West Clare

A CENTENARIAN, living in West Clare, recently celebrated her birthday with a letter from two heads of state. Joyce Mabel Heppell lives at St Theresa’s Nursing Home in Kilrush, where staff and residents helped her to mark the milestone birthday on April 14. Joyce Mabel Heppell née Morris was born in 1921 in London and grew up in the family-owned sweet shop in Ealing. Joyce had one sibling, a sister who passed away around 50 years ago. At the outset of World War II, Joyce volunteered to join the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), being posted to a radar site on the Thames estuary in Kent. The low point of this time was a period of three weeks, when there were only sardines to eat. After the war, Joyce joined the Foreign Office and went to Moscow, Washington and later to Paris. The birth of her son brought Mabel back to England to live in Surrey and work at the Department …

THE stretch of road from Mullagh to Miltown is to be fully restored after pipe-laying works are finished. The news was relayed to Deputy Michael McNamara who said Clare County Council and Irish Water are committed to the works. Irish Water’s main civil engineering contractors have recently excavated the Mullagh Cross to Mack’s Cross road to accommodate the laying of a replacement watermain. “The replacement watermain will replace a section of main that had become extremely problematic in recent years and will hopefully bring a reliable supply of water to Miltown and several other areas en route,” explained Deputy McNamara. The Independent TD acknowledged the issues caused for road users during the upgrade, but stressed that those are short term. “While the inconvenience to road users at present is regrettable, it is also temporary,” he noted. “In response to my representation on behalf of the people of Mullagh and Miltown Malbay, the Road Section of Clare County Council says residents …

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 …

A WEST Clare father is taking on the challenge of running four virtual 10Ks in just one day to raise much needed funds for four children’s charities, while also paying tribute to the memory of his young son who passed away two year ago. Supported by his wife Ailish, John McMahon has undertaken to run the 40 kilometres in memory of Cormac, a little young boy who touched the hearts of all who met him. The fundraiser called “4 10Ks 4 Cormac” will take place on May 15, 2021 at 8am when John will begin the mammoth task of running the four 10Ks, four hours apart, at the West Clare Sports and Fitness Facility in Cooraclare. John, a school teacher in Cooraclare, has invited people to join him virtually on the day by doing one of the 10Ks in their own neighbourhood or favourite walking spot. He said, “This event is being held in memory of a very special little …

FOLLOWING a busy May Bank Holiday weekend, the new volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager at Kilrush RNLI Shawna Johnson has appealed to the public to look out for one another in Clare’s waters this summer. “Summer brings more people to the coast, which means more emergency call outs and Kilrush RNLI remains ready to launch should they be required,” said Shawna. This weekend, Kilrush RNLI volunteers launched on two occasions to assist a disabled fishing vessel and a capsized kayaker. On Friday, a fishing vessel with two people onboard called for help after its propeller had become tangled in lobster pots north of Loop Head Lighthouse. Kilrush RNLI located the disabled vessel and took it on tow to Carrigaholt Pier, a distance of approximately 11 nautical miles. On Sunday, volunteers responded to a report that a kayaker had capsized and was unable to recover themselves back into their kayak. A concerned onlooker spotted the casualty in Rinneville Bay, north west of …

IT is the end of one era – and the beginning of another – in Kilkee with the moving of the coastal town’s post office to brand new location. On Friday, Margaret Keane will retire as post mistress in Kilkee, having worked there for over 50 years, and the town’s stand-alone post office on O’Connell Street will come to a close. However, the postal service is set to continue in the popular seaside resort, moving to another long standing institution of the town, Haugh’s shop on O’Curry Street. The new post office will open its doors in Haugh’s on Tuesday with preparations now being finalised for the unveiling next week. Carmel Muldoon of Haugh’s explained that the retirement of Mrs Keane meant that the operation of the postal service in Kilkee went up for tender, and Haugh’s were delighted to be successful in their application. She stressed the importance of services like the post office to local communities saying, “With …

RESCUE figures for 2020 show that the volunteer lifeboat crew at the RNLI’s station in Kilrush launched nine times and brought 11 people to safety. Three of those launches were carried out in the hours of darkness. The figures were released as RNLI launched its Mayday Mile appeal which is calling on the public to cover one mile on any day in the month of May to help raise funds for the voluntary service. Kilrush RNLI Helm Charlie Glynn said, “Our callouts last year ranged from a young child blown out to sea on an inflatable to rescuing three people from a sinking vessel in gale force conditions. “For every callout there is a person behind it who is worried that something bad may have happed to a loved one and we are there to help find them and bring them home. “Thank you to everyone who supports the work of the volunteer lifeboat crews. From the vessel we use …

SARAH Ryan’s great-great-grandchild River was born in London this Monday on the same day that the Clare woman finally got vaccinated against Covid-19, writes Dan Danaher. Sarah, who lives in Emelagh near Quilty, has 13 children, 34 grandchildren, 33 great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. The great-great-grandmother was left in despair in recent weeks amid concerns she was being left behind in the national vaccination programme. Her grandson, Declan Wilkes, (37) recently went public to highlight the family’s growing frustration over the delay. “Thank god the day has finally arrived. She’s uplifted, it’s completely transformed her mood – the thought that no one cared and of being left behind was so upsetting to see. “We’re relieved beyond belief; it’s been an emotional few days since Sarah’s story came out. It’s resonated with a lot of families out there still waiting. “It’s also brought great comfort to my mother, Rita, who as her carer, has lived with the fear every day …