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PRICE gouging in the entertainment industry was widely condemned at a meeting of the local authority, now that major acts are returning to Ireland after the pandemic. The matter was highlighted by Councillor Pat McMahon who said that only Ed Sheeran had provided “reasonably-priced tickets” last year and played venues around the country.  Calling on the County to request that the Consumer Protection Commission would examine pricing of “high-profile concerts and major events in Ireland”, the Newmarket man, said he had been alerted to the problem by family, neighbours and friends. He outlined that after researching the matter, he became aware that two major global companies dominated ticket sales and concert bookings. “What amazes me it was no competition whatsoever,” he said. “If you look closely at the major concerts on in Ireland, only two major firms are mentioned all the time. I’m talking about the major concerts, The smaller concerts have smaller companies running them. It’s amazing in a …

PROPOSALS to sell Coillte lands to an overseas investment fund in order to meet climate targets through afforestation have been described by Deputy Michael McNamara as “a bizarre construct”.  Under the planned deal, thousands of acres are to be planted through the Irish Strategic Forestry Fund (ISFF) launched by Coillte and Gresham House. This aim is attract investors to plant as well as acquire forests across the country to meet Ireland’s climate targets. The Scariff-based TD launched a scathing attack on the deal. “It is a bizarre construct whatever way you look at it,” he said. “To give State funds earmarked for environmental measures to foreign investment companies to fund forestry practices that are not environmentally appropriate is just baffling.” He noted that once the crop is harvested, those profits will go back to funds based outside of Ireland.  Deputy McNamara accepted that forestry does have the potential to store carbon and to have environmental benefits, but he was adamant …

NATIONAL policy on rural Ireland has been condemned by a West Clare councillor, who said it has resulted in an “expensive refusal kit” for planning applications. Councillor PJ Kelly tabled a motion at the January meeting of the local authority, calling for the Minister for Housing and Local Government and Heritage “to indemnify Clare County Council against all costs and/or claims which may arise because the Council, in its County Development Plan, complied with Ministerial Directives on planning guidelines”. Councillors were widely critical of controversial guidelines, over several months, due mainly to the restrictions placed on the number of new homes to be permitted outside of Ennis and Shannon. Concerns were also expressed over the accuracy of population data used to inform the national guidelines, given the most recent Census and the shift to remote working ushered in by the Covid pandemic.  At the January meeting, Councillor Kelly said there was “a duty to protect our Council against any type …

SHANNON Airport Group today announced that it had over 1.51 million passengers in 2022, bringing it back to 88% of its pre-pandemic numbers, despite travel still being impacted in the early part of last year. “The accelerated pace of the rebound in air travel from Shannon has exceeded our expectations and shows the pent-up desire for international travel following the lifting of pandemic travel restrictions,” said CEO Mary Considine. European services recovered strongly in 2022 with over 532,000 passengers travelling through Shannon. This actually surpassed 2019 pre-pandemic levels by 7% and was a 225% increase on 2021. Shannon recorded over 638,000 passengers on its UK services in 2022, a 309% increase on the previous year.After an absence of almost two years, transatlantic services returned in March 2022 and saw a strong rebound of almost 240,000 passengers on services to New York (JFK), Boston and Newark. A further boost is expected from May 2023 when a new daily nonstop seasonal service …

THERE is significant Clare interest in a brand-new documentary airing tomorrow night on one of the most divisive political figures of our time. ‘Trump’s Last Stand’, a special programme on the former US president and owner of an exclusive county Clare resort Donald Trump will air on Virgin Media One tomorrow night at 9pm. The documentary is the work of Virgin Media News Correspondent Richard Chambers, who himself has strong links to the Banner county, being a resident of Lahinch for most of his formative years. In this exclusive documentary, Chambers charts Donald Trump’s attempt to naviagate a route back to the White House, meeting those whose lives have been upended by the political division, violence and conspiracy theories that have divided America. Chambers travels from the Mar-A-Lago mansion where Trump announced his second bid for the Presidency across a broken America where lies about Trump’s election defeat continue to drive fear and loathing with often deadly consequences. The documentary …

FOR many teenagers their mid-term break away from school is a time to kick back, take it easy and relax. Not so for 16-year-old Claire Cuddihy from Lissycasey who this February is set to take on an incredible challenge with the aim of raising mental health awareness as well as funds for a well-known charity. Claire is preparing to complete not one, but an amazing, seven marathons over the course of just one week in aid of Pieta. The student of St John Bosco Community College, Kildysart, will be taking on a gruelling 42km run each day, getting back out on the track every day for seven straight days in a row. Speaking to The Clare Champion ahead of her marathon challenge, she laughs as she considers the daunting challenge she has set herself. More seriously, however, she adds her strong belief that the issue of mental health needs to be highlighted, while she also wants to raise awareness and …

Sean Meere, like most teenagers his age, is completely sports mad. The 13-year-old loves playing for his native club Clarecastle in both hurling and football while playing in the storied blue of St. Flannan’s is equally special to him. However it is soccer where Sean is currently making big waves. A graduate of the Clare Emerging Talent programme that competed in the 2022 Galway Cup Sean recently signed League of Ireland forms for Limerick side Treaty United and will play in the FAI Under 14 National League of Ireland. A proud moment for his family but as his father Alan informed the Champion, it was a moment he earned through sheer hard work “It’s like a ladder really with all these different steps, firstly participating in the emerging talent programme for Clare which led to a regional programme over a three-month period with numbers being cut constantly. “After completion of the regional programme Sean attended the FAI Centre of Excellence …

A WEST Clare councillor has made a passionate plea for the region’s roads to receive a slice of the exchequer surplus of €5 billion.  Strong growth in tax revenue and an end to many Covid supports resulted in an exchequer swing of €12.4 billion at the end of last year from the €7.4 billion deficit recorded in 2021. Given the windfall, Councillor Ian Lynch has written to Ministers Eamon Ryan and Micheál McGrath highlighting the dire state of roads in the West Clare Municipal District. The Independent member made the case for an injection of €50 million for Clare County Council for road improvements, focusing on vital surface dressing and strengthening improvements.  In correspondence seen by The Champion, the Kilrush man told the Ministers for Transport and Public Expenditure said: “Decades of underinvestment in rural roads no longer allows for these finances to be tucked away for a rainy day the investment in rural roads must be made now. I …