Month: August 2008

INSPIRED by a surprise victory for St Joseph’s on Friday night that opened up the group once more, both teams pinpointed this game to get their challenge back on track.

As a result, Corofin and Tubber tore into each other in real local der- by fashion, producing a compelling yet open encounter in the last of the championship games on Sunday.

Despite a strong breeze blowing towards the clubhouse, it was a rela- tively even affair throughout but that SOKO LNAUE NUM Mmoiesleore menace phant was due to a ten minute pur- ple patch directly after half-time in which they outscored Tubber by 2-6 to 0-1 to overturn a one point deficit into a ten point lead.

Admittedly, they took their foot off the gas after that and allowed Tub- ber to charge at them once more but after building up such a mammoth advantage, they deservedly held on to complete the victory.

Essentially, the difference overall was the ability of Corofin and Kevin Heagney in particular, to obtain goals out of nothing. The Clare mi- nor set up Corofin’s first goal for Kil- lian Neylon and then scored two op- portunistic goals in the space of six minutes after half-time, first gather-

ing a John Williams puck-out before slipping his shot into the far corner of the net.

The second was even better when he again fielded from a Darragh Clancy clearance before jinking past his man and burying into the top corner.

At the other end, despite grabbing two late goals, Tubber had four clear goal chances over the 60 minutes that were twarted by goalkeeper John Williams, including a late first

half penalty save from Blaine Earley that would have given Tubber a four- point half-time cushion.

Tubber had started brightly and were Q-5 to O-2 ahead at the end of the first quarter, mainly thanks to three Blaine Earley frees but they were rocked by Neylon’s goal that cancelled out their early advantage.

From that juncture to the break, the sides went point for point until the impressive David O’Donoghue con-

verted his third point of the half to give Tubber a slender half-time lead.

Corofin emerged a more focused side in the second period and mov- ing Dara Shannon to midfield, they opened up Tubber with ease to score 2-6 and push them into a command- ing lead.

Tubber emptied the bench and it sparked a reaction with first, Shane O’Connor and then first cousin Bar- ry grabbing two goals by the 55th

minute to produce a nervy finish.

As the heavens opened though, the game petered out and Corofin held their ground to carve out the much needed win and even up the group once again.

TWO of the four people injured last Friday night in a road traffic collision near Crusheen had to wait for over an hour in the rain for ambulances to reach the scene.

The two car head-on crash occurred shortly before 6 o’clock at Crusheen on the main N18 Ennis to Galway road. Two units of the fire brigade from Ennis and four ambulances from Ennis and Ennistymon attend- ed the incident, however, it took an hour before two of the ambulances reached the incident.

The injured, three women and a man, were taken to Ennis General

Hospital for treatment. The road was blocked for over an hour while traf- fic was backed up for several kilome- tres in each direction. None of the patients sustained seriously injured, however, some were trapped in the vehicles for a short time.

While the first ambulance arrived at the scene within minutes, it took more than half an hour for the sec- ond ambulance to arrive. This meant that the first ambulance on scene could not leave with its patients until back-up arrived. At one point, para- medics were treating one patient on a stretcher and another on the floor of the only ambulance at the crash.

It took a further 30 minutes before

another two ambulances reached the incident, over an hour after the crash was first reported. It 1s understood that one of the Ennis ambulances was returning from a call in Limerick at the time of the incident leaving just one ambulance to cover emergencies in Ennis.

In recent years, a new European Standard of ambulance has been introduced which means that vehi- cles can only accommodate a single Stretcher instead of the two which could be carried in older vehicles. Ambulance personnel in Ennis have long complained about the lack of re- sources within the service.

Last Wednesday night, an ambu-

lance from Kilrush had to travel 80 kilometres from its base to a medi- cal emergency in Newquay in north Clare because the Ennistymon am- bulance was also tied up.

Also last Wednesday, a single am- bulance from Ennis had to make two trips to the same traffic accident to take patients to hospital because of a lack of vehicles. Three cars were involved in the pile up at the New Road/Clonroad roundabout. The ambulance had to take one patient to Ennis General Hospital before re- turning to the scene for the second casualty.

A response was awaited from the HSE last night.

SHANNON Airport got a major boost yesterday, having been cho- sen as the re-fuelling stop for Brit- ish Airways planned business-class only flights from London City to New York.

During the stop at Shannon, cus- tomers will benefit from a special arrangement that will allow them to complete USA arrivals checks, meaning they will by-pass the nor- mal arrivals checks when they land in New York and speed straight

through the airport.

British Airways confirmed that this was a major consideration in choosing Shannon.

It is expected the twice-daily flights will launch in autumn 2009.

The service – the only to offer long haul flights to and from London City – will offer a one-cabin business class product with 32 seats which will flatten out to become beds.

On the ground, customers will be able to arrive at the airport as Iit- tle as 15 minutes before departure. This combined with the ability to

by-pass the usual arrivals checks in New York will make it a very con- venient, particularly for business We MUL ECe

Robert Boyle, British Airways commercial director, said, “Many city workers will be able to get from desk to aircraft in as little as 30 min- utes. This combined with Shannon Airport’s ability to complete USA arrival checks during the planned refuelling stop will ensure custom- ers can make the most of their time and travel desk to desk in the quick- est time possible.”

Airport director, Martin Moroney, welcomed the announcement. “To have a stellar aviation brand like British Airways select Shannon as the stop-over airport for this exclu- sive service 1s a real vote of confi- dence in the future of Shannon Air- port. Shannon has a long history as a transatlantic gateway, having been Ireland’s designated transatlantic airport as far back as the 1930s and we hope this new arrangement with British Airways is the start of a long and successful relationship,” seme BCCe

IT may not be his most prestigious ever nomination, but former Taoi- seach Bertie Ahern (FF) was last week announced as the Chairper- son of the 10th Annual Macra/FBD Young Farmer of the Year Judging Sroyeaveesimteron

Making the announcement last Thursday, a representative from the young farmers organisation said that he was both happy and proud that the former Taoiseach had taken up the position.

This years competition, which will take place in the Newpark Hotel in Kilkenny on September 2, aims to recognise and reward the top young

farmers in the country.

The event is run annually by Macra na Feirme in partnership with the IFA and sponsored by FBD Insur- ance.

County rounds of the competition are currently taking place and 29 farmers will make it through to the final where they will be judged ac- cording to a number of criteria in- cluding farm business initiative and innovation, levels of farm efficiency and enterprise quality, farm safety and environmental protection aware- ness, as well as agricultural knowl- edge and community involvement.

The identity of the Clare represent- ative 1s expected to be know in the coming weeks.

The overall winner will be revealed at a special awards ceremony in the Newpark Hotel on September 2nd. The top prize is a specially com- missioned sculpture by Irish-based artist Joy Ledin, a travel bursary worth €2,500 and €1,000 spending money.

Second prize is a travel bursary of €1,000 plus €500 spending money, while third prize is a travel bursary of €500 plus €250 spending money.

Meanwhile, Macra na _ Feirme’s FBD Farmskills competition has been moved to the Gurteen Agricul- tural College, County Tipperary on SE TAUD KC rN AaNOESA I azo

Therefore the six teams represent- ing Clodagh in North Tipperary,

Clonakilty in Carbery, Callen in Kil- kenny, Ballycoog in Wicklow, Kin- negad in Westmeath and Moynalty in Meath, will now do battle in Gurteen for the title of National Farmskills Champions 2008.

The deadline to get forms in for county officer training is tomorrow, August 20. The training will consist of a weekend ’s activities in Killarney on August 29 to 31.

Club officer training is being held on the weekend of September 13 and club secretaries need to have these forms back to Clare Daven- port in national office by Septem- ber 3 if you have any queries please contact Clare on Ol 426 8910 or cdavenport@macra.ie.

ACCOMMODATION is the main expense of college life and is the student’s (and typically the par- ents’) main financial worry. In recent times, there has been a huge change in the student rental market. Today, students throughout Ireland are find- ing an adequate supply of available accommodation, static rental prices and higher quality properties.

Student accommodation around the country has come on in leaps and bounds over the past number of years, with students now getting a fairer deal. Gone are the days when students were happy to live in sub- standard dwellings.

2008 has seen student rental prices staying static for much of the coun- try. It was expected by many in the lettings market that prices would increase this year. However, analy- sis by www.collegecribs.ie, the Irish online student accommodation da- tabase, rent prices have largely re- mained static for another year.

These static rental prices are large- ly down to the recent downturn in the property market and the increase in the supply of rental accommodation. The continued increase of on-cam- pus and ‘Section 50’ (purpose-built, tax-designated student accommoda- tion complexes) accommodation and

the increasing number of properties coming into the rental market in- stead of being sold, has provided for a ‘renter’s market’; allowing students a greater choice in accommodation for the college term.

Dublin still is the most expensive city for students to live in, followed by Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. Research by www.col- legecribs.1e shows that the average price for students in Dublin is be- tween €90 to €120 per week, with city centre and south Dublin being the more expensive areas. Students living in the north of the capital will look forward to paying less. A stu- dent living in Cork will expect to pay between €80 and €90 per week. Students in Galway can anticipate paying between ©70 and €85, while University of Limerick students will be looking to hand over between ©65 and €80 per week, with the students of WIT expecting to pay the same.

Today’s student are more likely to look for more up-market accommo- dation – a departure from what the traditional student once looked for. As a result, landlords are having to update and improve their accommo- dation in order to attract and retain students. Broadband, microwaves, washing machines and dryers are all being demanded by the student of PAU eree

DESPITE the rain, hail and winds
they danced, played and sang in Kil-
rush at the weekend as visitors and
locals made the most of the Eigse
Mrs Crotty.

The public houses and workshops
were a place of refuge and entertain-
ment, as the crowds forgot one of the
wettest Augusts on record with the
help of an accordion, tin whistle or
bodhran.

The Eigse Mrs Crotty Festival is in
its 13th year and the traditional mu-
sic festival has grown to incorporate
music, singing and dancing work-
shops, a Mrs Crotty memorial con-
cert, singing sessions, recitals and a
vibrant session trail.

The five-day festival would not be
possible without the hard work of the
local committee and the influence of
the talented Mrs Crotty.

Born Elizabeth Markham in 1885
near Cooraclare, Mrs Crotty, was the
youngest of the large Markham fam-
ily. By the time of her death in 1960

she had become recognised as one of
Ireland’s foremost exponents of the
concertina

She married Miko Crotty and to-
gether they established Crotty’s Pub-
lic House in the Square, Kilrush. It
was from this House of Music that
Elizabeth Crotty’s reputation qui-
etly grew. Ciaran MacMathtna’s
first excursion to rural Ireland in the
1950’s with RTE’s mobile unit was
to record the talented woman for the
aba MmODON Len

Mrs Crotty was described as a
gentle and unassuming woman and
a natural musician who enjoyed a
unique mastery of the concertina.

It was said that people would seek
out her company and sit quietly cap-
tivated as she played. According to
the official website “what she loved
most of all was teaching and encour-
aging young musicians”.

The spirit of this inspiring woman
was well and truly in Kilrush this
weekend as young people learnt
from talented musicians and singers
as part of the many workshops.

AN APPLICATION for a playground for Killaloe has been given the green light by the planners in Clare County Sonieee

Local councillor, Tony O’Brien, who has been working on securing funding and permission for the ven- ture for more than a year, was told eo xelOle AV AM ERIM (os) @

“T’m absolutely delighted this has got the go-ahead. It’s a facility that

will be a great boost for the area and it will be welcomed by local people and visitors alike,” he said.

Over the last two years, the coun- cil has allocated a total of €102,000 towards the cost of building the play- ground.

€41,000 was allocated the year be- fore last and last year, Cllr O’Brien, seconded by Cllr Pascal Fitzgerald, proposed that a further €60,000 in funding be given under the council’s playground grants scheme.

THE body of a man has been recov- ered from the River Fergus in Ennis.

Although not formally identified last night (Monday), it is believed the remains are those of a 3l-year-old Polish father of one missing since he went for a swim in the swollen river last Wednesday night.

The body was spotted floating in the river shortly before 4 o’clock yesterday (Monday) by a passerby at Abbey Street car park.

Przemyslaw Jablonski, who worked as a cook in Ennis, had been attend- ing a house party with a group of friends at Springfield Orchard in the town when he left the apartment with a number of friends.

He reportedly entered the River Fergus at the rear of the complex and was attempting to swim across to the other side when he was washed downstream in the strong current.

After the body was spotted in the river yesterday and the sighting was reported to gardai, officers went to the scene and observed it as it was taken downriver with the current. After travelling a further 500 metres, Gardai and Clare Civil Defence per- sonnel were able to safely secure the body before taking it ashore.

After being pronounced dead at the scene, the man’s body was first removed to Ennis General Hospital where formal identification was due to take place last night.

The body was then expected to be

transported to the Mid Western Re- gional Hospital in Limerick where a post mortem examination 1s expected to be carried today (Tuesday).

As soon as Mr Jablonski was re- ported missing last Wednesday, a massive search and rescue opera- tion was launched. Ennis fire serv- ice, Clare Civil Defence, gardai, the Doolin unit of the Irish Coastguard and the Shannon based Coastguard helicopter searched the river and bank until darkness fell before call- ing off the operation for the night.

The search continued since then and also involved Limerick Search and Rescue, Burren Sub Aqua unit and the Garda Water Unit. Poor weather conditions, treacherous river currents and almost zero underwa-

ter visibility seriously hampered the search at times.

Tragically, Mr Jablonski entered only yards from a sign which read: “No Entry – Deep Water – Do Not Swim” in a fatal act of bravado for his pals. Mr Jablonski is a separated father of one who worked as a cook at The Grove Bar and Restaurant in Roslevan in Ennis. His former partner and child are in Poland and while Mr Jablonski had no family in Ireland, gardai have kept them in- formed of developments through an interpreter.

THE land at the centre of a bitter east Clare family dispute remains unsold more than a year after a court case over ownership of the property which is valued at €1.4 million.

However, Limerick auctioneer, John de Courcy who is handling the sale of the 66 acres near Tulla, said he had turned down a number of of- fers and is talking to a number of interested parties. Last year the land was put up for sale at public auction and Mr de Courcy said the failure to sell was due to “the current climate”.

The lands at Larraroe and Rannagh are being sold in five lots and include two ruins and an old house.

The sale was allowed proceed after Judge Harvey Kenny ordered Marie

O’ Halloran to vacate the land after a case taken by her sister-in law, Jose- phine Barry (72).

Mrs O’Halloran told Ennis Circuit Court that her late husband, Stanley O’ Halloran reached a deal in the late 1970s with the owner of the farm, his late brother, Michael, to buy the land for £65,000. She said Stanley paid different sums of cash over the years to Michael, who was a bachelor farmer.

However, it was admitted that there was no record of the agreement and Mrs O’Halloran had no record of cheques paid to Michael due to the time that had elapsed.

Josephine Barry dismissed the monies paid by Stanley O’ Halloran to Michael as ‘pocket money’ and said she had no knowledge of the alleged

deal to sell the farm to Stanley.

Mrs Barry’s sister, Ida Rohan told the court: “If there was a deal, it wouldn’t hold water.”

Counsel for Mrs Barry said Michael O’Halloran died aged 64 in May 2004 without a will and his farm was divided between his two sisters, Mrs Barry and Ida Rohan and Stanley O’ Halloran. Stanley died four months later aged 68 and his share passed to his wife, Marie O’Halloran.

Judge Kenny granted possession of the lands to Mrs Barry, an injunc- tion against Mrs O’Halloran from re-entering the lands, damages of €30,000 with a permanent stay if there was compliance with the order and costs to Mrs Barry.

After the Judge’s decision in Au- gust, a sign was erected on a pole at

the land stating “The O’Hallorans have been evicted from these lands despite several attempts to settle. The O’Halloran family now intends to purchase the lands at auction.”

Solicitors for Marie O’Halloran subsequently wrote to Mrs Barry’s solicitors stating that the signs had been removed and that she would not carry out any acts to frustrate the sale of the land.

Another incident occurred on Sep- tember 24 involving Mrs O’Halloran’s son, Daniel; Mrs Barry’s husband, Michael and her sister, Ida Rohan.

The matter was raised at Ennis Cir- cuit Court last October when Daniel and Conor O’ Halloran undertook not to obstruct the sale of the land and a court order was granted to this ef- ee

SUSU See r-Wcclmmcchlbul hmm OKOecmmselomm belie Lufthansa group of companies show they have recovered from an indus- trial dispute at Shannon Aerospace to record a 57 per cent increase in pre-tax profits last year.

Profits for the Irish operation rose from $11 million in 2006 to $24 million last year while turnover in- creased by 38 per cent from $242 million to $335 million.

According to a statement accom-

panying the accounts, the airline in- dustry experienced a buoyant year in 2007, which saw the profits in most of the group’s segments increase.

“Industrial relation problems, which marred the results of Shannon Aerospace Ltd in 2006 were resolved in the second quarter of 2007 and the company operated profitably for the remainder of the year.

‘The group continued to experience strong competitive cost conditions in 2007, but there were significant con- tracts won in both the aircraft and

engine related business segments in 2007.

“The aircraft industry tends to be cyclical in nature and the board con- siders this to be the principal risk to the group’s operations and its cus- tomer base. The directors consider that quality of service to customers, turnaround times, cost control and production volume as key perform- AW Nom OSE RUD Rohe

No dividend was proposed or paid by the directors during 2007.

The statement added, “The empha-

sis of the group is to keep the compa- ny focused of the changing require- ments of an increasingly competitive market and of its customers.”

Previous accounts show that the in- dustrial dispute at Shannon cost the group $9 million.

Cost of sales increased from $201 million in 2006 to $272 million in 2007 and operating profit increased from $10 million to $28 million.

The company is in a healthy state with accumulated profits going up from $85 million to $116 million.

Fixed assets account for $383 mil- lion, while shareholders’ equity 1s valued at $249 million.

Underlining the importance of the company’s operations to the local economy, the accounts show that it employs 1,245 people — down slight- ly on the 1,258 it employed in 2006.

921 are employed in production, 308 in administration and 16 in Phe

The group’s payroll costs for 2007 were $88 million — up $10 million on the costs in 2006.