Substantial damage has been caused to a well known popular pub in Killaloe following the outbreak of a fire on Monday afternoon.   There are no reports of anyone who is missing or major injuries following the blaze in Walsh’s Bar, which is located just a stone’s throw from St Flannan’s Catholic Church at Main Street, Killaloe, Members of the Clare Fire and Rescue Service are still on the scene of the fire with units from Killaloe and Scariff who are being assisted by the gardaí and the National Ambulance Service. An aerial piece of equipment has been obtained from Nenagh Fire Station to facilitate access to the roof of the building. The Main Street in Killaloe has been closed off to vehicular traffic while emergency services continue to remain at the scene. It is understood the alarm was raised at about 12.50pm. While it has not been definitely determined the exact cause of the fire, one theory that will …

The allocation of garda resources to a West Clare tourism hotspot during the August Bank Holiday weekend has been queried following claims of serious criminal damage and anti-social behaviour. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne (Ind) says she was informed by residents that there were only two gardaí on patrol in Kilkee that weekend and she didn’t get any reports that additional members were drafted in to assist those on duty who did their best to address issues in difficult circumstances. Highlighting this issue at a recent Joint Policing Committee meeting, Deputy Wynne said it is well known that this is a problematic weekend and recalled that two years ago a garda sergeant was assaulted, and his arm broken, when there were up to 17 members on duty at the time. Two years on from this serious incident, she said it seemed lessons have not be learned as the location of garda resources wasn’t prioritised. In view of the huge influx of people …

There has been a mixed reaction to the decision by An Bord Pleanála issued its decision to finally reject planning permission for the proposed development of a €650 million liquefied natural gas (LNG) project for the Shannon Estuary between Tarbert and Ballylongford, This rejection comes after more than 15 years of campaigning by civil society organisations in Ireland and the US. The board based its decision on government policy, which is clear in its opposition to permanent LNG developments. It highlighted the Government’s Policy Statement 2021, which noted that it would not be appropriate to permit the development of any LNG terminals in Ireland pending the completion of the government’s energy security review. It also noted the independent technical analysis released as part of the Government’s public consultation on energy security 2022. This independent expert analysis was significant in that it rejected a commercial operated LNG facility as an energy security option given it would “likely result in the importation …

A former first citizen has criticised the government decision to establish Uisce Éireann due to the lack of information for householders in two neighbouring communities in South-East Clare who are subject to a boil notice. Almost 1,000 consumers in O’Brien’s Bridge and Bridgetown are affected by a boil notice, which was issued on August 25. Last Friday, almost 1,800 residents in Killaloe, which is in the same parish as O’Brien’s Bridge for GAA purposes, were hit by a similar notice. Councillor Tony O’Brien (FF) has claimed public representatives and consumers received a better service when Clare County Council was managing the public water supply, before this function was taken over by Irish Water, now Uisce Éireann. In an email to Uisce Éireann on Tuesday, Councillor O’Brien stated he was inundated with queries regarding the boil notices issued to consumers in the O’Brien’s Bridge and Killaloe public water supply. “In the case of the O Brien’s Bridge supply the boil notice …

A woman, believed to be in her fifties, who was airlifted to hospital after she became unwell while swimming on Lough Derg, died at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) on Thursday evening. Emergency services were alerted to assist a woman who got into difficulty while swimming near the fishing stands on the Killaloe side of the Twomilegate bathing area. Killaloe Coast Guard was tasked to the scene at about 6.40pm and arrived to Ballycuggeran within seven minutes practically at the same time as one HSE paramedic. Members of the public had commenced cardiocompulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a fishing stand near the forest area at Ballcuggeran. This was continued by two advanced HSE paramedics with assistance from Coast Guard members. It is understood that there were a lot of people swimming in the water at the time due to the hot weather. Assistance was requested from the Emergency Aeromedical Service, which sent the HSE’s Cork-based air ambulance, Aeromed 01, to the scene. …

More than two thirds of couples are meeting online, according to the author of a new book “Third Time Lucky at Table L2”. The increasing popularity of online dating has prompted a Broadford woman to provide a guide with useful tips to navigate what can be a “quagmire” for those who are ill-prepared to distinguish between a virtual lothario and a genuine lover. It is a book about internet dating, demonstrating what to expect when looking for love online interspersed with true stories of romantic adventures and misadventures. The book will be launched in the Washer Woman, Ballina, Killaloe on Saturday, September 2, at 7.30pm. Now living in Ballina, Killaloe, her book has a happy ending as she chronicles how she found love just across the river with her current partner. “I was at a wedding recently where the couple met on “Plenty of Fish”, which was where I met my partner, Kerry Blake, who is in my final chapter,” …

The Clare Crusaders’ Clinic has experienced an estimated €100,000 drop in its fundraising income this year due to the lack of suitable accommodation to host major charity events, it emerged this week. Clinic manager, Councillor Ann Norton (Ind) has issued a renewed appeal for donations from companies and groups ahead of their annual Tractor Run, which takes place in Barefield next Sunday. Clare Crusaders is a self-financing service located in Barefield, Ennis. The clinic receives no state funding and must raise more than €250,000 per annum to provide the current level of therapy for children. Acknowledging the provision of hotel accommodation is necessary to house international protection applicants fleeing from war-torn countries, particularly Ukraine, the Independent councillor pointed out one of the unintended consequences is that the charity finds it extremely difficult to obtain function rooms to host fundraising events. In recent years, the clinic has hosted charity boxing tournaments, fashion shows, Christmas Fairs and fun Strictly Come Dancing competitions …

  Major shortcomings in the provision of child and adolescent mental health services in the Mid-West have prompted an apology from the HSE. Serious concerns about the capacity of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to provide a safe service for young people in the region with mental health issues have been highlighted in a new report completed by the Mental Health Commission (MHC). Responding to the Commission’s critical report, HSE Mid West Community Healthcare stated it acknowledges deficits in the provision of CAMHS and apologises to children and families who have not received the standard of care that they or they expect. The HSE outlined it continues to progress a targeted series of service improvements in Mid- West CAMHS. The number of children waiting for a mental health appointment in West Clare has increased sevenfold in the last year up from 12 at the time of inspection in June 2022 to 91 in February 2023. The waiting list …