East Clare

A young cancer survivor has urged young men to check their testicles regularly and to immediately consult their GP if there is any sign of swelling. Daniel Spaight (19), Bridgetown won an Individual Award at the Garda Awards ceremony for bearing testicular cancer bravely with humour despite experiencing “horrible” chemotherapy. He has been chosen to represent Clare at the National Garda Youth Awards. Another St Anne’s Community College student, Aaron Hunt also won an Individual Garda Award. Symptoms of this cancer include a lump or swelling in either testicle, a dull ache in the lower belly or groin, sudden swelling in the scrotum, pain or discomfort in a testicle or the scrotum, back pain and enlargement or tenderness of the breast tissue. Testicular cancer isn’t a common type. It can happen at any age, but it occurs most often between the age of 15 and 45. Mr Spaight spoke openly to his year group in St Anne’s Community College about …

East Clare is to receive a major jobs boost with Beckman Coulter Diagnostics set to create an additional 80 jobs at O’Callaghan’s Mills as part of a €10 million investment in its Clare site. Beckman Coulter Diagnostics, the largest employer in East Clare and amongst the largest in the county has said that today’s investment announcement underscores its commitment to innovation and growth in the region. It is envisaged the investment will enhance the company’s world-class diagnostics production with the addition of two new fully automated reagent filling lines and upgrades to the site’s infrastructure, aimed at boosting both efficiency and capacity. The company is actively hiring for 50 open roles and also announced 30 additional jobs arising, to be recruited between 2025 and 2027 for highly-skilled professionals at its County Clare facility for key functions such as Production Operations, Quality & Regulatory Affairs, Research & Development amongst other areas. Beckman Coulter has had a presence in County Clare since …

The voluntary efforts of a St Anne’s Community College student who recently scooped a Garda award have been hailed as “magical” by the school chaplain. Aaron Hunt (19) Ballina, won an Individual Award at the Clare Garda Youth Award ceremony, having raised €26,000 from three Patrick McKeogh Memorial Tractor Runs. St Anne’s Community College Chaplain, Karol Torpey who nominated Mr Hunt with Sergeant Annette Ryan, Killaloe Garda Station, is delighted that he won an award as well as another student, Daniel Spaight. “I couldn’t believe two students from the school have won awards. Aaron Hunt is just magic. He is a magical student, he was always willing to help out and do whatever needed to be done in school,” she said. “Aaron is over six foot tall and anytime something had to be erected or taken down for Graduation Masses or an opening year ceremony, Aaron was always willing to help and get stuck in.” Ms Torpey explained Mr Hunt …

A GROUP of medieval Vikings will engage in an eagerly-anticipated battle reenactment in memory of a former High King of Ireland during the 31st annual Féile Brian Ború festival, which runs until July 7. Lakes Vikings is a group of Viking age enthusiasts with 20 years experience sailing Viking longboats and organising fun festivals and events. Their longboats have featured in several TV series and documentaries. This is the first time that this group will participate in the Killaloe festival, and it is about ten years since Vikings made their presence felt in the twin communities. It all happened by chance when Féile Brian Ború committee member, Cillian O’Meara, met Paul Kavanagh of Lakes Vikings at a conference in Northern Ireland and invited them to Killaloe, which was taken up by one of their key people about a month ago. At the time of writing, the group had 60 members signed up for their trip to Killaloe including international participants. …

MAJOR investments in tourism facilities in West and East Clare have been hailed as some of the highlights of the outgoing first citizen’s 12 months in office. In an interview with The Clare Champion, Councillor Joe Cooney (FG) recalled the visit of Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys (FG) to West Clare last month to open the upgraded Loop Head Lighthouse Visitor Experience. Funded by the Minister’s Department under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) scheme as part of Project Ireland 2040, with 25% match funding by Clare County Council, the completed works include the restoration and conservation of the historic lighthouse keeper’s cottages and a new visitor hub with interpretation panels featuring stories from the local area. The total investment for this project is €1,623,800. The Minister also visited the Vandeleur Walled Garden and Visitor Centre, where anew interpretive centre was recently completed along with the newly renovated stable block, a gardener’s maintenance building and public toilet facilities as …

THE collaborative approach that resulted in a new school build, total refurbishment and upgrading of the old primary school in Meelick has been lauded by a retiring principal. Marie O’Looney has confirmed that she will be stepping down from the position of principal at Scoil Mhuire in Meelick, effective from August 31 of this year. In a letter to parents at the school, the Miltown Malbay native, who has been living between Miltown and Caherdavin in recent years, recalled that it has been a privilege to serve in the school since 1988, first as a teacher and latterly as a principal from 2012 onwards. “I want to express my deepest gratitude to each member of the school community for your unwavering support and kindness throughout my tenure,” she said. “Your dedication to the success and well-being of the school has been instrumental in our advancements and achievements, including a new school build, total refurbishment and upgrading of the old school, …

A derelict unsafe inaccessible public space has been turned into a new multifunctional safe haven in front of Quin Friary, thanks to the hard work of the local tidy towns’ committee. An Tearmann, or The Sanctuary, will be officially opened by Evanne Canny, the daughter of the late Lizzie Clune, a trojan tidy towns’ worker and Clare County Council road sweeper, James Doherty, while master of ceremonies for the event will be Clare Rose, Aisling O’Connor on Saturday, June 15, at 3pm. Two years ago, Ms Clune switched on the Christmas Lights in the sanctuary and the group wanted to honour her memory by asking her daughter to do the official honours with Mr Doherty. Refreshments and food will be supplied to the entire village after the official opening, which are sponsored by local businesses. A showcase of local musicians, singers and storytellers organised by fiddle player, Maeve Donnelly will converge in the local hall, while the Ennis Brass Band …

Clare County Council are planning to open the new interpretative centre for Holy Island in Mountshannon in the first quarter of 2025. The local authority is working closely with utilities to put in place the necessary infrastructure to support the refurbishment of the old rectory. Theresa Lannon Hughes of Clare Tourism outlined at a recent Killaloe Municipal District meeting the refurbishment of the old rectory is continuing with the objective of opening it as a visitor centre in the first quarter of next year. It is expected plans for a Part Ten planning application will be completed for An Bord Pleanála in September , while a tender will be sought for the fit out of the interpretative centre in the coming weeks. The public realm works in Mountshannon are due to start in the second week in June and will involve 75 metres sections to avoid as much disruption as possible. One side of the street in Mountshannon will be …