Shannon

A NEW multi-million euro College of Further Education campus in Shannon incorporating a national centre of excellence for aviation will form part of a €1bn investment in the region over five years by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board. The announcement of the €1bn investment was made at the launch in Shannon Airport of Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board’s new five-year strategy. Setting out its vision to enhance the quality of learning and life in the region, Strategy Statement 2022 – 2026 outlines the role the ETB will play over the five years of the plan. This includes fulfilling the personal, social, economic and employability needs of the community it serves. The launch took place at Shannon Airport and was attended by the ETB Senior Management Team, ETB staff and invited guests, including Minister of State for Skills and Further Education, Niall Collins TD, and other public representatives. Speaking at the launch, George O’Callaghan, Chief Executive, highlighted …

A PROTEST regarding the standard of the 343 bus service serving Shannon is to be held at the Town Park at 12 noon this Saturday, December 3. It is being organised by the Clare Sinn Féin Ógra group and spokesperson Aoife Bennett Murray says they want to draw attention to a long-standing problem. “People have been looking for the 343 service to come on time and be reliable for years. Mike McKee, the late councillor, was fighting for that before he died, “Donna McGettigan has been getting onto them. But they’re not listening, they’ve put on a few double decker buses, but people are still saying the buses are coming 25 minutes late, people are losing out on wages, missing classes. “We’re having a protest and we’d like if a Bus Éireann representative came down to hear people and what they have to say about the whole situation.” A student of architecture at the University of Limerick, she says she …

BLESSED are those who bring hope is the theme of the November Novena, which begins with 6.30pm mass this Saturday, and which will continue until November 6. The November Novena had been up and running prior to the pandemic, but this is the first one since 2019. “It started two years before the pandemic, and this is the first one for three years. We’re delighted to have it back. It’s a novena of hope in honour of the Holy Souls,” said parish priest Father Arnold Rosney. He said that all are welcome to attend. “There’s an open invitation to everyone. We’d love to see as many as possible attend all the sessions, or at least one. We’d encourage young families to bring primary school children as well, to experience what a novena is. The speakers are vast and varied.” On the first two days the speaker will be Father Gerard Moloney. He is a member of the Redemptorist Community in …

BUS services in Shannon are currently very unreliable, and make things very difficult for local people using public transport, according to a local councillor. “There are people being left on the side of the road. We were told they were going to bring in a double decker bus to alleviate this, but it hasn’t happened yet,” Councillor Donna McGettigan complained. She cited an example of a bus running 35 minutes late, with people being left at the side of the road again and pointed out also there are no bus stops by the Radisson. The Sinn Féin representative said that she tries to use public transport, but that the state of it locally makes it very hard to encourage anyone else to do so. “It’s crazy, and it’s a time when there is a move to try and encourage people to use public transport. I love public transport, I try to use it as much as possible and you can …

A PLANNING application has been lodged for the refurbishment of the Drumgeely Neighbourhood Centre, which is the public open space area enclosed by Drumgeely Avenue, Fergus Drive and Allen Park. A design statement accompanying the application says that it will improve the appearance and increase the vibrancy of the area. “The purpose of this proposed development is an initiative of the Shannon MD and Clare County Council to upgrade the outdated public realm facility at Drumgeely Neighbourhood Centre. “This project proposes to revitalise the neighbourhood centre of Drumgeely. It will positively impact vibrancy and ‘outdoor living’ in the community while attracting new customers, business and a night time economy.” It said that accessibility will be improved by it. “The public realm at the centre is in poor condition with poor accessibility. This project proposes to redefine the streetscape so that it is accessible to today’s standards, while being safe and attractive to service users. “The renewal will also provide a …

THE weather is changing and the days are shortening, but the Shannon Tidy Towns group is still active. “We’ll still be doing litter picks, that’s important because you’re never free of rubbish in any town or village, group secretary Derek Clune told The Champion. “It’s important to keep the River Walk tidy because it’s very well used, the Town Park is the same. When the Town Park was developed the Council introduced this Leave No Trace, the idea is that everyone takes away everything, and it’s great in theory but in practice it doesn’t work I’m afraid. “If that wasn’t done two or three times a week it would look bad. It’s very well used, families use it,  you have the pump track there, the River Walk is the same, even people from outside Shannon use it.” The group is also hoping to complete a long-planned project this month. “We have a big project in the pipeline for a long …

A BOOK on Mike Kelly, the aviation enthusiast who provided the model aircraft in the Shannon Airport Aviation Gallery has been officially launched. The launch was at the airport, just beside the area where the amazing collection of more than 1,500 die-cast model aircraft he provided are on display. Mr Kelly comes to Shannon several times a week to tend to the collection and at Monday’s launch Shannon Group CEO Mary Considine said, “Mike’s love of the collection is infectious and his personal touch really adds to the visitor experience in our airport.  “He is generous with his time in maintaining and curating it. His wonderful storytelling has engaged many a passenger. Nearly every day passengers tell us how much they have enjoyed the display and for this we are most grateful. I would like to congratulate Mike, author Kieran Beville and publisher Dominic Taylor and wish them every success with the book.” The publication is called Pulling Back The …

A NEW direction in design undertaken by Clare County Council to create a beautiful public realm space at a Shannon cemetery has been praised. The extension to Illaunmanagh burial ground in Shannon was officially opened by Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Tony O’Brien. The Council undertook a different approach to the design and layout of the extension moving away from the traditional dense grid layout. The new space, Councillor O’Brien observed, combines an homage to the nature, geography, heritage, and the people of Shannon The newly opened extension allows bereaved families to reflect in the comfort of nature and the Shannon Estuary. Councillor O’Brien, said, “Our graveyards are so important to us all here in County Clare. This project has taken many influences from scores of historic graveyards across Clare, where those who built this county now rest. “I know this place will be a fitting resting place for those we lose in the coming decade, and a place of …