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A RARE insight into the people who live and work in the Burren will be revealed in a series of 60 short films being launched by the Burren Ecotourism Network. The series entitled ‘The People of the Burren’ will give potential visitors a chance to experience the diverse history, geology, archaeology, food and music of the area through the unique perspective of the people who live there. As well as interviews, the films also showcase the stunning landscapes of the Burren. Over the next few months, the films will be released on a regular basis and will be available to view on the network’s social media channels and on Burren.ie. The video stories are part of an ongoing marketing campaign to encourage visitors to the area, once restrictions are lifted. “This campaign will be directed towards the domestic and Northern Irish Markets, both of whom we hope will be able to travel to Clare this summer,” said Jarlath O’Dwyer, CEO …

CLARE County Library is sowing the seeds of growth across the Banner. Libraries Ireland is partnering with Grow it Yourself (GIY) to roll out the ‘Grow It Forward’ campaign under the Government’s Keep Well programme. GIY is a not-for-profit social enterprise, based in Waterford. It helps people to grow some of their own food at home, at work, at school and in the community.     The Grow it Forward campaign was launched last month. Seeds have been dispersed from GIY (www.giy.ie) and from libraries nationwide over the past number of weeks. Clare County Library has distributed packs of seeds to schools, nursing homes, community gardens and allotments via the library home delivery service. They have also been given to individual gardeners. Each pack contains five packets of seeds, a growing guide, and details on Clare library services and how to join the library.  Clare County Library are now asking recipients to document their growing journeys by sending photos and …

TWO men appeared in court this Monday, April 19, charged with possessing €50,000 worth of cannabis, found by gardai in a wooded area in County Clare last Friday, writes David Raleigh. Paul Collopy, (45), originally from Limerick, but with an address at Childers Road, Ennis, Co. Clare, and, Benedict Brady, (58), with an address at Tiermaclane, Ballyea, Ennis, Co. Clare, appeared before Limerick District Court. Both accused men are charged with possessing the drugs for sale or supply, as well as their own use, contrary to Section 15 and Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. They are alleged to have had the drugs in their possession on April 16 last, at Carnelly House, Clarecastle, Co. Clare. Detective Garda Denis Stack, Ennis Garda Station, said he charged Mr Collopy with both offences, at Ennis Garda Station, at 5.08pm on April 18. In reply to both charges, Mr Collopy told the detective: “That’s a stitch up, 100% total stitch up.” …

CLARE people are being asked to “share the load on the road” in an effort to bolster mental health in the community. Cycle Against Suicide is running a virtual cycle from this Saturday, April 24 until May 31 to highlight its “Community Buddy” programme that prioritises peer to peer support as a means to identify and help those who may be vulnerable. Cycle Against Suicide is working to prioritise mental health support by training mental health support ‘Buddies’ into communities across Ireland. Unable to undertake their usual fundraising cycle this year, the group is encouraging Clare people to get out on their own and cover the miles in their county to help raise money to train the buddies. The Cycle Against Suicide ‘Community Buddy’ programme trains and equips participants with practical, hands-on skills and knowledge they need to deliver local support to those in mental health distress. It costs €400 to train a Buddy, and the group is aiming to …

CLARE Independent TD Michael McNamara is accusing the Government of engaging in a “cynical PR exercise” by today announcing €6.3 million in funding for Shannon Airport, effectively repeating an announcement already made last November. “The rehashing of a funding announcement from over five months ago is an insult to the 140,000 people employed in Ireland’s aviation sector who have repeatedly but unsuccessfully sought Government to produce a recovery plan for the sector,” stated Deputy McNamara. “Today’s announcement of old news is a case of the Government buying time in the absence of any clear reopening strategy for our airports but this cynicism will not be not lost on management and workers at Shannon Airport, who are being asked to live on hope,” he added. Deputy McNamara continued, “We have a larger aviation sector than most other European countries of our size and we are more reliant on-air connectivity than most other States, yet our Government has delayed any consideration of …

Dates have been confirmed for Clare’s 2021 National Hurling and Football league campaigns In the National Hurling League, Brian Lohan’s charges face a trip north of the border for the opening game as they travel to take on Antrim on Sunday May 9 at 1pm. It is the first of three consecutive games with a home tie against Wexford on Saturday May 15, and a trip to Portlaoise to face Laois on the weekend of May 23. The group stage finishes with a trip to the capital to face Dublin on the weekend of June 6 before rounding off the campaign at home to Kilkenny on Saturday June 12. Colm Collins and the senior footballers will have two home games in Division 2 South, and they host Laois in the opening round on the weekend of May 16. That is followed by the familiar trip to Newbridge to take on Kildare a week later before a home tie with Cork …

THE “huge frustration” felt by residents awaiting works to be carried out at the junction of the Shanaway Road and the N85 Lahinch Road has been highlighted, as the route to the coast is expected to become even busier with the resumption of travel within the county this week. A meeting of the Ennis Municipal District heard this week that revised design options are being prepared by the Council’s Road Design Office following a request from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Councillor Mary Howard raised the issue in a notice of motion asking for an update on “proposed traffic controls” at the junction which sees traffic “backed up every day”, describing the current situation as “crazy”. The councillor questioned if there had been any recent engagement with TII; what funding has been allocated for the project; has there been engagement with local property owners and is there a proposed timeline to start and complete the necessary works? John Gannon, senior executive …

PEOPLE who have benefited from the Killaloe Community Covid-19 Response team hugely appreciated this service, according to a local councillor. While some people were a bit reluctant at first to receive assistance, Councillor Tony O’Brien pointed out volunteers quickly put them at ease by reinforcing the message this was something they wanted to do for their local community. “If the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it is none of us are an island. Irish people are great for coming to the assistance of our neighbours in a time of trouble. “While rural isolation is a problem, there was also huge isolation within towns and villages. Some people had a routine of going to Mass in the morning and getting milk or bread on the way home. They lost all that. They were so lonely left behind closed doors. “This is where the Covid-19 response teams came to the fore. The volunteers deserve huge credit as they could identify people …