Regional

Not content with mounting their successful campaign against a change in the South-East Clare boundary, a lobby group has sets its sights on ensuring all Clare people can vote for local general election candidates.Clare Against the Boundary Extension (CABE) could have folded its tent after Environment Minister Phil Hogan turned down the proposed transfer of over 3,000 people from Westbury, Shannon Banks and parts of Clonlara to the jurisdiction of a new Limerick authority, as recommended in the Limerick Local Government Report.CABE has consistently lobbied Government ministers and deputies opposing the extension of the Limerick City boundary into South-East Clare, which was actively sought by Limerick City Council in a number of submissions dating back to 1995.While some people may have expected this group to disband following Minister Hogan’s pledge that his decision will not be revisited in the foreseeable future, it has now turned its sights to a new challenge – the return of an estimated 5,000 people living …

FOR the past 11 years, Shannon has been linked to the Goradiche orphanage and at the moment, Rosie Byrne from Pinewood is in Belarus, where she is volunteering.“We’re here for two weeks. Myself and my daughter, Ruth are here, there’s seven of us in the group, three from Clare. One of the girls, Julie Pipe, is from Connolly but she works in St Patrick’s Comprehensive in Shannon,” she told The Clare Champion this week.It is her seventh time going over and when she spoke to the newspaper, the group were helping out at another orphanage, at Cherven, outside Minsk, before going on to Goradiche. She says that in Belarus, small children routinely go without items that are taken for granted in Ireland. “The recession has hit here, prices have gone up and people are feeling the pinch, big time. In the past, there wouldn’t have been disposable nappies all the time anyway, but this year there are hardly any because …

IT has been a busy few weeks for Gort-based Garda Philip Gleeson. As well as leading a group of young people to Eastern Europe as part of an exchange, he also participated in his first major sporting event in recent years.Competing in a triathlon seemed impossible when, at 32, Philip found himself unable to get out of bed, work or play with his children because of crippling pain caused by acute inflammatory arthritis. That was five years ago, though and since then Philip, with the help of Arthritis Ireland, has fought continuously to regain what the condition threatened to rob him of. “In the years after I was diagnosed, I got a huge amount of help from Arthritis Ireland,” he told The Clare Champion.It was this help that led to Philip taking part in triAthlone at the weekend and raising money for the charity, which tries to improve the quality of life of people affected by arthritis through education and …

THE development of a ‘Venice in Ennis’ with water-based amenities, a League of Ireland soccer team, pedestrianisation, covered streets and a third-level education campus are just some of the facilities the people of Ennis want to see in their town by 2020, according to a recent project.Earlier this year, researchers from the UL Practicum Programme set out to investigate what vision the people of Ennis have for the town for 2020. This would then be used to support the development of a plan for Ennis as a hub town in line with the National Spatial Strategy.The study, Ennis 2020 People, Place, Potential, was carried out in partnership with Ennis Town Council and the University of Limerick and was supported by Clare Active Citizenship Network.The opinions of over 300 people were accessed during the research, the results of which were outlined at this week’s meeting of Ennis Town Council.Dr Chris McInerney of the University of Limerick explained the study provides perspectives …

ICARUS won’t be landing at a new home at the Clareabbey roundabout, despite calls from Councillor Mary Howard to relocate the famous sculpture on the roundabout leading into the town.Speaking at this week’s meeting of Ennis Town Council, Councillor Howard stated, “This sculpture is of incredible importance having been created by John Behan, who has worked in the United Nations among other places. “Ennis has a really nice skyline that is very pleasing to the eye and I believe that if Icarus was nicely lit, it would be lovely to see on the gateway into Ennis.”However, Eddie Power, town clerk explained it is intended to relocate Icarus to the Rocky Road roundabout on the western relief road, as decided by the council previously.“The appointment of a contractor to carry out the necessary supporting foundation for this sculpture has been approved. It is intended that the work to facilitate the relocation of this sculpture is to commence shortly,” he said.Councillor Tommy …

BANSHA National School in Doonbeg was recently awarded Digital National School status for the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in teaching and learning. An awards ceremony was held recently at the school and was attended by pupils, teachers and parents.Bansha National School is a three-teacher school situated at the western end of Doonbeg parish. The award was achieved with board of management support, led by chairperson Paddy Flanagan, through grants from the Department of Education and Science, fundraising and the implementation of ICT policy in the school by staff members.The school is now equipped with computers, laptops, interactive whiteboards, data projectors, digital cameras and visualisers.

CONTROVERSIAL plans to allow Ennis Town Council to tow away vehicles parked in market bays on trading days have been removed from new casual trading bylaws, which were adopted this week by the local authority.Members of the council unanimously voted to remove the bylaw, with Councillor Johnny Flynn describing the proposed tow-away system as “a sledgehammer to crack a nut”. Councillor Frankie Neylon argued the plans would prevent people from coming to do their shopping in the town.However, while it was agreed to remove the bylaw allowing for the towing away of vehicles, town manager Ger Dollard warned that cars could still be removed by gardaí if they are deemed to be causing an obstruction and that warning signage for motorists would be placed in the market areas.Mr Dollard told councillors the current bylaws are “unsatisfactory” dating back to 1988 and he urged that the new casual trading bylaws be adopted.Councillors also opposed plans to create a Christmas tree selling …

A COMBINATION of South Galway and Mid-Clare parishes will unite this weekend, putting together an action-packed programme, scheduled around the Tubber Show. Festivities will continue this year from Thursday to Saturday.The event will be officially opened on Thursday night at the singing and storytelling night in Whealan’s Pub with resident seanachai, Joseph Kearney.On Friday, the sheep fair in Tubber will take place from 1pm. The local organisers include Michael Roseingrave, Frank Donoghue, Shane Counihan, Paddy Walsh and Pat Roseingrave. The local farmers have joined together to re-establish this famous fair, with buyers invited from across the country. The night will come to a close with music at Finnerty’s Pub, Tubber.From ancient times, a fair was held in Tubber on July 12.  Connemara sheep were brought by herdsmen from West Galway and West Clare to the lamb fair at Tubber, which was in turn attended by buyers from Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary. After the fair, hundreds of sheep and lambs would …