News

Ennis councillors to further discuss reinstating railings around restored O’Connell monument in the county town MEMBERS of the Ennis Municipal District have remained on the fence when it comes to the possibility of reinstating wrought-iron railings around the O’Connell monument. Councillor Johnny Flynn has urged the municipal district to start a public consultation process on the potential of reinstating a portion of the railings at the Height. Workers have had “unpleasant dealings with people who occupy the area” around the Height, and railings would help prevent litter in the area, he told the monthly meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. Councillor Flynn said the work would “complement and enhance” planned public realm works in O’Connell Square and Bank Place as well as the conservation works on the O’Connell monument. “Such works could also be seen to be complementary to proposals incorporated in the current Part 8 planning application for welcome public realm upgrades to O’Connell Street and Barrack Street,” said …

Rape Crisis Mid-West says it has received 1,120 calls in first eight months of 2021 MORE Clare victims of sexual assault are seeking support from a regional support centre following a 29% rise in non-aggravated local cases over a 12-month period. The number of sexual assaults, which were not aggravated in the Clare Garda Division, rose from 17 from January to August 2020 to 22 for the same period in 2021. This increase was revealed at a Joint Policing Committee meeting this week. Rape Crisis Mid-West Centre, which deals with calls and counselling services in Limerick, Nenagh and Ennis, has experienced a major increase in calls for support over the last 12 months. This has resulted in an increase in waiting times, with some victims waiting up to seven or eight months for regular non-emergency counselling. In an interview with the Clare Champion, Rape Crisis Mid-West director, Miriam Duffy, revealed the centre has received 1,120 calls for the first eight …

Newly ordained Bishop Nash extols the virtues of listening and talking to shape church community in years ahead THE newly-ordained Bishop of Ferns, Ger Nash has pledged to lead a diocese in seeing, reflecting and acting to ensure it becomes a refuge of healing and encouragement. Bishop Nash also hopes to provide space for those searching meaning, as Wexford emerged tentatively from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The former Killaloe Diocesan Secretary from Tulla was ordained as the 81st Bishop of Ferns in St Aidan’s Cathedral Enniscorthy on Sunday last. “I am privileged to have been asked by Pope Francis to lead this historic diocese and I feel very humbled,” he said. In his wide-ranging address at the Mass celebrating his Episcopal Ordination, Bishop Nash, (62) said he hoped everyone can work together in Ferns with the Spirit of God to to ensure a place of welcome and hospitality for all. In accordance with Pope Francis’ model in “Let …

THE dates for the four local soccer cup finals have been released with these eagerly awaited showdowns set to take place in two weeks time. Newmarket Celtic and Avenue United will do battle in the League Cup final on Friday October 22 with both sides in great form heading in to this encounter. The pair are both unbeaten after the opening rounds of the Clare District Soccer League (CDSL). These sides have dominated Clare soccer for the last decade with Newmarket Celtic eager to add further silverware to their collection. They will be made to work hard though as they face an Avenue United side who are eager to get one over their main rivals. David Russell’s side have the ultimate aim of securing league glory as they seek to end Newmarket’s stranglehold on the Premier Division and Avenue United know that a win in this cup final will lay down a marker for league campaign ahead. Avenue United possess …

THE introduction of any cuts in suckler cow payments under new CAP proposals would hit rural communities throughout Clare, a local councillor has warned. Councillor Pat Hayes told The Clare Champion that Clare is renowned for the quality of beef produced by its suckler farmers, and stressed they play a key role in keeping rural towns and villages alive. The councillor said it looked as if suckler farmers were effectively facing cuts in payments, which they can’t afford. “I think it is time farming organisation and politicians woke up to the fact this will have a major impact on rural communities. Further cuts to CAP and the suckler herd will be detrimental to the future of rural communities if the current proposals are implemented. “It looks as if suckler farmers will be hit the hardest by the CAP proposals. While environmental schemes are important, when core payments are reduced for suckler farmers, this hits rural communities.” While farmers can avail …

ENNISTYMON has been chosen as one of the towns in the Poetry Town initiative, which will see more than a hundred poetry-related activities take place in 20 locations across the island of Ireland. As a result Ennistymon will host an exciting range of events, which will take place from 10th to 18th September. The Poetry Town initiative from Poetry Ireland celebrates the pride, strength and diversity of our towns. The Poet Laureate for Ennistymon is Grace Wells, who has been invited to compose a poem about the town as part of her Laureate role. She will be unveiling her poem written for Ennistymon at the Courthouse Gallery and Studios at 7:30pm on Saturday, September 11. The poem will be available to read on the Poetry Town website and the Clare Arts Office website in the days following the event. Further activities will include a series of poetry events involving local poets and community groups such as Tidy Towns and local …

OVER-TOURISM and the emergence of “rusty buckets” is one of the threats to towns and villages in some of Clare’s tourist hotspots, a meeting has heard. That’s according to the initial findings of pilot study looking at the impact of pre- and post-Covid commuting patterns in Ennistymon and Lahinch. ‘InPLACE: Investigating Place, Planning and Commuting’, has initially focused on Ennistymon-Lahinch and Newtownmountkennedy, Wicklow. At the September meeting of the west Clare municipal district (MD), researcher and geographer Brendan O’Keeffe said the study’s initial findings highlighted the danger of over-tourism and the emergence of “rusty buckets” in north and west Clare. Mr O’Keeffe said that while Clare attracts a high level of coach and package tourism, visitors often do not spend money locally and instead are based in larger urban centres away from the communities in question. He told the meeting that to avoid the emergence of what he called “rusty buckets”, tourism “needs to deliver for the local economy and …

AN international research group has welcomed the public attention on Basking Sharks in the wake of a viral video shot by divers off Kilkee last week. The video showed a large group of the giant sharks engaged in a courtship ritual, something that was also observed off Clare’s coast at around the same time last year. A spokesperson for the Irish Basking Shark Group (IBSG) told The Champion, “Basking sharks frequently occupy Irish waters on and off from April through September. They are known to feed here, and based on instances like those observed last week where they are gathering in big groups, basking sharks likely come to Ireland to court and potentially mate.” The group’s store of knowledge has been greatly advanced in the last year, often through the help of the general public sending them pictures and reports. That then allows the multidisciplinary team to square the sightings with any environmental factors that may be bringing the sharks …