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  A new floating offshore wind farm of 1,400MW will be developed off the coast of Clare as part of a multi-billion Euro transformation of Moneypoint Power Station into a green energy renewables hub, the ESB has announced. The ESB has already commenced work on transforming Moneypoint into a green energy hub, breaking ground on a new €50 million Sustainable System Support facility in the coming weeks. This Synchronous Compensator will be the largest of its kind in the world. The new plant will provide a range of electrical services to the electricity grid, which would previously have been supplied by thermal fired power stations. Its operation will enable higher volumes of renewables on the system. The transformation of the Moneypoint site will allow a range of renewable technologies to be deployed over the next decade with the capacity to power 1.6 million homes. In line with the Government’s ambition of reaching net zero emissions by 2050, ESB has stated …

THE parklet on O’Connell Street in Ennis has been described as an “aesthetic abomination” and “a pustule” this week, by a local trader, who has said there have been reports of rats being seen around it. Meanwhile Clare County Council have defended the parklet, saying it was brought in to support elderly people and those with reduced mobility, that the public reaction to it has been positive and that the parklet hasn’t led to an increase in vermin in the area. In a letter sent to the HSE and Clare County Council, a local trader complained of seeing rats at the parklet, close to their premises. “I, myself, observed rodents scurryting around and under this structures on Thursday, March 11, as I was cleaning the outside of my premises. I approached the street cleaning lorry and my observation was corroborated by them. Another street cleaner can bear witness to this also. “Before this sighting, I have never seen rats in …

ENNIS is “becoming a problem area” with calls being made for the setting up of a special Joint Policing sub-committee with a specific focus on the county capital. This week’s meeting of the Ennis Municipal District saw councillors raise concerns about anti-social behaviour which has been linked to the use of tourist buildings as homeless accommodation. Residents of Hermitage and Considine’s Terrace in Ennis have reported anti-social behaviour including incidences of drug dealing and intimidation associated with some living in Ashford Court under the Winter Initiative Project. While concerns have also been raised about residents at Westbrook House, a former bed and breakfast on the Gort Road being used for emergency accommodation. Councillor Johnny Flynn raised the issue at the meeting, requesting a report on the planning and development status of the ongoing homeless and emergency accommodation use of tourist accommodation buildings at both Ashford Court, and Westbrook.  He insisted that all councillors are “fully committed” to providing social housing. However …

Irish rugby legend and Clare man Marcus Horan is among the growing number of voices expressing their concern about circumstances surrounding the latest signing by Munster. It was announced last week that Johann van Graan has added the former Bulls and Springbok lock Jason Jenkins to his side, as cover to replace Munster stalwarts Billy Holland and CJ Stander. The move has led to much criticism as it is seen as favouring a big money move over homegrown players being given their chance to make that step to the next level. Clonlara native Horan, who played 225 times for the province, outlined it is a decision which has left those close to the scene confused as to its logic. “It goes against everything we have been told and it is hard to comprehend even from an IRFU point of view as to how it was allowed. If the player himself was more experienced and was going to be someone who …

It was clear from an early age that bravery was a prime trait for Jack Lynch, and one that he has carried through his entire sporting career. His battling qualities as a defender will come as no surprise to those who followed his father Tommy’s career in England, with his place in the annals of Shrewsbury Town history secured when he was voted on to the clubs greatest ever team in 2016. Like his son, Tommy also made his name as a defender, and the evidence of him passing on the tricks of the trade to the next generation at an early age were uncovered in the Lynch house recently. “My Dad was a huge influence on me. My first memories as a child always have some sort of a ball involved. I was watching back some home videos that my mother transferred on to DVD. I was only two or three years old and I was trying to slide …

THE Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of no additional Covid-19 cases in Clare and seven additional deaths related to Covid-19 nationally. Of the deaths reported today two occurred in April, two occurred in March and three occurred in February. The median age of those who died was 78 years and the age range was 62 to 89 years. There has been a total of 4,737* Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland. As of midnight, Wednesday, April 7, the HPSC has been notified of 400 confirmed cases of Covid-19. There is now a total of 239,723** confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. Of the cases notified today: 205 are men / 193 are women 72% are under 45 years of age The median age is 35 years old 162 in Dublin, 61 in Kildare, 26 in Cork, 21 in Galway, 17 in Donegal and the remaining 113 cases are spread across 18 other counties***. As of 8am today, 226 …

THE Clare hurlers are set to begin their National League campaign on the weekend of May 8/9, while the county’s footballers will return to action the following weekend, according to the GAA fixture calendar released today. Intercounty teams are to resume training on April 19, and the football league will see a regionalised format this year, with Clare facing Cork, Laois and Kildare in Division 2 South. They will begin with an away tie against Kildare. After the action begins the hurlers will have five league games, but the competition will not have a specific final this year, with the winners of Divisions 1A and 1B being joint winners, or if they meet in the championship, this will double as a final. As in 2020 the Munster and Leinster hurling championships will be knock out, with a back door qualifier system. The football championship will be knock out, with no qualifier system. Both the football and hurling championships will get …

“I CAME over to Dublin from Ghana for what was meant to be six months, to help my friends set up a restaurant and plan a menu, then I blinked and found five years had gone by.” Sam Gleeson is reflecting on the road that has led him to Ennistymon and how he has come to set up a knife making business that last week won him a prestigious national craft award with a €10,000 bursary. Using metal and woodworking techniques, and using found and reclaimed materials, even washed-up ocean plastics, he creates beautiful, distinctive knives for culinary use. The plan now is to open a teaching facility in Ennistymon to share his bladesmith craft with others and Sam plans to use his bursary to attend a forge-welding course in the US and take his own skills to the next level. “Reclaimed wood and plastic goes in the handles,” he says, “but what I’m becoming known for is making my …