East Clare

A BID to create housing for older members of a religious community in Tuamgraney is back on track, now that the developers have clarified a number of aspects of their plans.  In June of last year, The Christian Community lodged an application to update their existing facilities at Drewsborough, and to create 12 new accommodation units.   According to a design statement submitted with the application, the existing Christian Community Centre is made up of a chapel, priest’s house, visitor accommodation, therapy rooms and associated services. The proposed project would involve the demolition of part of an existing building, the extension of the chapel and the creation of a new accommodation block. The application noted that The Christian Community had been able to obtain a site to the south of its existing centre, opening opportunities to update facilities and to provide accommodation for older people. After an initial assessment of the application, planners wrote to the organisation with an FI …

WARM tributes have been paid to the late William McLysaght, co-founder of the Raheen Hospital Support Group, as preparations get underway for the official launch of a new extension.  Last Wednesday, support group members, politicians and staff of Raheen Community Hospital were briefed on a Phase 2 extension, which contains six new bedrooms and other facilities. Contracts were also signed for works to upgrade kitchen facilities. These are set to get underway shortly.  Cathaoirleach of the Killaloe Municipal District, Councillor Joe Cooney said that Mr McLysaght, from Raheen, Tuamgraney, had been instrumental in developments at the community nursing unit.  “William did Trojan work for the support group and for the hospital,” he said. “All of the improvements couldn’t have been achieved without the support group or without William. He did fantastic work and was dedicated and generous with his time and energy.” With the second phase of expansion of the hospital due to be launched officially, Councillor Cooney paid tribute …

HIGHLY acclaimed aerial dance troupe Fidget Feet are coming to Scariff Harbour this weekend, as part of Crinniú na nÓg.  The national festival of youth creativity, which takes place on Saturday next (June 11), is supported by Clare County Library, the Council and Creative Ireland. This year’s event will see the spectacular ‘Flutterby 2’ performed on the shores of Lough Derg. A magical show for children aged four to 12 and their families, there are two sessions per day, each lasting 90 minutes. The sessions are hands-on and will be made up of three parts.  The first part is called ‘Make’. This is an active arts and crafts session. Families can join in the fun to make caterpillars, moths and butterflies together with the Fidget Feet team.  Then, it’s time to ‘Walk’. This part of the session involves meeting Bláithín. Bláithín loves caterpillars, moths and butterflies and you are invited to follow her on her adventurous journey with Uncle Rusty …

A REDUCTION of 50% in energy use in homes and non-residential properties is a target that the community of Clooney/Spancillhill has set itself over the next seven years.  Also outlined in the recently-launched Energy Masterplan for the area are opportunities for a community-owned solar farm, a coppice to produce biomass, smart meters, solar panels, a sustainable bus service and more charging points for electric vehicles. The visionary document has been produced by Clooney/Spancilhill Development Association through funding and mentoring support from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Mentor Gearóid Fitzgibbon was among those to attend the launch of the Masterplan in Clooney last Wednesday night (March 25), as well as officials from Clare County Council and the Killaloe Municipal District Cathaoirleach, Councillor Joe Cooney.  Clooney National School will also play a key role. As part of the process of drawing up the plan, it was chosen for an energy audit from the non-residential sector. From the energy saving measures …

AN APPROVED housing body seeking to build 11 social houses and two apartments in Mountshannon has been sent back to the drawing board by Clare County Council. In March, Inis Housing Association lodged plans for housing of varying size and design, and a single building containing the two apartments. The site, which is three quarters of a hectare, is close to St Caimin’s Church of Ireland on Main Street. After an initial assessment of the plans, the Council has now requested Further Information on nine aspects of the project.  Planners said that “having regard to the scale, extent and location of the proposed development, it is possible that subsurface archaeological remains could be encountered during the construction phase” of the works.  They have asked that Inis Housing Association to commission an Archaeological Impact Assessment (AIA) involving test excavations. The request follows a submission on the project from The Development Applications Unit (DAU) of the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local …

WORK is expected to get underway this week on a long-awaited playground for communities in South-East Clare. The facility will serve the communities of Westbury, Shannon Banks, Carraig Midhe, Parteen, Ardnacrusha and beyond This follows representations by Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey to the Rural Development Directorate of Clare County Council who informed him that a resolution has been reached on a series of issues relating to the site of the new facility. Commenting the background, Deputy Carey said that €92,500 was allocated from the Hinterland fund six years ago to develop recreational services in areas of Clare that bordered Limerick City. Matching funding from Clare County Council brought the total up to €185,000 and a number of potential sites were considered as possible locations for a playground to serve the local communities. “Following the scoping of these sites and the elimination of some proposed locations, a playground committee made up of local community members was formed and they …

CONCERNS that a scenic part of Tuamgraney could be turned into a “concrete jungle” have been raised in a submission on a major housing development proposed for the village. Last month, developer Michael Pearl applied for permission to demolish an existing pumping station and built 52 houses, in a mix of bungalows and two-storey units, on a site of just under four hectares on the Dock Road. To-date, one detailed submission has been made by a resident of Reddan’s Quay who has listed 15 concerns about the proposal. The objection raised concerns about “considerable increases in the level of flooding at Reddan’s Quay”. It said that additional housing would reduce the capacity of the land to absorb flood waters. The document has also raised concern about the adequacy of screening reports on the potential environmental and flooding impact of the development. The submission outlined that residents of the area have already experienced difficulty securing house insurance due to their proximity …

BOOKS that belonged to a Tulla teenager who was a tireless advocate for others with cancer, have been donated to charity as part of her legacy.  Labhaoise Fitzgerald passed away in January of 2021, after a seven-year battle with a rare form of brain cancer. Even in the later stages of her illness, she had been an active member of Barretstown Youth Leaders’ Council, advocating for others affected by cancer.  Since her untimely passing, Labhaoise’s friends have also been involved in fundraising in her honour. In recent times, Labhaoise’s family donated around 100 of her books to the Let’s Fund It organisation, which supports the Irish charity sector. These books will be given to children receiving support from the charity Hand in Hand, and will be included in the hospital care bags donated by Let’s Fund It. It was Labhaoise’s wish that other children would get to read them and share in the joy and happiness that the books brought …