South Clare

GARDAÍ in Shannon are seeking information on a car which was used to flee the scene of an attempted burglary in Sixmilebridge last week. Two men, armed with a metal bar and a baseball bat, fled from the house in Gort an Null in a black BMW 5 series after they were seen by an occupant of the house. The incident occurred on Tuesday, July 6. According to a spokesperson for Clare Gardaí, “Gardaí are investigating a burglary which took place at Gort an Null, Sixmilebridge. The injured party observed two males at the door. One was in possession of a metal bar and the other with a baseball bat. The injured party shouted at the two males who then ran and got into a black BMW 5 series, possibly a 2004/2007 model 5 series, which was parked beside the building. They drove off with the boot open. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Shannon Garda Station at …

RECORD livestock prices are set to continue at Sixmilebridge Mart, due to the increase in ringside buyers and online activity, according to the new manager of the facility. Quin native Joe Clune has taken the reins from New Inn’s Seán Ryan, who retired this week after a decade managing the mart. “One of the biggest aims now is driving the mart forward both online and around the ring and providing a good service for the local community,” said Mr Clune. “We had an exceptionally big sale last Saturday and cattle prices are very strong. People have great confidence and with online options, we’re getting buyers logging on from as far away as Northern Ireland, so it’s now time for local farmers to avail of this opportunity to get top prices for their cattle.” Ringside access has been allowed at marts across the country since May and the Saturday sales in Sixmilebridge have been very busy. “Numbers are limited at the …

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is in the spotlight for the month of June as people are asked to host virtual fundraisers for vital services. Here, Andy Minogue from Ardnacrusha shares his experience of the disease. IS OUR fate or destiny decided when we are born or does it evolve over the years? I had my palm read by a lady when I was in my late teens. I didn’t pay for it and I can’t remember where it was, except I think it was in a fair or something like that. She told me that there was a definite break in my lifeline that indicated a very dramatic or life-changing event. I didn’t think too much about it but it didn’t sound good to me. After that, if anyone ever told me that they were going to a fortune teller, I would advise against it, as a bad forecast would have you worrying and if something bad is going to …

KILRUSH and Derg Credit Unions have teamed up to help a key suicide prevention charity which is rolling out a community-based system to ensure support is available for anyone in mental health distress. Cycle Against Suicide’s Community Buddy Programme trains and equips people in communities with the practical, hands-on skills and knowledge they need to deliver support locally. Through this programme, Buddies are trained to provide a listening ear, show empathy, discern the level of mental health distress an individual is going through, and make recommendations for appropriate professional help and resources that can help the individual cope positively and build resilience. “This is a really fantastic idea because people are really struggling right now,” said Claire Neylon, Business Development Officer with Kilrush Credit Union. “We’re delighted to be working with Derg Credit Union on this, because we have a great relationship with them and with Ennistymon Credit Union, whereby we often undertake joint marketing initiatives.” Cycle Against Suicide is …

OGONNELLOE Hurling Club is striking a major blow for the local community by not only developing East Clare GAA’s first indoor astro-turf arena but, in the process, a much-needed physical education facility for the parish’s local national school. One of the county’s smallest clubs, Ogonnelloe GAA has embarked on an ambitious but targeted “Building Our Future” development plan that is focussed as much on delivering for community than results on the field. The new indoor centre will go way beyond acting as a facility for advancing the skills of the club’s hurlers. Instead, it will serve all age groups in the close-knit community, including delivering local primary school a dedicated physical education facility. On the GAA side, the 40 metre by 20 metre facility will be central to the club’s plans to regenerate hurling in the parish among children and young adults after a difficult decade or so. It will also be a major boost for one of the great …

HOLY Island and the Ardnacrusha hydro-electric power station have been identified as catalysts for development across the East and South East Clare regions in a new masterplan developed for the promotion of tourism along the River Shannon. The Shannon Tourism Masterplan was launched on Tuesday, after being commissioned by Waterways Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, and supported by Clare County Council along with nine other local authorities. The document proposes an investment of over €76 million in visitor facilities, along the river, up to 2030. Clare features in a Lower Shannon Discovery Zone which runs from Portumna to Limerick. Among the ‘hero products’ of this zone is Inis Cealtra. According to the masterplan, the monastic island will “form a core element of the emerging Pilgrim Way, offering clusters of early Medieval monastic sites of exceptional interest… at Limerick, Killaloe, Tuamgraney, Inis Cealtra, Johnstown, Lorrha and Portunma”. The new masterplan also underlines the importance of the proposed Shannon Greenway which will link …

WORK on the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan is expected to begin in parts of South East Clare by the end of the month. Members of the Rural Development Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) heard an update this week from Urban McMahon Head of Information Systems, Broadband and Digital on the work of National Broadband Ireland (NBI) and on the DigiClare initiative. “They will be moving out from Limerick into Parteen and areas close by,” he said. “For the build, they’ll be using the Eircom infrastructure and liaising with us on traffic management. There should be a lot of activity in East Clare in the coming months. NBI will also be undertaking a marketing and information campaign in the area before the end of this month.” Efforts to provide WiFi hotspots in each municipal district were also outlined. Mr McMahon explained that up to €120,000 had been secured to provide public WiFi in places like The Square in Kilrush, in …

A CLARE-based migrants’ rights activist has given a broad welcome to a ground-breaking new report which recommends that the Direct Provision system should end by 2021. A publication compiled by an expert advisory panel working under the stewardship of Dr Catherine Day will now inform a White Paper being put together on the issue of accommodating those seeking asylum in Ireland. Bulelani Mfaco lives at the State-owned Knockalisheen direct provision centre, and is a prominent member of the Movement of Asylum Seekers of Ireland (MASI). The South African was also a member of Dr Day’s expert advisory committee. While MASI, who made a detailed submission last year to the committee, welcomed recommendations on the provision of housing, healthcare, and welfare payments to asylum seekers who do not stay in reception centres, it highlighted areas that continued to be of concern. Mr Mfaco noted that asylum seekers would continue to be open to discrimination under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). In …