Regional

A SHANNON woman, who suffers from a breathing condition and holds a disabled parking permit, found a note saying ‘I didn’t realise that retarded people could take disabled spots’ when she returned to her car in Ennis last weekend.The woman, who does not wish to be named, is in her ’50s and suffers from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).“It’s a breathing condition and as a result of that, I need to use oxygen. I can’t walk for long distances. I can’t walk up hills, that sort of thing, but you wouldn’t know it to look at me,” she told The Clare Champion.“On Sunday we were going out to lunch, my daughter and myself, and we were kind of dressed up for going out. We parked the car and when we got back, this note was on it. I was really upset about it. “I have worked in the disability sector as an advocate for people with disabilities. I would be …

ENNIS has firmly been put on the map with this week’s launch of the Ennis Atlas, part of the Royal Irish Academy’s Irish Historic Towns Atlas project. The Ennis Atlas is the 25th in the Irish series, part of a Europe-wide project with similar publications for over 480 European urban centres.The publication traces, for the first time ever, the development of the county town throughout the centuries.The newly-published Ennis Atlas examines the growth of the town from its early O’Brien foundation at Clonroad to the medieval town that developed around the Franciscan Friary, to its function as an early modern market and county town through to the 20th century.Over 15 early maps and old views of Ennis are presented in the book, with additional thematic maps and illustrations along with an extensive essay by local man, Brian Ó Dálaigh. “I grew up around the lanes and streets of Ennis and I never thought I’d get to know them so well,” …

NEW parish offices are to be constructed in Ennis following the granting of planning permission for the development by Ennis Town Council. St Flannan’s (Killaloe) Diocesan Trust had applied for planning permission to demolish part of Maria Assumpta Hall and to build a new parish office with meeting rooms and ancillary facilities. The site of the development is within the cartilage of Ennis Cathedral, a protected structure and adjoining the Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) of Ennis Town Centre. During the planning process Risteard UaCróinín, conservation officer for Clare County Council, outlined there was no objection to the proposed development but stated his office should be consulted regarding any proposed alterations to the boundary wall facing Station Road.Commenting on the boundary wall he stated, “By its age, weathered patina, construction technique and materials, it makes a significant contribution to the ACA and complements the masonry of the Cathedral nearby. For the above reasons, this office should be consulted with regard to …

AS if moving to Ecuador to work with some of the country’s poorest people wasn’t enough of a challenge, former Ennis priest Fr John Molloy is now set to run in this year’s Dublin City Marathon. He is now fitting in training alongside his busy work in his parish of Monte Sinai. He is calling on others to join him in taking part in the event, which takes place in the capital on October 29. Fr John is set to head back to Ireland for a short time in September and he told The Clare Champion that he, his sister and many friends will be taking on the marathon to raise funds for the ongoing work in Ecuador. This weekend, he will begin the journey home to Ireland via New York. On Saturday, he will fly to the US city where he will minister and preach in St Paul’s Parish, Yonkers. The following weekend, he will celebrate masses and preach …

ENNIS businesses are being urged to get involved with training that could potential save somebody’s life. The Ennis defibrillator committee has been raising funds to place defibrillators at key locations in Ennis in an effort to provide life saving devices in the town. They are currently calling on businesses to put forward employees for training in the use of the equipment. According to chairman of the committee and Ennis town councillor Paul O’Shea, properly trained volunteers are vital to ensure the equipment is used in the right way.“The committee has so far received donations of over €5,000 from businesses and individuals, which has enabled us to install two defibrillators in O’Connell Square and the Market. The committee is continuing to seek donations as an additional €5,000 is required to install a further two defibrillators in Woodquay and Lower Abbey Street,” he said. The committee is also asking individuals or businesses to contribute to the fund. Those who donate €50 will …

TRANSPORT Minister Leo Varadkar may be asked to intervene to facilitate the release of submissions concerning the controversial proposed €120 million Northern Distributor Road linking South-East Clare with Limerick City.Clare County Council has defended its decision to turn down a request from the Northern Distributor Road Concerned Residents’ Association (NDRCRA) to view submissions for the new distributor road, which has already been the subject of a public demonstration in Parteen earlier this year.  The lobby group, opposing to the proposed route, is considering making an official request to Minister Varadkar to view some of the submissions after he previously requested the council to release an edited version of the Constraints Report Study about the project.It is understood that over 400 submissions have already been received by the county council, which illustrates the huge level of interest and concern the Emerging Preferred Route Corridor has generated among residents in Parteen, Clonlara and Athlunkard. Members of the group visited Clare County Council …

EXCITEMENT is building in Killaloe as a local swimmer makes his final preparations for the  Paralympics, which start on August 29.Jonathan McGrath, who trains six days a week, recently participated in a special training camp in Portugal before he heads to Paralympic village in London this Friday.Speaking to The Clare Champion recently, 19-year-old Jonathan said he is looking forward to participating in the 400m freestyle event.“It is a dream come true to participate in the Paralympics.“Training is going very well and I feel way better than I did before previous world and European competitions. I know a few of the Irish swimmers who are competing in the Olympics so I can ask them what the pool is like,” he said.Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Alan Kelly has extended best wishes to all the Mid-Western athletes on the Irish team, as they begin their journey to the Paralympic Games in London.  Besides Jonathan, James McCarthy (Limerick) competes …

The Cliffs of Moher has been rated one of the nation’s favourite heritage sites, according to new research. Clare’s main tourist and visitor attraction has been given the thumbs up by members of the public in a survey conducted by Ecclesiastical Insurance Ireland to mark National Heritage Week 2012. Scoring as the second-highest rated heritage site with 9% of the vote, it narrowly lost out to Newgrange in Meath.The Cliffs of Moher attracted 809,474 visitors last year and provisional figures for the first six months of this year suggest a slight increase of about 2%, which is considered a very good performance in the teeth of the economic recession.Representing public attitudes to heritage landmarks, the third annual National Heritage Survey also considered County Clare one of the counties richest in heritage, securing 14% of the vote.Furthermore, of the sites on the UNESCO tentative list for world heritage status, The Burren (23%) narrowly lost out to the early medieval sites of …