A PICTURE-perfect look at style through the ages in Clare will form part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of one of Ennis’ best known boutiques. The County Boutique will mark their golden jubilee with a very special exhibition, as part of their Eras of Style celebration later this year. They are hoping that some of their loyal customers who have shopped at the O’Connell Street store over the years will help make it a ‘run-way’ success. The October exhibition will see outfits from different decades, as far back as the 1950s, put on display, along with photographs of the very same ensemble being worn back in the day. Already, the County Boutique have been contacted by a number of customers wishing to include their beloved fashion finds in the exhibition. As an added incentive, there will be a prize for the best outfit from each decade. Gwen Culligan explained, “We wanted to do something to celebrate our 50 years here …

A self-taught cannabis grower who was cultivating plants in his bedroom in a “sophisticated way” without the use of soil, was interested in the science of the process, Ennis District Court heard last week. John Conneely of Shandangan, Corofin pleaded guilty to the cultivation of cannabis plants at his address, having cannabis for sale or supply and possession of controlled drugs on May 25, 2015. At a sitting of Ennis District Court on Thursday last, gardaí outlined that eight cannabis plants and 450g of cannabis valued at €9,000 was found at the defendant’s home. The defendant alleged he was cultivating for personal use only and that the way the drugs were found – separated out into different jars – was not for selling purposes but rather to separate out the flavours. Solicitor for Conneely, Stiofán Fitzpatrick, said his client, who he described as reclusive, is in his 40s and lives at home with his parents. He left school at 14. …

A GOOD catch may not be the only way that fishermen will be able to earn a living in future. A European project wants to help maritime communities in Clare make money from discarded marine plastic. Circular Ocean aims to turn waste plastic from the sea into a useful resource by supporting the move to a more circular economy and inspiring coastal communities to realise the economic potential of fishing nets and other waste plastic. It has been estimated that more than eight million tonnes of marine litter ends up in the ocean every year, of which 15% is floating on the surface, 15% is washed ashore and the remaining 70% sinks and rests on the ocean floor. Fishing-related gear has been assessed by experts to be the most harmful type of litter to sea birds, mammals and turtles, with the economic damage of marine plastic waste estimated at almost €12 billion. Marine plastic litter, due to its durability, may …

SHANNON Group and Origin Enterprises chairman Rose Hynes has been chosen as one of Ireland’s most powerful female business leaders of the year at the annual WXN Women’s Executive Network awards. The awards celebrate the accomplishments of women in business in Ireland and were celebrated at the Network’s Leadership Summit and Awards Gala in Dublin on Thursday. Ms Hynes was one of four Davy Business Leaders award winners in the ‘Most Powerful Women Top 25 Award Winners for 2016’. The New Quay native, who lives in Limerick, played a central role in the separation of Shannon Airport from the State airport’s group in 2013, as she headed up the Aviation Business Development Task Force to report into the Government Steering Group on the future direction of the airport and Shannon Development. She was then appointed chairman of the Shannon Airport Authority to oversee the running of the airport as an independent entity until it became part of Shannon Group when it was …

Orlaith Duggan was not expecting it when she was approached and asked to be the Clare senior camogie captain. “It’s a great honour to captain any team and a very big honour to captain one’s county senior side. I was, of course, delighted to be considered but it was something that I wasn’t expecting,” the 22-year-old told The Clare Champion last week, as she took a break from training ahead of the opening game of the All-Ireland championship against Ofally. Born into a well-known Clooney-Quin family, Orlaith readily acknowledges, “It’s a really sporting house and my family are delighted for me. They are really supportive”. Ahead of Saturday’s opening tie, she said, “We put in the hard weeks; we did the tough winter training, the circuits, the running. This is the time all camogie players and hurlers look forward to – the championship. We are looking at five weeks in a row. Everyone wants to be playing matches, trying to …

A KILRUSH family travelled to Castlerea Prison in Roscommon on this week to protest against the possibility that the man convicted of murdering Ann Walsh 11 years ago, could be in line for parole. The Walsh family, from Pella Road in the town, are planning to travel to the prison again on Thursday, June 30 for a second protest over the possible release of Raymond Donovan from Cooraclare, who was convicted at the Central Criminal Court in Ennis of the murder of his former girlfriend. Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed a mandatory life sentence on Donovan, then 24, after the jury delivered a unanimous guilty verdict in the 2006 case. He was found guilty of strangling 23-year-old Ann Walsh in the grounds of St Senan’s Church, Kilrush on August 24, 2005. The Walsh family learned on March 3 that Raymond Donovan was planning to apply for parole for a second time. He was turned down three years ago. They have since …

Kilrush Youthreach and North West Clare Family Resource Centre Youth Club in Ennistymon are looking for local support to put them in the final shake up for the Irish Cancer Society’s X-HALE Youth Awards. The film project, The Other Side is the Kilrush entry, while the Ennistymon club is competing with its film The End of the Line. The youth groups are calling for public support via online viewing to win one of the top awards on offer. X-HALE is an initiative of the Irish Cancer Society which aims to empower young people to tackle smoking in their communities and raise awareness about the dangers of smoking among their peers. The X-HALE Youth Awards national showcase event in the Light House Cinema in July will be the finale of months of hard work by youth groups nationwide in preparing short films and projects to encourage young people to be smoke free. Ahead of the national event which will see the …

CLARE Independent TD, Dr Michael Harty has been appointed chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health. Reflecting on his appointment, Dr Harty said he stood for election in Clare with a commitment to improve services in rural Ireland and to try to make some positive contribution to improving our health system. “Health is one of the greatest challenges facing our country at the present time. As a general practitioner, I am acutely aware of the difficulties encountered by our people as they try to grapple with the shortcomings of the health services,” he said. Deputy Harty continued, “I hope this committee will have an important role in shaping policy and legislation that will positively impact on our health services in the coming years. Because of the makeup of the new Dáil, committees have an opportunity to influence government as never before. I look forward to working with my new colleagues on the committee and promise them and all who are invited …