Tag Archives: clare

THOUSANDS of Clare homes have been left without electricity due to Hurricane Ophelia and it may be several days before some people have it restored. According to the ESB Networks in the region of 4,000 customers in Cranny, Miltown, Drumquin, Ennistymon, Kilrush, Ennis, Shannon, Cratloe, Tulla, and Scariff as well as their surrounds have been left without power. In a statement ESB Networks warned that many people will not have their electricity restored for some time. “As of 4:30 pm, approximately 360,000 electricity customers are without power as a result of over 3,200 individual faults on the network across the country. Fallen trees on overhead lines are responsible for most of the damage to the network. “The majority of customers who have lost supply at present will be without power tonight and over a number of days. Based on previous experience of Storm Darwin in 2014, where about 280,000 customers were left without supply, we can predict that it will …

  THE impact of Hurricane Ophelia is being felt across Clare this afternoon, with trees down in numerous locations and many homes without power. Speaking to the Clare Champion Councillor Mike McKee said that about a third of homes in Shannon are without electricity, including many in the Ballycasey area. He also said a tree had fallen at Cluain Airne and a lamp post went down at Cill Cais. “It has been fairly wild over the last few hours, but I don’t think it’s as bad as when we had the last storm, three or four years ago,” he noted. Councillor McKee said that most business in Shannon Town Centre had closed, as had those in the Shannon Free Zone. He also said there have been dangerous driving conditions close to the airport, due to debris. In Ennis Councillor Mary Howard said the weather is very dangerous. “The gusts are very strong and its frightening,” she said. “My advice is …

THE average asking price for a house in Clare jumped by almost 8% between the third quarter of 2016 and the third quarter of 2017, new figures have revealed. It follows a rise of 6% between 2015 and 2016. The average price now sought in the county is just shy of €168,000, 40% above the lowest point of the crash. According to Daft’s figures, the average asking price for a one-bed apartment in Clare is €61,000, while it is €79,000 for a two-bed apartment. The average price for a three-bed semi-detached house is €118,000, it is €223,000 for a four-bed bungalow and a five-bed detached house is €244,000. The report states that prices across the province of Munster as a whole are typically 8% higher than they were a year ago. There are just over 8,000 properties advertised on the site in the province, 8% less than in the third quarter of 2016. Just over half of all properties in …

DEPUTY Michael Harty has confirmed that he favours allowing abortion in certain circumstances but not in the latter stages of pregnancy. In an interview with The Clare Champion, Dr Harty said as much as possible needs to be done around education and provision of contraception to ensure that women are not left in what he called an “unenviable position”. He said, “I am male and I will never have to consider having an abortion and I think that’s an important factor, when males are speaking about this issue. “We don’t know what the wording of the referendum is going to be so it’s difficult to comment on how one will vote, when one doesn’t know the wording of what legislation is proposed to define the circumstances under which termination of pregnancy is going to be allowed. We have to wait for that, before we can make a definitive decision on how to vote.” While Dr Harty favours allowing terminations in …

There has been a 29% drop in the uptake of the free Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination programme for girls in County Clare since it commenced in 2010, according to figures released by the HSE. Provisional figures show that the uptake of the vaccine in the county is 10% above the national average at just slightly below 60%, but this has fallen from 89% since the vaccine programme was first introduced. This reduction is something that has not been helped by the comments made by, and later retracted, by Bishop of Waterford Alphonsus Cullinan, who is originally from Lahinch, according to a HSE spokesperson. Bishop Cullinan was quoted in the media last week suggesting that the vaccine would encourage promiscuity. In an interview with WLR (Waterford Local Radio), he preached abstinence, stating the vaccine was “lulling teenage girls into a false sense of security”. “We have to do better than giving our boys condoms and our girls injections,” he said. …

Gardaí are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a man in his early 40s, whose body was discovered in the Gallows Hill area of Ennis today (Friday) at approximately 10am. It is understood that the body was discovered by a passer-by, and it was close to a tree and a side wall at the edge of a green area, which has a pathway running through it. The man had been living locally. Locals were stunned upon hearing of the death. “It’s a lovely quiet area, we’re very surprised to have something like this here,” said one woman. At present the scene is sealed off, while the body has been removed. The scene has been preserved for a technical examination and the Offices of the State Pathologist has been notified. Investigating Gardaí are appealing for witnesses, in particular any persons who were in the vicinity of The Turnpike Road/ Gallows Hill are in Ennis between the hours of 10pm on …

In the first six months of this year the average price of a three-bed semi-detached house in Clare was €146,334, according to a new Residential Property Price Barometer published by IPAV, the Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers. This compares with a price for a similar property of €358,000 in North County Dublin and €511,667 in South County Dublin, the study finds. It covers prices achieved for homes sold and will be published every six months. Pat Davitt, IPAV’s chief executive, said while the homeless numbers grow and second hand properties can be bought in several areas of the country for less that the cost of building them, some parts of the Dublin market are on the way to reaching or even topping the high levels last seen in 2007. “This is what happens when stock is so scarce with just a small number of the larger builders developing. Up to 50% of purchasers are still buying properties without a …

GAA supporters across South Galway are frantically calling in favours from across the country this week in an effort to get their hands on precious All-Ireland hurling final tickets. There is particular excitement in the Harte household in Gort, as Aidan, who has excelled at midfield and in defence in recent years, is expected to line out in the full-back line for the Tribesmen. His father, Josie, believes Galway’s run in the league and championship, following their reversal at the hands of Wexford earlier in the year, gives the Tribesmen the momentum going into Sunday’s decider. “It was good to beat Tipperary in a tight game in the All-Ireland semi-final, considering Galway hadn’t played in five weeks before this encounter. “You would have to be impressed by Galway’s form to date; they are the National League and Leinster champions. However, Galway will have to improve from their display in the semi-final if they want to win the final. Every game …