News

THE President of St Vincent De Paul in Clare has said the dysfunctional rental market is causing huge issues for many families. This week it emerged that the average rent sought for residential accommodation in the county exceeds €1,000 per month and St Vincent De Paul is seeing the impact the red hot market is having on people around the county. Denis Carty told The Clare Champion, “Obviously a lot of the people that come to us for support would be living in private rented accommodation and the cost would be a big issue for them. “It has had a really bad impact on a lot of people, they have had to move out of Ennis or other towns to get accommodation and the accommodation isn’t of a great standard. It adds to their transport costs and to their heating costs. “For people who are driving, the cars are much more expensive to run and to repair. It’s kind of …

SPEEDING traffic is causing concern on the approach roads to the village of Tuamgraney, last month’s meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District has heard. The matter was raised by Councillor Pat Hayes who asked that new traffic calming measures be put in place “as present measures are not fulfilling their requirements”. The Fianna Fáil member outlined his concerns for the safety of residents with the increase in traffic over the summer period. “Many people are using the new path from Killaloe to Scariff,” he noted. “It’s around St Cronan’s Church in particular that you realise how much speed there is and how it’s creating a danger to residents. There’s speeding on all roads approaching Tuamgraney, but particularly on the road from Killaloe. The signage is helpful, but it’s not solving the problem.” Councillor Hayes asked that solutions be investigated, potentially with a view to securing a funding allocation for works. “Speeding starts at the hill at Raheen, he outlined. “There …

CLARE County Council has raised some issues regarding Gaelscoil Donncha Rua’s new school development and sought further information.  In the further information request, it says that there is a question about the site area. The local authority suggests that elements of the design are outside the developable boundary of the application. The Council stated, “It is noted that the site area for this application as outlined in red on the details as submitted with the application, does not extend as far as the roadside edge with the Bealach Brí road and as a result aspects of the proposed development, including the new vehicular entrance from the Bealach Brí road and the proposed pedestrian access from the bus set down area, do not appear within the developable boundary of the application.  “It is not clear therefore if the applicant has sufficient legal interest to develop these particular items, which are considered to be integral aspects of this proposal. You are therefore …

CLARE Gardaí have issued advice on identifying bogus trades people following an incident in the county last week. On Monday, August 9 at 12.30 p.m. two men on foot called to a house in St. Joseph’s Terrace in Clarecastle. They told the owner of the house that they were checking the house for leaks or dampness. The lady had been waiting for the Council to paint her house and asked the men were they from the Council. They replied that they had been sub-contracted by the Council and would require an upfront payment of €250 before they carried out any work. The lady unfortunately paid the men and they left on foot without carrying out any work. On foot of this incident, gardai are reiterating crime prevention advice in relation to bogus callers and rogue tradesmen. They advise the following security checks and measures. If you are not expecting callers, look out the window to see who is at your …

A MAN has been remanded in Limerick Prison following an alleged armed robbery in Ennis. At five past six on Tuesday evening, August 10, a lone male entered the Gala shop on Cloughleigh Road, Ennis wearing a balaclava over his face and carrying a knife. He demanded the staff member to open the cash register but he couldn’t open it. The man then took a number of packets of cigarettes and left on a bike in the direction of the Lahinch Road. This was a traumatic incident for the staff member but he wasn’t physically injured. Later in the same evening gardaí executed a search warrant at a house in Ennis and a male in his late 20s was arrested and detained at Ennis Garda Station. On August 12 he was brought before Ennis District Court and was remanded in custody to Limerick Prison.

DONAL Kenny, Hermitage, Ennis, who died recently, was one of the finest golfers produced by the county town. Aged 73 years, he was a scratch golfer for the best part of 20 years during which time he represented Munster several times in the inter-provincial championships. In 1981, the Munster branch of the Golfing Union of Ireland listed just four scratch golfers in the province at that time, Donal Kenny, Walker Cup player, Arthur Pierse, Tipperary, Denis O’ Sullivan, Cork, and Paddy O’Looney, Castletroy, Limerick. As a member of a family steeped in golf with Ennis Golf Club, Donal showed promise from an early age and went on to represent the club in the Senior Cup and Barton Shield, figuring prominently in the South of Ireland Golf Championship in Lahinch. Afterwards, he joined Kilrush Golf Club and club stalwart, Denis Nagle, who attended Donal’s funeral, praised him for his contribution to the West Clare club including playing for it in the …

ACCOMMODATION providers and businesses in Lahinch have received “Think Before You Flush” resources to help combat sewage related litter and wastewater system blockages. The increase in staycations this year means many people will be flocking to popular destinations like Lahinch. As many working in the hospitality sector unfortunately know, the issue of flushing unsuitable items like wet wipes down the toilet, can have huge implications for wastewater systems and can damage the marine environment. As part of the Think Before You Flush regional campaign, B&Bs, hotels, hostels, self-catering apartments and campsites in Lahinch are receiving information and resources about the “Think Before You Flush campaign”. Unlike toilet paper, which is designed to disintegrate quickly in pipes and sewage systems, the synthetic materials in items like wipes, cotton buds and sanitary products makes them very strong and unable to break down. When these unsuitable items are flushed down the toilet, they can causes blockages in our wastewater network, pumping stations and …

A YOUNG Killaloe athlete is gearing up to complete a unique challenge by climbing Ireland’s highest mountain blindfolded. Not content with going up and down Carrauntohil eight times in seven days last August, Yeshuah O’Brien-Bayer will do one climb without the benefit of his eyes on August 28. It is believed he will be one of the first people and the youngest ever to attempt this task. Standing at 1,039m, Carrauntoohil is the highest mountain in Ireland and is set among the beautiful Macgillycuddy Reeks in Co Kerry. If all goes to plan and the weather holds up, his journey up and down will be broadcast live on his Instagram account, @Theyobb.com2005. He will be guided by his father, Hergen, and students of St Annes Community College who will carry items for him. Last August, Yeshuah came up with the idea for his latest challenge on the outskirts of Killarney after he and his father had just completed their Irish …