Regional

AN ENERGY Master plan for Clooney/Spancilhill Community Development will be launched this Wednesday, May 25.  In association with Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI) and Tipperary Energy Agency (TEA), the event is an opportunity for community members to hear details of the plan and find out about how homes can be upgraded to be warmer and more energy efficient.  The plan will be launched by Senior Executive Officer for the Killaloe Municipal District, Morgan Lahiffe and Cathaoirleach, Councillor Joe Cooney, at the information evening, which will run from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at Clooney National School. The evening will provide details of a range of home energy grants and how to apply. There will also be a Q&A session with experts from TEA and information on the renewable energy options available to the local community. Specific information will be available to home and business owners, farmers and transport providers.  This Clooney/Spancilhill Community Energy Master Plan has been developed to enable the community …

A NORTH Clare student has showcased his skills and scooped a national award. Shane Price, who attends Ennistymon Vocational School, has been named a winner in the 2022 Career Skills Competition. Shane came first place in the Transition Year category of the competition with an impressive career investigation on Computer Programming – Artificial Intelligence and an essay detailing his work experience in a health pharmacy. The aim of the competition is to encourage independent career research among second level students and to foster awareness around the importance of career skills, which can be developed as a result of completing a work experience placement. Shane tells us he “found the whole experience amazing”. He explains, “The competition was all about writing an essay of having a critical view of skills required for careers observed in work experience and the second part of the essay required you to do your own research into another career that you do not have any work experience in. “It requires you …

THE Shannon College of Hotel Management has an economic impact of over €5 million per annum, its head Dr Phillip J Smyth told a meeting of Shannon Municipal District councillors on Tuesday. The meeting was held at the College and at its outset the members heard a presentation from Dr Smyth, which was somewhat disrupted because of a cyber attack on NUI Galway, of which the college is a part. Dr Smyth said that it is now quite difficult to get housing for its approximately 400 students. “The biggest problem we have is accommodation,” he said. Dr Smyth said that a mail shot is going out throughout the Municipal District, looking for expressions of interest in housing students. Explaining some of the college’s history, he said that when it was being established by Dr Brendan O’Regan, approaches were made to Government for funding. However Dr Smyth said the Government’s position was that “there were not jobs for 12 trained hotel …

Students from Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon have taken Second prize in the Junior Category at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Finals. The winning students Bríd-Áine Rouine, Áine Hennigan and Eimear Lernihan, all 13 years old, who worked under the guidance of their teacher, Caitríona Hynes were awarded for their BEA Body Scrubs. BEA Scrubs produce eco-friendly body scrubs. Their ethos is based on the circular economy, they use bi-product from coffee granules sourced from a local coffee shop and use this product as the core ingredient for their scrubs. The students also enjoyed the support of the Local Enterprise Office in Clare. The scrubs are made from 100% sustainable and by-products as ingredients and are sold to customers, locally, regionally and nationally. The coffee granules are purchased from local coffee distributor Anam Coffee.   The Finals of the Local Enterprise Office initiative were held physically for the first time in three years at the Helix in Dublin with An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and host …

ONE young Shannon girl got to see her vision for a biodiversity garden come to fruition last week. Ten-year-old primary school student Molly McPhillips was on hand to cut the ribbon at the launch of Shannon Group’s new community biodiversity garden and see her winning design in full bloom. Last year, Molly, a fourth-class student at St Senan’s National School won a competition to design a new biodiversity garden in Shannon, after her proposal was selected as the popular vote on social media. Last Tuesday, Molly, along with her classmates, returned to see her inspiring garden design in full bloom during a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the official opening of the community garden on the Shannon Campus. After exploring the garden and seeing her inspirational design blossom into this new community amenity, Molly said, “I love all the wildflowers and the nature all around here. I am really happy, excited and proud. “I planted a tree and I got …

FOLLOWING Eddie Lenihan sharing the story of his rental nightmare in Kilkee, local councillor Cillian Murphy says it illustrates a wider problem in the seaside town. “There’s no getting away from the fact that people who want to live permanently in the town can’t get long term rentals. “Eddie isn’t the only one that we know of, I think it really crystallises what we’re losing. Here’s a guy with a job who can work remotely, can elect to live in Kilkee, they have a family and it’s a loss to the community, the kids are a loss to our schools and sporting organisations. “Eddie would have been very involved with Foróige, with the football clubs and sporting organizations, as would his wife. The social capital that that family unit brought to the town is gone. “It just shows in one family the loss to our community of not having long term rentals available and affordable housing.” Councillor Murphy said that …

FIVE individual appeals have been lodged to An Bord Pleanala against the decision by Clare County County to grant planning permission for a residential development near an Ennis retirement village. The local authority gave planning permission in March to Leadlane (Drumbiggle) Ltd to construct 56 residential units on lands to the west of Pairc na Coille Retirement Village in Drumbiggle. However the plans are now on hold as five separate third party appeals have been lodged with the planning board. Issues raised in the appeals include fears by residents of the Willsgrove housing estate in Ennis that the council will in the future create a pedestrian/cycle link between the estate and the new development. The link, which was opposed by residents, had been removed from the proposal during the planning process. In assessing the application planners with the local authority outlined a concern that without the inclusion of the proposed pedestrian link the development would constitute a cul-de-sac. Willsgrove resident …

DRIVERS are “taking risks every single day” at a notorious road junction in Ennis, with one councillor likening it to “Russian Roulette”. The frustrations of residents on the Shanaway Road who are awaiting road safety improvements were highlighted at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. An update from the roads design team on any progress made regarding the exit from Shanaway road onto Lahinch Road was sought by Councillor Mark Nestor following contact from residents. The meeting was told by council officials that designs for Active Travel Measures are being developed. Michael O’Grady, Executive Engineer, stated, “The Road Design Office have recently completed a topographical survey of the N85 from Claureen roundabout to the start of the speed limit zone, conceptual design options for Active Travel Measures are being developed for this area, the Shanaway Road junction is being incorporated in these designs.” Councillor Nestor acknowledged the response and welcomed the survey however he continued, “that’s all well …