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A JUDGE has told two men involved in a boundary row that “life is too short for neighbours to be having disagreements”, writes Gordon Deegan. Despite head-butting his 71-year-old neighbour, Rory Murphy (46), of Clifden, Corofin, was cleared unanimously by the jury at Ennis Circuit Court of assault causing harm. Mr Murphy was acting in self defence, having been hit on the head with a hammer by John Fisher, also of Clifden, Corofin, on January 15, 2019. Judge Brian O’Callaghan added his hope that “some of the issues between you can be resolved”. At the end of the two-day trial, Judge O’Callaghan told Mr Murphy: “You came to court an innocent man and you leave this court today an innocent man.” In a voluntary interview with Gardai, Mr Murphy did admit head-butting Mr Fisher at the boundary site but stated that this was in self defence after Mr Fisher hit him with a hammer across the head. Mr Murphy of …

Eoin Brennan whips out the calculator and goes over the Clare Cup permutations ahead of this evening’s games Feakle’s first set-back against Inagh-Kilnamona a fortnight ago did prove costly but crucially not detrimental to their hopes of a first Clare Cup in over three decades. It does, however, mean a three-way wrestle for silverware at the top with Sixmilebridge and Cratloe but with the other two clashing, all Feakle can do is look after their own corner and that means not just overcoming holders Kilmaley on away soil but doing so by as handsome a margin as possible. All because a Feakle win of any kind will be sufficient if Sixmilebridge win the Garneyside derby as the head-to-head would be favourable towards PJ Kelleher’s side. However, if Feakle and Cratloe both win, then it comes down to score difference as the sides have not played each other and currently the 2018 and ’19 county finalists are four points better in …

A COUNTY Clare sports club has described funding received through Healthy Ireland as a “lifeline”. Derg Athletics Club received €22,000 of the total €374,100 allocated to county Clare under Healthy Ireland funding. On Friday the club hosted Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Well Being and National Drugs Strategy, Frank Feighan in Killaloe to see first-hand the benefits the funding has brought for local and voluntary groups in Clare. The TD was greeted by the Cathaoirleach and elected members of Clare County Council, Clare Oireachtas Members, and local representatives and stakeholders, together with staff from Clare County Council and representatives of the wider community in Killaloe. Established in 2013, Derg Athletics Club offers physical activity programmes for all in Clarisford Park, Killaloe. Healthy Ireland funding is helping to sustain the club’s inclusive athletics programmes and is essential to enabling participation in athletics activities for children with a physical disability or those on the autism spectrum. It is available …

THE leader of Sinn Féin expressed her “shock” at the damage caused by pyrite to a family home in East Clare and pledged that her party will do all in its power to ensure homeowners get 100% redress to rebuild their lives. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald made her remarks on a visit to Kilkishen this week where she was briefed by the Clare Pyrite Action Group and saw first-hand the home of Dan Moloney and his wife Teresa. The family built their home 23 years ago, and have recently learned that the severe cracks in the building are due to pyrite. “It’s very shocking,” Deputy McDonald said. “When you consider the case of Danny and Teresa, they were working in New York planning to come home to raise their family here in this wonderful part of Clare, invest their hard-earned money in their family’s forever home and now they’re faced with this. The damage to the house is very, very …

A NEW centre for natural medicines and therapy has been given the go-ahead by Clare County Council for a site outside Feakle. The owners of the Satmya Vedic Living Centre, which has been in operation in Killaloe since 2007, told county planners they wish to create an eco-friendly building on lands that they own in Magherabawn, Feakle. The project will involve a single-storey building to replace existing demolished stables and will contain a classroom, treatment room, consultation facilities and dispensary. Six parking spaces will be created beside an existing yard and a hay barn will be removed. The business will offer naturopathy as well as an Indian traditional therapy called Ayurveda. Yvette and Douglas Hyde have described the proposed new building as being in the style of a traditional Irish farmhouse or outbuilding with a corrugated red iron roof and external cladding of plaster or wood. According to the planning application, the treatment room will be used for teaching Ayurveda …

MILFORD Hospice, which serves many families in Clare and the Mid-West has had to call off its chief fundraising vehicle for the second year in succession. The Annual Milford Care Centre’s Harvest Fair has, like so many other public events, fallen victim yet again to the restrictions of the prolonged pandemic. Forced to cancel last year’s Harvest Fair for the first time in its 35-year history, plans to hold the 2021 Fair this August have been put on ice. Making the announcement, Milford Care Centre’s Chief Executive Officer, Mary O’Brien said “Whilst is it very disappointing to have to miss out on our annual Harvest Fair for the second year in a row, we are guided by Government guidelines and it would be impossible to host an event of this nature. “The protection of human health is at the heart of everything we do, so we could not contemplate putting at risk the lives, or health, of those who have …

FINN McGeever is the first to admit that the postponement of the Olympic Games to this year was a “blessing in disguise”, writes Ivan Smyth Despite travelling to Tokyo at the tender age of 20, the swimmer from Ballina, Killaloe,  is able to reflect on the past 15 months and acknowledge that the first lockdown last March gave him an opportunity to get himself in the best shape possible. “Back in 2020 it wasn’t looking too great for me making that team. Obviously, things changed this time around. The lockdown worked out so well for me swimming-wise. It gave me time to make my breakthrough to the next level. It was a blessing in disguise.” The second year student at the University of Limerick (UL) believes the lockdowns allowed him to find a new perspective and enjoy swimming more. “First year (in college) I went too heavy on the training side. One of my issues was that I was almost …

VACCINATION of young people against HPV should be carried out at the centres currently used to administer Covid jabs, according to one member of the local authority. Councillor Mary Howard received widespread support at the July meeting of the authority for a motion appealing to the Minister for Health to seriously consider using mass vaccination centres to administer the HPV vaccine, and to roll out a free ‘catch-up’ programme for secondary school students. The Fine Gael member outlined how her motion was inspired by time spent with the family of the late vaccine advocate Laura Brennan. “They’ve highlighted their concerns at the pace of the roll-out of the HPV vaccine. Before the pandemic, uptake was over 80%. The programme was paused due to Covid and it’s down to 63% at the moment. Challenges have also been posed by the cyber attack and we now need a meaningful catch-up to get back to 80%. We have all seen how incredibly efficient …