News

AN Ennis store has struck gold achieving a coveted national award. Donnellan’s Centra on the Lahinch Road was among the big winners at the ShelfLife National C-Store Awards 2021 held recently. Picking up the Gold award for Convenience Store of the Year (Medium) on behalf of Donnellan’s were a delighted Joan and Edwina Donnellan. The awards celebrate exceptional standards of Ireland’s convenience store sector celebrated at national industry event. Other Clare stores taking home awards on the night were: Londis McNamee’s Darragh, Ennis which was awarded Convenience Store of the Year (Large) Bronze; Spar, Back Lane, Lahinch, Co, Clare Convenience Store of the Year (Small) Joint Bronze; and Mace, Lissycasey, Convenience Store of the Year (Medium) Bronze. Originally due to be held in November 2021, the ceremony was postponed due to the increase of Covid-19 hospitalisations occurring at that time, and to ensure the safety of all involved. Proving the adage that good things come to those who wait, the …

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has warned consumers not to buy or eat Wonka branded chocolate bars, due to an increase in reports that counterfeit chocolate bars bearing this brand name are for sale on the market in Ireland. The authority warned the counterfeit chocolate bars may be unsafe to eat, as there is a possibility that they may not have been produced in line with food safety, hygiene and/or food traceability legal requirements to protect public health. Some examples of the issues identified to date with these counterfeit Wonka branded chocolate bars include: failure to provide an accurate ingredients list e.g., undeclared ingredients and allergens on the label false business name and address on the label the rewrapping of various shop bought or homemade chocolate bars in Wonka wrappers unregistered food businesses selling products online Commenting, Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI urges consumers to be aware of the possible risks posed by these counterfeit chocolate bars. …

THE traumatic impact of living in a home with defective concrete blocks is to be explored in a two-day conference hosted by the Technological University of The Shannon (TUS) in May.  The international event entitled ‘Losing Your Home – ‘The Impact of Defective Concrete Blocks in Ireland’ will hear from a host of experts in the fields of engineering and geology as well as mental health and arts specialists.  The event is being organised by the founder of the Clare Pyrite Action Group (CPAG), Dr Martina Cleary and Dr Rita Scully of the Department of the Built Environment at TUS. “The issue of Defective Concrete Blocks, containing deleterious materials, particularly Pyrite, Mica and Reactive Sulphates is one currently impacting thousands of homeowners in the western seaboard counties of Ireland,” said the organisers. “As walls crack and homes crumble, the financial, legal and psychological consequences on very ordinary people is becoming a widening crisis, affecting all parts of our communities. “In …

THERE has been a 33% hike in the number of young Clare people waiting for appointments from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) over the last three years, according to newly published HSE figures. The health authority was asked at the HSE West Forum by Councillor Cillian Murphy to provide a breakdown of the number of young Clare people awaiting appointments with CAMHS for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021. The Fianna Fáil Councillor was told that the total number of Clare people waiting for this service increased from 61 at the end of 2019 to 82 at the end of 2021. At the end of 2019, 43 children and adolescents were waiting up to three months; 14 were waiting from three to six months; three were waiting six to nine months and one was waiting nine to 12 months. The numbers waiting at the end of 2020 increased to 74 with 31 waiting up to three months; …

A new Ryanair route, which will fly directly from Shannon Airport to Malta, was launched yesterday (Sunday 27th March). The route is the first ever scheduled Ryanair service to Malta from Shannon Airport. It will operate twice weekly, each Thursday and Sunday, until the 27th October 2022. The service from Shannon Airport means that passengers will now have two airports in Ireland to depart from – Dublin or Shannon Airport – when planning their visit to Malta. Speaking ahead of the launch of the inaugural flight, Mary Considine, CEO, Shannon Group said “We are delighted to launch Shannon Airport’s first ever scheduled Ryanair service to Malta and know this will be an exciting new destination for holidaymakers from the west of the country. “With its warm climate, breath-taking landscapes and UNESCO World Heritage sites, Malta will undoubtedly be a very popular destination this summer for sun seekers and those who want to experience its culture.” Tolene van der Merwe, Director …

THE FAMILY of a woman last seen in the Ennistymon area on Saturday are appealing for help locating her. Noelle O’Looney, 43, who is 5ft 4in in height and was wearing check pants and a pink high neck sweater with a black stripe when seen at the weekend. She was driving a wine-coloured Toyota Auris, registration number 171 CE 193. Noelle’s family is deeply concerned for her welfare and would appreciate any information on her whereabouts. They have asked anyone with any information to contact the gardai on 065-6848100

A 62-year-old mother of six broke the windows of her estranged husband’s tractor with a golf club in a row over an unpaid €200,000 martial debt, a court has heard. At Gort District Court, the south Galway woman admitted to smashing windows of her husband’s tractor in August 2020 with a Sand Wedge golf club at a time when the man hadn’t paid up €200,000 arising from a 2019 family law court separation agreement. A daughter of the estranged couple videoed her mother’s golf club assault on the tractor on her smart-phone and the footage was played to the court. Judge Mary Larkin convicted the woman of criminal damage of the tractor and the possession of an article during a dispute and told her “you took the law into your own hands wielding the golf club. You can’t go around wielding a golf club at anyone”. Solicitor for the woman, Charles Foley told the court that there was “a huge …

PLANS are being put in place by the HSE to deal with the huge influx of Ukrainian refugees that have arrived and are expected to continue coming into Ireland over the coming weeks in the wake of the Russian invasion. Galway councillor Evelyn Parsons has asked the HSE West what preparations it is making to receive, treat and provide medical services for the expected arrival of Ukrainian refugees. With reports that between 20,000 and 150,000 Ukrainian people, mainly women and children may come to Ireland, Councillor Parsons requested an update from HSE officials at a recent HSE West Forum meeting concerning what additional resources are being made available to deal with the health needs of this huge influx of people. The Independent Councillor raised questions about Covid-19 vaccinations; psychological services and translation services and whether any facilities were being put in place to hire qualified Ukrainian medical people to work in the Irish health service. The HSE has stated that …