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SEVERAL people have been hospitalised after an incident involving three cars and a wandering animal on the N18 in Co Clare late last night. The collision occurred shortly before mid-night at Cratloekeel in the southbound lanes of the N18 just beyond junction 5 at Cratloe. It’s understood that two cars collided with a cow and that a third vehicle then struck one of the cars. Units of the fire brigade from Shannon Town and Limerick City responded to the incident along with several ambulances and Gardaí. The road was closed from the junction 5 flyover and traffic diverted away from the area while emergency service dealt with the incident. Fire crews had to use cutting equipment to help free three casualties from one vehicle. It’s believed four people in all were taken to University Hospital Limerick for treatment following the collision. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. A considerable amount of debris and fluids from the vehicles was …

THERE are concerns about the railings at the Pier used by surfers and swimmers at Doolin Pier, writes Owen Ryan. Speaking to The Clare Champion this week Sarah McTiernan, chair of Doolin Community Council said that while the railings have been replaced in previous years, it hasn’t happened in 2021. “They have been replaced every year. Doolin gets bad storms and a lot of damage gets done to the car park, sometimes the Ticket Offices and the slipway at the pier. Every year, as far back as I remember, when those railings have been damaged they’ve been replaced.” She added, “There was a bad storm around the end of March or the start of April and that’s when the railings started to go. Piece by piece they started to get pulled into the sea and right now there’s no protection at the steps. “There would always have been a railing at the top of the pier, and there’s a partial …

AN EVOCATIVE exhibition inspired by the holy wells of the Burren runs in North Clare until Sunday August 22. Entitled ‘From the Well’, it is an immersive exhibition by composer Fiona Linnane and photographer Claire O’Rorke who have drawn on local stories sourced from the Cnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann (The National Folklore Collection) and their own experiences “chasing wells across the Burren hills armed with a microphone and a camera”. The show, in the atmospheric Newtown Castle at the Burren College of Art, also includes a specially produced sound walk exploring three water points in Ballyvaughan. These can be heard online on Fiona Linnane’s SoundCloud account at any time up to Sunday as part of Heritage Week. Central to the exhibition are three short films, entitled ‘holywells’, ‘I bought a hydrophone’, and ‘Some woman’. Visitors will also be invited to share their own stories about the magical wells of the Burren, with the sage advice of never letting the truth get …

WORKS which are due to begin in Clooney in the coming weeks “will put the village on the map on the main road from Ennis to Portumna”, in the words of the Cathaoirleach of the Killaloe Municipal District. Councillor Joe Cooney said that, thanks to an allocation under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the village, which has a very active development association, would soon see a major boost to its infrastructure. A contractor has just been appointed and work on a new footpath/cycleway as well as public realm infrastructure and a pedestrian crossing are set to get underway in the coming days. “ML & S Boldand Civil Engineering Ltd will be working to complete the works within three months,” the Fine Gael member said. “It’s fantastic news for Clooney and the Clooney-Spancilhill Community Development Group deserve a huge amount of credit as do the council staff and councillors who have worked so hard to progress the issue. The work …

THE Doolin Folk Festival, which had been due to take place on September 18-19, has been cancelled for the second year in a row, writes Owen Ryan. Donal Minihane of Hotel Doolin said that it was too risky not to make the call now. “It’s a big investment and it’s too much of a risk to be holding out and holding out. There’s a roadmap coming at the end of August from the Department, but we don’t know what’s in it. There’s too much risk involved. “To be fair to the ticket holders, the artists, the crews and everyone involved, we had to let them know.” He said it would have been very positive for Doolin and its surrounds given the number of tickets sold each year. “It’s a huge amount of bed nights for the area. There would have been 1,200 tickets and it sells out every year. All of those people have to sleep somewhere, eat somewhere and …

PLANNING permission has been sought for retention permission for works at the Diamond Rocks Cafe in Kilkee, along with permission for a new standalone toilet block there. The planning application covers two separate elements according to an accompanying letter from the applicants Kevin and Mary Haugh. “Firstly the applicants wish to apply for retention permission to regularise some alterations made during the construction of the cafe extension which was previously authorised. “The alterations to be retained consists of alterations to window fenestration, the construction of a porch and the construction of a storage shed. “Secondly the applicants wish to apply for planning permission to construct a standalone toilet block to the rear of the existing cafe. “The toilet block will be for public use and its purpose will be to alleviate the issue of a lack of public toilet facilities in the area during the peak summer months. “Presently Clare County Council have placed temporary prefab toilets at this location.”

A 59-year old year old man “just wanted to give a young fella a kick up the backside” when he doused him in petrol in his bedroom, a court has heard. That is according defence solicitor, John Casey for the accused, Mark Davies, who said that his client was “pushed over the edge” prior to the incident in Jason Morris’s bedroom on September 27 last. At Ennis District Court, Sergeant Louis Moloney said that on the night of the domestic incident at Fountain, Toonagh, outside Ennis, Mark Davies of Lower Market Street, Ennis went into the bedroom of his partner’s son, Jason Morris with a canister of petrol and poured petrol on Mr Morris and his bed. Sergeant Moloney stated that it is alleged that Mr Davies then threatened to set the petrol alight with a lighter. Mr Morris reported the incident to Gardai who arrived and declared the house a crime scene. Personnel from the Clare Fire Service also …

A PROHIBITION on swimming at a popular west Clare beach has been issued on foot of advice from the HSE. Clare County Council, on the advice of the HSE, has placed a prohibition on swimming in White Strand Miltown Malbay. The ban is due to increased bacterial levels in the bathing water at the beach as a result of recent rainfall. The local authority is appealing to the public not to swim at the beach until further notice.