Month: April 2013

“COMPLIANT householders are being denied natural justice” in Kilrush as they continue to pay their property tax, while living in unfinished estates.

Those were the words of Kilrush town councillor Christy O’Malley (FF), who was reacting to a call for public lighting to be completed in two Kilrush estates.

In all three estates have come to the attention of the council members as being unfinished.

Cllr Ian Lynch (FG) said that public lighting needed to be installed at Wood View and Cois na Ce.

“Another winter has passed and these lights have still not been activated,” he said.

Last year Wood View was exempt from the household charge, but residents are now expected to pay the property tax.

Cllr Tom Prendeville argued that this was unjust as there had been no major works carried out in the estate in the intervening 12 months.

“I wonder what has changed to warrant these unfinished estates being brought into the family home tax net when no major upgrading works have been carried out over the past 12 months? I am anxious to know what the current status of unfinished estates in Kilrush is now property owners in these estates are to be asked to pay taxes on their properties that the Minister vowed would go towards the upkeep of their estates, including the provision of basic services,” he said.

“As elected members we meet people living in unfinished estates where roads, footpaths, public lighting, sig- nage and general maintenance works in open spaces are less than satisfactory. It can be difficult to explain that this council is not responsible for the up keep of estates not yet taken in charge. We all appreciate the this council will not take an estate in charge until it is satisfied that all essential infrastructure facilities and services are up to the mark and that is how it should be.”

Moyne Court was the last housing estate taken in charge by the council as far back as April 2005.

“There is no record of any other estate taken in charge in the Kilrush area in the past 10 years and there are no applications pending from estates to be taken in charge,” said Town Clerk John Corry.

“The council is dealing with a small number of estates that are either unfinished, inadequately completed or not taken in charge which are being progressed through enforcement proceedings. The council is committed to engaging with all the relevant parties to progress the issues that arise on these estates to a satisfactory conclusion.”

Mr Corry said that in the case of Cois na Ce, the council has called in the bond, and the issue is currently with the bank. This can be a long process he explained.

Cllr Lynch added that as Kilrush was the planning authority, the fact that people were living in unfinished estates was the council’s responsibility.

“I think it is unfair to ask anyone to pay for services they are not getting,” he said, adding that the council should write to the Minister asking that three estates in Kilrush be exempt – Beal an Ibhir, Wood View and Cois na Ce.

A LOCAL surfer who got into difficulty close to the site of the massive Cliffs of Moher wave was airlifted to safety last week.

A group of four surfers were in the water close to the world famous Aill Na Searrach or Aileen’s Wave at the foot of the Cliffs of Moher when the incident took place.

A number of members of the Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard were already in the area when the alarm was raised and were quickly redeployed to the scene.

The man is understood to have been overcome by high waves in excess of 16 feet and separated from the rest of his group. It was first thought that the surfer had been washed ashore at a foot of the Aill Na Searrach – a treacherous location which would have required rescuers to abseil more then 600 feet to rescue him.

Along with a number of shore search terams, the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coast Guard launched its rescue boar and the Shannon based Irish Coast Guard helicopter was also sent to assist.

The surfer was spotted by the rescue helicopter, who lowered a man into the sea to rescue the injured surfer. The casualty was flown to University College Hospital in Galway where he was treated for suspected back and neck injuries, which are not believed to be life threatening. The surfer is understood to be from the local area.

A HOST of amateur North Clare actors will make their major television debut next Monday in the PJ Curtis film ‘The Road of Souls’.

The film, which was shot on location the Burren in 2011, features a mixture of professional and amateur actors including many members of the hugely successful Corofin Drama Group.

The short film, which was written by Curtis and is partially biographical, tells the story of Patrick, an 11year-old boy and his interaction with a stranger who comes to the Burren in the 1950s.

“It was a memorable experience having a film crew here to turn my little story into something bigger,” said PJ.

“I’m really looking forward to the television screening as it will give people throughout Clare a chance to see the film. It’s a fitting tribute to the cast and crew that worked so hard on the production.”

The cast is lead by a young Clare actor Emmet O’Doherty who plays the role of Patrick and also includes locals Michael Keane, Peter Daffy and Maura Clancy.

The film is the first such work for writer and music producer PJ Curtis and originally appeared in a collection of his short stories entitled ‘The Music of Ghosts’.

PJ himself won a Best Script Award for the film at the 2012 LIT Film Festival. Later this year, PJ’s novel ‘A Nightingale Falling’ will get the big screen treatment as it is set to become a feature film.

‘The Road of Souls’ is produced by Mixed Bag Media, who financed the film along with some assistance from Clare Arts Office. It will be screened on RTÉ 2 on Monday, April 22, at 23.35pm. It will then be available on the RTÉ Player for a further two weeks. To see a trailer for the film visit www.mixedbagmedia.com.

HOPES that a new state of the art national school will be built in Sixmilebridge to cater for the population explosion in the catchment area over the past decade have soared this week thanks to the intervention of the Department of Education.

Nearly a year after St Fiannachta’s National School in Sixmilebridge was controversially was excluded from the Government’s five-year schools building programme, the Department of Education has performed a u-turn.

In a decision announced on Monday, the department has revealed that the new school project for Saint Finnachta’s will now be progressed through the architectural planning stage.

“It’s good progress,” said school principal Gareth Heagney in welcoming this latest development “and it means we are moving the project to the real business stage and we will be liaising with the business unit shortly to get the specific details.”

Last June on a visit to the school, Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn admitted that the facility, which now boasts ten pre-fabs to cater for the ever-growing numbers of students, “wasn’t fit for purpose”.

Sixmilebridge is one of the fastest growing towns in the county with the development of 22 new estates swelling the town’s population by 51.1 per cent over the past seven years.

This population explosion has been reflected in school enrolments – there are currently 421 pupils in the school, a figure that’s set to rise to over 550 in the next three years.

The existing school was built in 1934 and was extended in 1985, while one of the ten pre-fabs in use dates from 1976. In 2005 the school applied for a capital grant to re-development the current building.

Three years later the project went to the design team phase, but was then shelved because of the gathering economic crisis.

However, the school principal has expressed hope that this week’s announcement doesn’t represent anoth- er false dawn for St Fiannachta’s.

“We are thankful and relieved that the Department of Education has finally acknowledged that our school is a school of rapid growth and with that classification it means that we’re going to move along a lot quicker than we have done,” he said.

“This news might be greeted with a little bit of skepticism, given the cutbacks in capital expenditure and the knock-backs that this project has encountered down the years, but I genuinely think that we are on the right track,” he added.

A KILRUSH business and almost 50 per cent of the jobs have been saved in an 11th hour plan.

John O’Dwyers Builders Providers and DIY Store in Kilrush will remain open despite an announcement that it was to close its doors at the end of the month with the loss of seven jobs.

Owner, John O’Dwyer said that thanks to the support of staff and loyal customers the shop will now remain open in a smaller retail unit.

The shop size will be reduced from 7, 500 square feet to 3,000 square feet, and staffing numbers will be reduced to three.

The yard and store will remain the same.

The Kilrush shop will stay open six days a week from 8am to 6pm, closing Sunday.

“We are hoping to stay until things improve and then open the shop back in the main building,” Mr O’Dwyer told The Clare People .

“We reduced the cost of keeping the store here to sustain the business here. We had to get our overheads down,” he said.

Mr O’Dwyer paid tribute to the staff who agreed to “keep the shoulder to the wheel” to keep the shop open.

He said that the four staff who had to be let go were also happy to see the shop remain open, as it gave them hope that the business would improve and expand giving them their jobs back in the future.

“I would also like to thank all the customers for their supportive over the last three weeks [when the closure was announced] and for their good wishes,” said the business owner.

“It is not going to be easy but we are going to give it a go.”

Seven months ago the Ennis store closed due to the down turn in the economy but the Miltown Malbay and now the Kilrush store continue to operate.

JOBS could be under threat in Lahinch as employers face a marked increase in parking costs in the village, that’s according to locals who may have to pay for parking spaces they currently get for free come January 1st 2014.

A number of local businesses are set to lose access to unlimited car parking spaces at Liscannor Road car park from January of next year following plans to centralise the way parking fines are managed in the county.

Local representatives have accused Clare County Council or of handing out “diktats” to the local business community, by introducing measure that they feel will put employment at risk.

More than 70 free car parking permits have been issued by Clare County Council for the car park in recent years – with some local businesses currently in receipt of as many as seven permits.

The move is being put forward by Clare County Council, who have directed the Ennistymon Area Office to write to every business in Lahinch to inform them of the possible change.

The council is currently streamlining its parking procedure in Ennis, Kilrush and Lahinch in an attempt to save costs by managing all all parking appeals centrally from Ennis.

“The system has worked well up to now and the only reason we are introducing this is to suit other areas. I cannot see that these employers will be able to absorb these extra costs,” said Cll Richard Nagle (FF).

“This is inevitable going to incur increased costs for the people at Lahinch. This never came to us before now, this never came before [a meeting of ] Clare County Council, I feel that this is very heavy handed that is coming to us as a diktat from Ennis.”

At present, local permit holders cannot use car parking facilities at the Lahinch promenade. The proposed change would see local workers forced to use the Miltown Road car park on the southern edge of the town.

“This is a seasonal area, in Ennis the businesses are operating five or six days a week, all year round. The permits should reflect that.

“I take the points of the car park on the Miltown Malbay road, but there will be many days when it’s raining and employees will walk all the way down to work from this car park and the Liscannor Road car park will be totally empty,” said Cllr Joe Arkins (FG).

The proposed change to the parking system in Lahinch will not be brought in until January 1, 2014, at the earliest. Local councillors have asked that their opposition to the change be relayed to the officials at Clare County Council.

THIRTEEN proved lucky for one Clare teenager as he or she won € 20,000 through prize bonds.

The 13-year-old’s winning ticket was purchased in 2000, making it a likely baby present.

The Clare Prize Bond holder won the weekly Prize Bond Star Prize of € 20,000 with the winning Bond number CQ 270577.

There were over 9,000 prizes awarded in Friday’s Prize Bonds weekly draw, amounting to over € 500,000.

The lucky Clare teen will be notified of the big win through the post.

Prize Bonds are a State savings product which, instead of paying interest, offers bond holders the chance to win cash prizes every week.

All winnings are tax-free, and Prize Bonds can be cashed in at any time after the minimum holding period of three months.

In addition to a € 1 million prize awarded on the last Friday of every month there are weekly draws where the top prize is € 20,000.

Other weekly cash prizes include five at € 1,000, 500 at € 100 and over 8,000 at € 50.

CLARE men are bearing the brunt of the recession in the Banner County, with a large difference in the number of men signing on the live register compared to women.

In 2006, the number of women signing on the live register in Clare was almost equal to the number of men. In January of that year 1,878 women (46.4 per cent) and 2,185 men (53.6 per cent) signed on in Clare.

Figures obtained by the Central Statistics Office show that both genders have been effected negatively by the recession – the increase in the number of Clare men signing-on over the last seven years is far higher than the number of women.

In January of 2013 there were 3,990 women signing on the live register in Clare, an increase of 112.46 per cent since 2006. In the same month there were 6,093 men signing on in the county – an increase of 178.85 per cent over the same period.

The Construction Industry Federation (CIF) believe that this gender difference has been brought about as a result for job losses in the construction area. The CIF estimated that 8, 500 Clare construction jobs have been lost since 2006, with the majority of these jobs losses coming in male dominated trades.

“In 2006 and 2007 we estimate that there would have been around 10,000 people working in construction sector industry in Clare. It is very hard to get an exact figure at the moment but we would estimate that that is now down to around 2, 500 jobs,” said Conor O’Connell, local spokesperson for the CIF.

“We have been saying this for years; the decline in the construction industry is responsible for the lion’s share of people who are unemployed. Other sectors have been hit, but nothing like the hit that construction has taken.

“We are looking at a lost generation. Every week we are seeing people made redundant who probably won’t work again in the industry. There is no easy way of saying that, it is very difficult for people. It is very difficult to see an upturn.”

Patrick DEEGAN
Ballymacahill, Barefield, Ennis. Funeral mass on Tuesday inThe Church of the Immaculate Conception, Barefield at 11 o’clock followed by cremation in Ringaskiddy Crematorium, Cork. House private. May he rest in peace.

Patrick STAUNTON
Moymore, Lahinch and formerly of Lissatava, Hollymount Co Mayo. Peacefully at Cahercalla Community Hospice, Ennis. Funeral mass onTuesday at 12 o’clock at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Roundfort, with burial after in Roundfort cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Mary MALONEY, (née Healy)
of Circular Road Ennistymon. Unexpectedly. Laid to rest in Ennistymon (new) cemetery. May she rest in peace.

John MARRINAN
of Marine Parade, Kilkee. Peacefully. Laid to rest in Lisdeen Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Seán DOWNES
of CrossVillage and formerly of Tullig, Cross.At Ennis General Hospital. Laid to rest in Kilballyowen Cemetery, Cross. May he rest in peace.

John O’BRIEN
of Gortnalough, Firies, Co Kerry and formerly of Annagh, Miltown Malbay. Laid to rest in Kildimo Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Bernard PRIEST
of Steele’sTerrace and late of Fergus Park, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Joan SUMMERLY, (née Magrath)
of 13 Brookville, Claureen, Lahinch Road, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Nora COSTELLO, (née O’Connell)
of Derryard, Doonbeg. Peacefully. Laid to rest in Lisdeen Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Maree DUFFY
of 51 Cronin Gardens, Shannon. Laid to rest in Illaunamanagh Cemetery. Donations, if desired, to Irish Cancer Society. May she rest in peace.

Andrew (Andy) FAWL
of 94 Shalee Drive, Cloughleigh, Ennis. Laid to rest in Cashel Cemetery,Tipperary. May he rest in peace.

Maura FLAHERTY
of No.5 Hillcrest, Mullinary, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan and Kilrush. Late of Tullycrine, Kilrush, at Glencarron Nursing Home, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh. Laid to rest in Prospect Cemetery Glasnevin. Donations in lieu, if desired, to Carrickmacross Cancer Care. May she rest in peace.

Paddy NEYLON
of Roughan, Kilnaboy. In his 95th year. Laid to rest in Laughtagona Cemetery, Corofin. May he rest in peace.

Conor HARTY
of 2, Dun an Oir, Shannon. Late of 2 ,The Path, Garryowen, Limerick. Laid to rest in Illaunamangh Cemetery. Donations in lieu, if desired, toThe Motor Neurone Association. May he rest in peace.

Martin SHANNON
of Gortbavarna, Maurice’s Mills. In his 96th year. Laid to rest in Inagh Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

CLARE’S fire fighters fought back a fire within feet of a family home, and kept multiple outhouses and sheds from burning to the ground during a week of unprecedented numbers of “wild land fires”.

There were up to 50 fires in bog lands, forestry and open ground since last Wednesday, stretching the 77 personnel of the county’s fire service to capacity.

Some of the fires took up to eight hours to get under control.

Fire chief Adrian Kelly described the cause of the fires as “hand of man”, explaining, “It is very difficult to see how they started naturally.”

The weather was not condusive to fires starting on their own, with many starting during night hours, he told The Clare People .

Early estimations set the cost of the call outs at more than € 30,000.

There were as many as 30 call outs to gorse fires in Clare during the last weekend alone – 12 on Friday, six on Saturday and another half a dozen on Sunday.

Fire Brigades from Ennis, Shannon, Killaloe, Kilrush, Ennistymon, Kilkee and Scariff have attended fires this week in areas including Shannon, Doonass, Coore, Twomilegate, Ennis, Cahermurphy, Doonbeg, Ogonnelloe, Connolly, Doolin, Tulla, Portroe, Kilmaley, Whitegate, Ballycuggeran, Doora, Killaloe, Ballymacurtaun, Booltiagh and Crusheen. On Wednesday night, every available fire fighter in the county was deployed as a result of gorse and forestry fires.

During the week-long inferno people lost property and livelihoods in the form of burnt down forestry, to numerous blazes.

Angela Naughton, Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer, warned that life and property were put at risk by the fires.

“The highest risk period for quickly spreading fires occurs between March and June, when ground vegetation is dead and dry following the winter period. Fires have spread quickly this week due to the dry vegetation, low humidity and strong easterly winds which fed the fires,” she said.

“We would like to remind landowners that it is an offence under the Wildlife Act to burn growing vegetation between March 1 and August 31 in any year, on any land not then cultivated. The sad fact is that if this simple rule was adhered to, many costly and dangerous wildfires would be avoided,” she added.

Landowners burning gorse, scrub, or vegetation must inform the Fire Service at least one day in advance on 999 providing details of the location, time and duration of burning. More and more people are doing this according to Mr Kelly.

The fire chief said that during the last week the fire service was “put to the pin of its collar with so many different fires going on at the same time”.

He said a huge amount of credit must go to the county’s dedicated fire fighters who save numerous properties. The county’s most senior fire service member also advised, “If people see anything suspicious in their area they should contact the Gardaí straight away.”

AN ATTEMPT to rescue the three bottlenose dolphins who are trapped in shallow waters in Bunratty will be made later this week.

The dolphins, who are part of a school who normally live much farther down the Shannon Estuary, have been stranded in the fresh water areas for 10 days now, and could succumb to liver failure if they are not returned to salt water soon.

A rescue mission is likely to be conducted this Wednesday or Thursday, to coincide with low spring tide. The low tide will make it easier to catch the dolphins but it also increases the chances that the one or more of the animals might get beached in the shallow water.

According to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG), the dolphins currently appear relatively healthy. The animals have been creating quite a stir in Bunratty since they appeared on March 31, but there have also been reports of young people throwing stones and other missiles at them.

“In my opinion something will have to be tried this week. They are healthy at the moment but with the low tide coming on Wednesday, something will probably have to be tried,” said Simon Berrow of the IWDG.

“The longer this goes on the more stressed the animals will get. They are in fresh water and that is damaging their kidneys right now and it will also start to damage their skin as well.

“We have also heard reports of kids throwing stones at them when they get close to the shore and we would appeal to anyone who comes to visit the dolphins, not to engage in this sort of behavior.”

The dolphins were discovered on March 31, in murky water close to the old bridge over the Ratty River and Durty Nelly’s Pub.

The last time that dolphins became stranded in this area was in 1995, when Clare recorded one of its finest summers in recent memory. Some locals are hopeful that the return of the dolphins are a sign of a good summer ahead.

Hurling fans are also hopeful that the return of the dolphins to Bunratty may also be on omen suggesting a hurling season similar to what took place in 1995.