Month: September 2009

MICHAEL Corley took his seat in Waterpark House and waited. He’d waited for seven years and so 30 or sO minutes more didn’t matter. Muhammad Ali was in one of the anterooms of the Ennis Town Coun- cil headquarters — he would be out in his own good time, meantime Michael Corley could reflect on the

significance of this Civic Reception for Ennis Town Council and greater J Spay AbESe

“It means the realisation of a dream that we had back in 2002,” he says. ‘To me and to nearly everyone, Ali was an icon. I grew up with him and to have him now in Ennis is really incredible.

“Back seven years ago when I put a motion to the council calling for

him to be made a Freeman of Ennis, I thought that Ali would come — the enthusiasm that was there with the initial proposal, made me believe it would happen, but as the time passed I realised the difficulty of organising SUONE- Hace le

“It did take the Alltech Group to bring him and I’m delighted that the council did the next thing and reached out and honoured him in this

way. The significance of Ali getting this award is huge — it’s great to think that there are genes in Ali that origi- nated in Ennis 150 years ago. It is indeed a welcome home for Muham- mad Ali and I would hope that Ali looks on it like that, because part of him originated in Ennis.

“Ennis people are fantastic for meeting an occasion — whether it’s the great occasions of the hurling

teams in the ‘90s or whether it’s St Patrick’s Day parades organised by the council, people are great to come out. They’ve come out today.”

The day was only beginning and Michael Corley was soon on his feet as Muhammad Ali finally came into view, Stood motionless for a few sec- onds, sat down and took the applause. It was sustained.

The Greatest had landed.

OF course Muhammad Ali was the star turn, charming everyone with- out opening his mouth — his mere presence being enough to bring the county capital to a standstill for a few hours.

However, he wasn’t the only Ali to charm his Ennis public — Lonnie Ali also did her part to steal the show when addressing the Ennis Town Council Civic Reception in Water- park House.

“Are there any relatives of Mu- hammad here?” she asked. With that up stepped Imelda O’Grady,

Mary O’Grady-Gormley and Mary O’Donovan with gifts for “The Greatest’ — an O’Grady family crest, a ‘céad mile failte’ plaque and an al- bum of photographs from the Turn- pike.

“It’s a rare opportunity that we get to come to Ireland and especially to Ennis,” said Lonnie. “The people of Ennis, you have been so overwhelm- ing in your outpouring of love to this ynarenee

“We are sincerely appreciative and thankful to everyone of you and now that we know that Muhammad is an ‘Innisman’, we will be back.”

It was the way she said it — adopt-

ing Ennis-speak and the vernacular of a true Townie. It’s something that wasn’t lost on ‘Townies in the Town Council audience, or those in the crowd watching the telecast that was beamed onto a big screen at Abbey Street carpark.

And there was more from Lonnie.

“IT have never seen anything like this before and neither has Muham- mad. He was overwhelmed by it, re- UMAR Laon

“It was better than any medicine you could give him. He was excited and surprised by the outpouring of people, even the children who were out on the street.

“It’s interesting that when you look at Muhammad and his _ pugilistic skills and his loquacious ways, that if his great grand father were alive he’d swear that it came from him. And if he were alive today he’d be in every pub talking about it.”

The O’Gradys doing the talking on Tuesday were Muhammad Ali’s relatives — you could say they were reeling with the welcome given them by both Muhammad and Lonnie. “I can’t believe that I got to meet Mu- hammad,” said Mary O’ Donovan. “It was a dream come true for me and I was crying. We had lovely photo- graphs taken with after the recep-

nena

“I’m very emotional over it,’ said Imelda O’Grady. “It’s been a real roller coaster over the past few weeks, looking forward to the visit and now that it has happened and I got to meet Muhammad Ali is unbelievable,’ she added.

Meanwhile, Mary O’Grady-Gorm- ley was lost for words. “I don’t know what to say,” she said. “To meet him, to hold his hand and be photographed with him. It must be the highlight of TUOh Yas become

Muhammad Ali and Lonnie Ali had just made their day. Everyone’s CPAs KOvMmner-limeet lito) m

TUESDAY last was one of the best, if not the best day, of Patrick Dono- van’s life.

The Ennisman shook the hand of Muhammad Ali and presented him with a book.

A huge fan of ‘The Greatest’, Patrick left his home in Clancy Park three hours later on a mission to see and meet him lifetime hero.

He had dreamed of brining his son Thomas to see an Ali fight but it was never to be, but when Ali came to Ennis, Patrick said all his dreams came true.

Dressed in a t-shirt with the man they once called Cassius Clay on the front and armed with a book he had for ten years – “Ali the King”, Patrick waved to Ali as he made his way back from the photographers

towards the monument that had just been unveiled in his honour.

Patrick called to him, like hundreds more that made up the excited crowd. Ali looked up, and dismissing any protest from publicists and security guards made his way over. He spent a few moments with Patrick looking at the book and pictures that captured Ali in his prime. For a few moments a glint of the old Ali returned to his eye and as much of a smile as his ill- ness would allow.

Then he took the book and left, but Patrick didn’t mind.

“Of course it was worth it, why wouldn’t it be worth it, sure there will never be a man here like him again,’ he said.

His dream had just come true.

MUHAMMAD Ali crossed the At- lantic on Tuesday, 25 August — went to Old Trafford, visited Ricky Hat- ton’s gym, did charity gigs in Man- chester and Dublin and much more.

All, however, were just cameos and Supporting bouts before the main event on the card — that event was in Ennis where his heart wanted to be. “That’s why he left best for last,” said Dr Pearse Lyons of Alltech, the man responsible for bringing Ali to

J SyevevEse

“Ennis is the place he really want to come to, because this is where his ancestors come from. It dawned on him in many respects that he was coming home. He has been emotion- Yi leye) olan |

‘When he arrived we saw The Clare People and he’s inside the back going through it page-by-page. If there’s one thing that Muhammad loves it’s that he likes to read about himself.

‘““We’ve had packed houses wher- ever we went over the past week

— and in those houses only one man touched everyone, yet that one man said nothing. He was able to touch all those people by his presence alone,’ he added.

And, Dr Lyons also pointed out that it was Ennis that Muhammad Ali wanted to reach out to the most. “We are here in Ennis, because it is from Ennis that this great voyage started,” he said. “It’s from Ennis that Mu- hammad Ali’s Irish roots started. He is an icon from Ennis, probably the greatest inspiration in the world, the champ, a proud Irish man.

“It’s impossible to put into words — there’s such a warmth in the man, there’s such a radiation coming from the man. He’s a man that you want to follow and that’s why the people have come out in Ennis today. Mu- hammad is not Irish, he’s global, but today he has realised that he is part Irish and he’s proud of that, very proud of that.

‘“There’s nothing that saps you en- ergy more than emotion — today’s he’s little tired, but that’s because he’s so emotional about it. When we showed him the local paper, the shop windows, the American flags and the Irish flags, his sister-in-law kept say- ing Muhammad, you’re Irish, you’re home.

“Muhammad Ali himself realises that and that’s why this visit to En- nis has been so important to him. It has touched him deeply, just as it has touched the people who came out to see him today,” added Dr Lyons.

MANY horses in Clare are being left to starve – because the recession has left their owners with no money to feed them.

The voluntary body Clare Animal Welfare has said in its annual report that the last year “has been an ap- palling year for equine cruelty and we have witnessed large numbers of horses abandoned in unsuitable conditions because their owners are unable to afford to feed and manage dete e0 a

Horse owners have been pleading with the group to help them care for animals. “While individuals do not wish to perpetuate cruelty, they are unable to sustain adequate feed and shelter for these animals any longer,” the report states.

CAW provided farrier assistance to five horses, one donkey and two po- nies and nursed two foals and mares. They have also sent several donkeys to the donkey sanctuary warden in ETc

CAW provided fodder for at least 32 neglected and abandoned horses and ponies in several areas, including Ennis, north Clare, Shannon, Tubber and Gort, County Galway.

“This proved costly and time-con- suming for our volunteers. Outdoor rugs were provided to all animals and veterinary attention continued while rehabilitation and relocation was underway.

“All the neglected equines have

been logged and the Clare SPCA of- ficer notified,” the report says.

“The increase in equine cruelty and neglect has reflected the current state of the Irish economy and CAW is unable to address all calls for as- sistance. It is our view that this is a national problem that will continue to escalate, and measures to address the provisions for equines is urgently needed. We are liaising with other welfare organisations and providing shelter for horses through network- ing with local riding establishments, pony clubs and breeders,” a spokes- woman for the organisation said.

In the last year, CAW has helped re-home 75 dogs who were in their care as well as working to re-home dozens more who remained with the owners until that was possible.

They have assisted 27 cats and

kittens directly through neutering worming and vaccinating and CAW is also carrying out a programme of helping with the cost of neutering and treating pets for people on lower incomes.

CAW is a totally voluntary organi- sation and depends on contributions from the public and the Department of Agriculture to carry on with it’s work. For futher information or in- formation on how to donate, contact 087 7954351 or 087 1315904 or 086 1031662

Log on to _ http://www.clar- eanimalwelfare.net or eer ne info @clareanimalwelfare.net.

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LIAM Daly of Property Partners Joseph Daly and Associates, Ennis, this week warned owners of second properties not to get hit with a fine for late payment of the new property FD. @

“The new €200 annual charge has been introduced on Irish residential property on non-principal private residences payable by the owners of these properties under the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009. The charge applies mainly to owners of private rental property and holi- day homes. However, it also applies to vacant residential property unless newly built but unsold,” said Daly.

He explained, “Liability to pay the charge is determined by ownership of a relevant property on the “liabil- ity date” and July 31, 2009, has been set as the liability date for the current

year.

Payment of the charge for this year is due by September 30. If payment of the charge is not made by Octo- ber 31 this year, a €20 late payment fee will apply for each month or part of month during which the charge is us} oy-Blee

Liam Daly observed, “We have found the majority of our clients are aware of the second homes property tax but are not aware of the fine.

‘“There’s enough pain in having to pay the €200 tax in the first place, especially in light of reduced rents and BER Cert costs. You want to avoid getting hit with an additional €20 fine for every month after Oc- tober that you haven’t paid because it could add up”.

For more details of how the Second Home Tax may affect you, contact Property Partners Joseph Daly and Associates on 065 6893257.

ENNIS-based auctioneering firm Philip O’Reilly Property Plus is to launch a new nationwide property sales process to facilitate vendors who urgently need to sell their prop- UAE

Branded as Immediate Sales, the new concept will have its own dedi- cated website, www.immediatesales. ion

‘The process is designed to accom- modate and assist vendors who, for a variety of reasons, want a quick sale despite the current market condi- tions,” explained Philip O’Reilly.

He continued, ““We have developed a process to facilitate and identify reasonable expectations in the cur- rent difficult property market.”

Immediate Sales is not for the ven- dor who can bide their time to see if things improve and has the luxury to wait and negotiate a price that suits

them. Instead, the Immediate Sales process is designed specifically for those with a genuine desire or need to sell right now.

‘How it works is that we will con- sult with clients regarding their needs, and if appropriate, the expec- tations of their lenders will be ad- dressed. Where a sale is identified as the appropriate solution, then the subject property will be included in the Immediate Sales process and featured on the new website, due to launch at the end of this week.”

Philip O’Reilly added, “This new website site will only accommodate property in the appropriate category and will be a resource for potential purchasers who are in a position to purchase at this time.”

Properties priced to achieve an im- mediate sale can be viewed from Fri- day on www.immediatesales.ie.

For further information, contact Philip O’Reilly on 065 6844448.

COSTELLOE Estate Agents has an attractive family home on its books, located at Abbeyville off the Limer- ick Road (opposite the West County Hotel), which has just been further reduced in price to €215,000.

No 50 Abbeyville is a four-bedroom semi-detached property offering 1,292 sq ft of internal accommoda- tion. This appealing house comprises an entrance hall, living room, kitch- en/dining room, utility and en suite bedroom all on the ground floor.

Upstairs, there are three bedrooms, including the en-suite master bed- room, together with the family bath- room.

Finishes include a mix of timber, tiled and carpeted floors, a qual-

ity fitted kitchen with integrated electrics, fitted wardrobes in the bedrooms, quality tiling in the bath- rooms, painted doors, skirting and architraves and quality coving in the reception and living rooms.

Externally the property features a walled lawn and parking area to the front, with an enclosed south facing IKoreU ESE DRO CCINMAWA LOOMS: DRO CCIOMCI OCLC

The house was recently redecorat- ed and is on the market in ‘walk-in’ condition. It will appeal to a family as it offers plenty of space and is very close to all key amenities, including schools, in Ennis town centre. It 1s also just a few hundred metres from the bypass interchange on the Lim- erick Road.

For full details contact Costelloe Estate Agents contact 065 6821299.

EMER O’Reilly, the straight-talking manager of the EBS in Ennis, ad- vises those considering a self-build project or property purchase not to be afraid to ask for money.

‘People are taking everything they hear on the radio and in the media at face value and they think none of the financial institutions are lending. Well, I have news of my own, we are most definitely lending at EBS, so please come and talk to us, if you are in the market for a loan,’ invited ioe

EBS Ennis, which had _previ- ously been housed in shared offices with Philip O’Reilly Property Plus, opened its standalone branch, located at Central Buildings, Abbey Street, last October with Emer O’Reilly, who has an impressive track record in banking and finance, at the helm.

Emer finds it frustrating that peo- ple are so reluctant to seek advice about loans. “I know that people are afraid to cross our threshold to seek finance, but those who do are invari- ably pleasantly surprised.”

She added, “We all know that the days of the 100 per cent mortgages are gone, but if buyers have saved a deposit and they can show that they

have been in continuous employment for 24 months, not even necessarily with the same employer, then there is no reason why their application for a mortgage will not be taken ser1- ously.

“With interest rates so low and it being a buyers’ market, with lots of bargain properties to chose from, it is a good time for those first-time buy- ers in employment to consider taking out a mortgage.”

Emer pointed out that apart from low interest variable mortgages, people who want some certainty can choose to fix their mortgage for one, two three, four, five or 10 years. Many of those who have taken out mortgages in recent months have opted for a five-year fixed term, sim- ply because they want to know where WSToAYAREDOLOB

The EBS team works closely with Clare County Council to help those who qualify for Affordable Hous- ing to acquire the necessary finance. Said Emer, “On the plus side we take lone parents allowance and social welfare payments into account as regular income. In fact they are of- ten vital when assessing affordable housing cases.”

According to Emer, EBS is the only financial institution offering struc-

tured financial support to those pur- chasing affordable housing.

“We are also helping people to fi- nance self-build, one-off housing projects. We are facilitating them in the purchase of the site and provid- ing the actual finance of the build. We don’t just provide the money, we also are able to give sound advice. Because EBS has a strong record in financing self-builds, we know the cost of construction and are able to recommend engineers and reliable builders etc.”

Now almost a year since opening the new EBS office, Emer reflected, ‘Because we are in a more promi- nent site, we have succeeded to at- tract more customers. In fact our in- vestment base is up a very healthy 40 per cent.

“The pace of life has slowed a lit- tle, and our excellent team, who are really on the ball and who take time to get to know their customers, are able to give our customers what they need — good, honest-to-God advice, be it about savings, pensions or mort- gages, at no charge.”