Tag Archives: France

A JUDGE has rejected a proposal that a sex offender not be present for his sentencing hearing and view proceedings via FaceTime, Zoom or some other ‘virtual’ means from his current home in France. At Ennis Circuit Court on today (Thursday), Judge Gerald Keys stated that it would be “grossly unfair” to the man’s victim if he wasn’t present for the sentencing. The 22-year-old Clare man sexually assaulted the girl after the two made contact through Snapchat and he has failed to turn up for his sentencing as he is on Covid-19 lockdown in France. Travel restrictions in France concerning Covid-19 have meant that the man has been unable to fly back to Ireland. At the court in February, the teenage complainant said she wanted justice for the sexual abuse perpetrated on her by a “vile creature” when she was aged 12. The teenager, now 17, stated that her life has only gone downhill since the accused “abused me at …

The family of Eimear Noonan confirmed the heartbreaking news that the 21 year old graduate lost her life following a fall while out running last Wednesday, November 8. In a statement on social media her brother, Cathal said the family would like to “thank all of those who have supported us in recent days”. “French authorities have now confirmed to us the heartbreaking news that our beloved Eimear died following a fall while running on Wednesday. Eimear celebrated her 21st birthday in April and had been living in Annonay since September where she worked as an English language teacher. Eimear was a warm, bubbly person who had already made a wide circle of friends there through her love of music and singing. She graduated last month from UCC with an honours degree in Irish and French, was a talented violinist and to our immense pride was head of UCC orchestra for her final year there,” he said. Eimear will be greatly missed …

THE foundation stones for a twinning arrangement between Sixmilebridge and Nort-sur-Erde were firmly put in place this weekwhen a delegation from the French town, led by their mayor, Yves Dauvé, visited the Clare village. Strong bonds were forged between the two communities after the Sixmilebridge Twinning Committee extended the hand of friendship to the visiting delegation, by treating them to an action-packed weekend of culturally-themed events. The party of 10, led by Mayor Dauvé, arrived on Wednesday evening and were welcomed by the Sixmilebridge Twinning Committee, headed by chairman Gerald McErlain, at a reception in The Mill Bar. Once introductions were made, the parties settled into an informal and relaxed evening, with an exhibition of set dancing by the children attending classes in an adjoining room. A busy itinerary got going early on Thursday morning, when the group was given a guided tour of Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. The richness of the park and castle’s focus on life in …

Rugby star, Peter O’Mahony has signed a three year contract with the IRFU which will see him remain at Munster until at least June 2018. The dynamic back row made his senior debut for Munster against Ulster in January 2010 and has since made 68 appearances for Munster scoring 10 tries. Peter made his Ireland debut in the 42 – 10 win over Italy in February 2012. The 25 year old has won 27 caps for his country and his most recent appearence in the green jersesy was in the 18 – 11 victory over France in the RBS 6 Nations Championship. Peter is the current Munster captain and captained his country during the 2013 Summer Tour of North America. IRFU performance director, David Nucifora, said, “Peter’s performances for Ireland over the past few seasons have been exceptional. The esteem in which he is held by Irish rugby is reflected in the fact that at the age of just 25 …

Killaloe-based Secret Ireland Escapes was among of Irish tourism groups at Cannes, in the south of France, for this year’s International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM). ILTM is an invitation-only event for the global luxury travel industry – which was attended by more than 1,450 travel agents and decision-makers working in the luxury travel sector, as well as leading luxury travel editors and journalists, from 75 countries across the globe. ILTM takes place each year at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes. The busy four-day event involves a programme of one-to-one appointments and networking sessions – providing an opportunity for the Irish tourism enterprises to meet, and do business with, the travel agents who design unique, luxury travel itineraries for high net-worth international clients. Secret Escapes was one of 10 Irish businesses invited by Tourism Ireland to participate in the Cannes event. Siobhán McManamy, Tourism Ireland’s head of co-operative marketing, said: “Our participation at this year’s ILTM in Cannes was an …

A TRANSITION-year student from Tulla has been chosen to represent his county in a research project that will see him visit the Somme battlefield in Northern France next summer. Nathan Peer was selected from entrants across Clare to represent the Banner County in the History Teachers Association of Ireland’s inaugural Adopt a WWI Soldier Project. The competition was open to students with an interest in history who were in either transition year or fifth year in the Republic of Ireland or in years 12/13 in Northern Ireland. The competition includes a research project between now and the summer and will culminate in a trip by 32 selected students from each county to the Somme battlefield in June 2015. The idea behind the project is that each student will “adopt” a soldier from his/her native county who died in the First World War. They will carry out research about the soldier through archival material and by talking with living relatives. When …