Tag Archives: Margaret O’Connor

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 …

NORTH Clare milliner Margaret O’Connor has just returned home from China this week with a Global Innovation Design Award, having showcased at Guangzhou International Fashion Week. The Boston, Tubber woman was invited to design a collection of hats to complement a line of clothing by London-based fashion designer Derek Lawlor at the event in China. Margaret made 15 hats accompanying Derek Lawlor’s 30 looks at a catwalk event, as part of the international fashion week. Exhibited as a designer in her own right, Margaret was delighted to then be chosen as the recipient of a Global Innovation Design Award at the closing of the 10-day fashion extravaganza. Guangzhou International Fashion Week showcased more than 150 designers across its programme of events and Margaret said she was delighted to be the only Irish designer among them. She explained how a friend of Derek’s felt his line needed a little something extra and he approached Margaret to create stunning hats to complement …

THE new Government has been urged to put in place an accessible compensation package to enable residents in South-East Clare restore their flood-hit properties. A local Sinn Féin activist has also called on the new administration to ensure that insurance companies will not be allowed to abdicate their responsibilities by compensating householders who have the necessary policy in place and should continue to give them cover in the future. In a wide-ranging address to the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis on Saturday, Margaret O’Connor claimed several insurance companies are now refusing to cover people in entire regions because they are what has been described as “designated flood zones”, even though they have never been flooded or are never likely to be flooded. Prior to the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis, the East Clare cumann member spoke to members of the Quinlivan family in Springfield, Clonlara, who are only getting back on their feet with much work on their house still to be …

By Carol Byrne BOSTON milliner Margaret O’Connor was awarded the title of Millinery Designer of the Year at the prestigious Irish Fashion Innovation Awards, held in Galway last Thursday. The judges at the event were Eddie Shanahan, chairperson at the council of Irish Fashion Designers; Deidre McQuillan, Irish Times fashion journalist; and Patricia McCrossan, managing director of Golden Egg Productions. This was the fifth annual Irish Fashion Innovation Awards and it was held in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Galway. This was the first time the North Clare milliner has been involved in this awards show and she said she was really surprised to have won the award. She said the shock set in when the room went from being calm and reserved to people going “mad” with excitement for her. Joined at the event by family and friends, Margaret said she couldn’t believe it. “I’ve never won anything like that in my life. I’m so delighted. I didn’t think …