Shannon

AFTER scuppering the anticipated election of Patricia McCarthy as Mayor of Shannon last week, Councillor Michael Fleming was unrepentant when he spoke to The Clare Champion on Monday.

SHANNON Town Centre is “dying on its feet” due to the increase in shop closures, a local town councillor has claimed.

Outgoing Mayor of Shannon, Michael Fleming has been accused of breaking a power-sharing pact, which facilitated the surprise election of Councillor Greg Duff to the position.Councillor Patricia McCarthy was expected to become the last Mayor of Shannon before the town authority is abolished after the 2014 Local Elections in line with an electoral pact agreed with Fine Gael and some Independent councillors.However, in a dramatic turn of events Councillor Fleming (FG) broke party ranks at the annual general meeting of Shannon Town Council on Tuesday night to ensure Councillor Duff beat the favourite, Councillor McCarthy, 5-4 after a vote.Councillor Duff became mayor for the second time thanks to the support from his Labour colleague, Tony McMahon, Councillor Gerry Flynn (Independent) and Cathy McCafferty (Independent) and Councillor Fleming.Councillor McCarthy was supported by two Fine Gael Councillors Vincent Coleman, Sean McLoughlin and Mary Brennan (Independent).The Clare Champion has learned that a power-sharing agreement for the position of mayor, deputy mayor and a …

Prospective new entrants to politics from the Shannon Electoral Area will be adversely affected by the abolition of Shannon Town Council, according to the new Shannon Mayor, Councillor Greg Duff.Describing the abolition of town councils as a “retrograde step”, Councillor Duff has expressed grave concern that the next local election candidates including young people and those from ethnic minorities will be denied an opportunity to cut their political teeth at town council level first before considering a step up to the county council.He believes the requirement for even a party candidate to between €7,000 or €8,000 to properly promote themselves at the local elections will also hinder new entrants.“Minister Hogan had an opportunity to take powers from city and county managers and give them to councillors. Instead he failed to do this and abolished town councils,” he said.He admitted some people in the Labour Party advocated the party should remain in government because things could be worse if they left …

WHILE current US President Barack Obama was in Belfast for this week’s G8 Summit in Fermanagh, President Bill Clinton stopped off at Shannon Airport on route to the Middle East. It’s believed to be the first time that a serving and former American President were in Ireland at the same time.

CONCERN has been expressed that a former high-support mental health facility in Shannon could be lying idle for a long period unless the Health Service Executive can afford the cost of a major refurbishment.

AFTER 35 years in the gardaí and more than a decade in Shannon, Noel McMahon retired last week. Speaking to The Clare Champion, a few days after finishing, he said he had enjoyed his career and was looking forward to relaxing over the next few months. “I’m going to enjoy the summer, play golf and I’m going on a holiday in July, then come back and think about September and where I go from there,” he said. Noel’s son, Keith, died two years ago but he says he is now looking forward to spending time with his wife, Anne, their two daughters and three grandchildren. Originally from Doonbeg, he went into Templemore in November of 1977 and was sent to Tipperary Town the following May, where he would spend the next 21 years. He was only starting out when he had to deal with the fall-out from a fatal road crash. “My first fatal accident I was only six months …

THE Tomás Mac Cormaic Annual Golf Classic will take place at Shannon Golf Club on Monday, July 1.