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Ambitious Fleadh plan comes to fruition

SITTING in the Old Ground Hotel after a busy Fleadh Nua in Ennis, an ambitious plan was hatched, a plan that will be realised with the welcoming of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann to Ennis. The initial idea for the Abbey branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann to bid to host the festival was decided upon on that fateful day by Micheál Ó Riabhaigh, Rory Casey and Frank Whelan. After a number of attempts to win the coveted title of host town, this month will see the culmination of the hard work of the Abbey branch, along with supporters of the bid from across all sectors. Frank Whelan of the Abbey branch remembers the day when the notion to bid for the Fleadh first occurred. “On a Sunday after Fleadh Nua, five or six years ago, Micheál, Rory Casey and myself were sitting having a cup of coffee and that’s where the plan was made to bring Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann to …

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Surprise for ‘young gardaí in Shannon

Two new garda recruits got quite a surprise when they inspected Shannon Airport’s VIP room today (Tuesday). Gardaí Jordan Perez and Ceejay McArdle a duo with their own heroic stories, got an insight into how it’s possible to meet just about anyone – including their hero, Munster and Ireland rugby star CJ Stander at the airport. Ceejay (4), from Castleblaney, County Monaghan and Jordan (8), from Sixmilebridge, were deployed to Shannon to assist in security checks for the day and when they checked the VIP room they found the internatinal rugby player. The special security officers were detailed to the airport as part of an ongoing community initiative by the Garda Relations Bureau (GRB). Ceejay, who is undergoing intense treatment for leukaemia, last year became an Garda Siochana’ s youngest ever member and this weekend Jordan, who is wheelchair bound with muscular dystrophy, joined him on the very special beat courtesy of Chief Superintendent John Kerin and Superintendent Brendan McDonagh. …

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Thomas flies ahead in World Cup

A Corofin man has become the first Clare person to win the World Cup Trout Fly Angling Championships, adding another accolade to his already impressive record. The O’Loughlin name is synonymous with game angling. Three members of the family from Newtown, Corofin – Patrick, Thomas and Seamus – have represented Ireland at international level. However, Monday was Thomas’s day when he took the title at the World Cup Trout Fly Angling Championships on Lough Mask. All three brothers competed alongside hundreds of anglers from Ireland and abroad over the bank holiday weekend. After qualifying from the heats, Thomas went on to win by a comfortable margain in the finals on Monday, ending the day with a catch of 12 trout, with a combined weight of 13.43lbs. His nearest rival was Jonathan Craven of Connacht, who caught eight fish, with a combined weight of 8.51lbs. “No Clare man has ever won it. I was delighted. I won it well in the …

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Sminky Shorts video adds bite to new council initiative

Clare County Council has teamed up with the creators of internet animation series Sminky Shorts to launch a new environmental initiative which aims to change dog owner behaviour in relation to dog litter. Funded under the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government’s Anti Litter Awareness Grant Scheme, the 80-second animated short highlights the responsibility of dog owners to clean up after their dog and features two cartoon pug dogs humourously conversing at the Cliffs of Moher. “The Sminky Shorts clip is a promotional tool and fun way to bring attention to the need for dog owners to take responsibility for their animals litter” explained Karen Foley, Environmental Awareness Officer with Clare County Council. “The clip will be used on Facebook and Twitter as a means of helping promote awareness of our Green Dog Walkers scheme and will also be included in part of our primary schools litter awareness programme,” she added Green Dog Walkers is a new scheme …

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Gardaí investigate Ennis burglaries

Gardaí in Ennis are continuing with their investigations into a number of burglaries in the town during the past week. At around 4am last Thursday morning, a hooded man was seeing trying the windows of houses in Ivy Hill on the Gort Road. This person was then seen inside an adjoining apartment of a house, was disturbed and fled the scene on foot. Gardai say the man wore a grey hooded top and was a small man approximately 5’2” or 5’3” in height and had a sallow complexion. On the same day , at around 1.45am, a house in Glenina on the Gort Road was entered through the patio door. Items stolen included a red “Hello Kitty” purse, a purple HP notebook and a silver Packard Bell laptop. Between 12.30am and 2.30am last Sunday, a shed was broken into which was adjoining a house in Radharc na Locha. Items stolen in the burglary included a red Marugana hedge trimmer, a green Florabest chainsaw, a yellow 300 Karcher power washer, a red strimmer and two wind deflectors from a Ford Galaxy car which was parked at the rear. Two  burglaries were also committed in the Ard Aoibhinn estate on the Limerick Road and Springfield estate, near St. Flannan’s college. A man was arrested for these crimes and is helping the Gardai with their enquiries.

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Giant luminarium to light up the Fleadh

The Mirazozo luminarium, a giant art installation featuring caverns for members of the public to explore, will be a colorful focal point on the Ennis landscape during Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. The structure, designed by Alan Parkinson of the company Architects of Air, is being brought to Active Ennis Tim Smythe Park by Clare County Council. The structures designed by Alan having been visited by more than two million people in 43 countries around the world at iconic locations such as the Guggenheim in Spain and the Sydney Opera House in Australia. Inspired by Islamic architecture and natural geometry, Mirazozo features winding passages of small domes inspired by repeat forms found in the bazaars of Iran. Inside the spaceship-shaped structure is a multi-coloured world of bright luminous green, red and blue stripes of light forming bouncing patterns of colour on the walls of five interlinked domes. Monica Meehan, Community and Tourism, Clare County Council said the 158 ft. by 94 …

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Minister under fire over military use of airport

Minister Paschal Donohue has come under fire from a local lobby group over the use of Shannon Airport by US military troops in the wake of the Nice attack. Shannonwatch, which is campaigning for an end to the military use of Shannon Airport, has taken issue with  Minister Donohue over his defence of the use of the airport by US troops. Minister Donohoe said a careful response is needed to terrorism attacks like  in Nice where 84 people were killed. However, Shannonwatch claimed that “ferrying armed troops to the Middle East through Shannon Airport to continue the cycles of war and violence isn’t a calm or measured response”. Minister Donohoe said the Tánaiste, Frances Fitzgerald, had met with the Garda Commissioner on Friday last and added that gardaí are prepared to tackle and prevent such attacks here. “It’s so important now that the response back from all of us isn’t a cycle that can harden the worst impulses and lock …

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Visitor numbers up in Loop Head lighthouse

Visitor figures at Loop Head Lighthouse are up almost 5% in 2016. Clare County Council, which manages the facility in conjunction with the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL), says 7,129 people visited the West Clare landmark between April and June compared to 6,806 people during the same period in 2015. June was the busiest month at the Lighthouse with 3,202 visitors recorded during the period. The total visitor numbers at Loop Head Lighthouse from March 18 last to July 15 was 9,440. Approximately 22% or 2,072 of these visitors were children. The nationalities of visitors to Loop Head Lighthouse during the same period were Irish (39%), German (27%), American/Canadian (10%), British (6%), Italy (2%) and other (16%). Loop Head Lighthouse is a landmark location on the Loop Head Heritage Trail which was named winner of the ‘Culture and Heritage’ category of the 2015 World Responsible Tourism Awards. It is also one of 12 lighthouses which make up Great Lighthouses of …

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