MILKING IT IN SHANNON ‘Atrocious’
n Chaos at U15 football match in Kilrush n Lissycasey GAA apologise to referee n Clare GAA: a ‘bitter step backwards’
by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie
A VIOLENT incident after an U15 football game in West Clare has been described as “atrocious”.
An U15 fixture between Kilrush/ Killimer and Lissycasey descended into chaos at Captain Tubridy Park in Kilrush when referee John O’Connell was allegedly attacked and knocked to the ground by a member of the Lissycasey management following the game.
A Garda investigation is underway, after they received reports of incidents where a male in his fifties and a male youth sustained injuries.
Clare GAA are likely
to have a heavy hand when it comes to issuing suspensions in the case.
Chairman of Clare GAA, Kieran Keating stated that they will not be waiting for any civil action to be completed before imposing any sanction. He described the incident as “a bitter step backwards”.
his family, to Clare GAA and to all the referees. We will accept whatever sanctions will come from this”.
Chairman of Lissycasey GAA, Eamonn Finnucane said they were “shocked” by what happened.
“What happened would not be in our nature at all. We would not condone what happened. We apologise to John and
Rory Hickey Clare GAA’s referees administrator described the behaviour at Monday’s game as “atrocious”. He said the CCCC will await O’Connell’s match report but expected a strong punishment would be issued. “It can’t be tolerated, what signal does it send out if the County Board don’t take action on this”.
FULL STORY P4-6
l Olivia Carley and Logan Scullion at the Ei Electronics Family Fun Day in Shannon last weekend
Photo by Joe Buckley
CLARECASTLE IN FOCUS
We visit the first capital of Clare ahead of a busy 10 days in Clarecastle p19-25
Did we just become best friends? John C Reilly back in County Clare
by Michael Fitzgerald news@clareecho.ie
STEP Brothers and Talladega Nights star
John C. Reilly was seen passing through Shannon Airport today.
Call: 065 - 6719021
Email: editor@clareecho.ie or NEWSDESK CONTACT US news@clareecho.ie
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Unit 9, The Mall Clare Road Business Centre, Ennis,Co Clare ross@clareecho.ie
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Press Council’s Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Press Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1890 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie
The Hollywood actor and well-known Will Ferrell co-star has often professed his love for Ireland, with the Chicago native revealing he “kissed the ground” the first time he visited Ireland in 2015.
In a post on social media, Shannon Airport stated “From the trad sessions of Doolin to the departures lounge at Shannon. Delighted to welcome the multi-talented John C. Reilly, pictured here with our Marketing Assistant, Ciara”, posting a photo of the Gangs of New York star alongside the employee.
The post did not say whether or not Reilly was in Ireland filming or merely calling for a holiday, however the star did take time to pose for the photograph.
The actor’s love of Ireland is well-known, born to an Irish father and Lithuanian mother, Reilly served as international
Ennis Bus service ‘will be launched’ in September and routes to run every 30 minutes
The Ennis Town Bus Service will be launched in September.
That is according to new information obtained by Clare Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe.
The much-anticipated bus service for the County Town was raised by Deputy Crowe at a meeting of the Oireachtas Transport Committee on Wednesday, where he told National Transport Authority management that the service is long-awaited and sought clarity on timelines for the roll-out.
In response, Jeremy Ryan, Director of Public Transport Services at the National Transport Authority confirmed that a contractor has been appointed, that the project is on-track and it is due to launch in September.
Welcoming confirmation of a launchdate for the service, Deputy Crowe said: “Ennis is one of Ireland’s largest towns and very much deserves this service.
“We have seen how well a dedicated bus service has served towns like Athlone and Sligo and now Ennis will benefit in similar ways. The service will be transformational and allow people who live in the outskirt parts of Ennis to leave their car at home and take the bus to work or school. This will have the dual benefit of saving money for many households and also reducing congestion on the streets of Ennis.
“I live quite close to a stop of the 301 bus service that operates between South-East Clare and Limerick City. It’s wonderful and
has given thousands of people the chance to change how they commute.
“I have also seen first-hand how people who have free travel passes, particularly older and disabled people, have used this service so effectively.
“When Ennis town gets its own dedicated bus service this autumn it’s imperative that residents seize the opportunity that it presents as the more the service is used, the more likely it is that its routing and hours or operation will be extended in the future.”
The Ennis Town Bus Service will operate two routes, one from the Tulla Road to Shanaway Road, and a second from the Gort Road to Clarecastle, with both services visiting the town centre. The proposed timetable will see buses running every 30 minutes.
guest of honour at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Dubin in March 2022. The actor also appeared
on The Late Late Show the same month and sang a version of ‘Raglan Road’.
A viral video on YouTube of the American singing a rousing rendition of ‘The Wild Rover’
in Gus O’Connor’s Pub in Doolin from 2015 has attracted over 1.2 million views.
l John C Reilly with Shannon Airport Marketing Assistant Ciara
Chaos in Kilrush with referee assaulted at underage match
by Paraic McMahon páraic@clareecho.ie
A GARDA investigation is underway following the assault of a referee at an underage gaelic football game in Kilrush on Monday evening.
Kilrush/Killimer faced o with Lissycasey in the U15A football championship at Captain Tubridy Park in Kilrush on Monday evening with the xture remembered for the scenes which unfolded at the conclusion of the game rather than the football.
Referee John O’Connell was allegedly assaulted at the end of the game by a man attached to the Lissycasey club. e Cooraclare clubman was knocked to the ground and is understood to have been bleeding when he le the eld.
Video footage of the incident appears to show O’Connell being kicked while he was on the ground. e scenes have caused outrage and disgust among GAA supporters and the wider public across Co Clare.
Assaults on a referee can lead to a minimum of a 96week suspension and the o ender’s team are at risk of
disquali cation, the length of this ban can be doubled for an underage xture. While no match report has been issued, it is expected that a member of the Lissycasey management will be referenced as the individual who attacked O’Connell. Following the incident, the matter was brought to the attention of Gardaí in Kilrush Garda Station. In a statement to e Clare Echo, a spokesperson for
An Garda Síochána told e Clare Echo, “Gardaí received a report of incidents of assault that occurred in Kilrush, Co. Clare on Monday 29th June 2026 at approximately 8:40 pm. A male in his 50s sustained injuries. A male youth sustained injuries. Investigations are ongoing”.
E orts by e Clare Echo to contact Coiste na nÓg Chairman, Joe Considine on Tuesday have been unsuc-
cessful.
Chairman of Clare GAA, Kieran Keating in a statement to e Clare Echo said that, “it was with profound shock and disappointment that we learned of the altercation”.
He stated, “We have a great cohort of referees in both codes in our County and over the past number of years we have driven the message of ‘Respect for the Referee’, with the aim of retaining and recruiting the increasing
number of referees we need for our growing schedule of games”.
He described the incident as “a bitter step backwards when any mentor, player, parent or supporter commits any infraction upon a referee, and particularly a physical assault of the nature reported upon in this case.
We have had many years without any such incident and it is very disheartening to all of us who love our games that this would happen at an underage game, or any game, in Clare in 2026”.
O cials in Clare GAA have been in contact with the referee, Keating con rmed. “ ere were many witnesses to the incident and we sincerely thank those who came to his immediate assistance at the time”.
Keating added, “I will be careful here to not prejudice the outcome of the disciplinary process that will swi ly follow the receipt of his report, but I can point to the minimum sanction laid out under Rule 7.2.c of the rulebook. Category Va - Any type of assault on a Referee, a Score Umpire, Line Umpire or Sideline O cial.
Penalties: (1) Minimum: 96 weeks Suspension, with o ender’s Team liable to Disquali cation, where appropriate; and I would further note that such minimum sanction is automatically doubled for an underage game. ose sanctions are harsh and regimented and are so designed to protect our referees and our games, and re ect the utter despondency that we all feel towards any actions of this nature. We wish John a speedy recovery”.
A well-respected referee, O’Connell is among the top choices for games at all levels in the county. Last year, he took charge of the U21A nal when Ennistymon defeated Clondegad and is regularly among the referees on duty for each round of the Clare SFC.
In November 2023, Éire Óg were ned €500 when two of their supporters followed O’Connell to his dressing room and confronted him following the Junior A football nal when Killimer defeated the Ennis club.
OUTRAGE: GAA supporters were left stunned at the assult that took place at the U15A gaelic football match in Kilrush on Monday evening
Lissycasey left 'as shocked as anybody' and will accept sanctions following assault on referee
by
LISSYCASEY GAA club will accept whatever sanctions are imposed on them following Monday’s U15A game whereby referee John O’Connell was assaulted by a member of their club.
Scenes which have circulated from the incident on social media have caused shock and disgust.
A Garda investigation continues while Clare GAA are expected to issue a lengthy ban for the responsible parties.
Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting of the Clare County Board, Lissycasey GAA Chairman Eamonn Finnucane stated, “We were as shocked as anybody to see what has come out.
I spoke to John today and he was thankful for the call. What happened would not be in our nature at all.
We would not condone what happened. We apologise to John and his family, to Clare GAA and to all the ref-
erees. We will accept whatever sanctions will come from this”.
Chairman of Clare GAA, Kieran Keating stated that they will not be waiting for any civil action to be completed before imposing any sanction.
Cooraclare delegate, PJ McGuane queried, “in the event that John O’Connell goes down the legal route, where do we stand.
I spent 20 years as chairman of Bord na nÓg and it is one of the things we were always very careful of. You don’t want to issue a penalty to an individual who might end up in court and he will use that as an indication of finding him guilty and might prejudice his case of getting a fair trial.
It’s a disgrace that something like what happened at this game happens in this day and age”.
McGuane recalled being assaulted when taking charge of an U21 final over six decades ago. “The ref is there to do a job which is a
thankless job. I did it 60 years ago and I was assaulted in an under 21 final and I know what it is to be assaulted.
In that incident the wagons were circled and even people in my own club didn’t want me to report it but I did report it and the three men involved got 6 months each and they lost the 21 final which had ended in a draw the first day.
Social media takes control of everything now and that’s
the problem. In my view the minimum sanction for these things is not enough”.
Keating stated in response, “We can’t be concerned could there be civil action down the line. It could take a long time to get there. We have to deal with what has happened. We have our rules. Everyone involved in the games are bound by our rules and we have to deal with it, if there is an infraction reported we have to deal with it.
The minimums are quite high. There is enough of a penalty there to send out a very strong signal. We can’t park it and wait for a civil action, we would be waiting for years”.
Clare GAA referees administrator, Rory Hickey described the behaviour at Monday’s game as “atrocious”.
He told The Clare Echo, “Shock was my first reaction to see it happen to a referee in the county. I had to watch it a couple of times and then I was shocked and concerned for John.
There were a lot of kids at the game, it is terrible for them to see what unfolded, the behaviour from some people at the game was atrocious, I had thought it was a thing of the past”.
Hickey spoke with O’Connell on Tuesday morning and admitted the Cooraclare man was “struggling” and “in shock”.
He admitted the incident will impact referee recruitment in the county. In 2025,
Clare had 48 active referees, 19 that are hurling only, 16 that are gaelic football only and 13 dual referees.
The amount of referees increased by fourteen during Seanie McMahon’s two and a half year term as administrator prior to his removal from the post by Clare GAA Chairman Kieran Keating and ex Head of Operations, Deirdre Murphy in January 2025.
Éire Óg clubman Hickey said the CCCC will await O’Connell’s match report but expected a strong punishment would be issued.
“It can’t be tolerated, what signal does it send out if the County Board don’t take action on this”.
Referees in the county have been left very disappointed with what happened to O’Connell.
“We’re 100 percent behind John, we have a good loyal band of referees in the county, we’d hate to see someone step away."
Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie
lSHOCKED: Lissycasey GAA Chairman Eamonn Finnucane has said they will accept any sanctions
Ardnacrusha Power Station reopens for free summer tours
by Páraic McMahon páraic@clareecho.ie
ESB is once again this summer running guided tours at Ardnacrusha Power Station in Co. Clare, offering the public a rare opportunity to explore one of Ireland’s most significant engineering landmarks. The tours are free of charge, but advance bookings are essential.
Public tours will begin from July 3 through to September 4, 2026 (weekdays only). Each tour provides a fun, engaging and informative experience, tracing the story of electricity in Ireland from the station’s origins in the 1920s to ESB’s modern-day commitment to renewable energy and reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2040.
Brendan Shine, Plant Manager at Ardnacrusha, said: “The team at Ardnacrusha is delighted to once again welcome visitors behind the gates of this impressive station.
It’s a wonderful opportunity to experience how the station operates and to learn about the vital role it
has played in Ireland’s economic and social development. Our tour guides are committed to making every visit engaging and memorable, and we encourage anyone interested to book early as the tours sell out every year”.
On the 90-minute guided-tour visitor will learn how Ardnacrusha revolutionised life in Ireland and how it continues to play a vital role in ESB’s Sustainability Strategy. Participants will also gain insight into some of the cutting-edge renewable energy technologies being adopted by the
organisation.
Tour Details:
Public Tours: July 3 to September 4 2026
Days: Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays)
Duration: Approx. 90 minutes
Group Size: Up to 30 people (you also need to book a space for children if they are accompanying you on the tour)
Bookings are essential and can be made at www. esb.ie/ardnacrushatours, where visitors can also find accessibility information and check available dates.
lEDUCATIONAL TOUR: a woman and child looking at the turbine hall at Ardnacrusha
Ancient Ó Comáin clan revived after eight centuries
by Michael Fitzgerald news@clareecho.ie
CLAN Ó Comáin was officially revived at a special ceremony at Killone Abbey on Tuesday evening.
The special event at the scenic abbey marked the first Annual Clan Ó Comáin Gathering, celebrating Year One of the clan’s revival after some eight centuries.
Clan Ó Comáin is an ancient Royal House in the Gaelic nobility of Ireland, officially recognised by Clans of Ireland in 2025 and seated at Newhall House, Co. Clare.
The clan’s documented pedigree has been endorsed by three independent scholars of Gaelic Ireland.
Rev Dr Patrick Nugent, the foremost living authority on the Gaelic clans of Clare and author of The Gaelic Clans of Co Clare and their Territories, supports the view that Ó Comáin was a major clan of early medieval Clare that declined to minor status as the Dál gCáis rose to power.
We remember those who came before us, and we commit ourselves to the generations still to come”.
Tributes were also paid to Fergus’ son Ronan who had recently passed away. Former Newmarket-On-Fergus and Clarecastle hurler Gerry Commane was also mentioned as the man who “got the ball rolling” in the efforts to revive the clan, going back hundreds of years to research its origins as a historian.
In accordance with Gaelic tradition, Fergus is successor to the medieval Chiefdom of Tulach Commáin, whose capital was the great stone fort of Cahercommane in the Burren, and to the Kings of the Déisi Muman, the early medieval Déisi people of Munster.
He leads the clan with a Privy Council, in which the Tánaiste is his deputy and heir.
In keeping with that lineage, the clan plans the
Outgoing Mayor of Ennis cllr Mary Howard (FG) was guest of honour at the event. Clan Chief, Fergus Commane stated “To stand at Killone with our members, after so long a silence, is a profound honour. A clan is a living kindred, bound by friendship, and open to all who wish to belong.
formal inauguration of the Chief next year at Tulach Commáin (Tullycomman in the Burren), the ancient mound near Cahercommane where the chiefs of the kindred were invested.
Ó Commáin Táinaiste, Antóin Commane spoke of
the clan’s high stature in ancient Ireland, stating ““Clan Ó Comáin is one of the older kindreds of Munster, a people who stood together as a chiefdom, in effect a small nation, under its own chief.
The clan was eclipsed in the standard histories and its
story nearly lost. The work of the revival is to recover it and carry it forward”.
The clan Tánaiste was enthusiastic over the renewed interest in Gaelic Ireland and encouraged people to research their family’s origin.
“There really is so much information, even though a lot of it was suppressed. In our case we’re a rediscovered clan. No one in our family knew about this history. A lot of people just don’t know where they come from. They don’t know the history of their name. What we’re really aiming to do is bring back the history of Gaelic Ireland”, he concluded.
Speaking to The Clare Echo afterwards, Antóin highlighted the importance of remembering Ireland’s past. “I think a lot of us have forgotten our past. Brehon law was a better system in a lot of ways, in the way it treated women for example. Women could own property and had more rights than men in some regards. What we’re reviving is those customs of Brehon Law and Gaelic Ireland. You’ve got to know where you’ve come from to know where you’re going”, he added.
Shannon based Element Six seeks refunds on Trump tarriffs
by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie
Shannon based industrial diamond manufacturer, Element Six is going to work with its tax partners to seek refunds on US tariffs as soon as possible.
That is according to new accounts for Element Six Ltd which show that the imposition of the Trump tariffs last year contributed to revenues declining by 13pc from $169.95m to $147.5m (€129.1m).
The firm recorded an operating loss of $4.92m (€4.3m) and this followed the company enjoying an operating profit of $560,000 in 2024 - a negative swing of $5.48m.
The firm last September paid out dividends of $10m and this followed a $10m dividend payout in 2024.
The directors state that both the company and the group were impacted by US tariffs and geo-political uncertainty in 2025.
Providing additional commentary on the performance of the Shannon unit, the directors state that uncertainties in global markets, the imposition of tariffs in certain markets, and broader macroeconomic headwinds resulted in a 13.2pc decline in turnover compared with the prior year.
The directors’ report adds that "in response to these conditions, the directors continued to maintain a strong focus on cost control and operational efficiency across the business”.
In a post balance sheet, the directors state that on February 20th of this year,
the US Supreme Court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Power Act (IEEPA) does not authorise the President of the US to impose tariffs. They state: “However, no mechanism to claim refunds was decided. No adjustment has been made in the financial statements for this although the company will work with our tax partners to seek refunds as soon as possible.”
The markets mainly served with industrial diamond and related products are the United States of America, China, Japan and all countries within the EU.
Element Six Ltd reduced its operating losses of $4.9m to a pre-tax loss of $645,000 through chiefly a dividend received of $3.33m and net interest received of $949,000.
The firm recorded a post tax loss of $830,000 after incurring a corporation tax charge of $185,000.
Numbers employed last year declined from 413 to 405 that included 190 agency workers.
The 215 directly employed workers made up of 104 in production, 63 in finance and administration, 27 in engineering and 21 in sales and marketing.
Total staff costs, including the cost of agency workers, increased from $31.34m to $33.2m that included $29.09m in wages and salaries.
The profit takes account of non-cash depreciation and amortisation costs of $5.45m.
lREVIVING HISTORY: The Ó Comáin Clan will be inaugurated next year at Tulach Commáin
Photo by John O’Neill
Tommy Guilfoyle elected Mayor of Ennis
by Michael Fitzgerald news@clareecho.ie
ENNIS’ first Sinn Féin Mayor in 105 years was officially installed on Thursday as cllr Tommy Guilfoyle was handed the reins by cllr Mary Howard (FG).
The outspoken Clarecastle representative took his seat at the top table in council headquarters, joined by his extended family and party colleague cllr James Ryan of Shannon MD.
Cllr Howard moved one step down the pyramid of Ennis politics, being chosen as Leas Cathaoirleach, following proposal by cllr Pat Daly (FF) and seconding by his party colleague cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua.
The Ennis woman called her time in office “one of the great honours of my life” and spoke of her pride in being able to represent “a town where I was born and raised, a town that I love so deeply”.
From attending the St. Patrick’s Day Parade to switching on the Christmas lights and raising the profile of Ennis through visits to Phoenix Arizona and Italy,
cllr Howard’s tenure was a memorable one for the county town.
Guilfoyle was proposed to the position by his friend and neighbour cllr Paul Murphy (FG) who expressed his pride in having two Clarecastle men in the council’s most senior offices for 24 hours at least.
Seconding the proposal, cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) wished his political sparring partner all the best, noting that the town’s “last 2 previous Sinn Féin Mayors moved over to Fianna Fáil so if you ever get that inkling, you’re more than welcome”.
Taking his seat at the top table for the first time, an emotional Guilfoyle emphasised the long wait of his party to hold the mayoral chair in Ennis, noting the symbolic weight of the moment.
“105 years ago was the last time a Sinn Féin person sat in this chair. I didn't think that would get me emotional but that means a lot to a lot of people”, the cllr began.
lPROUD MOMENT: Tommy Guilfoyle has been elected as Ennis' first Sinn Féin Mayor in 105 years
West Clare Railway Greenway on track
by Erika Sanger news@clareecho.ie
CLARE County Council is submitting the rst section of the West Clare Railway Greenway to An Coimisiún Pleanála for development consent, marking an important milestone in the progression of the Kilrush to Kilkee section of the project.
e proposed greenway will follow the route of the former West Clare Railway, where feasible, and aims to provide a safe, accessible and attractive recreational route for local communities and visitors.
As part of the planning process, Clare County Council has also commenced steps to acquire lands required for the Kilrush to Kilkee section of the greenway.
is stage of the process is the result of ve years of preparatory work engaging with landowners, farming representatives and the local community.
All a ected landowners have been consulted with in advance of the publication of notices. Clare County Council will continue to advance the ‘Voluntary Land Acquisition Process’ including farm accommodation works in parallel with the required statutory process agreed in the “Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenways”.
e West Clare Railway Greenway is being developed as an accessible route for pedestrians, cyclists and people with impaired mobility. It will support active travel and provide new opportuni-
ties for recreation, tourism and connectivity between places of work, education and leisure.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) have con rmed that a Part VIII planning application for the southern section of the proposed Limerick to Scarri Greenway is expected to be lodged in the nal quarter of 2026.
TII said that the section between Blackbridge and Errina Bridge is expected to advance to the planning stage later next year, with the overall project nearing completion of Phase 2 of the development process.
Michael Shannon elected West Clare Cathaoirleach
by Michael Fitzgerald news@clareecho.ie
IT was a typically understated performance from cllr Michael Shannon (FF) as he was elected Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District on Friday.
Shannon took the chain of o ce from the outgoing Mayor of the district, cllr Bill Slattery (FG) a er a proposal by cllr Joe Killeen (FF) and cllr Dinny Gould (IND).
In a brief speech summarising his 12 months as Cathaoirleach, Slattery thanked the o ce and ground sta of the district for their cooperation as well as his fellow cllrs. e Lahinch native also took time to welcome new Senior Engineer Paddy Tiernan to the district.
While he was gracious in transition, cllr Slattery noted that there was still a good deal of work to be done in the district, saying “I rmly believe we still have some distance to trav-
el, Without adequate funding we are going nowhere. e public rightly expect a council that delivers better roads, improved amenities and vibrant towns and villages."
Slattery’s proudest achievement in o ce was his work to alleviate the ongoing problem of Blake’s Corner in Ennistymon, something he stated he had been pursuing since 2011. e Lahinch man’s tenure seems to have nal-
ly brought a solution to the continual tra c problems the junction causes Ennistymon as Slattery told assembled guests “ ankfully a er more twist and turns than the road itself, I am con dent that we will wee shovels in the ground by late autumn, nally bringing an end to the saga that has tested the patience of an entire generation”.
GREAT MILESTONE: Plans for Kilrush to Kilkee section of West Clare Railway Greenway are underway
Michael Shannon (FF) delighted to be elected Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District
Plans for new pitch, track and car park at Cratloe GAA
by Michael Fitzgerald news@clareecho.ie
CRATLOE GAA have lodged plans for a new playing pitch, 100m running track and over 100 parking spaces at their grounds with Clare County Council.
e 2014 Senior Double winners stated in their application that “Current infrastructure is severely bottlenecked by a major imbalance between participant volume and available pitch space”, justifying the proposed development.
Limerick Architecture rm Arnold Leahy Architects made the application to the local authority and gave further background,
“Cratloe GAA Club currently operates with just one main playing pitch and one small underage pitch. is limited capacity must serve an active player population of over 500 people across all age grades. In total, the club elds 5 adult teams and 20 underage teams.
To add to the pres-
sure, these grounds are shared equally between Cratloe GAA Club, the LGFA, and Cratloe Camogie Club, which itself has over 150 players”. is overcrowding has caused “severe turf wear, waterlogging, and safety hazards due to overuse”, leading to heavily restricted training slots and capping participation which prevents the club from expanding its underage academies.
To resolve these issues, the 2023 Jack Daly winners are proposing to “construct a second full-sized, high specication playing pitch which will instantly double the training and xture capabilities for all 25-plus club teams”. e site of the proposed development is currently occupied by a monocultural ash commercial forestry, rst planted 20 years ago. Ash dieback has le many of the trees dead or dying, however. Under the proposed plans, as many healthy trees as possible will be preserved, with the ar-
chitects stating, “Once established these new areas will be maintained as a wildlife zone and, though smaller than the area of forestry to be removed, per unit area they will ultimately be of greater ecological value as they will be composed of diverse, native species”.
Despite this pledge, ecological concerns have the potential to threaten the proposed development.
A Natura Impact Statement (NIS) carried out on the site “concluded that signi cant effects to the Lower River Shannon SAC and the River Shannon and Riv-
Ennis actress to star in new Net
by Michael Fitzgerald news@clareecho.ie
ENNIS woman Simone Kirby is to feature in a new Net ix lm that will begin lming across Ireland next month with a star-studded cast.
‘Bad Bridgets’, tells viewers the story of two sisters who embark on a treacherous journey to the United States seeking escape from an abusive father, poverty, and hunger.
Colin Farrell, Steve Coogan, Charlie Heaton, Domhnall Gleeson, Himesh Patel and Niamh Algar round out the A-list cast. Ballintemple native Alison Oliver stars as one of the twin protagonists alongside Londoner Emelia Jones.
Rich Peppiatt, who previously directed ‘Kneecap’ which also featured Kirby, is set to take the reins of the project. e lm is inspired by Elaine Farrell and Leanne McCormick’s research project of the same name, documenting the lives of Irish emigrant women in America from 1838 to 1918, many of whom found themselves resorting to crime in order to survive.
Kirby has previously starred in the TV series ‘Pure Mule’, ‘Peaky Blinders’ and ‘Love/Hate’ and also featured in the lms ‘Jimmy’s Hall’, ‘Alice through the Looking Glass’ and ‘Calm with Horses’, working under acclaimed directors Ken Loach and Tim Burton. e Ennis woman has also performed extensively in Shakespeare’s Globe, e Old Vic, and e Abbey eatre and e Gate eatre.
A er rst completing a degree in art, Simone went through the studios of the Gaiety School of Acting and has blossomed into a successful career in the Irish lm and television industry.
A former Coláiste Mhuire student, Kirby moved from Ennis to Galway aged 17 to pursue her passion, disappointed with the lack of opportunities for young people interested in the performing arts at the time in the town.
A move to Dublin followed which led to her training in the Gaiety and subsequent successful career.
‘Bad Bridgets’ will begin lming across Ireland this summer
e Blue and White are aiming to work around this by engaging in sustainable construction practices, mainly addressing water concerns through their approach to concrete.
A Construction Environmental Management plan included in the application advises that, “ e production, transport and placement of all cementitious materials will be strictly planned and supervised.
Site batching/ production of concrete will not be carried out on site and therefore these aspects will not pose a risk to the water bodies present in the vicinity of the site”.
er Fergus Estuaries SPA cannot be ruled out. Speci cally, this may arise from the impact to freshwater, intertidal or subtidal habitats from pollution during the construction phase”. e NIS proposed mitigation of plans in order to address these concerns.
with Net ix asking prospective viewers to keep their eyes peeled on the Tudum website for details. More information is available at https://www.net ix.com/tudum/articles/bad-bridgets-releasedate-cast-news
Cratloe GAA were granted tax exemption under the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 as of April this year and nished at the semi-nal and group stages of the 2025 Clare SFC and SHC’s respectively. Clare County Council is due to make a decision on the development by the 11th of August. Submissions and objections from members of the public can be issued up until July 21st.
BIG PLANS: Extension plans to Cratloe GAA have been put forward to Clare County Council
RISING STAR: Ennis-born Simone has starred in a variety of productions on stage and screen
Landmark Clare site clean-up bill totals €207.56m on 'one of largest remediation projects of its type in Europe'
by Gordon Deegan
THE CLEAN-UP bill for Swiss pharma giant, Roche’s former County Clare manufacturing site now totals €207.56m in what the company describes as “one of the largest remediation projects of its type in Europe”.
Over 1m hours have now been worked on the project to date since 2020 and new accounts show that Roche Ireland Ltd recorded pretax losses of €59.07m in 2025 as its decommissioning and remediation spend concerning its decision to exit manufacturing here continued to mount and now totals €207.56m over six years.
The €59.07m loss for 2025 in-
cludes a combined spend of €57.6m on environmental and demolition costs at its Clarecastle site which is the highest spend on environmental costs across the project that has been ongoing since 2020.
The €59.07m loss for 2025 follows losses of €54.96m for 2024, €42.93m in 2023 and €26.15m for 2022 and the losses chiefly relate to the environmental spend.
The Irish unit during last year received a €60m capital contribution from a connected Roche entity to fund the clean up programme and this followed combined capital contributions of €98m in 2024 and 2023.
The plant was once one of the most prestigious places of employment in the Midwest and the phar-
ma giant announced its decision ten years ago in 2016 to shut down its Clarecastle plant with the loss of 240 jobs.
The site post-remediation plan,
focused on licence surrender and marketing the site to attract new investors, has begun and Roche Ireland has recently appointed Cushman & Wakefield to bring the
88-acre site to market with a clear objective of identifying a best-inclass investor capable of delivering sustainable employment and longterm economic benefit to the region.
A spokeswoman for Roche Ireland said on Friday said that the costs for 2025 relate to the company executing the remediation of the company’s Clarecastle site to return it to a brownfield status, capable of attracting new investment.
The accounts show that the firm’s €57.6m in operating costs for 2025 were made up of €51.87m in environmental; €3m in demolition and €2.5m in other external charges.
The firm also incurred finance costs of €1.46m in net finance costs.
Top marks for graduates at Clare Youth Service
by Páraic McMahon páraic@clareecho.ie
AN INCREASING choice of education and career pathways available to young people was highlighted this week with a host of national awards obtained by Clare Youth Service graduates.
Most of the recipients came to the Community Training Centre (CTC) to pursue a second chance at achieving an academic qualification and left with awards such as Leaving Cert Applied, Moving On – Pathways to Progression Programme, QQI Level 3 Employability Skills and QQI Level 4 Creative Media Technology.
Further Education and Training Manager with the Limerick
and Clare Education and Training Board, Sean O’Carroll noted how young people are at the heart of the Community Training Centre and encouraged them to see their new award as the start rather than the end of an exciting journey.
Margaret Slattery, CEO of Clare Youth Service, highlighted the contribution of the CTC to the local community and the value of the service as part of the multiple pathways now available to young people.
“As you leave us and move to the next stage of your journey, we would like to assure you that our doors will remain open to you if you ever need advice or support”.
At the graduation ceremony,
many recipients shared their story of learning in the Community Training Centre. They spoke of the dignity and respect with which they were treated.
The Community Training Centre at Clare Youth Service is currently enrolling new participants for the coming autumn. The courses are supported by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board and co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Social Fund and the Youth Employment Initiative as part of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning.
If you are between 16 and 21 years and interested in achieving certification in a supported environment, contact Michele O’Keeffe, Coordinator at 065 6845359 for further information.
lCLEAN UP: Landmark site in clarecastle has hiked up a massive bill in preparation for it to go on the market
lAward recipients Clara Shannon and Cáit Ní Chualáin at the Community Training Centre (CTC) at Clare Youth Service
Northern Irish MBE to open
Scariff Harbour
by Erika Sanger news@clareecho.ie
AN IRISH LANGUAGE
advocate, newly appointed member of the Irish Council of State and recipient of honorary doctorates from Queen’s University, Trinity College Open University, will open the 2026 Annual Scariff Harbour Festival over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
East Belfast born, Linda Ervine MBE will be joined by her husband Brian, a Northern Ireland playwright, songwriter and former Ulster Loyalist politician to keep the festival’s connection with Northern Ireland alive.
Coming from a working-class Protestant family, Linda Ervine’s developing interest in the Irish language defied convention.
It began with an introductory course as part of a cross-community women’s group and subsequently led to a beginner’s class at the cultural centre, An Droichead on the Ormeau Road.
Never fully realising where this might lead, she now
Festival
lADVOCATE: Linda Ervine MBE will open the Scariff Harbour Festival 2026
manages the Turas Project, one of the largest providers of Irish language classes in Belfast and is founder of Scoil na Seolta, the first integrated school in Northern Ireland to teach through the medium of Irish.
"It is a very special privilege to welcome Linda and Brian Ervine to Scariff," said Mike Rodgers, Chair of the Harbour Festival Committee.
Linda Ervine is also a for-
mer President of East Belfast GAA, a further expression of her belief in the importance of community integration.
East Belfast GAA U17s will come to Scariff to play in the Barry Nash Memorial Hurling tournament.
"Brian and I are delighted that some of our young Belfast hurlers will have the opportunity to play away from home in a county with such a strong hurling tradition," said Linda.
O'Brien stresses key issues after being elected new chair
by Michael Fitzgerald news@clareecho.ie
CLLR TONY O’Brien (FF) was elected Cathaoirleach of Killaloe MD at the group’s AGM on Wednesday.
Outgoing Mayor of the district cllr Pat Burke (FG) handed over the ceremonial chain at a meeting held in the Killaloe-Ballina Family Resource Centre in the East Clare capital.
The meeting was attended by the above as well as cllrs Pat Hayes (FF), Conor Ryan (FF) and Alan O’Callaghan (FF). O’Brien was proposed to the position by cllr Hayes and seconded by Conor Ryan, who himself was elected Leas-Chathaoirleach.
Summing up his 12 months in charge of the district, cllr Burke discussed several highlights from his time at the top of the table, giving special mention to the opening of the new Visitor Centre at Inis Cealtra.
The cllr followed up by thanking the staff of Killaloe MD for their “trojan work”, paying tribute to the
efforts of both office and outdoor staff in the district.
Concluding his remarks, Burke joked about “the perks of being chair”, telling members the road outside his home was being worked on as he left for the meeting.
Elected Cathaoirleach of the entire county in 2022, cllr O’Brien thanked Burke for his “excellent work over the last number of years” and for how well he had worked with everyone from elected representatives to community groups.
“We’re very fortunate to have a great working team here in Killaloe MD. It’s very apt that we're here today and I’m surrounded by people who not only have supported me but who are fantastic supporters of communities and community groups within the business of our district”, the Killaloe native began.
Cllr O’Brien gave special mention to his beloved Smith O’Briens GAA, having formerly served as secretary of the county’s first ever championship winners for many years.
While O’Brien made clear his pride in being elected to the position, he also stressed the importance of several key issues in the area.
The Fianna Fáil cllr reiterated the importance of getting the Broadford sewerage scheme over the line and also referenced the potential “reopening of Crusheen railway station which will have a hugely positive impact on our municipal district”. The Killaloe man also thanked the members of the media, adding “We mightn’t always like what’s written but I want to thank them for always having the full story."
lCllr Burke proudly handed over to Cllr O'Brien
Willie Clancy community group formed to prevent €100k festival bill
by Páraic
ORGANISERS of Scoil
Samhraidh Willie Clancy were almost hit with a bill of €100,000 to acquire an event licence and pay a management company to run the festival.
Publican David Hillery revealed at a community meeting that the hugely successful week-long music festival and summer school in Miltown Malbay was at risk of being crippled by costs that may have stopped its y fourth run from proceeding.
Discussions have been ongoing between Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy organisers, Clare Coun-
ty Council and An Garda Síochána since the hugely successful 2025 festival. is has resulted in the formation of Coiste Phobail Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy, a community group comprised of less than ten people that have brokered a new arrangement on parking, tra c management and the addition of extra portaloos in Miltown Malbay for the duration of the festival.
Dr Billy O’Connell is the Chairman of the new group, he acknowledged that “trafc management has become an issue for Clare County Council and An Garda Síochána” and that there has been “a lot of communica-
tion with them” over recent months.
A er presenting a blueprint to the County Council on how Willie Clancy week could continue, the potential of a €100,000 bill for organisers emerged.
Hillery recalled, “We were asked to attend a meeting in Ennistymon to present formally to them as a blueprint, from there Clare County Council were going to go towards and event licence and ask Miltown Malbay to acquire an event licence.
In order to acquire an event licence, you’ve to go through a rigorous process and spend up to €100,000 on a management company and
Ponies, poultry and pop dancing at West Clare show
WEST CLARE Show at Tullabrack, Kilrush is holding their annual show this Saturday 4 th of July.
is years programme starting at 10am includes young horse, mare and foal and Connemara showing classes, a full schedule of show jumping and recently added cattle classes that are going from strength to strength.
e Committee are delighted to introduce for the rst time, sheep and poultry classes, adding more variety for both exhibitors and spectators.
e highlight of the day will be the All Ireland Ridden Connemara Pony nal. Every pony and rider had to qualify at shows around the country for this nal. Also included in the days events is the
ever popular dog show at 1pm, the harvest display and tractor pull, also new this year. West Clare Show provides a free family fun day with bouncy castles, childrens athletics, rugby skills competitions and a toy tractor course.
ere will be a wide variety for the car or tractor enthusiasts with the vintage display, Show and Shine appreciation awards and machinery stands.
Starting at 11am with DJ John Carey, taking over at 1pm is the very popular and rising star in West Clare, Damien Gormley.
From 3 to 6pm Patrick Roche will take center stage, with a dance oor provided indoors bring your dancing shoes and dance the evening away while enjoying the full bar and catering.
that wasn’t going to happen for Miltown Malbay because nobody wanted a €100,000 bill around our necks”.
When the blueprint was presented to elected members of the Council and sta within the West Clare Municipal District, “it was looked favourably on and they invested in Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy,” he added.
“ e County Council has come up trumps with sourcing of barricades, footing the bill for portaloos and mapping out the new car park for the week”.
McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie
Photo by Tom Micks
Summer season to see Shannon airport welcome hundreds of thousands of passengers
by Páraic McMahon
HUNDREDS of thousands of passengers will fly through Shannon Airport over the coming weeks with schools finished, exams completed and the summer holiday season in full swing.
Planning ahead is the secret to hassle-free travel, Airport Director at Shannon Airport, Niall Kearns stated.
"We know travel can sometimes feel a little stressful at this time of year, but a bit of planning really helps people relax from the moment they arrive," he said.
"Once everything is organised, people can switch straight into holiday mode. That's what Shannon Airport is all about, making it easy so that our passengers don’t have to wait until they land
for that holiday feeling to kick in."
With five car parks, all within a short walk of the terminal, passengers are encouraged to pre-book online.
Travellers can also use the Shannon Airport App to pin their car's location, avoiding that dreaded post-holiday search of the car park.
When it comes to holiday essentials, the smartphone sits high on the list. Before leaving home, make sure your boarding pass is downloaded and accessible offline, and keep important travel documents easily to hand.
"We're all dependent on our phones these days when it comes to holidays – boarding passes, hotel booking confirmations, transfer details – they're all there," Niall said.
"The best approach is to follow your airline's guid-
lSUMMER SEASON: Shannon airport advises passengers to plan ahead of travelling to avoid stress
ance and ensure your boarding pass is available offline through the airline app or your phone's wallet.
Some travellers keep copies of their other important travel information in more than one place and share key details with those in their group, just in case a battery
dies or a phone goes missing”.
While airport security is often the part of the journey travellers worry about most, Shannon Airport says there’s no need to stress. The advice is straightforward: empty pockets, remove jackets, hoodies, belts and over-
Michael Begley elected Cathaoirleach of Shannon MD
by Michael Fitzgerald news@clareecho.ie
CLONLARA’s cllr Michael Begley (IND) was re-elected as Cathaoirleach of Shannon MD for the next 12 months at the district AGM on Wednesday.
The independent was returned to the role he served in 2022 at Building 4000 of Westpark Innovation Campus in the county’s second town.
Cllrs James Ryan (SF), Rachel Hartigan (FF), David Griffin (FF), Patrick O’Gorman (FF) attended the meeting in person while cllr Tony Mulcahy (FF) observed the election via video link.
“The father of the house”, was proposed for the position by cllr Griffin and seconded by O’Gorman. Griffin himself was elected to the position of Leas-Chathaoirleach after a proposal by party colleagues Patrick O’Gorman and seconding by Rachel Hartigan.
Outgoing Cathaoirleach cllr John Crowe (FF) gave a short address to the assembled representatives and local media where
he praised the teamwork of the district’s members and staff. The Sixmilebridge man mentioned several projects that had been completed under his tenure.
Key highlights from Crowe’s time in the hotseat included the delivery of road, footpath, drainage maintenance, grass/hedge cutting, and village maintenance programs throughout the district. Successful management of the €5.2m flood relief scheme in Springfield and progress on the Shannon Town environment flood relief scheme were also referenced.
Crowe bid farewell to departing staff members, including Alan Farrell and Tom Mellet, while
welcoming new officials such as Noleen Fitzgerald (Director of Services) and Kieran O'Donnell (Senior Executive Engineer) to the district.
The time then came to hand over the chain for the next 12 months with cllr Begley proudly accepting the honour. Cllr Crowe remarked “pressure off”, as the handover was completed and Begley took his seat at the top of the table.
Noted for his efficiency despite his years, the former Mayor of Clare wasted no time in getting down to business and outlined his plans for the coming year.
The independent thanked John and members of the district for their work over the past year before categorising the district’s projects into controlled vs uncontrolled areas.
“There are things that we have very little control over, but we would like to keep them high in the agenda”, said the Clonlara man.
the-ankle footwear before screening, and keep liquids, gels and aerosols to 100ml or under. At Shannon Airport all liquids and electronics can stay inside your cabin bag.
Screening Supervisor Katie Duggan-Hastings explained, "There's no need to be nervous about security screening. There is clear signage before you come through to the area and our team is always available to help. We want every passenger to have a relaxed, positive experience”.
Shannon Airport offers PRM (Passengers with Reduced Mobility) support, a Sensory Room, a Changing Places facility and participates in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower programme.
It is also one of only two airports in Europe recognised as ‘Age Friendly’ by
the World Health Organisation, helping to ensure every passenger's journey is as comfortable and supported as possible.
While Shannon Airport is known for its ease of use, passengers are still advised to allow two hours before scheduled departure time for European flights and three hours before transatlantic trips.
That allows time to browse its unique Duty Free with over 150 Irish and local brands, enjoy a coffee, cold drink or bite to eat and start the holiday at a more relaxed pace
With 40 destinations on offer this year, full US Preclearance, short walking distances and friendly staff, Shannon Airport has been named Ireland's top airport brand for the past three years.
New sports hall plan for three Shannon schools
by Michael Fitzgerald news@clareecho.ie
THE Diocese of Killaloe has applied for planning permission for a new stand-alone sport hall building to be used by three Shannon National Schools.
St. Senan’s, St. Aidan’s and St. Conaire’s would each share the new sports facility should permission for the development be granted.
The Diocese, along with Michael Guinee Charitable Foundation have applied to Clare County Council for “the construction of a stand-alone sports hall building measuring circa 330m², comprising a double-height general purpose sports hall and children’s performance space, staff and student sanitary facilities, storage areas, a services plant room, a re-heat kitchen facility, building signage and external public lighting”.
The Michael Guinee Charitable Foundation is named after the former CEO of Shannon company EI Electronics. The trust “works to improve lives and strengthen commu-
nities by enhancing well-being, creating opportunity, and empowering people to thrive, regardless of their circumstance or location”.
The proposed development is scheduled to be built on the St. Senan’s school campus in Tullyglass in the large town. Due to the site’s close proximity to the Lower River Shannon SAC, the River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries SPA, and the Fergus Estuary, an Ecological Assessment was carried out and included as part of the application. The assessment subsequently confirmed use of adjacent grassland at the site by oystercatcher birds while the estuary edge represents a potential otter commuting route. Clare County Council has given the 5th of August as its date to decide whether or not to grant permission for the development. Submissions on the proposed development can be made up until July 15th.
lCllr Michael Begley (IND) has been re-elected
'Humbled and privileged' Killeen elected Mayor of Clare
by Michael Fitzgerald news@clareecho.ie
CLLR JOE KILLEEN (FF) has been unanimously elected Mayor of County Clare and Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council.
The Corofin native will hold the highest office in local government for the next 12 months, alongside his party colleague Tony Mulcahy who was chosen as Leas-Chathaoirleach.
TDs past and present attended the Council’s AGM at headquarters, including former Minister for Defence and Joe’s first cousin Tony Killeen (FF) as well as Joe Cooney (FG), Cathal Crowe (FF) and Timmy Dooley (FF). Senator Martin Conway (FG) was also present at the meeting alongside several members of Killeen’s extended family.
Attendees were treated to a photo montage of outgoing Cathaoirleach’s time in office, the highlight of which was his charity cycle from Loop Head to Whitegate, raising over €5000 for Samaritans. As his
time wearing the chain of office drew to a close, cllr Paul Murphy (FG) thanked all members of staff in Clare County Council as well as it’s elected representatives while referencing “the fantastic opportunity”, he was given to attend the Milwaukee Irish Fest and visit the Clare diaspora in New York.
Murphy delivered a heartfelt tribute to his colleague John Corry whom he identified as an exemplary public servant. There is one man present here today who has literally been by my side and will be my colleague when I return and that is John Corry.
Cllr Joe Killeen was then proposed to the position of Cathaoirleach by his colleague cllr Tom O’Callaghan who referred to him as “my close and dear friend”.
Seconding the proposal, cllr Pat Daly (FF) added that Joe was “as cool as you would ever meet”, and predicted that “there won’t be a cow milked in Corofin tonight”, after Killeen’s appointment.
Beginning his acceptance speech,
Cllr Killeen stated that he was “humbled and privileged”, to take up the role of Cathaoirleach and wasted no time in outlining his policies for the coming year, namely the promotion of tourism, increasing access to housing and improving road infrastructure in the county.
He also stressed the importance of utilising local transport services such as the Burren explorer bus, warning of a “use it or lose it” scenario regarding future assessments of the service's value.
The former head of the INTO then discussed housing as a priority, noting that the solution lies in inter-agency partnership.
Killeen thanked his wife Marian and sons for their continued support and was warmly congratulated by newly elected Ennis Mayor cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) who said that while Killeen may have a reputation as a “part-time farmer, all he ever does is farming”.
CRITICAL charity launches new Community First Responder group in north Clare
by
A NEW Community First Responder (CFR) group is now responding to cardiac arrests in north County Clare. The Ruan-Dysart CFR group has been established by CRITICAL and is the emergency medical response charity’s third group operating in the county.
Community First Responders are local volunteers trained to provide immediate, life-saving medical care in the vital minutes before an ambulance arrives. The new CFR group has a team of 20 people and the volunteers come from a wide variety of backgrounds including healthcare, the emergency services, retail and childcare. The group began training in January and went live on the 22nd of June. They are alerted by the National Ambulance Service to incidents in areas such as Ruan, Dysart, Toonagh, Kilnaboy, Corofin, Barefield, Crusheen and Tubber.
Lorraine White is co-ordinator of the Ruan-Dysart CFR group, she said, “Ruan-Dysart covers a wide rural area, bordering the Burren National Park, where
everyone knows everyone. This means we have a wealth of incredible local knowledge which will help us to respond to incidents as they unfold. While it’s only
15 minutes to Ennis, it can take an hour to get to the acute hospitals in Limerick or Galway, which is a long way if you’ve suffered a cardiac arrest.
The new Ruan-Dysart CFR group will ensure that people in these situations get the very best care from our volunteers as soon as possible.”
David Tighe, Chief Executive of CRITICAL added, “Community First Responder groups play a crucial role in the first minutes of a medical emergency when every second counts.
The volunteers in Ruan-Dysart join our ever-expanding network of CFR groups across the country. We already have two very successful groups operating in County Clare in Ennis and Killaloe-Ballina providing life-saving care and serving the local community and our new group en-
sures even more people will receive vital care when they need it most.”
CRITICAL has a network of more than 300 volunteer responders active across Ireland who are notified of incidents by the National Ambulance Service. This includes doctors and consultants equipped with emergency response vehicles and high-tech equipment; community first responder (CFR) groups; as well off-duty paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs).
CRITICAL charity relies on fundraising to deliver its services. It costs approximately €15,000 to set up a new CFR group. For more information or to make a donation visit www.criticalcharity.ie
lELECTED: Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) felt 'privileged' to be elected Mayor of Clare and Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council
Erika Sanger news@clareecho.ie
lFIRST RESPONDERS: The CFR volunteers come with a wealth of knowledge from a variety of backgrounds including healthcare, retails and childcare
South Galway crime spree ends in 12 year prison term
by Gordon Deegan news@clareecho.ie
A JUDGE has imposed a 12-year prison sentence on a Limerick man who he said gloated about the distress he caused to his victims on a public Tik Tok account called ‘Munster Crime Gang’.
At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Francis Comerford imposed cumulative sentences of 29 years and nine months on three Limerick men, including Eddie Carey (31) of De Vere Court, John Carew Park, Limerick for a crime spree across Clare, Galway and Limerick during mainly 2024.
In the case, Judge Comerford has imposed a prison term of 12 years on Mr Carey and suspended the final four years and three months resulting in seven years and nine months to be served in jail by Mr Carey and back-dated the sentence to January 2025.
Judge Comerford imposed a 12 year-three month sentence on co-accused Owen Casey (29) of Salvia Court, Keyes Park, Southill, Limerick and suspended the final four years and nine months result-
ing in seven years and six months to be served in jail and backdated the prison sentence to April 2025
Judge Comerford imposed a five year and eight month prison term on Tyreke Casey Curtin (25) of Caisleán na hAbhann, Castletroy, Limerick with no part of that sentence suspended and backdated the prison sentence to September 2025.
The three accused were involved in theft, unauthorised taking, residential burglaries and commercial burglaries and handling of vehicles at premises in Clare, Limerick and Galway from October 2023 to January 6th 2025.
Burglaries took place at Oran Tan, Castle Street, Oranmore; Gala Chinese, Castle Street, Oranmore; Hair Symphony, Clarinbridge; News and Views Bridge St, Gort, Daybreak, Crusheen and Poppy Seed Café, Clarinbridge.
In another offence, the GAA club of All-Ireland winning hurling player and manager, Brian Lohan, Wolfe Tones in Shannon suffered cumulative losses of €47,380 arising from a burglary committed by the three Limerick men in July 2024.
Comerford said that an aggravating factor in the case was there was gloating at the distress the accused caused to their victims on social media and this was primarily by Eddie Carey who, he said, made pronouncements on his 'Munster Crime Gang' account.
In evidence, Det Garda Aoife O’Malley said that during the period of offending, Mr Carey asked a family member to set up a public TikTok account called ‘Munster Crime Gang’ where images and
videos of stolen vehicles were uploaded to.
Judge Comerford said that there was a complete alienation and disengagement by the three from any harm they were causing.
Judge Comerford said that all three accused had tragic enough starts in life and said that Mr Casey first came to Garda attention at the age of 10.
Judge Comerford said that he could not understand why the accused, who are fathers, would act in a way that will harm their own children by them being sent away to prison.
Judge Comerford said that the criminal offences “was not offending of criminal masterminds”.
Judge Comerford said that the offending did not involve violence but said that the offending did include two rampages of commercial burglaries across two days in 2024.
In the case, Mr Carey, Mr Casey and Mr Casey Curtin carried out the burglary at Wolfe Tones that was one of seven burglaries the three pleaded guilty to on one day alone on July 9th 2024.
In evidence, Det Garda O’Malley
said that Owen Casey lost the tip of a baby finger as the burglars placed the stolen safe from Wolfe Tones GAA club into the back of their vehicle at the main entrance to the clubhouse.
Det O‘Malley said that Mr Casey’s blood spilled onto the steps outside the main entrance of the club and in an effort to get rid of any DNA evidence Eddie Carey poured fuel onto the steps and then set it alight. CCTV footage of Mr Carey setting the fuel on fire was played to the court and Det O’Malley said that despite the fire, Gardai were able to retrieve DNA evidence of Mr Casey from the scene.
Twelve separate victim impact statements were read out to the court by counsel for the State, Sarah Jane Comerford BL (instructed by State Solicitor for Clare, Aisling Casey) arising from the trio’s crime spree at locations in Galway, Clare and Limerick starting in October 2023 to January 2025.
In the case, Mr Casey Curtin pleaded guilty to 23 offences, while Mr Carey pleaded guilty to 42 offences and Mr Casey pleaded guilty to 40 offences.
Galway City Council welcomes plans to develop future transport policy
GALWAY City Council welcomes the reactivation of the Galway Metropolitan Area Transportation Strategy (GMATS) by the National Transport Authority (NTA).
This important Strategy will identify the transport needs for Galway and inform the future development of Galway, enabling it to continue to serve as the economic and cultural centre of the West of Ireland.
Following the recent conclusion of the N6 Galway City Ring Road statutory processes, the NTA, working in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the Northern and Western Regional Assembly and Galway City and County Councils has recommenced the development of GMATS.
When this process is complete, GMATS will replace the Galway Transport Strategy, adopted in 2016. The new long-term strategic planning framework will be used to inform the development of active travel, bus services, rail, roads and demand management measures across the Galway Metropolitan Area, including the potential for light rail.
It is anticipated that the draft GMATS will go to public consultation early next year, with a finalised Strategy in place in 2027.
In October 2024, the National Transport Authority published a Galway Light Rail Transit Feasibility Study Report, as part of the updated Galway Transport Strategy, the Galway Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (GMATS).
This Feasibility Study has shown that there could, under the right conditions, be a case for developing a light rail system in Galway and with an estimated annual demand of approx. 7.5 million passengers per year.
Galway City Council has also highlighted the importance of the Galway Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (GMATS) in its submission to the review of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES).
Pending the outcome and adoption of the updated GMATS, Galway City Council supports the inclusion of a research proposal on the feasibility of Light Rail in the Galway City Development Plan process, and in the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES). These would be important steps in establishing the strategic and policy basis necessary for the future development of transport solutions in Galway, including the potential for Light Rail.
Mayor of the City of Galway, Cllr Helen Ogbu, said, “Recent research by the NTA
lWELCOME DEVELOPMENTS: Transport needs for Galway are high on the agenda
shows 67% of people travel into Galway City’s retail core arrived by bus, rail, walking or cycling. This shows an appetite for an alternative to the car, and the potential for more active and sustainable travel, making Galway a more attractive place to live, work, study and invest."
Leonard Cleary, Chief Executive of Galway City Council said, “The 2024 NTA Light Rail Feasibility Report reviewed the general feasibility for light rail in the Galway Metro-
politan Area, and potential indicative alignments, showing the corridors with the greatest potential for light rail in the GMA. The research identified an east-west corridor through the city, which would be likely to have the strongest potential for light rail –with a series of different options which could cater for the future development of the city also considered.
lA total of 29 years was imposed on 'Munster Crime Gang'
by Erika Sanger news@clareecho.ie
Thought for the Week - The Quiet Cry and Face Behind the Statistics
Spreading the word of positivity
RONAN SCULLY
There are moments when statistics cease to be mere numbers and become a mirror held up to the soul of a nation. This is one of those moments. Recent reports tell us that more than 95,000 children in Ireland are living in consistent poverty and over 5,000 children are homeless and living in emergency accommodation. Numbers like these can feel too large to comprehend. Together, they would fill Croke Park and still leave thousands standing outside the gates. But these are not crowds. They are children. Children who arrive at school without a warm coat, without proper shoes, without the opportunities and experiences many of us assume every child enjoys. Children growing up in hotel rooms, family hubs and emergency accommodation instead of homes. And perhaps most painfully of all, children learning far too young what uncertainty feels like.
THE QUIET CRY RISING ACROSS OUR COUNTRY
There is a quiet cry rising across Ireland. It does not always make headlines. It does not shout loudly
enough to command attention. But it is present in every county, every parish and every community. It is the parent quietly going without so their child can eat. The worker who gives everything and still cannot make ends meet. The older person sitting in the cold counting the cost of another hour of heat. The family lying awake trying to make impossible sums add up. Budgets have become battles. Every bill carries fear. Every unexpected expense brings anxiety. This is no longer simply a cost-of-living crisis. It is becoming a moral reckoning. Ireland is not a poor country. Yet too many people are living poor lives. EVERY NUMBER HAS A FACE
Years ago, while working in Calcutta, I helped rescue a little boy named Laltu who had been abandoned and left to die in a sewer. I have never forgotten his face. His eyes still speak to me. Whenever I hear of children living in poverty, homelessness, neglect or despair, I think of him. People sometimes imagine suffering belongs somewhere else. Somewhere distant. But suffering is never far away. The painful truth is that while Ireland may be very different from the slums of Calcutta, the hurt of a child who feels forgotten is the same everywhere. A child does not measure suffering by geography. A child only knows whether
they feel safe or frightened. Loved or abandoned. Seen or invisible. And perhaps that is what troubles me most. Not simply that poverty exists. But that we risk becoming accustomed to it. We read the headlines. We shake our heads. We turn the page. But the child cannot turn the page.
WHAT KIND OF SOCIETY ARE WE BECOMING?
The true measure of a nation is not the strength of its economy. Not the size of its budget surplus. Not house prices. The true measure of a nation is how it treats those with the least power and the smallest voice. No child chooses the circumstances into which they are born. The Proclamation of 1916 promised to cherish all the children of the nation equally. That promise remains unfinished. Not because we lack resources. But because compassion requires more than concern. It requires action. Charity matters. But charity alone is not enough. Charity may ease suffering today. Justice is what prevents suffering tomorrow. This crisis is shaped by choices about housing, wages, support systems and priorities. And if choices created this reality, choices can change it.
THEIR CHILDREN ARE OUR CHILDREN TOO
As a father, I find myself hugging my daughters a little tighter when-
SUMMER FOCLÓIR GAEILGE: PART 2 FOCLÓIR AN TSAMHRADH: CUID A DÓ
Macalla an Chláir
LE MACDARA Ó CONAOLA
Seo chugaibh roinnt fhocla eile len úsáid an samhradh seo / Here are some more Irish words for you to use this summer:
Tá barr-theas ann! – it's roasting!
Ag gearradh féir/baint an fhéir - cutting the grass/making hay féar tirim – hay speal - scythe coca féir - haystack slaghdán teaspaigh – hay fever ag snaofairt – sneezing smaois – snot
Tá slócht/ceochán orm – I'm hoarse
Is capall mé – I'm a horse allas – sweat ag cuir allais – sweating ag lapadóireacht – going for a paddle caisleán gainimh – sand castle mála chips - a bag of chips bainis – a wedding
Tabhair 'om dearg – gimme a light/got a light?
Ar mhaith leat deoch? - would you like a drink?
Ag radaireacht - flirting súgach – tipsy, (www.drinkaware.ie) croch suas é! - sing out!
craic – craic
póit (tá póit orm) – hangover (I'm hungover)
lAg lapadóireacht ar an trá/photo of beach(above) lCocaí féir Chondae an Chláir/photo of haystack (below)
ever I read reports such as these. I thank God every day for the gift of their lives. Yet my thoughts always return to the parents tonight carrying burdens too heavy to carry alone. Parents trying to appear calm. Parents quietly frightened. Parents wondering: “How will I provide for tomorrow?” Their children are our children too. And once we truly understand that we cannot look away. In recent months I have received messages late at night. Simple messages. Quiet messages. Messages carrying extraordinary weight. One question appears again and again: “Will you pray for me?” People are not only asking for help. They are asking not to be forgotten.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
As your thought for the week, do one thing. Notice someone. Listen to someone. Support someone. Volunteer. Donate. Advocate. Pray. Check in with a neighbour. Buy groceries for a family. Refuse to walk past suffering. And ask yourself honestly: If this were my child,
what would I hope others would do? Then do that for someone else. At the end of our lives, we will not be remembered for what we accumulated. We will be remembered for whether we noticed. Whether we cared. Whether we helped. And whether we recognised the image of God in those who needed us most. May we never forget that behind every statistic is a child. And behind every child is infinite dignity, immeasurable worth and a future entrusted to all of us. To go with this reflection I wrote the following Prayer for Children and Families Carrying Heavy Burdens - "Loving God, We place before You every child living in poverty, homelessness, fear and uncertainty. Protect children who have no safe place to sleep. Comfort parents carrying burdens they can scarcely bear. Strengthen families who are struggling in silence. Open our eyes to see suffering. Open our hearts to be disturbed by it. Open our hands to respond with generosity. Keep us from indifference. Teach us to recognise Your face in those who are most vulnerable. Give wisdom to leaders. Give courage to communities. Give hope to children. And remind us always, that no act of kindness is ever wasted. May we choose solidarity over silence, justice over indifference, and love over all else. Le cúnamh Dé. Amen."
Young East Clare writer 'delighted' with American scholarship
by Michael Fitzgerald news@clareecho.ie
HOLLYWOOD is calling for Killaloe’s Oisín McKeogh as the budding writer and director was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to hone his craft at the American Film Institute Conservatory in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Interested in dark, absurd comedies with a distinctly Irish touch, the 24 year old recently graduated from the National Film School BA programme in Dun Laoghaire, winning SDGI Director of the Year award. His graduation film “Tough Love” screened at multiple Oscar and BAFTA-qualifying festivals internationally, from Nashville Film Festival to CamerImage.
Managed by the Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange (IUSCEE) since 1957, the Fulbright bilateral exchange programme has played an essential role in strengthening the special relationship between the U.S. and Ireland and building lasting ties between both nations.
On his initial reaction to receiving the Fulbright award, Oisín said “It was such an honour to get it and to even be considered for it.
I just can't believe that it has happened and that I'm able to take advantage of this opportunity”, he added.
Oisín has also been selected for the prestigious Screen Ireland Spotlight scheme, their flagship screenwriting talent development programme, with his TV series ‘Big Super
lONE TO WATCH: Oisín will head to the American Film Institute Conservatory
Mega Genius’ and recently received funding from the ENGINE Film Scheme for his short film ‘Call Me Anon’.
The young director’s influences include popular American comedies such as Anchorman, Bridesmaids and Hot Fuzz, “Those kind of very fun, kind of out there silly comedies. So I'd say those ones definitely had quite a big inspiration and impact on me”, Oisín explains.
During his time in LA, the film enthusiast will be working on developing 4 short films across 2 years and hopes to break into the Irish feature film scene when he returns, although he notes that his plans are not “super concrete” yet.
While swapping Kincora for Sunset Blvd may seem tempting, Oisín outlines “I think my heart is really in Ireland. I'm looking forward to coming back and bringing back what I've learned and seeing how that can contribute towards Irish films.
CLARECASTLE IN FOCUS
Clarecastle Show hits the decade mark
FLYING alpacas, cooking demonstrations, vintage car displays and prizes for the best tie and hat are just a few reasons why the uniquely wonderful Clarecastle Show is worth the trip for all the family.
It’s 10 years since the first Clarecastle Show was held and in that short decade, minus the infamous Covid years and 2025, the Banner County event has quickly built up a well-earned reputatation as a unique event.
Show chairman Michael Slattery’s pride in the Banner County is seen in heritage-stamped classes.
A huge broodmare and foal championship carries both the Banner name and a €21,000 prizefund package; classes take place in Ardagh, Brian Boru, Banner and Shannon-branded showrings - even the dog show section is named after Cú Chulainn.
Back this year on Saturday, July 18, number plates from far-flung counties will be seen on the cars, jeeps and lorries of showmen from around Ireland as they pull into the show field at Claremount.
At the business end in the horse rings, the big class this year is the Banner Breeders championship when mares and their foals will be on parade for the richest class of its kind in the country. €21,000 to be precise, between prize money and bonuses, such as stallion nominations.
There’s the Brian Boru Young Horse Championship, when again, the pride of their breeders and owners will be judged to decided the overall title.
Watch out too for an exact replica of the Brian Boru sword which makes an appearance at the prize giving.
The growing Connemara Pony section features classes for “the most popular pony in the world” so spectators will see our beautiful native ponies on show.
Alongside Clarecastle’s horse and pony classes, there’s plenty of family entertainment. The Flying Alpac-
Watch out for the great character David Hanrahan at the gate, who welcomes arrivals with a cheerful greeting and often wearing an eyecatching hat. With the World Cup final on the following day, possibly a football theme this year?
as were part of Clarecastle Show’s award-winning entry in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Ennis last March and four of this famous Peruvian breed will touch down in Claremount on show day.
A selfie with Tom ‘An Gobha King’, the Blacksmith from the Boyne Valley - think Game of Thrones
meets Irish mythological figure - is now a Clarecastle tradition.
Two new additions on the show field this year are copper jewellery demonstrations by Guy Urbin and cookery demos by Danny Lynch. Danny is the wellknown chef at Le Chéile
in Barefield, a famous stopping-off point.
Two debonair showgoers will each pick up €100 for the best tie and hat spotted on show day and allow ample time to browse the 20 trade stands, electronic train and vintage car displays.
Local schoolchildren are putting the finishing touches to their pictures, all on display in Clarecastle National
School Hall, where the Indoor Exhibition entries will also be on show.
A three-time Show of the Year award winner in the Farmers Journal horse section pages, Clarecastle is a unique event, headed up by its chairman, whose motto is to display the best and reward the breeders in the Irish sport horse industry, a dynamic committee and secretary in Nichola Shannon. Come along and see for yourself on show day.
l (left) Tom ‘An Gobha King’; (above) a previous prizewinner; (left insets) the Clarecastle Show flag flies proudly and Nichola Shannon, Show Secretary
CLARECASTLE IN FOCUS
‘Regatta is getting bigger every year’
by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie
CLARECASTLE’S famed regatta is “getting bigger every year” with an average of 3,000 people attending the family fun day which returns next weekend.
Revived in 2009, the Regatta is one of the highlights of the year in Clarecastle but also manages to attract families from across the county.
Running on Saturday next (July 11) from 1-5pm, the Regatta returns with a wide array of events for all ages. Boat rides, food stalls, artefacts from the Clarecastle Men’s Shed, a dog show, stand up paddle boarding, zorbing, trampolines, bouncy castles, a silent disco, vintage cars, a mobile toddler play trailer, pet farm, face painting, a homemade raft race, a speed ball hurling wall and pod fada organised by Clarecastle GAA plus a bonnie baby and best dressed lady competition are among the highlights.
A canon will be fired every hour by the Lord Edwards Regiment.
This year there will be a music gig for over eighteens commencing at 7:30pm where Fionn Hayes and The Brass Monkeys are the acts on stage. This is a ticket-only event.
Chairperson of the Regatta committee, Fergal Griffin told The Clare Echo, “We’ve averaged a crowd of 3,000 the last couple of years, it is getting bigger ever year”. He said the decision to use both sections of the Quay whereby amusements have been moved to the bottom section has “made the experience more enjoyable, everyone is able to walk around with a bit more
freedom and because of that I think we could expect an even bigger crowd this year”.
Noted for bringing the community of Clarecastle together, the Regatta has widened its catchment across the county, father of two Fergal explained. “People come from everywhere for it, we’ve families coming from all over , there is nothing as big for families around. We don’t charge at the gate, we try keep the prices as low as we can, you can make a donation when you arrive. All the kids in Clarecastle love it, it goes further with people from neighbouring parishes and all nationalities, it is for everybody”.
Church renovations fondly remembered 40 years later
“A GREAT community spirit”, that helped to renovate Saints Peter and Paul’s church in Clarecastle 40 years ago was fondly remembered by Parish Priest Fr Pat Malone.
The clergyman spoke to The Clare Echo about the tireless work of volunteers who helped to build “a sense of pride in the place”, that still resonates in the village.
The major refurbishment of the church was entirely carried out by local volunteers who laboured extensively to renovate the building in 1986. “It was redesigned, redecorated but it was also sensitive to the older building as well. It was a complete renovation of the church and there was a pieces added on. There was a piece added on to the front, coming into the church, and a gallery. It was a major job in the church”, the priest explained.
“A great community”, was key to completing the project as locals worked hard to improve the house of worship. “It was mainly voluntary. Any tradesperson, any local person was willing to do any of it, they were there every night for about the best part of a year, except obviously Sunday nights. And they came and they did the work and the ladies of the parish then came and provided tea. So it was a huge communi-
ty effort and a huge celebration of community...Of course, there's great pride in that church in Clarecastle”, Fr Malone continued.
From Birr in Offaly, Fr Malone was ordained in 1979 and spent a short spell in Clarecastle, leaving just before the renovation work began 40 years ago. Having since returned to the parish, Fr Malone has celebrated mass at the church of Saints Peter and Paul for the last 12 years.
“The standard of work was wonderful, but it also brought a sense of pride in the place. People who might not have been noted for being involved in church things became very involved in the renovation. Sadly, a lot of those people have died who were very instrumental in the work, but they've left a great legacy behind”, he added.
A poignant commemoration was recently held to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the works with Fr Malone recalling, “Some of the people [present] were part of the renovation. It was just a nice little community gathering. Very simple, but a celebration and an appreciation and thanksgiving for the community spirit that's here”, he added. “There's a good community spirit in Clarecastle right across the board and the church would be one of them.”
CLARECASTLE IN FOCUS
Over 60 members drive men’s shed success
by Michael Fitzgerald news@clareecho.ie
CLARECASTLE Men’s Shed continues to be a huge community outlet for men in the village, 11 years on from when it was first founded.
Secretary Liam Barry told The Clare Echo about the extraordinary work of the organisation whose over 60 members engage in diverse activities such as woodworking, machinery restoration, and fitness classes.
“In late 2014 Clarecastle Local Development Company asked me and one or two others would we go about setting up a men's shed. So, we did a bit of research on that. We visited other sheds to see what they were doing. In March 2015 we actually opened the doors and our first 8 members came through and since 2015 it has evolved now to over 60 members. In fact we celebrated our 10th anniversary last year in March”.
The range of activities offered by the shed are extremely varied, ranging from woodturning to stained glasswork to a weekly Irish conversation group which meets every Wednesday. “We have a fitness class every Wednesday where we do age appropriate exercises. We restored old farmyard machinery and we built up a substantial museum now at this stage consisting of machin-
ery and old tools. We collaborate with the education and training board and we've done many courses over the years with those such as basic computers, woodwork and cookery”, Liam explains.
tra supports our teas and coffees every Wednesday. We get huge help from our local county cllrs. We get great help from the County Council through local grants etc. The local development company has great support for us as well”.
“Now we do get that support but support is a two way street. We are also very helpful and give back to the community. We support local involvement in setting up the Regatta every year and helping to run it. We are here to help out. You get a lot more than you give”, Liam mentions.
Health benefits are not limited to the social interaction of members as Liam outlines. “An important part is that we get presentations on various health issues. Only a month ago we had a talk from the Maria
The club has recently undertaken a number of day trips which have proved hugely popular with members, including visits to Middleton Distillery, Fota Island Wildlife Park and The Rock of Cashel.
Keating Foundation on men's cancer which was very interesting and was very beneficial”, the Clarecastle native notes.
“Huge support”, from the community has allowed the group to flourish, Liam adds, recognising the importance of giving back to your community. “Our local Cen-
As well as giving back to the community, Liam notes that members of the Clarecastle Men’s Shed also benefit from the increased wellbeing of the shared environment. “That’s our core focus all the time and it’s a goal that should never be forgotten. When people come to the shed, they make new friends. It's also a chance for members new to the community, especially elderly, to interact with the community. We learn new skills or we improve on old ones. Certainly, people broaden their horizons and they extend their comfort zones. I guess there's a feel good factor too with a sense of achievement when you make something or do something”, he adds.
CLARECASTLE IN FOCUS
30th anniversary of Céilí at the Crossroads
by Michael Fitzgerald news@clareecho.ie
THE Céilí at the Crossroads Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, kicking off on Sunday the 12th and running until July 19th.
Chairperson of the event Mike Dunne spoke to The Clare Echo about the upcoming festivities as well as the work that goes into making sure things run smoothly.
As it enters its 30th year, the annual Céilí at the Crossroads shows no signs of slowing down with new events and bands being added all the time.
The week begins with a free concert by the Dál gCáis Céilí Band in the Abbey Hall at 9pm on Sunday, followed by beginners tin whistle classes in Clarecastle Day Care Centre from 7 to 8pm from Monday the 13th to Wednesday 15th.
That night sees a special set dancing workshop in the Abbey Hall from Bill Lynch which kicks off at 8.30pm. This year features “a special tribute to the late great John Joe Casey, originally from Lissycasey but moved to Clarecastle a number of years ago.
It’s a music session in Kate O’Reilly’s pub from 9pm. He was a great composer who composed the Fergus Reel”, Dunne outlines. The singers’ club meeting is deferred to
Friday July 24th in Power’s Pub at 9pm.
“Saturday the 18th we have the set dancing workshop again in the Abbey Hall with Bill Lynch from 1pm and again from 2-4pm, followed by our Céilí Mór with the Star of Munster Band in the hall again from 9pm that night”, Dunne explains.
“Sunday morning we have mass for the deceased members of Clarecastle/Ballyea Comórtas Ceoltóirí Éireann in Clarecastle Church at 9am”. Tributes are to be paid to the original founders of the festival, Michael ‘Haulie’ Kelleher and Eugene Brennan as well as others who were instrumental in bringing the celebration of traditional music to life.
Sunday afternoon sees the festival close with a bang with the Cross Roads Dancing Céilí at Kerins’ Crossroads from 4-7pm on the 19th. The Four Courts Band will provide the music on what is sure to be a special afternoon in the open air.
A lot of work goes into putting on the events each year, especially the open air Céilí, something which Chairperson Mike Dunne identifies as one of the most important
parts of the festival.
“We have good help. We have the same five or six lads helping us every year that would be with us. Put-
ting down the outdoor floor is the hardest thing. You don’t want fellas diving in and throwing it down. It has to be put down with some pre-
cision”, Dunne highlights.
“We’re looking forward to it and hopefully we’ll get a fine day for it”, he continues.
CLARECASTLE IN FOCUS
Killoo committee connect Clarecastle to fifth century
by Michael Fitzgerald news@clareecho.ie
KILLOO Church Restoration CLG want to “promote awareness and history of the past” through their work to conserve the ancient church and graveyard at Killoo, on the outskirts of Clarecastle.
Committee member Gerard Lynch spoke to The Clare Echo about the historical significance of the Medieval Site and Church at Killoo and the group’s efforts to preserve it for future generation.
Explaining the history of the church, Lynch said that the Church Building is over one thousand years old and predates Abbeys at Clareabbey, Quin and Ennis. During the conservation work LIDAR technology was used in examine the ground in the vicinity and two ramparts were identified and later partly excavated by the archaeologist Frank Coyne. Based on this evidence ‘the site is dated to the fifth century and was probably a sacred pagan site adopted as was the practice by the emerging Christian faith’ the Clarecastle man explained.
When the Site at Killoo was originally established it was an island, at a critical location on the River Fergus, a meeting point between east and west and the interface of the O’Brien and McNamara Clans.
Killoo Church Restoration CLG was formed five years ago by a group of concerned locals who were determined to prevent the church vanishing from history. Under the Chairmanship of Michael Slattery and members Liam and Frank Barry, Heber McMahon, Liam Ashe and Niall McCabe, the Company at first raised private funding that allowed them to make an application to Na-
Putting Clarecastle’s best foot forward
FOR almost two decades, Clarecastle Tidy Towns have made it their mission to keep the unique historic charm of the village while introducing new ways to ensure biodiversity thrives in the village, writes Amy Copley.
The Tidy Towns group has been led by the passionate Chris Layden since its origin in 2009. Chris thrives on the constant adaption that comes with learning more and more about nature - and how to preserve and encourage biodiversity in the village.
At its face, Clarecastle is a beautifully kept village but at the core of the Tidy Towns ethos is preserving the natural biodiversity in any given place.
Chris laughs while reminiscing about the origins of the Clarecastle Tidy Towns and how much they have changed and grown as an organisation, “We just tidied up the place. We were doing all sorts of things from using weed killer to cutting down things and everything. We were effectively doing things without any real plan.”
This is a major contrast to the way Clarecastle Tidy Towns operates today, “The emphasis is now entirely on sustainability, biodiversity and climate action”. Today, the organisation has completely abolished the use of harsh chemicals on plants such as herbicides, and encourage wildflowers and meadows grow.
Chris is passionate about the County Council becoming more involved with villages across the county’s Tidy Towns groups and believes that by everyone working together, they can thrive ecologically. Chris states, “We need to work [with Clare County Council] under the same principles that the Tidy Towns has given us.”
This year the Clarecastle Show, The Regatta and The Céilí at the Crossroads all fall within ten days of each other, something that Chris has helped to spearhead, “that's the first time ever that's happened and it's just fantastic.”
Chris thanks the “fantastic group of workers” that have allowed this to happen and also follow the guidelines of the Tidy
Monuments Ireland. Gerard says that grants of €130,000 under the CMF and over €100,000 from other sources were raised, and used for “very detailed conservation work on the building, the extermination of ivy and other vegetative growth in the Church walls, and structural repair deemed essential for the security
of the building which had experienced considerable degradation due to weathering over the centuries. The building, which is believed to be the oldest standing church in the Diocese of Killaloe is now secured for the foreseeable future”.
The Company has received permission to construct a new pedestrian walkway and gated entrance to the graveyard, which will provide easier access to the site. “This will facilitate access to the site and increase awareness of the importance of Killoo”, the Clarecastle man explains.
Lynch noted the importance of raising awareness about sites like Killoo, emphasising the educational value of the restoration works. “There’s very little awareness of the significance of places like this.
This has been a sacred place for 1,500 years where people have gathered in prayer and to carry on their business. It marks the early settlement of people in this area. We want to promote an awareness of how people lived and the preservation of this building is a critical peg to hang that story on and give it a reality” he continued.
It is hoped that people can visit the Killoo Website and on completion of the new entrance visit the site and enjoy a moment of reflection in this sacred place.
tional
NEVER PUT BATTERIES, VAPES OR ELECTRONICS IN ANY BIN OR SKIP
Keep 2026 Fire Free
LED lights at Lee's Road & Springfield flood scheme amongst crowning glories in Council's Climate Action Plan
By Michael Fitzgerald news@clareecho.ie
CLARE County Coun-
cil's ambition to be "a national leader in climate change" has been bolstered by recent projects including delivering flood protection in Springfield and installing LED lights at Lee's Road.
e local authority’s work on its Climate Action Plan was highlighted at this week's meeting of the Physical Development SPC, where Community Climate Action
O cer Dara Dever delivered a presentation to members of the committee detailing the council’s sustainable achievements thus far under the current 2024-2029 plan.
e meeting was chaired by Cllr. Pat
Burke (FG) and attended by various councillors both in person and via MS Teams including Rita McInerney (FF), Ian Lynch (IND), Conor Ryan (FF), Alan O’Callaghan (FF) and Rachel Hartigan (FF).
SPC members Bridget Ginnity and omas Burke were also in attendance at the council chamber.
e current plan is divided into ve categories: governance and leadership, built environment, transport, community partnership, and the natural environment.
Mr Dever reiterated the council’s mission “to be a national leader in climate action” by fostering low-carbon, resilient, and biodiverse communities.
Its mission focuses on a just transition that results in sustainable growth and high-quality service accessibility.
e council’s work in retro tting public lighting was referenced during the presentation including a full upgrade
of the lighting system at the Active Ennis Lees Road Sports, replacing legacy lighting with high-e -
ciency LED xtures.
e Climate Action
O cer outlined further signi cant projects that the council had completed, including the €5.2 million Spring eld Flood Relief Scheme, providing signi cant protection from ooding for 21 homes in the Spring eld area.
e project involved the construction of an 850 metre ood defence embankment across the oodplain at Cappavilla North and Illaunyregan, as well as a pumping station, culverts with sluice gates, land raising at Cottage, and associated drainage, fencing, and storage works. Community partnerships were highlighted as a key part of the plan e Community Ac-
tion Program (Phase 1) has funded 27 projects with over €88,000 in funding so far Phase 2 launched last July with €649,000 in available funding.
Other initiatives include Climate Action Week, energy fairs, and the installation of water re ll stations in built up areas and tourist hotspots throughout the county.
e council implemented circular economy initiatives, such as a refurbished bike scheme and a toy library event in Ennis to encourage reuse.
Additionally, a new Biodiversity Action Plan was formed in December to address the climate crisis in Clare over the next six years.
Incoming President Holly ‘genuinely proud of business community’ as 2026 Awards launched
THE Clare Business Excellence Awards 2026 were launched at a well-attended networking breakfast held at Hotel Woodstock, hosted by Ennis Chamber, in partnership with main sponsor, Clare County Council.
This year marks the 16th running of Clare Business Excellence Awards, following last year’s ceremony where O’Connor’s Bakery took home the overall award of Clare Business of the Year.
In the absence of Diarmuid McMahon of Sherry Fitzgerald McMahon, the current President of Ennis Chamber, incoming President Frank Holly spoke at the launch.
Mr Holly, who owns Holly’s Vital Pharmacy on Abbey Street in Ennis, will preside over the Chamber chains for the Chamber’s 100th anniversary.
He spoke passionately about the awards, which recognised his own business last year.
“When I looked at last year’s winners list, what struck me wasn’t any one business. It was the overall standard. As I went down through the list, I found myself feeling genuinely proud of the business community we have here in Clare,” he said.
“These are businesses that all of us would be proud to be associated with. Businesses that set high standards, invest in their people, support their communities and continually look for ways to improve. I love the saying ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’.
“I think that’s especially true here in Clare. When businesses strive for excellence, everybody benefits — customers, employees, communities and the wider local economy. And that’s one of the reasons I believe so strongly in these awards.”
Frank recalled, “Last year, Holly’s Pharmacy entered the awards, and we were fortunate enough to win Clare Retailer of the Year. Of course, winning was a fantastic moment for our team. But while it may sound like a cliché, the biggest benefit wasn’t the trophy, it was the process.
“It’s important to note that these awards are not a popularity contest. They are independently assessed and professionally adjudicated, with valuable feedback and benchmarking provided to entrants, including independent mystery shopping carried out by Spotcheck NI.
“Knowing that your business will be independently assessed focuses the mind. It gets staff members engaged, and it encourages you to look at your business through your customers’ eyes. That was certainly my experience.”
He added, “The awards ceremo-
ny itself is always a fantastic occasion and a wonderful celebration of business excellence, but the real impact comes from the months beforehand. It comes from businesses challenging themselves, engaging their teams and striving to be even better than they were before”.
Mayor of Clare Cllr. Paul Murphy said, “At Clare County Council, we are proud to support these annual business awards, hosted by Ennis Chamber. These Awards provide Clare County Council with a further opportunity to support and showcase the hard-working business community across the county, and the inclusive range of award categories ensures that businesses of all sizes and from all sectors can be part of this important celebration.”
Cllr. Murphy added, “Through our sponsorship of these awards, Clare County Council acknowledges and celebrates the significant contribution that locally based businesses make to Clare’s economy through employment, innovation, and investment. We also recognise the important support that local businesses provide to communities throughout the county.”
He concluded, “On behalf of Clare County Council, I wish all businesses entering this year’s Clare Business Excellence Awards the very best of luck.”
Margaret O’Brien, CEO, Ennis Chamber, thanked Clare County Council for its continued support and commitment to these annual awards and thanked each category sponsor, without whom, these awards couldn’t take place. “We look forward to attracting excellent entries again this year from all corners of county Clare and we especially look forward to hosting a fun night out at the Awards Gala on Thursday, November 19th at the Rine Hotel.”
While the organisers appreciate that everyone is busy, and time is precious, they hope local businesses see the merit of making time to enter this year’s Clare Business Excellence Awards.
Submissions can be made online on Ennis Chamber homepage: www.ennischamber.ie The application forms are short, straightforward and accessible to all. And most important, entries are FREE.”
CLARE BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2026
Categories & sponsors BUSINESS FOR SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD - Sponsored by Essilor Luxottica
BEST VOLUNTARY/COMMUNITY GROUP - Sponsored by Vitalograph
BEST MICRO BUSINESS (employs 10 people or less) - Sponsored by Clare Local Enterprise Office BEST NEW BUSINESS (UP TO 5 YEARS OLD) – Sponsored by Tierney’s
BEST FAMILY BUSINESSSponsored by MHP Sellors
INNOVATION IN BUSINESS AWARD - Sponsored by PTSB
BEST USE OF DIGITAL MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA - Sponsored by The Clare Echo
BEST SME IN CLARE (10 - 200 employees) - Sponsored by Cup Print
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES EXCELLENCE AWARD - Sponsored by Bank of Ireland
BEST MANUFACTURERsponsored by Ei
BEST GREEN & SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES Sponsored by Rengen Power
BEST TOURISM EXPERIENCESponsored by TUS
BEST HOSPITALITY IN CLARESponsored by Shannon Airport Group
BEST PLACE TO EAT (2 x subcategories; Best Restaurant and Best Café) - Sponsored by AIB
CLARE RETAILER OF THE YEARSponsored by Clean Ireland Recycling
CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE
- Sponsored by Xeinadin
‘CLARE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
2026’ (Overall Winner) - Sponsored by lead sponsor - Clare County Council
l (left to right); Frank Holly (incoming President Ennis Chamber), Paul Murphy, Cathaoirleach Clare County Council, Gordon Daly, Chief Executive Clare County Council, Bernadette Haugh, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Clare, Jason Murphy, Director of Services Planning, Economic, Rural & Community Services; (below) Aoibhin Garrihy and Sharon Connellan of BEO with Alison McGrath of First Little Steps; (bottom) Jennifer Donohue and Ambrose Downey of Vitalograph with Des Regan of Rengen Power and Joe Roche
Inis Cealtra Visitor Experience wins national prize at Architecture Awards
The Inis Cealtra Visitor Experience at the Rectory in Mountshannon has won an award at the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI) Architecture Awards 2026.
The popular Clare visitor attraction, which was developed by Clare County Council, was successful in the awards Adaptation and Re-Use category.
Designed by McCullough Mulvin Archi-
tects, the award acknowledges the high-quality restoration and repurposing of the historic building into a flagship visitor attraction for the Lough Derg region.
The East Clare visitor experience provides an engaging insight into the history of Inis Cealtra (Holy Island), exploring themes of pilgrimage, heritage, and the natural environment, while
strengthening connections between the site and the local community.
The recognition supports the continued promotion of County Clare as a destination of cultural and architectural significance.
The centre is housed in the Old Rectory, a period residence dating back to 1905.
The historic building has been carefully re-
Ei Electronics, Shannon – a great place to work and a strong supporter of the local community
EMPLOYEES at Ei Electronics, one of Shannon’s largest employers and global leaders in life safety products, have been taking part in a series of community-focused events at the Company’s Shannon campus in recent weeks.
The summer programme has included a Family Fun Day, the Annual Charity Run in aid of Cliona’s Foundation, and the return of the Company’s five-a-side “Battle of the Bays” football tournament.
The Family Fun Day, held on Saturday, June 20th, welcomed employees and their families for a day of enter-
tainment and activities. Blessed with favourable weather, the event featured a range of attractions including a mini petting zoo, inflatables, bouncy castles, children's races, a fire truck display and an ice cream van. Food stalls serving barbecue favourites and smash burgers ensured there was something for everyone throughout the afternoon.
The occasion provided colleagues from across the business with an opportunity to spend time together outside of the workplace while families enjoyed a relaxed and sociable atmosphere.
Supporting the wider community also remained a key focus, with Ei Electronics hosting its annual Charity Run on-site in aid of Cliona's Foundation. The charity provides practical financial assistance to families caring for children with life-limiting illnesses or complex care needs, helping to ease the financial burden associated with their child's care.
The fundraiser follows last year's successful event, which supported prostate cancer awareness and services, and continues the Company's tradition of supporting worthwhile charitable causes.
Sporting competition also returned to the campus with the annual 'Battle of the Bays' five-a-side football tournament. Teams from across the Company competed on the on-site astro turf in a series of friendly but competitive matches, providing another opportunity for employees to connect outside of their day-to-day roles.
Commenting on the recent activities, Leo Clancy, CEO of Ei Electronics, said:
"It's great to see people across Ei Electronics coming together for events like these. Whether it's supporting a charity, spending time with family or taking part in a bit of friendly competition, it really reflects the strong sense of community we have here on campus."
Ei Electronics is currently recruiting Day Shift and Evening Shift Product Builders at its Shannon campus. The Company offers career development opportunities together with a range of employee benefits, including a fully equipped on-site gym, a subsidised restaurant and an active sports and social club.
To learn more about current opportunities, email careers@eielectronics.ie or scan the QR code to apply.
stored, repurposed, and extended to serve as a visitor and interpretative hub for Inis Cealtra, one of Ireland’s most significant ecclesiastical heritage sites.
Acting Senior Executive Officer Tourism, Festivals & Events, Clare County Council, Theresa Hughes Lannon, said, “We are delighted to receive this prestigious award for the Inis Cealtra Visitor Expe-
rience at the Rectory in Mountshannon.
“We would sincerely like to thank everyone who contributed to the project and in particular Mc Cullough Mulvin Architects for the care and consideration into preserving this historic iconic building, and the local community for their input and support.”
Clare County Council is currently inviting applications from suitably qualified persons for the below competitions. Clare County Council will, following the interview process, form panels for the areas set out below from which future relevant vacancies may be filled subject to sanction approval from the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage.
• Assistant Chief Fire Officer
Closing date: 12 Noon Thursday 16th July 2026
Please complete online application form available on www.clarecoco.ie under Careers Section.
Only applications completed online will be accepted.
Clare County Council is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sectors of the Community.
Scriobh chugainn as gaeilge más fearr leat.
l COMMUNITY FOCUS: (left) the Annual Family Fun Day and (above) participants at the start line were welcomed and thanked by Terry Ring, from Cliona’s Foundation
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lCoach Danny Comerford with grade 1 tennis player Mia Gavin, ready for summer tennis camp
Seán setting the way with Clare breakthrough
By Páraic McMahon
WEARING the underdog tag has been embraced by Clare’s hurlers for Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final showdown, wing forward Seán Rynne has said.
First called up to the Clare senior panel in advance of the 2023 All-Ireland quarter-final, Seán has had to bide his time, making only his second ever championship start in this year’s first round but he has certainly grabbed the opportunity and has been one of the side’s standout players en route to the last four.
Sunday will be his first time playing in Croke Park which is something he is “really excited” about. “It is savage, I’m just buzzing for the game, all the hard training has been done during the year, the hard work is nearly almost done, we’re really excited for the next week,” Seán told The Clare Echo.
Rynne was under no illusions when he was drafted into the panel prior to Clare’s one point loss to Limerick in the 2023 Munster final that he would have to wait his time before trying to break into the side. “I didn’t mind being patient, there’s savage quality in the squad, I knew I would have had to improve my game when I got called in initially. Getting called in at the start gives you confidence to know you are good enough to be there but it is about putting in the hard work to get into a position where you could be involved in playing”.
Receiving the trust of Brian Lohan and his management gives huge confidence to any hurler, the Inagh/ Kilnamona clubman outlined. “If the management are putting their trust in you then it gives you huge belief to go out and play with less weight on your shoulders because if they trust you then you just have to repay them by putting in a performance”.
Injury kept Seán sidelined for the bulk of Clare’s Division 1B National League campaign. To some this may
have put his chances of breaking into the team at jeopardy but he used the layoff to improve certain aspects of his game. “I’d be fairly alright to watch a game, you’re obviously hoping the lads do okay but being out for most of the league gave me a chance to get on top of my fitness and do a bit of running. I got back for the latter end of it so it wasn’t too bad, I don’t mind watching games, I don’t get too nervous but you’re just hoping the lads play okay”.
He continued, “Obviously you want to play as many games as you possibly can, that is the reason we start training in November and December because you want to play as many games as possibly, I couldn’t so I had to focus on what I could do at the time so for me that was getting as fit as possible and getting myself in the best situation I can be for when I do come back”.
Fresh from completing his final
year studies at the University of Limerick, Rynne will this week receive his results and intends to start a masters in finance at UL for the next academic year.
At the minute, he’s assisting his father John at the family pub, The Ramblers Rest in Inagh. “I wouldn’t be behind the bar too much, I’m generally working out the back, I wouldn’t mind chatting away about hurling but I wouldn’t be getting too in-depth in conversation with lads”.
With 0-14 from play in Clare’s campaign this year, Rynne has certainly done his bit for the cause. “I’m pleased enough with how I’m going, the main aim is for the team to win and to perform, to try and push on because we know we have a good group of lads and we won’t be satisfied unless we do win something because we believe we are good enough, hopefully we can go and push on over the next few weeks,” he
outlined.
Five points from play against both Waterford and Dublin, Seán’s displays have resulted in him being named as an eir ambassador alongside Cork captain, Darragh Fitzgibbon. “It’s a privilege to be up here in Croke Park, it is my first time doing something like this, it is a great experience”. Perks of the gig may not include free WiFi for The Ramblers Rest. “I’d say it could do with a bit of WiFi alright, the signal isn’t great in Inagh a lot of the time,” he quipped.
On what he has done to try bring his game to a new level, the Inagh native said, “There’s a few different aspects you always have to look at, you can’t just focus on one area, your speed of hurling, speed of thought, how good your decision making is, the physical side of things, your speed, power and also the mental aspect of it, we have a psychologist Nollaig (O’Sullivan) who is very good, Tony Griffin too and they are both working on the mental side of things, they have done huge work with us”.
As the only player substituted at half time during Clare’s fifteen point loss to Limerick, Seán’s withdrawal was considered harsh. He consulted with Nollaig and Tony to try bounce back strong from this setback. “You would always link in with them, they’d always be keeping in touch with us. I was obviously disappointed to be taken off but you just have to trust the management that they are doing the right thing and they saw something that they needed to tweak so you have to always respect whatever they do”.
Younger brother Conor was part of the Clare U20 squad to claim All-Ireland and Munster medals, completing the collection he had from his minor days. “He wouldn’t be too bad for the slagging but in the back of his mind he knows he has more medals than me, he has the bragging rights for now,” Seán remarked of his sibling’s success.
Switching off from the demands of inter-county hurling is not too difficult, he said. “I meet up with the lads, now it’s going for swims, playing a bit of golf, going for spins or a few pucks with the lads, play a bit of PlayStation, it’s not hard to switch off”. The golf game does require improvement, he admitted, “I’m not that great, I’ll have to invest in a new set of clubs and give it a good go over the summer, there’s a lot of practice to be done”. Focus for now is firmly on Limerick who are raging hot favourites to eliminate Clare from the All-Ireland SHC. “It is nice to go in as underdogs, we’re going in with a mentality of having nothing to lose, we’ve to try close the gap, hurl as best we can and put our best foot forward,” the Ennistymon CBS past pupil stated.
Wins over Waterford, Tipperary and Dublin alongside comprehensive losses to Limerick and Cork have represented an up and down campaign from Lohan’s charges. It has underlined the importance of staying tuned in for every single ball, Rynne said. “We know we have to be really tuned in, really focused, we have to be on our game in order to compete. If we switch off against Cork or Limerick and if we’re not up to the pace of it, we’ll get walked all over. Both of those teams when we’re on it we’re hard to beat and when we’re not, we’re easily beat so it is trying to get that balance and consistency back into our game”.
eir ambassador Seán Rynne marking eir’s continued support of the GAA All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship and the fourth year of the Poc Tapa Challenge, a competition open to every GAA club in the country, where the fastest team wins €5,000 for their club and the chance to play in Croke Park on semi-final day. To enter, visit @eir.Ireland on Instagram. eir is recognised by Opensignal as having Ireland’s No.1 5G network coverage.
Clare sweat on fitness of key defenders for All-Ireland semi-final showdown with Limerick
By Páraic McMahon
CLARE and Limerick have often brought the best out of each other in the senior hurling championship in recent years and their upcoming knockout showdown could mark the end of an era for either side.
Conor Cleary and David McInerney are the chief injury concerns within the Clare camp. David Reidy has recovered well from a high-challenge that left him temporarily unconscious during Clare’s thirteen point quarter-final win over Dublin a fortnight ago and is expected to be named among the substitutes this weekend.
Both Cleary and McInerney are also pressing for inclusion in the matchday twenty six having been forced off with injuries in the quarter-final. Cleary sustained a head injury which has in-
terrupted his preparation for Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final but the presence of the Miltown Malbay native in the Banner defence would certainly strengthen the cause against a formidable Limerick attack.
Similarly Tulla’s McInerney who has always brought the fight against the Shannonsiders will be needed in the backline. He picked up an ankle injury in the closing stages of the Dublin game with East Clare sources confident that the two-time All Star will be taking to the field and leading the battle in Croke Park.
Mark Rodgers and Ryan Taylor returned to action in the quarter-final following injuries picked up against Tipperary in the third round of the Munster SHC, five weeks previous. The duo are likely to be back in the starting fifteen as Clare aim to qualify for a first All-Ireland final since lifting the Liam MacCarthy in 2024.
Indeed Sunday’s game will be Clare’s first outing on Jones’ Rd since being crowned All-Ireland champions two years ago.
From the outset, the 2026 campaign has been defined as a potential last dance for many of the Clare hurlers who have given tremendous service and dedicated their lives to representing the county. As the year has progressed, it has also been speculated that Limerick will have a very new-look set-up next year with the jubilant reaction of John Kiely and Paul Kinnerk after winning the Munster title heightening this rhetoric.
Munster and league champions so far this year, Limerick have without question been the form team of 2026. This factored with the manner in which Clare’s defence has struggled with the concession of seven goals in the Munster championship and the seven big saves made
by Eibhear Quilligan versus Dublin has underlined the need for a bolstered Banner defence and potentially the deployment of a ‘plus-one’ or sweeper but such a tactic is one that manager Brian Lohan is known to be strongly opposed to. Ironically the counties last met in Croke Park in 2013 when Clare won 1-22 0-18, a result that was influenced by the deployment of then captain Patrick Donnellan as a sweeper. It will be the ninth time that Lohan and Kiely face off in championship, the record is currently 5-3 in favour of Kiely with one draw in 2022. Waterford’s Thomas Walsh will take charge of Sunday’s semi-final which throws-in at 16:00 on Sunday evening and is preceded by the meeting of Clare and Tipperary in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie quarter-final.
Seán Rynne
Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Niall nailing down starting berth in first Clare senior season
By Páraic McMahon
NIALL O’FARRELL has been one of Clare’s breakthrough players of the 2026 championship and is now gearing up for his first saffron and blue appearance in Croke Park.
A standout player with his club Broadford in the Clare SHC over the past two years, Niall has nailed down a starting berth with the Clare seniors in his first season on the panel. He featured for every single minute of Clare’s four outings in the Munster SHC while he was very involved in the thirteen point quarter-final win over Dublin during his fifty four minutes on the field, scoring a point from wing back while also breaking forward on numerous occasions to tee up scores.
That element of powering past challenges and offering a precision pass or taking his score has allowed Niall settle into the unfamiliar role of wing back, a position he never played in until Brian Lohan and the Clare management trialled him in defence during the spring on their way to becoming Division 1B winners of the Allianz National Hurling League.
More games has allowed Niall to become more acquainted with the position. He told The Clare Echo, “I wasn’t really used to it at all, it’s been good and you will take any position that you can play in, you are still attacking the ball and not doing things too differently but marking a man is new to me. I’ve been there for the league and the championship so I’m settling in”.
Losing by sixteen points to Cork marked a disappointing
exit from Munster for Clare, the gap of four weeks from that defeat was lengthy but allowed time for injuries to heal and a focus to be renewed. “It was long alright. The Cork game wasn’t good enough from our standard so we had a lot to work on, we aimed to put out a performance today and we will have to put out a performance again in two weeks”. Neighbours Limerick are next up, for Niall it will be a first run-out in Croke Park since the 2022 Croke Cup final when he was top scorer for Ard Scoil Rís with 0-8 as they won the national title for the first time. Part of their half-forward line was Shane O’Brien of Kilmallock who is expected to be in the inside line for the Munster champions in the derby tie. It’s a chance of redemption for
Clare following their fifteen point loss to Limerick at the beginning of May, “The main focus is to get the bodies right, we’ll do our video analysis on the game and look forward to it”.
Reflecting on the quarter-final, Niall felt Clare coughed up frees which allowed Dublin stay in the contest. Donal Burke had five points from placed balls in the opening half keeping three points between the sides. “We were on top for the first fifteen or twenty minutes then the frees killed us, they had seven frees in the first half which let them back into the game, Dublin are a good side and they were always going to come back but we wanted to come out strong in the second half and that is what we did”.hat we have to work on obviously”.
Scariff hope to bridge 32 year gap
By Seamus Hayes
SCARIFF make the short journey to Dr Daly Park in Tulla on Saturday afternoon hoping to bridge a thirty two year gap.
The records show that Scariff’s last success in the Clare cup (senior hurling league) was in 1994, that final not played until 1995 which turned out to be a very special year for Clare hurling.
Team manager Donal Moloney knows what winning Clare’s second competition means as he was a playing member when his club defeated Clarecastle on the last occasion they won this title. Selector Ger Rodgers also played in that final.
Chances to win competitions are rare in Clare senior hurling, Donal noted. “A lot of clubs may not place too much of an emphasis on the competition. There are only two competitions at senior club level in Clare, the Canon Hamilton and the Clare Cup and sixteen teams compete in both. We respect the competition and treat it accordingly”.
Moloney’s passion for Clare hurling is reflected in the amount of work he has done and continues to do putting structures in place to help prepare players to represent Clare at the highest level.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, he said he was “delighted with the semi-final win over Newmarket-on-Fergus. It was a really good game, hugely competitive, in which the lead changed hand on a number of occasions. Both
teams played their best when against the breeze. The game was played at championship intensity for the most part”.
Scariff will again be without a number of their panel for Saturday’s final and included in the absentees will be Mark Rodgers who is part of the Clare panel for Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final clash with Limerick along with Scott Cairns and Éanna O’Brien who are currently in the U.S. Facing off with O’Callaghans Mills in Saturday’s final has generated plenty of interest for the game in East Clare. “Clubs with lower population go through bigger peaks and troughs in terms of the level of performance. It’s down to demographics. Look at Feakle and how well they have done in last seven or eight years. The Mills were relegated but bounced back
straight away. They are working exceptionally hard with their resources and so are all clubs in Clare. People recognise that we need to manage our resources very well”.
The Scariff manager expects that there will be a big attendance at Dr. Daly Park on Saturday. “Both clubs have a strong loyal following and this final will also generate some interest outside both parishes. Some people don’t treat this competition with huge importance but for us it’s the only competition at present The championship will take care of itself when the time comes, right now we have to prepare for this game and adjust when the championship comes. We are of the view this is important for developing players and that’s the way both have approached the competition this year”.
Clare Cup has helped Mills find their feet at senior level
By Eoin Brennan
CLARE
CUP fare has meant more to O’Callaghans Mills than any other side to date in this year’s competition.
With the results to back it up, the Mills were the only side to qualify for the quarter-finals with their unbeaten status intact and they have maintained this run recording wins over Clooney/Quin and Kilmaley in the knockout stages. It sees the 2023 Clare Cup winners face off with fellow East Clare side Scariff in Saturday’s final which commences at 13:00 in Dr Daly Park, Tulla. They will be without the injured Gary Cooney and Colm Cleary who is in the US.
Bodyke’s Seán Doyle has brought an undoubted bounce to the Mills, guiding them straight back to the senior ranks with their Clare PIHC glory last year and they have kept this run going into the league campaign in 2026.
O’Callaghans Mills needed to deliver when it came to the Clare Cup, Doyle felt. “To be honest, the Clare Cup has probably meant more to the Mills than a lot of the other teams because we were conscious that we had to try and find our feet back at senior so even though we had a good Clare Cup campaign last year as well, we know what’s coming down the road in a few weeks time for championship as well”.
Along with their determination to prove a point in the league, the Mills have also used it as
a chance to try blood more players. “We’ve taken the Clare Cup seriously enough but we’ve also given a lot of players game-time too over the course of the eight matches and changed our team around every day. Funnily enough, the semi-final against Kilmaley was probably the weakest team we’d put out as we had a lot of players out injured and a few away on holidays and a J1 too. Those players that have come in have done well though and it’s great to get good competitive games like this heading into the championship”.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Seán admitted getting to the league final was not on their radar when they set out their stall for 2026. “We obviously didn’t initially have a Clare Cup Final in our championship plans but obviously it’s hugely positive that we’re in it now and it’s another big test to really look forward to”.
Young guns have impressed for the Fireballs with former Clare minor Liam Murphy bringing a new energy and goal threat to their already lively inside line. “The addition of Liam Murphy and Sean Boyce was crucial in the semi-final and Liam’s goal proved the ultimate difference really. He had been out for a while as he was doing the Leaving Cert while Sean was obviously with the Clare Under 20’s. So we hope to get a few others back for the final and try to put our best foot forward against Scariff] and see where it takes us.”
Supporters flock to get an autograph from Shane O’Donnell
Photo by Ruth Griffin
Scariff’s Shane Kavanagh
Photo by Ruth Griffin
Liam Murphy’s addition to the Mills senior squad has been a big plus
Photo by Ruth Griffin
Kildysart promoted to Cusack Cup with penalty shootout success
by Páraic McMahon
KILDYSART secured an immediate promotion back to the Cusack Cup and also claimed their place in the Garry Cup final, beating Doonbeg in a penalty shootout.
In what has been one of the most pulsating Garry Cup campaigns, it took the most dramatic of endings to determine that Kildysart will face off with Clondegad in the second tier league decider but also join their Shannon Estuary neighbours in securing promotion to the Cusack Cup. It is the first time a penalty shootout has determined which team has secured promotion to the top tier.
Heading into the final round, Kildysart were at risk of relegation to Division 3 but they have completed a remarkable turnaround to ensure they have bounced back to the Cusack Cup at the first attempt. They’ve gone unbeaten since defeating Corofin at the beginning of May, following it up with wins over Cratloe and Wolfe Tones to make the semi-finals where they just about took down Doonbeg.
One of the more impressive aspects to the outcome was that Kildysart were fairly threadbare, introducing two of their substitute
goalkeepers from the bench in extra time while they were without Emmet McMahon, Diarmuid O’Donnell, Jamie Evans and Seamus Casey who offer serious firepower along with Conall Casey and Jamie Sheehan.
It was flagged in The Clare Echo that their 0-15 0-13 win over Corofin “could be the moment which sparked their year into gear” and they have certainly put their championship preparation on a solid footing and they will only go in an upward direction when they are back to full strength.
Missing out on promotion will hurt Doonbeg, especially so when they were the dominant side in the second half but were unable to close out the game. As they turn their gaze towards the Clare SFC, they can take solace in the fact that their Garry Cup run has more pluses than minuses, they are in a stronger spot for the championship with the influx of new talent like Darragh O’Sullivan and Gearoid White, seeing Darragh Burns back in action following an injury-ridden year is a massive boost and when they have David Tubridy back to full fitness and Tadhg Lillis on the field they will be better placed to cause upsets in Group 1.
Luke McGrath, Rory McMahon,
Fergal Ginnane and Oisin Coyle all converted penalties in the shootout to send Kildysart into the Garry Cup final and to secure promotion. McGrath chipped his effort to the top right corner, McMahon and Coyle both opted for the bottom left with Ginnane putting power in his shot when hitting the bottom left. Liam Casey’s effort was superbly saved by Eamon Tubridy.
Proficiency with penalties wasn’t a strongpoint for Doonbeg, Cathal Killeen and Gavin O’Shea had tame efforts kept out by Conor Cusack, the netminder got a hand to Darragh O’Sullivan’s spot kick but he had too much power in his shot while Mikie and David Tubridy both hit the back of the net.
Level eight times over the course of normal and extra time, it was fullback Fergal Ginnane’s score on fifty three minutes that forced extra time while Darragh O’Sullivan sent the game to penalties when converting a free on seventy one minutes.
Shanahan McNamara Memorial Park didn’t seem to get the memo so far as the European heatwave was concerned with constant rain throughout the game. Kildysart started the brighter with Liam Casey and Luke McGrath scoring a single and
two pointer respectively to hold a three point advantage by the third minute.
Cathal and Eoin Killeen replied to get Doonbeg off the mark and two Eamon Tubridy 45s had them level on the nineteenth minute. Darragh Burns kicked a two pointer on twenty minutes to give them the lead for the first time.
They should have gone further ahead, Darragh O’Sullivan who was fouled to win a penalty had his effort easily stopped by Conor Cusack. Instead of raising a green flag, they saw an orange flag waved at the opposite end with Kildysart working the ball up field to allow Liam Casey split the posts. Burns pulled back a free for the hosts before Casey landed two more points to give Kildysart a 0-9 0-7 half-time advantage.
Within twenty five seconds of the restart, Kildysart raided for goal. Daniel Moloney was on hand after Luke McGrath gifted him the ball to palm to the net.
Key to Doonbeg getting back into the game was how they responded to the concession of the goal. They kicked four of the next five scores, including two pointers from Eamon and Mikie Tubridy to lead by one entering the final quarter. They
got three points alone from hurting Kildysart on their own kickouts, Darragh Burns winning two turnovers from Conor Cusack restarts and this is the big area that the Shannon Estuary side need to improve on for the championship.
Crucially the Magpies only landed two more scores in the remainder of the tie while Fergal Ginnane really stepped up with a brace of points in the final quarter, Darragh Murtagh also splitting the posts to set up extra time.
Black cards in either half of extra time hurt the Doonbeg challenge. Kevin McInerney was first to be ticked by referee Eoin Keane, heading for the sideline on sixty six minutes, Eoin Conway joining him on seventy four minutes, leaving them down to thirteen players for a period of two minutes. Ironically it was during this spell that they struck for their only goal, Eoin Killeen weaving through challenges before firing to the net.
When it was half time in extra time and once the additional period had concluded, the sides remained tied which meant the final outcome would be decided by penalties where Kildysart reigned supreme.
Shine yet to decide on future as Clare ladies football manager
by Páraic McMahon
CLARE intermediate ladies football manager Graham Shine has said he will take time to consider his position. Appointed manager in October 2024, Shine’s two seasons in charge have seen the county fail to progress beyond the quarter-finals of the TG4 All-Ireland intermediate ladies football championship.
Relegation from Division 2 of the Lidl Ladies Football National League marked a difficult start to his tenure in 2025 with Clare just about clinging on to their Division 3 status this season.
When asked by The Clare Echo on his future as manager, Graham stated, “That is not for today, you walk off the field and you are absolutely gutted, we put our heart and soul into it for thirty or forty hours a week, getting home at 11:30 every Wednesday and Friday, we do it because we love it”.
Shine expressed his respect and appreciation for the panel of Clare players. “I love that bunch of girls and what they have given to me this year because I’ve had a tough year personally, what that group did for me and stood by me this year till the day I won’t forget it. Whatever criticism ye can throw at me because I tell you
one thing for nothing you should be very proud of them because they are giving their soul for Clare, it will click for them, not today and we’re awful disappointed but give them time”.
Planning ahead when it comes to player availability remains an issue in Clare, he noted. “When I came in 2024 we thought we’d have the same panel the year after but when I rang there was nineteen gone, you don’t know what is going to happen down the road, we’re very disappointed but there is a great circle and a great group there, everyone is together but who knows who will be playing for Clare next year, who will be travelling, a lot of them will be in fourth year in college and who knows if they will be playing football, nobody knows until November”.
He was joined on the management this season by coach Niall Hickey from Kilmurry Ibrickane, fellow Kerry men Tim Kennelly and Mike Moriarty served as selectors with Therese Doohan former registrar and also from Kilmurry Ibrickane the team’s FLO.
Former Clare goalkeeper Emma O’Driscoll and O’Currys clubman Eoin Murray who coached St Joseph’s Miltown to win the Clare SFC in 2018 were part of the Clare management in 2025 but did not
continue in their roles for 2025. Cooraclare’s David O’Brien was part of the initial management team in 2025 but left the role following the National League this year. On the playing front, the exit door has also been busy over the past two seasons. County champions Kilmihil had no representatives on the county squad this season, former captain
Caoimhe Harvey of West Clare Gaels was a huge loss after leaving the squad following the National League. Roisin Considine of Liscannor who lined out in the 2016 and 2023 All-Ireland finals, goalkeeper Amy Lenihan, defender Grainne Harvey, Éire Óg’s Roisin Martin and Doonbeg forward Lucy Shanahan were among the players from the 2025 side not in-
volved this year.
Part of Wayne Freeman’s management in 2024 when Clare exited the quarter-finals losing to Tyrone, the Listowel native managed the Kerry ladies footballers for two seasons, winning the Munster senior championship in 2017 and losing the All-Ireland semi-final to eventual winners Dublin before stepping down midway through the 2018 campaign after Kerry were relegated to Division 2 of the League. He was also at the helm of the U16s as they won two provincial and two All-Ireland crowns in 2015 and 2016.
Graham was in charge of Limerick up until September 2023. During his two year term, the Treaty County reached the All-Ireland Junior final and the Division 4 League Final. appointed to have finished on such a bum note. Focus for them will now switch to the Clare IFC and their chances of success would arguably be boosted by the presence of more dual players, including those on the county senior hurling panel. The return of Darragh Leahy to the squad is a plus and in his only involvement, he struck a smart delivery that led to the final score of the game. Dean Devanney was their most prolific player followed by Aaron Kelly.
Niall Hickey and Graham Shine
Photo by Burren Eye Photography
Croke Park return represents ‘huge occasion’ for Clare camogie team
Moloney hands over the Mike as Tulla Utd boss
by Eoin Brennan
FACING OFF with Tipperary in the curtain-raiser to the All-Ireland SHC semi-final will be “a huge occasion” for Clare camogie.
Clare will line out in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie quarter-finals for the second year running and take on Tipperary in Croke Park at 13:30 on Sunday prior to the meeting of Clare and Limerick in the All-Ireland SHC semi-final.
Returning to Croke Park had been the primary goal for manager Eugene Foudy since succeeding John Carmody in the winter. “We’re delighted to have won and got back to Croke Park which was our aim since last year’s quarter-final”.
Following a 4-14 1-8 trouncing to Kilkenny, Clare bounced back to secure their place in the last six by defeating Offaly 0-16 1-8 on Saturday. “We probably didn’t do ourselves justice against Kilkenny and the scoreline looks a lot worse than it actually was. I mean with ten minutes to go, there were only four or five points in it but they brought on fresh legs and eventually ran out easy winners. But our girls knew that
they still had that second chance against Offaly and they came back into training last week really eager and looking forward to bouncing back. They were determined not to let one setback destroy their season and as a result we weren’t going to let this game slip from our grasp,” Foudy said.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, the Inagh native stated, “It wasn’t easy though and we had to dig deep as Offaly have been very impressive this year in their first year back at senior and held a very proud home record that we found difficult to break.
However, we got there in the end and now we can look forward to an All-Ireland Quarter-Final against Tipperary next Sunday.
“Being a double header with the hurlers is brilliant and makes it a huge occasion. It’s a massive occasion for the girls and their families and equally so for the backroom team from Aaron [Considine] to Darragh [Moloney] and even Josephine (Taaffe} and Anne [McNamara] so we are eager to put our best foot forward and feed off the Clare support on Sunday,” he added.
by Páraic McMahon
CLARE’s senior camogie side will line out in Croke Park as part of a double header with the county’s hurlers this weekend.
Saturday’s 0-16 1-8 win over Offaly ensured Clare will be in the quarter-finals of the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie championship for the second year running.
On Monday, Eugene Foudy’s side were drawn against Tipperary with Kilkenny to face Waterford in the other quarter-final. Cork and Galway finished as the top two sides in Group 1 and advance directly to the semi-finals.
Both of the quarter-finals will be played as curtain-raisers to the All-Ireland SHC semi-finals. Clare’s camogie side will be hopeful to capitalise on extra support with the senior hurlers facing off with Limerick
in Croke Park following their game. Neighbours Waterford and Kilkenny will face off prior to the clash of Cork and Galway in the All-Ireland SHC semi-final on Saturday.
Wins over Dublin, Wexford, Limerick and Offaly sealed Clare’s place in the knockout stages finishing second in Group 2 behind Kilkenny,
A new structure for the championship saw the top four seeded teams drawn against each other in Group 1. Tipperary found matters difficult here and failed to win any of their four games but still find themselves sixty minutes from an All-Ireland semi-final.
Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie championship quarter-finals: Tipperary vs Clare Waterford vs Kilkenny
by Páraic McMahon
MIKE MOLONEY has stepped down as manager of Tulla Utd after five seasons in charge.
Moloney has spearheaded the East Clare club’s rise from the First Division to becoming one of the top four clubs in the county with a Clare Cup final and two semi-final appearances in this spell while also reaching the last sixteen of the FAI Junior Cup.
From avoiding a relegation playoff in 2022/23, Tulla have gone from strength to strength, finishing sixth in the Premier Division in 23/24, joint third in 24/25 and most recently fourth in the top tier for 25/26.
Barry Murphy will succeed him as Tulla Utd boss for a second stint as manager in a set-up which also includes James Carrig as head coach, Owen Kilker as goalkeeper coach, Jason McCarthy (S&C), Keith Hassett (medical) and Mike O’Connor (video analysis).
In his first interview since bowing out as manager, Moloney told The Clare Echo that the team needed a fresh voice in the dressing room. “I’ve been thinking about it since the start of the season, I’ve six years done and five seasons, one of those was during COVID, I felt that after that period of time there was some lads with me for six years and a group of six lads who have had me as their manager since U12s so it was time for them to have a new voice and a different approach. I announced to the club in the middle of May in order to give them a bit of a heads-up and an opportunity to look around for a replacement”.
With Tulla still involved in the FAI Junior Cup, their next outing is in August against Castlebar Celtic, Mike admitted it was tricky to step aside with national honours still up for grabs. “It was a little but if you take it, it will be a lovely situation for Barry Murphy who is coming in to take over the team, it is a great way to prepare, you’d be doing pre-season and wouldn’t normally have that incentive, it wasn’t a problem for me stepping away, I felt the end of the CDSL season was a natural end. It is the players who have got us to the last sixteen of the FAI, they will all be going forward, seeing it out and hopefully going further. I’m looking forward to the Castlebar game myself and seeing how the lads get on”. Seeing Tulla emerge as a force in the county is a source of pride for Moloney. “It has been great to see the progress we have made with a very young group of players, my policy was very much that we would trust the players that have come up from our underage, the 23 players in our squad this season just past were all Tulla Utd players from schoolboy level except Ayoub Aguerram who has never played with any other team in Ireland bar Tulla. I took over in 2020 feeling we weren’t showing what was being produced from underage and maybe there was a bit of a disconnect with what was in our underage and our adult team, I really wanted to see the group of players that I had in particular go into a really solid adult set-up, I also wanted to see the club for the efforts we were putting into coaching players that we could perform better at adult level, I
felt we were underperforming for all the work that was being put in, to see us know in the top four and the last sixteen of the FAI having got to a Cup final and lost narrowly, we’ve been in two Cup semi-finals, I think we are where we should be. I think the right person is taking over in Barry Murphy”.
Clubs that get promoted to the Premier Division will take time to adapt to the top tier and the longer they can stay together and avoid dropping down, the stronger the force they will become, Mike maintained. “Players need the experience of playing at that level where every game every week is a difficult game, everyone knows it is difficult to play Newmarket Celtic, Avenue Utd, Bridge Utd and Shannon Town but nobody can tell me it is easy to go over to Kilrush in November or December and try get points over there or the teams that come up every season from the First Division who all come up on a bounce. Lads who were aged eighteen to twenty, the likes of Dara Ryan, Diarmuid Molloy, Fiachra Hale, Seán Withycombe who I had underage, they needed a few seasons to get to that level but I knew they had the ability to do it, you need to give them the time, the alternative is you go shopping for players, they come in and replace those lads, they never get the chance to realise the potential they have, if you give them the opportunity and some of that means tough defeats, we lost plenty of games in our first two seasons back in the Premier Division but it didn’t demoralise lads because we knew we were headed in a particular direction. With that experience under their belt and the ability they have and the next wave that came after them that had Adam Kilker, Glen McNamara, Callum Casey, Frankie O’Sullivan, Darragh Baker
the ability that those lads have and are bringing coming behind the older fellas has meant we can now compete with Avenue Utd and Newmarket Celtic without having made the breakthrough and winning an elusive trophy, that is the next step and the challenge for Barry”.
On how far Tulla are from claiming one of the big trophies in Clare soccer, Mike commented, “It is very hard to say, everybody starts at the bottom of the hill every season, you can’t afford to drop a handful of points if you are going to win the league. Newmarket Celtic went this season with fourteen wins and two draws, one of those was against us, you have to be incredibly consistent. Eoin Hayes said before ‘you have to beat all the teams that you should be beating and then it is those matches against the top clubs that will decide whether you win the league or not’ but if you don’t win the other games you never get the opportunity and the big games aren’t big games anymore. I think we’re close, it will demand the commitment from the players to get that extra little piece.
Moloney will stay involved with Tulla Utd but does not intend to have a coaching role this season. “There will be plenty of other things to do in the club, there’s always something to do there whether it is on administrative side or whether it is on the coaching side, just because you’re not there with the high-profile gig doesn’t mean there’s not other work to be done. I see myself taking a break for a while and then see what happens next, I’m looking forward to seeing how the lads go and progress, it will be nice to have the pressure off and watch from the sideline”.
Extended interview and much more available for subscribers at clareecho.ie
Mike Moloney
Photo by Gerard O’Neill
Clare captain Clare Hehir in possession
Photo by Gerard O’Neill
SCAN HERE FOR MATCH REPORT
Connie in winning form at Shannon
by Seamus Hayes news@clareecho.ie
LADY captains’ prizes took centre stage across the county over the past week, with strong entries at Shannon and Kilrush, while Woodstock, Ennis, Dromoland and Gort also crowned competition winners and Shannon Chamber hosted another successful annual golf classic.
Shannon Golf Club:
Lady captain Joan Hoctor’s prize was played for at Shannon last weekend when Connie Corry (20), winner of the Rineanna Trophy a few days earlier, maintained that impressive form to claim Joan’s prize with 72 nett.
Ellie Pyke (14) returned the best score with 71 but was ineligible for the main prize due to insufficient qualifying rounds.
Suzanne McMahon (19) was third with 73 nett while Michelle Pyke (8) won the gross.
The lady captain’s prize to the men was won by Joseph Sheehan (20)
with 39 points, one ahead of Ray Ryan (19). Edward Hickey (0) won the gross. Connie Corry also won the ladies Rineanna Trophy on countback from Lucy Twomey (29). Laura O’Brien (8) won the gross.
Last week’s men’s open singles was won by Paul Ryan (24) with 40 points from Gerard Sheehan (7). John Dolan (+2) won the gross.
Michael Mulqueen (10) won the men’s green tee challenge with 39 points.
Kilrush Golf Club:
Vice-captain Jim Kelly’s prize was won by Ruairi Young (10) with 43 points, one ahead of Fergal O’Grady (15). Padraic O’Dubhshlaine won the gross.
The Ryan Butchers ladies stableford was won by Anna Moody (21) with 40 points.
Lady vice-captain Fiona Kinsella’s prize was won by Agnes Shannon (25) with 67 nett. Anne Marie Donnellan won the gross.
Woodstock Golf Club:
President Mary McNamara’s prize will be played this weekend.
The Holly’s Haven Pharmacy mixed scramble was won by Liam O’Connor, Edel Clune, Vincent O’Grady and Siobhan Maher.
Ger Browne (32) won last week’s AMR Open Singles with 45 points to qualify for the season-ending grand final. Ross Darmody won the gross.
The Woodstock Masters Order of Merit singles was won by Gerry Kelly (6) with 42 points while Kieran Dromey won the gross.
Kathleen McEnery won the ladies singles stableford with 39 points.
Spanish Point Golf Club:
Fiona O’Boyle won the Eleanor Tivy qualifier with 35 points, three ahead of Niamh O’Regan.
East Clare Golf Club:
Corey Downes (29) won the men’s singles stableford with 44 points, one ahead of Michael McInerney (22). Jack Whelan won the gross.
The John Stack Memorial Trophy was won by Colm Kelly and Mike Noonan.
Dromoland Golf Club:
Alfred Jones won the men’s monthly medal on countback from John Hourigan. Brian Shally won the gross.
The ladies player of the year competition was won by Mairead Toomey with 37 points, one ahead of Siobhan Dyar. Leslie O’Flynn won the gross.
Ennis Golf Club:
Fergal Croke (17) won the Cahercalla Cup on countback from Alfred Jones (9). Alan Butler won the gross.
Ann A. Gallery won the silver division of the June Medal while Helen Gallery claimed the bronze division.
Friday’s singles was won by Lily-May Horgan (40) with 44 points.
Ennis suffered defeats in both the Senior Cup and the Ladies Munster Challenge Cup.
Gort Golf Club:
Brian Leahy (27) won lady captain Patsy Lyons’ prize to the men with 43 points. Tony Finnegan won the gross.
David Kennedy won Friday’s open singles with 41 points.
Tiermana Dream brings Treaty Cup to West Clare
By Michael Maher
The final of the 2026 West Limerick Treaty Cup Open 350 took centre stage at Limerick Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night and, fittingly it was Tiermana Dream who capped a flawless campaign with a dominant all-the-way success for trainer Colm Fitzgerald of Kilrush and owned by the Zero-Zero Syndicate.
Having set the standard in both the opening round and semi-finals, posting sensational times of 18.55 and 18.31 respectively, the son of Ballyhimikin Jet and Tiermana Jetty was a deserved even money favourite to land the €5,000 first prize and he duly delivered in emphatic fashion.
Drawn in trap five, Tiermana Dream asserted from traprise, displaying the electric early pace that has become his trademark throughout the competition. In contrast, defending champion Stonepark Browne once again missed the break by his usual high standards before encountering traffic on the run to the opening bend, effectively ending his hopes of re-
taining the title. With his chief rival out of contention, Tiermana Dream soon opened a decisive advantage and, from there, was always in complete command. Travelling with terrific fluency throughout, Fitzgerald’s star maintained a relentless gallop to the line, stopping the clock in a blistering 18.44 to complete an impressive clean sweep in the competition and further cementing his reputation as one of Ireland’s premier sprinters. There was further cause for celebration for Colm Fitzgerald as Tiermana Hunter, owned by the Supping-Away Syndicate, filled the runner-up position. Better known as a four-bend performer, the litter brother to the winner displayed huge versatility by adapting seamlessly to the sprint trip, staying on strongly to complete a one-two for the kennel. The podium was completed by Tally Ho Rose, who was a further two lengths back in third. Saturday night’s Galway card featured the opening round heats of Sean Scully Memorial A5 525 Yards Stake generously sponsored by the Scully family which commemorates one of the great gen-
tlemen of our sport and one of the shrewdest judges of a greyhounds ability who sadly passed away in 2005. With the card also having the final of the Western Owners & Breeders Association A1 525 Stake Final.
In the A4 graded fifth contest Island Ivy and Substance were both away well on the wide outside with Island Ivy holding a narrow advantage approaching the opening bend with Portumna Amber in third place as the met the turn. Rounding the bend the striped jacketed Substance ran right round her rivals and as they entered the back straight the daughter of Slippery Robert and Be Slow Teresa led Portumna Amber by three lengths with Island Ivy a half length adrift in third place. Exiting the back straight Substance still led by three lengths but Portumna amber began to close approaching the home turn and close home the Michael J. Malone of Liscannor owned Substance was searching for the line at which she was half a length to the good crossing in a time of 29.27.
Evelyn Fahey won the Commins Trophy while Hannah McInerney won the gross. Friday’s ladies open singles was won by Brid Horan.
Kildysart Golf Society:
Sean Finnucane, helped by a hole-in-one at the 18th, won the society outing to Portumna ahead of Mark Cottam. The next outing is to Kilrush on July 12 for the Vincent Ward Cup.
Shannon Chamber Classic:
Fifty-five teams competed in the annual Shannon Chamber Golf Classic at Shannon Golf Club.
The DSV team of Neil O’Brien, Evan O’Brien, Jason O’Donnell and Damian Casey won with a net score of 53.4 ahead of Crowe’s Costcutters and ESB Generation and Trading.
Martina O’Reilly won the ladies’ longest drive, Jason Tobin the men’s longest drive and David O’Driscoll the nearestthe-pin prize.
The prize presentation will take place at Shannon Golf Club on July 22.
Shannon Chamber CEO
Helen Downes thanked title sponsor Ei Electronics, Shannon Golf Club and the many sponsors who contributed to an-
other successful event. Planning is already under way for the
Coughlan signs twoyear deal with Munster
By Páraic McMahon
ETHAN COUGHLAN has put pen to paper on a new two-year contract with Munster Rugby.
Scrum-half Ethan will stay with the pronvice until at least 2028 as a result of the new deal.
Twenty four year old Coughlan has scored three tries in 31 Munster appearances since making his debut in the famous Champions Cup win over Wasps in December 2021. Coughlan joined the Munster Rugby Academy in the summer of 2021 after helping Ennis RFC to the Munster U16s title in 2018 and U18 honours in 2020. He captained the Ireland U18 Clubs in Italy in 2019
before signing up with All Ireland League side Shannon RFC. Ethan featured for the Ireland U20s in 2022 and made his first URC start against Sharks at Thomond Park in October 2023, enjoying an excellent 2023/24 campaign with six senior appearances. In total, he made ten senior appearances over his three years in the Academy before moving up to the senior squad in 2024. He made ten appearances in his first year as a member of the senior squad and has made eleven appearances so far this season, scoring intercept tries against Leinster and Glasgow Warriors.
2027 Shannon Chamber Classic.
Joan Hoctor, Shannon Golf Club lady captain (right) presents her prize to the winner Connie Corry Photo by Joe Buckley
Ethan Coughlan
Photo by ©INPHO/Nick Elliott
PLANNING
CLOGHAUN, LISDOONVARNA, CO.
CLARE, V95 T329
Take notice that Christine Malsy intends to apply for permission to retain the dwelling as built on site, extend the existing dwelling & all other associated site and ancillary works at the above address.
The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, during its public opening hours.
A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.
BALLYMULQUEENY,
BAREFIELD, ENNIS, CO. CLARE
Take notice that Jane Harris & James Whelan intend to apply for permission to build a new dwelling, garage, install a waste treatment system & all other associated site and ancillary works at the above address.
The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, during its public opening hours.
A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.
DERRYNAVAHAGH, FANORE, CO CLARE
Take notice that Denis McMahon intends to apply for permission to retain 1. The changes to the garage and its conversion to an ancillary residential unit for the enjoyment of the occupants of the main dwelling, 2. The shed and hardstanding area to the rear of the dwelling, 3. The excavation of limestone pavement and deposition of same on site, and for Permission to complete the dwelling house on site & all other associated site and ancillary works at the above address. A Natura Impact Statement has been prepared in relation to this application and will be included with the plans and documents submitted. The planning application
may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, during its public opening hours.
A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.
BALLYSALLAGH, DOOLIN, CO.
CLARE
Take notice that Shane O Dea intends to apply for permission to retain and complete the dwelling on site, with the changes to that granted under reference P20/60 & all other associated site and ancillary works at the above address.
The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, during its public opening hours.
A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.
CLARE CO. COUNCIL COMMONS SOUTH, KILNABOY, CO. CLARE.
Take notice that Fiachra Roche and Jessie Jordan intends to apply for permission for development, the development will consist of the construction of a dwelling house, new waste water treatment system with percolation area and associated site works at the above address.
The planning application maybe inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority during its public opening hours.
A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application
CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL DRUMMINAKELA, SIXMILEBRIDGE, CO CLARE.
Take notice that Niamh
O’Gorman and Alex brady intends to apply for Planning permission to construct a new dwelling house, private garage, site entrance, on-site wastewater treatment system and 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 authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.
CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL
EI Electronics Unlimited Company intends to apply to Clare County Council for Permission for development at EI Electronics Unlimited Company, Shannon Free Zone, Drumgeely Townland, Shannon, Co. Clare, V14 H020. The proposed development will consist of the installation of a rooftop solar photovoltaic system on the roofs of Bay 42 and Bay 43 within Block U, 40-47, and the Warehouse and Office Building within the EI Electronics Unlimited Company premises. The development will have an approximate capacity of 505 kWp DC and 400 kW AC, comprising approximately 1,010 photovoltaic panels, with an approximate installation area of 9,640.68 square metres, equivalent to approximately 0.964 hectares, together with associated mounting systems, electrical cabling, connection to the existing on site electrical infrastructure, ancillary electrical equipment and all associated site development works. This development is covered by the provisions of the Renewable Energy Directive III (Directive (EU) 2023/2413), and it is important to note that the planning application may be subject to Section 34D of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Where a notice issues in accordance with Section 34D(b), the provisions of Article 26A of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 to 2025 shall apply.
The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee
not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Authority, Clare County Council, Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare, V95 DXP2, 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 (a) 5 weeks, or (b) 2 weeks, in the case of a planning application for small scale solar energy equipment or development that is the installation of a small scale non ground source heat pump, 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. Signed: Greenvolt Next Ireland Limited, Confederation House, Block C and D, Waterford Business Park, Cork Road, Waterford, X91 T449. Phone 051 364054.
NOTICES
An Chuirt Duiche The District Court Public Dance Halls Act, 1935 NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PUBLIC DANCING LICENCE District Court Area of Ennis District No. 12 Kasterwell Limited Applicant TAKE NOTICE that the abovenamed Applicant Kasterwell Limited of 13-18 City Quay, Dublin intends to apply to the Annual Licensing Court at Ennis District Court on the 25 th of September 2026 at 10:30am for the grant of an Annual Dance Licence a Licence to use a particular place, to wit: Hotel Woodstock, Shanaway Road, Ennis, Co. Clare situate in court area and district aforesaid, for public dancing.
Dated this 26 th day of June 2026 Signed McMahon O'Brien Tynan Solicitor for Applicant Mill House, Henry Street, Limerick.
To The District Court Clerk, The Courthouse, Ennis, Co. Clare And The Garda Superintendent, Ennis Garda Station, Abbey Street, Ennis, Co. Clare And Chief Fire Officer, Clare Fire Station, Ennis, Co. Clare And Clare County Council, Ennis, Co. Clare
Case No:
C:LIC:SWCL:2026:000712
Courts Licence No.: LIC-12330
Revenue Licence No: LIP1099
An Chúirt Chuarda The Circuit Court South Western Circuit Court County of Clare In the Matter of: The Licencing Acts 1833 to 2000 and The Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act, 1961 and Section 2(2) of the Licencing (Ireland) Act, 1902 as amended by Section 23 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1960
Notice of Application
Thomas Hogan as Nominee Applicant
TAKE NOTICE that the abovenamed Applicant Thomas Hogan as nominee of Thola Limited of Reiscamogue, Sixmilebridge, Clare intends to apply to this Honourable Court sitting at Ennis in the County of Clare at the sitting thereof on the 21 Jul 2026 at 14.00 and this this application be taken in its order in the Court list for a Certificate entitling and enabling the Applicant to receive a Publican’s Licence (7-Day Ordinary) for the sale of intoxicating liquor by retail for consumption on and off the premises known as The Mill Bar and situate at Sixmilebridge, Clare which said premises are more particularly described upon the drawings and plans accompanying this Application.
Dated this 29 th day of June 2026
Signed Thola Limited
Applicant
To the Garda Superintendent at CT.Clare.CE@Garda.ie, Ennis Garda Station, Abbey Street, Ennis, Clare, V95 TR83
To the Fire Officer at fireoff@ clarecoco.ie, Clare Fire Station, Ennis, Clare, V95 CD74
To the Health Service Executive Official at pehoclare@hse.ie
SUDOKU
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.
The Clare Echo Crossword
ACROSS
Tardy(4)
Undying(8) 9 Ungraciously curt(7)
Cold(5)
Concur(5)
Kidnap(6)
Waylay(6)
Spanish rice dish(6)
Bird with a long curved bill(6)
Light weight(5)
Path of a planet(5)
Cradle song(7)
Shunters (anag.)(8)
Capri, for example(4)
1 Unauthorised passenger(8) 2 Tender(5) 4 Noon(6) 5 Possessed(5) 6 Characteristic(7) 7 Short narrative poems(4) 8 Strata(6)
Bronte heroine(4,4)
American whisky(7)
Handsome Greek god(6)
Resides(6)
By and by(5)
Approaches(5) 23 The two of them(4)
ANSWERS
CROSSWORD ANSWERS
The Clare Echo Quiz
To whom is there a holy well dedicated to in Liscannor?
St. Joseph
St. John
St. Bridget
What is one thing Liscannor is famous for?
Roads
Flagstone
Horticulture
What is the name of the pub in Liscannor that has a famous song written about it ?
Joseph McHugh’s O’Briens
Vaughans
Who wrote the song Liscannor Bay?
Christy Moore
Mick Flynn
Andy Irvine
5 O’Brien’s Tower was named after Cornelius O’Brien, what was his profession ?
Farmer
Member of Parliament
Builder
How many people live in Liscannor according to the last census?
How far did The Shore Wall Art Project in Clahane stretch?
What is the name of the woman who started The Shore Wall Art Project in Clahane?
Ann Vaughan
Rachel Clancy
Amy Considine
What is the name of the man who invented the submarine?
John Holland
Joseph Murphy
Tom Mc Mahon
In what year did he receive a contract from the U.S to build a submarine?
Spot the Difference
Can you spot the difference? Spot the 7 differences. The answers will be revealed in next weeks edition.
