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CLARE people must be at the forefront of all decisions made in Clare County Council, according to the newest co-opted councillor. Councillor Tom O’Callaghan, who formally became a council member at a meeting this week, has identified housing, health, issues affecting trade and business as well as the rising cost of living as the key challenges that need to be tackled over the coming years. The chairman of the Independent Postmasters’ Group identified Clare’s tourism amenities, sport, Shannon International Airport, heritage, music and agriculture as some of the key positive aspects in the county. “Details in the new draft County Development Plan 2023 to 2028 and at municipal district level set out lofty objectives. I believe we have an important role in achieving those goals, working and weaving the plans of local communities and groups in with the overall strategic plans to secure the best outcome for Clare.” Mr O’Callaghan said he was extremely privileged to be co-opted onto the …

The company that operates Cahercalla Community Hospital in Ennis plunged into the red last year to record losses of €895,091 from trading activities. New accounts show that Cahercalla Community Hospital CLG recorded the €895,091 loss after revenues decreased by €663,000 or 12% from €5.65m to €4.99m. In their report, the directors state that Cahercalla Community CLG “was massively impacted on many levels by the Covid-19 pandemic”. They state that “the financial impact is clearly seen in the financial statements for 2021”. The company made a loss of €895,091 from trading activities but pointed out that the loss was “somewhat mitigated by an insurance claim of €151,777”. Occupancy rates were highlighted as the main driver of the loss. The accounts – signed by company director and former TD, Dr Michael Harty – show that the loss last year followed a surplus of €184,940 in 2020. The directors reveal that in 2021, occupancy rates had slumped to 80.5 residents due to the …

The Kilkee Sub Aqua Club Christmas Day swim is back with a splash this year after it inspired Failte Ireland to film swimmers and Santa enjoying the chilly Atlantic waters. The piece is running on RTE television during December to showcase its weather forecasts. Christmas arrived early this year in #Kilkee, County #Clare. On a blue-skied early November morning over 160 locals braved the cold to be part of @Failte_Ireland's festive ad now running on @WeatherRTE @rte #KeepDiscovering pic.twitter.com/oXJfg3iHdk — Fáilte Ireland (@Failte_Ireland) December 14, 2022 The swim will be re-enacted for real at 12.30pm on Christmas Day. Hosted by Kilkee Sub Aqua Club, the swim has been running for decades and is now an essential part of Christmas Day in Kilkee for visitors and locals alike. “It’s a great day out for young and old and really has become a major community event. And of course it whets the appetite for the Christmas Day dinner,” says Vanessa Keane, the …

DEPUTY Cathal Crowe has that too many people who could have brought the proposed transfer of Shannon Heritage Tourism assets to Clare County Council to a satisfactory conclusion weeks ago “have dragged their heels”. He told The Clare Champion, “I think the Department of Transport in particular and Shannon Airport Group need to step up to the plate here.” He said that there was a certain level of hope for an early resolution however with Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton as well as cabinet members Darragh O’Brien and Michael McGrath all saying they hoped to have the matter resolved by Christmas. However he said there had already been many missed chances and a failure to really engage on the matter. “As I understand it at the moment there’s an over and back squabble between the Department of Housing and Local Government, which is the parent department of local authorities, and the Department of Transport, which is the parent department for …

A man alleged to have thrown a cup of urine at a Garda’s face has been further remanded in custody. Joel Lonia (32), of no fixe abode, made his second appearance at Ennis district court this Wednesday, December 14. Lonia is facing two charges of assaulting two gardaí at Ennis Garda station on December 11, contrary to section 2 of the Non Fatal Offences Against The Person Act. He is charged with the theft of clothes and hiking boots from Penneys, Francis Street, Ennis, also on December 11. He is further charged with engaging in behaviour or using words with intent to provoke breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace may be occasioned. That offence relates to an incident at the Templegate Hotel, Ennis on December 11. Sergeant Aiden Lonergan said the state required further time to determine how the case against the accused is to proceed. Judge Mary Larkin remanded Lonia …

STEEPED in musical heritage, 25-year-old Hazel Park has chased her dream, and is now living it. After spending a few years teaching, she left education to go to London for an MA in Musical Theatre Performance and is starting her first professional role this week, playing Tinkerbell in the pantomime Peter Pan at University Concert Hall Limerick. She told the Clare Champion that Shannon Musical Society has been a big part of her life and her family. “My grandparents actually founded the society, my family have been in it over the years and I joined when I was 18.” Hazel has also been involved with Muse Productions and the Ennis Musical Society, while she was nominated for Best Female Singer in the Association of Irish Musical Societies Awards in 2020. She has always wanted to get into musical theatre as a professional, but didn’t go into it straight after the Leaving Cert. “It was always in the back of my …

HOSPITAL campaigners have claimed there is no major improvement for patients attending the Emergency Department in University Hospital Limerick (UHL), despite the HSE’s “expert intervention”. Clare members of the Mid-West Hospital Campaign participated in a protest outside Ennis Hospital on Monday to highlight the crisis in ED unit. Similar demonstrations also took place in Navan, Drogheda, Cavan, Mullingar, Limerick and Nenagh. The protesters read out some of the recent survey responses from the public following the initiative undertaken by the Mid-West Hospital Campaign. Group member, Noeleen Moran told the Clare Champion they decided to go ahead with this protest, despite subzero temperatures because there is no progress being made to address the crisis at UHL. “The Petitions Committee has not received a response from the Department of Health yet in relation to the group’s petition calling for the upgrading of casualty facilities in the region. “The HSE’s response wasn’t even aware that the Deloitte report was already published and stated …

Following a three-year break due to Covid, the Rice College Christmas Concert returns to glór next Monday, writes River McGann. The concert will feature music students from the school’s Transition Year and upwards, with traditional music, Irish dancing, and solos from the sixth years. Joan Hanrahan, concert organiser and Rice College music teacher said, “The last time we held this Christmas Concert was three years ago, during Christmas 2019. Little did we think that we wouldn’t be back in glór for three full years! “It has been a huge loss to the school and the students, including the students of music, because the school concert is a wonderful opportunity for our students to perform. “Not everybody is comfortable with standing up in front of an audience, but it’s a skill we can improve. “We feel it’s a very important part of the life of Rice College, performing for others and creating bonds with people in doing so. “Not performing for …