West Clare

STUDENTS at St Michael’s Community College in Kilmihil have again collected a huge amount of food and toys in aid of the annual St Vincent de Paul Christmas appeal. Ruth Morrissey, a teacher of Irish and English at the school organised the collection. Everything collected will be distributed in the greater West Clare area.“The message we want to relay to the students is that we, by our contributions, can make a real difference in these people’s lives,” Ruth said. “This year, more than ever, contributions are needed, in light of the recession and the recent flooding. The food and toys collected in the school will be given to the local branch of St Vincent de Paul which is in Kilrush. It will then be distributed locally in the West Clare area. Each year, I am overwhelmed at the students’ generosity and spirit to help those less fortunate. They have an innate sense of compassion and a desire to help others, …

THE Kilkee Town Council budget, which was adopted at the December monthly meeting, will result in a reduction of €3,164.96 on 2010 expenditure when compared to 2009 figures. However, rates have not been increased.The total estimated expenditure for 2010 amounts to €79,133.76.  The estimated income, excluding town charges, is €6,518.4. The balance of €72,615.36 is to be recouped by way of town charges. However, there will be no increase in the town rate, which remains at 4.61% as in 2009. The figure demanded from Clare County Council shows a decrease of €3,614.96 from that sought in 2009. A 15% reduction has been applied where possible to all non-pay-related expenditure other than statutory or fixed expenditure, which cannot be reduced.Meanwhile, the Irish Public Bodies Mutual Insurances has informed Kilkee Town Council that the cost of insurance premiums will decrease by 10% on that paid in 2009. A sum of €44,400 will be spent on salaries and wages, which shows a reduction …

While the 2010 Kilrush Town Council budget, which was adopted last Thursday night, included no increase in commercial rates, overall expenditure for the provision of services in the town will be down 12.5% on the 2009 figures. The budget provides for €1,517,869 for the year ahead, compared to €1,736,384 for this year.Income for 2010 has been estimated at €732,298 compared to €887,179 in 2009. This estimate represents at 17.5% reduction in income for the year ahead in Kilrush. The decision to provide two hours of free parking in the lead-up to Christmas will also hit the town council budget.The budget also includes a 14% reduction in the town council payroll from that budgeted in 2009.Among additional key points adopted was a freeze on local authority housing rent rates, a 3% reduction in commercial water charges and an increase in the housing maintenance programme.With regard to the local road network, the town council expects a 10% reduction on their allocation next …

Despite the recent flooding in the county, there is no major emergency plan in place to deal with a re-occurrence in Kilrush.“Following recent flooding events within the county, a review will be taking place of Clare County Council’s major emergency plan and will be adjusted or modified as required,” Kilrush town engineer Derek Troy said in a written statement at last week’s Kilrush Town Council meeting.He was replying to Councillor Ian Lynch’s request for details of the Kilrush town emergency plan in the event of adverse weather conditions.“All works and emergency procedures that relate to Kilrush town are covered under Clare’s major emergency plan. Kilrush Town Council does not have an individual one for the town and there are no current plans to develop a major emergency plan specific to Kilrush,” Mr Troy added.Councillors pointed out that several parts of Kilrush, notably the Ennis and Cappa roads and the area near the handball alley, were badly affected by the recent …

SUCH is the lack of public street lighting at St Patrick’s Terrace in Kilkee, Councillor Paddy Collins has likened the local authority estate to “the Black Hole of Calcutta”.The Black Hole of Calcutta was the guard room in the old Fort William, at Calcutta, India where troops of the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-Daulah, held British prisoners of war after the capture of the Fort on June 19, 1756.With reference to the absence of sufficient light at St Patrick’s Terrace, Councillor Collins claimed that it is impossible to see the housing estate once it gets dark, adding that the bulb has blown in the one public light that normally works.“If you passed St Patrick’s Terrace (at night) you wouldn’t know it was there. Now the only lights you can see are Christmas lights,” he said.“There’s only one light there at the moment and the bulb is gone. It has been gone for a week. There are no lights in St …

THE 2009 Kilrush Tidy Towns Awards were presented at Looney’s Bar in John Street recently.  

LOOP Head lighthouse has a lot of potential for development as a tourist attraction, this week’s meeting of Kilrush electoral area councillors heard.

  When he was just 18 years of age, Dennis Liddane left the family home in Rehy, Kilkee and set sail on the emigrant ship for a new life in America.