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PEACE group Shannonwatch held its first protest of 2023 last Sunday. Spokesman John Lannon said that the monthly protests will continue throughout 2023. “The conditions at Shannon are still the same. There are US military planes landing and taking off, in particular the troop carriers are coming through, there are other planes as well. “There has been no response from the authorities or the Government to all the requests we have made over the years for proper inspections, for information about what’s on the planes and where they are going, so the protests will continue.” There were relatively small numbers there last weekend, but he said that is usually the case at the start of the year. “January is always a poor month in terms of turnout. I can’t remember how many we had there, I think there were 10-15. “The protests have been ongoing since January 2008, with the exception of the months during the Covid lockdown when congregations …

CLARE County Council has approved the subdivision of an industrial building at a business park in Gillogue to facilitate the retention of its use as a training and education centre for aerial dancing. Retention planning permission has been granted subject to one planning condition allowing the Irish Aerial Creation Centre (IACC) to construct a three-storey internal partition and insulating of the building fabric at Unit 2, Burlington Business Park, Gillogue. The Irish Aerial Creation Centre in the Old Burlington Industrial Estate, Gillogue, Corbally, is the first and only purpose-built aerial dance centre anywhere in Ireland. The IACC is a not-for-profit organisation, which is committed to the education and development of Irish aerial arts. It has over 625 square meters of space dedicated to nurturing dancers of all ages. A submission from Europlan Engineering on behalf of the IACC outlined the proposed use is for education and training for the Irish Aerial Arts. “It is proposed to construct an internal three-storey …

SOME rental properties in Clare are not being advertised because local auctioneers don’t need to advertise them. The so-called market rate for some executive properties has increased dramatically in recent weeks due to the chronic shortage of houses and the departure of some small landlords that had one or two dwellings. A four-bedroom property in Fanore and a three-bedroom property in Tulla were advertised for a €2,200 rental cost a month, while a four-bedroom detached house in Lahinch was on the rental market for €2,250 a month. Douglas Hurley of DNG O’Sullivan Ennis said in a lot of cases they don’t need to advertise rental properties because they have clients with references who can be contacted from their enquiry waiting list. Mr Hurley acknowledged some of the rental prices being quoted at the moment are “crazy”. He said they primarily deal with letting rental properties in Ennis and the surrounding areas where a four-bedroom house can attract monthly rental of …

GEOLOGIST and photographer, Robert Fairfield feels like a detective when he examines a rock. – “When I pick up a rock, it tells me a story. Like a detective, I look at it and see how did this rock get here.” Thanks to his geology training, Mr Fairfield can categorise most rocks into a particular era, but uses a more detailed analysis with specific tools to confirm their precise origin and date. “If I pick up a piece of volcanic rock, I know it came from a volcano. If I pick up a piece of limestone, I know it came from the sea. If there are fossils in it, I know it came from a coral reef,” he said. Recently, combining his two passions – geology and photography – helped him to scoop the runners-up prize in the Irish Geological Survey’s 2022 Du Noyer Photographic Competition. Each year, Geological Survey Ireland holds a photo competition in honour of George Victor …

CLARE County Council doesn’t intend to pursue an enforcement notice issued about the alleged unauthorised development of a mobile home near Tuamgraney following legal advice, according to a complainant. Duncan Young, who lived in Ballymalone, Tuamgraney, for a few years before moving to Shinrone in County Offaly has expressed his frustration spending almost five and a half years making complaints and representations to the council about the provision of appropriate accommodation for two elderly sisters. Mr Young recalled he first alerted Clare County Council in June 2017 about the siting of a mobile home, which was approved and paid by the council’s housing section to accommodate the Moloney sisters, Breda and Margaret after their farmhouse was deemed uninhabitable. Following countless phone calls and emails to the council over the last five years Mr Young was told: “I wish to advise you that the planning authority has conducted a review of file UD17-055 and sought legal advice on same. “Please be …

“Miles to go before I sleep” – Robert Frost You might ask what does a quote from a poem published exactly 100 years ago, have to do with Ruan cyclist Imogen Cotter? The quote is etched on the back of Cotter’s arms with Frost’s words certainly summing up her determination in coming back from a horrific accident in January 2022. The Ruan woman had just signed her first professional contract, but everything changed when she was hit head on by a car driving on the wrong side of the road when training in Spain. What followed was months of surgeries, rehab and physiotherapy as she continues to work her way to full fitness with her team Fenix-Deceuninck supporting her by allowing her to compete with the team in 2023, after signing last year. The words of Frost in his poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening have been used by Cotter as a way of motivating herself to rebound from …

Has your dog got star quality? If your pet pooch is something of a Brad Pitt-bull or a Sandra Bull-dog, then they could win a place in the spotlight in the beautiful and romantic opera La Bohème, coming to University Concert Hall on April 6, 2023. Award-winning opera director and producer Ellen Kent said, “People say never work with children or animals, but I love to do both. “The first time was 20 years ago when my pet cat Holly Go-Lightly was in one of my productions and was an instant hit. “Since then we’ve had horses, dogs, goldfish and even a golden eagle with a 6ft wingspan on stage. “Many years ago, when we last did La Bohème and asked local people to volunteer their pets it was a huge success. “We even used a rescue dog once and found him dozens of new owners! We’re a nation of animal lovers after all. I’m sure there is plenty of doggie talent out there.” Your …

Gardaí at Ennis Garda Station are investigating a serious injury road traffic accident which occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning. On January 15, at at 12.50am, a car travelling from Kilrush to Ennis collided head on with a car travelling in the opposite direction. The collision occurred Edenvale on the Kilrush Road out of Ennis. One of the drivers had to be cut from his car and both drivers were taken to University Hospital Limerick with serious injuries. Gardai are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this accident or anyone who may have dash cam footage to contact Ennis Garda Station on 065 6848100.