Tag Archives: North Clare

North and West Clare councillors have called on the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan (GP) to restore the Active Travel Scheme, and apply it equally to urban and rural areas. At the September meeting of the West Clare municipal district, Cathaoirleach, Councillor Ian Lynch (IND) put forward a motion to request that the Active Travel Scheme be applied equally to urban and rural areas. Another motion by Councillor Joe Garrihy (FG) called for the Minister to restore the same scheme. Cllr Lynch said “I think it’s important we put pressure on” adding North Clare and West Clare was not getting enough to manage successfully and would need to either get its fair share or get a different scheme set up.” Cllr Garrihy described Active Travel as “one of the most exciting schemes” ever established, and said it was “totally unacceptable” that it was not extended to North Clare, adding it needed to be restored “on the double” to make up …

THE fine weather has taken its toll on the water supply in North Clare with residents in Ennistymon, Lahinch, Fanore, Kilfenora and Ballyvaughan asked to conserve water in the days ahead. According to Uisce Éireann, some water supply schemes across the north of the county are currently experiencing water shortages and reduced pressure due to low reservoir levels brought about by the high demand for water and the ongoing low rainfall levels. “We are appealing to customers to conserve water to give the reservoirs time to replenish. We have had a very dry period and with the warmer weather currently being experienced and more forecast, supplies will come under further pressure,” said Duane O’Brien, regionals lead for Uisce Éireann. “Any reduction that customers can make in their usage can collectively result in significant supply improvements for all customers. I would ask that everyone in these areas, and in Clare in general, play their part to help conserve water this summer. …

CLARE County Council has been asked to put in place a “suitable and attractive” design for the junction at Lemenagh Castle. At last week’s meeting of west and north Clare county councillors, Joe Garrihy put forward a motion to that effect and he said there is “a double opportunity here”. He pointed out that as well as improving safety at the junction, the Council could create a “landmark experience” at a junction that people use to visit parts of the Burren, the Michael Cusack Centre, and Poulnabrone. He pointed out that at a meeting of Clare County Council earlier this year, there had been a discussion of leveraging roundabouts throughout the Council to help local tourism. Councillor Garrihy said that his proposal could not only help road safety, but could allow the Council to “take advantage of an iconic location”. Councillor Joe Killeen said that it is an area where boy racers do wheelies, while he said that the cross …

Central Statistics Office figures show that almost 8% of the Ennistymon electoral division is Ukrainian. This represents the highest concentration of Ukrainian refugees in the country, with arrivals from the war-torn country comprising 7.87% of the population of the area. This is significantly more than in any other part of the country, the second highest being an area of Leitrim, with 5.36%. Even within Clare the Ennistymon area is exceptional, with the percentages for the other electoral divisions being Kilrush 1.52%, Shannon 2.14%, Ennis 2.19% and Killaloe 0.25%. In raw numbers, 1,411 PPSN allocations were made to Ukrainian arrivals in the Ennistymon electoral division, up until September 25. There were 680 allocations in the Shannon area, with 734 in Ennis, 337 in Kilrush and just 54 in Killaloe.  In Clare, 363 Ukrainian children have been enrolled in primary schools and 166 in secondary schools. Lisdoonvarna-based County Councillor Joe Garrihy said that the integration of the new Ukrainian arrivals has been …

A DOOLIN musician has blended music, poetry, storytelling and the breathtaking visual beauty of the Burren landscape to create what has been described as a “love letter to Clare”. Towards the end of the new 30-minute movie “Always a Journey Never a Destination” A Clare Footprint” Oliver O’Connell delivers a key message – “In Clare, music is not what we do: music is what we are.” Instead of opting to showcase well-known tourist areas such as Bunratty Castle, the 73-year-old father-of-three filmed lesser known but beautiful parts of the Burren, which are skilfully interwoven in his own life journey story with music, poetry and his own distinctive prose. The North Clare accordion player is thrilled with the reaction to his “legacy to Clare”. “I wanted to do something that wasn’t done before and I know I got in this movie from the reaction of people who matter,” he said. Accomplished Limerick singer, fiddler and composer, Niamh Dunne, who is a …

THE water supply in west Clare has gone “beyond breaking point”, a meeting of local councillors heard. Councillor Gabriel Keating put forward a motion at the recent meeting of west and North councillors asking that Irish Water, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the County Council resolve the “long standing frequent bursts and outages due to the poor condition of the asbestos watermain situated in the raised bog rampart on the N67 south of Doonbeg Village.” He said that the N67 south of Doonbeg is deteriorating and is a health and safety hazard, as well as “a regular inconvenience to the residents of the area due to the frequency of bursts over a number of years”. Councillor Keating said that dealing with the issue every time there is a leak is costly, even if an overall project requires a good deal of funding. “I’d love to know how much each leak costs,” he mused. He said that people are left without water …

SCHOOL places for Ukrainian children fleeing the war will be allocated based on capacity and existing enrolment, the Education Minister has told a Clare TD. On foot of three Dáil questions from Deputy Cathal Crowe, Minister Norma Foley outlined a range of supports for children forced to flee Ukraine and come to Ireland. She said the Department of Education already has school capacity data based on annual enrolment returns. However, the location where families are living will also have a bearing, she confirmed, and coordination will take place with other Government departments. In the first instance, Deputy Crowe asked what steps that her Department of Education has taken to mark sure schools “are adequately equipped with teachers, accommodation, furniture, schoolbooks, special needs assistants and so on, to cater for the influx of Ukrainian children that will be entering their schools”. Deputy Crowe also asked that Departmental staff might be appointed as coordinators “to oversee the even distribution of Ukrainian children to …

HUNDREDS of people fleeing war-ravaged Ukraine have received a cead míle fáilte in North Clare as community groups, organisations and local representatives have come together to ensure a co-ordinated welcome for the new arrivals. More than 500 Ukrainians have arrived in Lisdoonvarna with a further 100 staying in Ballyvaughan in local hotels. This isn’t the first time that Lisdoonvarna has played host to the people of Ukraine as the town has fond memories of welcoming the Ukrainian Special Olympics delegation in 2003. More than 200 Ukrainian refugees who are now staying in the Hydro Hotel in Lisdoonvarna this week called for world leaders to stop the war. The refugees who arrived at the hotel last week have called for peace saying, “All Ukrainians and all people of the world, one peace now. Please stop this senseless war. World leaders help us to stop this war. Kindness and compassion to all humanity.” Hotel owner Marcus White told The Clare Champion that …