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CONGESTION during peak traffic periods on the Tulla Road and Gort Road areas of Ennis could be significantly eased with the completion of the Ennis North Inner Relief Road, according to Independent Clare TD Michael McNamara. Deputy McNamara has written to Clare County Council urging the Local Authority to revisit the proposal to link the roads, which he said would divert traffic away from the centre of Ennis and the Fair Green area and improve general traffic flow on the northern and eastern sides of the town. “It was originally intended that the Inner Relief Road would link the R458 Gort Road to Oakleigh Wood and The Maples Distributor Road and onwards to the Cappahard and Roslevan Roundabouts on the R352 Tulla Road,” he explained. “However, no progress has been made since 2018 when Phase One of the project, comprising a 520m road link from the Gort Road to the Clare Technology Park, was officially opened.” “While the Council has …

A LANDMARK crafts company in Tuamgraney has secured permission for a new apartment development which has been commended for its sensitivity to the local streetscape. The green light has been given to McKernan Woollen Mills Ltd, subject to six conditions. While planners were assessing the designs, they raised concerns about the impact on the Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) in the scenic East Clare Village. Those concerns were allayed through Further Information (FI) supplied by McKernans. The revised designs were then commended by the Council’s Architectural Conservation Officer (ACO) as paying “homage to agricultural architecture of the surrounding hinterland”. The company lodged plans last June for conversion of an existing cottage into three self-contained apartments. In August, planners requested more details from the company, in relation to the potential impact on the character of the East Clare village. In their letter, planners said they had “serious concerns in relation to the overall design of the development and the impact of same …

THE early decommissioning of an ESB wind farm in South Galway could result in an overall taxpayer bill of up to €70 million, a local lobby group has claimed. Following a lump sum fine of €5 million and a daily fine of €15,000 plus legal costs imposed by the European Court of Justice ruling in November 2019, the Derrybrien Wind Farm has now incurred a bill of €17,845,7779 for the state. The penalties were levied after it found Ireland had failed to comply with a previous court ruling in relation to the wind farm where a landslide occurred during construction in 2003. David Murray from the South Galway Flood Relief Committee estimates when fines, early decommissioning accounting for a €10 million loss annually over the life time of the wind farm, consultants fees and resolution of turbary right are factored in, the final bill and loss of earnings could be in the region of €70 million. The ESB, through its …

A MAN in his 60s arrested in relation to the seizure of €700,000 of suspected heroin in county Clare has been released without charge. A file will now be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Investigations are ongoing. As part of Operation Tara, planned searches led by the Limerick Divisional Drugs Unit assisted by local Garda units, the Regional Dog Unit and members of the Defence Forces, were conducted on lands in the Ardnacrusha area on Friday. In the course of the searches suspected heroin with an estimated value of €700k (analysis pending) was recovered.

MORE than €2,000 was collected in just one day at an Ennis secondary school as part of their ongoing efforts to raise funds in support of people in Ukraine. A number of teachers and students have organised a committee to discuss a number of fundraising initiatives to help with the Ukrainian Humanitarian Appeal, including a non-uniform day which was held last Wednesday. The students showed their support for the Ukrainian people by wearing blue and yellow and contributing generously to the appeal. A video was shown to all classes in the school to create awareness of the humanitarian crisis and to remind the school community to help those who need it most with over €2,000 collected. The money will be donated to a sponsored local lorry fill organised by Eoin Gavin Transport Ukraine Appeal (Bunratty). The money will purchase essential food items from BWG Value Centre (formerly Mangans) and the lorry can be tracked on its journey across Europe. James …

OVER 150 Ukrainian refugees had arrived at Shannon by last Monday, having had to flee their homes and leave their old lives behind. Aiden Lonergan is National Director of Community Support for the Irish Red Cross, and is also a Garda Sergeant, based in Ennis. Speaking about the work of the Red Cross with the refugees here he said, “Our response in Clare is primarily focused around Shannon Airport. People are arriving in there and as they arrive Red Cross members are providing them with basic support. “They land in Shannon, there are three to five Red Cross members there for when the flights arrive and we try to give them basic supports in terms of tea, coffee, fruit, basic food items, personal hygiene items, children can get bubbles, colouring pencils, cuddly toys, that kind of thing.” How are the people when they arrive here? “I suppose like many people after a very long and difficult journey, some of them …

TWO surfers had to be rescued after they got into difficulty off the Clare coast on Saturday evening. The alarm was raised at around 6.30pm when the Irish Coast Guard received an initial report that a person had been cut off by the tide and was trapped on a rock. The location was given as off Doughmore Beach close to the Trump International hotel in Doonbeg. Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry mounted a search and rescue operation. However, further information became available it was confirmed that two surfers had been caught in a riptide and pulled out to sea. The Kilkee and Doolin units of the Irish Coast Guard, National Ambulance Service and Gardaí were alerted and dispatched resources to the scene. The Shannon based Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115 was also tasked to the incident. As emergency were being mobilised, the Coast Guard broadcast a Pan-pan radio message …

A VISION for the transformation of a 50 acre site on the shore of Ballybeg Lough into a community and tourism space, which could potentially include glamping, kayaking and cycling facilities, has been unveiled. A draft strategic plan has been formulated by Clare Clare County Council examining the potential for the future development of lands owned by the local authority at Ballaghafadda West on the Kildysart Road, Clarecastle. Members of the public are being encouraged to have their say on the draft plan with a deadline for submissions of April 5. According to the local authority, the Draft Ballaghafadda Amenity and Recreation Plan “sets out a vision to enhance the site’s natural beauty, enrich its ecological value and to encourage engagement with the landscape, lough and its surroundings”. Under the plan, a network of pathways and boardwalks is proposed to be carefully set within a naturalised woodland, meadow and wetland landscape. Interpretation of the site’s natural and cultural heritage will …