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SEVERAL people whose families are affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine attended Thursday evening’s protest at Tim Smythe Park in Ennis. Irene Korniichuk was there with her mother, stepfather and her daughter. Having come here for a visit from the Ukraine, Irene can’t go home again. “My husband and my older children stayed there, I was just visiting Mum. I can’t return home now. My other two children are with my sister now and they crossed the border into Poland. My husband is still in the Ukraine.” The two children who have gone to Poland are 11 and 15 and she would like to bring them to Ireland if possible. She said her husband will hopefully help in the Ukrainian resistance. “He’s not a soldier but he’ll do everything he can.” Women in her home city are also very active in the fight. “They gather together in different places and they’re making camoflague nets for our soldiers, they are …

A LANDMARK crafts company in Tuamgraney has given an assurance to planners that a proposed new small-scale apartment development will be in keeping with the village streetscape, writes Fiona McGarry. McKernan Woollen Mills Limited lodged plans last June for conversion of an existing cottage into three self-contained apartments. In August, planners requested Further Information (FI) 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 on both the Tuamgraney Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) and the general streetscape at this location”. Planners described the design of the rear extension as “inappropriate” and said there was “a lack of symmetry” in the arrangement of the windows in the front of the building. Further questions were asked about the size of one of the apartments, ventilation and possible overlooking of a neighbouring amenity …

A JUDGE has ordered the surrender of a barking dog to the local dog warden due to the continual noise disturbance on a neighbour in Ennis. At Ennis District Court, Judge Mary Larkin has directed that Ennis woman Geraldine O’Loughlin deliver her ‘German Shepherd-like’ dog to the warden. Judge Larkin made the order in response to an application by Ms O’Loughlin’s neighbour, Shane Shannon of Gort Road, Ennis under legislation concerning the control of dogs. Judge Larkin concluded that the barking dog “is interfering substantially with Mr Shannon’s life”. She made the order under a little known provision of the Control of Dogs Act 1986 where a judge can make an order requiring the elimination of a nuisance caused by the “excessive barking” of an ‘unwanted dog’. In evidence, Mr Shannon said that the “large dog has been barking for as long as I have been there and that’s 11 years”. Mr Shannon said that the dog’s barking would go …

Dromoland Castle will host the Women’s Irish Open from September 22 to 25 – the first women’s professional tournament in the country in 10 years. Mark Nolan, Managing Director at Dromoland Castle said, “We are absolutely thrilled that Dromoland Castle will play host to this year’s Women’s Irish Open. “The return of women’s professional golf to Ireland is hugely important to the further development of women’s golf in Ireland. “All of us at Dromoland Castle are delighted to be able to support women’s golf and look forward to extending our legendary hospitality and showcasing the estate’s world class facilities to Europe’s top golfers. “At Dromoland, we are also continuously striving to improve our environmental practices and are delighted to confirm that our aim is to deliver the most green and sustainable tournament in Ireland.” Held 15 times between 1994 and 2012, the Championship has been won by some of Europe’s top golfers including Norway’s Suzann Pettersen, Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson, England’s …

A NEW Bill which will enable local authorities to use CCTV to tackle illegal dumping is to be published in the coming weeks, Clare’s Fine Gael TD has learned. The issue which has been a huge source of concern, especially in the south and east of the county where large-scale fly-tipping is a recurring problem. The matter has been raised several times by local authority members who have been told the law must change in order to permit the use of CCTV at dumping blackspots. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Department of the Environment for a progress report on the legislation and regulation to enable local authorities to use CCTV in their fight against illegal dumping. In response, Minister for State Ossian Smyth outlined progress to-date. “The General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021 was published on 15 June 2021,” he told Deputy Carey. “It is my intention under the Bill to facilitate not only the use of CCTV, but also …

TO celebrate the 60th anniversary the West Clare Drama Festival the critically acclaimed professional production Seven Ages of MAM will be coming to Doonbeg for one night only next Wednesday, March 9.  Billed as Mam’s hilarious and thought provoking, take on motherhood, sexuality, grief, infidelity, ageing, love, lust and loneliness, this new, laugh-out-loud funny yet poignant one woman play stars Pauline O’Driscoll. You may know Pauline from television as Pat Shortt’s wife in the IFTA nominated drama series Smalltown, or the hospital doctor trying to talk some sense into The Young Offenders in the Christmas Special of the popular TV series and yes that’s her cheekily swiping right in the Bord Bia Fish Advert too! Having been nominated best new play at Brighton Fringe in 2019, the play written by Mark Evans and Pauline only began touring Ireland at the end of 2021 (because of Covid ) and has been wowing critics and audiences alike and garnering 5-Star reviews along the way. “We’ve been blown away by the audience response. People are hungry for this type of show, something real but funny, something that makes them laugh and brings a tear to their eye. You just …

ON March 1 Teresa Woods will retire having been Parish Secretary for the last 17 years. She took up the role in February of 2005, working for then parish priest Father Tom Ryan, with the Parish Office having opened a couple of months afterwards. People call into the office for all sorts of reasons, from baptisms to bereavements, buying mass cards and booking weddings.  Looking back on the last 17 years Teresa says the people she has encountered have made the job a really fulfilling experience. “I’ve worked with incredible people in the parish. First of all the clergy have been terrific. The parishioners as well.” Shannon has a unique mix of people, and she feels that one consequence of its demographics is that people give each other a chance. “We’re a very unique parish in that we’re all kind of blow-ins, and we all get on well with each other, we take each other at face value. I think …

INDEPENDENT councillor Gerry Flynn put forward a motion at a recent meeting of Clare County Council seeking to reduce the burden of inflation on those with lower incomes, writes Owen Ryan. “I am calling on the Minister for Finance to broaden the Household Benefits Package and include exemption from property tax for those people that are under extreme pressure to meet day to day expenses in light of the rising cost of living and their struggle to survive on a very low level of income,” he said. His motion was passed unanimously and he asked that it be circulated to other local authorities and Oireacthas members.  Speaking about the matter, Councillor Ann Norton said, “There are people out there on social welfare who are getting in and around €203. We all know the cost of living has gone up, we know people are suffering out there, we see the amount of people that are going to collect vouchers for food …