AN eight-year-old boy has been seriously injured in a quad bike accident near Mountshannon. The boy and his father, who is in his 40s, were injured when the vehicle hit a stone wall at 9.10pm on Thursday night, on a local road in the townland of Ballinagoagh North, near Mountshannon and Whitegate. Emergency services, including two units of the fire service from Scarriff, were called to the scene. The boy was brought to University Hospital Limerick with what are described as critical injuries. His father was also hospitalised, though his condition is not believed to be life threatening. The road, between Cregg Cross and the R352 Mountshannon-Whitegate route, remains closed to allow for a forensic examination of the scene. Officers in Scariff station are investigating.

AN annual initiative that will see members of the local community in Ennis spring into action in clean-up events around the town takes place this Saturday, between 10am and 2pm. Model and National Spring Clean ambassador Sarah McGovern was  joined by Mayor of Ennis Mary Coote Ryan for the launch of the ‘Ennis Clean-Up Day’, which is being held as part An Taisce’s National Spring Clean. Ennis Town Council, in conjunction with the Ennis Tidy Towns Committee and other local voluntary organisations, is organising the event during which volunteers will be involved in the clean-up of approach roads to the town, along with green areas, footpaths, roads and streets in both residential areas and housing estates. Mayor Coote Ryan called on members of the community to lend their support to this Saturday’s event. “The National Spring Clean campaign is now in its 15th year and it is a testament to the community spirit all over Ireland that the participation rates …

MEMBERS of the Irish Diaspora who are unable to travel home to attend family funerals can now view a live stream of the funeral on the internet. ‘Funerals Live’ is the brainchild of Inagh businessman, Alan Foudy, who has plans to create up to 10 new jobs over the next 18 months as the innovative service is rolled out. “Wherever in the world our client may be, whether it is in Australia or the United States, this service provides them with a private weblink to a live stream of a funeral service or the option of a video recording of the entire service, including the burial, within two hours of its conclusion,” he explained. Mr Foudy said the idea behind this venture arose after he was asked to make a DVD of a funeral service for relatives and friends of the deceased whose funeral they could not attend. “The general feeling was that a live webcast or a delayed broadcast …

CLARE County Council plans to facilitate the development of Pumped Freshwater Hydro Energy Storage facilities in the county, similar to those already developed at Turlough Hill in County Wicklow. Three locations – Slieve Callan, Slieve Bernagh and Woodcock Hill in Meelick – have been marked as “indicative areas” for the proposed facilities, which are outlined in the newly developed Draft Clare County Renewable Energy Strategy. Commenting on the proposal to facilitate the development of PFHES facilities in the county, senior planner, Gordon Daly said such technology was “relatively underutilised in Ireland but presented significant potential for the domestic renewables sector”. Clare County Council is one of the first local authorities in the country to seek to incorporate such a renewable energy strategy into their County Development Plan. Mr Daly explained that a pumped hydroelectric energy scheme is a mechanical device for storing energy, consisting of two large reservoirs located at different elevations, typically between 200m to 300m, and a number …

Dan Danaher A PUBLIC ambulance was not available to transport a 60-year-old severely disabled patient back to his nursing home, despite spending almost 10 hours on a trolley in the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick, it has been claimed. The HSE has been requested to implement a new treatment protocol for people with severe disabilities in the emergency department, after Margaret Morgan, from Ennis, witnessed what she calls “a very distressing episode” concerning her brother. Ms Morgan has decided to speak publicly about the incident involving her brother, who has Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), to ensure the HSE introduces measures to prevent a repeat of what happened to him. A long-term carer for her bother until he was admitted to residential care, she explained FA is a neuromuscular disease that mainly affects the nervous system and the heart. Neurological symptoms include muscle weakness and ataxia, a loss of balance and co-ordination. Having been furnished with details of Ms Morgan’s complaints, the HSE …

THE improvement in weather conditions over the past fortnight, precipitating the drying out of land, has been a godsend for the Clare Ploughing Association as they prepare to host their annual championships. The championships return to Ralahine in Newmarket next Sunday and will be held on the lands of John Lyons from Saoirse in Sixmilebridge, who happens to be one of the joint presidents of the Clare Ploughing Association. Ploughing commences at 12 noon and coinciding with the championships, of which there are seven classes, will be a display of vintage farm machinery. Titles will be decided in senior open, U-28, U-21, vintage, horse, reversible ploughing and juvenile categories. At the association’s recent annual general meeting, Meelick’s Johnny White, a great exponent in the art of ploughing, was elected chairman. The vice-chairmen are Mike Browne (Cratloe) and Gerard Hannon (Kildysart). Four vice president were selected – Louie Quinn (Newmarket), John Lyons (Sixmilebridge), Terry Higgins (Parteen) and Sean Collins (Sixmilebridge). Paul …

Dan Danaher THE new non-party grouping, founded by a Loop Head community activist, has scored a  major coup in getting garda whistleblower, John Wilson, to run under its banner in the local elections. Retired garda John Wilson has joined the ranks of Independents Together (IT), which aims to provide a voice for people who feel abandoned and disillusioned by traditional party politics. IT, founded by Jim Connolly, has now secured 17 candidates spread over nine counties. Mr Wilson, from Cavan, a nephew of the late Tбnaiste John Wilson and a brother of current Fianna Fбil whip in the Seanad, Senator Diarmuid Wilson, was forced to retire after revealing details of penalty-point terminations. Frustrated by his inability to have his complaints dealt with as he wished within the garda complaints system, Mr Wilson last year took his information to a number of Dбil deputies, under the Garda Sнochбna Act 2005. He was supported by Mountnugent man, Sergeant Maurice McCabe, based in …

Sports Editor Seamus Hayes CLARE have a number of injury concerns ahead of Sunday’s Oscar Traynor Cup semi-final, in which they take on the Kerry League at Tralee (kick-off at 2pm). Stephen Hickey and Dave McCarthy, two key members of the squad, are battling to be fit. Both did play a part in their respective clubs (Ennis Town and Avenue United) games at the weekend but a final decision on their fitness will not be made until later this week. Both scored for their clubs on Sunday and both Ennis sides continued their challenge for the Premier League title. Centre-back Rhys Phillips is almost certain to miss Sunday’s tie after he was injured when playing with Avenue United on Sunday week last. Shane Daniels from Ennis Town is understood to be in contention to replace Phillips for the trip to Tralee but young Paddy O’Malley is also in contention for a starting spot. According to Clare manager Liam Murphy, “We …