Breaking News

No alteration to form lines as St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield maintained their perfect start to this year’s Clare Cup in a relatively comfortable victory over Wolfe Tones in Gurteen on Friday night. Always an intriguing tie particularly as there’s no shortage of recent history and trauma between this pair in relegation battles, the big difference here was in terms of clinicalness in front of the posts as the Parish were far more efficient than the visitors who will ultimately rue a wasteful first half. The Tones did start with a bang as talisman Billy Connors stunned their hosts with an early goal but by the turn of the second quarter, St Joseph’s not only cancelled it out but powered clear thanks to goals through Eoghan Thynne, following a powerful Alan O’Neill shot, and Cian Barron at 2-6 to 1-4. The home side’s wide spectrum of attacking threats is unrivalled in the county as they can triple aerial threat of Alan O’Neill, …

The sun will no doubt be splitting the Burren rocks this Sunday when the mighty Kilfenora Céilí Band take to the stage at the Square in the village for the hugely popular open-air céilí. The céilí, which has been the cornerstone of the Kilfenora Traditional Music Festival for the past 16 years, has never yet seen a rainy day, with musicians and dancers usually basked in early summer sunshine. “The biggest event always in ‘the Kilfenora’ in Kilfenora. I’ve met people from all over Ireland who travel to hear the band playing in the village square,” said John Morgan. “We have 200 seats out for the people who are not dancing and lots of space for those who are. I remember I met a woman when the first festival was starting in 2009 who hadn’t seen set dancing in the village for 30 years, so we had to change that. “The band always play out of their skins in the …

A Clare man who sexually abused and raped his daughter over a 13-year period has been jailed for 11 and a half years. Patrick Honan (69) was found guilty following a Central Criminal Court trial in February of 48 sample counts including 25 of rape and 23 of indecent assault. The victim in this case, Noreen Honan, has waived her right to anonymity to allow her father to be named. The abuse took place at the family home at Lake View, Doonbeg, Co. Clare between 1977 and 1989 when she was aged between three and a half and 16. It included inappropriate touching, vaginal and oral rape, forced kissing, masturbation and digital penetration of her vagina. Honan of Lake View, Doonbeg, Kilrush, Co. Clare does not accept the verdicts of the jury and maintains his innocence, the court was previously told. Today, Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford imposed a 13-year custodial sentence, with the final 18 months suspended. She also directed …

ENNIS-based FASD Ireland, the country’s first national hub to support individuals, families and carers living with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), is to be awarded €200,000 in funding. The announcement was made by Minister for Disability Anne Rabbitte (FF) in the Dáil recently. Minister Rabbitte said, “Approximately €200,000 in funding will be awarded to the FASD Ireland in Clare for the national hub. I commend the work it has done in putting in place the telephone line and supporting families when there is such a deficit in Departments and the HSE in terms of taking on the mantle of providing support. I compliment the team in Clare on what it is doing. I am very supportive of it.” Welcoming the announcement, CEO of FASD Ireland, Tristan Casson-Rennie, said, “I am delighted that Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder has been discussed in detail in Dáil Éireann. FASD Ireland has some key asks of Government, importantly that FASD is recognised as a disability …

Rural Clare is on the verge of collapse and, unless urgent action is taken, the current generation of rural Clare people will be the last one raised outside of towns and cities. That is the message that Clare Macra will be presenting to politicians this Friday night at a special lobbying event which takes place in Ennis. The Chairperson of Clare Macra, Caitríona Power, says that the difficulty of securing a home in rural Ireland is driving young people away and scores of Clare Macra members have been forced to emigrate in recent years. “There are a lot of things which are forcing young people to move into towns and cities or to go abroad. Rural Ireland is dead really. Our members say that Macra is the only social outlet available to them,” she told The Clare Champion. “One of our members was looking to rent an apartment in Limerick City and it was €1,000 a month. That was only …

Mark McKenna’s charges recorded their second victory of this year’s Clare Cup campaign on Friday evening after a lively and highly entertaining battle with hosts Kilmaley. In truth though, had they not won the East Clare club would have left scratching their heads as ten first half wides very nearly proved detrimental. In the end it was a tour de force display from County Senior panellist Patrick Crotty that was enough to deservedly see them claim the spoils and record a three point victory. It was the away side who dominated possession throughout the opening period. First to the ball they also won the midfield battle resulting in a series of opportunities but Scariff just couldn’t convert possession into scores. In contrast to this, Brian Culbert’s Kilmaley side were extremely economical and efficient. So clinical were they that they remarkably scored eight points from nine attempts compared to Scariff’s seven from seventeen attempts. At the interval the blues led by …

The parents of Aoife Johnston, who died in a “death trap” emergency department at University Hospital Limerick, following “systemic failures” in her care, said today their daughter died a “horrible death”, writes David Raleigh. Carol and James Johnston said they wanted their daughter not to be remembered “as the girl who died on a hospital trolley”, but as “a happy, easy-going, happy-go-lucky girl, who went to school and did summer jobs”. “Our lovely 16-year-old girl and our baby was loved very, very much by us and her sisters,” they said. Following four days of harrowing evidence at Aoife’s inquest, the Limerick Coroner, John McNamara returned a verdict of medical misadventure in her death from meningitis after she contracted sepsis. It was, Mr McNamara agreed, “the only verdict” open to him after it had been proposed by Damien Tansey, senior counsel and solicitor for the Johnston family, and not opposed by barristers representing the HSE/ULHospitals Group and management at the hospital. …

Newmarket Celtic 9 – Kilrush Rangers 1 A sun drenched McDonagh Park saw a lovely gesture when Katie Purcell, daughter of Newmarket manager Paddy, walked the whole field giving ice cream to everyone present but that’s where the hospitality ended for the visitors as Purcell’s charges simply ran riot. Earlier in the season these sides drew 3-3 back in Kilrush, a result that has had an impact on the title race but this return fixture was never in doubt as Celtic raced into a three nil lead as quick as it took for spectators to enjoy the ice cream! An Eoin Hayes cleverly taken free kick arrived at the feet of centre forward Tadgh Noonan who swivelled to buy space before firing low and accurate into the bottom corner. Moments later an inswinging Nathan BoaVentura corner was powerfully headed home to the net by Cian Foley and one knew it was going to be a long morning for the visiting …