Category: News

THERE have been calls for the Government to assist families with the cost of transporting children to the new Ennis National School.

The new school at Ashline opened its doors for the first time to pupils last week. The school was previously located at a site on the Kilrush Road closer to the town centre.

In a motion due to be discussed at yesterday’s meeting of Ennis Town Council, Cllr Michael Guilfoyle urged the council to contact the Minister for Education and the Minister for Finance to allocate a grant to assist families, that are being asked to pay to transport children to the new school.

Cllr Guilfoyle said, “A lot of families now have an extra journey to make and I think the Departments should make some contribution to the cost of travelling to the school.”

The future of the former site of Ennis National School is unknown though it has been earmarked as a potential site for a major town centre retail development in the future.

In a submission to Clare County Council, Ennis Parish, the owners of the site, say it would be an ideal location for the future development of a commercial retail centre. Prepared by engineering firm Paddy Coleman and Associates, the sub- mission states, “It is their opinion that Proposal Site PS1 is ideal and should be promoted by the council through the Ennis and Environs Development Plan to cater for the identified retail deficiency. It is stated that they own part of the said site (the land associated with the Boys National School) and that the land will be available in the short term when it is vacated for the new school currently under construction at Ashline.” Supermarket giant Aldi have also emerged as potential purchasers of the site after signalling their intent to develop a second store in Ennis. However Cllr Guilfoyle says residents on the Kilrush Road would have concerns about any potential development in the area. He explained, “It seems it has been earmarked for a shopping centre. That may be a good bit down the line, if it happens, but I would have concerns. And there are people living there in peace for a long time that would have concerns about it.”

A LOCAL shop-owner has expressed concern that proposed traffic calming works at the entrance to Corrovorrin could lead to reduced business and a loss of jobs.

Councillors in Ennis have called for improvements to the Corrovorrin junction on the R352 Tulla Road to alleviate access problems in the area.

A report on the proposed € 50,000 project was presented to members at yesterday’s monthly meeting of En nis Town Council.

In a report to councillors, town engineer Eamon O’Dea stated that funding for the project had been se- cured from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Mr O’Dea explained, “The proposed layout has been confirmed with the Department of Transport Tourism and Sport road safety engineer during each stage of the design process. It was not possible to make significant amendments to the proposed layout to take account of the submissions received, however some minor adjustment to the parking opposite Tierney’s Shop on Kevin Barry Avenue were made.”

Mr O’Dea recommended that councillors approve the scheme at Corrovorrin Junction.

The proposed low cost safety scheme at Corrovorrin junction would involve a reduced carriageway width to give a “greater sense of enclosure” and the “reduce the crossing length for pedestrians”.

The council are also proposing courtesy pedestrian and combined crossing points along with an off road combined pedestrian and cycle lane

A preliminary deign report on the scheme states that traffic volume on the R352 ranges from 14,000 to 16,00 vehicles per day and 1,400 to 2,000 vehicles per day on Kevin Barry Avenue.

Alan Morrissey, Executive Engineer, stated, “Based on traffic flow levels the appropriate junction type is a priority junction.”

The report also states that analysis indicates, “There does not seem to be a speeding problem on the R352 east of Corrovorrin junction.

“An additional benefit of this design will be a reduction in crossing distances for pedestrians and cyclists thereby promoting sustainable travel modes” adds the report.

The council received three submissions on the proposed works.

Local shopkeeper John Tierney objected to the scheme at Corrovorrin junction. In his submission to the council, Mr Tierney stated that he is being penalised for complying with previous planning application. He stated insufficient background information was provided while adequate consultation procedures did not take place.

Mr Tierney referred to a brief re- port from the Chief Supt of the Clare Garda Division, John Kerin, which stated that according to Garda records, no accidents have taken place at the Corrovorrin junction in the past five years.

Mr Tierney also expressed concern that the proposed works would result in reduced business and loss of jobs.

Philip Coll, a resident of the nearby Kevin Barry Avenue, stated that he could not recall any accidents at the junction.

In his submission, Mr Coll told the council that he considered that filter lanes were required on both Kevin Barry Avenue and the Tulla Road. It was his view that a yellow box was required at the exit from Kevin Barry Avenue.

MEMBERS of Ennis Tidy Town’s Committee were upset yesterday (Monday) by Irish Business Against Litter’s (IBAL) finding that the town was one of three in the country it deemed littered.

The anti-litter league’s Dr Tom Cavanagh said however that IBAL was not worried about Ennis being third from the bottom of the league as it had been a good town in the past and he was confident it would be good in the future.

“I am not worried about them,” he said of the three towns deemed lit- ter.

The people of Ennis, and especially those who have dedicated their lives to the tidy town’s organisation, can take some solace in recent history.

In 2005, just a week before the county town won the national Tidy Town’s competition, it also received a damming report from IBAL.

For now however, there is a lot of disappointment at the news the town had dropped 13 places since last year on the litter league.

Ennis town councillor Mary Howard (FG), who is a volunteer with the local Tidy Towns, said members were very upset as they called each other following the news.

“One woman who goes out six nights a week [to pick up litter] was particularly upset. People are putting in a huge effort like this,” she said.

“A huge effort has been put into painting railings and other work this year,” she added.

As part of the litter inspection carried out by IBAL, litter inspectors surveyed recycling facilities, hotels and sports facilities in the towns and cities concerned.

IBAL expressed ‘disappointment’ that seven in 10 recycling centres nationwide were littered, and a number were litter black spots, including those in Ennis.

“These are typically managed by local authorities so it is disappointing that so many of them are unclean, especially as their importance is rising. We recognise the potential for these facilities to attract litter, a threat which some authorities have fended off effectively by installing CCTV,” explained Dr Cavanagh. Inspectors praised the facility in Dundalk as being ‘in a league of its own’.”

Over three-quarters of hotel grounds surveyed were free of litter, but a small number, including Treacy’s West County in Ennis were judged to be seriously littered, due to litter in the areas surrounding them.

THEY may be married just a month but newly weds Cathal Crowe and Maeve Fehilly admits they will be pulling in different directions on Sunday.

Cathal is a well-known member of Clare County Council living in Meelick, a border town with Limerick.

Maeve is a native of another town that borders Limerick, but this time it is on the other side of that county – Charleville in County Cork.

“There is a very heightened sense of identity when you are that near the border,” explained Cathal, and each of them are loyal to their own county.

“There will be two different jerseys going off in the car that morning,” he added, knowing there will only be one happy newly wed arriving home on Sunday evening – bar a draw of course.

This will be the second game the couple has attended as man and wife.

The first was the less controversial semi final Clare against Limerick.

“We arrived back from honeymoon that morning to Shannon Airport and drove straight to Dublin. Maeve drove home afterwards,” said Cathal who was that day celebrating victory.

The big question now is who will be driving home on Sunday evening and will they still be travelling together?

THE Clare jersey is the fashion accessory of the season, with hundreds of names on the waiting list for the en-trend clothing item and reports of some shops selling as many as six jerseys a minute.

Last evening (Monday) Elvery’s Sport, Ennis, reported that there were at least 200 names on the list for the stock of jerseys due in later today (Tuesday).

“There has been a huge impact on sales in the last three to four weeks,” said assistant manager Trisha Howard.

While there are some Clare tee shirts, jackets and hoodies still available it is the jersey, both saffron and blue and the new pink ones that are selling out in their droves.

More pink jerseys are due in later in the week, but those hoping to have number one on their back will be without a goalkeeper’s jersey until after the match as they are not going into production again until after Sunday.

“We are completely sold out,” said Bernie Chapman of Lifestyle Sports in Ennis, who is expecting a delivery by special courier on Wednesday.

“They will be gone before they even hit the floor,” she said explaining that with the waiting list well over 40 they have stopped taking names so to avoid disappointment.

“Every second customer is looking for a jersey. We counted the number of people looking for the jersey today and in one minute six people asked for a jersey,” she said.

Ramona Gleeson of All Stars Sports on the Quin Road, Ennis, had just returned from Dublin last evening (Monday) with a van full of jerseys and tee shirts when The Clare People called.

“I went four times in the last two weeks because I couldn’t wait for them to be delivered. I would have a load sold by the time they would be delivered.

“I have to go again on Friday,” said the woman who also has “pages and pages of waiting lists”.

She also brought some goalkeeper jerseys to Clare yesterday, as there will be no more available until after the All Ireland.

Tommy O’Donnell in Ennis has been providing sportswear and equipment to the people of Clare for decades, and he is also reporting a busy few weeks.

“We are tipping along,” he said not giving too much away.

He explained that while they shop sells out of the prized jersey every few days, the stock is usually back the following day.

Asked to compare the build up to 1995 he explained it was difficult “as there are less people in Ireland now and less people in Clare, but exciting nonetheless!”

A LARGE crowd turned out in Shannon yesterday to mark the 50th anniversary of EI Electronics. EI, which is the largest indigenous company in the region, celebrates 50 years in business by hosting an open day in its facility inside the Shannon Free Zone.

The Open Day attracted a large crowd of current and former employees and their families, as well as members of the local community and anyone who has been associated with the factory over the past five decades.

An ever-present on the industrial landscape of the Shannon Free Zone, EI Electronics, has been an Irish- owned company since 1988, as is one of the leading employers in the county.

A world leader in the field of fire safety in the home, EI employs 430 people in its Shannon headquarters and an additional 50 in the UK, Germany and France. It plans to swell its workforce by a further 20 staff members before the end of the year to bring its total employee numbers over 500.

Its annual contribution to the local and Irish economies is estimated to be € 30 million.

“As a major employer for 50 years, many thousands of people have worked at EI, covering three generations. This EI diaspora is spread over the counties of Clare, Limerick, Kerry, Cork, Tipperary, Galway and Mayo. The Open Day gives these past employees the opportunity to come back to their alma mater, see the factory and possibly meet up with old colleagues,” said managing director Michael Guinee.

The focal point of the day was a tour of the factory, where a representative sample of the manufacturing will be operational. Visitors saw first hand the world-class manufacturing cell production, the highly automated electronics assembly, and one of the largest injection moulding operations in Ireland.

They will see the wide range of smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms, and learn about the sensor technology behind these products. They will see how the products have evolved over the 50 years.

SEAMUS Heaney’s love of County Clare that shone through until his untimely death last Friday has been recalled this week by the chairman of Cumman Merriman, Liam Ó Dochartaigh. Heaney made his last visit to the county over under three weeks ago when attending the annual Merriman Summer School in Lisdoonvarna on an occasion when Ó Dochartaigh revealed he had his audience “in the palm of his hand and blew us away”.

The world renowned poet and Nobel laureate was patron of Cumman Merriman for the past five years, following in a list of distinguished patrons that went before him, all of whom were presidents of Ireland – Eamon de Valera, Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh and Dr Patrick Hillery.

“On the passing of President Hillery in 2008, Cumann Merriman decided to invite Seamus Heaney, who had translated a large portion of Brian Merriman’s famous poem, ‘Cúirt an Mheán Oíche’ to be its Éarlamh,” revealed Mr Ó Dochartaigh.

“He accepted our invitation willingly thereby honouring the memory and legacy of Brian Merriman and the annual Merriman Summer School far more than we could ever have honoured him,” headed.

“He featured memorably in a number of Merriman Summer Schools but most memorably and most recently, a little over two weeks ago, on Friday evening, August 16, in the Pavilion Theatre in Lisdoonvarna.

“Along with his life-long friend, fellow Northerner, and fellow poet, Michael Longley, he read turn and turn about. The Pavilion Theatre was packed to capacity, with some 400 patrons in attendance to hear them; it was a night to remember, a night of our lives, which will live long in the memory. Both poets’ affinity with County Clare was evident on the night but it can be said that with the reading of the last poem in his own selection, and the final poem of the evening, Seamus Heaney had us in the palm of his hand and blew us away,” continued Mr Ó Dochar- taigh.

In reference to driving along Clare’s Flaggy Shore on a windy day in September or October, Heaney read: ‘You are neither here nor there, A hurry through which known and strange things pass, As big soft buffetings come at the car sideways, And catch the heart off guard and blow it open’.

“But another deadly breeze came in the night,” said Mr Ó Dochartaigh mourning his death, “caught us off guard and swept our hero-poet away. Cumann Merriman mourns the loss of Seamus Heaney but our loss and the nation’s loss is as nothing compared to that of his wife, Marie, and their children, Michael, Christopher and Catherine Ann,” he added.

GARDAÍ in Clare are continuing the fight on drugs with the seizure of thousands of euros worth of cannabis plant and resin in East Clare on Tuesday last.

Gardaí from Shannon seized the drugs with an estimated street value of € 12,000 during the planned search of a property at Magherabaun, Feakle.

The seizure of a number of cannabis plants and resin was part of an ongoing operation targeting the sale and supply of cannabis in County Clare. According to Gardaí, during the course of the search, the cannabis was recovered.

No arrests have been made, and the area was sealed off for a technical examination. Investigations into the find are ongoing.

A 33-YEAR-OLD man from County Clare has been charged with possession of child pornography, and is to appear again at Ennis District Court tomorrow (Wednesday).

The accused, who cannot be named by order of the court, was before a special sitting of Kilrush District Court on Friday. He is accused of possessing images of naked boys.

Supt Seamus Nolan requested reporting restrictions be imposed, as he said the investigation was continuing.

The Kilrush Superintendent said that identifying the accused, or the location of the alleged offence, would impede the continuing inquiry.

The accused man was charged, that on June 28 at a location in Co Clare, he did knowingly have in his possession child pornography featuring naked male images, contrary to section 6(1) of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998.

Solicitor for the man William Cahir made an application for free legal aid, which was granted by District Court Judge Eugene O’Kelly.

There was no application for bail but the accused reserved his position in relation to the matter.

He was remanded in custody.

A FATHER figure for councillors, a wonderful ambassador for his native county and a gentleman were just some of the words used to describe Clare County Council’s longest ever serving member who was laid to rest on Saturday.

PJ Burke, also known as Pa Joe, represented the Miltown Malbay Electoral Area from the 1940s up to the end of the 1990s, spending a record 45 years an Independent member of Clare County Council.

Cllr Christy Curtin (Ind) who gave the oration at the late West Clare man’s large funeral said Mr Burke would say he was “a councillor in the 1940s when council expenses were a penny ha-penny a mile”.

Describing him as an iconic figure Cllr Curtin said, “He gave good description of what a democratic representative should be. He was honest in all of his dealing and was an example to any public representative on how to deal with the public.”

The late councillor began his political career as a member of Sinn Fein but later declared as an Independent councillor. Coming from a long local political lineage, PJ Burke was first elected to Clare County Council in 1941. He held the position for only one year before Minister Sean McEntee announced the abolition of the local authority and the appointment in its place of a commissioner.

PJ successfully ran for election again in 1945 when the council was reconstituted. He lost his seat in the 1950 Local Election but regained his Council position in 1960. He retained his seat in the Miltown Electoral Area in five subsequent elections until 1999.

His father Tom was also a County Councillor from 1924 until his death, at the age of 65, in 1941. His grandfather, Garret Burke, was elected a Sinn Féin Rural District councillor in 1905 and later became a County Councillor.

Mayor Cllr Joe Arkins said, “PJ was very genuine. He wore his heart on his sleeve and was always seen as a father figure for colleagues. He was very much involved in the campaign for the development of health services at Ennis General Hospital and vehemently opposed any downgrading of the facility.”

Tom Coughlan, Clare County Manager, added, “He was a gentlemen and a pleasure to work with.”

Labour TD Michael McNamara said Pa Joe was a man who represented the best values and traditions of rural Ireland. He is survived by his wife Mary and family.