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VISITOR restrictions have been introduced on two wards at University Hospital Limerick following an outbreak of Covid-19. Contact tracing and testing of staff and patients is underway and staff are now, in line with the national guidance, putting into effect all the appropriate infection control measures to mitigate the risk to patients and staff. Visiting on the two affected wards has now been restricted to compassionate grounds only and relatives and loved ones have been informed of same. Visiting on other inpatient wards is unaffected and is facilitated by prior arrangement. University Hospital Limerick is now facilitating scheduled timed visiting slots for in-patients and their visitors, during the hours of 2- to 4pm and 6 to 9pm daily. These slots are coordinated by clinical nurse managers and ward clerks in consultation with patients and their families and loved ones. These scheduled visiting slots are for inpatients only. The Emergency Department, Acute Surgical Assessment Unit, and Acute Medical Assessment Unit at …

FOLLOWING a busy season of staycations in Clare, a new marketing campaign is aiming to keep up the momentum for the Banner’s vital hospitality industry into the autumn and beyond. Throughout the summer, Fáilte Ireland’s ‘Keep Discovering’ marketing campaign has been encouraging Irish people to discover the joy of holidaying in Ireland. With restrictions for tourism and hospitality businesses easing, the upcoming shoulder season is an important time for the tourism sector in Clare. Rolling into Autumn, the next phase of the ‘Keep Discovering’ campaign is kicking off this month at a national, regional and county level. The campaign will aim to tempt those with remaining annual leave to book a break during the autumn and winter in Clare and other destinations in the country. Fáilte Ireland’s Director of Marketing, Niall Tracey, commented: “The campaign will showcase the great places to explore across the country with a dedicated ‘Keep Discovering Clare’ county video airing on national TV on Wednesday September …

THE strong bond between St Anne’s Community College, Killaloe and the local community has been lauded by its new principal, Eukaria O’Grady, Dan Danaher. A native of Limerick City, Ms O’Grady, who took up the post a few weeks ago, is very impressed with the respect between staff and students, which has been built up over the years. St Anne’s has almost 600 students and 45 teachers, which includes a few part-time. The previous principal, Aideen Walsh retired recently. As she settles in to her new role, Ms O’Grady, who is almost 40 years of age, is feeling more comfortable, and really likes the students and the local community. “It is a real community school. The staff and the parents’ association work with the community and the community works back into the school. “I get a great sense of that strong link between the school and the community in Ballina and Killaloe. There is a great interest among the staff …

AN unemployed Ennis man who gardaí say paid for a €43,000 SUV in €50 notes has failed in a bid to have the vehicle returned, writes Ronan Judge. At Ennis District Court, Judge Mary Larkin refused the application brought by Ned Doherty (30), with an address at St Michael’s, Ballymaley, Ennis. The court heard the Toyota Hilux SUV was seized by gardaí in March as part of a wider garda operation. Doherty brought an application under the Police Property Act, seeking the return of the jeep. The applicant’s solicitor, Daragh Hassett, said that this is his client’s second such application since the seizure of the jeep. Mr Hassett said his client instructs that not many items were taken by gardaí during the March search and that the jeep was taken as gardaí left, “almost out of frustration”. The solicitor said the court was told during the first application, that the investigation was at an advanced stage and this is not …

GARDAÍ are investigating the discovery of a body on the coastline in south County Galway this afternoon, reports Pat Flynn. The office of the State Pathologist has been notified and requested to conduct a post-mortem examination of the remains which are believed to be that of a woman. Gardaí have confirmed that the outcome of that examination will determine the course of their investigation. Gardaí were alerted at around 11.30am on Tuesday after a person out walking reported finding a body washed up at Doorus north of Kinvara. Gardaí responded to the scene and on arrival found a body on the shoreline. Gardaí requested assistance from the fire service to help reach and recover the remains. Units of Galway Fire and Rescue Service from Gort station travelled to the scene at around 1.30pm and assisted with recovering the body. Crews had to carry the body over an embankment and back to the road before it was removed to the mortuary …

CLARE’S Oireachtas members have been urged to lobby for a dramatic change in the allocation of population growth for the county compared to other counties and cities along the West coast, writes Dan Danaher. Under the National Planning Framework, Councillor Joe Killeen said Cork City is to grow by 105,000, Galway City is expected to increase by 45,000, Limerick City is set to attract an extra 35,000 to 40,000 inhabitants, while Clare’s population is expected to jump from 119,000 to 130,000. With Ennis projected to grow from 25,000 to 35,000 under the Ennis 2040 plan, and a 3,500 increase planned for the Limerick/Shannon Metropolitian area, Councillor Killeen told a council meeting on Monday there isn’t a huge population growth planned for West Clare, North Clare and North East Clare. He claimed people living in some parts of the county were effectively paying the price because they couldn’t afford to secure new homes in tourist hot spots. “We are delighted we …

IN LINE with national guidance on Covid-19, U Hospitals Group is now asking all patients attending its acute hospitals about their vaccination status. The group stated today that the move was to keep all patients and staff in their hospitals safe from Covid infection, as numbers with the virus remains stubbornly high. All patients will receive care and treatment whatever their vaccination status, a spokesperson for UL Hospital said. “Knowledge of vaccination status enables safer management of patients, and assists with contact tracing either in the hospital or afterwards in the community, if a patient comes into contact with a COVID-19 case in any of our hospitals,” UL Hospitals Group Information on the vaccination status of patients in acute hospitals would be determined and recorded, either prior to admission or as soon as possible thereafter. The request for the information applies particularly for unscheduled attendances at the Emergency Department in University Hospital Limerick. People attending acute hospitals can present the …

THE Clare Association in Dublin (Muintir an Chláir) has a new chairperson. Tom Conway, a native of Ballyea, Inagh, will now lead the association for the coming year after his unanimous election at the association’s annual general meeting at the Clasac Comhaltas Ceoltoírí Centre, Clontarf. He succeeds Gerry O’ Reilly, who stepped down after a very successful term as the association’s chairman. The new chairman and long standing association officer, Liam O’Looney, also from Inagh, were among those who paid tribute to Mr O’ Reilly for his efforts and wonderful work on behalf of the association. He will continue to support the association as one of its officers. Mr O’Reilly thanked all members of the association for their endeavours and all who assisted the association in any way during his term in office. Mr Conway, who was a chief superintendent when he retired from An Garda Siochana in 2016 after 41 years service –most of it in Dublin- joined in …