Regional

Kilrush Town Council has applied to the Department of Transport, Sport and Tourism to secure a grant for a sport facility in the West Clare capital town.

THE capacity of the main Clonroadmore Waste Water Treatment Plant “urgently” needs to be upgraded if it is to provide for the future growth of commercial and industrial sectors in Ennis and its growing population, an oral hearing of An Bord Pleanála has heard.The hearing took place last week to discuss an application by Clare County Council to upgrade the treatment plant, serving Ennis town centre and the northern, eastern and western environs of Ennis. The existing wastewater treatment plant is designed for a load of 17,000 pe (population equivalent), and its current load is approximately 26,000. The proposed upgrade will have a designed capacity of 30,150. It is planned to upgrade the wastewater network on a phased basis, following a review of original proposals to build a new plant at the site. Senior officials from both Clare County Council and Ennis Town Council made the case for the upgrade, emphasising its importance to the future development of the town.Speaking …

The 30th annual Gort Show takes place this Sunday and, following record attendances in recent years, is expected to draw large numbers to the area once again.The show begins at 11am with the horse and pony classes on the Loughrea Road before the 12.30pm start in the main showground on the Ennis Road. The show will be officially opened at 1.30pm by well-known Gort man and champion kick-boxer, Eric Daly, and local estate agent, Ian Cahill, who has been supporter of the show since he was 13 years old, 30 years ago.But Ian is not the only South Galway resident who has been intensely loyal to the show.“Some people seem to be addicted to the Gort Show,” the show’s organising secretary, Amanda Anderson told The Clare Champion.“Mother and daughter, Margaret and Patricia Carr have both entered every single show in the entire 30 years, and Patricia is only 37. Jude Fuery entered a potted plant in the 1981 show, and …

THE Office of Public Works (OPW) have pledged €150,000 to improve local flood defences.In an email this week, the OPW stated, “The Shannon Airport River Defences are allocated €150,000 to strengthen some 155m of the critical embankment using a rock armour revetment in front of the existing embankment.”The move was welcomed by Clare TD Pat Breen who said getting resources at the present time is very positive. “There is work needed on the embankments so this money is very welcome. It is a very difficult time to get resources and this will help to strengthen 155m of the critical embankment.”Funding has also been provided for works to combat coastal erosion at Quilty, bringing the allocation to projects in Clare to over €220,000.Senator Tony Mulcahy also said the funding was welcome and the importance of keeping the embankments in good condition must be borne in mind. “Any money that is allocated in the current climate is very welcome. As we know, …

A North Clare Councillor has called for reports on proposed local authority projects to be carried out in-house after it emerged over €100,000 was spent on a masterplan for the Lahinch prom commissioned four years ago, with only two elements of it implemented to date.Councillor Joe Arkins recently requested that the relevant director of service responsible give an outline on the status of the consultants’ report on the upgrading of the promenade at Lahinch, when it was commissioned, whether or not it had been completed and what the cost of the report would be.“Consultants Malachy Walsh and Partners were appointed in early 2007 as consultants to prepare a masterplan for the promenade area of Lahinch. The fee for the project was €94,800 plus VAT. Since their appointment, they brought forward a number of proposals including car-parking arrangements, traffic management and improvement options for the promenade area, coastal protection measures and proposals for new amenity block and services building and a …

SINCE Fr John Molloy left Ennis to work with the poor in Ecuador, local parishioners have been kept up-to-date with how he has been doing with regular emails, updates on the parish website and newsletter and of course by reading The Clare Champion.A picture paints a thousands words and this weekend, the people of Ennis will have their chance to see first hand the valuable work that Fr John has been doing in South America.On Saturday at 8pm in the Old Ground Hotel, a documentary about Fr John and his work in Ecuador will be launched by a local filmmaker. People are being invited to come along to the launch and see how local generosity has helped Fr John’s mission in Mount Sinai.Filmmaker Colm Flynn from Drumcliff went out to Ecuador where he spent time with Fr John, filming his every move for the documentary.“I kept having to pinch myself, it was amazing to think that one day I was …

THE new €2 million moorings and walkway on the Shannon Navigation in Killaloe will net more tourists for the locality, Heritage Minister Jimmy Deenihan has predicted.Speaking at the official launch of the state-of-the-art facilities on Thursday last, Minister Deenihan told the attendance the new development was already attracting an increase in boating enthusiasts from Germany, Sweden and the United States.Acknowledging the previous facilities were not acceptable for modern times, the Fine Gael deputy predicted the economic spin-off would also benefit the wider Mid-West Region. Developed by Waterways Ireland and jointly funded by Fáilte Ireland, the minister said the project illustrated what could be achieved through co-operation including Shannon Development, Clare County Council and North Tipperary County Council.Over the past decade, Waterways Ireland has installed over 10,000m of new moorings. Minister Deenihan claimed up to €100m has been generated on the waterways in the Lakelands and Inland Waterways Region, with about €20m in income from hire boats and €60m to  €80m …

  THE community of Flagmount is well used to the sounds of Lough Graney’s lapping waters but over the summer, the lake becomes a hive of activity with sounds of children splashing about and swimming instructors giving lessons.Swimming lessons at Flagmount form part of a 40-year tradition whereby the lake is taken over five days a week from the final week of July to the first week of August. Those from the age of four get their first taste of the wild water, while those up to the age of 18 perfect their swimming techniques and take on further challenges such as life saving. For one local, however, swimming at Lough Graney has brought her full circle.  Having learned to swim at these swimming classes from an early age and returning each year after, Edel Broderick returns to the lake this year as an instructor. It is the first time a local who has attended and achieved all the necessary …