Calls have been made to promote and develop the quay and marine facilities in Clarecastle as a centre for tourism. Members of Clare County Council were issued with a draft submission in relation to draft Strategic Integrated Framework Plan (SIFP) for the Shannon Estuary at Monday’s meeting. The submission was drafted following a workshop held for members on the SIFP and points out that a company has sought to enter consultation with An Bord Pleanála for the development of an inter-continental container transhipment hub port in the Shannon Estuary. The location proposed is to the west of Moneypoint Power Station and according to the draft document is the type and scale of project that is a desired outcome of the SIFP process and is fully supported in principle by Clare County Council. The members request that the location be favourably considered for zoning as a strategic site for marine related industry. The members’ request that land adjoining Mountshannon Point/Mountshannon Wood …

  Lifford A 2   Avenue United A 2 ENNIS rivals Lifford and Avenue United A provided lots of entertainment in this premier league tie played at a windy and cold Cassidy Park on Sunday morning. A strong wind blew directly down the pitch, towards the goal at the changing room end of the grounds. Avenue played with the aid of this in the first half and they built up a 2-0 half-time lead. Lifford have reason to be disappointed with this scoreline as they contributed to the concession of the goals. The first came when a Dave McCarthy free deflected off Lifford’s Darren O’Neill and flew into the net for the lead score. Just after the half-hour mark, Avenue doubled their advantage at a time when there didn’t appear to be any danger. However, they lost possession and Mikey Mahoney passed to Dave McCarthy who found the net. Lifford piled on the pressure on the resumption but such was the …

TITLE holders, Dublin AUL, who are chasing a third title in-a-row, stand between Clare and a place in the semi-finals of this season’s Oscar Traynor Cup.

“I, as Taoiseach, on behalf of the State, the Government and our citizens, deeply regret and apologise unreservedly to all those women for the hurt that was done to them and for any stigma they suffered, as a result of the time they spent in a Magdalene Laundry.” That’s the key sentence in an emotional address by Enda Kenny in respect of the McAleese Report into State involvement in the Magdalene Laundries in Dáil Éireann on Tuesday evening. After delivering his speech, during which he made regular eye contact with Magdalene survivors and their families in the public gallery, there was a standing ovation from them and all TDs in the Dáil chamber.Mr Kenny then went a step further, in going to the gallery to talk to the women, to whom the apology meant so much.In his address, the Taoiseach paid tribute to Dr Martin McAleese and his team for their excellent work on the report. He also acknowledged the …

There is going to be increased pressure on the two Government parties to ease up on austerity and most of the pressure is going to come from within their own ranks. So far, however, all appeals – from inside and outside the parties – to lighten the burden on those who can least afford to pay for the bad debts of the banks, have fallen on deaf ears. Fine Gael and Labour appear to have been more concerned about how they are perceived in Brussels than how they are seen here at home.So is it any wonder that Fianna Fáil is now the most popular party in the State? Or, perhaps I should say, the least unpopular party because none of them is getting very high marks in the popularity stakes.An opinion poll in The Irish Times two weeks ago that put Fianna Fáil ahead of Fine Gael for the first time in years was widely dismissed because the poll …

There is going to be increased pressure on the two Government parties to ease up on austerity and most of the pressure is going to come from within their own ranks. So far, however, all appeals – from inside and outside the parties – to lighten the burden on those who can least afford to pay for the bad debts of the banks, have fallen on deaf ears. Fine Gael and Labour appear to have been more concerned about how they are perceived in Brussels than how they are seen here at home.So is it any wonder that Fianna Fáil is now the most popular party in the State? Or, perhaps I should say, the least unpopular party because none of them is getting very high marks in the popularity stakes.An opinion poll in The Irish Times two weeks ago that put Fianna Fáil ahead of Fine Gael for the first time in years was widely dismissed because the poll …

CLARE County Council doesn’t have the resources to take on all the unfinished estates in its functional area, it was claimed at this week’s council meeting.Councillor Joe Arkins put forward a motion asking for information on the number of housing estates that have been completed or partially completed that haven’t been taken in charge. He also sought information on estates that developers have applied to have taken in charge, the number of requests for taking in charge that the council has received from affected residents under Section 180 of the planning act and if the council has sought legal advice on the risks of not complying with such requests.In his reply, director of services Ger Dollard stated, “At present there are 142 housing estates in the county that the planning authority has an active interest in. These vary from estates which are substantially complete and the council is in receipt of Taking in Charge/Section 180 requests to unfinished housing developments …

Newmarket Celtic B 0   Moher Celtic 1 MOHER Celtic kept up their challenge for first-division honours with this hard-earned victory over Newmarket Celtic B at McDonogh Park on Sunday. After a scoreless first half, the visitors got the vital breakthrough midway through the second period. Johnnie Daly, whose first-half effort rebounded off the post, put in the cross which saw Willie Murphy fire home what roved to be the winning score. In the closing quarter, Newmarket piled on the pressure but Shane Keane in the visitors’ goal produced some impressive saves. Newmarket Celtic B: Trevor O’Donnell; Jamie Cronin, Derek Moynihan, Christopher Noonan, Conor Cusack, Martin Mulqueen, Eoin Kelly, Seamus Considine, Danny Conway, Kevin Feehily, Ciarán Crosby.Subs: Martin Frawley for Mulqueen; Martin O’Neill for Considine; Shane McMahon for Noonan.Moher Celtic: Shane Keane; Davy Commane, Alan Horan, Denis Murphy, Brian Conway; Cohen Phillipson, Alan O’Brien, Willie Murphy, Jimmin Dooley; Johnnie Daly, Jack Cagney.Subs: James Considine for A O’Brien; Sean Noonan for Cagney; …