News

An investigation is expected to be launched into an incident at Shannon Airport early today when a helicopter suffered difficulties while landing. The incident occurred at around 6.20am as the Eurocopter EC155B was about to land at a small aircraft park at the airport. It’s understood the helicopter landed heavily but the pilot managed to maintain control of his aircraft and keep it upright. It’s believed the pilot had been cleared to land on a taxiway from where he would then taxi to the light aircraft park. As the helicopter was setting down on the taxiway the pilot experienced difficulties and the aircraft appeared to land heavily. The incident occurred about 100 metres from the airport fire station so crews were able to respond very quickly. Airport crash crews mobilised the short distance to the scene and found that pilot was uninjured. It’s not yet clear whether the helicopter was carrying passengers at the time. Operations at Shannon Airport were …

A CLARE construction company has appealed against a €70,000 condition attached by Clare County Council to the granting of permission for a Shannon housing development. Woodhaven Developments Ltd has appealed against the condition attached to its recent permission for a 55-unit housing development at Smithstown. The condition in question stated that before work begins a Special Development Contribution would be paid to the local authority towards the upgrading of a section of the L-3172 as well as a contribution towards lighting a section of it. In line with Clare County Council’s provisions, the current cost would be €70,000. The appeal document states, “No justification or breakdown of the works or associated costs are available on the Council online portal as regards the planning file. “No location identified, no drawings submitted, no scope of works set out, no detail costings submitted (Bill of Quantities). The basis for the calculation of the condition is not explained in the planning decision.”

AN Ennis soccer club has kicked off a new initiative with the goal of highlighting the services of the Samaritans in Clare. Fair Green Celtic Football Club have teamed up with the Samaritans of Ennis and Clare in a project which is thought to be a first for any team in the Clare District Soccer League, and they are hoping that others will follow their lead. Part of the initiative sees the phone number to contact the Samaritans printed on the jerseys of the club’s players as a reminder that there is support out there for anybody who needs help. A portion of all money raised from club fundraising has also been pledged to the Samaritans, including from a planned charity match with Ennis’s Soccer Sisters on St Stephen’s Day. Team manager Richie O’Grady explains that when he and club chairman Declan Ryan first discussed the idea of setting up a new club in Ennis they wanted it to be …

A MAN has appeared in court charged in connection with the discovery of a suspected quantity of cocaine in the Inch area last week. Dara Maloney (28) with an address at Drumcliff, Ennis, appeared at Ennis district court this Wednesday on two drugs-related charges. He is charged with possession of cocaine and possession of cocaine for the purposes of sale or supply. Both charges arise from the seizure by gardaí of a quantity of suspected drugs in Magowna on the outskirts of Ennis on September 9. A further, more serious, drug-related charge may be brought against the accused, the court heard. Detective Garda Seán O’Sullivan of Ennis garda station told the court that he arrested Maloney in Magowna on September 9 on suspicion of an offence contrary to the misuse of drugs act. The court heard the accused was charged at Ennis garda station on September 10. Maloney made no reply to the charges after caution. Defence solicitor Daragh Hassett …

THE latest Residential Property Price Barometer from IPAV, the Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers, covering the first half of 2022, showed Clare had among the largest price increases in the country. In the three-bedroom category, Clare saw a price increase of 11.52%, the second highest in the country, while in the four-bedroom category Clare prices increased by 9.81%, the third highest in the country. In the two-bedroom apartment category, Clare prices were up by 10.56%, the second highest increase in the country. Pat Davitt, IPAV Chief Executive, said that while prices across the country increased over the six-month period, the rate of increase slowed towards its end. “In the first four months the overall increase would have been of the order of 10% but changes during May and June brought the six months figure to 6.36 per cent. “In the latter two months the practice of increasing reserves – where the price expectations of neighbourhood sellers tend to escalate …

European democracy is sometimes taken for granted. However, our EU democracy is unique as it places citizens’ well-being and rights at the heart of policymaking. We should treasure our values, freedoms and democratic systems, which are part and parcel of EU membership. This message highlights the forthcoming State of the European Union address – the EU’s most important annual policy speech. The speech is delivered every September by the President of the European Commission and takes stock of the past year, as well as setting out the Commission’s priorities and ambitions for the year ahead. This September 14, President Ursula von der Leyen delivers her speech as the EU emerges from the coronavirus pandemic crisis but is now facing with a new crisis: Russia’s unjustified war against Ukraine and its fallout, including pressing challenges in relation to energy supply. The European Commission has successfully coordinated the EU’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and procured safe and effective vaccines. It also …

The need to extend the opening hours of the Ennis Local Injury Unit (LIU) to a 24-hour basis has been highlighted by Senator Roisín Garvey after her “traumatic experience” spending two days on a trolley in University Hospital Limerick last June. Senator Garvey was referred from Ennis to UHL on June 4 after breaking her leg the previous evening. Senator Garvey recalled there were trolleys on the corridors and on wards when she was admitted to the ED in UHL. After spending about two days on a trolley, the Green Party Senator got a bed in a ward on Monday morning. “I was in a hallway and then I got moved into a ward corridor. I was nearly better off in the hallway downstairs than in the ward corridor because I felt I was in everyone’s way. I was moved in the middle of the night, which seemed strange. “When I was on a trolley on the ward I was …

GARDAÍ in Clare have warned “people of all ages and all walks of life are falling victim to fraud on a daily basis”. This comes as a man was scammed out of a “substantial” sum of money in the county after falling victim to fraudsters claiming to be from Eir. Sergeant Triona Brooks, Crime Prevention Officer outlines that gardaí received a report during the week from a gentleman who had received a call from someone purporting to be from Eir saying that their internet had been hacked. The caller requested that the man go online and enter his details. “He did this and then realised that it was a scam and he is at a loss of a substantial sum of money,” said Sergeant Brooks. “We need everyone to spread the word, people of all ages and all walks of life are falling victim to fraud on a daily basis. Anyone who rings, texts or emails you out of the …