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Breaking News

‘Killaloe is a nice place, but it could be a lot better…’

A KILLALOE councillor has called for “a major clean-up and facelift” in the town, particularly the bridge into Ballina and the pedestrian bridge over the canal. Addressing the July meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District committee, Councillor Tony O’Brien said he didn’t want people to get the wrong impression of the twin towns, and a major effort was needed to tidy up its key amenities. The Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council noted that several organisations, including Waterways Ireland and Tipperary County Council had a role to play in maintaining infrastructure and facilities in Killaloe. “I’m tabling this motion on the back of the new Killaloe-Ballina Town Enhancement and Mobility Plan,” he told his committee colleagues. “I’ve had a good walk around and I have to say that the bottom of the town is in a neglected state. “I have included the pedestrian green bridge in this motion because it certainly is an eye-sore. There is some doubt, it seems, about …

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Shannon civic venue a step closer as site transferred to Council

TEN years after the vision of a multifunctional arts venue for Shannon was floated, the directors of the Shannon Venue Limited have facilitated the transfer of their site at the Town Centre to Clare County Council. In a statement the directors said the sale of the site “has been completed to enable the Council to develop the One Shannon Hub, an iconic, multi-functional civic and community facility in the heart of Shannon Town Centre.” Recent years have seen much disillusionment regarding the lack of recreational facilities and amenities in the town, and the fact that the Venue never got the support required to see it come to pass was a very sore point for many local people. However, the directors of the Shannon Venue Ltd (which was designed as a not for profit company formed to deliver the project) say that the One Shannon Hub will finally deliver what they had hoped to provide. “In essence, this facility is exactly …

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Donnelly’s concern over ‘risk to patients’ in UHL’s ED

HEALTH Minister Stephen Donnelly has admitted he is concerned about the “significant risk” to patients attending the ED in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) which was identified in a recent report. After welcoming the recent Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) report following the unannounced inspection of the Emergency Department (ED) in Limerick in March, Minister Donnelly said he was concerned about some its main findings. He was responding to a Dáil question tabled by Limerick Sinn Féin Deputy Maurice Quinlivan, who asked the minister what steps are being taken to address the issues raised in the HIQA report following its unannounced inspection of the ED in UHL. Eleven local hospital consultants recently called for immediate action to bring an “intolerable situation for patients and staff to an end” at University Hospital Limerick. The consultants have asked UL Hospitals’ Group chief executive officer, Colette Cowan to work with them to correct immediate problems so that this current “intolerable situation for patients …

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SLIDESHOW: Ballyea and Inaghmona must go into battle again

Eoin Brennan watched Inagh-Kilnamona draw 4-4 to 2-10 with Ballyea after extra-time in the U13A Academy final Inagh-Kilnamona and Ballyea will have to do it all over again for the Under 13 Academy A honours after Ballyea’s never-say-die attitude twice reeled in Inagh-Kilnamona at the death in Clareabbey last Thursday evening. Not that any supporters will be complaining about an extra helping of such a thrilling 80 minute rollercoaster ride that was as compelling as any final one is likely to witness this year. Having led for the last 40 minutes, Inagh-Kilnamona appeared poised to retain their Under 13 reserve title for the first time in their history. However, Ballyea’s character powered to the surface for a grandstand finish as points from talisman Ben Casey (2) and Ryan Galvin were dramatically capped off by an injury-time equaliser through centre-back Micheál Hanrahan to force extra-time. Buoyed by that reprieve, Ballyea maintained that momentum into the additional periods as despite facing into …

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Man avoids jail with pledge of €20k compensation for knife victim

AN Ennis man who slashed his victim across the face with a kitchen knife leaving him with a 20cm wound has walked free from court. At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Brian O’Callaghan imposed a suspended three-year sentence on William McDonagh (31) for the assault causing harm of Wayne Higgins (25) in February 2019 in Ennis. Judge O’Callaghan said that he was “somewhat reluctantly” suspending the three year jail term on Mr McDonagh on condition that he pay €20,000 compensation to Mr Higgins. The judge said that Mr McDonagh “will work for his victim for the next three years”, adding “It is a substantial payment.” Mr McDonagh had €2,500 in court for Mr Higgins and Judge O’Callaghan has ordered Mr McDonagh to pay the remainder in three tranches of €6,000, €6,000 and €5,500 over the next three years. Judge O’Callaghan said that Mr McDonagh’s actions in injuring Mr Higgins “were nothing short of appalling”. He said, “It could easily have resulted …

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Forging connections on the land with Social Farming

NESTLED in the rolling hills between Inagh and Cloonanaha, Michael Callinan’s family farm is both productive and peaceful. “It was a different world, coming out here on a Friday,” said Occupational Therapist (OT), Kathríona Moloney. Along with Imelda Hogan from Ennis, Kathríona formed part of a group who visited the farm between February and May, experiencing the changing rhythm of the seasons and enjoying the benefits of social farming. Activities for the group included feeding cattle, growing vegetables, planting hanging baskets and the odd visit to see ‘Romeo’, the bull – depending on his mood. Imelda’s face lit up when she recalled her weekly visits. “I loved it,” she said. “It was a lot of fun.” Michael is one the first Clare farmers to open up his home and farm, so that people from all walks of life can access social and other supports. He has around 80 livestock, on a 50-acre suckler farm with another 20 acres rented out. …

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‘Crazy and vexatious’ situation stymies rural home building

CONTROVERSY around the issue of so-called ‘in-fill sites’ has led to an application by a young couple for a house in Kilkishen being rejected, twice over.  The application to build a one-off house at Teeronea was turned down by county planners last year. Following an inspection of the site, and consideration of national and local guidelines, An Bord Pleanála has now copperfastened that decision.  Both the Council and the appeals board found that the creation of an in-fill, or what the local authority described as “gap sites”, would be contrary to the County Development Plan 2017-2023.  An Bord Pleanála also stated that the couple had failed to satisfy the requirement to prove a local housing need. That was despite the fact that one of the applicants attended national school in Kilkishen.  Commenting on the general principle of in-fill sites, Councillor PJ Kelly, who highlighted the issue earlier this year, described the situation as “crazy and vexatious”. “An in-fill site is …

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Report reveals number of housing units built in year up to June

WHILE the shortage of housing is still very acute in Clare, 464 new residential units were built in the year up to the end of June, according to the latest GeoDirectory Residential Buildings Report. The bi-annual report is based on GeoDirectory’s database of over two million residential building records. The 464 addresses amounts to 0.8 of the county’s overall housing stock, and is actually a poorer outcome than in the previous 12 months. During the second quarter, work was underway on the construction of 22,390 buildings in the country, with 439 of these in Co Clare. This means the county has approximately 2% of the State’s construction activity. The county has a slight increase (2%) in housing commencements in the 12 months up to June.  The GeoDirectory research shows a 6.3% vacancy rate in Clare, higher than the State average of 4.2%. Some 9.7% of units in the county are holiday homes.  It found that there were 1,116 residential property …

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