Category: News

CLARE has lost its greatest champion of the Irish language after the death over the weekend of Seán Ó Ceallaigh after a short illness.

Eighty-year-old Mr Ó Ceallaigh, who hailed from Connolly, was immersed in Irish language affairs in Clare and nationally for over 60 years and has been described as “a guiding light” and “inspiration” for language enthusiasts around the county.

“There isn’t an Irish language group in the county that he wasn’t involved in,” fellow language activist Domhnall Ó Loinsigh told The Clare People this week.

“Anything you care to mention with regard to the Irish language in Clare, Séan Ó Ceallaigh was there. He is going to be a huge loss because he was a huge inspiration and a motivator. He had the ability to inspire other people to become involved. He was an enthusiast and had a phenomenal love for the language. Everything he did was as Gaeilge and led by example,” he added.

Mr Ó Ceallaigh was active in Con- radh na Gaeilge in Clare for over 60 years, while his imprint of work was also felt in a host of organisations at both local and national level through the decades.

At the time of his death on Sunday, Mr Ó Ceallaigh was president of Conradh na Gaeilge in Clare, chairman of An Clár as Gaeilge and national president of Féile Scoil Dramaíochta.

He was also a founder member of Féile na hInse, chairman of Glór na nGael, while also being involved in the establishment of both Gaelscoil Mhichíl and Gaelcholáiste an Chláir.

“Séan was part of every initiative in the county over the last 50 years and more to promote Irish as a community language,” continued Mr Ó Loinsigh.

“And he was important on a national level as the author of two very important books – one on an tAthair Eoin Ó Gramhnaigh and the other on Eamonn Mac Giolla Iasachta. His inf uence spread far outside the county. “His motto and aspiration was that despite there was fantastic work being done in schools with the language, it was to take Irish out of the classroom and onto the street, into the shops, the pubs, the workplaces and the homes. He worked for that all his life,” he added.

have helped in a situation like that,” she said.

“I saw a young woman running from a rough area, which really isn’t safe for women to be walking in alone. She more or less ran into me and she was being followed by a masked man on a bicycle with an iron bar.”

The presence of Maura, who is a Sister of Charity of Our Lady of Evron, was enough to scare off the attacker and the North Clare nun was quickly able to comfort the teenager and reunite her with her family.

The attack took place just before 7pm last Saturday week, September 6, and the Soanes family yesterday released a description of the attacker. The attacker is thought to be around 5ft 10ins and of skinny build, he also spoke with a non-local accent which was possibly Irish.

Rebecca’s father Jeff Soanes yesterday hailed the Sister Considine as a ‘true saviour’.

“It was a horrible attack but it could have been a lot worse. Honest to God, she is a true saviour,” he said.

“This kid is dangerous. If somebody knows him, do yourself a favour and look at the morals you’ve been brought up with and drop us a name.”

A GROUP of women who have given their lives to serving the Catholic Church in Clare said they were hurt, upset and ignored following a pastoral letter calling for male only deacons to serve the Diocese of Killaloe.

At the weekend Bishop Kieran O’Reilly shelved the plans saying he would “not now proceed with the introduction of the Permanent Deaconate at this time in the diocese.”

Weeks earlier in a pastoral letter he asked for “men married or single, and who are already involved in some aspect of lay ministry or leadership in the community,” to apply for the position of deacon. No women could apply.

Among the jobs listed for these men were charity work, liturgy work, and becoming ministers of the Eucharist – roles currently being undertaken in the main by women in the diocese.

At a forum at the Inn at Dromoland last night (Monday) these women asked for their voices to be heard and a more inclusive deaconate to be developed.

“In 2014 is it appropriate that they bring in another male only ministry? What impression does it give of the Church?” asked Kathleen MacDonald from Cross.

Ms MacDonald is a co-ordinator of the sacraments, prepares creative liturgies, gives retreats to Conf rma tion children as well as being on the pastoral council and f nancial com mittee in her local parish.

Mary Hanley from Ennis who was part of the Diocesan Pastoral Council and involved in the two year long “Listening Process” introduced by the bishop and resulted in the pastoral plan said the document was about empowering lay men and women to do more work.

The Pastoral Plan of the Diocese of Killaloe 2013 to 2020 outlined plans to “empower men and women to live their baptismal calling in the Church at local and diocesan levels” and “To call forth the variety of gifts present in our communities and put them at the service of all.”

Ms Hanley explained that the pastoral letter was then “dropped in” and was “hugely hurtful for women”.

Rita O’Brien from Scarriff, a midwife by profession, was hoping to do masters in pastoral care and was excited in getting more involved in the Church as a layperson until she saw the letter.

“This was an ad for something I knew I had a vocation to do and have the academic ability to study for,” she said. “I was deeply upset on a personal level.”

Martina Meskell from Clonlara, the facilitator of the meeting, said this group of women were not radicals or even feminists.

“We do not want any negativity or divisiveness over this,” she said, adding that they just wanted the pastoral plan implemented to include everyone irrespective of gender.

“We are all ordinary women who give our time voluntary because we care and have a strong faith.”

“It took a lot of courage to speak out with passion and dignity.

“There was a fear of speaking out because there was a fear of damaging relationships with parish priests or jeopardising employment for those women working for the dioceses,” she said.

“We really welcome Bishop Kieran’s decision to put this on hold and acknowledge his commitment to dialogue.”

GARDAÍ have warned that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated in Ennis on Wednesday night when large crowds of young people are expected in the town for a teenage disco.

Extra gardaí will be on duty throughout the town to make sure the event passes off without incident. The annual disco to celebrate the results of the junior cert takes place in the Queens Hotel on Wednesday, September 10, from 7.30 to 10.30pm.

The event is confined to students between 14 and 17 years of age and gardaí say that appropriate attire would be appreciated on the night.

They have issued advice to parents and transport operators ahead of the event.

KILRUSH has been named Ireland’s Tidiest Small Town in this year’s SuperValu National TidyTowns competition.

After seven years of receiving gold medals the town took the ultimate prize in its category and was one of just four towns that could have won the competition outright.

Kilrush was marked against strict adjudication criteria and beat off stiff competition from scores of other small towns throughout Ireland.

Other competition winners included Kilkenny City (Tidiest Large Urban Centre and overall winner), Clonegal, Carlow (Tidiest Village) and Westport, Mayo (Tidiest Large Town).

Speaking following ceremony at The Helix, Mayor of Clare Councillor John Crowe (FG) said the award success was a tribute to the local community in Kilrush and the work they had carried out to improve the appearance of the town.

“Key to Kilrush’s progress in the TidyTowns competition has been the partnership approach that it been adopted locally. There is a broad range of groups and organisations now involved in promoting and enhancing the appearance of the town including the local TidyTowns Committee, TUS scheme participants, staff from Clare County Council, the local business sector, and the people of the town and surrounding areas.”

“I would like to particularly acknowledge Kilrush TidyTowns Committee which has worked tirelessly and selflessly to improve the appearance of Kilrush. The volunteers have toiled throughout the year in various public areas to create and maintain flowerbeds, keeps streets tidy, cut grass and pick up litter. This award further enhances the status of Kilrush as a growing and prosperous town and as an attractive visitor destination,” the Cathaoirleach stated.

Kilrush received 316 points out of a maximum of 450, just four points less than the overall winner and four points ahead of Ennis which is a prevous overall winner.

In its report to Kilrush TidyTowns Committee, the Tidy Towns adjudicators said, “We have to say that our visit to Kilrush will be remembered as one of the highlights in our experience of adjudication over the years. This is because Kilrush itself is a lovely town, and most importantly its people have obviously appreciated that, have striven to retain its character, and continue to improve and move forward in many ways. We consider that you have all the enthusiasm to progress further, based on a solid achievement to date, and we look forward to following your progress in future years.”

There was further success for Clare today when Ennis joined Kilrush in being awarded a Gold Medal.

Meanwhile, Mountshannon received a Silver Medal with Ballynacally, Kilkee and Tuamgraney securing Bronze Medals. Kilrush, Mountshannon and Ennis picked up County Awards, Newmarket-onFergus won the Midwest Endeavour Award, and Ennis was named the overall winner of the Gum Litter Taskforce Award for Large Towns.

Tom Coughlan, Chief Executive of Clare County Council said Clare’s performance in the TidyTowns competition is particularly significant considering the extremely high standards set by the TidyTowns adjudication panel this year.

“TidyTowns helps to improve the visual appearance of Clare towns and villages, while it also acts as a springboard for local communities and the business sector to promote their local areas as a visitor destination. Clare County Council, through its support for Clare participants in the competition and through the funding allocated under the Public Area Enhancement Scheme, is delighted to see that the standards achieved were extremely high this year which is a tribute to everyone involved.”

THE absence of facilities for wheelchair users at the home of Clare GAA will come under microscope at a meeting in Ennis today.

Clare County Council is being asked to write to the Clare County Board to highlight a lack of suitable wheelchair facilities at Cusack Park.

The request comes from independent councillor Ann Norton in the form of a motion to the September meeting of the Ennis Municipal District Committee.

Cllr Norton, who is also the manager of the Barefield based Clare Crusader’s Clinic for children with special needs, is urging the council to write to the county board, “in relation to the lack of wheelchair accessible toilets and the current wheelchair viewing area in Cusack Park Ennis”.

Cllr Norton identifies a number of areas the council should focus in its letter to the GAA.

She queries why there is no wheelchair accessible toilet facilities in the grounds and if the current wheelchair viewing area is up the required health and safety standards.

Cllr Norton also wants the county board to outline proposals for bringing the current “deficiencies in basic facilities up to an acceptable standard- including a provision for a weather protected and adequate viewing are of the pitch – not hindered by fencing”.

She asks that a structure be put in place to ensure “wheelchair users have a genuine formal access to avail of match tickets and parking permits to games both within the county and the country.

“The current system is not acceptable – especially as there is no wheelchair access to Clare GAA headquarters in Clareabbey Clarecastle when applying for tickets,” Ms Norton added.

ONE fifth of Clare homeowners’ property tax is leaving the county to pay for services in other cities and counties.

More than half of the Local Property Tax (LPT) paid by Clare households is going back to the National Government, with 20 per cent of it being used to fund less financially effective councils across the country.

Irate members of the council last evening claimed they were being penalised for being “the good boys in the class” as it managed last year on the third lowest payout from central government funds nationally.

It emerged in a circular from central government to the council as late as last Friday, that 34 per cent of the Local Property Tax Fund will be used for funding roads and housing, a fund previously provided by central government from motor tax and other grants, and separate from the local government fund.

In essence from the € 10.4 million it is expected to collect in property tax, Clare County Council will be left with just € 4.7 million for essential council services.

Of that just € 2 million can be used at the council’s own descretion for services such as hedge cutting or taking housing estates in charge.

If the members vote to reduce this tax by 15 per cent, as they are allowed to do so, this figure will be reduced by a further € 1. 56 million.

According to the circular directed by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and seen by The Clare People , “Based on its surplus position when expected 2015 LPT receipts are compared to GPG Allocations 2014, Clare County Council will be not be in receipt of equalisation funding in 2015.

“Part of the surplus up to the equivalent of 20 per cent of total expected LPT income (or the full amount of the surplus if that is less than 20 per cent) can be used as discretionary income by local authorities for whatever purposes they wish as part of their normal budgetary process,” the letter stated.

“The remainder of the surplus, if any, will then be available to the local authority to fund vital services in the social housing and roads areas thereby replacing Central Government funding for some of these services.”

The funding of social housing and roads was not understood to be among the services covered by the LPT as they were not previously covered by the Local Government Fund.

Cllr Tom McNamara (FF) asked if the people of Clare were now to receive a 10 per cent reduction in their motor taxation costs to compensate for the money going to roads.

Each year Clare motorists pay € 30 million in motor taxation through the offices in Clare County Council. Of the money collected just 8.5 per cent of it is spent in Clare.

LPT funding collected in Clare will now also go towards road works.

CLARE county councillors cannot vote to reduce the Local Property Tax (LPT) until after a budget report is prepared and brought before them.

Council officials have just two weeks to complete a draft budget that previously took two months.

Delayed direction on its expenditure from central government and a requirement by Revenue to know its decision by the end of the month has put the council under sever pressure.

Council CEO Tom Coughlan said the final decision on increasing or decreasing the property tax will remain with the council members.

Former mayor of Clare, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) said that people “need to be aware that our property tax will be leaving the county.

“There is a feeling that Clare has a surplus and we can now give money back. The reality is the people of Clare are going to subsidise the people of other cities and counties. If we reduce it by 15 per cent what are the implications?” he asked.

Cllr Richard Nagle (FF) said that the reduction might just be between € 30 to € 40 per household but that is significant in many homes.

“€ 50 to € 100 is a lot to people out there because they just do not have it,” he told last evening’s meeting of the council.

Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) asked that the county manager instruct the county solicitor to challenge the breakdown of the taxation in the courts.

WHILE Kilrush Town Council may have invested € 350,000 in the future of the Kilrush Sports Complex during its dying days, Clare County Council must now get permission from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to spend the money.

Weeks before it was disbanded, the town council ring fenced funding for the next development phase of the project.

Phase one, which includes the best astro turf surface in the county and meets FIFA standards, is to be officially opened in the coming weeks and the local community is anxious that the next phase begins soon.

Before Kilrush Town Council was abolished the members adopted a resolution in April, 2014 to ring fence funding of € 200,000 for the development of future phases of Kilrush Sports Complex and in May, 2014, a further € 150,000 was set aside as part of the adoption of the 2013 Annual Financial Statement.

It was also agreed that Clare County Council would co-finance any development of Kilrush Sports Complex.

It is now understood that, in accordance with a Department circular (03/2009), it is necessary to obtain its approval for any capital expenditure.

John Corry, Meetings Administrator, West Clare Municipal District and former Kilrush Town Clerk, explained; “It would therefore be necessary for Clare County Council to seek such approval from the department in order to spend capital resources on any future phases of development at Kilrush Sports Complex. It would also be necessary for Clare County Council to plan for any capital resources which it would be investing in Kilrush Sports Complex and same would need to be discussed in the context of Budget preparations for 2015.”

In the last months a state of the art 75 metre by 38 metre astro turf pitch together with fencing, flood lighting and CCTV has been constructed as part of phase one of the facility on the Cooraclare Road.

The pitch was constructed at a cost of € 309,000. Kilrush Town Council provided € 190,000 towards the cost of this pitch.

Clare County Council is providing € 60,000 with € 59,000 being funded by a Sport Nation grant secured from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and Irish Public Bodies. Kilrush Town Council also funded the cost of the purchase of goals for the facility, the cost of professional fees incurred in designing the complex and the cost of upgrade works to the running track at Gallery Park. It has also recently been agreed by the Management Committee of Kilrush Sports Complex to carry out improvement works to Gallery Park Pitch at a cost of € 20,000 plus VAT.

The next phase of development proposed is the upgrading of the grass pitch on lands leased from the Department of Education.

A MAN who illegally parked in a disabled parking space at Ennis Courthouse has been disqualified from driving for three months.

At Ennis District Court on Friday, father of five Luan Heta, with an address at Park Avenue, Ennis, was also fined € 300 by Judge Patrick Durcan who has imposed stiff penalties on drivers convicted of such offences in recent months.

Mr Heta pleaded guilty to parking in a disabled person parking bay at Ennis Courthouse, Lifford Road, Ennis on March 26, 2014.

Defence solicitor Daragh Hassett told the court his client had business in the Courthouse on the day but could not get a parking spot. Mr Hassett said the court was particularly busy on the day in question.

He said Mr Heta forgot to pay the fixed charge penalty notice because of family difficulties he was experiencing at the time.

“He is very, very sorry,” Mr Hassett said.

Mr Hassett said he was aware this was a serious offence that the court has a particular view on. Asking the court not to disqualify his client from driving, Mr Hassett said his client has young children in school and any disqualification order would impose a hardship on the family.

Garda Liza McDonagh told the court that Mr Heta has eight previous convictions including for breach of the peace, assault and assault causing harm. Judge Patrick Durcan said that in his experience Ennis Courthouse is unique in the amount of parking spaces available for drivers.

Judge Durcan also noted that Mr Heta is a man with a “very violent history”.

In response, Mr Hassett acknowledged there was a time when Mr Heta “used to raise his fists regularly in this town” but he has matured with age.

Judge Durcan imposed a € 300 fine and by way of ancillary order, disqualified Mr Heta from driving for three months. Mr Hassett said he had been instructed by his client to appeal the decision.

Judge Durcan fixed recognisances at Mr Heta’s own bond of ˙€ 300 and an independent surety to be approved by the court of € 600.