GEOLOGIST and photographer, Robert Fairfield feels like a detective when he examines a rock. – “When I pick up a rock, it tells me a story. Like a detective, I look at it and see how did this rock get here.” Thanks to his geology training, Mr Fairfield can categorise most rocks into a particular era, but uses a more detailed analysis with specific tools to confirm their precise origin and date. “If I pick up a piece of volcanic rock, I know it came from a volcano. If I pick up a piece of limestone, I know it came from the sea. If there are fossils in it, I know it came from a coral reef,” he said. Recently, combining his two passions – geology and photography – helped him to scoop the runners-up prize in the Irish Geological Survey’s 2022 Du Noyer Photographic Competition. Each year, Geological Survey Ireland holds a photo competition in honour of George Victor …

CLARE County Council doesn’t intend to pursue an enforcement notice issued about the alleged unauthorised development of a mobile home near Tuamgraney following legal advice, according to a complainant. Duncan Young, who lived in Ballymalone, Tuamgraney, for a few years before moving to Shinrone in County Offaly has expressed his frustration spending almost five and a half years making complaints and representations to the council about the provision of appropriate accommodation for two elderly sisters. Mr Young recalled he first alerted Clare County Council in June 2017 about the siting of a mobile home, which was approved and paid by the council’s housing section to accommodate the Moloney sisters, Breda and Margaret after their farmhouse was deemed uninhabitable. Following countless phone calls and emails to the council over the last five years Mr Young was told: “I wish to advise you that the planning authority has conducted a review of file UD17-055 and sought legal advice on same. “Please be …

A CLARE GP is supporting calls for people to wear masks in public places in a bid to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses, which has resulted in increased admissions to local surgeries and University Hospital Limerick. Dr Michael Kelleher estimates presentations to his practice has gone up by up to 20% over the last four weeks due to the surge in RSV, Covid-19 and influenza. The Lahinch doctor recalled mask wearing was a very effective measure during peak Covid-19 surges and should again be repeated in the midst of a significant hike in respiratory illnesses. “There is evidence that wearing a mask reduces droplet transmission. In the midst of a surge in respiratory illnesses, I think wearing masks in public places might be perfectly reasonable, particularly if you are a vulnerable individual. “Wearing a mask protects a person you are in close contact with more than yourself. It does make sense. If there was more mask wearing in public, …

A COMMUNITY leader has been lauded for her inspirational work spearheading the provision of a €8.5 million sheltered housing complex in Ennis. Pauline McNamara (72) has been awarded the Margaret O’Leary achievement in community housing for her work with Cuan an Chláir. This award is designed to recognise the achievements and commitment to housing by voluntary board members, individuals or local authority representatives demonstrating a high level of leadership in housing delivery and management over a sustained period. “The award is for all of the committee. It is great to win an award, but my focus is on the next project. What has been achieved by the whole committee is marvellous,” Pauline said. In his nomination submission Cuan an Chláir director, Willie Moloney described Ms McNamara as someone who “nourishes and protects dreams through bad days until she brings them to sunshine and light”. Mr Moloney outlined their chairperson has been the driving force behind the initiative from the start …

An EAST Clare woman, who is living in deplorable living conditions without any central heating, electricity or running water in her mobile home, has vowed to challenge an enforcement notice about her accommodation in the “District, Circuit or High Court”. Clare County Council has been accused of breaking its own rules after the planning section confirmed it doesn’t wish to take any further action concerning an enforcement notice issued on December 11, 2017 relating to the alleged “unauthorised storage of two mobile homes, one caravan and ancillary services” by its own housing department at Ballymalone, Tuamgraney. Duncan Young, who has lived in Ballymalone for some years and complained about this planning crux, believes the council has now set a new precedent by allowing a person to live in a mobile home allegedly without any planning permission for the last five years, which could be replicated by others in Clare. A council spokesman said: “As this remains an open and ongoing …

SENIOR medics in Ennis Hospital will conduct a review of what additional resources are required in the Ennis Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) after one week of the new trial transferring all non-critical Clare patients by ambulance to Ennis Hospital. Non-critical patients can now be transferred directly by ambulance to the Ennis MAU from Monday to Friday as part of a new pilot project to ease chronic overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick. Paramedics previously had no option but to transport all Clare patients directly to UHL via ambulance following the controversial removal of 24-hour casualty cover from Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals in April 2009. The unexpected change by the National Ambulance Service (NAS) in the controversial protocol, which started in Clare on Monday, is seen as a boost for the Mid-West Hospitals Group campaign to secure the return of round-the-clock cover in Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals. Pressure is growing on the UL Hospitals Group to provide additional resources to Ennis Hospital …

SIGNIFICANT reductions in scheduled care are to remain in force across UL Hospitals’ Group this week as the major internal incident declared on January 2 is stood down. According to the UL Hospitals’ Group, extraordinary measures taken across the group and in the community have helped reduced the extreme levels of overcrowding seen early last week at the Emergency Department at UHL. However, all acute hospitals in the region are operating above capacity and staff remain on high alert amid a surge of respiratory infection in the community that has not yet reached its peak. The Hospital Crisis Management Team continues to meet twice daily seven days a week. However, the major internal incident was stood down by UL Hospitals’ Group CEO Professor Colette Cowan on Monday, January 9. Day surgery at Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospitals remains cancelled until the end of this week as the day wards in these hospitals have been designated as surge capacity for …

SHANNONDOC dealt with the equivalent of one month’s average calls in just one day during an unprecedented demand for the out-of-hours GP service during Christmas. The Mid-West service for non-emergency care experienced a huge surge in patients contacting the service over the Christmas period. During the peak times ShannonDoc dealt with approximately one patient every minute. Over the four days during Christmas from December 24th to 27th, ShannonDoc provided 2,280 doctor consultations, up from 1,641 in 2021, representing a 41% increase across the Mid-West. Within that, Co. Clare saw a 49% increase, North Tipperary was up 41% and Limerick city and county was up 35%. The out-of-hours service managed to provide 40% more GP appointments when compared to last year, with a significant portion of patients presenting with respiratory illnesses. A spokesperson stated the Christmas period is always ShannonDoc’s busiest, with additional doctors and nurses rostered to deal with the increase in patient volumes. This year, the service rostered more …