Car Tourismo Banner
Home » Regional » West Clare (page 13)

West Clare

Gardai seize over €50,000 of cannabis near Clare village

GARDAÍ have seized €52,000 worth of suspected Cannabis Herb following three searches near a county Clare village on Sunday. Shortly after 4pm on Sunday, Gardaí attached to Kilrush Garda Station and the Clare Divisional Drugs Unit conducted three separate searches under Operation Tara in the Kilmihil area. During the course of these searches a quantity of suspected cannabis herb estimated to be worth €52,000 (subject to analysis) was located and seized. A man in his late 20s was arrested and is currently detained at Kilrush Garda Station under the provisions of Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996. This seizure forms part of Operation Tara, an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy, which was launched by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris on July 2, 2021. The focus of Operation Tara is to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks, at all levels – international, national, local – involved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, local sale and supply of controlled …

Read More »

West Clare town shows that it’s digital savvy

THE Kilrush.ie website has been revamped and relaunched by the Kilrush Town Team, a volunteer led group of local people, who have been working to promote the West Clare town as a place to live and work. Chairman of the Town Team Charlie Glynn has a local business, Glynn Technical Diamonds and he said the site is for both locals and visitors. “We’ve been working on it for a while and we’re trying to use it as a landing page for various businesses in the town. If Covid has shown us anything it’s that an online presence is important. “It was important from a Town Team perspective to be able to showcase businesses and act as directory. “You can look at it from a tourism perspective too, to draw tourists into the town. Also it’s a one stop shop for people in the town, a directory of services. It’s not fully 100% there yet, it’s a work in progress at …

Read More »

Gardai seize cannabis in west Clare raid

GARDAI in Clare seized a quantity of drugs following a raid of a house in west Clare at the weekend. Uniformed Gardaì in Kilrush searched a house under warrant at Knock, Kilrush on Saturday, August 7. Cannabis herb drugs to the value of €5000 were discovered. A person has been identified and an investigation is ongoing in relation to the sale and supply of drugs.

Read More »

Bid to reduce delays for west Clare LIS road upgrades

A BID has been made to reduce the backlog in West Clare of local roads that need upgrading under the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS), writes Fiona McGarry. At the July meeting of the municipal district, Councillor Gabriel Keating proposed that, in view of the 220 roads on the waiting list in the West Clare district, funding might be contributed from the income generated by the Local Property Tax (LPT) to match that from the Department of Rural and Community Development. In a written response to Councillor Keating’s motion, Noeleen Fitzgerald, Director of Finance said the matter would be considered when the 2022 budget was being drafted. “The draft budget 2022 process has commenced and will be considered by members at the statutory budget meeting later this year,” the reply stated. “The Local Government Act 2001 Section 102 as amended by The Local Government Reform Act 2014 provides the legislative basis for the preparation of the draft local authority budget. “This …

Read More »

Leading parenting expert for Kilrush library talks

TWO free online talks with high profile parenting expert Dr Mary O’Kane are being hosted by Kilrush Library in the coming weeks. Dr O’Kane will be offering advice on supporting teens starting secondary school and on raising resilient children via Zoom sessions organised by the library. The well-known psychologist is the author of Perfectly Imperfect Parenting, described as “a practical and accessible guide which will help parents get into the right frame of mind for effective parenting without making them feel guilty or inadequate in their desire to be the best parent they can be”. “The book presents the idea of good enough parenting,” said Dr O’Kane. “The idea that children need to experience small disappointments to better equip themselves to face life’s challenges. As the child experiences these minor blips, they learn to tolerate some frustration. If we occasionally let them down, it helps them to learn to survive in an imperfect world.” Dr O’Kane, a lecturer in Psychology …

Read More »

West Clare gallery urging people to shop local this summer

THE owners of a West Clare art gallery are urging the public to shop local this summer, writes Jessica Quinn. Kilbaha Gallery has backed the newly launched Irish SME Association (ISME) ‘Shop Local’ campaign for consumers and businesses. Liz Greehy, co-owner of Kilbaha Gallery, said, “Here at Kilbaha Gallery we have been so lucky to be surrounded by a wonderfully supportive community on Loop Head who have always made shopping local a priority. “Throughout Covid, although our doors were firmly closed, our business was actively trading online and the support we received nationally in Ireland from people prioritising Irish purchases was outstanding. “This was wonderful for us as a gallery but also the benefits of which were felt right through to the homes of the artists themselves who were delighted to be able to continue producing and selling truly great art and bringing a smile to homes throughout the country. “Shopping locally and within Ireland produces a very important ripple …

Read More »

Call to ban onshore windfarm developments in Clare

AN APPEAL has been made for a ban on further onshore windfarm development in North and West Clare, writes Fiona McGarry. Councillor Ian Lynch has described the West Clare Municipal District (WCMD) as “saturated with windfarms”. Addressing the July meeting of the district, he warned that the landscape and the viability of rural communities could be destroyed unless such a ban is imposed. The Independent member also said that with the future development of offshore wind energy infrastructure at the Moneypoint site, the need for more onshore facilities no longer exists. “West Clare is saturated with windfarms already and allowing planning permission for more of these developments will irreversibly destroy the natural landscape, the scenic beauty and the viability of rural communities,” Councillor Lynch said. The Kilrush native noted that the currently County Development Plan has designated the area as strategic in terms of wind energy production, but said members are now working to remove that designation. “This is not …

Read More »

West Clare attraction set for major revamp

ONE of West Clare’s most popular tourist attractions will see considerable renovation and development as part of a plan focused on sustainability growth, writes Fiona McGarry. The keeper’s cottage at Loop Head Lighthouse, which dates back to the mid-19th century, will be renovated and repaired to high conservation standards. Works will include the repair of the existing roof and sash windows and the making safe of internal electrical works. Custy Construction has been contracted by Clare County Council to carry out the works. Meanwhile, the Council has confirmed that plans will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála for an enhanced visitor attraction within the compound of the lighthouse. The plans include an upgrade to the wastewater treatment system and a visitor management plan for the area to ensure that all development aids the conservation objectives of the Special Area of Conservation in the Loop Head Peninsula. Loop Head Lighthouse is steeped in history and is rich in maritime heritage, with …

Read More »