West Clare

Parishioners in Cranny and Coolmeen have been made aware that shared anniversary masses will be held in the parish from this month onwards.

KILRUSH Area Garda Superintendent Gerry Wall has highlighted the importance of the gardaí supporting the business community in Kilkee.

THE sailing boat being built in Querrin is destined for the waters by August of this year.

A YOUNG West Clare man is playing an important part in a major cancer research project in the UK. On graduating from Trinity College with a degree in medicinal chemistry last November, Alan Healy from Carrowmore North in Doonbeg was awarded a gold medal, which is presented to students who achieve top firsts in their degree.Alan, who attended primary school at Clohanes National School and secondary school at St Joseph’s, Spanish Point, is currently continuing his studies in Scotland.He is pursuing a Masters at University of Edinburgh in biomedical science, specialising in cancer biology. Later this year, he will enrol at University of St Andrew’s, where he will research a PHD in Novel Anti Cancer Drug Design.St Andrew’s is the oldest university in Scotland, with international renown for both research and education of undergraduates and postgraduates. Alan’s masters and PHD are funded by Cancer Research UK.“Their idea is that in the first year you learn all about cancer biology. Then …

CAPPA native Michael Philips must have been the busiest Kilrush man during the Christmas period.He is the Dublin City engineer and was at the forefront of the capital’s response to the weather crisis, which beset the city over the festive spell. Michael is a son of Martin (RIP) and Bibi Philips. Martin taught at Kilrush Vocational School for many years, while as a youngster Michael played football for Kilrush Shamrocks up to minor level.He has been Dublin City engineer since 1998 and director of traffic since 2006. These roles involve the development and implementation of strategies for all engineering infrastructure to meet the needs of the city and the region. Some projects undertaken during this period include the Dublin Port Tunnel, Dublin Bay Wastewater Treatment Works and Quality Bus Corridors. Currently, co-ordination of Transport 21 projects and the promotion of sustainable modes of transport are the main focus of achieving a successful mobility policy in the Dublin region.

  ONE of the biggest talking points of the summer in West Clare was Clare County Council’s decision to remove both Kilkee diving boards for five weeks on June 9, citing health and safety concerns.In July, the diving boards, which are located at Newfoundout in the West End, were returned to their former plinths. Clare County Council put the boards back in place that morning at 7am. The only significant difference was the presence of new signs at the location and a new handrail, which is situated between the upper and lower boards.Both boards were removed by the local authority before being temporarily restored for the duration of an Irish Water Safety risk assessment report, only to be taken down again.Acting Kilkee town manager Nora Kaye, who informed the monthly meeting of Kilkee Town Council on June 8 that the boards were to be removed, subsequently acknowledged that the health and safety audit should ideally have been carried out the …

AT last week’s meeting of the West Clare Area Taskforce, Kilkee architect Tom Byrne unveiled plans to build a 117m pedestrian glass suspension bridge from the mainland to Bishop’s Island in Kilkee’s West End.

WEST Clare Fine Gael Councillor Gabriel Keating is fearful that the 2010 Postal Bill could leave people living in isolated areas without any postal deliveries. The bill proposes to liberalise the postal delivery service in the coming years.