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A MULTI-million euro redevelopment of Knockanean National School has moved a step closer as planning permission is now being sought for a ‘decant’ temporary school at a local GAA club. The board of management at Knockanean has lodged an application with Clare County Council for a temporary school on lands at St Joseph’s Doora – Barefield GAA Club to be used during construction of a long awaited new school development which has already been given the go-ahead. The temporary primary school will consist of seven prefabricated buildings to accommodate 12 classrooms, five SET Rooms, staff room, principal office and administration. Other works include roads, parking and a drop-off area. According to a services report lodged with the application on behalf of the school, no set-down or pick up will be facilitated on the public road. The proposed development will use the existing gates which are 6 metres wide with adequate sight lines available without works. It is proposed to provide …

CLARE’S amateur photographers are being urged to put the county’s coastline and waterways in the frame as Clean Coasts’ launches its annual ‘Love Your Coast’ photography competition. The competition has opened to submissions from Clare photographers for its 13th year. The Love Your Coast competition asks amateur photographers to capture and celebrate the uniqueness of our coastal communities, environments, or waterways such as its stunning coastline, beautiful beaches, epic cliff faces, and raging rivers. Clare has some of the most spectacular coastlines in the world and Clean Coasts want to encourage people to get out their cameras as they explore the Irish coast and capture its beauty. 2021 saw Clare photographer Mike Orth win second place in the Wildlife and Underwater category for his photo entitled Compass by Cave Light that was taken at the entrance to Donegal Point Cave in Kilkee, County Clare. Moreover, Gavin Sheehan with the picture titled Finavarra Under the Night Sky and Piotr Machowczyk with the photograph Mighty Cliffs of Moher were shortlisted …

CLARE County Council has urged the State to introduce an NCT-type certification for landlords who are renting houses to tentants. At Monday’s meeting Councillor Johnny Flynn proposed that such certification be brought in, noting that in Clare there are around 1,700 houses rented to tenants who receive State support, meaning the taxpayer is putting €10-15 million into the rental market. He said that while most landlords keep their properties to a good standard, there are those who don’t. The Ennis representative said that he knew of one instance where a person left a tenant without any heating for 13 months, a situation he described as “dreadful”. He added that a lot of vulnerable people are in households that are damp and poorly ventilated. The motion was seconded by Councillor Donna McGettigan, who said she was doing so with reservations. She said people in the rental market would be concerned that if works are done landlords could use it as an …

SECRETARY of Clare GAA Pat Fitzgerald has announced his intention to step down from the role next month. Mr Fitzgerald will resign on July 18, the day after the All-Ireland hurling final, after 32 years in the position. In a statement he said it had been a busy and demanding role and he had enjoyed it immensely. “I wish the county and all our teams the very best with all future endeavours and plans both on and off the field of play. I am very proud of what we have achieved together over many long years and I wish you every success into the future. “I look forward to supporting our county as a fan and assisting in any way I can in the years to come.” He had served in the role in a voluntary capacity for 17 years until 2007 when he was successful in an interview process among a number of candidates to take the job full …

ARMADILLOS on the loose could result in a trip hazard on Ennis roads, an Ennis councillor has warned. However, these aren’t armadillos of an animal kind, instead they are safety measures which have been installed as part of the county capital’s network of cycle lanes. Councillor Mary Howard raised the need to clean bollards and armadillos along the route from Clon Road to College View at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. The council confirmed that there are a small number of armadillos and kerb bollards that need resetting or replacing between Eire Óg and the Kilrush Road, and this work is on the local authority crew’s work list. The councillor pointed out that over the last number of years the council has invested a large amount of money in Active Travel initiatives throughout the town. She requested that these initiatives be maintained “as your built environment leads your social environment.” She urged that cycle path markings need …

VERY high levels of demand are behind the high prices currently being charged for certain flights from Shannon Airport, its CEO Mary Considine told Clare county councillors. Independent councillor Michael Begley and Fianna Fáil’s Pat Hayes both questioned prices currently being charged, and in response Ms Considine said that with strong sales, airlines are charging more for the few remaining seats on flights. “We have 27 routes now if you include Paris, available from Shannon, at the moment the load factors are very high for the summer season. That is driving up price, that is the quandary. “If you have a flight with 95% load factor already, only 5% seat capacity available, the airline will manage their own yield and you’ll pay more for that.” She said that airlines rather than the airport set the prices. “Unfortunately that’s outside our control, that’s not washing our hands of it, the reality is that we are very competitive as an airport, we …

A ONE way traffic system will be implemented in the vicinity of Spancil Hill on the R325 Ennis/Tulla Road between 7.30am and 6pm on Thursday, June, 23. Traffic heading from Ennis to Tulla will proceed as normal throughout the day. Traffic coming from Tulla towards Ennis will diverted left at Norrie Henchy’s Bar. To proceed following ‘Detour Ahead’ signs for Ennis as far as the Quin Road, Lynch’s Cross and/or proceed following Detour ahead signs for M18 Motorway through Lynches cross and exiting at Killoo East junction. Gardaí advise there will be four car parks for vehicles not pulling trailers/possession of animals. These will be situated in: Kelly’s Car Park/Field – non-towing vehicles only (from Ennis direction); Duggan’s (pub) Car Park – non-trailer/towing vehicles only (from Ennis direction); McGrath Car Park – non-trailer/towing vehicles only (from Tulla direction) and Carolan’s Car Park – non-towing vehicles only (from Crusheen/Gort direction). The Fair-Field and McDonagh’s fields for vehicles towing horses/trucks only etc. …

SOME out of this world imagery has put two Clare photographers in the running for a prestigious prize. Two Clare men have been chosen for the next stage of the ‘Reach for the Stars’ astrophotography competition, run by the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS). The competition aims to find the best astro-photographs taken in Ireland over the past year. Jason Murphy, from Ennis has been shortlisted with two photographs in the ‘Out of this World’ category. Gavin Sheehan, from Bridgetown, meanwhile has been shortlisted in the ‘Back on Earth’ category. While a high-profile judging panel will select the overall winning entries in the coming weeks, an online vote was launched this week so members of the public can also have their say. All shortlisted images can now be viewed on the ‘Reach for the Stars’ website, www.reachforthestars.ie, where members of the public can also cast their vote for their favourite image. Over 160 images were submitted to the competition in …