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THE Clare Labour Party will this Friday host a special event in Ennis to remember the life of Clare politician Patrick Hogan. Guest speakers at the seminar, which will be held in the Old Ground Hotel at 7.30pm, will include Labour Party Leader  Ivana Bacik TD, SIPTU General Secretary Joe Cunningham, TSSA Union’s Manuel Cortes  TSSA Union, and historian Francis Devine among others. Clare Labour Party chairman Denis Vaughan described Patrick Hogan as “one of the most influential Irish  political figures in the twentieth century”. Hogan became the first Labour TD elected in Clare, subsequently becoming a senator and eventually the longest serving Ceann Comhairle, most famously presiding over American President John F Kennedy’s address to the Oireachtas in June 1963. He was born on 10 October 1885, the only son of Patrick Hogan, a labourer, and Bridget O’Connor of Culleen, Kilmaley.  In the 1901 Census, he was listed as a House-to-House Postman. By 1911, living in Mitchelstown, Hogan was entered as …

AN Ennis-based company has appealed to the government to exempt paper cups from the so-called “latte levy” being introduced for single use cups. Cup Print has joined the Irish paper packaging industry in urging Minister of State Ossian Smyth to exempt certified recyclable and certified compostable products with established waste collection streams from the forthcoming levy on cups for hot drinks. As the Public Consultation on draft regulations to levy single-use disposable cups opens to industry and the public for a six-week period, the Clare company argues that appropriately certified compostable and recyclable cups have an important role to play in helping Ireland achieve its sustainability goals. The latte levy, proposed in the Circular Economy Act which was adopted in July 2022, is expected to be introduced early next year with a levy of 20c on cups for hot drinks. Green Party Deputy Smyth has said that the intention of the legislation is to encourage customers to switch to reusable …

SEVERE disruption to the Clare Fire and Rescue Service looks likely after a union served its intention to conduct a ballot for industrial action on behalf of local fire fighters on October 26. This vital life-saving service may be curtailed unless Clare County Council can address the “recruitment and retention crisis” affecting the local Retained Fire Service. The union has served the council a two-week written notice of its intention to ballot their members in the Retained Fire Service for industrial and strike action, which started on October 12. It also confirmed the union remains available to “seek an agreed solution to this dispute”. In a letter to Chief Executive, Pat Dowling dated October 12, SIPTU stated as a result of the failure “and/or refusal of management represented by the LGMA to honour its commitment to make proposals to address the long standing issues giving rise to the recruitment and retention crisis affecting the Retained Fire Service in the county …

FIVE Clare hurlers will be looking to show they have what it takes as the latest series of popular TG4 show Underdogs comes to the boil. Next Saturday, the Underdogs take on the winners of the 2022 Allianz National Hurling League, Waterford live on TG4. This week, Cian O’Rourke, Wolfe Tones Na Sionna, Cillian O Fionngusha, Clonlara, Dan Cunnane, Ogonnelloe, Evan McMahon, Feakle and Tommy Barry, Kilmaley will be pressing for starting spots for the big game which takes place under lights at SETU Arena, Waterford This will be the debut game for returning Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald, as he takes charge of the Deise for the second time. The excitement in Waterford will be palpable as everyone asks the question – Will the return of Davy Fitz spell defeat for all-star management team John Allen, Claire O’Connor and Jamie Wall? The Underdogs is a unique group of hurlers, assembled from different clubs all across the country – the only …

CLARE boxer David Ryan is set to make his professional debut on November 19 in Belfast, in a fight that will be shown on TG4.  Speaking this week he said he was delighted that the fight has been made. “I was actually meant to fight the week before in Glasgow, but I got offered this one. My manager decided to go for this instead, it’s better exposure and it’ll build my profile a bit more.” As of yet his opponent hasn’t been finalised with David telling the Champion that a few contracts had been sent out with the expectation that someone will sign this week. Does that make it harder to prepare? “Ah, you just go in and do your thing, don’t care what they do. That’s all you can do.” The bill on which he fights will be headlined by two Celtic title fights, featuring Belfast fighters.  David says that training has been very intense, and the fact a …

THE Burren Food Fayre will take place as part of this year’s Winterage Festival, as producers and chefs come together to showcase the food of the area at one of the region’s most iconic farming events. This year’s event will be held in a marquee on a farm at the start of the Cattle Drive near Lough Bunny on Sunday, October 30. It will include, tastings, cooking demos, storytelling and music with plenty of opportunities for people to meet sample and purchase the products before and after the cattle drive is complete.   The Burren Winterage Festival, which is organised by Burren Beo, celebrates the ancient custom of out-wintering cattle on the upland areas of the Burren. It has developed into a five-day festival, which begins on Wednesday, October 26, features a range of farming, heritage, cultural and family events, concluding the following Sunday. “We are delighted to be hosting this year’s event at the Winterage Festival,” said Jarlath O’Dwyer, …

THE level of demand for homeless services in Clare is as high as it has ever been, the County Council management’s report for October states. “Demand for homeless services in Clare are unprecedented for this time of year. At the time of writing emergency accommodation is at capacity with a waiting list in place for access to accommodation,” it claimed. The report said it is very hard to find new accommodation, even though it is badly needed. “The Council continues to pursue additional emergency accommodation however this is proving challenging due to competing demands for accommodation in the County.” During the period from August 19 up to September 15 it found that 13 households exited homeless services, but there were 40 new presentations, along with 191 repeat presentations. At the October meeting of the Council, Director of Service Ann Haugh said that Clare’s experience is not exceptional. “We are reflecting what is happening nationally really, presentations are rising.” Also at …

The market value of a convent and adjoining land owned by an order of nuns in Ennis is set to soar. This follows the Sisters of Mercy successfully making the case to Clare County Council planners that their accommodation and grounds along Bóthar na Trócaire opposite the Dunnes Stores retail outlet in Ennis be rezoned from ‘community’ to ‘mixed use’ in the new draft Clare County Development Plan. The Sisters of Mercy employed Ennis firm P Coleman & Associates to advance the case for the rezoning of their landholding. The submission states that the convent contains 24 ensuite bedrooms, sitting room, sun lounge, kitchen, dining area, reception rooms and chapel. The subject property is currently zoned ‘community’ in the Clare Development Plan 2017-2023 and the Council was proposing to continue the ‘community’ zoning in the new draft Development Plan 2023-2029. The Coleman submission sought that the ‘Community’ zoning objective proposed for the property be removed and a zoning objective of …