Enda Kenny is now leading the government in a caretaker capacity. He and other ministers will continue to carry out their duties until replacements can be appointed. It comes after the 32nd Dail failed to agree on a candidate for Taoiseach. Coalition talks will continue, and ahead of these, one Clare Fine Gael TD has called on Fianna Fail to engage with his party. Clarecastle’s Joe Carey, spoke to Gavin about how he believes a minority government, led by either party, won’t work. Deputy Timmy Dooley, FF, also spoke on the show about the issue.
Next on the show we heard from Joan Freeman, founder of suicide and self-harm crisis centre Pieta House, who launched Darkness into Light 2016 with Electric Ireland in The Temple Gate Hotel, The Square, Ennis last night (Thursday, March 10th) with former Irish rugby player Anthony Foley on hand to show his support. Taking place on Saturday, May 7, Darkness into Light is a unique, early morning fundraising and awareness event which begins in darkness at 4.15am as thousands of people walk or run a 5km route while dawn is breaking. This year, Darkness into Light will take place in over 100 locations in Ireland and abroad including the US, the UK, Scotland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and Asia. Venues this year in Clare include Ennis, Kilrush, Shannon, Miltown Malbay and Killaloe/Ballina. Registration and route information for Darkness into Light are available at dil.pieta.ie. All are welcome to attend the launch in Ennis.
Following ongoing flooding in Labane, which at one point, led to the closure of the main N18 from Galway to Limerick, a group of local people affected (home owners, business people etc.) came together with the aim of finding a long-term solution. Following consultation with Kenny Group Engineers who have worked on flood relief schemes in Ennis and in Clonmel, the group is proposing that pipes be laid to take flood water from Labane to Ardrahan and on to Kinvarra where it would be pumped into the sea. The projects would require five pumping stations and 13km of pipes at an estimated cost of 5.75 million euro. In January, a local delegation met Alan Kelly who agreed, in principle, to funding if the scheme met with the approval of Galway County Council. In February, the group met the Chief Executive of GCC who said an alternative scheme of directing water from Coole via a series of turloughs and into the sea. The Labane group believes their proposal would have less of an impact on the environment and, if successful could be rolled out in other flood-affected areas. Pat Quinn, a businessman from Labane, spoke with Gavin this morning about the flood relief efforts.
Next on the show we heard from Meelick woman, Anne Broggy-Kretz, who has organised a welly racing event in Switzerland.
The Pakie Ryan 10k takes place tomorrow (Saturday, March 19th) at 11am in Newmarket on Fergus countryside. The race starts from outside The Newmarket Celtic FC grounds and will finish back in the Newmarket on Fergus GAA Club. The event is open to runners, joggers and walkers. It’s open to first-time entrants as well as those chasing a new personal best. Registrations can be made on www.pakieryanrun.com. Gavin spoke to committee members, Anthony O’Looney and Richard O’Donnell about the run.
Later on the show, Gavin was joined by Siobhan Mulcahy, the Clare County Council Arts Officer, for the weekly arts round-up.
For the weekly round-up of weekend events, we heard from Tina Walsh. Tina spoke about ‘Sets by the Sea’, set and social dancing at the Bellbridge House Hotel Spanish Point. The event will run from Friday to Sunday, March 11-13. Proceeds go towards local Alzheimer’s Society. Gavin also spoke to Jane Cases, the Director of the Kildysart Drama Group. The drama group will be performing Martin McDonagh’s ‘The Cripple of Inishmean’ this weekend (March 12, 13) and next (March 18, 19) at Kildysart Community Centre. Doors open at 7.45 and curtain goes up at 8.30pm sharp.
Next on Morning Focus we heard from our weekly Friday Panel. Panellists included Mary Ellen Fean, from Shannon; Brian Meaney, from Ennis; and Ger O’Halloran, from Quin. The panellists discussed several topics including; the 32nd Dail and government formation, ESRI’s downsizing suggestion for ‘empty nesters’, and place name spellings.
Footloose, the Musical runs at Glor, Ennis from March 15th to 19th every night at 8pm, with an additional matinee show on March 19th at 2.30pm. Members of the Ennis Musical Society; Jamie Sheehan, Siofra Ni Eili-Duggan, and Neil Haran spoke to Gavin about the production.
