Month: February 2012

THE headquarters of Ennis Town Council has been identified as a possible venue for humanist funeral services.

Green Party councillor Brian Meaney has urged Clare County Council to consider the options available to it in providing a suitable location for a humanist funeral service.

Cllr Meaney tabled a motion on the issue at yesterday’s meeting of Clare County Council.

In his reply, Ger Dollard, Director of Services, stated, “According to the Humanist Association of Ireland, a non-religious funeral ceremony will generally be held either in a crema torium, the undertakers rooms or at the graveside.”

He continued, “The association has produced an information leaflet which is available on their website www.humanism.ie and also states that there is no reason why such a service could not be held in any other suitable venue. In this regard, the location for the service does not appear to be an issue.”

Cllr Meaney said that while he did not agree with Mr Dollard’s reply, he had not asked for a full and detailed response on the matter.

Cllr Meaney told the meeting that the provision of humanist funeral services will become more frequent as the so-called “more liberal generation” grow older.

“There will be an increased demand for this type of service,” he added.

Cllr Meaney said he had discussed the matter with another fellow member of Ennis Town Council. He said the council’s headquarters at Waterpark House in Drumbiggle could be a suitable site for humanist services. He said the proposal would first require the approval of the Ennis town manager, Ger Dollard.

GREATER efforts must be made to promote Clare to the “untapped market” of US military personnel passing through Shannon Airport.

That’s according to Newmarket on Fergus councillor Pat McMahon who said yesterday that it is “economically criminal” that no dedicated marketing strategy is in place to promote tourist attractions to the thousands of American soldiers that use the airport.

In a motion at yesterday’s meeting of Clare County Council, Cllr McMahon (FF) called for Shannon Airport to work more closely with tourism providers to market the banner county to US military personnel.

In his reply, Director of Services Ger Dollard said the Clare Tourism Forum had previously identified the opportunity to market Clare.

He explained, “Some elements have already been identified and these include an agreement for playing Clare ‘Live the Life’ DVD in four key locations around Shannon Airport: public restaurant (1), British Airways Lounge (1) and baggage reclaim area (2).

Mr Dollard stated that the forum is currently updating signage and bill – boards that promote Clare in the airport. He added, “Proposals are being discussed to include brochures and brochure stands in the departures area of the airport that will be filled with information / brochures on County Clare. This would be targeted primarily at military personnel.”

Mr Dollard continued, “It is recognised that a marketing opportunity does exist in terms of time period during which military personnel are located in the departures area. The Clare Tourism Forum will continue to work with Shannon Airport to promote the county in the best manner possible to this target group.”

He said that the council is also working with Shannon Development in relation to the Tourism Information Office, which has been relocated at the airport.

Mr Dollard told yesterday’s council meeting that a lot more could be done to market the Clare in the airport.

Commenting on plans to distribute the Clare Live the Life promotional DVD in the airport, Cllr Joe Arkins (FG) suggested that it be presented in a postcard to military personnel.

He said this would boost the “in timate circulation” of the DVD in homes around America. “We would be hitting a market that we are not hitting,” he added.

ENNIS Chamber and Ennis Development Forum are to host a meeting for businesses and interested parties regarding the proposed Clare Road Development on Monday, February 27, from 6.15pm to 7.15pm in the Old Ground Hotel, O’Connell Street, Ennis. The proposed development for a 70,000ft shopping unit, which was refused planning by Ennis Town Council in January, is being appealed by the developers to An Bord Pleanala.

Organisers say that the purpose of the meeting on Monday evening is to inform the business community and others of the appeal process to An Bord Pleanála which has a closing date of Friday, March 2, for acceptance of submissions. All businesses are encouraged to attend.

Ennis Town Council refused planning permission to Michael Lynch Ltd for the five-hectare development at Clare Road, Tobertascáin.

Michael Lynch Ltd had sought permission for the (1) Demolition of all structures on site including five residential units, office block and all ancillary buildings; (2) Provision of a public plaza fronting on to the Limerick Road including both soft and hard landscaping; (3) A retail development including a food store incorporating customer restaurant and cafe, off licence sales area, dot com area and storage service area; (4) Separate ancillary two-storey retail and office block, a standalone two-storey office block, 610 parking spaces, provision for cycle parking, trolley bays and vehicular access to and from the Tobarteascain Road.

The developers had said the project would create 300 jobs in construction and between 180 and 200 permanent jobs.

However objectors, including town centre businesses, argued that the de- velopment would have a “significantly detrimental effect on town centre retail” and lead to a “decreased viability of the town centre”.

In its decision, the council deemed that the proposal is premature pending the upgrade of the wastewater treatment plant at Clareabbey and pending the implementation of the Ennis South Flood Relief Scheme.

The council also cited changes in the Planning and Development Act 2010.

THE population of Clare is predicted to swell to almost 150,000 people over the next ten years, with numbers set to continue growing despite the current economic crisis and reports of mass emigration from rural area.

According to the preliminary results of the 2011 census, the population of the county actually grew by 5.3 per cent since the recession began. Population numbers grew from 110,950 in 2006, just before the start of the recession, to 116,885 last year.

According to a new research docu- ment released by the Mid West Regional Authority in Ennistymon last Friday, the population in Clare is projected to reach 131,321 by 2016 and 141,600 by 2022.

If these projections prove to be true the population of Clare will grow to its highest level since before the Famine over the next 10 years.

The Mid West Regional Authority Factfile, which was released at the organisation annual meeting at the Falls Hotel in Ennistymon on Friday, also set out a number of short term regional predictions with North Clare predicted to be a major growth area over the next five years.

According to the report the population of the North Clare area is set to grow by an impressive 14.36 per cent over the next five years with the local population reaching 15,675 by 2016.

West Clare has also been earmarked for major growth with the local population set to expand from 16,736 to 18,836 in 2016 – a growth of more than 12 per cent.

While the number of new people coming to live in Clare continues to more than those leaving the county, the rate of migration has slowed over the last ten years.

Between 2002 and 2006, 4,169 more people came to live in Clare than left the county to live elsewhere. However, according to preliminary figures from the 2011 census, the number of people coming to live in the county was only 986 people more than the number who left the county to live elsewhere in the five years between 2006 and 2011. Despite the overall growth gain in population numbers some part of the county have experienced a dramatic drop in numbers in recent years. In West Clare, the Loop Head Peninsula and the area around Doonbeg suffered a decrease in population as did the a large section of North Clare between Liscannor and Fanore.

MAYOR of Clare Pat Hayes and TV presenter Bláthnaid O’Donoghue have been enrolled as the first Patron and Friend of Clare Youth Service in a new sponsorship scheme that gives parents, young people and businesses an opportunity to support youth services in the county.

Clare Youth Service currently operates 68 projects in 25 locations throughout the county. These include music projects, youth clubs, certified training, information points, youth cafés, justice work and education programmes. Some of this work is under threat in the current economic climate. The organisation has restructured internally in order to address cutbacks and is now asking the wider community to help maintain its core frontline services.

Individuals and companies can become a Patron for a donation of € 50 or become a Friend for € 20. Friends will receive a car sticker whilst Patrons will receive a certificate for their business premises or home in addition to the car sticker.

CYS chairperson Michael Byrne explained, “There have obviously been serious cutbacks in recent years but we are grateful for the continued support from taxpayer sources. We took an early lead in working with staff to cut hours and rationalise structures where possible. This has led to significant savings but we are at the point whereby frontline services will suffer if income is not increased.”

He continued, “Clare Youth Service has been operating for 43 years. As well as the tens of thousands of young people that have been involved, there have been 2,000 volunteers since 1969. 1,200 young students have received an academic qualification leading to jobs or further training since 1982. In 1986, the Youth Information Service started and has since answered 250,000 queries for young people on important topics. Today, there are 68 youth clubs and projects in the county.”

Mayor of Clare Pat Hayes said, “In these times, we need to back our youth as much as possible and especially to support those with a proven track record in working with them. I am proud to back this venture and would encourage as many Clare people and businesses to become a Friend or Patron of the Clare Youth Service.”

TV presenter Bláthnaid O’Donoghue took part in CYS summer camps before making her way in the world of TV and fashion. She has enrolled as a Friend and is enthusiastic in her backing for the venture,

“Clare Youth Service was a part of my formation that I look back on with great fondness. There was fun, leadership opportunities and a safe place for growth and self-expression.”

To enrol as a Friend or Patron of Clare Youth Service, contact 065 6845350 or enrol online at www. clareyouthservice.org

A FATHER of eight stole a spare wheel after taking a car on a test drive in an incident that “made no sense”, a court has heard.

The incident occurred after the man test-drove a Volkswagen Passat from a garage in Ennis last month. At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, James Sherlock (43), with an address at 16 Childers Road, Ennis, pleaded guilty to stealing a Monte Carlo alloy wheel with a total value of € 420.

Insp Tom Kennedy told the court that Sherlock took a Volkswagen Passat for a test drive from Western Garages, Quin Road, Ennis on Janu- ary 18. The court heard that the accused already owned the same type of car. Insp Kennedy explained that he took the spare wheel from the garage car and replaced it with his own. Solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client had cooperated with Gardai who found the wheel in the front porch of the house. “He cannot explain why he took it” she added.

Ms Godfrey said her client’s wife died in December 2008 leaving him as the sole carer of eight young children. Ms Godfrey told the court that the theft of the wheel was hard to explain given her client already owned a Passat and the family “weren’t short of a bob”. Judge Aeneas McCarthy fined the accused € 400.

A SHANNON man has received a six-month prison sentence for offences committed while on bail last year. Martin O’Callaghan (23) with an address at 156 Cluain Airne, Shannon, pleaded guilty to charges of criminal damage and theft at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

O’Callaghan was charged with damaging the fly window of a car at Dun na Rí, Shannon on November 1, 2011. O’Callaghan was also charged with taking a wallet, valued at € 55, from the car.

On the same date at Bothar Na Luachra, Shannon, O’Callaghan was found by gardaí to be in possession of a screwdriver with the intention that it could be used in the course of, or, in connection with a theft.

Insp Tom Kennedy told the court that the cost of the damage to the car was € 150. He said that O’Callaghan has 52 previous convictions.

The court heard that the offences were committed while the accused was on bail.

Solicitor Turlough Herbert said that his client had been in the grip of a serious drug addiction at the time.

The court heard that O’Callaghan is currently serving a sentence for his role in an aggravated burglary committed in Sixmilebridge in January 2010. Mr Herbert said that O’Callaghan had not been in contact with drugs since going into prison. He said his client had made admissions to gardaí and had returned with them to the scene of the car break in to help look for the discarded wallet. He said that O’Callaghan, a father of two, wished to apologise to the owner of the car.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy stated that as the offences had been committed while the accused was on bail, then any sentence would have to run consecutive to the current prison term.

In respect of the criminal damage charge, Judge McCarthy imposed a six-month sentence to commence on the lawful termination of the threeyear sentence currently being served by O’Callaghan.

AN East Clare ent repreneur is hoping a new online guide can spark a r ush i n tourist bookings n t he Banner Count y.

Eoin O’Hagan recently met with Gover nment ministers to highlight the potential of his website, www. clarevi r t ually.ie.

The website was launched at the end of August 2011 as Eoin saw the potential for a new and innovative way to promote tour ism products, in Clare and t hroughout t he rest of t he count r y.

The prospective visitor logs on to t he site, clicks on t he relevant l ink and watches a 60-second video tour of the selected B&B. He/She gets to see the exterior and interior of t he premises, including some shots of the bedrooms, sitting rooms and dining room.

But, accordi ng to Eoi n, t he most i mpor t ant par t of the video is when t he potential visitor is greeted by t he owner or manager wit h a smile and céad mí le fáilte.

After viewing the video tour, the prospective visitor can then book the product through t he link to the provider’s website. The t agline for the site is ‘Look Then Book’.

Eoin believes the video tours take away any doubts that t he prospective visitor may have about booking accommodation, rest aurants or ot her tourism products through a website.

The father of three, who lives in Scariff, believes the project could also generate employment local ly. He explained, “There is the poten- tial for the creation of highly skilled positions within t he organisation. Trai ned camerapersons, editors, IT and suppor t staff wil l be requi red as the site grows to include the 25 other counties i n the Republic.”

He added, “There is the possibility of 600 video tours in Clare alone. When t his is multiplied by t he other 25 counties, there would be many thousands of videos showing the tour ism products in a way t hat prospective visitors to Ireland would really appreciate.”

Eoin, who is involved in t he Clare Tourism For um, stated that there is huge potential to fur ther develop vi r t ual tours of Clare.

Earlier this mont h, he met with Mi nster of State wit h responsibility for Transpor t, Tourism and Spor t, Michael Ring and Clare Labour TD, Michael McNamara.

In a subsequent meeting wit h Minister of St ate Alan Kelly, Eoin and Deputy McNamara discussed tourism in the mid-west and specifically the potential for promoting angl ing on Lough Derg and sur rounding areas.

IT WAS a case of 40 minutes of fame for farmer James Lynch and his family on Sunday as they were the toast of Chinese vice-president Xi Jingping during his short stopover on their 215-acre holding in Cappagh, Sixmilebridge.

“He’s a pure gentleman,” said Lynch after giving Mr Xi a guided tour of his farm, the crowning glory of which was when he was shown a new-born Friesian heifer calf named after him.

“It arrived just in the nick of time,” said Mr Lynch to his host. “He was very knowledgeable and very interested in learning more about the quality of the grass and how Ireland produces high quality milk and beef. He even went to see the silage and wanted to know when it grew and when it was cut.

“He was very much at ease with us, chatting with my mother and he even drank an Irish coffee. He came across as a very friendly and modest man and an extremely courteous one,” he added.

As vice-chairman of Dairygold Coop, last November Mr Lynch went to Chinia as part of an Irish agricultural trade mission, travelling to the city of Hothot in inner Mongolia and its dairying hinterland.

During the Mr Xi’s visit to Sixmilebridge, he also visited the Lynch homestead, chatting with James, his wife Maura and his mother, Ann, and met the couple’s three children, fiveyear-old James, three-year-old Olive and nine-month-old Ronan.

They were accompanied by Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney and a host of Chinese civil servants, television camera operators, photographers and representatives from the agrifood business.

“Having the opportunity to bring the Chinese vice-president to a family farm in Ireland will leave a lasting and positive impression of the natural source of Irish agrifood products,” said Minister Coveney.

“Ireland is renowned for its high quality and safe food production and was strategically placed to provide increasing volumes of quality food to China given the higher levels of increased production of dairy products, meats, sea-food and beverages that will take place over the coming years in Ireland. The Chinese associate Ireland with high quality and safe food.

“This visit will help with expanding dairy production in the next few years as EU quotas are abolished. We plan for an increase in dairy production of 45 per cent between now and 2019,” he added.

These words were echoed by the president of the Irish Farmers Association, John Bryan. “Mr Xi sees Ireland as a good source of food imports for China. His visit here is hugely significant,” he said.

TENS of thousands of extra Chinese tourists look set to flock to North Clare this year – and possibly for many years into the future – following discussion on establishing educational links between the Cliffs of Moher and a number of Geoparks in China.

The link was suggested by China’s president elect, Xi Jinping, during his historic visit to the Cliffs of Moher on Sunday morning. While in conversation with the manager of the Cliffs of Moher Visitors Experience, Katherine Webster, the Chinese vice president suggested forming a number of education links between the Burren and a number of Geoparks in China.

“I told him that the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren had recently been granted UNESCO Geopark status and he was very interested in this. He suggested that a major educational exchange be set up between the Geoparks in China and the Cliffs of Moher. This would be a very significant development for us and something that we definitely intend to follow up on,” said Katherine.

“He was very interested in the history of the Cliffs and in the natural landscape of the area. He told me that he has previously seen the Cliffs in a film, which must have been Harry Potter, and he told me that he had been looking forward to coming to see the Cliffs even before the state visit was announced.

The Cliffs of Moher has already recorded a dramatic increase in the number of Chinese visitors using the North Clare facility so far this year. More than eight Chinese tours, amounting more than 250 holidays makers, have visited the Cliffs of Moher since January – and this figures is expected to swell into the tens of thousands once the tourist season gets into full swing.

Thousands of extra Chinese visitors are also expected in North Clare during this year’s London Olympics.

“We have already seen a large increase in the numbers of Chinese visitors coming to the Cliffs this year so we are very hopeful of what will come this year,” continued Katherine.

“He will be taking a bit of Clare back home with him – we presented him with a painting of the Cliffs set in a Liscannor Flag frame and I know that the Mayor of Clare, Pat Hayes, spoke to him about Irish music and gave him a few CDs of traditional music. So there will some Martin Hayes heard in Beijing soon no doubt.”