Month: February 2013

THE President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins last week became only the second person ever to be awarded the Honorary Freedom of the Town of Ennis.

The President, who was reared and educated in County Clare, attended a Civic Reception hosted in his honour by Ennis Town Council. President Higgins was joined in Ennis by his wife Sabina and family members, many of who live in the county.

Muhammad Ali, the three-time World Heavyweight Champion, was the inaugural recipient of the Honorary Freedom of the Town of Ennis during his historic visit to the Clare county capital – the birthplace of his great grandfather Abe Grady.

President Higgins was welcomed to Waterpark House today by members of Ennis Town Council before being led into the council’s Civic Room by piper Michael John Quigney of the Tulla Pipe Band. Local traditional musicians presented a specially-arranged musical tribute to the President, while members of the Ennis Brass Band provided a trumpet fanfare after the President was officially awarded Freedom of the Town of Ennis.

Addressing the Civic Reception, Mayor of Ennis Cllr Peter Considine acknowledged the President’s close connections with the Clare county capital. “Outside of the time you spent in Ennis, particularly as a student in St Flannan’s College, I know that from a personal and professional perspective you are very familiar with the town of Ennis, its history and the people who live here. During your time as Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, you supported numerous projects and initiatives which sought to protect and promote the culture and heritage of towns such as Ennis.” The Mayor added, “A Uachtarán, your lifelong contribution to politics has inspired many. You have transcended all politics, promot- ed integration, instilled hope of a brighter future through pragmatism, embraced positive change within Irish society, and most importantly upheld the Office of President with dignity and honour.”

Mayor Considine raised a laugh from the gathered audience when he suggested that the President and Muhammad Ali shared more than an honorary title.

He said, “In your days as a TD and Minister, some might agree that you also did ‘Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee’. Your pragmatic approach to dealing with issues in Irish society and indeed abroad, is internationally recognised and certainly has not gone unnoticed here. Your close ties with Ennis and County Clare along with your continued, valuable contribution to Irish society means we are proud and honoured that you have accepted this award.”

While born in Limerick, President Higgins was raised near Newmarketon-Fergus, and educated at Ballycar National School and St Flannan’s College in Ennis.

FRACKING may not be needed to extract the large reserve of natural gas from the Clare Basin.

In his first ever Irish interview on the subject, Nick Elwes of UK company Enegi-oil, told The Clare People that fracking is just one option being explored for the Clare gas reserve. Mr Elwes also confirmed that Enegi-oil will be applying for an exploration licence for the Clare Basic before the approaching deadline.

“We are aware of the opposition [to hydraulic fracturing or fracking]. As, when and if we get a licence, it is too early to say how we would drill it and whether we would frack,” he told The Clare People .

“We are in the process of applying for that [a exploration license]. We have an option over the area which, as you’ve seen in our announcement last year, showed the prospectively of it and we must apply for an exploration licence before the end of this month.

“It’s too early to confirm at this stage how we’re going to take it forward as we’ve only proved there is some prospective there. We are try- ing to get to the next stage, [which is] the exploration licence. I wouldn’t like to comment on alternative methods at this early stage.”

Hydraulic fracture or fracking is a controversial technique used to release the natural gas from rock. It involves pumping water and other liquids deep underground under high pressure to break shale rock and release natural gas trapped inside.

Opponents to fracking say it could contaminate ground water systems over a large area, especially in West Clare where the shale rock layer is unusually shallow.

A number of anti-fracking groups, including Clare Fracking Concerned, have formed in recent months. It is also unclear if fracking will create any local jobs if it is allowed to go ahead.

“It’s too early to say [how many jobs will be created]. I don’t mean to be difficult but, at this early stage, I wouldn’t like to comment on things like that. It depends on how the project progresses,” continued Mr Elwes.

Public submissions to the EPA regarding the use of fracking in Ireland must be sent by email on or before March 8, 2013. Tue19February13

GARDAÍ say investigations into prostitution in the Ennis area are ongoing following the arrest of two Romanian women in the Mill Road area of the town last Monday night.

The women were detained at Ennis Garda Station before being brought before Kilrush District Court on Tuesday morning.

Ann Maria Prisaca (19) and Anisoara Popa (25), both with addresses at 19 Millstream Court, Mill Road, Ennis, pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences Act 1993).

The charge states that the women did knowingly live in whole or in part on the earnings of the prostitution of another person and aided and abetted that prostitution.

The charge states that the offence was committed at 19 Millstream Court, Mill Road, Ennis on February 11 (2013).

The women were each sentenced to 10 weeks in prison. Recognances were fixed in the event of an appeal.

Solicitor Patrick Moylan, who represented the women in court, said they had co-operated completely with the gardaí. He said the women had become involved in prostitution in order to get money to send home to their families who live in “dire poverty” in Romania.

Mr Moylan said it had been accepted that the money was not destined for a criminal organisation.

He said the women had been in Ireland for two weeks and are eager to return to Romania.

Speaking on Thursday, Inspector John Galvin of the Clare Garda Division confirmed the arrests are part of an ongoing investigation into prostitution in the Ennis area.

Last February, an RTÉ Prime Time Investigates programme focused attention on a brothel operating in the Mill Road area of Ennis.

Gardaí in Ennis confirmed at the time that the premises had been under investigation.

Garda sources told The Clare People at the time that brothel start-ups are not uncommon in Clare but that they close as quickly as they open.

Internet advertising and mobile phone technology means that brothels can be set up and dismantled within a couple of hours.

GARDAÍ are appealing for information following an armed raid on an off-license in Kilkee last week.

A man carrying a knife entered the Next Door off-license, O’Curry Street, Kilkee on Monday, February 11. He threatened the lone member of staff to hand over the money.

Gardaí say he smashed a bottle of wine during the robbery in an effort to intimidate the staff.

He took the contents of the till and fled on foot. The incident occurred between 9.35pm and 9.45pm.

The man left the shop and turned left, staying on the left side of O’Curry Street and then onto Circular Road.

A garda spokesperson stated, “We are appealing for witnesses and any information concerning this robbery.”

Kilrush gardaí are investigating the matter. Kilrush Garda station can be contacted at 065 9080550.

Mayor of Kilkee, Cllr Claire Haugh (FF) said the incident has shocked residents of the quiet seaside town.

“We are all appalled. Our thoughts go out to the person who was working in the off-license on the night and was subjected to that horrific incident.

“It’s deplorable that, in this day and age, someone can go into a shop and threaten someone who is doing a day’s work. Kilkee is a lovely, quiet town. It’s a safe town. But unfortunately that didn’t apply last Monday night.”

Ms Haugh added, “At the end of the day, the fact that the person wasn’t hurt or injured is the only good thing that can be said.”

Ms Haugh believes the incident could have implications for the way businesses in rural areas operate.

“If you have a garage or a shop then something like this would make you think twice about opening late. It is horrendous that, in this country, if you are a business open at night, you can’t open in the comfort of knowing you are safe.”

Ms Haugh added, “You hear about things like this happening around the country but when it happens in your own town and to people you know, it’s a different story.”

THREE men described by a Judge as being “armed to the hilt” outside a post office in Ennis last summer could have caused “huge injury and hurt”, a court has heard.

Details of the incident, which occurred at 11.30am at Bank Place, Ennis on June 6, 2012, were heard at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

Michael Carr (22), with an address at Rose Cottage, Clarecastle and Martin Faulkner (23), with an address at Rose Cottage, Clarecastle were both charged with offences un der the firearms and offensive weapons act. Mr Carr pleaded guilty to the possession of a golf club intended by him unlawfully to cause injury to, incapacitate or intimidate a person.

Mr Faulkner pleaded guilty to possession of a timber bat intended by him unlawfully to cause injury to, incapacitate or intimidate a person.

A third man – Michael Mongans (23), with an address at Clarehill, Clarecastle, also appeared in court in connection with the incident at Bank Place. He pleaded guilty to possession of a machete.

Garda Trevor Shannon, of Ennis Garda Station, told the court that the three men became involved in a dispute between two other parties outside the post office.

The court heard the men had brought the weapons to intimidate another man who fled into the Bank of Ireland. The man did not sustain any injuries, the court heard.

Garda Shannon said the weapons were not recovered and the three accused men fled the scene.

The men were subsequently identified from CCTV footage of the area.

The court heard Mr Faulkner and Mr Carr have no previous convictions. Mr Mongans has previous convictions.

Solicitor for Mr Faulkner and Mr Carr, Daragh Hassett, said his clients had arrived at the “tail end of the dispute” and had been put under pressure to get involved.

He said Mr Carr is a “law abiding man” who had never been in trouble with the gardaí before. Mr Hassett said Mr Faulkner had never been to court before. He added, “He wishes to apologise profusely for his behaviour on the day.”

Solicitor Tara Godfrey said Michael Mongans’s attendance at the post office was “entirely coincidental.”

She told the court that her client suffers from depression and is the father of a seriously ill infant.

Judge Patrick Durcan said the people of Ennis had been confronted with the sight of three men actively involved with other third parties.

He said the timber bat and golf club were not for sporting purposes on the day while “there was no good purpose to have the machete.”

He said the three accused were “armed to the hilt” and could have caused “huge injury and hurt.”

Judge Durcan described the behaviour as “blaggardly”, “insolent” and “thuggish”. Noting Mr Faulkner and Mr Carr had shown a level of total cooperation with gardaí, he imposed 100-hour community service orders on each accused. Their cases were adjourned until March 20.

Of Mr Mongans, Judge Durcan said he had brought the most serious of the three weapons and the one that was most lethal. Mr Mongans was sentenced to six months in prison. Recognances were fixed in the event of an appeal.

A MAN found selling quantities of alcohol from a car in Clarecastle has been told he is facing a four-month prison sentence. Kevin Maughan (21), with an address at 42B Lissadyra, Ballygaddy Road, Tuam, Galway, pleaded guilty last week to handling stolen property at Clarehill, Clarecastle on October 5. The case came before Ennis District Court on Thursday. Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that Gardaí found Mr. Maughan selling alcohol valued at € 539 from the boot of his car on the date in question.

Mr Maughan had 72 cans of Bulmers, 72 cans of Budweiser, 48 cans of Carlsberg, 48 cans of Guinness, two bottles of Huzzar vodka, one bottle of Tequilla, one bottle of liqueur, two bottles of Powers whiskey and cigarettes valued at € 132.

On hearing the “array” of alcohol discovered by gardaí, Judge Patrick Durcan said, it was “better than any you’d find in any cocktail bar in the county.” Insp Kennedy said Mr Maughan told gardaí he purchased the alcohol in Northern Ireland and intended to sell it in the South.

However the court heard that the accused later told gardaí that his wife bought the goods for € 160 from a man in a van in Crusheen. The court heard Mr Maughan has a number of previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Shiofra Hassett said her client suffered a serious head injury as a teenager and that the injury allied to a dependency on drugs had led Mr Maughan to make “very bad decisions.” She said Mr Maughan sold the alcohol because he was under pressure to pay off a drug debt.

She added, “He should not have done this. He is apologetic.”

Ms Hassett said Mr Maughan has taken steps to deal with his drug problems and is seeking employment. Judge Patrick Durcan said it that he had a four-month prison sentence in mind. He adjourned sentencing until April 3 to allow for a report from the probation services.

CLARE’S flagship tourist attraction has been targeted by graffiti with the discovery of a large spray-painted mural on the rock of the Cliffs of Moher. A piece of graffiti, measuring roughly eight foot wide and six foot tall, has been discovered on a section of cliff close to Hag’s Head.

The graffiti is located outside of the main tourist centre at the Cliffs of Moher, on a portion of cliff just off the Cliffs Walking Coastal Walking Trail. The identity of the graffiti artist is unknown but he or she could face prosecution if discovered.

The graffiti artist would have had to climb onto a narrow walkway overlooking a sheer 500-foot drop in order to complete the mural.

Because of the porous nature of the sandstone rock which makes up the Cliffs of Moher, it may take years or even decades for the design to be weathered away.

“It’s a real pity that someone felt the need to express themselves in this way and negatively impact on other visitors’ enjoyment of the natural beauty of the area,” said Katherine Webster of the Cliffs of Moher Visitors Experience.

“It [the graffiti] appears to be towards Hag’s Head and off the marked coastal trail, as well as at some considerable distance from the visitor centre. This is well outside of the visitor centre land. The Atlantic wind, rain and sea spray will wear it away over time.

“The Cliffs of Moher are a Special Protected Area and it is possible that, if the person who did this could be identified, they might face action by the National Parks and Wildlife Service [NPWS]. But I imagine identifying them and proving they were the culprit would be a very difficult task.”

The graffiti was discovered by local photographer David Olsthoorn, who was in the area shooting seascapes when he discovered the graffiti.

“It’s not an easy spot to get to. It’s a good 15-minute walk on a zig-zag path down a cliff face. It is muddy and slippery so it’s certainly not the sort of place where you’d expect to see graffiti,” he said.

“It is totally out of place there. It looks like something that should be on an alleyway in a city and certain ly not on natural rock. Personally, I think it’s a good piece of art but I don’t think it’s in the right place. There could be much worse graffiti down there, there could be something totally stupid, but I still don’t think that this is the right setting for something like this.”

PUBS in Ennis and throughout Clare are facing a struggle for survival, the Chairman of the Ennis branch of the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) has warned.

Local publican Charlie O’Meara said the trade has taken a battering in the recession with turnover in some premises down 50 per cent to 60 per cent.

He said the closure of pubs in the town over the past five years has served as a blow to the local economy.

“It’s terrible to see some of the flagship pubs in the town that have gone. I was walking around the town today and to see the amount of businesses lying idle is shocking. We need that bit of continuity in businesses. It’s terrible to see new businesses opening and closing every six months,” he said.

Mr O’Meara, who now leases Moroney’s after 15 years running The Usual Place, said pubs are under enormous pressure to survive.

He explained, “Turnover is down 50 to 60 per cent but publicans are still paying the same amount out in overheads.”

He added, “I don’t think our TDs realise the pressure pubs are under. If any other industry had the rug pulled from under them like the pub trade, they would be petitioning the Government. The farmers certainly wouldn’t be quiet about it. There are an awful lot of pubs out there in trouble at the moment. They’re just hanging in there.”

Mr O’Meara said the reputation of the pub trade has also suffered in recent years.

“Certainly the pub industry has suffered a lot of negative publicity in recent years but people forget the amount of employment that pubs have provided, particularly for young people. Pubs were always a great source of part-time employment for students at college.”

He added, “We as an industry have made submissions to TDs but I don’t think they realise the pressure we are under.”

Mr O’Meara said, “The whole culture has changed. It’s more a foodbased industry now. Businesses have to adapt but I think we’re seeing the end of the traditional Irish pub.”

“OH GOD!” Those were the words quietly whispered by Cllr Christy O’Malley (FF) as he was welcomed back to Kilrush Town Council on Tuesday night, as he listened to words of praise from his fellow councillors.

The former mayor of the town was nominated by his Fianna Fáil colleagues – Cllr Tom Prendevillle and Cllr Liam O’Looney – to fill the “Casual vacancy” arising from the death of Stephen O’Gorman in December.

“What do I say about Christy that has not been said or written,” said Cllr Prendeville, to which a bashful Cllr O’Malley was heard to whisper “Oh God”.

“He will light up this council because he is a very articulate and very intelligent man,” added the man charged with the nomination.

He paid tribute to the soon to be appointed councillor’s common sense, and his singing ability.

Cllr O’Looney described Cllr O’Malley as a welcome addition to the council. “He will defuse many a situation,” he said.

Members of the council that had not previously worked with Christy welcomed his “wealth of experience”, while old comrades spoke of a “very constructive and honest man”.

“It is lovely to see you here again. It was very sad for this council to see Stephen go, but it is fitting that you replace him,” added Cllr Marian McMahon Jones (FG).

Officially accepting the nomination under the Local Government Act, town clerk John Corry said that Mr O’Malley had been nominated by the Fianna Fáil party, and that the soon to be councillor had written to the clerk accepting that nomination.

“It is the only nomination I have received, so I am happy to receive it.”

As has become expected from the bi-lingual former Garda sergeant, Cllr O’Malley accepted the nomination in both Irish and English.

“All those glowing remarks. Were ye really talking about me?” he said.

He said he was honoured to take the seat vacated following the death of Cllr O’Gorman and paid special tribute the late councillor’s wife Geraldine and family, whom he described as dignified and caring at a time of great pain. “I hope to work in a cohesive, positive unit,” he said.

A KILRUSH Town Councillor has proposed a novel approach to community policing, in light of “the increase in malicious attacks on the elderly and those residing in rural areas” and the closure of rural Garda stations.

Cllr Ian Lynch (FG) said that a community alert scheme that would use a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) would allow a concerned or distressed resident call up to 15 other members of the community with one call.

The system can include up to 300 people on one circuit, but best results have been achieved with 15.

“This will prove especially beneficial in rural areas, with the closure of rural Garda stations leading to increased response time to emergency calls by the nearest members of An Garda Siochána,” he said.

“I am not trying to get rid of the 999 call. With the removal of the Garda station there may not be an immediate reply, and a garda would not be there in eight minutes as was promised a few years ago.”

The system would be especially beneficial to the elderly living alone. If they were concerned that someone was breaking into their home, pressing one button would alert numerous, neighbours and members of the community of their distress. The council agreed to write to the Minister for Justice asking that this proposal be considered and rolled out nationally.