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Three Ireland is to expand operations at its Limerick customer experience centre, with the creation of 175 new jobs over the next four years as the Irish office begins to export services to Three UK business customers for the first time. The 175 new jobs will include both full time and part time positions and openings across a range of job titles and experience levels in the B2B sector. The employment opportunities will range from Customer Care, Team Leaders, Operations and Management. The Limerick customer experience centre has a strong history in Castletroy, originally established over 20 years ago and currently employing close to 400 people. Given the skills, expertise and talent in the Limerick centre, it is well placed to advise international clients across a broad range of connectivity services including IoT, ICT products and cost management. The expansion to support business customers in the UK market is the realisation of a key strategic objective for the team in …

A YEAR as first citizen will conclude for PJ Ryan this week, with the independent councillor set to be succeeded by Fianna Fáil’s Tony O’Brien on Friday. “It was extremely busy, very, very busy and I suppose that was due to the fact that the two previous years had been very quiet because of Covid. I’d say we had more Ministers visiting County Clare than in the five years before that,” said Councillor Ryan this week. His time as Cathaoirleach of the County Council started on a low note, as he attended the funeral of Fionn O’Brien, the lifeguard who died after a surfing accident last June, within days of his election.  Also, the early part of his year with the chain of office was a time when Covid was still dominating much of life. “In the 2021 section of the term it was still very prevalent. It did constrain us a bit and we had to be careful. And …

FIFTY-THREE years after its foundation, Shannon Town United officially opened its new clubhouse last weekend. “It’ll cost over €300,000 by the time the furniture and fittings and so on are done, well in excess of €300,000,” said the club’s chairman Ger Kelly. The clubhouse has four changing rooms, a referee’s room, kitchen, two reception rooms upstairs, a public toilet and an office. “We first put in the planning permission about four years ago, but when that planning application went in it was only for two dressing rooms. “Then with the growth of the schoolboy teams and girls teams we knew we needed bigger facilities, so we went from two to four. We also decided to convert the upstairs into a function room and a meeting room,” says Ger. The clubhouse means a major improvement to the facilities. “We’ve had a prefab, we have a steel shed down at our other pitch at Corrib Drive, but for over 50 years we’ve …

PLANS for the future development of Ennis have been described as “incredible, proactive and visionary” by the municipal district’s new mayor Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy. The Fianna Fáil councillor was elected mayor of the county capital at Friday’s AGM of the Ennis Municipal District. Speaking following her election she made reference to the Ennis 2040 Strategy, providing a comprehensive framework for the sustainable development of the town and the region. “This plan is a plan that sets out a future that isn’t one of stagnation but rather vibrancy for our capital town. It is a town that you will want to visit, will want to work in and will want to live in and that is something that we must applaud,” she said. This is the Ballybeg-based councillor’s second term as mayor of Ennis, having previously held the title in 2018. She also served as Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council in 2020. She told the AGM that it was her …

The Irish Red Cross Clare, Lough Grainey Nature Sanctuary and the Clare Local Sports Partnership CLG have been selected among 35 national finalists in the National Lottery Good Causes Awards. The awards honour the inspiring work and achievements of thousands of projects, clubs and individuals from all over Ireland who, with the help of National Lottery Good Causes funding, have had an extraordinary impact on their local communities. Nearly 30 cent in every €1 spent on National Lottery games goes back to Good Causes all over the country. With the support of a National Lottery HSE Grant, the Irish Red Cross Clare purchased a new community support vehicle which provides free transport to the people of Clare for medical appointments, travelling from all corners of Clare to hospitals all over Ireland. More recently, the Irish Red Cross Clare have also been supporting the Clare Immigrant Support Centre with Ukrainian Refugees. Lough Grainey Nature Sanctuary, is a not-for-profit community organisation that …

RTÉ’S outdoor recreation series, Tracks and Trails, will focus on Lough Derg next Thursday, June 30.  The hugely popular show returns to the national broadcaster for its tenth series, with a total of four programmes that will cover every corner of the country. This season, viewers are taken along trails that showcase Ireland at its most beautiful with a chance to explore some of the many walking and Blueway trails on offer for the outdoor visitor. There is also an easy urban trail by bike from Titanic Quarter in Belfast along the River Lagan and then for something totally different to a mountain trail for a hike steeped lyrical mysticism on Slieve Gullion outside Newry,; to the winding, mystical forest and pilgrim trails of County Wicklow; to heart stopping views of the Blasket Islands and the soaring majesty of the mountains on the lakes in Killarney. In this series producers promise  something for every level of hiker or visitor. In …

JAPANESE Knotweed and other invasive species continue to create problems for communities in County Clare. They can have a devastating impact on biodiversity, environmental health, and community well-being, and they hamper our efforts to slow the pace of climate change. To help counter its effect, the Clare Local Development Company is conducting practical training seminars in a number of locations in the county. This practical training is for all interested residents living in or near Connolly, Doolin, Lisdoonvarna, Miltown Malbay, and Mountshannon. At the seminar you will learn: How to identify Japanese knotweed and Himalayan knotweed. How to assess the severity of an infestation and to work out the best method of control. What biosecurity means and how to avoid introduction and dispersal of invasive species. Legislation you must comply with. How to use herbicide safely without causing undue harm to yourself and the environment. You will be the first to see CLDC’s mobile invasive species control unit, which is …

Liscannor Ferry Company Limited, known as Doolin2Aran Ferries and owned by the Garrihy family, has agreed the sale of its Doolin ferry service to Baid Farantoireachta An Chosta Teoranta, owned by the O’Brien family, for an undisclosed sum. Under the terms of the agreement, two 200-passenger ferries The Star of Doolin and The Spirit of Doolin, along with the Doolin Discovery, offices and equipment will transfer to the new owners. Owned and operated by brothers Joe, PJ, Eugene and Donie, the Liscannor Ferry Company has been a family business for over two decades. The Garrihy family have deep traditions and connections in the North Clare, Doolin and Aran Islands areas, with the family involved in the local fishing industry for many years before founding Cliffs of Moher Cruises and Aran Island ferry service in 1999. Over the past 23 years, the business has grown strongly adding more vessels and staff to a position where it carries over 100,000 passengers per …