Embrace FARM, the voluntary bereavement support group, has announced it is to establish a Mid-West branch of the network for families affected by fatal and non-fatal accidents. An information night is to be held on Thursday week, April 7 in the Castleoaks Hotel, Castleconnell with a view to establishing a branch for the area. It will be the fifth branch of the support group nationwide and will meet regularly provide invaluable support to families who have had to deal with tragic deaths and serious injury arising from farm incidents. Angela Hogan, from Nenagh will be the Regional Host and bring her own experience of the benefits of participating in a network, having joined the very first support group in the Midlands two years ago to help her deal with the aftermath of her partner Brendan’s death in a tragic accident in 2011. Embrace FARM was founded by Laois farmer Brian Rohan after his fathe,r Liam died following a farm accident …

Newmarket Celtic   1                     Janesboro FC   2   ON Sunday Janesboro came to Clare for the second time in a fortnight and just as at McDonagh Park on March 13 they recorded a narrow win over Newmarket . As was the case in that FAI Junior Cup quarter final there were one or two refereeing decisions that divided opinion, but in reality the Limerick side deserved to take the honours, creating more chances over the 90 minutes. Newmarket took the lead after a fine goal from the potent Eoin Hayes after 23 minutes. However 13 minutes later Shane Clarke put Janesboro back on terms with an absolutely outstanding free kick from well outside the box that arrowed into the top corner of the net, leaving Niall Quinn no chance at all. Aled Harken had the winner in the 57th minute, his well struck effort from outside the box flying into the bottom corner of the net. For much of the second …

Care County Council could end up with “roads up in the clouds”, if it continues to raise roads affected by flooding, instead of looking at drainage alternatives, a local councillor has claimed. Flood remedial works on the outskirts of Newmarket-on-Fergus have created problems in other areas in the locality, according to Councillor Alan O’Callaghan. Councillor O’Callaghan told  a recent Killaloe Municipal District meeting that in the region of €300,000 was spent on raising a road in Ballycar to facilitate access for a number of houses, which the householders really appreciated. However, he pointed out that this road was still blocked with water 100 yards further on, which resulted in another portion being raised on two successive occasions. “While works needed to be done on these roads, the bigger picture here is drainage. Or are we going to end up with roads up in the clouds? “Eighty percent of the water could be alleviated, if drains and culverts were being opened. …

TRAFFIC levels are leaving residents of Corrovorrin and St Senan’s Road in Ennis “frustrated”, a meeting of local councillors has heard. Among the solutions suggested was a mini-roundabout in the area. Councillor Ann Norton, at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, asked that a traffic survey be carried out at the exit of Corrovorrin and St Senan’s Road to investigate the viability of the traffic-calming measure. She commented, “Residents in the area are quite concerned and frustrated; there is quite a lot of traffic.” Eamon O’Dea, senior executive engineer, told the meeting that a proposal funded by a Low Cost Safety Scheme went through a public consultation process for traffic-calming and was withdrawn at approval stage at Ennis Town Council, as approval was not forthcoming from the councillors. He explained, “The key issue in the withdrawal of the previous proposal was the position of the local shop to the junction and the requirements under road design guidelines that eliminated …

Clare 1-20 Longford 1-9 AN outstanding display of point taking helped the Clare footballers to a comprehensive win over Longford in Ennis on Sunday afternoon. This eleven point win, played in front of a disappointingly small crowd of 1,226, has taken Clare to the verge of promotion to division 2 for the 2017 season. They play already promoted Kildare away on Sunday. Clare sit on eight points currently, two points behind Kildare and two ahead of Tipperary, Offaly and Sligo, all of whom are tied on six points. Clare might even win promotion if they lose to Kildare but a draw would guarantee it. Having started tentatively, Clare ended up leading narrowly, 1-7 to 0-6 at at half time. They played into the wind in the opening half and along with their opponents, Clare were slow to settle. Longford’s Michael Quinn goaled in the sixth minute for the opening score of the half, following a Barry McKeon pass after Clare …

WHEN it came to the crunch, a planning application by Applegreen Ltd to build a motorway service station on the Limerick to Ennis motorway has been refused permission by Clare County Council. A decision has been made on the controversial planning application, which received a number of local objections, including one from Ennis Chamber. In January, Applegreen Services Area Ltd submitted an application to Clare County Council for the development of a motorway service area at Latoon South and Latoon North, Dromoland on the M18. In making their decision to refuse permission, the planning authority noted other proposed service stations along the M18. Pat McDonagh, CEO of Supermacs, was granted planning permission for a motorway service station at junction 12 of the motorway. This decision has since been appealed to An Bord Pleanála. Meanwhile, Transport Infrastructure Ireland has undertaken public consultations in relation to the provision of an online service station between Ennis and Sixmilebridge. Clare County Council’s planning authority …

Two Bridgetown film-makers have scooped second prize at Ireland’s Junior Young Filmmakers of the Year competition, organised as part of the Fresh Film Festival, Ireland’s major youth film festival. Trinity and Eden Minehan were presented with their award by TG4 television presenter, Micheál Ó’Ciaraidh at Fresh Film Festival. More than 40 short films, made by primary children from around Ireland, were screened at the festival in the Odeon Cinema in Limerick City. From the spooky to the fantastical, animation to factual, the Minehan brothers faced off stiff competition to scoop first place with Oscar and the Gdoifs, a fun, high-energy film about a lost puppy. Trinity, aged 11 years, and Eden, aged nine, have been entering Fresh Film Festival with their short films for the past three years. The brothers attend Bridgetown National School and got their whole school involved in this year’s film production. Festival director, Jayne Foley said, over the past 20 years of the Fresh Film Festival, young …

DIVISION 3 has emerged as a particularly congested and unpredictable league this season. With just two rounds left to play, the only team that cannot be relegated in Kildare. They are on eight points from five matches followed by four teams on six points including Clare and Longford, who meet in Cusack Park on Sunday. Tipperary and Offaly also sit on six points, which leaves five teams, including Kildare, vying for the two promotion places. Clare’s three wins have been achieved against the bottom-three teams, Limerick, Westmeath and Sligo, while they have lost away to Tipperary and Offaly. This weekend’s game is a very significant one on several fronts. The winner will be potentially one game away from promotion, while the loser could, in a worst-case scenario, end up relegated. Clare will play Kildare away in their final league fixture and definitely do not want to have to travel looking for a win to ensure their divisional status. If Clare …