THERE was a poignant moment long distance swimmer Rosie Foley at an awards’ ceremony when she received one of her latest “Triple Crown” awards. Padraic Casey passed away swimming across the English Channel in 2013 and his widow Riana presented Rosie with an award in his honour. The 2022 Padraic Casey Munster Swimmer of the Year award was presented at the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association Awards on Saturday evening. “I met his wife for the first time on Saturday and she presented me with the award, which was a poignant moment,” said Rosie. “Padraic is gone but he is not forgotten in swimming circles. I was very proud to get this award because Padraic was a fantastic person. I never met him, but I met loads of his friends that swam with him so I was honoured to get this award,” she said. She was also presented with a Certificate of Recognition in honour of completing the Triple Crown …

A GROUP of 25 Clare early education providers swapped the classroom for the streets when they staged a one-day protest in O’Connell Street, Ennis recently. Eilis Wall, who runs a Pre-School in Shannon catering for 30 children, said college graduates with four-year degrees were expected to work in the early years sector for €13.50 per hour. “We only get paid for 38 weeks of the year for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). “Our staff have to sign on for the summer holidays and this year had to wait six weeks to get paid lower than the dole rate. “Under the core funding model, we haven’t got any extra pay. We haven’t received our core funding yet. If I had four graduates, I only get paid for one graduate. “I am renting in a primary school. The school has helped to make it affordable to stay open. We want to be paid like teachers. A Special Needs Assistant starts on …

CLARE County Council estimates there are 3,207 beneficiaries of temporary protection, most of which are believed to be Ukrainian refugees, currently accommodated in 30 hotels, hostels and self-catering accommodation across 14 local settlements. The council is coordinating local response services across the county and the matching of Ukrainian people displaced as a result of the war to hosted accommodation. Councillors were told at a meeting on Monday this is being done through the repurposed Community Response Forum, with meetings at a county level being held on a bi-weekly basis and local meetings in Shannon, Ennis, Kilkee and Lisdoonvarna. Prior to the war in Ukraine, it was widely recognised that Clare was already lacking available bed nights, considering the level of product available in the county. A Clare Visitor Survey of domestic and international visitors facilitated by the council between late April and September found high satisfaction levels, but 81% of overseas tourists had to travel by car to the Banner …

CLARE County Council has been requested to contact landowners to get their views before their land is zoned for residential purposes in the Draft County Development Plan without their consent. That’s the view of Clare IFA chairman, Tom Lane, who believes that it is unfair to place the onus on a landowner – who didn’t request residential zoning on their land – to be lumbered with the burden of having to lodge an appeal for exclusion. The Residential Zoned Land Tax is an annual tax, which will be first due in 2024 in respect of lands included on the RZLT Final Map to be published by local authorities on December 1 2023. Mr Lane said landowners can be easily identified by the Council through a search on the Land Registry. Many may even be unaware of existing residential zoning on a portion of their land. As land zoned residential is of much higher value, farmers could face the prospect of …

A DOOLIN-BASED expert rock climber has recalled how a team drilled around 120 bolts along the wall of a sea cave to rescue a man that had been trapped for almost 22 hours. The man was forced to remain on a ledge after a freak wave washed him into a cave at Downpatrick Head on the Mayo coast beyond Killala at 6pm on Saturday, September 17. Former Doolin Coast Guard volunteer, Conor McGrath said, “It was probably the most technical rescue ever undertaken in my 40 years’ experience. To rescue the man alive after such a long time was a great bonus. It was a very good result for all the team.” Mr McGrath recalled a few people were swimming and climbing along the coast when they were washed off a ledge into the water around 5.30pm. The RNLI Lifeboat was tasked to the scene after a woman was rescued by kayakers, but a Polish man in his forties was …

A RETIRED South-East Clare primary school teacher has provided a wealth of information for future generations about his native place in a new local history book. Broadford parish is a consequence of its colourful history, which Pat O’Brien (68) felt should be recognised and celebrated. Broadford Parish 1800-1850 – ‘The History of a Rural County Clare Parish During an Eventful Time’ comprises 650 pages, illustrated with images particularly of local significance. The book, which is an expensive undertaking, is published by his wife, Caroline O’Brien, The Celtic Bookshop, 2 Rutland Street, Limerick City, on high quality paper and is issued in an edition of 300 hardbound copies, with dust wrappers. Growing up in this special place, Pat developed an abiding interest in its history and lore. He has written this book in an attempt to discover what life was like for people living in Broadford parish during the first half of the nineteenth century, a traumatic period in both national …

MAJOR benefits will flow from the completion of the new River Shannon Crossing and associated infrastructure, according to Clare County Council Chief Executive, Pat Dowling. Mr Dowling admitted the inadequacy of the existing route has been a source of frustration and debate over many years. “Today is a landmark event, signalling the exciting new future that such infrastructure will bring about. This project also brings economic, social and community benefits. With the two councils developing the new Killaloe-Ballina Town Enhancement and Mobility Plan (KBTEMP), he said this sets out ambitious plans inspired by the common goal of “two towns, one community”. He predicted the new infrastructure would enhance the area as a location for residents, businesses and tourists facilitating local, regional and national development for future years. Some of the benefits include safer roads and less town congestion, an alternative route to take through traffic and heavy goods vehicles out of both town centres, facilitate public realm projects in the …

THE Chief Clinical Director of the UL Hospitals’ Group has poured cold water on the proposed return of 24-hour emergency cover to Ennis Hospital and other Model Two acute facilities, despite a petition from a local lobby group that is supported by 15,000 signatures. The Mid-West Hospital Campaign has sent a petition calling for the restoration of round the clock casualty cover in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospitals to the Dáil’s Petitions’ Committee after this was controversially removed for safety reasons in April 2009. In an extensive interview with the Clare Champion, Professor Brian Lenehan doesn’t support any move to have another ED in the Mid-West, despite the fact the group is the only one along the western seaboard that doesn’t have a Model Three Hospital. “I fundamentally believe as part of the additional bed stock we need a scheduled care hospital. “That could be a new development or the development of one of our existing hospitals, but I …