Month: December 2011

GARDAÍ in Clare are advising road users to take care on the roads amid dangerous driving conditions over the weekend.

A drop in temperatures led to a number of accidents late on Sunday night and early yesterday, Monday.

The Galway-bound carriageway of the motorway near Crusheen was closed for a number of hours after a number of cars were involved in an accident at around 7 o’clock yesterday morning. No-one was seriously injured in the accident.

In another accident on Thursday, a car collided with a concrete fence on the main Ennis/Corofin Road, after it skidded. The driver did not sustain serious injuries in the accident.

“People need to be more aware. Road conditions have deteriorated. They need to be more careful on the road and leave more space between the car in front in case they have to brake suddenly. Drive at a speed that is appropriate to the road conditions prevailing and allow extra time to reach destinations and make sure vehicles are roadworthy,” advised Sgt Joe Downey.

Pedestrians are being urged to wear high visibility clothing when out walking to ensure they are easily seen, while cyclists are advised to ensure bicycles are in good working order and they should wear appropriate safety gear at all times.

MANY tributes have been paid to the father of Labour and trade union politics in Clare, Peadar McNamara, who passed away at home in Magowna, Inch, last Wednesday night after a long illness.

These tributes have been led by longtime friend and political ally, Cllr Patricia McCarthy, who described the former chairman of the Clare Council of Trade Unions and Ennis Hospital Development Committee as a man “with a burning passion for the causes he believed in”.

“I have known Peadar McNamara for a long number of years and he was a man who was very committed to whatever cause he was involved in,” said the former Mayor of Clare.

“He was a noted historian that will stand to the benefit of the county in the records that he has left behind. He was one of the most unselfish people in the giving of his time and his energy to whatever purpose people asked of him.

“He wasn’t just involved in any cause – he was involved in a cause if he believed in it. Once he believed in a cause it became a passion with him. As a man who was involved with Labour politics for a long number of years, he was delighted with Michael McNamara’s election to the Dáil this year, but he was really thrilled with Michael D Higgins’ elevation to the presidency. They would have soldiered together for a long number of years. His connections go back with Michael D go back a long long way,” Cllr McCarthy added.

At the monthly meeting of Ennis Town Council, Cllr Mary Howard described Mr McNamara as “a great friend of Ennis and great campaigner for hospital,” while Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said “Peadar was an inspirational figure and he wasn’t afraid to get stuck in and tackle social injustice.” Labour party TD Michael McNamara also hailed Mr McNamara’s contribution to his General Election campaign. “He encouraged me to run and I greatly appreciated his guidance during the campaign,” revealed Deputy McNamara. “The grace with which he faced his final illness was inspiring. The huge cross section of society – which included artists, clerics from both the Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland communities, trade unionists and singers – who were present at his tribute evening at Cois na hAbhna a few weeks ago will never forget it. “He was a man with a broad range of interests, including music, painting and history. An unapologetic man of the left, he brought passion and commitment to his community and political activism, as we know from his staunch defence of Ennis hospital. He could also throw his considerable energies into disparate projects which included seeking recognition for long forgotten soldiers in World War I and the history of the McNamara clan,” added Deputy McNamara. Indeed, in the weeks prior to his death, an exhibition honoured Clare people who died in World War I was staged at Clare Museum. The exhibition was based on information compiled by local historian Peadar McNamara in 1988 from The Cla re Jour na l , The Cla re Cha mpion , The Sa turda y Recor d and personal communications. It opened on Remembrance Day, November 11 and closed on November 30, the day Mr McNamara died.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS in Clare believe they have discovered Ireland’s earliest surviving example of a timber framed house.

Dendrochronological analysis is expected to conclude that the timber structure at Chapel Lane, Parnell Street, Ennis, dates back to the late 16th century.

Ms Irene Clune’s house, known as McParland’s is long understood to have been the oldest inhabited house in the Clare County capital. The building’s triple diamond stone Jacobean chimney has been an icon of medieval Ennis for centuries.

The house was first inspected in 2008 by Clare County Council’s conservation officer, who recommended that the property undergo structural repair work. Following detailed technical analyses by the National Monuments Service, officials from Ennis Town Council and consulting conservation engineers, it was concluded that the structure was unstable and represented a danger to the general public.

Ennis Town Council, using its statutory powers to deal with dangerous buildings, commenced a € 170,000 project to make the building safe and to protect and restore the historic fabric of the structure. A grant of € 85,000 was procured under the Structures at Risk Scheme from the Department of the Environment towards the restoration project.

During October 2011, the gable and chimney were carefully recorded, taken down and stored. At present the historic gable is being re-built using the original stones bedded in an authentic hydraulic-lime mortar, the floor of the house having been archaeologically excavated prior to this.

In recent weeks, archaeologists have discovered an oak frame structure which they have described as “potentially one of the most exciting urban archaeological discoveries in Ireland in recent years”.

Frank Coyne, Consultant Archaeologist from Aegis Archaeology Ltd. explained that the limited archaeological excavation has revealed a wealth of information.

“The existence of a foundation cut in the interior of the house, indicates an earlier structure on the site, which is also borne out by the presence of large oak beams in the walls of the house. It is hugely significant that these beams are oak, which will enable us to use tree ring dating. If these prove to be of medieval date, which we believe is the case, then this means that this house is the only structure of its type in the country,” explained Mr Coyne.

Mayor of Ennis Councillor Michael Guilfoyle stated, “The works to McParland’s, when completed, will yield invaluable information on the traditional skills and construction techniques of Late Medieval Ennis. This work makes the building safe and protects a major piece of the history and character of Ennis.

Conservation officer Dick Cronin noted that the present discoveries at McParland’s further enhance Ennis’ status as the most intact medieval town in Ireland.

He continued, “Evidence appears to come to light regularly showing that the whole town centre from The Abbey, to the Old Ground, to Lower Parnell Street contains a large amount of Late Medieval masonry, most of which is hidden behind Georgian and Victorian facades.”

CUTS IN education amount to “incredibly bad news” for rural schools, according to the INTO in Clare.

Arising out of yesterday’s budget, cuts in one, two, three and four teacher schools (primary) are likely as the pupil teacher ratio is to increase.

It means that schools with fewer than 20 pupils will struggle to survive, including Scropul; Boston; Tubber; Doonaha; Clonigulane, Kilmihil; Ballyvaughan; Baltard and Broadford.

Seán McMahon, who is the central executive representative for INTO in Clare, said, “It’s incredibly bad news for rural Ireland. The issue of the pupil teacher ratio is incredibly problematic for one, two, three and four-teacher schools but is not problematic for schools up the line.”

“Over the next number of years, I anticipate the closure of a large number of schools including in county Clare,” he said.

Currently schools with 49 pupils are entitled to three teachers. This is due to increase to 51; will rise further to 54 next year and 56 in two years’ time. It means that a school falling just under this number will lose a teacher.

“Effectively that will mean if a school doesn’t make the magic figure of 56 in three years, the school will be reduced to two teachers,” said Mr McMahon.

“In my opinion it would be hugely problematic for the cohesion of rural society. It will take from the fabric of rural society,” he said.

He said that schools with fewer than 20 pupils will be most “at risk over the next two years”.

Meanwhile, a Shannon teacher said last night that cuts to guidance services is worrying. The president of the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI), Bernie Ruane – who is a teacher at St Patrick’s Comprehensive School in Shannon – said, “Guidance will be part of the teaching team. One to one counselling sessions that guidance provided will be done away with.

“That will inevitably lead to job losses in Clare as schools will be over the quota and part-time teachers will be let go. Part-time teachers have no protection,” she said.

“Some schools might not be able to afford to dedicate any specific time to guidance.

“You really need to interview students individually to take their ability into account,” she added.

She said she was “quite pleased” that the pupil teacher ratio has not been changed for most schools. It is to increase for fee paying schools, but not for the remainder of secondlevel schools. It will decrease slightly from 19 to 18.25 in disadvantaged schools.

RURAL Clare jobs will be lost as a result of the € 30 million cut in the Disadvantaged Area Scheme announced in yesterday budget. That is according to O’Callaghan’s Mills farmer and Clare head of the ICMSA Martin McMahon, who said that yesterday’s announcement will dampen down any potential for growth in the sector.

The East Clare farmers also accused Taoiseach Enda Kenny (FG) and Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney (FG) of misleading Clare farmers at the recent ICMSA national congress in Limerick when they indicated that there would be few cuts in the agriculture sector.

All of Clare is classified as a disadvantaged area – meaning that every farmer in the county receives a payment each year to help with the cost of improving the land.

Payments under the Disadvantaged Area Scheme are usually spent on buying fertisiler or paying for the first cut of silage to be done – meaning that the vast majority of the money allocated is spent by farmers in the local economy.

“When we met with Enda Kenny at the ICMSA AGM they gave us the impression that agriculture, as one of the remaining growth areas in the economy, would not be hit very badly in this budget,” he said.

“These cuts are going to hit productivity and that means that jobs will be effected. A cut in productivity will inevitably mean a cut in exports. But it will also have knock-on effect for the local community as virtually every penny received under the Disadvantaged Area Payment goes back into the local economy.

“The Disadvantaged Area Scheme is the most important payment for farmers in Clare and in the west of Ireland. It is the first payment that is made and usually goes to cover the cost of fertiliser or having silage cut.

“I think the name of the scheme says it all – people receive this payment because they are already in a disadvantaged area. We should be trying to encourage farming in these areas not undermining it with cuts like this.”

The € 30 million cut in the Disadvantaged Area Scheme is part of a € 105 million cut in expenditure announced for the Department of Agriculture, Marine and Food. A further € 19 million will be cuts from the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) which will also effect many Clare farmers.

It is as yet unclear where the remaining € 56 million in cuts will be made.

THE REDUCTION in child benefit for the third and fourth child, allied to cuts in the cold weather allowance, will create huge problems for families in Clare.

Those measures, announced in yesterday’s budget, will spell trouble for those already under pressure, according to St Vincent de Paul in Clare.

Demand for support from the voluntary organisation has surged in the run-up to Christmas as families struggle to make ends meet.

The President of St Vincent de Paul in Clare, Cathal Oakes, said, “The reduction in the childrens’ allowance (child benefit) for the third and fourth child is going to hit families. We would be dealing with quite a few families where there are a number of children. It will put further pressure on them especially coming up to Christmas,” he said.

Mr Oakes said that cuts to the cold weather allowance will affect several elderly people across Clare.

“People who are on State benefit who don’t have specific outgoings are fine but there are a lot of elderly people with a lot of outgoings. They are dependent on small allowances,” said Mr Oakes.

“In rural parts the elderly rely on public transport like taxis. Any cuts will have a huge effect on them,” he added.

THE closure of Carrigaholt Garda Station was last night described as “another nail in the coffin” of rural Clare.

The Justice Minister announced yesterday that 31 Garda stations nationwide – including Carrigaholt in West Clare – will be closed next year, due to widespread cutbacks.

There had been fears for the future of more than a dozen Garda stations across the county amid substantial numbers of reti rements allied to budget cutbacks.

While residents in many rural areas will be relieved that their local barracks will remain open, the news was met with anger in Carrigaholt.

Garda Charlie Killeen, who had been stationed in Carrigaholt, retired last week, and while there were concerns that the station would close, there were some hopes that he would be replaced.

“Everything is being cut,” said Luke Aston of the Car rigaholt Development Association.

“It is an awful disappointment to see it happening. We are 25 minutes from the nearest full-time station in Kilrush, while it is 45 minutes from the furthest point on the Loop to Kilrush,” he added.

“All you are left with now in the village is the doctor and post office. Most of the young lads have left for Australia. Sixty people from the Peninsula have left for Australia in the past year,” said Mr Aston.

“Taking services in one area and trying to generate them in another doesn’t make much sense at all,” he added.

Local businessman Mark Carmo dy said this is further evidence that the people of West Clare are being forgotten.

“There was speculation leading up to it. There were r umours,” he said.

“Everything is being pared back this far into the peninsula. We are being forgotten about,” said Mr Carmody.

“We are wondering why [this has happened], especially with all the burglaries and robberies going on around the country,” he said.

Up to the 1980s there had been two gardaí based in Car rigaholt and this since reduced to one. A dwelling house is attached to the Garda station.

Local county councillor Gabriel Keating (Fine Gael) said, “The loss of the local Garda station is another nail in the coffin of this par t of r ural Ireland.

“How much more can rural Ireland take? We have lost our creamery, the A & E has gone to Limerick and Clare VEC is going to Limerick. All we had left in many par ts of rural Ireland was the GAA, schools, church and the local garda. Now the farda has gone and schools are under threat,” added Cllr Keating.

Carrigaholt does not have a community alert scheme, many of which have been set up in rural parts in recent months in reaction to concerns over rural crime. There is one in nearby Doonaha.