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LANDOWNERS in upland areas of East Clare have raised concerns about a drop in payments for the protection of habitats for the endangered Hen Harrier.  Large tracts of North East Clare form part of the Slieve Aughty Special Protection Area (SPA) and farmers are incentivised to use methods that protect these ground-nesting birds, who live on bogs and marginal lands.  The Hen Harrier Project is managed from Oranmore and, according to Caher-based Councillor Pat Hayes, has been working very well. He said, however, that landowners in the scheme are now facing reduced payments, which could, in turn, make participation and conservation measures less attractive. “Up to now, the scheme has been somewhat independent of the Department of Agriculture,” Councillor Hayes said. “Farmers in the GLAS Scheme also got a top up for working with the Hen Harrier Project. Now, it looks like this will all be mainstreamed under the new ACRES [Agri-Climate Rural Environment] Scheme, through the Department of Agriculture. …

A WARNING has been issued to motorists, particularly those in East Clare, as the deer breeding season gets underway. The Irish Deer Commission has likened the behaviour of stags, at this time, to “gladiators entering an arena”. Roads close to forested areas in the Killaloe Municipal District can be especially dangerous and the area is regarded as one of Clare’s ‘deer hotspots’. With that in mind, The Irish Commission is appealing to motorists and other road users to be vigilant. “Tensions are rising as the rutting or deer breeding season gets under way, the time of the year when male deer are driven by an urge to reproduce,” a statement from the Commission said. “From late September until early November, the clash of antlers will be heard as males show off their virility to potential mates and, like gladiators entering an arena, they parade around showing off their armoury of antlers. “While the rut is an amazing experience to witness …

A PASSION for Clare’s heritage, particularly the county’s many historic and traditional buildings, is  the driving inspiration for Edel Barry, who has recently been appointed Community Archaeologist.  The Kilfenora native, who has an MPhil in Archaeology from University College Cork (UCC), takes over the role at an exciting time, when community development groups and individuals are pioneering all sorts of interesting projects. It is also a time when significant funding is being made available for important local heritage projects. Edel’s role itself is jointly funded by The Heritage Council and Clare County Council, and from her base at Ennistymon’s Digital Hub, she is planning an ambitious strategy for the coming months. “The Council has had a number of great advisors on archaeology over the year, but there hasn’t been a role like mine in recent times,” she told The Champion. “There are now Community Archaeologists in a number of counties, including Donegal and Wicklow. The support programme is countrywide and …

Newmarket Celtic’s Eoin Hayes has been named in the Republic of Ireland squad for the upcoming UEFA Regions Cup qualifiers. Republic of Ireland amateur international manager, Gerry Davis has included Clare’s Hayes in the 18-man squad with the Newmarket-On-Fergus native considered a key attacking option. Hayes captained his country against Northern Ireland last month while he also found the net in the same tie. He first lined out with the national side in 2016 and has been an ever-present part of the squad since. There will be 14 Regions Cup debutants in the squad after impressing during the four-match winning streak in back-to-back matches against Wales and Northern Ireland. Rockmount’s Brendan O’Connell is set to captain the side having been one of only two players selected to have won the Regions Cup in 2015, the other being St. Michael’s midfielder Jimmy Carr. Ireland are set to face San Marino on Tuesday, October 25, with kick-off at 9am, Romania on Friday, …

A NEW play on Munster Rugby centres its action around the death of the late Clare rugby star Anthony Foley. Red Army, which runs for eight nights in Lime Tree Theatre towards the end of the month,  is billed as a celebration of Munster Rugby, of women as pundits and fans, and a homage to Killaloe man Foley. The play co-written by Helena Close and Marie Boylan is about community, family and the team. It is the story of dockers and doctors, and their insatiable passion for the game. Four diehard Munster women are in Paris for their beloved team’s first rugby match of the season. Years following a team in decline show the cracks in their friendship. When team manager, Foley, dies hours before kick-off, it acts as a catalyst for honesty in their friendships as we shadow them from Paris back home to a grieving Limerick. Their own personal stories unfold across a pivotal week, charting their friendships, …

HEATED exchanges characterised the first stage of a private members Dáil motion last night (October 4), urging government to scrap the proposed 10% levy on concrete products. The charge was outlined in Budget 2023 as a means of raising funds to support the revised scheme for homeowners, including those in Clare, with defective concrete blocks.  The proposal has been widely criticised by sectors including construction and farming, as well as action groups for pyrite and mica homeowners. In Clare, Dr Martina Cleary, founder of the local action group slammed the levy, saying it was letting the real culprits in the pyrite scandal off the hook.  This week Sinn Féin tabled a motion aiming to have the levy scrapped. Tuesday night’s debate was chaired by Deputy Joe Carey, in his capacity as Acting Chairperson.  Ahead of the vote on Wednesday night, Sinn Féin Councillor Donna McGettigan urged all Clare TDs to back the motion.  The Shannon representative described the plans as …

Michele Severn spoke to Bridget Ginnity about her expectations when she had a smart meter installed and how her actual expereience has played out We got a new Smart Meter installed a few months ago and I wanted to avail of the new information that I thought the technology would provide. I wanted to know, for example, how much boiling a kettle or having the shower on, or Immersion actually costs me. I wanted to know my real time consumption. With the old meter I could go outside, stand and observe the meter. I could see the disk faster or slower when an appliance was in use and I could see the fractional unit change. When the Smart Meter was installed I thought I would at least get all the functionality of the old meter and hopefully without having to go outside – but no. There is no longer any spinning disk, just a digital number which has no fractional …

A STONEMASON was not in his “full senses” when he used a consaw to try and damage a wall outside a pub, a court has heard. At Killaloe district court, Brendan Ryan (37), with an address at Cooleen, Birdhill, Co Tipperary, pleaded guilty to the production of an offensive weapon during the commission of an offence and a further charge of being intoxicated to such an extent so as to be a danger to himself or others. The charges arise from an incident at O Riains public house in Ballina, Co Tipperary on November 1, 2021. Sergeant Aiden Lonergan said in light of the guilty pleas, the State would be offering no evidence on the two remaining charges of criminal damage and breach of the peace. Outlining the facts of the case, Sergeant Lonergan told the court that gardaí responded to a report of a man damaging a wall outside the premises in question. Gardaí spoke to staff who informed …