Two East Clare villages have been selected to benefit from the 2020 paint scheme in the Killaloe Municipal District.

A grant of €5,000 each has been allocated to Quin and Feakle for the coming year as part of the paint scheme administered by the Rural Directorate of Clare County Council. The funds will be used for private and commercial buildings in prominent areas of each parish.

Speaking at the May meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) proposed that the €10,000 be split into two for a successive year. He put forward Quin to take a section of the funds, a call which was seconded by Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF).

“Trojan work” carried out by Feakle Community Council was acknowledged by Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) as he nominated them to benefit from the other half of funds.

An application was made six months ago by the Community Council, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) outlined when seconding Cooney’s proposal. “When you’ve a good community like Feakle particularly with everything closed down, it would be good to see the paint scheme”. He questioned the window of time available for the scheme to be carried out, “have they a period of time to complete it”.

Positive reports have been voiced from villages that have availed of the scheme, Cllr O’Callaghan outlined. “It has been said that the village of Kilkishen should have got it last year, it did and it looks smashing, it really enhances the village and makes it much smarter”.

Acting senior executive officer, Morgan Lahiffe confirmed that three areas were selected in the last two years, Killaloe, Kilkishen and Scariff. “In Killaloe and Kilkishen, the grant is fully utilised and the work is done, in Scariff it is being done, there was a significant roadwork scheme there last so I believe it was difficult to combine both”. He stated that the 2020 grant was separate so new areas were entitled to benefit, “it is welcoming that the councillors are willing to spread it out”.