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DEPUTY Cathal Crowe has that too many people who could have brought the proposed transfer of Shannon Heritage Tourism assets to Clare County Council to a satisfactory conclusion weeks ago “have dragged their heels”. He told The Clare Champion, “I think the Department of Transport in particular and Shannon Airport Group need to step up to the plate here.” He said that there was a certain level of hope for an early resolution however with Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton as well as cabinet members Darragh O’Brien and Michael McGrath all saying they hoped to have the matter resolved by Christmas. However he said there had already been many missed chances and a failure to really engage on the matter. “As I understand it at the moment there’s an over and back squabble between the Department of Housing and Local Government, which is the parent department of local authorities, and the Department of Transport, which is the parent department for …

A man alleged to have thrown a cup of urine at a Garda’s face has been further remanded in custody. Joel Lonia (32), of no fixe abode, made his second appearance at Ennis district court this Wednesday, December 14. Lonia is facing two charges of assaulting two gardaí at Ennis Garda station on December 11, contrary to section 2 of the Non Fatal Offences Against The Person Act. He is charged with the theft of clothes and hiking boots from Penneys, Francis Street, Ennis, also on December 11. He is further charged with engaging in behaviour or using words with intent to provoke breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace may be occasioned. That offence relates to an incident at the Templegate Hotel, Ennis on December 11. Sergeant Aiden Lonergan said the state required further time to determine how the case against the accused is to proceed. Judge Mary Larkin remanded Lonia …

STEEPED in musical heritage, 25-year-old Hazel Park has chased her dream, and is now living it. After spending a few years teaching, she left education to go to London for an MA in Musical Theatre Performance and is starting her first professional role this week, playing Tinkerbell in the pantomime Peter Pan at University Concert Hall Limerick. She told the Clare Champion that Shannon Musical Society has been a big part of her life and her family. “My grandparents actually founded the society, my family have been in it over the years and I joined when I was 18.” Hazel has also been involved with Muse Productions and the Ennis Musical Society, while she was nominated for Best Female Singer in the Association of Irish Musical Societies Awards in 2020. She has always wanted to get into musical theatre as a professional, but didn’t go into it straight after the Leaving Cert. “It was always in the back of my …

HOSPITAL campaigners have claimed there is no major improvement for patients attending the Emergency Department in University Hospital Limerick (UHL), despite the HSE’s “expert intervention”. Clare members of the Mid-West Hospital Campaign participated in a protest outside Ennis Hospital on Monday to highlight the crisis in ED unit. Similar demonstrations also took place in Navan, Drogheda, Cavan, Mullingar, Limerick and Nenagh. The protesters read out some of the recent survey responses from the public following the initiative undertaken by the Mid-West Hospital Campaign. Group member, Noeleen Moran told the Clare Champion they decided to go ahead with this protest, despite subzero temperatures because there is no progress being made to address the crisis at UHL. “The Petitions Committee has not received a response from the Department of Health yet in relation to the group’s petition calling for the upgrading of casualty facilities in the region. “The HSE’s response wasn’t even aware that the Deloitte report was already published and stated …

Following a three-year break due to Covid, the Rice College Christmas Concert returns to glór next Monday, writes River McGann. The concert will feature music students from the school’s Transition Year and upwards, with traditional music, Irish dancing, and solos from the sixth years. Joan Hanrahan, concert organiser and Rice College music teacher said, “The last time we held this Christmas Concert was three years ago, during Christmas 2019. Little did we think that we wouldn’t be back in glór for three full years! “It has been a huge loss to the school and the students, including the students of music, because the school concert is a wonderful opportunity for our students to perform. “Not everybody is comfortable with standing up in front of an audience, but it’s a skill we can improve. “We feel it’s a very important part of the life of Rice College, performing for others and creating bonds with people in doing so. “Not performing for …

A “predator” who repeatedly abused young girls over a 42-year-period in Clare will be sentenced next year. At Ennis circuit court, Judge Francis Comerford adjourned the case of the 68-year-old Clare man to March 8, 2023. The accused pleaded guilty to a total of 53 sample counts of indecent and sexual assault of three girls between 1976 and 2004. The man, who cannot be named to protect the identities of the victims, also admitted one further count of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl in the summer of 2018. He was sent forward for trial on two books of evidence comprising 203 charges of indecent and sexual assault. The man appeared in court this week via video link from prison where he is on remand. Prosecuting counsel Lorcan Connolly BL, said evidence in the case was heard in November. Counsel said a plea in mitigation on behalf of the accused has still to be heard. Mr Connolly continued, “The bulk of …

THE Redemptorist Christmas hamper appeal for 2022 has been launched with 2022 marking the 50th year of the initiative. Fr Seamus Enright of the Redemptorists estimates that approximately 300,000 Christmas hampers have been distributed since 1972. Speaking at the launch of this year’s Christmas hamper appeal, Fr Enright commented that none of this would have been possible without the extraordinary generosity of the people of limerick and the surrounding areas. The aim this year and over the past 50 years has been a very simple one: food on every table in the Limerick and the Mid-West area at Christmas. And 2022 promises to be a challenging Christmas for many with demand for hampers up 15% and the cost of those same hampers up 11%. According to the CSO, some 8% of people in the Mid-West experience food poverty, a figure that was surveyed before the impact of the current cost of living crisis. “We are depending on people’s generosity again …

EVERYONE knows the Cliffs of Moher and Aillwee Burren Experience are great places to visit and according to their staff, they’re great places to work too. Both of North Clare’s most popular attractions have been awarded the Great Place to Work Certification for 2022. The certification is awarded based on the results of a survey completed recently by the staff at both organisations. Great Place to Work® provides independent company assessments based entirely on employees’ feedback about their workplace experience. The Cliffs of Moher Experience has received the certification for the second year running and improved its overall score from last year. Some of the highlights from the survey included 98% of staff believing the Cliffs is committed to diversity and inclusion. Regarding its sustainability ethos, 83% of employees believe the Cliffs of Moher Experience is working towards reducing its impact on the environment. “We are honoured to receive this certification again for the second year in a row and …