Month: January 2011

SHANNON region tourism providers are hoping for a much-needed injection of dollars after it was revealed that enquiries from US tour operators looking at holidays here are up ten per cent.

But there’s work to be done, Clare representative with the Hotel’s Federation, Michael Vaughan says, in the wake of figures which show visitors to Ireland are down one million on the numbers that came here in 2009.

Mr Vaughan said that bringing the visitors back to Clare “relies on us getting our product and our price right but for overseas visitors it’s also reliant on us getting links to markets through Shannon airport”.

Mr Vaughan said that flights between Ireland and a main German airport are a priority for the region. “We have so many attractions which that markets wants: cycling, boating, walking and we really need a link so they can come here.”

Mr Vaughan said that while domestic tourism in the region “held its own” last year, the lucrative UK market took a serious dive.

“The UK market has really dropped. Its possibly because people there have stopped taking a second holiday and are just taking one sun holiday. Ireland is seen as being too like the UK if people are cutting back.”

But there are some heartening signs, with US tour operator enquiries up 10 per cent on last year.

“A big question for next year is whether Shannon Development will find funding to promote the region. It seems as though the € 2.5 million Shannon Catchment fund is gone – it has just been absorbed into Tourism Ireland.”

He added that if “every tourism interest in the region plays its part, we will survive and grow”.

The market has come a long way in working on the perception of value for money which had dogged Irish tourism in the Celtic Tiger years.

“We need to do what we do very well. Giving people a great welcome and value for money packages and experiences,” said Michael.

The total number of overseas visits to Ireland in 2010 was down by 16 per cent on the previous year, according to the new report.

The Irish Tourist Industry Confederation says it is hopeful that visitor numbers will increase in the coming year. The end of year review from the ITIC estimates that 5.5 million people travelled to Ireland in the last 12 months, down one million on the 2009 total.

In the last three years, annual revenue from overseas visitors has declined by € 1.7 billion. Tourist numbers from Britain have fallen sharply in the same period.

PLANS to introduce a new system of charges at the Lees Road sports and amenity facility outside Ennis are likely to be met with some opposition at today’s meeting of Ennis Town Council.

Charges already apply for teams using astro turf facilities, playing pitches, dressing rooms and the recently developed synthetic running track.

Under proposed new byelaws for use of the cross-country track as outlined last month by the council, clubs will be charged € 40 per hour, individuals will be charged € 2 per hour while a daily rate of € 200 will apply in the case of large events.

Local sports clubs have criticised these proposals, claiming they unfairly impose an extra charge on players and athletes who are already charged for use of facilities at Lees Road.

Ennis councillor Johnny Flynn (FG) is calling on the council not to change the “current non-charging for the use of the cross-country track for various reasons such as fairness, inability to police a charge, etc.”

In another motion submitted to today’s council meeting, Cllr Paul O’Shea (Lab) will also call for charges not to be imposed and urges the council to erect lighting in the environ.

However the council says the charges are being proposed in the interests of “fairness and consistency”.

According to figures contained in the council’s budget, the combined cost of operating park pitches and open spaces, along with service support costs, is estimated to total just over € 1.1 million in 2011.

In a statement last month, the council said, “investment in the provision, maintenance and management of the Lees Road facility has been very significant.

“Funding for the ongoing operation must be funded from local sources.”

The statement continued, “It is considered reasonable that those using the facility would contribute towards the costs arising.”

After years of intensive lobbying from local campaigners, the Ennis Sports Development Committee, Lees Road was officially opened in June 2005 by the then Minister for Sport John O’Donoghue.

Totalling a cost of € 4.9m, the project was funded through a loan of € 3.6 million and a Sports Capital Grant of € 1.6 million.

Clare County Council acquired the land on which the facility is now based, in the early ‘90s.

Proposals for the provision of five pitches were set out in 1994.

A WEST Clare man who was the subject of a European Arrest Warrant has appeared in court in Ennis, having returned to Ireland from the UK.

Terry Doyle (34), with an address at Overdale Road, Quinton, Birmingham, UK, is accused of assault- ing Brendan Naughton causing him harm, at Moore Street, Kilrush, on August 17, 2003.

A bench warrant was issued at Ennis Circuit Court in April 2008, after he failed to appear. A European Arrest Warrant was subsequently issued. This was executed in the UK in December. Mr Doyle was arrested a number of weeks ago in the UK and returned voluntarily to Ireland just days before Christmas.

He arrived into Shannon airport from Birmingham on December 23. That evening, he was brought before a special sitting of Ennis District Court, where bail was granted. He then re-appeared in court last Wednesday.

A number of bail conditions were imposed, including that the accused reside with his sister at an address in Kildysart; that he sign on daily at Ennis Garda Station and that an independent surety of € 7,500 be lodged.

At Ennis District Court last Wednesday, Mr Doyle was remanded on continuing bail and his case was adjourned to Ennis Circuit Court later this month.

THE DEAL to save the Sixmilebridge Mart has not yet been completed, despite media reports to the contrary.

A shareholders meeting to decide whether the local consortium will purchase the mart from Golden Vale Properties (GVP) will take place this Thursday, and if an agreement is reached the local group will formally bid € 300,000 for the property.

Support for the project is said to remain high among the shareholders but there is a small number who believe that the time taken to complete the deal will hamper the mart’s pros- pects for success in the future.

The mart has been closed for more then 12 months with a group of more then 500 local farmers and Sixmilebridge residents in negotiations since early 2010. The group withdrew their final bid of € 350,000 for the premises in November when Golden Vale Properties were unwilling to match their valuation.

GVP contacted the group in late December with a revised price of just € 300,000 for the property. The mart had been placed on the market with a guide price of € 600,000 in early 2010 with GVP reportedly keen to sell the property for industry or housing, rather than for a mart.

Should the bid for the mart go ahead it is likely that it will be midMarch or April before the mart is up and going again.

“The negotiations were going on for a long time and we were getting frustrated so we withdrew the offer in November and told them they could do what they like with the mart. It was then that they got interested about selling it,” said local farmer Jim Enright.

“They looked for a meeting with the negotiation committee before Christmas and they made the offer of € 300,000 just a day or two before Christmas. Now our group had offered them € 350,000 for it earlier in the year and I guess they thought that we would keep coming – but we didn’t.

“It is great news and I would have no doubt that the group will sanction the sale. There is a small doubt though. Whether it’s a pub or a shop or a mart, and it’s been closed for more then 12 months, there can be doubt because people have gotten used to doing their business elsewhere, but I am confident that it will be passed.”

A meeting for all shareholders and prospective shareholders will take place in the Sixmilebridge GAA Hall at 9pm this Thursday evening, January 6.

“PATRIOTISM used to mean going out and being shot – now it means creating jobs.” That’s the view of the new president of the Chamber of Commerce who is calling for the setting up of an employment generating alliance for the county.

John Dillane told The Clare People that he wants “people who are will- ing to put their money where their mouths are,” to contact him through the chamber to get the group up and running.

“We want all the stakeholders involved, The businesses, the county council – everyone. We need to get off our backsides and do something if this county is to pull out of the recession.”

The shoot-from-the-hip new presi- dent said that he believes that the new patriotism is job creation.

“In 1916 when the country was in trouble, people demonstrated patriotism by going out and getting shot. Now they can do it by going out and creating jobs.”

He is calling for a special meeting to set up the group which will have job creation as its focus.

“We need to get this county back on its feet. There’s no reason we can’t start a movement to do that, but we need to do it for ourselves and every single person in the county needs to get involved in that.”

“I’m calling on any companies that have some money in their pockets to come together and be part of this organisation for Clare. We can make a difference, we can employ more people.”

Mr Dillane, who is proprietor of Banner Motors, says that in the coming year the “red carpet should be rolled out for anyone who is employing people.”

In his role as president of the Chamber, Dillane says he hopes to motivate people in the county to get more people back in the workforce and to persuade consumers to support their own and spend in the Banner.

RESIDENTS of one Ennis housing estate affected by water shortages are already planning ahead for next year’s big freeze.

Homes in Woodhaven on the Kilrush Road have experienced supply shortages over the past fortnight. The local resident’s association is proposing to develop rain-harvesting systems to ensure homes have an alternative water supply.

“Some of the houses have had frozen stop-cocks and there’s also been problems with pressure. One house might not have water but the house next door would. We might look at rain harvesting; encouraging people to collect rainwater off chutes. Its just an idea at this stage,” explained a spokesperson.

Homes in Tulla and parts of Feakle were also trying to manage without water during the big thaw. Water tankers and a standpipe had to be brought in to help keep businesses going and households supplied with water for essentials.

“It’s been very difficult for people,” said local councillor, Pat Hayes (FF). He continued, “There are probably a lot more people in this part of Clare without water than we realise because a lot of homes would be on wells or private supplies and the council doesn’t have anything to do with that so we wouldn’t know.”

“We can’t put all the blame on the council. It’s an act of God and they have done their level best to deal with it,” said Ennis area councillor, James Breen (Ind).

Clare County Council has again urged homeowners and business to conserve water in the coming days.

A spokesperson said, “The council appreciates the patience of the public in dealing with these shut offs. Without the shut-offs supplies would be even more depleted.

“Consumers can expect a delay in resumption of supply after water is restored at the time indicated while the mains are recharging for several hours. Furthermore, consumers on the periphery of schemes or on high ground can expect even greater delays in restoration of normal supply and pressure”.

GARDAÍ are hoping that after eight years, there may still be some information which can help them solve a brutal Clare murder.

Relatives of the late Sean Poland are mourning the eighth anniversary of his death. They are also appealing for anyone with information about the car-dealer’s death to come forward.

Gardaí are hoping that the time of year may jog someone’s memory of the New Year’s Eve eight years ago when Mr Poland was shot at his home.

The 39-year-old was shot dead during an armed raid at his home in Blackwater on New Year’s Eve 2002. Several arrests have been made in connection with his killing but noone has ever been charged. Mr Poland’s partner Joanne Lyons, 42, was tied up by the killers, who arrived at the house just minutes after the couple returned home from a night out. It is thought a deal made by Mr Poland in a city centre pub earlier that night may have been linked to his killing. The gang also escaped with about € 1,000 in cash from Mr Poland’s home. The attack shocked the country and sparked calls for greater control of firearms. It is believed criminals from the city were responsible for the murder and more than 20 people have been arrested to date by gardaí investigating the killing,

In 2004, gardaí in Limerick had arrested nine people in connection with the murder of the 39-year-old man.

The seven men and two women were arrested in early-morning raids across Limerick city. They were questioned and released without charge.

The previous year, two men and a woman were arrested but also released without charge.

Sean’s sister, Marie Horgan says that they are still hoping for a breakthrough in the investigation especially with the establishment of a dedicated cold case unit to look into old crimes.

The family make the appeal on each anniversary and last year, Sean’s brother Ray appealed for anyone with information about the killing to come forward.

“I know for a fact that somebody knows something. I would appeal to them to come forward with that information because we still don’t know who did it or the reasons why,” he said.

“Sean was an innocent man and. He was only 39 years of age and he should still be alive today. Some people deserve it, but he didn’t, and, really, there has been no closure for us,” he added.

Ray said that Poland this time of year was particularly difficult for him and his family.

“It is tough and the pain is still there. A lot of other cases seem to have been solved in the meantime but we haven’t got any answers. There doesn’t seem to have been any movement at all,” he said.

A Garda spokesperson confirmed that the murder investigation remained open, but said there had been no significant developments over the past 12 months.

“If anyone has information they can contact us in confidence,” he said.

Anyone with information about the murder pf Mr Poland can contact Henry Street Garda Station at 061 212400 or the Garda confidential line at 1800 666111.

SET for further success in 2011 are local food heroes and exporters, The Burren Smokehouse.

The Clare artisan smoking business is about to add top-end British store, Fortnum and Mason to the list of people who will be stocking their products.

Owner, Brigitta Hedin-Curtin is upbeat about the coming year and confident of cracking new markets for her excellent artisan product.

“We’re currently working with Fortnum and Mason to provide them with our products under their brand which is great for us because their brand is in demand in the high-end of the market,” she told The Clare People .

The Smokehouse is also about to launch a new multi-lingual website and will be concentrating on mailorder business in the coming year.

The website gives the company a very lucrative route to market and gives it an added presence on the international food stage.

Brigitta is off to the organic fair in Nuremberg this month and will be showcasing their organic range at this, one of the biggest food gatherings in Europe.

“Organic is a very important market and we are also workng with Bord Bia, who are marketing strongly in the US. We have a small presence in the US but we have some new leads that we are following up on.”

Having just recently got Kosher status, the Smokehouse now plans to exploit this as a major selling point in the US and particularly in the high-end delis and restaurants of New York.

There are leads and possibilities which we are following, including the Arabic market, which is a big market,” said Brigitta.

The Smokehouse, which is based in Lisdoonvarna, opened in 1989 and employs 17 people with a turnover of € 1.3 million.

The artisan smokehouse produces a premium quality, organic product range which are 100 per cent Irish and smoked using a closely guarded recipe

There are more than 50 products now on the market, including Hot Smoked Irish Organic Salmon with Honey, Lemon and Dill, Whiskey and Fennel and Lemon and Pepper. The Smokehouse also smokes trout, mackeral and a whole rang fish.

The Smokehouse has won the Good Food Ireland Producer of the Year award in 2009 and Blas na hÉireann Gold Winner in Seafood Products 2009.

WHEN the Ballyvaughan Farmers’ Market reopened back in 2003 it became just the second operating farmers’ market in Clare. Now, in just seven short years, it shares the stage with more then 20 regular markets which take place throughout the county during the summer months with some even carrying on all year round.

The markets are being driven by three main factors; an increased awareness of food miles and the environment; an increased demand for quality “slow” food and an increased interest for local people to grow and make more of the things they need to live their life.

“Markets seem to be popping up all over the country in recent years. There has been a lot of talk over the last decade over the quality of food that we are consuming and this notion of “food miles” seems to be talked about more and more. People have caught onto the idea of being eco-friendly by eating local foods,” said Tracey Kelly of the Ballyvaughan Farmers’ Market.

“We have also become so much better at doing what we need to do. We have learned how to grow better and how to make all kinds of things like cheese and other things which has helped to drive the development of the farmers market movement. People have really bought into the ideas.

“People who come to farmers’ markets are also very very loyal. Even the visitors are loyal in that they will visit farmers’ markets wherever they are on holidays. It doesn’t put them off, in fact they are dying to see what we have in the farmers’ market in Ballyvaughan that they don’t have in their own markets back home. So it’s something that is growing all the time and it looks like the interest both from customers and producers is increasing all the time.”

THE CLARE music scene has needed a hero for a long time. Leaving traditional music entirely to one side, recent years has seen the county struggled to produce a band or artist for other to point to and say, “look at them, they made it, so maybe we can too”.

This is no trivial matter – one only has to think about the amount of north Clare musicians in their mid30s who are playing their songs today because of the success of The Stunning and the real impact that success can have on a scene in brought into full focus.

I think that everyone who loves Clare music hopes that 2011 is a very big year for C!TIES. The Ennis band have promised a lot and, up until now, have delievered everything they’ve promised. The release of their split-single vinyl with Guilty Optics in November is evidence enough of that.

The best thing about C!TIES is that they are that most illusive of melds – a band that is both truly alternative but still has the potential to achieve mainstream success.

“For the first EP, we were in my garage in one of my old houses, and so this time around we had the whole studio. Sean is studying all the sound recording stuff so he was able to pretty much record the whole thing for us,” Sean from C!TIES told The Clare People in an interview last month.

“This is our second paid release. It’s getting pretty heavy at this stage. The last stretch of gigs for Stress, Debt and Chest Pains’ vinyl, was to older crowds than what we are used to playing. We are used to playing in pubs to people roughly our own age – 17, 18, 19, 20 – getting drunk and dancing around the place.

“But we had a more sophisticated type of audience – people were more appreciative of the music as opposed to going mental. And then when we had them coming up afterwards and buying the record, and saying we were great and stuff. It was something else.”