Tag Archives: clare

A CALL is being made for a civic reception to be held in honour of the Ennis Tidy Towns committee following their “monumental achievement” in being named Ireland’s Tidiest Town. Clare Fine Gael TD, Deputy Joe Carey, said, “This is a monumental achievement, and the hard-working volunteers deserve huge credit for their work this year and indeed over many, many years,” he added. He believes that Clare County Council should mark the achievement by hosting a Civic Reception in recognition of the work of many volunteers, throughout the years. “I am calling on Clare County Council to hold a civic reception for the volunteers who have selflessly given their time freely over the years. “This news is a huge boost to Ennis and an example to all of us around Clare as to what can be achieved through hard work and persistence. Their success is even more impressive in light of the pandemic and the challenges that has brought,” Deputy …

CLARE gardaí are urging people planning for the festive season to ‘Buy Safe and Pay Safe’ when it comes to online shopping. In the lead up to Christmas and in particular the Black Friday sales promotion period An Garda Síochána are supporting Europol’s online fraud prevention campaign which encourages safe online shopping by customers. “More and more businesses are using the internet as the primary channel to sell goods and services. Whilst convenient for both the consumer and retailer it also presents opportunities for fraudsters who can use the anonymous nature of the internet to rip off consumers or target retailers who do not have the necessary defences in place to protect themselves,” outlines Clare Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks. There was a total of €22 million in credit and debit cards fraud losses on Irish consumers in 2020, according to the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI). “Consumers and eCommerce merchants will be particularly active online over the …

THREE Clare poets have been named as recipients of Poetry Town Bursaries. Sixmilebridge based Carrie Barrett O’Donnell is based in Sixmilebridge, Eileen O’Malley who lives between Miltown Malbay and Spanish Point and Marianne Slevin living in Doolin are among the 24 awardees of the bursary scheme. Poetry Ireland put a call out during October for submissions from poets all over the island of Ireland, with three categories (New Poets, Experienced and Spoken Word). Each bursary was worth €300-500, depending on the level of support requested by the applicant.   The bursaries are designed to be used by the awardees for opportunities to develop their poetry – some examples given during the submission process were: taking a writing course, attending a writing residency, paying for mentoring or critical assessment, paying a filmmaker to create a film of poetry work, or simply taking time off work to devote to writing.   Niamh O’Donnell, Director of Poetry Ireland, said, “We were overwhelmed with the number of applications for bursaries and …

COUNTY Clare has provided the inspiration for the latest single by singer songwriter Aoife Doyle. Aoife has released Clare Sky, the second single from her upcoming album Infinitely Clear. The song is a folk infused lament set in the beautiful west coast of Clare. Originally from Bray, County Wicklow she moved to Liscannor in 2014. “I wrote Clare Sky after a tragic incident that happened in the community. It’s a lament and a tribute to this magical place and the warmth of the people here. I have found great solace and peace on the West Coast of Ireland. With Clare Sky I’ve tried to paint a picture of the places I love the most.” While she has been performing for many years, it was upon moving to the West Coast of Ireland that she found her songwriting voice. “In Clare I had more quiet time to reflect. The lack of billboards, traffic and other superficial stimulation makes life a lot simpler. I think nature is the most primal form …

CLARE’S libraries are to introduce a twice weekly ‘accessible hour’ from next month. The slots on Tuesdays and Thursdays will be from 11.30am to 12.30pm with Helen Walsh, County Librarian, explaining, “These times have been chosen as they are quieter times for library usage. “During this time children/adults with additional individual needs are encouraged to visit the library to avail of library services.” Details of the new service were unveiled at the monthly meeting of Clare County Council where Councillor Ian Lynch requested that banded times be allocated in the library for users with additional sensory and communication needs. He said this would be in keeping “with the council’s excellent work providing inclusive services for all”. As well as outlining details of the new ‘accessible hour’ Ms Walsh added in her reply that parents with children on the autism spectrum and those children who require introductory information on what a visit to the library consists can view social stories on …

THE Minister for Health is being called on to intervene to save public dentistry in county Clare. A county councillor called on Minister Donnelly to engage with dentists in Clare “to prevent a total collapse” of the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) and to ensure funding is available to boost public dentistry in the county in the coming year. Councillor Donna McGettigan raised the issue at the monthly meeting of the County Council. The Shannon councillor outlined, “In Clare there has been a reduction of 46% investment in the DTSS between 2017 and 2021 according to the Irish Dentistry Association.” She continued, “We are also seeing a reduction of dentists signed up to the DTSS scheme resulting in only 16 dentists enrolled in Clare, leaving many Clare patients unable to access dentist care within this county. “Lack of access to timely dental care and delaying necessary treatment is economically unviable as what begins as a routine procedure can lead to …

TD says more creative solutions required to address housing shortage WITH average rents in Clare now standing at €1,061 a month, prices are causing severe financial difficulties for couples, families and individuals around Clare. Prices have doubled since the recession, and Clare TD Michael McNamara said there is a need to make sure all existing houses are used and more are built. The Scariff man said that local authorities need to get houses back into use quickly when tenants, leave, with some Councils allowing long gaps. Also, he said that in Clare derelict units must be restored. “It could be put back into use quickly if either schemes were in place to incentivise private landlords or if the Council were to use their powers under the Derelict Sites Act. “It’s something that could be done quickly, there are structures there, and almost all of them are pre 1963 so enjoy planning permission, it’s a matter of repairing them, compulsorily acquiring …

THE first interment of ashes has taken place at the new columbarium at the Cathedral of Saints Peter & Paul. Ennis Cathedral is the first Cathedral in the country to offer a columbarium for the interment of ashes. The development of the columbarium was approved by the Pastoral and Finance Committees of Ennis Parish last year while planning permission was granted by Clare County Council. Local builders Michael Clancy and Michael McInerney recently installed the facility which was consecrated as a place of rest by Bishop Fintan last month. On Saturday the ashes of Michael Fitzgerald were the first to be interred in the Columbarium in a ceremony led by Fr Tom Ryan. Mr Fitzgerald, who passed away in August made the decision with his wife Ann and his family that he would be cremated and interred in the Cathedral. Mary Quinn, who was married to Ann Fitzgerald’s brother Jim and who died in London in May 2019, was also …