News

PLANS for the installation of a pedestrian / cycle crossing close to one of the county’s largest primary schools will result in the development of “critical piece of infrastructure” which will protect the safety of children, a meeting of Ennis councillors has heard. The development of a pedestrian / cycle crossing at Ashline on the Kilrush Road, close to Ennis National School, has been proposed by Clare County Council. Members of the Ennis Municipal District voiced their support for the plans at a recent meeting of the local authority. A report presented to members at the meeting outlined that the traffic calming measures will “facilitate the safer walking and cycling access to/from Ennis National School and St Flannan’s” and “provide for pedestrians and cyclists in the area outside of school times”. The works involve: removal of existing warden crossing; provision of zebra crossing with refuge island; minor realignment of the existing junction; provision of segregated off road cycleway/footway; set back …

2020 has surely been the oddest year to be a Leaving Cert student, with the exam, the great rite of passage, not actually happening at all but the young people still getting a set of results. Despite results being distributed online these days, until now former students have still come to St Caimin’s to meet their former classmates on teachers on the big day, but it couldn’t happen this week. “No, unfortunately not, it was another one of those things that were denied to the year group I’m afraid. It’s an awful shame, it’s normally a great day when you meet them all and wish them all the best. It would have been a logistical nightmare to bring them in,” said principal Alan Cunningham. He feels those whose school days concluded in 2020 have missed out on an awful lot of important experiences. “There was so much denied to them. We’d always have a graduation mass celebration, our awards ceremony, …

ANGER has been expressed by those living on of one of the last remaining residential streets in the centre of Ennis, over the introduction of two-way traffic to facilitate the new mobility plan. Residents of Summerhill have told The Champion that the introduction of two-way traffic for the third time in recent years is the last straw in terms of noise, inconvenience and danger. Nancy O’Brien who has lived in the town since the 1950s said residents are frustrated and in fear. “We have gone along with everything, up to now, for the good of Ennis,” she said. “We had two-way traffic to facilitate works on Parnell Street and two All-Ireland Fleadhs, now we have just had enough. People are speeding through the area and won’t let residents out into the traffic. They’re coming through at all hours and parking and blocking people in all day.” Her son Brendan has made numerous representations to Clare County Council and said residents …

A NEW ‘proclamation’ for County Clare is being drawn up as a blueprint for this and future generations of Banner residents. Ideas are currently being sought to feed into the plan which covers all aspects of life in the county. The Public Participation Network (PPN) which is an umbrella organisation representing a range of community, voluntary, social inclusion and environmental groups, is preparing the vision document, which will be tailored to each of the county’s four municipal districts. To gather views on what improvements people would like to see in a range of areas, including social and community development, governance, the environment and the economy, the PPN is circulating a survey on its website and other platforms. The survey asks people what kind of county they would like to live in and to outline what their local area needs to make it the best it can be for this and future generations. “We are excited to be undertaking this important …

A BAN on flotation toys could be introduced at Clare beaches and waterways, after a number of near misses where children were blown out to sea on inflatable devices. Over the summer months, there were at least two major rescues involving emergency services from Clare, with a number of other incidents causing alarm in coastal areas. “We had several incidents over the course of the summer,” said Clare McGrath, water safety officer with the local authority. “Thankfully, there were no serious injuries. While it has been great to see so many people using the beaches and waterways in Clare, and we have been seriously busy, there is concern over the risks created by these toys. They have been referred to, for good reason, as floating killers. People just don’t seem to realise the dangers.” Ms McGrath said that lifeguards in Clare had been warning people of the dangers and that most people complied with the advice. “What we would really …

A SPATE of thefts from graves in Tulla has sparked outrage in the local community, and an appeal for vigilance from the authorities. Six incidents have been reported to Gardaí in recent months, with the latest taking place between 9pm last Thursday (September 3) and 1pm on Friday. A number of grave ornaments, including lanterns, were removed from graves, in a theft which has been condemned by Gardaí. “These items have relatively small monetary value, but have a huge sentimental value to the families involved,” said Inspector Adrian Queeney of Killaloe Station. “These thefts cause huge distress and I would appeal to anyone with information to come forward.” Inspector Queeney said that there is no suggestion, at this point, that any particular family or individual is being targetted. “The thefts seem to be random. We don’t suspect that there’s any issue of targetting, but these thefts are now something that seems to be ongoing and we would appeal for anyone …

HISTORY has been made at Scariff Mart, with facilities now available online as well as in the sales ring. Since the mart facility re-opened at the start of this month, brisk trade has been reported with strong prices and many satisfied farmers as they adapt to changing times and changing technology. Councillor Pat Burke, a board member of Clare Marts and member of the advisory committee for Scariff Mart, said that Covid-19 had forced through a number of changes which had been in the pipeline for a number of years before the pandemic. “We had been looking at an online sales facility in Clare Marts for a number years,” he explained. “We had been out in France and seen systems there, where farmers are given what I would describe as a zapper, and they can make a bid from anywhere in the mart building. Covid came along and forced through some very big changes in a short space of time.” …

THE exclusion of pensioners from a new tourism stimulus scheme for the off-peak season has been described as “a real slap in the face” by the Shannon-based President of Active Retirement Ireland. Kay Murphy told The Champion the terms of the new Stay and Spend scheme, which provides a tax rebate on certain tourism products and services, “victimised” those on State pensions. The initiative, which allows people to claim 20% back on up to €625 spent between October and April of next year, excludes anyone who does not pay tax. “I’m very disappointed about this, so many of our members are dependent solely on the State pension,” Mrs Murphy said. “Because they don’t pay tax any more, they’re not eligible for the scheme.” Mrs Murphy noted that the value of Active Retirement members to the tourism sector had been valued last year at €13.5m and that their exclusion from the scheme made no sense. “At this stage, those of us …