Month: December 2014

after a court heard he was “acting the maggot” in an Ennis supermarket.

James O’Grady (37) was in a drunken state when gardaí were called to a public order incident at Lynch’s Centra on the Gort Road, Ennis District Court heard on Wednesday.

A schedule of Mr O’Grady’s arrest, charge and caution was handed into court by Inspector Tom Kennedy.

Legal aid was approved for defence solicitor Daragh Hassett, who told the court his client was pleading guilty to the charges.

Mr O’Grady, with an address at Gort Road, Ennis, pleaded guilty to a charge of engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace may be occasioned.

He further admitted a charge of being intoxicated in a public place to such an extent as would give rise to a reasonable apprehension that he might endanger himself or any other person in his vicinity.

The charges arose from Mr O’Grady’s behaviour at Lynch’s Centra on November 30, 2014. Insp Kennedy told the court that at around 8.45pm on the night in ques tion, Mr O’Grady, in a drunken state, entered the shop and started shouting at staff.

The gardaí were called and Mr O’Grady left after being asked to do so.

Insp Kennedy said that a short time after the gardaí left, Mr O’Grady returned to the shop.

“He got verbal with the staff and made a general nuisance of himself”, Insp Kennedy explained.

The court heard the gardaí returned to the scene and Mr O’Grady ran to the rear of the shop.

Insp Kennedy said, “He tried to evade the gardaí by hiding in the shop and generally acting the maggot”.

The court heard Mr O’Grady, an unemployed painter, has previous convictions for public intoxication and drink driving.

Mr Hassett told the court his client had recently been injured in a fall from horse.

He said on the night of the incident, Mr O’Grady had consumed Nurofen and alcohol.

He agreed Mr O’Grady had “acted the maggot” but has since apologised for his behaviour.

“He is highly embarrassed”, Mr Hassett added. Judge Durcan imposed a € 250 f ne for the breach of the peace offence. Judge Durcan said he was making the order due to Mr O’Grady’s previous convictions. He struck out the intoxication charge.

not at his place of residence, having possession of an axe with the inten tion that it be used in the course of or in connection with a burglary. Mr McDonagh is alleged to have had the axe at Ennis Golf Club, Golf Links Road.

Also on November 28, Mr Mc Donagh is charged with entering Ennis Golf Club as a trespasser and attempting to commit criminal dam age. He is also charged with possession of cannabis at 32 Clancy Park, Ennis. Mr McDonagh, an unemployed sin gle man, appeared before Ennis Dis trict Court on Friday. Garda Frank Browne of Ennis Gar da Station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. He told the court Mr McDonagh made no reply to any of the charges after caution. Legal aid was approved for solici tor Tara Godfrey. Ms Godfrey said she had no ques tions regarding the arrest, charge and caution of her client. She said she was applying for bail for Mr McDonagh. Inspector Tom Kennedy said the State objected to bail. He told Judge Patrick Durcan the reasons of the State’s objections to bail.

Ms Godfrey asked Garda Browne if he would be satisf ed if Mr Mc Donagh gave a commitment to reside at home, sign on three times a week at Ennis Garda Station and make himself contactable at all times. Garda Browne said he would be sat isf ed.

But after hearing the full bail ap plication, Judge Durcan refused bail. He remanded Mr McDonagh in custody to appear again at Ennis Dis trict Court on December 10.

THE GREEN Party is on election footing in Clare with North Clare woman Roisín Garvey among the frontrunners to represent the party in the next General Election.

It is understood that the party leader Eamonn Ryan met with the An Taisce Green Schools off cer for County Clare and south Galway during a visit to the county last week, but told

AN Ennis man charged with the theft of € 14,650 from a woman in Limerick has been returned for trial to the circuit criminal court.

Alan Custy (38) appeared before Ennis District Court where he was served with a copy of the book of evidence against him.

Mr Custy, with an address at Dun Na hInse, Ennis, is charged with f ve counts of theft allegedly committed between June and November 2013.

Mr Custy is charged with stealing € 3,900 contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act from the woman in the district court area of Limerick between November 19 and 31 last as well as stealing € 3,400 from the woman in the same area on November 18 last.

He was also charged with stealing € 700 from her in the same area on September 17, 2013; stealing € 3,450 from her on dates between July 3 and 7, 2013, and stealing € 3,200 from the woman on June 17, 2013.

Mr Custy was previously granted conditional bail when he f rst ap peared in court in September.

Mr Custy was granted bail on condition he have no contact with the alleged injured party and no contact with any alleged witness.

The court heard that it is also a condition of bail that Mr Custy give an undertaking not to create any prof les on dating websites. On Wednesday, Det Gda Claire O’Shaughnessy of Ennis Garda Station gave evidence of serving the book of evidence on Mr Custy.

Inspector John O’Sullivan told the court the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) consents to the accused being returned for trial, on bail, to the next sessions of Ennis Circuit Criminal Court.

Judge Grainne O’Neill delivered the alibi warning to the accused and made the order returning Mr Custy for trial. Judge O’Neill approved legal aid for solicitor Tara Godfrey and one junior counsel.

THE number of patients left on trolleys at the University Hospital Limerick doubled last month.

According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation Trolley Watch, the single recognised measure of the number of patients on trolleys, as many as 484 people were left on trolleys during October compared to 244 in October last year.

This is a 98 per cent increase in the number of sick people stranded without a proper hospital bed.

September also showed a marked increase of 59.7 per cent, from 551 sick people on trolleys in September 2014 to 345 in September 2013.

And while the numbers on trolleys increased, the number of emergency admissions to the overcrowded hospital and other hospitals in the region fell. Preliminary f gures report that the University Limerick Hospital Group, of which Ennis is a member, had 2,423 emergency admissions in September 2014, compared with 2,461 in September 2013.

Figures for October are not available. There was also an increase in the number of people presenting to the Emergency Department in Limerick in September. A three per cent increase is ref ec tive of 149 more people using the hospital over that month – an average of f ve extra patients per day. As many as 4,821 people attended the overcrowded emergency department in September this year compared to 4,672 people who attended during the same period last year. At this month’s meeting of the HSE West Forum members Cllr Malachy McCreesh (SF) from Limerick asked why the opening date for the new Emergency Department cannot be moved up to alleviate the pressure. “I think the build has been completed for some time and it needs to be f tted out,” he said. Cllr John Carroll (FF) from Tipperary told the meeting he visits the hospital regularly and there are trolleys “criss-crossed all over the place” in the emergency department. He asked why the health watchdog HIQA shows an interest in certain areas but not the over crowded A&E. “This is ongoing. It is totally unsafe practice and it is downgrading for people. There is no point saying we will have a new department in 2016. We need to deal with it now. These are human beings we are dealing with,” he said.

THERE is a new boss overseeing the hospitals in the mid west.

Colette Cowan took up her new post as CEO of the University Limerick Hospitals group on Monday last. The position was vacated when the former CEO Anne Doherty took up a new position as CEO of Cork City Council.

Ms Cowan will take up the role at a turbulent time for the hospital group as it deals with an over stretched Emergency Department at the university Hospital Limerick, and expanding waiting lists.

The new CEO comes to the position however with a wealth of experience. She has over 26 years experience working in the Irish Health Service, 15 of which are in management and most recently was Acting CEO & Chief Director of Nursing and Midwifery for The Saolta University Healthcare Group (previously known as the West North West Hospitals Group).

CLARE County Council is seeking tenders from contractors aimed at establishing the extent of asbestos contamination in areas of West Clare.

Last June, the council’s Environment Section received a complaint from a member of the public regarding a number of areas where asbestos waste materials were deposited. The council subsequently identif ed nine sites where pieces of asbestos waste was dumped.

Six sites are in the vicinity of Kilkee while the remaining three sites are located in the vicinity of Kilrush. The nine sites include four sites within the ownership of Clare County Council and f ve sites in private own ership. Concern over the dumping of asbestos was raised by former Kilkee town councillor and local resident PJ Linnane, last June.

In March Clare County Council commissioned an external independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the depositing of asbestos-cement materials at a number of sites throughout West Clare. At the time the council conf rmed it

ONE OF Kilrush’s best-known establishments, Crotty’s, is now on the market.

Deciding to sell the iconic public house and hostelry after two decades of hard work and investment was not an easy one for owners Rebecca Brew and Kevin Clancy, but the couple believe now is the time to direct their attention elsewhere.

The couple are to retire from this business but still have a number of other interests in the town that will keep them busy and give them more time for family life.

“It is a thriving business,” Ms Brew told The Clare People , but it was a huge commitment for the husband and wife team and their young family.

Kevin would usually spend seven days a week in the business, with Rebecca also working there full time.

Ms Brew said she would love to see a young person or couple take on the business, as she believes that there is still room for further development.

“Maybe even some of the young people who are now in America or Australia would be interested, as sometimes the only way to secure employment in some areas is to in- vest in a business.”

That is exactly what Kevin and Rebecca did 20 years ago, and indeed what the f rst owner did 100 years ago. In 1914 it was Micko Crotty that returned to Kilrush from the United States and purchased this property looking on to the Market Square and across from the Town Hall.

Shortly afterwards the building traded as Crotty’s.

Famed as being the home of the legendary concertina player Mrs Elizabeth Crotty the interior still plays homage to her home today.

The original bar sits to the right as you enter the pub from the square, with its original pitch pine bar still in place. The kitchen Mrs Crotty and her family used, along with the store and taproom, are still there to be seen.

Crotty’s also holds on to its authentic past through the original snug where many a marriage was arranged, cattle sold and many a lady had a quiet drink out of the public eye.

In 2005 the bar was expanded again, when the owners purchased Mrs O’Dwyers stationary and sweet shop next door.

The old shop counter has been restored as the new bar, while jars of sweets and toy cars in situ behind the bar are a reminder of bygone days.

Today Crotty’s award winning bar serves drink and food all day, provide accommodation in seven ensuite rooms upstairs, and provides a helpful guide to tourists through its tourist information.

During Kevin and Rebecca’s two decades at the helm the business also won numerous awards including the prestigious Munster Black and White Pub of the Year, Tourism Bar of the Year and has been repeatedly recommended and approved by Georgina Campbell’s Guide.

A TEENAGER who stole € 206 worth of diesel from businesses in Clare has paid compensation.

The 17-year-old boy stole € 100 worth of diesel from the Bunratty Services Station before stealing a further € 106 worth of diesel from a petrol station at Minister’s Cross, Sixmilebridge.

Both offences were committed within a short time of each other on July 27, 2014.

The boy pleaded guilty to the offences at Ennis Children’s Court in October.

At the time, Garda Patrick Gardiner of Sixmilebridge Garda Station outlined details of the offences. Garda Gardiner said the accused was a passenger in a van that pulled up at the Bunratty Service Station. He said the boy got out and f lled two drums with diesel before the leaving the scene without paying.

A short time later, the court heard, the boy committed the same offences at a petrol station at Minister’s Cross.

Garda Gardiner said the matter was reported to gardaí. He said the accused was spotted by the owner of the Sixmilebridge station, driving the van on the dual carriageway. The case was adjourned to allow the boy time to pay compensation.

The boy, accompanied by members of his family, appeared before Ennis Children’s Court on Friday.

Judge Patrick Durcan said there was a “reasonable” probation report in respect of the accused before the court.

Defence solicitor John Casey said his client had compensation of € 206 for the court.

Judge Durcan said he was putting the matter off for six months. He ordered the teenager to comply with the directions of the Probation Services and granted the State liberty to re-enter the cases.

Addressing the teen, Judge Durcan said, “If you dirty your bib, you’re in trouble”.

NEW charges of dangerous driving have been brought against a Galway man allegedly involved in an incident where he drove on the wrong way on a dual carriageway in Clare.

John Keane (24), with an address at Monalee Manor, Knocknacarra, Galway, is facing three charges of dangerous driving and an alleged public order offence arising from incidents that occurred in Clare and Galway on June 27, 2014.

Mr Keane appeared at Ennis Dis- trict Court in September where he entered a plea of guilty to a charge of dangerous driving at Srangaloon, Crusheen on June 27, 2014.

Defence solicitor Brian O’Callaghan told the court his client was anxious to enter a plea. However Mr O’Callaghan said that he was aware that the State may be considering a further charge against Mr Keane.

At the time, Inspector Michael Gallagher told the court this was a case where the defendant is accused of driving the wrong way on a dual carriageway. “It is a very serious matter,” he said.

Mr Keane appeared back before Ennis District Court last Wednesday.

Garda Francis Corey of Ennis Garda Station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in respect of three new charges against the accused. Garda Corey said Mr Keane made no reply to all three charges.

Mr Keane is facing two dangerous driving charges at Knockanean, Ennis, and Carrigoran Newmarket on Ferguson on June 27, 2014.

He is also charged with engaging in behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace at Ballyboy, Gort, Galway, also on June 27.

Inspector John O’Sullivan said the accused is currently on bail. He asked Judge Grainne O’Neill to extend existing bail to cover the new charges.

Defence solicitor Brian O’Callaghan applied to have the matter adjourned. “I brief y opened the matter to be fore Judge Durcan and it won’t be troubling the court for too long,” he said. Mr O’Callaghan said he had full disclosure from the State.

Judge O’Neill remanded Mr Keane on bail to appear again at Ennis District Court on December 10.