Tag Archives: killaloe

THE number of children attending Inclusive Athletics in Clarisford Park, Killaloe is increasing every week thanks to the success of a project driven by parents of children with disabilities. What started as a pilot project have gone from strength to strength and it is now a weekly fixture on Saturday morning that is eagerly-anticipated by both parents and children with disabilities. Nicola Welford explains the group want children to move from inclusive to mainstream, if this is at all possible, as part of their overall progression. She is looking forward to the opening of the new all weather Derg AC €500,000 athletics track as their sessions will not be impacted as much by rain. “Every week we have a new child starting with us as parents are discovering inclusive athletics. The main comment from parents is ‘I can’t believe I didn’t know about it and I can’t believe this is happening’ because there is nothing happening for children with special …

ACCESS to those with disabilities to one of East Clare most popular amenity areas needs to be improved, in the view of members of the Killaloe Municipal District committee. There was strong support for measures to improve access to Two Mile Gate Lakeside Amenity Park, following a motion tabled by Killaloe-based Councillor Tony O’Brien. Located a few kilometres outside the town at Ballycuggeran, it is a designated Blue Flag bathing area and has seen record visitor numbers over the summer months. “As things stand currently, people with disabilities are unable to access the amenity park and improving the infrastructure is essential,” the Fianna Fáil member said. “The park is a fantastic facility on the eastern shore of Lough Derg. It’s a major tourist attraction and very popular. It’s necessary that everyone should be able to access it.” Councillor O’Brien welcomed the response from the executive of the council which said the authority had applied for Clár funding to carry out accessibility …

CLARE County Council has been urged to introduce traffic calming at a “very dangerous” crossroads near O’Brien’ s Bridge to avert a potential fatality. The call was made this week by O’Brien’s Bridge Community Group chairperson, Margaret O’Connor, who said it is essential this crossroads is made safe. The crossroads serves motorists travelling from Limerick to Killaloe and O’Brien’s Bridge to Bridgetown and Broadford. Ms O’Connor outlined this junction can be blind for any motorist exiting from O’Brien’ s Bridge, particularly if they are travelling to Bridgetown because they have to travel far out in the middle of the road with the risk of being hit by a car travelling at speed from the Killaloe or Limerick direction. She pointed out some motorists drive at high speed travelling from Killaloe to Limerick because they view it as a straight road. “From day one, I felt it was not safe. If you were a pedestrian or on a bike, you wouldn’t …

A NEW walking trail between Tuamgraney and Ogonnelloe has been hailed as a fantastic asset for East Clare. At this week’s meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District, Councillor Joe Cooney sought an update on the amenity path which is to run from Tuamgraney to Bealkelly and which will ultimately provide greater connectivity between Scariff and Killaloe. Councillor Cooney noted there had been extensive cooperation between Tuamgraney Development Association (TDA) the Ogonnelloe Community Group and the local authority and capitalised on the funding from the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme. “It’s very positive to see funds being secured and the groups involved are very appreciative.” The Fine Gael member asked the executive if there were any plans to widen the trail and how much of it would be paved with ‘blacktop’ over the coming months. Councillor Tony O’Brien seconded Councillor Cooney’s motion, saying the tail was “a fantastic selling point”. “With all of the spurs that will link to this route,” he …

HISTORY, culture, sport and memory were combined in Sixmilebridge last weekend, when both Scariff and Smith O’Brien’s intermediate hurlers wore black armbands to mark the centenary of the Scariff Martyrs, who were murdered by British Crown Forces on Killaloe Bridge in November 1920. The idea was proposed by the East Clare Memorial Committee, as part of their Scariff Martyrs 100 programme of commemorative events. The group have been commemorating the Scariff Martyrs, Alphie Rodgers, Michael ‘Brud’ McMahon, Martin Gildea and Michael Egan for many decades and are currently finalising plans for the 100th anniversary. According to the historian, Tomás Mac Conmara, who is part of the Memorial Committee, the unique encounter between Scariff and Killaloe, both areas so closely related to the story, presented a unique opportunity. “Our aim is to create as much awareness as possible of the Scariff Martyr’s story and its context in the War of Independence,” Dr MacConmara said. “It was unique that Killaloe and Scariff …

THE death of one of the oldest residents along the banks of Lough Derg evoked a great deal of sympathy in the local community. Dora Benson (102) was one of the centenarians living in the twin communities of Ballina and Killaloe. Mary (Dora) Benson, who would have been 103 in October, died peacefully at her home in Ballina surrounded by her loving family recently. Born in Grange, Ballina in 1917, nee Clarke, she attended what was known at the time as the Iron School in Killlaloe, which was subsequently closed due to small numbers so she transferred to Ballina National School. She and her sister were sent to live with an uncle and aunt in Adare so she could attend a Church of Ireland national school. At the age of 15, she returned to Grange to look after her mother who wasn’t well at the time. She continued to look after her mother and work on the farm until she …

EAST Clare has been affected far more than West Clare by Covid-19, according to a newly updated map with details of the level of infection in each electoral division, provided by the State. The figures take account of all confirmed cases up until August 12. For confidentiality reasons, no precise figures are provided for Electoral Divisions where fewer than five cases have been recorded. In Clare a very large number of the electoral districts are in the fewer than five category, and this is particularly true for the west of the county. Even in Kilrush, the largest population centre, the figure for both the rural and urban electoral divisions is below five. An exception in the west of the county is Miltwon Malbay, where there were nine confirmed cases from a population of 1,633. This gives a comparative figure of 551.13 per 100k. However in the east of the county there have been far more areas where multiple cases were …

HOPES continue to be expressed that the tourism season in East Clare can be salvaged to some degree, despite the severe blow dealt to the region by Covid-19. Chairperson of East Clare Tourism Arlene White said the season to-date “has not been a total washout” and that the potential of the area to offer people activities in nature and at uncrowded locations continued to be realised. “It is nothing like it should be, naturally,” she said. “People are out and about walking and kayaking though and it’s not quite bad as people had feared.” There is a widespread acknowledgement that, when it comes to accommodation, self-catering providers are faring best. “In some cases,” Arlene said, “demand is out-stripping supply and self-catering is booming.” That situation contrasts with the plight faced by traditional Bed and Breakfast accommodation. “I do know of some in East Clare who have decided, for the protection of their own health, that they won’t open this year,” …