West Clare

Since Kilkee Marine Rescue Service was established by Manuel Di Lucia in 1982, the voluntary organisation has rescued between 350 to 400 people from the West Clare coast.Currently, the organisation is recruiting new members, up to a dozen of whom are undergoing specialist training. “We’re training about 10 to 12 young local people and people from outside to carry out the functions of the rescue service. We have a trainer coming in from Killaloe. He comes down every Wednesday evening because we have to upskill them to a certain grade,” Manuel, who is the Kilkee Marine Rescue Service PRO, explained. The service has called on approximately 40 volunteers at the moment. “At any one time, when there is an incident here, maybe 20 to 25 members would turn up, including maybe two or three crews. I think we have in the region of a dozen coxens who are capable of taking the boat out. The chief coxen is Kieran de …

FINE Gael’s Brian Keane was unanimously elected Mayor of Kilkee on Monday night. However, there was a hiccup when the chain snapped when placed around his neck but it was quickly sorted.He succeeded Lily Marrinan-Sullivan, who was elected to the position following last summer’s local elections. Elain Haugh-Hayes was elected deputy mayor.As she stepped down, Councillor Marrinan-Sullivan acknowledged all the members for their co-operation over the past year. “I want to thank each and every member here, who have been nothing but supportive, courteous and co-operative,” she said.The outgoing mayor said that the council had got a lot of work done over the last 12 months and she was particularly complimentary to the members who were elected for the first time last summer. “I don’t think the people of Kilkee should have any regrets about putting you in the position,” she commented.Councillor Marrinan-Sullivan addressed a number of issues that have arisen in the town over the last year. “I believe …

FINE Gael town councillor Liam Williams was elected Mayor of Kilrush at last Thursday’s Kilrush Town Council AGM.

CLARE County Council expects the Irish Water Safety Association risk assessment of the beach in Kilkee, including the possible health and safety dangers posed by diving boards in the West End and ladders throughout the resort, to be available next week.

AN Irish Water Safety Association (IWSA) safety audit is expected to take place before the end of this week at Newfoundout, West End in Kilkee, where two diving boards and two ladders were removed at the Pollock Holes last week by Clare County Council. A further three ladders were removed from three separate locations; Burns Cove, Edmonds Point and Georges Head. The decision, which was taken by Kilkee town manager Nora Kaye, was revealed at last Monday week’s meeting of Kilkee Town Council under ‘Any Other Business’. The decision was met with impassioned opposition in Kilkee. The decision was made on health and safety and insurance grounds but the diving boards and ladders were hastily put back in place late last week, when the IWSA told Clare County Council that it would be impossible to conduct a health and safety audit if the boards and ladders were not re-installed. In a statement issued late last week, Nora Kaye said that …

KILRUSH town councillors have urged the council executive to set realistic prices for perspective buyers of council houses in the town. At last Thursday’s June meeting of the town council, Councillor Liam O’Looney said that people feel part of a community if they own rather than rent their house. “The council should set a realistic market value. Tenants have more ownership when they buy a house,” Councillor O’Looney said. “In the last two housing estates that we’ve built, take-up has been very, very poor,” he suggested. However, Kilrush town clerk John Corry said that the local authority do seek an independent valuation for houses and that purchasers are entitled to appeal the price set up the council. He explained that Kilrush Town Council already has a Tenant Purchase Agreement in place, although councillors felt that the prices set under this scheme were prohibitive. “We’re going nowhere, as we are, with the scheme at the moment,” Councillor O’Looney claimed. Councillor Tom …

TWELVE months ago, Kilrush cyclist Paul Edson peddled from Dublin to Paris to mark his recovery from prostate cancer.

A NEW visitors’ website, www.visitmilltownmalbay.ie will be launched by Harry Hughes, administrative director of Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy, at a céilí mór and dance in the community hall, Miltown Malbay, on Saturday at 9.30pm.