THOSE dying for a bargain have the opportunity to avail of a once in as lifetime sale this month, as plots in a West Clare graveyard are part of a once-off sale.
The new extension to Burrane Cemetery can accommodate more than 50 double graves and from now until the end of the month they are available at a knock down price.
A single grave at the cemetery overlooking the Shannon Estuary will set the buyer back € 350 but this will drop to € 300 if bought in the next four weeks.
A FIREMAN from Ennis is being hailed as a hero for the second time after jumping to the aid of a drown- ing woman at the weekend. Eli Brace jumped off Sarsfield Bridge in Limerick City as the woman was swept under. Eli is a member of Limerick City Fire and Rescue Service. The Shannon-based Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter 115 had been dispatched to help out in the river rescue, but due to high winds the winch man could not reach the woman. Eli then jumped from the bridge. The woman was being swept under the water when he rescued her from the water. The Ennis native was previously in the army before joining the fire services in 2008. He is a member of the fire service’s Swiftwater Rescue Team, who receive specific training to carry out rescues in river conditions. It is not the first time the married father has been involved in a dramatic river rescue. In March 2011, he was one of 10 members of the fire services who attended an emergency at Shannon Bridge in Limerick city. Emergency services were called to the scene after a man was seen entering the water. Eli, who is originally from the Cloughleigh area of the town, jumped into the water at Limerick Docks in order to save the man from drowning. In January, Eli was one of three people who co-opened Crossfit Ennis in the Quin Road area of Ennis. He spent his military career training soldiers in all aspects of fitness in his capacity as a PTI (Physical Training Instructor).
A TOURISM venture, which is expected to increase the number of visitors to Clare this year, was launched on Thursday in Dublin, much to the annoyance of some West of Ireland tourism bodies.
The Government chose to launch the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s first long distance touring route along the West coast, in the East.
Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring promised visi- tors the “journey of a lifetime” as he officially launched 2,500-kilometre route.
Fáilte Ireland is investing € 10 million during 2014 in the route which stretches from the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal to Kinsale in County Cork, and incorporate west and north Clare.
Minister Ring said, “It’s the world’s longest touring route through some of Ireland’s most beautiful places, and is already proving a hit in our key overseas markets like Britain, the US, France and Germany.
“It has massive potential to bring more visitors and more jobs to rural communities right along the western seaboard.
“That’s why we will soon be promoting it even further a field in places like Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.”
The minister has also said that while the Government has invested in the promotion of the venture it would not be providing specific finances to repair any damage along the route due to recent storms.
Clare County Council has to date paid out € 1 million in repairs along the Clare part of the tourism route.
Director of Services with Clare County Council Ger Dollard told The Clare People , “Responsibility for roads rests with the council but we are dependent on funding from Government.
“We see the Wild Atlantic Way as a major tourism project for County Clare with huge economic and tourism potential.
“We are obviously anxious that the overall product is presented to the highest standard possible.”
WITH 275 awards totalling almost € 8 million, Clare accounted for the sixth highest number of personal injury awards in the country last year.
More Clare people opted again last year to settle their personal injury claims through the Injuries Board.
The board makes awards relating to motor, employer and public liability accidents, without the need for litigation.
The board’s annual review showed that its non-adversarial model has delivered direct savings of over € 72m in 2013, relative to the prior litigation.
The average award in Clare was € 28,747 and total compensation for the county amounted to € 7.9m million.
The number of new claims received by the board in 2013, a useful barometer of future award volumes, increased by 5.8 per cent last year, driven by an 8.2 per cent increase in motor claims, which are typically of lower value.
Neighbouring County Limerick had the largest number of awards as a proportion of population with 788 people claiming through the board.
The average award in Limerick was lower than in Clare however at € 21,010.
Patricia Byron, CEO of the Injuries Board said, “I am pleased that as a self-funding agency, the board has delivered cumulative savings of € 1 billion on the cost of handling personal injury claims with no cost to the Exchequer and at considerable benefit to insurance policy holders.”
“Last year the board’s processing fee to respondents, typically insurers, reduced by 30 per cent from € 850 to € 600 and, as a result, the cost of processing personal injury claims is now at historically low levels.”
ST JOSEPH’S Secondary School Spanish Point is continuing the fight to raise funds for the county’s first second level education unit for students with Autism.
In its second year, the ‘Fight for Autism’ white-collar boxing competition has been organised again to raise funding to equip the specialised unit.
Last year € 20,000 was raised for the cause, with the organising committee hoping to reach the same fundraising milestone this year.
As many as 12 women and 20 men from all over west and north Clare have been training to get into the ring for this cause since January 1.
So popular is the event that the 700 tickets have already almost completely sold out, even though they only went on sale on Saturday morning.
The Fight for Autism will take place in the Armada Hotel, Spanish Point, on Sunday evening next.
The boxers parade will begin at 6.30pm, with six women’s fights and 10 men’s fights then scheduled to take place.
Deputy principal at St Joseph’s Secondary School, Spanish Point, Paul Reidy paid particular tribute to Ennis Boxing Club.
“We have to say a huge thanks to the club, without them this would not be possible,” he said of the boxing club that provided training and facilities to train to the 32 participants.
NO DECISION on the construction of a new multi-million fish farm off the Clare coast will be made until August of this year at the earliest.
Speaking in the Dáil last week, the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney (FG), said that a final decision on granting a fish farm license is six months away and could even be delayed further because of the large number of submission made my members of the public in relation to the farm.
The proposed twin fish farm, which are proposed for adjacent sites eight kilometres off the Fanore and Doolin coasts, have already created a large amount of controversy with local anglers, fishermen and environmentalist coming out against the proposal.
According to Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), the Government agency who have applied for the license, the fish farms could create hundreds of jobs in the North Clare economy.
The other state fisheries agency, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) have come out against the proposed fish farm, saying it will damage local sea fisheries. There has been an ongoing war of words between the two organisation since the farms were first proposed in October of 2012, with each side providing contrary scientific studies on the potential effects of the farms, and the impact on sea lice numbers in wild salmon in particular.
Calls have been made in recent weeks for Minister Coveney to step back from the license decision, with many anti-fish farm campaigners ac- cusing him of being biased in favour of the development.
“There is always a strict separation between my Ministerial role as decision maker in respect of aquaculture licence applications and my Ministerial duty to promote the sustainable development of the industry. This separation of duties is strictly observed,” he said in the Dáil last week.
“The fullest consideration is being given to all submissions received as part of the statutory and public consultation stages of the process.”
A KILRUSH man described as having a serious heroin problem and held in “high regard” by a district court judge had a seven months sentence suspended for two years at Kilrush District Court on Tuesday.
Anthony Kelly (34), with an address at 5 Place de Plouzane, Burton Street, Kilrush, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to stop for gardaí on the N68 on August 23, 2011.
He also pleaded to assaulting a Garda Sergeant in Kilrush on March 19, 2012.
The court heard that gardaí saw Mr Kelly driving erratically along the N68 towards Kilrush and was veering right and left across the road for no apparent reason. He then overtook two vehicles on a continuous line.
When gardaí indicated for him to stop he increased speed and passed two more cars.
In the townland of Clooneylissaun, Kilrush, Mr Kelly’s car met a woman and two young children walking along the road and they were forced to move in to avoid the car the court was told. The defendant refused to stop shortly afterwards again for gardaí at Burrane Upper.
In total Mr Kelly faced five charges of Dangerous Driving Section 53 (1) (as amended by Section 51 of the Road Traffic Act 1968) and 2 (b) (a amended by section 18 of the Road Traffic Act 2006) of the road traf- fic act 1961 at Darragh, Druinineen, Clooneylissaun, Parknamoney, and Ballymacurtain.
He was also charged with two counts of refusing to stop for gardaí contrary to section 109(1) Road Traffic Act 1961 as amended by Section 6 Road Traffic Act 1968 and Section 012 Road Traffic Act 1961, as amended by Section 18 of the Road Traffic Act.
Jude Patrick Durcan said that as all charges related to the one incident he would have to deal with it as such.
He sentenced Mr Kelly, who had numerous previous road traffic convections, to four months in prison for what he regarded as the most serious incident of dangerous driving at Burrane Upper and struck out the other dangerous driving charges.
He fined him € 300 for failing to stop for gardaí at Burrane Upper and took the other charges into account.
The court also heard that on March 19, 2012, gardaí were called to a disturbance in Kilrush. They found Anthony Kelly kicking at a door and noticed a strong smell of alcohol from him.
Prosecuting Garda Inspector John O’Sullivan said the defendant was spitting and shouting obscenities at gardaí. Mr Kelly then left the area on the Gardaí’s request but returned.
“He came up to Sgt Lavin, put his face to Sgt Lavin’s face and then pushed him in the chest,” said the Inspector.
Mr Kelly pleaded guilty to Section 2 of Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.
“There are two things I don’t like. I don’t like biting and I don’t like spitting. And I don’t like hearing Sgt Lavin was pushed around,” said Judge Durcan.
Judge Durcan sentenced the defendant to three months for the assault on Sgt Lavin to run consecutive on the four months sentence for dangerous driving.
He suspended the seven month sentence for two years and released Mr Kelly on his own bond of € 100.
“I feel both are matters for a prison sentence and I am baring that in mind,” the judge said.
“The offences before this court today are hugely serious and should you come before me again then you will serve a sentence,” he told Mr Kelly.
“To be fair to this man he has tried, he has fallen off the wagon and he is trying again,” said the District Court Judge.
He said he held the defendant in “high regard as a young man”, but that he would not have a situation where a senior member of the Gardaí was abused and where and innocent members and the public – a woman and children – were put in danger.
Solictor for Mr Kelly, Fiona Hehir said her client had a serious heroin addiction for years.
She said the father of three, with one on the way, had been making great progress in Galway and was now back in Kilrush and meeting with his GP and Sláinte regularly.
He was trying to get back on a methadone programme and was on a list for a rehabilitation facility in Cork.
CLARE will not be given a “blank cheque” by the Government to complete repairs following unprecedented storm damage in the west and north of the county in recent months.
The is according to Tánaiste and Labour leader Eamon Gilmore, who was in Ennistymon for the opening of the annual Clare Tourism Conference on Friday.
According to Deputy Gilmore, the Government will respond to Clare County Council’s € 36 million storm damage bill soon but he would not give any details as to how much money would be allocated to the Banner County and where that money would come from.
“The recent extreme storms have taken a heavy toll on the infrastructure of key tourism destinations in this county.
“The picture of those enormous waves crashing over Lahinch has become in many ways a defining image of recent weather events,” he said.
“This Government has responded to the severe weather damage, making € 70 million available for a programme of repair and remediation works in the areas affected.
“This is in addition to the € 25 million announced for the Department of Social Protection’s Humanitarian Assistance Schemes.
“We are currently awaiting an assessment from Local Authorities of what is required to deal with damage from the latest storms to hit these shores.
“As well as dealing with the consequences of the recent weather, the OPW are looking at what is required for the future in the way of additional coastal defences – flood protection works and a national flood warning system.
“They will be reporting back to Government on this.
“Of course, the resilience that you have all shown in withstanding such extremity is a national trait that has been critical to our survival in general, especially in the face of the economic crisis of the past few years,” he added.
AS MANY as 420 women and children, who were victims of domestic abuse, or an average of three families every week, were turned away by Clare’s women’s refuge centre last year as there was no room to house them.
A total of 148 women and 272 children had to be relocated in other counties or housed with friends, as the service struggles under monetary cuts and a growing need.
While there are no official Garda or CSO figures to record the number of domestic crimes in the county, Clare Haven has come in contact with 466 families affected by domestic abuse last year alone, with many other families understood to be suffering in silence.
Clare Haven, which is working to capacity, is forced to assess the safety of the families presenting at the service and often times work with refuges in Limerick and Galway to find a place for those in immediate danger to stay.
Each year since 2008, more and more of the Government funding for the service has been cut, with the service now very reliant on charity fundraisers.
In his address to the Joint Oireachtais Committee overseeing legislation on domestic abuse, Clare Senator Tony Mulcahy (FG) said it is his belief that an immediate barring order should be issued to the instiga- tor of the abuse banning him or her from the family home.
“We need to take the criminal out of the house and then we would solve a lot of the housing problems,” he said.
As many as 99 families were homed by Clare Haven last year, including 184 children, while there was no room for 148 more families.
A further 219 women are being supported by Clare Haven’s outreach service in their own homes. Some of these women are still with their partners.
Clare Haven caters for women and children only, while male victims of domestic abuse are asked to contact the national organisation AMEN.
Despite the pressures on the Clare women’s refuge, ensuring the safety of the women and their families is paramount according to Clare Haven manager Denise Dunne.
“When someone rings us up, or through outreach as well, the first thing we do is assess the safety of them and their children. If it is something like they are high priority and they absolutely need refuge we would try to see if there are spaces in one of the other refuges such as Adapt in Limerick or Waterside in Galway. We work very, very closely with them. If the woman goes to Adapt or to Waterside when a room does become available we would take her back to Clare,” she said.
“If it is a thing she can stay with family members or friends and it is safe for her to do so, again we will say ring back in as day or two and we will see if we have a room available then.
“But part of the problem with the refuge been full all of the time it is very hard to move women on now. There is huge thresholds for rent allowance,” the manager explained.
“Also there are regulations around the housing list that is making it difficult for women to get on the housing list as well, and finance is huge as well,” she said.
“It is becoming very, very hard for us to keep the services running with the continuing cuts to funding as well. We were cut by 2.5 per cent by the Family Agency this year and that has been consistent with since 2008.”
In 2012 SAFE Ireland, the umbrella group for organisations that help victims of domestic violence, recorded that 8,449 women and 3,606 children received direct one-to-one services from specialist domestic violence support services in Ireland. In addition, in this same year domestic violence services answered 50,077 helpline calls across the country.
PUBLICANS in Ennistymon may soon be shutting their toilet doors to non-paying members of the public as frustration over the last of public toilets in the town reaches break point.
Clare County Council say that although it recognises the need for public toilets in the town – which caters for hundreds of thousands of tourists over the summer season – it does not currently have finances available to provide them.
While local publicans say they will continue to provide services for the public for the time being, many premises face significant water and electricity charges, all of which are being added to by tourists using their facilities.
“My toilets are at the back of the bar and I have people, young and old, coming through the bar every day to use them. It is unfair, and more then that it’s not good for the town. It is not encouraging anyone to stop and spend money in Ennistymon,” said Linda Youdell of Daly’s Bar.
“I have water charges here that are phenomenal. It costs money, I have to pay my council rates and other expenses. Here we are in 2014 and we cant even offer a basic facility to tourists.”
According to Joan Tierney of Cooley’s House in Ennistymon, some members of the public are rude to staff when they use their toilets for free. “I think that it is a absolute disgrace. In the summer time especially we get people walking in off the street every day. It doesn’t look good for the town,” she said.
“Water chargers are high and while I would never want to refuse someone access to the toilet, some people act as if it is their right [to use the toilet]. I know it sounds petty but people flush the toilet, the use the soap and the hand drier and it all costs money.”
The matter was raised at this months North Clare Area meeting of Clare County Council by local Cllr Bill Slattery (FG).
“The publicans are getting fed up of people coming into their premises and using it as a toilet. The cost of water is going up and it can be expensive in 10 or 20 people come in off the bus, use the facilities and then leave without paying for anything,” he said.
Public toilets were closed in Ennistymon more than 10 years ago because they were not wheelchair friendly. Local publicans approached Clare County Council in the past, offering to provide toilet facilities to the public in return for a contribution to running costs.
This proposal was turned down by the local authority.