News

GOVERNMENT officials are to travel to Ennis to discuss a request that councillors be allowed to use their powers to draw up an air quality management plan.  It follows the tabling of a motion by Councillor Johnny Flynn, cosponsored by Councillor Cillian Murphy, who sought to invoke members’ powers under the Air Pollution Act of 1987. The Fine Gael member voiced significant frustration that that matter has been discussed at all sorts of Council committees, over the course of two years, without any progress being made. Repeated instances in Ennis of high levels of particulate matter have garnered national headlines, with readings that have been compared unfavourably to those in one of the world’s most populous cities: Beijing.  The average air quality for Ennis was robustly defended by the Council. A response to Councillor Flynn’s motion from Senior Engineer Cyril Feeney said limits set out in regulations are “only deemed to be breached if more than 35 exceedences occur over …

CLARE Museum in Ennis is seeking donations of artefacts to expand its collections and to achieve greater representation of the lives of people in Clare for future generations to enjoy. Clare Museum’s Collection Policy is designed to help the museum achieve its mission through focused collecting. It also recognises the collection as the museum’s greatest resource, underpinning exhibitions and educational activities. According to Curator John Rattiganm, “Clare Museum will collect items that exist in, or can be provenanced to, County Clare. We are particularly interested in items associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, but also items relating to the lives of women and local businesses from days gone by.” Items from more recent decades are also required. “An ongoing survey of museum visitors has highlighted an interest in items from the 1950s to the turn of the century. This is a period many of our visitors remember and would like to tell stories about to their children or grandchildren on a …

A lack of co-operation from landowners is “jeapordising” a scheme aimed at improving the Ballybeg area, a meeting of Ennis councillors has been told. The local authority has secured part 8 planning permission and funding of €150,000 from the National Transport Authority under a Low-Cost Safety Scheme for the continuation of footpath construction at Radharc na hInse, Ballybeg. The scheme requires co-operation from landowners, and not all have given their agreement to date, the Ennis Municipal District meeting heard. Acting senior executive engineer Paddy Tiernan told a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District that the council are engaging with the relevant party and will continue to do so. However, he added if an agreement cannot be reached then a revised scheme could be necessary which would require another Part 8 application. Details of the status of the scheme were outlined following a request for an update by Councillor Paul Murphy. The councillor also sought information on the installation and turning …

A CLARE woman who is 26 weeks pregnant and undergoing treatment for breast cancer is urging the people of Clare to support cancer patients by getting involved with the Irish Cancer Society’s Daffodil Day on Friday March 24.  34 year old Ciara Jones from Newmarket on Fergus was diagnosed with breast cancer, on the very same day that she learned she was 4 weeks pregnant. Because of her pregnancy, Ciara’s medical team advised the mum of two to wait until 12 weeks to begin treatment, she says the waiting was the hardest part.  “There are no words for how I felt in those weeks. I had a lot of fear around losing the baby, that was really hard especially because I was told I wouldn’t be able to have any more kids. I couldn’t just try for another, it was a scary thought. But the pregnancy also helped me and gave me a focus. At 10 weeks, the lump had …

Hundreds of spectators are expected to flock to the twin communities of Killaloe and Ballina for their annual St Patrick’s Day Parade this Friday. Participating floats are asked to assemble at Ballina GAA pitch from 1.30pm and will head across Killaloe Bridge between 2 and 2.30pm, up the Main Street and past the Reviewing Stand at the Green once the organisers get the green light from local gardai. The parade is organised by the Féile Brian Ború committee, which consists of Paddy Collins, Arlene White, Cillian and Eugene McDonagh. Speaking to the Clare Champion about the preparations for the parade, Paddy Collins said there is a great sense of anticipation ahead of this year’s parade. “The parade was one of the first major events that united Ballina and Killaloe. It is an important to keep this tradition going. It provides a great family day out, particularly for kids,” he said. Mr Collins confirmed the committee has got great support from …

St Anne’s Community College has captured a remarkable rugby double, winning the Munster Girls Senior and Junior Cup finals in Musgrave Park, Cork on Wednesday.   Having won the Senior Cup last year, St Anne’s retained the title for the second successive year thanks to a 17-5 win over Ardscoil Mhuire, Limerick, who defeated their junior team in last year’s cup decider. To crown a glorious day for the Killaloe secondary school, their junior side mauled Coláiste Ide, Dingle by 47-0. This is the second successive year St Anne’s qualified for the Munster Senior and Junior Cup finals. St Anne’s defeated Clonakilty and ISK Killorglin on route to the senior final. Ard Scoil Mhuire Limerick and Colaiste Pobail, Bantry were defeated by St Anne’s on their way to the junior decider. When coach Grace Kearney set up rugby in St Anne’s back in 2015 there were very few girls playing the sport. She is thrilled to see girls winning the …

CLARE musicians are seeing their dreams come true this St Patrick’s Day as they perform on one of the world’s most famous stages – Carnegie Hall. Cratloe siblings Seón, Mateo and Mary-Kate Ruiz as well as Ruby McKenna from Ogonnolloe are playing at the New York venue as part of a performance by the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland. Speaking to the Clare Champion ahead of jetting off to New York 21-year-old Seón, who plays alto saxaphone with the orchestra, told us he was “very excited” to be taking to the stage at the prestigious venue. “For us this is a real highlight, to be playing Carnegie Hall of all places in New York. From taking lessons in the Limerick School of Music to progressing to the CBOI and to now be performing internationally in New York, it’s very exciting”. His brother Mateo is 17 and plays first violin while Mary-Kate is 14 and plays double bass with the orchestra. …

GARDAÍ have made a fresh appeal for witnesses to a road crash in West Clare which claimed the life of an 83 year old nun last week. Cecilia Keating, known as Sr Claire, was laid to rest at the weekend having lost her life after a road collision last Tuesday afternoon at Bella, Kilkee. Sr Claire was originally from Lower Fierd, Cross and had been living in Castletroy, Limerick. She was a member of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, Australia and Ireland. Making a renewed appeal for witnesses to the road collision Clare Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks expressed appreciation on behalf of Kilrush Gardaí to those who have already come forward. She outlined, “At approximately 4pm on Tuesday last, March 7 a fatal road traffic collision occurred at Bella, Kilkee. Two vehicles collided head-on and one of the drivers a lady in her mid-80’s tragically received fatal injuries. The road was closed for a …