News

REPORTS of jet skis doing ‘doughnuts’ on Lough Derg and speeding near Killaloe Bridge has prompted gardaí to warn operators that they have the power to seize a vessel. Clare Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks outlines, “There have been a number of incidents in Killaloe of jet skis being operated at excessive speeds – up to 60kph near Killaloe Bridge where the speed limit is about 5kph, and also reports of jet ski operators doing ‘doughnuts’. “Under the Maritime Safety Act Gardaí have the power to seize a vessel if it is deemed appropriate action. “Gardaí can require a person operating a craft or remove it from waters in certain circumstances, to stop, board and inspect craft and also have powers of arrest and forfeiture. We would ask people using the lake to be respectful of others and obey the relevant speed limits, be safe and never take risks on the water.”

Last Friday week proved to be an emotional day for Gerry O’Malley, as he closed the door in Kilrush Post Office for the last time after 51 years’ service to An Post, including 15 years as a contractor. Kilrush Post Office in Francis Street, which was built in 1957, is now closed to the public for counter services apart from undelivered mail as retail services have transferred to SuperValu in the town. This building will still be used by local postmen. “A big crowd turned up to see me retire. We were told to close at 4pm because of the transition. We took photographs had a party in my house afterwards. It is a big change not having to get up for work in the morning,” he said. In an interview with the Clare Champion, Gerry said the new buzzword in An Post is co-location as they want post offices to be located in existing business premises. The 69-year-old father-of-two …

THE €50,000 target to help repatriate a Clare man from Australia following his diagnosis with terminal illness has been surpassed. There has been a huge response to a GoFundMe campaign for 46-year-old Brian Meere, who has come back to Ireland in the last week, from Australia, where he was based for many years. The GoFundMe page set up for Brian says, “Brian regrettably does not have any life insurance and has been unable to work since earlier this year due to his illness. “Brian’s income was the primary revenue stream for his family – long term partner Adiam and their three children Samantha (17), Leon (7) and Oliver (5). “As you can imagine this is an extremely upsetting time for all of us who love and know Brian. Brian wants to return to Ireland for the limited time he has left. He wants to spend quality time with his family and friends here in Dysart, Co. Clare, Ireland and we’d …

Burren Lowlands CLG invites the public to its AGM, to begin at 7:30, 12 July 2020 at the Lady Gregory Hotel, Gort. The voluntary group, formed in 2014, aims to promote the region as a destination for tourism and improve the economy of all its communities. Thanks to funding from Galway County Council, the Burren Lowlands logo and identity is now registered with the European Union Intellectual Property office. Registration allows Burren Lowlands CLG the exclusive rights to use the title and Logo. The Burren Lowlands geographic area has now achieved an identification similar to that which Failte Ireland created for the Hidden Heartlands and the Wild Atlantic Way. Other group projects have included: Forge Works, a remote working Hub located in Gort, one of the economic initiatives enabled by a grant from Enterprise Ireland. The company facilitated development of the Burren Drive by setting up public consultations with Failte Ireland. The renovation of the Gort Market Square was completed …

EMERGENCY services were called to Lough Derg on Sunday night after three people and their dog were reported missing. Fortunately they were located safe and well by volunteers with the Lough Derg RNLI. Valentia Coast Guard requested the RNLI lifeboat to launch at 11.45pm on Sunday night having received a report of the missing people and their dog, who had gone out on the water in a white speed boat.  At midnight Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Eleanor Hooker, Doireann Kennedy, Keith Brennan and Owen Cavanagh on board. Given the serious nature of the callout, the Irish Coast Guard Search and Rescue Helicopter team, Rescue 115, was tasked from their base at Shannon Airport. Galway-based Gardaí also responded to the emergency and were at Portumna Harbour, having been informed that this was the intended destination for the missing people. As the lifeboat was launching, Valentia Coast Guard requested it go directly to Portumna Castle Harbour at the very …

A JUDGE in Clare has refused to grant a domestic violence Protection Order to a man ‘with three wives’. At the Family Law Court in Ennis, Judge Alec Gabbett told the man that he was refusing him the Protection Order against his wife as his evidence didn’t meet the threshold for the granting of a Protection Order. At the outset of the case, Judge Gabbett said ‘you are the man with the three wives’ after telling the man that he knew about him as he had granted a Protection Order to the man’s wife living here last week in the same court. In her successful Protection Order application, the woman said that she hasn’t had intimate relations with her husband since Summer 2021, “because of infidelity as he secretly got married to three or four ladies in Nigeria”. The woman said her intimate relationship with her husband also ended due to his anger and aggressive behaviour that included death threats, sexual harassment, …

FEARS emergency services may have access difficulties due to cars parking in an “ad-hoc” nature at the Clareabbey end of the new River Fergus Walk and Cycleway has sparked calls for a review of the parking situation at the popular amenity. The risk of danger to children who have been seen “running straight onto the road” at the Quin Road side of the walk has also been highlighted. Councillor Paul Murphy, at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, called for a review of parking at Clareabbey saying, “This amenity is being used by huge volumes of people which is fantastic, but emergency services may have problems getting in if something isn’t done to sort out the ad-hoc nature of parking that currently exists.” Responding to the motion, Eamon O’Dea, Senior Executive Engineer, stated, “The Ennis Municipal District will examine the land ownership between the N85 and the Clareabbey access road on the Clareabbey Roundabout side of the railway line …

AN Ennis sports club which recently launched a fundraising campaign for the development of a multi-sport facility has received a boost which will support their goal for expansion. Established in 2019, Ennis Hockey Club is the first and only hockey club in County Clare, and players currently have to travel for matches as they have no home pitch. It is the club’s ambition to build a multi-sport 2G facility in Ennis where they can play, compete and develop the next generation of people passionate about this Olympic sport. The club has now been named county winners in the recent Texaco Support for Sport initiative, and has been presented with a cheque for €5,000 which will be used by the club to expand its membership and to cater for adults with mental and physical disabilities. After only three years in existence, it has already shown enterprise and creativity with programmes for children age 5 to 18 and for adults familiar with …