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FURTHER objections have been lodged in response to a plan from Eir to install a 21-metre mast on its exchange in Scariff.  Submissions are currently being accepted on the planning application, which could see the replacement of an existing 12-metre wooden structure with a much higher telecommunications mast with dishes, antennas and other equipment.  More concerns have been voiced locally, in recent days, this time from residents of the nearby Connaught Road and Derg View development. Additional letters of objection have estimated that the proposed structure would be located just ten metres from some of the homes in the adjacent estate. The submission contends that a mast on the scale of that proposed should not be allowed in such close proximity to the residential development.  Another submission, on behalf of a local family, says their property is already overlooked by the existing mast. “Increasing the height as proposed will result in an even larger eyesore”, the objection drawn up by …

THE pre-Christmas decision not to relegate any team from the 2021 Clare Senior Hurling Championship and proceed with an 18 clubs format for the coming season was reaffirmed by Clare GAA in Treacy’s West County Hotel this evening, reports Eoin Brennan. Despite granting the request of Broadford, Scariff, Smith O’Brien’s and Whitegate for a special meeting of the Clare County Board seven days previously to contest the legality, procedure and consequences of the 18-16 vote on December 21, new Clare GAA Chairman Kieran Keating informed the delegates that window of opportunity to appeal had elapsed. With no dissenters on the night of the vote or any appeal within the allotted three days of the December 21st meeting, the decision to void any senior demotion stood, with the Master Fixtures Committee currently formulating a fixtures plan for 2022 to include 18 senior hurling teams. Nonetheless, there would be continued debate for over an hour before the issue that has been to …

PLANNING permission has been granted for the development of four houses at Holland Street, Liscannor, on the proviso they are for permanent residents only. A planner’s report on the application by John Vaughan says that the site comprises two parcels of land on the north side of the street. Planning has been granted subject to nine conditions, one of which is that the dwellings be for permanent occupation only. Another condition requires that the buildings “shall be single storey or single storey with attic accommodation and shall have regard to the design and character of the built environment in the vicinity of the site.” This is said to be required in the interests of visual amenity. Another condition requires that the existing road boundary “be retained in its entirety except where its removal is required for the construction of an entrance to serve the dwellings”. “Side walls and piers of the proposed entrance shall be tied into the existing roadside …

THE provision of an Ennis town bus service “is a priority” for the National Transport Authority (NTA), with route selection currently being finalised. An update on the progress of plans on the long awaited bus service for the county capital were outlined at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. Deputy Mayor of Ennis Councillor Paul Murphy had sought the details, saying, “we need to have a local bus service for Ennis”. Leonore O’Neill, Senior Executive Officer, responded, “The Ennis Municipal District are in ongoing communication with the NTA Public Transport Service Planning Team who are responsible for the planning and design of the Town Bus Service in Ennis. The NTA are currently finalising route selection. Implementation is dependent on budgets being available to support the operational cost of providing the service.” Director of service Carmel Kirby told the meeting that discussions with the NTA are “at an advanced stage” with routes being finalised throughout the town. “The Ennis …

STUDENTS from Clare took home six prizes from the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2022. Anna Mae O’Driscoll from Mary Immaculate Secondary School in Lisdoonvarna and the team of James Blackwell and Oisin Coughlan from Ennistymon CBS both registered double successes. Oisin Jackson from Mary Immaculate and the team of Anna Browne, Emma Cantillon and Gemma Hannon from Colaiste Muire Ennis were also awarded prizes. Anna Mae won two awards for her project entitled “Does the Limestone in the Burren Keep it as Warm as People Say?”. In this project, she was investigating if the heat holding ability of the Burren limestone is as good as people think it is. For her research she was third in in the Junior Individual Chemical, Physical and Mathematical sciences category. She also won the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) award. This is the second year in a row that this award has come to Lisdoonvarna. Oisín was awarded a highly commended for …

LIDL Ireland have unveiled plans for a new store in Ennis which the supermarket giant say will create 30 local jobs, along with up to 100 more during construction. A planning application for the new store and mixed-use development, which if given the go-ahead will include 20 residential apartments, a café and two commercial units, has been lodged with Clare County Council. The new development, at the junction of the Clare Road (R458) and Toberteascain Road, will involve an investment of over €20 million from Lidl Ireland. Commenting on the application for a second Lidl store in Ennis, Lidl’s property executive and Clare native Dervla Nash said, “This is an exciting new development for Ennis that will offer the local community a new enhanced, modern shopping experience promising market-leading prices as well as housing and additional amenities. Our existing store in Ennis has a loyal customer network and we have worked closely with the local authority, planners and architects to ensure that this development will contribute positively to …

THE last couple of years have seen many complaints of anti-social behaviour around Shannon, and this week two men have spoken about their homes repeatedly having been attacked by local teenagers. The two houses are in a relatively prominent part of the town, and the occupants say that they, and two other neighbouring properties have been targeted again and again. One of the men said that he is utterly sick of his home being damaged, and with Gardai saying they can do little due to the age of those involved, he says he will protect his own home in future. “I’ve been to the Guards a number of times, they do nothing about it, they don’t care, they’re not interested, so I’m taking it into my own hands. I’m sick of it, I went to three houses and the parents didn’t give a f**k.” He said that videos of the offenders have been shown to Gardai, but there is no …

THE former Our Lady’s Hospital in Ennis is set come under new ownership, with confirmation the development site is sale agreed. Ennis councillors are now urging that the historic site be re-zoned, and parts of the property de-listed as a protected structure, in a bid to realise its full development potential. Selling agent DNG O’Sullivan Hurley have confirmed the property is sale agreed and is currently going through the legal process, though they would not reveal the name of the prospective buyer. Calling for its rezoning and delisting, Councillor Pat Daly told the monthly meeting of the Ennis Municipal District that the former hospital has been a “hindrance” to any kind of development at the key site on the Gort Road. He recalled previous plans, including a hotel and private hospital, did not come to fruition at what he described as “a prime site in the town of Ennis”. He urged the municipal district, with the support of his fellow …