The fight for the Burren continues. Members of the Burren Action Group marked almost a decade's battle as they participated in the annual New Year's Day walk at the weekend to highlight opposition to Government plans for a visitor centre or "entry point", at Mullaghmore.
The walk route was truncated due to the recent flooding in the south Galway/Clare area, but there was no question of it not going ahead.
A decision is still pending from An Bord Pleanala on the appeal by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, the Gaeltacht and the Islands against Clare County Council's decision to refuse planning permission for the centre.
Meanwhile, Ballyvaughan village in Co Clare is busy. Work is due to begin in earnest on a wildlife habitat, as part of the Shannon Development Millennium Environmental Awards scheme.
The scheme was set up last May, to mark the development company's 40th anniversary and to acknowledge the importance of the region's environment. Funding is being provided through it to allow the people of the Shannon area to undertake a range of imaginative projects.
Some 58 entries for the scheme were submitted by communities in Clare, Limerick, north Tipperary, north Kerry and south Offaly, and some 20 of these were awarded grants. The announcements were made at a special ceremony some weeks back in Bun ratty Folk Park by the journalist and RTE presenter, Dr John Bowman.
The Ballyvaughan project involves establishing a wildlife habitat on land donated by a local landowner.
A bird-watching hide will be erected, to enable people to view the wide variety of waders, duck, geese and other species which regularly appear. In 1984, a North American belted kingfisher turned up. It was only the second time that such a bird had been recorded crossing the Atlantic.