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LEAKAGE issues are set to be water under the bridge in central Ennis according to Irish Water as the town gets ready for a makeover. With Clare County Council due to progress with the town’s public realm enhancement project, Irish Water is set to commence vital infrastructure upgrades ahead of these improvements. Before all that works gets underway, Irish Water will replace aged watermains at High Street, Bank Place, O’Connell Square and O’Connell Street, with the aim of providing a more reliable water supply, reducing high levels of leakage and improving water quality. The works, being carried out as part of Irish Water’s National Leakage Reduction Programme, involve the replacement of over 680m of aged cast iron watermains with new modern pipes and is a continuation of the works completed on Parnell Street in 2019. The programme to replace the watermains is due to commence in mid-May. The section of works will take place from High Street through O’Connell Square/Bank …

DESPAIRING farmers are struggling to bear the brunt of rising costs, an East Clare dairy organisation representative has said. Clare Chair of the ICMSA, Martin McMahon has condemned a lack of action on the part of the government to address the issue. The O’Callaghan’s Mills man said farmers “are on the point of despair” waiting for measures to offset rocketing fertiliser costs. Mr McMahon pointed out that it is now two months since Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue indicated that consideration would be being given to some form of financial aid to farmers who have been hit by a quadrupling of fertiliser costs. He said the government’s passivity on the matter made a very stark contrast to the urgency shown by other EU member states, with notably less developed agri-sectors. Referring to Poland’s announcement, in recent weeks, that the European Commission had approved of a €836 million subsidy scheme for farmers under the State aid Temporary Crisis Framework, the well-known farmer’s …

THE Shannon Apostolic Work Society held its final display at St Patrick’s Comprehensive last weekend. Mai Farrell was involved with the organisation right throughout its 33 year existence. “We started it in 1989, it was Father Pat Mulcahy who started us off actually, he was here in Shannon at that time.” Speaking about the activities over the years, she said, “We raised money for the missions, we made vestments, we did knitting and crochet, we got people to donate sacred vessels, which we would send to the Missions. They could be dedicated to the dead or the living, if they liked. We’ve done all of that over the years.” She says it doesn’t seem like 33 years since they first got started. “When you look back it seems like no length of time, but it is a long time.” While most of the work was done alone, the members still came together quite regularly. “Everybody worked at home, but we …

Munster Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final Limerick 2-16 Clare 1-19 (Limerick won by 4-1 on penalties) BEING part of a first ever senior championship penalty shoot-out will be of little consolation to a Clare side that were agonisingly edged out of the provincial race at the first hurdle following a titanic derby battle with Limerick in Cusack Park Ennis on Saturday evening, reports Eoin Brennan. In front of an enthralled 2,980 attendance, the neighbours left everything on the field in 100 plus minute marathon that could have easily gone either way. However, unable to separate the sides after extra-time, there wasn’t a shred of doubt about the eventual victors in a historic penalty finale as Limerick were unerring with four successive spot kicks to tee up a semi-final showdown with Tipperary in a fortnight’s time. Not only was it Clare’s fourth successive Munster reverse but their most regretful to boot as when the dust settles, they will be kicking themselves over …

PLANS for a significant housing development in the village of Tuamgraney are being considered by the local authority. Developer Michael Pearl is proposing to demolish an existing pumping station and build 52 houses in a mix of bungalows and two-storey units, on a 3.96 hectare site on the Dock Road. A detailed planning report has been submitted by Hassett Leyden and Associates outlining plans for six four-bedroom detached houses; 22 three-bedroom, semi-detached houses; 14 two-bedroom semi-detached houses; and ten two-bedroom semi-detached bungalows. The average housing density will be 13.13 units per hectare. The application outlines that Tuamgraney is designated a ‘service town’ under the Mid-West Regional Planning Guidelines 2010-2022. Under the current County Development Plan, the site has three zoning types – residential, low-density residential and open space. In terms of the design concept, a mix of house types is proposed “to achieve a good mix and varied appearance of buildings”. A “large quiet open space at the back of …

Eoin Brennan previews Clare’s crunch encounter with Cork in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship Round 2 at FBD Semple Stadium There was a major brainstorming session going on in the Ó Riain Stand between Cork’s management team of Kieran Kingston, Diarmuid O’Sullivan, Noel Furlong and Pat Mulcahy at half-time in last Sunday’s Clare and Tipperary in Semple Stadium. It’s unlikely that they were discussing Ed Sheeran’s back catalogue, it’s much more likely by their animated gestures that their focus was on Clare who at that point had laid waste to their hosts Tipperary to lead by 13 points. Having witnessed Tipperary’s rousing display against Waterford, Kingston and Co. probably came to Semple Stadium to further analyse Colm Bonnar’s side but they left early with only the Banner in their thoughts. The thing is that Cork, particularly under Kingston, have invariably had the Indian sign over Clare in recent seasons. After all, following Clare’s 2013 All-Ireland triumph, the Rebels have edged …

A SCARIFF-BASED health psychology expert is about to launch a new online platform to promote wellbeing in the workplace. Award-winning entrepreneur Lorraine Lynch has teamed up with psychotherapist Áine Connaire to establish the Business Psychology Academy (BPA). The duo have combined their expertise working with individuals, organisations and entrepreneurs, to create the online education platform to provide training, workshops and consultation. The premise is that, in today’s post-pandemic climate, psychology’s place in ensuring our workplace does not have negatively impact our mental health, has become more important than ever. Having won Enterprise Ireland’s Startup of the Year and Network Ireland’s Businesswoman of the Year in 2021, Lorraine is a passionate advocate for the benefits of addressing wellbeing at work. Employees are not just people who work in companies, in Lorraine’s view, they are people with families, interests, problems and aspirations. To be treated on this level, as a human with many facets, is what many people are now in need …

A North Clare family from both sides of the Atlantic will be reunited next week in Doolin for the Ireland premiere of an award-winning documentary about their family history. This film, showing on May 4 at Hotel Doolin, highlights the story of a traditional Gaelic clan of the Burren, the O’Dubhdaboreinn. The film, called ‘Burren Girl,’ (www.burrengirldoc.com) follows the quest of Irish American Rita Davern as she searches ancient records and wanders the Burren interviewing friends and distant relations to learn more about the land and people her grandmother left behind in 1887. Ms. Davern, who produced and directed the film, said, “I am excited to bring this film back home to the Burren, where the my family’s story began more than 1200 years ago. “Twelve people from the extended Davern branch, and a few filmmakers will also come over from Minnesota for the premiere. They are excited to finally meet the Davorens they encountered in the film. “Our ancestors …