Month: April 2008

CLARE County Council has disre- garded the objections of the Sister of Mercy and other Lahinch residents and granted planning permission for a €25 million housing development in the seaside resort.

Last year, Brendan O’Doherty, Patrick Montgomery, Paul Mont- gomery and John McInerney lodged plans to develop 114 residential units with a number of them to be holiday homes. The development was on a

9.5 acre site on Station Road.

Their application attracted wide- spread opposition in Lahinch. The nearby Sisters of Mercy described the plan as a “concrete jungle” pro- posal.

The nuns asked the council “to look at this development in light of the se- rious issues of anti-social behaviour on Station Road and the fact that the services to Lahinch, including sew- age, water supply and electricity, are seriously over-stretched.

In her oleyassiry leven Marie

O’Donoghue reflected much _ local sentiment when she claimed that “the character of the village is destroyed by the construction of too many holi- day homes which, in turn, is a threat to the tourism on which the village ele ores ake hae

Ms O’Donoghue quoted figures from the Census showing that the population of Lahinch dropped by 2.9 per cent between 2002 and 2006.

Michael and Maria Vaughan of Vaughan Lodge Hotel also expressed their opposition against the plan.

However, the proposed develop- ment site was zoned “residential” meaning it was always going to be difficult for the objectors to prevent the development from going ahead.

Imposing 44 conditions attached to the permission, the council has re- duced the number of residential units to 96, including 28 four bedroom homes and 21 two bedroom units.

As part of its continuing policy not to grant permission to any holiday homes, the council has placed as a condition that the homes be used as

the principal place of residence of the home-owners and that the condi- tion be included in the sales agree- ment of each dwelling.

As part of the permission, the devel- Opers are required to pay the council almost €1 million in developer con- tributions.

However, it 1s likely that the deci- sion will be appealed to An Bord Pleanala

A final decision will be made on the proposal before the end of the year.

CLARE BASED writer Nuala O Faolain revealed over the weekend that she has cancer and will soon die. In an emotionally charged interview, the Lahinch based journalist and author revealed that she learned of the diagnosed six weeks ago in New York.

The cancer, which began in her lungs but has now spread to her brain and liver, is incurable and Ms O Faolain has turned down the option OMe Toate

Ms O Faolain owns a house in Bar- tra outside Lahinch and has lived between Clare and New York for the last two decades. ;

During those years, Ms O Faolain spent much of her time in Lahinch

with fellow journalist Nell McCaf- ferty and was a regular contributor to the Merriman Summer School in Lisdoonvarna.

“T lived for years with Nell McCaf- ferty and lets say 12 of those were the greatest fun and I owe so much to them and in fact, as far as I am con- cerned, Irish women owe so much to Nell and I was dead lucky to live with her. But then again it ended up not so hot, but now it is my great pleasure to be in email contact with Nell and to thank her,’ she told RTE radio.

“Let poor human beings believe what they want, but to me its (the af- terlife) meaningless. I waited on the radio the other day to hear poor John O’ Donoghue, knowing that he is very important to many people, but to me it is utterly meaningless.

“And yet I want to mention one thing that you might play at the end, particularly for dying people, some- thing I picked up little bits here and there about Ireland, largely at the Merriman Summer School, which is one of the great things in my life.

“It’s a song I heard a few years ago called Thois I Lar an Glanna. It’s a kind of modern song sung by Albert Fry and other Donegal singers. And the last two lines are two things, ask- ing God up there in the heavens, even though you don’t believe in him, to send you back even though you know it can’t happen. Those two things sum up where I am now.”

NEXT week, Clare will travel to London and will record their fourth league win on the trot. It will bring some clear comparisons to Clare’s league run in 1990/91 when another relatively unknown Connaught man- ager came to the county and em- barked on his first league campaign.

Back then, John Maughan’s Clare began poorly, lost the opening half of their league games, then turned things around in the latter half of the competition. Incidentally, both campaigns included important wins against fancied Wicklow sides. It may be a sign.

On Sunday afternoon, with the warm down over, Frank Doherty was basking in the late afternoon sun gushing onto the Cusack park grass, but was still focused on next week- aKeb

“We’re going to take a professional view about the London game,” he says. “We’re not going away to have a bit of fun, because I want to finish the campaign having won four on the trot. I want to send a shock wave down to Waterford to say we’re not gone away, we’re here and we’re able to do business when they come to Cusack Park [in the championship] in five weeks time.”

The turn about in Clare’s league, he says, can be attributed to two com- ponents — one mental, and the other on the field.

“Confidence and training,’ he says. “I still believe if we beat Carlow we’d have been pushing the latter end of the league. This could have been a league final here today. But we lost our confidence after Carlow and then Antrim came here and gave us a wake up call and there were games

there we could have won.

“Then training was important as well. We didn’t have time to knuckle down and do some championship pace training but when the [one week] break came [just before Clare began to win again] we got back to solid training.”

The return of confidence and the opportunity to train at a pace Do- herty was happy with, provided the springboard for this hat-trick of vic- tories, culminating with Sunday’s defeat of Offaly.

“The big thing for me today was that we showed a lot of bottle and a lot of character at the end. Once they drew level, we stayed going and went down and kicked the winning point. Questions have been asked of this team and today, some of those were answered.’

After 40 minutes, with the score level, there came the odd bellow from the stands, calling on the man- ager to move things about around the centre of the field. Though Doherty didn’t heed any of those cat calls, he says Clare could have gripped mid- field with a stronger hold.

“We can do better at midfield, but we had two young lads there today, Frank [O’Dea] and Garry [Bren- nan]. David [Russell] came out and we moved Garry across, but we were missing [the suspended] Ger [Quin- lan’s] strength and presence in there as well.

“We basically have four competing for two positions. I have to put David on the team because he’s working hard and his effort has been mighty. Ger would have horsed into Ciaran McManus if he was there and that would have freed up either Garry or Frank. In fairness, the lads today are young and we have to compliment

them and drive them on rather than be hitting on them.

He’s asked about his decision to withdraw his captain, Michael O’Shea, before re-introducing him.

“I think it was obvious why he was taken off. Michael will give every- thing, he was winning ball but we were giving away ball too softly. I didn’t want to sit around and wait, so we brought on Sean Collins and he was just on a minute or two and kicked a point.

“T can never doubt Michael’s com- mitment to Clare, but turning ball over and losing it is a cardinal sin. But I put him back in and he kicked a score. I don’t want to be unkind to anybody but at times, you have to do that. You can’t kick a ball into a goalkeeper’s hands after commit- ting playing forward. It allows them re-group and leaves your team ex- posed.”

He goes on to explain that Rory Donnelly had just passed a fitness test on Saturday night and as his hamstring problem re-surfaced, the manager felt it was wiser to take him off than risk further injury. He also says the decision to play Gordon Kel- ly at corner back was a tactical deci- sion, made with the scoring threat of Niall McNamee in mind.

“Gordon did well again, he kept McNamee quiet. You can’t ask for jeeKO)KommM er: DaMAer-limae

London next week before the crunch visit of Waterford on May 25. From here, there’s no reason why Clare can’t string five wins together.

A GROUP of locals in Liscannor has warned Clare County Council not to repeat the planning mistakes made in other coastal areas.

The residents, who are opposing plans by Atlantis Developments for a mixed use development on the village’s main street, including the redevelopment of Joseph McHugh’s and Egans’ pubs, state that the coun-

cil needs to draw up a strategic de- velopment plan for the village before any more tourism based development is granted.

“It 1s apparent that over-develop- ment has already taken place in Lis- cannor and the council should be taking steps to stop it from causing irrevocable damage to the village character,” they state.

“It is now at the stage where a small cottage in Liscannor has an asking

price of €1.5 million. How can local people expect to afford a site or home when prices have reached this hugely inflated level?”

The Atlantis Development plan includes a 14-bed hostel, five-two bedroom apartments, four retail units and the two large extensions to McHugh’s and Egans.

Atlantis Development also has ap- plications for park and ride parks in Liscannor and Doolin and decisions

on all three applications are expected later this month.

The local residents state, ““Let us not forget the Holland Park development — directly opposite the site — which included commercial units along the front facade. All but two of these are empty, 1n poor repair and some have been converted to residential units.”

The residents continue, “Liscannor is a small coastal village that caters for both permanent and seasonal residents. However, the excessive fra- tio of seasonal versus permanent ac- commodation is greatly deteriorating the fabric of the community.

‘Apartments, more akin to the re- quirements of towns and cities where space is at a premium, are not justi- fiable is a small village like Liscan- nor. The only reason for apartments in such a small village is to maxim- ise profitability at the expense of the architectural setting of the receiving village.”

The residents state that currently, the ratio of holiday homes to perma- nent residences in approximately 7:1 and this figures is even higher from the church to Knockaderry where it is in excess of 10:1.

They residents claim they have been for far too long subjected to the eradual and saddening deterioration in the fabric in the community. “This has taken place by developers being given free reign to build whatever they wish wherever they wish.”

THE mother of three who suffered a cancer misdiagnosis has issued a heartfelt plea to the HSE’s chief ex- ecutive to ensure no woman is ever put in such a life-threatening situa- tion again.

In an open letter to professor Brendan Drumm, Rebecca O’ Malley launched a damning attack on the Health Services Executive. Rebecca,

from Ballina/Killaloe, was wrongly given the all-clear after tests for breast cancer in 2005 at the Mid- West Regional Hospital in Limerick and Cork University Hospital.

The misdiagnosis led to a potential- ly lethal 14-month delay in starting treatment for her condition. The 42- year-old went public on the mistake, which led to an investigation and re- port by the Health Information Qual- ity Authority (HIQA), the results

of which were published last week. The misdiagnosis was due to an er- ror, but could have been put right if the hospitals had used the recom- mended multi-disciplinary review of her case.

In her letter, Mrs O’Malley chal- lenges the HSE to name the rec- ommendations of the HIQA Which it says have already been implemented. She also calls for the appointment of an official to ensure

that all 15 recommendations are put in place.

Mrs O’Malley asks Dr Drumm to “please learn from the mistake and take us all into your confidence by adopting a new form of communica- tion with your patients”.

After the publication of the report last week, the Tipperary woman said she feels “achingly sad at the breadth and extent of the institution- al deficiencies which let me and my family down so badly and exposed me to such grievous and continu- ing danger. I am now left with vivid mental images of surgeons blindly poking their fine needles into pa- tients’ breasts without always having the obvious and beneficial assistance of ultra-sound equipment to guide their hands.”

The HSE said that it “accepts the report’s 15 recommendations which relate to clinical and process issues, a number of which have already been implemented and others are in the process of being implemented. Their implementation will be overseen by the National Director of the National Hospitals Office working with the Director of the Cancer Control Pro- rea: beeu selon

Commenting on this report and a separate report into procedures for breast treatment at Barringtons, Health Minister Mary Harney said she is “determined that each of these reports will lead to improved stand- ards of patient safety and patient care in all healthcare settings”.

CUSACK PARK will hold no fear for Kerry minor manager John Kennedy. As the Clare senior football manag- er for three seasons this decade, he familarised himself with every blade of grass at Clare headquarters and although this is his first competitive return since he left the post in Octo- ber 2005, the memories of his time in Clare are still vivid.

“IT had some good days and some

bad ones in Cusack Park” recalls the former All-Ireland winner, “but I must say looking back on my three years in Clare that we put in a big effort – Dave Loughman, Frankie Griffin and myself. There are some great people there. We had a certain amount of success and there were a few disappointing performances also, but it’s always nice to go back and meet guys that I knew on a regu- lar basis and return to familiar sur- roundings. I made great friendships

in my time there and certainly that’s what sport is about. Winning is one thing but I suppose it’s the friend- ships you make and the contacts and they are there forever and it’s in years to come that they will become more important.”

Although Kennedy admits that he doesn’t know too much about the current Clare minor side, through his Banner contacts, he knows the man- agement well and considers Michael Considine and his team among the

best in the country.

“You’re always confident but cau- tious. I would know James Murrihy particularly well and also Michael Considine. These guys are as good as you’ll get anywhere and I’m not just saying that because it’s Clare. They prepare professionally and I know they are putting in a big effort. They have played a huge number of challenges games and in terms of preparations, they won’t be found ween bate

“We’re ready for a real tough bat- tle against Clare because we played them last year in a challenge and pipped us by a point and quite a number of those are underage this year. You’d know by the approach they had that day that they have left no stone unturned and this will be no different. So we’re certainly treating Clare with respect. We are expect- ing areal battle and we are certainly not looking beyond Cusack Park on Wednesday evening.”

EARLIER this year, Colin Lynch met and addressed the 2008 Clare minor panel for the first time. Af- ter the meeting had finished, the panel and management had decided on their goal for the year. The aim would be Croke Park. Anything less would be interpreted as an opportu- nity lost and just by mentioning the country’s top stadium, this group had already lifted expectations in Clare football.

Michael Considine looks back over the past few months and says that all the negativity that has surrounded football in this county is unneces- sary, but he believes it’s up to those involved at the coalface to rid Clare of that mindset.

“We’ve got to stop feeling sorry for ourselves in Clare,’ says Considine. ‘“We’ve got to raise the bar and that’s down to ourselves. Clare teams have to be going out wanting to get to Munster finals, wanting to get to All Ireland quarter finals. Until we start thinking that we’re good enough to raise the bar and until we get rid of that negativity we’re never going to 20 forward.”

Look across the country and you’ll find that no team at this level has pre- pared better. Considine, along with James Murrihy and Colm Collins have covered all bases. Former Ker- ry goalkeeper Declan O’ Keeffe was brought in to add another dimension to goalkeeping training, Collins has been involved in improving fitness since the beginning of October and all players have had ongoing access to training facilities over the past seven months.

So far, over 50 sessions have been logged and according to Considine, every player has shown application and dedication.

“We sat down back in September and October and decided that we were going to put pride back in the jersey. For too long lads have been getting it too easy. When they go out in championship games with 10 min- utes to go they’re blowing up, they’re hiding.

‘“That’s one thing that we can guar- antee – that the 15 guys who go out against Kerry in Cusack Park will have earned their Clare shirt.”

Though it’s Kerry, the objective doesn’t shift. Play well and progress. Despite the safety net that exists — the team that loses on Wednesday goes

into a Munster Final playoff, with the first game scheduled for April 16 — Considine says that Clare are go- ing out to win at all costs tomorrow night.

“T don’t buy into this theory that it doesn’t matter if we win on Wednes- day. My view is that we’re going out to beat Kerry and I believe we’re good enough to beat Kerry.

“The bottom line is we’ve put in a savage effort. Just think about tt: 50 sessions since October 5. These young fellas have given their hearts and souls to the county jersey and if you base it on the fact that you get out of it what you put in, then we’re in with more than a fighting chance.”

Undoubtedly, a Kerry scalp — on the back of the Under 21 win over Kerry last year — would provide growing

evidence that a core group of tal- ented players are coming through the grades. Ensuring they remain inter- ested and ensuring the incentives ex- ist then becomes the aim.

“We’ve got to make it attractive for players. We’ve got to have a profes- sional set-up and fellas have to be looked after. I can’t complain with the minor set-up, because anything we ve asked for we got it.

“But to keep moving forward the right structures have to be in place. There was a lot of talk about the Un- der 15 set-up this year. No mentor moved from the Under 14 to Under 15 SO we’ve a new Set-up coming in who don’t really know the players and it means the players aren’t as comfort- able. ““What happens then is you can lose three or four players through the

net and that’s not good enough. You have to keep the continuity. Once you’ve a relationship built up, you stay with them and move up along the line.”

With a reasonably tight base of players to work with, the directive given to potential dual players to chose between hurling and football could have had a negative effect on preparations. Considine rolled with it though.

“The [minor] hurling management made their decision that lads would have to make their choice. My think- ing on it is that lads should have the opportunity to play both codes up to minor. I think in a county like Clare if we had lost some of those lads [dual players], it would have been a serious blow to our team.

‘Now, I’m sure that them three guys are a loss to the hurling side, but good luck to the hurling management, they stuck to their beliefs and they believe they’re in contention for All Ireland honours. If that pans out, then they’ Il have been proved right.”

Last year, Considine watched from the sideline as his Clare side were beaten by Limerick after a replay. A dozen of that team are in conten- tion to start this year. Stronger, wiser and just as focused. A win tomor- row night would be reward in itself for Clare’s persistence and effort. A win that could be the first step on that road to Croke Park.

AN ALL graded eleven-race pro- eramme greeted racegoers at Gal- way Greyhound Stadium on Thurs- day with the two semi-finals of the Outback Kennels A4 525 the twin KorHAU Ken

In the first semi final the Jerry Maloney of Clarecastle owned Bal- laghboy Cool (Big Daddy Cool-Sues Beauty) stormed home up the outside to run down the leaders to defeat Georges St. Girl 1n29.35.

In the second semi final the Luke Kilcoyne owned Ougham Light re- ally brightened up proceedings as he scorched around the track in a superb 28.94 to put himself in prime posi-

tion for outright success in the com- petition. Ballyea Nikita for Johnnie Maher of Kilmaley runs from trap two in the final could also have a say in matters.

The opening contest was an N3 eraded 525-yard contest for young- sters and it was won in trap to line fashion by the Martin Keane of Kilmihil owned Tiro who cmfort- ably made all to defeat the gambled on Big Bamboo by seven lengths in 29.89. The second was an S10 325 and following a pretty level break Belcarra Duke led briefly be- fore the Mary Kennedy of Lisheen owned Clonmore Honcho took over along the inside rail to lead by three lengths racing to the opening corner

Where there was trouble among the py TO ep nthe Bu.Couce

But up front Clonmore Honcho (Honcho Classic-Clonmors Classic) strode clear to defeat Belcarra Duke by six lengths in 18.43.

The fifth contest was for A8 graded runners and on the run to the open- ing corner it was the blue jacketed Shetland Sue that held the call from Clonmore Misty with Missthebus in third place as they turned down the back straight. Racing past halfway Missthebus went to the front and quickly went three lengths clear and as they began the swing for home and and as the leader faltered, the Miss Allanna Browne of Cree owned Burnpark Lamie got up on the line

for a neck success in 29.82.

The Brownes were in the winner’s enclosure in the feature event on Friday night, as the David Browne owned Burnpark Duke in trap three came away first. Up front though Burnpark Duke was throwing down the gauntlet to the chasing pack as he opened up a fine lead racing to the penultimate corner. Boho Phoebe shaded the second spot but the ‘duke’ was gone beyond recall as he won by over 10 lengths in 30.15

Race ten on the night was for A2 graders over 525 yards and here a very closely bunched field raced to the Opening corner covered by less than two lengths with the trap four runner Coomlogane Ronan at the head of af-

fairs turning down the back straight. Passing halfway Coomlogane Ronan led by five lengths and the Noel Mul- lins of Gort trained runner got on top to win going away by three lengths haa

The seventh contest was for A4 eraders and from traps it was the Aine McGuire of Mullagh owned Clounlaheen Lad who was away smartly to lead at the opening cor- ner. Racing along the back Clounla- heen Lad led from Around The Bend with Bodyshop Direct in third as they swung out of the back straight. Racing off the home turn the Joe and Alan Fahy owned Around The Bend swung wide and cut down the leader for a two-length success.

AMBITIOUS plans for a new hotel on the Main Street of the north Clare resort of Lahinch have been given the go-ahead.

Clare County Council has given William Stackpoole the go-ahead to construct the 16-room hotel in spite of opposition from Pat Kenny of Main Street, Lahinch and Donal Kenny of Kenny Woollen Mills.

In a hard-hitting objection against the planning application lodged by William Stackpoole, Pat Kenny claimed, “This proposed develop- ment is over-build of the worst kind. This is a village. This site is a cottage with a small yard and some outhous- es. The proposal to build 16 apart- ments, restaurant, bar and reception areas on this small site is ludicrous and has already been refused by An Bord Pleanala.”

Mr Kenny states, “This develop- ment does not materially differ from the previous application that was re- fused by An Bord Pleanala. The cur- rent proposal shows only cosmetic differences from the previously re- fused plan and none of the root issues of the refusal have been addressed.

“The construction of this un- derground car-park will certainly compromise the structure of Kenny Woollen Mills and Avondale Apart- ment Block to the south of the devel- opment.”

In his objection, Donal Kenny stat- ed, “I own a building, Kenny Wool- len Mills, directly south of the site. This proposed development would seriously devalue my property.

My building is being overlooked by this proposed development. We will have windows facing directly into apartments and commercial areas. Privacy 1s compromised.”

However, in the planner’s report, the council planner stated, “It is considered that the proposed three- storey building is of an appropriate scale for the main street of Lahi- nch, having regard to the respective heights of the adjacent buildings to the north, Shamrock Inn and south, Kenny’s Woollen Mills.”

The council gave the plan the go- ahead taking into account the urban setting and concluded that it would not seriously injure the amenities of the area and be in accordance with the proper planning and development of the area.

CLARE COUNTY Council yester- day granted planning permission for contentious plans to construct a €10 million explosives plant along the shore of the Shannon estuary.

In the county’s longest running planning saga, the council gave Shan- non Explosives Ltd the go-ahead to construct the plant at Cahercon pier, GTC Ay am

However, the council decision 1s unlikely to be the last move and the decision is to be appealed by An Bord Pleanala by opponents of the scheme.

The Kildysart Explosives Factory Opposition Group (KEFOG) yester- day confirmed that they would be ap- pealing the decision and stated that, if necessary, the group would take a legal challenge to stop the plan from proceeding.

Confirming that they will be seek- ing an oral hearing in the case, the spokesman said, “We have opposed the plan for seven and a half years and will oppose it for another seven and a half years if necessary.”

Plans were first lodged for the scheme in 1999 and the council gave the plan the go-ahead in January UE

The decision was appealed by op- ponents and An Bord Pleanala re- fused planning permission in March 2003.

Without a sod being turned on the scheme, the Whelan Group has al- ready spent almost €7 million on the Ke) (elm

When operational, the plant will provide employment for close to 35 people and contribute €3 million an- nually to the local economy.

An Taisce, the Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) and local resi-

dents, including (KEFOG), objected.

A spokesman for the Whelan Group which owns Shannon Explosives Ltd said that they welcome the decision.

The spokesman for KEFOG said, “We are not in the least surprised by the council’s decision because it has never taken any of our views on lexey-VKeR

“It is just passing the parcel to An Bord Pleanala.”

He said that one of the conditions for the development involves road widening and one of the owners of the land is a member of KEFOG and will not sell the land to allow Shan- non Explosives Ltd widen the route.

Shannon Explosives has also to se- cure a foreshore license as part of the planning application. He said, “The bottom line is that 1f it becomes nec- essary, we will take a legal challenge. We have taken it before and we do have the capacity and will to do so.”