SHANNON Airport is now self-sustaining and is not receiving ongoing State support to ease it into independence, according to its chairperson, Rose Hynes.Speaking last Friday when United Airlines seasonal Shannon-Chicago service was launched, she was adamant the State is not providing more funding to prop up Shannon on an ongoing basis. “No, absolutely not. The airport is on its own, its an independent airport, it has to work to make its own way, that’s the way things are.”Continuing, Ms Hynes said Shannon “has its own facilities, its own operations, it’s independent, it’s self sustaining, that’s the way it was always intended, that’s the way it is. It’s independent.”Asked if the airport will move back into the black this year, after several years of running at a loss, Ms Hynes said, “This year we expect that we will turn things around. I’m not saying any more than that.”Shannon had just 1.4 million passengers in 2012, the lowest number since the 1980s. …

JEERS and sexual insults were hurled at a woman who went to a Kilrush pub to get water for horses, ponies and donkeys that were standing in the searing heat at the local fair last week.The woman, who doesn’t want to be named for fear of reprisals, said she “felt very threatened” when she tried to do something to help the animals that she claimed were being ill treated at Kilrush Horse Fair. “I was horrified to see the horses standing all day in the belting hot sun with no shade and no water. None of their owners would provide water so I had to go in and out of the pub with a small container and give water to them, one by one, amidst jeers and sexual insults,” the woman revealed. “In about an hour and a half or so I had hydrated all but one, who was so scared of me I had to back away for fear …

Householders in South-East Clare have asked that An Post stamp out its attempts to move Parteen into Limerick by readdressing some local correspondence.Frank Sheahan, Fairyfield, Parteen was taken aback to discover An Post had decided to move Parteen from Clare into Limerick by placing a change of address sticker on the envelope of a correspondence he had received.The sticker stated, “important – delay caused by ‘incorrect’ postal address, please let your correspondents know your correct postal address as indicated opposite” with an arrow pointing to Limerick instead of Clare.Having lived in Parteen for the last 23 years, Mr Sheahan said he didn’t recall suddenly moving into County Limerick. He also objects to the request that he write to all utility providers and people he conducts business with to receive correspondence at his home address.An Post says that it is only concerned with efficient mail delivery and places a sticker to facilitate the proper routing of letters from the correct delivery …

FORTY-five full-time jobs have been created following the opening of the SuperValu supermarket in Miltown Malbay. The 12,500ft2 supermarket represents an investment of €5.5 million by local businessman John Jones, who is the seventh generation of his family in business in the town since the 1830s. The new store is located on the Ennis Road.The development includes a sports complex and children’s playground, along with 132 car-parking spaces.“I am proud to stand on the site of our new SuperValu store with my parents, Cyril and Patsy, who both still work in the business. This is a tremendous achievement for us to continue to build on a business that has been in our family through the generations,” Mr Jones said on Wednesday.He said the opening day was exceptionally busy.“We have 45 full-time staff taken on and we’ve had an extremely busy day. We’re delighted with the way the building turned out and there seems to be overwhelming support in the town, …

BETTER consultation and planning is needed for festivals to avoid clashes, as has happened with this year’s Feakle Festival and Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.That’s the message from Councillor Pat Hayes, who says this year’s Fleadh Cheoil, which takes place in Derry from August 12 to 18, will have a knock-on effect for other traditional music festivals in Clare.He believes a shift in the fleadh’s dates over time “has caused difficulties for other festivals, such as the Feakle Festival”.“Other festivals have had to change their dates to work around it. It has shortened the month of August. A whole lot of traditional music festivals around Ireland had to change their dates because of the fleadh. “We couldn’t move in Feakle because we are 26 years with the same week. If we move back, we will be clashing with the Scariff Harbour Festival. “It is not a case of us moving the festival but it is disappointing that there hasn’t been more …

A KILNAMONA cancer support centre has landed a major coup by becoming the first facility of its kind in the country to enter into a collaborative “pioneering” health programme with the Health Service Executive (HSE).The national HSE director of advocacy, Greg Price, officially launched the development of a high-quality model of person-centred community-based cancer support at Clare Cancer Support, Kilnamona on Wednesday.Working in partnership with the HSE and other services, the centre has pledged to significantly improve the quality of healthcare for people affected by cancer. The centre will be allowed to use the HSE patient first and patient advocacy symbols, which is regarded as a major official endorsement of the quality of their work.The HSE’s National Advocacy Unit (NAU) will support the centre to develop its advocacy role and capacity, working to ensure people’s experiences of cancer and the health services are captured and managed appropriately in partnership with the health services in terms of the HSE Your Service …

UP to 20 post offices in the county would be threatened with closure if An Post loses its contract with the Department of Social Protection to distribute social welfare payments.That was the warning delivered by Irish Postmasters’ Union National Executive member Tom O’Callaghan at a meeting of Clare County Council on Monday.Mr O’Callaghan, who is from Kildysart, warned councillors that up to 20 post offices, half the network in the county, would close as they depend heavily on social welfare transactions for their existence. “There is a second tender due this month that is designed to end cash transactions where social welfare payments are concerned,” he explained.Rural communities have been hit by the closure of 20 post offices over the last decade. Five offices in Mullagh, Inagh, Kilnaboy, Kilbaha and Clonlara shut their doors in 2003; Carron closed in 2004, Liscannor and Kilnamona ceased operations in 2006, followed by a plethora of closures as part of the exit scheme in …

NINETEEN primary schools in Clare have received an award of Science & Maths Excellence as part of the Discover Primary Science & Maths Programme. The awards programme, run by Discover Science & Engineering (DSE), the education and outreach programme of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), recognises the achievements of primary school children and teachers in the application of science and maths in the classroom. The schools to receive the award are Bansha, Kilmurry, Bodyke, Tuamgraney, Scariff, Querrin, Kilnamona, Fanore, Doolin, Parteen, Tubber, St Enda’s Lisdonvarna, St John’s Cratloe, Bunscoil Béal an Átha Killaloe, Scoil Realt na Mara Kilkee, Scoil Mhuire Lahinch, St Conaire’s, St Tola’s and St Senan’s (all Shannon).To qualify, schools were required to keep a log of five activities relating to science and maths undertaken throughout the academic year. Schools were awarded credit for visiting Discover Science centres; inviting speakers to the school to talk about science, engineering and maths; hosting a science event; incorporating maths into their science …