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JUST under €10 million was spent on residential property in Shannon town in the first six months of the year. According to figures from the Residential Property Price Register, there were 46 transactions during the first half of 2022, with a total spend of €9,978,750. That gives a mean price of €216,929. April was the quietest month of the year, with a mere four transactions, while there were nine in January and May and eight in each of the other three months. The largest sum paid was €560,000 for a house at Tullyglass Hill. The least costly transaction, for which full market price was still paid, was the sale of a property at Brú na Sionna for €90,000. The level of activity seems to be slightly higher than pre-pandemic, with the 46 transactions in the first half of 2022 slightly more than the 38 in the first half of 2019. Councillor Gerry Flynn said that there are finally some private …

THE publication of new greenhouse gas emissions targets for agriculture has left Clare farmers feeling angry and let down by the government, according to a local farm leader. Clare Beef Plan chairman, Joe Woulfe, said local farmers fear the 25% cut in emissions by 2030 will led to a dramatic drop in production and income for producers at a time of spiralling input costs. Mr Woulfe said the government needs to outline in detail how it intends to implement these new targets without adversely impacting farmers’ incomes. “How can farmers continue to operate if they are hit with a 25% drop in their production and income. Farmers don’t have options like other sectors – they can’t drive around in electric tractors that don’t exist. “Farmers are very concerned about their future livelihoods. Inputs are increasing all the time uncontrollably. It is like we are heading for Brexit round two. “After Brexit, the price of beef dropped, but at least the …

PROPOSALS for another major private housing development in Tulla are being considered by Clare County Council. After an original application was invalidated, Wiskin Property Developments lodged a fresh application last week to build 60 homes at Loughaun South. The company is seeking permission for 15 detached houses; 36 semi-detached houses and nine terraced houses. Two vehicular entrances were also to be provided at the site, which is just over 3 hectares. According to the planning application form, 40 of the proposed homes will be three-bed. Six will be two-bed units and 14 will have four bedrooms. Parking would be provided by the creation of 140 spaces at the development. A letter submitted with the application outlines that the Part V element of the project has been agreed, in principle, with Clare County Council. The Ennis-based developers have described the site as a greenfield one currently used as agricultural land, around 387m from the centre of Tulla. It is bounded to …

The Irish Chamber Orchestra has announced its autumn/winter season and it includes a trip to Ennis in December for a concert in glór. The performance entitled Breith, will celebrate the multifarious contributions of Clare men and women during this revolutionary period of Irish History. The orchestra along with Tim Collins and guests will present this ambitious programme of original music, song, dance, poetry, and drama on Saturday December 10 at glór. Elsewhere, the ICO present a rich body of diverse works with a variety of top-class soloists with performances around the country as well as its main base at University Concert Hall, Limerick. On Sunday September 4, the orchestra performs under the direction of Desmond Earley with organist Tristan Russcher and the Choral Scholars of University College Dublin for a Handel celebration. This performance is part of the Dun Laoghaire Organ Concert Series as ICO showcase Handel’s choral anthem The Ways of Zion do Mourn alongside two Organ Concertos at Dun Laoghaire Organ Concert Series. The following week, Katherine Hunka directs ICO in Shostakovich, Frost and Glass featuring Fiachra Garvey performing Shostakovich’s infectious Piano Concerto No.1, with solo trumpet …

A COMPANY planning the development of seven wind turbines on land to the east of Kilbane has pledged to provide more detailed information to residents over the coming months. EDF Renewables Ireland, which has confirmed plans to develop a 50MW wind farm, held a public consultation clinic on Tuesday, August 16 last when residents were invited to discuss their views and concerns with members of the project team. The proposed Lackareagh Wind Farm, which could power more than 35,000 homes, will be located in the townlands of Killeagy and Shannaknock. In an information leaflet provided to residents on Tuesday, the company stated it would be carrying out more detailed environmental studies at the site, including ecology, noise, landscape and visual assessments as well as measuring wind speeds. The results of these studies along with feedback gathered throughout consultation with communities will be used to determine the final turbine layout. The company will also be undertaking a transport and access study …

THE manager of a Parteen factory, which constructed a “100 metre tall wind turbine” that is “taller than the tower housing Big Ben in London” in the wrong place, has revealed their electricity costs have almost trebled over a 12-month period. An Enforcement Notice issued by Clare County Council on March 8, 2021 requested Limerick Blow Moulding to decommission and remove a wind turbine erected near the factory on or before Thursday, April 8, 2021 following an alleged breach of a planning permission condition. However, this wind turbine, which has attracted numerous planning objections from residents, two Clare deputies Cathal Crowe and Violet-Anne Wynne and Senator Timmy Dooley, is still in situ but is not operational. It has also been claimed by Deputy Crowe this wind turbine is “visually obtrusive” when viewed from local scenic areas including the Shannon River, St Thomas’s Island and King John’s Castle in Limerick City The company recently applied for retention permission for a revised …

THE number of people on the live register in Clare rose last month, going from 4,587 in June to 4,929 in July. The number signing on at the Social Welfare office in Ennis increased from 2,302 to 2,513, while in Ennistymon it went from 923 to 995. In Kilrush the figure increased from 923 to 995, while in Tulla it went from 638 to 670. The Clare figure is just over 700 higher than it was last July, when it stood at 4,228. Clare has received a significant amount of refugees due to the war in Ukraine, and this complicates making direct comparisons, as the Central Statistics Office say that many of the new arrivals are receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance. “There were 9,942 people benefitting from the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive included in the Live Register figures for July 2022, an increase of 2,795 from June 2022. “People arriving in Ireland from Ukraine under the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive can access …

GLÓR has appointed 17-year-old Sean Shannon as its first Young Associate Artist. Through its Associate Artists programme glór aims to support artists in practical ways, enabling connections between artists, audiences and communities throughout Clare, and facilitating the creation of new work inspired by Clare’s unique culture and landscape. Sean received his initial piano lessons from Meaghan Dineen through the Music Generation programme. He is currently studying with Tatiana Timofeeva, and in September he will commence a Bachelor in Music Performance on an entrance scholarship at the Royal Irish Academy of Music under Professor Réamonn Keary. In 2018 he performed for President Michael D. Higgins at Clarecare charity’s 50th anniversary celebration, and at the age of 14 he gave his debut solo recital at Glór in 2019. Last year  he featured on RTÉ’s Nationwide. Sean has also successfully participated in numerous national piano competitions, most recently the Feis Ceoil and previously received a scholarship funded by Maoin Cheoil an Chláir/Limerick School …