North Clare

NORTH Clare pupils received seven awards at this year’s BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition 2013. A West Clare school also brought home a highly-commended accolade from the 49th exhibition held in Dublin at the weekend.

DEVELOPERS eager to build a time-share “wellness centre” on the edge of the Burren are hoping it will be third time lucky when Clare County Council decides whether or not to give the project the go-ahead next month.

Organisations from both sides of the Atlantic have been paying tribute to the well-known Ennistymon man Eamonn O’Loghlin, who was laid to rest in Canada earlier this week.

***The year in review*** THE future of a new pier at Doolin will not become clear until early 2013 when An Bord Pleanála will decide whether the project, as proposed, can go ahead.Clare County Council gave the go ahead for a new €5 million pier at Ballaghaline, Doolin in March 2011 under a Part Eight proposal but this was appealed to An Bord Pleanála by The West Coast Surf Club. The board decided an environmental impact statement was required and requested it the following September. The existing Doolin Pier is tidal and is one of the busiest piers in the country for passenger traffic. The EIS described it as exposed, too small for the number and variety of users and is frequently congested. It added that the existing pier is “not fit for purpose”.There were a large number of submissions in relation to the planned development amid concerns it would adversely affect surfing in the area and represent a health …

***The year in review*** BLAKE’S Corner in Ennistymon was consistently in the news during 2012 but those hoping the traffic issues at the junction will be resolved will have to wait until at least 2014. Back in January, it was revealed at a North Clare area meeting that Clare County Council would have to spend an extra €100,000 on a new Environmental Impact Study (EIS) to facilitate proposed improvement works at the busy junction following new national planning regulations introduced in 2011, provoking outrage amongst local county councillors.This outrage was revisited in December when An Bord Pleanála confirmed an EIS would have to be completed before work on the destruction and reconstruction of the Blake’s and Linnane’s buildings could begin. The council is proposing to do the work on the buildings as part of a change to the layout of the junction connecting the N85 and N67. The board directed the authority to prepare an EIS in respect of the …

A FIVE-mile run and walk to commemorate the short life of baby Nicholas Stokes of Phoenix, Arizona, will take place along the Cliffs of Moher on March 16, 2013. The event has just been launched by RTÉ sports personality, Marty Morrissey and renowned ultra-runner, Keith Whyte from Ennis.Newborn baby Nicholas passed away at the Cliffs of Moher in 2006. His parents, Kelly and Delia, were so touched by the support they received at the time of the tragedy that they have raised over $80,000 to supply emergency equipment and emergency response training for personnel at the Cliffs of Moher, the tourist destination where the first aid centre is known as Nicholas’ Room.The 2013 five-mile run in memory of baby Nicholas is being organised by the Ennis Phoenix Twinning Board, in association with James Sexton, Clare Athletics PRO.The five-miler is part of Phoenix Week 2013, which will mark the 25th anniversary of twinning between the town of Ennis and the US …

CHAIRMAN of the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade Pat Breen this week paid tribute to Clare centenarian Joe Cunningham, who passed away in Yonkers, New York on Thursday last.“I was very sorry to hear of Joe’s passing, as I had the pleasure of meeting him when he celebrated his 100th birthday in the Aisling Centre in New York during the St Patrick’s Day festivities earlier this year,” he said.Joe was a native of Doon in Crusheen and loved meeting people from his native county and hearing the news from home.He was born on April 11, 1912, the sixth of seven children, Sr Elizabeth, Thomas, Sr Agnes, Chris, Sr Christopher and Stephen, to James and Hanorah Cunningham. In 1929, at the age of 17, Joe emigrated to join two of his brothers in the United States. His parents had lived there between 1898 and 1902 and had married there.Joe made the journey to the United States by boat and …