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East Clare

East Clare residents vow to fight solar farm

IT is now highly likely that An Bord Pleanála will make the final decision on the proposed development of “Ireland’s largest solar farm” in South-East Clare after two residents vowed to appeal any planning approval granted by Clare County Council. If Reeve Wave Limited is refused a 10-year planning permission to develop a solar array at Ballyglass, Coolderry, Dromintobin North, Reanbrone and Oakfield townlands, Ardnacrusha, it also has the option of appealing any refusal to the independent appeals’ board. This proposal, which has been described as “Ireland’s largest solar farm” by the Blackwater Concern Solar Group (BCSG) has prompted a series of submissions from 22 residents, and well known environmentalist Peter Sweetman of Wild Ireland Defence CLG and Others. Listed as signatories were Paula Reidy, Bunratty; Denis and Rose O’Donnell, Blackwater; Stephanie and Alan Higgins, Blackwater; Eunice Randle, Coolderra, Ardnacrusha; Michael and Mary Clery, Blackwater; Keith Larkin, Clonlara village; Susanne O’Dalaigh, Blackwater; Liam and Rachel Mannix, Oakfield, Clonlara; Greg Larkin …

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Clare-based Dutch horticulturalists share organic wisdom

A LEADING podcaster has paid tribute to the work of two Dutch natives who have been running an organic nursery outside Bodyke for more than two decades.  Gert and Elisabeth Stam are qualified horticulturalists who now run Caherhurley Nursery. Their unique enterprise, which is part of an organic farm on the slopes of Sliabh Bernagh, was visited recently by award-winning agricultural journalist Hannah Quinn-Mulligan for her podcast ‘Organic Matters’. The weekly show for the Irish Organic Association has generated huge interest in recent years and features all aspects of organic farming and growing.  The couple, who ran a Dutch garden that catered for 25,000 visitors a year, left the Netherlands more than twenty years ago to come to East Clare, and they shared their vision with Hannah and her listeners.  They explained that when Elisabeth sold an Arabian horse to a Limerick native, it gave the couple an opportunity to visit Ireland and to radically change their lifestyles. They bought …

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12 O’Clock Hills Heritage Walk a huge success

RECORD temperatures, touching 29 degree Celsius, and a cloudless sky were the backdrop for the recent 12 O’Clock Hills Heritage Tour, which attracted participants from across East Clare and further afield. The tour, organised to mark National Heritage Week, set off from the Belvoir carpark. The route taken was via the Crag River to view the 19th century Crag Bridges and the river’s mini-waterfall. Much to the satisfaction of the participants, there was a cooling breeze between the trees for this section of the walk. Walkers were next guided onto the Famine Road. This was to be a link from East Clare to Limerick City to keep people employed back about 1846 during Famine times. Participants were then guided back to see some of the heritage gems dotted around the area. These include sites whose names are reminders of the lore and legacy of the Hills, such as Paddy Kippin’s place, Matt Moloney’s, Dysart Lyons Stephens, the Stepping Stones and Butter Hole. …

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JP Guinane remembered in new tournament

THE O’Callaghan’s Mills GAA Club will host the inaugural JP Guinane underage hurling tournament on Saturday, August 20, at the GAA grounds in Kilkishen.  JP was a much loved, lifetime member of the club. He played at all levels and was a key member of the 1968 Intermediate Championship winning team. After his playing career, JP assisted with the management of various teams and fulfilled numerous administrative roles including Chairman. He was the club President at the time of his death in August of 2021. This year, the tournament will be run at U11 and the participating teams are Ruan, Whitegate, Broadford and the Mills. The games will commence at 3pm with proceedings expected to complete by 5.30pm.  Refreshments will be provided in the clubhouse after the games with a social gathering planned for Gallagher’s Bar, Kilkishen, later that night.

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Gem of social history from Tulla’s ‘New Shop’ remembered

ON A recent trip to New York, Tulla native Seán Fitzgerald recalled a piece of Tulla’s social history that was in danger of vanishing into the mists to time. The retired school principal from Knockjames, who now lives in Edenderry, County Offaly, was on a visit to his aunt, Eileen McNamara (née Dooley) when she recited a poem composed by the owners of ‘The New Shop’ in the middle of the last century. Now SuperValu, the New Shop operated on Main Street from the 1940s to the ‘60s.    “Like some local shops of that era, it served as a pub too and you do could then do your grocery shopping after having a few pints,” Seán said. The proprietors of the shop, who were forward thinking and modernised their shop  to the point of having a cold room installed for meat storage.   “By way of advertising the latest technology, the owners composed, displayed and promoted a little ditty,” …

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Jyoshna to launch exciting new album in Mountshannon

A MESMERISING new album, meditating on live and love, will be launched by New Zealander Jyoshna La Trobe in Mountshannon later this month.  The acclaimed music researcher, singer and songwriter will launch Unity Hours IV, with a very special concert, on Saturday, August 27 at St Caimin’s Church of Ireland, which will feature her Clare Band.  As well as being a prolific composer and performer, Jyoshna is an accomplished ethnomusicologist, specialising in the Music of Rarh, India, and holding a PhD in Music, from SOAS, London on Marai Kirtan and the Performance of Ecstasy in West Bengal, India. She has authored over 30 albums of original and ethnographic material including Dharmacakra, ancient and modern songs in Sanskrit (2015). Unity Hours I (2006) was recorded in London, as was Unity Hours II (2010). Unity Hours III (2019) was recorded in New Zealand and the latest album was recorded in here in Clare.  “All the experiences here are written with the ink …

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Appeal to be made for action over speed limits in Clare village

SERIOUS concern has been expressed about speeding through the village of Clooney, despite recent measures to slow traffic there to 50kph. The matter was raised at the recent meeting of Killaloe district councillors, when Councillor Pat Hayes called for the speed limit reduction to be extended on the Ennis side of the village. After being told that limits are reviewed every five years by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), Councillor Hayes urged the Council to use an appeals mechanism to progress the issue. “Exceptional work has been done in Clooney and I’m only talking about the Ennis side of the village,” Councillor Hayes said. “We are all very proud of the work and a fine job has been done. If anyone is assessing the situation from the Ennis side, you’ll see that the speed signs are on the bend. You’re in the village before you see them. They are hidden to some degree.” The Caher man thanked the Council for a …

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More White-tailed Eagles set for release on Lough Derg

LOUGH Derg is to be the location for the release of another clutch of White-tailed Eagle chicks over the coming weeks.  As part of an ongoing project to boost the species at a number of Munster locations, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), have been collaborating closely, since 2020, with partner organisations in Norway, as well as local experts. Last week, Taoiseach Micheál Martin joined the NPWS for the release of a number of chicks at Tarbert, County Kerry, as part of the long-term wildlife reintroduction project.  The 2022 phase of the landmark effort to restore a once-extinct bird to Irish skies, will see the release of a total of 16 young eagles across sites on Lough Derg in County Clare, the lower Shannon estuary and Killarney National Park.  As in previous years, the young eagles were collected, under licence, in Norway by the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) and co-workers. All the birds have been fitted with …

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