Tag Archives: Kilrush

Plans are underway in Kilrush to restore the former Mars Cinema building to its former glory with Clare County Council confirming the site is to be evaluated for potential re-development. Following a public tender process, the Council have commissioned a private tourism consultancy, Tourism Development International (TDI) for advice, and a feasibility study of the site commenced in January. An Cathaoirleach for West Clare Municipal District, Councillor Ian Lynch (Ind) has said he hopes a public meeting to be held in Kilrush in early summer will outline the study’s findings and seek community feedback on the emerging concepts for the former cinema. The Council says the aim of the study is to examine if there is a market opportunity to develop a viable attraction or business at the buildings and lands, for the benefit of the local community and visitors alike. And it maintains a future concept plan for Mars Cinema must be fully informed by the local economic context …

Clare’s county dog warden has said that Kilrush is currently a black-spot for dog-related attacks in the county. This comes in light of two serious incidents in relation to bulldog breeds in the town over the Easter holiday weekend where a man and a teenage boy were injured. And a third incident earlier in the week involving an Akita (Japanese large breed of huskie dog) attacking a springer spaniel also occurred in Kilrush. The Akita was handed in by its owners as it posed a danger to other dogs. “I hate to say it but Kilrush is our black spot at the moment…I have had up to ten dogs moved from Kilrush in the last few months and about six since Christmas. I have been very active there because it has become fashionable now with young men to own certain breeds, more aggressive breeds that are a fashion accessory to them. And they aren’t being looked after any more which …

The allocation of garda resources to a West Clare tourism hotspot during the August Bank Holiday weekend has been queried following claims of serious criminal damage and anti-social behaviour. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne (Ind) says she was informed by residents that there were only two gardaí on patrol in Kilkee that weekend and she didn’t get any reports that additional members were drafted in to assist those on duty who did their best to address issues in difficult circumstances. Highlighting this issue at a recent Joint Policing Committee meeting, Deputy Wynne said it is well known that this is a problematic weekend and recalled that two years ago a garda sergeant was assaulted, and his arm broken, when there were up to 17 members on duty at the time. Two years on from this serious incident, she said it seemed lessons have not be learned as the location of garda resources wasn’t prioritised. In view of the huge influx of people …

A FATAL road traffic collision occurred in the townland of Ballinagun, near Kilrush on Sunday evening. The single vehicle collision occurred on the R483 at approximately 9.20pm. A car collided with a ditch causing significant damage to the vehicle. The rear seat passenger, a female aged in her 70s, was fatally injured during the collision. She was pronounced deceased and taken to University Hospital Limerick for a post-mortem examination. The R483 remains closed this morning pending a technical examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators. Local diversions are in place. Gardaí in Kilrush are appealing to any person who may have witnessed this collision to contact them. Any road users who were travelling in the area of Ballinagun and Cree on Sunday evening between 8.45pm and 9.45pm and who may have camera footage (including dash cam), is asked to make this available to investigating Gardaí. Anyone with information in relation to this incident is asked to contact Kilrush Garda Station on …

KILRUSH native Mick Clancy is firm believer that his glass is always half full. “Sometimes I think that someone has stolen my glass, and put a smaller one in its place,” he laughs, “but still, to me, the glass is half full.” Such resilience in the face of a Motor Neurone Disease (MND) diagnosis is just one of the reasons why Mick is successfully battling the odds and working to help others with the same disabling neurological condition.”There’s an expression we use a lot in Ireland and it’s ‘never trouble trouble, until trouble troubles you’,” he remarks. “That’s the way I see it, because there’s no point in worrying about what you can’t change.” Diagnosed with a rare type of MND in 2016, Mick has adapted as best he can, staying active and participating in research and fundraising with the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA). Always a physically fit and powerful man, Mick was born and raised in West …

THE Manchester Martyrs Monument in Kilrush has been repaired and restored by Clare County Council with grant aid coming from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the Historic Structures Fund. The restored monument was officially opened by Councillor Ian Lynch and Pat Dowling, Chief Executive of Clare County Council, on Friday last. The Manchester Martyrs’ Monument was erected in 1903, the realisation of a long-standing ambition of the people of Kilrush to erect a fitting monument to commemorate the memory of William O’Meara Allen, Michael Larkin and William O’Brien. The trio had been executed in Salford, Manchester, in 1867 for the successful rescue of a Fenian prisoner. Their execution sparked demonstrations and marches both in Ireland and the UK and fostered a rise in nationalism that culminated in the Easter Rising of 1916. The monument was made possible through raising funds from the local population and the Irish diaspora in America. The monument is composed of a …

AT Friday’s West Clare Municipal District meeting Councillors Ian Lynch and Cillian Murphy requested that the Council set up a Designated Activity Company to deliver the Maritime Training Centre in Kilrush. However it emerged at the meeting that such a company is already in place, having been established in 2018 as part of an application for funding, and an allocation of resources has been assigned for a business manager. The project has been awarded almost €3.5m in Rural Regeneration Development funding, with €700,000 match funding from the county council. Speaking afterwards Councillor Murphy said that it’s time the company became active and the over €5 million allocated in funding be used. “There is a necessity now for this to be taken off the shelf and activated. It is sitting there as a shell company but now it needs to be activated and directors taken on board. “There was an Enterprise Ireland grant of €1.7 million and somewhere in the order …

THIS Sunday will see the launch of a World War I Memorial in the garden of Kilrush Community Centre, dedicated to all those from the town who fought in the conflict. Dr Joe Power will complete the official launch and Paddy Waldron, PRO of the Kilrush and District Historical Society said, “It’s to commemorate everyone that we know of from Kilrush who took part in the first World War. Some of these memorials are for people who died but we’re looking at everyone who took part.” Around 400 names are included in the memorial and at the time the population of Kilrush was approximately 3,000 showing how high the level of local involvement was. Explaining how the information for the memorial was obtained, Paddy said, “Mostly it is based on the work of Charles Glynn who was from Kilrush and was one of the principal recruiters for the army at the time. “At the end of the war he published …