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Insects and wildflowers will be examined this weekend as part of the Burren in Bloom festival. Insects of Ireland – An Illustrated Introduction to Ireland’s Common Insect Groups by Stephen McCormack and Eugenie Regan, with illustrations by Chris Shields, published by The Collins Press, is one of two books being launched this weekend in Cassidy’s Pub, Carron. “About one third of our insect species are under threat of extinction, which is worrying because insects are vitally important in our environment. Eugenie and I both agree with David Attenborough who famously said, ‘If we and the rest of the back-boned animals were to disappear overnight, the rest of the world would get on pretty well. But if the invertebrates were to disappear, the world’s ecosystems would collapse’,” said Stephen. Insects are the most diverse group of animals in Ireland but most are very small and escape notice. Identifying them accurately can be very difficult. The guide, by experts Stephen and Eugenie, …

The National Careers Skills competition 2014 winners were revealed this week and Leah Ferrigan from Colaiste Muire, Ennis came second in the Transition Year Category for her work experience in veterinary medicine. Sophie Marron and Fionnuala McKay also from Colaiste Muire, were awarded Highly Commended certificates in the McDonald’s-sponsored competition in recognition of their achievements. The National Career Skill Awards, run by www.careersportal.ie and sponsored by McDonald’s Ireland, recognise students who complete career investigations into their chosen area of interest and help equip guidance councillors with information in the area of career skills. Each student must demonstrate their understanding of a chosen career, the educational pathways that lead to it, the most relevant knowledge requirements and the most important transferable skills needed to be successful. Presentations were made by Ciarán Cannon,  Minister for Training & Skills the Department of Education and Skills at an awards ceremony in the Clock Tower

See our photos from the Clare 250 mile cycle, which took place last weekend.   [doptg id=”11″]

AS we count down to the opening of the polling stations for Friday’s local and European elections, The Clare Champion this week talks to five people with a deep knowledge of  Clare politics about the candidates and their prospects of success. With reporter Dan Danaher posing the questions in a round table discussion at Cairde in Barrack Street, Ennis, former TDs, Donal Carey (Fine Gael),  Moosajee Bhamjee (Labour) and Tony Killeen (Fianna Fáil), Clare Sinn Féin’s  Kevin Halpin and political observer, Mike Torpey from Tulla, gave their assessment of how the new 28-seat Clare County Council will shape up.

A woman’s body was found in a campervan in Corofin on Tuesday afternoon. The woman who was in her 60s and believed to be British, had been staying in the area since last week. Other holiday makers staying nearby became suspicious when they had not seen the woman since the weekend. They accessed her campervan and detected a smell of gas. Gardaí were contacted and the woman’s body was discovered at approximately 3.30pm. Fire and ambulance personnel also attended the scene. A technical examination of the campervan was carried out and the body was taken to University Hospital Limerick for a post-mortem examination. The woman’s death does not appear suspicious but Gardaí are liaising with authorities in Britain in an effort to locate the woman’s next of kin.

A man is due to appear before a sitting of Ennis District Court this Wednesday morning in connection with a seizure of cannabis plants and herb estimated to be worth almost €100,000 . The seizure was made at an address in Ballymaley in Ennis on Monday as part of on-going intelligence-led operations targeting the sale and supply of drugs in the Clare area. Gardaí from the Divisional Drugs Unit, on foot of a warrant, searched an address and located 118 cannabis plants and a quantity of cannabis herb with an estimated value of €98,000 (pending analysis). Two men were arrested at the premises on Monday at approximately 12:30pm, one aged in his 30s and one in his 40s. They were arrested at the scene and detained at Ennis Garda station under the provisions of Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. One of the men was later released and a file is to be prepared for the Director of …

One in four people have been subjected to some form of sexual violence, according to Rape Crisis Midwest – a service which offers support and help to the one in four affected by sexual violence in County Clare. However, due to the declining financial status of the charity organisation, which is used by 12 people every week in Clare, they will close their Ennis based service temporarily for the month of  September. Rape Crisis Midwest has had to make the difficult decision to temporarily close both its Clare and Tipperary services for the month of September as the charity faces a shortfall estimated to be in the region of €120,000. All services provided at the Tracklands Business Park, on Clonroadmore in Ennis will be cut for the month of September and will be reassessed based on whether the service can make up the shortfall through public support in the interim. A skeletal service will remain in Limerick for the month …

By Owen Ryan GARDAI have arrested one man and are still seeking others following an incident in which three teenagers were robbed at knife point in Shannon last Saturday evening. On the evening in question at about 7.30pm seven teenagers were together in a wooded area of Drumgeely. They were approached by three males, all wearing hoodies with the hoods up. One of the group produced a knife and threats were made, before the group took sums of money consisting of €20 and €4 as well as a speaker for a phone which was valued at €60. The three hooded males ran off towards Corrib Drive after the incident. On the night Shannon Town were playing a soccer match against Moyross United and after the males suspected of being involved in the incident were seen getting onto a large coach that had brought people to the match, Gardai were alerted. Gardai brought all passengers off the bus and one person …