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North Clare

Late John O’Neill was ‘one of those bright characters’

Owen Ryan heard warm tributes to the late John O’Neill who was killed last Friday in Lisdoonvarna MANY tributes have been paid to the late John O’Neill since his death last Friday, with people in Lisdoonvarna describing him as very friendly, likeable and holding a wide range of interests. John was in his late seventies and was predeceased by his wife Christine, who died last year. He is survived by his two sons, Seán and Graham, and a number of grandchildren. John and Christine had run a prominent B&B on St Brendan’s Road in Lisdoonvarna, while it was also home to a painting school. Heather Crowe, who runs the Ritz Hotel and Bar in Lisdoonvarna very close to the O’Neill’s home said the death had caused huge shock in the area. “There has been a huge cloud over the town since this news last Friday morning. “John was a well respected man, the family are well respected in the town. …

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Púca statue will not be placed in Ennistymon, Council decides

CLARE County Council has announced that the controversial Púca statue commissioned for Ennistymon will not now be erected in the north Clare town. The local authority issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon that following extensive consultation with elected members and the local community, it would not be proceeding with the proposal to erect the Púca artwork in Ennistymon. Instead, the sculpture created by Aidan Harte is to be offered to other north Clare towns, villages and community-operated tourism sites. An expressions of interest process will be announced shortly by the council. The statue had divided opinion in Ennistymon and around Clare and prompted the council to undertake a survey in November 2021 to garner local opinion on the artwork and its proposed location. More than 720 survey responses were received by the local authority with 43.6% of respondents saying they ‘Really disliked’ the artwork compared to 34.3% who ‘Really liked’ it. While many disliked both the artwork itself and its …

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Clare activists lead celebration of the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu

LAHINCH author and activist Ruairí McKiernan, South African activist and Knockalisheen Direct Provision centre resident Bulelani Mfaco, and Bellharbour poet and activist Sarah Clancy are to help lead a major event honouring legendary South African humanitarian and anti-apartheid campaigner Desmond Tutu, who passed away last Sunday at the age of 90. The event, which takes place online on Thursday (December 30), is being organised by Afri, an Irish peace and human rights organisation. Archbishop Tutu was the organisation’s patron for almost thirty years, after it hosted his first visit to Ireland 1984. Since then, Afri hosted the revered human rights leader several times, including in 1991 when he led the annual Afri famine walk in Doolough, County Mayo. Afri helped lead the Irish campaign against apartheid and arranged for the Dunnes Stores strikers, who refused to handle South African fruit, to meet Tutu in London while on his way to collect the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. This meeting famously helped internationalise the campaign against …

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Gort Santa cycle a wheely big success

MORE than 140 people took to their bike on Sunday last, following Santa, as part of Gort’s very first #GortChristmasCycle. In his festive garb, Sean O’Neill led the group from Gort PlayGround to Sullivan’s Hotel where we were treated to hot chocolate, coffee. Entertainment followed by well-known local puppeteer Tommy Baker and Seamus, aka ‘Your Man’s Puppets’. There was a great mixture of big bikes, small bikes, trikes, electric bikes, fold-up bikes, cargo bikes, and even a recumbent bike. The event was made possible with the help of An Garda Siochana, who escorted participants safely, the marshals from various cycling groups such as Oranmore Cycle Bus, I Bike Oranmore, and Axa Community Rider David Murray frown Clarinbridge, were also involved. High Vis jackets and other merchandise donated by Galway Cycling Campaign and Tribeson Bikes. Organisers also thanked The Road Safety Authority and Cyclist.ie for supplying flashing bikelights. Nadine Reichel was on hand to take the pictures. Anyone interested in cycling …

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Positive signs for sustainable tourism in North Clare

SIGNS are positive for north Clare after the latest initiative aimed at developing sustainable tourism in the area. Failte Ireland recently unveiled the first viewing points along the Burren Discovery Trail, a new looped route off the Wild Atlantic Way. The trail is one of the projects that has emerged from the Visitor Experience Development Plan for the Burren and Cliffs of Moher, published earlier this year, that is designed to encourage visitors to explore more and stay longer in the Burren. Developed with an investment of €340,000 from Fáilte Ireland, the 95km Burren Discovery Trail takes visitors through the Burren Highlands in Clare and Lowlands in Galway encouraging them to engage with the stories of each local area and explore the many wonderful towns and villages in the region. Miriam Kennedy, Head of the Wild Atlantic Way at Fáilte Ireland, said, “The Burren is famous for its stunning karst natural landscape but it is also a living environment with …

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SON helps TY students shine

ACCLAIMED singer-songwriter Susan O’Neill has been inspiring students of Ennistymon Vocational School to write and perform a song on the subject of mental health and wellbeing. The talented Ennis woman who performs as SON, who was recently honoured at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards, has been guiding 24 transition year (TY) students as part of a project that will culminate in a live performance at Dolan’s in Limerick next month. Traditional fiddler player Michelle Fahy-Rynne, who teaches Biology and Science at the school, has been one of the driving forces of the project. “We were invited by Music Generation Clare to take part in the More than Music project which is funded through the Active Inclusion Support Service,” Michelle outlined. “The aim is to collaborate with Susan to write and stage an original song. On January 14, the group will perform at Dolan’s as part of the ‘To the Moon’ charity concert organised by Karl Daly of the social …

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Púca creator is ‘hopeful’ ahead of council decision

THE creator of the controversial Púca of Ennistymon has called on Clare County Council to stand behind its Arts Office who commissioned the proposed sculpture. Ahead of a review of a public consultation process, Aidan Harte, told The Champion he remains hopeful the council will back his proposals. “I think the council were slightly wrong-footed by the controversy, but there was a transparent public tender process and I think the council now need to defend the robustness of that,” he said. The preferred design was publicised last May, but within a matter of days, the public art project was ‘paused’ due to considerable local opposition. The 2-metre sculpture, proposed for Lower Church Hill, generated intense controversy at local and national level. Despite some strong opposition, the proposed half-man, half-horse secured the backing of a number of celebrities, historians, artists and folklorists, podcasters and documentary makers. The local authority has now confirmed that a consultation survey is now being examined with …

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Ennistymon has ‘waited long enough’ for action

THE chair of Save Ennistymon’s Heritage insists the community has “waited long enough” for action to be taken on the infamous Blake’s Corner and is calling on Clare County Council to address the situation “urgently”. Denis Vaughan was speaking after two tourists escaped injury in recent weeks at the corner when their car mounted a wall. When contacted by The Clare Champion about the local concerns, Seán Lenihan, Senior Engineer, stated that Clare County Council is “absolutely committed to resolving the potential conflict that exists at Blakes Corner in Ennistymon”. The council are awaiting an An Bord Pleanala decision on plans to purchase land and buildings around the site to begin construction of a ‘relief road’ between the N85 and N67 Mr Vaughan recalled that the tourists’ car mounted the wall at the end of November. “Besides causing traffic chaos at the busiest corner in Ireland and creating avoidable congestion, it is clearly dangerous. “This situation is likely to continue …

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