Category: News

THE homeless Czech national who has been described as “a real legend of a man” who died on the streets of Ennis after living in a public toilet in the town is finally being laid to rest this week. Fifty-two-year-old Josef Pavelka is to be buried in Drumcliffe Cemetery this Tuesday, following the removal of his remains to Ennis Cathedral on Monday evening where he was received by Fr Ger Fitzgerald. This final resting place for Mr Pavelka comes over two weeks after he died after efforts to repatriate the man’s body to his native country failed. With the help of the Czech Embassy in Dublin and Interpol, contact was made with a daughter and sister of Mr Pavelka concerning the repa- triation of the body.

However, his family members confirmed that they did not want his remains returned.

The remains of Mr Pavelka have remained at the morgue at the Midwest Regional Hospital in Limerick since his death on May 4 in a laneway just off O’Connell Street in Ennis.

“The people of Ennis will be delighted to hear they will be able to pay their respects to Josef as we have had numerous requests from people over the last 10 days asking will he be laid to rest here,” said Administrator of Ennis Parish.

“Josef was a believer and a churchgoer and he probably knew more people in Ennis than he did in his na- tive place,” he added.

Along with his friend, 35-year-old Polish national Piotr Baram, Mr Pavelka’s plight received national attention when district court judge, Patrick Durkan, said it was a scandal that he was living in a public toilet in the Market area of Ennis.

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THE upgrade and facelift of Francis Street in Kilrush in time for the National Famine Commemoration cost the local town council € 109,000.

Kilrush Town Clerk John Corry explained that the funding was setaside in this year’s budget and the upgrade was to take place as part of the 2013 road works.

“I had heard figures bandied about that it cost the council € 200,000 to upgrade Francis Street. It cost € 109,000,” he said.

Council workers ensured that the work was completed in time for the Famine Commemoration on May 12.

The total budget for the road’s programme for this year is € 115,000.

Each year a substantial amount of the funding goes to one particular project.

The council decided that the town’s widest street would be upgraded for 2013.

Reservations have been raised however that the council will leave itself short for any remedial or repair works it may have to carry out in the town as a result of another bad winter.

Mr Corry said the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has already given the local authority permission to use development contributions if such a case arises.

Complaints about the layout of parking on the street have also been made.

New white lines drawn up as part of the upgrade make for very tight parking spaces according to motorists.

Cllr Liam Williams (FG) said that the spaces at the top of Francis Street, from the post office towards the marina, are particularly tight.

Cllr Tom Prendeville (FF) said he witnessed a situation where a woman could not get out of her car when it was parked outside the bank.

She was parked correctly as were the drivers in neighbouring spaces but the markings were too close together to allow people to exit their cars.

A NORTH Clare committee has been set up to organise local opposition to the construction of massive twin fish farms off the Fanore coast. This follows a meeting in Ballyvaughan last Friday night, which attracted more than 100 concerned locals as well as people from as far away as Cork.

Details of the local committee will be formalised in the coming week an organised opposition to the fish farm is likely to intensify this month. Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), the state agency who are behind the development, were invited to send a representative to the meeting but were unable to do so.

Representatives of Clare TD’s Pat Breen (FG) and Michael McNamara (LAB) attended the meeting but the North Clare group expressed its dis- appointment that none of the county Dáil representatives were there in person.

“We are setting up a local committee later this week and we will be following up on everything that was said at the meeting. Pat Breen and Michael McNamara both sent representatives to the meeting. Many of the politicians in Galway, including the mayor, have come out publicly against the farm, so it was a shame that none of our local representative could be there in person. But maybe they can come on board in the future,” said a North Clare committee spokesperson.

“There was more than 100 people there at the meeting and not one them was in favour of the fish farm. There was a lot from North Clare but we had people from all over the west coast. There is now an issue for anyone along the western seaboard.

“This concerns everyone involved in who lives along the coast. It is not just the commercial fishermen, it’s people who are involved in the tourist industry – it’s all of us really.

“We invited the BIM and it was a shame that they could not get a representative there. They contact us at the eleventh hour and said that they would meet us if we cancelled the meeting and held it again on another day.”

CLARE County Manager, Tom Coughlan, has been appointed to the board of the new Shannon Airport Authority. Mr Coughlan is one of two new appointments to the SAA board, the move coming on the back of Clare County Council being a staunch supporter of the airport being given its independence from the Dublin Airport Authority.

Mr Coughlan’s appointment to the board, along with that of Tony Brazil of Limerick Travel, came into effect this Tuesday and completed the new SAA board.

“I welcome these appointments as they bring additional and relevant experience and expertise to the board,” said chairman of the SAA, Rose Hynes.

“Tony Brazil’s knowledge of all aspects of the tourism industry will be extremely valuable as we continue to grow passenger services at Shannon Airport. Tom Coughlan’s dynamism and energy as manager of Clare County Council, and his focus in that role on regional development and promotion, will also be a very positive addition to the board.

“I look forward to working with both of them towards delivering further on Shannon’s potential as a key economic driver for the wider region,” she added.

Mr Coughlan’s appointment honours a commitment given by Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar that there would be local authority involvement in the new Shannon Airport. As county manager, he as been in the vanguard of Clare County Council’s support of Shannon during and after the process that brought about its independence from the DAA.

“We are ready, willing and able to work with NEWCO and work with whoever we have to work with to try and make this a success,” he said when independence was finaly granted last December. “I think it can be the new start for Shannon – I think it has to be the new start because we cannot stay where we are. We have to make a new start, we have to move on from where we are. I very much echo the sentiment that doing nothing was not an option,” he added.

A NUMBER of events are planned in Clare to celebrate Africa Day, which takes place On May 25.

‘A Taste of Africa’ will take place in Clare County Council foyer, New Road, Ennis, from 12.30pm to 12.30pm on Wednesday, May 22, to mark Africa Day.

This community event will share some aspects of the rich heritage of various African countries and will create an opportunity for both African and non African Clare residents to enjoy some time together on this special occasion.

The event will include food tasting with explanations of the origins and recipes of the dishes and a display of African traditional attire. The mayor of Clare, Cllr Pat Daly, will also be in attendence.

Africa Day this year marks 50 years of the African Union and Afri- can Independence. It provides an opportunity for all Africans, including those who have made Ireland their home and non Africans to celebrate Africa, its people and their potential at a time of great opportunity for the continent.

The 50th anniversary of the African Union is an occasion to underline the change in the general narrative on Africa from despair and hopelessness to the potential of inclusive economic growth and the building of democratic institutions.

Abiodun Ladigbolu of the Association of Nigerians in County Clare (ANCC) said, “The ANCC, Clare Immigrant Support Centre, Ghanian Irish Friendship Society and Moroccan Irish Friendship Association are delighted to be working in cooperation with Clare County Council in bringing a Taste of Africa to Ennis on Wednesday. We hope we will be joined by many people on the day.”

Throughout Clare events are being organised in schools and libraries to mark Africa Day.

Africa Day on May 25 marks the 50th anniversary of Africa Day and African unity. Events are happening throughout Clare and Ireland until May 26.

The events include a showcase of African writers at Clare libraries; activities at Clare Youth Service and A Flavour of Africa experience at Little Hippies Childcare Centre.

THE DATA Protection Commissioner has written to a Clare school demanding that it turn off CCTV cameras in operation in a classroom in the school.

The school installed the CCTV system recently and within days of installation a complaint was received by the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC). Within the complaint it is alleged that the school in question installed the CCTV cameras in classrooms without consulting parents of children in the school.

In a letter sent by the DPC to the Chairperson of the Board of Management of the school, which has been seen by The Clare People , the officer stated the DPC “will not tolerate the use of CCTV cameras in the classroom”. The letter stated that an investigation of the complaint is underway.

The school have been given two weeks to respond to the letter, which lists four areas of concern, one of which is why the cameras were installed. The letter does not identify the complainant who brought the matter to the attention of the DPC.

DORIS Akujobi’s face shines with pride when she talks about her children.

Eldest son Victor recently graduated from Dublin City University with an honours degree in Biomedical Science. Doris smiles as she tells how Victor now works in the nutrition sector in Dublin. It’s no surprise to Doris or her husband Anselem that their 22-year-old son pursued a career in science. The former Ennis Community College student represented Ireland at the Junior Science Olympiad in Brazil. Like her brother, Jennifer Akujobi (23) has a talent for science. She holds a degree in chemical science and medicinal chemistry.

“They are very good, I thank God for them,” says Doris.

Anselem, Doris and their seven children – Victor, Jennifer, Chris, Alex, Sandra, Stephanie and Michael – have made a happy life for themselves since first coming to Ennis from Nigeria in 2002. The weather was of course a shock but the family soon settled into their new life.

Doris speaks warmly of her children’s time at Scoil Chriost Rí and Ennis Community College.

She says, “We have been so lucky with the schools and our friends. Life is good. It is calm. It is quite compared to Dublin. Dublin is crowded.”

Anselem worked in the Dell factory in Limerick for five years up to 2009. He now works as a taxi driver. “It’s very quite,” he says, “There is no nice job but it is better than staying idle,” he adds with a wry smile. Doris has worked with the Brothers of Charity since 2008. Last year she graduated from the Open Training College with a qualification in social care with disability. The family were granted citizenship in 2003 after a two-year wait. This was an important step for Doris and Anselem. The family are proud to call themselves Irish citizens. Doris says, “We have been responsible for ourselves. We always wanted to set a good example for our children. When the mother and father are working it sets a good example for the children.” It does sadden Doris though that some people retain a negative perception of African immigrants. She explains, “Sometime I am in the shopping centre with a big trolley of food for my family and people are looking at me. They see you and they kind of give you a second look. They don’t know who you are. They don’t know you are working. They don’t see that we pay tax, work hard. We are doing something to contribute to the country.” Like many Irish parents, Anselem and Doris have seen their children move abroad to look for work. Doris says, “All Irish children, when they finish school, should be able to stay in the country and get work. Every day I pray for the country.”

PRESIDENT of Ireland Michael D Higgins praised the work of the people in West Clare who worked to prepare for the National Famine Commemoration.

Speaking after the event from Glynn’s Mills, he described the performances by the local people as “a very fine production by the people of Kilrush”.

He paid special tribute to the drama piece, which had brought a tear to his wife’s eye.

“Sabina’s training is in the theatre and she is a founding member of the Focus Theatre with Deirdre O’Connell, and she identifies very clearly with it. That was a very moving piece. The [piece] about the eviction scene and the starvation scene was also very realistic. It is just simply a fact,” he said.

The president had spent almost an hour meeting with local people, hav- ing his photograph taken and signing copies of the Commemoration booklet.

“It was a great pleasure to come down to Clare. Earlier I was over in Carrigoran in the parish of Newmarket where I spent a long time,” he told reporters, referring to his childhood home.

The President who received his primary and secondary school education in Clare was well informed of its famine history.

“Clare had a particularly bad time with the famine because the blight lasted into the sixth year, and that meant you were still losing people. I think the deaths in Kilrush in one 18-month period were about 1,400 or 1,500. I remember seeing it when I looked at the figures over in Ennistymon,” he said.

“At one stage the two work houses in Kilrush and Ennistymon, the number in the workhouse exceeded the number in the population. And then in five years Kilrush itself lost 50 per cent of its population, but obviously for those who survived who are related this is very, very important event in terms of collective memory,” he added refereeing to information supplied to him by the Kilrush and District Historical Society.

“And then there are those who left and some of those would have died on the way to North America. If they were heading for the Canadian ports they were probably at far greater risks.

“Really in a curious way, I made reference in my own speech, that the ‘London Times’ was often unsympathetic during the middle of the famine, but 20 years afterwards said how a great mistake had been made, because now the Irish were in the country that was one of the most powerful in the world, and they would never let people forget the famine and who was responsible for it,” said the president.

THERE have been renewed calls for the installation of a pedestrian crossing near the Eire Óg GAA grounds.

It follows concerns expressed for the safety of children attending the club every week.

Concern was also raised over the lack of a pedestrian crossing on the Gort Road.

At yesterday’s meeting of councillors in the Ennis East electoral area, Mayor of Clare, Cllr Pat Daly (FF), requested an update on a proposed pedestrian crossing at the Eire Óg GAA grounds.

He told the meeting that as many as 200 children are attending the club every week. He described the situation as “treacherous” and “deadly dangerous”.

Cllr Daly warned that someone could be killed if a crossing is not put in place.

Senior executive engineer Eamon O’Dea stated that Ennis Town Council will carry out the evaluation process for the provision of a pedestrian crossing on Clonroadbeg this year “and subject to evaluation will proceed to consultation process”.

He continued, “The available resources are being used to develop works where funds are provided this year and the evaluation process will follow this work. The provision of a pedestrian crossing will be subject to the evaluation and available funding.”

Mr O’Dea told the meeting that Eire Óg is one of a number of areas around the town where the council has been asked to install a pedestrian crossing.

There were also calls for pedestrian crossing on the Gort Road, close to Ashfield Park. The request was made by Cllr Brian Meaney (FF) at a meeting of councillors in the Ennis West electoral area.

Cllr Meaney said there has been an increase in the number of people crossing the road since the opening of the Lidl store. He said there is also a need for a crossing to assist some people with special needs who are living in the area.

Mr O’Dea stated that the council will carry out an evaluation process. He added, “The available resources are being used to develop works where funds are provided this year and the evaluation process will follow this work. The provision of a pedestrian crossing will be subject to the evaluation and available funding.”

Mr O’Dea told the meeting that the council will engage with residents throughout the process.

CLARE County Council has ruled out the possibility of allocating a caretaker specifically for Ballyalla Lake.

Speaking yesterday, Ennis Town Manager Ger Dollard said there is a much bigger council presence at Ballyalla Lake than was the case 18 months ago.

Mr Dollard was responding to motion tabled by Ennis councillor Tony Mulqueen (FG) at a meeting of councillors in the Ennis West electoral area.

Cllr Mulqueen called on the Ennis area engineer to provide a caretaker at Ballyalla Lake “as this amenity had a caretaker in the past who carried out excellent work”.

Cllr Mulqueen told the meeting that it might be beneficial to have a caretaker in the area during summer season.

In his reply, senior executive engineer Eamon O’Dea stated that the council is providing the services required from existing operation personnel in conjunction with the local residents.

He continued, “The litter bins are collected by Ennis Town Council, the grass cutting is done by the grass cutting contractor covering the Ennis town and environs area, the gardening section of the council maintain the hedges near the car parking and the council area staff maintain the walks. The council has carried out improvement works at Ballyalla amenity area under the Smarter Travel Funding in 2011 and are seeking funding for further works.”

Mr O’Dea told the meeting that he could not see the caretaker position being re-introduced. He said area staff have been allocated to carry out maintenance work around Ballyalla and the system is working “reasonably well”. Mr O’Dea said the council is aware of issues that arise in the area on weekends.

Mr Dollard said that given the current financial climate, it is hard to see a caretaker being allocated to Ballyalla.

The meeting heard that one major works scheme is planned for Ballyalla. However that has been delayed pending approval of funding under the LEADER scheme.

A working group comprising residents, councillors, businesses and wildlife services has been established to examine proposals in relation to Ballyalla.

The group, former following a public meeting in Ennis last month, are due to hold their first meeting in June.