Tag Archives: clare

IF you were an outsider with a reasonable sense of perspective and you heard about the introduction of the sugar tax, you’d think Ireland cared about its young people far more than it actually does. On May 1, cans of fizzy drinks went up by 10 cents and two-litre bottles by 60 cents, with the thinking being that this new charge –debated in the press and at political level for months – was a wonderful move to combat obesity. Yes, this caring, health-conscious society was taking concrete action to make sure its young people were going to grow up as close to the peak of health and fitness as possible. But on May 1, as the new charge came into operation and our policymakers lauded themselves, teenagers all over Clare (and undoubtedly everywhere else), were out buying cannabis, cocaine, benzos and heroin. The ability to ignore this inconvenient truth is absolutely staggering, with no coherent strategy to tackle the parasites …

GARDAI in Kilrush are investigating a serious road traffic accident, which happened this morning, about six miles from Ennis. The collision occurred at approximately 9am at Caherea, Ennis. The car hit a tree, the male drive, who was the sole occupant, was injured and taken to Limerick University Hospital, where his injuries are described as serious. Gardaí have one lane closed to facilitate a forensic collision examination and have a traffic management system in place allowing for traffic movement. Gardaí are appealing for witnesses or anyone who may have been on that stretch of road between 8.45 am and 9.15am to contact them at Kilrush Garda station on 065 9080550, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.  

Galway 1-17 Clare 2-13 AFTER an epic second half, played in front of a crowd of 44,246, Clare agonisingly lost by a solitary point to Galway, who will now play Limerick in the 2018 All-Ireland final on August 19. Superb second half goals from Shane O’Donnell and Peter Duggan, brought Clare right back into the game and the attendance was treated to an epic second half shootout in Semple Stadium on Sunday afternoon. However, Galway managed to hang on and are still in with a chance of winning a second successive Liam McCarthy Cup for the first time since 1988. At half-time Galway led 1-9 to 0-6, although Galway didn’t score for the last 17 minutes of that half. They led 0-5 to 0-1 after 10 minutes, with Joe Canning (0-2), David Burke and Conor Whelan contributing scores in those early minutes. Peter Duggan put over Clare’s opening two points from frees, while Tony Kelly pointed his sides first from …

The Clare senior hurling management team has delayed naming the team for Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final replay with Galway at Semple stadium in Thurles until before throw in time (2p.m.) Following the impressive performances made by a number of substitutes last week, there has been much speculation since the drawn game as to whether or not Clare will make chances to the team for this week. There is a school of thought which suggests that David Fitzgerald and Aron Shanagher will be in the starting line up on Sunday but given the manner in which the Banner side have  got over Wexford and drawn with Galway in their last two outings, many are of the belief that an unchanged team will line up at the throw in on Sunday. Galway have yet to name their starting line up for the eagerly awaited tie but, given the injury concerns in their camp, this is not surprising. the expectation is that apart from …

THE Bedford Row Project has been operating in Limerick City for almost 20 years, having been established by the Franciscans and Sisters of Mercy, in conjunction with Limerick City Council, as there was a need to provide a service that supported people and their families around imprisonment. Today, the Bedford Row Project has extended into County Clare, where one part-time project leader has been appointed to provide support to Clare prisoners, those at risk of imprisonment and their families. Lee-Ann Purcell has been providing this service, offering one-to-one support for Clare men and women who are in Limerick prison, and offering a safe place to support their families, who are affected by their imprisonment. Tasked with linking in with prisoners with Clare addresses, Lee-Ann said “There is an 80% to 90% chance they have been affected by drugs.” She questions whether there is a denial in Clare about the drug issue, but she believes there is a bit of a …

KEEPING children away from drugs is proving extremely difficult, and there is frustration in some communities about a weak institutional response. A Shannon mother, who spoke to us, has recently discovered her 14-year-old daughter has been taking drugs. She says it is going to be very hard to keep her away from the suppliers. “Short of locking her in the house and walking her to school and home every day, there’s very little I can do to keep her safe. I know the area she is buying the drugs, she has to walk past this place, it’s called the Boreen. It’s a known fact that’s where young lads have been dealing drugs for years. The Guards know this. “Drugs have been out there for a long time, the Guards know this and they’re doing nothing. A couple of years ago the trees were cut back to try and discourage them but it didn’t. The street lights get fixed and they …

Clare 1-30 Galway 1-30 (AET) CLARE will meet Galway again, next Sunday in Thurles at 2pm, for a place in the All-Ireland final on August 19, following an extraordinary and epic semi-final in Croke Park this evening. Substitute Jason McCarthy rescued Clare with an injury time equaliser, at the end of extra-time, in what was a classic encounter. The teams were tied 1-23 to Clare’s 0-26 at the end of normal time. Peter Duggan, who scored 0-14 in total, equalised for Clare as the game entered injury, after 70 minutes. Substitute, Aron Shanagher goaled for Clare at the start of extra-time and from there to the end it continued to evolve into an increasingly epic contest. It was his first game game following a lengthy lay off, after an operation on his cruciate. Galway made a superb started and raced into a 1-7 to 0-1 lead after just 16 minutes. Clare could not win a break and struggled badly on …

ALL conquering last year and having turned in some dominant displays this summer, Ger Loughnane still feels Galway may not be the irresistible force some feel they are. He believes if Clare take them on from the first whistle, they may find some flakiness in the Galway ranks. “What I do hope is that Clare go in and ask the questions from the very beginning and just play with total abandon. Not wildness now, with structure; but absolutely have a right cut at them from the start. I think that fellas that collapsed before can collapse again, that’s always my belief. Fourteen of that Galway team, that played the last day, played in the 2016 Leinster final, which was the most abject surrender I’ve seen in the last 10 years in a championship game.” The Feakle man adds, “They’ve won an All-Ireland since, maybe they’ve turned into a brilliant team since, they look to have, but Clare have to test …