News

GARDAI are investigating reports of a suspicious approach to a child outside Clooney National School on Wednesday afternoon. It is understood a male in a van approached a child and said that the child’s mother had asked him to pick the child up. However the child declined to go with the man, and he drove away. The incident occurred outside the school at around 3.05pm. Gardai have asked that anyone who saw anything suspicious or who has dashcam footage would get in touch with them. They have urged parents to warn their children not to accept any unsolicited lifts. In a subsequent email to parents, principal Shane Greene wrote, “This is an extremely serious and upsetting incident. I would ask that we all remain vigilant. parents should remind children not to leave the school grounds until their car is visible after school.” Owen Ryan

MORE than 17,000 first doses of vaccines against Covid-19 have been delivered by vaccinators in the Mid-West, according to official figures. The UL Hospitals’ Group vaccination programme resumed administering the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at the Mid-West Vaccination Centre in the Radisson Blu on Sunday, March 21. Up to close of business on Sunday March 21st, ovaccinators had delivered a total of 17,167 first doses, and 5,248 second doses of Covid-19 vaccine. The group’s Vaccination Programme has been rolled out to healthcare workers across the Mid-West, including staff from the group, HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare, the National Ambulance Service, and staff and residents of some nursing home facilities. It has also included patients at very high risk of illness associated with Covid-19, of whom some 699 received their Dose 1 vaccinations on Sunday. Colette Cowan, Chief Executive Officer, UL Hospitals’ Group, said staff are privileged to be part of this mass vaccination programme and noted it is a great boost to …

A 34-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a woman in Ennis. Patrick Ballard, with an address at Ashford Court, Ennis, appeared at Ennis District Court today (March 24). He is charged with the murder of mother of two, Sharon Bennett (29). Ballard was previously charged with assault causing harm to Ms Bennett in the Market area of Ennis on January 28. That charge was today withdrawn and struck out. The accused was remanded in custody to appear at Gort district court tomorrow. The issue of bail was not raised in court as the district court does not have jurisdiction to deal with a bail application on a murder charge. Sharon Bennett, a native of Wexford, died at University Hospital Limerick on February 10, thirteen days after she was admitted. In court today, detective Garda Noelle Bergin of Ennis Garda Station said she arrested Ballard for the purpose of charge at Ennis Courthouse at 10.29am At 10.30am, the court …

A YOUNG woman missing from Ennis has been located safe and well by Gardaí, along with her baby daughter. 16-year-old Larisa Rostas and her ten-month-old daughter Narcisa had been missing for a number of weeks. Gardaí confirmed this evening that both have been found, safe and well. The force has thanked Gardaí and the media for their help.

CLARE gardai have warned the public of a number of sophisticated scams in operation in the county at the moment and have appealed for vigilance. Crime prevention officer Sergeant Triona Brooks has highlighted a number of scams and provided advice on the proper way to respond to suspicious solicitations on the phone and online. One of the main examples of scams currently in operation is the so-called ‘Technical Support and Impersonation Scam’. Fraudsters set up fake customer support phone numbers and impersonate a variety of legitimate companies. These scam phone numbers are placed on the internet to attract unsuspecting victims seeking assistance from what they believe to be the legitimate company. The scammers who are skilled in social engineering have the ability to deceive and manipulate victims into providing their personal data. Gardai have also warned of giveaway/competition scams whereby the perpetrators use social media to advertise a fake giveaway. They post forged or fake screen shots of messages from …

THE Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of fewer than five additional cases of Covid-19 in Clare and one additional death related to Covid-19 nationally. There has been a total of 4,588 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland. As of midnight, Sunday, March 21, the HPSC has been notified of 520 confirmed cases of Covid-19. There is now a total of 231,119 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. Of the cases notified today: 258 are men / 262 are women 79% are under 45 years of age The median age is 28 years old 242 in Dublin, 36 in Meath, 30 in Offaly, 29 in Kildare, 25 in Wicklow and the remaining 158 cases are spread across 20 other counties*. As of 8am today, 359 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 81 are in ICU. 14 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours. As of March 19, 2021, 668,529 doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in Ireland: 487,466 people …

CLARE County Council has been granted a sum of just over €4 million towards the Ennis Town Centre Public Realm Regeneration project, writes Owen Ryan. Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien announced that Ennis was among the successful applicants under the State’s Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), which is intended to drive regeneration and rejuvenation of strategic and under-utilised areas in cities and large towns. In Ennis it will see works at O’Connell Square, High Street, Bank Place, Barrack Street and Old Barrack Square, with an overall cost of €5,390,391. The URDF funding comes to €4,042,793 with Clare County Council financing the remainder. In O’Connell Square, High Street and Bank Place there will be civic space and public realm enhancements including traffic calming, resurfacing, provision of upgraded street furniture and planting. The Barrack Street and Barrack Square area will see traffic calming, planting of street trees, public artwork, the provision of distinctive street furniture and lighting …

LIGHTING on piers in West Clare is critical to supporting what remains of the county’s fishing industry, a local councillor has said. At this month’s meeting of the Municipal District committee, Councillor Cillian Murphy described the issue as “close to his heart”. “As someone who was involved in the fishing industry, I know the importance of having proper services on our piers,” he said. “Fishing crews have started to gear back up and I’ve had contact in relation to both of the piers in Carrigaholt. But, equally, I’m making the call on behalf of fishermen using all of the district’s piers, lights must be operational on all of them. For the want of a few bulbs, we could be making these areas a lot safer. There was no light at all on either of the Carrigaholt piers at one stage. We have little enough left of our fishing industry at this stage and this would go some way toward supporting …