Regional

THERE was a mass exodus from Clonlara village last Wednesday, as the local sporting faithful made their way to Cusack Park. For the first time in their proud history, Scoil Seanáin Naofa, Clonlara had both camogie and hurling teams competing for Division 1 honours.It had been 21 years since Scoil Seanáin Naofa’s camogie team last contested the Division 1 final and between them and the title stood Feakle, a team they had beaten in the group games.Clonlara, having won the Division 2 camogie final last year, managed to retain a few experienced players in Leah Hawes, Chloe Ryan, Becky Foley, Hannah Horgan, Róisín Powell, captain Áine Gully and Sarah Fahey and they formed the spine of the team.In the opening half, Róisín Powell’s pace and power caused havoc for the Feakle backs as her scoring exploits helped Clonlara lead 2-2 to 0-1 at the break.Hannah Horgan showed great composure throughout the match as she converted two frees while, crucially, she …

A warning letter has been served on an East Clare man in relation to what the council has deemed an “unauthorised development” at Raheen Tuamgraney.The warning letter was issued to Jim Fahy of Raheen Tuamgraney on June 14 in relation to planning permission he received for the development of three commercial units, carparking and landscaping at a site in Raheen, Tuamgraney in October 2009. The planning authority noted that condition nine of the conditions set out in that planning permission had not been complied with to date. This condition relates to the payment of €3,568.22 to Clare County Council in respect of public infrastructure and facilities benefiting the development.The applicant was advised to pay this contribution and in the event of it not being complied with, the authority may issue an enforcement notice.Separately on June 17, the planning authority also corresponded with Mr Fahy, care of Engineering and Planning consultants Ltd, O’Briensbridge, that submissions received by the council on March …

Twenty two people set off from Tulla last weekend to Westport where  they set about completing the 42km Great Western Greenway cycle in aid of Brú Colombanus in Cork. The fundraising effort was the brainchild of Tulla woman Ronnie O’Keeffe, who was a guest at the “home from home” accommodation for relatives of seriously ill patients in Cork in November and wanted to give back to the independent charity. The €5.5 million project, which was established by the Knights of St Columbanus, opened in October 2005 providing accommodation for relatives of seriously ill patients in any of the Cork hospitals and the hospice. It provides 26 en-suite family rooms with supporting kitchen and lounges where families can meet others in similar situations and draw on their shared experiences.Ronnie was very grateful to the service when she needed it last year and wanted to give something back. She has always had an interest in cycling and together with 22 friends and …

Those with any concerns about the shape of Gort in the future, now is the time to state their case. Galway County Council is proposing to make alterations to the draft Gort Local Area Plan 2013-2019 and details of the proposed alterations are now available for public viewing until July 5 in Gort and Galway City. The proposed alterations would, if made, be a material alteration to the Draft Gort Local Area Plan 2013-2019, which was previously displayed.A strategic environmental assessment of one of the proposed material alterations is required and an appropriate assessment of one of the proposed material alterations is required.Copies of the proposed material alteration, strategic environmental assessment and appropriate assessment reports on the proposed alterations and the stage two strategic flood risk assessment report (as amended) are available for public inspection. They can be viewed during normal opening hours from at Gort County Council Office, Crowe Street, Gort, Monday to Friday from 9am to 12.55pm and …

VALUED Yeats’ artefacts can go on display locally in South Galway, provided the necessary legal indemnities are put in place, according to Senator Lorraine Higgins. Senator Higgins said she was informed by Junior Minister Michael Ring that Fáilte Ireland has given the go-ahead to loan artefacts associated with Thoor Ballylee and poet WB Yeats to local organisations, provided the necessary legal indemnities are put in place. She raised the issue of the artefacts previously held in the East Galway Tower with Minister Ring in the Seanad recently, where she said their placement locally was “critical to any tourism revival in South Galway”. “Thoor Ballylee is steeped in connections with Yeats. South Galway has suffered badly in recent years and it needs a tourism boost. The allocation of some of the artefacts from the tower in alternative accommodation is critical to the revival of the tourism sector in the area,” she said on that occasion.Senator Higgins pointed out that the artefacts …

A PLANNING decision is expected on July 11 in relation to the development of an Autistic Spectrum Disorder Unit (ASD) unit catering for children with autism and special needs at St Joseph’s National School in Kinvara.The board of management at the school applied to Galway County Council in April for planning permission to fit out the ground floor of a former convent building for use as an ASD unit.The former convent is a protected structure, built in 1878. The application also proposed to carry out refurbishment works to the building, including the replacement of the windows and doors, along with the upgrading of the roof structure. Permission for a rear extension to the building to accommodate a kitchenette and bathrooms was also sought by the board.Following a request for further information last month, the school board lodged its response with the council this past week and a planning decision is now eminent.The applicants were asked for further information in respect …

TWO alpaca from a North Clare farm won top awards at the Alpaca Association of Ireland National Show held in Belurgan County Louth recently.Burren Alpaca Stud won both the supreme champion title and reserve title. The supreme champion was a two-year-old female alpaca, Burren Victoria, who beat male runner-up Burren Auzdano. Victoria, a daughter of top Burren sire, Burren, was bred by Burren Alpaca to advance fibre quality in its herd.Based at Blackhead, Ballyvaughan, Burren Alpaca was founded by Damien Dyar and the late Anna May Driscoll and has forged a leading role in the development of an alpaca industry in Ireland.Shirley Bettison, a British Alpaca Society-approved judge, complimented the Alpaca Association of Ireland on the standard of alpacas presented at its sixth annual show. Ms Bettison said the growth of the alpaca industry in Ireland is strongly tied to the quality of alpaca presented and she judged the standard now present in the country based on the show is …

BALLYVAUGHAN’S Flower Power festival will celebrate the enigmatic and unsung local hero, – Patrick Bernard O’Kelly in a festival from next Monday to July 7. O’Kelly (1852-1937) played a huge role in collecting and popularising the unique flora of the karst limestone region in the early 1900s.Glenarra House – the site of O Kelly’s Botanic Gardens and Fern Nurseries – will be open to the public for the week, while an exhibition in Ballyvaughan village hall will display for the first time, samples of plants O’Kelly sent to the National Botanic Gardens, together with memorabilia and photographs of his life. Dr Matthew Jebb, director of the National Botanic Gardens will open the exhibition on Monday at 6pm and will then lead an “orchid hunt” in search of the famous O’Kelly orchid, named after him. The week will include walks, talks, exhibitions, and a botanical painting workshop with Susan Sex. Born in the townland of Kilweelran, O’Kelly lived in Glenarra House, …