Author: admin

CONCERNS over the poor state of a section of land in Shannon have prompted a group of locals to set up a campaign to restore it.

The wetland, behind the play- ground and the leisure centre in the town, has been targeted by people who have dumped garden waste and industry waste there, over the years. During this time, its condition has deteriorated and locals want to re- store it to its former condition.

They believe that the dumping has resulted in the original species being Web usrsIKealsrem

The Shannon Town Wetland Group says that the waste being dumped

on the site brings in evasive plants, which may disturb the natural bal- ance. The group was set up last year, under the Clare Biodiversity Project, and its aim is to encourage people from Shannon to support it. A grant of €4,720 has been allocated by the Heritage Council to the group, to help with the restoration process.

Secretary of the group, Edith van Burgh said a major clean-up will take place next month. The Wetland Group has just a few members and locals are being encouraged to get involved in this.

“We want to give the original flora and fauna – many species of birds and insects – of the wetlands a chance. We want to get rid of the pine trees

and to give the original trees – elder and willow trees – a chance. We have started a bit of the preparations. The nesting season is approaching, so we did not want to disturb too much, but there will be a big clean-up in April. It would be good if volunteers got in- volved. It will be a big job. We hope to have it finished before the end of the year,’ she said.

“We will try and keep it clean and make people aware how valuable this piece of land is. There are very interesting species living these, like foxes and snipes and we want to make sure they have a place to live. We also want to keep the landscape and species for the next generation,’ she said.

Ms van Burgh, a native of The Netherlands, is mindful of the 1m- portance of preserving nature. She is a former Biology teacher and taught Environmental Science in her native country, prior to moving to Shannon last year. She is hopeful that the re- percussions of the project will last for a long time to come.

“We want to put up signs that it is against the law and also to explain why we don’t want this happening,” she said.

She is also hoping to encourage the schools in Shannon to get involved in the project.

“T am planning to visit the schools, to highlight the importance of land- scapes,’ she said.

RESIDENTS near Sixmilebridge are angered by the practice adopted by a refuse collecting service in Wales buAN Gore

A number of households at Cl- onnanass have been told that the refuse collector, Mr Binman, can no longer collect their rubbish from outside their homes as the road in the area 1s too narrow.

The four householders, who are customers of Mr Binman, say they are now being forced to bring their wheelie bins a half mile from their homes, or use an alternative method

of disposing of their refuse.

One resident, Richard Cahill said he now has no option but to store his waste in a shed.

“I have no way of bringing it down the road. One man physi- cally brings his bin down the road and another lady tows the bin on the back of her car,” he said.

Mr Cahill said he joined Mr Bin- man, as a customer last December. At that stage, he said he was led to believe the bin would be collected outside his gate.

“We clarified at the point of order of the service that the bin would, indeed, be collected from our gate.

We were assured that this was not a problem, and took them at their word,” he said.

‘Transporting the bins is not a possibility for some and is a danger to those who are already doing so under duress. We feel we deserve to have our rubbish collected at our own homes,” he added.

Pat Neville, who also lives in the area, said he has been forced to change his family’s method of dumping rubbish. He has stopped using a wheelie bin and has re- placed this with a small bin.

“We have decided to get rid of our Wheelie bin and get a normal bin

and drop it down to the head of the road, every two to three weeks. That is Our way around it. We shouldn’t have to do it,” said Mr Neville.

“IT don’t see why we should have to bring the bins down. There is no real danger on the road and there is no reason in the world why they can’t come up the road. It is a total inconvenience. When I was build- ing my house, there were 40 foot trucks coming up the road,” he added.

Despite numerous efforts, at the time of going to print

THE importance of Shannon airport being used by US tourists flying in to Ireland was stressed by the mayor of Shannon, during a visit to New Jer- oN SMA (e151.

Councillor Tony McMahon (La- bour) accompanied Shannon Town Clerk Tomas MacCormaic to Eliza- beth, a town in New Jersey, during a four-day visit. While there, they at- tended two St Patrick’s Day parades – one in Elizabeth and the other in Woodbridge – and met several Clare people living in the US.

A relationship between Shannon and this particular area of New Jer- sey was forged over a decade ago. The link was initially developed between firemen at Shannon airport and the policemen’s association in Elizabeth and the communication has continued over the years.

A delegation from Shannon has been invited to visit the annual pa- rade in Elizabeth, each year.

Mr McMahon and Mr Mac Cor- maic attended a number of Irish- American gatherings, during their visit. Up to 40,000 attended one of the parades, while almost 60,000 at-

tended the other parade.

“It was a great experience and was useful and beneficial. Good contacts were built up during the trip,” said Cllr McMahon.

“IT had an opportunity to address the organising committees of the parades. I stressed the importance of visiting Ireland and using the Shan- non stop,” he said.

‘They were very positive, when I explained the situation to them. I _Wucd VCore MO OTs Imm MeL eam oN LO Ni moley lean Ceat-0 MU OND ets. for American tourists was to fly in to Clare. The Cliffs of Moher, Bunratty Castle and other areas in the west

and south west are very accessible from Shannon,” he added.

He also encouraged the Americans to look favourably on the campaign by Irish illegal immigrants.

The mayor met a number of Clare men and women who have settled in the US. He was particularly pleased to re-acquaint himself with a neigh- bour from his native Flagmount, Michael Williams, who emigrated almost 40 years ago.

SW alomm enki) umrctelCmm coy sme) (<0 Gru BAVere! back on Shannon soil last week, in time for the Shannon St Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday.

A PILOT plastic collection scheme, conducted in conjunction with Clare County Council last year, 1s to be ex- tended to the rest of the country and could provide the solution to the farm plastic issue which has plagued Irish farmers for the last number of years. The Irish Farm Film Producer Group (IFFPG) and the Irish Farmers As- sociation (IFA) have announced the agreement of a major deal with the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Dick Roche, to

clear the accumulated backlog of plastic all over the country.

Over the next seven week services will begin in seven new counties, Cork west, Cavan, Donegal, Kilken- ny, Meath, Sligo and south Tipperary, which will see farmers bringing bale wrap and silage covers to designated local authority collection centres.

There will be no charge for this service and the accumulated plas- tics will be delivered to authorised recycling facilities. The scheme will be extended to farms in Cork east, Kerry, Limerick, Laois, Monaghan,

Westmeath and Wexford during June and July.

The final phase of the project will focus on Dublin, Kildare and Louth during September and October.

“The scheme to date has been rolled out on a phased basis because we know there are significant back- logs to be collected. It also gives local authorities sufficient notice to agree and put in place the necessary arrangements for collections in their areas,’ said Minister Roche.

Under the Spring Clean project, each local authority listed will organ-

ise, on a once-off basis, special open days to allow farmers in those coun- ties to deposit their stockpiled farm plastic. This service will be free to the farmer and funding to assist the local authorities will be made avail- able from the Environment Fund.

The IFFPG have been having dif- ficulty collecting all of the plastic waste produced by Irish farmers over the last number of years. The prob- lem is a result of illegally imported plastic which is not subject to a levy which goes to the IFFPG to support the proper disposal of the plastic.

MARY Shannon’s decision to go public last week and her call for mandatory sentences for rapists re- kindled memories for several other rape victims.

One Clare rape victim recalled horrific memories of her own or- deal, at the hands of her former partner.

The woman, who is from west Clare and who wished to retain her anonymity, said she was repeat- edly raped over a period of a long number of years but was too afraid to take a case against her attacker.

After going through prolonged pain for several years, she eventu- ally left him, five years ago.

“If he wasn’t raping me, he was beating me. I would refuse to have sex with him but he would force himself on me. I would get a belt anyway. I would lie to the doctor about my injuries.

‘“T reported it to gardai, but I didn’t go any further with it, because I felt I was the one that was in the wrong. I have been feeling guilty all my life,’ she said.

Not only was she afraid to make a statement to gardai, but she was also in fear of telling her family

what she was going through.

“IT was afraid to make a statement in case I hurt his feelings. He had a hold over me. It was up to me to walk away but I couldn’t,” she said.

She eventually managed to tear herself away and she fled.

“It was very hard to walk away from it. He cut my breasts and that was the end of it,” she said.

She attended counselling at the Rape Crisis Centre, but believes the psychological effects of her ordeal will remain with her forever.

She said that Mary Shannon’s de- cision to go public has inspired con- fidence in her and, in hindsight, she

regrets not pressing charges against her attacker.

“T regret not going ahead with it. I always get angry when I hear some- thing like this (Mary Shannon’s case). I have come a long way, but you have to get help,” she said.

“My advice to other women would be to report incidents like this… fast. You never forget. You start drinking or using drugs to dull the pain. It works for a while, but then you become addicted and you are worse. The biggest thing I felt was anger and I would feel angry again when something like this happens again,” she said.

that they “join with the community in offering support to

Mary Shannon during this traumatic time, for her and her family”’.

The statement continued that those involved in the organisation felt that the three-year suspended sentence served on her perpetrator “was nel- ther fair nor consistent with other rape sentences. This man pleaded not guilty to rape, thus forcing Mary to give evidence of her experience. He was found guilty by a jury, yet the fact remains his crime goes unpun- ished”.

The statement said that it is “ex- tremely difficult for women to come forward and report rape or domestic abuse. It is worrying that the outcome of this trial will discourage women

from disclosing rape and abuse, thus leaving them in a potentially danger- ous situation and undoing all of the good work and practices that many agencies in this country have striven hard to achieve”.

The Clare Haven statement added that they “commend Mary on her courage to waive her anonymity and in her determination to challenge the system, and we offer her our full sup- port now and in the future”.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Rape Crisis Centre in Limerick said they were “horrified” at the sen- tence.

She said there was a “huge swell of phone calls from women after the

sentence and every one of them ex- pressed support for Mary. The other thing that most of them said was that if they were raped, what would be the point in reporting it?”

The centre recently ran a major me- dia campaign under the title of “An- other Silent Night”, urging victims of rape and sex abuse to speak out, report the crime and seek help.

“Tt is so difficult to convince wom- en to report rape, it’s so hard to get a rape case as far as court, and then When you do get a conviction, the rapist gets a suspended sentence. It’s sending out the message to perpetra- tors that it’s fine – go ahead and do it. After all, what will they do to you?”

THE Farm Relief Services has this week announced a major addition to their service team in East Clare with the arrival of Dutch born hoof care operator Roland Dross.

Mr Dross, who now lives in Bod- yke, brings with him a state of the art hoof care crush with is believed to be the only one of its kind in Ireland.

Born in Holland, Dross perfected his trade in Denmark before return- ing to Ireland recently with his Irish wife and four children. He will most- ly cover the East Clare area.

Roland comes from a long line of dairy farmers in the Drenthe region of Holland, his father has a Holstein Friesian herd of 110 cows and a poul- try farm of around 14,000 chickens, so farming has always been a way of life for him.

After agricultural college, he traveled to Canada to broaden his knowledge and gain dairy manage- ment experience. He then travelled to New Zealand to round off his dairy experience before meeting his Irish wife in Holland in 1994.

In 1997 he moved to Denmark Where he bought a dairy farm of

70 Holstein Friesian cows and 120 acres. Over the next 9 years, he suc- cessfully managed, modernised and expanded the farm to 360 acres and a milking herd of 165 Jerseys.

He switched to a computerised feeding system using transponders on the herd and built a new dairy and free stall in 2002. He also carried out the entire hoof trimming on his herd, using his own crush and found this enjoyable and interesting and an area in which he would like to spe- cialise.

Late last year however, he sold the farm following a family decision to

return to Ireland and pursue a future in hoof care. The next three months were spent gaining intensive hoof trimming experience with a Dutch expert Gerwin Cnossen in Germany and Denmark.

Roland will now work for the Farm Relief Service and he will mainly be based in east Clare as well as in parts of Galway, Limerick and North Tip- oe Nae

To view a video of his unique cattle crush check out www.klovbeskaeren. dk/sider/main_video.htm or for more details contact Liam O’ Rourke, Farm Services Manager at 063 90666.

OXFAM Ireland is calling on gar- deners all around Clare to get in- volved in their annual Spring grow for Africa scheme. OxfamGarden is aimed at getting experienced garden- ers and enthusiastic amateurs alike involved in raising plants, as well as funds to help some of the worlds poorest people.

The charity organisation are invit- ing people to get involved by simply buying a four back of seed from any of their Oxfam shops nationwide of from www.oxfamireland.org

“I consider it an honour to be asked to be involved with the Oxfamgarden Grow for Africa campaign,’ gar- dening guru Dermot O’Neill at the launch in Dublin last week.

“You don’t need to be an expert to get involved. By growing the Oxfam Ireland range of seeds you are con- tributing to a worthwhile and valu- able cause while at the same time reaping the pleasures and joy of erowing plants too.”

Oxfam are also calling on more experienced gardeners to volunteer to become OxfamGarden expert or to donate old tool to your local shop.

The charity are also hoping to get school, resource centres and commu- nity groups involved in the project.

“We hope Dermot’s support for Oxfamgarden will encourage other gardeners to get out their trowels and Grow for Africa,’ said Peter Tomlin- son, Oxfam Ireland business devel- opment manager.

‘The beauty of this scheme is that everyone involved wins. Customers love the plants, growers get a real sense of achievement from seeing their handiwork sold in our shops and, of course, we raise funds for Oxfam Ireland’s vital work.”

Oxfam is committed to ending poverty and suffering in developing countries. They promote understand- ing of the causes of these injustices, and campaign for a world where every man, woman, and child can live free from hunger, poverty, and oppression.

Although the work in most coun- ties in the world their current focus in on Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Malawi, Uganda, Sudan, Chad, South Africa and Ethiopia.

Seeds can be bought at any Oxfam shop for just €1.50 while seed mats are also available from €5.25.

CLARE County Council has refused planning permission for a housing development in west Clare because it interferes with the defunct west OE Teoma Dea e ha eneler

The planning authority refused outline planning permission to M&S Bond for outline planning permis- sion for 16 homes at Dough, Kilkee.

The council made its ruling after an objection was lodged against the proposal by the West Clare Railway

company and the council’s Conser- vation Officer, Risteard UaCronin.

Mr Ua Cronin said, 1n an internal memo now released with the deci- sion, that “it appears from the draw- ings that it is proposed to construct the homes on the former west Clare DOME RYas DDO Loa

He said, “This appears very inap- propriate as plans are very much advanced to provide a steam railway service between Kilkee and Kilrush which will require this section of the line to be protected for this pur- eNom

Mr UaCronin pointed out that the line was protected through the Clare County Development and the West Orewa ter walle

The planner’s report points out that the “development is located on the line of the old west Clare railway where it is the policy to safeguard the route of the railway and to con- serve and promote it as a transport corridor for public use”’.

It ruled that the plan would be prej- udicial to the proper planning and development of the area.

“The proposed development rep-

resents piecemeal haphazard, dis- orderly development and conflicts with the long-term sustainable and comprehensive development of these lands.”

According to Jackie Whelan of the West Clare Railway Company, “This application would allow for the de- struction of part of the original track bed of the west Clare railway in or- der to provide a road access to the site.

“We have understood that the track bed of the development may take place upon it unless the development

is of a heritage and recreational na- ture, leaving the whole, existing way open to the general public for recrea- tional walking, riding, cycling pur- Leon mel Ken

“Indeed, two citizens have, during the past 12 months, fallen foul of this directive and have been required to replace the track bed that they in- tended to, and partly, destroyed.

“We believe that our plans are in accordance with the council’s inten- tion for the line and that the track bed of the railway should be left alone,” said Mr Whelan.

GORT’S Adrian Feeney became the latest candidate to throw his hat in the ring for the General Election When he announced his candidacy last week.

Feeney, who has been Chairman of Gort Chamber of Commerce since 2004, will run in the hotly contested Galway East constituency as an inde- pendent candidate.

Indeed, Feeney may be one of three non-party candidates to run in this constituency come election time, as Kinvara group RESCUE have not ruled out putting forward a single-issue candidate to campaign for Seamount College. Cairde Cuan Chinn Mhara could still announce a candidate to campaign for a sewer- age treatment facility in Kinvara.

Community issues are likely to form a large part of Feeney’s mani- festo. “These days, our economy is booming. The country is awash with money,’ he said. “I know that with- out the volunteers, many vital com- munity services and facilities simply would not exist.

‘Almost everything requires fund- raising. As chairman of Gort chamber for two years, I know how much time and energy is spent trying to source

funding and fill out grant application forms for community projects. This should not be the responsibility of volunteers or community organisa- tions. It makes no sense to me.

“What are we paying taxes for? Surely if there 1s a need within acom- munity, it should be met by our gov- ernment. Why are we paying twice for the one facility or service?”

This is not Feeney’s first attempt to enter the world of politics as he ran an unsuccessful campaign as an In- dependent Community Candidate in the 2004 local election.

“We elected representatives to speak on our behalf. Public office is about accountability. I am ac- countable to my employer. Who are politicians accountable to, if not to the community? What they have produced is a litany of failures,” he continued.

“Tuam is still without a hospital. Gort is still without a reliable water service. Kinvara still waits for a sew- erage treatment plant. 50,000 gallons of raw sewage pour daily into the waters of a prime tourist area.

‘“Kinvara School is threatened with closure. Farmers spend their time form-filling and dealing with ap- plication procedures for grants and payments.”