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As many as 20,000 people are expected to savour the magical atmosphere of Christmas at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.The annual Santa Claus Experience has been complemented with the introduction of Christmas at the Castle Evenings, which commence this Friday night at 8pm and run on selected dates until December 23.Guests will enjoy an evening in the company of the famous Castle Entertainers performing all the great Christmas classics, with a mulled claret reception on arrival, followed by a three-course dinner with wine.For the Santa Claus Experience, which runs daily from this Friday until December 23, the Folk Park village street has been decked with holly and festooned with fairy lights and the village Christmas tree adorned for the occasion. The young and not so young will be treated to a puppet show and can join in the fun by chatting to the surprise Christmas characters, including a troupe of Santa’s elves, who wander the village street in search of …

HOUSEHOLDS served by private wells will not have any charges levied under the EU Water Framework Directive, contrary to a recent media report. This was stated by Independent MEP Marian Harkin in response to a report on a threat by the European Commission to refer the Irish Government to the European Court of Justice in relation to its interpretation of the EU Water Framework Directive. She said, “I contacted the European Commission immediately to clarify the matter and was assured that recent letters to Member States will not impact on domestic or normal farm usage from wells. Therefore, there will be no water charges levied on domestic users as a result of this communication. “The Commission sent a standardised letter to a number of member states reminding them that where there was exceptional use of water in volume or huge levels of abstraction then water could not automatically be treated as a free resource. “The Commission’s communication refers to exceptional …

Growing uncertainty surrounding the future of at least three community nursing homes in Clare and the lack of adequate funding for home help has prompted claims that elderly care in the county could become a “ticking time bomb”.Green Party Councillor Brian Meaney has warned the lack of proper supports for the elderly is a potential “time bomb” over the coming years unless proper resources are put in place.His claim coincides with a warning from Fianna Fáil TD, Timmy Dooley that long stay residential facilities in Raheen, Ennistymon and Kilrush are facing possible downgrading, or closure in a worst case scenario, under radical proposals being considered by Health Minister James Reilly.At a HSE Forum West meeting in Galway on Tuesday, Councillor Meaney said he is getting an increasing number of representations in recent weeks from people who are struggling to look after their elderly father or mother in their own home.Following the dramatic decrease in the number are in long-stay residential …

Gardaí investigating the murder six years ago of North Clare woman Emer O’Loughlin have said that an appeal on RTÉ’s CrimeCall on Tuesday night has generated “some very interesting calls”.Ms O’Loughlin’s charred remains were found in a burned-out mobile home at Ballybornagh, Tubber on April 8, 2005. The 23-year-old’s death was immediately treated as suspicious but a post mortem examination at the time did not indicate how she had died. Last year, Emer’s body was exhumed and a new post mortem revealed she had died violently. For operational reasons, however, gardaí did not release the specific details. This week, gardaí in Gort launched a fresh appeal for information in the case. They also announced Crimestoppers has offered a “substantial” cash reward for information on the present whereabouts of John Griffin, the owner of the mobile home in which Emer’s body was found. Mr Griffin, formerly of Cardinal Cushing Road, Mervue, Galway, was last seen on the Aran Islands on April …

IN an effort to address what has been deemed a “catastrophic” 301 person decrease in the town’s population since the 2006 census, a steering committee has been established in Kilkee. Group member, Councillor Paddy Collins, has voiced fears that Kilkee will be downgraded to village status if the population falls below 1,000 people.The 2011 census figures show the town’s population has fallen by 22% since 2006 when 1,325 lived there. The current population consists of 1,024 people, a fall of 301 people in five years. In 1996, Kilkee had the fourth largest population in Clare but 15 years later the seaside town has slipped down to 13th. “The steering group has been set up to try and address this situation although we don’t know how yet,” Kilkee town councillor Paddy Collins said, adding that they have written to local TDs, MEPs and the Clare county manager to highlight the situation. He is banking on cross agency support to aid Kilkee. …

Ruan Councillor Joe Arkins pipped his party colleague, Councillor John Crowe, to become the last Fine Gael mayor of this council’s term, following a secret ballot of 12 councillors on Monday last.Councillor Arkins will be the last First Citizen of the county from July 2013 to July 2014 when the current term of Clare County Council ends, following in the footsteps of Councillor Pat Daly, who replaces current Mayor Pat Hayes next summer.Councillor Tony Mulcahy became the First Citizen in the present authority and was subsequently elected as a Fine Gael Senator earlier this year. He was replaced by Councillor Christy Curtin as Mayor of Clare.The latest election is yet another heart-breaking political disappointment for Councillor Crowe, who lost out on winning a Senate seat by the narrowest of margins earlier this year after he was the 10th candidate left standing in a nine-seat panel.Despite completing an intensive campaign in the run-up to the last Senate, the Sixmilebridge retailer hung …

SENATOR Tony Mulcahy has confirmed he resigned as a director of a Shannon company before it was recently dissolved for its failure to submit annual returns.According to documents provided by the Companies Office, Ballycasey Developments Limited, with a registered address at 5 Clairn Drive, Ballycasey, Shannon, was struck off on November 14 last and dissolved five days later.Official documentation has also revealed that the last time annual returns were filed was on March 14, 2009, with the next annual return date due to have been July 14, 2010. The record of accounts is to December 31, 2008.The principal company activity was general construction of buildings and civil engineering works. The company had two directors, Tony Mulcahy, Tullyvarraga Crescent, Shannon and Catherine Justice, Clairin Glass, Shannon, who is also the secretary.Senator Mulcahy said he informed the Companies Office in writing last July that he was stepping down as a director but did not get an acknowledgement.Asked about work carried out by …