Kilkee Community Playground will remain closed indefinitely unless the committee can come up with the funding to completely overhaul the public amenity. The schedule of works required to bring the facility up to an acceptable safety standard will cost in excess of €20,000 and a community fundraiser has been launched in the hope that through their GoFundMe appeal the committee will succeed in hitting their financial target. Fortunately, the committee has already received two generous donations, leaving a shortfall of €14,000. Local county councillor, Cillian Murphy has pledged €5,000 from his General Municipal Allowance which is a discretionary fund for elected representatives who can put it towards projects in their areas while €2,000 has been committed by Loop Head Windfarm. The committee will also be making applications with Clare County Council for funding under the Clár Programme and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. Estimates received to upgrade the facility to a satisfactory standard are priced at in excess of …
Read More »Pandemic puts brakes on Matt’s cycling bow
August was to have been a memorable month for young Matt Griffin. The 15 year-old Ennistymon teenager was to have made his national bow at a major cycling event in Austria but the Covid-19 pandemic has put the brakes on that happening. “It’s a pity. We were looking forward to the event and its very disappointing that the Austrian cycling event has been cancelled. I suppose health comes first in situations like that,” concedes his father, Matthew. The youngster’s metoric rise in cycling circles is driven by desire and a dedication which sees him make a 220 round trip to Kanturk in North Cork for training spins with the local youth cycling club. But distance is no barrier as his father Matthew fulfils the taxi driver role, ferrying him to and from the training sessions. Before the pandemic brought travel to a halt, Matt would make the trip a couple of time each week. “He can be a bit lazy …
Read More »No mad dash to Lahinch on Monday
THERE was no mad dash into the water at Lahinch on Monday, when a further easing on the Covid-19 restrictions allowed people to travel within their own county. Local hotelier Michael Vaughan said there was increased activity at the resort, but not too much. From his perch at Vaughan Lodge Hotel he could observe a quiet golf course, in stark contrast to last year when numbers were good, and the Irish Open in July was the highlight. Michael said on Monday people were essentially coming to Lahinch “to watch”. He described as “eerie” the atmosphere around Lahinch, with people there but no restaurants, pubs or hotels open to cater for them. He said some people might even be “spooked” at the idea of travelling too far from home, having been confined to 5k. Michael intends to reopen on July but doesn’t expect this 22-bed hotel to be sold out. “I should have one-third occupancy and my target for the season …
Read More »No time for drama as councillors hold monthly meeting at Glór
DRAMA was kept to a minimum when members of Clare County Council gathered at Glór in Ennis for their first full meeting since the lockdown. The state-of-the art auditorium, which has capacity for 485, enabled the attendance of councillors, media and the general public, while also ensuring social distancing. “It’s great to see you all,” said CEO Pat Dowling. “We’ve missed you – a little.” Monday’s meeting coincided with the first day of Phase Two of the road map for the re-opening of Ireland and provided an opportunity for local authority members to assess the impact to-date of Covid-19 on Clare, and to consider the actions needed and the choices to be made to turn the county’s fortunes around. Any councillor considering making a song and dance, in a venue more accustomed to theatrical performances than political ones, would have been dissuaded by the CEO’s sombre account of the economic impact of the coronavirus. Outlining the additional expenditure of €500,000, …
Read More »College-endorsed student accommodation should issue refunds to tenants – Crowe
FIANNA Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe is calling on privately run third level student accommodation providers to follow the example of some campus accommodation services in issuing refunds to students for this academic year. As things stand, several providers including City Campus in Limerick and Glasan in Galway have said they will not be issuing refunds to any students who have been unable to be in their tenancies for months due to COVID-19. While acknowledging that private landlords come under a different remit to campus accommodation, Deputy Crowe believes accommodation services, which are specifically endorsed by their colleges, should not be treated as fully privatised. “I appreciate that owners of these buildings are being hit by this pandemic but what seems to be forgotten here is that students who struggle as is to make ends meet during their college year are being left out of pocket,” said Deputy Crowe. “In some cases, they or their parents may have lost …
Read More »Ennis cup company plays its part in producing PPE
AN Ennis company has joined the fight against Covid-19 by adapting sections of its production to begin making protective face shields. Cup Print, which normally produces sustainable paper cups, has begun production of PPE. With their core hospitality and catering sector clients preparing to reopen, the company says there is significant demand for protective face shields, particularly for safeguarding customers and employees that are not protected by Perspex screens or physical distancing barriers. Cup Print are already producing clear, full face visors for sizeable healthcare contracts and have capacity to expand the offering to both new and existing customers across the EU. They anticipate the face shields to complement ongoing orders for cups produced at their facility in Ennis. The Irish firm was founded in 2009 by businessman Terry Fox following the financial crisis. It now typically manufactures almost 10 million cups every month for coffee shops and bigger multinational clients. The company specialise in customised, short-run printing of paper …
Read More »Bank of Ireland to re-open three Clare branches
BANK of Ireland has confirmed that three Clare branches closed due to Covid-19 restrictions will re-open later this month, but with reduced opening hours. Concern had been growing when outlets in Tulla, Kilkee and Miltown Malbay remained closed since mid-March. There has been a widespread welcome for news that the branches will open from Monday, June 29. Bank of Ireland said that where ATMs are available, these will also have facilities for the lodgements restored. The three Clare branches will have advice and self-service banking available from 10am to 1pm. Announcing the date for the re-opening, the bank said it would have dedicated supports for healthcare workers, carers, self-isolating customers, mortgage holders and businesses. Gavin Kelly, CEO of Retail Ireland at Bank of Ireland, commented: “We have been monitoring and adapting our operations throughout Covid-19 to reflect customer demand and public health advice. As the economy starts to reopen, which is critically important for families and businesses across Ireland, we …
Read More »World tennis ace backs Killaloe man’s fund-raising campaign
RAFAEL Nadal is among the international sports stars supporting a Killaloe man to raise funds for a refugee camp in Greece. Tennis coach Wesley O’Brien is a regular volunteer at the Ritsona Refugee Camp, north of Athens. Two years ago, he started up a programme for residents, thanks to donations of rackets, balls and nets from clubs around the region, including his own in Killaloe-Ballina. As part of a bid to raise funds for a defibrillator for the camp, which is now home to 4000 people, Wesley has secured jerseys signed by some high profile individuals and teams. To-date, these include Nadal, the Munster Rugby Team, Usain Bolt, Rory McIlroy and Franz Beckenbaur. Wesley, who volunteers with Lighthouse Relief, now hopes to be able to sell these rare items in order to generate vital funding support for refugees. “I had raised funds for a defibrillator for the Killaloe-Ballina Tennis Club, so I decided to do the same again for Ritsona …
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