Tag Archives: Rita McInerney

A PUBLIC meeting takes place at 8pm tonight (Thursday, November 24, 2022) in Doonbeg Community Hall to launch a campaign for a new playground in the village. Local business woman Rita McInerney, of Doonbeg Development encouraged people to attend to kick off the process to provide locals and visitors alike with the facility. “There was a playground in Doonbeg, but it fell into disrepair,” Rita said. “The great news is that we have had a lot of families with small children move into the village, especially during Covid, and there is definitely a demand for a playground. It would also be another amenity for visitors in the summer.” A site at the back of the hall, beside the school and naoínra, is one which Rita said would make an idea playground. “It’s central and it’s safe and there’s a real opportunity now to develop it,” she said. “What we’re looking for now would be to create a committee, ideally with …

THE absence of Dr Michael Harty from the race poses an interesting question for those trying to read the tea leaves ahead of Clare going to the polls. In 2016, Dr Harty took 8,629 first preferences, 15% of the overall vote, a fantastic performance for a first-time candidate after a relatively short campaign, and he won the second seat. From Kilmihil and standing on the No Doctor No Village platform, it might have been expected that he would take his support from West Clare but people from different parts of the county also got behind him. For instance, tallies show that he took 230 votes from the boxes at the Ennis Town Council offices, about as urban as Clare gets, and a place where doctors are very accessible to voters. He took 76 first preferences from boxes at Quin National School, while tallies at Toonagh National School show he took 95 first preferences, more than any other candidate. Just up …

    CLARE Fianna Fáil councillors has expressed their fury over the decision to effectively grant the government at least another year in office, claiming people have been “let down”. The decision by Fianna Fáil leader, Micheál Martin to extend the controversial Confidence and Supply Agreement with the Fine Gael for another 12 months to provide political stability in view of the chaos in Westminister has sparked a major backlash from some local councillors. Deputy Martin has stated Fianna Fáil couldn’t risk four months of uncertainty in the run up to a General Election and a length process to form a new government in the interest of the economy. However, a Clare Champion survey of local FF councillors have revealed the majority of them are opposed to the one-year extension. Acknowledging that the uncertainty generated by Brexit is a major concern, Councillor Tony O’Brien said he was “disgusted and disappointed” by this decision. “This decision has let down the party, …

CLARE Fianna Fáil General Election candidate, Rita McInerney, has said that both central and local government must give serious consideration to placing restrictions on out of town shopping centres in an effort to protect our small towns and villages. Ms McInerney was commenting after a new report, Rejuvenating Ireland’s Small Town Centres: Meeting the Challenge, published by Chartered Surveyors Ireland, called for restrictions on out of town shopping centres, in addition to the full scale roll out of high speed broadband, and the establishment of Towns Partnerships to deliver a united voice on behalf of towns. “This is a very welcome and timely report, and one which I wholeheartedly support. For far too long, the retail centres of our towns have been decimated by the growth of out of town retail and shopping centres. The effect is clear for all to see – pulling shoppers away from small independent retailers in our towns’ centres to large, retailers on the outskirts …

FIANNA Fáil General Election candidate, Rita McInerney, has urged all Clare residents to check that they are on the Electoral Register, and if not, to register to vote by November 25. Ms McInerney made the call as the new draft electoral register for the county was published. “It is vitally important that everyone checks, and double-checks, that they are on the Electoral Register. You can do this very simply by visiting www.checktheregister.ie and searching for your details. You can also check if you are on the register at your local post office, Garda station, library or Clare County Council office,” the Doonbeg woman said. “The right to vote is one of the privileges of living in a free and democratic republic. Millions of people across the work are denied this basic right, so I firmly believe that we all have an obligation to use our vote. If you spot a mistake on the electoral register, or can’t find your details, …

ERIC Trump has arrived in Doonbeg and it is expected that he will be staying there for the few days. President Trump’s 34 year old son is understood to be visiting with a group of friends and as well as playing golf, some business is also on his agenda. Security personnel have been in the Doonbeg area for a few days already, making preparations for his arrival. “I have 60 ice creams sent up to him this morning,” said local retailer Rita McInerney early this afternoon. She said she was pleased that Eric was visiting and that the fact he is bringing friends here may result in further benefits for the area. Mr Trump’s visit comes at a time when Doonbeg is experiencing its highest temperatures for many years. On another recent visit of his the Long Village was battered by a storm which saw the hotel’s power going down, so he has certainly seen extremities during his trips to …

Dr John Hillery and Deputy Timmy Dooley were selected to represent Fianna Fáil (FF) in Clare at the next General Election following the selection convention in Hotel Woodstock on Thursday night. The son of former President of Ireland Patrick Hillery beat off the challenge of Rita McInerney as Deputy Dooley was returned without a contest. In total, 278 FF members in the West Clare Municipal District voted in this contest, Dr Hillery secured 154 votes while Ms McInerney got 123 votes. Interestingly, these two successful candidates also represented Fianna Fáil in the 2011 General Election when transfers from Dr Hillery helped Deputy Dooley to win a Dáil seat without reaching the quota in the midst of a national meltdown for the party In his acceptance speech, Deputy Dooley requested all his supporters in West and North Clare to give their first preference in the next General Election to Dr Hillery. Acknowledging this was a difficult thing to do, the Mountshannon …

  Councillor Cathal Crowe has confirmed his shock withdrawal from the Clare Fianna Fáil Dáil Selection Convention, after claiming party headquarters scuppered his chances of election with a “political bombshell”. The Clare Champion can reveal the experienced Meelick Councillor will officially withdraw from the covention next Thursday, after an unprecedented geographical directive from Fianna Fáil headquarters. While Councillor Crowe will not contest the convention, he is hoping to convince senior party officials to subsequently add him to the party’s Dáil ticket in the Banner county. In fact, he is seeking an urgent meeting with general secretary Sean Dorgan and Fianna Fáil leader, Micheal Martin to present what he believes is a strong case to be added to the line-up. Hundreds of delegates, who are eligible to vote in the convention in Woodstock Hotel next Thursday night, have been issued with a controversial party directive requesting them to select one candidate from East and West Clare. Five candidates were initially nominated …