Month: June 2011

HUNDREDS of Clare motorists who commute to Galway each day for work will be forced to pay a toll at Kiltartan, just outside of Gort, as part of a new proposal for the completion of the M18 motorway from Ennis to Galway. The Clare People has learned that a Spanish-based construction company is preparing a bid to complete the motorway which would carry more than 30,000 vehicles between Ennis and Galway City each day.

The new bid follows increasing confusion over the future intentions of the BAM/Balfour Beatty Consortium who were due to begin construction on the € 500 million motorway last November. Fears had been raised that the project was set to be mothballed until news of a possible investment by an unnamed Spanish company emerged last week.

According to Gort businessman Austin McInerney, a toll on the motorway may actually be a boost for some local businesses but would be bad news for the area as a whole.

“When I first heard about the possibility of the toll, I thought that it would be a total disaster for the local businesses. The town has been very busy since the motorway was opened and there is still a great buzz around the place,” he told The Clare People yesterday.

“I think that people will start coming into Gort and some of the surrounding towns to avoid the toll and that will lead to more business for the local shops and restaurants. The completion of this motorway is essential, not just for Gort but for businesses all along the west coast. Big American and German companies expect these sorts of facilities and it is essential for the future of Shannon and Galway airports.

“The future of Shannon is critical – even for us up here in Gort. There may be some benefits for the local shops if there was a toll in Gort but I think most people would prefer if the motorway was there with no toll.”

Should the bid from the Spanish company become a reality, it now also looks likely that a second toll will be placed on the northern end of the motorway at Ballyglunin near Tuam.

It had been expected that the 57kilometre stretch of motorway would be completed in early 2014 but there is no indication yet what impact the recent delays will have on that completion date.

PLANS to cut teaching supports to children with special needs have been criticised by parents in Clare.

The Department of Education and Science announced last week that supports to children would be cut by 10 per cent next year.

Schools and parents groups are seeking clarification from the Minister for Education, Ruairí Quinn, on what the impact of the planned cuts will be.

According to Bunratty mother Emer Sherry, parents are “extremely stressed” about the proposed cuts.

Ms Sherry, whose 10-year-old son Jack has cerebral palsy, said, “It appears that children in Clare may be affected by the proposed plan if the withheld 10 per cent of the allocation is needed for unforeseen applications.

“My question to the minister is: can you guarantee that my child, and all other primary and secondary school children with special needs and disabilities in Clare, will have their full complement of resource hours from September on? Resource hours are not inefficiencies that need to be cut; they are essential to ensure full inclusion and access to education for all our children.”

Ms Sherry, who is the Clare representative for the Special Needs Parents Association and the chairperson of Connect Abilities, a parent support group in Southeast Clare, said that the cutbacks “do not make sense”.

“He (Jack) needs five resource hours a week. These cutbacks do not make sense, especially when you think that there are all these inefficiencies in the public service that could be dealt with.”

She added, “It is extremely stressful. It’s going to be the end of September before we know what is going to happen.”

Schools have already submitted applications for next term’s teaching supports. The principal of one of Clare’s largest primary schools said that the implications of the cuts are still being assessed by schools.

Ray McInerney of Ennis National School, added, “One thing is for certain, the people who have the greatest need are going to be hit the hardest.”

John Burns, principal of Barefield national school said the impact of the cutbacks is not yet known.

He added, “Any cutbacks in special needs supports is detrimental. We are still assessing the impact as it relates to Barefield.”

CLARE will represent Ireland in the hugely prestigious Tall Ships race later this month, with the county flying the Irish flag internationally thanks to Celtic Mist, the yacht formerly belonging to Taoiseach Charles Haughey that’s now the property of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) that’s headquartered in Kilrush.

IWDG co-ordinator Dr Simon Berrow has revealed that the 17-metre steel-hulled yacht has been given a new home at Kilrush Creek Marina in a berth that has been sponsored by Shannon Development.

In April, the IWDG was offered the yacht as a gift from the Haughey fam- ily to support its work on the study and conservation of whales, dolphins and porpoise in Irish waters.

“It was a very generous offer from the Haughey family, but the IWDG had to explore the condition and feasibility of running such a large vessel,” said Dr Berrow. “We commissioned a number of independent surveys and have thoroughly inspected the yacht and are happy it is in good sea-worthy condition and has been well maintained. We have estimated maintenance and other costs and prepared a business plan. The Celtic Mist is a resource for all those interested in promoting marine research and conservation in Ireland,” he added.

“Celtic Mist is a very suitable ves- sel for the IWDG. It will provide an opportunity to increase the skills of the members so that they can become more effective in their work, be it at an amateur or professional level,” said IWDG director Fiacc Ó Brolacháin. “I am happy that the boat is to be put to good use on a project that was close to my father’s heart,” said Conor Haughey ahead of Celtic Mist’s arrival in Kilrush, the town Charles Haughey was made a freeman of in 1985.

Before coming to Kilrush, the yacht will take part in the Tall Ships Race in Waterford on June 30. After being berthed in Shannon Developmentowned Creek Marina it will be refitted with extra berths and equipped with IWDG research equipment.

THERE will be no change in the status of US military flights passing through Shannon in light of the revelations from the whistle-blowing website Wikileaks that successive Fianna Fáil-led governments refused to properly investigate claims that the airport was used by the CIA to illegally transport terror suspects.

The Fine Gael-led government has confirmed that military flights passing through Clare’s international airport will not be inspected, with a spokesperson saying that “no changes are envisaged in relation to inspection of US military flights going through Shannon”.

This announcement comes on the back of the release of diplomatic cables by the Wikileaks which showed that the extent of Fianna Fáil-led government investigations into alleged ‘torture flights’ amounted to then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern asking US Ambassador to Ireland James Kenny, ‘am I alright on this?’.

A cable from Mr Kenny’s successor as ambassador, Thomas Foley, also revealed that within a month of becoming Taoiseach, Brian Cowen confirmed his unwavering support for the use of Shannon.

“Cowen stressed that as long as he is in office, the US can count on continued support for its military activities at Shannon,” Mr Foley said in a confidential cable in June 2008.

Three years on, current Taoiseach Enda Kenny backed this stance after discussing the Shannon issue with President Obama during his one-day visit to Ireland.

“We discussed the relationship between Ireland and the States, the continuing importance of that, and I reiterated the no-change policy in respect of the use of Shannon, in respect of American aircraft serving the UN resolutions, passing through,” he said.

In January, Amnesty International Ireland claimed that the then Government “knew rendition flights transited Ireland and that they knew this breached the legally binding convention on torture”.

In calling for an independent investigation into the use of Shannon, Amnesty Ireland’s executive director Colm O’Gorman said “this stunning disregard for people’s lives and the rule of law is unconscionable”.

The Programme for Government states the Government “will enforce the prohibition on the use of Irish airspace, airports and related facilities for purposes not in line with the dictates of international law”.

“Arrangements for the overflight and landing of US military aircraft have been continuously in place for over 50 years. Civilian aircraft are prohibited from carrying weapons or munitions over Ireland or into Irish airports unless they receive an exemption from the transport minister,” a government spokesperson told The Clare People .

WHAT we have we hold – that was the message emanating from Shannon that held sway among delegates to last Thursday night’s Fine Gael selection convention in Bunratty to elect a successor to Senator Tony Mulcahy on Clare County Council.

Shannon town councillor Sean McLoughlin secured Senator Mulcahy’s county council seat on a 42-35 vote against Marinella Raftery from Newmarket-on-Fergus – a decision already endorsed by Fine Gael party headquarters that will pave the way for his co-option onto the council at next Monday’s monthly meeting of the local authority in Ennis.

“To keep this council seat in Shannon was important,” said Cllr McLoughlin told The Clare People after his selection convention victory in the Bunratty Manor Hotel. “It was important for me personally, but the entire branch of the Fine Gael branch in Shannon that I was a founder member of in 1994 were adamant that someone from Shannon should get Tony Mulcahy’s seat.

“Outside the Fine Gael Shannon branch, the feeling in the town was that it was Shannon people who elected Tony and that it was still a Shannon seat and that it should be kept within the town limits. That was the overwhelming opinion that I was getting.

“This is something I’ve been working towards for the last 15 years. I have an awful lot of work done for the Fine Gael party for the last 15 years – putting up posters, knocking at doors and dropping off literature. Whatever Fine Gael wanted, I did it. Church Gate collections, organising functions.

“As long as Tony Mulcahy was on the county council, I would never have stood against him. Our vote is very much entwined, but the understanding was always there that if Tony every got further in politics and moved on from Clare County Council that I would be the person to try to step into his shoes and keep the seat in Shannon,” added Cllr McLoughlin.

However, the former Mayor of Shannon has pledged to play his part in working towards securing three Fine Gael seats in the Shannon Electoral Area in the 2014 local elections.

“I have no doubt about it that there are three seats to be got in the Shannon Electoral Area for Fine Gael in the next county council election,” said Cllr McLoughlin, “and I think Marinella Raftery will be there in future.”

PARTS of Ennis came to a standstill on Thursday as huge crowds gathered to say a final goodbye to local man Niall White, who passed away last week.

Family, friends and former teammates lined Lifford Road as Niall’s coffin made the short journey from the White family home to nearby St Joseph’s Church.

Members of the three teams that Niall played for – Clare, St Joseph’s Doora Barefield and Lifford AFC – took it in turns to carry the coffin before members of the White family carried Niall to the church.

Representatives of all three teams formed an exemplorary guard of honour after the ceremony as mourners queued for almost an hour to pay their respects to the family.

A talented sportsman, Niall played both hurling and football for St Joseph’s Doora Barefield. He had been a member of the Clare senior football panel for the past three years, having previously represented his county at minor and under 21 level.

Niall was also a committed soccer player and had been a key member of Lifford’s junior team in recent years.

Items carried to the altar reflected Niall’s love of sport and music. They included a pair of football boots, a Doora Barefield jersey, a Clare jersey, an Abercrombie and Fitch hoodie and an iPod.

Hundreds of mourners filled the church, with more people standing outside as Fr Jerry Carey and family members paid warm tributes to Niall.

Niall’s parents Pat and Mary and his sister Ciara listened on as Fr Carey recalled Niall’s warm personality, saying he had an “electric smile” that would brighten up a room “stronger than any words would”.

Niall’s uncle recalled arriving at the White household last week and seeing a pile of photographs of Niall in his nephew’s room. He described Niall as a popular young man with a wide circle of friends. He said everyone that knew Niall has their own favourite memories or shared moments. He said Niall was a “truly kind and loving person”, adding that in order for a person to love they had to be loved. He said, “You were loved and you will be in our hearts for eternity.”

A LOCAL priest has called on people to make a new commitment to communication and openness.

Fr Jerry Carey was speaking at the funeral of Ennis man Niall White, who died suddenly last week.

In his homily at St Joseph’s church on Thursday, Fr Carey said Niall had been loved by his family and wide circle of friends.

He recalled visiting the White family home last week and seeing many young people who had called to pay their respects. He said it was important that friends of Niall know they are loved and valued by their community.

He said, “Some questions will be left unanswered, some questions only beg us to see the answer that’s right in front of us. To look around at the faces in the back garden these last three days, the first thing you knew was the love with which Niall is held and because of that love, the pain of his passing.”

He continued, “He is much loved and adored. There is also something that is yelling at us to recognise…. each person who stood in that back garden is much loved and adored without exception.

“Our immediate challenge is to find a new language, a new way to communicate that to each other, to make this a propriety.”

Fr Carey said people had travelled from across the world to attend the funeral.

He added, “I think it’s fair to say that when sudden death comes our way, we are forced to pause, put a lot on hold…. Over these days we have seen people fly from Canada, Aus- tralia, England, from all over, gathered around the hearth of the White family to pay our respects, not so much with words as with the mere act of presence…often in silence. Knowing that questions were forming in our minds yet knowing that answers would be impossible to come by.

“There has been much love shown these past days within family and between families, between friends and new acquaintances, between neighbours and travellers from all parts.”

Addressing Niall’s parents, Pat and Mary and his sister Ciara, Fr Carey said the ceremony would honour “Niall’s life, his spiritual being, his love of family, his loyalty to friendship, the part he played in sport through Lifford FC, St Joseph’s Doora Barefield, and Clare county teams”.

He acknowledged Niall’s capacity as a “dreamer, of who he might be”.

Fr Carey continued, “When death comes suddenly, it does force us to put our lives on pause, to consider, maybe briefly what really needs our attention, our concern and our worry.

“We’ve seen over these past days the value of the bond of family, the value of the bond of friendships. That these things have a pricelessness of unimaginable measure….yes these bonds of affection, love and friendship ebb and flow they are all part of a bigger picture that sometimes creeps in and out of focus”

Remembering Niall’s warm personality, he quoted the words of the Polish cleric, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, saying, “I believe in hands that work, in minds that think, in hearts that love. A friendly look and a smile often say more than friendly speech.”

THE changing role of children in Irish society will be the topic of this year’s Merriman Summer School, which returns to Lisdoonvarna for the first time in three years this August.

This year’s festival will take place just ahead of the Children’s Referendum, which is expected to take place in September or October of this year, and will include many of Ireland’s leading opinion-makers for what is expected to be an important event in shaping how that referendum will be fought.

The official line-up for the festival has not yet been announced but The Cla re People understands that DIT Professor Nóirín Hayes will be the director of this year’s school, which will include contributions from the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald (FG), along with Fintan O’Toole, Professor Sheila Greene from Trinity College and Siobhán Parkinson, novelist, and Laureate na nÓg.

“It is great to have it back in Lisdoon after three years. It is a huge boost to the community in every way and for the tourism in the area,” said Marian O’Callaghan of Cumann Merriman.

“This stimulates a lot of discussion on a range of different topics and the media coverage alone for the area is very valuable. Huge change has taken place in the area over the last three years – the development of the Pavillion Theatre where the event will be staged is just one.”

One of Ireland’s most distinguished poets, Eavan Boland, will also read from her work.

“This is a really broad-based theme which will look at how Irish childhoods have developed over the years but also at changing Irish childhoods and how we might change into the future,” Mary O’Flaherty of Cumann Merriman.

“It is great to have speakers of this calibre on your doorstep and to have this level of discussion and debate coming here. As well, Merriman is like a large extended family with people coming back year after year. There is always a great atmosphere here for it.”

The Merriman Summer School will run in Lisdoonvarna from August 17 to 21.

BUNRATTY and the magical silver stag of Bunratty Castle are the focus of a new children’s novel, which has just been published. The Silver Stag of Bunr a tt y is the title of Eithne Massey’s new book, where adventure, conflict and danger await four children as they race to save the magical Silver Stag of Bunratty Castle from a gruesome death.

The book is set in Bunratty Castle in the 14th century and is partly based on fact, along with four fictional children.

Sir Richard de Clare, Lord of Bunratty, wants the head of the Silver Stag on his walls and is preparing to hunt down his prey. Dame Anna, the mysterious woman in the castle tower, warns that any harm to this stag will bring doom to Bunratty for generations to come.

The children must work together and fast, but they are soon out of their depth. As they become the hunted ones, the question is can they save the stag – and themselves – before it’s too late.

Based partly on truth, the adventure is full of mystery and magic and brings the incredible medieval fortress to life for a whole new generation.

Eithne, who is from Wicklow, chose Bunratty as the setting for this book, having spent time in the area. “When anybody thinks of castles in Ireland, they think of Bunratty. We thought it would be a good idea to do a story based on a medieval castle,” she told The Cla re People .

“I went down to the castle itself and got inspiration for the central image of the book, the stag,” she added.

“The surrounding countryside is featured. They [the children] have to take a trip up the Shannon and that landscape is included in the book. The castle is central to it,” she said.

“There was a fair bit of research to make sure I got the geographical facts right and the history,” she added.

The book is aimed at 10 to 12 year olds. “I would hope that children would pick it up and read it for pleasure. It is a mixture of history and fantasy. The stag itself is a magical creature,” she said.

This is Eithne’s fifth book and is her second novel for children. It is published by O’Brien Press.

A MILESTONE will be marked in West Clare later this month when Baltard National School celebrates its 100th anniversary.

On June 24, locals in Baltard, Doonbeg, will gather at the school for a Mass to mark the occasion. It will be followed by what promises to be a memorable evening of nostalgia. Old roll books will be wheeled out, while photographic exhibitions will also form a central part of the celebrations.

Past pupils, parishioners and all those who have been associated with the school over the years have been invited to the event.

Over the years, the school has been refurbished and in recent times, new technology has been added including interactive projectors and computer systems.

A booklet is being compiled for the occasion and anyone associated with the school over the years is invited to contribute to this.

The school has reduced in size over the years. When it first opened, there were up to 100 students. There are just nine students enrolled at the moment. The event will be hosted by the school’s board of management. Chairman Michael Haugh said, “In more recent years we have been struggling to keep going. We lost some young people moving on to other parishes.

“We have to try to increase the numbers. The catchment area is not big. We are depending on people to come in from outside. It has been a problem to keep the school going and to promote it,” he added.

“Nobody wants to see the school closing. It is a focal point. It is like a junction in a city there is so much traffic passing,” he added.

Anyone wishing to contribute should contact the school.