News

THE sporting and musical achievements of local groups and individuals in Ennis has been honoured at a mayoral reception. Mayor of Ennis Municipal District, Councillor Ann Norton, and members of Clare County Council hosted the event in the Civic Room of the Buttermarket Building in Drumbiggle, Ennis. Those honoured included accomplished groups and individuals from the worlds of music and sport. Ennis Brass Band received an honour for entertaining the people of Ennis and Clare for 50 years. 2021 was a milestone year for Ennis Brass Band, marking the 50th anniversary of the band’s formation. The band has competed in various competitions throughout Ireland, winning several national titles and sectional awards along the way. Ennis Brass Band has performed in England, Wales, Germany, Scotland and France, and has played for distinguished guests such as President Michael D Higgins, former President Mary McAleese, Muhammad Ali and King Juan Carlos of Spain.  Also Alana McInerney was recognised at the event on being …

FACILITIES for housing cremated remains are to be developed at cemeteries across Clare, in response to rising demand and changing funeral practices.  The matter was discussed at the monthly meeting of Clare County Council on foot of a motion from Councillor Alan O’Callaghan who called on the authority to look at installing columbarium walls and other options for urns. The Kilmurry man said he had recently met a lady who inquired about a grave to bury an urn. “It struck me that a lot of ground could be wasted and that all this lady wanted was a place to bury the urn,” he said. “There has been a huge jump since 2016 in cremations and 212 people are cremated in Clare every year. That figure will definitely increase and burial ground at a premium. We need to open a discussion and look at having columbarium walls in graveyards. As it stands, some areas don’t meet bye-laws for full burial, but …

THE decision by Government to extend the 9% VAT rate for the hospitality sector is a positive boost for businesses coming into the summer season, according to Fine Gael Senator Martin Conway. Senator Martin Conway has also called on Government to examine the possibility of making the 9% VAT rate permanent to help the tourism and hospitality sector, particularly after the challenges brought by the pandemic. Senator Conway said, “The decision by Cabinet will help businesses in the hospitality sector which have started to recover following two years of upheaval caused by Covid, and now against the backdrop of a devastating war in Europe. “I know that my colleague, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, is committed to supporting businesses and to growing our economy, and I thank him for the measure he announced today. “Some tourism and hospitality businesses are encountering massive challenges with staff shortages as they try to prepare ahead for the busy summer period and retrain new staff …

MORE than €1,000 worth of suspected drugs have been seized by gardaí in recent days as part of Operation Tara. Shortly before 1.30pm on Thursday, May 12 detectives attached to the Divisional Drugs Unit conducted a search under warrant at a house in the Clarecastle area. During the course of this search in excess of €1,000 worth of suspected cocaine, and a quantity of cannabis herb was seized. A male and female both in their early thirties were arrested at the scene and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at Ennis Garda Station. Both have since been released from custody and a file is now being prepared for submission to the DPP. This seizure forms part of Operation Tara an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy, which was launched by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris on July 2, 2021. The focus of Operation Tara is to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks, at all levels, international, national, local, …

“MORE boots on the ground” are being sought to support Ukrainian refugees and the communities welcoming them to Clare.  The appeal came from Councillor Joe Garrihy, who said he is “immensely proud” of the response of communities in Clare. The Lisdoonvarna man, who has been helping to spearhead relief efforts in North Clare, made his call in response to an update from Chief Executive Pat Dowling.  “We have gone from a national high of 750 to between 100 and 150 per day,”” Mr Dowling said. “Most definitely, the numbers have softened somewhat.” In response to an update request from Mary Howard, Mr Dowling said that there are an estimated 2,200 Ukrainian nationals now in Clare. “We had some additional arrivals over the weekend,” he said. “These were small enough numbers. Those that were accommodation in Quin Road have been now relocated to Rowan Tree building, The Abbey Hostel. That Quin Road emergency facility remains available and we have another facility …

SENATOR Róisín Garvey has criticised delays in cervical screening services, saying they are causing huge stress. The Inagh woman also shared her own experience of the worry that results when a smear test shows up irregularities. “Several women have contacted me to tell me that they have experienced a huge amount of stress caused by delays in getting results after they had an initial cervical smear test, and they experienced further delay, in cases where there were irregularities, in getting an appointment for a colposcopy procedure or have irregular cells removed and discover the final diagnosis,” she told Junior Minister Frank Feighan. “A few women have told me that they had to wait over five months. As a woman who has had a cervical smear test and irregular cells were discovered, I know that as soon as one is told irregular cells have been found one automatically thinks cancer, and one continues to think like that until one is told …

The search for a man missing of the Clare coast will continue today with divers from the southwest region of Comhairle Fó Thúinn (Irish Underwater Council) due to resume operations in the vicinity of where the man is believed to have been diving. Dive teams from Kilkee and Burren Sub Aqua Clubs took part in searches over the weekend. It’s expected however that poor weather, due to move across Clare from tomorrow and for the remainder of the week, may prevent diving operations. A total of 16 volunteer divers and four crew were involved in Sunday’s operation completing dives down to depths of 40 meters in search of any trace of the missing man. The Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter was also involved in yesterday’s search while Kilkee Coast Guard volunteers conducted further shoreline searches.

RURAL development is being seriously stifled by restrictions on ‘in-fill’ sites, a West Clare councillor has said.  At this week’s local authority meeting, Councillor PJ Kelly described the situation as “a landmine” and he called for all references to in-fill sites to be removed from the forthcoming Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029. The Fianna Fáil member said that some people were being refused permission to build a home, on the basis that developing their site would create an in-fill site, a situation the Council did not want to see.  “I know of situations where a farmer wants to give land to a son for example,” he outlined. Planning permission is refused because if son got it, there would be an in-fill site beside it.  This situation is not good enough and it’s downright discrimination. If there’s an in-fill site, someone with plenty of money can come in from outside and build. I have no objection to that and Iove to …