Tag Archives: Tulla

IT IS A bright and chilly Friday morning in Tulla and there’s a buzz of activity about the place as locals stock up on the shopping and catch up on the news ahead of the weekend. “Ideally, we’d love to see this level of activity every day of the week,” says Councillor Pat Hayes who is taking The Clare Champion on a short walking tour of following the news that over 40 vacant premises have been identified in the area. While the heart of Tulla is beating strongly, as we make our way down Lower Main Street, the evidence of a report compiled by Clare County Council from Geo Directory statistics becomes more apparent. “We are coming to an area where there would have been busy pubs and shops, as well as a cinema,” Cllr Hayes explains. “But, you know life has changed and times have changed. Still it is hard to be looking at buildings lying idle and empty …

TULLA based concertina player, Mary MacNamara is to be celebrated in a memorable concert featuring the best in the county and country as she has been announced as this year’s MÓRglór Award winner. Glór has this week announced that the MÓRglór Award 2019 will go to the legendary concertina player who has been an inspiration to many musicians, both in Clare, nationally and internationally, and an outstanding ambassador for the traditional arts in Clare. Mary was in Australia when she got the news that she had been named as this years recipient. “I was in Australia when I got the call. I was in a lift at 11.30pm and obviously the coverage was bad in the lift, and I could hear a little bit  and I had to ask them to email. I got that at 12 midnight and it was a lovely surprise before I went to bed,” she said. Mary had been in Australia and New Zealand playing music with Eileen O’Brien and Angela Usher and …

*WARNING: CONTAINS DISTURBING IMAGES A WALKER taking a quiet stroll in the scenic and peaceful area of Upper Tyreda in Tulla was met by a gruesome find on the roadside, when he discovered multiple dismembered parts of deer strewn on the road side. The individual, who did not want to be named, said, “I reckon it is young deer heads, and there is a bigger one there where it looks like the antlers have been cut off it. I don’t understand how people can do that, at least if they buried it, but to think of cutting the heads off of animals like that, for me it’s terrible and then to dump it on the side of the road”. This quiet road, which is populated by a few houses, and leads to a local garage, is only six or seven feet wide, and this horrible sight is visible to anyone traversing the road.           The walker added, “You …

Cnoc na Gaoithe in Tulla is to hold a monster Christmas fundraiser next Saturday December 8 to support a dance and music exchange to France next year.  The event, which takes place at Treacy’s West County Hotel in Ennis at 8.30pm sharp, expects to draw a large crowd.  The proceeds raised on the night will be used to fund 15 musicians and dancers from Cnoc na Gaoithe who will travel to the South of France in the New Year. The exchange programme already saw a group of French musicians come to Tulla in July 2018. The programme has facilitated not only an exchange of music and culture but has also developed ties between both groups.  Booking details can be obtained from Cnoc na Gaoithe, Tulla Post Office and Tulla Pharmacy.  All are welcome to attend.

A NEW development plan for Tulla is on its way, after the village was successful in its application to receive support from Clare Local Development Company and the LEADER programme. The proposed plan will help Tulla to meet the needs of the community for the years ahead. The first step is a public consultation that aims to find out what people think about Tulla, what locals like about it and what they don’t like. To achieve this, the Tulla Planning Group is distributing a short survey. It is hoped to reach as many people as possible, so the survey will be distributed through schools, churches and businesses. Jim O’Sullivan, of the planning group, explained they have asked people to leave their club or group affliations at the door when filling out the survey. He said the group expects to get a variety of views across all demographics and aims to address these concerns in a plan. “Parking is of interest …

A man appeared before the district court this week concerning 10 counts of dangerous driving across Ennis and areas in East Clare. Andrew Moroney (32) of Lower Main Street, Tulla appeared in connection with 16 alleged driving offences in Ennis and East Clare in the early hours of Monday of this week. In the case, Mr Moroney is facing 10 separate dangerous driving counts from the incident that lasted just under one hour after 2.30am on Monday morning. The Tulla man is facing two counts of dangerous driving from his driving on Abbey Street, Ennis, two counts from his driving on O’Connell Square in Ennis and two counts on the Quin Road, Ennis. Mr Moroney is also charged with dangerous driving at Station Road, Ennis, Monamoe townland, Clooney townland and Sraheen townland. Mr Moroney is also charged with drink driving at Derrynaneil, Feakle and criminal damage of a Garda patrol car at Sraheen townland. He is also charged with failing …

EAST Clare has benefited from a number of new developments this past year, with working beginning on a new social housing scheme in Feakle, Tulla has a new car park at Cnoc na Gaoithe, and that facility is also set to benefit from further development arising from the announcement of funding. Work began on a new Clare County Council social housing development comprising 13 homes in Feakle this year. Funded by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government under the Rebuilding Ireland Programme, the scheme is the first social housing development in Feakle since 1973. The development, when finished will consist of a mix of two-bed and three-bed units in a range of single and two storey houses, has gone through extensive public and department consultation and includes a new pedestrian way linking the main street to the school and playground. The project is being delivered by Custy Construction Ltd and will see the addition of a link between the Main Street, playground and …

ST Joseph’s Secondary School Tulla opened its doors to students for a new school term last week and, in doing so, it also welcomed a new school principal, following the retirement of Margaret O’Brien. A proud Portumna woman, Juliet Coman, has taken on the new role and comes to the school from St Mary’s Secondary School, Nenagh, where she had been a deputy principal for the last number of years. Juliet went to university in Limerick and began her teaching career in Presentation Secondary School in Mitchelstown, where she worked for 14 years, teaching science and maths. “Throughout my time there, I was heavily involved in sports and I spent some time as programme coordinator and year head and for my last year there I was acting deputy principal for one year. I was an athlete myself and I brought that with me to the various places. I’d have a great interest in sport and involving students in all sports,” …