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SHANNON’S kickboxing world champion Liam Alford was still relaxing after his victory in a world title unification fight in the UK when he spoke to the Champion last Friday. Five days on from winning the fight against Qasim ‘the dream’ Beg and bringing five world titles home, he admitted to still being a bit dazed by the success. “It hasn’t hit home really, it hasn’t settled in.” While known as a prodigious talent, the 21 year old was seen as a rank outsider when taking on the Brummie champion, but he didn’t care what people thought. “In a lot of people’s eyes, especially over in England, I was the underdog. But to be honest, myself and my team were really confident. We wouldn’t take a fight unless we were confident that we could win it. To be honest we wouldn’t really worry about other people’s opinions, we know that if we train hard we’re capable of anything.” In advance he …

CLARE GAA is planning on turning the Cloister car park in Ennis’s town centre into a permanent parking facility. An application for planning permission for the change of use of the site on Lower Abbey Street has been lodged with Clare County Council. The location currently has planning permission to provide spaces for vehicles before and after GAA matches and authorised events at Cusack Park. The planning application seeks a change of use from a private car park with this limited to a commercial car park for use as a both long term and short term stay for members of the public. The application also seeks permission for the completion of associated site drainage surface dressing, landscaping works and the site entrance, which were previously granted permission.

A RE-DESIGN of an entire development proposed for an historic area of Ennis’ town centre has been sought by the planning authority who have voiced “serious concerns” about the visual impact. Clare County Council have sought further information on the plans by Eko Integrated Services Ltd for the Drumbiggle area, with the local authority highlighting issues including that the height, massing and scale is “not acceptable” as currently proposed. Eko Integrated Services Ltd lodged the application for the development at Drumbiggle Road, Buttermarket Street and Simm’s Lane which if given the green light will see the construction of 46 residential units, a digital hub and cafe. The further information request states, “While a contemporary approach may be considered by the planning authority, this design ethos must have regard to the existing urban fabric in the vicinity of the site, the location of the site within the Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) and the adjoining hitoric buildings”. The developers have been asked …

A BELVOIR family have shown their gratitude to the specialist medical team at University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL) by fundraising in honour of their daughter Aoibheann. Now nearly ten, Aoibheann is thriving, but faced a challenging start that required her to have neo-natal care at St Munchin’s. “Almost a decade ago this coming October our daughter Aoibheann was born in St Munchin’s Maternity Hospital in Limerick,” outlined mum Orla O’Mara. “Aoibheann needed neo-natal care and she spent four weeks getting first class medical care. As first time parents our emotions were very high. It is incredible how you feel when you are faced with your new born baby needing neo-natal care. You place all your trust in the medical consultants, nurses and midwives and that is what we did. We were beyond fortunate that Aoibheann received such wonderful care from the devoted medical specialists.” Thankfully, little Aoibheann was soon able to leave hospital, under the ongoing care of the paediatric …

WHILE the sun was shining and temperatures were well over 20 degrees, the children of Ennis National School were in their classrooms on Wednesday, their summer holidays over once again. Under normal circumstances very few people, either teachers or pupils, would look forward to going back to school, but with so little time having been spent in the classroom since Covid jolted everyone out of their old routines, the late August/early September blues might be a little softer this year. Ennis National School principal Brian Troy said that while much work had to be done to get his school ready, it wasn’t nearly as severe as when reopening in 2020. “There was a lot of preparation, but it wasn’t as intense as last year with all the changes in relation to Covid-19. All of those changes are remaining in place, we’re advised by the Department to keep those going and we have all the normal stuff, there’s the maintenance of …

THE HSE and Clare County Council have this evening issued a Do Not Consume Notice for members of the Cappa Rossmanagher Group Water Scheme until further notice. Water tankers will be made available adjacent to the Railway Station, Sixmilebridge, and Crowe’s Shop, Minister’s Cross. It is advised to boil water obtained from tankers at 2 locations before consumption. A statement from Clare County Council advises that, “due to discolouration of the water caused by increased Manganese, Health Service Executive (Mid West Area) have issued a Do Not Consume Notice with immediate effect.” The statement goes on to advise “this is not a Boil Water Notice. All consumers affected by this notice must not drink their water.” Under a Do Not Consume notice, water must not be used for drinking, preparing drinks made with water, preparation of salads and similar foods, which are not cooked prior to eating, brushing of teeth and/or gargling, making of ice. Mains water may be used …

THE Housing Minister has assured Clare homeowners affected by pyrite that his department make a decision on giving them access to a redress scheme “within a matter of weeks”. Speaking on an official visit to the county today (Friday, August 27), Minister Darragh O’Brien said he wanted an application by the local authority for the extension of the Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme to Clare to be decided on without delay. Following a meeting in Ennis with Dr Martina Cleary and two other members of The Clare Pyrite Action Group, Minister O’Brien said: “I want to bring the submission part and the review of the submission part to a conclusion in a matter of weeks… Subject to the submission meeting the criteria that is set there, then we can move along quite quickly. It’s a serious issue for homeowners My priority is for homes, principal private residences that we can start to look at getting them remediated soon.” The minister also …

ONE of the country’s most senior police officers walked the beat in the county town last Friday afternoon (August 20), following a visit to Ennis Garda Station. Formerly the Deputy Police Chief of Toronto, Dr Shawna Coxon was appointed to the role of Deputy Commissioner of An Garda Síochána earlier this year. She is responsible for Strategy, Governance and Performance, and, alongside West Clare Native, Anne Marie McMahon, is one of two officers who hold the rank. At Ennis Garda Station, she was welcomed by Chief Superintendent Seán Colleran and Superintendent Brendan McDonagh. Dr Coxon toured the station which is Divisional Headquarters for the new Clare-Tipperary Garda Operating Model. She met frontline personnel and expressed her appreciation for the commitment and dedication shown by Gardaí, particularly during the pandemic. Deputy Commissioner Coxon also noted the imminent retirement of Superintendent McDonagh next month, and thanked him for his 40 years of service to the force, 33 of which were in the …