Tag Archives: Carrigaholt

The village of Carrigaholt on the Loop Head Peninsula has marked the end of an era with the closure of Keane’s grocery shop on October 1. For generations, Keane’s shop has been an essential resource for the community as well as a popular and often photographed shop for the many visitors to the area. Situated across the road from the pier and Carrigaholt Castle, it has operated in the same family for 194 years. Although the grocery side of the business has now ceased, the Keane family will continue to operate the bar whilst preserving the traditional look of the shop’s interior. Speaking to The Clare Champion, proprietor Pakie Keane said it was a “huge decision” to close. The decision was not an easy one for Pakie and Margaret (Mags) Keane to make nor was it a sudden decision. They had been contemplating it for the last few years, yet always found themselves putting it off for another year, slow …

A veterinary surgeon and certified veterinary herbalist from West Clare, who is now a newly fledged author, is set to launch a range of pet supplements as well as a book at the National Ploughing Championships next week. Dr Sinéad Mellett, who is originally from Carrigaholt has been developing the range of products for the past year and a half. She left general practice last year to start up the Natural Veterinary Company and its range of pet supplements has been formulated by the vet herself, and is manufactured in Ireland. “The supplements are for dogs and cats and have been developed using high dose herbal and marine ingredients, based on clinical research and evidence based medicine,” she said. “In general practice, healthier, alternative options for dogs and cats are few and far between and when I began my studies in herbalism and found the growing research base behind traditional medicine, as well as the repetitive results I was getting …

THERE were 27 camper vans parked on the green at Carrigaholt one morning during the summer, along with a number of tents. With this in mind, at last week’s meeting of West and North Clare, members of Clare County Council, Councillor Gabriel Keating called for toilet facilities, similar to those provided in Doolin car park, to be installed there. He said that at the moment Carrigaholt is “ticking all the boxes” for the provision of a wastewater treatment plant, but he said installing portable toilets in the interim would be very positive. In a written reply to his motion, Senior Executive Engineer Alan Kenneally acknowledged that the area is becoming increasingly popular with visitors. “While Carrigaholt may not have the visitor numbers of Doolin, the village is becoming increasingly popular with tourists, helped by its location on the Wild Atlantic Way and its Green Coast beach.” However, he said that there are a number of difficulties with putting in place …

GRAVE concerns about the possible impact on dolphins from the expansion of a controversial Bauxite Residue Disposal Area (BRDA) for the largest alumina plant in Europe were outlined to An Bord Pleanála recently. An Bord Pleanála has given Rusal Aughinish Alumina Limited (AAL) the green light to deposit an extra eight million m3 of bauxite residue in total at its plant, despite trenchant opposition from Futureproof Clare, local farmers, Environmental Trust Ireland and environmental groups. This decision will allow the Russian-owned company to carry out a major expansion of its Bauxite Residue Disposal Area (BRDA), extending the life of the plant for an extra nine years up to 2039. In a submission to the appeals’ board on behalf of Dolphin Watch, Mary Kate Bolger, who has a qualification in zoology and marine biology specialising in bottlenose dolphins, outlined the creatures play a vital role in the eco-system by balancing populations of predatory fish and squid thereby protecting the entire eco-system …

“WHO will you save?” a member of the Council asked, during a discussion on which Clare village will be put forward first tor a slice of a €50 million fund for wastewater infrastructure.  Councillor Gerry Flynn was speaking in support of a motion from Councillors Joe Garrihy, Shane Talty and Bill Chambers. The three West Clare members asked for clarity on the funding criteria.  Councillor Garrihy welcomed the national funding allocation “as a first effort to address lack of provision of waste water treatment in rural areas”. “I commended the Chief Executive and Council staff for pushing this,” he said. “We are now looking for the criteria, targets and the bar that towns and villages have to meet to put themselves in the frame for this funding. Has there been a town or village in Clare selected? There are four in Clare waiting: Doolin, Carrigaholt, Broadford and Cooraclare.” The Lisdoonvarna said Doolin’s economic development is held back due to lack …

FIANNA Fáil TD for Clare, Cathal Crowe has this morning welcomed €445,00 in funding for six harbours in the county. The fund, sanctioned by Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine will go towards repair and upgrade works at harbours located at Bournapeaka, Seafield, Doolin, Carrowmore, Doonmore and Carrigholt. 75% of the awarded funding will come from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with the balance being met by Clare County Council. Deputy Crowe said, “This comes as a welcome and timely boost to the fishing industry in our county. The funded works will ultimately enhance some our county’s main fishing harbours but it will be construction workers and supply chain businesses in the communities in which the harbours are located that will, hopefully, derive the initial benefit. “Brexit and Covid have made the past few months extremely challenging for the families in Clare that make their livelihoods from fishing. Next week I look forward to …

LIGHTING on piers in West Clare is critical to supporting what remains of the county’s fishing industry, a local councillor has said. At this month’s meeting of the Municipal District committee, Councillor Cillian Murphy described the issue as “close to his heart”. “As someone who was involved in the fishing industry, I know the importance of having proper services on our piers,” he said. “Fishing crews have started to gear back up and I’ve had contact in relation to both of the piers in Carrigaholt. But, equally, I’m making the call on behalf of fishermen using all of the district’s piers, lights must be operational on all of them. For the want of a few bulbs, we could be making these areas a lot safer. There was no light at all on either of the Carrigaholt piers at one stage. We have little enough left of our fishing industry at this stage and this would go some way toward supporting …

ANGER and frustration have been expressed by West Clare councillors after Irish Water told them it has no plans to develop sewerage schemes for the villages of Cooraclare or Carrigaholt. At most recent district committee meeting, several members described the negative response from the water utility as “nonsense,” while another said it had left him speechless. Both Councillor Bill Chambers and Councillor Gabriel Keating had made requests for pilot schemes to provide waste water treatment works in their respective areas, noting that such initiatives had been outlined in the Programme for Government. In two identical responses Irish Water said it “has no statutory role where there is currently no infrastructure”. It advised councillors to direct the queries to the local authority or the government. Irate councillors then agreed to request a remote deputation to the relevant minister. “In Cooraclare, we’re waiting for the last 40 years,” said Councillor Chambers. “There’s nearly half a million spent on it already and next …