Regional

AFTER years of campaigning residents of Corrovorrin “see light at the end of the tunnel” with confirmation that a mini roundabout is set to be installed on the Tulla Road, writes Jessica Quinn. It is expected this will mean an end to frustratingly long delays for residents trying to exit Kevin Barry Avenue onto the busy Tulla Road. A special meeting of the Ennis Municipal District heard details of the plans for a Low Cost Safety Scheme on the junction with Kevin Barry Avenue at Corrovorrin. The improved junction layout on the R352 will facilitate “safer access and egress from Kevin Barry Ave” through a mini roundabout, removal of parking spaces, installation of bollards, refurbishment of road lining and marking and realignment of footpaths, the local authority has outlined. Speaking after the meeting in which councillors gave the plan their backing, local resident Tom Verling said, “This is absolutely brilliant, it’s been a long time coming, going back to the …

A WEST Clare hotel has today announced its intention to create more than 100 new jobs to be filled by February 2022 as part of €3m redevelopment plan. To fill the roles, in a sector hampered by difficulties attracting staff, the Armada Hotel in Spanish Point has set up a recruitment agency, complete with its own beach hut. The renovation project which was placed on hold last year due to the pandemic will see the delivery of a large extension housing ‘Aileens’ – a brand new 90 seater restaurant with its own 100% sustainable energy kitchen. There will also be a new ocean bar with an “interactive cocktail space”; a private dining area for parties of up to 12 guests; and a dedicated space for wedding arrivals with feature bar and panoramic views. The remainder of the renovation works will take place in January when the hotel is closed to guests. To facilitate the work, the hotel has launched a …

A PORTRAIT of the late Ennis health campaigner Laura Brennan has been unveiled at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Laura, who died in 2019 of cervical cancer aged just 26, worked tirelessly in her final months to promote the HPV vaccine. Laura’s portrait is the first of a health advocate who is not a doctor to be added to the RCPI’s collection. Laura’s family travelled to Dublin for the unveiling, describing the portrait as a “fitting tribute to Laura who was a truly wonderful person and is testament to her outstanding contribution to boosting the take up of the HPV vaccine in Ireland. Her legacy will continue  into the future and we are delighted to be here today in this historic building for this very special occasion.” The portrait was launched at the start of the RCPI annual flagship event, St Luke’s Symposium that focuses this year on Global Vaccination. The painting has been hung in the Stearne room in No 6 …

GARDAI are appealing for witnesses after money was robbed from a young teenager in Ennis at the end of last week. On Thursday evening at 5.10pm, a 13-year-old boy who was in the Tim Smyth Park, Lifford was verbally threatened by a young male to hand over money. The boy handed money over to the man. The boy was not physically injured in the incident, but this was very traumatic for him. A garda spokesperson said, “This is usually a busy time in the Park and if anyone saw this incident or anyone who has any information we would ask them to contact Ennis Garda Station on 6848100.”

COMMUNITIES in South-East Clare were united in mourning last weekend when news filtered through of the sudden death of young Ogonnelloe man, writes Dan Danaher. A serving soldier, Private Gerard McMahon (24), had just returned home from a six-month tour of duty with the 63rd Infantry Group in Syria. The death of Mr McMahon following a tragic accident while on holidays in Spain has left his heartbroken family and Ogonnelloe residents devastated. A postmortem is expected to take place at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Malaga. Gerard was a skilled marksman, winning brigade and all army competitions during his military career. Described as a keen sportsman, he participated in a number of sports notably hurling, football and rugby. At the time of writing, no definitive date was known for the arrival of the deceased’s body back to his residence in Ballyloughnane, Ogonnelloe, which is located a short distance from St Mary’s Church where it is expected a military funeral …

A MAN has appeared in court charged in connection with the seizure of suspected drugs in Doonbeg last weekend, writes Ronan Judge. David Rogers (33), with an address at Baltard, Doonbeg, appeared before Kilrush District Court on Tuesday, October 19, charged with two offences contrary to the misuse of drugs act. Detective Garda Paul Heaslip of the Clare garda division’s drugs unit gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. Detective Heaslip told the court he arrested Rogers last Saturday at Baltard, Doonbeg, before conveying him to Kilrush Garda Station. The accused made no reply to either of the two charges after caution. Detective Heaslip confirmed to counsel for Rogers that he was happy for the accused to be remanded on bail. Sergeant Aiden Lonergan said the court would see from the charges that this is a very recent matter and directions as to how the case is to proceed are yet to be obtained from the director of public prosecutions …

Foreign Minister open to full-time role for Padraig Ó Ceidigh in Shannon Group, writes Dan Danaher FOREIGN Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has defended the government’s record on supporting Shannon Airport in the wake of claims it could be doing more to assist the Shannon Group and airport from the havoc wreaked by Covid-19. “This has been a devastating period for the aviation industry. The Shannon region is so impacted by the activity or the non-activity in the airport. “We have seen this in Cork Airport too, but more so in Shannon because of the linkage between the connectivity at the airport and so many businesses in a very wide radius of the airport. “Transatlantic traffic has collapsed because the US has effectively banned EU citizens from flying to the US. For a period US citizens were not allowed into Ireland either without Covid-19 certification,” he said. Although Pádraig Ó Céidigh is being appointed as part-time non executive chair of Shannon …

A VISION for the future of Ennis will be launched this Friday by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD. The much anticipated Ennis 2040 Economic and Spatial Strategy is, according to Clare County Council, “a bold vision to deliver economic investment and make housing, jobs, amenity and services easier to access for all. The strategy is about building communities and creating one of the best places in the world to live, work and visit.” The strategy has set out ambitious growth targets and proposes the prioritisation of sustainable economic activities that will grow its population on average by 1.6% per annum and deliver an additional 5,000 jobs by 2040. Nine transformational projects have been identified through which the Ennis 2040 vision can be realised. The projects deliver on the concept of the ‘10-minute town’, attracting investment and delivering quality of life. In the implementation of this strategy Ennis will become Ireland’s first Climate Adaptive …