Tag Archives: Kilrush

Dan Danaher Exclusive PEOPLE living near nine asbestos dumps in West Clare should not attempt to examine or remove it, an Ennis pensioner, who has contracted the life-limiting asbestosis disease, warned this week. Seventy-nine-year-old, Cyril Quinn made the call, as Clare County Council continues its investigations into the alleged dumping of asbestos on public and private lands in Kilrush and Kilkee. Mr Quinn stressed that only personnel who were qualified to remove dangerous substances should be allowed to handle asbestos, once they were dressed from head to toe in protective clothing. Cyril requires an oygen supply practically on a 24-hour basis and needs to go on a nebuliser four times a day. His sitting room had to be converted into a bedroom as he is no longer able to climb his stairs. He said a neighbour of his died from asbestosis, while it has also claimed the lives of other Irish people who were working with asbestos in England down …

CLARE County Library branches in Shannon and Kilrush are to hold events as part of Teen Week 2014, which runs from March 18 to 21, featuring a series of artistic and cultural events exclusively for teenagers. This is the fourth year that the library service has run a teen programme as part of Teen Week, which is aimed at raising awareness of reading, art and culture among young adults in County Clare. The programme is supported by teachers and pupils from local second level schools. This year’s events include video production workshops, a novel exploration of great literature and hands-on experience of making music through digital technology. The same events are scheduled for both branches on alternate days and the response through bookings to date has been very encouraging. For more information about the Teen Week programme in visit www.clarelibrary.ie

  CLARE County Council has confirmed that it has commissioned an external independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the depositing of asbestos-cement materials at a number of sites throughout West Clare. The council says it has informed the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) of its intention to remove the hazardous waste material from nine separate locations in the vicinity of Kilrush and Kilkee. A specialist asbestos consultant has been engaged by the council to advise the authority on the removal of the materials. West Clare county councillors have been informed about the process while the council has confirmed it will be liasing with members of the public living in the vicinity of the affected sites about the remedial works that are due to take place. “Clare County Council’s environment section received a complaint from a member of the public last June regarding a number of areas where asbestos waste materials were deposited. The council has since identified nine sites where …

By Peter  O’Connell CLARE County Council is investigating claims that there are at least nine asbestos dumps in the Kilrush and Kilkee areas of West Clare. The asbestos waste was dumped on both public and private lands and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed on Wednesday that it has been contacted on the issue. The matter was raised by Councillor PJ Kelly at Monday’s Kilrush Electoral Area meeting. He later told The Clare Champion that he had discovered that it would cost up to €2.9m to pay for the clean up operation. The council maintains, however, that the figure involved cannot be determined at this stage, as cost associated with carrying out these works “are as yet undetermined”. In a statement on Wednesday evening, Clare County Council said, “All of the asbestos material investigated to date consists of broken pieces of asbestos cement water main. It is considered that all of this material originated on Clare County Council water services …

GARDAÍ in West Clare are investigating reports of attempted break-ins by a person, who it is claimed was attempting entry using a supposed master key. The gardaí are reacting to a matter raised by Councillor Oliver Garry at Monday’s meeting of the JPC, where he said he had received calls from members of the public in Kildysart, who had told him “a person was going around with a bunch of keys trying specific doors of houses”. He said on receiving a call about it, he phoned gardaí in Kilrush. He asked if the gardaí were aware of certain doors that could be accessed by using a “master key”. “He was only trying certain doors. I don’t know the specifics of the particular one,” he said. Superintendents Derek Smart and Seamus Nolan were not aware of this specific incident but said they would make enquiries. Following the meeting, Superintendent Smart said the gardaí had not heard about this particular type of …

KILRUSH RNLI was put on standby for a short period this Monday following a report that an aircraft was experiencing difficulties on its approach to Shannon Airport. The volunteer lifeboat crew was contacted by Valentia Coast Guard at 11.50am and made aware that the plane, described as an air to air refueller, was experiencing engine trouble as it made its way across the Atlantic. John Lamb, Kilrush RNLI Lifeboat operations manager requested the station’s volunteer crew to launch and remain on standby. Within minutes, crew members were geared up and the lifeboat was launched. Valentia Coast Guard was informed and the crew remained on the water awaiting instructions. At 12.35pm, the plane made a safe landing at Shannon Airport. The Coast Guard requested the lifeboat and the crew to stand down. Speaking following the call out, Kilrush RNLI helm, Pauline Dunleavy said, “Thankfully, the aircraft was able to make a safe landing this afternoon. It is at times like these …

By Peter O’Connell GHOSTS of Kilrush, an autobiographical account of life in the West Clare town in the 1940s, is to be made into a Hollywood film by Los Angeles based Grafton Street Productions. The book, which was written by Joe Riley, who now lives in the Philippines, was published in 2003. He sold the film right for a mere dollar. “The story in the book is very simple,” Joe Riley told The Clare Champion this week. “You had Aunty May whose son was murdered at St Senan’s Well. I was a little kid, four years of age. I had no mum or no dad. What ended up happening was, two people mending each other. That’s what the story is about,” he explained. Chris Cusack is executive producer with Grafton Street Productions and is a former associate producer with the Disney ABC Television Group and an executive producer with Vin Di Bona Productions. “He has roots, I believe in Clare,” …

GARDAÍ targeting the sale and supply of controlled drugs in the Kilkee area,  yesterday discovered two separate cannabis cultivation operations. Gardaí searched a house in Lislanahan, Kilkee, where approximately 200 cannabis plants with an estimated street value of €160,000  were discovered. A man and woman, both aged 23 years, were arrested and detained at Kilrush Garda station under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. In the second operation, gardaí searched a property in Tullaroe, Kilkee, where approximately 300 cannabis plants with an estimated street value of €280,000 were discovered. A man in his 50s was arrested and detained at Ennis Garda station under the provisions of Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. These finds follow on from from a cannabis “grow” find in Carrigaholt area last week.