News

Emergency services are at the scene of a serious road traffic collision on the Clare/Limerick border this afternoon. The crash occurred at around 10am on the Old Cratloe Road about 100 metres on the Clare side of the border with County Limerick. Units of Limerick City Fire and Rescue Service responded to the incident along with National Ambulance Service paramedics and Gardaí. On arrival, emergency services found that a van had collided with a ditch and that the driver and second occupant had been critically injured. A section of the Cratloe to Limerick road, between the Lower Meelick and Carrig Hill junctions, will remain closed pending completion an examination of the scene of Garda Forensic Collision Investigators. While the collision occurred on the Clare side of the border, the scene is located within the Limerick Garda Division. The circumstances of the collision will be investigated by Gardaí from Limerick.

CHRISTMAS Eve 2012 is a night that Elaine and William Lynch will never forget. The Ruan couple were getting ready to celebrate the season. Their two little boys were waiting for Santa. What should have been the happiest night of the year took a tragic turn when the couple discovered that eight-month old Tadhg had stopped breathing. Despite the best efforts of Elaine and her sister-in-law Patricia, both nurses, and the help of paramedics, Tadhg was lost to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). A decade later, the family of five thinks fondly of Tadhg every day. In April, when Tadhg would have been celebrating his tenth birthday, the Lynchs are organising a fundraising run. The ’10 for Tadhg’ fundraiser takes place on April 10 at 10am and will see people run and walk 10km from the GAA pitch in Ruan and back. The event will raise funds for Féileacáin and The Children’s Hospital at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and will …

A 47-year-old sales account manager punched a taxi driver and screamed that he was going to kill him during a taxi journey outside Ennis, a court has heard. The accused had also grabbed the steering wheel and attempted to crash the car, before the driver was able to regain control. At Ennis District Court, Judge Mary Larkin said that a drunken Brendan Farrell “scared the living daylights” out of Limerick taxi driver, Niall Moran (57) during the incident on a road at Clonroadmore on the outskirts of Ennis on June 23 2020. Judge Larkin imposed a suspended one-month prison term on Mr Farrell of Rowlagh Avenue, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 for the unprovoked assault on Mr Moran during the aborted Limerick to Ennistymon taxi journey. Sergeant Louis Moloney said that the assault by Mr Farrell on Mr Moran took place shortly after Mr Farrell left hospital in Limerick concerning a separate road incident with Gardai outside Clarecastle, earlier on the day …

A SUSTAINED surge in emergency presentations and a significant increase in Covid-19 cases has led to almost all elective activity at University Hospital Limerick being deferred until further notice. This includes outpatient appointments, elective surgery and diagnostic investigations. UHL has moved to its highest level of escalation, meaning emergency and time-critical care for the sickest patients is being prioritised. Services at Ennis Hospital, Nenagh Hospital, University Maternity Hospital Limerick, Croom Orthopaedic Hospital and St John’s Hospital are largely unaffected and patients in these hospitals are advised to attend for their appointments or procedures unless contacted directly by our staff and advised otherwise. A spokesperson for UL Hospitals Groups said, “We sincerely regret this significant reduction in service at University Hospital Limerick, which is necessary to prioritise emergency and time-critical care. Affected patients will be contacted as soon as possible to reschedule their appointments and procedures. “The Emergency Department remains open 24-7 for emergency cases and emergency and trauma surgery is …

MORE than 1,000 residents in Cratloe, Bunratty, Ardnacrusha and Meelick will be forced to live in the shadow of “overpowering wind turbines” up to 1,600 feet above sea level if wind developments proceed on picturesque Clare Hills. That’s according to Gerry Ryan, who is very concerned over the planning designation of an area stretching from Cratloe on the western slopes of Gallows Hill across to Ardnacrusha in the East, as suitable for “strategic large scale wind turbines.” For countless generations, Mr Ryan said Clare people have enjoyed the beautiful views of Gallows Hill, Woodcock Hill and Ballycar Hill from Bunratty, Sixmilebridge, Ardnacrusha, Shannon to name but a few areas. “This beautiful backdrop is now under threat and the views from iconic attractions such as Bunratty Castle, Cratloe Woods, 12 O Clock Hills and countless other areas of Clare will be destroyed forever by the construction of 178 metre high wind turbines. “A conservative count of the homes either within the …

ORGANISERS of a North Clare parade, in which one entry depicted a dead man being taken to a post office, have apologised and described the situation as “tone deaf”. Kilfenora St Patrick’s Day parade was one of a number nationwide to contain floats representing a widely-publicised incident in which Carlow man Peadar Doyle was found to be dead during an alleged attempt to collect his pension. Foul play was ruled out in the 66-year-old’s death last January and Gardaí are continuing their investigations. After a major backlash following the parades, Orla Vaughan, apologised publicly and sent a letter to Mr Doyle’s family. “To Noeleen, Peadar’s sister and to Liam and Christopher, Peadar’s brothers, I really, really apologise,” Ms Vaughan said on Clare FM. “I can understand retrospectively, and that’s never a good thing, the hurt it caused them.” The Kilfenora woman said the committee sent a card last Monday to Mr Doyle’s family and that they would welcome an opportunity …

IT is understood tonight that Pádraig Ó Céidigh is set to leave the position of Chair of the board of Shannon Group, just six months after his appointment. When he was appointed last autumn it was seen as a hugely positive development for Shannon Airport, with the Galway man having a wealth of experience and a history of success in the aviation sector. However it now appears that his tenure will prove to be a very short one, and the search for a chairperson will have to begin all over again. A former Senator, Mr Ó Céidigh once remortgaged his house to purchase Aer Arann, before massively expanding the airline. At the time of his appointment, he described chairing Shannon Group as “probably the most challenging job in Irish aviation.” When Mr Ó Céidigh took the position it had been vacant for some time, following the end of Rose Hynes’ tenure.

A SHANNON business is raffling an official Euro 2020 Match Ball, signed by Ronaldinho to raise funds for the Ennis GOAL Mile for Ukraine. Explaining how her company got the ball, Karen Finley of FHB Building Supplies said, “My son Peter has been living in Dubai for the last six years, he’s a social media influencer. “He’s sponsored by a lot of big names, Samsung, Adidas, all of them. He comes across some interesting people. “We had a jersey last year from Mo Salah, they’re the kind of people he crosses paths with. He interviewed Ronaldinho and during it he signed a ball for Peter.” The Special goal mile for the victims of the war in Ukraine will take place in the Fairgreen Ennis on March 27 between 11 and 1.