Month: May 2011

CLARE Fine Gael is to move quickly to select to new members of Clare County Council, following the election of sitting councillors, former Mayor Clare Tony Mulcahy and Martin Conway to Seanad Éireann.

And, The Clare People has learned that Shannon Town Councillor Sean McLoughlin and the president of Young Fine Gael, Eric Keane, are poised to fill the two vacancies on Clare local government’s premier decision making body.

The Mayor of Shannon, Cllr McLoughlin, was a leading supporter of Senator Mulcahy’s campaigns for Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann, while Mr Keane from the Ballyvaughan/New Quay area is geographically placed to fill the vacancy that will be created in the North Clare Electoral Area when Senator Conway resigns his council seat.

Under Oireachtas legislation passed in 2004, members of Dáil Éireann are unable to hold down a dual mandate, a rule that in the past has obliged current Fine Gael TDs Pat Breen and Joe Carey and former TD James Breen resign to their council seats.

When Deputy Pat Breen resigned his Dáil seat in 2004 he was replaced by Oliver Garry, while in 2007 Joe Carey’s seat went to Paul Murphy, both of whom were from the same geographic area and close allies of the two TDs.

A party insider has told The Clare People that “this will be the case again this time around”, with Cllr McLoughlin and Mr Keane emerging as the two leading candidates in the immediate aftermath of the Seanad successes of both Mulcahy and Conway.

Senator Conway’s wife, Breege Hanniffy, who is a Fine Gael party activist was mooted over the weekend as a possible nominee for her husband’s council seat, but The Clare People understands that she will not be co-opted, leaving the door open for 23-year-old Keane to be become the second youngest ever member of Clare County Council after Fianna Fáil’s Cathal Crowe, who was only 21 when he was elected in 2004.

A LIMERICK man who has served time in prison for manslaughter has been jailed after he was caught with heroin in Kilrush.

Paul Coffey (34), with an address at Steamboat Quay, Limerick, was charged with possession of drugs for the purpose of sale or supply at Place de Plouzane, Kilrush, on April 27, 2010.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told Ennis District Court that the accused was found in possession of five deals of heroin when his apartment was searched. He said the value of the drugs amounted to € 150.

Judge Joseph Mangan asked did money change hands and was told that it didn’t.

“No. The evidence was he would share it with his friends,” said Inspector Kennedy.

Defence solicitor Turlough Herbert said his client was pleading guilty.

He said that his client’s partner had an addiction to heroin and the accused felt “he should have some control over the supply of drugs to her. She is going to get them anyway. He feels she should get them on a structured basis.”

He said that his client came from a disadvantaged area of Limerick and “has spent the greater part of his adult life in prison.”

“He wasn’t to make any money from this,” he said.

The court was told that Coffey had more than 50 previous convictions, including a 15-year jail term imposed for manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court in 2003.

Judge Mangan imposed an eightmonth jail term, to run consecutively to a 10-month term the accused is currently serving.

He fixed a bond in the event of an appeal.

ORGANIC food production could become one of the largest growth areas in Clare in the years to come if producers begin to take a collaborative approach to marketing and distribution.

The production of fine organic foods is already one of the few areas of the economy which have continued to grow throughout the recession but a new feasibility study has shown there is a great demand for organic produce in the UK and mainland Europe, with a number of Clare producers in line to take advantage.

This news comes as a delegation of “heavy hitters” from the Austrian organic food industry visited North Clare last week. The group spent sev eral hours at the Burren Smokehouse in Lisdoonvarna on Friday morning, before taking part in a full tour of the St Tola’s Goats Cheese farm in Inagh in the afternoon.

Austria is the EU leader in organic farming, with more than 15 per cent of all land in the country farmed organically, compared to just 1.5 per cent of land in Ireland. It also has one of the largest markets for organic produce in Europe – an area which has showed continued growth in recent years, despite the downturn in the European economy.

The group, which contains more than 40 individuals involved in the Austrian organic industry, were brought to Clare as the guests of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Association.

“Almost 25 per cent of the market for food in Austria is for organic food, compared to just four per cent in Ireland, so there is a lot that we can learn from these people,” said Birgitta Hedin-Curtin from the Burren Smokehouse.

“They have learned to combine tourism with organic production with tourists coming to stay at organic farms. But the real area that we can learn from them is in terms of organisation and working together.

“They have organic co-ops over there where everyone works together, especially in terms of marketing and distribution. I think that this is something that would work here in Ireland. There is a Meitheal spirit in the Irish, and people will work together, especially now in the more difficult times.

“There is a massive market for organic Irish produce both in the UK and in mainland Europe and if we work together we can make it happen.”

Austria is the second richest economy in the EU and organic agriculture is a key component of their economy.

FRANK Nolan’s family are bracing themselves to not recognise him come May 14.

And it’s not likely that Gordon Dale’s friends and neighbours will know him after his long locks and bushy beard have been shorn in a good cause.

In fact three good causes will benefit from the shearing which Frank, Gordon, Derek Flavin and Gordon Drummy have planned for Crotty’s Bar in Kilrush that night.

The ‘Think Pink’ evening is so named because the three charities to benefit are cancer charities Regina House Palliative Care Cenre, the West Clare Cancer Fund and the Clare 250 Cycle.

“They are all fantatstic charities and cancer is a disease which affects so many people. We all know someone who has been affected by it,” said Gordon Drummy.

On the night, their beards and hair will be dyed pink everyone is being asked to wear something pink and Jim of Jim’s Barber Shop will be on hand to shave the four Samson’s.

“Frank’s children have never seen him without his beard and his wife is dreading seeing him,” said Gordon.

Gordon Dale, unanimously voted the hairiest of the three, contacted the lads when he heard about the event.

“Gordon rang and said he wanted to take part. He’s in remission him- self so he knows how important the work done by the charities is.”

There’s much more to the night than shaving, with some great music coming from Harvest Moon and a massive raffle for a bicycle, vouchers bottles and much more.

“The local businesses have been fantastic in supporting us and Kevin and Rebecca Clancy at Crotty’s have been very generous in sponsoring us for the venue and food and the local youth group did all our posters and tickets for free. We just can’t believe how generous people are,” said Gordon.

A good night out is promised for all with the fun starting around 9pm. Tickets are available from Gordon at 085 7815917, Ann at 085 7775617 or Marie at 087 2217579.

DOONBEG Golf Club has been given the final go-ahead to begin construction work on a controversial sea erosion management scheme in West Clare. An Bord Pleanála ruled last week to grant final planning permission for the work to take place at the golf course but only after it secured further guarantees that public access to the beach will not be blocked.

The erosion protection plan would see large concrete structures being inserted into the dune system at the Carrowmore Dunes, the White Strand, Doughmore Bay and along the edge of the Doonbeg Golf Course itself.

The planning authority has also ruled that Doonbeg Golf Course must agree to maintain the erosion protection at the site forever, even if the golf course itself ceases trade for any reason.

This judgement comes after an appeal taken by James McNulty of Ballinagun West in Cree against the granting of planning permission by Clare County Council for the development and an appeal taken by Doonbeg Golf Club on the conditions imposed on that planning decision by Clare County Council.

The work will see a number of heavy concrete slabs known as ‘seabees’ being inserted into the local sand dune network which will then be reshaped around the concrete. Marram grass and fencing will all be put in place to help prevent the sand from being eroded, exposing the concrete.

Doonbeg Golf Club will also have to submit full details of a monitoring programme for the erosion protection work to the planning authority. This programme will have to include protocol for assessing the effectiveness of the works including the impacts of the scheme on beach users.

Other matters that will be considered as part of this programme include the location’s Special Area of Conservation and Special Protection Area status, as will as the impact on marine and terrestrial flora and fauna and the dynamics of the beach formation and erosion.

According to the planing authority, the golf club will also have to employ “suitably qualified marine and terrestrial ecologists” to oversee the project. A construction and progress report for the development will also be submitted to both the planning authority and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

THE Sisters of Mercy have donated two East Clare properties worth in excess of € 500,000 to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann who now plan to transform the old Tulla Convent and the Girls’ Primary School in Tulla into a Comhaltas Cultural Centre.

A major fundraising effort was launched in East Clare yesterday, to raise the money needed to develop the building, with a mock wedding planned to take place on June 5.

Plans are currently being prepared to develop the convent buildings into a cultural centre, with particular emphasis on the cultural traditions of Clare. Once complete, the building will become Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann’s seventeenth cultural centre in Ireland.

When completed, the centre will be called ‘Cnoc na Gaoithe’ or the windswept hill.

“This is an exciting and challenging project in which the whole community will have a role,” said Breda McNamara, Cathaoirleach of the project in Tulla.

“We will draw on the experience and contacts which Comhaltas have built up over the years. We intend to make it a shop window for the cultural traditions of Clare which have won international acclaim.”

The director general of Comhaltas, Labhrás O’Murchú, said that this was a “very generous gesture” on the part of the nuns who have made a “huge contribution to the educational and cultural life” of the area.

The Sisters of Mercy’s long history in the East Clare region dates back more than 100 years and a number of sisters still live in the area. These include Sr Eileen Callinan, who chose the name for the new building, Sr Bosco Griffen, Sr Ita Quinn and Sr Annette Sexton.

A number of well-known local faces have already been lined up to take part in the mock wedding, which takes place on June 5. Clare TD Timmy Dooley (FF) will act as priest for the day, while local pharmacist Morna Toibín and mechanic Cyril Hogan will play the roles of Mona Hogan and Bill Tobin for the wedding.

Within the drama, the bride comes from a staunch Fine Gael family and the father of the bride, Paddy Hogan (Cllr Joe Arkins), has serious reservations about the success of this marriage. To stir the pot even more, his wife Bridie (Kitty Leyden) is in love with Fr Falvey – the role played by Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley.

Tickets for the event are available at a cost of € 25 and are available from the Tulla Pharmacy, the Tulla Post Office and Custy’s Music Shop in Ennis or online at www.custysmusic.com.

CLARE national teachers have vowed to take industrial action over pay and the threatened closure of up to 44 schools in the county, because they say “this country’s current financial Armageddon was caused by reckless banks and unscrupulous developers aided and abetted by governmental policies and not by public servants”.

This militant action by the county’s teachers was heralded at last week’s Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) congress in Sligo, which was attended by over 30 Clare delegates and led by their union leader Sean McMahon.

“We are living in the economic aftermath of national economic sabotage generated by rampant capitalism,” McMahon told The Clare People in a hard-hitting statement in which he declared that the county’s primary school teachers are refusing to bear the brunt of Ireland’s economic meltdown.

“There is no room to reduce teachers pay any further,” he blasted. “If government recommence an attack on public servants and teachers for further wage cuts then I firmly believe we must as a union cast off the Croke Park and all agreements and immediately ballot all members for a sustained campaign of industrial action including the ultimate right of every worker the withdrawal of their labour.”

McMahon, who is Clare’s delegate of the INTO national executive, also said that Clare primary schools would not stand idly by if the Department of Education presses ahead with the controversial McCarthy Report plan to close all schools in the county with under 50 students.

“The threatened closure of schools with under fifty pupils is of particular interest to teachers and communities nationwide,” he said, “Within Clare in particular, as there are 44 such schools. Clare INTO delegates argued that primary consideration should be given to the needs of pupils, their parents and the wider community.

“A significant rationalisation of small rural schools has already taken place in Ireland and any consideration of future school provision must bear that in mind and be particularly sensitive to community wishes,” Mr McMahon said.

Speaking on this issue, the principal of Knockerra National School, Brid Finnegan, said, “rural Ireland has much to thank its small schools for, not least being the cement that binds rural communities together, giving them an identity.

“Rural schools, large or small, or indeed rural Ireland did not drive the financial madness that became the Celtic tiger. This was instead driven by the greed of banks and the self interest of large developers allied to the inaction of central government to regulate. We must not now allow our small, often isolated, rural communities to pay the price in terms of the educational opportunity of our children.”

RESIDENTS in Newmarket-on-Fergus are being urged to take part in a local survey, the findings of which will play a key role in shaping the future of the village.

Community group Obair is spearheading a community needs assessment, with a view to putting together a range of events for locals. The aim is that those who are struggling with any aspect of their lives will be helped out.

Project co-ordinator Kirsty Horner said the aim of the project is to look at the needs of the community and build on the findings.

“We are targeting specific groups, for example one-parent families, people with disabilities, unemployed males and the elderly. The aim is to create a profile of Newmarket and find out what the needs are in the village and what is here already…what needs to be improved and what needs to be added,” she said.

Kirsty has been working on the project for the past few months and is hoping to have all the information gathered over the coming months. A public meeting will then be held and locals will be encouraged to attend this and present their ideas for the future of the village.

A number of focus groups have been set up and their findings will be made available at a later stage.

“We will form a social inclusion committee, where people who have never been on a committee before will be involved,” she said.

“It is important that people get involved. It’s a chance for them to have their say,” she said.

Kirsty recently completed her Master’s Degree in Partnership Studies at the University of Limerick and completed training with the HSE in relation to compiling a community needs assessment. Arising from this, she got involved in this project.

“We have to build up a profile of the area and put together statistics on social housing units, unemployment and rent supplements in Newmarket,” she said.

“The aim is to help people who are struggling with childcare or who are going back to education. We felt it would be good to have a community fund,” she added.

Anyone wishing to get involved in the project should phone Kirsty in Obair on 061 368030.

CLARE has six members of the Oireachtas, but it could have been an unprecedented eight, after the election count for the 25th Seanad concluded in Dublin on Friday.

Both Cllr John Crowe (FG) and Declan Kelleher (IND) were just edged out in their bid to join Senators Tony Mulcahy and Martin Conway in the Upper House.

For Sixmilebridgeman Cllr Crowe, it was another agonising defeat, five years after he was edged out in his first national election when contesting the Seanad on the Industrial and Commercial Panel.

Cllr Crowe polled 36,000 first preference votes and, after a mammoth count, was eliminated after the 32nd count when his vote stood at 82,149.

“If he had got three more transfers, Cllr Crowe would have lasted to the 33rd count and then the votes of Labour’s Joe Leydon’s would have elected him,” Cllr Joe Arkins told The Clare People .

“I’m disappointed not to be elected,” admitted Cllr Crowe. “I put in a good campaign and just came up short. It was very close but I’m proud of the performance,” he added.

Meanwhile, Corofin National School principal Declan Kelleher was edged out for one of the four seats on the National University of Ireland Panel.

Mr Kelleher, who was the INTObacked candidate for the election, re- ceived 3,771 votes in the first count, but missed out after the 25th count after he had amassed 5,410 votes.

“I needed about 700 more first preference votes and then a good transfer to get elected,” reflected Mr Kelleher afterwards.

“There were three seats and 27 candidates in the running for them and there was always the chance that I would come fourth out of 27 and just miss out. That’s what happened.

“I was disadvantaged in being a candidate from the west, because there were only 2,000 NUI votes in Clare, while there were 33,000 in Dublin.

“However, I learned an awful lot by contesting the race and I am delighted that I did so,” he added.

TAOISEACH Enda Kenny must reward Clare with “a post of significance” after the historic achievement of the Clare branch of the party in winning four seats in the Oireachtas.

Cllr Joe Arkins, who spearheaded Clare Fine Gael’s Seanad Éireann campaign among the party’s 14 members of Clare County Council, told The Clare People that “Clare cannot now be ignored by the party brains trust in Dublin”.

“In the absence of Clare getting a junior ministerial post after the General Election, Enda Kenny can now look at the county again. We have four Oireachtas members for the first time in the party’s history and we want that recognised by Government.

“It’s in the Taoiseach’s gift to do that. He has the scope to make one of Clare’s Oireachtas members the chair of an Oireachtas sub-committee. It’s the least the county deserves. The bank of talent is in Clare.

“Senator Martin Conway has a special insight into the area of disability, so to does Senator Tony Mulcahy. Both of them also have an involvement in small and medium enterprises. They could be rewarded with a post on sub-committees in these areas,” added Cllr Arkins.