East Clare

SCARIFF doctoral student Lorraine Lynch is leading the way for a new study on Dyspraxia/Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD). Lorraine’s background is in psychology and while studying abroad, she began researching developmental psychology and came across dyspraxia. She noted that little research had been done on the condition and although statistics are not readily available, she noted it is quite common. Dyspraxia, is a condition that affects a child’s physical co-ordination and results in many difficulties with daily activities, as well as academic, social and sporting achievements. Although no consensus has been confirmed for the cause of dyspraxia, it is associated with a number of physical (obesity and hypertension) and psychological (depression and anxiety) problems that extend into adulthood. According to Lorraine, it manifests in children in different ways but one of the commonalities is that it can affect a child’s gross motor movement, such as poor posture and balance, which makes activities such like sports difficult for them. It can …

EAST Clare Heritage Centre at St Cronan’s Church, Tuamgraney, has closed but the Church of Ireland has vowed to keep the building as a place of worship. St Cronan’s has the distinction of being the oldest church in continuous use in Ireland and is linked to Brian Boru and his family. East Clare Heritage chairperson, Ruth Minogue, confirmed its 21-year licence to operate its heritage centre out of St Cronan’s Church has expired and that they left the building last weekend. “The Church of Ireland wanted to take over the church again to use it more as a church but they would be quite open for it to be used for talks and tours,” Ms Minogue said. The licence expired in October 2013, with an agreement to extend it to October 2014 to facilitate both parties. In August, East Clare Heritage advised the Church of Ireland they would be leaving the premises. In this correspondence, they said, “We wish to …

THE HSE has this week taken a decision to end the locum arrangements in Feakle after it failed to attract any applications for the doctor’s position having advertised the position three times. In a statement issued to The Clare Champion, a spokesperson for the HSE has said, “having been unsuccessful in attracting a candidate after the third occasion of advertising the GMS list in Feakle, a decision has been taken to initiate procedures in the coming weeks to end the locum arrangements in Feakle and to disperse the current GMS listing using the Choice of Doctor option available to all GMS patients”. The HSE confirmed that despite opening the post up to other practices, no applications were received prior to last Friday’s deadline. “Regrettably, on the third occasion of advertising the GMS list in Feakle, no application has been received. We took the additional step, on this occasion, of opening up the competition to existing list holders, but, unfortunately, to …

Beckman Coulter, the biomedical testing company, has announced it is to close its Galway facility transferring production to other facilities, with the largest component moving to its plant in County Clare. The Galway facility, where Beckman Coulter have been operating for 42 years, employs 140 people. Between 70 and 80 of the jobs based in Galway are expected to transfer to Beckman Coulter’s facility in O’Callaghan’s Mills. In a statement issued by the company Beckman Coulter says it expects to offer incentives to encourage its existing associates to accept positions in Clare. “The Galway production will be phased out over the next 12 to 15 months and the facility is expected to close by the end of 2015,” a spokesperson for the company said. Beckman Coulter has been in County Clare for the past nine years, having acquired the diagnostics business of Olympus corporation. By Carol Byrne

SCARIFF sisters, Joanne Treacy and Kate (Treacy) O’Donoghue recently climbed Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, in aid of Raheen Hospital Support Services Ltd. Joanne is currently living and working in London and Kate is living in Clane, County Kildare, but both are originally from Cooleenbridge, Scariff, and their native parish is still very close to their hearts. This is why they chose to do the climb in aid of Raheen Hospital. So far, the siblings have raised nearly €1,000. They climbed Kilimanjaro through hail, rain, snow and shine over six days, reaching the summit on the morning of September 6. Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in Africa and also the highest freestanding peak in the world. The Scariff sisters trekked the 64km up and down, a distance that equates to summiting Carrauntoohill six times over. Speaking about why they chose to raise funds for Raheen Hospital Support Services Ltd, Kate Treacy said, “The charity we have chosen is very close to …

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Scariff Central National School and last week Scariff National School invited all past and present pupils, parents and staff to attend an event to celebrate this milestone. Principal, Brídann O’Callaghan said, “September 1974 was a milestone in the history of education in the parish of Scariff. It marked the opening of a brand new, modern school, Scariff Central National School at Fossabeg catering for a large number of pupils in the Scariff catchment area. “As we celebrate the schools 40th anniversary it is interesting to look back at the history of education in the locality. Like most areas in Ireland, there were hedge schools in the Scariff area, with records showing schools in Inis Caltra, Aughrim, Moynoe and Tuamgraney. “Due to the restrictions imposed by the Penal Laws, Catholic schools in the 18th century were illegal. Nevertheless hedge schools abounded though these were temporary and therefore no physical traces of them remain,” she said. …

AS the HSE seeks to fill the vacancy for a GP in Feakle for a third time, the president of the National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP), Dr Conor McGee, says, as things stand, he does not expect a successful outcome. Dr McGee, who is based in Scariff, was commenting on the latest advertisement of the Feakle doctor’s position, which has opened the vacancy up to GPs based in other practices, as well as new doctors. “Since the job in Feakle became vacant, it had been advertised twice but it is worth noting that it has received a total of no applications. That’s not a comment on Feakle, that’s just people looking at the figures and saying I won’t be able to make a living out of this, and that’s what it is. There is something very tragic about it, though, because there has been a doctor in Feakle for 50 years. It is a great service to have locally …

A number of villages in East Clare will be without water supply following a major break on the water network near Sooreeney Cross in Sixmilebridge. The areas without water or have reduced water supply until further notice include Kilmurry, Quin, Kilkishen, O’Callaghans Mills and Tulla. A number of group water schemes are also affected including Ballycar GWS, Deerpark GWS, Drumline GWS, Killanena GWS, Lackyle GWS, Corbally Danganbrack GWS, Cullane GWS, Caherkine GWS, Ballymarkham GWS, Knocknagoug GWS. Traffic diversions are also in place. Traffic coming from Kilmurry will be diverted onto the Mart Road from Kilmurry to Sixmilebridge. Traffic from Sixmilebridge to Kilmurry will be diverted at Sooreeney Cross. HGV’s coming from and into Sixmilebridge will be diverted via Cratloe and/or Shannon. Water tankers are available for water distribution at Kilmurry National School and outside the church in Quin until 4pm today.