Tag Archives: Kilrush

ENNIS and Clare Samaritans are appealing to members of the local community to sign up to support people in distress who might not have anywhere else to turn. Samaritans offer round-the-clock emotional support and a safe space for people to talk, in their own way, about whatever is getting to them. The confidential service is offered by phone, email, text, letter and face-to-face. Based on the Kilrush Road in Ennis, the branch is looking to recruit more people to ensure it can continue to offer its service to the local community. Last year, Samaritans Ennis answered 40,955 calls and they need additional help to continue to provide the service. Claire Cremin, director of the Ennis and Clare branch said, “Everyone has it in them to be a Samaritan volunteer. Samaritans are just ordinary people who give up their time to listen to others. “To be able to touch another person’s life when it really matters, either by giving them the space …

RESEARCH relating to the County Nursery in Kilrush has found that 261 children, under the age of nine, died there between 1922 and 1932. Historian Paddy Waldron told The Clare Champion that married mothers with children also lived at the home, which predominantly housed unmarried mothers and their children. “It was set up as one of the first things that the Sinn Féin authorities did before the Treaty and as soon as they closed the workhouses down. We have 266 recorded deaths, of which five were mothers and 261 were children under the age of nine. “The information came from the civil records of deaths, which were put online, free of charge, last September. “I had been planning to go through them but I got a volunteer in Australia, who was doing his own family research. He went through all of the Kilrush deaths of children under the age of 10,” Mr Waldron explained, adding that these figures have not …

Scattery Island, located in the Shannon Estuary off Kilrush, has been short-listed in this year’s EDEN (European Destination of Excellence) competition to find the destination in Ireland which has best used its local tangible cultural assets to grow visitor numbers. Along with Scattery Island, the other finalists are the Ceide Coast, Mayo and The Norman Way Wexford. The overall winner will be announced at the end of September. EDEN is an EU project promoting sustainable tourism development across the European Union and is held every two years in 29 member states. The theme of the 2017 EU-wide EDEN competition is “Tangible Cultural Tourism” and the three Irish finalists are now preparing for on-site assessments during the week of Monday, September 4 when they will be visited by a panel of expert adjudicators. The assessment of the finalists will allow each one an opportunity to provide further evidence to show how they are balancing their own tangible cultural assets with the …

A 21 year old man is to appear in court in Ennis tomorrow morning in connection with the death of Karl Haugh at Marion Estate in Kilkee on Sunday morning. Gardaí investigating the fatal stabbing have confirmed that one man  has been charged in relation to the incident and he will appear before Ennis District Court, tomorrow morning, Tuesday August 8, at 11 am. The two other men arrested as part of the investigation have been released without charge and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Mr Haugh died at University Hospital Limerick having been stabbed at approximately 1.15am on Sunday morning at the Marion Estate. An incident room has been set up at Kilrush Garda Station and anyone with information is asked to contact 065-9080550. Mr Haugh’s funeral details have been confirmed. He will be reposing on Tuesday evening August 8 at St Senan’s Church, Kilkee from 6.30pm with prayers at 8pm. His funeral …

THE weather is not dampening spirits in Clare this summer, as communities right across the county gear up for a bumper month of festivals, competitions, music, song and dance, with plenty to do for all the family. It all kicks up a notch this weekend as a host of events get off the ground and pave the way for Ennis to hold its second Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. In East Clare, the Scariff Harbour Festival will play host to Red Hurley and author Michael Harding, with Delorentos and Little Hours entertaining in the Fair Green. There will be fun events, fishing for kids, workshops, the launch of a new cookery school by well-known foodies The Happy Pear and plenty of activities on the waterways. In Feakle, meanwhile, Martin Hayes is tuning up for his annual appearance with Dennis Cahill, as the International Festival of Traditional Irish Music marks its 30th year. This celebration of traditional music will see performances from …

THE Duke of Kent visited Kilrush RNLI station in Cappa on Tuesday as part of a two-day tour of lifeboat stations in Clare, Tipperary and Kerry. The Duke has been president of the RNLI since 1969. The 81-year-old arrived in Kilrush by helicopter, which landed in the local GAA field. There was a sizeable garda presence en route to Cappa and the roads were closed from shortly after 3pm, while Prince Edward was at the lifeboat station. His Royal Highness was greeted by the volunteer lifeboat operations team, lifeboat crew members and the local fundraising branch. As part of the visit, Kilrush RNLI showcased local Irish dancing, the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, hand-crafted traditional Irish currach building and a selection of local pottery from the Brothers of Charity. The Duke was particularly taken with the display of brush dancing. Also in attendance were representatives from Kilrush GAA, focusing on the partnership between the GAA and RNLI working together to …

Aldi has announced that a new store will open on Thursday, April 20 in Ennistymon. With a shop floor spanning 1,140 m² and 80 free car parking spaces, the new store will be Aldi’s third in County Clare, the others located at Francis Street in Ennis and Ennis Road, Kilrush. In the last five years Aldi has recruited over 70 new Irish suppliers, meaning Aldi now partners with more than 175 Irish producers. Over 50% of Aldi’s supplier spend is now with Irish suppliers, producers and manufacturers.

A TOTAL of 730 people, including 500 children, are regularly receiving supplies from the Mid West Simon food banks in Ennis and Kilrush, it has emerged. This figure is an increase of 180 people, compared to July 2016. Figures released by Mid West Simon this week gave a detailed breakdown of the amount of people who are depending on the charity to feed either themselves or, in many cases, entire families. In Ennis, 356 children are depending on food from the bank, which caters for 54 families, including 90 adult females and 26 adult males. The Ennis food bank caters for a total of 472 people, compared to 258 in Kilrush. The Kilrush figure includes 143 children, 58 men and 57 adult females. Tracey Reddy, client services manager with Mid West Simon, has told The Clare Champion that increases in rent is a contributing factor to food poverty in the county. “The number of people using food banks is increasing …