West Clare

A PLANNING application for a wind farm to be built across the townlands of Coor West, Mullagh, Shanovough East, Miltown and Shanovough West is at pre-validation stage with Clare County Council.

A wind energy development co-operative in West Clare has received planning permission from Clare County Council to construct the largest community-owned wind farm development in Ireland.It is predicted that 300 jobs will be created during the construction stage of the project, which incorporates the company and 30 local farm families. Developers have said that the local community will be afforded first preference regarding construction work and full-time employment once the wind farm is up and running.West Clare Renewable Energy Ltd. (WCRE) plans to construct 28 3MW wind turbines on the western slopes of Mount Callan, a 391-metre high mountain, located between Ennis and Miltown Malbay. The company says the that the €200 million project will be capable of generating enough electricity to power every home and business in Clare, as well as meeting the Limerick – Clare Energy Agency’s 2010 targets for emissions reductions and renewable energy production. The scheme is predicted to reduce carbon emissions over its lifetime by …

ON Thursday Kilrush Farmers Market will mark their harvest celebration with a series of free musical and theatrical acts in front of Kilrush Town Hall, including a preview of Astrid Adler’s mime artists’ new show.“Kilrush Farmers Market is all about families and every week we offer tasty and fresh locally-grown vegetables; fresh, locally caught fish; freshly-baked bread, cakes and scones; hand-made chocolates; sizzling crepes, tasty gourmet treats, cheese, olives and artisan crafted gifts,” explained market controller, Kim Roberts. “The market regularly recruits new stall holders, who offer quality food and new craft ideas, bringing quality produce for the table and home to the heart of the town.  Some of the stallholders can take orders whilst others will do boxed or home deliveries,” she added. For more information on the market contact Hilary Gleeson at Clare Local Development Company 086 8235598 or 065 9056611.

KILRUSH will be represented in Sunday’s 84 mile Sky Ride Etape Hibernia by a team of 12 participants operating under the Team Kilrush 2010 banner.

KILRUSH resident Paddy Honan is asking local people to sign a petition, which will be used to help persuade Kilrush Town Council that a roundabout is necessary at a busy junction on the Ennis–Kilrush road, at the top of Vandeleur Street. He has likened the traffic situation at the location to that of Bombay.

KILMIHIL couple Michael and Maureen Mescall are looking for Clare builders or carpenters to help their charity, Tanzanian Village Renewal, to complete an extension to a 450-pupil secondary school in Suji, Tanzania.

RESIDENTS in Glenmore and Kiltumper (Kilmihil) are unlikely to have their group water scheme financed in the near future due to an absence of Clár funding for water and sewerage schemes. This is despite the fact that the scheme has gone to tender and a contractor has been appointed. Clare County Council submitted an application for a Clár grant on December 19, 2008. However, in reply to Clare County Council, Clár said that the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government had suspended funding for Clár water and sewerage schemes on August 8, 2008. It later transpired, in a letter to Clare County Council, from the Department of the Environment, that a modified Clár group water scheme could be introduced in Clare in 2009. Glenmore – Kiltumper met the criteria and a submission was again sent to Clár on November 11, 2009. Last April, however, Clare County Council received its allocation from the Department of the Environment and this was …

AN appeal by West Clare county councillors for Clare County Council to install filter lanes at the Crossroads pub Knockalough in on the Ennis-Kilrush Road and at Bansha and Ballyea crosses, on the same road, will not result in any action until next year at the earliest.