Tag Archives: Clarecastle

JUST outside Ennis on a dark and stormy night three 30-somethings,Barry, Cusack and Pa, gather again for the anniversary of their childhood friend Liam, who was killed in a road accident when they were 17. This is the premise for Clarecastle playwright John O’Donovan’s Flights and one of its major themes is the ongoing impact of the recession on men in their 30s. Like thousands of others, John left Ireland in 2009, with his hopes of teaching here ruined by the crippled economy. Speaking about Flights, he says, “They get together every year on the anniversary of their friend, who died when they were 17. He’s been 17 years dead this year, so it’s at that weird point when someone you know is dead as long as they were alive. They’re in their mid-30s and it’s usually a bigger party but as people have moved away and drifted away, it’s gotten very small. They have their own issues as well. …

THE problems that have blighted Rathkeale must not be allowed to recur just 40 miles away in the parish of Clarecastle, according to Councillor Paul Murphy. On Wednesday, Councillor Murphy showed The Clare Champion the huge amount of waste left behind at a site just off the Skehanagh roundabout, where there had been an illegal encampment.   “For the likes of Clarecastle as a village, a lot of people are concerned that it is becoming overrun and that we could have another Rathkeale on our hands in a few years time. It is compounded by the lawlessness that you witness here, it is a big worry for a community to have this on our doorstep. We have estate management problems in our village, along with Ennistymon and other places, it’s not just Clarecastle; but it’s a huge, huge concern for a community,” he commented. The Fine Gael councillor said he is looking to make sure that concerns are dealt with. …

The sun shone on Clarecastle last weekend for the annual regatta. See this week’s Clare Champion for more photographs of the event.        

CLARE Independent TD, Dr Michael Harty, has described the search for a possible replacement for Roche in Clarecastle as a “lost cause.” He made his claims based on comments passed by Business Minister, Heather Humphreys in Dáil Éireann. “It now seems certain that finding a replacement for Roche, the former jewel in the crown of Clare industry, is a lost cause. That is the only reasonable conclusion one can draw from the statement by Minister Humphreys who told me in answer to a Dáil question, that despite all the efforts by the IDA since the announcement was made to close in 2015, no offer has been made for the site,” Deputy Harty said. “The company has already written to the local community detailing the wind down of its operations by mid-2020. Put the two together and it can only mean that it is curtains for Roche in Clarecastle. I welcome the jobs that have been announced recently but we still …

Clarecastle resident Geraldine Gregan made the difficult decision to give her baby up for adoption, a decision she has regretted ever since. Her pregnancy as a single woman brought shame, she was branded as damaged goods and had to hide out half way across the country for the last month of her pregnancy, writes Carol Byrne. Originally from County Cork, Geraldine Gregan acquired a rare job as a quality manager in a dairy business in Cavan. After receiving a BSc in Dairy Science, her job security, being a single woman, was put in jeopardy when she became pregnant in the mid-1980s. “The relationship had ended when I realised I was pregnant. I felt a deep sense of guilt and sadness. It was so wrong and selfish of me to be bringing a baby into the world that would not have a dad. My own dad passed away when I was 16 and I still missed him. I also felt sadness for …

Irish Water is working in partnership with Clare County Council to end the discharge of untreated wastewater to the River Fergus from the Clarecastle area. At an information event on Wednesday, May 16, between 4pm and 8pm at the Old Clarecastle National School, Irish Water will unveil its plans to stop the discharge of the equivalent of 1,600 wheelie bins of untreated wastewater into the River Fergus every day from the public sewer network in Clarecastle. The plan includes the construction of a new rising main and upgrades to an existing pumping station to take wastewater from Clarecastle to the Clareabbey Wastewater Treatment Plant where it can be treated before being returned safely to the environment. “The provision of a new sewerage scheme for Clarecastle will help to improve water quality in the river, enhance of the area’s amenity value and will act as a platform for social and economic development. The project will also help ensure that the water …

A Garda surveillance on a telephone pole paid off, when a 43-year-old drug dealer was spotted leaving two plastic lunch boxes, containing 12 bags of cocaine, at the pole. At Ennis District Court this week, Simon McDonagh of Aonach An Chláir, Clarecastle, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supplying cocaine, contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act on March 14, 2017. He also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cocaine, contrary to Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. Judge Patrick Durcan described the circumstances of the find as “fascinating” and said that he regarded the offence as very much at the upper end of Section 15 offences. Giving an outline of the facts in the case, Inspector Tom Kennedy said that Detective Garda Gary Stack was conducting a surveillance operation in a rural area at Lissane West, outside Clarecastle. He saw Simon McDonagh arrive and stoop down beside the telephone pole and place the two …

Minister for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market & Data Protection Pat Breen has announced that €63,000 has been granted to Clare for agricultural shows next year. “This €63,000 will be a huge benefit to the nine shows in County Clare who will each receive a grant of €7,000 each. The Clare shows include Kildysart, Kilrush, Clarecastle, Corofin, Ennistymon, Mullagh, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Bridgetown and Scarriff. “This funding is particularly useful to the smaller shows that are susceptible to weather and other unexpected costs that can occur,” said Minister Breen. “Agricultural shows are hugely important to the rural economy, with surrounding towns and villages benefitting hugely from each show. “The Government considers this funding an important investment in rural communities and I am delighted that my colleague Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring has granted this funding for Clare,” he said