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FEELINGS are running high in West Clare over a proposed €10 million windfarm, amid claims that posters opposing the development have been removed at one particular location.A new local anti-windfarm action group has, in a Clare Champion advertisement, appealed to people not to remove their posters.The issue with the posters was raised in the same week that McMahon Finn Wind Acquisitions Limited lodged an appeal to An Bórd Pleanála against the refusal of planning permission for a new six wind turbine development at Coore West, Shanvogh East and West.The Local Concerned Citizens Group has sent out a clear message. In its advertisement, it states, “Would the person or persons who keep pulling down and then removing anti-windfarm posters from a private forestry close to The Hand crossroads, please refrain from doing so again.“Such actions as these are not going to deter anybody from putting up more posters to exercise their democratic right to a peaceful protest,” the statement added.According to …

ONE of the oldest Leaving Certificate students in the country was among those celebrating their results this week. Eighty-one-year-old James O’Brien, originally from Tipperary but living in Ennis for over 40 years, went back to school at the Clare VEC Adult and Community Education Service in Ennis through the Back to Education Initiative.On Wednesday, as over 1,500 students throughout the county opened their results, the delighted grandfather received an A2 grade in his history paper. Speaking to The Clare Champion after getting his results, he joked that he had a bit of an advantage over his fellow students.“With my age, I knew a lot of it already that the others may not have known,” he laughed. “But getting it all down on paper is another day’s work.”When asked about the possibility of him being the country’s most experienced Leaving Certificate student, he quipped, “I think I’m the oldest student in the world”.James said he was delighted with his results. “I …

GARDAÍ were drafted in to deal with a stand-off situation at Tulla United soccer grounds at Cragg last week when locals maintained a day-long vigil to prevent fencing, erected as part of a €225,000 development, from being removed.Officials of Tulla United Soccer Club, community council members and members of a company subcontracted to supply fencing at Tulla’s recently-opened Astroturf pitch were at a stalemate on Tuesday of last week as the subcontractor claimed payment was due for the installation of the fence.It has transpired that there are issues to be resolved regarding payment for the job between the main contractor for the project and the subcontractor responsible for the fencing element.Gardaí were called to the Tulla pitch around 9.30am on August 9 to help resolve the dispute.Fencing had been removed and loaded onto a lorry by the subcontractors before the groundsman alerted club officials.A Tulla United spokesperson stated, “There wasn’t any aggression, the gardaí were there because we called them …

A €5 million primary health care centre in Killaloe is being strangled by Health Service Executive (HSE) red tape, a developer has claimed.Despite securing planning permission for the construction of the new centre at Shauntraud and complying with a HSE letter of intent to proceed in 2009, John Deegan claims the project is now at a standstill due to unforeseen difficulties with the HSE.Mr Deegan said extensive efforts to secure a meeting with the new Minister for Primary Care, Róisín Shorthall to remove the log-jam have proved unsuccessful.In the HSE letter of intent, Mr Deegan was advised he had to secure “GP involvement” before he could proceed with the project and recently commenced negotiations with the HSE over a new lease.However, Mr Deegan has claimed the HSE has now changed the goalposts by requesting the support of five GPs from both sides of the river in Ballina and Killaloe, despite Government sanction for a new €12m bridge connecting the two …

The auctioneer’s gavel will resonate around the ring in Sixmilebidge Co-operative Mart on Saturday, August 27, when the premises, closed for the past 18 months, resumes weekly trading once more.While it’s all systems go as regards preparatory work for the reopening, the management board has appointed Sean Ryan from New Inn, County Galway, as mart manager. He brings the experience of previously running Athenry Mart to the new venture. Board chairman and local farmer Pat O’Reilly from Rathmore described the workload as challenging but said the board was heartened by the fantastic response locally. He paid tribute to the huge effort made by volunteers to get the mart ready in time.  “Without the support of the shareholders and volunteers, none of this would be possible.  If we can get the same support from farmers who have cattle to sell, then there is every prospect that the mart can succeed,” he told The Clare Champion.“The mart will be targeting farmers in …

Having waited since finishing their exams in June for their results, the students of Coláiste Muire in Ennis were quick to arrive at the school to collect their grades on Wednesday.  

PATIENTS in the Mid-West will face longer waiting lists following the reduction of 25 beds at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick on Monday, a nursing union has warned.Fourteen surgical beds and 11 medical beds were closed, while the 27 beds that were closed in the paediatric unit as part of a two-week seasonal closure reopened on Sunday.Irish Nurses’ and Midwives’ Organisation representative Noel Treanor claimed the reduction of beds means management will be forced to cut elective surgery, resulting in longer waiting times for operations and those on trollies.Mr Treanor alleged the €8 million cut from budgets in Ennis and Nenagh hospitals following the removal of 24-hour emergency services in April 2009, which was supposed to be re-allocated to MWRH, never happened. He said management was also informed by the Department of Health it had to pay about €6m from its own funds to cover the costs of new consultant posts which totalled €14m, the equivalent of the current overspend …

MORE than two million US troops transited through Shannon between the start of 2001 and January 26 of this year.According to figures published by RTÉ, 12,154 US military flights arrived at Shannon carrying 2,030,925 passengers and 8,487 tonnes of military cargo passed through the airport.The figures show that the amount of activity picked up significantly in 2003, with 115,911 troops arriving at the airport over the 12-month period in question.In 2005, the number of arrivals also increased greatly, going from 1,044 to 1,973. In the same period, the number of passengers arriving went up from 147,244 to 335,847. Shannon Town Councillor Greg Duff said efforts are needed to promote Shannon Airport as a tourism centre, rather than as a centre for the US military. “If Shannon needs a boost, and it most certainly does, it should be from something like the proposed humanitarian hub or as a tourism hub, rather than on the backs of people being slaughtered by a …