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THE number of dogs being surrendered to the pound has dropped by half in Clare over the last five years, new figures show. However, there were more dogs abandoned in this county in 2019 than almost every other. Only Tipperary saw a higher number of surrendered dogs last year. The number of dogs being put down, meanwhile, has seen a 12-fold drop in this county since 2015, largely down to greater cooperation between the dog control authorities and rescue organisations. Data released by the Department of Rural and Community Development show that a total of 182 dogs were voluntarily handed over the to the pound in Clare last year. The only county with a higher rate of surrenders, Tipperary, had 191 dogs given over to the pound in 2019. While still higher than the national average, the number of surrenders has been steadily decreasing in the last five years and is down from 393 in 2015. “The figures are still …

  OUTPATIENT and elective surgery will resume at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and Ennis Hospital next Tuesday, the UL Hospitals’ Group announced on Friday. The group explained the cancellation of surgery was necessary for patient and staff safety while both hospitals have been managing a number of outbreaks of Covid-19. During this time, six wards in UHL were closed to admissions. In addition, some 221 staff across the group were off work and self-isolating due to Covid-19. Meanwhile, the Outbreak Control Teams established in both locations has continued to work closely with public health and occupational health colleagues, in accordance with HPSC guidance, to contain the virus and protect all the patients and staff in our hospitals. Contact tracing and testing of staff has been ongoing, and all appropriate infection control measures have been implemented to mitigate the risk. On Friday, the Group’s Hospital Crisis Management Team decided to extend the service curtailments at UHL and Ennis for just one …

A MUSICAL challenge in memory of the late Caher woman, Eimear Noonan, has gone viral, attracting over 400 online performances, across all genres and styles. Carpe Diem Sing and Play: Remembering Eimear has also raised thousands of Euro for a bursary for music students, which is taking applications up until this Saturday. The online challenge was the brainchild of Eimear’s brother Michael and driven by a dedicated team involving family and friends, who have marked, in an extra special way, the third anniversary of the young musician’s untimely passing. “The response across the globe has been phenomenal,” said Eimear’s mother, Mary. “The purpose of Carpe Diem is to support music education and performance and was given a whole new audience as talented young players, together with seasoned musicians and household names, shared their gift of art and music-making for two wonderful lockdown weeks, this November. The music continues to roll in as over 150 performances have yet to be shared. …

THE MID-Clare Commemoration Committee has unveiled plans to commemorate the role of the women of Cumann na mBan in Ireland’s revolutionary struggle. The committee, which has been instrumental in marking historic events since it was established a decade ago, believes that the pivotal role of women in events like the War of Independence has been largely neglected. Given the restrictions around Covid-19, it has initiated a school’s project designed to recognise the role of women, including the children’s own relatives. All schools in Mid-Clare Brigade area are invited to participate in the project, and to select Cumann na mBan members and document their contribution to national Independence. Schools and students may use any medium they see fit, including displays, posters, articles, reports, etc, and may return one or more projects. Participating schools will be presented with a specially commissioned Cumann na mBan Centenary Certificate. A presentation ceremony will take place in 2021, subject to restriction. A centenary commemorative booklet of …

IN the region of 221 healthcare staff across the UL Hospitals’ Group are self-isolating due to Covid-19 as all routine outpatient appointments and the majority of elective procedures remain cancelled in two public hospitals until Friday, November 20. The UL Hospitals’ Group has confirmed significant reductions in scheduled care at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and Ennis Hospital have been extended for a further week for patient and staff safety as both hospitals continue to manage a number of outbreaks of Covid-19. Six wards in UHL were closed to admissions last Friday and a total of 188 staff are currently off work and self-isolating across the group, having either tested positive for Covid-19 or being designated as close contacts. Outbreak control teams established in both locations continue to work closely with public health and occupational health colleagues and all the relevant HPSC guidance is being followed as we work to contain the virus and to protect patients and staff. Contact tracing …

A MAJOR promotional push of the Burren Ecotourism Network is being planned in the wake of the local initiative becoming the only Irish tourism project to be included in the Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel picks for 2021. Naming the Burren Ecotourism Network one of ten world-wide winners in its new ‘Best in Community’ category this week Lonely Planet described it as “an impressive community collaboration of over 60 local enterprises which has transformed Ireland’s Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark into a global leader for sustainable tourism. Joining together to promote slow tourism, local engagement and a greater responsibility for a more sustainable future for all in the area. All enterprises subscribe to the Burren & Cliffs of Moher Geopark ‘Code of Sustainable Practice’. This is an online platform that measures waste output, water consumption and energy usage and encourages each business to make reductions in these areas. The Code of Practice is the only one of its kind in …

BUTTERFLIES have been hand-crafted by ICA members across Clare in solidarity with women globally who are victims of violence. Over the past few weeks, 19 guilds around the county have skilfully crafted 350 butterflies in materials like wool, fabric, paper and card. Last weekend, these were painstakingly put together by crafter Caroline Quinn to create a single colourful display. The image of the butterfly was chosen, according to Mary Moloney of PRO of Clare ICA Federation, to tie in with the aims of the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, marked on Wednesday last, November 25. The annual event started in 1999 to remember Maria, Theresa and Minerva Mirabal from the Dominican Republic who were assassinated for opposing the brutality of their country’s dictator.

THE crew of Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 115, were on standby during the early hours of Monday morning to assist the SpaceX Crew Dragon mission launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida. After the launch, Brendan Meehan, Chief Crewman Standards with Rescue 115, told The Clare Champion, that the Shannon crew were prepared to rescue the four astronauts on board in the event the mission was forced to abort before making it into orbit, and touchdown in the Atlantic Ocean anywhere between 50 and 200km off the Clare coast. “It’s quite an unusual event, and I suppose the chances of us being called to action were probably slim. Nonetheless, we were ready to fly out to rescue the astronauts on board. We had been briefed on the make-up of the capsule, how the hatches open and how it would be sitting in the water. “Our job would be to fly out to the capsule, collect the astronauts and bring …