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AFTER 40 years working as an optician in the heart of Ennis, Louise Brogan is retiring. December 31 marked her last day of opening the premises just off O’Connell Street, but she is still doing a little bit of work before concluding. “We closed on the 31st, the last day of last year. Now we’re here for last minute things, people might need to collect prescriptions or whatever, so we’re here by arrangement for the next week or two,” she said on Tuesday. While the business was there since the 1930s, Louise arrived some 40 years ago. “Bernie Maurer and Dr Eileen Kennedy Maurer were here and I came to work for them and when they retired I kept going. It was a lovely business from the point of view of meeting people. “You might only meet them only once a year or once every two years, but you’d develop a friendship with them over the years. That was a …

A CALL has been made to have as many defibrillators as possible registered with an award-winning app that tells people where the nearest one is located.  Councillor Donna McGettigan tabled a motion at the December council meeting urging the authority to resister them with PulsePoint AED, a defibrillator location app, and to encourage community organisations to do the same. “This is a one-touch button app that will tell you where your nearest defibrillator is,” she said. “You don’t need to ring an ambulance. You don’t need to wait for them to get back to you to tell you where it is. You just do this at the touch of a button, so I really believe it will save lives the more places that they’re registered in.” “This is a multi-award winning app. It’s got the Garda Community Safety Award. You don’t need to be a nurse or a doctor, you can find out where it is and get the help …

IT certainly hasn’t been the happiest of New Years at the Shannon Springs Hotel, with the prevalence of Covid-19 forcing closures and reductions in service since Christmas Speaking to The Clare Champion, co-owner Dermot Kelly said that the prevalence of the Omicron variant meant there were few options other than to scale back. “We did everything in our power to keep going but at the end of the day the safety of our team and our customers was most important. This particular variant seems to be really highly transmissible. Before Christmas Eve we had kind of said we wouldn’t open on the 26th and the 27th because they’d be too big, really and truly. “As it transpired we didn’t get to reopen until January 3 for accommodation and we’re not open to the public this coming week. We’re going to start doing take away food from this Thursday evening, we’ll have a certain amount of our team back who’ll be …

A CLARE mother has vowed to continue protesting against the introduction of masks for primary school children from Third to Sixth Class to curb the spread of Covid-19, writes Dan Danaher. Bernadette Kawara regularly stages a solo protest near the car park for Knockanean Primary School, which is located on the outskirts of Ennis. Speaking to The Clare Champion, Ms Kawara said she has been joined on occasions during her demonstration by another parent who is also concerned about this public health measure. She believes young children should not be forced to wear a mask as it reduces the supply of oxygen to their brains, which is vital for learning. She claims there was no proper risk assessment on the impact of wearing masks for young children and alleges there was a lack of media coverage about similar protests throughout the country. “Children need oxygen to learn. Wearing a masks reduces the supply of oxygen to the brain. I think …

TESCO has been granted planning permission for the development of a click and collect facility at its Ennis store, writes Owen Ryan. The development comprises a 50 square metre canopy in its car park for the purpose of providing two click and collect spaces. A letter accompanying the application says, “The development will consist of the construction of a sheltered canopy area (c 50sqm) with two parking bays in the existing Tesco car park at the above mentioned location. “The proposed canopy area will be used for ‘Click and Collect’ purposes to serve the Tesco store and to meet customer demands. The proposal also includes ancillary signage and a pedestrian crossing to facilitate safe pedestrian movements within the car park and all associated site development works.” Outlining the benefits, the document said, “The provision of dedicated spaces within the customer car parking area for ‘Click and Collect’ services is made in response to changing customer habits. “Tesco currently operates a …

A group of Doonbeg residents organised a special commemoration ceremony recently for the 80th anniversary of the crash landing of an RAF flying boat in Doughmore Bay. Dan Danaher chronicles this fascinating tale involving the tragic death of nine airmen, the heroic rescue of two colleagues, an eye witness account of the wreckage, salvaged items such as a 1940 aircraft tool kit box, and relatives’ accounts of the extraordinary bravery of those who risked their own lives to help save the lives of others. HISTORY hung heavily in the Doonbeg air recently as Colm Gowran commemorated the loss of nine airmen following a tragic crash-landing 80 years ago. A hush descended on the crowd gathered on Doughmore Beach during a minute silence after the Ennis Brass Band member played “The Last Post” on his trumpet, marking the end of a soldier’s day. This signalled the finale of a poignant ceremony organised by a local committee remembering the 11 airmen involved …

A STALWART of the Clare athletics scene received a congratulatory phone call from Olympic hero Kellie Harrington after receiving a national award for his work. Ennis Track AC’s Gerry Hayes recently received a SPAR Ireland Mentor Award for his unselfish hard work with the club. The president of the club was one of 10 people to receive this award as each winner scooped €1,000 for their club. The phone call from Harrington came after Hayes expressed his hope some of the young talent coming through can represent the club and their country at an Olympic Games. “I was overjoyed when I got the news. I never expected it. I do what I love. I’ve done volunteer work all my life and all my family have volunteered too so it is unexpected. It’s a huge honour.” He states his love of athletics was something he possessed from an early age. “I have a love of sport especially athletics. I found running …

A 32-year-old man appeared in court tonight charged with the murder of Lisdoonvarna man, John O’Neill. At a special sitting of Ennis District Court at 9.25pm on Saturday night, Thomas Lorigan, of no fixed abode, appeared charged with the murder of Mr O’Neill (78) at St Brendan’s Road, Lisdoonvarna, at an unknown time on January 6/7. Giving evidence of arrest, charge and caution at Ennis Garda Station at 8.03pm on Saturday evening, Dt Sgt John Farmer of Kilrush Garda Station told the court that when cautioned and charged, Mr Lorigan said ‘no comment’. Insp Helen Costello told the court that the Garda application was to remand Mr Lorigan in custody and that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed a trial on indictment. Solicitor for Mr Lorigan, Shiofra Hassett asked that Mr Lorigan be psychiatrically assessed while on remand in prison. Judge Marie Keane remanded Mr Lorigan to Limerick Prison and directed that it be noted on the warrant …