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Tag Archives: Lough Derg

Husband of Euromillions winner Dolores McNamara dies

THE husband of Euromillions winner Dolores McNamara has died in Killaloe. Adrian McNamara, who was in his late 60s and a bricklayer by trade, passed away following an illness this morning. He died peacefully and surrounded by his family, at his son Lee’s home in the Clare village. Mr McNamara along with his wife, who won a €115m Euromillions jackpot in 2005 after purchasing a €2 Quick Pick ticket, had lived together at Lough Derg Hall, a vast property and estate in Ogonnolloe, overlooking Lough Derg. Ms McNamara purchased the 10,000 sq ft hill-top property for €1.75m in 2005, after it had reportedly attracted the interest of Hollywood actor Robert De Niro. The lavish country manor, boasting amazing lakeside views, at the end of a half-mile long private entrance, fronted by electric gates and an eight-foot high wall, is set on 38 acres, including a coach house. The high-end property is a far cry from the modest 1,200 sq ft …

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Lough Derg lakeside viewing points secure funding

NEWS viewing and discovery points are to be developed around Lough Derg, thanks to a partnership between agencies in three counties. Clare Local Development Company (CLDC), Galway Rural Development (GRD) and North Tipperary Development Company (NTDC) have come together to approve further project funding toward the development of the lakeside amenities. The funding has been provided through the LEADER grant programme, and this is the second such project with these partners on Lough Derg in recent years. “The tourism sector has been one of those worst hit by the pandemic due to the collapse of inbound travel and the restrictions on internal movement,” said Doirin Graham, CEO of Clare Local Development. “It’s all the more important we support it to bounce back quickly”. CEO of GRD Steve Dolan added “The Lough Derg region has a wide range of natural assets and, as I know first-hand, terrific people. Staycations will be taken by the majority of the population in the coming …

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New bus routes to boost tourism in East Clare

FÁILTE Ireland is set to support an approved Local Link bus service for East Clare, boosting public transport facilities for visitors and residents alike. News of the development was secured by Deputy Cathal Crowe who said additional routes will be added as part of the Shannon Tourism Masterplan, which was unveiled last week. The Fianna Fáil TD said that the planned investment will play a major role in rejuvenating the entire east of the county. “There is huge untapped potential in terms of Lough Derg and East Clare’s tourism product,” said Deputy Crowe. “For many decades, the entire focus has been on developing the Cliffs of Moher and West Clare’s tourism offering and while this has been great, it has led to an imbalance of tourism development within our county and there has been a neglect of the Lough Derg-Lower Shannon area for too long.” Deputy Crowe also noted the importance of the new routes in the context of the …

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Council seeks Further Information on ‘tranquillity mooring’ plans

QUESTIONS have been raised about plans to install a ‘tranquillity mooring’ at a location close to Holy Island, on the Clare side of Lough Derg. Waterways Ireland, who applied for permission at the end of last year, have been asked to explain how anti-social behaviour and noise pollution will be avoided. In addition, county planners have requested more details of how sensitive local sites will be protected. They have also asked Waterways Ireland to consider the cumulative impact given that the visitor plan for Holy Island provides for two 50-seater ferries taking passengers to and from Inis Cealtra. Plans for one other moorings – one at Castle Bawn, Ogonnelloe  – is also the subject of a Further Information (FI) request. Plans for another mooring at Scariff Bay was also lodged last year. This has since been deemed invalid on technical aspects of the applications. Consultants who worked on the mooring plan noted that the lake is currently used for recreational …

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Objector brands tranquillity moorings ‘a contradiction in terms’

TRANQUILITY moorings, which are planned by Waterways Ireland for the Clare section of Lough Derg, are the subject of a number of objections over concerns about their impact on wildlife and local amenities. Last month, Waterways Ireland lodged applications to build moorings at three locations – Castle Bawn Bay, Ogonnelloe; at the mouth of the Scariff River; and on another site North West of Inis Cealtra, close to Knockaphort Jetty, around 130m from the lakeshore. At an active travel briefing for Clare last week, Regional Manager with Waterways Ireland, Éanna Roe explained that the moorings are being piloted on Lough Derg, with a view to enhancing the on-water experience for those using the Shannon. Concerns over all three planning applications have now been lodged by the Lough Derg Anglers Association and by a member of The Golden Eagle Trust. In their submission the anglers association described tranquillity moorings as “a contradiction in terms,” saying “tranquillity for humans causes disturbance for …

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Waterways Ireland plan new Lough Derg mooring points

THREE new ‘tranquillity moorings’ are being proposed for sites along Lough Derg’s Clare shoreline. Waterways Ireland has lodged applications with Clare County Council to build the moorings at Castle Bawn Bay, Ogonnelloe; at the mouth of the Scariff River; and on another site North West of Inis Cealtra, close to Knockaphort Jetty, around 130m from the lakeshore. Consultants who worked on the application noted that the lake is currently used for recreational boating, mainly during the summer months. “Casual boat mooring occurs within quieter inlets outside of the existing navigational markers, with boats dropping anchor near parts of the shoreline,” they note. “The proposed development aims to formalise mooring facilities in these areas, but discourage more casual mooring closer to the lake shore.” If granted permission, the development off Knockaphort Jetty would involve a new floating mooring buoy anchored by a concrete weight, sitting on the lake bed connected by a galvanised steel chain. That proposed mooring would only be …

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Speeding jetskis startled cow into throwing calf, says farmer

SPEEDING jet skis on Lough Derg created such a commotion that a cow on a Clare farm became distressed and miscarried its calf, according to a local Dáil deputy. The nuisance caused by jet skis on Lough Derg was criticised by Deputy Michael McNamara during a Dáil debate about the need to tackle the inappropriate use of quad bikes. Commenting on the increased number of people on the water this summer because of the lockdown and the initial good weather, Deputy McNamara recalled jet skis were used on lakes where they had never been seen before. “I spoke to a constituent about it yesterday. She told me of an incident on her family farm, which adjoins a lake. A cow was so panicked by jet skis on the lake that she threw a calf,” he said. Last June, Killaloe Coast Guard appealed to jet ski operators to operate in the open waters of Lough Derg away from restricted zones near …

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Inis Cealtra project takes major step forward

EAST Clare tourism interests have warmly welcomed progress with the long-awaited project to develop a visitor centre for Inis Cealtra. Clare County Council announced this week that consultants, McCullough Mulvin Architects, Tandem Partners Ltd and Tobin Consulting Engineers, have signed a contract for the design of the Visitor Experience centre. The council is leading the project, along with a wide range of partners. Chairperson of East Clare Tourism, Arlene White welcomed a number of aspects of the plans to further the next stage of the project. “It is very encouraging to see the emphasis on sustainability and connections with the local community,” she said. “We want to avoid a situation where there are buses of visitors flocking and just barely touching down in the area. I think lessons have been learned, in that respect, from the situation at The Cliffs of Moher.” Ms White added that the challenge would be to ensure real benefits to the wider East Clare region. …

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