Tag Archives: killaloe

FIVE Clare towns and villages have received just under €115,000 as part of a new Government scheme to help them adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic. They are among 106 towns and villages across the country that will benefit immediately from €2.8 million in funding under the enhanced Town and Village Renewal Scheme. The local areas that will benefit from the initial tranche of €114,274 in funding are: Tulla: Social distancing community meeting space (€13.050) Tuamgraney: Improvements to East Clare Memorial Park, including footpaths, seating and boundary wall (€25,000) Kilkee: Reconfiguration of playground layout to allow for social distancing (€22,295) Carrigaholt: Provision of outdoor tables and seating with temporary awnings (€24,229) Killaloe: Provision of measures to promote social distancing in main pedestrian areas (€29,700) Welcoming the funding, Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey said the money will help communities to shop, socialise and work safely as they adapt to the post-Covid reality. “It is vitally important that we see an increase in …

MORE people from South-East Clare have come forward to share their memories of the visit of former US Ambassador Jean’s Kennedy Smith’s visit to Killaloe in July 1995. It emerged this week that the family roots of John F Kennedy’s youngest sister go all the way back to Killaloe and to former High King of Ireland, Brian Ború. A recent Clare Champion article on Mrs Kennedy Smith’s trip to the twin communities of Killaloe and Ballina has prompted more locals to recall their encounter with the former ambassador. Killaloe resident Naoise Lawlor, his daughter, Saoirse and his wife’s uncle, Donal O’Riain, were some of the people who managed to be photographed with the former US Ambassador after she had officially opened the Feile Brian Ború festival in 1995. In fact, Mr Lawlor still has a copy of the edition of the Clare Champion, which published the photograph of him looking at the ambassador with Saoirse in his arms. “Getting Jean …

CONCERNS are being voiced in Bodyke about the nature of the consultation process surrounding a multimillion Euro wind farm proposed for the slopes of Slieve Bernagh in East Clare. In recent weeks, a Facebook page, called ‘Bodyke Voice on Wind Farm’ has been set up by people in the community to facilitate discussion. One of those raising awareness of the project, Susan McMahon of the Cobbler’s Rest, has used the page to publish responses from the developer, Coillte, to a series of detailed questions, some of which focus on a perceived lack of consultation with the wider community. “I have no agenda on this,” Ms McMahon told The Champion. “I’m not trying to rally the forces or influence people one way or another on this project. I’m not against green energy, I’m in favour of it, but, I do feel we have been brushed aside in terms of consultation.” The publican outlined how she had learned, by word of mouth, …

A young Killaloe fisherman landed his first big catch using a pig shad bait in Lough Derg recently. Rhys Mowat (10), Newtown, Killaloe caught his first big pike measuring about 84 cms in length, which is regarded as a large fish for a child to land. It is estimated the fish weighed nine or ten pounds as it wasn’t weighed in line with catch and release policy. The Killaloe Ballina Fishing club member has been fishing since he was eight years old. His father Johnny told the Clare Champion they fish together very regularly on a fishing boat. “Rhys has really got interested in fishing in recent years. This was the first big fish that he reeled in by himself,” he said. Johnny has been fishing for about more than twenty years since he was about ten after joining a local fishing club. Normally the club would run competitions but these have been deferred due to restrictions imposed by Covid-19. …

AN appeal has been made for support for the East Clare business community, as Ireland moves into the second phase of the re-opening of the economy. Addressing the May meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District, Councillor Pat Hayes asked that the local authority might look to the example set in County Cork where a plan had been devised to support 28 towns in re-opening for business. “We depend on rate payers,” the Fianna Fáil member pointed out, “and they depend on public services. Almost every business has had to close and they’re now slowly re-opening. I would ask that the council officials speak to the business community in East Clare to see what they need to get them back on track, with so many restrictions continuing around public health.” The Caher-based councillor noted that Cork County Council had been making strong efforts in supporting its urban centres to resume economic activity after the lockdown. “When you look around the country, …

THE latest East Clare festival to fall foul of the Covid-19 restrictions is the hugely popular Féile Brían Ború, which organisers have decided to call off in the interests of public health and safety. Chairperson of East Clare Tourism and member of the organising committee, Arlene White, said that while the decision had been a tough one to make, hopes had been gradually fading over the last couple of weeks. The 2019 festival took place on the second week in July, and in the context of the roadmap for re-opening the economy, organisers couldn’t envisage a similar gathering on the shores of Lough Derg in just over five week’s time. “Last year, we had 2,000 people for the fireworks display, and we just couldn’t have crowds of that size in the context of the coronavirus restrictions,” Ms White explained. “Our organising committee also arranges the Killaloe St Patrick’s Day parade, and once we had to call that off, we started …

BUSINESSES in Ballina and Killaloe have re-opened on a limited basis as they come to terms with operating new social distancing guidelines during the Covid-19 pandemic. McKeogh’s Hardware, Ballina, closed for two weeks at the end of March when the national lockdown was announced. Fred McInerney of McKeogh’s recalled they operated on a call-and-collect basis for a number of weeks before they re-opened fully on Monday. Mr McInerney said the area of the store was mapped out before the lockdown and acknowledged most people are adhering to social distancing guidelines. Gloves and hand sanitiser are provided in the store and perspex screens are provided for staff. He said there was a big demand for paint during the call and collect period and now the demand has switched to outdoors with large numbers requesting DIY to complete repair jobs and decking. The Lakeside Hotel is planning to re-open from July 20 with restrictions for social distancing. It is expected their leisure …

  A KILLALOE-based photographer has snapped up €40,000 for a local charity by completing a gruelling 1,000 kilometres along the Wild Atlantic Way . Ciara McCullough collected this donation for the Children’s Grief Centre in Limerick after running from Derry to Kinsale on consecutive days and welcomed other runners to join her during her arduous journey. The Ballinahinch native, who moved to Killaloe three years ago, is delighted to have raised such a large sum for this charity, having seen children benefit from their work. “I have witnessed first hand the work the Children’s Grief Centre does and what a positive impact it has on children. It is a charity that is close to my heart as it has helped people who are close to me. “I just wanted to give something back. I love the conversation the founder St Helen Culhane has around the topic of grief. “In Ireland we can dismiss things like grief as we feel we …