Tag Archives: Tuamgraney

THE WORLD famous Aga Khan trophy will be in Tuamgraney this Wednesday, September 14, to mark the role of local man, Michael Blake, in leading Team Ireland to victory in The Nations Cup at the RDS last month. The prestigious trophy was presented to Chef d’Équipe, Michael, and his team, by President Michael D Higgins in August. It followed a cliff-hanger jump-off against France in front of a capacity audience at the RDS. The win saw the return of the Aga Khan Cup to Ireland after a seven-year gap. This Wednesday evening, Michael will be joined by some of his team members, as well as representatives of the RDS and Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) for a civic ceremony, from 6 to 8pm, at The East Clare Memorial Park in Tuamgraney. Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Councillor Tony O’Brien will officiate, and attendees are likely to include many of Clare’s Oireachtas members and local representatives. Despite the intensive security that surrounds …

A YOUNG East Clare man, who runs a thriving beekeeping supplies shop, is a proof that it’s good advice to ‘bloom where you are planted’.   After his family moved from Holland to Tuamgraney, 23 years ago, Chris Jeuken, found his niche working with the skills and resources that nature gave him. He credits his father, Harry, an organic farmer, with inspiring him to be a self-starter. Chris moved from making and selling chicken coops, at the age of 14, to beekeeping and, most recently, to producing high-quality bee hives. His business, Apis Bee Supplies, which he started in 2017, as “a way to keep busy on wet days”, now boasts 2,000 customers nationwide. Chris admitted that adjusting to a new language and country, at the age of five, was a bit overwhelming. “Now it’s home,” he said. “There is less stress here and I like the friendliness and openness of the people, the greenness and the beauty.” Chris attended …

THE WORLD famous Aga Khan trophy could be making its way to Clare next month to mark the role of a Tuamgraney man in Team Ireland’s victory in the Nations Cup last week. The glittering prize is one of the most sought-after in international equestrian sport and was donated by Aga Khan III in 1926. Chef d’Équipe, Tuamgraney’s Michael Blake, ensured that Ireland took back the coveted cup for the first time since 2015 in after a tense, but thrilling, jump-off against France. An elated Michael, who is also celebrating early qualification for the Olympics in 2024, told The Champion the nail-biting finish was a little tighter than he would have liked. “We did take our foot off the gas at point, but when it came down to the penalty shoot-out, we showed we could put the ball in the back of the net,” he said. On returning to Clare last Monday, one of the first things Michael did was …

PLANS for a significant housing development for Tuamgraney have hit a hitch, with the local authority asking for clarity on a number of elements of the proposals. After a total of six objections to plans for 52 new homes on a 3.96 hectare site on the Dock Road, the planning authority has asked for clarification on several aspects of the application. The plans were lodged by Michael Pearl in April, seeking permission for six four-bedroom detached houses; 22 three-bedroom, semi-detached houses; 14 two-bedroom semi-detached houses; and ten two-bedroom semi-detached bungalows. The first concern raised in the Further Information (FI) request is over the road that serves the site. Planners have said that they consider that the L41341 “which is narrow and poorly surfaced, to be unsuited in its current condition to provide safe access to a multi-unit residential development”. The developer has been asked to consult the Killaloe area engineer to discuss how a minimum road width of 5.5 metres …

A RELIGIOUS renewal group has secured conditional planning permission for a small-scale housing development in Tuamgraney, for older members of its community.  The Christian Community has been given the green light for 12 new accommodation units and the updating of their existing facilities at Drewsborough. A design statement submitted with the application last June, outlined how the existing centre is made up of a chapel, priest’s house, visitor accommodation, therapy rooms and associated services. Subject to 11 conditions, planners have given the go-ahead for the demolition of part of an existing building, the extension of the chapel and the creation of a new accommodation block. While assessing the application, planners raised a number of concerns, including the possibility of future interment of cremated human remains at the site. Through a Further Information (FI) request, they also queried elements of the design and landscaping and how the building would integrate into the traditional streetscape of Tuamgraney. Other questions about the ownership …

A YOUNG East Clare native whose photogenic potential was first spotted by The Clare Champion has since appeared in leading magazines including Italian Vogue and Irish Tatler.  Dion Mahoney was snapped, as a young boy, by Champion photographer John Kelly. He and his dad Paul were attending the Brian Ború reenactment at the East Clare Heritage Centre in Tuamgraney in 2005, when they were photographed for the paper.  When Dion recently reminded Paul of that picture, The Champion was fascinated to hear that Dion has been enjoying a high successful career in modelling. As a keen young sportsman, Dion enjoyed regularly playing rugby, soccer and hurling. A student at Scarriff Community College, Dion was in Junior Cert year when sustained a debilitating and recurring injury while on loan to Young Munster Rugby Club from Scarriff Rugby Club. Despite regular physiotherapy and osteopathy sessions, the injury would return after a few matches, requiring yet another period of treatment and rest. It …

A BID to create housing for older members of a religious community in Tuamgraney is back on track, now that the developers have clarified a number of aspects of their plans.  In June of last year, The Christian Community lodged an application to update their existing facilities at Drewsborough, and to create 12 new accommodation units.   According to a design statement submitted with the application, the existing Christian Community Centre is made up of a chapel, priest’s house, visitor accommodation, therapy rooms and associated services. The proposed project would involve the demolition of part of an existing building, the extension of the chapel and the creation of a new accommodation block. The application noted that The Christian Community had been able to obtain a site to the south of its existing centre, opening opportunities to update facilities and to provide accommodation for older people. After an initial assessment of the application, planners wrote to the organisation with an FI …

A HOUSING development planned for Tuamgraney is now the subject of six separate objections, including one from a local residents’ association. In April, developer Michael Pearl applied for permission to demolish an existing pumping station and built 52 houses, in a mix of bungalows and two-storey units, on a site of just under four hectares on the Dock Road. A submission from the Reddan’s Quay Residents has outlined six grounds of objection. These are the principle of development; over-development; housing design and layout; traffic and pedestrian safety; flooding; and environmental impact. The submission described Tuamgraney as having “a small close knit community of residents” and said that large scale developments had not been built, despite the fact that some have had the benefit of planing permission. The residents’ objection contended that the proposed 52-home estate “will have a severe impact upon the physical and social fabric of the village”. The document expressed the fear that Tuamgraney could become a “commuter …