News

GARDAÍ are investigating a number of incidents of ­burglaries and thefts over the past two weeks and are warning people to be vigilant and to ensure their premises and property are secure as the long nights set in. A senior garda based in Killaloe warned “The long evenings are coming to an end now and as we get into September, October and November, crime does pick up. “I’m appealing to the public to pick up the phone to us if they see a car acting suspiciously. They should ring it in and try if they can at all to get some portion of the registration number. Sometimes this is all that is needed to break a case for us”. A pub in Kilmore was broken into between 1.15am on Tuesday, August 27 and 7.15am on Thursday, August 29, by forcing open the rear door. Two televisions, a black 19” and a black 32” and four bottles of spirits were stolen. …

HE’S more used to soccer and rugby, but Shannon Airport’s new CEO Neil Pakey has already got the hurling bug. From Troon, on Scotland’s west coast, he has spent a lifetime following the fortunes of Scottish sides, he says that hurling has an appeal all of its own and that he can’t understand how it isn’t better known around the world. “I was lucky enough to have gone to the quarter final between Clare and Galway and the two things that got me most were the speed of the game and banter between the fans. “You almost need a trained eye to follow the ball, the game is that fast. Only for the umpires and their green and white flags, I really didn’t know wheter or not the players had actually scored.” The banter among the supporters was what got to him the most. “I learned all sorts of things from the fans, including the wide variety of names to …

“RATS the size of cats” are making themselves known and are causing issues for residents in various parts of  Shannon. The town council heard this week of one case where a child can’t be let play on a lawn because of the amount of vermin, while there are issues in a few parts of the town. The matter was raised by Councillor Cathy McCafferty, who called on Clare County Council to “take urgent and immediate action to address the rodent problem in Aidan Park  and Finian Park that is a cause of much concern for residents.” She said that several people had contacted her about the issue. “Over the summer we had a number of complaints over the rat infestation in Aidan and Finian Parks and nothing appears to have been done.”

GARDAÍ investigating three arson attacks at houses at Beech Park halting site in Ennis, and separately a further arson attack of a house in Ashline halting site last week, say no arrests have been made. The latest arson attack occurred between 12am on Tuesday, August 20 and 9am on Wednesday, August 21 when three unoccupied houses in Beech Park halting site in Ennis were damaged by fire. Some form of accelerant was used to douse the buildings. Although it did not ignite, considerable smoke damage was caused to the interiors. The arson attacks have been condemned by the chairman of Clare County Council’s Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee (LTACC) Councillor Brian Meaney, who said these arsons exemplify taxpayers’ money “going up in smoke”. He claimed more than €34 million has been invested in Traveller-specific accommodation in the county over a 12-year period, since Clare County Council embarked on a project to provide housing and caravan bays for members of the …

A PLAN to show the All-Ireland hurling final on a big screen in Ennis has resulted in mixed reactions.

AS the scramble for All-Ireland hurling final tickets continues, 16-year-old, Sean McCaw has no worries about gaining admission to Croke Park for the big game.

REPORTS this week that welfare traps are stopping people taking up work are borne out by business people in Clare. Labour TD Michael McNamara said reform of the current system is required.