Regional

DURING his recent visit to the United States, Mayor of Kilrush Ian Lynch met with Brian Stack of CIÉ Tours, who undertook to review CIÉ’s current policy of their tour buses not stopping in Kilrush. Councillor Lynch said he emphasised the significance of Kilrush as a tourism destination.“I explained that if CIÉ Tours were to stop in Kilrush, this would result in a significant increase to the local economy, greatly helping the town’s economic recovery. Mr Stack committed to carrying out a review of Kilrush as a possible tour stop and further arrangements are to be made in the next few weeks,” the town mayor said.During his trip, Councillor Lynch also met with the Consul General of Ireland, Boston-based Michael Lonergan. The mayor presented Mr Lonergan with a copy of Kilrush, Live, Work, Play – Investing in your Future, a document the mayor produced prior to his trip to the US to highlight the benefits for businesses of establishing in …

A ‘record’ number of riders and members of the public turned out for a charity ride organised by the Clare Hunt in aid of Clare Suicide Bereavement Support, which took place on Sunday in Quin. “This is definitely a record for any charity ride we have done. I expect about 130 or 120 normally but we had 275 riders. It was incredible. If there was a Guinness Book of Records for it we would have been there. We faxed hunts from Galway and Limerick and we thought we might have a representative or two from them but we had representatives from every hunt, with up to eight or 10 riders from each,” said Pat Hannon, PRO with The Clare Hunt.The charity ride followed a route from Quin to Doora cross-country and back via Castlefergus. Pat explained they chose Clare Suicide Bereavement Support, as there had been a number of hunt members who had been bereaved by suicide. “There is no …

DOOLIN people will be forced to break the law if the Government does not provide money for a new sewerage system in the village, councillors in the area have claimed.Councillors in North Clare made the comments at a local area meeting after a letter from a senior engineer in Clare County Council outlined that a publicly funded sewerage scheme for Doolin is unlikely in the “foreseeable future”. Sean Ward, senior engineer, water services, Clare County Council, was responding to a notice of motion submitted by Councillor Michael Kelly at a recent North Clare Area meeting. “In view of the concentration of private houses and tourist businesses at Doolin, it is vital that a pumping system joined onto the Lisdoonvarna Sewerage Treatment Plant, is put in place by the council,” Councillor Kelly stated.Mr Ward responded saying, “The Government’s 2006-2009 Water Services Investment Programme (WSIP) included a sewerage scheme for Doolin, bundled with a scheme for Ballyvaughan. The scheme envisaged a sewer …

GREEN-minded young people from Ennistymon Vocational School competed with schools from across Connacht at the innovative regional dragon’s den style ‘ECO-Den’ held by ECO-UNESCO at the Claregalway Hotel this month.   The group pitched their project to the panel of expert judges to convince them that their group should attend the final ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2012 showcase and ceremony in the Mansion House in Dublin on May 8.  The North Clare pupils competed in the Connacht ECO-Den instead of travelling to Cork for the Munster leg. The Ennistymon group inspired the judges, Elaine Nevin, ECO-UNESCO director; Sharon Cameron, environmental awareness officer, Mayo County Council; Sinéad Ní Mhainnin, environmental awareness officer, Galway County Council and Marion Parker, environmental education officer Roscommon County Council; with details of their project The Riverboys, which promoted the local natural amenity of River Inagh by developing a new riverside walkway with new information boards and installation of recycled benches.The Ennistymon Vocational School group outlined to …

ELEVEN schools across Galway are set to lose teachers as part of cuts announced by the Government late last year but according to a senior INTO figure in the county, the true picture is far worse. Those South Galway schools reaching the new heightened threshold for pupil numbers by September will not be able to appoint teachers until next year, it emerged this week.Speaking to The Clare Champion, Joe Killeen, principal of Lough Cutra National School and the INTO executive representative for Galway and Roscommon, pointed out many schools in the area will see their pupil numbers rise to above the new thresholds for teacher allocations but will not be allowed to hire teachers until 2013. The reason for this is that teacher allocation for the 2012/2013 school year will be based on the 2011/2012 pupil numbers, even in cases where the numbers rise above the new enrolment thresholds. Schools that increase their pupil numbers this September, and have the …

  Seamount College, Kinvara  1-8 Coláiste Phobal, Roscrea  2-1 SEAMOUNT College, Kinvara were crowned All-Ireland junior C camogie champions at Killimor last Saturday, when they defeated Colaiste Phobal Roscrea. Having won the toss, Seamount elected to hurl with the breeze at their back in the first half. A substantial gale meant that a significant advantage would be required by the break.After a slow start, Cliodhna Walsh got Seamount off the mark with a well-taken point from play, followed by a converted free from Emma Helebert. Further frees from Helebert and a point from play by Nicola Brennan saw Seamount stretch their lead to five points. Roscrea were making little inroads at the other end with Kinvara’s midfield pairing of Brennan and Lisa Casserly, along with centre-back Eleanor Stafford in total control.A wonder point from Brennan from 50 metres out on the right sideline and an injury-time free from Helebert left the half-time scoreline at 0-7 to 0-0 in favour of …

THERE was a huge turn out of both floats and spectators at the various parades in West Clare over the bank holiday weekend. Along with the parade in Kilrush on St Patrick’s Day, a footing turf and peeling potatoes competition was held.  

A CLARE County Council planner has questioned a submission from a North Clare potter, which refers to an alleged extraction of clay in proximity to Doolin Cave and the planner has advised the matter be “investigated through the enforcement process”.