Tag Archives: Councillor Pat Burke

THE dispersal of tourists from the Wild Atlantic Way to other parts of Clare is one of the main aims of the new tourism strategy, according to a local tourism chief. Speaking at a recent Killaloe Municipal District meeting, Shannon Heritage managing director, Niall O’Callaghan said one of the objectives of the new strategy is to disperse the tourism traffic movement from the Wild Atlantic Way onto Loop Head, North Clare, Bunratty and East Clare. “No other county in Ireland has the range of attractions that Clare has. Shannon Heritage is working with the council executive to build a strategy to disrupt the flow, not take from the Wild Atlantic Way and keep these people in Clare for as long as possible. “Getting more tourists to the likes of Bunratty Castle and Folk Park is also a key focus for Shannon Heritage. “It is fantastic to see the Cliffs of Moher getting 1.5 million visitors a year. But how many …

New canoe facilities and services blocks have been provided at Dromaan Harbour in Whitegate as part of a regional initiative aimed at promoting water-based activities on Ireland’s third largest lake. The Lough Derg Canoe Trail, an initiative of the Lough Derg Marketing Group and funded under the Lough Derg Stimulus Fund, aims to provides for new facilities at Killaloe, Ballycuggeran, and Scariff, Mountshannon and Dromaan harbours. The design and development of the trail project is being led by Waterways Ireland in partnership with Clare County Council, Galway County Council and Tipperary County Council. Councillor Pat Burke from Whitegate, Leas Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, has welcomed the completion of works at Dromaan Harbour which he described as “a hidden gem” in the Lough Derg Region. The completed works at the Clare County Council owned harbour facility include trail information signage, a canoe storage rack and screening, and a new 3-unit service block and holding tank. The Lough Derg Canoe Trail …

A total of 105 people were arrested for drink driving in Clare so far this year – an increase of 21. This has prompted an East Clare county councillor to ask if the enforcement level in this area is a “bit over the top”. At Monday’s meeting of the county’s Joint Policing Committee, Whitegate councillor Pat Burke suggested the idea of breathalysing people at all times of the day was a bit much. “I don’t know of too many women who are going to schools, collecting their kids, who are drink driving,” he said, adding, “Yet they are being breathalysed.” He also said he has a friend in his own area who likes to have three or four pints on a Sunday and will walk to and from the pub to do that. He said now, however, that he will no longer go to the pub because he is afraid to drive into work in the morning. Having received an …

  Adverse weather conditions have resulted in the cancellation of the Whitegate Pony Races for a second time within the last week. With large volumes of rain forecast for this Friday in addition to the recent wet conditions, the Whitegate racecourse remains waterlogged. The race meeting, which was due to start at 1 pm this Sunday, May 14 has been cancelled and rescheduled for Sunday, June 14 next. Last Saturday, committee members decided to call off the races, which were due to be held the following day and immediately informed the Midlands Horse and Pony Association to give participants as much notice as possible. This was previously flagged as the main headline event of May Bank Holiday Festival in Whitegate, which attracted large crowds to the locality. Equine enthusiasts from places like Cork, Dingle, Kenmare, Claremorris, Kildare and all over the country were preparing to flock to Whitegate for the nine-race card involving between 60 and 70 ponies. These races …