North Clare

PROBLEMS with the building and a number of unacceptable practices were found at a HSE facility in North Clare, it emerged this week. However, a report by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) on Ennistymon Community Nursing Unit found residents were “cared for in a safe environment and that their nursing and healthcare needs were being met”.The HIQA report, based on an announced inspection on April 11 and 12, and released last week, showed unacceptable practices were found at the facility and that the building in which it is housed provides “a significant challenge to comply with regulations”.According to the report, risk assessments were completed in 2009 but had not been updated or reviewed at the unit since. Inspectors noted that all risks had not been identified, including risk of needle-stick injuries and risks of moving and handling injuries and that significant improvements were required in this area and in ensuring that all staff received fire safety training.Responding to …

CLARE County Council has agreed a motion that will see the relocation of an iconic Ballyvaughan signpost to a safer location in the North Clare village, while providing new directional signage offering motorists a choice of taking the Coast Road or the Lisdoonvarna Road to the Cliffs of Moher.At a special meeting of the local authority on Monday at Knappogue Castle, Quin, members of the council discussed a motion calling for the replacement of the existing sign at Ballyvaughan in the original location.The motion, tabled by councillors Johnny Flynn, Joe Arkins, Brian Meaney, Michael Begley, Gerry Flynn, Michael Kelly, Bill Slattery, Michael Hillery and Richard Nagle, also called for the sign to be named a protected structure in the county development plan.Councillors stressed businesses along the coast road are suffering in the height of the tourist season because the sign had been removed.“Businesses on the Coast Road feel victimised and are losing out. There should be the same amount of …

NORTH Clare’s newest public representative, Councillor Bill Slattery, has called on Clare County Council to begin work immediately on public railings that are “an absolute disgrace” and a pier that has been “neglected for years”.Councillor Slattery was commenting on the announcement by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food that €75,000 has been allocated to upgrade the seafront infrastructure in Lahinch and Liscannor.Almost €50,000 been allocated to Lahinch for the renewal of the handrail system along the ramps at the seafront, while €26,250 has been allocated to repair and upgrade the existing slipway at Liscannor. The total cost of the project in Lahinch is €65,000, while the overall cost of the project in Liscannor is €35,000.“This funding, which is coming from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is going to replace the railings along the prom in Lahinch and fund much needed improvements to the pier in Liscannor. The condition of the railings along the prom is an absolute …

THE annual Corofin/North Clare Show will be staged in Corofin village on Saturday, July 23. The prize lists have now been circulated, with details of classes for all prospective exhibitors.“There has been much interest in all areas, which is to be expected when one considers the huge level of participation at last year’s event,” Mary McMahon, the long-standing show secretary said.Vice-chairperson, James Burke said there has been particular interest in the hall section, which encompasses classes for farm produce, horticulture, home crafts, poultry, eggs, turf and photography.There are 21 classes to choose from in the flower display events, including potted geraniums, potted roses, hanging baskets and window boxes.“With such a variety of classes, there is room for one and all to include an exhibit and make Corofin North Clare Show a most memorable experience for all the family,” Mr Burke stated.The horse-showing classes sport the Irish Draught Foal Championship with a final at Bantry Show for a prize fund of …

GORT will host one of the most unusual sporting events of the summer this month. Gort Community Centre confirmed it will be running a Drag Tag Rugby tournament in aid of Gort Cancer Support as part of its free open day on July 16.  “We haven’t seen this anywhere else. I was living in Dublin so we played in tag leagues every summer and at one stage, there was a fancy dress tag but I though the word ‘drag’ would work well with ‘tag’ and that’s really how this idea came about. The mixed leagues are always the best craic where there are boys and girls. There was a tag league here but it was run by rugby league and we will have a mini-tag competition before the drag tag on the day as well,” explained Marianne Fahy, one of the organisers. Since the idea of Drag Tag was mooted a few weeks ago, the response has been overwhelmingly positive …

The exceptionally high standard being set by farmers in the Burren as part of the Burren Farming for Conservation Programme (BFCP) could open the door for other farmers in the area to take part in the scheme, it was claimed this week.The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine began issuing farmers in North Clare with payments as part of the BFCP this week.“We’re delighted with the first year of the BFCP. We’ve had great support from the Department of Agriculture and the NPWS, who co-sponsor the programme. “It’s the response of the participating farmers, which has been the most impressive. Many of the farmers have in fact done more than was asked of them in terms of the quantity and quality of work done and there has been a huge pride in showing off this work. The payments these farmers have now received are terrific value for taxpayers’ money as BFCP only pay for work done and results generated. …

Last Saturday, the owner of Cassidy’s Pub and Restaurant, and member of Clare Farm Heritage Tours, Robert Cassidy, gave an inspiring account of the days gone by in the upper Burren. Taking a wide view and including the whole history of the Burren and in particular the region around Carron, he went on to recount colourful stories of local life under the constabulary told to him by his father and the older generation in the region. While the weather was looking grim in the morning, the rain stopped for an hour in the afternoon, allowing the bravest of the listeners to also get a view of the area and warming up afterward with a cup of tea at Cassidy’s. It was the first in a series of summer talks and walks organised by Clare Farm Heritage Tours, with further events to be announced shortly.Running alongside the series of events, the farmers are available for their usual farm tours on a …

OVER 2,500 cyclists rode in the An Post Tour de Burren, which took place amid the breathtaking scenery of North Clare last Saturday.Apart from the success of the event, local businesses enjoyed a welcome cash injection and a number of groups will benefit from financial support down the line.The Burren Cycling Club/An Post Tour de Burren, in association with the Irish Sports Council and supported by Clare Sports Partnership, Clare Tourism Forum, Aillwee Cave and the community of North Clare, is designed to offer a variety of challenges. Cyclists had four routes to choose from, including the 10km Aillwee Cave Family Loop, which was all about fun, enjoyment and participation; the 60km Corkscrew Challenge, which took cyclists from Ballyvaughan up Corkscrew Hill, a grade 2 King of the Mountains climb on the An Post Rás; the 100km Burren 100 with two challenging climbs and the Burnin Burren spin, which offered cyclists a 160km journey through North Clare on a route …