News

FORMER US President Donald Trump has arrived in Clare. While he was expected at Shannon Airport between 3pm and 5pm this afternoon, it was around 6.30pm when his aircraft touched down. He later left Shannon for Doonbeg in a motorcade consisting of approximately 20 vehicles, while a helicopter kept watch overhead. Neither Shannon nor Doonbeg saw protests of any note this evening and in fact there were a small number of Trump supporters in both areas. One woman brandishing a Trump banner outside Shannon Airport as his motorcade passed said she was thrilled to have come so close to him. “I’m absolutely delighted. I came down from Ballinrobe in Mayo, I brought the kids down, it’s a once in a lifetime experience and I wanted them to see it and feel it.” She claimed that Trump was the winner of the last US Presidential election. “Trump’s amazing isn’t he? He’s the one. Trump won!” Mr Trump is being accompanied by …

The 22nd annual World Stone Throwing Championship will take place in Bofey Quinn’s in Corofin this coming Sunday, with contestants set to battle it out for the most prestigious prize in stone throwing. After a strong local showing in last year’s competition with Corofin natives Saundra O’Brien and Dylan O’Loughlin claiming the main prizes, a major national and international challenge is expected for this year’s event. The competition, which is part of the annual Festival of Finn, was originally thought up over a pint by Cormac McConnell and Johnny Campbell in 2000. Participants are challenged to break glass bottles placed on spikes using nothing but stones. There is both a male and a female trophy and the competition in both categories is fierce. The competition attracts stone throwers from all over the world with previous winners coming from as far away as London, Chicago, Scotland and Germany. There is an entry fee of just €5 per contestant, which entitles you …

A PROPERTY marking clinic will be held at Ennis Mart on Tuesday, April 18 from 10am to 1pm. The Clare County Property Marking Scheme is part of a nationwide property marking programme which aims to combat property theft and assist in the identification and return of stolen property. “Property that is marked is less likely to be targeted and less desired by thieves,” outlines Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks. Garda Cormac Fallon, Ennis Garda Station, Ennis Mart and Clare County Council are hosting the clinic. Farmyard equipment such as trailers, chainsaws, consaws, power tools, or any items of value, can be marked at the clinic. The service is being provided for free. Gardaí from the Divisional Roads Policing Unit will also be present to meet people and answer any questions they may have in relation to trailer and towing safety, driver licencing and agricultural machinery on the roads.

BLOOD donation clinics will be held at Treacy’s West County Hotel on Tuesday, April 4 and Wednesday, April 5 from 4.45pm until 8pm. Please phone 1800 222 111 for an appointment. Approximately 1000 people in Ireland get blood transfusions every week. The Irish Blood Transfusion Service needs to collect 3,000 units of blood every week to maintain the national blood supply. The issue with blood is that no one knows who will need it, when they will need it, how much they may need, or  what type they require. Transfusions can happen for a variety of reasons – cancer treatment, surgery, car accidents, and childbirth complications to name a few. Urging people to donate the Irish Blood Transfusion Service outlines that one in four of us will need a blood transfusion in our lifetime. 67% of donated blood is used to treat cancer patients and people with blood disorders. 27% of donated blood is used in surgery and emergency situations. …

LOCALS and visitors alike are invited to “step into our story” as a number of the national landmarks across Clare and the Mid-West that the OPW holds in trust for the nation reopen for the season. These include Ennis Friary, a medieval Franciscan friary and the last school of Catholic theology to survive the Reformation; and Portumna Castle and Gardens at the top of Lough Derg, power base of the De Burgo family for hundreds of years. While in May, Scattery Island, the early Christian settlement off Kilrush will open up. Carmel Shaw OPW Head Guide at Ennis Friary in Clare said, “We are delighted to have the OPW heritage site at Ennis Friary open early this season giving our national and international visitors, our local community and our school groups more opportunities to visit one of Ireland’s oldest Franciscan friaries and burial place of the ancient kings of Clare. “Since opening on St Patrick’s Day we have already welcomed …

WITH a love for music that goes back to his childhood, it’s little surprise that Ennis author Ollie Byrnes has decided to write a book on the subject. Ollie is currently working on his latest publication ‘Music in Ennis’, examining the history of music in the county capital from 1950 onwards. Already he has amassed a wealth of information for the book including nearly 300 high quality photographs. Speaking to us about the planned publication he outlines, “For many years the writing of a book on music has been on my mind but I could not think of an angle, something that had not been done. Then a friend said “why not write a book on the Ennis scene, taking in all musical styles”? Recalling where his love of music began he says, “As a child, I heard the finest of Irish traditional music played live in my parent’s living room on the Gort Road, just off Marian Avenue. The …

THE public are being urged to have their say on a proposal to rename a bridge in Ennis after a sporting legend of Clare. As reported in The Clare Champion earlier this month efforts are being made to change the name of Victoria Bridge at Cusack Road to The Mike McTigue Bridge in honour of the famous sportsman from Kilnamona. The Ennis Municipal District is now inviting the public to make submissions on the proposal with online consultation now open and continuing until Friday, April 7. The bridge is dated to 1840 and when this road was first built, the road was known as New Road. It later became Victoria Road, then Cusack Road. Mike McTigue was born in Lickaune, Kilnamona Co Clare in 1891, Mike was one of 11 sons and one daughter of Pat McTigue and Ellen McTigue (née Nylon). He emigrated to New York in 1912 where he went on to become a professional boxer and fought …

A NEW path is “urgently” needed for the safety of the public at the entrance to the Clonroad Business Park, according to a local councillor. However, while the Ennis Municipal District has said it recognises the need, a funding application to the National Transport Authority for the works has been unsuccessful. Speaking at the monthly meeting of the Ennis Municipal District Councillor Tom O’Callaghan said that the path is vital due to the high numbers of pedestrians entering and exiting the business park describing it as an “extremely busy stretch”. He pointed out the site is home to an adult education campus, Enable Ireland and other businesses. He added, “I believe a new roundabout is justified because of increased traffic from Dunnes, glór, Clonroad road plus the Clonroad business park and now a new library. This is a very busy juncture that certainly requires a traffic management review in my opinion.” He voiced concerns that the location is “not very …