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FORMER Clare TD Michael McNamara’s bid to run for Labour in the upcoming European Elections ended in Cork last weekend, when the party selected Sheila Nunan. Reflecting on Wednesday, Mr McNamara said there had been signs that his bid would fall short. “It was disappointing but maybe not entirely surprising. It became apparent to me that I didn’t enjoy the support of parts of the party during the campaign. The chairman of the party, Jack O’Connor, is running in Wicklow, Brendan Howlin is obviously from Wexford and both of those counties are in the huge constituency that is Ireland South and they were there in numbers on the day. “There was also a good crowd from Cork. It was held in Cork and I don’t think I enjoyed the support of Cork either, frankly. But I was very appreciative of those who travelled from Clare, Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary to support me and also, the Clare Labour party for the …

KILRUSH has been identified as the location for a Primary Care Centre. “It is proposed that a developer be appointed to design and construct the centre and then lease it to the HSE,” Deputy Pat Breen said. “The Primary Care Centre will provide the health and social care services that patients require outside of the hospital setting in their own community. This will be an integrated service that will include all the of primary care stake,” he added.

AN Post has today (Thursday) issued two stamps marking the Irish Coast Guard’s provision of search, rescue and monitoring services at sea, on the coast and waterways of Ireland.  The stamps designed by Vermillion Design, are based on an original painting by the late Caitriona Lucas, who sadly lost her life in Kilkee while volunteering with the Coast Guard on September 12, 2016. Members of the Irish Coast Guard and Bernard Lucas, widower of Caitriona, unveiled the set of stamps in the GPO while a Coast Guard team displayed the new stamps in Dublin Bay.  The artwork depicts a rescue team working at sea, both in the air and on the water. The scene in the painting was divided into two stamps by Vermillion Design. The Irish Coast Guard responds to maritime and inland search and rescue emergencies with its main objective to reduce the loss of life on lakes, waterways, rivers, sea and coastal areas.  The brave men and …

THE Mid-West Careers Fair will take place in the South Court Hotel, Raheen, Limerick on Wednesday March 27 from 11am to 5.30pm. The careers fair is one of some 80 events taking place around the country during National Jobs Week which runs from March 25 to 29. Organised in conjunction with the Mid-West Regional Skills Forum, some 30 employers and 15 training providers will attend the Mid-West Careers Fair. Entry is free to all and jobseekers can register their attendance on the day. This event will provide an opportunity for people to meet with local companies actively recruiting. Local education and training providers will also be exhibiting at the event. Companies attending range from Multi Nationals to small and medium sized enterprises and include, Guidant IRC, OpTech Ltd, General Motors, First Data, WP Engine, Atlantic Aviation, Jaguar Land Rover and Johnson and Johnson. Many of the employers are returning to the event for the third and fourth time because they …

Gardaí are asking motorists to take extra precautions when travelling in inclement weather following a single vehicle collision on the south bound lane of the M18 just short of Junction 9 at Carrigoran. The collision occurred during a hailstorm, which led to a single car sliding across the two lanes of the motorway. No one was injured in the crash but traffic had built up at this location as a result. Congestion is now easing as gardaí deal with the incident. Inspector Kieran Ruane, of Ennis Garda Station has asked motorists to reduce their speed in periods of heavy rain or hail and to maintain an increased distance from the car in front.  

PLANNING permission is being sought for 68 houses at Roslevan, just off the Tulla Road in Ennis. The application has been made by Datcha Construction, a Ballynacally-based company, which lists John and Anne Kelly as its directors. A document submitted with the application states, “A proposed planning application is tobe made for 68 dwellings to add to the existing Cluain Ros Leamhan estate in Roslevan, Ennis, Clare”. It also adds, “The site is located approximately 3km from the Ennis town centre to the north of Tulla Road (R352). The site is accessed via the Cluain Ros Leahmain Road, which connects to the Tulla Road at the roundabout south of the site. The development is the northern part of the existing Cluain Ros Leamhain housing estate. To the south of this is the Avenue United Football Club and the Grove Bar and Restaurant. To the east of the site is the Sean Dun housing estate. Finally, on the northern and western …

THE European Tour has confirmed that English golfers, Lee Westwood and Danny Willett, will take part in the 2019 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open from July 4 to 7. Willett won the US Masters in 2016 while Westwood is a former world number one, who has won 24 European tour titles. Another English golfer, Tommy Fleetwood, will also compete as they seek to become the first English winners since Paul Casey in 2013. “Lahinch is somewhere I’ve never played, although I’ve heard a lot about it and how good it is. It’s obviously a good links course and with The Open coming up a couple of weeks after it, it will be good preparation,” Westwood told europeantour.com “To be down in Lahinch and then a couple of weeks later up at Portrush, we’re going to have a few fantastic weeks there with crowds that know golf, know the game and I know they’ll come out in force,” Willett commented.  

AROUND 150 people came to the Oakwood Hotel on Wednesday night for a public meeting on the Shannon Venue, the planned multipurpose Community, Civic & Creative Centre for the town. The meeting was chaired by RTE presenter Rachael English, while it was attended by several local county councillors. There was some annoyance among the crowd that none of Clare’s four TDs were in attendance. Those present heard from Kevin Thompstone and Derek Barrett, who, in a voluntary capacity, have put a significant amount of work into trying to deliver the facility over several years. Both men spoke about the difficulties involved in securing funding over a long spell, and it was said that promises were once made that a sum of €5 million would be delivered through the 2017 and 2018 budgets. This commitment never came to anything, with the money not allocated subsequently. Several times throughout the night there were expressions of frustration at the lack of investment in …