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GARDAI are appealing for information about an incident concerning the theft of an SUV and firearm in county Clare. Between 10 pm on Sunday, January 9 and Monday morning, January 10, a black Toyota Landcruiser was stolen from the driveway of a house in Coad, Kilnaboy. A single-barrel Stevens shotgun and cartridges were in the vehicle, which was subsequently located in the Lenabeg estate on the Lahinch Road Ennis on Saturday, January 15. The shotgun had been taken from the vehicle. Also during the night of January 9 a business premises on Main Street, Corofin was broken into. While nothing was stolen during the course of this burglary gardai believe the two incidents may be connected. A garda spokesperson said, “We would appeal to anyone who may have seen this jeep being driven into the Lenabeg estate, anyone who has dash cam footage or anyone who has any information in relation to these incidents to contact Ennis Garda Station on …

VISITING restrictions are in place at University Hospital Limerick in an effort to manage an outbreak of Covid-19. Three wards are currently affected but UL Hospitals Group, as a precautionary measure, is restricting visiting on all inpatient wards at UHL. Restrictions on visits to the Emergency Department, Acute Surgical Assessment Unit, and Acute Medical Assessment Unit at UHL also remain in force. The only exceptions to the visiting ban are: parents visiting children in hospital; 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). All these exemptions are limited to one person per patient only. A spokesperson for the group said, “We regret any inconvenience this visiting ban causes for patients and their loved ones. Our outbreak control team has convened and hospital management has decided it is now necessary to impose these measures in the interests of patient safety and keeping essential …

IF farmers can be fined because people illegally dump on their property, then the operators of Ennis’ bus and train station should have to pay up for any litter found on its grounds, believes Ennis’ deputy mayor. Councillor Paul Murphy was speaking in the wake of the recent Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) litter league results, which saw the station come in for criticism by the adjudicators despite a strong showing in other parts of the county capital. “If an innocent farmer can get a fine for having rubbish dumped on his land or ditch, can we not issue the landowners of the station with a fine? That would soften their cough,” he said. The final survey of 2021 by business group IBAL showed Ennis retaining third spot in the ranking of 40 towns and cities. However, of all the areas surveyed by An Taisce the station ranked the lowest with a B grade. The adjudicators report stated, “The main litter …

Occupants want the council to give them a four-bedroomed house to facilitate their family’s requirements, writes Dan Danaher FEARS have been expressed that an illegal encampment at Sixmilebridge Railway Station may not be removed for weeks much to the annoyance of local residents who are campaigning for a resolution to this issue for more than a year. Despite a number of court cases, Clare County Council has not been able to move the occupiers of the encampment to a more appropriate location. An interim order was issued by the High Court following a recent hearing and this case is listed for hearing again on January 28. Last June, Mr Justice Senan Allen granted an interim order restraining Clare County Council, which owns the car park, the Garda Commissioner, the DPP, and the State from taking steps under public order and housing legislation to remove the caravans. However, the following month the High Court lifted this injunction, which was appealed and …

CLARE musician Johnny O’Loughlin this week presented the proceeds of a CD he recorded to Cahercalla Hospice. Johnny released ‘Iontas na Nollag’ prior to Christmas and donated the sales to Cahercalla in appreciation for the care his uncle in law, the late Kieran O‘Regan and his family received at the hospice. Johnny said, “I really enjoy performing and recording. Family members and my violin teacher Claire Egan helped me with the tracks. “I wanted to do something positive and I remembered the great care that my uncle-in-law Kieran O’Regan received in Cahercalla Hospice. “I’m delighted with all the support from family and friends, including some in America! We’re planning some great collaborations for our next CD,” he promised. Thanking Johnny for his valuable contribution, a spokesperson for Cahercalla Community Hospice said, “Everyone who comes through our doors is on a journey and they stay with us at various times along that journey. “At times, it is when they are in …

Laura Cronin tells Fiona McGarry how writing and poetry have helped her explore issues and navigate her life POETRY has proven to be a lifeline for a Killaloe woman in overcoming depression and breaking a cycle of pain sparked by childhood trauma. Two months before she came into the world, Laura Cronin’s father died by suicide and that loss sent ripples right throughout her life. At an early age, she developed a love of writing and turned to poetry to help her explore difficult issues and the sense of having been born “irreversibly broken”. Writing poetry proved to be cathartic and when Laura began to share poems on social media, she tapped into a network of people living through similar experiences. Delighted as she was with that connection, she could never have dreamed her Facebook page would lead to a publishing deal and the launch, this week, of her debut collection of poetry. “It’s a dream come true,” she said. …

A PLAQUE has been erected at the bandstand in the Town Park, in memory of the late Mike McKee. Mr McKee was a member of the Shannon Town Council for many years, while in 2014 he was the first Sinn Féin representative elected to Clare Council Council since the 1970s. While he retained his seat in 2019, he was seriously ill by the time of the election and died that November. Donna McGettigan was co-opted onto the Council in his place, and she said the plaque honouring Mike is a very suitable gesture. “It was proposed by PJ Ryan, just before I came onto the Council, he proposed naming the bandstand after Mike, which was very appropriate considering Mike was involved with music. “Mike worked hard with his Council colleagues to get that park going, so it’s very fitting.” Due to Covid restrictions only a small number of people attending the unveiling of the plaque, but she said it went …

DIVERS from the Garda Water Unit have recovered the body of a man from the base of a cliff after a week of poor conditions hampered previous efforts, reports Pat Flynn. The operation was completed this morning having been postponed as a result of poor weather since the alarm was first raised last weekend. Emergency services were alerted on Sunday after a person was seen falling from the Cliffs of Moher. The man is believed to have been living in the east of the country. Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry mounted and coordinated a multi-agency search operation. Gardaí responded to the scene while the Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter – Rescue 115 – the Doolin unit of the Coast Guard, National Ambulance Service, Aran Islands RNLI lifeboat were all tasked to the incident. While search crews were able to pinpoint the location of the body at the base of …