Regional

A FAMILY of three were found safe and unharmed after their boat got into difficulty on Scarriff Bay recently. On Monday evening, August 23, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat to launch to assess a cruiser reported aground by a concerned member of the public. The cruiser 36 foot motor cruiser was said to be in Scarriff Bay, north of the entrance to the Scarriff River. At 6.51pm the lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm crew Owen Cavanagh, crew Eleanor Hooker, Joe O’Donoghue and Doireann Kennedy on board. When the lifeboat arrived at the scene the cruiser was aground on a rocky shore, north of the entrance to the Scarriff River. The lifeboat stood off to inspect the aspect of the cruiser, which appeared to be pivoting on the edge of the shoal. The lifeboat made a cautious approach to the casualty vessel and found there was a family of three on board, all safe and unharmed and …

THE hopes and wishes of children have quite literally been destroyed in Ennis in what has been described as an act of “wanton destruction”. A ‘fairy post box’, part of the Active Ennis John O’Sullivan Lees Road fairy trail, has been smashed beyond repair. The vandalism is believed to have been carried out using a child’s hurley which was found at the scene, along with the tattered remains of letters children had written detailing their hopes and dreams to the fairies of the trail. Councillor Mary Howard, who was involved in the establishment of the popular trail, says this act of vandalism is “heartbeaking”. “I got the call to come up and saw the post box was in smithereens, it’s terrible. I was just so disappointed see that somebody would think it’s okay to do this. This is just wanton destruction, it’s senseless”. Children have been flocking to the fairy trail since it was established five years ago, with the …

GARDAÍ have appealed to the public to take care that their possessions are not visible in parked cars following a spate of thefts in the county. There were three thefts from vehicles reported in west Clare on Sunday, August 29. Between 2.30pm and 3.10pm the driver’s window was smashed in a car parked at Georges Head Car Park and a brown Michael Kors handbag was stolen containing cash and cards. Between 4pm and 4.20pm a car parked at Carrigaholt Castle was broken into and a black River Island handbag containing cash and cards was stolen. In the third incident a car parked at the White Strand in Miltown Malbay had its rear fly window smashed and a purse was stolen. A black Nissan Almera was seen leaving the scene at Carrigaholt Castle. If anyone saw this car or if anyone has dash cam footage they are asked to contact Ennistymon Garda Station on 065-7072180.

GARDAÍ have seized €52,000 worth of suspected Cannabis Herb following three searches near a county Clare village on Sunday. Shortly after 4pm on Sunday, Gardaí attached to Kilrush Garda Station and the Clare Divisional Drugs Unit conducted three separate searches under Operation Tara in the Kilmihil area. During the course of these searches a quantity of suspected cannabis herb estimated to be worth €52,000 (subject to analysis) was located and seized. A man in his late 20s was arrested and is currently detained at Kilrush Garda Station under the provisions of Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996. This seizure forms part of Operation Tara, an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy, which was launched by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris on July 2, 2021. The focus of Operation Tara is to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks, at all levels – international, national, local – involved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, local sale and supply of controlled …

A FACELIFT is on the cards for six Clare towns and villages, three of them in the East and the South East of the county. A pot of €7 million is to be shared among 124 areas across the country under the Streetscape Enhancement Initiative. In Clare, the beneficiaries will be Tulla, Scariff, Clonlara, Kilrush, Corofin and Clarecastle, where property and business owners will be invited to apply for funding. The allocation will support a number of activities to brighten the appearance of towns and villages. These include strategic collaboration between property owners to paint buildings or shopfronts in vibrant colours and the commissioning of murals in towns and villages. The funds also enable the upgrade or restoration of historic and traditional shopfronts; as well as the provision of street planting, shrubbery, trees and flowers boxes. Enhancements through the illumination and lighting of architectural features can also be carried out, as well as the installation of canopies and street furniture …

THE next stage in the transformation of Ennis’ town centre has moved a step forward with Part 8 planning lodged by Clare County Council for the re-vamping of O’Connell Street. The plans, part of the overall Ennis Town Centre Public Realm Regeneration Project, include an upgrade of the public realm of O’Connell Street, with the one-way traffic flow retained. There will also be the creation of a new civic space outside the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, including shared surfacing in natural stone materials; street furniture; replacement street lighting; signage; tree planting and rain gardens; and all ancillary works; together with changing Barrack Street (east) from raised kerbs to flush shared surface. According to a design report the result of the works “will be a safer and more attractive pedestrian environment and spaces for all sectors of the community, facilitating the Town Centre as a destination for visitors, improving its vitality and enabling Ennis to capitalise on its unique …

A RE-DESIGN of an entire development proposed for an historic area of Ennis’ town centre has been sought by the planning authority who have voiced “serious concerns” about the visual impact. Clare County Council have sought further information on the plans by Eko Integrated Services Ltd for the Drumbiggle area, with the local authority highlighting issues including that the height, massing and scale is “not acceptable” as currently proposed. Eko Integrated Services Ltd lodged the application for the development at Drumbiggle Road, Buttermarket Street and Simm’s Lane which if given the green light will see the construction of 46 residential units, a digital hub and cafe. The further information request states, “While a contemporary approach may be considered by the planning authority, this design ethos must have regard to the existing urban fabric in the vicinity of the site, the location of the site within the Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) and the adjoining hitoric buildings”. The developers have been asked …

A BELVOIR family have shown their gratitude to the specialist medical team at University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL) by fundraising in honour of their daughter Aoibheann. Now nearly ten, Aoibheann is thriving, but faced a challenging start that required her to have neo-natal care at St Munchin’s. “Almost a decade ago this coming October our daughter Aoibheann was born in St Munchin’s Maternity Hospital in Limerick,” outlined mum Orla O’Mara. “Aoibheann needed neo-natal care and she spent four weeks getting first class medical care. As first time parents our emotions were very high. It is incredible how you feel when you are faced with your new born baby needing neo-natal care. You place all your trust in the medical consultants, nurses and midwives and that is what we did. We were beyond fortunate that Aoibheann received such wonderful care from the devoted medical specialists.” Thankfully, little Aoibheann was soon able to leave hospital, under the ongoing care of the paediatric …