News

A NEW club for photography enthusiasts in the East Clare area is on the cards. The organisation, likely to get off the ground early next year, is the brainchild of well known photographer James Treacy. The Scariff man said he is currently looking to sign up new members for The East Clare Camera Club, which will involve a range of social and support activities for people in the region. Mr Treacy is currently running courses in Scariff and believes the interest in learning the skill is proof that a club would be a valuable amenity for the community. Already, Mr Treacy is anticipating that the club will run competitions every week and create a photography league. Members of the club will be encouraged to enter competitions nationwide and apply for membership of the Irish Photographic Federation As a former member of the Shannon Camera Club, Mr Treacy is drawing on the expertise of that group to help him with setting …

MENTION milk buttons to most people and they will think of the white chocolate version of the much-loved children’s confectionary. But a Clare-based designer with a focus on sustainability in fashion has given us a different take. Sandra Murphy’s women’s wear brand Afore After’s ethical production techniques and use of low-impact materials goes so far as to make the buttons on her clothes out of milk. The buttons are a biodegradable material made of at least 96% milk casein. The milk, a by-product coming from overproduction or productions that are unfit for human consumption, is brought to a factory where it is transformed into a bioplastic raw material. “When I say that my collection is sustainable, I’m not just talking about the fabrics,” says the Ballynacally native. “Everything from the thread to the buttons to the labels has gone through rigorous certification processes.” The brand’s first collection features 27 versatile pieces, including dresses, tops, skirts and face coverings, in three …

THE Mayor of Ennis has urged the local authority to get on their bikes and invest in tandem cycles for the county capital which she believes would promote “inclusion around our beautiful town”, writes Jessica Quinn. Speaking at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, Councillor Ann Norton suggested the Council look into the possibility of purchasing ‘Fun2Go’ side by side tandem bikes. Seeking support for the proposal she pointed out September was World Alzheimer’s month. “Research has shown that exercise is good for people with dementia. Moving ensures that the mental deterioration slows down. You improve your thinking skills, restlessness, passivity and your blood circulation with exercise.  “Multi-person bikes offer people the opportunity to move together. With the Van Raam Fun2Go side-by-side tandem you can sit comfortably next to each other while enjoying a great bike ride. “Because you sit next to each other, the supervisor can keep a close eye on the co-driver and assess whether he/she is still …

BUS Éireann has confirmed there are no current plans to allocate staff to Ennis bus station. The national transport company was responding to a Dáil Question from Independent TD Michael McNamara. The lack of staff at the station had also been raised recently by Councillor Mary Howard who had expressed fear that the station could become a “hotspot of anti-social behaviour”. “It can be a scary place and we want to ensure that we don’t have those issues in Ennis.” Deputy McNamara had asked the Minister for Transport his plans to allocate staff to Ennis bus station “given the very high number of staycations around the county and the lack of services available to them at Ennis bus station.” The Department of Transport referred the question to Bus Éireann which responded, “There are no current plans to allocate staff to the station. “Bus Éireann, is currently working on a nationwide upgrade to all our information displays in stations including Ennis, …

WHILE maternity services have been forced to adapt delivery of care due to the pandemic, Covid-19 has not prevented a number of initiatives around breastfeeding at University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL). National Breastfeeding Week is taking place October 1st to 7th with the theme this year of “Feeding the Future-Supporting Breastfeeding through the Pandemic and Beyond”. Breastfeeding rates in Ireland are among the lowest in the world but in July 2021 UMHL saw its highest initiation rate ever with 67.3% of babies having breast milk as their first feed. Clinical Midwife Managers in Infant Feeding, Helen Byrt and Carmen Murphy outline a number of initiatives around breastfeeding at UMHL. Breastfeeding has many proven health benefits for mother and baby. The World Health Organisation and the HSE recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life; with the addition of solid food at six months and continued breastfeeding to two years and beyond. Immediate skin-to-skin contact at birth …

HISTORY will be made in the Banner this month when the first ever county-wide Clare Pride Festival takes place during the October Bank Holiday weekend, writes Fiona McGarry. A day of free events in towns across Clare on Sunday, October 24, organised by Quare Clare, will culminate in a fantastic Pride Party in Hotel Doolin with cabaret, DJ and finger food. One of the Quare Clare organisers, Sarah Clancy, who works for Clare PPN and is herself a member of the LGBTQ+ community. “This is going to be a fantastic weekend for Clare’s LGBTQ+ community and for people who we hope will travel from around Ireland to be with us this weekend,” she said. “We want our community to be visible and connected to the wider community in Clare. We want young and older people in the towns and villages around Ireland to see how rural Ireland too can embrace difference.” “What better way for us to connect and celebrate …

RESIDENTS living at Spancilhill Cross can “almost feel the vibrations of traffic coming at top speed” heading towards Ennis, writes Jessica Quinn. A meeting of Ennis Municipal District councillors heard calls were made for more garda patrols of the route. The Council has agreed to monitor traffic speeds on the R352 and the findings will be reported to An Garda Siochana. The concerns of residents were raised by Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy who sought a review of the cross for low-cost safety scheme design. She outlined the “serious health and safety concerns” with traffic at the Spancilhill Cross and the “ongoing speeding” on this section of the Tulla Road. She recalled a collision had been reported just days before the meeting of councillors. In light of that she suggested a series of measures to address the community’s serious concerns about speeding on this section of road. The councillor stated Ennis Municipal District should coordinate with the Gardaí to patrol this …

CLARE County Council has been urged to provide a mechanism to help councillors track the progress on their public representations to the local authority, writes Dan Danaher. Councillor Gerry Flynn has asked for the introduction of performance indicators for each Municipal District to monitor representations from elected members. While several motions have been supported by councillors over the years, he claimed at a recent council meeting no substantial progress has occurred from the executive. He called for a faster turnaround, particularly at municipal district level, in response to requests from councillors. “Councillors carry out a very important role on behalf of their communities and require a timely response to their representations. “It is not rocket science to ensure that what councillors request is acted on.” Councillor Johnny Flynn said it is important to be able to demonstrate that representations from constituents, which form an integral part of local democracy, are acted upon efficiently. Having tabled a motion on this issue …