Regional

TOURISTS coming into East Clare could be at a serious disadvantage if they are driving an Electric Vehicle (EV), due to a lack of rapid chargers.  That was the view expressed by Councillor Pat Hayes who made an appeal, at the July meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District committee, for better infrastructure to support EVs.  “I’m being asked every day about this and I’d like a progress report,” he said. “I’m wondering about the rapid charging points in particular. If someone comes off the motorway and wants to charge their EV in Killaloe or Scariff, we don’t have a plan for that yet.” The Caher man pointed out that as more motorists make the switch to EVs, charging infrastructure needs to keep pace. “There’s a huge amount of people moving to electric cars and asking where the fast-charging points are,” he said. “The fact is, we don’t have any. There is urgency around this now. We need at least one …

Joseph Woulfe believes the energy crisis means we must continue to burn turf   EVERYONE in our family visits the bog almost every year. It’s our pilgrimage in some ways. it has been done for generations – to use what nature offers in our locality to heat us through the winter period. I remember my late father, Charles, building a special timber wheelbarrow to bring the sle’an turf from the bank and carefully laying the sods out to dry in the summer sunshine at Jack at Rita Moroney’s Bog near Mullagh. On the way home from a hard day’s work, we would be given a treat (or perhaps you could call it a bribe) of ice cream at Sexton’s Shop in Mullagh or the Crosses of Annagh. Over time, we moved to a more mechanised bog system in Kilmihil where the Coughlan family use a hopper. In primary school, we learned all about fossil fuels, how they grew and, over …

VANDALISM in the local playground has prompted a staff of Clare County Council to contact Crusheen Gardaí. The matter was raised by the incoming Cathaoirleach of the Killaloe Municipal District when members held their July meeting. Councillor Alan O’Callaghan said he had been asked by locals in Crusheen to raise the issue. He tabled a motion calling for lighting or other works to stamp out the problem.   “There have been a few incidents of anti-social behaviour recently within the playground,” he said. “I think that a few lights leading into the playground would be ideal.” The Kilmurry man thanked Community Playground Coordinator, John Treacy for a reply to his motion. He said the problem of anti-social behaviour wasn’t widespread, but that there were concerns in Crusheen. “There are a lot of lovely playgrounds, on some occasions, anti social behaviour happens,” he said. “We don’t have too much of it, but the problem is rising in Crusheen area and I hope …

THE development of a masterplan for Newmarket-on-Fergus is “vital” in preparing for the future growth of the village a meeting of councillors has heard. Clare County Council Senior Planner Helen Quinn has confirmed that the village is the next recommended location for a masterplan exercise within the Shannon Municipal District. Councillor Pat McMahon told a meeting of the municipal district that he has received “a large number of enquiries from individuals, various organisations and voluntary bodies” about the need for a masterplan for Newmarket-on-Fergus. He pointed to the upgrade of the waste water treatment plant, which it is envisaged will allow for the growth of the village including additional housing. “It is vital that parallel to this is a masterplan to plan for the future,” he said. Ms Quinn, senior planner, responded to the motion, “As members are aware a Town Centre First Masterplan is currently underway for Sixmilebridge. “The locations and programming of further town centre first masterplanning excercises …

Halla Eoin, Kilbaha, which served as the parish national school until 1962, has been given a new lease of life and is set for an official reopening this Sunday, writes Mary Keane. The hall has been transformed into a local community hall which incorporates a heritage display. Following a public meeting, held in a dilapidated hall in Halla Eoin in 2018, a committee of dedicated volunteers, with Krystyna Pomeroy as chairperson, was set up to progress the dream and bring it to fruition. It was most certainly the support given by the local Fine Gael county councillor Gabriel Keating along with his pledge of funds from the General Municipal Fund which helped to make the dream a reality. This money, together with a substantial grant from the Town and Village Renewal Scheme enabled the work to begin. The refurbishments were carried out over a period of three years. Most of the work took place during the Covid 19 pandemic. Halla …

A Clare-based mother, who was once homeless on the streets in London, is raising funds for a mobile shower for homeless people in Ennis, saying, “I believe people deserve to be treated with dignity. For homeless individuals, having access to a hot shower is the first step in reigniting a feeling of self worth.” Fiona Faulkes has been living in Ennis for nearly 10 years and regularly helps the town’s homeless, having experienced first-hand sleeping under cardboard in England’s capital. She describes becoming homeless as feeling like “the whole world is going to just collapse”. However support from those working with people on the streets in London as well as others who were homeless helped her get through it. She is now hoping to raise €10,000 through an online GoFundMe campaign to buy a caravan and convert it to give people living on the streets here in Clare a wheelchair accessible place to wash and dress. “This is just a …

AHEAD of the August Bank Holiday weekend, renewed concerns have been voiced about a spike in unauthorised camping and the flouting of bye-laws at a number of waterside amenities in East Clare.  Local councillors were told that, at one small harbour, signage showing that camping is prohibited had been painted over and blanked out, by those illegally using the car park overnight.  At the July meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District committee, Councillor Pat Burke highlighted recent issues at waterside facilities at Killaloe, Mountshannon and Dromaan. “Unfortunately, there is vandalism and anti-social behaviour going on this summer at some of our amenities,” he said. “If you take the toilet block in Mountshannon, there are constant issues every week. I have spoke to Gardaí about this and they are aware of it.” The Whitegate native also expressed his annoyance at issues involving jetskis in Killaloe and Mountshannon. “Some people are responsible jetski users, but the majority are not,” he said. “I …

GRAVE concerns among the local community in Shannon visiting Illaunmanagh cemetery were highlighted at a meeting of councillors where it was confirmed plans are underway for a new footpath and improved car parking. Councillor Gerry Flynn, at a meeting of the Shannon Municipal District, highlighted “big entourages” of vehicles attending services at the crematorium parking in spaces provided for the graveyard. Illegal encampments have led to the closing of the parking area near the main entrance, he added saying this is “causing a massive inconvenience”. While sight lines when exiting on to Slí na Mara, “a very busy road, is causing safety issues”. Responding to the motion, Tom Mellett, Senior Executive Engineer Shannon Municipal District stated, “Shannon Municipal District will be installing a new footpath and improved public car parking area in the Illaunmanagh area. “The works include the installation of new drainage infrastructure, kerbing, a new macadam footpath, a new car parking area and improving the entrance to the …