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THE man who for years flew the world’s largest aircraft paid a special visit to an exhibition in Shannon Airport this week. Captain Dmytro Antonov, Chief pilot for Antonov Airlines, who shares the same name as the famous Ukrainian aircraft company, spent time visiting the world’s largest collection of diecast model planes after recently flying into Shannon on the Antonov AN 124.   His reason was a poignant one – to view a rare scale model of the largest plane ever built – the Antonov AN-225, an aircraft that Dmytro himself captained for many years.   In October 2021, the AN-225, known as the ‘Mriya’, the Ukrainian word for dream, touched down at Shannon Airport for the last time before it was destroyed at Hostomel Airfield, outside of Kyiv, during the conflict in February of this year.  The 1– 200 scale model, which is one of only a few models of its kind in the world, is made from carbon …

PLANS to extend an Ennis primary school will lead to an “enhanced” school experience with “better facilities” for the existing staff and students. That’s according to a report lodged with Clare County Council as part of a planning application by the Board of Management of Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Cíosóg for a two storey extension at the school. If given the go-ahead the school on the Gort Road will see the development of six classrooms, a general purpose hall, two SEN classrooms and two ball courts as well as additional staff car parking and other associated works. A mobility and management report into the proposal has been compiled by P Coleman & Associates on behalf of the applicant and lodged with the planning application. It outlines that the proposed extended school will not create any additional students or trips with no planned increase in students or staff. The existing school has 471 students and 31 staff. “The purpose of the new classroom …

A WOMAN who stole from and desecrated graves in County Clare “hasn’t shown one ounce of empathy for the consequences of her behaviour”. At Killaloe District Court sitting in Ennis this Tuesday, Judge Mary Larkin made her comment about Mairead O’Sullivan (42) who has entered 18 separate guilty pleas to charges of stealing goods with a combined value of €597.50 from graves at cemeteries at Drumcliffe and Templemaley outside Ennis and also from Tulla cemetery. There are 14 victims in the case as Ms O’Sullivan of Fergus View, Cappahard, Tulla Road, Ennis, stole from the same graves on a number of occasions. At the same court in May, mother, Kirsty Donnellan described as “pure evil” the actions of Ms O’Sullivan who stole from and desecrated her daughter’s grave on three separate occasions. Ms Donnellan told the court that she was “in a state of shock, anger and despair” when finding that her daughter, Scarlett’s grave had been desecrated in May …

A range of exciting initiatives will be possible in Clare Library Service as a result of a €26,743.94 grant from the Dormant Accounts Funding, according to the county librarian. These will include aids to help those with reading difficulties, books in Ukrainian and other languages,­ and a programme of events for recent arrivals in Clare. The funding, announced by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, will enable the provision of electronic resources both in library buildings and online and will also be used to assist libraries in offering literacy supports across the library network. In recent years Dormant Accounts Funding has helped Clare’s libraries to fund online literacy supports, sensory spaces and gardens, among many other relevant and important literacy-based projects. One of the highlights of the funding this year will be the purchase of “C-pens”, which have a simple scanning mechanism that reads text aloud and will be available for borrowing in a number of libraries, …

BAREFIELD-native Nell Hensey has been selected as a finalist in the Virgin Media Short Film competition for her film ‘Good Chips’. The script goes back to Dublin 1989, where a family of Vietnamese immigrants struggle to keep their takeaway business afloat, while their 12-year-old daughter Tam finds common ground with a local Irish boy in an unexpected way. Hensey is one of three finalists chosen from a shortlist of 10 talented applicants, who all received an investment of €6,000 to develop their script with a mentor. The judges included award winning director and screenwriter Lenny Abrahamson (What Richard Did, Normal People, and Room), rising Irish actress, writer, and star of hit crime drama, Kin, Clare Dunne; Clinton Liberty who played Kiernan in global hit drama ‘Normal People’ and Linus in drama ‘Holding’; screenwriter and executive producer Ursula Rani Sarma (Delicious and Red Rock) as well as representatives from Virgin Media Television, Screen Ireland, and the Dublin International Film Festival. Speaking …

A NEW wing featuring a permanent exhibition of Irish Air Corps memorabilia as been opened at the Shannon Aviation Museum. Exhibits include an Air Corps Fouga Magister F216, which was formerly on display at Collins Barracks, along with a Reims Rocket Cessna 172, which was in the fleet for 47 years. The installation of the permanent exhibition coincides with the Irish Air Corps centenary. At the official opening, director of the Museum Jane Magill paid tribute to the late Eddie Ryan, who was also heavily involved in its foundation. “Eddie would have been absolutely thrilled. We’d like to dedicate our efforts and this day to Eddie and his family.” She paid tribute to the Air Corps, saying, “The display area here is intended to recognise the Irish Air Corps and their contribution to our nation. The men and women who serve us with pride and excellence, and I’ve come to know a lot of them over the last few years. …

Gardai in Kilrush are investigating a burglary in which a man impersonated a garda to con a woman out of her money. The incident occurred between 6pm and 7pm last Saturday, September 3, in Cooraclare. The homeowner reported a male knocked on her door, informed her that he was a Garda and that he was there to check that her money was secure. The man then entered the house and the homeowner handed over two purses with a quantity of her cash inside; the man then left the scene. There was no damage to any property and the homeowner was not assaulted or threatened. The culprit is described as being approximately 60 years of age, wearing a face mask and denim jeans. If anybody was in the area at the time or has any information about this incident they can contact Kilrush Garda Station on 065-9080550 or indeed any Garda station.

This year has seen “a dramatic improvement” in the finances of Lahinch Golf Club, according to club chairperson John Gleeson. in his first report to golf club members, Mr Gleeson stated that green fee income at Lahinch is expected to exceed the projected €2.8m for 2022. Currently in ‘high season’ it costs non-members €250 in green fees for a round of golf for Lahinch’s main course. The club successfully hosted the 2019 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open and Mr Gleeson said that “our finances are in a very healthy state”. Mr Gleeson told members that the last two years have been very challenging but exceptional management by the Club Council and Club management in controlling costs together with tight cash management “meant we exited the pandemic very well”. He said, “We are committed to rebuilding the Club’s finances and our Contingency Fund to ensure we can sustain any future shocks and to also fund our capital expenditure programme including the …