TWO white-tailed sea eagles who arrived from Norway in June, were released over Lough Derg last week. The release is part of the second phase of the White Tailed Sea Eagle (WTSE) Reintroduction Program in which ten young birds were recently brought from into Ireland, managed by Dr Allan Mee of The Golden Eagle Trust) and Eamonn Meskell of The National Parks & Wildlife Services (NPWS). In total six birds were released have been released, since June, at Lough Derg and four at the Shannon Estuary close to the Limerick/Kerry border. The new release phase aims to build on the successful re-establishment of this once extinct species over a three-year period and to bolster the small existing breeding population here. Previously, 100 young white-tailed sea eagles were released in Killarney National Park in County Kerry between 2007 and 2011. Birds from these releases subsequently dispersed widely throughout Ireland with first breeding in 2012 on Lough Derg. Since then a small …
Read More »Strong interest in sale of Killaloe Hotel with €2 million tag
PLACING well known hotel in Killaloe on the market with a guide price of €2 million has attracted more than a dozen inquiries, according to a Limerick-based auctioneer. It is believed that Gary McNamara, the son of EuroMillions winner Dolores McNamara has put a hotel he purchased in 2019 up for sale after it never re-opened its doors. Mr McNamara, who owns Tinerana House, Ballycuggeran, Killaloe, and is farming in the locality, has a number of business interests in the locality including Lough Derg Marina. The Killaloe Hotel was only placed on the market two weeks ago and already it has attracted a lot of inquiries from interested investors. This include five viewings of the 32-bed boutique hotel with all ensuite rooms with more expected over the coming week. The hotel closed unexpectedly in early January 2019 with the loss of up to 40 jobs. Speculation that it would re-open later that month never materialised. Gordon Kearney of Rooney Auctioneers, …
Read More »Locals Raise Concerns Over East Clare Wind Farm Consultations
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, …
Read More »Kayakers Rescued on Lough Derg
TWO kayakers were rescued after getting into difficulty on Lough Derg this morning. The alarm was raised shortly after 9am when they got into difficulty, and the Killaloe Coast Guard, the RNLI, a unit from Shannon’s Rescue 115 and three units of the National Ambulance Service attended the scene. The kayakers, who entered the water in Garrykennedy, were found by Rescue 115 and were later saved by an RNLI lifeboat. It is understood the pair fell victim to the strong currents and were taken way off course from Garrykennedy. The kayakers were treated at the scene once ashore and one of the individuals was taken to hospital for further treatment.
Read More »Climb Moylussa and work off festive excesses
WALKING enthusiasts in South-East Clare have been issued with an open invitation to work off the Christmas excesses by joining Ogonnelloe GAA club on a climb of Clare’s tallest mountain, Moylussa, midday on Saturday, December 29. In its annual Christmas community gathering, the club is going to make the most of its, and the county’s, biggest asset, Moylussa – the tallest point in the Slieve Bernagh Mountains at 532 metres – with an organised walk from midday. Walkers are asked to assemble for 11.45am. Last year, the community put on a special Christmas Musical Gala but, with major renovations on the Community Hall only just completed, it is taking to the outdoors for the 2018 festive season gathering. The starting point for the walk will be Two Mile Gate, with the two to three-hour – depending on levels of fitness – round-trek taking in the top of the mountain and, weather permitting, resplendent views across Lough Derg and well …
Read More »Person Detained Over Mountshannon Arson
Gardaí in Killaloe have arrested a person in connection with the arson attack on the Holy Island Tours trailer which occurred at Mountshannon Harbour in the early hours of Tuesday morning [June 26] and are currently investigating a second arson in the same location. Inspector David Finnerty of Killaloe Garda Station said they have arrested a “person of interest” in relation to the arson attack at the harbour on Tuesday and are detaining this individual under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. Under this provision the suspect can be detained for up to a maximum period of 24 hours. The arrest has come as a result of enquiries carried out by garda on Tuesday and due to the cooperation of members of the public. Gardaí received a report this morning, Thursday, of a fire on a boat in the vicinity of Holy Island Tours, however they confirmed that the boat was unconnected to this business. Although it is …
Read More »Sea eagle confirmed to have avian flu
A WHITE-tailed Sea Eagle, which was born in the spring of 2017, has been confirmed to be Ireland’s first and only case of the highly pathogenic avian influenza this year. The eagle, called Shannon, was found dead on the shores of Lough Derg in County Tipperary on January 31 and, following testing, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed that the avian influenza subtype H5N6 was detected in the wild bird. This is the highly pathogenic strain that has previously been confirmed in Great Britain and mainland Europe. It is the only case detected in Ireland so far. In a statement to The Clare Champion, the Department of Agriculture outlined that the White-tailed Sea Eagle is a re-introduced species, monitored by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Golden Eagle Trust. “Any dead White-tailed Sea Eagle that are recovered are submitted to the Department of Agriculture’s regional laboratories for post-mortem. This was the only White-tailed Sea Eagle …
Read More »New tourism branding sought for Lough Derg
COUNCILLORS in Clare and Tipperary County Councils have united to support a call for the provision of a new tourism brand for Lough Derg. Clare County Councillor Michael Begley proposed at the last joint meeting of the Killaloe and Nenagh Municipal Districts that new tourism branding should be introduced for Lough Derg. Councillor Begley suggested the “Ring of Lough Derg” or “Slí Lough Derg” should be provided to give more reasons for tourists to stay longer in the locality. “When you come off the motorway, we are little more than a place to pass through to go to Ennis or Limerick. “In order to correct this, we need a product with a recognisable name that has built into it all the attributes of Killaloe and all the other areas up to Portumna. “If you had a product that was the circle of that route that would take a few days to complete, you would get more bed nights and food sold,” …
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