News

THE chair of an Ennis retailers group has warned against “blanket pedestrianisation” of the county capital’s town centre saying it would lead to “commercial apartheid”. John O’Connor of Retailers of Ennis was reacting to the release of a survey by Clare County Council this week which showed more than 70% of respondents would like to see some form of pedestrianisation in Ennis ‘immediately’. (See Clare Champion story here) He believes compromise is needed if there are any future plans to make Ennis’ streets car-free. He insists it would need to be carefully planned out, with the needs of business owners and those who need to access those businesses taken into consideration along with increasing parking. Mr O’Connor fears that full pedestrianisation of the town centre would drive people out to the peripheries resulting in a “business desert” in the town. “We have always maintained if you continue with blanket pedestrianisation you reach a situation where you have, in essence, commercial …

GARDAÍ have renewed their appeal for information after a road traffic collision claimed the life of a young man in Clare last week. Declan Ward, who was in his late twenties, died in the two-vehicle incident that happened at around 5.45am last Wednesday morning on the main R352, around halfway between Bodyke and Tulla, in the townland of Ballinahinch. Gardaí, National Ambulance Service paramedics and units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Scariff station responded to the incident. On arrival they found that the driver and sole occupant of one car had been fatally injured. The driver of the second vehicle was also injured and taken by to hospital by ambulance for treatment. He was also travelling alone and his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks has urged anybody who may have been travelling in the area at the time to contact gardaí. “Just before 5.45am on Wednesday morning last January …

VISITING restrictions have been introduced at Ennis Hospital following an outbreak of Covid-19 on one of its wards. As a precautionary measure, visiting is not currently permitted on the Burren Ward. This decision is being reviewed on a daily basis. Visits to other areas of the hospital continue as normal. A spokesperson for UL Hospitals Group said, “We regret any inconvenience these restrictions cause for patients on the Burren Ward and for their loved ones. “An outbreak control team has convened, and hospital management has decided that it is necessary to impose the measures in the interests of patient safety and keeping essential services open for all patients. “We wish to reassure patients and their loved ones that all appropriate infection control precautions are being followed to minimise the risk of spreading infection among staff and patients within our health facilities, and also within the wider community.” The only exceptions to the visiting restrictions on the Burren Ward are: – …

AN online vigil in memory of Ashling Murphy will take place from Shannon on this Thursday evening. While it is being held in a church, it is not a religious event, said Ann McMahon, who has been involved in its organisation. “It’s a vigil event, that will be non-religious in memory of Ashling Murphy. It’ll be largely an online event, but it’ll take place in Ss John & Paul Church at 8pm on Thursday. “There will be some invited guests, but with Covid restrictions and erring on the side of caution. It’ll be on the Shannon parish website and also the Shannon parish Facebook page, it’ll be livestreamed there.” There will be speakers and traditional music on the night, and Ann feels last week’s tragedy may provoke change in society. “This very sad and tragic event has evoked very strong feelings in a lot of people. It is perhaps a pinch point in our reflections as a community about violence …

A 40-year-old Lisdoonvarna wheelchair user has made a desperate last ditch appeal for emergency accommodation to avoid being forced to live on the streets this weekend, writes Dan Danaher. In and out of hospital over the last nine weeks, Brendan Clohessy booked into an Ennis hotel recently but is now running out of money to pay for this temporary accommodation. An intensely private person, Mr Clohessy stressed he has reluctantly taken the decision to highlight his plight publicly as a last resort, having exhausted all other available avenues. “On Saturday when my money runs out, I have a choice between returning to hospital or staying on the streets where I wouldn’t cope in a wheelchair.” In November 2018, Mr Clohessy had to move out of his accommodation and has effectively been without any permanent dwelling house since then. The qualified computer technician, who spent the first seven years of his youth in Cooraclare and most of the remainder of his …

THE organiser of last Saturday’s walk and run in Ennis to honour of the memory of murdered teacher Ashling Murphy has said he was “overwhelmed” with the response. Around 1,000 people gathered at the Fair Green to walk and run at 4pm in memory of Ashling, culminating in a poignant candle lit vigil with music and minute’s silence. Supported by The Clare Champion, the event was initiated by John Condon, who hopes the tragedy of Ashling’s killing will not be in vain by resulting in more being done to address violence against women. “Will this be the tipping point where we say enough is enough? There have been some brutal killings, some right here in Clare, and at some stage there has to be a tipping point, hopefully this might be it. However, addressing this is a monumental task, it’s education at home, education at school, educating of young men on how to respect women, it has to do with …

LIFEGUARDS in Lahinch performed 43% of all rescues in water-based amenities in the country in 2020, writes Dan Danaher. Councillor Liam Grant has revealed that lifeguards in Lahinch performed more rescues than counties Kerry, Cork, Donegal and Sligo combined last year. Speaking at a meeting of Clare County Council, he outlined Lahinch lifeguards completed 208 out of the 473 water rescues last year. The Green Party councillor called on Clare County Council to provide a fulltime lifeguard service for the month of June at the busiest beaches in the county. “With the increase in popularity of sea swimming and other water sports, there is now a need for lifeguards every day at the most popular beaches during the month of June.” He congratulated Clare McGrath on her appointment as chairperson of Water Safety Ireland, having done so much work to promote water safety in recent decades. The Lahinch councillor said there is a large increase in the number of people …

A SOUTH-EAST Clare resident has been forced to replace five showers in her home due to frequent water breaks and changes in pressure, writes Dan Danaher and Owen Ryan. June Kirwan, who lives near the entrance to Corbally United FC, revealed decreasing and increasing water pressure when there is a water break on the busy regional road breaks her shower, particularly if it is being used at the time. “I had plumbers out to check everything in the house and our problems with water pressure. After spending so much money, they realised the problems are caused by changes in the water pressure,” Ms Kirwan told The Clare Champion. “When there is a water break on the road, they reduce the water pressure and then increase it again when it is fixed. If anyone is in the shower, I am in trouble. It is going to break the shower with the pressure coming off and on.” Residents are becoming increasingly frustrated …