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STELLAR performances lit up the stage at Scariff Community College recently as East Clare Musical Society (ECMS) returned after a two-year pause. With a three-night run, ‘A Night at the Musicals’ showcased a wealth of talent and brought together familiar faces and new voices in a highly entertaining feast of musical theatre. The previous show, held in early 2020, saw tickets sell out in record time, just before the outbreak of the pandemic. While the dust had gathered during two difficult years of Covid, a revitalised cast and crew produced one of the most vibrant and eagerly-awaited show in recent times. Led by musical director John O’Brien with the accompaniment of Anne Cullen and Steve Lawrence, ECMS welcomed songbird Vashti Curran back to the stage from a very successful year-long residency performing cabaret in Germany. Also taking to the stage were other highly talented singers, most of who graced the stage in the 2020 show. Among them were Paul Conroy, …

WHILE the government managed to defeat a Sinn Fein motion looking to stop the introduction of new laws on fuel including a ban on the sale of turf, they remain under fire for the proposals. Plans to ban the sale of turf have been discussed for weeks now but there appears to be little support for the move around Clare, one of the counties where a significant percentage of people use it. Ryan responds that there are 1,300 deaths every year because of air pollution, compares the planned turf sale restrictions to the smoking ban, asks Doherty: 'What number of deaths should we tolerate?' pic.twitter.com/Q8VVxQUQOF — Rónán Duffy (@ronanduffy_) April 28, 2022 Clare TD Michael McNamara said that a degree of realism is missing from the Green Party’s approach to the issue. “The Green Party have correctly identified problems but I think their solutions lack reality. It’s all well and good to increase taxes on things like green diesel, ban …

One man has been hospitalised following a road traffic incident that occurred across two different scenes on the outskirts of Ennis this morning. It’s understood that two vehicles collided initially near Inch Bridge on the Ennis to Miltown Malbay road shortly before 8am. No-one was injured in that incident. However, one of the vehicles continued towards the main N68 Ennis to Kilrush Road before colliding with a ditch and rolling over at Inch Beg. It’s also understood that the driver of a vehicle who witnessed the first collision followed the car that left the scene and raised the alarm after it crashed. The car rolled over and came to a stop on its side leaving the driver and sole occupant trapped inside. An ambulance and rapid response advanced paramedic unit were sent to the scene along with local Gardaí. When it was reported that a person was still inside the vehicle, two units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service …

THE standard of public health care in the Mid-West was brought into focus again last week, as the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation reported 126 patients being treated on trolleys on a single day at University Hospital Limerick. It claimed that this was the largest number seen at any Irish hospital since the INMO began keeping track in 2006. In a statement it said that the Limerick figure was more than 28% of the total number of patients on trolleys across the country. The INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations, Mary Fogarty said, “The fact that we are seeing a record number of patients on trolleys in University Hospital Limerick on April 21 means that the bed management system is completely broken.” She claimed that the situation was taking a toll on staff. “INMO members in University Hospital Limerick are reporting significant work-related stress due to the persistent overcrowding and inability of provide appropriate care to all admitted patients. They …

IF YOU have an eye for Clare’s traditional architecture, the chances are you have spotted some of the work of North Clare craftsman, Eóin Madigan. A sixth generation stonemason from Ennistymon, Eóin has been the main contractor on conservation projects including the O’Brien Column in Liscannor; the Lightkeeper’s Cottage at Loop Head; the Vandeleur Mausoleum in Kilrush; as well as the historic lime kilns in Kilmurry and Tuamgraney. Thanks to a prestigious fellowship award, Eóin has honed his craft and is enthusiastic about handing on the skills and knowledge needed to protect Ireland’s built heritage. In 2014, Eóin was awarded a William Morris Craft Fellowship from The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB). The prestigious fellowship involved a six-month tour of the UK involving site, workshop and studio visits, allowing him to work alongside master craftsmen on heritage projects. The fellowship aimed to foster a new generation of outstanding craftsmen and women and to prepare them to lead and …

CLARE Haven Domestic Abuse Support Services is calling on members of the public to Go Purple on Friday (April 29) to raise awareness of domestic violence and to raise funds for its service. In association with Safe Ireland and An Garda Síochána, a call is being made for people of all ages to show their solidarity for women and children being subjected to, experiencing and exiting domestic abuse, by embracing the colour purple for one day. The initiative will support the vital work of Clare Haven, the only dedicated domestic abuse service based in this county. Last year alone, the service received 1,005 helpline calls. In 2021, 569 women accessed non-refuge outreach support while 94 women and 188 children were accommodated in Clare Haven’s refuge. During this time, the service also provided 200 court accompaniments. The purple-themed fundraising and awareness event was started last year as a local event in County Meath by Stacey Looby. A member of An Garda …

FOUR percent of all passengers to Irish airports in 2021 went through Shannon, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show. Obviously Covid-19 was very disruptive to aviation last year, making for a very strange year. Shannon’s 4% was ahead of Cork which had 3%, but Cork was closed for a couple of months due to works on its runway. Dublin was hugely dominant in terms of Irish aviation, with 90% of all passengers. Shannon had 322,162 passengers during the year, only one fifth of the 2019 figure, just before the pandemic. The figure was almost 50,000 ahead of 2020. Shannon dealt with 4,836 different flights over the course of the year. The three most used links with Shannon were all London airports. The busiest route was Stansted with 63,624 passengers, while 33,797 passengers travelled on the London Gatwick route and 24,050 on London Heathrow. The Heathrow services were significantly reduced in 2021 and the figure would presumably have been …

AT a briefing for elected representatives this week it emerged that the second phase of the Northern Distributor Road is not beeing included in the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy. Its omission is receiving a frosty reception in Clare, while if not developed it could potentially scupper the plans developed by Clare County Council and the University of Limerick to create a Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) on the northern side of the campus, where thousands of jobs could be created and a possible one billion euro in value added to the regional economy. The creation of the SDZ is opposed by certain interests in Limerick, who claim it would have a detrimental effect on the city. Meelick-based TD Cathal Crowe said he was disappointed by the lack of inclusion of the second pahse. “At the moment, Phase 1 of this road from Coonagh, Limerick, as far as Meelick, Clare, is under construction albeit at a current standstill due to the …