Breaking News

PRESSURE is mounting on public representatives in East Clare to show that a recent major funding investment will pay off soon for the town of Scariff.  That was the view of two members of the Killaloe Municipal District committee when the group held their July meeting. Both Councillor Joe Cooney and Pat Burke sought an update on progress with the Scariff Rural Regeneration Project, particularly the car park element.  Last January, an allocation of just over half a million Euro was made by The Rural and Community Development towards a multi-service centre, improvements to the centre of the town and the development of a town car park.  “There is a lot of concern in Scariff over the lack of parking,” Councillor Cooney said. “The main one is that if we leave it until the regeneration project, it could be a long way down the road.” Councillor Burke agreed that the issue of parking is a challenge. “Pressure is really coming …

AN alliance of local activists and environmental groups is to hold a public meeting in Ennis this Wednesday evening to highlight opposition to the proposed data centre near the town. The meeting will take place at 7pm at The Copper Jug Bar and Café (Courtview, Lifford, Ennis) to convey the group’s “deep concern” about plans by Art Data Centres Ltd. to construct a data centre on the Tulla Road, Ennis, which, they claim, will consume as much electricity as 200,000 homes – more than in Clare and Limerick combined. A spokesperson for the group said, “The plans to build one of the largest data centres in the country here in Ennis brings with it an additional threat to the health of people here as the plans include a gas burning plant that will only make the air quality here worse than it already is, leading to asthma and other respiratory problems.” Ruairí Ó Fathaigh, industry expert and Futureproof Clare member …

A HOSPITAL action group has claimed it was “sidelined” from a briefing by the UL Hospitals’ Group, despite a motion passed at a recent HSE West Forum meeting. In a statement issued to the Clare Champion, the Mid-West Hospital Campaign group recalled members of this lobby group attended the Regional Health Forum West meeting on May 22. The purpose of their attendance was to get recognition that the hospital reconfiguration strategy in the Mid-West, which was implemented in April 2009, had failed and to demand the reinstatement of Emergency Departments at Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospitals. “This motion was proposed by Councillor Liam Grant on behalf of the campaign and was passed unanimously,” a spokesperson for the group stated. “Ms Noreen Spillane Chief Operations Officer of UL Hospitals’ Group attended the meeting and offered to have a meeting with Regional Health Forum members for the Mid-West area to discuss concerns. Councillor Grant requested that Mid-West Hospital Campaign be included …

I was rudely awakened early one morning from the dreamless and before I knew it I was strapped into the car and we were off down the road. It turned out herself had an early appointment and that’s what had disturbed my morning. I slept away in the back of the car so I didn’t immediately realise that instead of going home, we were going on to Galway city. As usual when we’re in Galway, himself took me for a stroll around the city, with plenty of wandering around book shops. I’m not a great dog for reading myself – it’s hard to hold the book with paws – but I had no objection to walking around and being admired and stopping at McCambridges for a swift dogguccino. Later on, we met up with herself, her friend Susan and Susan’s granddaughter Amber and we had a great chat over a drink in Tigh Neachtain. After another stroll around town, we …

As Clare’s Minor ladies footballers prepare for the biggest games of their fledgling careers with the ZuCar All Ireland Minor C Ladies Football final against Wicklow it is interesting to hear manager David O’Brien discuss the long term goals for this group of players. On Wednesday, Clare will travel to Kinnegad (throw in 7pm) in the hopes of securing All Ireland glory but with no All Ireland series held at U14, U16 or Minor level in the past two years, the Cooraclare man repeatedly emphasises the importance of working hard with these players to continue their long term development. O’Brien believes Shauna Harvey’s presence in the backroom team is a huge boost as he feels the current crop of talent coming through can draw inspiration from her and continue to line out with club and county. Harvey claimed an All Ireland Minor B medal in 2012 and appeared in the final at the same grade 12 months later before representing …

A COUNTY Clare family is set to be the latest beneficiaries of hit TV Show DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland. Baz Ashmawy and his team will be coming to Ennis, from August 30, and is seeking the help of Clare trades people to renovate and adapt the home of the Mulvey-Sydney family. The project is expected to run until September 8. Thirteen-year-old Isabella Mulvey-Sydney was born with a rare congenital disorder called Lumbar Sacral Agenesis, which resulted in both her legs being amputated at the age of seven. Isabella is a tenacious, bright and brave young teenager, but her home in Ennis, which she shares with her parents and twin brother AJ, is completely unsuitable to her needs and its inaccessibility is causing physical pain to her and her parents, Darum and Clare. Clare Mulvey-Sydney was born and raised in Ennis and is Isabella’s full-time carer as well as being a recent breast cancer survivor. Just last year she …

UPGRADING Killaloe Playground with new equipment and flooring has been identified as a priority project by a new community group. Eight new councillors have been nominated without the necessity of a vote to the newly-established Killaloe Community Council. Council vice-chairman, Eddie O’Gorman said one of the plans of the new organisation is to refurbish Killaloe Playground before handing it over to a new management committee who would look after its maintenance requirements. The new group will be inviting members of the Scariff and Mountshannon Community Council to share their ideas and experience at a future meeting. It will apply for funding to state agencies on behalf of local groups who wish to participate in community projects that will enhance the locality. There are also plans to meet representatives of Clare County Council to examine abandoned local authority buildings and public space in the town. “Clare County Council are fully supportive of this new council. They are willing to provide any …

GARDAI are appealing for witnesses to an assault in Ennis town centre on Sunday night/Monday morning which left a man unconscious and needing hospital treatment. In the early hours of Monday morning at approximately 3.30am August 1, gardaí were alerted that a man was lying on the ground on Abbey Street. The man was unconscious and had blood covering his face. Medical assistance was immediately administered to this man and he was taken to University Hospital Limerick with non-life threatening injuries. The scene was preserved for technical examination. Clare crime prevention officer Sergeant Triona Brooks said, “There were large crowds of people on Abbey Street at this time and we are appealing to anyone who witnessed this assault or anyone who may have camera footage to contact Ennis Garda Station on 6848100.”