Tag Archives: James Breen

CLARE GAA Chairman Jack Chaplin has defended the handling of the crowd at last Sunday’s county hurling final, despite calls from a former TD for resignations from the county board. The game had to be delayed by a quarter of an hour due to the volume of people arriving at the gates, but Mr Chaplin said that the crowd had been unexpectedly large and the county board had done everything it could. “We had 21 people manning 16 stiles. We brought in a zig-zag queue to help try and keep some distance between the crowds. There were approximately 4,400 and obviously people were coming late. There were 2,700 online tickets that had to be scanned. “It has been a lockdown year and people haven’t been going to matches. The week before (at the county football final) there was a small crowd, but on the day there was a big crowd. I don’t think there was much more that we could …

Former Clare TD James Breen has thrown down the gauntlet to Fianna Fail leader, Michael Martin to put the people before power and get a new government in situ. “It’s time for the talking to stop and to get a deal done. We need political stability and a new government, not a caretaker one running the country. We need to get the country back on its feet and our workforce back to work. We need Michael Martin to put people before power,” he declared. Mr Breen, who resigned from the Fianna Fail party and was elected an Independent TD in the 29th Dail from 2002 to 2207, said that it seems national interest has gone out the window given the protracted nature of discussions between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, The Green Party and now the independents. “At the Clare election count I spoke a lot about national interest. Now, 300 days on from that election it appears national interest has …

COORACLARE county councillor Bill Chambers (Fianna Fáil) has been elected cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, succeeding Councillor James Breen (Independent) in the role. Councillor Chambers is the first person from Cooraclare to assume the chairmanship of the 28-member council which unanimously backed his appointment at its AGM in Áras Contae an Chláir on Monday. Councillor Paul Murphy (Fine Gael) from Clarecastle was elected leas cathaoirleach, replacing his party colleague Councillor Mary Howard in the position. “The role of cathaoirleach is one that goes back many decades and it is an honour for me to follow in the footsteps of so many great servants of this county. I will work hard during the next 12 months to promote Clare through leadership and partnership in my new role as Clare’s first citizen,” Councillor Chambers said in his maiden speech.

Independent Councillor Ann Norton is the new Mayor of Ennis. She was unanimously elected at this week’s annual general meeting of the Municipal District Committee of Ennis. Councillor Norton was elected to Clare County Council for the first time in 2014 and succeeds Fianna Fail’s Pat Daly in the role. Councillor James Breen (IND) has been elected deputy mayor in place of the outgoing deputy mayor, Mary Howard, Fine Gael. Mayor Norton, in her acceptance speech said, “It is a great honour for me to hold this office in a year that will see Ennis host Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann for the first time since 1977. This is a huge occasion for the town and the entire county. “As mayor I also looking forward to supporting the various community initiatives and cultural projects that will be taking place over the next 12 months, including plans for the new flagship County Library project in Ennis. Another key priority of mine will be …

WHAT criteria should be used to determine if a person is famous enough to be immortalised in County Clare? That’s the question for Clare County Council, with plans revealed this week for the regulation of memorials amid fears of a “proliferation of plaques”. A draft Memorial Policy for Clare County Council is currently being prepared by the local authority. Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council James Breen had his say on the plans at this week’s meeting of Ennis Municipal District. “Memorials should be erected only to people with unique achievements, or there will be memorials in every corner of the county,” he stated. According to the draft document in relation to civic memorials, “A memorial is a lasting tribute to a person, persons or event. Therefore the council needs to be confident that the subject of the memorial is of sufficient importance that the reason behind the decision to approve a civic memorial will stand the test of time. It …

A Tidy Towns Information evening will take place this evening (Tuesday) from 5.30pm in the council chamber at Áras Contae an Chláir in Ennis . The event is hosted by Clare County Council and will acknowledge the positive work that Tidy Towns groups are doing across the County, in a voluntary capacity, to enhance the County’s towns and villages. Speakers will include cathaoirleach James Breen; chief executive Tom Coughlan, Tidy Towns adjudicator Lorraine Power, Doonbeg Tidy Towns Chairperson Tommy Comerford, Clarecastle Tidy Towns Chairperson Christy Leyden, and Billy Flynn, ecologist and biodiversity expert. The evening will conclude with a questions and answers session which will enable groups to raise issues in relation to Tidy Towns generally with particular emphasis on the Tidy Towns competition.

A Tidy Towns Information evening will take place next Tuesday at 5.30pm in the council chamber at Áras Contae an Chláir in Ennis . Hosted by Clare County Council, the event will acknowledge the positive work that Tidy Towns groups are doing across the County, in a voluntary capacity, to enhance the County’s towns and villages. Speakers will include cathaoirleach James Breen; Chief Executive Tom Coughlan, Tidy Towns adjudicator Lorraine Power, Doonbeg Tidy Towns chairperson Tommy Comerford, Clarecastle Tidy Towns chairperson Christy Leyden, and Billy Flynn, ecologist and biodiversity Expert. Councillor James Breen stated, “This event provides me, in my role as Cathaoirleach of Clare, with a real opportunity to acknowledge the positive work that is taking place by these groups in all our towns and villages across the county.” He added, “By improving their local environment they are setting a great example for our young people and are fostering in them a pride of place in their local community …