Category: News

A FATHER of 10 whose reckless behaviour sparked a violent disturbance at a roundabout in Ennis last year has claimed he is ready to make peace.

Bernie McDonagh Snr (46) has said he bears no ill feeling to the Doherty family after tensions between the former friends and neighbours spilled onto the streets of Ennis last October.

Mr McDonagh, with addresses at Ashline, Ennis, and Nashes Boreen, Cork City, told gardaí, “I’ve no illfeeling towards the Dohertys but they’d want to sort themselves out.”

Earlier this month Ennis Circuit Criminal Court heard Mr McDonagh told gardaí that he would be willing to sit down and talk with the Dohertys.

“Peace is the only way forward,” said Mr McDonagh, who is related to the Doherty family through mar- riage.

Bernie McDonagh Snr last week received a four-year prison sentence for his role in the incident at the Maid of Erin roundabout on October 14, 2012. He pleaded guilty to driving recklessly against the flow of traffic in a manner likely to cause harm. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal damage.

Mr McDonagh Snr drove his car the wrong way around a roundabout nine times in pursuit of a Hiace van containing members of the Doherty family.

His son Bernie McDonagh Jnr (21), with address at Ashline, Ennis, and Nashes Boreen, Cork City, also received sentences totalling four years at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday.

Father of one Bernie McDonagh Jnr, with an address at Nashes Boreen, Cork, pleaded guilty to the production of a Stanley knife during the course of a dispute; violent disorder and assault causing harm to John Doherty.

Olympic boxer Kieran Joyce gave evidence on Bernie McDonagh Jnr’s behalf earlier this month. Mr Joyce, who competed for Ireland at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics, told the court Bernie Jnr was a “very respectful young fella” and talented boxer. He said Mr McDonagh Jnr coached kids at the Sunnyside boxing club in Cork City and had hopes of competing at the next Olympic games.

A MAN who burned down his former home in Kilrush in an attempt to secure a new house for his mother has received an 18-month sentence.

Martin Blunnie (24) was “very disgruntled” with the local authority for not giving his mother Adrienne Simmons (56) after the area they lived fell into dereliction and disrepair.

The family set fire to their then home at 3 Beechpark in the John Paul Estate on March 15 (2012).

Passing sentence at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday, Judge Gerard Keys said the family made frequent requests to move from the estate where houses were boarded up and abandoned.

He said nobody irrespective of their background or means should be expected to live in houses of such poor condition.

However Judge Keys added the poor condition of the house wasº no justification of the family’s actions.

“I can understand your reaction but it cannot be justified”, he said.

Martin Blunnie and Adrienne Sim mons were drinking and became involved in a row with a local authority litter warden on the morning of the blaze due to a complaint over rubbish.

The court heard the Fire Services were called later in the day after smoke was seen coming from the windows.

Martin Blunnie was arrested and admitted to gardaí that he started the fire deliberately. Both he and Ms Simmons pleaded guilty to arson.

The court heard the family’s house had fallen into disrepair and was surrounded by derelict and boarded up properties.

Counsel for the DPP, Stephen Coughlan BL said, “He became indignant and set the house on fire with the view of getting new accommodation.” Mr Blunnie has 25 previous convictions.

The court heard that areas of the John Paul Estate have undergone regeneration. Ms Simmons has since moved to new rented accommodation.

On Thursday, Judge Keys said the family’s actions were not life threatening as the adjoining houses were abandoned and scheduled for demolition.

The court heard Martin Blunnie endured a chaotic childhood due to drink and drug problems.

“It is clear that Martin Blunnie was the main instigator and your mother went along with the actions,” added Judge Keys.

He sentenced Mr Blunnie to two years in prison but suspended the final six months.

Judge Keys said Ms Simmons had lived a tragic life and there would be no benefit to society by sending her to prison. He imposed a suspended sentence. A MA N who insulted and verbally abused a Judge in a foul-mouthed tirade at Ennis Courthouse last month has been advised to keep his cool. Jimmy Doherty (40) vented his fury at the outcome of a case by roaring obscenities at Judge Patrick Durcan in Ennis District Court on September 24. Mr Doherty, with an address at Maiville, Kilrush Road, Ennis was arrested and charged with engaging in threatening and insulting behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace. OnWednesday, Mr Doherty pleaded guilty to the public order charge. Defence solicitor John Casey told the court his client wished to apologise for his behaviour on the day.“This was a time when he was under a lot of pressure,” explained Mr Casey. Inspector TomKennedy said he was “very surprised” to learn of Mr Doherty’s outburst. Speaking in court Mr Doherty said,“Your honour I’mvery sorry to you and I apologise to the court”. Judge Patrick Durcan said he accepted Mr Doherty’s apology.“I believe people should showrespect to one another. Mr Doherty, keep the cool inside the courthouse and outside the courthouse.” Judge Durcan struck out the charge against Mr Doherty. A T EEN A GER who was ordered to make a toolbox for his solicitor has been told he could have good career in woodwork. In July, Judge Patrick Durcan said he was making the order because it was obvious the boy had “natural gift” for woodwork.The 18 year old, who was a minor when it is alleged he committed a drugs offence, previously made a wooden toolbox as part of his involvement with the Probation Services. After reading a probation report, Judge Durcan commended the boy on his workmanship. He ordered that the teenager produce a similar itemfor his solicitor,Tara Godfrey, so she could use it while gardening. Judge Durcan said he wanted the boy to apply himself to something he is good at. “Here we have a young man that has a natural gift and I want to see himdevelop that gift,” he added. The case was adjourned to last Wednesday to allowthe teenager time to make the box. Solicitor Tara Godfrey brought the toolbox into court.“I’mvery happy with my gift. It’s fit for purpose,” she told the court. Judge Patrick Durcan congratulated the teenager on the“beautifully made” toolbox.“In my viewthat is a saleable item,” he said. “I’ll be looking out for ads in Clare newspapers as to where you’ll be selling these,” added Judge Durcan. A Probation Officer told the court that they would recommend the boy for an employment linkage programme. Inspector TomKennedy said no newissues had arisen with the accused. Judge Durcan struck out the charge against the teenager. A W ES T Clare man who caused a head on collision after overtaking on a bend near Lissycasey last year has been disqualified fromholding a license for two years. Gary Sullivan (19) was driving to Kilkee when he attempted to overtake a car on a continous white line near Caherea on NewYear’s Eve, Ennis District Court heard onWednesday. Mr Sullivan’s car collided with another car traveling in the opposite direction. No one was injured in the crash. Inspector TomKennedy told the court that Mr Sullivan made a “huge error of judgment.” Mr Sullivan, with an address at Marian Estate, Kilkee, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving an failing to have insurance.A request to reduce the charge to one of careless driving was not accepted by the court. Defence solicitor Fiona Hehir told the court her client swapped his old car for a new one in Clonmel on the night in question. She said Mr Sullivan had not yet transferred his insurance across to the newcar when the accident occurred. Ms Hehir said Mr Sullivan acted in a very mature manner in the aftermath of the accident.“He wrote a letter of apology to the family involved”, she added. The court heard Mr Sullivan hopes to travel abroad. Judge Patrick Durcan imposed fines totaling €750 and disqualified Mr Sullivan fromholding a driver’s license for two years.

A 22 YEAR-old man who used a catapult to break car windows in Newmarket on Fergus earlier this year has been ordered to personally apologise to the injured parties.

Joe Conroy smashed car windows in the Island View, Ennis Road and Glen an Aifreann areas of Newmarket on May 19, Ennis District Court heard on Wednesday. Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that the accused used a catapult and marbles to cause € 705 worth of damage to three cars.

The court heard Mr Conroy had not paid compensation to the owners. Mr Conroy, with an address at The Island, Cratloe, pleaded guilty to three charges of criminal damage.

Defence solicitor Jenny Fitzgibbon told the court that her client had been under “severe pressure” in his personal life at the time the offences were committed. She said Mr Conroy acted “very stupidly” on the day.

“He didn’t hold back. He admitted his culpability. He admitted his stupidity”, she added. The court heard Mr Conroy worked as a metal fabricator after leaving school. Judge Patrick Durcan said his first priority was for Mr Conroy to pay compensation and show remorse.

“There will be a conviction in this matter but the issue is whether there will be a prison sentence,” he added.

Adjourning the case to January 8 (2014) for review, Judge Durcan said he expected Mr Conroy to have half of the compensation paid to the car owners by that date.

“I also want to be satisfied that he makes contact, personally, with the three injured parties”, he added.

PRISON sentences have been handed down to two men found driving around Ennis earlier this year with weapons including a claw hammer and a golf club.

Gardaí discovered the items along with a shovel handle and mop handle with a metal head after they were thrown from a car in Clancy Park on May 1 (2013).

At Ennis District Court on Thursday, Darren Maughan (21) and Kildare man Dermot O’Brien (25) pleaded guilty to possession of implements, contrary to the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act.

Passing sentence, Judge Patrick Durcan said too often in the past 18 months he has dealt with cases where people believe they can “go around the county in a marauding fashion.”

“There is no room in our society for people who go around in mechanically propelled vehicles with implements of potential death and destruction”, he added.

Garda Stephen Dunne of Ennis Garda Station told the court that he observed a car driving in suspicious manner in the Cloughleigh area of Ennis on May 1.

He said gardaí followed the car to Clancy Park where they observed a claw hammer, mop handle, shovel handle and golf club being thrown from the vehicle.

The accused were arrested. The court heard Mr Maughan, with an address at Stonecourt, Drumbiggle, Ennis has 45 previous convictions, mainly arising from alcohol related incidents.

Defence solicitor William Cahir said Mr O’Brien is not from Ennis. “It would be unusual for him to be involved in something like this,” he added.

Mr Cahir told the court the men had not given a reason for having the weapons. “My clients fully accept these are items they should not have had”, he added.

Judge Durcan said the fact that no explanation had been offered was “very much against the defendants”.

He sentenced Mr Maughan to a total of seven months in prison and disqualified him from holding a driver’s license for a year.

Mr O’Brien, with an address at Brayton Park, Kilcock, Kildare and now living Ennis, received a suspended three-month sentence. He was also ordered to complete 100 hours of community service in lieu of another three-month sentence.

The father of two was disqualified from holding a driver’s license for a year. The disqualification was postponed until January 1, 2014.

CLARE County Council has been urged to consider offering a Ryanair style ‘priority queue’ system at its Motor Tax offices as a means of raising revenue.

Cllr Brian Meaney (FF) told yesterday’s council meeting that some customers would be willing to pay a small charge in order to secure priority in the queue.

He said waiting times can be as long as 20 minutes in the office at the council’s headquarters on New Road.

Cllr Meaney said the council is about to embark on the process of preparing a budget and should consider new ways of raising revenue. “Maybe it is time we look at taking the budget airlines approach,” he explained.

Cllr Meaney further suggested that the council look at securing sponsorship for some of its flagship facilities.

He added, “I think the skate park in Lees Road would be an appropriate location for sponsorship from skate companies.”

Cllr Meaney was speaking after submitting a motion to the October meeting of Clare County Council.

The motion states, “Can this council consider developing innovative, alternative income sources given the challenging financial position facing Clare County Council. For example could this council allow advertising in or on property in its control or publications it produces? Are local authorities prohibited from generating funds in this manner?”

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) supported the proposal. “There is a need for us to be creative and innovative to close the shortfall in what it is we want to do as a council and what we can afford to do,” he said.

Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) said it would be better for the council to wait to see the shape of the new Local Government Bill before making any financial decisions.

“We need to know what our scope will be to raise extra funding,” she explained.

Cllr Meaney said he accepted Cllr McCarthy’s comments but warned the council is already being hit by funding cutbacks.

He said he had been informed the money allocated to the council for the control of horses had already been severely cut.

“This is something we need to plan for in the event of further cuts,” he added.

THERE have been calls for more to be done to improve public lighting in estates around Clare amid growing concerns over an increase in burglaries.

Members of Clare County Council yesterday urged the local authority to intervene to repair lights in estates that have yet to be taken in charge.

It followed a motion tabled by Fine Gael councillor Joe Cooney. Cllr Cooney called on the council to “repair public lights in estates where the developer no longer exists and where the council have not taken in charge those estates throughout the county in the interests of safety and given increase in burglaries”.

Cllr Cooney told the meeting inadequate public lighting is a major worry for residents.

“There is concern out there. We are aware that anti-social behaviour is going on in some of these estates,” he said.

Supporting the motion, Cllr Pascal Fitzgerald (Lab) said the problem of bad lighting had existed for many years in Clare. He said many homeowners paid the household charge but had been left with inadequate services.

Cllr Michael Kelly (FF) said problems in estates were not the fault of residents.

“We have to provide lighting to those people in those areas,” the councillor said.

Cllr John Crowe (FG) said many of the lights could be repaired for as little as € 80. He said many people are “living in fear” because of the rise in burglaries in rural areas. “It’s an absolute scandal that we can’t afford to pay for these lights,” he added.

Cllr Tom McNamara (FF) told the meeting that residents of older estates also deserved to have adequate public lighting in their areas.

“We have estates in this town [Ennis] where the electricity was never connected to the lights and they are not on. They are also entitled to proper public lighting,” he said.

Director of Service Gerard Dollard said the council hopes to take 13 estates in charge this year.

He told the meeting that money to repair roads and lights in estates comes out of the council’s roadwork’s budget.

He said the council made a detailed submission on the taking in charge of estates to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government but had not yet received a response.

IT HAS finally been decided that the Kilrush Famine Memorial is to become part of the streetscape of Francis Street, but the town engineer will determine its exact location.

After much deliberation, Kilrush Town Council decided that the street where the 2013 National Famine Commemoration was held is to be the permanent home of the monument unveiled during the ceremony in May.

The local authority received just one response to a public consultation on the issues.

Groups and organisations involved with the commemoration had a number of suggestions however as to where in the town it should be located. Early suggestions that the Old Shanakyle Cemetery, where victims of the Great Irish Famine lay in a mass grave, would be the ideal location was ruled out.

Mayor of Kilrush Cllr Paul Moroney (Ind) said that the Kilrush and District Historical Society, the organisation that bid for the National Commemoration to be held in the heritage town, had indicated they would like the monument to be placed outside the town hall in the town square.

The mayor suggested relocating the dolphin sculpture in the square and placing the monument there.

At Thursday night’s meeting of the council, Cllr Marian McMahon Jones (FG) said that the dolphin could not be moved as it was part of a dolphin trail.

Town manager Ann Haugh explained that the two locations being considered were either side of the town hall or at two locations on Francis Street.

Cllr Mairead O’Brien (Ind) who was mayor during the commemoration told the meeting that the Famine Commemoration Committee agreed that Francis Street, outside Noel Ryan’s would be the preferred location.

“Ultimately we could put a bench there and a floral display and people could take time to sit at it,” she said.

As CCTV is proposed for that location, the council was unsure whether this would mean the monument may have to be placed elsewhere.

A location outside the Bank of Ireland on Francis Street was then proposed as another possible site.

The council voted to erect the monument on Francis Street and agreed that the town engineer would decide between the two proposed locations on that street.

CLARE County Council could yet take legal action against the consultants who advised the local authority to establish the Central Waste Management Facility at Ballyduff beg in Inagh.

The landfill, which has recently closed for all non-recyclable materials, has proved to be a loss-making venture for the local authority, despite a number of expert reports suggesting that it would generate million annually for the coffers of Clare County Council. Despite the closure of the landfill element of the Central Waste Management Facility, the local authority faces an annual bill for the upkeep of the landfill area for the next 20 years.

Kilnamona councillor James Breen (Ind), yesterday put a motion to Clare County Council, formally requesting that they contact their legal representatives and instruct them to begin legal proceedings.

“We are looking at spending tax payers money and rate payers money – millions for the next 20 years. I am instructing the county manager to contact his legal team and instruct them to begin legal action against the people responsible,” he said.

This motion was formally seconded by Shannon councillor Gerry Flynn (Ind) who did not make any formal comment on the motion.

Clare County Council did not have a formal response to Cllr Breen’s motion prepared – as would be traditional for council meeting, with county manager Tom Coughlan stating that he would respond to the motion at the November meeting.

“I didn’t prepare a response to that motion because I wanted to see if it would be proposed and seconded. To take legal proceedings against that proposal would be complex and expensive. I would like to come back to the motion with a report at the November meeting,” he said.

A number of legal actions have been made concerning the operation of the Ballyduff beg Waste Management Facility in recent years. Most recently the local authority settled an action taken by the environmental Protection Agency (EPA) out of court. In recent weeks the council has decided use the final tranche of the Community Development Fund, which was established to compensate those effected by the landfill, to compensate those living directly beside the facility.

A FACILITY for Kilrush, similar to Lee’s Road in Ennis, will be the “premier project” for Clare County Council this year.

The project planned for the Cooraclare Road in Kilrush is to include pitches, running tracks and astro turf facilities.

The project has been submitted for national sporting grants by Kilrush Town Council previously but with as yet no success.

The town council executive is confident that the project will be successful in securing grant funding this year and has also submitted it for consideration in a new national fund.

Town manager Anne Haugh explained that the county manager had agreed that the Kilrush project would be the primary project on a list seeking funding from the new national scheme – Sport Nation.

The new grant aid system is supported through the Public Bodies and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, with each department providing one third of the funding up to € 58,124. The remaining third needs to be raised from the local authority’s capital fund.

The council agreed that the first phase of the project to require funding should be the astro turf area.

The town council had previously agreed to set aside € 150,000 of money earmarked for special projects to the proposed Cooraclare Road Sports Development.

A lease for 25 years has also been signed for such the facility on the Cooraclare Road.

SHANNON Chamber of Commerce has received a big boost this week following the news that its chief executive has been appointed to the board of Chambers Ireland.

Helen Downes was ratified in the post at the Chambers Ireland AGM, held in Dublin last Wednesday, with her appointment announced on Friday last by Shannon Chamber president, Kevin Thompstone.

Congratulating Ms Downes on her appointment, Mr Thompstone said, “It’s a great honour for Shannon Chamber via Helen Downes to have input at board level in a national organisation. Helen’s nomination by the Chambers Ireland CEO Forum for a position on the board, and her existing representation as a member of Chambers Ireland Human Resources Policy Council, is both indicative of the high esteem in which she is held within the organisation, and her ability to make a valuable contribution to strategic considerations.

“Membership of Chambers Ireland board gives Shannon Chamber a forum to make representation on behalf of members and to input their views and commentary on national policy issues being considered by Chambers Ireland for presentation to government and key stakeholders. It will ensure that Shannon’s voice is heard at another key national level.”

About Helen Downes: Chief Executive of Shannon Chamber 2008, Helen Downes has spearheaded many new chamber initiatives to promote and encourage business growth and economic development in the Shannon area. These initiatives, which have also led to increased chamber membership, include a number of EU-focused seminars, a chamber HR forum, a CEO forum, a Business Watch scheme, and linkages with national and international business organisations in both the public and private sectors.

Shannon Chamber currently has over 250 member-companies drawn from a wide cross-section of business sectors that employ approximately 7, 500 people in the Shannon hinterland. Helen is responsible for representing their interests to key influencers and stakeholders, achieved through voicing membership concerns on issues that affect or impede enterprise development at local, regional and national levels

Ms Downes is also an active member of Chambers Ireland’s Human Resources Policy Council.