East Clare

WHEN Didi O’Driscoll travelled to Haiti in February to work with aid agency Amurtel, her expectation was to stay for a matter of weeks but having been handed a special task on her first day, she felt compelled to remain on and extended her stay for five months. She returned to Whitegate recently to tie up a few loose ends on her farm but she expects to return to Haiti in September to continue with aid efforts. “In one minute the earth shook and a million and a half people lost their homes; lives were lost and people were left homeless, can you imagine?” she begins. “I was expecting it but you still can’t believe what it looks like when you are there. You need a four-wheel drive just to get down the streets of Port au Prince because there are rocks and rubble and holes in the road and most of the roads are not paved. Most of the …

PLANS to develop a community all-weather pitch have been lodged by Tulla Community Council this week. The proposed development, which would include floodlighting and associated ancillary works at Cragg in Tulla, is one of two proposed community pitches currently being mooted locally. Jim O’Sullivan, chairman of Tulla Community Council, explained that the proposal has been in the pipeline for some time. It had been envisaged that it would be at an advanced stage by September of this year but it has been delayed. The proposed plans have been submitted to the local authority for planning permission and it is expected that a public information meeting will take place next month to discuss the project. A similar proposal has also been tabled by another group in the village and Jim Cooney, former principal of St Joseph’s Secondary School, is involved in that project. He said that that project is currently in the very early stages and the site for their proposed …

Issues with water shortages in Tulla has reared its ugly head once more as businesses once again try to cope with a depleted water source and water stoppages.The problem is a regular occurrence for the people of Tulla during the summer months and also affected businesses and the community during the big freeze last winter. This week Clare County Council has issued an order prohibiting the use of the council’s water supply for watering sports grounds, gardens, irrigating or spraying crops, washing cars and for use in commercial car washing until at least Saturday. The order, which relates to the conservation of water and comes under Section 56 of the Water Services Act 2007, enables the council to put restrictions in place prohibiting certain water usage. Those found engaging in these prohibited activities can be issued on the spot fines of €125 or could be prosecuted and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding €5,000. This ongoing water …

An organisation opposing plans to develop a seaplane operation in Mountshannon has announced it is to lodge an appeal against the proposed development and will fight “tooth and nail” against such an operation.The Lough Derg Action Group was founded at a meeting held recently for those who opposed plans by applicants Harbour Air Ireland Ltd, also known as Harbour Flights Ireland, to develop a pontoon and slipway at Mountshannon Harbour, which would facilitate a seaplane service on Lough Derg. Harbour Air Ireland Ltd received planning permission last month for the development but there were strong objections lodged from members of the local community and organisations who raised concerns regarding the plans. In a statement to The Clare Champion, a spokesperson for the Lough Derg Action Group said, “We are fully behind the promotion of a sustainable tourism industry in the East Clare and Lough Derg area but we believe that creating a mini-airport on a serene inland lake is counter-productive …

The Harringtons have, between them, given 111 years of service to Feakle National School over an uninterrupted period from 1934 to 2010. This August, however, marks the end of that era when current principal Ted Harrington retires.

A campaign to improve a pedestrian crossing at Mountshannon National School was put directly to An Taoiseach Brian Cowen recently.

DESPITE the disquiet last week with motions of no confidence and a prospective vote of confidence tabled in the Dáil, An Taoiseach Brian Cowen was welcomed with “a vote of thanks” by Shannon Development CEO, Vincent Cunnane at an event in Scariff last Friday.Although the newspapers carried headlines announcing Labour as the biggest party in the State and showed support for Cowen plummet to just 21%, the Taoiseach appeared unfazed on Friday. The nation’s political leader seemed unperturbed by the political unrest brewing back in Dublin, which has developed and taken many twists and turns over the past week, as he offered warm greetings, smiles and shared jokes with the people of East Clare during his visit.Indeed, the low level of support for the Taoiseach was not evident in Scariff as Mr Cowen was rushed by people eager to shake his hand and he courteously obliged when locals asked for a snapshot with, as they saw it, Ireland’s top man …

The Centre for Environmental Living and Training (CELT) in Scariff is calling for the Government to look at investing in the voluntary sector and the potential employment opportunities there, rather than targeting it for cutbacks.