Breaking News

CLARE Champion journalist Fiona McGarry has been recognised by NUI Galway as the winner of the 2021 winner of Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award in Journalism and Communication award. Fiona, who is a lecturer in broadcast journalism at the university, described the recognition as a “huge honour”. The award is voted on by students in the Discipline of Journalism and Communication, and recognises the lecturer who receives the overall highest marks in student evaluation of teaching scores annually. Fiona was awarded the top prize for her commitment to high quality teaching, focus on student learning and the delivery of an outstanding student experience. Head of Journalism and Communication Tom Felle said, “Fiona is an outstanding lecturer and this award recognises her commitment to our students. “The last year and a half has been extremely difficult for students in schools and universities around the country, so this award for Fiona is a testament to all the hard work she has …

Senior Hurling Championship Round 3 Group 3 Broadford v Crusheen at Cusack Park, Sunday 12pm The Canon Hamilton may be out of reach but this is still a county final to both Broadford and Crusheen in a must-not-lose affair to avoid the unrepentant relegation play-offs that will cull two teams to intermediate level for 2022. It’s a difficult tie to call really as both have failed to register a victory so far, albeit that Broadford have shown the better form by putting it up to both Ballyea and Cratloe whereas Crusheen have had much less to shout about against the same opponents. Broadford’s battling qualities will be required as their track record in relegation play-offs isn’t good and therefore this represents the 2019 intermediate champions’ best chance of survival. Crusheen meanwhile haven’t won a Senior A Championship tie since 2019, a five match losing streak that won’t be easy to arrest on Sunday. Their transition stems from an ageing core …

The Creating Our Future Roadshow is visiting the town centre of Ennis this evening, with Clare hurler Shane O’Donnell going to be in attendance. Creating Our Future is a government-led national brainstorm that will involve the people of Ireland in a conversation on the role research can and should play in addressing opportunities, challenges and hopes for the future. Creating Our Future will ensure that the direction of research in Ireland is informed by the people it serves. Creating Our Future is asking people to submit their ideas about what researchers in Ireland should explore to create a better future through the dedicated online portal www.creatingourfuture.ie, which is open until the 30th November 2021. Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris said: “Over the course of the pandemic, we were reminded starkly of how much of our daily lives depend on the efforts of researchers to secure our economy, wellbeing, and health. As a forward-thinking …

A CLARE-BASED nurse with children’s charity Jack & Jill is urging the people of the Banner to go Up the Hill in solidarity with local families who face an uphill challenge every day. The Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation is holding its Up the Hill for Jack & Jill fundraiser this October asking people to take on a climbing challenge. This is the seventh year of the nationwide fundraising challenge which aims to raise funds for the organisation’s specialist home nursing care, respite support and end-of-life care for very sick children up to the age of six. Margaret Naughton, Jack & Jill Specialist Children’s Liaison Nurse for Clare, said the event means so much to local families, who depend on the funds raised for their support. “To say that it has been a very tough 18 months for our Jack & Jill families is an understatement. As one of the vulnerable groups during the pandemic, our families have had to …

LAHINCH man Liam Grant is set to fill the seat on Clare County Council that was left vacant following the resignation of the Green Party’s Susan Crawford. Mr Grant is set to be co-opted at the Council’s October meeting, and will be the third person to fill the Green Party’s sole seat on the Council, with Ms Crawford having succeeded Róisín Garvey who is now a Senator. According to information provided by the local section of the Green Party this week, Mr Grant is an Earth & Ocean Science graduate, who has run his own surf school and a technology company in the past. He has also qualified as an EMT and beach lifeguard, while he currently works as a retained fire fighter in Ennistymon and as a vaccinator. An avid surfer, he is also a GAA player. Speaking ahead of his co-option, Mr Grant said, “It is a great privilege and a very humbling experience to represent the Green …

IRISH Water, working in partnership with Clare County Council have turned the sod on a new Wastewater Treatment Plant for the village of Liscannor. There has also been confirmation that contracts have been signed and issued to provide wastewater treatment facilities in Kilfenora and Kilrush. “This is a significant day for County Clare and its natural environment,” said Caroline O’Reilly, Programme Manager with Irish Water. “These projects have been in the pipeline for many years and are now finally coming to the fore. I am delighted to be here today to represent Irish Water and to meet representatives from the communities of Liscannor, Kilrush and Kilfenora. These projects will eliminate the raw and poorly treated sewage that is flowing into their beautiful waterways and the Atlantic and will support social and economic development, while also protecting the integrity of our environment.” The works in Liscannor will be carried out by the EPS Group and some of the work details include …

MEMBERS of a Sixmilebridge family have been invited to a meeting with the Department of Justice to “explain the next steps” of a state inquiry regarding the death of Patrick Nugent in 1984. The state inquiry led by Judge Patrick Clyne is a report into the Garda investigation of the death of the then 23-year-old banqueting manager in Bunratty. The Nugent family will be accompanied by their solicitor, Kevin Winters of KRM Law LLP, when they meet the Assistant Secretary General of the Department of Justice to discuss Judge Clyne’s report. Having received the advice of the Attorney General, Justice Minister Heather Humphreys told Deputy Michael McNamara in the Dáil on Tuesday the Department of Justice had invited the Nugent family to a meeting to “explain the next steps in relation to Judge Clyne’s final report”. “This meeting is due to take place in person next week. I do appreciate Mr Nugent’s family are most anxious to receive the outcome …

EVIDENCE of social deprivation and isolation in North Clare has been illustrated in a recent pre-feasibility study, commissioned by Clare County Council, into the possible provision of stepped accommodation and associated services at the Stella Maris Centre in Lisdoonvarna. According to a copy of a draft report completed by social research consultant, Neil Haren, data from the 2016 Census provides considerable evidence of both deprivation and social isolation among older people in single and two person households in North Clare. There was a particularly high proportion of older people aged in excess of 75 years, which is half of persons in single person households. The study found 11 percent of those aged 65 and older and living alone in North Clare had no formal education. This applied to 6% of individuals aged 65 and older, and living in two person households. In contrast, the rate of individuals aged 15 years and above in North Clare without formal education was 1.6%. …