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A SERIES of questions have been put to the Minister for the Environment, by Clare’s Sinn Fein TD over proposals to prospect for silver and gold ore in East Clare.  Deputy Violet Anne Wynne tabled the Parliamentary Questions (PQs) to Minister Eamon Ryan on foot of controversy over attempts by a Navan-based mining company, Minco, to secure a prospecting licence for a number of towanlands in Tulla and Bunratty Upper. (Read about the public meeting against the move here) The deadline for submissions was extended to Sunday last, after a public outcry, and intervention from Senator Róisín Garvey.  Minister Ryan confirmed the extension to January 23, outlining that an additional 14 days had been given. The Kilrush-based representative asked a range of questions of the Minister on his knowledge of the East Clare proposals and mining and prospecting policy generally.  In response to a question on what kind of environmental impact statements are required when a company applies for a …

A BROTHER and sister threw up to 32 eggs at their aunt during a five minute long ‘egg assault’ on her outside their south Galway home two years ago, a court has heard. At Gort District Court, Mary Fahy said that her face got ‘banged’ and ‘bashed’ with the eggs thrown by her nephew and niece, Cathal Connors (25) and Michelle Connors (20) both of Fannaun, Peterswell in south Galway while she was driving past their home at around 6.30pm on October 17 2019. Mrs Fahy told the court, “It was bang, bang, bang, bang. I thought they were stones and they continued for five minutes or thereabouts and banging eggs off my face.” She told the court that her niece and nephew threw “a dozen and a score of eggs” at her adding that she saw Michelle and Cathal Connors “running out from the front door – they obviously had it set up”. Cathal and Michelle Connors each denied …

THE end of this week will also mark the end of an era, with Cassley Meats in Cronan Gardens closing its doors for the last time. Speaking this week Paddy Cassley said that it is time for him to move on from the business which he has put a huge amount of his time into for decades. “Of course I’ll miss it, but I won’t miss the late nights, all the late hours, I won’t miss that bit of it. You’d miss the customers, the bit of craic and the chat. You’d miss the different characters and things like that.” He was still a boy himself when he got involved in the family business. “I started butchering when I was 11 or 12, I was breaking beef, boning and doing roasts and making sausages and all of that. “I left school then, when I was 14. I’ve been working long hours all my life, and it’s time to take a …

THE Ennis St Patrick’s Day parade will be going ahead this year, the Ennis Municipal District have confirmed. The last time a St Patrick’s Day parade was held in the county capital was 2019, with the annual celebrations cancelled since then due to Covid-19. The theme for this year’s parade will be ‘Coming Together’ with full details of the event set to be released in the run up to the parade. According to the local authority the parade will be a celebration of Irish heritage and social networks, particularly communities. According to a spokesperson for the council, “Ennis Municipal District with the assistance of other agencies is organising the 2022 St Patrick’s Day parade in Ennis, in accordance with the public health guidelines at that time. “The Mayor of Ennis Municipal District, Councillor Ann Norton, is delighted to announce the theme of this year’s parade is ‘Coming Together’, a celebration of our Irish heritage and social networks, especially our communities. …

THE lack of a footpath and street lights near a popular local sports grounds used by hundreds of children and adults is “a serious accident waiting to happen”, an Ennis councillor has warned. Those attending events at Frank Healy Park, Ballaghboy, have to walk on a grass verge alongside a road if they want to get to a local shop, a meeting of Ennis Municipal District heard. Councillor Mary Howard has seen children walking on the grass verge close to the road where cars were speeding by, saying, “it frightens me to see”. While the Ennis Municipal District has said the proposal “has merit”, the local authority says it cannot be done as part of the annual works programme. Land acquisition, construction of embankments and the diversion of large culverts would need to be completed to allow the footpath go ahead. The municipal district office has said they will liaise with the council’s design office with a view to including …

THE operator of the direct provision centre in Lisdoonvarna received €2.35m (including VAT) in fees from the State in 2020, writes Gordon Deegan. The payout for 2020 represents a 50% increase on the €1.564m fees paid out to James White & Co Ltd by the State in 2019. The White firm operates the King Thomond Hotel in Lisdoonvarna and the payment brings to €6.15m the company has received since the centre was opened in 2018 to accommodate asylum seekers. The company was paid €1.244m for the period between March and December 2018. The centre is regarded as one of the better run across scores of direct provision centres used to accommodate asylum seekers here with a Minister for State at the Department of Justice, David Stanton previously telling the Dail: “There were concerns about Lisdoonvarna; it is a model now.” The most recent accounts for James White & Co Ltd show the operation of the direct provision centre is producing …

‘OUTSIDE influence’ was described as a major threat to the vitality of rural Clare at a meeting of a local authority committee this week.  At the briefing on the Draft County Development Plan 2023-2029, Rural Committee Chairperson Councillor Pat Hayes said the public need to know that Clare is being ‘dictated to’ by The Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR). In a detailed presentation, Senior Planner Helen Quinn outlined how a target of 4,500 new housing units, over the lifetime of the plan, had been set by Government. “The location of these houses is reflected in our settlement strategy,” she explained. “We are tasked with looking at areas for housing and have to identify lands for residential development which are capable of being serviced in the lifecycle of the plan.”  Councillor Joe Killeen expressed “complete disappointment” at the focus of population growth on Ennis and the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area. “People will move into built-up areas and rural communities will not …

Senan Lillis with an appreciation of former Clare Champion columnist the late Fr Kevin McNamara TUESDAY, December 21, was the shortest day of the year and also, for so many, the darkest day of the year. On that day, news reached us of the sudden passing of our neighbour, leader, mentor, pastor and friend, Fr Kevin McNamara, PP of Glenflesk, County Kerry. At times in darkest winter, it’s difficult to imagine the wonders of the spring and visualise the fruits of the harvest. The silent and sudden presence of Fr Kevin’s passing has resonated deeply with us for it was Kevin who showed us how to tap into our inner selves allowing us to find meaning in our own experiences. Kevin, you will live forever in our hearts; your earthly work is done, your mission is complete, you have paved the generous and spiritual pathway of so many. While Kevin was revered throughout the diocese of Kerry for his great …