Category: News

A MAN who set fire to property owned by a man who harassed his mother did so out of “loyalty and love for his mother”, a court has heard.

Judge Patrick Durcan said he accepted that 21-year- old Aaron Moylan had a certain “motivation” for damaging garden sheds at The Hawthorns, Limerick Road Ennis on June 27, 2012. At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Mr Moylan, with an address at 8 Abbey Court, Ennis pleaded guilty to two charges of damaging two garden sheds by fire.

Judge Durcan this was a “very seri- ous and dangerous offence to commit.”

The court heard that Mr Moylan set fire to a garden shed owned by former Dell worker William Keane (40). In January, Mr Keane, with an address at the Hawthorns, Limerick Road, Ennis, pleaded guilty to harassment of a woman.

The incidents occurred over a 12month period on dates unknown between October 1 (2011) and September 1 (2012).

Mr Keane was ordered by Judge Durcan not to have any contact with the injured party. On Wednesday, Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that Mr Moylan had an issue with a person living in The Hawthorns who had been involved in a relationship with his mother.

Insp Kennedy said that Mr Moylan went to the man’s property and set fire to the shed with a small bit of fuel and a lighter.

A shed in a neighbouring house was also damaged by fire as a result of the incident. Mr Moylan has no previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey told the court that William Keane had harassed and stalked her client’s mother. She said the woman installed CCTV at her home because she was afraid of Mr Keane.

She said Mr Moylan had “cracked.” “He did what he felt would attack Mr Keane’s sense of security,” she added.

Inspector Kennedy said a certain amount of provocation could be attributed to Mr Moylan’s actions.

He added, “Mr Moylan was way out of order in going to set fire to this property. It was very dangerous and could have got out of control.”

Judge Patrick Durcan said, “I accept his motivation was out of loyalty and love for his mother….but I also agree this was a very serious and dangerous offence to commit.”

Judge Durcan adjourned the case until September 4 to allow time for compensation to be paid.

ENNIS Town Council has warned that dog owners who do not clean up after their animals who foul in public areas will be fined and prosecuted under the Litter Pollution Act.

Environmental wardens will be renewing efforts to combat dog fouling around the town by actively targeting blackspot areas over the coming weeks, the local authority said.

The public are also being encouraged to report, in confidence, to Ennis Town Council any offences they see being committed.

“Dog fouling is an issue that has been on top of people’s mind as the worst form of litter and has been one of the top issues of complaint from members of the public in recent times,” explained environmental warden Gerry Murphy.

Mr Murphy noted that dog owners are responsible for cleaning up after their pets in public areas but some are ignoring their responsibilities. He added that dog waste is not only a nuisance but can carry diseases which can be harmful to humans.

He continued, “The council is keen to promote the message that allowing your dog to foul in a public area and then not picking it up is simply unacceptable. Failing to clean up after your dog is the same as littering and is an offence under the Litter Pollution Acts. If you do not clean up after your dog you could face an on the spot fine of € 150 or up to a maximum fine of € 3,000 in court for each offence.”

“In January 2012, Ennis Town Council launched Personal Poop Scoop Dispensers which are available free of charge to dog owners from Ennis Town Council offices and the Dog Pound on the Gort Road in Ennis.

“These dispensers, which fit directly on to a dog lead so dog owners will not forget to bring them with them, are being made available so as to help dog owners to meet their civic duty not to cause a mess when exercising their pets,” Mr Murphy concluded.

To report littering contact Ennis Town Council’s Environment Section at 065 6828040. For further information contact www.ennistowncouncil.ie.

BED and breakfasts in Kilrush have a reported a 20 per cent increase in business compared to the May bank holiday last year.

The boost in bed numbers has been attributed to the National Famine Commemoration 2013, with event beginning on Friday night last.

Accommodation providers in West Clare from Lissycasey to the tip of the peninsula are also preparing for an upcoming busy week and weekend, as events building up to the National Famine Commemoration in the area’s biggest town attract new visitors to the west of the county.

The Kilrush marketing and development officer Síobhan Garvey said early estimates suggest that the 10 days of events and Sunday’s ceremony will give the town an economic boost of approximately € 100,000.

The full financial impact will not be known for a few weeks however.

Honorary secretary of Kilrush Chamber of Commerce Mary Rose Counihan added that while it is not known exactly by how much the town’s businesses will benefit, it will provide an economic boost.

She agreed it was likely to be worth over € 100,000.

“It is bringing people to the town who would not usually think of visiting the area,” she said.

“The town is literally buzzing. There are loads of people around that would not normally be around.”

In the past few days lecturers and speakers, along with their family and friends, have been checking into B&Bs and hotels in the area.

History enthusiasts have also been availing of the lectures and events that are being provided free of charge in West Clare, many staying a number of days.

This weekend 46 ambassadors are also due to visit Kilrush as part of the official commemoration ceremony.

It is understood some of these diplomats have already booked into the five star Doonbeg Lodge, with more expected to stay in other hotels in the county. And despite the inclement weather which endured during the opening ceremony in Carrigaholt, enthusiasm for this national event continues as week-long events have been organised by the local council and community.

UNMANNED flying drones could be used by gardaí to combat mobile crime gangs, an Ennis councillor has suggested.

Fine Gael councillor Johnny Flynn said the small, unmanned aircraft could form part of a Pilot Policing Technology (PPT) scheme to assist gardaí.

Cllr Flynn is calling on the Minister for Justice to start an initial phase of the scheme which he says would “assist the war on crime by putting in place immediately a scheme to fund mobile CCTV and other tech- nologies for Ennis Gardaí to combat anti-social behaviour and in housing estates”.

Details of the scheme are contained in a motion submitted by Cllr Flynn to today’s meeting of Ennis Town Council.

Cllr Flynn explained, “This funding mechanism scheme could be modelled along the lines of a similar one that is currently in place under the responsibility of the Minister of Environment.”

Cllr Flynn states that the scheme was used by the council to fund the purchase of mobile CCTV equipment to deal more effectively with fly tipping and other forms of illegal dumping.

He says that mobile CCTV systems should be positioned by the gardaí, for periods as long as is necessary, on streets and estates in Ennis affected by anti-social behaviour.

He adds, “This scheme should also consider the use of unmanned flying drones as a resource for Gardaí in its battle with mobile criminals and other anti-social elements in society.”

Drone aircraft have been used most recently by the United States army for surveillance and armed missions in parts of the Middle East and Africa. The motion is due to be discussed at today’s meeting of Ennis Town Council. Meanwhile, the quality of life in Ennis’ estates is also due to be discussed at the meeting.

Fianna Fáil councillor Brian Meaney is urging the council to consider developing a Neighbour Investment Plan for some estates in Ennis.

In a motion, Cllr Meaney said the plan could aid estates “improve their performance across a range of quality of life indicators, which in come cases are below regional and national averages”.

Deputy Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) is calling on the council to “apply to become one of the pilot towns in Retail Excellence Ireland’s National Town and City Project.”

THE futures of many of County Clare’s post offices are under threat, according to one Clare postmaster, as they could lose the contract for social welfare payments.

The Government must wake up to the threat to post offices in County Clare, the annual conference of the Irish Postmasters’ Union was told by Clare-born postmaster Tom O’Callaghan at the weekend.

Mr O’Callaghan from Kildysart, who is a postmaster in Upper William Street, Limerick, told the delegates to the conference in Fitzpatrick’s Hotel, Killiney, Co Dublin, that the future of hundreds of post offices nationally, and a number in Clare, were in the balance due to the fact that the social welfare payments contract is being internationally tendered.

“We understand that there is a very good chance that in the short term An Post will retain the contract but a second tender is to be issued in June that could result in a major transfer of the social welfare payment system to an electronic form,” he said.

“We are not against new technology or progress but the public are entitled to access their money in the way that best suits their needs. We do not yet know the full terms of the new tender but we are very concerned that it will force the successful tender to rush headlong down the e-commerce route.

“The Government should be very wary of the consequences, not just for an estimated 400 post offices that would close immediately if An Post were to lose the contract, but also for Irish society. It would be catastrophic,” the West Clare man warned.

Mr O’Callaghan, who represents postmasters in Clare, Limerick, Kerry and Kilmallock, told the delegates that the public were being forced more and more into using banks that don’t want to see customers, are forever increasing or introducing new charges and in whom the public have little trust. “As we saw last year people can also go weeks without having access to the cash in their bank account,” he said.

“Another issue we have with Government is their failure to utilise the outstanding network of 1,100 post offices throughout the country to provide additional services to com- munities,” said Mr O’Callaghan. “We commissioned the accountancy firm Grant Thornton to validate our figures and they established that by allowing the public to renew their motor tax in post offices it would save the taxpayer € 60 million.”

“We also believe there is a real opportunity to develop a system of electronic form generation where forms can be printed as required at post offices for a small fee; forms can be updated on request, and these services would save the Government money. Hospital charges could also be paid through our network.”

BIDS from all over the world have already been made for a priceless piece of JRR Tolkien memorabilia, which will go under the hammer as part of the first ever Burren Tolkien Festival this month.

A signed copy of ‘Tree of Leaf’ will be auctioned for charity in Lisdoonvarna next Thursday, May 16. The book is the first run of the first edition of the book and was personally given to Lisdoonvarna resident Jeremy Prince, when he was a student of Tolkien’s at Oxford.

The silent auction will be managed by Scéal Eile bookshop in Ennis and will form the finale of the Tolkien Festival.

A number of digital bids have already been received from international collectors and bids will be accepted through email or in person until 3pm on May 16. No detail of the bids will be made public during the auction and the largest bid will receive the priceless copy.

“People are already bidding by email and people will be able to bid in the room on the day,” said Pat Hynes of Scéal Eile.

“The book is special because we know Tolkien has handled it. He took it off his book shelf and handed it to Jeremy Prince 50 years ago. But it is also facsimile signed – so we know that it came from the very first print run, which is always the most valuable.”

The book has been fully restored by Scéal Eile in preparation for the auction.

“The book will be on display during the festival so people can come and have a look at it. We have had a lot of interest in the book already but I would imaging they will be a rush in the days before the auction,” said Eibhleann Ni Ghríofa of Scéal Eile.

“We should know soon after the deadline who will get the book; everything should be sorted out in 15 or 20 minutes. There are a few events due to take place after the auction close so it should be a great finale for the festival.”

Anyone who wishes to register to make a bid in silent auction can do so at a cost of € 50 at www.scealeilebooks.ie.

OPPOSITION to a € 60 million fishfarm proposed off the Doolin and Fanore coast solidified this week week with Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and Clare TD Michael McNamara all coming out against the controvertial development.

The two main opposition parties have now both adopted policy documents against the proposed fish farm – and nine other large scale fish farms which are understood to be in line for construction along the west coast – should the Clare fish farm be granted a licence by the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney (FG).

Michael McNamara has also become the first Clare Oireachtas member to put his cards on the table about the proposed fish farm. Following a meeting with North Clare fishermen and other connected with the fish-industry last month, the East Clare deputy last week raised concerns about the scale of the proposed development.

He also questioned whether Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), who are proposing the construction of the fish farm, have done enough to promote the fish-related employment which already exists in North Clare.

“I would question whether the scale of proposals by BIM, in relation to the development of salmon farms, is compatible with marketing and developing our own indigenous inshore fishing sector. The on-going availability of fresh, high-quality fish is also crucial to our tourism sector and should not be jeopardised under any circumstances,” he said. “Speakers [at the North Clare meeting] said that the cages would be unsightly from Doolin and the revenue yielded by tourism to the Cliffs of Moher, Connemara and the Burren could be put in jeopardy.” Deputy McNamara also said that markets for species such as bass, cod, mackerel and velvet crab should be assisted by BIM rather than proposing to build a very large salmon farm and end up “destroying” the industries and activities on which the coastal communities depend. Tue07May13

GARDAÍ were forced to intervene when members of two Ennis famillies were allegedly involved in an confrontation at Ennis Courthouse on Wednesday.

The alleged incident took place just inside the door of the courthouse shortly before 10.30am. As many as three men were allegedly involved in the incident.

Sittings of Ennis District Court and the Family Law Court meant a large number of people were in the Courthouse at the time. One man required hospital treatment as a result of the alleged assault he occurred.

Two men were arrested, with one appearing before the District Court that afternoon.

Edward McDonagh (33), with an address at 18 Davitt Terrace, Cloughleigh, is charged with assault and engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace.

Inspector Tom Kennedy said the accused appeared before the court following a “fracas” that developed outside the courtroom.

He said the State strongly opposed bail for Mr McDonagh. He said he did not think the conduct that is alleged in a public place could be condoned. “Its happening too often,” he added. Insp Kennedy said it would be alleged that the incident stemmed from a “violent feud” that developed in the town over the last 12 months.

He said the State opposed bail because the “public interest demanded something be done.”

Insp Kennedy added, “How much more are going to have to take, short of them coming into the courtroom and attacking all and sundry, if they can’t restrain themselves from disrespecting this courthouse.”

Defence solicitor Fiona Hehir told the court that her client will say he was spat at and provoked. Detective Garda John Casey, who gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution, said he accepted there may have been an element of provocation.

Judge Durcan said he shared some of Insp Kennedy’s concerns. He said he heard some of the “consternation” outside the courtroom.

Judge Durcan ruled that no issues arose under the Bail Act. He remanded Mr McDonagh in custody with conset to bail. A surety was later approved for the accused and he was released on bail.

Judge Durcan ordered the case be listed for hearing tomorrow (Wednesday).

He said, “I’m not going to have people coming in and treating this Courthouse and the public the way he allegedly did.”

COMMERCIAL companies, including organisations that have a charitable ethos are erecting clothing banks on public and private property in Clare without permission, according to Clare County Council.

Some of these banks are duping people into believing they are donating to charity, while they are really contributing to a multi-million euro private enterprise.

Clothes recycling is a multi million-euro business in Ireland with charitable organisation using second hand clothing as a form of fundraising. What is not sold as clothing is shredded and used as industrial rag cloth. However not all clothes banks are for charity, including some that claim to be.

Clare County Council has adopted a policy of putting warning notices on offending banks and removing them from the sites if the warning is ignored. A lack of legislation however makes it impossible for the local authority to regulate clothing banks, and it is therefore impossible to calculate how many clothing banks are in the county.

Not all clothing banks are erected illegally however. Clare County Council has 17 sites with Clare County Council Clothing Banks on them. These include the five recycling centres and 12 bring bank sites. Some of these sites have a single clothes bank, while others have two, which is dependent on the amount of clothing being brought to the sites and if there has been a history of issues with clothing be dumped at sites with banks overflowing.

Clare County Council does not rent space to companies and clothes banks that are installed at Clare County Council sites as part of an agreed contract are not belonging to any charity at present. Charities have tendered for this contract however and it is expected that charitable contracts will be awarded shortly.

While the local authority only put Clare County Council clothes banks on council property, there have been issues with private individuals or companies illegally installing banks on council property. The council has issued warnings and removed these banks when they are discovered.

A spokesperson for Clare County Council said that there are a number of clothing banks also on private property, both with and without the owners’ permission. “Numerous companies and charities place clothes banks on private property including sites where Clare County Council have bottle banks. This may be with the agreement of the owner of the property and sometimes a financial agreement takes place between both parties. There are occasions where clothes banks are put on private property without the permission of the owners and Clare County Council have been contacted in relation to this, looking for the banks to be removed,” he said.

“There is no legislation in place for dealing with this and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) do not consider clothing banks to be a waste stream, therefore waste permits are not required to install clothing banks on properties.

“A lot of clothes banks may advertise charities on them but the charity may not own the banks. The charities get a percentage of the profit from the banks. There are also a lot of questionable charity names on some banks,” he added.

A RESIDENT has described what he called the “neglect” of Ballyalla Lake over the past 30 years as “an absolute disgrace”.

Noel O’Driscoll who has lived across from Ballyalla Lake for 33 years, was speaking at public meeting in Ennis last week.

Mr O’Driscoll said the area has been blighted by the illegal dumping of waste.

He said he has seen all types of waste dumped around the lake. Mr O’Driscoll said numerous promises had been made during election cam- paigns but nothing had ever been done to solve problems at Ballyalla.

He added, “It has been an absolute disgrace the way this amenity has been neglected.”

Around 47 people attended the meeting at the Auburn Lodge Hotel, which heard a number of proposals for Ballyalla including unlocking the lake’s Blue Flag potential.

13 people expressed an interest in joining a working group.

A majority of people present also voted in favour of pursuing Blue Flag status and protecting the area’s unique biodiversity status.

The meeting was called by local councilor Johnny Flynn (FG).

Cllr Flynn told the meeting that Blue Flag status would be accompanied by byelaws that could prevent the use of speedboats and jet-skis, an issue that arose as a point of concern for some contributors at the meeting.

At the May meeting of Ennis Town Council, Cllr Flynn is calling on Ennis Town Council to draft byelaws that would allow for Gandelow boat journeys on the River Fergus, from Knox’s Bridge, to Steele’s Rock to the Post Office Field.

A Gandelow is a boat that had been used on the River Shannon and Fergus Estuary.

Cllr Flynn said the initiative would seek to promote Ennis as the midwest’s premier romance town.

Brian O’Neill, Chairman of Promote Ennis, said Ennis would benefit from having a top class environmentally friendly waterside amenity in close proximity to the town.

He said, “The benefits are simple. It would be more likely for tourist to come to Ennis, to stay for longer to spend more money, which in turn would create more employment. It could be a major employer for the town of Ennis.”

He added, “With the motorway you can now be in Dublin in two-hours. For this reason it’s now feasible for tourists to go to the Cliffs of Moher and back without spending € 1 in Clare. The Wild Atlantic is fantastic for towns and villages in the west of Ireland but it is giving them another reason to bypass Ennis. We need to give people as many reasons to divert into town.”

He said, “There is something missing. From my own conversations with tourists; they are looking for something else to do. Whether it’s a couple or a group of friends. Lees Road is a fantastic amenity but it is mainly a sports amenity. But there is a demand for activity-based tourism, surfing kayaking rock-climbing. There is a demand and the demand is growing.”