Tag Archives: Quin

ABDUCTIONS by fairies, and other nefarious activities of Ireland’s ‘sídhe’, are detailed in a new book by Quin’s Michael Houlihan. The Kerry man, who is a founder of the Quin Heritage Group, has not been sitting on his laurels for long and Irish Fairies – A Short History of the Sídhe is now available in local bookshops.  The recent Púca controversy proves the persistence of superstitions around fairy folk, and Michael outlines where this mischievous character sits in the pantheon of the sídhe, alongside creatures like the banshee, the fairy queens Clíodhna and Medb, the nobles Aengus Óg and the Dagda. “For thousands of years, the Irish have believed in ‘the fairies’,” Michael said. “In present-day Ireland, however, as in so many modern societies, fairies have been retreating, almost to the point of extinction. Nevertheless, the question might still be asked, what if the fairies were not created or imagined, but remembered?” As well as considering that key question, the …

THE architectural significance of Quin has been safeguarded by the planning appeals board, who have rejected attempts to erect a mast of over 20 metres in height in the village. The decision of An Bord Pleanála to refuse permission to Vantage Towers for a telecommunications tower at Quinville South has copper-fastened a refusal late last year by Clare County Council.  An inspector from the board recommended rejection of the appeal, and this was backed by the executive of An Bord Pleanála. A direction from the board found that the tower “would have an adverse effect on the character of the Quin Architectural Conservation Area, and would seriously detract from and injure the visual amenities of the area”. The direction added that in terms of the visual impact, the closeness to the ACA and the village, the proposed lattice tower did not comply with either the guidelines on telecommunications structures or those on the protection of architectural heritage. It concluded that …

CAMOGIE has been a life-long passion for Quin’s Eileen (Eily) McMahon, who celebrated her 100th birthday in recent weeks. Alongside her sisters, Marcella (Cella), Maisie, Teresa (Tesa) and Kathleen (Dokey), Eily was known for her skill, athleticism and her dedication to her club. Now in her 101st year, Eily is President of Clooney-Quin Camogie and Ladies Football Club and Vice President of the GAA Club. Born Eileen McNamara, Eily was the second youngest in a family of nine from Hazelwood, Quin. Her parents were Jim McNamara and his wife Etta (née Neylan) and her nine siblings were Maisie, Mike, Joe, Paddy, Kathleen, Tom, Marcella and Teresa. Having grown up in a house steeped in hurling, Eily went on to prove her own sporting prowess and talent. “Her brothers were hurlers and their home was close to a pitch,” her daughter Geraldine told The Champion. “There were always people coming and going and the family had a great time growing up.” …

RESIDENTS of an East Clare housing estate who have spent almost two decades with unfinished roads and kerbs are to have their situation addressed before the end of the year.  Councillor Alan O’Callaghan confirmed that Clare County Council has pledged to carry out works at Maigh Dara in Quin, including a final overlay of tar, as well as repairs to kerbs and paths. Close to €200,000 has been sourced by the local authority to tackle the long-standing problem which has affected the 45-home estate since the estate was built around 17 years ago.  “There are fairly extensive works to be done and I’m delighted that the Council has been able to sources the funds needed,” said Councillor O’Callaghan. “The money will come from a number of different pots and will run to more than €190,000. Many residents have been living with this since the estate was built and having man holes protruding and other issues has been a big inconvenience …

A BIRD’S eye view on the past is what a dedicated group of Quin residents are hoping to share, after a year spent delving into the fascinating heritage and history of the area.  With the restrictions of lockdown putting a new focus on everything local, many communities have had the opportunity to find out more about their immediate environs. A thriving village with many non-native residents, Quin also boasts an abundance of features of historical interest. These stretch back into the Bronze Age and the Knocknafearbreaga Alignment of standing stones close to Clooney. They also include Magh Adhair, the inauguration site of the Dalcassian O’Briens and, of course, the magnificent Franciscan friary, dating to the 1400s.  As lockdown began to ease last year, Quin Heritage Group was born. Almost 12 months later, a committee of four have gathered a wealth of images, videos, articles and surveys which they have made available through a state-of-the-art website. Yvonne Gallagher, Siobhán O’Sullivan, Michael …

QUESTIONS have been raised over plans for a major new housing development proposed for Quin, following a number of objections.  Planners are seeking Further Information (FI) on proposals from Datcha Construction, to build 41 homes on a large site at Quin Gardens in the heart of the historic village.  In January, the company applied for permission for 13 detached, 10 semi-detached and 18 terraced houses on a site of just under two hectares. During the submissions window, five objections were received. These include a joint submission from Quin Garden Residents. The submissions have raised concerns over issues including flooding, road safety, traffic volumes and the protection of wildlife. One document details incidents of flooding in Quin in 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2017. Other submissions highlight the requirement under the County Development Plan for hydrogeological assessment for any plans on the development site. Concerns were also raised by some residents about potential overlooking of existing homes.  In addition, The Development Applications …

A QUIN man has been appointed as one of Ireland’s first digital ambassador for Active Retirement Ireland.  After a rigorous tech training programme, Eugene Philips was conferred with the prestigious honour at a special event at the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin. The 75-year-old will now lead a series of free digital skills classes for older people in the community. The initiative is part of the Vodafone Ireland Foundation Hi Digital programme, in partnership with Active Retirement Ireland and ALONE. Over the past three months, Eugene has undergone intensive technology training, Hi Digital train-the-trainer training and Hi Digital platform training. “I think for a lot of older people with low or no digital literacy, they perhaps feel as though getting online is too big a task or they’re too far behind,” said Mr Philips. “You don’t have to be a tech whizz — technology these days is designed to be easy for people to use and the Hi Digital …

A TRACTOR run through East Clare has been a huge success and raised more than €20,000 for two charities.  The Light the Way tractor run was held just before Christmas to support Milford Hospice and Pieta House. The after-dark event attracted a total of 170 tractors and trucks who travelled from Gurteen GAA Grounds in Doora through Quin to Newmarket-on-Fergus and back. The convoy was lit in an array of Christmas lights and decorations, much to the delight of the hundreds of spectators who lined the route.  The event was organised by Tomás Meade from Quin, along with seven friends, all aged 19 and 20, and past pupils of St Flannan’s College, Ennis. Now a student of Automotive Engineering at Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT), Tomás and his friends had originally hoped to run the event in 2020. “The idea came about in 2020 when we were in lockdown we were wondering what we could do with our time and …