West Clare

THE likelihood of building a roundabout at a notorious Kilrush junction has been ruled out by Clare County Council, who stated the National Roads Authority does not have the money to fund the project.

NEW Kilrush traffic bylaws, which were adopted at last week’s meeting of the town council, will come into effect on Monday, October 17.

Monday’s meeting of Kilkee Town Council heard that there will be no local authority houses built in Kilkee in the foreseeable future. Instead, the town council will be relying upon renting private housing to meet the need of social housing in the town.

Raidió Corca Baiscinn is to broadcast a series entitled The Locals, which incorporates 20 programmes that focuses on “the sonic beauty of the landscape of South West Clare and the creatures that inhabit it”.

The deadline for making submissions to the 2012-2018 Draft West Clare Local Area Plan is next Monday.

The Strand, Kilkee, was host to the annual fancy dress fundraiser in aid of The Hope Foundation, Calcutta, last Thursday. Local woman Ann Marie Murray, home from India for a break, was surrounded by friends to help raise funds for the charity, which works for the street children in Calcutta. Ann Marie has worked as a volunteer in the city of 22 million people, helping street children and those most at risk for almost a decade. Each year, she helps to support thousands of children and adults to receive lifesaving treatment on the streets and in the slums of one of the most deprived cities in the world. Whilst living in Calcutta, Anne Marie shares a protection home with 40 adolescent girls and has become a beacon of hope on the streets of the city. Her tirelessness, humility and her generosity of spirit have touched the lives of many over the years and she continues to stress the generosity which …

Since Loop Head Lighthouse was opened to the public on July 18, 12,000 people have visited the 341-year-old lighthouse in Kilbaha. Such has been the public interest in visiting the iconic building, Clare County Council has extended what they term “visitor access trial” at Loop Head until Sunday, October 3. Since the lighthouse opened, visitors have often had to wait for up to an hour, given the visitor numbers. The short tour involves a small group climbing to the top of the lighthouse and viewing the spectacular vista. The lighthouse will remain open seven days a week from 10am to 5.30pm throughout the remainder of August and all through September. This Sunday, an open day will be held from 10am to 4pm of the lighthouse keeper’s house, which is operated by The Irish Landmark Trust. Visitors can go on a self-guided tour of the restored property. Chairman of the West Clare Task Force, Councillor Oliver Garry, said the decision to …

KILMIHIL couple, Michael and Maureen Mescall are looking for four teachers to help with their charitable work in Tanzania from next January.The couple run a registered charity, Tanzania Village Renewal, which carries out small jobs in villages in Tanzania, mainly in regard to educational matters. In November 2010, 16 builders travelled to Tanzania for two weeks and built an extension to a school in a village called Suji, which is situated in the Paré Mountains. It is about an hour from the airport at Kilimanjaro and near to the Serengeti and Ngorogoro game parks. The team of builders was led by John Clancy from Corofin and they were assisted by locals from Suji.“Five graduates of NUI Galway also accompanied us and have been teaching in Suji Malindi secondary school and will remain there until December 2011,” Maureen Mescall told The Clare Champion.“Prior to their arrival, the school had two teachers for the 450 pupils. These teachers have been a wonderful …