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UHL reports 89 suspected cases of Covid-19, the highest figure of any hospital in the country UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick is coming under considerable pressure dealing with overcrowding, a Covid-19 outbreak in two wards as well as looking after an “extraordinarily” high number of patients with suspected incidence of the virus, it emerged this week. The flaghship hospital was treating 89 suspected cases of Covid-19, compared with 23 in St James’ Hospital, Dublin, five in Sligo and four in University College Hospital, Galway on Tuesday. It also had the highest number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country with 23, one higher than Cork University Hospital on 22. An analysis of offical Covid-19 figures in public hospitals has revealed 11 hospital had no suspected case, four had one case, six had two cases and four had three cases on Tuesday. This has been a trend for a number of days. HSE statistics show there were 86 suspected Covid-19 cases in UHL …

A Clare TD has compared a Garda investigation into alleged squaring away of road traffic offences in the Limerick Garda Division, to the Salem witch trials, which saw 20 people executed in the Massachusetts town in the 1690s, reports David Raleigh. Eight gardai suspended on November 8 last year remain so, pending the outcome of the two-year investigation which is being led by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI). Clare Deputy Cathal Crowe said gardai have come to him and told him they are concerned at the nature of the probe. Gardai have privately expressed fear they may face the threat of suspension or court for using discretion when dealing with members of the public. Deputy Crowe said, “You could almost call the Limerick Garda Division ‘Salem’ at the moment, because there’s a form of witch-trial being going on for the last two years there.” “Eight members suspended, 60 garda phones confiscated, morale has never been lower,” he …

Killaloe woman keen to highlight support she and her family have received from local organisations DONATIONS are still being made to local charities after a Killaloe woman completed a gruelling 250km triathlon in one day. The successful completion of “The Long Way In One Day” by Jade Hoynes (28) has raised €7,341 for the Samaritans and Sejare Adult Respite House. Her original target was €5,000, so she was thrilled to collect more than €2,300 extra for two charities that are close to her heart. “I would have been delighted to raise €5,000. The huge support and kind messages I have received really meant a lot to me. “It was one of the best days of my life. It was a day I will not forget. The support from my family, friends and the charities made the day so much more enjoyable and much easier.” The regular Ironman challenge is a 180 kilometre cycle, 3.8 kilometre swim, and marathon. Just to …

Safety being compromised, controllers allege, in letter to the Minister for Transport SHANNON and Cork airports both had to close during the summer due to a lack of air traffic controllers, and safety is being compromised by forcing those same controllers to work at short notice while tired. That’s part of the message contained in a letter which has been sent to Transport Minister Eamon Ryan by disgruntled air traffic controllers. The IAA employs 332 people in Shannon and at Ballygirreen in Newmarket-on-Fergus, many of them air traffic controllers. The IAA has rejected the claims included in the letter and said that any disagreements can be resolved using existing dispute resolution processes. The letter included stinging criticism of the IAA management, and said that Shannon and Cork Airports both closed during the summer due to staff shortages, which it claimed were brought about because of long term abuse of staff. “As you are aware on a number of occasions an …

LED by the Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI), Make Way Day returns to Clare this Friday. Make Way Day is a campaign that brings the disability and wider community together to consider the needs of people with disabilities in the public spaces we all share. This year, DFI has developed an online tool that campaigners can use to test and rate their local area or 5k. The online tool is mobile friendly and can be used to draw attention to anything that is a barrier for people, meaning every corner of Ireland can be put to the test for basic access issues. Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Councillor PJ Ryan, said, “Clare County Council is happy to work with DFI in supporting the roll-out of Make Way Day in County Clare. Make Way Day is an important campaign to increase public awareness of the obstacles and access issues experienced by people with disabilities in public spaces.” Make Way Day focuses …

AMERICAN film star Lacey Chabert spent three weeks at The Old Ground Hotel in Ennis and was quite taken with the place. Chabert, of Mean Girls fame, recently stayed incognito at the hotel while filming her new movie, Christmas at Castle Hart, according to a spokesperson for the hotel. The Hallmark production, which co-stars Irish actor Stuart Townsend, was being shot around Clare and Limerick. The hotel spokesperson also revealed that the actress stayed so long at the Old Ground, because she thought it was “so fetch”. For those of you not au fait with the lingo, ‘fetch’ is another way of saying ‘cool’. Built in the early part of the 18th Century as a private dwelling, the manor house has been a hotel since 1895 and reopened under the ownership of Allen Flynn and the Flynn Hotel Collection in September 1995. They have undertaken five major refurbishments and extensions, bringing it from 11 bedrooms to 108, and it now operates …

MOTORISTS in Clare are being warned of the increased risk of wild deer on the roads, particularly in the east of the county, writes Fiona McGarry. The Irish Deer Commission said that particular caution is advised from late September to early November during the rutting or deer breeding season. A spokesperson said that while the rut is an amazing experience to witness, it is also a time when there is an increased incidence of road traffic accidents. “Male deer go in search of females and younger males are ousted by dominant males forcing deer to cross roads and motorways,” a spokesperson for the commission said. Dawn and dusk are the times at which deer are most active and high risk areas such as woodlands and mountains. East Clare has previously been identified by a national inter-agency report as a “deer hotspot”. The commission is advising that during the rutting season, drivers would reduce speed where they see a deer warning …

THE government’s new housing plan will fail Clare unless it addresses the unique challenges facing permanent residents trying to secure affordable housing around Clare’s tourist hotspots. That’s the warning delivered this week by Coucillor Cillian Murphy, who told a council meeting on Monday all the anecdotal evidence suggests there is a crisis in the availability of affordable housing stock, for both private ownership or long term rental for permanent residents. Councillor Murphy called on the local authority to conduct the relevant research to establish the current demand in Clare for affordable housing for permanent residents who do not qualify for social housing assistance, with a firm timeline for the delivery of this research. While Councillor Murphy applauded the vision and pragmatism in the government’s New Housing for All plan, he stressed the devil will be in the detail as to where housing solutions will be provided. “The demand for second or holiday homes is long recognised worldwide as a push …