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West Clare

Following the heritage trail at Loop Head

AT last week’s launch of the Loop Head Heritage Trail, Trea Heapes and Frances Bermingham unveiled details of their heritage audit of the three parishes that primarily make up the Loop Head Peninsula. Working in conjunction with the Heritage Council, they have come up with an 872-item inventory for the parishes of Kilkee, Carrigaholt and Kilballyowen. This audit was separate but complements the Loop Head Heritage Trail, which includes 18 attractions on the peninsula. Both will be used to help tourists experience Loop Head in some detail. “It’s an inventory of all items of heritage on the Loop Head Peninsula. You’re talking about nearly 90 townlands. In some townlands there isn’t even a house in it. That’s from Baltard, west of Doonbeg, down through Tullaher Bog, to Poulnasherry Bay and then west to Loop Head. There was mainly three parishes in the audit – Carrigaholt, Kilballyowen and Kilkee. About 400 odd of the 872 are recorded monuments,” Trea Heapes explained. …

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Loop Head joins Global Top 100

Loop Head Peninsula is the only Irish destination to be named in the inaugural Sustainable Destinations Global Top 100. A joint initiative of TravelMole.com, Vision on Sustainable Tourism, Totem Tourism and Green Destinations, the awards and recognise destinations around the world that have adopted sustainable tourism practices. Nominated by Ecotourism Ireland, Loop Head Tourism joins a host of well-known global destinations in the Top 100 List, including the New Forest and Lake District National Parks (United Kingdom), Rapa Nui – Easter Island (Chile), Vancouver (Canada), La Palma (The Canaries, Spain), Etosha National Park (Namibia), Svalbard (Norway) and Wild Coast (South Africa). Chair of Loop Head Tourism, Cillian Murphy said, “Loop Head’s inclusion in this prestigious list is a great honour for everyone concerned. It is the result of of a concerted voluntary effort to take responsibility for ensuring the long term sustainability of our community. We have set ourselves the target of becoming a best practice example of how tourism …

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Coastal flood alert

Clare County Council is urging land, home and business owners in flood prone coastal locations to remain vigilant over the next 48 hours due to a heightened risk of coastal and tidal flooding. People in coastal areas of County Clare, which have flooded in the past should take note that, due to high winds, very high waves and associated tidal surges, there is a high risk of coastal flooding in such areas from this evening (Tuesday) to Thursday morning, in particular at times of high tides. The public are strongly advised not to venture out in these areas during this period for their own safety and to note warnings from Met Éireann.

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West Clare battling against business closures

MORE than 160 outlets, including shops, pubs, post offices and banks, have closed in West Clare in the last 25 years. These approximate figures, which have been compiled by The Clare Champion, do not include additional outlets such as seasonal businesses in resort towns like Kilkee. The figures show that the region, from Ballynacally to Kilbaha and up to Miltown, has lost 102 shops and 53 public houses since 1989, while AIB has closed outlets in Kildysart and Kilkee. Ballynacally, Coolmeen, Cranny, Cross and Knock have lost their post offices in that period. In the last decade, Kilrush has lost eight pubs and a total of 53 businesses, including 19 in Moore Street alone. However, in the same period, 42 businesses have opened in the town. The breakdown of what has closed in West Clare towns and villages during that period include: Ballynacally, two shops, one post office. Lissycasey, two pubs, two shops; Kildysart, three pubs, two shops and AIB …

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Humanitarian Peadar back on TV

THE RTÉ One TV series What in the World?, presented by Kilkee man, Peadar King, started its eighth series this week, with a programme concentrating on Russia. The four-part series continues today (Monday) at 11.15pm, this time focusing on South Korea, followed by programmes at the same time on December 15 and 22, featuring South Sudan and Togo. “The series looks at issues around globalisation, poverty and human rights in Asia, Africa and Latin America. We have covered 40 countries across a whole range of issues. This year we wanted to go to Russia because it’s so close to us and we know so very, very little about it. We hardly ever see Russian people on television and we very seldom hear Russian voices on radio, although it’s closer to us than the United States,” Peadar  told The Clare Champion. He believes that Irish people have a narrowly defined view of Russia. “The dominant images we have of Russia come …

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Eugene O’Kelly appointed circuit court judge

Kilrush man, Judge Eugene O’Kelly has been nominated by the Government for appointment by the President to the circuit court. He is one of seven new appointees announced today (Thursday) to fill vacancies arising from a judge’s retirement, the appointment of a judge to the Court of Appeal and the appointment of five serving circuit court judges to the High Court, among them Mr Justice Caroll Moran. Judge O’Kelly, who currently presides over the Limerick District Court area, began his legal career as a solicitor in Kilrush. His practice covered all of Clare and far beyond. . Prior to his elevation to the bench, he was senior partner in the firm of O’Kelly Moylan Solicitors, with offices in Kilrush and Ennis. With wide experience in criminal law and civil litigation, he has been involved in a number of high-profile cases. In 2009 he was a solicitor to The Commission of Enquiry into the death of Gary Douch. Judge Eugene O’Kelly …

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Report identifies 18 peninsula heritage sites

A comprehensive report on the proposed marketing of the Loop Head and Kilkee Heritage Trail on the Wild Atlantic Way, has identified 18 heritage sites in the peninsula area. The report on the pilot project, a collaboration between Clare County Council Heritage Officer, Congella Maguire, the Heritage Council, Fáilte Ireland and Loop Head Tourism, will be launched later this month. The project was community-based with the aim to develop a local heritage trail along this 60km section of the 2,500km Wild Atlantic Way. A total of 18 heritage trail sites were deemed to be worthy of inclusion in the final list, which includes the four Wild Atlantic Way Discovery Points. One of the key recommendations in the report is that consideration be given to locating information on Carrigaholt Castle in the village which is within sight and walking distance of the historic building. “Due to the prominence of Carrigaholt Castle in the local landscape it is recommended that dialogue be …

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Councillors distribute €50k at ‘secret’ meeting

CLARE County Council is to seek legal advice on the status of a behind-closed-doors in-committee meeting, held by West Clare county councillors, at which €50,000 of public money was allocated to two disability projects in Kilrush and Kildysart. Both projects were granted €25,000 and details of the meeting and the decision made at it only emerged publicly at a West Clare Municipal District meeting this week.Since then, Clare County Council has said they are not in a position to release the minutes of the in-committee meeting until they receive “legal clarification on the status of the minutes”. At Tuesday’s meeting, Councillor Richard Nagle, who was unable to attend the contentious meeting on October 20, described the holding of the meeting as “reprehensible and regrettable”. He queried why the meeting was held in private with the media absent. “Why was that meeting held in-committee? It was an issue deciding on the allocation of public money,” he stated. Municipal area chairman, Councillor …

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