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FOR some it’s the most wonderful time of the year, but for other it’s just the most expensive and stressful. Christmas is when the Mary Immaculate Conference of St Vincent De Paul in Shannon is at its busiest, helping the many local people who struggle to meet the financial demands of the season. Mary Corry has been involved in it for the last 25 years and she says that 2020 has posed very difficult challenges. “We’re not really doing visits at the moment, we just send vouchers to people. It’s much more difficult because we don’t meet to discuss cases or that sort of thing. Yet people’s needs remain the same, they’ve increased a bit I’d say. “ We haven’t been able to have a collection which is a huge drawback for us. We won’t be able to get food, we used to get an amount of food from the schools and the Giving Trees (positioned at local churches). We …

THE use of wind energy is seen as an important step in reducing carbon emissions and Clare is now seeing an increasing number of applications for turbines, which is not sitting well with those living near proposed sites. New national guidelines are due on windfarm development, and when they are finally introduced are likely to offer added protection for householders. A draft document includes a prohibition on development within 500 metres of anyone’s home or within a multiple of four times a turbine’s height. For example a turbine of 175 metres – and at least one of this size would be included in a West Clare development for which planning permission is being sought – would have to be at least 700 metres from the nearest person’s home. The size of the turbines (the tallest building in the Republic of Ireland is less than half the height of the Miltown proposal) means they attract controversy, while there are concerns about …

ON December 12, Ballycasey’s Wynona Grant will be undertaking a massive challenge, all for youth mental health charity Jigsaw. At 5am that morning Wynona will begin a 12-hour run, continuing until 5pm that evening, with only minimal stops for bathroom breaks and to refuel. It’s a massive challenge for the 27-year-old, who works in digital marketing and has just qualified as a personal trainer and running coach. Running for 12 hours would be impossible even for many very fit people and it’s clear that Wynona is in fantastic shape, although she only really started running seriously a few years ago. “I kind of got into it about two and a half years ago, so not that long in the grand scheme of things. As a kid I would have exercised a lot, I played camogie and football for Wolfe Tones and soccer for Bunratty FC and stuff like that, but like a lot of people when I went to secondary …

PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins and Adam Clayton are set for a special Late Late Show musical tribute for Sharon Shannon tonight. In a statement yesterday RTE said, “She’s the doyenne of traditional Irish music, best known for her performances on the button accordion, and Sharon Shannon will be in studio for a very special evening honouring her contribution to the Irish trad scene over the years. Among those who will be paying tribute to Sharon’s talents will be President Michael D Higgins, and U2 bassist Adam Clayton. During the show, Sharon will be joined by some well-known Irish musicians including Adam, Donal Lunny, Denise Chaila, Steve Wickham, and Mundy to perform some of her best-known numbers for viewers at home. It will be a family affair, as Sharon’s brother Gary and niece Caolinn O’Donovan will also be joining in the trad session.”

Deputy Michael McNamara has asked Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to provide a greater level of transparency concerning the number of Irish people who died from and with Covid-19. His call coincided with the publication of figures on Tuesday of 18 additional deaths related to Covid-19, one death occurred in October, 15 deaths in November and two are under investigation. Deputy McNamara has asked Minister Donnelly for a breakdown of patients who died primarily from Covid-19, those who died with Covid-19 but primarily from other causes and those who died from the virus, having acquired it in hospital. The Independent Deputy was told this is a matter for the HSE and was assured he will receive a reply in due course. He expects to receive a typical vague response from the HSE. The 14-day incidence rate of the virus continues to fall and remain relatively low in Clare. This rate, which had rocketed about 70% from September 17 to September 30, …

THE Clare Champion has received a huge amount of correspondence on the theme of windfarms this week. Here is a sample of some of the letters. Windfarm woes Sir, I was horrified to discover Slievecurry Ltd intend to erect eight 175 metre turbines in the Miltown Malbay/Moy area, some of which are directly across from our home. They say there was widespread consultation with the local community this is simply untrue as the first we learned about it was reading a planning notice that appeared in your paper The Clare Champion. Toureen is a lovely rural community overlooked by beautiful Mount Callan. Erecting eight 175 metre turbines would totally dominate the landscape. The resulting noise would destroy the peace and tranquility enjoyed by generations. No regard has been given to the health/mental health and wellbeing of those living adjacent to these monsters. The disruption caused to the wildlife and biodiversity of the mountain and the bog by the construction/running and …

A CLARE-based advocate for those seeking asylum in Ireland has said he remains hopeful that plans to end Direct Provision by 2023 will succeed, despite considerable opposition from the Department of Housing. South African national Bulelani Mfaco, who lives in Knockalisheen, is a member of an expert group, led by Dr Catherine Day. In October, the panel published a report calling for a new asylum system to be put in place over the next three years. The plan recommends housing applicants in a State-owned centre for three months, then helping them to move to own-door accommodation with the support of a scheme similar to the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). While Mr Mfaco and fellow members of the advisory panel argue that the proposed system would lead to cost savings for the State and more humane living conditions for asylum seekers, there is considerable resistance from the Department of Housing. Submissions by the department said the plan has the potential to …

THE chairman of the Retailers of Ennis group has slammed Clare County Council’s policy of keeping O’Connell Street and Abbey Street closed in peak trading hours, something he says is killing business in the town centre, and will not help stop the spread of Covid-19. The streets have been closed to vehicles to allow more room for pedestrians, which the Council claims will help limit the spread of Covid-19, but business owner John O’Connor says it is a nonsense. “The rationale the Council used is based on a fallacy, that if you walk a normal street landscape you have every chance of transmitting or contracting the virus. The logic behind that is a total fallacy. At the start there was an element of fear and total ignorance, “What the Council have been doing is continuing with that ignorant discourse and trying to convince people, and they have a lot of people convinced, that if you walk the streets of Ennis …