Month: April 2011

A CLARE auctioneer has said that property websites like Daft are “way off the mark” when it comes to how much property prices have dropped. He is calling for a national register of sale prices to get a real handle on the situation.

According to the latest Daft figures, property in Clare has dropped in price by more than 38 per cent since the boom years.

But Diarmuid McMahon of Sherry Fitzgerald McMahon says the shocking truth is that prices have dropped by up to 60 per cent.

“These websites don’t reflect the situation on the ground, the prices that property is actually changing hands for. We see it all the time and we track it and the truth is that, depending on the type of property and the condition and location, prices have actually gone down by between 40 and 60 per cent.”

Diarmuid said that second homes and apartments have been worst hit.

“Holiday homes have really felt the brunt. Houses in Kilkee that would have had a € 250,000 price tag a few years ago are on the market now for € 99,000. Apartments have also gone down considerably. Apartments in town that were selling for € 200,000 are selling now at € 80,000 to € 85,000.”

The Ennis auctioneer said that there are problems with property sites such as Daft and My Home. ie. “There are a lot of poperties sitting on those sites which have not been revalued in two years or more. Those are asking prices not market value and they are pushing the average prices up.”

Sherry Fitgerald have been campaigning to have a register which would record how much is paid for every property sold, similar to the one in the UK.

‘We’ve had the biggest property crash in the western world in Ireland, but we have no real record of it and no recorded information. Instead we have conflicting information from a number of sources and much of it does not reflect reality,” said Diarmuid.

According to the quarterly Daft report, prices for homes in Clare fell a further 3.6 since the beginning of the year.

Since the start of the slide, the price of an average one-bedroom home fell by € 70,000, a two-bedroom is down by € 120,00 and three-bedroom family homes have dropped by € 158,000, according to Daft’s calculations.

However, like the overall calculation of a drop in price, Mr McMahon said these figures are not based on reality.

A NORTH Clare woman has set her sights at bringing the coveted Rose of Tralee title back to the Banner County for the first time in the history of the competition.

Rineen woman Claire Keane was last week selected as the Galway Rose for the 2011 edition of the competition. Despite togging out in the colours of her neighbouring county Claire says that she will do her utmost to bring success to Clare and Galway in this year’s competition.

“Obviously you would love to represent where you are from but in a way it is even nicer to have been chosen to represent Galway. The fact that I was chosen to represent Galway, even though I’m not originally from Galway, shows that they really must believe in me. I’m very humbled and very happy to have been chosen,” said Claire, who has been living in Galway for the past eight years.

“Of course I’d love to be representing Clare and in a way a part of me will be representing Clare but I am very happy to be going forward as the Galway Rose. Galway is a great spot and it is joined onto Clare so hopefully I can do well for both counties in the competition.”

Clare was chosen out of a field of 27 girls to become the Galway Rose. Her entry into this year’s competition was sponsored by the Central Park Night Club, who supported her on the night along with her brothers Damien and Brian.

“I grew up watching it but I never dreamed that I would be taking part myself. I always loved watching the competition but I never thought I’d enter and a never thought I’d have a chance of winning,” she continued.

“The competition itself isn’t anything like what people would see on TV. What people see on TV is just the final part of it – before that there is a whole series of interviews with the judges, both individual and in groups. It has been quite a long proc- ess already.”

Claire attended Rineen National School and Scoil Mhuire in Ennistymon before completing a business studies degree at the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology. She also completed a marketing post graduate at NUI, Galway, and now works for American software company Brightwork and the Central Park Nightclub.

A NORTH Clare group claims that it will be prevented from celebrating Easter Sunday Dawn Mass at the Killenagh Graveyard this year because of opposition from within the local parish organisation.

Dawn Mass has been celebrated at the graveyard for the past three Easter Sundays, with more than 200 local people turning out for the celebration last year.

In previous years, the Mass has been presided over by a locally born priest, who is currently stationed outside the Diocese of Galway and Kilfenora.

However, according to the Killenagh Graveyard Committee, they are being prevented from celebrat- ing the Mass this Easter, even if they find a willing priest from outside the diocese.

“The group came together to try and fix up the cemetery and, thanks to voluntary labour and a number of FÁS Schemes, we were able to do that.

“We started these Masses as a way of celebrating the work that was done and they have been very successful community events,” said Robert Bennett of the Killenagh Graveyard Committee.

“A priest from outside the diocese has hosted the Mass for the past three years but this year, out of courtesy, we decided to contact the local parish. They said that they would not be in a position to celebrate the Mass and they would not be allowing the Mass to take place at all.” The Clare People attempted to contact local priest Fr Derek Feeney in relation to this but were unable to reach him at the time of going to press.

According to former Ennistymon priest and current PRO for the Diocese of Galway and Killaloe, Fr Sean McHugh, however, there are currently not enough priests to cover existing Masses in the area.

“I remember when I was serving in Ennistymon four years ago, I was asked about a cemetery Mass early on Easter Sunday. I disagreed on the grounds that we, the priests, were very stretched on Easter Sunday.

“Additionally, another Mass would take the congregation away from the later main Easter Sunday celebration in the nearby church,” he said.

“There are a number of other cemeteries in that area that could not all be supplied with Dawn Mass on Easter Sunday if it was requested.

“I wasn’t in favour of a priest from outside the parish coming in to cel ebrate the Mass because, with the shortage of priests, the direction being taken [by the Church] is to rationalise Masses and not to timetable extra Masses.

“In general, parish priests would prefer to celebrate cemetery Masses themselves with their own congregations whom they serve with week in and week out.

“For this reason, it was usual to celebrate mid-week Mass in each of these cemeteries in each of these parishes mid-week during the summer.”

FRESH from becoming the biggest party in Clare General Election politics for the first time in the party’s near 80-year history in the county, Fine Gael are on the cusp of more electoral success in the coming week.

That’s the battlecry from the local organisation this week as Fine Gael’s 24-strong team of county and town councillors prepare to cast their votes in the Seanad Éireann election this coming Monday.

“We have two TDs and we have three candidates in the Seanad elections and can win three seats to give five Oireachtas members for the party in Clare,” Cllr Joe Arkins, the leader of Fine Gael group of councillors for the elections to the Upper House of the Oireachtas.

“That’s what we’re aiming for,” added Cllr Arkins, “and it’s a realistic goal because Fine Gael have enough votes around the country to get 23 or 24 Seanad seats. Having five Fine Gael Oireachtas members in Clare would be unprecedented.”

Councillor Martin Conway flies the Clare flag in the Administrative Panel, in which there are seven seats up for grabs. Cllr John Crowe contests the Industrial and Commercial Panel, in which there are 11 seats, while Cllr Tony Mulcahy is in the running for the Labour Panel that also has 11seats.

“Cllr Conway’s panel is a difficult one,” admitted Cllr Arkins, “because there are only seven seats, but there are still three Fine Gael seats to be won.

Clare Fine Gael has never had more than two members of Seanad Éireann at the same time. The last time they had two members was between 1993 and 1997 with Madeleine Taylor-Quinn, who was elected on the Labour Pane,l and Michael Howard, who was returned on the Industrial and Commericial Panel for the sixth successive Seanad election.

A 39-YEAR-OLD Ballyvaughan man charged with the murder of Deirdre McCarthy apologised for what had happened when charged and cautioned by gardaí.

Colm Deely, with an address on School Road in Ballyvaughan, was remanded in custody to appear before Ennistymon District Court, sitting in Kilrush, by Judge Joseph Mangan, tomorrow morning, April 13.

Detective Thomas Molloy of Ennistymon Garda Station said the defendant replied, “I’m very sorry for what happened” when he was charged.

The father of two, who wore a navy jumper, navy slacks and a white shirt, sat silently with his eyes lowered during the brief hearing.

An application for legal aid was made by solicitor Gearoid Geraghty on behalf of Mr Deely. He said the defendant was a married man with two young children and was on a part-time FÁS course three days a week.

A number of members of Deirdre McCarthy’s family, as well as relatives of the defendant, sat on either side of the courtroom during the hearing.

The body of Deirdre McCarthy was found at Fanore beach on the morning of March 31, three days after she was reported missing from her home. She was last seen alive on March 27 around 11.30pm, when she returned home after a night socialising with friends in Ballyvaughan.

Her disappearance prompted one of the largest searches undertaken in North Clare in recent time. Family and friends joined with members of the gardaí and the Doolin and Killaloe Units of the Irish Coastguard to begin a painstaking three-day search for missing woman.

THE NEWLY formed Burren Ecotourism Network (BEN) hosted its first conservation event in north Clare over the weekend when a number of local volunteers completed a beach clean-up at Ballyryan, on the coast road between Doolin and Fanore.

The Burren region became Ireland’s second official ecotourism destination earlier this year when it was granted official accreditation last month. This is the first major event undertaken by the group since it received official ecodestination status and hopes are high locally that the new development could mean an increase in the number of ecotourist attracted to visit Clare.

More than 40 geologists from Leeds University volunteered to join the weekend’s clean-up and future conservation events will involve local schools as well as members of the wider community.

With their help, more than a quarter of a tonne of rubbish was collected from the beach and taken for disposal to the Central Waste Management Facility at Ballyduff beg.

“It was great to be involved in preserving the Burren Landscape,” said Dr Jeff Peakell from Leeds University.

“We have been coming to the area for 20 years and witness the increased volumes of tourists and inevitable impacts on the landscape. We ourselves have a ‘leave no trace’ policy and are happy to be part of this new exciting initiative by the Burren Ecotourism Network.”

The Burren Ecotourism Network is made up of a large group of local businesses and other organisations, each of which have an interest in protecting the Burren and creating a sustainable future for people and businesses of north Clare.

Local members who also took part in the clean-up included representatives from the Burren Painting Centre, the Boghill Centre, Kilfenora Hostel, Heart of Burren Walks, Burren Outdoor Education Centre, Burren Fine Wine & Food, Burren Coaches and the Cliffs of Moher.

THE voice of Robbie Williams filled the packed halls of St John the Baptist Church in Ballyvaughan last Tuesday morning as the family and friends of Deirdre McCarthy said goodbye to their very own angel.

Deirdre made her short final journey from the small local church that she knew so well to the windswept graveyard at nearby Bishop’s Quarter Cemetery following what was one of the largest and most emotionally draining funerals in recent memory.

Clearly still in a state of shock, the family of the 43-year-old were comforted by the hundreds of friends, locals and well-wishers who packed into the small church. So great was the number that people had no choice but to stand close to the alter in all three isles of the church, while outside special speakers were set up so that those who could not gain access could still take part in the ceremony.

A number of family members, including Deirdre’s younger sister Helen, took part in an emotional service which was led by local priest Fr Richard Flanagan.

Music was also a large part of the Mass, as it had been in Deirdre’s life, with a lone female singer leading the hymns.

Following the service, Deirdre was carried from the church by her brother Tom and her brothers in law to the sounds of her favourite song, ‘Angels’ by Robbie Williams.

The wind began to rise as the funeral procession made its way along the coast road from Ballyvaughan to the McCarthy family plot in Bishop’s Quarter.

There were tears at the graveside as Fr Flanagan led the large crowd in a decade of the Rosary before saying a last few words over Deirdre’s final resting place.

Light spatters of rain began to fall, obscuring the tears that so many shed on the long journey home from Bishop’s Quarter.

Deirdre McCarthy is survived by her mother Helen, brother Tom and sisters Helen, Christina, Bernie and Ann, as well as a large extended family in the North Clare area.

WELL-KNOWN Clare horse trainer Noel Glynn was carrying the hopes of an entire county in Saturday’s Grand National, but at the same time he was the victim of a theft at his home in Spancilhill, Gardai have reported.

Clare Crime Prevention Officer, Sgt Joe Downey, revealed that sometime between10.50am and 11pm on Saturday, when Mr Glynn and his family were in Liverpool for the Grand National, a number of items were stolen from his Durra House home. These included a sum of money, a car, a safe and a shotgun.

It was just one of a number of burglaries in the county over the past week, two of which were aggravated burglaries.

Last Saturday between 10pm and 10.30pm four men with balaclavas burns into a house in Kilferagh, Kilkee. “They intimidated the elderly occupant and demanded money from him,” Sgt Downey revealed. “They occupant was not injured but is very traumatised by this incident,” he added.

Meanwhile, in Ennis on April 4 at 9.15pm, a house on the Clare Road in Ennis was broken into. “He intimidated the elderly occupant to obtain money,” revealed Sgt Joe Downey.

“He searched and ransacked all the rooms in an effort to locate any valuables. A suspect has been ar- rested for this crime and enquiries are ongoing. The occupant was not injured but very traumatised by this incident,” he added.

Meanwhile Kilkishen residents are being asked to co-operate with gardai and keep a close eye on neighbours who live alone following a meeting in the village last week.

A break-in locally and concerns about crime prompted the Kilkishen Development Association to call a public meeting to see what coan be done to make the village a no-go area for burglars and other criminals.

“We had a very active community watch group in Kilkishen some years ago. It had been considered that that could be revived but after a discussion it was decided that asking people to be aware and co-operating with the gardai is a better route forward rather than having local patrols,” said Development Association chairman, Mike Hogan.

The Association is appealing to local people to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity or strangers calling to doors and to report anything untoward to the Gardai in Tulla.

“We would ask people to be concious of looking out for people who live alone locally and particularly elderly people. The break-in shows that we need to be alert. Being concious of what’s going on in the village is a good way to deter crime.” Mike said.

WHEN YOU hear the word Chernobyl, images of the hundreds and thousands of innocent people affected by the tragic nuclear accident quickly spring to mind. Next perhaps, you might think of the scores of Irish volunteers who regularly visit Belarus and, when ever possible, bring young children home to Clare for a much needed holiday and the therapy of simple fresh air.

When you hear about Chernobyl however, you don’t often imagine a cramped warehouse in a quiet corner of Ennistymon and the endless sorting of box after box of donated goods. But that is where much of the real work of the Burren Chernobyl Project takes place, where the ordinary heroes of the charity work round the clock to make it all possible.

Linda Kelleher and Ann Marie Jones work in the Ennistymon office of the Burren Chernobyl Project. After joining the charity just six months ago the pair have been busy preparing for the first shipment of the year to Belarus and organising this summer’s many volunteer trips to orphanages in Chernobyl.

“I just wanted to do something that was of value, something that you could give back to the community,” says Ann Marie.

“I’ve done a bit of voluntary work with charities before. It’s quite fulfilling and it is very rewarding to see all the donations of clothes and bed- ding and everything. I was amazed at how much people will give.”

Both Linda and Ann Marie have been blown away by the generosity of local people who have been donating to the charity. “We made some posters when we got here, it was the first thing we did. We were looking for donations and straight away, within the same week, they were in. People were very generous,” said Linda. “We get a lot of phone calls during the day. Mainly it’s people wondering how they can help and wondering about getting to Gorodishche or Cherven, which are the main two orphanages that we deal with out there. “They want to know how to go there, what they need, how to sort out visas and what they could do there.” Both Linda or Ann Marie have yet to visit Belarus, so they always recommend that a potential volunteer talks to someone who has been over there before they decid to go. In the coming weeks the Burren Chernobyl Project is hosting a number fundraising activities including their big sponsored walk on Easter Monday and a charity concert. “We have the sponsored walk coming up on Easter Monday which we organised and put up posters and do the advertising for that and we also take part,” continued Linda. “We’re hoping to go out ourselves, even over a weekend trip, just to see the orphanages and get a feel for what’s going on. We have had a volunteer come in and speak to us about what actually happens and her knowledge was brilliant; about how it’s very sad and upsetting but it’s very rewarding.”