South Clare

A new €3.284 million social housing development in Clonlara was officially opened by Housing Minister Paudie Coffey on Thursday morning. Clare County Council’s newest social housing development at Glór na Srutha, Knockbrack Lower, Clonlara was unveiled by Minister Coffey in spite of heavy rain. The minister took the opportunity to examine the houses and was with their overall energy efficiency and compliance with national building regulations. The scheme, comprising two-bed and three-bed units based on a single storey and two-storey grouping, was developed to meet the social housing need in the Clonlara area. All 12 units have been occupied since the development was completed in September 2014 by L and M Keating Contractors, and featured a design team comprising Hassett, Leyden and Associates Architects, Tom McNamara and Partners Quantity Surveyors and Moloney Fox Mechanical and Electrical Consultants. The minister was joined at the official opening by chief executive officer, Tom Coughlan, councillors, council officials, members of the project team, the …

Ironically, the weekend’s anti-water charge protests in Ennis, Shannon and Limerick, and indeed many other places around the country, took place in torrential downpours. However, this didn’t dampen the spirits of the estimated 1500,000 protesters, who sent a clear message to the Government that Irish Water is not the way to go. The Ennis protest began at O’Connell Square where speakers addressed  the protesters before the marched up the street and turned into Carmody Street and wormed their way back to the Square. Residents from a number of housing estates marched to the town centre area of Shannon, where the protest included the burning of notices from Irish Water. Several communities from South East Clare were well represented at the largest protest in the Mid West in Limerick city.

A CIRCUIT Court Judge has encouraged a County Tipperary man to organise a coffee morning with his neighbours in order to help repay a €63,360 debt from an unsuccessful court action taken to prevent a Traveller family from moving into the Cullenagh estate in Ballina. Brendan Maguire and four others, supported by 61 members of the Cullenagh Residents Association, took a High Court action against North Tipperary County Council to block a Traveller family moving into a €465,000 council house in the estate. They were unsuccessful in a judicial review action which was determined in May 2009. As a result of this action, Traveller couple, Charlie and Noreen O’Reilly of Cullenagh faced a legal bill connected with this action. An order for repayment of €63,360 associated with the O’Reilly’s costs was made against Brendan Maguire of Ivy Grove, Cullenagh, Ballina, County Tipperary. Mr Maguire was ordered to repay €40 per month to the Traveller couple but at Ennis Circuit Court …

Reports that Cratloe Post Office is to close have brought a strong reaction from Fianna Fáil TD, Timmy Dooley. He was reacting to a directive from An Post that the office will close in March 2015. “I am shocked at news that An Post plans on closing Cratloe Post Office in March of next year. When An Post first considered closing the Post Office in June, the local community came together and put forward a comprehensive business plan. However, this has now been rejected by An Post,” he said. Continuing, Deputy Dooley said, “I am absolutely shocked that An Post cannot see the benefit and value of the post office to the local community in Cratloe. The business plan presented included proposals on making the post office a viable business. “If the Post Office was to close, then the adjoining shop may also have to close. This would rob the village of two vital local amenities. Rural Ireland has already …

Plans for  a permanent Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat Station in Dromineer will be unveiled at a public meeting in the village on Wednesday. Members of the public will be able to meet architects and engineers who drafted the plans, at a consultation meeting in the Lough Derg Yacht Club from 7pm to 9pm. The current station began operations from the premises of Lough Derg Yacht Club at Dromineer, halfway down the east shore of the lake in North Tipperary. Now that plans for a new permanent station in the village are well underway, it is important that people become engaged with the consultation process. On May 25 last, the Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat Station celebrated its 10th birthday. Over the past 10 years, the lifeboat was launched 240 times, 60 of those at night. Volunteer crews have rescued 340 people and saved the lives of three. Following a rescue on August 13 of this year, the skipper of the vessel wrote …

A Clonlara information technology specialist company has landed the 2014 Irish Dell Partner of the Year Award. Action Point chief executive officer, David Jeffreys, who accepted the award from Michael Dell, at the prestigious recent Dell Solutions Conference in Brussels, declared it was a “great honour” to be recognised in this fashion. Action Point, which is headquartered in Castletroy, Limerick, was one of just nine companies presented with awards for demonstrating excellent customer solutions and significant growth at what is the key annual event in the Dell calendar for its premier partners in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Founded by Mr Jeffreys, this IT services and software development specialist company has enjoyed rapid growth over the past decade. Mr Jeffreys, who lives in Clonlara, said this award demonstrates the value the company places in its partnership with Dell. “Action Point will shortly be celebrating its 10th year in business and, from the outset, we have been striving for …

A shield commemorating Brian Ború in his birthplace will be unveiled in Killaloe this Saturday afternoon. Locals and visitors will be able to admire this piece of sculpture, which was forged by turning pieces of “scrap” copper into a Brian Ború “treasure”. It will be mounted on the wall outside the Killaloe Library/Brian Ború Heritage Centre for the enjoyment of passers-by. This piece was commissioned this year by the Féile Brian Ború committee to commemorate the famous High King. During Féile Brian Ború in July, the pieces for this unique mural were created by adults and children, who took part in copper craft workshops with silversmith, Suzi Lewisohn at the CELT Traditional Craft Experience. The shield is a two-dimensional copper sculpture, using different techniques, including stampwork, riveting and wirework. This artwork was created and finished by East Clare-based blacksmith, Mark Wilson and the design for the piece was taken from a woodcut created by artist and printmaker, Suzannah O’Reilly, with …

A Clare student joined Education Minister, Jan O’Sullivan and her Northern Ireland counterpart, John O’Dowd at an event this week to encourage Ireland’s youth to apply for the 2015 Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards Programme. The awards programme recognises young people for exemplary volunteer service and Elysha Ní Chulain from Bunratty, a student at Coláiste Íde in Daingean Uí Chúis, Kerry, last year’s winner, endorsed the initiative. At the reception in Dublin, both ministers encouraged schools across the island to nominate young people who give their time, energy and spirit to make a positive impact on their communities. The call was supported by The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) and The General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI). For more details www.pramerica.ie.