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North and West Clare councillors have called on the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan (GP) to restore the Active Travel Scheme, and apply it equally to urban and rural areas. At the September meeting of the West Clare municipal district, Cathaoirleach, Councillor Ian Lynch (IND) put forward a motion to request that the Active Travel Scheme be applied equally to urban and rural areas. Another motion by Councillor Joe Garrihy (FG) called for the Minister to restore the same scheme. Cllr Lynch said “I think it’s important we put pressure on” adding North Clare and West Clare was not getting enough to manage successfully and would need to either get its fair share or get a different scheme set up.” Cllr Garrihy described Active Travel as “one of the most exciting schemes” ever established, and said it was “totally unacceptable” that it was not extended to North Clare, adding it needed to be restored “on the double” to make up …

ONE person has died and another injured following an accident during the Clare Stages rally this afternoon. The incident occurred at around 1.30pm at Glencolumbkille near Carron where the Clare Stages Rally was being run. The event was immediately halted while emergency services were alerted and responded to the scene. National Ambulance Service paramedics responded to the incident while the Emergency Aeromedical Service air ambulance, Aeromed-01, based in Cork and operated by the HSE, was also requested to attend. In the meantime, the event’s own emergency response crews responded to the incident. The victim, Damien Fleming, a native of Kilcummin, County Kerry, was pronounced dead at the scene. A second man was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. While the event was later halted, the road where the incident occurred has been closed and is not expected to reopen until tomorrow after Garda Forensic Collision Investigators have completed an examination of the scene The organisers of the event issued a …

UKRAINIAN president Volodymyr Zelensky met with Sudanese army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan at Shannon Airport, according to posts on social media on Saturday. Mr Zelensky had been returning to Ukraine following a visit to Canada and the US, where he had addressed the United Nations General Assembly. The Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland Larysa Gerasko was also at Saturday’s meeting. In a post on Twitter the Ukrainian leader wrote, “At Shannon Airport I held an unscheduled meeting with President of the Transitional Council of Sudan Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. “I am grateful for Sudan’s consistent support of Ukraine’s soverignity and territorial integrity. “We discussed common security challenges, namely the activities of illegal armed groups financed by Russia. “I invited him to support the Grain From Ukraine initiative and take part in this year’s summit. “We considered possible platforms for intensifying co-operation between Ukraine and African countries.” As well as playing an important role in the Russian war effort against Ukraine, the …

The allocation of garda resources to a West Clare tourism hotspot during the August Bank Holiday weekend has been queried following claims of serious criminal damage and anti-social behaviour. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne (Ind) says she was informed by residents that there were only two gardaí on patrol in Kilkee that weekend and she didn’t get any reports that additional members were drafted in to assist those on duty who did their best to address issues in difficult circumstances. Highlighting this issue at a recent Joint Policing Committee meeting, Deputy Wynne said it is well known that this is a problematic weekend and recalled that two years ago a garda sergeant was assaulted, and his arm broken, when there were up to 17 members on duty at the time. Two years on from this serious incident, she said it seemed lessons have not be learned as the location of garda resources wasn’t prioritised. In view of the huge influx of people …

There has been a mixed reaction to the decision by An Bord Pleanála issued its decision to finally reject planning permission for the proposed development of a €650 million liquefied natural gas (LNG) project for the Shannon Estuary between Tarbert and Ballylongford, This rejection comes after more than 15 years of campaigning by civil society organisations in Ireland and the US. The board based its decision on government policy, which is clear in its opposition to permanent LNG developments. It highlighted the Government’s Policy Statement 2021, which noted that it would not be appropriate to permit the development of any LNG terminals in Ireland pending the completion of the government’s energy security review. It also noted the independent technical analysis released as part of the Government’s public consultation on energy security 2022. This independent expert analysis was significant in that it rejected a commercial operated LNG facility as an energy security option given it would “likely result in the importation …

The underage teams at Ennis Rugby Club began their seasons with some promising results over the weekend. The U13 team came out ahead of a close encounter with Thomond/Richmond in their first game of the season during the U13s Development League last Sunday. In the first half of the game, Ennis moved ball wide and moving the opposition pack around during early exchanges. This tactic soon paid off as Robbie McMahon raced through for the first try and then shortly after, a second try. Both tries were converted by Ben McAllister. After Thomond/Richmond scored their first try, Ennis stretched their lead through a powerful run and try from Colm O’Gara. Ennis defended well and maintained the lead until the final whistle, winning by 19 points to 15. The players included Alexander Labuhn, Ben McAllister, Cian Friel, Colm O’Gara, Conor McMahon, Dara Ryan, Donnchadh Warner, Dylan O’Loughlin, Finn Ellingstad, James Howard, Luke Phillips, Michael Meere, Mícheál Thornton, Niall O’Connell, Oisin Hough, …

A former first citizen has criticised the government decision to establish Uisce Éireann due to the lack of information for householders in two neighbouring communities in South-East Clare who are subject to a boil notice. Almost 1,000 consumers in O’Brien’s Bridge and Bridgetown are affected by a boil notice, which was issued on August 25. Last Friday, almost 1,800 residents in Killaloe, which is in the same parish as O’Brien’s Bridge for GAA purposes, were hit by a similar notice. Councillor Tony O’Brien (FF) has claimed public representatives and consumers received a better service when Clare County Council was managing the public water supply, before this function was taken over by Irish Water, now Uisce Éireann. In an email to Uisce Éireann on Tuesday, Councillor O’Brien stated he was inundated with queries regarding the boil notices issued to consumers in the O’Brien’s Bridge and Killaloe public water supply. “In the case of the O Brien’s Bridge supply the boil notice …

Gort Cancer Support Group will host the Vicky Phelan Campaign and Portrait Tour in Gort, in conjunction with the Lady Gregory Hotel, next week. The triptych portrait, painted by the renowned Irish artist, Vincent Devine, was inspired by Vicky Phelan’s incredible courage. Measuring an impressive 150 x 300 cms, Vicky Phelan’s life is conveyed as the past, present and future with the backdrop of Doonbeg beach in West Clare, which she described as her favourite place on earth. Vincent’s aim was to convey the tragedies and the joys in Vicky’s life, through symbolism in the anatomy of her body and different objects. The portrait was purchased at a charity auction by Vicky’s lifelong friend and fellow Kilkenny native, David Brennan. The two grew up together and their families share a close bond. David wanted to ensure the painting remained close to Vicky’s family and friends. Vicky was a prominent women’s health advocate prior to her death from cervical cancer in …