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COUNCILLOR Ann Norton still feels sick in her stomach seven years after recalling a “horrendous” experience in University Hospital Limerick when a Do Not Attempt Resuscitation (DNAR) was allegedly placed on her daughter’s medical file without their consent. While Nicole Norton (25), who is a wheelchair user with Cerebral Palsy, is still very distressed over this incident, she felt strongly this had to be challenged to ensure no other vulnerable patient or family will experience what she and her mother went through in UHL back in April 2016. A hospital consultant appeared before a medical inquiry over his direction that Nicole Norton did not have the capacity to decide herself if she should be resuscitated in the event of a cardiac arrest. Dr Hassan Zaid was accused of poor professional performance at Irish Medical Council’s (IMC) fitness-to-practise committee following two separate complaints submitted by Ann and Nicole within weeks of this “distressing” incident. Following a screening process, the IMC decided …

A PROPERTY marking clinic will be held at Ennis Mart on Tuesday, April 18 from 10am to 1pm. The Clare County Property Marking Scheme is part of a nationwide property marking programme which aims to combat property theft and assist in the identification and return of stolen property. “Property that is marked is less likely to be targeted and less desired by thieves,” outlines Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks. Garda Cormac Fallon, Ennis Garda Station, Ennis Mart and Clare County Council are hosting the clinic. Farmyard equipment such as trailers, chainsaws, consaws, power tools, or any items of value, can be marked at the clinic. The service is being provided for free. Gardaí from the Divisional Roads Policing Unit will also be present to meet people and answer any questions they may have in relation to trailer and towing safety, driver licencing and agricultural machinery on the roads.

LEGENDARY Irish singer-songwriter Andy Irvine is coming to perform at Cultúrlann Sweeney, Kilkee on Easter Saturday, April 8. Having travelled the world with bands such as Sweeney’s Men, Patrick Street, Planxty and, more recently, Mozaik, Andy continues to pursue new combinations and styles of music. He has broadened his musical horizons over the course of his 40-year career to encompass the musical styles of countries he visits, such as the Balkan folk style of playing. After his introduction to the world of touring with Sweeney’s Men in 1965, he continued to travel the world, leaving the band in 1968 to pursue his wanderlust. He travelled through Bulgaria, Romania and Yugoslavia, studying the music traditions and styles of these nations. It was these journeys, which led him to adopt the bouzouki in his performance. This new instrument allowed him to develop his own style while learning that of the Balkan countries he visited. On his return to Ireland, Andy formed Planxty …

BLOOD donation clinics will be held at Treacy’s West County Hotel on Tuesday, April 4 and Wednesday, April 5 from 4.45pm until 8pm. Please phone 1800 222 111 for an appointment. Approximately 1000 people in Ireland get blood transfusions every week. The Irish Blood Transfusion Service needs to collect 3,000 units of blood every week to maintain the national blood supply. The issue with blood is that no one knows who will need it, when they will need it, how much they may need, or  what type they require. Transfusions can happen for a variety of reasons – cancer treatment, surgery, car accidents, and childbirth complications to name a few. Urging people to donate the Irish Blood Transfusion Service outlines that one in four of us will need a blood transfusion in our lifetime. 67% of donated blood is used to treat cancer patients and people with blood disorders. 27% of donated blood is used in surgery and emergency situations. …

LOCALS and visitors alike are invited to “step into our story” as a number of the national landmarks across Clare and the Mid-West that the OPW holds in trust for the nation reopen for the season. These include Ennis Friary, a medieval Franciscan friary and the last school of Catholic theology to survive the Reformation; and Portumna Castle and Gardens at the top of Lough Derg, power base of the De Burgo family for hundreds of years. While in May, Scattery Island, the early Christian settlement off Kilrush will open up. Carmel Shaw OPW Head Guide at Ennis Friary in Clare said, “We are delighted to have the OPW heritage site at Ennis Friary open early this season giving our national and international visitors, our local community and our school groups more opportunities to visit one of Ireland’s oldest Franciscan friaries and burial place of the ancient kings of Clare. “Since opening on St Patrick’s Day we have already welcomed …

WITH a love for music that goes back to his childhood, it’s little surprise that Ennis author Ollie Byrnes has decided to write a book on the subject. Ollie is currently working on his latest publication ‘Music in Ennis’, examining the history of music in the county capital from 1950 onwards. Already he has amassed a wealth of information for the book including nearly 300 high quality photographs. Speaking to us about the planned publication he outlines, “For many years the writing of a book on music has been on my mind but I could not think of an angle, something that had not been done. Then a friend said “why not write a book on the Ennis scene, taking in all musical styles”? Recalling where his love of music began he says, “As a child, I heard the finest of Irish traditional music played live in my parent’s living room on the Gort Road, just off Marian Avenue. The …

THE public are being urged to have their say on a proposal to rename a bridge in Ennis after a sporting legend of Clare. As reported in The Clare Champion earlier this month efforts are being made to change the name of Victoria Bridge at Cusack Road to The Mike McTigue Bridge in honour of the famous sportsman from Kilnamona. The Ennis Municipal District is now inviting the public to make submissions on the proposal with online consultation now open and continuing until Friday, April 7. The bridge is dated to 1840 and when this road was first built, the road was known as New Road. It later became Victoria Road, then Cusack Road. Mike McTigue was born in Lickaune, Kilnamona Co Clare in 1891, Mike was one of 11 sons and one daughter of Pat McTigue and Ellen McTigue (née Nylon). He emigrated to New York in 1912 where he went on to become a professional boxer and fought …

I’m a big fan of St Patrick. Anyone who gets rid of those nasty snakes is alright by me. I really wanted to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in style this year so I got onto my favourite couturiers, AG Dog Fashion and had them send me a lovely dress for the occasion. As a special surprise, they included a second dress so I was really well set up for the celebrations. But where to go? Of course there was only one destination – Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, where they were putting on a special Shamrocks and Shenanigans event. Being photographed is hungry work so I made sure to build up my strength by insisting on a visit to my favourite eatery, The Buttery in Limerick, before we headed back to Bunratty. And what a time I had in Bunratty. I met all my friends, including St Patrick himself so I’d be safe from snakes. I also met the Seanachaí, …