DIVING enthusiast Christy Healy is always prepared to go to great depths to raise awareness and crucial funding for children suffering with disabilities and life-threatening illnesses.

PLASTERER Michael Barry from Kilnamona is hoping to scoop a big win for Ireland at the WorldSkills Competition taking place in Leipzig in Germany in July.

“A DREAM come through”, is how Newmarket-on-Fergus native Marie Donnellan describes the moment she was selected to represent Clare at the international finals of the Rose of Tralee selection in August.

Since independence, the GPO has had a special place in our history. Politicians placed a great importance on being able to say that they, or their ancestors, had been there in 1916. For some, dying in the GPO was the great symbol of national importance. Not too many, however, could claim to have been born in the GPO. One such person was William Lawrence. His father worked there and it seemed that the family lived on the premises. In later years, his name was associated with the Lawrence Collection, possibly the greatest collection of photographs in the country, dating from the late-1800s. 

Ennis has become only the third place in Ireland to introduce a new cashless method of paying for parking. Ennis Town Council have this week launched the ParkMagic system, enabling customers displaying a ParkMagic barcode window sticker in the windscreen of their cars to make parking payments via text message or phonecall.   Traffic wardens use electronic handheld devices to scan the barcode or input vehicle registrations to verify payment status. The system also includes a text messaging option for customers to be notified that their payment is due to expire. The system is already in operation in Limerick City and Cork City. Meanwhile, Ennis Town Council has also announced the introduction of free parking in the town from 5pm each day up to end of December. It is anticipated that the scheme will encourage local businesses to extend their opening hours during the full summer season and encourage greater numbers of people into the town. The initiative comes following …

GALWAY East has been left without a Labour Party representative at Government level, following last week’s resignation from the party of former Labour Deputy and party chair, Colm Keaveney. The deputy will continue to serve in the Dáil as an independent TD for the Galway East constituency.

AFTER scuppering the anticipated election of Patricia McCarthy as Mayor of Shannon last week, Councillor Michael Fleming was unrepentant when he spoke to The Clare Champion on Monday.

The inclusion of Killaloe and Ballina on a national Brian Ború trail will put the twin communities firmly on the map for Irish visitors and tourists.