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CLARE Haven Services are currently hosting a multimedia exhibiton entitled Hidden Truths: Behind Closed Doors, which explores the experience and themes of domestic abuse in Clare. The exhibition aims to draw peoples attention to the reality of domestic abuse in a novel and thought provoking way. It is on at their premises at Abbey Lodge on the road between Ennis and Clarecastle until December 10, and is part of the organisation’s 16 Days of Action to Prevent Violence Against Women calendar of events. For the exhibition a number of rooms have been transformed, with thought provoking pieces installed which bring home the reality of domestic abuse for women and children. Dr Siobhán O’Connor is Manager of services at Clare Haven and speaking about the exhibition at its launch last Wednesday, she said, “This all comes out of a thought process I had about two years ago when I saw the space we had here and thought about how best to …

Following the official opening on Friday 30th November 2001 by Minister Síle de Valera before a specially invited audience, over 60 great Clare performers – three generations of the best players of Clare music took to the glór stage, including Tony McMahon, Paddy Canny, James Cullinan, Tony Linnane, Noel Hill, Siobhan Peoples, Martin Hayes, Josephine Marsh, Maura O’Connell, the Tulla Ceili Band, and the Kilfenora Ceili Band, to present a night of music such as has never been heard before. With Martin Hayes and the Sawdoctors performing over the next two nights, without doubt the opening weekend of glór was one of the best three nights of music ever staged in County Clare. The opening night concert was broadcast in full by Clare FM, and RTÉ Radio One transmitted the second half. Built at a cost of €8.5m, glór was the largest investment in the Arts in County Clare. With two auditoria, seating 485 and 65 people respectively, glór hosts …

THE Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD has approved seven new posts for Clare County Council’s housing delivery team which will assist the local authority in delivering their social housing targets. Commenting Minister O’Brien said, “In September this year, the Government published our new housing strategy, ‘Housing for All’. It is the most comprehensive housing plan in the history of the State backed by an unprecedented €4bn per year. Under ‘Housing for All’, we will deliver nearly 90,000 new build social homes by 2030 and we have put a very clear focus on the delivery of new build projects. “My Department has been working with the Housing Delivery Coordination Office (HDCO) and the County and City Management Association (CCMA) to identify capacity limitations and additional staffing resources required to deliver our objectives. “With the approval of these new posts, we are ensuring that Clare County Council have the capacity to deliver the scale of social housing …

TIGL Enterprises Ltd, which operates Trump International in Doonbeg, recorded an operating loss of almost €2 million during 2020, according to newly filed accounts. One of the largest employers in west Clare pre-pandemic, it availed of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme during the year, but the average number working there dropped from 230 in 2019 to 112 in 2020. Staff costs dropped by over €3 million year on year, from €6.57 million to €3.54 million. Sales for the year were down by over €8 million, from just shy of €12 million in 2019 to €3.763 million last year. The filed document states that “The group made an operating loss of €1,986,319 for the year ended December 31, 2020 (2019 profit of €209,858).” It also says that the company net assets had decreased by €2,087,944. Three directors of the company are listed, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Junior and Joseph Russell. A heading in the accounts entitled Directors’ Remuneration says that €190,973 …

GARDAÍ arrested three men following the seizure of €27,000 worth of suspected cocaine, amphetamine, cannabis herb and cash in North Clare on Wednesday. Shortly before 3pm on Wednesday afternoon detectives and uniformed Gardaí from Ennistymon and Kilrush conducted a search under warrant at a house in the Lisdoonvarna area. During the course of this search in excess of €10,000 worth of suspected cocaine, more than €10,000 of suspected amphetamine, a quantity of cannabis and €7,000 in cash was seized. Three men in their 40s were arrested at the scene and are currently detained under Section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act, 1996 at Ennis and Shannon Garda Stations. This seizure forms part of Operation Tara an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy, which was launched in July. Its focus is to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks, at all levels – international, national, local – involved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, local sale and supply of controlled drugs.

A NEW draft county development plan for Clare is about to go on public display, but many members of the County Council have serious issues with it. At a special meeting of the Council on Tuesday evening, the decision was taken to move to the next phase, but several of the members insisted this didn’t mean they were happy with everything in it. There was anger about national policy which provides certain targets for Clare’s population growth, which they feel are too low for the county, and have the potential to stymie its development. There is also concern about inability to zone areas for development where sewerage systems aren’t in place, with a fear that certain rural areas will not have the chance to reach their potential. At Tuesday’s meeting Councillor Tony O’Brien said that moving to the next stage of the plan “does not indicate agreement with the entire contents, that goes without saying”. He warned that there could …

IT was a super Wednesday for the Clare Champion, as three awards came to the paper, with prizes for reporters Fiona McGarry and Dan Danaher, as well as photographer John Kelly. At the Headline Mental Health Media Awards Fiona McGarry was winner in the Local Print and Online category for her story’ Letting light shine for fellow survivors’ which was described as “honest, heartfelt and compelling’. It explored Martin Vernon’s progression through various supports towards his own recovery, following an incidence of sexual violence against him. Fiona said she was very grateful to Martin for sharing his story. “I’m delighted to win the award and I’m very thankful to the editorial team for their support with the story. Most of all I’m thankful to Martin Vernon for his bravery and honesty in sharing a very difficult story. I think he hopes and I hope that it will take some of the stigma away from the issue of male sexual assault …

CHRISTMAS pedestrianisation of Ennis’ main street begins this weekend, while free parking at public carparks is also being introduced at certain times for the festive season. O’Connell Square and O’Connell Street will be car free from 11am to 6pm on December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 to 24 inclusive. The Ennis Christmas Market takes place in Abbey Street Car Park from this Friday until Sunday and as a result, the west of the main through road, adjacent to the river between Costa Coffee and O’Briens, is unavailable from 6pm Wednesday, November 30 until 8am on Monday, December 6. Abbey Street Car Park will be unavailable during these times. Until Sunday, January, 2 there will be no charge in public car parks from 2pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Additional parking free of charge has been made available at Clare County Council headquarters on December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19 from 9am to 6pm. Free parking is also available at …