PLANS by the National Roads Authority to construct a salt depot in Ennis to facilitate the maintenance of the region’s motorway network have been given the go-ahead by Clare County Council.

CLARE County Council has organised another public information meeting to address queries about Phase Two of the Northern Distributor Road motorway, costing an estimated €120 million.

SLIABH Aughty Drama Group will be going for the hat-trick this week having just been awarded first place for their production of Michael Carey’s Thy Will Be Done in the confined section at the Claremorris Drama Festival.

ENNIS Farmers’ Market is set to pitch up its stalls at Coláiste Muire next month for a very special fundraising effort.

A South Galway school was awarded a €1,500 energy-efficiency upgrade after bright sparks from its senior classes came up with an imaginative renewable technology design.

Mayor of Clare Councillor Pat Hayes will officially open the Clare Drama Festival on Thursday night at Scariff Community College Hall at 8.30pm. The first performance to launch the 65th annual event will be Sliabh Aughty’s production of Thy Will Be Done, which took first place in the confined section at the Mountmellick Drama Festival  and at the Claremorris Drama Festival recently. The play, which was written by Michael Carey, begins when Martin arrives home from the US to visit the father he has never met. During his visit he forms a relationship with his uncle Jack, who lives next door in a converted barn, and Bridie who is home-help to both brothers. In this comedy/drama unresolved issues from the past arise leading to a most unexpected conclusion. The festival sees a total of 10 dramas staged in the East Clare venue between Thursday and Saturday, March 31, with a confined and open section. Sliabh Aughty Drama Group, Skibbereen Theatre …

The Café Sessions at the Queen’s Hotel have announced a return to Clare for Ciorras; the young group formed by Donal Lunny in 2010 on the TG4 series Lorg Lunny.Two of the eight-piece group, multi-All Ireland winner Tara Breen and percussionist Dermot Sheedy, are from Clare.The band has just returned from a 10-day visit to China, where they had a concert at the National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing, collaborated with musicians from the Central Conservatory of Music and performed on St Patrick’s Day at the Irish Embassy. They also played at the launch by Education Minister Ruari Quinn of Sino-Irish Relations: Cross-Cultural Perspectives.This is Ciorras’ first Banner gig since launching their debut recording in November 2010. The band will play a selection of material from that recording and some new sets they are working on. The group will play on Friday, March 30 at 9pm and tickets from The Irish Shop. Further information from 086 8520975.