News

WALK-IN Covid-19 vaccine booster clinics for people aged 16 years and over, and for anyone of that age yet to receive a Dose 1 and 2 vaccine, are taking place at various times in the Mid-West COVID-19 Vaccination Centres over the coming days. This Thursday, 1-7pm, there are walk-in booster clinics for 16s-29s, and walk-in Dose 1&2 clinics, in Scoil Carmel Limerick and in the Clare centre at the West County Hotel, Ennis. This Saturday January 29, all three vaccination centres in Limerick, Clare and Tipperary (Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh) will be open from 8.30am to 7pm to host walk-in booster clinics, as well as primary Dose 1 and 2 walk-in clinics, for anyone aged 16 years and older. Anyone eligible for a booster dose or primary dose 1 and 2 vaccine may attend walk-in clinics at any of the three Mid-West COVID-19 vaccination centres at these times, regardless of county of residence. Details of all walk-in clinics are available …

THE buzz was back on Saturday night with the return to normal pub and restaurant opening hours and the removal of a most pandemic restrictions for the first time in nearly two years.  “We went from a stroll straight into a marathon,” said Clare VFI Chairperson and Ennis publican Charlie O’Meara, “but it was great to be doing it. We found people were in earlier and there was a lull for an hour or two after 8pm. We didn’t expect that. People were in great form and glad to be out. I think the pattern will settle in a while.” Miltown publican David O’Brien, of Michael A’s, described the scenes as reminiscent of a St Stephen’s Night. “Nobody was talking about Covid for the first time in a long time,” he said. “It felt like things were nearly normal again. We know it’s not over, but there was a release for people.” There’s hope too that the staycation boost will …

CLARE Deputy Cathal Crowe has been transferred to a new internal Fianna Fail committee on Northern Ireland from his initial appointment on a commission assessing the aims, ideology and objectives of the party. The FF press office statement comes after questions were raised by Clare Fianna Fáil members at a recent meeting about whether or not Deputy Crowe was appointed to the strategy committee. Last October, Deputy Crowe posted an announcement on social media about his appointment by the Taoiseach Micheál Martin to a new commission chaired by Kildare North Deputy James Lawless, which will examine Fianna Fail’s strategy over the coming years. The Meelick Deputy also confirmed this appointment in an interview with the Clare Champion at the time. A press release announcing the establishment of a new commission on the party’s aim and objectives on September 29 didn’t include Deputy Crowe as one of its new members. Deputy Crowe was, however, mentioned in a Fianna Fáil press release …

DEVELOPING maritime training facilities at Cahercon isn’t economically viable, but getting a marine research facility installed may be a runner instead,the Dáil has heard. Clare TD Michael McNamara asked Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment Damien English for an update on the matter, He specifically inquired about “the status of Enterprise Ireland funding totalling €1,759,226 allocated to Clare County Council in 2018 for the development of the Clare Maritime Economic Zone project for Cahercon, Kildysart”. In his reply Mr English said, “Clare County Council were approved funding of €1,759,226 under Call 2 of the Regional Enterprise Development Fund in 2018 to support the development of a Maritime Enterprise Zone. “The proposed project was initially on an identified site in Cahercon, Kildysart, Co Clare. “I have been advised by Enterprise Ireland that subsequent to the grant approval and detailed examination of this site by the promoters, it was established that the renovation costs necessary to develop …

THE Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), which kept the lights on in the local and national economy for much of the pandemic, is about to be wound down. At one point in May of 2020 almost 15,000 Clare people were receiving the payment, which was then set at €350 per week. Even on January 11 2022 there were still 1,754 people in the county receiving the PUP, but almost all restrictions having been removed now, that figure is likely to have fallen in recent days. The PUP closed to new applications from last Saturday, January 22, as the restrictions were being scrapped. From March 8, anyone still in receipt of it will move to a weekly rate of €208, which is a four week extension on what had been planned. From then on the recipients will be transitioning to standard jobseeker terms and, if eligible, they will move to a jobseekers payment from April 5. While the PUP was criticised by …

COMMUNITIES in West Clare were united in grief this week following the tragic death of a Tullyrine craftworker after an accident north of Kilkee on Sunday, writes Dan Danaher. According to a number of sources, Paul Dillon (42), Knocknagore, Kilkee, and formerly of Tullycrine, Kilrush was picking slack, a version of seagrass, on the shoreline near Farrihy Bay when he lost his footing and was swept out to sea. Sea conditions have been described as treacherous at the time due to a very heavy swell. A multi-agency search and rescue operation involving Kilkee Coast Guard, the Shannon-based Coast Guard helicopter – Rescue 115 – the Aran Islands RNLI lifeboat; National Ambulance Service and Gardaí was mounted after the alarm was raised around 2.15pm. At around 3.19pm, the casualty was located and recovered from the water by the Kilkee Coast Guard unit. The body was taken back to the Coast Guard station in Kilkee where he was formally identified by gardai …

VISITING has been restricted across both inpatient wards at Ennis Hospital from this Wednesday January 26, following an outbreak of COVID-19 on the Fergus Ward. Management of a COVID-19 outbreak on the Burren Ward also continues this week, and as a precautionary measure, visiting is not being permitted on both wards. An outbreak control team has convened and the visiting restrictions are being reviewed on a daily basis. Access to other areas of Ennis Hospital is unaffected and can continue as normal. The only exceptions to the visiting restrictions on both wards are: People assisting confused patients (e.g. dementia) (on a case-by-case basis); people visiting patients who are critically unwell or at end of life (on a case-by-case basis); these exemptions are limited to one person per patient only. A spokesperson for UL Hospitals said, “We regret any inconvenience the visiting restrictions cause for inpatients on the Fergus and Burren Wards, and for their loved ones. “Hospital management has decided …

DERELICT buildings in rural towns and villages could be adapted to provide public toilet facilities, according to a local councillor. Councillor P J Kelly called on Clare County Council to provide grant aid to community groups who wish to enhance existing leisure facilities by providing low-cost toilet facilities. Speaking at a recent local authority meeting, Councillor Kelly outlined community facilities could be refurbished to include public toilets at a low cost compared with providing new standalone public conveniences. The long-serving Fianna Fáil Councillor thanked the council for maintaining the public toilets in Lissycasey, which are widely used by locals and visitors. He was supported by Councillor Cillian Murphy who stressed people were looking for facilities to help them access walking routes and mountains. Instead of building new facilities, he proposed that the council should look at existing facilities in local communities such as GAA clubs that already have car parks, changing rooms, toilets and showers. Last year, Councillor Murphy recalled …