Month: December 2014

A NORTH Clare woman is taking an innovative new approach to starting her own business by launching an online, crowd-funding campaign – with the public essentially sponsoring her to get her business off the ground. Corof n woman, Camilla Roelants (pictured right), is hoping to raise € 16,500 to fund her new pasta take away restaurant Bosca Pasta, which she hopes to launch in the new year in Ennis.

She has until Christmas Day, December 25, to receive pledges for the entire amount on the crowd funding website kickstarter, or all the money raised will go back to those who pledged it.

Crowd funding has been used by a number of charities or budding musician to get projects off the ground in recent year – however, it is understood that this is the f rst time that a Clare business has attempted to raise start-up capital in this way.

Camilla has been out of work since she was made redundant by Sykes Enterprises in Shannon in 2012, and has completed a number of business training programmes since them, with a view to getting her own business off the ground.

“I lived in France for eight year when these types of restaurants were just getting off the ground.

“When I came home I found that I missed them, the only things you can get in Ennis were burgers is burgers and chips or something similar.

“So I decided I would try something different,” she said.

“I’ve done a lot of research into this idea and now I’m ready to go. I’ve been unemployed for two years and I really want to be able to launch this new business and get myself off the live register, and this way of funding it is how I can do that.

“I like the idea of having thousands of people funding you € 1 each, rather than going to the banks.

“I’m looking for € 16,500 from the crowdfunding site. I put my start-up costs at about € 30,000, including hiring three staff members, and I have about half of that from my own savings, family and friends.

“I haven’t gone to the banks, I’ve been unemployed for a few years and chances are I would be refused.

People can pledge any amount to the project. For more information or to pledge visit www.kickstarter.com/ projects/858962211/bosca-pasta

ONLY ONE quarter of Clare people have the opportunity to pass away in their own home – despite research showing that the vast majority of people in the county would prefer to die at home, as apposed to a hospital or nursing home.

According to a new survey compile by the Irish Hospice Foundation, only 26 per cent of Clare people have the opportunity of passing away in their own home – a fraction of the 74 per cent who would prefer to pass away at home. The report also found that that areas with no local hospice that delivers Specialist Palliative Care (SPC) Services through home care teams, have a higher proportion of deaths in their own homes compared to areas with a hospice.

The Irish Hospice Foundation be- lieve that more detailed research is needed to determine why more Clare people are not offered the chance to be at home when they pass away.

“It may be that those areas without hospices have better developed homecare teams.

“Other reasons may be at play, such as urban rural differences in allocation of community supports. But we need to f nd out,” Irish Hospice Foundation CEO, Sharon Foley.

“The IHF believes that enabling people to fulf ll their wish to die at home is not just a matter of effective health services and f exible, respon sive, people-centred systems.

“It is fundamental to the very basis of humanity in an evolved society.

“Allowing choice and dignity in end of life care, and in the experi ence of dying, is a strong indication of how we care for Irish society as a whole. ” A BUMPER Christmas, with an anticipated 15% increase in passenger numbers from 12 months ago, kicked off at Shannon Airport this weekend as close on 2,000 children, including from Clare and parents got to meet Santa in the skies. In an initiative to thank the public for its support over what has been a year of strong growth, as well as raise some much needed funds for two local charities, Shannon Airport, in partnership with Ryanair, made Christmas come early for the excited children as 12 f ights took the skies over Saturday and Sunday. Among those getting to savour this special moment were special needs children from the Clare Crusaders clinic, St Gabriel’s school in Limerick and Mirmear Autism Unit in Tipperary. Demand for the f ights’ was so high that they booked out in all of 12 minutes when they went up for grabs ten days ago. The fun weekend at the airport, which also saw the children get to enjoy a wide range of entertainment from costumed cartoon characters to puppet shows, heightened the Christmas cheer at the airport. Said Airport CEO Neil Pakey; “It was great to see children enjoying the treat. The excitement was unbelievable and we’re delighted to have partnered with Ryanair on what was a really special occasion. Special thanks too to all our staff who volunteered over the weekend.

of almost € 30,000 from the annual court poor box payout.

A total of € 28, 500 will be distributed to 23 groups and organisations, after details of this year’s recipients were released by the Court Services.

In some cases, instead of imposing a conviction, a district court judge can order that a defendant donate a sum to the court poor box, which in turn will be given to a charity.

The St Vincent De Paul is this year’s largest recipient.

The society’s branches in Ennis and Kilrush will each received a donation of € 5,000.

John Cullinane, Clare Area President SVP, welcomed the donation, saying the poor box has become an “essential” source of funding for the SVP.

“There is a big demand each year on our services. In the past three years, requests for our assistance have doubled, its gone up 100%. Our income is down about 25% in the past year. We are very grateful for funds from any source.

“We’re very grateful to Judge Patrick Durcan (District Court Judge for Clare and Gort, Co Galway). Over the years he has given us considera- ble funding each year and it’s something we are grateful for”, he said.

Mr Cullinane continued, “We give out a lot more food and toys at this time of year, additional to what we would normally give.

“People donate a lot of food to us and we will be giving that out over the next few weeks. It’s a busy season”.

Mr Cullinane said the society is also receiving more requests for assistance from people in employment.

“About 70% of our requests are repeats. Over the years, there would be a lot of the same people.

“In the past years, with the austerity measures, some people that are employed, because their salaries and wages have gone down, they are coming to us for assistance as well. That would have increased the demand on our service as well. But we’re in a position to cope with all requests”, he said.

The full list of court poor box recipients is as follows.

Clare Immigrant Support Centre (€ 500); St Senan’s Kilrush Conference of SVDP (€ 5000); St Vincent de Paul Ennis (€ 5000); District Day Care Centre, Clarecastle (€ 500); Hand in Hand (Childrens Cancer Charity) (€ 1000); Diabetes Ireland Clare Branch (€ 1000); Ennis CDP (€ 1500); Dream Believe Achieve (€ 1000); Lions Club of Ennis (€ 1500); Rape Crisis Midwest Clare Centre (€ 1000) ; Seeking Vision (€ 500); Clare Crusaders (€ 1000); Cahercalla Hospice (€ 1000); Poor Clares, Ennis (€ 1000); The Samaritans, Ennis (€ 1000); Clarecare (€ 1000); Clare Haven Services (€ 1000); Pieta House (€ 1000); Childline (€ 1000); Doolin Search & Rescue (€ 500); Kilkee Marine Rescue (€ 500); Killaloe/Ballina Search and Rescue (€ 500); St. Caimins Search & Rescue, Mountshannon (€ 500).

TWO men who drunkenly wandered onto a Shannon road in the early hours of October 19 last were described as an intoxicated “human tandem bicycle” by Judge Patrick Durcan at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

Thomas Faulkner (30), with an address at Shannonbanks in Corbally and Martin Faulkner (21), with an address at Bay 6, Long Pavement, Watch House Cross in Limerick, both pleaded guilty to being intoxicated to such an extent as to be a danger to themselves or to others at Tullyvarraga in Shannon in the early hours of October 19, 2014.

The court heard that both men were very intoxicated at the time and wandered onto the main road.

Gardaí were alerted to the incident by a number of motorist who narrowly missed the two men as they staggered on the road.

Judge Patrick Durcan described the mens behaviour as extremely dangerous and said that they would have been like a “human tandem bicycle” for the motorists to avoid.

Thomas Faulkner also pleaded guilty to damaging a cell at Shannon Garda station later that morning.

The court heard that Thomas Faulkner, who has 26 previous convictions, ripped a mattress when incarcerated in Shannon Garda Station, rendering the bedding unusable. Both men were f ned for their be haviour with Judge Durcan warning them to stay out of Clare.

“This is not a day that the Faulkner family will be writing about in the history of their family,” he said. “Stick down in Limerick.

“Do you follow me? Stick down in Limerick.” ENNIS man Liam Griff n has been presented with The Award of Life Governor by Irish Water Safety to honour his particular dedication towards the humanitarian goal of saving life from drowning. Liam Griff n has been Water Safe ty Development Off cer (WSDO) in Clare from 1996 up until his recent retirement. He followed in the large footsteps of the late Noel Carmody, who died before his time and was regarded by his contemporaries as one of the best WSDO’s ever. Liam has maintained and then improved standards in the performance of his duties as WSDO and as a member of IWS. Clare is one of the most challenging counties in which to hold this brief, being surrounded by water on three sides. To the West is the Atlantic Ocean, and the renowned West Coast of Clare is famous for its many wonderful swimming and surf ng beach es, from Bishop’s Quarter in North Clare, to Fanore, Lahinch, Milltown Malbay, Spanish Point and Kilkee in

the South. Inland, Clare is bounded by the Shannon and Lough Derg in the East, where thousands of people enjoy these waters each year angling, sailing and cruising. We then have the Fergus and Shannon estuaries to the south which are also busy waterways with strong tidal currents enjoyed by the public.

There are many small lakes in Clare, and several other substantial rivers.

Every conceivable use is made of those waters, including angling, bathing, surf ng, diving, dolphin-watch ing, sailing, kayaking and commercial f shing. Managing public safety in these contexts is therefore a signif cant and onerous responsibility, which Liam has discharged very well over fourteen years.

Liam is held in the highest regard by his colleague WSDOs in all other local authorities, and his contributions to debates at their conference and meetings have always been renowned for his wisdom gained through experience and his endless common sense, which has carved a sensible drowning prevention strategy carefully executed by Clare County Council during that time.

THE ACCOUNT in the name of S Barrett, listed in a whistle blower’s dossier on alleged tax evading accounts held by politicians, did not belong to the late Clare TD and minister, Sylvie Barrett, according to his family.

Gerard Ryan, a civil servant in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation who was charged with investigating such accounts, recently availed of the whistleblower legislation to send a dossier containing allegations about tax evasion by former politicians to the Public Accounts Committee.

These names were read into the Dáil record last Wednesday by Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald, although no evidence has emerged in investigations to sustain the allegations.

The politicians named have denied any involvement in tax evasion.

While the other politicians were named in full, the last name was read into the record of the Dáil as S Barrett. Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett denied immediately that the account was his.

Meanwhile the family of the late Sylvester Barrett stated;

“Our late father did not have any bank account with wither Guinness Mahon or Ansbacher therefore any account in the names of S Barrett had nothing to do with our late father.”

The late Deputy Barrett was a popular Fianna Fáil TD who was f rst elected to the Dáil during the 1969 by-election.

He served his constituency as a TD and Minister until his retirement in 1984. He passed away in 2002.

Having lived most of his life in Clarecastle, he had studied engineering as a young man and served as an army cadet.

Mr Barrett, widely known as ‘Sylvie’ was appointed Minister for the Environment in 1977 by then Taoiseach Jack Lynch, and also served as a member of the European Parliament. He famously voted against then leader of Fianna Fáil Charles Haughey in a leadership heave, becoming a member of the renowned ‘Club of 22’.

His father Frank, a member of Clare County Council, was a member of Sinn Fein prior to joining Fianna Fáil.

Last week the deputy leader of Sinn Fein was criticised for using Dáil privilege for listing some of the names allegedly contained in the dossier submitted to the PAC.

THE case of a Kilrush man charged in connection with the alleged sending of indecent telephone messages has been adjourned to the new year.

Conor Haugh (21) appeared before Ennis District Court on Wednesday. He is charged with sending indecent telephone messages on two dates in November. Mr Haugh, with an address at Killballyowen, Cross, Kilrush, is charged with sending by telephone a message that was indecent on November 6, 2014.

He is further charged with sending an indecent message by phone on November 10, 2014. The charges state the alleged offences were allegedly committed at a named location in West Clare. Defence solicitor Patrick Moylan told the court the matter had previously been adjourned following an application from the State.

The court heard that directions are yet to issue from the DPP on how the case against the accused is to proceed. Inspector Tom Kennedy said he required time to obtain directions from the DPP.

Judge Patrick Durcan adjourned the case to February 18, 2015 Mr Haugh was remanded on continuing bail.

A WEST Clare teenager has proved himself to be an “honourable man” by admitting a driving offence and paying compensation, a court has heard. All charges against Drew Clancy (19) were struck out at Ennis District Court last week after he paid full compensation for the damage his driving caused.

Mr Clancy crashed his car into the side of a van as Mr Clancy exited a car park and drove onto the road at Dough, Spanish Point on February 13.

At a sitting of Ennis District Court earlier this year, Mr Clancy, with an address at Fintra More, Miltown Malbay, pleaded guilty to driving without due care or attention. He also admitted charges of driving without insurance and failing to report the occurrence.

In October, Garda Margaret Leahy of Ennistymon Garda Station told the court she responded to a report of a hit and run accident at Spanish Point on the date in question.

Garda Leahy said a van driver told her the car that struck his vehicle drove away from the scene. No injuries were suffered as a result of the accident, the court heard.

Garda Leahy said Mr Clancy later made a cautioned statement to gardaí in which he admitted hitting the car.

The court € 1500 worth of damage was caused to the van.

Judge Patrick Durcan asked Garda Leahy why the accused left the scene.

“He panicked. He had no insurance and he was aware he had no insurance”, Garda Leahy said.

Judge Durcan adjourned the case to allow time for payment of compensation. On Friday, defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said full compensation of € 1460 had been paid.

Mr Clancy, a farm labourer, told Judge Durcan he saved the money from work.

Judge Durcan told Mr Clancy he had proved himself to be an “honourable man” by facing up to the charges and paying compensation. “I’m striking out all charges against you which means you’re record is clean”, Judge Durcan added.

CLA RE County Council is in discussions with Shannon Commercial proper ties

THE Boghill Centre in Kilfenora was the big winner of this year’s Burren and Cliffs of Moher GeoparkLIFE Award which took place over the weekend. The centre took three of the 15 awards on offer on the night, including the main prizes in both the GeoparkLIFE awards and the Burren Ecotourism award.

The annual awards recognise achievement of Burren businesses in the development of sustainable tourism in the region. There were two sets of awards up for grabs on the night with eleven GeoparkLIFE awards and three awards from the Burren Ecotourism Network.

The Boghill Centre took the overall Sustainable Business of the Year award and the Energy Management award in the GeoparkLIFE awards while also being crowned Member of the Year by the Burren Ecotourism Network.

It was also a good night for the Burren Nature Sanctuary who won the Visitor Interpretation and Leave No Trace awards, while the Cliffs of Moher Experience, Sea View House, Heart of Burren Walks, Burren Free Range Pork, Cafe Linnalla, Kil- shanny House, St Tola’s Goat Farm, Doolin Hostel, Burren Food Trail and Martin Waldron of Cragmoher House, all won awards.

“These awards help to promote and give of f cial recognition to the wide range of fantastic work that is ongoing throughout the Burren through sustainable business practices. The awards also help us to monitor progress in relation to the Geopark Sustainable Code of Practice for Tourism programme,” said Carol Gleeson of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark.

“Since 2008, Clare County Council has been working in the Burren to develop a truly sustainable tourism destination that gives direct benef ts to the local community, promotes and celebrates local culture and produce, preserves the environment and provides a great experience for our visitors. “This has been achieved with great support and partnership from local communities and businesses and agencies responsible for tourism and conservation and local development. These awards reward those who have contributed to this process.”

A 28-YEAR-OLD Shannon man is to face trial in the circuit court in connection with two alleged burglaries in the town.

Gerard Delaney, with an address at Inis Eagla, Shannon, appeared before Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

The court heard the book of evidence in respect of two alleged burglaries in Shannon was ready for service.

Mr Delaney is accused of entering a building at Cluain Aoibheann, Shannon, as a trespasser with intent to commit an arrestable offence on September 20, 2014.

He is further charged with entering a house at Carraig Donn, Shannon, as a trespasser and stealing a handbag, also on September 20, 2014.

Garda Irene O’Flynn of Ennis Garda Station told the court she served a copy of the book of evidence on solicitor John Casey for his client Mr Delaney. Inspector Tom Kennedy said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) consented to the accused being returned for trial to the current sittings of Ennis Circuit Criminal Court.

Solicitor John Casey said he was not making a bail application but asked that he be certif ed for legal aid along with one junior counsel.

Judge Patrick Durcan granted the legal aid application. He delivered the alibi warning and made the order returning the accused for trial.