Month: December 2007

THE Brothers of Charity set up its Shannon branch two years ago and the move has improved the lives of several people.

Prior to its establishment in Shan- non, its service users travelled to En- nis every day and worked together as a group. Now, the 11 service users from Shannon and surrounding areas are afforded the opportunity to work individually towards ensuring their

aims and goals in life are realised.

“We support people in an individual way and that fits into our plans,” says the organisation’s Project Co-ordina- tor, Helen Minogue.

In response to the changing needs of its service users, the Brothers of Charity have re-focused it priorities.

‘We have stepped away from deliv- ering services as a group to a Service focused on individuals. We have to be much more flexible now than in the past.

“Instead of having one central building, we have an office in the Re- spond building and an apartment in Ballycasey and we are in the process of buying a house for respite,” says Ms Minogue.

“In opening the centre in Shannon, the service users are not going away from their local community on a dai- ly basis anymore. Times have moved on. We use the facilities of the com- munity to facilitate the service us- ers,” she adds.

“We try to help people realise their own dreams. Some want to travel abroad on holidays, while others want to go into the workforce.”

John McGuire’s success story in running his own wood business has been a direct result of the fantastic support offered by the Brothers of Charity in Shannon. But he is not alone, aS each service user benefits through the organisation’s individual- ised system in ensuring they achieve their own personal goals in life.

JOHN McGuire is lapping up the at- tention. The compliments are flow- ing and the man at the centre of it all smiles, shyly.

It is one year since John set up his own business and a mulled wine and mince pie reception for his friends and colleagues marks a milestone in his life.

The 37-year-old set up his own business “John’s Woodwork Shop’ at the Ballycasey Craft Centre a year ago. He specialises in assembling wood products, from rocking horses and chairs to cribs, birdhouses and purpose-built kennels.

John’s business has grown consider- ably since its inception and this is not unexpected. What stands out how- ever 1S the fact that John has fought the odds to progress in an industry he dearly loves.

The Quin native suffers from mus-

cular dystrophy, a progressive muscle wasting disease. He also suffers from mild learning difficulties and uses a wheelchair.

However his enthusiasm evidently shines through, thus ensuring his dream of operating his own business is fulfilled.

John was thrilled to have had the opportunity to display some of this fine works at the pre-Christmas craft fair, which was held at the Sean Le- mass Library in Shannon a fortnight ago.

He says that running his own busi- ness is “a dream come true” and has been working in the area of wood for 15 years. He tells me it would take him just two days to assemble a pur- pose-built dog kennel.

He was particularly thrilled to have been commissioned to do work for Eircom in Ennis.

The company sought a number of containers for monkey trees and John

designed and made the containers.

Such has been the demand for his woodwork that John is optimistic he will expand and recruit employees in the future.

John set up the business with the support of the Brothers of Charity in Shannon, where he is a Service user. While he purchases his own mate- rial, the day-to-day running of the company is backed by various bod- ies including Shannon Development, Friends of the Brothers of Charity in Shannon, staff at Ballycasey Craft Centre and ECAT (East Clare Ac- cessible Transport) which transports John to work from his home in Car- rigoran every day.

Julie Dickerson and her team at GE in Shannon gave time voluntar- ily to get the unit cleaned out prior to John setting up his business there last year.

A number of individual workers with the Brothers of Charity, includ-

ing Dermot Maguire and Trish Dil- lon also play a key role in John’s suc- IS

‘The business has really taken off in the past few months and John’s personality has also changed. He has grown in confidence as the business has advanced,” says Trish Dillon.

Brothers of Charity project co-or- dinator Helen Minogue says, “John was always interested in setting up his own business. He didn’t want to be an employee.”

Brothers of Charity team leader Tim O’Neill says, “John had a vision. He had a dream and he had people around him to help him achieve erehee

WATCH your wallets folks, there’s pickpockets about as the staff and students of Mary Immaculate Sec- ondary School in Lisdoonvarna make final preparations to host their first musical.

The ultimate pickpocketers’ tale, Oliver! opens today in the school with two matinée and three evening performances taking place. With a long tradition of Christmas pan- tos in Mary Immaculate, this year the school decided to go one step further.

“This is our first musical at the school, usually we do a Christmas panto but this year we said we would

try out the musical and see how it Lele

“We have got a couple of first years who sing with the Lismourahaun Singers and we have a bit of talent in the senior classes, so we thought Ol- iver! would be a good show to look at because it has such a good mix,” said teacher Mark Mulqueeney.

“The idea is to establish it this year and maybe take it on then every second or third year. It’s a fairly big undertaking so we wouldn’t do it every year.

“We had been getting requests from parents to put on a show and when the talent is there you have to go for it. There is a great mix of male and female characters in Oliver! so it was

a really good show for us.”

The show will star Brendan Schol- und, Peter Lynch, Mark O’Donnell, Aishling Clancy and Evelyn Linnane in a production which combines tal- ented students from every age and class in the school.

“T was involved in our panto last year, when I was in transition year, and I got roped into auditioning this year because of that. It’s a good thing to do, a lot of fun,’ says Aisling Clancy from Kilfenora, who plays Fagan.

“Fagan looks after the runaway pickpockets, he trains them in what to do. They steal stuff for him and he sells it off. He’s a rogue but he’s a bit of a likeable rogue.

“IT feel grand about playing a male character. I played one last year for the panto so I don’t mind — you just have to wear a beard. I’d love to car- ry on with musicals beyond this, it’s something I’m interested in.”

The show takes place over three nights from Tuesday, December 18 to Thursday, December 20 in the school hall from 8pm. To book, you can contact the school on 065 7074266.

WITH Christmas drawing near, a number of high-profile artists are featured in exhibitions around north Clare this week, hoping to offer punt- ers the perfect Christmas present.

The Courthouse Gallery in Ennisty- mon is hosting a special Christmas exhibition entitled “Small Works’, which features the work of a number of well-known Clare artists.

The exhibition will include prints, photographs, drawings and sculpture from the likes of Richard Sharpe, Barbara Roder and Finola Graham.

“This exhibition is a really great opportunity for people to purchase an artwork for Christmas among the

large selection on display, which will bring joy to you or a loved one for many years to come,” said Kathryn Comber of the Courthouse Gallery.

The exhibition will continue from 12 to 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday, until December 21.

Meanwhile, Kenny’s Lahinch Art Gallery will host an exhibition by Irish artist Philip Gray until Janu- ary 10. Gray was this year’s winner of the highly coveted Fine Art Trade Guild ‘Best Up and Coming Artist Award 2007’ in the UK this year. The exhibition will include a number of recent works.

Widely exhibited in multiple for- mats, Gray captures the imagination with scenes familiar to many. The

west of Ireland and sea and land- scapes in sunrise and sunset are sub- jects which create a contemporary appeal.

Gray’s passion and insistence on perfection never wavers, as can be seen in each of his compositions, the sheer beauty and impact of his 1m- ages regularly stop people in their WRG ep

He has achieved international suc- cess as an artist and his work is a celebration of both what he sees and feels and a wish to share the beauty and diverse emotion of life itself.

The Ballyvaughan Christmas market will host its last weekend of festivities and fun this weekend. Or- ganisers are hoping for one last good

weekend before the specially made German Christkindl wooden huts get put away for another year.

Back in’ Ennistymon, Noinin, Aficionado and Crosbies in the Square are continuing to pool their resources in promoting the shop lo- cal campaign this Christmas.

Aficionado is a mothers, babies and gift boutique which provides mater- nity-wear, children’s clothes up to the age six years and a collection of nursery accessories.

Noinin fashion boutique stocks funky wear to formal wear and Cros- bies supplies a great selection of un- usual Christmas decorations, home accessories and cotton rugs, to name but a few.

has learned that the centre in Ennis offered 223 hours’ counselling to rape or sexual assault victims last year. This grew from 173 hours during the previous year.

Rape Crisis Midwest, which caters for victims in Limerick, Clare and Tipperary, advised 209 new clients in 2006. 172 of those were women and 37 men. It offered 2,355 hours of counselling sessions in 2006 in

the mid-west area which was a sig- nificant increase on the figure for the previous year.

Nationally, the Rape Crisis Net- work gave counselling to more than 1,600 people last year.

The mid-west centre says the number of male victims of sexual abuse now presenting is steadily in- creasing.

Co-ordinator Miriam Duffy said victims should report abuse as early as possible.

“The earlier they can get on to us, the better for themselves, as it will be less negative for them as they get on with their lives,” she said.

She said two in five women and

one in five men in the mid-west will experience sexual violence at some stage of their lives.

“One-third of the population of the Midwest will experience sexual violence in their lifetime,’ said Ms Duffy.

She said there is no fixed time set aside for counselling sessions. Some victims just attend once, while oth- ers receive counselling for up to a year.

“We are usually a bit busier around Christmas and if there is publicity about an incident,’ she added.

“We are starting to get men who are recent survivors of sexual abuse, le. that it happened in their adult-

hood,” she added.

“The profile of people coming to us is changing. We are getting more in the mid-range, between the ages of 24 and 39. Previously our clients were older and younger than that age bracket,” she said.

Ms Duffy also said that more vol- unteers were required, in order that the service could continue to progress and offer advice and counselling to all victims who came forward. The service 1S currently under pressure for resources.

“It has fallen off so we expect that our figures will show a reduction in hours’ counselling for this year,’ said Ms Duffy.

AN BORD Pleanala has been told that there is not much point in zon- ing land and then refusing to allow permission for its development on the basis that it is a rural area.

Last month, Clare County Council refused planning permission to Tho- mas Sexton for eight holiday homes at Quilty.

An appeal lodged on behalf of ar- chitect, Michael Leahy, states: “The facility as proposed will provide year

round employment in terms of care- taking, maintenance and repairs. In addition to the summer period, facil- TLS MLU(C OAR Nalshom-VRoM Ro) IICoLOMBODKOlerca bank holidays and for Christmas “Mr Thomas Sexton 1s a local man from the parish. He is anxious to es- tablish a small business in his parish which will provide employment and will also be make a contribution to the economic and social life of the area, it is difficult to understand why his application should be refused. “The proposal is compatible with

the development plan, with the built form of the area and with the zoning objectives for the land on which it is located.

‘The council appear to want to treat the site as an unzoned piece of land in a rural area, which contradicts their own plan. There are no amenity or infrastructure reasons for refusing permission for this development.

“The proposal is located on zoned land and to suggest that the proposal would ‘significantly exceed the den- sity appropriate to the zoning of the

site’ 1s not justified.

“The density proposed of slightly more than four to the acre could not be regarded as excessive.

“We cannot see that it could be ar- cued that the development would de- tract from the rural character of the area or would in any way injure the amenities of the area. The proposal has been designed to be compatible with other developments close by in Caherrush including the much larger holiday homes development to the west of the site. We cannot see the

council’s justification for saying that the proposal would detract from the rural character of the area

“We consider the development ap- propriate to the rural tourism infra- structure of the area. The proposal is located in an area zoned for ‘other settlement land’ and is compatible with that zoning. .. The proposal sat- isfies a need for tourism accommo- dation in the area and will facilitate economic growth in the area.”

A decision is due on the application Tama ert

KILRUSH area councillors have re- neged on a written commitment and voted to extinguish a right of way close to the multi-million-euro golf club in Doonbeg. Last February, the seven members of the Kilrush area agreed to defer consideration of the proposed extinguishment of the Pub- lic Right of Way pending the out- come of the Judicial Review of the enforcement action by Clare County Council against the golf club.

On Friday last, however, four of the seven councillors voted to com- mence procedures under the Roads Act to extinguish the right of way.

Councillors Patrick Keane (FF), Christy Curtin (Ind), Bill Chambers (FF) and Oliver Garry (FG) voted in favour of the proposal while Cllrs Tom Prenderville (FF), PJ Kelly (FF) and Madeleine Taylor Quinn (FG) voted against.

During the meeting, which was at- tended by Clare County Council’s solicitor and had representatives of

Doonbeg Golf Club’s legal team in the public gallery, the councillors agreed to begin proceedings which, if they come to fruition, will see the extinguishment of 120 metres of the right of way over part of the public road at Caherfeenick, Cree.

The extinguishment will only take place when certain criteria are met by the golf club. These include the provision of a car park constructed to council specifications and the trans- fer of afurther half-acre for more car park spaces to be transferred into the

ownership of the local authority.

A new “turntable at the new termi- nal point” on the Caherfeenick road to council specification must also be constructed and bollards installed.

“A clear legal grant of a pedestrian right of way to be given by Doonbeg Golf Club to Clare County Council from the turntable” at the end of the road to the beach is another part of the controversial proposal, as is “a clear legal grant of a vehicular right of way for emergency vehicles”’.

The final criteria to be met by the

golf club states that the council is to be “indemnified against any claim on the Doonbeg Golf Club property.

During the meeting, allegations were made that the original public notice and accompanying maps con- cerning the right of way published last January differed from the pro- posal before the members on Friday.

The proposal must now go back on public display for submissions from the public, and will also require the final seal of approval from the coun- cil if it is to go ahead.

CLARE county councillors have called for strict regulations prevent- ing county planners from using their personal opinions or “whims” to de- cide the planning issues to be intro- duced.

As part of a motion put forward at last night’s planning-dominated meeting of Clare County Council, Cllr Michael Kelly (FF) called for set criteria to be followed in relation to one-off housing in the county.

“Some planners have decided that a house should be to their own de- sire and not to the desire of the peo- ple who live in the house. Planners come and planners go and they make different decisions. But people can get stuck with houses that they don’t want,’ said Cllr Kelly.

“Planning permission for houses in rural areas has gotten to be a very complicated process. There are so many different conditions that a per- son wishing to build a house must go through and all of these are at a cost to the person themselves.

“I am here to raise this issue and will continue to raise the issue as

long as I am here. We don’t want ag- gravation. We just want to put for- ward this issue.”

Seconding the motion, Cllr PJ Kelly

(FF) called for clarity to be brought into the planning system relating to one-off housing.

“Different planners have different

emphases. I’d even go as far as to say whims. This whole idea of having one rule for Mick and one rule for Pat cannot carry on,’ said Cllr Kelly.

“All we are asking for is an agreed methodology and agreed conditions. We need to get some sort of clarity to this situation. This is as much for the planners’ benefit as for our own.”

Meanwhile, in a separate motion put forward by Cllr Tom Prenderville (FF), it was called for a distinct sec- tion of the County Development Plan to be set up to focus on the develop- ment of rural development.

“I have noticed in our policy that we pay an awful lot of attention to the cuckoo and the corncrake and historical buildings but not an awful lot of attention to people,” said Cllr Prenderville.

“There is a glaring need to put in place a development strategy in County Clare. We need to show a positive approach towards rural de- velopment and tackle it as a separate and very important issue.”

THERE will be no searches for prisoners on US planes at Shannon Airport despite the Government’s own watchdog recommending such AYeL nO) Oe

The Government has rejected the recommendation of the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) on the need to search planes which land at Shannon if they are suspected of be- ing involved in the transport of pris- oners to torture centres.

The IHRC is a statutory body which

monitors Ireland’s compliance with human rights legislation. After mak- ing a study of the claims concerning Shannon being used to facilitate ex- traordinary rendition, 1t recommend- ed that the Government introduce an effective and independent inspection regime as a matter of urgency.

Although there have been no re- corded incidents of rendition in Irish territories, planes used for the practice have stopped in Shannon, according to a report from the Euro- pean Parliament.

The IHRC undertook a review of

domestic and international laws on foot of claims that planes used to transport prisoners for torture had stopped over in Shannon for refuel- ling.

The IHRC produced a hard-hitting report on foot of their review which warned the Government that it faces the “appalling vista” of being sued by tortured terror suspects transport- ed through Ireland.

The IHRC said that Government should consider a dedicated Garda sub-station at Shannon to allow peo- ple to complain if they suspect that a

plane is being used to transport pris- oners.

But Foreign Affairs Minister Der- mot Ahern claimed the IHRC was more willing “to give credence to a self-appointed activist group” than to the categoric assurances of the democratically elected Government of the US.

Anti-war campaigner and former army officer, Edward Horgan said that several planes identified by the EU report as being implicated in the transport of prisoners for torture continue to land at Shannon.

THE tragic death of Sylvia Roche Kelly marked a “dark and sad” time for the people of Cratloe, Sixmileb- ridge and Coonagh, her funeral mass heard last Wednesday.

Up to 500 mourners attended Syl- via’s funeral at the Little Church in Sixmilebridge. Mourners packed into the small church while hundreds of others braved the wintry winds to pray silently outside.

Fr Liam Enright, who was one of seven priests who _ concelebrated the Mass, said Sylvia’s death had “shocked and saddened” everybody. She had socialised in Limerick to celebrate her 33rd birthday, but, sad- ly, never made it home.

“It doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t seem fair. Her great work is cut short. We are left with a terrible sense of loss. We are plunged into darkness,” said Fr Enright, who is parish priest

of Cratloe.

‘Tragic death, which is almost al- ways sudden, is like a blackout. One minute the sunis shining. Next minute it is dark night. Without the slight- est warning or the slightest chance to prepare ourselves we are plunged

into an impenetrable darkness. In the Space of a minute our whole world is turned upside down. Nothing can prepare us for something like this or Save us from its devastating effects,” added the priest.

“Naturally we ask, why did it hap-

pen? There is a tendency to say, ‘It’s the will of God’. Let us be perfectly clear: God did not want this tragedy to happen. There is only one thing we can do. Just as when a black- out occurs we rush for a light, any light, even that of a humble candle so now we rush to the only light that can penetrate this awful darkness, namely the light of Christ,” said Fr Syavwrcaelm

“Christ too died at the young age of 33,” he said.

Fr Enright said the entire commu- nity should be thankful for Sylvia’s life, for her helpful way and for her love for her family.

“We must not dwell too much on the manner of her death. It is better to give thanks to God for her life and commend her to God in death,” said Fr Enright.