Regional

IT IS A bright and chilly Friday morning in Tulla and there’s a buzz of activity about the place as locals stock up on the shopping and catch up on the news ahead of the weekend. “Ideally, we’d love to see this level of activity every day of the week,” says Councillor Pat Hayes who is taking The Clare Champion on a short walking tour of following the news that over 40 vacant premises have been identified in the area. While the heart of Tulla is beating strongly, as we make our way down Lower Main Street, the evidence of a report compiled by Clare County Council from Geo Directory statistics becomes more apparent. “We are coming to an area where there would have been busy pubs and shops, as well as a cinema,” Cllr Hayes explains. “But, you know life has changed and times have changed. Still it is hard to be looking at buildings lying idle and empty …

A MAN has died following a two car collision at Ballybeg on the outskirts of Ennis on Monday afternoon. A driver and passenger were also hospitalised following the incident. The collision occurred at Edenvale on the main Ennis to Kilrush Road. A section of the road was closed off following the collision and traffic diversions were in place. The road has since reopened.

OPENING up about her battle with anxiety and depression, which led to suicidal thoughts, Fiona O’Brien, a 25-year-old psychiatric nurse from Kildysart, is encouraging people to talk, seek support and is reminding young people in particular that it is ok not to be ok. Last Thursday was World Mental Health Day and this year’s theme is Suicide Prevention, as set by the World Federation for Mental Health. Fiona qualified as a psychiatric nurse three years ago and had really been enjoying it but her life took a turn. The end of a relationship, coupled with pressures at work and societal pressures, led to her mental health beginning to suffer. She explained that no one thing triggered it but just “life happened”. “I suffer from anxiety and depression. It has been going on for some time. I worked through a lot of it myself. As I’m a psychiatric nurse, I know a lot of the things I need to do. I …

BEST IN SHOW Cora Grogan – Labasheeda BEST VASE OF GARDEN FLOWERS CONFINED TO CLARECASTLE Betty Slattery POTATO CHAMPIONSHIP Thomas Slattery – Ballynacally BEST VEGETABLE Thomas Slattery – Ballynacally BEST GLADIOLI Thomas Slattery – Ballynacally BEST ROSE Thomas Slattery – Ballynacally BEST PORTER CAKE Tara McInerney – Ennis BEST HOMEMADE JAM SPONGE Marie Kerrigan – Island McGrath, Clarecastle HORSES Class 1 Champion Yearling Colt, Gelding or Filly 1st John Tyner, Knocksmall, Kinsale, Co. Cork, Sundance Jackpot, Bred by Thomas Quigley, Sire: Tolan R, Dam: Limericks Girl 2nd Michael Keane, Moreen, Kilkee, Co. Clare, Bred by Jenny Glynn, Sire: Ascalon, Sire of Dam: The Traveller 3rd Emily Crowley, Ardcahan, Dunmanway, Co. Cork Bred by Pio Tully, Sire: Womanizer, Dam: Rostine Diamond Class 2 Champion 2 year old Gelding or Filly 1st John Tyner, Knocksmall, Kinsale, Co. Cork That’s Class Joe, Bred by Noel O’Shea, Sire: Maxum Joe, Dam: Mollip Diamond Strike 2nd Emily Crowley, Ardeahan, Donmanway, Co. Cork (Horse Doograne Master) …

A KILLALOE based tennis coach, who has introduced the sport of tennis to residents of a Greek refugee camp, is urging the public to support charities like Lighthouse Relief who are helping those fleeing war torn countries. Wesley O’Brien, a coach at the Killaloe Tennis Club said while the issue may have gone off the news cycle, it is still a major international crisis that needs continued support. He said rather than sitting on a beach in Lanzarote he wanted to do more with his skills and wanted share the joy of tennis with those less fortunate. In 2018 he got in touch with a number NGOs and was directed to Lighthouse Relief, who work with refugees from Syria, Iraq and Turkey. The charity has a base on the island of Lesvos where they have a first responder team who help migrants fleeing by boat. Their second base is at the Ritsona refugee camp where they cater for more than …

MOUNTSHANNON’S Luchia Noyes will take to the Miss Ireland stage this September representing County Roscommon. Luchia was born in Dublin but from the age of four came to live with her Mum in Mountshannon. Having studied film and television in Galway for a year she headed for Australia at 18 for what she thought would be a three month stint. Three months turned into six years, and she now works as a unit manager on Films and TV shows with Eire Films in Australia. Home was always on her mind and two years ago she decided to come back home. Due to work commitments in Australia she is over and back now between the two countries. Last year the actress thought about applying for the Miss Ireland competition as she felt it offered a great platform for young women. Tragically around that time she lost a friend to suicide and her focus changed. “I came home last year for three months …

TULLA based concertina player, Mary MacNamara is to be celebrated in a memorable concert featuring the best in the county and country as she has been announced as this year’s MÓRglór Award winner. Glór has this week announced that the MÓRglór Award 2019 will go to the legendary concertina player who has been an inspiration to many musicians, both in Clare, nationally and internationally, and an outstanding ambassador for the traditional arts in Clare. Mary was in Australia when she got the news that she had been named as this years recipient. “I was in Australia when I got the call. I was in a lift at 11.30pm and obviously the coverage was bad in the lift, and I could hear a little bit  and I had to ask them to email. I got that at 12 midnight and it was a lovely surprise before I went to bed,” she said. Mary had been in Australia and New Zealand playing music with Eileen O’Brien and Angela Usher and …

Ahead of her upcoming appearance at the annual Scariff Harbour Festival next month, Derry born author, journalist and broadcaster Susan McKay tells Carol Byrne that Brexit “is an unnecessary block that has been put in the way of peace in Ireland but it will have to be overcome”. SUSAN McKay has said “It is important to realise that awful as Brexit may be it is not the end of the world” and while economically is will be “disastrous for the North” the people of the island of Ireland will still be able to work together afterwards. “Brexit, economically is just going to be disastrous for the North. It’s going to be problematic in terms of North South communications. My own preference would have been for a new referendum at a much earlier stage than this, but it all seems to be hurtling towards a pretty bad end at this point. But I think it is important to realise that awful …