News

SHANNON teachers Laura O’Brien and David O’Halloran have collaborated on a new school book. It is called Junior Cycle Success for English and is part of a series of Junior Cycle revision books produced by Examcraft. David teaches at St Patrick’s Comprehensive, while Laura teaches at St Caimin’s and describing the new publication, she said, “It covers all the usual topics, going through sample questions from the paper. It gives two answers, a middle of the road answer and a full marks answer and it shows why one answer got five out of ten and the other one got ten out of ten.” She says it is one of the few books in the area that is fully up to date. “It’s one of the only things out at the moment that’s for the new Junior cycle, most of the revision books that are out are for the old Junior Cert.” The two worked together at St Caimin’s some time …

EXCITING plans are afoot in Tulla for the creation of a state-of-the-art astroturf facility at St Mochulla’s National School.  The development is a collaboration between St Mochulla’s and Tulla Camogie Club and the objective is to develop an all-weather pitch, ensuring that sports facilities are available all year round to all of the community.  “In today’s world this is ever more important for their wellbeing and health and a key part of our Active School Policy,”said Angela Byrnes, Chairperson of the Board of Management of St Mochulla’s. “We’re just about to start our fundraising for 2023 and there will be some great opportunities for all of the community to get involved.” The estimated cost of the project is €120,000 and a Sports Capital Grant of €45,000 has already been secured. An additional €20,000 has been raised towards the cost of the 40m x 25m facility.  “We were delighted to join with Tulla Camogie Club because they have no permanent home …

OVER 1.51 million passengers travelled through Shannon Airport in 2022, 88% of its pre-pandemic transit figures. This strong recovery in the airport’s fortunes came about despite travel still being impacted in the early part of last year. “The accelerated pace of the rebound in air travel from Shannon has exceeded our expectations and shows the pent-up desire for international travel following the lifting of pandemic travel restrictions,” said Shannon Airport Group CEO Mary Considine. European services recovered strongly in 2022 with over 532,000 passengers travelling through Shannon. This actually surpassed 2019 pre-pandemic levels by 7% and was a 225% increase on 2021. Shannon recorded over 638,000 passengers on its UK services in 2022, a 309% increase on the previous year. After an absence of almost two years, transatlantic services returned in March 2022 and saw a strong rebound of almost 240,000 passengers on services to New York (JFK), Boston and Newark. A further boost is expected from May 2023 when …

THOUSANDS of hospital protesters bowed their heads in silence in a show of support for the family of a Shannon teenager who died in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) before Christmas. You could hear a pin drop when Melanie Sheehan requested a minute silence to mark the tragic death of Aoife Johnston during protest speeches at Arthur’s Quay car park on Saturday. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar recently requested a new inquiry into Aoife’s hospital treatment after she contracted meningitis to ascertain if her untimely death could have been prevented. Her death sent shock waves throughout the Mid-West. Hospital activists are hoping her untimely passing will prove a watershed moment in their campaign to tackle overcrowding in the region. UHL has promised a “comprehensive investigation” into the circumstances which led up to Aoife’s death. Young family members and friends of Aoife held up framed photographs of her as they listened to speeches calling for the restoration of 24-hour Accident and Emergency services in …

AN Ennis family has called for an independent inquiry to address “unanswered questions” surrounding the death of a popular well known former Shannon Airport Chief Inspector and merchant navy man. Wilma O’Halloran has requested UL Hospitals Group group to conduct an independent inquiry into the circumstances that led to death of her father, John O’Halloran, Upper Cahercalla Road, Ennis before his life support machine in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) had to be turned off on February 22, 2022. In an interview with the Clare Champion, she said there are several “unanswered questions” how a very mobile, fit 83 year-old man who was taken via ambulance with a non-life threatening broken neck ended up dying in UHL. “John walked every day. He was very sociable and made a lot of friends in Éire Óg and from his walks. He would drop and collect his own grandchildren from school. He was very healthy. “I am looking for answers. I would not like …

A HOSPITAL rally organiser has vowed last Saturday’s march in Limerick is only the beginning of a “campaign of people power” that will force change in the delivery of regional health care. Mike Daly, who organised the protest with the help of the Mid-West Hospital Campaign, said he hoped this rally would result in the HSE reopening the three EDs in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s. “For 14 years we have watched as they closed our ED, robbed us of hospital beds and watched our people die on trolleys. Well no more, the time has come for change because we deserve better. “Our health system deserves enough workers so it can operate properly. Our elderly deserve better than to lie on a cold, hard trolley. Our young people don’t deserve to die from neglect. “Today, we march for our families, our children and mothers and fathers. When my own father died, it was from one of the most serious cases …

THE communities of Lahinch and Ennistymon are said to be “numbed and heartbroken” as they bid farewell to well-loved local man, Conor Tuohy. Mr Tuohy’s funeral took place this Thursday at Lahinch Church. The hugely popular 67-year-old musician, composer and former Garda lost his life in a road incident on Friday, January 20. His passing has cast a pall of sadness over North Clare as the community tries to come to terms with the tragedy. As his family announced news of Mr Tuohy’s passing, they described him as “a great friend to all”. Tributes have poured in from all across Clare and far beyond and musician Luka Bloom made a moving Facebook tribute to Mr Tuohy, dedicating one of his compositions ‘I Hear You’ to his family. Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District, Councillor Shane Talty extended condolences to Mr Tuohy’s family, partner and friends, on behalf of Clare County Council and Ennistymon GAA Club. He described Mr Tuohy …

THE community of Loop Head in West Clare scooped a national award in the 2022 IPB Pride of Place Awards announced at a ceremony held at the Clayton Hotel in Dublin last weekend. Scariff Community Council, Mountshannon Community Council, the Shannon in Bloom project and the Loop Head Together Project were nominated by the Rural Development Directorate of Clare County Council to participate in the annual competition. The Loop Head Together Project was the overall winner of the “Coastal Community” category. The project seeks to facilitate the communities of Loop Head Peninsula to come together in a spirit of resilience and integration to create a place ‘where everyone can thrive’. It includes nature monitoring and nature tourism development. Loop Head also was named winner of the Climate Action Special Award for a regenerative farming experiment named Hemp4Soil, which explores the potential to improve soil quality and biodiversity while also creating alternative sustainable income streams for farms on Loop Head. The …