East Clare

IT’S understood that a Scariff man who went missing in London last week is alive, but efforts are still being made to get in touch with him. Brief contact was made with him by phone late on Tuesday night, but police and relatives are still continuing the search. John Dowdall was last seen at 5pm on Thursday of last week at the Crown Moran Hotel in Cricklewood, London. He had been a guest at the hotel since July 31 but failed to return on Thursday, leaving all his belongings and valuables behind. John is 5ft 7ins tall and of large stocky build. He has diabetes but left his medication for it at the hotel. On Sunday, a relative was told by a police source that John had been found and was in good health but this proved to be a mistake on the police’s side. However, following Tuesday night’s contact, it is understood that he is okay. It is understood …

AFTER more than 10 years waiting, the doors of the Lough Graney Community Centre are set to open. Ahead of opening for public viewing on Saturday,  Kathleen McNamara, secretary of Loughgraney Community Development Association, acknowledged, “There is no way we would have a community centre in Flagmount without CLDC.” The community development association received LEADER funding of €230,000 to build this centre and, subsequently, received€45,000 under Sports Capital funding to equip the centre. “CLDC have been brilliant. I know they are fighting this struggle about keeping LEADER funding administered by CLDC, but we have seen first-hand what it can do. If we didn’t have CLDC administering the funding, then a small community like ours would never have got it. I think it is vital for LEADER funding to be left with CLDC and our small rural parish and community is a case in point for it. CLDC have a great rapport with communities and they give you backup and support. There …

LOCALS and visitors to Mountshannon seeking to keep fit were given a welcome boost this week, when new public outdoor sporting equipment was installed in the Aistear Park. Five pieces of equipment, which consist of a double air walker, rower, cross trainer, surf board and single rider, were fixed into position in their new home in the Aistear on Wednesday last, much to the delight of locals and visitors. The amenities formed part of a joint initiative between Mountshannon Community Council, which now runs the Aistear, and the local CE scheme, headed by Tom McNamara. It was made possible after the community council was awarded €3,000 in grant aid, under the Public Area Enhancement Scheme, by Clare County Council. Speaking about the latest addition to the Aistear Park, John Harvey, chairman of Mountshannon Community Council, said, “We have a playground for the children, so we thought a playground for the adults wouldn’t be out of the question. It was just …

PLANNING permission has been refused to extend Kiluran Graveyard in O’Callaghan’s Mills, arising from the discovery of “significant archaeological features” at the site. The Kiluran Graveyard Committee submitted an application to Clare County Council, seeking to extend the existing graveyard, which is presently accessed by a right-of-way from the public road, with all associated site works, in February of this year. This week, Clare County Council refused the application on the basis that “it is considered that to permit the proposed development would injure or interfere with the historic remains and setting of the adjoining archaeological monuments”. On the file, Clare’s architectural conservation officer and archaeologist, Risteard Ua Cróinín, outlined that the existing graveyard is a recorded archaeological monument as an ecclesiastical complex. He highlighted that this complex included the remains of a medieval church, medieval graveyard and bullaun stone. He explained that under the Monuments Acts 1930 to 2004, no development may take place near the monument without the …

THE only White-tailed Sea Eagle to be born and survive in the wild this year in Ireland has taken her first flight, much to the delight of the locals and visitors to Mountshannon. A week or two later than expected, the chick fledged for the first time on Saturday last. Although she is approximately three months old, the eaglet is fully grown and not what the average person would expect when you hear the work ‘chick’. The Golden Eagle Trust, which is running the reintroduction programme, has identified the chick as female. Speaking about the latest addition to the Mountshannon eagle clan, Dr Allan Mee of the Golden Eagle Trust said, “She’s fully grown now. The chick is a female and they are bigger than males; they are 10% bigger than males. The female has a wingspan of around 2.4 metres, so you’re talking a 7.5 to eight-foot wingspan.” Dr Mee said they were able to place a satellite transmitter …

THE East Clare property market could be on the way back up with one local auctioneer recording more sales in the first half of this year than in the previous three-year period. John Tuohy of Brian Tuohy Auctioneering is currently seeking out properties and land to sell, due to demand following four property sales in Mountshannon in the last few weeks. Although he says it is a stretch to say there is “a boom” in the housing market in East Clare, he says there are half a dozen property prospectors waiting in the wings for the right opportunity to present itself in the region. “We have at least a half dozen people with money in hand looking for suitable properties,” he said. Half a dozen may sound small, he added, but to get six people who aren’t subject to finance and haven’t to sell a property in order to buy” is unusual”. The auctioneering company has a portfolio in East …

Re-enactors dressed in costume spanning the Iron Age and early Medieval period to the 16th century will add a time-travel feel to a  special Lughnasa celebration being organised by Shannon Heritage at Craggaunowen visitor attraction near Quin over the bank holiday weekend. John Ruddle, chief  executive Shannon Heritage said, “The ancient pagan festival of Lughnasa marks the first day of autumn and the start of the harvest season. The event will be staged by Claíomh Living History Group whose members have many years of experience as historical interpreters and living history specialists.” Visitors to Craggaunowen will have the opportunity to celebrate Lughnasa on Sunday and Monday August. “Claíomh Living History Group will add a time-travel feel to the event, giving visitors a glimpse of what living conditions were like for Hiberno-Norse families living in a Crannóg. On display will be a range of replica Viking Age clothing, artefacts, weapons and silverwork,” Mr Ruddle continued. A number of showcase events from …

A South-East Clare community is in mourning this week after a Broadford pensioner died suddenly at Lahinch beach on Sunday afternoon. He has been named locally as Patrick O’Connell, Doon Road, Broadford. The 72 year-old man was paddling in shallow water about six to eight inches deep when he collapsed suddenly and fell down with what is believed to a suspected heart attack shortly after 3 pm.The incident took place about 30 yards out from the shoreline at the north end of the Lahinch promenade. According to Lahinch Search and Rescue secretary, Tomsie O’Sullivan two women and a man pulled the man in from the water on the beach where one of them, who was a qualified nurse proceeded to give Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Mr O’Sullivan recalled he was contacted by the Valentia Coast Guard service to confirm that an incident had taken place that required assistance and he confirmed this with two lifeguards who were aware of what had …