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Tubber National School received their fourth Green Flag last week, at a ceremony in the Radisson Hotel in Galway. The theme of the flag was travel. The children were very conscious that for every 1km journey in a car, 13 balloons of CO2 are released into the atmosphere. To reduce the amount of CO2, the children decided to come to school in a more eco-friendly way. This included travelling by bicycle, by walking and by park and stride. Some children also came to school by carpooling with other families. With help from Roisin Ni Ghairbhith, An Taisce Green Schools officer for County Clare, the children used incentives such as a Golden Boot award, to encourage all the children in the school to take part. The school also received their 10th Discover Primary Science and Maths award this week. They are only one school of 16 in the country that have received 10 such awards. As part of this initiative, the …

THE Burren Smokehouse has landed a year-long contract to supply its trademark product at a world-famous department store in London. Burren Smoked Irish Wild Salmon, which is produced by the Burren Smokehouse, will be offered for sale at Harrod’s Food Hall in the latest commercial success for the Lisdoonvarna-based company. It already supplies its products overseas to KaDeWe Berlin, Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason. The family-run company sources its wild salmon from commercial fisherman, Mick Murphy, on the River Nore in County Kilkenny, before smoking the fish in the Burren. Mr Murphy, accompanied by Burren Smokehouse owner, Birgitta Hedin-Curtin, this week landed the first commercially-caught wild salmon in Ireland this year, near the historic Kilkenny village of Inistioge. “Mick Murphy catches the wild salmon in the traditional way, with snap-netting and in traditional flat-bottomed fishing vessels called cots. Conditions have been difficult this year, due to weather conditions, and the catch is late coming. “However, that has made the first …

A KILLALOE primary school teacher is one of a group of friends who is supporting the Pink Ribbon Walk in memory of her late friend, Nora O’Regan. Large groups and hundreds of individuals from every walk of life are in the pink as summer approaches, preparing for the now famous Killaloe Pink Ribbon walk on Sunday, June 8, in aid of Action Breast Cancer, a programme of the Irish Cancer Society. Everyone has his or her own personal, or communal, reason for participating in this, the fifth 10k trek through the scenic countryside around Killaloe.However, few are more enthusiastic than a small band of walkers, known as Nora’s Pals – the friends of the late Nora O’Regan, who died in April 2012 from the disease. Cora Scanlan, from Killaloe, who now teaches at the Gaelscoil in Nenagh, started her primary teaching in the Convent school.  She recalled that Nora had been a great friend to her at the start of …

CONTRACTS for two Kilrush projects, on which a total of €429,000 will be spent, have been agreed by Kilrush Town Council. The total cost of phase one of the all weather pitch on the Cooraclare road will be in excess of €309,000, while Cappa playground will cost €120,000. In a statement Kilrush Town Council, which ceases to operate this week, said that the astro turf contract will be undertaken by Sportslawn Ireland Limited and that it is expected that it will be completed by early July. Kilrush Town Council has secured a grant of €59,000 under the Sportnation programme, funded jointly by the Department of Transport, Sport and Tourism and Irish Public Bodies. Clare County Council are providing an allocation of €60,000 towards the development with the balance of funding provided by Kilrush Town Council. It will comprise of an artificial playing surface of 75m x 38m together with CCTV, floodlighting and security fencing. “It will be a multi purpose …

A DISTRICT Court judge said there is a “huge flaw” in the system, whereby a man, who was on a methadone detox programme in prison, was released before completing it, without any link-in services being provided in the community. The issue arose in the case of Gerard Delaney, with addresses at Inis Ealga Shannon and formerly of Rineanna View, who appeared before the court on a breach of bail, arising from a burglary. The court was told that the defendant had been on a methadone detox programme while on remand in Limerick Prison. He did not finish the programme in prison and was released with no follow-up care or referral. Arising from the incident, Judge Patrick Durcan has requested the governor of Limerick Prison, or someone with the relevant authority, come to court next Wednesday to explain how this can happen. Judge Durcan heard the defendant “was not finished the programme when he left prison. It was not possible for …

ALL over the country, Sinn Féin’s vote has been growing for years but it was last weekend that the party really started to see results in the Banner County. Perhaps the biggest result of the weekend was Mike McKee’s victory in the Shannon Electoral Area, giving the party its first seat on Clare County Council since PJ Burke triumphed in West Clare in 1974. Patricia McCarthy, who bowed out of the Shannon political scene at this campaign, said she wasn’t overly surprised with the McKee triumph. “Once I saw the way Sinn Féin were going nationwide and the way the polls were going, I had pencilled him in as a possibility.” She felt McKee would get a sizeable amount of number ones due to his years on Shannon Town Council. However, he exceeded her expectations and she hadn’t realised he would draw support from around the municipal district. “I initially thought he might have between 500 and 600 votes that …

Shannon Airport staff got on their bikes at the weekend to undertake a gruelling 175km charity cycle. The cyclists braved the worst of the May weather, as driving wind and rain throughout the 10-hour cycle added to the challenging circuit. In all, they raised €14,000 for the neonatal unit at the Regional Maternity Hospital, the Samaritans and the Clare branch of the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society of Ireland. The group set off at 8am from King John’s Castle, Limerick, on Saturday, for a route that took them all the way to the Cliffs of Moher, before concluding at the airport. Speaking after the cycle, Shannon Airport’s operations director, Niall Maloney, said the effort was more than worth it. “It was a tough cycle for all involved, not least a number of people who are new enough to the sport, so they deserve great credit as we had a very tough route and very challenging weather. “We raised around €14,000 for …

IS THERE a budding Denis O’Brien lurking in a fifth or sixth class in the Banner County? Starting next school term, the answer will be revealed, when a unique initiative, aimed at identifying and nurturing entrepreneurs in Clare over the next two school years, is introduced to the county. The venture, which will help identify the Clare entrepreneurs of tomorrow through a programme delivered in primary school classrooms, was launched in the county this week. The Junior Entrepreneurial Programme (JEP) for primary schoolchildren in Clare will offer teachers and students the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship and take part in practical exercises, designed to complement their creative thinking, problem-solving, presentation, writing and teamwork. The programme is designed to help children discover their own strengths and skills and encourage them to develop creativity and money management. Former Ennis National School teacher, Tom Glynn will co-ordinate the JEP in Clare over the coming weeks and months. He is excited at the prospect …