In June this year Clare County Council and Kilkee Town Council decided to limit access to the East End car park, after a number of camper vans parked there over a weekend when it’s barrier was left open
To prevent a repeat, the lock was subsequently changed, and un-copyable keys handed out to emergency services, the Kilkee Boat Club and Kilkee Sub Aqua Club
To gain access to the sea at Kilkee, boat owners have to drive through the car park to get to the town’s main slipway into the water, a process which local boat owner Manuel di Lucia said has been made much more difficult.
The decision has led to issues for people locally, and also for many visitors to Kilkee.
One of those is Newmarket on Fergus man PJ McMahon who was forced to wait over half an hour to get a key to enter the car park, and then could not get one to leave.
Gavin Grace spoke with PJ McMahon on Thursday’s Morning Focus – PJ expressed fears about the potential consequences of this decision.
Mayor of Kilkee Councillor Paddy Collins also spoke with Gavin and said that he feels people will get used to the situation for the remainder of this year – he also explained that the action was taken on the advice of the council’s insurance company.
Crowe Horwath yesterday published their comprehensive annual review of the Irish Hotel industry
It is the 18th time they have produced this report which will not only be of interest to consumers but also the owners of over 850 hotels the length and breadth of the country
Partner Aiden Murphy joined Gavin on the line to discuss the findings.
Michael Vaughan – President of the Irish Hotels Federation and Lahinch hotelier – commented on the findings of the review and spoke about business this year.
There was a flying exhibition of the Speedtwin plane in Shannon Airport yesterday
Its creator Malcolm Ducker had a word with Gavin about his hopes to manufacture the two seater plane at Shannon in the future.
Tulla native Fr. Sean Doyle has been based in Rio de Janeiro for 40 years
He is on a visit to his native county this Summer and joined Gavin in studio for a chat about life in Brazil and his pastoral work.
He also spoke about Pope Francis’ recent visit to Brazil – his first international trip as pontiff
Record crowds turned out for his six-day tour of the largest Catholic country in the world
As many as three million people packed Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach to watch him deliver the final Mass of his visit.
The Clare Arts Office and Ennis Town Council are planning a final summer open air exhibition in the Temple Gate Car Park this Saturday from 11am to 4pm
The exhibition is open to all artists interested in displaying their work and meeting other artists
The initiative, which is based on a similar and very successful scheme hosted in St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin
Clare Arts Officer Siobhán Mulcahy joined Gavin in studio with more details.
The International Miss Macra Festival is taking place in Dundrum House Hotel this weekend
PRO of Ennis Macra ne Feirme and Ballinruan native Roisin Rogers is representing Clare in the competition
She joined Gavin in studio for a chat ahead of the festival.
The River Fair, Ennistymon hosts a special arts and crafts event ‘The Happening’ this Saturday from 10am
There will be 30 traders from all over Clare exhibiting at this outdoor community event with music
Joan McGrotty of the West Clare Gallery, Ennistymon encouraged people to come along.
The Irish Festival of Speed takes place this weekend at the Limerick Racecourse
They ran it in 2011 at Adare Manor over one day and attracted 16,000 people and this year, over two days, they are looking to get 40,000, which will also bring €6million into the mid-west region
Dromoland native and co-founder of the festival Conor O’Brien spoke with Gavin.
The Tailteann Nua Festival is organised as part of The Gathering and will taking place from tomorrow until Monday at the University of Limerick
It will celebrate Irish dance, music, literature and sport the weekend events features set dancing workshops and Ceilis, storytelling, writing workshops, music sessions
Set dancing Tutor Pat O’Dea spoke with Gavin about what’s on offer this weekend.
Contact the festival office on 061 324 178 or see www.limerickgatheringfestival.com
Summer Music on the Shannon is a registered charity celebrating its 20th year offering quality accessible music experiences to all people of Clare, Galway and the Shannon region
The youth opera group will be performing ‘The Green Children’, composed by Nicola LeFanu, libretto by Kevin Crossley-Holland at Glor tomorrow at 8pm
Performers Tina O’Dwyer from Sixmilebridge and Emily Luff from Miltown Malbay and Bob Creech, CEO of Summer Music on the Shannon joined Gavin in studio.
If you have a story for Morning Focus email Focus@clare.fm
