News

Ennis boxer Keisha Attewell will be aiming to become a National Champion on Saturday evening. The Clare woman faces a difficult challenge as standing opposite her inside the ring will be three time National Champion Kaci Rock, whose father Jim fought professionally and was the only man to hold Irish titles in four different weight classes. Attewell and Rock meet in the 66kg final in Dublin on Saturday evening with all 22 National Elite Championship finals being broadcast live on TG4. The 19-year-old is relaxed heading in to the bout as she has previously trained with her Wicklow opponent. “I’m feeling confident. I’ve been training away everyday and doing a lot of work to get ready for these Championships so I’m feeling good. I’ve sparred her (Kaci Rock) before. She likes to come in close and let off hooks so I know how to approach this fight. I’m practicing something different to try and trouble her but I can’t say …

CLARE Champion journalist Fiona McGarry has been recognised by NUI Galway as the winner of the 2021 winner of Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award in Journalism and Communication award. Fiona, who is a lecturer in broadcast journalism at the university, described the recognition as a “huge honour”. The award is voted on by students in the Discipline of Journalism and Communication, and recognises the lecturer who receives the overall highest marks in student evaluation of teaching scores annually. Fiona was awarded the top prize for her commitment to high quality teaching, focus on student learning and the delivery of an outstanding student experience. Head of Journalism and Communication Tom Felle said, “Fiona is an outstanding lecturer and this award recognises her commitment to our students. “The last year and a half has been extremely difficult for students in schools and universities around the country, so this award for Fiona is a testament to all the hard work she has …

Senior Hurling Championship Round 3 Group 3 Broadford v Crusheen at Cusack Park, Sunday 12pm The Canon Hamilton may be out of reach but this is still a county final to both Broadford and Crusheen in a must-not-lose affair to avoid the unrepentant relegation play-offs that will cull two teams to intermediate level for 2022. It’s a difficult tie to call really as both have failed to register a victory so far, albeit that Broadford have shown the better form by putting it up to both Ballyea and Cratloe whereas Crusheen have had much less to shout about against the same opponents. Broadford’s battling qualities will be required as their track record in relegation play-offs isn’t good and therefore this represents the 2019 intermediate champions’ best chance of survival. Crusheen meanwhile haven’t won a Senior A Championship tie since 2019, a five match losing streak that won’t be easy to arrest on Sunday. Their transition stems from an ageing core …

A CLARE-BASED nurse with children’s charity Jack & Jill is urging the people of the Banner to go Up the Hill in solidarity with local families who face an uphill challenge every day. The Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation is holding its Up the Hill for Jack & Jill fundraiser this October asking people to take on a climbing challenge. This is the seventh year of the nationwide fundraising challenge which aims to raise funds for the organisation’s specialist home nursing care, respite support and end-of-life care for very sick children up to the age of six. Margaret Naughton, Jack & Jill Specialist Children’s Liaison Nurse for Clare, said the event means so much to local families, who depend on the funds raised for their support. “To say that it has been a very tough 18 months for our Jack & Jill families is an understatement. As one of the vulnerable groups during the pandemic, our families have had to …

LAHINCH man Liam Grant is set to fill the seat on Clare County Council that was left vacant following the resignation of the Green Party’s Susan Crawford. Mr Grant is set to be co-opted at the Council’s October meeting, and will be the third person to fill the Green Party’s sole seat on the Council, with Ms Crawford having succeeded Róisín Garvey who is now a Senator. According to information provided by the local section of the Green Party this week, Mr Grant is an Earth & Ocean Science graduate, who has run his own surf school and a technology company in the past. He has also qualified as an EMT and beach lifeguard, while he currently works as a retained fire fighter in Ennistymon and as a vaccinator. An avid surfer, he is also a GAA player. Speaking ahead of his co-option, Mr Grant said, “It is a great privilege and a very humbling experience to represent the Green …

MEMBERS of a Sixmilebridge family have been invited to a meeting with the Department of Justice to “explain the next steps” of a state inquiry regarding the death of Patrick Nugent in 1984. The state inquiry led by Judge Patrick Clyne is a report into the Garda investigation of the death of the then 23-year-old banqueting manager in Bunratty. The Nugent family will be accompanied by their solicitor, Kevin Winters of KRM Law LLP, when they meet the Assistant Secretary General of the Department of Justice to discuss Judge Clyne’s report. Having received the advice of the Attorney General, Justice Minister Heather Humphreys told Deputy Michael McNamara in the Dáil on Tuesday the Department of Justice had invited the Nugent family to a meeting to “explain the next steps in relation to Judge Clyne’s final report”. “This meeting is due to take place in person next week. I do appreciate Mr Nugent’s family are most anxious to receive the outcome …

EVIDENCE of social deprivation and isolation in North Clare has been illustrated in a recent pre-feasibility study, commissioned by Clare County Council, into the possible provision of stepped accommodation and associated services at the Stella Maris Centre in Lisdoonvarna. According to a copy of a draft report completed by social research consultant, Neil Haren, data from the 2016 Census provides considerable evidence of both deprivation and social isolation among older people in single and two person households in North Clare. There was a particularly high proportion of older people aged in excess of 75 years, which is half of persons in single person households. The study found 11 percent of those aged 65 and older and living alone in North Clare had no formal education. This applied to 6% of individuals aged 65 and older, and living in two person households. In contrast, the rate of individuals aged 15 years and above in North Clare without formal education was 1.6%. …

Fears bureaucracy may scupper €7m Ennistymon retirement development Fears have been expressed that North Clare will lose the opportunity to develop an approved €7 million purpose built supported retirement complex in Ennistymon unless the national funding criteria is changed to facilitate ambitious plans from a voluntary housing organisation. Inagh Voluntary Housing Association (IVHA) has secured an agreement with Banna Developments to redvelop the old convent site in Ennistymon into a sheltered retirement village with 30 accommodation units, subject to state funding. However, this major elderly housing scheme hangs in the balance over Department of Housing criteria for the administration of government funded projects. Banna Developments, c/o Áine Hussey and Thomas Fitzgerald, Quin, was granted planning permission on December 20, 2019, to refurbish the existing convent building and an extension to include 12 two-bedroom apartments with a doctor’s room, day room and laundry facilities; the construction of a new three-storey building to the rear of the existing building consiting of 18 …