West Clare

SCIENCE loving pupils at St Cuan’s National School, Kilbaha, are enjoying the breakfast of champions after success in a national competition, with popular morning foodstuffs playing a key role in their entry. A group of fourth to sixth class students at the school achieved the Sustainability award at the Intel Mini-Scientist Competition, in which 4,000 students from 18 counties competed. The students developed a project which explored “Natural Glue vs Synthetic Glue” with porridge and Weetabix among the ingredients they used as possible glue alternatives. Teacher Sarah Cunningham told The Clare Champion, “We are so delighted to receive one of the top prizes on grand final day, national champions for sustainability. “The grand final took place via Zoom. The students were both shocked and delighted to have their names called out over the live Zoom event. “They received a beautiful glass trophy, Grand Final Medals and a STEM kit to keep and bring home.” The national competition is open to …

LISCANNOR is set to host a singing competition this weekend between teams from four pubs all in honour of a great local entertainer. This battle of the bars will take place on April 23 in memory of Michael “Loxy” Thynne with four local pubs putting together teams of patrons to rehearse a handful of songs and compete for the aptly-named Loxy Cup. Thynne passed away in 2013, but is fondly remembered locally for his love of singing, regarding himself as the finest singer in Europe with an extensive repertoire of three or four songs, according to his son Michael. Michael said: “Putting it mildly, my dad was fond of a sweet sherry or two. He was called Loxy because of his facial hair, and he would spend his days going between the four public houses, until he had reached his limit. “He was, without doubt, the worst singer in North Clare. The only person who didn’t know this was Loxy.” …

Irish Water’s confirmation that the wastewater treatment plant in Kilmihil is to be upgraded will have significant environmental, social and economic benefits for the village, according to Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara. Deputy McNamara said the works would facilitate future growth in the village and would also eliminate discharges from the plant to the Doonbeg River. “I am delighted to have received confirmation that Kilmihil is one 12 schemes across Ireland to be funded by the European Union under Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan,” stated Deputy McNamara. He continued, “The sewerage network in Kilmihil is a combined system and during past storm events the plant has become hydraulically overloaded. The upgrade will prevent treatment plant discharges from reaching the Doonbeg River, which is part of the Doonbeg Freshwater Pearl Mussel sensitive area. “New commercial, retail and housing developments in the village also will be facilitated as the result of the planned upgrade of the existing treatment plant.” Deputy McNamara …

THE lack of a bus stop for patients from West Clare accessing the Outpatients Department in Ennis has been described the Cathaoirleach of the district as “a bit of a miss”. Councillor Cillian Murphy made his remarks at the meeting of the district committee last week when he called for collaboration with the Ennis district and the Roads Section to ensure a stop is installed. He said he had been contacted by someone who needs to use public transport to access the facility, which opened last year at the Westpoint Retail Park on the Kilrush Road. “What we need is a little joined up thinking,” Councillor Murphy said. “It took long enough to get the Outpatients Department opened up there in the first place. Having no bus stop to serve patients from West Clare is a bit of a miss.” Councillor Gabriel Keating supported the motion and added a bus shelter is also necessary. “At the moment, we have an …

EXTRA resources are to be available in West Clare to welcome visitors over the St Patrick’s Day Bank Holiday weekend. At the March meeting of the municipal district, motions were tabled by two North Clare members calling for action following the exceptionally busy seasons in 2020 and 2021.  Councillor Shane Talty said the pandemic had created “crazy staycation pressure” over the last two years and he highlighted the need to be prepared in terms of lifeguard resources. Both he and his fellow Ennistymon area councillor, Joe Killeen, called preparations for the 2022 season to be stepped up. “Thankfully, people chose Clare as their preferred destination,” Councillor Killeen said. “However, it felt like we were putting emergency measures in place right through the summer season. There were several issues highlighted during the season and action had to be taken on a number of pinch points. Thanks to everyone who got the county ready.” Senior Executive Officer (SEO) John O’Malley outlined the …

A CLARE Dáil Deputy has called for increased resources for the ambulance service after personnel assisted her to have her sixth child outside Kilrush Golf Club on Monday, writes Dan Danaher. The ambulance that collected Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne didn’t even make it to University Maternity Hospital Limerick in time and the baby girl, who weighed 6.10oz was delivered in the ambulance beside Kilrush Golf Course. Having commenced her maternity leave in January, Deputy Wynne’s due date was not until March but she instinctively suspected it would be early. Mother and baby are doing well and the Kilrush-based Deputy was due to be discharged on Wednesday evening. She told The Clare Champion that she is delighted with her new baby. “I am over the moon to announce the arrival of my sixth child. Albeit an eventful labour and birth, I couldn’t be happier to be holding her in my arms. “I am thrilled to welcome the newest member of our family …

A NUMBER of shops and stores in Clare are in the running for prestigious national retail awards. The ShelfLife C-Store Awards are the only comprehensive and independently judged business accolades for the C-Store sector and McNamee’s Londis in Milltown has been shortlisted in the Convenience Store of the Year (Large) and Community Initiative of the Year categories. Commenting on their achievement to date, Londis Sales Director Conor Hayes said, “The honour of being shortlisted in the annual ShelfLife National C-Store Award is a tremendous acknowledgement of the ongoing excellence of McNamee’s Londis, Miltown Malbay. “To be shortlisted in two categories is a truly remarkable achievement and I want to congratulate Kevin and Michelle McNamee and all the staff on this tremendous honour.” Talty’s MACE, Lissycasey, meanwhile, has been nominated for three awards. The Lissycasey shop has been shortlisted in the Convenience Store of the Year (Medium), Food to Go Retailer of the Year and Fresh & Chilled Retailer of the …

THE housing crisis in West Clare, and elsewhere, is being worsened by short-term letting, a meeting of the Council has heard. A motion was tabled, at the December meeting, by Councillors Cillian Murphy, Tony O’Brien, Alan O’Callaghan and Pat Hayes calling on the Minister for Finance to look at a tax policy solution to encourage a switch from short-term to long-term rental. Outlining the situation, Councillor Cillian Murphy said that a search of Daft.ie had shown a total of 1,830 properties to rent nationwide. Of these, four were in Ennis and its environs; one in Lahinch; none in Ennistymon or Lisdoonvarna; two in Kilrush and its surrounds; none in Kilkee and six in the Shannon area. The Fianna Fáil member contrasted that situation with short-term letting, as revealed by the ‘Inside Airbnb’ research. “Across the whole country, there are 15,851 entire homes or apartments available for short term let on Airbnb,” he explained. “6,420 of those are operated by hosts …