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THE first Aer Lingus flight from Shannon to London in 18 months took off from the Clare airport this afternoon. Arrival times from London into Shannon are 16:10 on Monday through Friday and Sunday, with arrival time on Saturdays scheduled for 15:45. The service will operate for ten weeks during the closure of Cork Airport for runway upgrade works. Shannon Group CEO Mary Considine said it was great to see the service back in what has been and continues to be an extremely difficult period for the aviation sector. “The connectivity provided by Aer Lingus at Shannon has always been a valuable contributor to the regional economy,” said Ms Considine. “The hub status of Heathrow for businesses to connect with the global marketplace is crucial, and the inbound Heathrow service helps drive tourism into the region.” “We are working closely with Aer Lingus and our other airline partners to build on the service and to resume long-haul services,” she added. …

UNIVERSITY students led by an Ennis woman have put their best foot forward to raise much needed funds for various organisations including a local community hospital and nursing home. Community Liaison Officer at the University of Limerick, and Ennis native, Gabriella Hanrahan spearheaded the fundraising efforts which encouraged students to get some exercise while also doing some good for worthy causes. She believes that higher education students are an “untapped resource” and is encouraging communities to get in touch to explore ways student volunteers can support local initiatives. Speaking to The Clare Champion about the fundraiser, Gabriella said, “Covid has created enormous challenges for organisations that traditionally fundraise to provide additional supports and services to communities. Covid also had the effect of reducing volunteering opportunities.” She explained that the students committed to doing 40km of exercise with some walking, cycling or running, and they donated the money raised to animal shelters and activities for residents in nursing homes. They raised …

CLARE Youth Service is offering young people the opportunity to put the best face on things with its new online course. The service in conjunction with the Creative Youth Partnership, is offering a new online make-up course for young people aged 15-17, starting Tuesday, September 14 and running for six weeks. This is an opportunity for young people who might be interested in make-up artistry as a career to gain some experience and meet some new people. Through Zoom, young people will meet a qualified LCETB make-up tutor, who will take them through a different aspect of make-up application and skin care each week. This is also a chance to take part in the wide range of online activities which Clare Youth Service has been offering. Young People will log on through Zoom, with permission from an adult/parent, starting Tuesday at 6pm until 7.30pm. Each young person will be given a pack in advance to ensure they have all they …

THE occupants of an illegal encampment in Sixmilebridge train station car park are now using this location for their postal address, a local councillor has claimed. Councillor Alan O’Callaghan said it is “shocking” the occupants of this encampment can use the car park as a location to receive their post. “If I drove into Limerick Train Station and left my car overnight without paying parking charges, my car would be impounded and taken away, with a huge fine to pay to get it back. Maybe, the law needs to be changed. The Fianna Fáil Councillor told a Joint Policing Committee meeting on Tuesday there is a lot of frustration over the length of time it is taking to remove this illegal encampment of three caravans, considering it was quickly moved out of Shannon last January. He recalled the occupants of the encampment originally tried to move on to the car park in the Twelve O’Clock Hills, but decided to go …

GARDAI are appealing for help from the public after money was stolen from an elderly Clare man who had allowed a stranger use his bathroom. The money was stolen from a house in Quin after the owner admitted the stranger to his home so he could use the facilities. Around 6pm on Sunday, September 5, a male described as in his 50s with dark clothing and possibly a foreign accent called to the home of the elderly gentleman in Applefort, Quin. He asked could he use the bathroom. The owner left the man into his house and realised later that a sum of money was taken from his bedroom. If anyone was in the area of Applefort last Sunday week and saw this male, they are asked to contact Ennis Garda Station on 6848100.

GARDAÍ are conducting an investigation following the discovery of a man’s body in a campervan at one of county Clare’s best known resorts. Gardaí were called at around 3.20pm on Sunday in relation to a campervan parked in the carpark at Lahinch. After enlisting the assistance of fire service personnel, they gained access to the vehicle and found the body of a man in his 50s inside. It’s understood the death is not being treated as suspicious but as a tragic incident. Gardaí sealed off the scene while fire service personnel erected privacy screens around the vehicle which was located next to where hundreds of people were walking the prom. Two units of Clare County Fire and Rescue service from Ennistymon station were mobilised to the incident along with National Ambulance Service paramedics. At the time, the campervan had been parked in the carpark adjacent to the popular promenade in Lahinch. Gardaí spoke with the occupants of other campervans in …

WHILE many of us were using Zoom to do quizzes during lock-down, advocates with a learning disability supported by Brothers of Charity were using the technology to develop international connections. The local advocates have been linking up with Indian charity Families for Children, a non profit, non-sectarian organisation that exists to fulfill the needs of children and young adults with disabilities. Resulting from this, both groups are coming together to host a Wellbeing Zoom event on Thursday, September 16 to raise funds for Indian children and Families for Children’s work. Labasheeda advocate Orla McMahon explains how the connection with Families for Children began back in April when the country was in the grip of record breaking cases of Covid-19. “When I saw the news on TV, families getting turned away from hospitals in India it was desperate. I said, we should do something about this. Let’s do a fundraiser. We’re all meeting up on Zoom nowadays so we looked up …

UP to 150 places and items of interest in Cratloe have been provided on a new online heritage hub, which has attracted huge local interest as well as international attention from exiles. Most famous for Cratloe Woods and the Cratloe oak trees, the area has a wealth of built and natural heritage which is dispersed through the townlands of Cratloe and includes wells, churches, graveyards, state houses, historical markings and plaques as well as being full of folklore and piseog tales. Locals and people living abroad can now click on Cratloe.ie and discover all the heritage in this district. Before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Cratloe Community Council drafted a plan, which prompted the formation of a new heritage group. A few people including Aisling Finn decided to post photographs of the culture and heritage in the locality on social media. After last Christmas, council members felt people were very isolated because they had to remain within five kilometres …