News

A transatlantic passenger jet made an emergency landing at Shannon Airport yesterday evening after the crew reported “fumes in the cabin.” United Airlines flight UA-941 was travelling from Heathrow Airport in London to Newark, New Jersey in the United States at the time. There were 171 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 767-300(ER) jet. At around 5.30pm, while the flight was about 100 kms northwest of Mayo, the flight crew declared an emergency and advised air traffic controllers they wished the divert to Shannon Airport. The crew had been in contact with the airline’s dispatch centre to discuss a course of action for the emergency divert. It was decided that Shannon was the best option for the aircraft to divert to. On the ground in Shannon emergency procedures were put in place. This involved alerting the HSE, National Ambulance Service, local authority fire service and An Garda Síochána. Units of the Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Shannon …

A UKRAINIAN refugee, who was forced to flee Odessa, is thoroughly enjoying working in North Clare where her safety is guaranteed. Anastasia Hordieieva (31) is working as a swim teacher in Lahinch Leisure Centre, as part of an eight-hour shift three days a week. In an interview with the Champion, Anastasia revealed she only started to have a good night sleep when she felt safe in her new Lisdoonvarna hotel residence. “When I was travelling through Romania I couldn’t sleep properly and would wake up after just two hours. Now, I can have a good sleep. “The war in Ukraine is a horrible nightmare,” she outlined. On March 20, Anastasia arrived in North Clare on her own, having escaped the horrors of the Ukrainian war. Her mother, who is an accountant in a pharmacy company, is still living in Odessa, as she has to take care of her grandmother, who recently suffered from a heart attack. On February 24, Anastasia …

NO safety recommendations have been made following the publication of a report into an incident on Shannon Airport’s runway in December 2, 2019 when the nose gear of light aircraft collapsed after landing. The Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) of the Department of Transport has issued its final report into an incident the nose landing gear of the Piper PA23 aircraft collapsed, causing the aircraft’s two propellers to strike the runway. The aircraft came to rest on the left side of the runway. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was uninjured and exited the aircraft safely. The 36 year-old had 284 hours flying experience, of which 82 were on type. There was no fire after the landing. The Airport Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene, and as a precaution, covered the aircraft and the adjacent runway surface in a blanket of fire-retardant foam. On January 12 2022, the perator informed the Investigation that following a take-off from Shannon …

PROPOSALS to extend the River Fergus walkway to Clarecastle Quay have received a significant boost with the allocation of €50,000 to develop a plan for the link. The funding, announced by Rural and Community Development Minister Heather Humphreys, comes less than a year after the opening of the 1.5 kilometre paved cycling and walking route from the Quin Road in Ennis to the Clareabbey roundabout. In addition to the funding for the Fergus walkway, a further €121,000 has been allocated to six other recreational schemes around the county. These include €28,975 for the creation of a new walking trail adjacent to the Kilnamona GAA complex; €22,304 for the design and development of a lakeside amenity at Doon Lake, Broadford; €21,207 to link cycle routes from Kilrush Town Centre and along the nearby coastal roads; €20,102 towards the development of a community area at Cullaun Lake, Kilkishen; €15,508 for the development of a looped walking trail in Ennistymon and €13,036 to …

A HOSPITAL action group has claimed it was “sidelined” from a briefing by the UL Hospitals’ Group, despite a motion passed at a recent HSE West Forum meeting. In a statement issued to the Clare Champion, the Mid-West Hospital Campaign group recalled members of this lobby group attended the Regional Health Forum West meeting on May 22. The purpose of their attendance was to get recognition that the hospital reconfiguration strategy in the Mid-West, which was implemented in April 2009, had failed and to demand the reinstatement of Emergency Departments at Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospitals. “This motion was proposed by Councillor Liam Grant on behalf of the campaign and was passed unanimously,” a spokesperson for the group stated. “Ms Noreen Spillane Chief Operations Officer of UL Hospitals’ Group attended the meeting and offered to have a meeting with Regional Health Forum members for the Mid-West area to discuss concerns. Councillor Grant requested that Mid-West Hospital Campaign be included …

GARDAI are appealing for witnesses to an assault in Ennis town centre on Sunday night/Monday morning which left a man unconscious and needing hospital treatment. In the early hours of Monday morning at approximately 3.30am August 1, gardaí were alerted that a man was lying on the ground on Abbey Street. The man was unconscious and had blood covering his face. Medical assistance was immediately administered to this man and he was taken to University Hospital Limerick with non-life threatening injuries. The scene was preserved for technical examination. Clare crime prevention officer Sergeant Triona Brooks said, “There were large crowds of people on Abbey Street at this time and we are appealing to anyone who witnessed this assault or anyone who may have camera footage to contact Ennis Garda Station on 6848100.”

AS this year’s Tour de Munster charity cycle quickly approaches, cyclists will be entering the final stages of their training regimes to make sure they are flying fit to tackle the testing 600km route across the six counties of Munster on their quest to raise vital funds for Down Syndrome Ireland’s Munster branches. The tour will launch from The English Market on Grand Parade in Cork City on Thursday, August 4, and those participating will return to Cork on Sunday, August 7, where the finishing line will see them tackle the heights of St Patrick’s Hill. On their first day in the saddle, the cyclists will travel through Barry’s Cross at 6.35pm before arriving at the Lakeside Hotel in Killaloe at 7.15pm. Setting off on the Friday morning from Killaloe at 9am, they are due to pass through Tuamgraney at 9.45am before arriving in Ennis’ West County Hotel where they will stop for a break from 11am to 12 noon. …

Doonbeg locals do not want a repeat of “very nasty comments” made about Doonbeg online by ‘anti-Trump people’ ahead of the ex-US President’s planned private trip to his golf resort in west Clare next month. Doonbeg publican, Tommy Comerford said that President Donald Trump’s 2019 visit to west Clare was marked by “nasty comments” made by ‘anti-Trump people’ about the west Clare village. The visit coincides with speculation that Doonbeg could be chosen to host a golf tournament on the controversial LIV Tour, which is attracting big name players away from the established PGA and European Tours. Two of Trump’s golf courses in the US, Bedminster and Doral are staging LIV Golfevents in 2022 and Trump’s Doonbeg Golf Course was designed by Greg Norman, LIV CEO, who is said to be determined to bring an event to the west Clare venue. Doonbeg publican, Tommy Comerford said that President Donald Trump’s 2019 visit to west Clare was marked by “nasty comments” …