News

THE MID-Clare Commemoration Committee has unveiled plans to commemorate the role of the women of Cumann na mBan in Ireland’s revolutionary struggle. The committee, which has been instrumental in marking historic events since it was established a decade ago, believes that the pivotal role of women in events like the War of Independence has been largely neglected. Given the restrictions around Covid-19, it has initiated a school’s project designed to recognise the role of women, including the children’s own relatives. All schools in Mid-Clare Brigade area are invited to participate in the project, and to select Cumann na mBan members and document their contribution to national Independence. Schools and students may use any medium they see fit, including displays, posters, articles, reports, etc, and may return one or more projects. Participating schools will be presented with a specially commissioned Cumann na mBan Centenary Certificate. A presentation ceremony will take place in 2021, subject to restriction. A centenary commemorative booklet of …

IN the region of 221 healthcare staff across the UL Hospitals’ Group are self-isolating due to Covid-19 as all routine outpatient appointments and the majority of elective procedures remain cancelled in two public hospitals until Friday, November 20. The UL Hospitals’ Group has confirmed significant reductions in scheduled care at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and Ennis Hospital have been extended for a further week for patient and staff safety as both hospitals continue to manage a number of outbreaks of Covid-19. Six wards in UHL were closed to admissions last Friday and a total of 188 staff are currently off work and self-isolating across the group, having either tested positive for Covid-19 or being designated as close contacts. Outbreak control teams established in both locations continue to work closely with public health and occupational health colleagues and all the relevant HPSC guidance is being followed as we work to contain the virus and to protect patients and staff. Contact tracing …

A MAJOR promotional push of the Burren Ecotourism Network is being planned in the wake of the local initiative becoming the only Irish tourism project to be included in the Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel picks for 2021. Naming the Burren Ecotourism Network one of ten world-wide winners in its new ‘Best in Community’ category this week Lonely Planet described it as “an impressive community collaboration of over 60 local enterprises which has transformed Ireland’s Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark into a global leader for sustainable tourism. Joining together to promote slow tourism, local engagement and a greater responsibility for a more sustainable future for all in the area. All enterprises subscribe to the Burren & Cliffs of Moher Geopark ‘Code of Sustainable Practice’. This is an online platform that measures waste output, water consumption and energy usage and encourages each business to make reductions in these areas. The Code of Practice is the only one of its kind in …

BUTTERFLIES have been hand-crafted by ICA members across Clare in solidarity with women globally who are victims of violence. Over the past few weeks, 19 guilds around the county have skilfully crafted 350 butterflies in materials like wool, fabric, paper and card. Last weekend, these were painstakingly put together by crafter Caroline Quinn to create a single colourful display. The image of the butterfly was chosen, according to Mary Moloney of PRO of Clare ICA Federation, to tie in with the aims of the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, marked on Wednesday last, November 25. The annual event started in 1999 to remember Maria, Theresa and Minerva Mirabal from the Dominican Republic who were assassinated for opposing the brutality of their country’s dictator.

THE crew of Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 115, were on standby during the early hours of Monday morning to assist the SpaceX Crew Dragon mission launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida. After the launch, Brendan Meehan, Chief Crewman Standards with Rescue 115, told The Clare Champion, that the Shannon crew were prepared to rescue the four astronauts on board in the event the mission was forced to abort before making it into orbit, and touchdown in the Atlantic Ocean anywhere between 50 and 200km off the Clare coast. “It’s quite an unusual event, and I suppose the chances of us being called to action were probably slim. Nonetheless, we were ready to fly out to rescue the astronauts on board. We had been briefed on the make-up of the capsule, how the hatches open and how it would be sitting in the water. “Our job would be to fly out to the capsule, collect the astronauts and bring …

INDIVIDUAL booths could be installed in cattle marts with access to television screens for buyers to facilitate a resumption of live cattle sales in marts, according to a local farm leader. Difficulties with broadband caused huge anger amongst farmers throughout the country recently when on line cattle sales crashed leaving sellers without an outlet to sell their livestock. Clare Beef Plan chairman, Joe Woulfe believes the installation of individual booths with access to television screens should be considered as this would be one way to comply with social distancing in compliance with Covid-19 guidelines. Mr Woulfe stressed new measures were needed to safeguard a multi billion meat industry as the online system of selling and buying cattle was proving to be too problematic. Mr Woulfe said farmers were not looking for a special exemption as food production was always categorised as an essential service since the start of the lockdown. This is illustrated by the fact that meat factories have …

A CHAMPION swimmer aiming for Olympic glory and an RTÉ presenter are just some of those who have gone back to school to take part in a virtual open night next week. As a result of Covid-19 the usual open night for Ennis Community College / Gaelcholáiste an Chláir is unable to go ahead. However that has not stopped plans to showcase the schools to prospective students with a virtual event going live at 12 noon on Monday. Principal Brian O’Donoghue revealed moving to an online platform has had advantages, giving the schools an opportunity to highlight the paths some past pupils have taken. Former students have created videos for the virtual event telling their own school experiences. Among those are Ruairí Mac Giolla Bhuidhe, professional swimmer aiming towards the Tokyo Olympics 2021, Zainab Boladale presenter on RTÉ Nationwide, Roisin O Fhallúin who achieved maximum points in the Leaving Cert, Donnie O’Keeffe local business man and software engineer Rezvee Sikder. …

MINISTER for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue has pledged to keep restrictions on mart access under review, following a major outage with the online system, which affected sales nationwide, including those in Clare. Raising the issue in Dáil Éireann, Deputy Cathal Crowe told the minister there had been anger and confusion among local farmers over the issue that arose at the end of last month. “The system crashed for about two hours at Sixmilebridge mart,” the Fianna Fáil TD outlined, “with the result that many of the cattle already in pens in the back yard had to be loaded back onto trailers and returned to their home farms. There was consternation in the marts and considerable anger and frustration among farmers.” The Meelick-based TD said that while sales had managed to resume on the day in question, many farmers were unable to sell their animals. “The mart in Sixmilebridge continued and some sales took place, including the sale of my uncle’s yearlings, …