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Solar power generation tends to invite jokes about the Irish weather but, says Bridget Ginnity, it can make a significant contribution domestically and industrially to Ireland’s renewable energy goals ONE of the incredible success stories in renewable energy is how the price of solar PV (photovoltaic) panels has plummeted. Solar power generation is now cheaper than fossil fuel generation, with India and China leading the way. In Clare, we have more wind than sun, and the energy generated by a wind farm is about ten times that of a solar PV farm over the same area. Ireland has among the lowest solar generation capacity in Europe, with at present less than 0.4% of electricity generated by solar. However, solar energy generation is an important balance to wind for those calm, sunny periods. Also, it’s much more feasible to generate energy from solar panels on a small scale and at the domestic level. Shouting from the rooftops Looking around the rooftops …

DISABLED parking spaces removed and replaced with Age Friendly parking in Ennis’ Cabey’s Lane will be relocated to the Lower Market area of the town, Clare County Council has confirmed. The Clare Champion was contacted by concerned members of the public who questioned why the disabled parking spaces were transformed into ‘Age Friendly’ spaces, fearing that the disabled spaces had been taken away for good. Can you help us out @ClareCoCo & let us know where those 2 ♿🅿️bays were moved to from Caby's Lane in Ennis? Same 2 spots are now repainted as "Age-Friendly". We had heard changes were made but assumed it meant relocation & not a very different type of relabelling? 🤷🏻‍♂️❓ pic.twitter.com/LRoyO0d9gE — The Struggle Is Wheel (@struggleiswheel) November 21, 2022 A council spokesperson has explained that the space available at Cabey’s Lane did not meet the current design standards for disabled parking. New disabled parking bays are to be installed in the Lower Market area …

DEER are causing “extreme danger” on roads across East Clare, a meeting of Killaloe district councillor has been told.  The matter was raised by Councillor Pat Hayes who said there had been a number of collisions in recent weeks and that deer were creating “a high risk” for all road users. “Anyone living on the mountain edges knows that is a continuous and major issue that has now exploded,” the Caher man said. “I’ve heard from several people who’ve told me they’ve had deer running against them when they’re out on the road. This is a real road safety issue right across the region. “The Slieve Aughtys are a haven for deer and they have now moved down into the valleys. Many farmers have 20 to 30 deers on their land when they go out in the morning. We are all now owners of a huge deer population and there’s extreme danger when they move out onto the roads.” Councillor …

Ennis athlete Dean Casey led the way on a successful day for his club at the 123.ie National Cross Country Championships on Sunday with a silver medal performance. Along with Casey’s second place finish in the U20 competition, Ennis Track’s Junior side secured gold as they progressed through to the ECCC Cross Country Championships next February, a competition which they won earlier this year. Meanwhile, Casey’s second placed finish helped him secure a spot on the Irish Junior team that will be competing at the European Cross Country Championships next month in Italy. He was part of the Irish team that secured silver at these Championships last year in Dublin. Mark Hanrahan has also been selected on the same team as he secured fourth on Sunday. The top three finishers in each age grade automatically qualified for the Irish squad but with a six-man team competing in Italy, Hanrahan’s strong showing was enough to convince the selectors that he should …

IT’S A far cry from the world of European finance to the buzz of the brewery, but Maeve Sheridan has made the change with ease. She left behind her day job in banking in Luxembourg to go into business with her brother, Michael Eustace, a civil engineer by profession. Today, along with Bridger Kelleher their brewer, the trio at Western Herd is brewing up a storm, with more craft beers than ever and a newly-refurbished and extended premises in Kilcloher.  Like hundreds of small family businesses the length and breath of Ireland, Western Herd came up against unprecedented obstacles during the pandemic. With most of their sales being through pubs and restaurants, prospects looked bleak until the natural drive to adapt and innovate kicked in.  The siblings are no strangers to innovation, both of them having changed careers radically to set up Western Herd. When the recession hit, Michael turned to managing a busy Dublin bar. Always a keen home …

ADDITIONAL gardaí will be on duty in Ennis this Wednesday as teenagers celebrate their long awaited Junior Certificate results in the Queen’s Hotel. Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks has insisted, “Anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.” The alcohol-free Junior Certificate Disco takes place this coming Wednesday at the Queens Hotel Ennis between 7.30pm and 10.30pm. “Parents are to ensure arrangements are in place for the safe arrival and collection of their children. We are asking parents to stay until their children enter the disco,” said Sergeant Brooks. Transport Operators are to ensure that no alcohol is allowed on their vehicles, she adds. “Anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated. Those found to have consumed alcohol or under the influence of other substances will be refused admission to the disco. Parents will be contacted in all cases where the Gardaí were required to intervene.” She reminded parents, “to discuss these matters with their children beforehand and to insist that they do …

RESEARCH carried out on behalf of Coillte shows that there is an almost universal view among the public that forests are important in helping to address the climate crisis. In April this year, Coillte, the semi-state forestry company, announced a new forestry strategic vision which aims to deliver multiple benefits from its forests and bring more focus to climate action, setting ambitious new targets on biodiversity and recreation, while continuing to deliver for the forest and wood products industry. The new approach aims to sustainably balance and deliver the multiple benefits from Ireland’s state forests across four strategic pillars: climate, wood, nature, and people. RED C independently analysed feedback from both Coillte’s public attitude survey and Coillte’s public consultation process, completed during summer 2022, which was part of Coillte’s commitment to consult widely with key stakeholders on its new strategic vision. The survey, conducted among a nationally representative sample of adults in June 2022, was combined with the response to Coillte’s public consultation process, and shows there is an almost universal view that …

A 65-YEAR-OLD man who was found by gardaí late at night in his car in a secluded rural location in Clare with a vulnerable 15-year-old girl and a box of Viagra tablets has been sentenced to 11 months in prison. At Ennis circuit court, Judge Francis Comerford said it was “praiseworthy that gardaí were able to intervene” in the incident that took place at McNamara’s lake, O’Briensbridge in the early hours of August 23, 2017. Details of the incident were heard at the sentencing hearing of Pat Barry (65). Barry, a retired stable hand with an address at Garryglass Avenue, Rosbrien, Limerick, pleaded guilty to a single count of sexual assault. Judge Francis Comerford imposed a 20-month prison sentence with the final nine months suspended for what he called a “sexual assault, without consent, on a vulnerable young child”. Garda Áine Troy told prosecuting counsel, Lorcan Connolly BL she had two other colleagues were on patrol on the date in …