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UNITED Airlines’ seasonal service between Shannon and Chicago was launched last Friday morning.There will be five flights per week on the route until late August.James Mueller, United’s vice-president of Atlantic and Pacific sales, was joined by John Hennessey Niland of the US embassy, Deputy Pat Breen, Simon Gregory of Tourism Ireland and Shannon Airport chairperson Rose Hynes at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to inaugurate the service.Mr Mueller said the service has a lot to offer Irish visitors to the US. “Having operated our Shannon-Newark service successfully for 15 years, this new route will further benefit our customers in Ireland, offering faster access to one of the United States’ most popular business and tourism destinations as well as increased travel options throughout the Americas.”Ms Hynes said Shannon’s US Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance facility will help passengers. “We are delighted to welcome United Airlines today with this service, which is a huge boost to the tens of thousands annually who travel between …

THE West of Ireland is being heavily promoted in the Chicago area at the moment, according to Simon Gregory, director of markets with Tourism Ireland.“We’re running advertising out there, we’ve got a big publicity campaign, we had about 50 media and trade at a lunch this week to promote and sell not just the service but the benefits of Shannon and the West Coast.”He also said there are strong links between the Windy City and Ireland. “It’s hard to find anyone in Chicago who doesn’t have Irish links, particularly links to the West of Ireland. I was on the flight in and a number of people hadn’t been to Ireland in a number of years and they were coming because the service is back.”Mr Gregory said people in the US see the advantages of Shannon. “Americans want to come to the West Coast because that’s where they think they’re going to see the real Ireland.”He feels Ireland could do with …

`“DO we need more politicians or fewer?” That was the question posed by Minister Richard Bruton on the radio this week as he argued for the abolition of the Seanad.  Put that question to any Irish electorate and you know for certain that the answer will be a resounding “we want fewer politicians”. But that’s not the question the Government is putting before the Irish people in a referendum later this year.  There is no question of reducing the number of TDs below the handful the Constitution allows. The voters will have a choice either to abolish the Seanad or retain it in its current form. Surely the answer will be a resounding Yes to abolish the Seanad and an equally resounding No to retain it in its current form. I don’t blame Enda Kenny for giving us a stark choice and confining it to the Seanad rather than asking us if we wanted to radically reduce the number of …

A PATHOLOGIST is due to present evidence to the Central Criminal Court in Dublin as to the horrific injuries that led to the death of a North Clare woman, over two years ago.

  BOGGED down with the cost of repairs and tired of burning money since the minor works grants were abolished last year, a North Clare school has come up with a unique fundraising activiy. The Fanore National School community, armed with sock-covered bottles of tea, travelled to a nearby bog on Tuesday where they began work on drying and footing turf. The school will sell the saved turf at the end of the summer to generate much-needed funds for maintenance and repairs. “We had a great day and it was a fantastic experience for the kids,” said school principal, Bríd Queally. “The minor works grant is totally stopped and we were trying to find a different way to raise funds for the school. We were very sceptical two months ago because of the constant rain and we didn’t think we would get it to work but we were very fortunate. “Christine O’Connor, one of our board of management members, suggested …

A “FESTER” that needs to be knocked to the ground is how the apartments known as Fairways in Ennis have been described this week. The privately owned building near Marian Avenue is considered a derelict site not fit for human habitation and calls were made this week for the council to demolish the apartments.

THE realignment of the local electoral area boundaries has claimed its first political scalp. Details of the changes to the constituency were announced on Thursday and one councillor has already confirmed he will not run in the 2014 Local Elections.

  More than 2,830 young Clare people began their State exams on Wednesday. In glorious sunshine, 1,313 pupils filled study halls across the county starting their Leaving Certificate, while a further 1,441 kicked off their Junior Certificate with English Paper 1. According to the State Examinations Commission, 667 girls and 646 boys were expected to sit the Leaving Cert in the county, compared with 690 girls and 751 boys undertaking their Junior Cert exams. A further 76 pupils began their Leaving Cert Applied exams at 9.45am on Wednesday, made up of 29 girls and 47 boys.Wednesday marked the start a two-week slog for the Junior and Leaving Certificate pupils, with examinations concluding for the junior cycle on June 20, and June 21 for the senior cycle. Meanwhile, Leaving Cert Applied exams conclude on June 13. Leaving Certificate pupils will receive their examinations results this year on Wednesday, August 14 from 12 noon, with a deadline of August 20 to return …