Outgoing Mayor of Shannon, Michael Fleming has been accused of breaking a power-sharing pact, which facilitated the surprise election of Councillor Greg Duff to the position.Councillor Patricia McCarthy was expected to become the last Mayor of Shannon before the town authority is abolished after the 2014 Local Elections in line with an electoral pact agreed with Fine Gael and some Independent councillors.However, in a dramatic turn of events Councillor Fleming (FG) broke party ranks at the annual general meeting of Shannon Town Council on Tuesday night to ensure Councillor Duff beat the favourite, Councillor McCarthy, 5-4 after a vote.Councillor Duff became mayor for the second time thanks to the support from his Labour colleague, Tony McMahon, Councillor Gerry Flynn (Independent) and Cathy McCafferty (Independent) and Councillor Fleming.Councillor McCarthy was supported by two Fine Gael Councillors Vincent Coleman, Sean McLoughlin and Mary Brennan (Independent).The Clare Champion has learned that a power-sharing agreement for the position of mayor, deputy mayor and a …

Prospective new entrants to politics from the Shannon Electoral Area will be adversely affected by the abolition of Shannon Town Council, according to the new Shannon Mayor, Councillor Greg Duff.Describing the abolition of town councils as a “retrograde step”, Councillor Duff has expressed grave concern that the next local election candidates including young people and those from ethnic minorities will be denied an opportunity to cut their political teeth at town council level first before considering a step up to the county council.He believes the requirement for even a party candidate to between €7,000 or €8,000 to properly promote themselves at the local elections will also hinder new entrants.“Minister Hogan had an opportunity to take powers from city and county managers and give them to councillors. Instead he failed to do this and abolished town councils,” he said.He admitted some people in the Labour Party advocated the party should remain in government because things could be worse if they left …

A CO-ORDINATED search and rescue operation involving up to 11 emergency services helped to avert a major tragedy on Lough Derg last Friday night.Thirty-five rowers, who were participating in an FISA international rowing race, had to be taken ashore at the University of Limerick Activity Centre in Two Mile Gate, where they were assessed and treated by paramedics after a sudden deterioration in weather conditions.In total, 15 casualties required treatment for hypothermia by the national ambulance service. However, no patients required transportation to the University Hospital, Limerick and they returned by bus to their hotel in Limerick following treatment.Less than 24 hours later, 22 schoolchildren had to be rescued after they got into difficulties while kayaking.Volunteer lifeboat crews were launched on Friday evening after 18 rowing boats got into difficulty at Parker’s Point. The rowers, who had set out from Terryglass at the northern end of the lake at 2pm, were en route to Killaloe when the weather deteriorated.The event …

THERE was a mass exodus from Clonlara village last Wednesday, as the local sporting faithful made their way to Cusack Park. For the first time in their proud history, Scoil Seanáin Naofa, Clonlara had both camogie and hurling teams competing for Division 1 honours.It had been 21 years since Scoil Seanáin Naofa’s camogie team last contested the Division 1 final and between them and the title stood Feakle, a team they had beaten in the group games.Clonlara, having won the Division 2 camogie final last year, managed to retain a few experienced players in Leah Hawes, Chloe Ryan, Becky Foley, Hannah Horgan, Róisín Powell, captain Áine Gully and Sarah Fahey and they formed the spine of the team.In the opening half, Róisín Powell’s pace and power caused havoc for the Feakle backs as her scoring exploits helped Clonlara lead 2-2 to 0-1 at the break.Hannah Horgan showed great composure throughout the match as she converted two frees while, crucially, she …

A warning letter has been served on an East Clare man in relation to what the council has deemed an “unauthorised development” at Raheen Tuamgraney.The warning letter was issued to Jim Fahy of Raheen Tuamgraney on June 14 in relation to planning permission he received for the development of three commercial units, carparking and landscaping at a site in Raheen, Tuamgraney in October 2009. The planning authority noted that condition nine of the conditions set out in that planning permission had not been complied with to date. This condition relates to the payment of €3,568.22 to Clare County Council in respect of public infrastructure and facilities benefiting the development.The applicant was advised to pay this contribution and in the event of it not being complied with, the authority may issue an enforcement notice.Separately on June 17, the planning authority also corresponded with Mr Fahy, care of Engineering and Planning consultants Ltd, O’Briensbridge, that submissions received by the council on March …

Twenty two people set off from Tulla last weekend to Westport where  they set about completing the 42km Great Western Greenway cycle in aid of Brú Colombanus in Cork. The fundraising effort was the brainchild of Tulla woman Ronnie O’Keeffe, who was a guest at the “home from home” accommodation for relatives of seriously ill patients in Cork in November and wanted to give back to the independent charity. The €5.5 million project, which was established by the Knights of St Columbanus, opened in October 2005 providing accommodation for relatives of seriously ill patients in any of the Cork hospitals and the hospice. It provides 26 en-suite family rooms with supporting kitchen and lounges where families can meet others in similar situations and draw on their shared experiences.Ronnie was very grateful to the service when she needed it last year and wanted to give something back. She has always had an interest in cycling and together with 22 friends and …

Those with any concerns about the shape of Gort in the future, now is the time to state their case. Galway County Council is proposing to make alterations to the draft Gort Local Area Plan 2013-2019 and details of the proposed alterations are now available for public viewing until July 5 in Gort and Galway City. The proposed alterations would, if made, be a material alteration to the Draft Gort Local Area Plan 2013-2019, which was previously displayed.A strategic environmental assessment of one of the proposed material alterations is required and an appropriate assessment of one of the proposed material alterations is required.Copies of the proposed material alteration, strategic environmental assessment and appropriate assessment reports on the proposed alterations and the stage two strategic flood risk assessment report (as amended) are available for public inspection. They can be viewed during normal opening hours from at Gort County Council Office, Crowe Street, Gort, Monday to Friday from 9am to 12.55pm and …

VALUED Yeats’ artefacts can go on display locally in South Galway, provided the necessary legal indemnities are put in place, according to Senator Lorraine Higgins. Senator Higgins said she was informed by Junior Minister Michael Ring that Fáilte Ireland has given the go-ahead to loan artefacts associated with Thoor Ballylee and poet WB Yeats to local organisations, provided the necessary legal indemnities are put in place. She raised the issue of the artefacts previously held in the East Galway Tower with Minister Ring in the Seanad recently, where she said their placement locally was “critical to any tourism revival in South Galway”. “Thoor Ballylee is steeped in connections with Yeats. South Galway has suffered badly in recent years and it needs a tourism boost. The allocation of some of the artefacts from the tower in alternative accommodation is critical to the revival of the tourism sector in the area,” she said on that occasion.Senator Higgins pointed out that the artefacts …