South Clare

A CLONLARA drama group literally swept the boards at two drama festivals last weekend picking up an impressive eight awards.Shannonside Drama Group scooped four awards each on the One-Act circuit in Kilmallock and Birr, which has practically assured them of a place in the All-Ireland final before they participate in three other events.In addition to winning the award for best play in the confined section, Eddie Dillon and Eilish Casey won top honours for their performances in Landscape by Arnold Porter at Friars Gate, Kilmallock. Pauline Moloney also brought home the trophy for best director.The following night in Birr, Eddie and Pauline were again judged as the best actor and director while the adjudicators decided to give a special award to Eilish Dillon, as there was no category for best actress. Their production also won an award for best play on the night.Eddie Dillon said the group is delighted with their success over the weekend. “We have won a number …

WATERWAYS Ireland and fishermen have objected to the proposed provision of improved pedestrian access to the Clare campus of the University of Limerick.The university has pledged to protect the rich natural habitat of a Special Area of Conservation site (SAC) on its Clare campus as part of new plans to improve pedestrian access. A planning application lodged with Clare County Council seeks permission for the provision of a boardwalk of about 657m, upgrading of materials over a section measuring 823m, retention of a portion of boardwalk measuring 45m and retention of an upgraded walkway measuring 585m.The application also seeks planning approval for a new route to link the upgraded walkway to Cappavilla student village. The upgraded and improved walkway is located close to the southern boundary of the Clare campus and will be for pedestrian-use only.In its submission to the council, Waterways Ireland claimed the ownership boundary shown on one of the drawings lodged with the planning application is incorrect, …

PARTS of the locality would be deprived of future development if Environment Minister John Gormley sanctions the boundary extension of Limerick City into the Banner County, a lobby group has claimed. The Limerick Local Government Committee, chaired by businessman, Denis Brosnan, recommended that 3,000 people living in Westbury, Shannon Banks and parts of the outskirts of Clonlara be transferred to Limerick City.However, in a recent letter issued to Minister Gormley, the Clare Against the Boundary Extension (CABE) argued that if proposals as outlined by the committee proceed, then these areas would be neglected, as they would no longer come under the jurisdiction of Clare County Council.Group chairman Jim Gully also stressed the suggested €20 million in savings arising out of the merging of Limerick city and county local authorities could easily be achieved without including certain parts of South-East Clare.Mr Gully reiterated in the group’s submission to the committee that there is no need for any encroachment on County Clare …

THE O’Briensbridge Community Group has lodged a submission to An Bord Pleanála supporting a recent decision taken by Limerick County Council who ruled the transportation of material to facilitate a new dry batch concrete plant in Montpelier as “inappropriate”.O’Connell Concrete, which is seeking to overturn this decision, has insisted there will be no net increase in traffic movements crossing O’Briensbridge if this development gets the green light.Patricia Thornton from Dublin-based planning consultants Tom Philips and Associates argued in an appeal to the board that the scale of the proposed development is relatively modest with import and export of all materials from O’Connell Quarry in Ardnacrusha resulting in about 20 truck movements daily.O’Connell Concrete is operating a concrete dry batch plant on an adjoining site with full planning permission, which is being rented from Dereen Concrete Limited.The company has pledged to cease operations at the adjoining site and move all plant and machinery to the subject site if its appeal is …

The inclusion of over 5,000 South-East Clare voters in the Limerick East constituency presented a stumbling block for Councillor Cathal Crowe when he considered running for the 2007 General Election, he claimed.

A planning objection opposing the provision of a new dry batch concrete plant in Montpelier has prompted a row between a local soccer and community organisation.

THOUSANDS of tourists would flock to the area annually if derelict parts of an old navigation system were restored to their former glory, according to an English waterways protection society.

A RETIRED Killaloe boatman toasted the 50th anniversary of the last Guinness cargo to travel by canal to Limerick with a pint of plain last Thursday.