South Clare

Plans for the development of a new arts centre on the shores of Lough Derg have been approved by North Tipperary County Council.McKeogh Brothers, who recently celebrated 150 years of business in their hardware and nearby foodstore in Ballina-Killaloe, have been given the green light to change the use of a vacant commercial unit at 2, Ballina Quay to an arts centre, including art, craft, dance, drama and gallery space.North Tipperary County Council attached three planning conditions that require the applicant to complete the development in accordance with drawings and documentation submitted with the application on June 4 last.The premises has to be closed between 9pm and 9am, unless otherwise agreed with the planning authority, while signage at the site has to be limited to a painted facia sign, which may be externally illuminated.According to planning documents submitted to the council by Limerick-based chartered architects Michael Barker and Company, there are no changes to the front façade of the existing …

A group of up to 50 cyclists will undertake a 70-mile charity cycle from Killaloe to Ennis this Saturday in support of a brave Killaloe toddler.Touched by the story of Jayden Conway, who has already survived major operations including open heart surgery, two Killaloe men, William Byrnes, 33, Millstream and Ben Murphy, 24, of St Flannan’s Road, decided to support ‘Jayden’s Journey’ by donating money from the cycle to Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin, where he has spent months receiving various treatments.In fact, Jayden has spent more than one-third of his 20 months receiving different treatments for Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in Crumlin and the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick.Last year, the Killaloe duo raised €4,375 for Aware to help people suffering from depression, when 25 cyclists completed the same round trip.This year, they are hoping to exceed this figure and, already, specially made sponsored t-shirts have raised €1,200.The cyclists will travel in convoy with a local Red …

THE proposed extraction of up to 500 million litres daily of water from Lough Derg would hinder efforts to attract large multinationals into the region, a local angling group has claimed.

CALLS to put a masterplan or commercial template in place for Meelick and the surrounding areas amid the opening of the new Limerick Tunnel were dismissed by Clare County Council in a formal response at a recent Killaloe Electoral Area meeting.

THE plight of a young Zambian mother sitting on a pile of rubble in a schoolyard breaking stones with a hammer, watched by her three children, will remain in Mary Cunningham’s memory for a long time.Instead of being in school, the oldest boy, at eight years, is helping his mother. The Salesian Sisters give the woman a little money for her efforts and she is pleased with the dignity attached to having a job. This is not an unusual sight in Zambia. Most schoolchildren have unrealistic expectations for their future, hoping to be doctors or lawyers, even though they have no financial means or support.Mary decided to go to Zambia as a volunteer with an international charity run by the Salesian Sisters callled Vides after loosing her job at home. Having worked for most of her life, Mary found being at home and listening to all the doom and gloom in Ireland depressing. Married to Gerry in Lakyle Heights, Ardnacrusha, …

TOURISM and leisure-related businesses received a welcome boost this week after the latest national inspection report awarded top marks to the O’Briensbridge Loop Walks.O’Briensbridge Community Group chairman, Mick Murtagh expects the national walking routes from the village to Clonlara will become even more widely used after the route scooped an impressive 98% in the assessment completed by the National Trails Office.Two of the three loops, the Old Barge Red Loop and the shorter Erina Canal Blue Loop, were inspected by a National Trails Office inspector on May 24 last.According to the report, the walks are generally in a superb condition, with the standard of marking rated as excellent.The group was praised for looking after the majority of issues highlighted in the previous report. No items were seen at the time of the inspection that could expose a trail user to possible injury or harm.The inspector was accompanied by Clare walks officer, Cyril Killeen on behalf of the O’Briensbridge and Clonlara …

A CLONLARA councillor has criticised the frequency of blockages in the sewer pipe network for a local authority housing estate in the village.At a recent Killaloe Electoral Area Meeting, Councillor Michael Begley claimed that one section of the system linked up to the Derryvinna Housing Estate is occasionally becoming blocked at the same location.Having conducted a preliminary investigation with the predecessor of the existing caretaker, Councillor Begley said they formed an opinion without the benefit of digging up the pipes that one manhole, which was sited at less than a 90 degree angle, had an acute bend and facilitated a build-up of solids at that location.“It always happened at the same location. To be fair to the council, it was always cleared within 24 hours once they received notification of the problem.“Because it was in a location away from the dwelling houses, it would take some time before the blockage would result in a delay in the flushing of toilets …

AN Taoiseach Brian Cowen was left in no doubt about the opposition of people in South-East Clare to Limerick City Council’s proposed boundary extension following a meeting on Tuesday.