News

THE Parish Priest of Tulla has repeated his call for a period of reflection and healing, as pandemic restrictions finally lift and a day of national commemoration is planned.  Fr Brendan Quinlivan, who is also Diocesan Communications Officer, welcomed plans for remembrance events on Sunday, March 20, and urged that all of the losses and sacrifices endured since early 2020 be acknowledged. Figures released by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) show that 150 people in Clare died with Covid-19 between March 3 2020 and January 18 of this year.  Last March, in the height of a Level 5 lockdown, Fr Quinlivan warned of an impending crisis of unsolved grief and loss, and urged the Government to address those issues as soon as the Covid emergency abated.  “It’s very important that we acknowledge in a formal way and a ritual way, the great sense of loss experienced in so many ways over the last two years,” he said. “First and …

KILLALOE Coast Guard has greatly enhanced its search capability after becoming an approved drone unit, writes Dan Danaher. Two volunteers have been fully trained on how to use a drone during a search and this footage can be live streamed back for viewing in the new Coast Guard Communications Vehicle, which was obtained last year. Images from the drone can also be sent back to Valentia Coast Guard Coordination Centre, which is significant in terms of directing Rescue 115 to a precise location if a casualty is detected. A drone can be used on most occasions, apart from rain and very strong wind. Officer in charge, Damian Quigley said a drone can search inaccessible areas very quickly. New recruits to Killaloe Coast Guard were shown what to expect if the rescue helicopter had to land in a field to airlift a casualty. Killaloe Coast Guard, Killaloe Fire and Rescue and members of An Garda Siochána from the Killaloe station took …

SHANNONDOC insists Clare patients continued to receive an out-of-hours service, despite there recently being no GP in the county on five successive nights after midnight, writes Dan Danaher. Between January 3 and 14, ShannonDoc never reached more than 32% of total doctor capacity available from midnight to 8am. An average of five patients in Clare were treated every night between midnight and 8am by one of ShannonDoc’s remote or mobile doctors. Noeleen Moran of The Reinstate Shannondoc Commmittee (RSC) claimed there was no GP available in Clare after midnight from January 7 to January 12 inclusive. In addition to this period, Ms Moran stated there was no doctor in Ennis after midnight on January 4, 12 or 14 either. “Not alone are centres in Shannon, Ennistymon and Kilrush closed, centres at Ennis, Miltown Malbay and Killaloe are not operational on some nights after midnight,” claimed Ms Moran. “The out-of-hours service in Limerick is being stretched to cover the whole of …

AHEAD of a major protest in Ennis on Saturday (January 29), a short film has been released highlighting the struggle for redress of pyrite homeowners across the county.  The nine-minute film, by Simon Barr, is the third part of a series which also documents the mica crisis in Donegal and the impact of pyrite in Mayo. It hears from a number of homeowners, including a woman from Fanore who described how she had to sleep in her dining room at one point, amid fears that her gable wall would fall down during stormy weather. The piece traces the foundation of the Clare Pyrite Action Group (CPAG) in September 2020 after Dr Martina Cleary put out an appeal for others affected to contact her. “Once I realised I wasn’t alone, there was great solace in that,” the Crusheen woman told Mr Barr.   The film goes on to follow the increasing numbers of homeowners that have come forward, with the membership …

A FASHIONISTA turned animal rescuer has been left “speechless” by the generosity of supporters, after the donation of a car to enable her vital work to continue.  Caitríona Lowry, who runs Hilltop Sanctuary, alongside Pat Tobin, turned her back on a love of fashion and shopping, around a decade ago to respond to the needs of abandoned animals. “I was all about the clothes and shoes and socialising at one stage,” she said. “It’s funny how priorities change. Now, every penny goes towards the work we do.”  Caring for 103 animals, including donkeys, horses and abandoned household pets, certainly racks up the expenses. An operation for a sick mare, for example, was €5,000 and badly injured and neglected animals need huge levels of ongoing care, which can be costly.  Crucial to the work of the East Clare organisation is a reliable car. “The Gardaí get in touch with me and I might have to collect an animal if they can’t …

A West Clare father-of-two was lauded for bringing “joy, hope and laughter” into the lives of countless people during tributes read out at his Funeral Mass on Friday, writes Dan Danaher. Paul Dillon (42) Knocknagore, Kilkee, and formerly of Tullycrine, Kilrush died tragically after he was swept out to sea near Farrihy Bay a few miles from Kilkee on Sunday afternoon. Addressing the congregation at Our Lady Assumed into Heaven Church, Doonbeg, co-parish priest, Gerry Kenny said everyone was gathered at this Funeral Mass to remember and pray for Paul Dillon. At this time, Fr Kenny offered deep felt support, prayers and sympathy to his wife, Roisín, son, Thomas, daughter, Aoife, parents, Paddy and Kitty Dillon, family, relatives and friends. Fr Kenny recalled Paul walked with his council colleagues as they formed a guard of honour for former local authority employee Michael Ryan, Bansha, when his funeral left Kilkee Church the previous Friday. “Little did anyone think that we would …

ELEVATED particulate matter levels from domestic home heating systems during cold weather, as experienced in Ennis earlier this month, “is a cause of concern”, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The agency said it is working with Clare County Council “to better understand the causes of poor air quality in Ennis”. The Clare Champion contacted the EPA for comment after concerns were raised about the town’s air quality following the detection of a spike in air pollution levels on the night of January 16. Particulate matter (PM) are minute particles of dust, soot and smoke and the daily limit for PM10 is 50 ug/m3. PM10 of 485.38ug/m3 and PM2.5 of 467.58ug/m3 was recorded in Ennis, January 16, at 7pm, along with sulphur dioxide measuring 67.22ug/m3. On the same day, China’s notoriously smoggy capital city Beijing experienced moderate to good levels of air pollution. According to the EPA the daily average PM10 at the Ennis monitoring station for  January 16, …

MORE than 30 people attended an online meeting last week to voice opposition to plans for mineral prospecting in East Clare, writes Fiona McGarry. The gathering heard that a county-wide ban should be sought, in the same way that fracking had previously been prohibited in Clare. The virtual event was organised by the newly-formed Keep Tulla Untouched and hosted by co-founder Jacintha Van Roij. Ms Van Roij, who described herself as a small-holder in the area, said that while a representative of Minco Ireland, the company currently seeking a prospecting licence, had been invited to attend, no response had been received. Farmers, public representatives and environmental campaigners alike were alarmed earlier this month at news that Department of the Environment intended to grant a licence to the Navan-based company for the prospecting of minerals, including silver and gold ore. After a political and public outcry, the Department extended the submission period to January 23 and an emergency motion was carried …