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A HOMEGROWN Clare company that has been in business for 34 years has been acquired by one of the world’s largest elevator companies.

In a statement last week, American giant Kone announced that it had purchased Ennis Lifts, a local company specializing in the supply, installation, modernization and maintenance of elevators, escalators and autowalks.

Ennis Lifts Limited was founded in 1979 by C.P. McGuinness. Since then Ennis Lifts has grown to become the largest national lift and escalator company in Ireland, also serving Europe and the Middle East.

A statement on the company’s website states, “The cornerstone from which the company has developed has been providing excellence at all levels to our customers, thus becoming specialists in the supply, installation, modernisation and maintenance of lifts, escalators and walkways.”

Kone’s executive vice president and area director for central and north Europe, Ari Lehtoranta said the company is “delighted” with the purchase of Ennis Lifts.

“We are very pleased to have Ennis as a part of Kone. The acquisition will strengthen our business in the challenging Irish market.”

According to Kone, Ennis will continue to operate as a separate company under its current name and brand.

Kone is one of the global leaders in the elevator and escalator industry. In addition to manufacturing elevators, escalators and automatic building doors, it provides maintenance to its global customers. Worldwide, it employs about 35,000 people including 325 in the Quad-Cities, a group of five cities on the Illinois / Iowa border.

The company’s North American headquarters are located in in Lisle, Illinois. Kone Americas’ operations centre is at Kone Centre in Moline. The company has an escalator plant is in Coal Valley, Illinois.

No one from Ennis Lifts was available for comment when The Clare People contacted the company yesterday.

THE family of a Kilfenora man Brian McMahon, who tragically lost his life in California over the weekend, flew out to America yesterday to be with his wife and children.

Father of two Brian McMahon was killed in a car accident in the Californian city of San Rafael on Friday morning last. Mr McMahon, who is 46 years old and has been living in America for a number of years, was out walking close to his home just before 8am, local time, when the ac- cident took place.

The exact details of the accident are not yet clear but it appears that Mr McMahon was struck by a single vehicle on the street close to his home at 7.45am. Emergency first aid was given to Mr McMahon at the scene at he was rushed by ambulance to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead.

“San Rafael police officers and San Rafael paramedics located an unconscious 46-year-old man lying in the roadway. Life saving measures were immediately initiated. The male sub- ject was transported to Kaiser Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival,” said a spokesperson from the local police department.

“The driver of the involved vehicle remained on scene and called 911 to report the collision. Numerous bystanders were interviewed at the scene.

“The driver fully cooperated with the investigation. At this time, it appears neither alcohol nor any other impairment was present or a factor in this collision. The involved vehicle was taken for a thorough inspection.”

Police are reportedly investigating the possibility that the driver may have been blinded by the bright morning sun and did not see see Mr McMahon out walking. Mr McMahon was home in Clare in August and was due to return with his sons for the All-Ireland hurling final but was unable to do so because of work.

Mr McMahon is survived by his Tipperary born wife and his his two children aged 13 and 11 years old. He is also survived by his father Murty McMahon, his American-based brother John and a number of siblings based in the North Clare area.

A HORSE, who was trapped in the River Fergus for a number of hours or even days, is recovering well after her ordeal.

The horse entered the river close to Victoria Court area on the Lahinch Road and became trapped an unable to free itself. A passerby noticed the animal and contacted the authorities who came to assist the stranded animal.

The animal could not be coaxed closer to the bank of the river, so Clare County Council’s dog warden, Frankie Coote, was forced to don his swimming gear and enter the river. After some effort the horse was rescued from the Fergus and is recovering well.

“We got a report that there was a horse stuck in the River Fergus just off the Lahinch Road, behind Victoria Court. The horse had obviously been there quite a long time it was very cold weak,” said Frankie.

“Unfortunately the horse could not be caught from the banks so I had to swim around trying to get near the horse it took just over half hour to get the rope on. Garda Colin Egan and Garda Damian Quaid were there to help and we were able to find and notify the owner.

“I would like to say thanks to everyone that helped and especially to Pat Tierney from Drumcliff stables who often would help. Thankfully the horse is now recovering well.”

This dramatic rescue comes less than a month after a healthy horse choked to death when it became entangled in a rope used to tether it on the outskirts of Ennis in September.

Indeed, horses have had a number of difficult years in the county. Horse ownership grew dramatically during the Celtic Tigers years with a number of people not able to afford to maintain their animals once the recession hit.

THE tourism and hospitality sector in Clare is anxiously waiting to see if next week’s budget will retain the 9 per cent VAT rate that has boosted their business in recent times.

Ennis-based tax expert Fergal Cahill says the matter is particularly important in Clare.

“Given the nature of the local economy and the high profile of the hospitality and tourism sectors, this is a touchstone issue for the county. The foregone tax revenue is being costed at € 350 million yet the industry can ill-afford to raise prices. There is considerable pressure on the minister in both directions, leading to speculation about a compromise move to a rate between 9 per cent and 13.5 per cent.”

Other issues that will be closely watched locally will be a possible harmonisation in pension tax relief to a single rate somewhere between 30 per cent and 35 per cent, replacing the current reliefs at marginal tax rates of 20 per cent and 41 per cent.

An extension of capital gains tax exemption past the end of 2013 is also likely to feature given that with- out it NAMA will be hard pressed to dispose of its enormous property portfolio.

Cahill Taxation Services is hosting its annual budget breakfast briefing next Wednesday in the Old Ground Hotel, Ennis. Over 100 business owners and civic leaders attended last year’s event to hear Fergal Cahill and his team interpret and analyse all aspects of Budget 2013.

THE search for a 42-year-old man who was washed into the sea off North Clare will resume this morning. Naval divers are due to resume their search for the Latvian national around 10am this morning, October 8, after bad weather brought an end to last nights search effort.

With more settled weather expected this morning, it is hoped that the mans’ body can be located close to Ballyreen, where he entered the water in Sunday evening.

The man had been fishing with a number of friends at a spot known as Fisherman’s Climb in the popular fishing location between Doolin and Fanore on Sunday evening when he was washed into the ocean by a freak wave. A friend raised the alarm and then attempted to swim out to reach the stranded man.

However, while the friend was swimming to rescue the man, the victim – who has not yet been named – was washed under the water. Despite an intensive search led by a number of rescue agencies, including the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coast Guard, the man has not been sighted since. The man’s friend, who dived into the water to save the 42-yearold man, was assisted by emergency services and treated on site for the effects of cold. “The search has been stood down for the night because of poor weather conditions and the hope is now that the divers to be able to enter the water tomorrow morning,” said Mattie Shannon of the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coast Guard last night. “We are hopeful that the divers will be able to come up with something tomorrow. It is a very exposed spot and if something is not discovered soon it could be very difficult to locate.” It’s understood that man was not wearing a lifejacket and may have been dragged beneath the waves by his heavy clothing. The area has been the scene of a number of tragedies in recent years including the death of a two men in separate fishing accident in Ballyreen in 2009.

AN INCREASE on the price of alcohol in next week’s budget could have a very positive influence in helping to prevent many Clare youngsters from abusing alcohol.

According to David McPhillips, Community Substance Misuse Team, limiting the availability of alcohol is the only real way that problem drinking among young people can be tackled.

Mr McPhilips, who works with teenagers affected by alcohol and drug problems in the Clare area, believes that changing the binge drinking culture amongst Irish youths can only be tackled once the immediate problem is tackled through limiting access through cost.

“Price and availability are the big things. If a young person has € 10 and the price of a bottle of vodka is € 20, then they are going to have a difficulty in buying it. Price and availability are the two things that you can impact on,” he told The Clare People yesterday.

“I think cultural factors have to come later. It is hard to change a culture and create a situation where, to be hammered drunk, is not an excuse. That has to change but that is something that can only be changed person to person, and family by family and that is not an easy thing to do.

“So you have to look at what you can act on and price and availability are the two things you can effect. But how do you change a culture. If you look at consumption in Ireland I think you find that consumption has gone down [in recent years] because it is directly related to availability, price and disposable income. The issue is not overall consumption but the quantity that we drink in a single drinking session.

“Binge drinking is the big concern and always has been. It is not the overall consumption, which is probably not much more than anywhere else, it is the way that we drink.”

Early this year, Clare’s U21 AllIreland winning manager Donal Moloney revealed that measures were taken to rid Clare hurling of the damaging effects of alcohol after a number of “dangerous situations” arose with the underage teams.

“If somebody says to a player, if they are out drinking heavy then they are not getting on the team, that can have a massive effect. Those kind of brief interventions can be very positive and could help changing people’s culture towards drinking,” continued David.

GARDAÍ remain extremely concerned that tensions between two Traveller families in Ennis could result in more violence as it emerged that witnesses are wearing protective vests to court.

The fear was expressed ahead of the expected sentencing in Ennis today of four people involved in a violent public order disturbance at the Maid of Erin roundabout last October.

A Circuit Court judge was told last week that the relationship between the families has not improved and that “tensions remain very high”.

“There are garda concerns for the potential for violent incidents,” said Detective Garda John Casey at a sitting of Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday. The court was told that the two families previously lived as neighbours and friends in the Ashline area of Ennis.

GARDAÍ say efforts to track down an East Clare man suspected of the wholesale dealing of drugs in the county are ongoing.

The man was the target in 2011 of a major Garda operation against drug dealers operating in Clare.

The man, who is in his forties, fled the jurisdiction after being arrested two years ago on foot of a major drugs find on the Clare/Tipperary border. He is thought to be on the run in a Northern area of England.

The man was described at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday as being a suspected “wholesale dealer of drugs in Clare and Limerick”.

Garda Gary Stack of Ennis Garda Station told the court that the man was the target of the operation and that investigations into his whereabouts are continuing.

“We are following a definite line of enquiries,” added Gary Stack.

Judge Gerard Keys ordered that the man’s name not be disclosed in the media after Counsel for the DPP, Stephen Coughlan BL, warned that it could prejudice any potential trial against him.

Details of the Garda operation emerged at the sentencing of a Killaloe man who pleaded guilty to having cannabis for sale or supply at Ballina on November 14, 2011.

Jonathan Grimes (33), of Main Street, Killaloe, was the driver of a car carrying almost five kilos of cannabis resin, with an estimated value € 28.432.

Mr Grimes was one of two people who travelled to Dublin to collect the drugs. The court heard that the civil engineering student was asked by another man to make the journey. Garda Stack told the court that Mr Grimes had some idea he was going to collect drugs but had no idea of the quantity involved.

He said the other man may have taken advantage of Mr Grimes, who received € 150 and € 30 petrol money for driving the car. The other man has since fled the jurisdiction the court heard.

The court heard Mr Grimes had never come to Garda attention previously.

His barrister, Kenneth Kerins, said his client had developed serious drug and alcohol problems but has dedicated the last two years of his life to recovery and counselling.

Passing sentence, Judge Gerard Keys said it was accepted that Mr Grimes did not know the size of the consignment and was not the main person in charge of the transaction.

He imposed a three-year sentence, suspended on condition Mr Grimes continue his education and an rehabilitation.

AS MANY as 30 people from Clare are taking a case against the company behind the faulty De Puy ASR hip replacement implanted in more than 3, 500 Irish patients between 2003 and 2010.

The legal firm behind the suite understands there are 170 more Clare people affected by the faulty implant and have advised them that it is not too late join the civil action.

De Puy ordered a recall of the medical device in 2010.

In a case against the company in Los Angeles, it was alleged that a Belfast surgeon emailed De Puy engineer Graham Isaac in May 2006 outlining his concerns about the device.

The New York Times also published revelations that one type of the defective devices were marketed in Europe after the US food and drug administration rejected their sale in America in 2009.

Now personal injuries law firm Peter McDonnell and Associates is holding an information meeting for Irish patients affected by the De Puy Hip Recall of 2010 on Monday week, October 21, in The Old Ground Hotel, Ennis.

Mr McDonnell, said whilst many of the 3, 500 public and private patients throughout Ireland who received the defective De Puy ASR Hip Resurfacing System – typically used in younger, more active patients – and the ASR XL Acetabular System, have already set the litigation process in motion, the vast majority of those who have been adversely affected are under the incorrect impression that the deadline, known as the Statute of Limitations, has already passed.

“Many patients whom I have spoken with throughout Ireland are under the impression that it is too late for them to submit a claim against De Puy. This, however, is not the case,” he said.

Of the 3, 516 Irish patients who received the implants, about 400 have had them replaced.

TWO Clare investment properties are to go under the hammer at a massive auction in Dublin next Tuesday.

Allsop Space, which has previously included distressed Clare properties on its list, said it has taken a decision, in conjunction with several interest groups, not to sell repossessed family homes.

On October 15, what is being de- scribed, as two Clare investment properties will go on sale in the east and south of the county.

The Clare properties include a vacant three-bed terraced house in Shannon with a reserve of € 30,000 and a 10.77 acre plot of land in Collar with a reserve of € 45,000.

Allsop Space director of auctions Robert Hogan said the company had in recent weeks turned down a number of offers to sell repossessed properties for sub-prime lenders.

“The commercial properties on sale here will house the future businesses and enterprises that will support jobs, growth and investment all across Ireland. The people who will come here to buy shops, factory units and offices are the people who will work to get Ireland out of its current difficulties. Essentially the purchasers here are buying the cradles of Ireland’s future prosperity. We wish them all well and are happy that we at Allsop Space are aiding this much needed process,” he said.

“We are also really delighted to be part of what I hope is a new beginning for Irish property and how Irish property is bought and sold here. The published reserve price is key to this system and we believe that will become the gold standard for all auctions in the future. I think the large number of residential properties that are on sale here are an unequivocal vote of confidence by Irish people in our open way of doing business.”