News

COVID-19 restrictions meant that significantly scaled-back commemorative event took place on Wednesday last to mark the centenary of The Glenwood Ambush – one of the most significant incidents in the War of Independence in Munster. The very short ceremony got underway at 3pm with just a few of the memorial committee in attendance and socially distanced. The laying of a wreath was performed by Mick Ryan whose father Jackie Ryan was one of the 37 IRA volunteers involved in the ambush. Earlier in the day, John Lyons, John Lenihan and Patsy Neville raised the tricolour and Paddy Carroll lit the memorial lamp. The committee have said that the actual official celebration of the 100th anniversary will take place post-Covid and at a date to be decided. This will include the official launch of a memorial plaque which is currently at the completion stage by Kilnamona-based sculptor. Michael McTigue. This plaque is being created to depict the safe house or ‘an baile sámháilte,’ to …

PLANS to install a pedestrian crossing in the village of Corofin have made progress, after a motion was tabled by Councillor Joe Killeen at this month’s meeting of the West Clare Municipal District. Calling for a new crossing, the Fianna Fáil members said it would be in the interests of the safety of all road users locally. “What we have is a cluster of facilities together – the GAA pitch and the playground – at the southern part of the village,” he explained. “Then, we have the medical centre just across the road. At the moment, we’re trying to encourage people to park in the car parking spaces adjacent to the GAA pitch and at the entrance to the play area. We’ve got Laghtagoona which has 100 houses and lots of the children from there come as part as the pitch and playground and we’re looking for a pedestrian crossing to try and facilitate those using the facility. It would …

ZERO Covid is strategy that would be unworkable and herald the end of tourism and aviation in Clare, according to Deputy Michael McNamara. The approach has been mooted by a growing number of opposition TDs and members of the medical profession and would involve reducing coronavirus cases to an absolute minimum, through a combination of lockdown and tight border controls. “Zero Covid sounds fine,” the Independent TD said, “but even if it was achievable, and I don’t believe that it is, when we can’t decide where we are going to have our border, what then? If we get to zero Covid cases, how are we to maintain that situation without more or less permanent quarantining of people arriving into the country? If that’s to be the system, we can forget about tourism and aviation in Clare, permanently.” The Scariff-based deputy also rejected the narrative that the response to the pandemic involves a trade-off between public health and the economy. “I …

A STRETCH of road in East Clare could be in line for an upgrade, following a commitment from the local authority to consider it for improvement works. The condition of the L7000 through Broadford was raised by Councillor Joe Cooney at the January meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District. Tabling a motion on the matter, the Fine Gael member appealed to the council to include it on the roads program for this year. “The road is in very bad condition,” he said. “I have had many representations on it and there is a lot of concern locally from those who use it. It needs more passing bays, because the current condition means vehicles need to be able to pull in safety to let others pass.” The motion received the support of Councillor Cooney’s four fellow municipal district members who agreed that action was needed. In a written response to the motion, Senior Executive Engineer (SEE) Niamh Madden said the route …

A QUESTION mark has been thrown over plans by Supermac’s to construct a €10m Barack Obama-style motorway plaza outside Ennis off the M18 motorway. Last month, Clare County Council granted planning permission to Supermac’s MD, Pat McDonagh for the development in a long running planning saga that has been going on for six years. The fast food business lodged its first plan in December 2014 and now in response to the latest plan, three appeals have been lodged against the proposal by local businesses with An Bord Pleanála. Those to lodge appeals include the operator of the four-star hotel in Ennis, the Old Ground, Duesbury Ltd and four other businesses in one appeal along with appeals by Maxol Ltd and long-time opponent of the plan and local landowner, Shane Brigdale. Already, the appeals board has refused planning permission for a previous Supermac’s plaza off the M18 near Ennis necessitating revised plans to be lodged. In the Old Ground-led objection, consultant, Mandy Coleman stated that her clients have …

A STRETCH of road which extends across two different municipal districts will be repaired this year, but is not on the current roads programme for this year. The poor condition of the road at Ballycar North, Sixmilebridge, which crosses from the Killaloe to the Shannon Municipal District, was highlighted by Councillor Alan O’Callaghan. At a meeting of the Killaloe district committee, he called on the engineer from the area to meet her Shannon counterpart to draw up a proposal for the road. “This road is divided between both districts and in a very poor state,” the Fianna Fáil councillor said. “A lot of people use the route and it’s in need of a lot of repair. I understand it crosses two districts, that’s why I’m calling for the two engineers to work together on this.” In a reply to the motion, Senior Executive Engineer (SEE) Niamh Madden said she had spoken with the Shannon SEE on the matter. “As this …

A NEW scheme to support householders, farmers and community groups in producing and selling renewable electricity into the national grid is set to bring major benefits to Clare, according to the county’s Environmental Network Coordinator. Theresa O’Donohoe, a former General Election candidate for People Before Profit, has urged people to have their say on the new Microgeneration Support Scheme, the outline of which was unveiled this week by environment minister, Eamonn Ryan. The initiative will allow people to generate their own renewable electricity, through, for example, solar panels on their roofs, and ensure they receive a fair price when they sell the excess into the grid. “Run well, this initiative offers a whole new approach to rural regeneration and regional development while supporting the transition to a low carbon economy,” Ms O’Donohoe said. “If every community decided they would invest in solar panels on all the roofs, a small wind turbine or three beside the pitches, a water turbine in the stream, …

A CLARE mechanic, who gardai claim is a “major player” in the wholesale distribution of drugs in Munster, was charged in Limerick District court this week with possession of cocaine, worth almost quarter of a million euro, which had been found by gardai in a car in Limerick. Anthony Sexton, (39), was arrested last Saturday, by members of the Limerick Divisional Drugs Unit (DDU), supported by the Garda Armed Support Unit (ASU). Gardai intercepted Mr Sexton driving a dark grey coloured Audi car on the R510, at Raheen, Limerick, and discovered three-and-a-half kilos of cocaine worth an estimated €247,500. The father of three, with an address at Cahaska, Corofin, appeared before Limerick District Court, charged with four offences, namely: possession of cocaine for sale or supply; possession of cocaine; possession of a flick knife; causing criminal damage to an official garda patrol jeep. Detective Garda Mark O’Sullivan, Limerick DDU, gave evidence that gardai “conducted an operation targeting drug trafficking offences” …