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GARDAI in Ennis seized some €8,800 worth of suspected cannabis herb when they stopped and searched a car in an industrial estate in the town. On Tuesday, January 24, uniformed Gardaí from Ennis stopped the car, driven by a male in his late 20s. Upon searching the vehicle, they discovered approximately €8,800 worth of suspected Cannabis Herb. The driver of the car was arrested and detained under the provision of Section 2 Drug Trafficking Act 1996 at Ennis Garda Station. He was later released from custody pending submission of investigation file to the office of the DPP for directions. The suspected controlled substances have been forwarded to Forensic Science Ireland for examination.

THE best of Clare’s artisan food and crafts will enjoy a unique shop window next month at the inaugural Cliffs of Moher and Clare Retail Expo. Clare food and artisan suppliers will come together with consumers and retail buyers for the event which takes place over two days on February 19 and 20. Supported by the Clare Local Enterprise Office, Clare County Council and the Burren & Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, the two-day event is the biggest showcase of its kind to be held in County Clare in recent years. The Expo opens at Cliffs of Moher Experience on Sunday February 19 with a business-to-consumer event from 10am to 4pm during which local Clare artists, producers and craftspeople will exhibit their products at Ireland’s most visited natural attraction. Amongst the suppliers in attendance will be McConnell Woollen Mills (Killaloe), Airmid Soap (Kilfenora), Anchor Crafts (Kilrush), Western Herd Brewery (Kilmaley), Creative Clay (Sixmilebridge), Brideog Trad, SIAR Photography and Wix …

A FATHER was out walking with his two young children in Ennis town centre last week when he was allegedly assaulted by his first cousin armed with a long handle slash-hook, a court has heard. At Ennis District Court, Garda Alan Hill said that the alleged daylight assault by Peter Molloy (22) – who was wearing a red Man Utd replica top at the time – with a long handle slash-hook on his cousin, Eamon Quinn at Simms Lane, Buttermarket, Ennis shortly after 2pm is part of an ongoing feud between the Molloy and Quinn families. Garda Hill told the court that Mr Quinn suffered lacerations to his left arm and right leg from the alleged assault. He said the two men “are well known to each other as they are first cousins”. Garda Hill told the court that the incident “is one of a number of instances being investigated in an ongoing feud between the Molloys and the Quinns”. …

AFTER a very long hiatus, Shannon Musical Society will be back with its show Little Shop of Horrors from February 14-18.  The show will be staged at St Patrick’s Comprehensive and will be directed by Aodán Fox.  Shane Farrell is Musical Director while Karen Barrett is Choreographer. The cast is led by Tom Barrett who is taking on the role of Seymour, a hapless florist shop worker. When the Society first produced the show 18 years ago, Eoin Sheedy had that role, and while he is still involved this time out he plays Mr Mushnik, the owner of the florists. The leading lady will be Olivia Parkinson, who plays Audrey. Ciarán Collins returns to the Shannon stage to portray Orin Scrivello, the nasty dentist and boyfriend of Audrey. Rounding out the cast is Colm McGuinness, who takes on the demanding job of voicing the blood thirsty plant, Audrey II. Speaking this week Aodán said that preparations have been going well. …

EFFORTS to speed up the turnaround of Council properties once they become vacant have been called for by the Chairperson of the authority’s housing committee. Councillor Gerry Flynn called for a comprehensive survey of all residential property owned and rented by the Council, with a focus on older developments. He told the January meeting of the local authority that this approach would reduce the need for major renovations when the tenancies are surrendered back to the Council for future letting. Addressing the meeting, the Shannon member said the Council is moving to a Planned Maintenance Programme for its 2,700 properties. He noted that the Council had an approved loan of €10 million for maintenance, of which just €3 million has been drawn down to-date. “It was always expected that there would be a surge after Covid-19 in relation to maintenance, I would expect further drawdown of this loan,” he said. “I think it’s important we take a more proactive approach …

ALONGSIDE the Cliffs of Moher being named the country’s best visitor attraction in the Irish Independent Reader Travel Awards, there was further good news for Clare. Bunratty Castle and Folk Park was also in the top ten, while Hotel Woodstock was ninth in the best hotels category. Sean Lally of Hotel Woodstock said that he was thrilled to be included. “Head over heels! We’re the only Clare hotel listed in it and since we got it over the weekend the phones have been ringing off the hook in terms of bookings and enquiries and website bookings are well up on what they normally would be for this time of year. “It’s a busy time for web bookings anyway, but they’re well ahead and you can see the spike in terms of traffic to our website. It has really been exceptional. We didn’t see this coming!” He feels that the use of social media, which the hotel has become famous for, …

An UNEMPLOYED Ennis man has failed to convince a judge that the €26,000 he received for ‘three trotters’ helped finance him purchasing a Toyota jeep for €43,000 in cash in €50 notes. At Ennis District Court, Judge Mary Larkin has dismissed a fresh bid by Ned Doherty (32) of St Michael’s Park, Ballymaley, Gort Road, Ennis to have Gardai return his 20-2 Toyota Hilux jeep. Judge Larkin said that she was “more confused than ever” after hearing about the various sums Mr Doherty is claiming to have used on the jeep’s purchase. Judge Larkin said that the evidence from Mr Doherty was a mix of ‘don’t know’, ‘can’t remember’ and ‘don’t deal with money’. Mr Doherty purchased the jeep in cash from a County Roscommon car dealer on February 23 2021 but it was seized 10 days later as part of a wider Garda operation that also involved the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) on March 5 2021. Making the ‘police …

A LARGE-scale housing development has been given the green light for the village of Tuamgraney, despite concerns raised by a number of local residents. Conditional permission for the 52 homes on Dock Road, has been granted by Clare County Council in the face of fears about a “population explosion” which would turn Tuamgraney into a commuter village. The planning application was submitted by Michael Pearl in April of last year. The proposals generated six objections, including one from a group called ‘Reddan’s Quay Residents’. That submission raised objections to the principle of development; over-development; housing design and layout; traffic and pedestrian safety; flooding; and environmental impact. The submission described Tuamgraney as having “a small close knit community of residents” and said large-scale developments had not been built, despite the fact that some have had the benefit of planing permission. The objection contended that the proposed estate “will have a severe impact upon the physical and social fabric of the village”. …