AFTER more than 11 years of celebrating the fortnightly mass at the famous Barn Church in Oatfield, Canon Dan Spaight bade the local community a fond farewell last Saturday night. Retired for some years, after his ministry in Middlesborough in the UK, and now living in Ennis, Canon Spaight is a native of Cratloe and was ordained in 1959. “There were a total of 437 priests ordained across Ireland that year,” he recalled. “That was some number.” Canon Spaight enjoyed his ministry and his retirement to Ennis has proven to be an active one. He was approached more than a decade ago by sacristan Noreen Brandon and Parish Council member, the late Geraldine Crehan, to say mass in Oatfield. “It was round two weeks before Christmas in 2009 and I agreed,” he said. “The weather was very bad and I wondered if things continued, if I’d ever get there. I was told not to worry because there were people with …

WARM tributes have been paid on the passing of Joe Dooley, a highly-regarded member of the Mountshannon community, who was widely known and well respected through his long career as a cattle dealer. Mr Dooley, from Sellernane, was a popular figure across Clare and further afield and deeply involved in the farming community. The father of Senator Timmy Dooley, Joe Dooley was widely respected, particularly for his expertise when it came to livestock.  Paying tribute to his late father, Senator Dooley wrote: “A life well lived in his local community, witnessing many changes over the decades. His life centred around family, farming and his cattle.” A nephew of Joe Dooley’s, Noel Hogan from Mountshannon, described his uncle as “a mighty man”. “He was born in August 1928 and lived and died all his life in the same house in Sellernane,” he said. “As a cattle dealer, he would have walked the roads of Ireland, going to all the fairs. He …

THE GAA has been urged to “change the record,” after criticism of recent renditions of the National Anthem at big match days in Cusack Park.  Ahead of some of the Championship encounters, Councillors Mary Howard, Alan O’Callaghan and Donna McGettigan heard what was described as “a scratchy tape” playing ‘Amhrán na bhFiann’. At the July Council meeting, the trio condemned the sound of “scratching and tearing,” which they said was ruining the build up to big games. They expressed a preference for “local bands like Ennis Brass Band or the Tulla Pipe Band,” and asked that the Council would approach the GAA about the matter.  “In 1995, Anthony Daly said, ‘We love our trad music, but we love our hurling as well’,” outlined Councillor Howard. “I am hugely proud of National Anthem and I get very emotional when I hear it. It’s very important to all of us. On May 15, when Clare met Limerick, the National Anthem was played …

LITTER will be cleared from Lahinch Beach this Saturday as part of an initiative with Fáilte Ireland and Clean Coasts.  The Wild Atlantic Way Clean-up will see thousands of people take to their local beach next Saturday to tackle marine litter and make sure that local amenities are looking their best at the height of the summer season.  Anyone who would like to join in is asked to attend the Lahinch Beach Lifeguard Station at 11am. Participants will be welcomed by a Clean Coasts Officer and given a safety introduction before being offered Clean Coasts kit. Tea, coffee and treats will be provided and those taking part are advised to bring along their reusable cups. The rise of staycations has brought a welcome economic boost to coastal communities, but the downside includes a rise in littering of sensitive marine settings. “The Irish coastline and its beaches are an important part of the visitor experience in Ireland,” said Shane Dineen, Fáilte …

THE lack of motorway service stations is forcing people to turn the side of Clare’s stretch of the M18 into a public toilet, a local authority member has asserted.  Offering to produce video evidence of the practice of public urination along the M18 and N18, Councillor PJ Ryan appealed to the Council to ask Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the Transport Minister to install public services on the Clare stretch of the motorway. “It has been brought to may notice that quite a lot of vehicles cars on N18/M18 are using side of motorway when they need to go to the toilet,” he said. “Making a public toilet out the motorway is a disgrace It is mostly on the south-bound side that there is the problem. The north-bound stretch has services at Birdhill. Clare County Council needs to do something.” Seconding the motion, Councillor Pat McMahon agreed that the Tipperary stretch of the motorway has better services. “In Tipperary, there …

PLANS to develop more private housing in the town of Tulla have generated some concerns locally and prompted the Council to probe a number of aspects of the project.  In May, Woodhaven Developments lodged plans for 36 new homes on a greenfield site, close to Glebe House, on Church Road. The company, who already have permission to build 17 houses and a commercial centre nearby, on the site of the former St Joseph’s Secondary School, told planners the latest plans will help to meet housing need in Tulla; create 42 construction jobs and represent an investment of around €3.75 million in the town.  Within the window for public consultation, four submissions were made. One, from a couple living on Church Road, described the development as being “of great benefit to the Tulla area” and “very well designed”. The residents asked that, in the event permission is granted, a two-metre high boundary wall would be erected along the entire boundary between …

A PLEA has been issued to Clare TDs to fight for far-reaching changes to the Bill underpinning the revised grant scheme for homeowners with defective concrete blocks.  Councillor Ian Lynch has written to each of Clare’s Dáil representatives, ahead of a debate on Wednesday, where just two hours was set aside for discussion of 80 amendments. While the grant scheme will now be extended to Clare and Limerick, major concerns have been raised about the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022. In a series of letters, seen by The Champion, Councillor Lynch said he fully supports the 80 amendments, which have been proposed jointly by the Clare Pyrite Action Group (CPAG) and campaigners in Donegal and Mayo. He appealed to the TDs to use their influence to improve the Bill and he condemned the “physical, mental and financial hardship” that will result if the new grant scheme is not fit-for-purpose.   Asking TDs …

ANOTHER major housing development is on the cards for Crusheen, one of Clare’s most rapidly-expanding villages.  Conditional permission has been granted to Woodhaven Developments for 42 new homes on a site close of 1.78 hectares, close to the village centre. The green light was given after County Planners satisfied themselves that Crusheen has the right level of service and social infrastructure to support another rise in its population.  Plans were lodged last December for 32 three-bedroom homes; six two-bedroom homes; and four four-bedroom homes, on a site zoned for mixed use. The developer said the estate represented the next phase of a masterplan for lands close to the village centre. In a detailed design statement, Woodhaven outlined plans to begin construction on the homes immediately after the completion of the nearby Cluain Fia estate “and the granting of an acceptable planning permission”. The company estimated that completion of the estate would take 36 months and represent an investment of €10.3 …