Regional

AN Ennis toyshop will feature in a brand new television show airing this week on RTÉ. Little Ones on Parnell Street, in the county town, which specialises in traditional wooden toys and children’s gifts, is among the stores to appear in The Toy Shop which airs on RTÉ One on Wednesday evening at 9.30pm and again on Christmas day on RTÉ 2 at 8.45pm. The programme has been made by Atom Films, the makers of the acclaimed Older Than Ireland, Abbeyfealegood and The Irish Wedding. Fiona Ryan, owner of Little Ones, told The Champion she was delighted to take part in the programme and to be able to share the joy that toy shops can bring into people’s lives. “I was contacted by Atom Films to take part in the programme, I don’t know how they found out about us but I think originally they were looking at doing a programme on toys in general, then they wanted to focus …

ENNIS students Aodha Marrinan and Sarah O’Rourke were among sixteen University of Limerick students to recently receive scholarships at a virtual awards ceremony as part of the Johnson & Johnson Ireland Women in STEM2D (WiSTEM2D) Award Programme. Both Aodha and Sarah study Biomedical Engineering at UL. Now in its sixth year at UL, the WiSTEM2D programme is run in collaboration with Lero – the Science Foundation Research Centre for Software, and will provide the scholarship recipients with extensive industry mentoring and leadership training. WiSTEM2D refers to Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Manufacturing and Design. The WiSTEM2D programme underlines J&J’s commitment to developing and implementing high-impact strategies to support female students undertaking STEM2D degree courses at UL and in universities around the world.  Currently, there are approximately 117,800 people across Ireland who are working in jobs that require STEM skills. However, the CSO reports that just 25% of these roles are performed by women, with just 5% in leadership roles.Whilst there has been a general …

A PRIZE-WINNING artwork by 13-year-old Clare student Emily Barrow, from Colaìste Muire, Ennis, has been chosen to illustrate the 2022 Texaco Children’s Art Competition Calendar just published. One of 13 selected to illustrate the publication, her piece, entitled ‘The Forge’s Flowers’, right, will appear on the August page and will be seen in thousands of homes in Ireland during the coming year. Winning a Special Merit Award in the 2021 competition, it was one of a number said by a competition adjudicator to illustrate perfectly the outstanding talent, creativity and imagination that many of our young artists possess and the important role schools have in encouraging and inspiring their students through art education. Calendars are currently available through a select number of service stations and Texaco branded distributors countrywide and through Texoil home heating oil division.

CLARE County Council is proposing to build 18 new homes in Scariff and a Part 8 application is now at the public consultation phase. The apartment development at Ballyminogue, Waterpark, will be situated along the Scariff Stream and have a mix of one, two and three-bed units. A total of 27 car parking spaces are also proposed. The authority’s application states that, “An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening determination has been made and concludes that there is no real likelihood of significant effects on the environment arising from the proposed development.” In respect of the risk of flooding, a detailed report has also been compiled. It characterises the flood risk as minimal. “The proposed development model shows the proposed development will have no impacts on the flood levels”, it states. The document identifies “residual risks”, including climate change and potential blockage of the downstream Scariff River Ridge and any boundary treatment fending. “In conclusion,” it states, “the mitigation measures put …

CLARE health services have been dealt a blow following confirmation Dr Michael Harty will retire from his general practice at the end of next February. Having spent more than 37 years delivering health care to patients in West Clare, the former Independent Dáil Deputy has decided to bring the curtain down on his own medical career. In an interview with The Clare Champion, Dr Harty (69) revealed he is isn’t taking on any new patients in his Kilmhil practice due to his imminent retirement. However, he continues to get calls from people as far back as Kilkee and Ennis that are outside his catchment area on a weekly basis looking to join his patient list. “I have reached the stage where it is important for me to retire. It will be difficult because you build up a relationship with patients over a 37-year period after looking after four generations of the one family.” “This corporate knowledge is a great asset …

A SMALL North Clare national school is celebrating the power of hope, as the festive season approaches and pupils look ahead to the future. The rescue of a wounded bird inspired six-year-old Adam Wall to write a poem called ‘Hope’. The poem then became a video and the message began to spread. The bird flew into the classroom, one summer afternoon, and hurt its wing. A little boy, Cian Vaughan, cupped the frightened bird in his hands until it recovered and was able to fly away. When Adam got home that evening, he wrote the poem. That went on to inspire teacher Miss Dilleen, SNA Mary Lou Moylan and principal Patricia Vaughan to devote a whole school project to the theme of ‘Hope’. All pupils got involved in making an art project and filmed the results. What came as a pleasant surprise was the incredibly positive reaction of the wider community. Pupils had really captured the hearts of parents and …

MILFORD Care Centre will be the beneficiary of two East Clare fundraising hikes on St Stephen’s Day. The 12 O’Clocks Hills committee has organised two hikes on December 26, for those who would like to stretch their legs in peaceful, beautiful surroundings. The first option is a 13km hike, gathering at 9.45am, at the Belvoir carpark, for a 10am start. The second is an 8.5km hike, assembling at 10.45am, at the Belvoir carpark, for an 11am start.  There is no charge to take part, but donations, from those taking part, would be greatly appreciated. For those unable to attend, a donation can be made on Idonate.ie/twelveoclockhills.

A TEAM of young East Clare men will hold a Christmas tractor run on Saturday, December 18, for those affected by the stress of cancer and mental health issues. Tomás Meade from Quin has joined forces with seven friends aged 19 and 20, all past pupils of St Flannan’s, to get the Light The Way tractor run underway in aid of Milford Hospice and Pieta House. Last January’s Level 5 lockdown put paid to plans for a live event, and the lads instead urged tractor and truck lovers around the county to light up and send them photos of decorated vehicles of all kinds. Tomás, an automotive engineering student at Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT), seized the opportunity to hold the event next Saturday and the venue will be the Gurteen GAA Grounds in Doora. For spectators, the event will be a colourful spectacle, lighting up the night. “The run will be going around Quin and Newmarket and then return …