IT was a truly memorable year for sports teams representing Newmarket-on-Fergus. The senior hurlers are back as Clare champions after a 31-year absence and, for good measure, they also captured the league crown (Clare Champion Cup), completing the double for the first time in almost 40 years.

ANOTHER chapter in the impressive history of Tuamgraney Handball Club was written in October when the World Championships were staged in Dublin.

EXCITEMENT reached fever pitch in Clonlara and Killaloe in the weeks leading up to the 2012 Paralympics as locals studied the form of two talented young athletes.

TWO of Clare’s five 24-hour garda stations, Killaloe and Ennistymon, will close at night in the future, Chief Superintendent John Kerin has revealed.Garda stations in Ennis, Shannon, Kilrush, Ennistymon and Killaloe currently operate around the clock and the major reduction in operating hours for two of the main district headquarters in East and North Clare is regarded by some community activists as yet another blow for policing.Superintendent Kerin confirmed at a public meeting in Broadford on Monday night that Ennistymon and Killaloe Garda Stations will be closing at 9pm in the future and reopening at 7am. The only time these stations will be opened at night is if a prisoner has to be kept overnight.No official date has been announced for the night-time closures. There are about 30 gardaí in Killaloe Garda Station, including Inspector John O’Sullivan, who has been acting superintendent for the last two years and another 30 approximately in Ennistymon, including Superintendent Derek Smart.Clare’s Garda Chief explained …

STUDENTS are going without food and some are dropping out of college as a result of financial hardship caused by delays in processing student maintenance grants, according to one students’ union leader.NUI Galway (NUIG) Students’ Union president, Paul Curley, has claimed some students “can’t afford rent, food or study materials” as a result of processing delays, since responsibility for new applications was moved from local authorities to the online Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) system.In December, parliamentary questions revealed that less than half of all students from Clare had their grant applications processed, leaving almost 1,000 students from the county waiting for a decision. More than 2,000 students from Galway were in the same position.Mr Curley revealed that during this academic year, the education officer in the NUIG Students’ Union experienced a 162% increase in the number of students dealing with grant-related problems as of the end of December. He said the delay, and subsequent uncertainty, in processing student maintenance …

MEMBERS of the army bomb disposal unit in Cork had to make two trips to Clare this week to inspect suspect devices found in Lahinch and Tulla.One of the devices, a viable pipe bomb, was discovered during a garda search of a house at Main Street, Tulla on Tuesday night. Described as not very elaborate, it was discovered concealed in a bedroom, as part of follow-up searches arising from the arrest of two men at Ballyblood, Tulla earlier that day.Gardaí believe the pipe bomb was “experimental” in nature and a motive and intent has not been established in relation to the device.Gardaí confirmed to The Clare Champion that two men were arrested after their car was stopped by gardaí on routine patrol. They were detained at Killaloe Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, after a search of their vehicle uncovered drug paraphernalia and shotgun cartridges.The pipe bomb was found during follow-up searches of two premises in …

CLARE’S Government representatives are being urged to cough up towards the coffers of Ennis town to compensate for not paying commercial rates on their constituency offices.The politicians’ offices are exempt from commercial rates under national valuation regulations and at this week’s meeting of Ennis Town Council, Councillor Brian Meaney called on those with constituency offices in Ennis to pay a voluntary contribution to the council and “show solidarity with the hard-pressed business community”.According to Councillor Meaney, “This could be an opportunity to show leadership and a bit of an example. They do already get well compensated in expenses and with the services that local government are required to deliver, we do need to ensure maximum payment of rates.”He added, “The Government is looking for everyone else to tighten their belts and I think, in the national interest, our representatives should do a bit extra. I propose that we write to constituency offices suggesting a voluntary contribution.”He was supported by Councillor …