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BALLINRUAN’S Róisín Rodgers will carry the hopes of the county with her as she travels to Tipperary to take part in the International Miss Macra Competition this weekend.

Róisín, who is a keen traditional musician, hope to raise the profile of Macra Na Feirme in Clare through the competition – and who knows, maybe even bring the big prize back to the Banner.

Macra has undergone a renaissance in Clare in recent years with three new clubs forming across the county. The newest of these clubs is Róisín’s own club in Ennis, which is not yet even a year old.

“I am so proud to represent the county, especially as a someone who is relatively new to Macra. Ennis has been very, very active as a club in recent months and it has been brilliant for me to be involve in the club and not as Clare’s Miss Macra,” she said.

“It is a massive undertaking to represent Clare so I am a little bit nervous. It is only natural, I think, when you enter a competition like this. I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t a little nervous.”

Róisín is a keen musician and is about to start a Masters in Music at UL. In the future she would like to play music during the summer, work as a primary school teacher in the winter and also publish a book about the Kilfenora Céilí Band.

“I love the club and I love my role as PRO. I really do want promote the club to the people of Ennis and to Macra as a whole in Clare. It is a real honour to be chosen as Miss Macra for Clare this year and I really do want to promote the work of Macra to everyone in the county,” she said.

“Ennis Macra is such a new club that there is a great opportunity now for people to get involved and really shape the club. The one thing that I keep telling people is that Macra is not just about farming – you can cater Macra to suit your own needs.

“Sometimes people think that to be involved in Macra you need to come from a farming background, but that is not the case. Each Macra club can change to suit the needs of the members.”

Róisín would like to thank everyone who has supported her including her sponsors including Sean O’Keaffe School of Motoring, Banner Equestrian Toonagh, Chez Marie Boutique, the G Nine 9 Boutique, Pat McCarthy Shoes and D2 Print.

THE family of murdered Clare woman Emer O’Loughlin will take part in a new documentary into her death which will be shown tomorrow evening, July 30.

Hopes are high that an increase in attention for the cold case may lead to fresh information about the whereabouts of John Griffin, who the Gardaí have been tracking for more than eight years.

A number of Emer’s family were interviewed for the ‘Cracking Crime’ programme in April of this year when they came together to mark the eight anniversary of Emer’s tragic death.

It is hoped that a fresh spotlight being shined on the case may lead to new leads emerging for the Gardaí and Interpol. Indeed, there has been a great deal of attention for the case on social media in recent weeks.

A new facebook group entitled “Emer O’Loughlin – Help Catch Her Killer” was established earlier this years. Membership of the group has swelled from 600 people in early June to 2,400 now.

A number of previously unreleased images of John Griffin have also been circulated in recent week – with a particular emphasis on mainland Europe – where Mr Griffin is believed to currently reside.

Ennistymon woman Emer O’Loughlin lost her life in a mobile home in Tubber in April 8, 2005. A number of attempts have been made over the years to track down the chief suspect, John Griffin, with Interpol releasing a photograph and a description him in early 2011.

Despite a number of leads and suspected sighting of Mr Griffin in Europe, the official search has done cold in recent years.

Her body was found in the burnedout neighbouring mobile home and was only identified following DNA testing. The chief suspect in the case, John Griffin, was tracked to the Aran Island where Gardaí believe he tried to fake his own suicide before he fled the country.

Emer’s case will be featured in the first episode of ‘Cracking Crime’, which will be screened on RTÉ 1 on Tuesday, July 30, at 9.35pm.

A SECOND major drugs seizure in the space of a month has been uncovered by a Custom’s dog at Shannon Airport.

Herbal cannabis, estimated to be worth € 50,000, was discovered at the airport on Tuesday July 23. Custom’s officers seized the drugs which were discovered in freight that arrived at the airport.

The plans to import drugs through Shannon Airport was foiled by a sniffer dog named Ollie. A spokesperson for the Office of the Revenue Commissioners confirmed that an investgation into the matter is continuing.

“Officers from Revenue’s Customs Service at Shannon Airport, yesterday (23/07/13), eized a quantity of herbal cannabis with an estimated street value of € 50,000.”

The spokesperson continued, “Following another positive indication by Customs dog, Ollie, Revenue officials discovered the drugs concealed in a consignment of freight that arrived into Shannon from Spain. Investigations are continuing.”

It is the second time in the space of four weeks that Ollie has foiled an attempted drugs importation plot at Shannon Airport.

Earlier this month Customs Officers seized herbal cannabis with an estimated street value of € 300,000 following a positive indication by Ollie.

The drugs were concealed in freight that arrived into Shannon.

The drugs were hidden in a consignment of freight that was thought to be destined for an address in Munster. Gardaí from Shannon Garda Station were assisting officers from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners with their investigation into the drugs shipment.

CLARE County Council water service staff will continue to be employed by the Clare local authority while acting as an agent for Irish Water.

A spokesperson for the council said that there will be no redundancies among the 113 people employed in the department.

Last week the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government announced that the region’s Irish Water office will be based in Limerick, leaving questions as to what would happen the Clare council’s water section.

A spokesperson for the council confirmed to The Cla re People that Clare County Council staff will act as agents for the new national body, while remaining in the employment of the council under a 12-year service agreement between both parties.

Clare County Council will then be compensated for costs by Irish Water.

It is also expected that some staff from local authorities will move to Irish Water regional offices once the new jobs have been clarified, a process that could take up to 18 months.

Clare County Council will officially sign off as the county’s water utility provider in 2014, and the re- sponsibility passed to Irish Water.

The office servicing Clare will be based in Limerick City and will be one of three southern regional offices with two others being located in Mallow in County Cork and another in Kilkenny City.

Meanwhile the Clare water staff have begun a countywide survey of an estimated 31,000 domestic water connections in the county ahead of the Government’s introduction of water charges.

However a council official said the local authority staff would not require access to private property while conducting their assessment of water connections.

A SECOND person in a week has been hospitalised by Dusty the Dolphin – who injured a swimmer in Doolin late on Sunday evening, July 28.

Despite repeated warning by local organisations, as well as Clare County Council, a number of people continue to swim close to the 14year-old dolphin who has taken up residence at Doolin Pier.

Clare County Council life guards stationed at Doolin Pier have taken to raising the “red flag” – which indicates that it is not safe to swim when Dusty is in the area. Despite this, people continue to swim close to the dolphin with reports of people even covering Dusty’s blowhole and pulling her fins.

The latest incident took place late on Sunday evening when a female swimmer was charged as she left the water after a swim at about 10pm.

The dolphin is believed to have struck the woman in the kidney, knocking her over and leaving her winded.

The woman received medical treated at the scene by the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coast Guard and was taken by ambulance to the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick for treatment.

Her injuries were not serious but she was described as being badly bruised and shocked by the incident.

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) have put up post- ers in the area recommending that people do not swim with Dusty. The posters were distribute to premises in Doolin last Thursday and additions posters are also being placed on the Doolin ferries.

“IWDG acknowledges that many people have had a fantastic encounter with Dusty and have built up a personal relationship with the dolphin. However IWDG is very concerned that many visitors, especially in the summer, do not recognise the signals that Dusty sends out when she is not happy with their behaviour,” said a spokesperson.

“Ignoring such signs or behaving inappropriately has led on a number of occasions to aggressive interactions with some people being severly injured. If this continues, it may lead to a fatality and then there will be strong pressure to remove or destroy the dolphin.

“If you really are concerned about Dusty, you will not swim with her or at least if you do will show her the respect a wild dolphin is entitled to.”

GARDAÍ have issued a renewed appeal for information following the death of a Polish man in alleged violent circumstances in Ennis last week.

It comes as two brothers charged in connection with the incident appeared in court for a third time yesterday.

Michael and Darren Maughan, both with addresses at 20 Stonecourt, Ennis, were remanded in custody to appear again at Ennis District Court next month.

Michael Maughan (39) is charged with the murder of Piotr Nowakowski (31) at 15 Sandfield Mews, Ennis on July 23. Darren Maughan (21) is charged with assault causing harm to Declan O’Dea at the same location and date. Mr O’Dea is currently recovering in hospital.

The brothers first appeared in court on Wednesday. Garda Nadine Keane of Ennis Garda Station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in respect of Michael Maughan. She said Michael Maughan made no reply to charge after caution on July 24.

Garda John Moore gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution on Darren Maughan.

The court heard Darren Maughan made no reply when charged after caution at Shannon Garda Station on July 24.

Separately, Darren Maughan is charged with assault and two public order offences at The Height, Ennis on July 22.

Both men were remanded in custody to appear in court on Friday where they were remanded to Ennis District Court yesterday.

On Monday, Inspector Michael Gallagher said the State were seeking a further two-week remand in custody.

Solicitor for both accused, William Cahir, consented to the application. The men, who have been supported in court by family members, will appear again at Ennis District Court on August 12.

Yesterday Gardaí in Ennis also re- newed an appeal for information on the incident.

Sgt Joe Downey stated, “The Gardaí in Ennis are investigating this incident and are currently engaged in collecting and collating all available evidence.

“We are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed this incident, or who may have information concerning this incident, to come forward and make themselves known to the gardaí in Ennis”.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have helped in any way so far in this investigation as without their help our investigations would be made much more difficult,” he added.

A CLARE woman is proposing to go where no woman has ever gone before – into Clare county council chambers as a Fianna Fáil county councillor.

Clare Colleran Molloy is aware however that her biggest challenge is to first get through the hotly-contested Fianna Fáil convention for the Ennis Electoral Area.

At least 15 people are expected to contest the convention for the new constituency, and it is very likely she could be the only woman in this contest, especially if former independent candidate Rita McInerny opts to contest the West Clare Fianna Fáil convention.

The Quin woman is a complete novice when it comes to elected politics, but has worked with community and charitable organisations.

A barrister by profession, she has also helped to run a restaurant with her husband Tony Molloy, formerly of Tony’s Fashions, Ennis, in her hometown of Quin.

The Clare woman spent a number of years living and working in Florida, returning home in 2002, and selling her American home and moving back on a permanent basis in 2007.

At the time she saw a lot wrong with politics in Ireland.

“While Fianna Fáil was in my blood I saw a lot of problems when I came home. I remember a news report from the time saying the Government was surprised with the surplus and did not know what to do with it, and thought this was bad forward planning,” she said.

She told The Clare People that she felt that the time was now right for her to begin a political career, aware that more female voices need to be heard in the council chambers and the Dáil.

She has returned to the law library and she and her husband are in the process of selling the restaurant, allowing her more time to the law and a possible political career.

“Fianna Fáil is on its knees and needs new blood,” she said.

For the first time ever the convention will be run on a one person one vote selection process, which Ms Colleran Molloy believes may be an advantage to her in the two month run up to the convention.

“It allows me as a new comer to ruffle some feathers,” she said.

There has never been a female Fianna Fáil county councillor in Clare and the party fielded just on female candidate in the last county council elections – Michelle Moroney in the Ennistymon Electoral Area.

NON-FARMING shareholders are to lose the right to vote on issues concerning the future management of Clare Marts Ltd.

A resolution was passed at last week’s Special General Meeting of the mart which will see the creation of a two distinct tiers of shareholders: those who have voting rights and those who don’t. Almost 91 per cent of shareholder present voted in favour of the resolution, which requires shareholders to trade cattle, sheep or horses to the value of at least € 5,000 over a four-year period, or surrender their voting rights.

A shareholder who does not fulfill these conditions will be deemed to be a “Category B” shareholder and will lose the right to vote, but will retain the full value of the shares.

Mart shareholder and Ennis busi nessman, Oliver Moylan, criticised the decision – describing it as “discrimination” and said that Clare Marts was “biting the hand that fed it”.

A spokesperson for the mart told The Clare People yesterday that the move was designed to maintain farmer control for the decision mak- ing process at the mart. He also said that similar moves had been made at a number of Irish marts in recent years.

No person who was a shareholder when the resolution was passed last Wednesday, July 24, will lose their voting rights. However, the Category B conditions will kick in when shares are transferred or willed to others.

Over the years, a number of shares at Ennis Marts Limited have been passed on to people who are no longer active farmers. This has created a situation at the mart where many of the shareholders no longer have any direct connection to active farming.

Mr Moylan criticised the decision saying it was very unfair on business people and local families who were involved in setting up the mart and will soon lose their voting rights.

“It’s a farce they don’t want nontraders. They just want farmers and yet a lot of the marts’ business in volves renting and investment,” Mr Moylan said.

“They’re now trying to make it so we have no voting rights. It’s discrimination against a minority.

Turnover of the marts was € 69.5 million last year with the majority of that coming from the sale of livestock and the rest coming from property.

FREE Legal Aid Centres (FLAC) in Clare reported a marked decrease in the number of people requiring free legal assistance with financial matters.

According to the legal rights group’s annual report for 2012 there has been more than a 49 per cent drop in legal enquiries relating to credit and debit issues in Clare on the previous year.

The human rights organisation, which promotes equal access to justice and has a base at the Citizen Information Offices in Ennis, Kilrush and Shannon, also reported that the majority of its work for a second year in succession is in the area of family law.

As many as 36.9 per cent of the calls to the FLAC in Clare related to family issues, making up 167 of the 445 enquiries – the same number as last year.

There was a 26 per cent drop in the number of people requiring employment legal advice, even though it made up 11.2 per cent of all enquiries.

There was also a significant drop 28 per cent – recorded in the number of people with consumer law ques- tions, with a 15.5 per cent drop in property and land questions and a 16.7 per cent drop in immigration and refuge calls – a drop of six calls to five.

In total the queries to the three centres were down 8.5 per cent on 2011, from 497 to 455 inquiries.

The number of people enquiring about negligence and personal injury had increased by 27.6 per cent in 2012 to 37, while enquiries relating to wills, succession and probate went up 25 per cent to 40.

Questions about neighbour disputes and client solicitor relations went up from 11 to 16 and three to five re- spectively.

Enquiries relating to civil matters went up 40 per cent from 15 to 21.

In a statement the FLAC said there is not only a fundamental need in Irish society for accessible legal information and advice for individuals, but also for fairer systems that allow people to access their rights across a wide range of issues.

Director general Noeline Blackwell added, “2012 was a milestone year for FLAC where, after years of campaigning to reform personal debt law, we finally saw the passage of personal insolvency legislation, its many flaws notwithstanding.”

CLIFFS of Moher Visitor Experience is t he thi rd most popular fee-payi ng tourist att raction in the count r y, sur passed only by t he Guinness Store House and Dublin Zoo.

Fáilte Ireland, the national tour- ism aut hority, published its listing of Ireland’s top visitor att ractions for 2012 and the iconic Clare tourist att raction is among t he list of top fee-charging att ractions growing by eight per cent to 873,988.

Bunrat ty Castle and Fol k Park, wit h 286, 270 visitors, was up four per cent, according to the figures released dur ing the week.

Fiona Monaghan, Fáilte Ireland’s Head of Operations, said, “This list always makes fascinating reading, but it’s also a good reminder of the huge range of visitor att ractions that we have in Ireland. People visit this countr y for many reasons, but they always expect a high st andard of things to see and do, which is why we see Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience and the Bunratt y Castle and Fol k Park make t he list.

“Our visitor att ractions are a big par t of the tourism offering and with the increase in visitor numbers to Ireland, it is no sur prise that our top att ractions have also enjoyed a busy year. I have no doubt that t he recent good weather will have encouraged many Irish people to get out and about and discover what is on t hei r doorstep – next year we may be quoting even bigger numbers.

“Tourism is in a good place compared to five years ago but we can’t become complacent,” she added.

There were no Clare destinations on the list of Top 10 Free Tourist Att ractions.