News

By Nicola Corless EARTHQUAKES close to Ireland and around the world will now be registered at a second-level school in South Galway. A seismometer was recently donated to Seamount College in Kinvara and was unveiled last week in the newly built science laboratory. “The seismometer was donated to us by Kevin Cullen, who is the uncle of one of our teachers here. Ruth Cullen is a geography and Irish teacher and is from Ennis. Her uncle Kevin had the seismometer and it wasn’t in use so he donated it to the school,” explained Maighread Mhic Dhomhnaill, principal of Seamount College. “It is a fantastic addition to the school. As a former geography teacher I am very excited about having a seismometer in the school and it brings the subject very much alive to the students. It won’t just pick up earthquakes off the Irish coast, it will also pick up earthquakes taking place worldwide and will record these on the …

By Dan Danaher THE lifesaving exploits of a Great Dane were honoured with a national award recently. Charlie’s ability to detect when Brianna Lynch (3) is going to have a seizure, has been officially recognised by the Irish Great Dane Club (IGDC) Club. This makes him a welcome member of the Killaloe/Ballina community, where Brian Boru once reigned. There were up to 30 of the giant breed shown at the club’s open show annual event in Cloghran, Dublin. Brianna and Charlie were due to attend with Arabella but due to Brianna’s ill heath they could not do so. Brianna’s sister, Rose came to the event and received the award on their behalf. The award was presented by the IGDC president, Mary U Nolan and by the IKC president, Sean Delmar. Clare Ryan, who is a member of the IGDC, said she was incredibly proud to have bred Charlie and for his super temperament to be making such a difference. Ms …

SHANNON pharmacist, Séadn Hillery of has called for more incentives to study sciences at third level. Mr Hillery said that there is a need to encourage young people to pursue careers in the sciences and that’s why he and his pharmacist wife, Valerie Normoyle, from Ennis, initiated the annual €5,000 scholarship programme. The bursary will be expended over the duration of undergraduate studies and students are required to pass college exams each year. Valerie Normoyle “It is important for us to encourage and support participation in the study of science and to dispel beliefs that science is either too difficult or points in science subjects are too hard to achieve. Science is a universal qualification. It opens up many opportunities for students and has a practical application in the real world.” Mr Hillery suggested that increased incentives to study the sciences at third level would address a shortfall in sought after science skills, slow down the brain drain and aid …

STOP the press. Ennis’ newest newspaper is preparing for its next edition, though the staff may be a little younger than expected. Sixth class students of CBS Primary School are busy working on their Easter edition of The Scribbler, their new school newspaper. The publication is certainly proving to be popular, with the last edition selling out its 600 copy print run with a smaller reprint required. The newspaper is just one part of the school’s ambitious e-learning plan which will see a host of technological innovations launched over the next two years. There are 15 students involved in the paper, covering every aspect of newspaper production including journalists, typesetters, photographers, editors and press relations. Just recently the budding news hounds visited The Clare Champion where they got a first hand look at the newspaper industry. An edition of The Scribbler is released every term, with the students charging €1 a copy and profits from the paper are put back …

By CAROL BYRNE CLARE County Council has given the green light for the development of a new secondary school building in Tulla, subject to 11 planning conditions. The Board of Management of St Josephs Secondary School in Tulla applied for the planning permission, which will see the construction of a new two storey 650 pupil post primary school building in the East Clare village. The development comprises of a building with 26 specialist classrooms, 10 general classrooms, a P.E Hall, general purpose hall, kitchenette and servery, offices, staff areas, two class base special needs unit, sanitary and ancillary accommodation. The works also include the demolition of an existing derelict farm compound. Proposed site works were also to include the provision of 48 car parking spaces including accessible parking via new proposed vehicular in-out access from R462 public road including pedestrian access and drop-off and pick-up facilities. External works include covered bicycle racks, five ball courts, GAA playing pitch, SNU play …

ST Caimin’s Community,  School recently held a Friendship Week aimed at promoting positive relationships between students and tackling bullying. The approach adopted was for LC1 students to give presentations to junior cycle students. The older students reminded the younger ones to speak out about situations before they escalate and they offered advice on how to deal with bullying and its effects. Other activities during the week included a ‘Thought of the Day’ which was communicated over the school’s intercom. The objective of this was to give students a positive thought to keep their spirits up during the day. During the week LC1 students were visited by Colm Fagan from Aware. Colm spoke to students about how to recognise anxiety and about how to cope with it effectively. Posters, created by the students, were displayed around St Caimin’s to remind them to be aware of the support systems available in the school. There was positive feedback from both staff and students …

By CAROL BYRNE IRISH Water is to fund an independent assessment, currently being conducted by North Tipperary County Council, on proposed plans to abstract water from Lough Derg. This came to light at a joint meeting of the Newport and Killaloe electoral area councillors held in Killaloe this week. Concern was raised by the Killaloe Electoral Area councillors after North Tipperary councillor, Phyll Bugler discussed a report featured in a national newspaper that suggested the abstraction could be taken from Parteen in South East Clare. Councillor Bugler said she felt a proposal to take the water from Parteen and not from Terryglass as originally mooted might be “a lesser evil” and could help protect ecological interests in Lough Derg. Although she later stated that she was against any abstraction of water from Lough Derg, her comments were met with staunch opposition from councillors Pascal Fitzgerald, Pat Hayes, Joe Cooney and Pat Burke. Councillor Fitzgerald said he totally objected the taking of …

Owen Ryan THERE has been interest in developing a crematorium at Shannon for  years and the site where planning permission has been granted for one is now going on sale. Two different parties are said to be interested in purchasing it and putting in place the first crematorium in the West of Ireland. Prior to this week’s Shannon Electoral Area meeting, Councillor Gerry Flynn put forward a motion asking that “the proposed sale of land adjacent to Illaunmanagh Graveyard to private speculators for commercial activity be ceased”. His motion also asked that the “land originally purchased from Shannon Development at a reduced price for the purpose of a burial ground in Shannon be retained for that purpose by the council.” In a written report, Clare County Council’s senior executive officer, Michael McNamara outlined plans for the site, and he indicated that more than one party is interested. “The original promoters of the crematorium are no longer interested in pursuing their …