A CELT Woodlands Open Day, will be held in the Slieve Aughty Centre, Loughrea next Sunday September 11 from 10am to 6pm. It is a fully hosted free event, sponsored by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Centre for Environmental Living and Training (CELT) is opening its doors once again to celebrate Ireland’s native forests and the very many benefits of trees to ecologies, the economy and wellbeing. Morning talks on Agroforestry and Riparian Woodland Management will be particularly geared to land owners, farmers, and anyone interested in the continuation and expansion of native woodlands. Hosted walks will be held to demonstrate forest bathing, foraging, Brehon tree laws and Ogham alphabet as well as a medieval roundhouse. Crafters and demonstrations will be held in bushcraft skills, archery, leather work, wood turning and much more. There will be a forest school segment for youngsters and organic lunches will be provided. A special screening of “Call of the Forest: …

THE man who managed Ireland to their first Nations Cup victory in seven years at the RDS Dublin Horse Show last month was accorded a hero’s welcome as he brought the world renowned Aga Khan trophy home to Tuamgraney on Wednesday evening. Michael Blake was lauded by senior officials from the RDS and Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) for the key role he played as Chef d’Équipe in leading Team Ireland to victory in the prestigious showjumping event. This coveted show jumping trophy was presented to, Michael, and his team, by President Michael D Higgins in August. It followed a nail-biting jump-off against France in front of a capacity audience at the RDS. This thrilling victory ensured the return of the Aga Khan Cup to Ireland after a seven-year gap. Michael was joined by two members of Team Ireland – Tipperary’s Max Wachman and Meath’s Cian O’Connor. Hundreds of spectators packed the East Clare Memorial Park, with many watching from outside …

THE importance of chronicling history, culture and folklore of the Sliabh Aughty region for future generations has been emphasised by an East Clare historian. In an interview with The Clare Champion, Ger Madden stressed if local history is not recorded by his generation it will be lost as it is not being prioritised by schools. East Clare Heritage will officially launch the 18th edition of the Sliabh Aughty Journal on Friday, September 23 in McNamara’s Bar, Scariff at 9pm. Well known genealogist Dr Paddy Waldron will launch the journal, which contains a series of well researched articles on history and folklore from East Clare and South Galway. It was compiled by Ger Madden and Denis Moloney from Bodyke. Mr Madden recalled when East Clare Heritage published their first journal in 1989 people thought it would end after five or six editions. However, 33 years later there is still plenty of material to produce two or three journals annually. “The Sliabh …

The need to extend the opening hours of the Ennis Local Injury Unit (LIU) to a 24-hour basis has been highlighted by Senator Roisín Garvey after her “traumatic experience” spending two days on a trolley in University Hospital Limerick last June. Senator Garvey was referred from Ennis to UHL on June 4 after breaking her leg the previous evening. Senator Garvey recalled there were trolleys on the corridors and on wards when she was admitted to the ED in UHL. After spending about two days on a trolley, the Green Party Senator got a bed in a ward on Monday morning. “I was in a hallway and then I got moved into a ward corridor. I was nearly better off in the hallway downstairs than in the ward corridor because I felt I was in everyone’s way. I was moved in the middle of the night, which seemed strange. “When I was on a trolley on the ward I was …

A NEW petition containing 15,000 signatures supporting the upgrading of acute hospitals in the Mid-West including Ennis Hospital has been submitted by a lobby group to the Dáil Petitions Committee. This action was taken by the Mid West Hospital Campaign to put the spotlight on the need to tackle overcrowding at UHL and to address the situation of timely access to safe and proper healthcare in the Mid-West. The petition calls for the upgrading of Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospital to Model Three acute facilities and the re-opening of emergency departments. It will be heard before the Dáil petitions committee this September 14. Campaign spokeswoman, Noeleen Moran said, there are 80 people lying on trolleys in the corridors of UHL and thousands more wait on lists for treatment. “We need our hospital upgraded and we need the emergency department reinstated. Clare people deserve timely access to proper healthcare.” A recent HIQA report highlights that UL Hospitals group is the …

PLANS for the development of a new supermarket in Sixmilebridge have been put on hold by Clare County Council. The site for the proposed supermarket is the old Arch Ballroom, a famous dance hall in the showband era. It was converted to an auction rooms as well as a cinema on the first floor in the nineties. The local authority has requested the developer to submit a substantial amount of new information about the impact of the plan on what is a protected structure in the village. This comes after five residents sent in submissions to the local planning authority supporting the new development. JCCMC Limited Ballybunion has lodged a planning application seeking permission to change the use of the Auction Room to a new supermarket including a retail area, café, off-licence, store, goods loading area, as well as elevation changes to the existing building. In its request for Further Information, the planning authority has asked the applicant to submit …

MORE than 1,300 competitors flocked to the shores of Lough Derg on Saturday to participate in the return to east Clare of a major adventure race. Last weekend saw the second staging of Quest Lough Derg, an arduous challenge for athletes in Killaloe and Ballina following the inaugural event in 2019. Fine weather, with temperatures reaching 22 degrees, allowed athletes and supporters to maximise Quest Lough Derg and its stunning location, sold-out since August. The race makes itself accessible to athletes on all levels, from beginners to experienced racers, with its three routes: the 22km ‘Challenge’, the 45km ‘Sport’ and the 69km ‘Expert’, starting and finishing at various points in Killaloe and Ballina. Competitors were able to enjoy the breathtaking scenery of Tountinna, Garrykennedy, Ballycuggaran and Moylussa. After the event, competitors were treated to hot food, music and a festival-like atmosphere at the finish line. The winners of the Expert Route were Shaun Stewart and Laura O’Driscoll. The Sport Route …

A WEALTH of history and information has been included in the new Discover St Flannan’s Guide, which was launched in the Killaloe Cathedral recently. Killaloe Ballina Historical Society secretary, Deborah Dudgeon applied for grant funding from the Heritage Council to cover some of the professional costs St Flannan’s Cathedral is incurring due to its current conservation and development. The Heritage Council provided some funding to enable the creation of the guide, with John Rice of Glance Promotions covering the cost of printing 1,000 copies. Dr Judith Hill, an architect and historian, who is involved in the conservation development plan for St Flannan’s joined forces with Ms Dudgeon to produce a new cathedral guide, which is now available to pick up free of charge at the cathedral. Ms Dudgeon, who did the layout and design, said they felt it would be nice to give visitors a guide brochure as it is now open from 10am to 7pm daily. “Judith had researched …