FIREFIGHTERS in Clare have been put on alert they will be balloted for industrial action next week due to the lack of a breakthrough in their dispute over pay and working conditions. SIPTU official, Arek Muszynski told the Clare Champion the two-week notice of intention to ballot had expired without any meaningful engagement, which left him with no option but to send out papers to members in Clare and Tipperary next week, possibly on Wednesday or Thursday. Mr Muszynski said he hadn’t received any meaningful proposals for the national committee or engagement from Clare County Council, apart from an acknowledgement letter. The Clare Fire and Rescue Service could be severely disrupted over the coming weeks unless serious efforts are made to address the “recruitment and retention crisis” affecting the local Retained Fire Service. A council spokesman told the Clare Champion, there is no update from last week and noted the Local Government Management Agency are dealing with the matter centrally …

THE horrific psychological impact of being raped and sexually assaulted continues for Aimee Foley after her father was convicted last December of committing heinous crimes against her. During a recent major panic attack in the USA, Aimee recalled she broke down shaking, couldn’t walk and was frozen because she smelt an aftershave that reminded her of her father. “It brought me back to a time in my life I didn’t remember previously and didn’t report to the gardai because I had no recollection until that moment. I have to go through that every day. “I have been put through so much turmoil. I don’t want to have children. What happens if the man I love and marry rapes my child? I can never trust a man again. I am in survival mode. “There isn’t a time when he isn’t assaulting me in my own head. Whether it is ‘you look ugly in the mirror’ the next thing is I hear …

COMMUNITY endeavour is on the right track in O’Briensbridge where a group of local volunteers have worked hard to clear scrub from a popular Looped Walk. A few months ago, the two kilometre walkway from the playground in O’Briensbridge had become so overgrown the gap between both sides had reduced down to about 12 inches in some places. Scrub, briars and branches of trees were making it extremely difficult for two people to walk side by side, particularly any adult with a child’s buggy. However, now the gap on this walkway is about five foot wide, which provides pedestrians with great comfort as they enjoy the splendid view of the River Shannon. The surface of the walkway will be substantially improved over the coming week with the addition of black rolled crushed stone, which is very similar to tarmacadam. In September 2019, Waterways Ireland had to close section of this walkway temporarily to repair two bridges that had fallen into …

MOTOR and tractor enthusiasts are looking forward with a sense of anticipation to participating in the fourth annual Tony Horan Memorial Tractor Run in Bridgetown next Sunday. This eagerly-awaited social event, which is run in memory of popular Bridgetown publican Tony Horan, is expected to attract up to 100 trucks, tractors, motor bikes and vintage cars. All registration takes place on the day at 11am. Starting from Bridgetown, the tractor runs head out the Broadford road, onto Barry’s Cross, Griffin’s Cross, up to Clonlara for a stop in Stritch’s Pub before returning to Bridgetown. It has been organised by Rosemarie Stuart, who runs Tony’s Bar, Bridgetown. “It is a great day in the village, and everyone is looking forward to it. The 2021 Tractor Run exceeded all our expectations. There were queues of tractors up the main street. There were hundreds of people in the village. There was a great buzz of excitement on the day. It takes a lot …

NEW YOUNG GAA All-Stars will show they are a match for the best when they showcase their skills on the biggest day in the Clare football calendar. Two groups of children with additional needs from Corofin and Éire Óg will demonstrate what skills they have learned and the fun they derive from participating in Gaelic Games before the Clare senior football decider in Cusack Park this Sunday. This initiative was the brainchild of Adrian Beakey from Corofin All-Stars who asked Clare sports inclusion disability officer, James Murrihy last May, if he could organise a slot for their group to play in Cusack Park before one of the county finals. While most teams have to win a championship in their county grounds before they can even dream of playing in Croke Park, Corofin All-Stars played in the GAA’s national hallowed stadium off Jones’ Road on August 22 last before their Cusack Park debut. Having secured a new kit of Corofin jerseys, …

AN Ennistymon woman, who was sexually abused, raped and traumatised by her father, is seeking a meeting with Justice Minister Helen McEntee to overhaul the sentencing regime for people convicted of domestic violence, rape and serious sexual assault. Last Friday, Michael O’Donoghue (44) from Ennistymon saw his sentence double from five to ten years, with the last six months suspended for brutally raping and abusing his only daughter following an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions. O’Donoghue, with an address of Colmanstown, Ballinasloe, Co Galway, previously pleaded guilty to 31 counts of sexually assaulting Aimee Foley, one count of raping her and one count of producing child pornography. In her comprehensive victim impact statement, the 21 year-old described her father as a “monster, paedophile, an animal”. Aimee is calling on Justice Minister Helen McEntee to conduct a thorough review of sentencing for all types of sexual assault offences and rape. She believes that any convicted perpetrator should not have …

FORMER Sinn Féin TD Violet-Anne Wynne took out two loans totalling €30,626 – one to repay Sinn Féin and another one to repay Dáil allowances due to her reduced attendance as a result of Covid-19 restrictions. The Independent Deputy, who resigned from Sinn Féin last February, confirmed her former political party approved a €12,126 loan as it wanted the issue concerning rent arrears due to Rural Resettlement Ireland to be resolved after details about these difficulties emerged on the eve of the 2020 General Election. In an interview with the Clare Champion, Deputy Wynne outlined she took out a loan for €18,500 from another source with no connections to Sinn Féin, to repay Dáil allowances, which are now fully repaid. The Kilrush-based mother-of-six created a political sensation by becoming the first Sinn Féin candidate to win a Dáil seat in almost 100 years after securing 8,987 first preferences in the 2020 General Election. Dáil deputies are paid a series of …

A MEELICK lobby group is considering reporting the alleged theft of posters to gardai opposing the proposed development of a wind farm in the locality. Meelick Wind Farm Alert chairman, Niall Ward told the Clare Champion he recently erected two posters at either side of Brennan’s Cross that lasted only three hours before they were mysteriously removed by unknown parties. Mr Ward said other residents also put up posters outside their own dwelling, which were also removed without their consent. His concern about the removal of posters comes as the group gears up to host a public meeting for concerned residents and public representatives from both Clare and Limerick on November 4 in the local hall at 7pm. The project is a proposed 12-turbine wind farm, located on a 140-hectare site neighbouring the townland of Ballycar, north of Meelick. Mr Ward expressed concern about a number of aspects about this project, particularly the proposed overall height of the turbines, which …