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I knew the original plan was to hit Dublin early to get a run on the day, but you know how it is with hoomans and their packing – it was nearly 3.00pm when we finally parked the car. Our first stop was at the live crib, now in St Stephen’s Green, but they were already closing up when we arrived. Despite our pleadings and my howlings, they wouldn’t let us in – the big meanies. My disappointment was eased once we walked around the city, admiring the lights and being admired in my smart raincoat. We repaired to the Galway Bay Brewery Bar for a quick drink before heading to my Dublin pied-à-terre, Dylan Hotel, where we had a lovely dinner and drinks before I settled down for a restful sleep. It felt like only a few short hours later when I was rudely awakened by an alarm and it was still pitch dark outside. As we drove through …

A RADIO documentary about the life of Ennis native Bernárd Lynch is to be broadcast this week. “Falsely Accused” broadcasts on Clare FM at 11 am on Friday and will look back at Bernárd’s life, from growing up in St Michael’s Villas, being ordained in Newry, and then joining the Society of African Missions (SMA) which would eventually lead him to New York. While in New York, Bernárd worked with mainly sick men that were dying in their hundreds and thousands. The cause of these deaths was eventually coined AIDS. By 1983 New York City had 1,000 reported AIDS cases, by 1987, it estimated 70,000 New Yorkers had AIDS. While some families turned their back on their loved ones, Bernárd Lynch was there in their final hours, minutes, and seconds to bring peace and comfort. In the late 80s, Bernárd was home and received a call to tell him criminal charges were being filed against him for the alleged sexual …

THE contribution of the late William McLysaght to the state-of-the-art facilities at Raheen Community Hospital will be remembered in a fundraising climb of Moylussa on Saturday, January 14.  Mr McLysaght was co-founder of Raheen Hospital Support Group and passed away in May of last year. His efforts, combined with those of a dedicated committee, facilitated significant development and expansion of the HSE-run hosptial, which will shortly unveil a new extension and kitchen facilities.  As well as paying tribute to Mr McLysaght, the aim of the fundraising climb is to secure services for those who attend the day centre in Raheen, through the purchase of a new mini-bus. The existing bus has been on the road for six years taking people from 17 villages and townlands to Raheen for a range of vital services, five-days-a-week. “After those years on the roads of East and South East Clare, from Flagmount down to O’Brien’s Bridge, the bus needs to be replaced,” explained Mary …

Clare’s Senior Camogie side will face three away trips as the fixtures for the Very Ireland Camogie Leagues have been released. The Banner open their Division 1A campaign at home to reigning All Ireland champions Kilkenny on Saturday, February 18. Clare secured a memorable 1-9 to 0-10 win over Kilkenny in the League three years ago. However, the Cats emerged triumphant when the sides met during the 2021 Championship and in League fare last year. Seven days after their clash with Kilkenny, John Carmody’s side face the first of three successive games away from home when they travel down to Leeside for a clash with Cork. Last year’s league game between the sides saw then Cork camogie coach Davy Fitzgerald sent to the stands after an altercation with Conor Dolan, who at the time was Clare’s joint manager. On Saturday, March 4, Clare will face an away game against Galway. They will then play Tipperary on away soil on Saturday, …

Clare’s interests in the Munster Senior Post-Primary Schools Championships remain strong in the concluding stages as nine teams are still in the hunt for hurling and football silverware extends over seven different competitions. Having garnered a memorable Munster Senior C double last year, CBS Ennistymon have impressively maintained that dual mandate as they compete in the final four of the hurling (Senior C) and football (Senior B) in the last two Saturdays of January. Remarkably they could be facing the same opposition in both as while a CBS Ennistymon v CBS Mitchelstown football pairing is guaranteed on Saturday, January 28th, Scariff Community College can put a spanner in the works next Monday (January 16th) when taking on the Cork side in the Munster Senior C Hurling Quarter-Final in Cappamore at 12.30pm. Rice College, Ennis were the only other Banner school on track for a provincial double but would be agonisingly edged out by Charleville CBS in UL on Wednesday afternoon …

A CLINIC will be held in Ennis Primary Care Centre, Station Road, Ennis on Wednesday, January 18 as part of the Laura Brennan HPV vaccine catch-up programme. The programme is available for those aged under 25 years who were previously eligible but have not received the HPV vaccine yet. Eligible people can register on www.hpv.ie for an appointment for a free vaccine, which will be administered through HSE vaccination clinics and schools (2023). The programme is supported by Bernie and Larry Brennan, parents of the late Laura Brennan who campaigned for higher uptake of the HPV vaccine before her death from cervical cancer in 2019, aged 26. The most common cancer caused by the HPV virus is cervical cancer – cancer of the neck of the womb. However, the HPV virus can cause other cancers and conditions that can affect boys, and since September 2019, boys have also been offered the HPV vaccine. The more young people vaccinated – both …

There was no shortage of Clare representation on the Munster side that overcame Ulster 34-0 in the opening game of the Interprovincial Championship. Former Ennis RFC player Aoife Corey started at full back as Kilkishen’s Clodagh O’Halloran packed down in the second row. Ireland international Maeve Óg O’Leary started in the back row while former Shannon RFC player Aoife Doyle lined out on the wing. Doyle cut through the Ulster defence in the opening period to cross the whitewash. Chloe Pearse, who also came through the ranks at Shannon, came off the bench as did Ennis’ Alana McInerney. Eilís Cahill made her senior Munster debut as she replaced fellow UL Bohemians club woman Fiona Reidy in the front row. Munster got off to a great start as O’Leary claimed a lineout 5m from the Ulster line before a powerful maul effort saw Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird peel off the back and crash over the line. Nicole Cronin was unsuccessful with …

ENNIS residents’ concerns over “haphazard development” and vacant homes at St Flannan’s Terrace have prompted calls for ‘Development and Design Guidelines’ to be drawn up for the area. A newly-formed residents association of St Flannan’s Terrace have made the request for the area which was built in the early 1900s and has been designated Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) under the Clare County Development Plan. Councillor Johnny Flynn at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District urged his fellow councillors to support the residents in their call for guidelines to be drawn up under relevant planning legislation. “The procedure for such guidelines is laid out in Section 84 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) together with advice on public consultation, enforcement etc,” he pointed out. The terrace constitutes 46 houses, six of which are unoccupied. “They are quite concerned about haphazard development occurring and some vacancy,” he said. He continued that because the terrace is an ACA design guidelines …