BISHOP of Killaloe, Fintan Monahan, has asked parish priests and pastoral councils not to set dates for communions and confirmations in the Diocese “for the near future”. It follows confirmation, received by the organisation representing Catholic bishops, that the government’s forthcoming guidance documents will expressly advise against these ceremonies. Writing to parents, priests and schools on Wednesday, Bishop Monahan said that “in view of the letter received from the HSE last week, the strong recommendation of NPHET… and the clear advice from the Taoiseach’s Office, I believe it would be very unwise to celebrate the sacraments in the coming weeks”. The Bishop acknowledged that cancelling these important occasions will be “very inconvenient at such short notice” and he asked for “patience and understanding”, in the interests of public health and safety. The Bishop’s letter also said that: “Because of the vulnerability of the virus situation and the evolving nature of the whole process it would, in my view be best …
Read More »New Killaloe chair looks ahead to key East Clare projects
PROGRESSING East Clare projects, including Inis Cealtra and the Killaloe bridge and bypass, have been identified by the incoming cathaoirleach of the district as key priorities for the coming year. On Thursday last, Councillor Joe Cooney took over the role of Killaloe Municipal District chair from Councillor Pat Hayes, with both men welcoming the return of in-person meetings after long months of lockdown and remote communication. The Fine Gael member was proposed for the role by party colleague Councillor Pat Burke and seconded by Fianna Fáil’s Councillor Tony O’Brien. This is Councillor Cooney’s second term as chair, having previously held the role in 2013. “I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “I’ll be there to work with other councillors to achieve as much as we can. There are some major projects in the district, including the Killaloe bridge and bypass and Inis Cealtra. A lot achieved and we will work to achieve more. These projects will take time and …
Read More »Clare link to honour for WWII fateful forecaster
CONNECTIONS between Mountshannon and the United States were instrumental in honouring a woman who played a central role in the success of the Allies in World War II. On Saturday last, Maureen Sweeney, who was a post office attendant at Blacksod lighthouse and post office in North Mayo, received a commemorative medal from the US House of Representatives for ‘laudable actions’ during the war. Producing hourly forecasts was a routine part of the Maureen’s duties in the post office, but the one that issued at 1am on June 3, 1944, changed the course of history. Maureen, who had just turned 21 that day, issued the fateful forecast predicting an impending Atlantic storm. The dispatch prompted General Dwight D Eisenhower to delay the planned invasion of Normandy. Maureen’s role was marked after a long process that began with a chance meeting in Mountshannon. Holidaying in Mountshannon, John J Kelly, an Irish-American, who led the design and production of modern lunar landing …
Read More »Research shows massive hike in Clare resort property prices
Pandemic’s effect on coastal property market evident with prices in one popular town climbing 39% since last year NEW research from Daft.ie shows the asking prices for properties in Lahinch has increased by some 39% since the start of the pandemic. Searches on the website for Lahinch properties have gone up by 49%, according to research conducted by Dr Tom Gillespie, an Environmental Economist at NUI Galway, who himself moved to the north Clare village just before the pandemic. The figures for Lahinch are included in the Daft.ie Coastal Report for 2021, which found that the prices sought for coastal properties in a number of selected areas around the country is up by an average of 23% compared to those sought prior to the pandemic. The average increase for the country as a whole is just 8.7% in the same period. In his report, Dr Gillespie stated that the increase in achieved prices is likely to be greater than those …
Read More »Clare councillor calls for better menopausal care
CLARE County Council has passed a motion calling on the Minister for Health and Department of Health to improve menopausal care, writes Owen Ryan. The motion asked that funding and support in hospitals and general care be provided for menopausal care; for a campaign to inform the public of the multiple and diverse symptoms attributable to the menopause; that all necessary resources be provided to train and upskill Irish GPs on menopause care; that HRT ‘body identicals’ be included in the drugs scheme and finally that there be communication with health insurance providers to ensure that menopausal care coverage be provided. Introducing the motion, Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy said, “Even young women can be affected by hormonal changes brought about by their medical history or surgery. “No woman can avoid this change that will come about in our lives. For our male friends, their experience is clearly indirect, be it as a result of changes they may observe in the …
Read More »Five Clare schools to benefit from walk and cycle spend
FIVE Clare schools have been chosen to take part in a new programme aimed at supporting walking and cycling infrastructure for primary and post-primary schools. St Flannan’s NS, Inagh, Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Cíosóg, Inis, Holy Family Junior School, Ennis, Holy Family Senior NS, Ennis, and Clonmoney National School, Newmarket-on-Fergus, were among 170 schools nationwide selected in the first round of the Safe Routes to School Programme. The scheme was announced in March of this year, with 932 schools, representing almost one in four schools in the state, expressing interest. The schools selected were assessed against a range of criteria including school type, location and the school’s commitment to sustainable travel. Clare’s Green Party Senator Róisín Garvey has said that the scheme will offer a variety of benefits. “Safer routes to school are needed outside every school in Ireland. This is something I’ve worked passionately on for years inside and outside of politics. “We know that children in schools across Clare want …
Read More »Clare man refused to call for help while wife had heart attack
A MAN refused a request from his wife, who was suffering from two minor heart attacks, to call an ambulance, a court has heard. At the Family Law Court in Ennis, the woman alleged that she was suffering from chest pains at home when she sought assistance from her husband. The two are married over 40 years and have previously given undertakings in court not to enter each other’s bedrooms and bathrooms at their home. In her application for a Protection Order against her husband, the woman stated after she made the request for the ambulance her husband “told me to f-off and he wouldn’t call an ambulance for me”. The woman told Judge Mary Larkin, “I had to call the ambulance myself and I was brought to hospital.” The chest pains were later diagnosed as two minor hearts on examination at hospital. The woman told Judge Larkin, “He drinks heavily, shouts at me and calls me nasty names. He …
Read More »Last Clare victim of War of Independence to be honoured
THE East Clare Memorial Committee will hold a small ceremony on June 29 to mark the centenary of the last civilian killed in the Irish War of Independence in Clare. Jim Grogan was shot dead by British forces, while he was making his way to mass in the Feakle area. The 44-year-old has been largely forgotten and the Committee are determined that they shine a light on his death and on his life. According to the historian, Dr Tomás Mac Conmara, who is Secretary of the East Clare Memorial Committee and who has researched the story over many years, Jim Grogan was an entirely innocent victim of British aggression. The British military implied in their reporting of the incident that because Jim Grogan was shot close to where a trench had been dug to impede their forces, that he was a dangerous figure. In fact, Grogan was entirely unarmed and was not of a capable disposition to do harm to …
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