Regional

A NEW arts collective in Gort is celebrating the nation’s latest Bank Holiday with a series of events in the town. Gort Arts Collective is hosting a series of events to celebrate the new St. Brigid’s bank holiday between February 4 and 5 with events including a procession, an outdoor large-scale projection onto the town’s courthouse, an art exhibition, and theatre performances. The Gort Arts Collective, a group of 40 artists who work in a variety of art forms: painting, sculpture, the written word, and filmmaking aims to bring the community together to celebrate old traditions and create new ones through the medium of the arts. Noreen Scully from the group said, “Ours is an old Irish market town that enjoys a rich and diverse cultural community – and it’s important for everyone in the town to feel that they belong. “The arts are a great way to do this and Brigid is the perfect opportunity. Brigid was a saint, …

A FULLY electric Ennis Town Bus Service is scheduled to come into service in the first quarter of 2025. A route test exercise was carried out late last year confirming the feasibility of the plan, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has told the Dáil. He was responding to a question by Deputy Joe Carey who said the National Transport Authority (NTA) is involved in discussions with Clare County Council to secure land for the charging infrastructure and details will be outlined more precisely as the process is worked through. “I have been told by Transport Minister Eamon Ryan that a route test exercise was carried out in December and, while final routes may change slightly for operational or coverage considerations, the exercise confirmed the feasibility of the current plan. “This year, the NTA’s Service Planning team will be undertaking a number of steps including finalising the preferred routes as well as developing detailed stop and terminus designs. “This will be done …

A CELEBRATION of the traditions and beliefs that have sprung up around St Brigid’s Well in Liscannor is taking place in North Clare currently. The exhibition ‘Dabhach Bhríde’, which is centred around Lá Fhéile Bríde, opened at The Courthouse Gallery and Studios earlier this week and will run until Saturday, February 4. Tying in with the new Bank Holiday to celebrate Ireland’s only female patron saint, the exhibition is located at The Red Couch Gallery space. It is the creation of Clare-based artists Frances Bermingham and Mary Fahy and the opening last Tuesday involved a gathering to make traditional Brigid’s Crosses and share stories of the rich tradition around the medieval saint. Both Mary and Frances are involved in a study of aspects of St Brigid’s Holy Well at Ballysteen, Liscannor currently. “I am intrigued by the traces we leave, through our contact with people, objects and places,” Galway native Mary said. “My current body of work explores ritual grief …

THE proposed development of a new wind farm near Bridgetown will result in an average of one truck passing the village every 90 seconds during an eight-hour day, a local lobby group has claimed. RWE Renewables Ireland has submitted a planning application to construct eight wind turbines with a blade tip height range from 169 metres to 176 metres, a hub height range from 102 to 110 metres and a rotor diameter of 138 meters, the length of a GAA pitch. It will also involve the construction of a large compound in Roadstone, Ballymena, alterations on the road layout of regional road R466 between O’Briensbridge Cross and Ballymena and excavation of 11 kilometres of road from Ballymena to facilitate the laying of power cables to Ardnacrusha Power Station. Plans have been submitted for a ten-year construction phase for eight turbines with a 35-year operational life once commissioned with a total output of 38 megawatts. The Fahybeg Information Group has warned …

SEVERAL roads on the Wild Atlantic Way are “not fit for purpose” due to the increasing number of coach tours and vehicles using these routes, a local councillor has claimed. In light of the success of the Wild Atlantic Way and in particular the ever-increasing popularity of the route along the West Coast of Clare, improvement funding has been sought. Councillor Joe Garrihy has called on The West Clare MD to write to Fáilte Ireland, and the ministers for Tourism and Transport to seek appropriate ring-fenced and increased allocation of funding to upgrade, maintain and bring to appropriate standard the road surface, markings, lay-bys and roadside boundaries along this route. “The international marketing and resulting increased traffic along with ever increasing numbers of large coach tours on this route is bringing a usage and scale of wear and tear at a level, which requires ring-fenced funding over and above the standard roads allocation to ensure a quality product and experience …

THE principal of Ennis Community College/Gaelcholáiste an Chláir has hailed the “greatly enhanced resources” available to students thanks to the school’s new €12.5 million extension. Minister for Education Norma Foley was the special guest last Friday of Limerick & Clare Education & Training Board (LCETB) to open the state-of-the-art development that has added 4,500 square metres of teaching accommodation to the school. The new building has three floors, with a range of specialist and general teaching spaces, along with an external area where students can play and socialise. As well as a significant number of new classrooms, the project also includes a new Science Lab, Home Economics room, Art room, Library and General Purpose Hall. Additionally, a full-size PE Hall, fitness suite and changing facilities have been delivered as part of the project. At the official opening the school’s principal Brian O’Donoghue said that it is many years since the idea for the extension emerged. “It began in 2010 when …

DANGEROUS trees along roadsides in East Clare are to be removed in the coming months, a meeting of the Killaloe district has been told.  The pledge was given on foot of a motion from Cathaoirleach, Councillor Alan O’Callaghan, who raised the issue at the January gathering. The Kilmurry man asked that “in light of yellow warnings for high winds … a survey to be carried out in this MD on roadside trees especially Ash where the die back has set in”. A written reply to the motion from Derek Troy, Acting Senior Executive Engineer (SEE) outlined that following the consultation with members of the public and community groups, the required assessment reports had been completed, and that removal of trees would begin shortly.  “In 2022, Killaloe MD identified a number of trees for Arboricultural Safety Assessment Reports to be undertaken by a Member of the Society of Irish Foresters (MSIF) Certified Arborist,” the response to Councillor O’Callaghan’s motion explained. “These …

MORE than €80,000 has been raised as part of efforts to launch a judicial challenge to the granting of planning permission for a biogas plant in Gort.  Opposition group, Gort Biogas Concern, confirmed earlier this month that legal representation has been secured to initiate the court challenge. The group said it is determined to overturn An Bord Pleanála’s decision to allow the controversial project, in the wake of its rejection by Galway County Council. The Concern Group has also revived its awareness-raising walking campaign which invites people to walk the town’s scenic ‘Golden Mile’ every Sunday to learn more about the project and the strength of local opposition.  A statement from the Concern Group confirmed this week that €82,000 has been raised to-date “in order to protect Gort and South Galway from a catastrophic biogas development”. “From far and near people have donated €82,000 in less than two weeks after the public meeting on January 4,” the statement said. “Contributions …