at this time will affect the condition of your heart. What are you telling yourself? What do you think about your situation? What do you believe about God? In those times, when you feel like throwing in the towel, take authority over those feelings and grab hold of God’s word for that situation. Settle the issue! God’s word will never

fail you. Consistency and diligence are the keys to victory. Move from feelings to faith. I am so thankful that we have such a loving Father that never ceases to pick our pieces when we are falling apart. God lifts us up when we are at our weakest of moments. He fills us with the strength and courage to keep striving for what our heart desires. God doesn’t abandon us.

Even in our darkest of hours God shines His light and Holy Spirit all around us, filling us with hope and love. Just because our circumstances feel unbearable right now, doesn’t mean we can’t be strong enough to surpass these trying times. I can’t imagine going through my life not having His strength to get me through those tough times. God loves each of us so much that even when we give up on Him, He never once has given up on us. He patiently waits on us to come seeking Him. I pray that whatever your situation is today, that God and The Holy Spirit fills your heart and mind with strength, faith, courage, love and hope. As St. Paul says in Galatians 6:9, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t give up.”

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK.

As your thought for the week, always remember that one of your main jobs in life is to become an expert in dealing with adversity, to triumph over difficulty, to rise above the fear and challenges of day-to-day life and to strive for perfect love and to never give up.

St. John, one of the apostles present at Our Lord’s Transfiguration, wrote: “Perfect love drives out all fear” (1 John 4:18). When you sense fear rising up within you, choose to love: to love God in prayer, to love others in some act of mercy, to love yourself by choosing to be grateful, acknowledging the many signs of God’s love for you. Keep your thoughts, love, faith and prayers on where you’re going, not on where you’ve been. Keep your eyes on your goals, and keep your chin tilted upward towards the heavens and towards God. Resolve in advance that

you will meet and overcome every difficulty and fear, and then, no matter what happens, don’t give up until you do. Remember In life, things happen around us and things happen to us, but the only thing that truly matters is what happens within us. Sometimes when we’re heartbroken, our heart is broken open and we’re able to give and receive more love. As long as we choose not to shut down around the pain but stay with the feelings and trust that we can survive them, heartbreak can be an opportunity to experience more love for ourselves, for a sick loved

one or really for anyone in our lives.

“God please grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world As it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right If I surrender to His Will; So that I may be reasonably happy in this life And supremely happy with Him Forever and ever in the next. Amen.”

An scannán ‘Tarrac’ le feiceáil i glór

Chláir

LE MACDARA Ó CONAOLA

BEIDH an scannán Gaeilge ‘’Tarrac’’ le feicieáil i nGlór an Dé Máirt beag seo, an 5ú lá de Mhárta, ag 8pm. Ticéid €9 *Le fotheidil / With subtitles.

LIAM Ó MAONLAÍ AG FÉILE

CHLUB LEABHAR NA HINSE

BEIDH an t-amhránaí, ceoltóir, agus an mórphearsa chultúir, Liam Ó Maonlaí, mar aoi spei-

sialta i nGlór an Dé Sathairn beag seo, an 2ú lá de Mhárta, ag 11.30am, mar chuid d’Fhéile

Chlub Leabhar na hInse. Ticéid €16/€14

Irish language film to be shown in glór

Imeachtaí/Events:

• SRÁID NA CATHRACH – Scéalta agus rannta do ghasúir 0-5 mbliana d’aois, sa Leabharlann, ón 10:30am go 11am, Dé Céadaoin, 6ú lá de Mhárta.

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

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

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

• INIS - Óstán an Old Ground, Rónán Ó Snodaigh agus Myles O’Reilly, Dé Sathairn, 2ú Márta, 9.30pm €16/€14

Macalla an

lAn mórphearsa chultúir /Cultural icon, Liam Ó Maonlaí, ag Féile

Chlub Leabhar na hInse na bliana seo.

A warmer home with lower bills

MARCH has arrived. The days are getting warmer and it’s a good time to think of home upgrades to make sure we stay warm next winter.

Over 4,400 homeowners in Clare have already availed of energy upgrade grants, to the tune of €13.8 million. These homeowners pay less to sit in more comfortable, higher value homes with lower climate impact. Perhaps you can become one of that number.

A packed audience at an EirGrid Energy Citizens Roadshow last week in Ennis heard Lorraine Power of Clare Local Development Company outline the various grants available to make that upgrade easier.

There are two main approaches.

With the Individual Home Energy Upgrade, you manage your own upgrades and typically stagger the upgrades over a number of years. The upgrades can be as simple as attic or cavity wall insulation with a grant of typically €1300 or solar panels with a grant of up to €2100.

With the One Stop Shop Service you generally undertake a major upgrade and a contractor manages the whole process for you. The typical cost for

a full energy upgrade for a semi-detached house is around €60k reduced to about €40k when the grant is included. Low interest loans are available for home energy upgrades.

For homeowners that receive certain welfare payments, the full cost is paid by the State. Unsurprisingly, the interest in this Fully Funded Energy Upgrade scheme is huge, with a waiting list of about two years. The advice is to check if you are eligible and if so, apply straight away. For all grants, various conditions apply regarding the age of the building and the energy ratings. Landlords can also apply for the grants so tenants can benefit too.

Carbon emissions from homes have halved over the last 25 years, a significant reduction due largely to improved construction and energy upgrades. With a home energy upgrade, you can help reduce the climate impact further and benefit your household at the same time.

For further information and to apply see the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland website www.seai. ie. Your Green Party representatives in Clare are happy to help you in any way.

New campaign urges: ‘Phone Down - Safe Driving’

IN A bid to tackle the dangerous habit of using phones while driving, a new campaign has been launched in Ireland this week.

With 19,000 drivers caught using their phones behind the wheel in 2023, the same year that tragically saw 184 lives lost on the roads, the campaign is a poignant reminder of the importance of undistracted driving.

The statistics paint a stark picture: using a phone while driving significantly increases the risk of accidents. Even a moment’s distraction can have devastating consequences, not just for the driver, but for passengers, pedestrians, and other road users.

The heart of this new safety initiative is a radio ad titled ‘Phone Down - Safe Driving,’ recorded by school children from Tullamore. This approach aims to reach drivers on a personal level, emphasising the impact of their actions on the wider community. By hearing the voices of young people, drivers are reminded that their choices behind the wheel affect more than just their own lives.

It’s easy to underestimate the dangers of using a phone while driving. A quick glance at a text message or a notification may seem

harmless, but in reality, it can be deadly.

Studies have shown that texting while driving is equivalent to driving blindfolded

for five seconds at a time. In those precious moments, a vehicle can travel the length of a football field without the driver aware of their surroundings. According to international research distracted driving could be a factor in as many as 20-30 per cent of all collisions in this country. This means that driver distraction could be a contributory factor in over 1,400 fatal and injury collisions annually. The message from this campaign is clear: no text, call, or notification is worth a life. Every driver has the responsibility to prioritise safety on the roads. Putting the phone down can save lives, prevent accidents, and ensure that everyone reaches their destination safely.

As the campaign rolls out across Ireland, it serves as a reminder for all drivers, young and old, to resist the temptation to use their phones while behind the wheel. By making this small but crucial change in behavior, we can all contribute to safer roads for everyone. Phone down, eyes up - because safe driving saves lives.

lGOING GREEN: The EirGrid Energy Citizens Roadshow

You will need

n 4 pork steaks, approx 140g/5oz each

n 1 tbsp oil

n 2 eating apples, cored and cut into eight

n 1 onion, halved and sliced

n small handful sage leaves, torn, or 2 tsp dried n 100ml/3½ fl oz chicken or ham stock

n 2 tsp Dijon/ wholegrain mustard

Method

1) Rub the pork steaks with a little oil and season with pepper and salt to taste. Heat a large frying pan and fry the steaks for 2 minutes on both sides until golden. Transfer to a plate. Adding a little more oil to the pan, fry the apples, onions and sage

for 5 minutes or until the apples have softened.

2) Pour in the stock and spoon in the mustard, then return the pork to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced by about a third and the pork is cooked through. Serve with veg and mashed potatoes.

Long lasting planter options

OVER the last few days, it’s been mixed, but when the sun shines, it gives that feel-good factor we’ve all been waiting for.

We’ve been busy filling planters of all shapes and sizes this past week, and I thought, why not tell you about them? I have had a lot of requests for long-lasting planters with possible flowers in them, and yes, this is possible, of course. One of my favorites is the wallflower (Erysimum); it can flower from spring

right through to winter, and my favorite part is the lovely aroma it gives. Depending on the room in the planter, one can be sufficient, and if there is room to add more, another favorite of mine to add is perennials; these are the ones that come back each year. Campanula is lovely; you can see that draping blue hanging over the pot. This will give you a lovely long-flowering planter. A herb planter is another one that can have multi-purpose and can be used in

the kitchen for cooking as well as adding color and a lovely aroma to any planter.

The rosemary with the blue flower is lovely, and the golden thyme gives a nice texture to any planter, as well as the fennel with its wavylike structure.

Another one of my favorite shrubs to use is the Hebe family. There is a lovely range of smaller-sized hebes that grow between one and two

feet and are ideal for planters. They can be fabulous on their own or with other plants; we often add some primula, which will give nice color until the summer plants are available.

If it’s pots for an occasion like Communion, Confirmation with color, or whether you are looking for a long-lasting planter, anything is possible. So if we can help you decide, be sure to send us a message or call in; we are happy to help. I am so excited that March is nearly here, and we can hopefully start on the vegetables next week.

WHEN I started my journey in the field of natural health and nutrition back in 2010, the term “probiotics” was at the very beginning of its journey, and there was very little scientific evidence showing the relevance of a balanced microbiome and the potential benefits of probiotics for our health. Fast forward 5 years later, probiotic supplement sales worldwide exceeded $35 billion in 2015, with a projected increase to $65 billion by 2024.

Whether you believe their health claims or think they are yet another snake oil scam, they make up a multi-billion-dollar industry that is evolving in tandem with quickly emerging research. So, it’s worth knowing the truth based on scientific evidence.

Probiotics are live microorgan-

isms that are intended to have health benefits when consumed or applied to the body. Probiotics may contain a variety of microorganisms. The most common are bacteria that belong to groups called Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium Other bacteria may also be used as probiotics, as well as yeasts such as Saccharomyces boulardii. Different types of probiotics may have different effects. For example, if a specific kind of Lactobacillus helps prevent an illness, that doesn’t necessarily mean that another kind of Lactobacillus or any of the Bifidobacterium probiotics would do the same thing. Probiotics, along with prebiotics and symbiotics, are part of what the medical field calls the MICROBIOME or MICROBIOTA.

Can you imagine a busy town like

Ennis on a weekday morning during rush hour, where some of the roads are blocked by workers resurfacing the roads, children are being dropped off at school, and adults are going to work, driving, walking, or cycling? Picture the same action multiplied by 10 in your tummy, where everyone knows exactly which road to take and where to go, and what role they play for your body. That is your microbiome. Probiotics are part of this detailed picture, and they play a vital role in your immune system and brain-gut axis.

How do we know if we have enough probiotics in our microbiome?

The most relevant indicator is your general health and how often you catch a cold, flu, or any infec-

tion. If you are a person who gets colds and flus all the time very easily, and you feel very sluggish and tired no matter how much you sleep, that is a clear sign that you could increase your probiotic intake.

Where do we get them? The chemist or health shop shelves are not the only places where you can get probiotics. There is an array of foods that are high in probiotics, and they support our gut microbiome by either adding good bacteria to our gut or feeding the existing microbes and increasing their potential in defending our immune system. These are fermented foods and drinks. To make it easier to remember them, I split them into two categories: 3K (Kombucha, Kimchi, Kefir) and 2S (Sauerkraut and

Sourdough).

Finding a way to incorporate them into your daily life is the best way to ensure that your microbiome is working properly by doing its job of defending your body from viruses and bacteria that can affect your health. By consuming these foods regularly, you won’t need a supplement unless you can’t have them due to your personal health. Always consult with a trusted medical practitioner, nutritionist, or health coach before making any dietary changes.

If you want to learn more about how to incorporate these foods into your diet, please get in touch because I will be more than happy to offer you guidance.

PREGNANCY reflexology has become incredibly popular over the last 20 years or so.

As reflexology stimulates the 7,000 nerve endings in the feet it helps to relax muscles in the body leading to a wonderful sense of wellbeing for expectant mothers. Circulation is also improved and energy is increased. With the promotion of relaxation, the body is supported in general pain relief which is good news for anyone experiencing hyperemesis (morning sickness), nausea, constipation, back ache or fatigue during their pregnancy.

Reflexology involves applying pressure to a number of acupressure points in the foot that reflect or correspond to parts of the body through zones of energy. It works by balancing the whole body mentally, physically, emotionally & spiritually. Before starting pregnancy reflexology, it is important to seek advice from your care team in case of any underlying issues.

I work with pregnant clients from the second trimester (week 13) onwards and regular reflexology treatments are a great way to switch off and hopefully reduce stress, anxiety & fatigue. Using reflexology during pregnancy is a really practical way to restore and maintain your body’s ever-changing hormonal balance. Progesterone and estrogen rise dramatically and this can impact on energy levels, emotions and memory - sometimes referred to as ‘baby brain’. Other pregnancy hormones like oxytocin and hCG may lead to irritability and restlessness.

Reflexology provides a calm safe space to just let go and it works so well on the endocrine system, focusing in particular on the pituitary gland and hypothalamus as they are involved in hormone production and secretion. The vagus nerve system is also being activated and strengthened during a treatment. This bundle of nerves originates in the brain stem and wanders down the neck

crossing over into the thorax region and abdomen before finishing near the colon. It induces a powerful relaxation response and has a calming effect on the organs of the body.

This combination is engaging the parasympathetic nervous system, the part of the nervous system which encourages the body to relax, rest and digest and hence why it can help with digestive issues and morning sickness during pregnancy.

One approach with pregnancy reflexology is to have regular or monthly treatments from week 13 and then increase treatments coming closer to the due date to help prepare for labour and for your recovery after the birth. The frequency of treatments really depends on each individual with some expectant mothers using reflexology to induce labour and during labour itself.

For more information contact Lorraine at 087 6595417 or check out www.glenina-reflexology.ie.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for treatment of menopausal symptoms

Menopause expert and awareness advocate Nicola Ryan discusses how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy strategies can be applied to menopause symptoms

IN THIS article I wanted to mention cognitive behavioural therapy. I’m currently undergoing a course with the British Menopause Society that will enable me to run workshops with ladies who are still symptomatic while taking hormone therapy or cannot have hormone therapy.

There is a cohort of women that cannot have hormone therapy, for example some breast cancer survivors. This form of treatment could be very effective for these women as they have unfortunately been hit with a double whammy. I see a lot of cancer survivors in my clinic and their courage and bravery drives me to learn more so I can help alleviate their troublesome symptoms.

CBT is a talking therapy that aims to help change thoughts and behaviours by breaking down overwhelming problems into smaller, more manageable parts. This therapy is used and often first line in the treatment and management of anxiety and depression. CBT can provide skills to manage mood changes. CBT helps people to develop practical ways of coping with problems and provides coping skills and

useful strategies and can improve wellbeing in general.

So, you’re probably wondering what has this got to do with menopause? Well actually in fact, new evidence shows that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help reduce menopause symptoms including hot flushes and night sweats, depressive symptoms and prob-

lems sleeping NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) has said in its draft updated guideline on menopause published today (17 November 2023).

CBT has been shown to help with troublesome menopausal symptoms, for example, low mood, night sweats, hot flushes and sleep disturbances.

Hot flushes can be triggered by stimulants, such as coffee, hot drinks, spicy foods, alcohol, stress, changes in temperature and outdoor activities. it is recommended to keep a diary and write down what’s happening before a hot flush so you may be able to identify the triggers and then make little changes to help gain

some control. Cognitive and behavioural strategies, for example, paced breathing is an important part of the CBT approach for hot flushes. This skill requires regular practice, breathing from your stomach. At the onset of a hot flush, relax your shoulders, breathe slowly from your stomach, concentrate on your breathing. Paced breathing involves focusing on the breathing and accepting that the hot flush will pass. Breathwork is very effective for keeping your mind on the breathwork and this sends signals to your brain and calms everything down.

CBT is also effective for night sweats and sleep. Try to start a wind down routine, practising relaxation and paced breathing can reduce stress of our everyday busy lives. If practiced regularly then it’s often easier to apply at night before bed when relaxation is required.

The likelihood that it will reduce the night sweets is low but it’s how you react to them, try to remain calm and with practice this should get easier. Mind over matter in some of these cases. To help with the night sweat, calmly get up and do what

lHEALTH: Nicola Ryan

you need to do to cool down. Try not to engage with your thoughts at this time and focus on your breath. Once you have cooled down return to bed and continue to focus on your breathing and relaxation.

It is often easier to worry and ‘catastrophise’ the impact of disturbed sleep so it’s important to try not to engage with those thoughts. If you master and manage anxious thinking, it will be easier to go back to sleep. Rather than thinking ‘I won’t be able to function tomorrow’, try saying to yourself, ‘I’ve managed these symptoms before, it’s tough now but it will pass.

'We are taking it game by game' - Mark Fitzgerald states following Wicklow win

ALLIANZ NFL DIVISION 3 ROUND 4

Clare 2-15 Wicklow 0-08

Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis

Compiled by Séamus Hayes

STORY OF THE GAME

WICKLOW

CLARE

Frees for: 14 (7/7)

Wides: 6 (5/1)

Scores from play: 2-9

Spread of scorers: 7

Top scorer: Cormac

Murray (2-1)

Bookings: Alan Sweeney (39), Ikem Ugwueru (57)

Own kickouts won: 13 out of 16 (81%)

Frees for: 12 (5/7)

Wides: 8 (5/3)

Scores from play: 0-5

Spread of scorers: 6

Top scorer: Brian Nesbitt & Gearoid Murphy (0-2 each)

Bookings: Craig Maguire (24), Christopher O'Brien (39), Kevin Quinn (55)

Own kickouts won: 15 from 23 (65%)

REFEREE: Jonathan Hayes (Limerick)

MANAGER COMMENT “

Mark Fitzgerald, Clare manager

“There’s lots to work on. We scored 2-15 and conceded just 0-8 and I am happy with that and where there was a game we were decent without being brilliant but we were guilty of a lot of sloppy turnovers, we got the goals and they gave us a little bit of comfort.

“We are taking it game by game and we have a six day turnaround now which won’t be easy. We had a slow enough start until we got the goals. We were a big shaky, we were sloppy, creating silly turnovers high up the pitch and we were getting caught out of position. There’s learning there”.

“You saw it there, a little bit of inexperience when we started creating crazy turnovers and there was no need to do it. A more experienced team would not do that. There’s lots to work on”.

“We have never spoken about that as a group or about promotion, its just game to game and I keep saying Limerick won’t be easy”.

“There are a lot of new fellas in the panel. Today we were seven up at half time and we have not been in that situation before and there is

a learning in that in how to control a game and get better at doing that. The only way to get experience is by playing games”.

Unbeaten league run intact as Clare secure draw with Wexford

STORY OF THE GAME

CLARE Frees for: 13 (5/8)

Wides: 10 (4/6)

Scores from play: 0-11

Spread of scorers: 8

Top Scorer: David

Fitzgerld (0-5)

Bookings (Yellow/Black/

Red): None

WEXFORD Frees for: 15 (6/9)

Wides: 15 (5/10)

Scores from play: 0-9

Spread of scorers: 8

Own kickouts won: Séamus Casey (1-4, 1-0p, 2f's)

Bookings (Yellow/Black/

Red): None

REFEREE: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)

“ MANAGER COMMENT

Brian Lohan, Clare manager

“Cian (Broderick) made a tremendous save from Cathal Dunbar at a crucial juncture of the second half. He has been playing well all year and deserved his chance. Very happy with his performance overall. “We had a lot of players back. We had one bad weekend, maybe ten players down through Fitzgibbon Cup. Perhaps that's a good thing to have them playing Fitzgibbon while it also gave squad members an opportunity.

“It was difficult day, but conditions were not all that bad. Maybe both teams did not go at it as well as they could. We cannot blame conditions for they were not all that bad. We will take the point but I don't know if Wexford will be happy”.

Keith Rossiter, Wexford senior hurling manager:

“I don't know if it's a point lost or a point gained. We were playing against a very good Clare team so to take a point, in hindsight I would

have to be happy. It's strange, but now we have three draws from our games, but it still keeps us very much in contention for a top three finish”.

“We lost Kevin Foley early in the first half, inside the opening minutes. He moved back inside but was unable to run the injury off. It's a knee but it's too early to know the extent of the injury. Then we lost Lee (Chin) after twenty-seven minutes. Lee knows his body. He felt a muscle problem and decided to come off. It's only February so there was no point in risking them further.

“Credit to the lads they stood up after the loss of two experienced players. They showed great character, played some fine hurling in difficult conditions. Perhaps we could have won it in the end, but we'll take the point”.

PLAYER WATCH

BRIAN MCNAMARA (MIDFIELD)

Minutes played: All

Possessions: 9

Scores: 0-2

Passess: 5

Short: 3

Long: 2

Turnovers for: 1

Tackles: 3

Frees Won: 1

Frees Lost: 0

STRONG START FROM THE CATS BLOWS THE BANNER OUT OF SIGHT

Lohan confirms O'Donnell won't be used in National Hurling League

SHANE O’DONNELL will not play any part of this year’s Allianz National Hurling League writes Brendan Furlong.

Brian Lohan was happy to have preserved their unbeaten record but must plan for the remainder of their Allianz National Hurling League Division 1 Group A campaign without two of his key players.

While Lohan was happy with their league position, two wins and one draw, he said, “we're trying to improve and learn a bit about the newer lads”.

Asked about the injured players, “Obviously, being down a couple of marquee guys, we want guys to stand up and show a bit of leadership, so I'm happy enough so far,' Lohan added.

However, Lohan has ruled both Tony Kelly and Shane O'Donnell out of the current league campaign.

Lohan said attacker O'Donnell will not see action in the league, with Kelly also out of consideration.

Former Hurler of the Year Kelly is still going through rehabilitation after ankle surgery before Christmas, while two-time All Star forward Shane O'Donnell will not see action until the Munster senior hurling championship Round-Robin in late April.

“We won't see him in the league, no”, Lohan said of O'Donnell, going on to provide an update on the fitness of Kelly.

“Tony's with the physios and the consultant, so he's doing what he does. He's working really hard and we're hoping he'll be right for late in the year,” added Lohan.

Clare are joint top of their Division with Kilkenny on 5 points, with the Cats having a slightly superior scoring aggregate, while Wexford slot into third spot on three points from three draws, with both Waterford and Cork on one win each, with Offaly propping up the table on a single point looking destined for relegation.

l Daniel Walsh passes away from danger.

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

l Cian Galvin

Photo by Gerard O'Neill

SCAN

SCAN

SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT

Brian Mc enjoying the big step up to senior

by Seamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

Since he delivered a man of the match performance against Kerry in last season’s Munster under 20 semi-final, the name of Brian McNamara has been regularly mentioned as a player who will feature regularly for the county’s senior side at midfield.

With the retirement of Cathal O’Connor coming shortly after that of Gary Brennan, both of whom were such key players for Clare at midfield over the past decade, it didn’t come as any surprise when McNamara was identified as one of the replacements.

On Sunday he again showed that he has a lot to offer the county side, kicking two good points and helping set up some scores for the team. He has partnered Gavin Murray in the middle of the park for all four of Clare's outings, Murray's clubmate Darren O'Neill was another to bow out from the panel at the end of last year.

His second point which came in the opening seconds of the second half put down a marker. He fielded possession from the throw in, raced through the middle and fisted the ball over the bar, sending out a message to the visitors that Clare were determined to build on the seven point lead they had taken to the interval.

Speaking to The Clare Echo following Clare’s third win of the league, Brian outlined, “We knew coming in that they weren’t going to be easy, we knew what way they were going to play and we knew we had to mind the ball and be patient. Once we got our game plan

going it worked very well”, he said after the team’s latest win.

“Today we finished the first half strong and we were in an unfamiliar position from our recent games going in at half time. We still knew we had to come out for the second half and keep driving it on, keep doing what was working”, the Cree student added.

He acknowledged that this season has been “a step up for most of us as it’s our first season in the senior squad. It’s a big step up but it’s a great opportunity at the same time and everyone is embracing it”.

The approach to date has been to focus on the next game. “We are just taking it game by game and now the focus is on Limerick and we will try to get two points. Games are coming hot and fast, it’s a six day turnaround now and the focus turns to that game now. It’s never easy against Limerick”.

McNamara believes “there is a good squad there, different lads are coning on every day and pushing for places. Training is going well and we are getting more back every day. Lads are getting to know each other’s play and there were a lot of good team scores today”.

Kicking off the week, Brian turned 21 on Monday but he’ll begin to sharpen focus towards Limerick once the candles are blown out. “There isn’t much between the teams in this division, it’s game by game and the management are using the panel and you need the panel in the modern game. The focus for this week is on Limerick and the aim is to pick up another brace of points”.

Arrival of Congress to Ennistymon marks huge weekend for ladies football in Clare

by Seamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

A victory away to Louth on Sunday will edge the unbeaten side closer to the league final and to promotion to Division 2 of the Lidl NLFL.

Prior to that, however, county officials will be busy hosting the annual congress of the LGFA at the Falls Hotel in Ennistymon.

Clare chairman Sean Lenihan and his committee have planned a huge weekend of activity for this, the 50th anniversary of the founding of ladies football.

“It is Munster’s turn to host congress and all counties in the province were entitled to make a pitch for the event Kerry didn’t take up that option as they hosted the event the last time it was in the province. The other five counties did bid for the event and we were delighted to be chosen”, Clare chairman Sean Lenihan told The Clare Echo this week.

Clare previously hosted congress back in 2015 when the Inn at Dromoland in Newmarket-on-Fergus was the

venue.

Miltown Malbay native Lenihan said, “We have a long and proud tradition in ladies football and we just celebrated our 40th anniversary. We are really looking forward to welcoming the delegates from all county boards as well as those from clubs in the UK, the US, mainland Europe and Asia. There will be 190 delegates in total attending congress”.

Lenihan will officially open Congress along with Munster President, Robbie Smyth. Registration will be at 2p.m. and the business of the annual gathering will get under way later that evening and will continue throughout the day on Saturday.

There will be a full programme of business which includes reports from the various officials, motions and debate on proposed rule changes.

Each county board will have three delegates at congress and Clare’s delegates this weekend are Sean Lenihan, J.J. O’Dea and Rachel Healy from Miltown who is the player delegate from the host county.

ST. MICHAEL'S SECOND HALF SURGE ELIMINATES AVENUE UTD FROM MUNSTER JUNIOR CUP

17 Munster juvenile handball titles for Clare

by Seamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

That the future for Clare handball is very bright was highlighted at the weekend when Clare participated in twenty Munster finals, winning a massive seventeen with runners up medals in the other three.

The winners will now travel to take on Ulster opposition in the All-Ireland semi-finals on Sunday next, March 3. Tyrone dominated the Ulster finals.

Juvenile B Championships: It is semi-final weekend in the juvenile B and all grades from U11 to U17/18 and the majority of boys games will take place on Saturday with girls on Sunday March.

Munster Singles:

In Munster adult singles championships there were wins for Clare’s Kevin O’Callaghan, Glen Murray and Darren O’Neill.

In Junior B O’Callaghan defeated Ian O’Brien from Limerick in two games while in the same grade, Glen Murray also defeated a Limerick opponent, Eoin Hegarty O’Neill won his over 35 clash with Limerick’s Ken Burke, also in two games.

All-Ireland Doubles semi-finals:

In the All-Ireland senior men’s doubles, Clare’s Diarmaid and Colin Crehan will take on Gary McConnell and Brian Carroll from Meath in the All-Ireland semi-final at Croke Park on this Saturday, March 2.

On the same programme, Caitriona Millane and Leah Minogue

will carry Clare’s hopes in the All-Ireland senior ladies championship when they take on Ciana Ni Churraoin and Niamh Heffernan from Galway.

Seamus Ryan and Michael Kenneally (Clare) will play Mayo’s Tom Malone and Martin McAndrew in the golden masters grade also at Croke Park on Saturday.

At the same venue on Sunday Glenn Murray and Kevin O’Callaghan (Clare) will also face Mayo opposition in Alan Gilmartin and Michael Gilmartin at junior B level and this programme will also feature the clash of Clare’s Leah Minogue and Amber Nolan against the Roscommon Mayo pairing of Alanna Coggeran and Laura Finn in the ladies junior grade.

Colleges championships in the USA:

In the ladies section of colleges games in Minnesota Leah Minogue reached the semi-final of the open grade, while Amber Nolan reached the quarter-final. Minogue and Nolan paired up for the doubles and lost the semi-final in a tie break. Sean Coughlan was defeated in round 2 of the men’s open and paired with UL and Tipperary’s Rory Grace in the open doubles losing in the semi-final to Shane Dunne and Mark Doyle who won the final. Dunne/Doyle are Irish students currently on handball scholarships in the USA. Rossa Keehan and Cathal McKenna also won games in their divisions and made it as far as semi-finals.

l The young Clare Handballers cheer for the camera.

Clare duo Butler & Coughlan sign senior contracts with Munster rugby

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

CLARE DUO Tony Butler and Ethan Coughlan have signed senior contracts with Munster Rugby and the IRFU.

In doing so, Tony and Ethan become the first Ennis RFC players to earn Munster senior contracts. The pair along with prop Mark Donnelly from Cork will be promoted from the academy to the senior squad this summer. The trio all made their debuts during the memorable December 2021 win over Wasps in the Champions Cup.

After impressing during their three years in the academy, Butler and Coughlan who are both aged 21 have been offered two-year contracts within the senior set-up.

Out-half Butler has made six senior appearances to date including two starts this season against Dragons and Connacht. The Barefield native now plays his AIL rugby with Young Munster having moved to Garryowen from Ennis RFC. He won a Grand Slam with the Irish U20s in 2022.

At underage level, the St Flannan’s College past pupil captained Ennis RFC, he partnered Coughlan in the half-backs when Ennis claimed silverware at U16 and U18 club competitions in the province. He was a wing back on the Clare minor hurlers for two seasons and won a Dr Harty Cup with St Flannan’s in 2020.

Since joining the academy, Ethan has made eight senior appearances with three starts this season. The Rice College past pupil was

captain of the Ireland U18 clubs team in 2019 under Head Coach Fiach O’Loughlin and also claimed a Grand Slam medal in 2022 with the Irish U20 team. At the age of 19, he was included in the Ireland U20s talent camp. The Barefield man is playing his club

Ennis U16 Rugby Boys into Pan Munster Semi-Final

by Dearbhla Parry

U16 BOYS PAN MUNSTER COMPETITION QUARTER-FINAL: ENNIS RFC

29 – 7 MALLOW RFC

Ennis U16's won 29 - 7 against a strong Mallow side on Sunday to progress to the Pan Munster semi-final.

Ennis put Mallow under much pressure early on from the kick-off, which was rewarded when Ruairi Keogh sniped down the side of the ruck for the opening score.

A mid-field on the ensuing kick-off gave Mallow field position to capitalise with a try, taking the lead 5 – 7. With a series of strong carries from Cian O’Connor, Danny Moloney, and Jack Minogue, the lead was restored to Ennis 12 - 7 at halftime.

Ennis dominated during the second half. Half-backs Keogh and McAllister controlled matters while further tries were scored by Minogue, Malachy O’Halloran, and Danny Moloney. Ennis prevailed in the end with 29 – 7.

Ennis’ team were O. Vaughan, L. Boyle, O. Considine, D. Fahy, H. O’Donoghue, C. McAllister, R. Keogh, J. Minogue, E. Omoridion, S. Maher, C. O’Connor, D. Moloney, A. Gram, M. O’Halloran, and k.

McGearailt. Ennis’ subs included P. O’Keefe, C. Lyons, D. Nugent, and K. Burke.

U9 BLITZ Ennis’ U9s hosted a blitz with UL Bohemians RFC and the Young Munster RFC at the club on Sunday morning

The young players did not let the poor weather spoil their fun as over 80 kids continued to display their fine rugby skills.

Fixtures:

U16 Girls Competition Cup: Ennis V Killarney; Saturday 2nd March; Kick-off at 12pm in Drumbiggle.

U11 Blitz: Sunday 3rd March; Kick-off at 9:30am in Drumbiggle.

U10 Blitz: Sunday 3rd

March; Kick-off at 10am in Drumbiggle.

U14 Boys Pan Munster

Competition: Ennis V Shannon; Sunday 3rd March; Kick-off at 11am in Drumbiggle.

U15 Boys Competition

Friendly: Ennis V Ballina; Sunday 3rd March; Kick-off at 11am in Lee's Road.

Senior Men's Competition League: Ennis V Ard Scoil Old Boys; Sunday 3rd March; Kick-off at 2:30pm in UL.

U8 Blitz: Sunday 3rd March; Kick-off TBC in Richmond.

Senior Women's Competition League: Ennis/Kilrush v Shannon/TUS; Sunday 3rd March; Kick-off TBC in Coonagh.

AIL rugby with Shannon.

Prior to switching his focus entirely to rugby, Ethan was a talented footballer with St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield, he delivered a man of the match display when The Parish were crowned U16 Division 1 champions in 2018.

Murphy & Calvey play their part for Irish U20s in 6 Nations win

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

IRELAND’s U20 6 Nations team recorded their third win in as many games on Friday evening with two Clare men seeing action.

Newmarket-on-Fergus’ Emmet Calvey made his 6 Nations debut during their comprehensive 43-8 win over Wales on Friday night while Cratloe’s Luke Murphy maintained his place in the starting fifteen for the first time.

Ireland have already beaten France 37-31 and Italy 23-22 before recording their third win of the campaign.

At number eight on the side once again was Luke Murphy who plays his club rugby with Shannon RFC. The nineteen year old was introduced as a sub during the opening round against France but was rewarded with a first start against Italy, he retained this starting berth for their win over Wales.

Luke was replaced following sixty seven minutes by Tom Brigg.

Calvey was a late addition to the matchday squad with his call-up confirmed on Thursday night.

It didn’t deter Head Coach Richie Murphy from using the Newmarket-on-Fergus man and was called into action with fifty two minutes played in front of a record crowd of 8,400 at Virgin Media Park, Cork.

Emmet was introduced in the frontrow at tighthead prop and is also eligeable for the team next year.

Celebrations for Ennis/ Clarecastle coursing club

by Michael Maher news@clareecho.ie

IT WAS a historic last weekend for members of the Ennis/Clarecastle coursing club after Gigantor won the Irish Cup at the Annual Meeting held at the Limerick Race Track.

Club member Paul Horig and his partner Catherine Darcy are owners of the greyhound, the pair are well-known supporters of track and coursing.

Paul has dogs in training with several notable handlers all over Ireland, Catherine’s father Mick hails from Cashel while her mother Francis is a native of Killenna a winner of Several Senior Camogie Titles with the Killenna club. The Irish Cup is sponsored by the O’Sullivans of Labasheda, this year’s event was the Una O Sullivan Memorial Irish Cup.

There were twelve races on the card for last Thursday afternoon’s meeting in Limerick with four Clare winners.

Tiermana Oak recorded his eight-career success for Noel Mororney from Mullagh, a son of Laughil Blake and Cloneyogan Flash, he stopped the clock in 29.15.

The ever-consistent Snuggie Archie won his twelfth career race with a 29.28 for Newmarket-on-Fergus’s Myles Cummins, he is a homebred son of Paddy’s Magic and Miles Girl.

Killuran Babe recorded her third win on the bounce for Ciaran and Donal Cooney from O’Callaghan Mills, a daughter of Pestana and Border Electric, her winning time was 29.46.

The Donie Duggan trained Mr Moffit followed up from his victory two weeks ago with a 29.43 victory in an A4 graded contest, a son of Slippery Robert and Clodagh Legend, Sligo natives Vincent Sweeney and Reece Gittens are his respective owners.

In the opening semi-final of the Rcets APP Novice 325 at the Galway Track on Friday night last Croaghill Archie towards the outer and Glasheen Magic along the inner were both away smartly with the rail hugging Glasheen Magic holding a narrow advantage as the opening bend loomed. Tracking well the Brendan Browne of Kilkee owned son of Broadstand Bono & Glasheen Covid took a couple of lengths out of his rival as he raced clear for a length and three parts success over Croaghill Archie and Fortune Zeyno in 18.25.

In race two at the same venue on Saturday night Declan McDonagh of Liscannor trained Coronation made in mistake at the second time of asking in this A7 graded contest as she made all the running to defeat Gainstown Choice by seven and a half lengths in 29.14. Smartly into her stride the Paul Reid and Paul Horig owned daughter of Good News & Mountaylor Queen led Gainstown Choice by half a length approaching the opening bend . Racing down the back Grangeview Spice moved into second place but at halfway Coronation began to draw clear of her rivals and the further she travelled the more the winning margin increased.

The Peter Mulrooney owned May On Faya recorded her second career success in this S4 graded contest striding home four and three quarter lengths clear of Ballyea Jet in 17.85. The Donie Duggan of Tulla trained daughter of Droopys Sydney and Vigorous Lindsey was very smartly into her stride along the inner as Oaktree Roxy trapped well towards the outer. Onto the opening bend though the winner really lengthened her stride to lead by two lengths. Railing superbly she extended her advantage between the two bends before striding clear all alone up the home straight.

l Jack Minogue claims the lineout for th U16s against Mallow

Photo Tom Maher

l Ethan Coughlan dives over for his first Munster try against Hollywoodbet Sharks earlier this season. Photo by Ryan Byrne / Inpho

Dromoland Reaching New Heights

by PÁDRAIG MCGRATH

I joined Dromoland in 1990 and I've seen the golf course flourish over the years with two major revamps in particular, one over two decades ago where they dug up all eighteen greens and re-laid all new sand-based greens as well as redesigning some of the layout of the golf course. But this latest revamp which began only a couple of years ago has in my opinion turned Dromoland into one of the country's finest parkland courses.

Since the appointment of Dromoland's Golf Director Eamon O'Donnell along with Golf Manager Mark Reynolds, Triona and Neil Dromoland has reached new heights in every aspect, from the course design and the new vast improved clubhouse transformation. In particular there are three new golf hole designs that I feel have notably changed for the better from this investment and these holes are :

11th hole: The 11th hole at Dromoland is a 543-yard Par 5 with a severe 90° dogleg turn left to right. This tee shot is one of the toughest tee shots in the county because you have to carry your drive over heavy rough which is all Out Of Bounds. I watched several of the LET lady golf professionals hit it Out Of Bounds from the tee at the Ladies Irish Open last year at this hole. Also, the clearance of the old dead wooded area means you can clearly now see the hole all the way to the green across the vast lake. You have to carry your drive anything from 230280 yards depending on how much you decide to cut off the corner. There

is a new cleverly situated bunker about 260 yards from the tee box and my advice is to anyone who is not familiar with this hole to stay well left of this bunker from your tee shot.

The 11th at Dromoland is now one of the strongest Par 5 holes in the world. Make sure to take a photo at the new St. Andrews Bridge with the stunning historic medieval Dromoland Castle in the background.

16th Hole: The main change to the 16th hole is the positioning of a new tee box high up in the tree tops to the left-hand side of the current back tee. If you are familiar with the tree that lies in the middle of the 16th fairway you are now looking directly towards the top of this tree. It is probably playing close to the same distance because even though the new tee is further back the elevation of it makes the hole play to a similar distance however the view from this new tee is spectacular.

It is no wonder this hole is Index 1 because it is long and you're distance

control needs to be perfect to hold this narrow back to front elevated green. If the pin is tucked to the right-hand side the second shot is twice as difficult as the right side has only half the length of green and it is well protected by a deep bunker that will gobble up every shot that comes up short of this green. Trying to hit the right club to achieve the perfect distance and launch trajectory to this severely elevated green that usually plays into a stiff breeze, "that you can't always feel from the fairway below" takes precision and talent. This truly is one of the greatest golf holes on the planet.

18th Hole: What can I say but the newly designed 18th at Dromoland Castle Golf & Country Club is now one of my favourite finishing holes that I've ever played. Standing greenside watching the three-way playoff on this hole was an amphitheatre experience I will never forget. This Par 5 hole now starts with a huge risk and reward tee shot to a newly wide-open fairway

if you are long enough to hit the 264 yard carry over the renowned historic lake at Dromoland Castle. The shorter hitters have to also take on a 200-yard carry over the marsh deep grasslands that resides along the lakes shore. This tee shot is not for the faint hearted and it has destroyed many a good scorecard over the years.This newly

designed final hole I think anyone will agree is now one of the strongest finishing holes from around the globe. I have to also commend Dromoland for planting thousands of new trees on the grounds a few years ago before the works begun. Their forward thinking of planting this new plantation has not gone unnoticed.

Golf competitions fall foul of heavy rainfall

by Seamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie

HEAVY rainfall on Saturday last and throughout Saturday night into Sunday morning disrupted golf competitions across the county with many of the courses remaining closed on Sunday resulting in the cancellation of the scheduled competitions.

ENNIS GOLF CLUB

Sunday’s scheduled competition at Ennis fell foul of the weather conditions but Saturday’s scramble did go ahead and was won by Carmel Cummins, Steve Burns and Paul Kenny with 69 points. They had three to spare over Patricia O'Reilly, Paul Mockler and John Brack. In third place with 65 points were Maureen Moloney, Denis Cahill and Ken O'Farrell with Della Burns, Michael O'Grady and James Corcoran a point further back on 64 points.

A men’s fourball competition on Saturday was won by Sean Rynne (11) and James P. Horgan (20) with 48 points.

The Pat O'Brien Memorial competition is being extended with the final being held at a date to be con-

firmed in the summer months. The competition will continue until a date for the final has been determined.

This week's qualifiers are Kieran Ryan, David Considine and David Cassidy with 86 points.

Entries to the gent's matchplay competitions (Cyril Walshe, Knox Cup and Koley Cup) are now been accepted. The closing date for entries is March 31st.

GORT GOLF CLUB

The weekly competition at Gort was played but over a reduced course of sixteen holes. The category 1 winner was Peter Deegan (10) with 37 points. Padraic Landers (12) won category 2 with 38 points, category 3 was won by Barry O’Driscoll (21) with 35 points while the category 4 winner was Tom Casey (41) with 44 points.

CLARE FOOTBALL CLASSIC

Woodstock golf club will host the annual team of four classic in aid of Clare football and this will take place on Thursday and Friday April 25th and 26th. Funds from this event will go towards the promotion of football at inter county level.

Clare crew help UL to first Collingwood Cup title

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

A FIRST EVER Collingwood Cup title for the University of Limerick saw five Clare players collect medals.

UL ended a long wait to win the prestigious third-level competition for the first time when they recorded a 5-0 victory over Trinity College in Galway on Wednesday afternoon. The premier competition of Irish Universities is in its 114th year and UL are the tenth college to ever win the title.

Parteen’s Ewan O’Brien who plays his club football with Regional Utd captained the side. Both he and Leon Daly from Querrin who lines out with Aisling Annacotty were part of the starting eleven.

Newmarket Celtic’s David McCarthy from Ennis was introduced off the bench for the final ten minutes with Moher Celtic’s Tom Hanrahan part of the squad along with Dean Hegarty of Newmarket Celtic a native of Kilnamona who is still recovery from an ACL injury.

Daly was among the scorers, hitting the back of the net on the fifty second minute to help send UL on their way to glory. Edmund O’Dwyer who on Sunday will be lining out against Avenue Utd in the Munster Junior Cup semi-final was named as player of the tournament.

lDromoland Castle Golf Course

lEwan O’Brien, Leon Daly, Dean Hegarty, David McCarthy and Tom Hanrahan

Photograph by Gerard O'Neill

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL

SITE NO. 15, SPANISH POINT, LEAGARD SOUTH, MILTOWN MALBAY, CO. CLARE

Take Notice that Kieran Walsh and Cathriona Carey intend to apply to the Planning Authority for Planning Permission to construct a dwelling house, garage and proprietary wastewater treatment system along with ancillary site works and services 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 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. 11 ATLANTEAN COTTAGES, KILKEE, CO. CLARE

Take notice that Diarmuid Keane + Associates Ltd. (065-9083667, www.diarmuidkeane.ie) intends to apply to Clare County Council on behalf of Ann Grennan & Ian Reidy for planning permission to construct an extension to the side and rear of the existing dwelling house including all associated site works and services 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 BARNTICK, CLARECASTLE, CO.CLARE

We, Caoimhe O’Donoghue and Matthew Allen-Coghlan, wish to apply to the above named local authority for planning permission to construct a detached dwelling house, wastewater treatment system, percolation area, site

entrance, detached domestic garage and all ancillary site works at Barntick, Clarecastle, Co.Clare

The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the office of the planning authority during its 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 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL, ENNIS ROAD, MILTOWN MALBAY, CO CLARE

Take notice that B. Burke intends to apply to the Planning Authority for permission to alter and extend his existing property. The works involve the following (a) to change the use of an existing commercial premises into residential use and to extend into the existing residential area (b) to demolish an area at ground and first floor level at the rear and replace with new constructions (c) to alter the internal floor areas of the property (d) to alter/ revise the external elevations along with associated site works. The development is located within an architectural conservation area.

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

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL CLIFDEN, COROFIN, CO.CLARE

I, John Shannon, wish to apply to the above named local authority for planning permission to construct a new detached single storey dwelling house, wastewater treatment system, percolation area, well, upgrade an existing site entrance and all ancillary site works at Clifden, Corofin, Co. Clare. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the office of the planning authority during its 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 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL STATION ROAD, LAHINCH, CO. CLARE.

We, Mulkear Partnership intend to apply to Clare County Council for Permission to construct a Gymnasium & Fitness-studio, together with all ancillary site works and services to include parallel car parking, footpath, bicycle parking, site boundaries, landscaping, rainwater harvesting, PV solar panels, and connections to public utilities at Station Road, Lahinch, Co. Clare. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority at 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 application may be made in writing to the Planning Authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Planning Authority of the application.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL, GROVEMOUNT HOUSE, CLOONAVEIGE, ENNISTYMON, CO CLARE

Take notice that G. Linnane intends to apply to the Planning Authority permission to retain a) the alterations to Grovemount House b) two outbuildings as constructed along with associated site works at the above address.

That the planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable

PRAYER

THE MIRACLE PRAYER

Dear Heart of Jesus,

In the past, I have asked for many favours.

This time, I ask you

This special favour.

(Mention Favour)

Take it dear Heart of Jesus, And place it within

Your own broken heart

Where your Father sees it, Then in His Merciful Eyes

It will become your favour Not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer for 3 days.

Promise publication. F.G

THE MIRACLE PRAYER

Dear Heart of Jesus,

In the past, I have asked for many favours.

This time, I ask you

This special favour.

(Mention Favour)

Take it dear Heart of Jesus, And place it within

Your own broken heart

Where your Father sees it, Then in His Merciful Eyes

It will become your favour

Not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer for 3 days.

Promise publication. N.H

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 60 ATLANTIC VIEW HOLIDAY HOMES, CASTLEFIELD, KILKEE, CO. CLARE

Further Information / Revised Plans

Planning Ref: P23/60516

Development Description: Construction of a dormer roof structure at both the front and rear of the existing dwelling house; b). Modifications to the existing windows at front, side, and rear elevations; c). Construction of a freestanding balcony structure with ancillary access stairs, along the side and rear elevations; and d). all ancillary site works. Location: 60 Atlantic View

Holiday Homes, Castlefield, Kilkee, Co. Clare. Take notice that Muiris & Aine Gavin have lodged significant further information in respect

of planning application P23/60516. This information and planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Authority of Clare County Council, Planning Department, Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the further information or revised plans may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, not later than 2 weeks after the receipt of the newspaper notice and site notice by the planning authority or in the case of a planning application accompanied by an EIS within 5 weeks of receipt of such notices by the planning authority.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL

KILASPUGLINANE, LAHINCH, CO CLARE

Planning permission is sought on behalf of Tara Flanagan & Pat Byrne at Casa Maria, Kilaspuglinane, Lahinch, Co Clare. V95 H4C6 for the renovation and extension of existing 157sqm single storey bungalow. Works

Recent Deaths

Molloy, Michael Anthony (Tony)

Killaloe Clare

Sexton, Sr. Magdalen

Mullagh Clare

O’Donohue (née Mc Mahon), Teresa (Terry)

Ennis Clare

Queally, Carmel

Ennis Clare

Connole, Thomas

Ennis Clare

Connole, Thomas Kilfenora Clare

Kenny, Jonathan

Shannon Clare

Burke, Frank

Feakle Clare

Burke, Frank Broadford Clare

includes the construction of a single storey extension to the rear and side of the existing dwelling, a single storey shed 57sqm and all associated ancillary works. Total size of the four-bedroom dwelling 268sqm. 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.

Signed: Tracy Connaughton Architect MRIAI Magheraveen, Lanesboro, Co Longford.

Beginning Birth Cradle Creation Dawn Debut

Entrance Entry Genesis Germ Intro Launch Onset Origin Outset Overture Preambl Preface

Premiere Prologue Start Womb

HOW TO PLAY

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

1

2

3

5

6 Fasten again (5)

7 Uncover (6)

9 Sad (9)

13 Extract (4,3)

14 Lured (7)

15 Reaping tool (6)

16 Blood vessel (6)

18

20

The Clare Echo Quiz

Sixmilebridge

1 Sixmilebridge recently unveiled a statue of Brendan O’Regan, in what year was he born?

1920 1917 1908

2 O’Regan is credited with the invention of which service in Shannon Airport?

Pre-flight security Boarding passes

Duty-free shopping

3 Famously the town is named after the bridge that stands over which river?

O’Garney River

Ratty River Fergus River

4 The ‘Sixmile’ part of the name alludes to what? The

5 In 1995 Sixmilebridge GAA club officially opened its 1,200-seat capacity stand, who is it named after?

Tommy Morey

Fr. Hugh O’ Dowd Michael Cusack

6 1977 saw Sixmilebridge lift their first Canon Hamilton cups, since then how many senior hurling championships have they won?

7 Henry D’Esterre is credited with the building of which controversial historical site?

Toll bridge Church of Ireland church Castle

8 To the nearest 100, what is the estimated population of Sixmilebridge?

9 What was the name of the 1997 film featuring Ewan Mcgregor shot in Sixmilebridge’s Mount Ievers court?

The Serpents Kiss Angelas Ashes I Went Down

10 After which saint is the Sixmilebridge national school named after?

St. John

St. Finnachta St. Patrick

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Can you spot the 7 differences

Quiz by Jack O’Halloran

Last weeks answers

. Button missing on Liam’s Shirt

. Gildoc Logo missing on van

. Damien’s tie different colour

. Manhole missing

. Liams button missing on jacket

. Post box missing in background

. David Williams button missing on coat

l QUESTION 2: O’Regan is credited with the invention of which service in Shannon Airport?