News

PRESIDENT of Ireland Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina will visit Ennis this Saturday where they will pay tribute to all those behind the county capital’s success in being named Ireland’s Tidiest Town in 2021. The couple will attend a ceremony at President Higgins’ former secondary school of St Flannan’s College and during the visit he will unveil a plaque marking Ennis’ win in the national competition. Ennis Tidy Towns’ chairman Cormac McCarthy tells us that the local committee are “over the moon” to be hosting the president and his wife. He reveals that the ceremony will be particularly focused on the important role that the local community had in securing the win for Ennis. “It’s going to be a wonderful event and we have had great support in the organisation from St Flannan’s College, where the president went to secondary school, as well as getting logistical support from the Ennis Municipal District which is very appreciated.” Ennis Tidy …

CAR hire prices at Shannon Airport are six times more expensive than tourists arriving at Madrid will face, and more than twice as pricey as in London. On Wednesday afternoon, going through the Shannon website, the cheapest car rental for the sample period June 10-17 was €1106.87. For an SUV for the same period the cost was €1,991.97. In contrast, someone travelling to Madrid and hiring a vehicle for the same period would face equivalent prices of €158.02 for a small car or €258 for an SUV. At Heathrow the prices quoted were €512 and €767.82. Obviously the huge disparity in prices puts Ireland at a serious competitive disadvantage, and Lahinch hotelier Michael Vaughan said that it is damaging the country’s reputation as a place to visit. “People are feeling really badly about it and we’re getting a very bad image.” He said he recently spoke to one person from North America who was struggling to arrange transport for a …

THE Ryder Cup is set to bring a big economic boost to the Mid West in 2027, and homeowners in Clare may be able to make tens of thousands of euros through renting their houses to golf fans. The accomommodationfortheevent website is providing a platform for those seeking to rent their houses, and in a number of cases the sums being sought are eye watering. A sum of €17,000 is currently being sought for one four-bedroom house in the Bunratty/Cratloe area. While it’s a huge sum for what’s a short event, it is by no means exceptional, with several property owners looking for more than €40,000 and some up to €50,000. Not all of these are in particularly close proximity to Adare either, with one outside Listowel seeking €45,000. A sum of €28,000 is being sought for an apparently unremarkable three bedroom house in Limerick city. Brian Higgins of www.accommodationfortheevent.com said that many houses in Clare would be of interest …

AN announcement by the Minister of Health that the HPV vaccine is to be made available free of charge to all women under 25 has been welcomed by the family of the late Laura Brennan. Since Laura’s passing three years ago the Brennan family have fought tirelessly to increase awareness of, and access to, the life saving vaccine. The Brennans are now stepping away from the campaign with Laura’s father Larry saying, “As a family we feel that we have achieved what we set out to do.” Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has written to the HSE telling it to outline a vaccination programme for women, as well as a catch-up programme for girls and boys in secondary school who missed out for various reasons including the pandemic. In a message posted on social media confirming the move, Minister Donnelly paid tribute to Laura, who died from cervical cancer in 2019, and the Brennan family. “Our goal it to eradicate …

SPORTS and wellbeing groups from across the East Clare community are set to benefit from an all-weather, flood-lit astroturf facility being developed at Scariff Community College (SCC).  The state-of-the-art pitch, which will be encircled by a running track, was granted planning permission in 2021 and last February received a major funding injection from the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP). A major fundraising drive will be launched next Tuesday night (May 31) with a view to making up the estimated €400,000 cost of the project.  The facility is set to have major benefits, not only for the 420-pupil school, but for a host of community and voluntary organisations in the wide hinterland of SCC. The 80m by 40m playing pitch and athletics track, which will have full floodlighting, will be used for PE classes as well as athletics, camogie, hurling, rugby and soccer. In addition, it will be accessible to local primary schools, active ageing and community games groups.  “This …

A man was hospitalised after he was allegedly attacked by a teenager using a baseball bat in a residential area of Ennis. Thomas McCarthy (35) was struck “numerous times” when he was allegedly assaulted by a teenager in broad daylight last Thursday, Ennis district court heard. Ciaran Quinn (19), a married father of two with an address at Watery Road, Ennis, appeared before the court last week charged with assault causing harm to Thomas McCarthy at Oak Park, Ennis on May 19. Judge Mary Larkin granted bail subject to conditions and the case was adjourned to a later date for directions from the director of public prosecutions (DPP) on how the case is to proceed. The court heard Thomas McCarthy’s injuries were non-life threatening. In court, Garda Alan Hill gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of Quinn. Garda Hill said the accused made no reply to the charge after caution. Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said she had no …

INVESTMENT totalling €3.97 million for health facilities in Clare has been included in the 2022 Health Service Executive’s Capital Plan. The funding boost includes €1.7 million for Bushy Park residential addiction treatment centre to replace their existing facility and build a brand-new complex with individual accommodation for patients. In Ennis Hospital, €0.5 million is being spent on equipping the new outpatient department. This funding will also provide for an x-ray room and other diagnostic equipment. A sum of €0.3 million will be allocated to progress the development of two new operating theatres and €0.7 million will be spent on the continued development of the hospital campus to include the fit out of vacated areas in the existing building to create a Local Injuries Unit. In East Clare, €0.35 million is being allocated to refurbish an area of Raheen Community Hospital comprising of 25 beds and in St. Joseph’s Community Nursing Unit in Ennis, €1.05m is being spent on a new …

TIDY Towns groups need more clarity on their annual budgets, according to Ennis area councillor, Paul Murphy.  The Clarecastle man raised the matter at the May meeting of Clare County Council, when he asked the executive to bring the deadline forward for applications to Community Support Schemes (CSS). His motion said that earlier deadlines would “help facilitate the invaluable work that community groups are doing in towns and villages across County Clare”. He added that the move would benefit Tidy Towns organisations who are currently unaware of what support they are getting this year. This year’s mid-May deadline, he said, makes it very difficult to plan for the year ahead.  Addressing the meeting, Councillor Murphy said he wanted to speak up for Tidy Towns groups. “They are very reliant on these grants,” he said. “They find it hard to develop a work plan until they know what their budget is going to be.” The motion was seconded by Mayor of …