Tag Archives: Clarecastle

CLARECASTLE’S Men’s Shed certainly took a punt when it came to their latest project, the results of which they quite literally launched this week. On Wednesday the members of the shed set a 20 foot punt boat out on the water at Clarecastle Quay having lovingly built the vessel over the last couple of months. A complete photographic record of the construction of the boat has been kept by the  Clarecastle & Ballyea Heritage & Wildlife Group. With Eric Shaw of the group saying, “This will be an important archival record”. The Clarecastle Men’s Shed were commissioned to build the punt boat, with a boat of this design not been built in Clarecastle since the 1960s. It is believed the late Tommy Considine was probably the last man to build a punt boat in Clarecastle and two of his boats still survive. One was donated to the Clarecastle & Ballyea Heritage & Wildlife Group in 2018. The Men’s Shed were delighted to get …

A CLARE woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer has opened up about her experience of taking part in clinical trials, and is encouraging others to ask their doctors if a trial is suitable for them. Sarah McGrath from Clarecastle, who has been nominated by government to be the next Ambassador to Singapore, was diagnosed with hormone receptor positive breast cancer in May 2020. On her last medical oncology appointment she heard about the opportunity to take part in the ‘Add Aspirin’ clinical trial funded by the Irish Cancer Society which is ongoing and focussed on studying non-occurrence. She says it was an “easy decision” to take part in the trial and the experience has been “very positive”. Sarah spoke to The Clare Champion ahead of International Clinical Trials Day on May 20, with Cancer Trials Ireland hosting a free webinar on clinical trials for members of the public on the day. Usually based in Dublin Sarah tells us it …

ORGANISERS of a hike up Mount Brandon to raise funds for a charity working in Ukraine have confirmed they have raised more than €6,000. Retired Air Traffic Controllers  Frank Barry from Clarecastle and  John Hunt from Roscommon with his daughter Annie and four members of An Garda Siochana from Portlaoise recently climbed Mount Brandon to raise money  in aid of Concerns appeal for Ukraine. Paying tribute to all of those who supported the endeavour Frank said, “A big thank you to everyone who supported this fundraiser which took place on April 6”.

LESS than a year after receiving formal approval from the Department of Rural and Community Development, the River Fergus walkway is proving one of the most popular recreational amenities in the Ennis area. In fact, the positive public reaction to the paved cycling and walking route from the Quin Road to Clareabbey has prompted a move to extend it to the Quay in Clarecastle where a trailhead development is being planned. Local Fine Gael TD Joe Carey says that proposals for a walking and cycling route linking Clarecastle to Ennis and on to the proposed West Clare Greenway have been under active consideration for several years. “The extensive engineering work on the Ennis South drainage scheme provided the opportunity to develop a walkway alongside the 1.5 kilometre length of the embankment. Because some of the groundwork and infrastructure was already in place, a high standard walkway could be delivered at a very competitive price,” Deputy Carey explained.  “Last March, Rural …

IRISH Water, working in partnership with Clare County Council, is progressing plans to deliver the Clarecastle Sewerage Scheme that will end the discharge of raw sewage into the River Fergus and Shannon Estuary. Project Delivery Lead for Irish Water, Seamus Glynn said, “Wastewater from the public sewer network in Clarecastle is currently discharged untreated into the River Fergus and the Shannon Estuary. “The discharge of untreated wastewater is unacceptable, threatens water quality and detracts from the amenity value of the area.” “Once completed, the Clarecastle Sewerage Scheme will improve the water quality in the River Fergus in compliance with national and EU regulations relating to the treatment of wastewater, and will enhance the environmental amenity of the Clarecastle area. We will be sure to keep the local community informed regarding traffic management as this essential project progresses.” The project will involve the design and construction of new below-ground infrastructure at the site of the existing Quay Road Pump Station, and …

ARCHAEOLOGICAL testing is to be carried out ahead of the creation of a new community recreation park in Clarecastle in an area deemed to have “high archaeological potential”. Planning permission has been granted by Clare County Council to Clarecastle Community Amenity Ltd for the development of the park which includes an all-weather multi-purpose playing pitch and walking track. Due to the proximity of the site to recorded monuments mitigation measures have been put forward to ensure the preservation of features of archaeological interest. The community group’s original plans were adjusted including altering the location of the pitch to avoid any direct impact on the recorded monuments in the area. There are two recorded monuments within the bounds of the site itself, levelled earthworks which are likely to be early medieval ring-forts. An intact ring-fort is also located immediately adjacent to the site. Permission for the development was granted subject to a number of conditions of planning including the engagement of …

CLARECASTLE tenor Dean Power will be among those performing at a special concert next month to celebrate James Joyce’s 140th birthday and the centenary of the publication of Ulysses. The concert on February 1  in the Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire will feature for the first time in Ireland, Geoffrey Molyneux Palmer’s settings of Joyce’s Chamber Music. As well as Dean’s singing, the performance will also feature Mairéad Hurley on piano and Susie Kennedy as the narrator. In 1907, the year of its publication, Palmer wrote to Joyce asking permission to set some poems from Chamber Music. Joyce enthusiastically received the ten songs he was sent and wrote, “I hope you will set all of Chamber Music in time” and “I shall be glad to hear from you and to know that your delicate music is meeting at last with the appreciation it deserves” Joyce tried to arrange publication of the songs on several occasions but Palmer was hesitant and it never happened. The reason for …

A CLARECASTLE woman has been appointed as the Irish Ambassador to Singapore. The ambassadorial appointment of Sarah McGrath to the prestigious role was among 22 approved by the Government at a meeting last week and has been described as “a proud day for County Clare”. Sarah is a daughter of Anne McGrath and is a native of Clarecastle but has lived in Dublin for some time. She has worked in the Department of Foreign Affairs for the past 20 years where she is currently Director of the UN and Multilateral Unit, Development Cooperation and Africa Division. Deputy Joe Carey said, “I have just spoken with Sarah McGrath to congratulate her on being appointed the next Irish Ambassador to Singapore, Brunei and Timor Leste.” “This year’s ambassadorial nominees made history with women due to take up half the roles for the first time ever. Sarah will take her place in this historic announcement as the first female Irish Ambassador to Singapore, …