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Dissident arms find in Meelick

GARDAI are continuing their investigations following a significant seizure of firearms and explosive components in South-East Clare. A substantial amount of what is believed to be dissident explosives, ammunition detonators, a variety of firearms, CS gas containers, magazines and balaclavas were taken from a wooded area in Meelick on Friday evening. An army bomb disposal team was called to examine the area before it could be declared safe. The items, which included recently manufactured devices for detonating explosives were taken away for a Garda forensic and technical examination. Gardai have been investigating links between dissident republicans based in Dublin and Limerick and have had significant successes in the past year since a new group, terming itself the “New Real IRA” and including former leading members of the Provisional IRA, emerged. The Garda Special Detective Unit has been searching for a dissident arms and explosives manufacturing operation for over a year and the indications are this find marked a major breakthrough …

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N18 road works begin this weekend

SURFACE rehabilitation Works are taking place on the N18 Limerick to Ennis Road starting this weekend. Works are due to start on Sunday and are expected to last for approximately 10 to 12 weeks. A 50kmph speed limit will be in place for the duration of the works. The works will result in lane closures, in both directions, between the Junctions of R471 Sixmilebridge and Bunratty East. The Motorway Traffic Control Centre is advising motorists travelling to or from Bunratty to be aware that access to and from the N18 Northbound will be closed from Sunday, September 29, and diversions will be in place.

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Cappa man overcomes adversity to keep the dream alive

DRIFTING in and out of consciousness, John Cahill couldn’t let go of his dream. His bicycle lay mangled in a Killaloe ditch, an increasing crowd surrounded the Cappa man and the pain seared through his body. Still his scrambled thoughts zoned in on London. “I was lying on the road for about 20 minutes waiting for the ambulance to come,” the An Post employee recalled on Wednesday more than a year after his accident at a triathlon in Killaloe. “The first thing I did was move my fingers and toes. Once I could do that I knew then that one day I’d get back on the bike. Even when I was lying there the first thing that went through my head was London and would I be able to make it.” John is just back from the World Triathlon Championships in London, so yes, he definitely made it. Along with David Brew, also from Cappa, John represented the West Clare …

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Community mediation service launched in Shannon

A community mediation service has been established in Shannon which will help people resolve their conflicts in a non-adversarial manner. The new service, launched by Mayor of Shannon Greg Duff, will be provided by a panel of volunteers that have completed an extensive state-approved training under Tricia Hayes, a mediator and facilitator with a Masters in Conflict Resolution. Ms Hayes has been a practitioner in this area since the early 90s and the course objective was to develop the essential core knowledge and skills essential to the practice of mediation. Community mediation is to help parties involved in a dispute to reach an agreement acceptable to both sides.  The process starts when a pair of mediators talks to each party separately to hear their view on the situation.  Next the parties are brought together in a meeting at a neutral venue. The mediators will ensure that everyone is heard. The benefits of mediation are that it is an independent and …

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Michael in no rush to hang up his golf clubs

ALTHOUGH he has lived and worked in Nottingham since 1966, the love of golf Michael Rush picked up in his native Lahinch has had a profound effect on his life. Now almost 72, Michael or ‘Smiley’, which he says he is better known as, was the centre of attention at Lahinch Golf Club earlier this month when the exploits of the 1963 All-Ireland Junior Cup winning team were recalled at a golden anniversary celebration. Lahinch Golf Club won the same competition in 1961 but according to Michael, the cupboard has been bare since. “I wasn’t even in Clare in 1961, I was in London. My brother, Tommy, was part of the 1961 squad. He was a radio officer and he won a vital game but he had to go back to sea and he missed the last two rounds. When we had won it twice, you think, ‘this is easy enough’. You could think different now. Lahinch hasn’t won any …

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Council shortlisted for engineering award

CLARE County Council is a finalist in the 10th annual Engineers Ireland Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Employer of the Year Awards for 2013-2014. Clare County Council, which has a long and successful record of CPD, has been shortlisted for its achievements in using in-house expertise, local knowledge and innovation to develop the Clare County Flood Forecasting System (CCFFS). The system has proven highly successful and is being replicated by a number of organisations throughout the country. Dublin City Council, Dromone Engineering Limited, global healthcare company Abbott Ireland and PM Group are among other leading organisations shortlisted for the awards. Engineers Ireland director general and chartered engineer, John Power said, “Every year we are hugely impressed by the quality of entries and the organisations’ commitment to CPD. This year is no different. The shortlist reflects companies that have demonstrated how the strategic use of CPD enables tangible business transformation, helping to establish Ireland as a centre of excellence for engineering. “I …

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Olympic champion inspires Ennistymon pupils

Olympic hero David Rudisha and his coach Cork man, Brother Colm O’Connell visited North Clare on Tuesday speaking at Ennistymon’s three secondary schools. The Kenyan is the fastest man in the world at 800m holding the current Olympic and World Records in the distance and the Olympic gold medal. In hushed tones, Mr Rudisha spoke to the assembled young people in Ennisymon CBS, Ennistymon Vocational School and Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon as part of a brief tour of the area visiting locals Neilus and Pat O’Doherty. Mr Rudisha spoke about the impact Br O’Connell had on him. “From the time I went into his training programme I knew I would win because I was in a good training programme and everything was there for me. I was being beaten at the age of seven. I knew disappointment but I worked hard and I knew that I could improve. Someone told me change what you can and accept what cannot be changed,” …

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Private well registration fears

FEARS  have been expressed that the owners of wells and boreholes in Clare will be hit with registration fees under proposed new legislation. Councillor Pat McMahon expressed concern about the implications for hundreds of private wells if, as expected, new legislation is introduced to licence the use of all water from private sources to comply with EU requirements. The Newmarket Councillor has also warned that the new national water agency Irish Water will not show any leniency towards genuine hardship arrears cases in the county. He claimed at a council meeting on Monday that he was informed by a senior council official there would be “no deals” for anyone in arrears, regardless of whether they presented a strong case. The Fianna Fáil Councillor also sought clarification about whether the new legislation will apply to existing and or new wells and boreholes in the county. His concern was shared by Councillor Michael Kelly, who stated that people who had sunk bore holes and wells had already incurred considerable …

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