News

A CONTROVERSIAL plan to install a 21-metre mast in the centre of Scariff has been defended by its developers, on the basis that it will future proof the area’s communications needs.  Proposals lodged by Eir at the end of last year, sparked considerable local alarm over moves to replace a 12m pole at the exchange of The Connacht Road with a much larger structure. A total of ten objections were lodged, including one with a petition containing 48 signatures.  Against that backdrop, County Planners contacted Eir in February seeking Further Information (FI) on a number of of aspects of the mast plan. The company has now responded.  Planners had raised concerns over the proposed location of the mast, which would be just 15m from a number of local homes and the potential for “an over-bearing, imposing effect”. They also said the proposed mast would be “highly visible” from locations including the R352, a designated scenic route.  In its recent response …

CLARE is to receive an allocation of over €1.2m to improve rural roads around the county this year. Fine Gael TD Joe Carey has stated that the increased allocation from the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) will result in improved access to rural homes, farms and outdoor amenities all over the county. Welcoming the Government decision to double the funding available to the LIS to €22 million, Deputy Carey said it would see a major increase in the allocation to County Clare and deliver another element of the Government’s ambitious rural development policy. “Along with the €582,690 already delivered in April, a further €655,325 will be allocated from the Department of Rural and Community Development to schemes in Clare during August. “Clare County Council has consulted with local residents and landowners to identify road and laneway projects where works could start immediately and be completed this year,” Deputy Carey explained. “The funding provided by the Department will be complemented by a …

THE Shannon bike sharing scheme is set to be back in action this week, after having had to be paused due to vandalism. CoMotion, the company that provides the bikes, initially opted to suspend the scheme at night-time in a bid to cut off the anti-social behaviour. However, when that didn’t work and the problem persisted, the decision was taken to close the scheme down temporarily, while new security measures were arranged. Jarlath Ganly, CEO of CoMotion said, “We had some instances of anti-social behaviour so we temporarily paused the scheme, we’re introducing some new security measures within the app. “We’re having younger teenagers accessing the scheme, and we just need to put in some extra security measures so we can verify their age before they sign up. We’re developing that and we hope to reactivate it quickly, back to full capacity.” It is understood that a very small number of people were involved in the anti-social behaviour, and that …

THE development of a €450 million data centre on the outskirts of Ennis moved closer this week, as Clare County Council granted it planning permission. Environmental group Futureproof Clare described the Council’s decision as “abhorrent” and on Wednesday a spokesman told The Champion they would appeal it to An Bord Pleanála and that others who had objected to the development will do likewise. Art Data Centres is behind the planning application, which it says will generate up to 450 permanent jobs when fully operational, with up to 1,200 in the construction phase along with 600 in support services. It would be located just off the main Ennis-Tulla road and would also be easily accessible from the M18. Clare County Council has been enthusiastic about the development of a data centre at the site for a number of years and in 2019  it amended the County Development Plan to facilitate one. At the time the Council’s Director of Economic Development Liam …

NINETY-TWO pubs closed in Clare between 2005 and 2021, almost a quarter of the total number, figures from the Vintners Federation of Ireland show. It’s no secret that the pub trade has been in decline for years, and the Clare figures aren’t even the worst in the country, with nine counties of the 26 in the Republic, losing even more. Ten Clare pubs closed for good during the pandemic and Ennis publican Darragh McAllister said he wouldn’t rule out more, because things are quite unstable. “At the moment it’s impossible to tell, we haven’t seen a noticeable trend. The feedback is that things are up and down all over the place, until it settles down it’s impossible to tell. People say they have a great week and suddenly for no reason they’ve a terrible week and it wipes out the good of the previous week.” While he said a lot of people have already left the industry, more will consider …

A young man has been airlifted to hospital in Dublin after he was injured in a road traffic collision in East Clare on Wednesday afternoon. The incident, which involved a tractor but no other vehicle, happened at around 5.45pm at Knockaveen off the main R461 Scariff to Feakle road. It’s understood the driver, believed to be in his late teens, was working in the area for a contractor and was drawing bales when the collision occurred. It’s thought that he lost control of the tractor on the country road and overturned. Two units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Scariff station responded to the incident along with National Ambulance Service paramedics and Gardaí. The Cork-based charity-funded Irish Community Air Ambulance was also requested to attend the scene. After the injured driver had been safely removed from the tractor by fire crews and paramedics he was airlifted to hospital in Dublin. It’s understood his injuries are serious but not …

DATA on deaths associated with Covid-19 in Clare, in the first two years of the pandemic, show that more than half of fatalities were in the 75+ age group. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) published figures in recent days showing a total of 97 deaths in this county of people who had Covid-19 between March 2020 and February 2022. The youngest was in the 45-54 age range. There were six deaths of people aged 55-64; 11 in the 65-74 age range; 36 in the 75-84 age range and 43 in the 85+ group. Clare had the lowest number of deaths in Munster. Deputy Michael McNamara who was Chairperson of the Special Committee on Covid-19 said every death was a tragedy. “Like all deaths from all causes and of all ages in Clare during that period of time, each death was a tragedy,” he said. “During most of that time, the pain and loss was frequently compounded by not being able …

On Monday evening August 8, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat to launch to assist four people on a 36ft motor cruiser with engine failure. Valentia Coast Guard informed the lifeboat volunteers that the casualty vessel was at a location west of the Corakeen Islands in Dromineer Bay and that the skipper had dropped anchor to prevent drift. At 8.10pm Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Eleanor Hooker, Joe O’Donoghue and Chris Parker on board. The wind was westerly Force 2. Visibility was excellent. The skipper of a passing 45ft cruiser had taken the casualty vessel under tow and when the lifeboat arrived on scene at 8.10pm, both vessels were underway and making way through the Urra Channel. All four people on the casualty vessel were safe and unharmed, and the skipper of the towing vessel, with nine people on board, told the lifeboat that he was happy to continue the tow to Dromineer Harbour. …