Regional

THE recent passing of Michael John Quigney was greeted with a deep sense of sadness, especially in the Clooney and Tulla areas. Michael John was well known and popular through his employment and involvement in many organisations. Born in 1940, Michael John lived all his live in the townland of Toonagh in Clooney Parish adjoining the Tulla boundary. A hard worker and helpful neighbour, he worked for many years in Shannon Airport with Aer Lingus and Tedcastles Oil. He also ran the family farm. He was a member of the Tulla Macra na Feirme club that staged the Tulla Agricultural show, a show that attracted the world-renowned show jumper Tommy Wade. Michael John was also an athlete, a piper, an FCA member, a competitive card player and a fanatical GAA supporter. He followed the fortunes of Clooney-Quin and Clare with a boyish enthusiasm, right to the very end. He actually attended the Muster Hurling Final a few weeks before he …

A UNIQUE post-primary educational initiative has come of age this month, as it celebrates 21 years of supporting children and teens at a leafy campus in East Clare. ALFA (Alternative Learning for Adolescents) has been operating in Raheen, Tuamgraney, since 2001, providing full-time, progressive education for 12 to 16 year-olds. Based on the Steiner-Waldorf philosophy of education, it is one of the few settings  that provides an alternative to the mainstream Junior Cycle. “In the 21 years ALFA has had many different stages: from its pioneering start in a small mountain cabin without water or electricity to our own site with two (soon to be three!) classrooms and an amazing geodesic dome; from a small single group to our current enrolment of 40+ students and the possibility of a five year secondary programme,” a spokesperson said. “It’s been quite the journey.” Currently, there are two Steiner primary schools in Clare – one is Raheen Wood, right beside the ALFA facility, the other is Mol …

DEVELOPERS looking to build 36 new homes on a high-profile site in Tulla have moved to address concerns raised by planners over “piecemeal development”.  In May, Woodhaven Developments lodged plans for the estate on a prominent greenfield site, close to Glebe House on Church Road. During the public consultation phase, four submissions were made. These expressed concerns over the proposed boundary of the estate, as well as potential pedestrian access onto lands belonging to a third party.  On foot of these submissions, as well as separate concerns of their own, planners requested Further Information (FI) from Woodhaven. They sought more details on the proposed connectivity between the site and the town’s Main Street. Planners expressed concerns that the proposed development might not comply with site zoning. While the site is zoned for residential development, there is a specific site objective that connectivity is created into the town centre. The FI request also asked Woodhaven to “satisfactorily demonstrate ownership of all …

THERE will be planning applications next year for two major projects involving retail, office and housing in Ennis town centre. Briefing councillors this week, chief operating officer of Ennis 2040 Kevin Corrigan said it is intended, between office and large retail, to develop about 5,000 square metres of space, including more than 50 apartments. Mr Corrigan, outlining a number of masterplans, claimed significant progress is likely to come in the next two years. “We’ll be lodging two planning applications for town centre sites in 2023, so between office and large retail we intend to develop about 5,000 square metres of space, 50+ apartments,” he told county council members. “The funding models are still being developed, we’re hoping the construction will start after it goes through planning in 2024,” he added. “We’ll be doing a masterplan next year for the Post Office field and we’re hoping to commence construction in 2024 or 2025.” Restating some of Ennis 2040’s purposes Mr Corrigan …

IT seems you can’t move in Clare for American TV crews with yet another travel show filming in the county recently. Following on from earlier high profile Samatha Brown and Michael Londra visits, a crew from the NBC TV network in the United States has been filming in the Banner county recently. They were filming here for four separate TV shows which will be seen by millions of people, or potential American holidaymakers for Ireland, later this year and during 2023. Tourism Ireland invited the NBC crew to come and film here for the Today show (news and talk morning show), 1st Look (weekly travel and lifestyle show which reaches around 1.2 million viewers), Open House (architecture, design and real estate show which reaches over 1.5 million viewers) and NBCLX (a local news network). Their busy schedule was designed by Fáilte Ireland and with more good news about transatlantic services for Clare this week, it is expected to lead to …

TO mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Gort Cancer Support is holding a Breast Health Information Evening.  The event takes place in Gort Cancer Support’s Studio in Garrabeg, Gort (H91 WFP8) this Thursday, October 13, from 5pm to 9pm. A series of guest speakers will cover a range of topics including the possible symptoms of breast cancer, the importance of self-examination, areola restorative tattoos, the BRCA (breast cancer) gene, as well as post-mastectomy lingerie, swimwear and protheses. Those intending to visit can come along to one talk or listen to them all. Everyone is welcome. Refreshments will be served. More details are available on 086-1724500. More information is available on Gort Cancer Support Centre’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.

LINKING Ennis’ traffic light system would be “less pedestrian friendly” a council engineer has explained in response to calls for the lights in the town to be synchronised. Councillor Mary Howard raised the issue at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District where she said a number of people had suggested the idea as a way of improving traffic flow at busy times. She outlined that the return of students to school has led to a number of “pinch points” at drop-off and pick-up times with the majority of traffic moving in the same direction. Ian Chaplin, acting senior executive engineer responded, “Having consulted with our Traffic Lights providers, it is possible to link the traffic lights in the town but this is now considered old technology. “Linking would have been in operation historically when other traffic light solutions were not available. “For instance, Kilrush Road/Carmody street junction has a MOVA (Microprocessor Optimised Vehicle Actuation) operated set of traffic lights, …

DEVELOPERS of a controversial East Clare wind farm have been urged to honour a promise to fund local sports clubs, in the event of a legal challenge to the recent grant of permission for 19 turbines on the slopes of Slieve Bearnagh.  In correspondence seem by The Champion, Deputy Michael McNamara told FuturEnergy Ireland that the funding promise would amount to “an ugly bribe”, if it were to be withheld in the likely event of a challenge.  The Scariff TD, who headed up the Carrownagowan Concern Group, also repeated fears originally voiced in a major submission, over the potential for landslides. In his letter to FuturEnergy – a renewable venture between Coillte and the ESB – Deputy McNamara said he was still not satisfied that those risks have been addressed.  The Independent TD said that one of the aspects of the planning application that concerned him most was the promise by Coillte to fund local sports clubs, contingent on the …