Former Clare hurling All-Star Jamesie O’Connor has a new role as selector with the Munster hurling team for this year’s Martin Donnelly inter-provincial series.The Munster team is managed by Tipperary’s Liam Sheedy, with Waterford’s Stephen Frampton making up the triumvirate.Munster face Leinster on Sunday, February 19 in Nolan Park, Kilkenny, with the final scheduled for Sunday, March 4.In the football equivalent, Ger O’Sullivan (Kerry) will manage the team and he will be joined by John Kennedy, coach of Clare county champions Kilmurry Ibrickane, and Maurice Horan (Limerick). Munster play Leinster in the semi-final in Parnell Park on February 19, with the final on Sunday, February 26.

  THE sporting career of teenager Jane Taylor is moving forward in leaps and bounds after the young gymnast was selected for the Junior Irish National Gymnastics squad.The 14-year-old is the first from the Ennis Gymnastic Club to qualify for the national team. Jane, who trains 16 hours a week, said, “I’m delighted to have made the team. Gymnastics is a great sport and I’ve been involved with it since I was eight. It all started when I was doing cartwheels around the house. As part of the national squad I will have to go to Dublin four or five times a year for training and I expect there will be some big competitions after that. Gymnastics is a great all-round sport and I’ve made some great friends through it.”Jane, a student of Coláiste Muire, made the team following her performance at the National Team Championships. She is now set to compete in the Celtic Cup in Dublin, where Ennis …

A GALWAY woman who experienced great difficulty conceiving a second child has used her own personal experience to open a dedicated fertility medical acupuncture clinic in Oranmore.Brenda Aylmer didn’t have any major difficulty getting pregnant for her first child, who is now six years of age, but found herself unexpectedly among 60% of couples who experience difficulties conceiving again, despite having one or two more children.Brenda recalls she went through an extremely difficult period when she realised it wasn’t going to be plain sailing second time round.“It was a shock to the system and it took a while to come to terms with. We had no problems with the first and when you have one child and you see the joy that it brings, you want a second one. This presented its own challenges when difficulties emerged having spent about two and a half years trying to get pregnant.“Mentally, it was a very tough, frustrating and challenging time. You need …

SECOND Chance Animal Rescue (SCAR) have recently opened a second-hand shop in Tulla to help raise funds for the charity so that it can continue to rescue animals and find good homes for them. SCAR rescues all manner of animals and was responsible for rescuing and finding a home for a lame fox found in the Tulla area last year after she was turned in to the local veterinary office. The animal was dubbed Ms Erica Fox and was taken in and cared for by a family in County Limerick who had two other pet foxes. Frances Murphy runs SCAR currently and explains how the opening of this shop and others in the county will help them not only to continue their service but also help employ people. “Our donations are down and these second-hand shops are the way to go. Limerick animal welfare currently has three. We have two in Shannon and it is our intention to open one …

Providing a new Shannon crossing and associated link roads in Killaloe and Ballina could “bridge” a total investment of €63 million, a local Minister of State has claimed.Minister for Public Transport and Commuter Affairs, Alan Kelly estimates the construction of a new bridge linking Ballina and Killaloe, a Killaloe Bypass and upgrading of the Ballina to Birdhill regional road costing over €40.6m could deliver an overall €63m boost to the local economy, between construction and the savings on journey times.Minister Kelly made the claim after Transport Minister Leo Varadkar approved the allocation of €500,000 to Clare County Council allowing the River Shannon Crossing Project to be brought forward to An Bord Pleanála for consideration.Minister Varadkar approved the publication of the Statutory Orders by Clare County Council for the construction of the Killaloe Bypass (€11.93m), the Shannon Bridge Crossing (€12m), Killaloe Bypass (€11.93m) and upgrading works costing €16.6m on the existing regional road linking Ballina and Birdhill last July.“This will progress …

Reading a good love story is one of the many things that keeps 103-year-old Nora Canavan feeling young at heart. Maeve Binchy and Danielle Steele are her favourite authors.Nora has memories of significant historical events in the North Clare area too and has not forgotten the day that IRA freedom fighters ambushed the Black and Tans during the bloody War of Independence.The Doolin-based centenarian, who has enjoyed exceptional good health, remembers the day 56 IRA men from the Active Service Unit of the Mid-Clare Brigade tried to destroy three lorries of British military and police during the Monreel Ambush.Nora, who was just 12 at the time, was on her way to Furglan National School on December 18, 1920 when she saw the IRA men carrying rifles, shotguns and grenades taking cover from the plentiful supply of heather and moss as well as the stone walls on either side of the road.Wisely, Nora opted not to stay around and watch the …

A Shop Front Assistance Fund, aimed at helping to further improve the appearance of Moore Street in Kilrush, is to be launched in the near future. The street re-opened before Christmas following extensive road maintenance work. Kilrush town manager Nora Kaye told last Thursday’s meeting of the town council that she had held a meeting with Shannon Development and agreement had been reached on the establishment of the fund, which could be used by successful applicants to help fit out a new or existing business. “A scheme will be drafted and the Chamber of Commerce will be invited to participate as well,” Ms Kaye explained. Councillor Marian McMahon Jones asked to see the proposal on paper and suggested the council talk with business people and vacant building owners in Moore Street. She also told the meeting that a Kilrush-based accountant has offered six months’ free advice to new businesses on the street. Councillor Liam O’Looney asked that the scheme be …

SIGNAGE-making motorists in Ennis aware of elderly pedestrians, reduced prices for pensioners and a lengthening of traffic light times. These are just some of the innovative ideas being put forward by Coláiste Muire pupils who believe that the town has the potential to become an Age Friendly Town.Transition-year pupils of Coláiste Muire, led by teacher Finola Howard, have carried out extensive research into the needs of the town’s older population as part of their Young Social Innovators project on Positive Ageing.As well as the research, the students have also been busy providing computer lessons for the elderly in a programme called Log and Learn and they are planning other initiatives such as a grave-cleaning service, providing high-visibility jackets and a paired walking initiative. The project involves the whole of transition year and students Muireann O’Shea, Aoife Sheehan, Róisín Curran, Jenny Hansbury, Orla Bredin and Sarah O’Reilly explained what it is all about.Muireann said, “2012 is the European Year for Active …