Tag Archives: Tulla

A CONTROVERSIAL social housing development for Tulla is to proceed, after the approval of a Part 8 planning application at this month’s meeting of Clare County Council. The scheme will see 22 homes built at a site in Doonaun in a mix of apartments and houses. The green light was given despite 17 local objections – one of which included a petition signed by 45 local residents – and the decision of Councillor Pat Hayes to vote against the application, when it came before local authority members. The scheme was the subject of some controversy earlier this year when a number of residents sought what is known a ‘screening determination’ from An Bord Pleanála, insisting that the local authority should have submitted a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) with the plans. Other residents made submissions directly to the council citing concerns over flooding, the capacity of water services, infringement of privacy and noise disturbance that might be created because of …

TULLA Comhaltas are making sure younger members stay in tune, while their regular music lessons and band practice sessions remain suspended as the Covid-19 crisis continues. The organisation, which has up to 100 members in the under-18 age category, has been inviting its junior musicians to record performances in their homes and share them on the Tulla Comhaltas Facebook page. The activity has proven hugely popular with audiences worldwide and has been instrumental in keeping young musicians busy and learning while the lock-down continues. The initiative is the brain-child of Youth Officer Aisling Hunt, who, up to the advent of the crisis, had been busy training junior members for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, the All-Ireland Fleadh. “At the moment, there are no individual lessons going on, no group practices and no sessions,” she explained. “We don’t know if or when the Fleadh will take place. That was scheduled for August in Mullingar, but it’s now postponed. Our young members had …

THERE was plenty of nostalgia in the air on Wednesday last when past and present school pupils got together in Tulla to open a time capsule that had been under lock and key for a quarter of a century. The capsule had been stored away in Bank of Ireland since February 1996 as part of the 20-20 Vision project to mark the European Nature Conservation Year 1995. Past pupils of fifth and sixth classes who attended the Convent of Mercy in the ‘90s, and put the capsule together under the guidance of Sr Eileen Callinan, gathered at St Mochulla’s this week to revisit their childhood visions for the Tulla of 2020. As anticipation grew in the packed hall at St Mochulla’s Principal Brian Culloo set the scene with a description of the key moments of 1995. He raised a cheer among current day pupils for his references to the beginning of the comedy ‘Fr Ted’ and Clare’s All-Ireland hurling victory. Coincidentally, two …

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 …