News

UL Hospitals Group have confirmed that outpatient appointments and elective procedures will go ahead as scheduled in the majority of cases tomorrow, Monday, May 17, at University Hospital Limerick (UHL), Ennis Hospital, Nenagh Hospital, St John’s Hospital and University Maternity Hospital Limerick. In a statement issued this afternoon, the group have advised that patients should attend their appointment/procedure unless contacted directly by the hospital and advised otherwise. The Emergency Department (ED) at UHL continues to operate 24-7, but is very busy. Members of the public are reminded to consider all care options and only attend the ED in an emergency. The statement went on to advise, “Non urgent patients may experience significant delays. Injury Units are operating in Ennis Hospital and Nenagh Hospital and are open from 8am to 8pm and St John’s Hospital from 8am to 7pm. The Maternity Emergency Unit is available 24-7 and the Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit continues to operate an appointment only service. “Patients are …

A NUMBER of sports clubs in Clare could “go to the wall,” after being unable to fundraise during the pandemic, a local councillor has warned. Councillor Mark Nestor told the May meeting of Clare County Council that while everyone welcomes the fact that clubs are allowed to return to some of their activities, concerns are mounting over their financial viability in the aftermath of the lockdowns. “It’s great that clubs can now go back to their activities,” he said. “That’s a very welcome thing, but some have been in touch about their rental costs when it comes to accessing facilities. It’s particularly true for soccer clubs. For example, they might have to rent twice in the week with training and then for their games. In some cases, they simply cannot meet the financial costs. That’s down to the fact they haven’t been able to fundraise for over a year. Some clubs have informed me that they will go to the …

Sinn Fein deputy was subjected to scathing Twitter attack IT HAS emerged that an anonymous Twitter account, which led to the termination of the contract of Sunday Independent columnist Eoghan Harris, targeted Clare Sinn Féin TD Violet Ann Wynne. Last week, editor Alan English took the decision to terminate Mr Harris’s contract after he admitted to being involved in the Barbara J Pym account, which has since been permanently suspended for violating Twitter’s rules on platform manipulation and spam. The account tweeted Deputy Wynne last March after the Tánaiste’s erroneous assertion that there were no protestants in Sinn Féin. While Leo Varadkar later apologised to Deputy Wynne, a member of the Church of Ireland, the Barbara J Pym account launched a scathing attack. The tweet, sent to the Tánaiste, Sinn Féin and Deputy Wynne said: “She’s only acceptable as a token Protestant as long as she toes the SFIRA line and justifies the murder and ethnic cleansing of Protestants north …

Court heard homeless man had lived at house with late mother and sister and was trying to ‘get accommodation’ ARMED gardai and a specialist negotiator were deployed after a man barricaded himself into a house in Ennis last week, a court has heard. Ennis District Court last Friday heard the man had been living rough and illegally entered the property in an attempt to secure accommodation. No one was harmed during the incident and the man was subsequently arrested and charged with trespass. Directing the involvement of the probation services, Judge Sandra Murphy said “there is a particular tragic set of circumstances” in the case. The three-hour stand off started shortly after 3pm on May 6 after gardai received a report that a man had barricaded himself into his former home on the outskirts of Ennis. At Ennis District Court last Friday, Garda Eoin McFadden said the 28-year-old man was threatening self harm. The court heard the man was recently …

Owen Ryan on the importance of the slots THE preservation of Shannon’s Heathrow slots is of fundamental importance to much of the region’s economy, and ensuring connectivity continues beyond next September should be a priority for the region’s politicians. More than 15 years ago – well before the precariousness of the slots really came into focus after they were transferred to Belfast – Shannon Town Council had called for them to be ring fenced for the Clare airport. However, that did not happen, still has not happened, and it is very possible that next autumn they could be lost once more. In 2007 Aer Lingus hoped to bury news of its decision to transfer four Heathrow slots from Shannon to Belfast, by leaking the information on the August Bank Holiday weekend. That didn’t work at all though, and even though the economy was booming at the time, a major campaign began, encompassing politicians, tourism industry figures, some leading multinational companies …

PLANS are underway to transform parts of Ennis town centre to allow evening outdoor dining, with hopes that it will lead to increased footfall and an economic boost to local businesses. An application is being made by the local authority for up to €200,000 in funding from the Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme announced by Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin TD and Fáilte Ireland. Ahead of a decision on the grant submission, the Ennis Municipal District has also announced plans to close roads to facilitate outdoor dining during the evening times. The roads set to be closed are Parnell Street, from Carmody Street to Woodquay Junction. Also Frances Street from the junction of Friary car park to Abbey Street, with access to the Friary car park to remain open. It is proposed that the streets will be closed from 6.30pm to 11.30pm, every night for June, July and August. Closures are further planned from 6.30pm to 11.30pm on Friday, Saturday and …

Allianz Football League Division 2 South Round 1 Clare v Laois at Cusack Park Ennis, Sunday 4pm (Sean Lonergan, Tipperary) THE prevailing narrative when it comes to Division 2 has always been its ultra competitiveness and relative uncertainty as to which teams are elevated and evicted from the division on any given year. That script is emphasised when it comes to assessing Clare as having been touted as relegation candidates (nationally at least) every year since winning Division 3 in 2016, they have managed to defy those odds and could have even soared to the top flight had results gone their way last year. Indeed, in two-thirds of Clare’s league matches over the past three seasons, only a kick of a ball has separated the sides and in the context of an even smaller pool this time around, two of those were minimum results came in 2020 against Kildare (0-11 to 0-10 win), and Laois (1-12 to 1-11 loss), both …

Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group B Round 2 Clare v Wexford at Cusack Park Ennis, Sunday 12.45pm (Fergal Horgan, Tipperary) CONTRASTING starts make for an intriguing first major battle in Group B as Clare and Wexford clash for the third time in 15 months this Sunday. Of course, the Lohan versus Davy backdrop is ever-present especially from a national media viewpoint but while Clare have come out on top on both previous occasions in 2020 (0-18 to 0-15 NHL February and 1-21 to 0-17 in All-Ireland Qualifiers), victory this time around is craved more than ever for the home side. Clare’s opening set-back against Antrim, in the overall context of a long-awaited competitive action return, and finding their best team isn’t hugely significant, but in the immediate bubble of expectation, will be fingered as part of a worrying pattern if not rectified this Sunday. On the flip side, Wexford eased to a 19-point home win over Laois, a welcoming …