Category: News

THE community of Ballyea was plunged into mourning last week following the death of father of five Gerard O’Connell.

Mr O’Connell died following a farm accident in Ballyea last week.

Just before 10pm on Wednesday night, Gardaí and emergency services were called to a farm in Ballyea where the 57 year old was fatally injured in an incident, believed to have involved a tractor and trailer.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, which was sealed off.

The Health and Safety Authority were informed of the incident and an investigation commenced when a HSA inspector visited the site on Thursday.

It is understood the deceased was loading cattle into the trailer at around 7pm when the accident occurred.

His body was later discovered at the scene by a family member.

One local described Mr O’Connell as an “absolute gentleman”.

“It’s an awful thing to happen. He was a lovely man, a hard worker and an absolute gentleman.”

Mr O’Connell’s son Gearóid is a member of the Clare U21 hurling side that will play in the All-Ireland final against Wexford on Saturday. Another son, Paddy, is also well known club hurler and footballer.

The tragedy is the second to take place on a farm in Clare in a fortnight.

On August 20, a 38-year-old single man died while he was fitting a wheel to a vehicle near his home in Liscannor.

The chairman of the Clare IFA, Andrew Dundas, expressed his condolences to the O’Connell family on their tragic loss.

“This was certainly a very sad case,” he said.

Mr Dundas said farm safety has been at the top of the IFA’s agenda in recent months.

Mr Dundas said it is important farm families get together and compile a safety audit of their farm and farm practices to identify areas that may be of concern.

Mr Dundas said the association is also concerned by the growing number of farmers who are working longer hours in order to earn a living.

“Certainly that is something that we are hearing again and again. People feel that they have to work longer and longer. Very few people can make a living directly from farming so you find people are working a lot longer,” he explained.

THE late Jim White has been recalled as a “dynamic and generous man” who made an “immense” contribution to the tourism industry in Clare.

The former Fine Gael TD and businessman passed away aged 76 last Tuesday. Originally from Donegal, he has a long association with the hotel industry in Clare.

He purchased the Hydro Hotel in Lisdoonvarna in the mid-seventies, which laid the foundations for what is now known as White’s Hotel Group, comprising the King Thomond, the Burren Castle Hotel and the Imperial Hotel. The Group also runs hotels in Donegal and Kerry.

Chairman of Lisdoonvarna Fáilte Ltd, Paddy Dunne, said Mr White was an “extremely popular and wellrespected man who will be greatly missed both at home in Donegal and here in North Clare”.

He continued, “Since the 1970s Jim’s contribution to the promotion of tourism in Lisdoonvarna has been immense. The White family’s investment in the town created, and continues to create, much needed employment in the local area. Indeed from the moment Jim arrived in Lisdoonvarna, following the purchase of the Hydro Hotel and the Moher Inn, which is now the Burren Castle Hotel, he employed locals. Initially during the renovation of the hotels he employed local trades people and then subsequently hotel staff.

“There are not many families in Lisdoonvarna who haven’t had at least one member employed at one of the White’s hotels. Jim was a dynamic and generous man who will be remembered fondly, particularly in September when the hotels are full and Lisdoonvarna really comes alive to the sounds of music and dancing,” Mr Dunne said. “Lisdoonvarna Fáilte would like to extend their sympathies to Jim’s family, in particular to his son, Marcus, who is a great supporter of Lisdoonvarna.”

Taoiseach Enda Kenny also paid tribute to Mr White, “a man of enormous positivity and generosity with huge credibility in the area of tourism and business”.

Mr Kenny continued, “In particular, his hard work led to an increase in tourism – spend in the north west of Ireland. He was a man of enormous popularity in Donegal and the North West in general and even managed to head the poll against Neill Blaney in a general election.”

Mr Kenny added, “I would like to extend on my own behalf and on behalf of the Fine Gael party my sincere condolences to all his family, especially his children Caroline, Bettina, Marcus, Sinead, James Jr, Megan and Mitchell. I called to see him only last Sunday in the Mater hospital where I met and spoke with his family as Jim approached his last days.”

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.

A NEW Clare feature film, which is set for a nationwide release later this month, was saved by Northern Ireland Screen after both the Irish Film Board (IFB) and the Irish Arts Council refused to to give it any funding.

The film, which is entitled ‘A Nightingale Falling’, is based on a novel of the same name by Kilnaboy broadcaster and writer, PJ Curtis.

The production company behind the film, Mixed Bag Media, made five separate funding applications in the Republic of Ireland and were rejected on each occasion.

These application included a request to the Irish Film Board for just € 2,000, which was turned down earlier this year.

Had this request been granted it would have given the film official IFB accreditation – allowing it to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival as well as allowing it to access the IFB’s own distribution supports.

Instead, the film, which is set in North Clare during the Irish War of Independence, was saved by unexpected funding from north of the border, and the IMC group of cinemas, who agreed to screen the film nationwide.

“We applied to the Arts Council two years in a row and applied to the Irish Film Board on a number of occasions.

“We never at any stage set up to be an independent film.

“We actively engaged and asked for help all the time,” said Garret Daly of Mixed Bag Media.

“We applied to the Irish Film Board on three separate occasions, the last time being the cost of the print that we showed at the Galway Film Fleadh.

“It became apparent to us as we were making the film that the IFB have their own distribution support fund, and if you don’t have IFB money in your project, you’re not entitled to apply for it.

“That was staring us in the face as we were completing the film – if we didn’t have IFB money in the film then realistically, no-one would be able to see it, because we would not be able to get it distributed.”

With funding for the production running out, Northern Ireland Screen stepped in to fund the recording of the films score by the Ulster Orchestra while, following rave reviews at the Galway Film Fleadh, the IMC independent group of cinemas came on board to ensure screening the film nationwide.

“The Irish Film Board have to make decisions on films every day. It’s hard to know how to react [to being rejected for funding]. It’s a subjective medium.

“All we can do is try and make it as successful as possible,” said Garret.

A spokesperson from the IFB yes- terday claimed that the organisation had received two, and not three, applications in relation to ‘A Nightingale Falling’.

“Whilst we can’t comment on the funding decisions of other funding bodies, I can confirm that all applications received by the IFB go through a rigorous assessment process and final funding decisions are made by the IFB board,” said a spokesperson.

“There is very strong competition for IFB development funding awards. In 2013 the IFB received 329 applications of which only 168 awards were made. Completion funding is even more competitive with much less funding awards available, with only three completion funding awards made in 2013. It is important to note that final funding decisions are and must be made on the strength of the application, the script and the specific film project involved and not on the amount of funding requested, no matter how small.

“We would like to wish the team behind ‘A Nightingale Falling’ every success with the exploitation of this film. Our production and development department is already in discussion with the team behind ‘A Nightingale Falling’ on a separate project.”

‘A Nightingale Falling’ will be screened in the Ennis cinema and 13 other cinema’s nationwide for a week from September 12. ENNIS native Eoin Doohan will be leading 50 cyclists from Dundalk to Liscannor this week in aid of cancer charities, with Cahercalla Hospice just one of the worthy causes set to benefit from the fundraising event. Eoin and his group are hoping to raise € 75,000 this week. “We will be stopping in Ennis Golf Club on Friday morning around 11am and that is almost the last leg of the cycle. “Hopefully there will be a good local turnout to welcome us and maybe throw a few euros into the bucket,” reports Eoin, who has undertaken a strict training regime to prepare for the 350km trip. The idea for the cycle came after Eoin lost a close friend Stephen Carroll last November. “Unfortunately in November 2013 a close friend of mine, Stephen Carroll, lost his year-long struggle against cancer. Stephen was just 38 and left a wife and three young kids behind him,” he said. “Stephen, among many things, was a wonderful cyclist and in the weeks before he passed away I told him of my intention to raise money for a number of cancer charities by undertaking a fundraising cycle from Dundalk to Liscannor in 2014. “The charities to benefit are The Irish Cancer Society, The North Louth Hospice and The Clare Hos

pice at Cahercalla.

“The help and support provided by the various cancer charities proved invaluable throughout Stephen’s fight against cancer and while it is impossible to repay the palliative care team and night nurses for how they cared for Stephen and his family I hope to raise funds in his name to ensure the amazing work these charities do continues,” said Eoin, who added, “I can still remember the look on Stephen’s face when I told him what we were planning.

“He got a good laugh out of it. Stephen was a great guy. It will be very emotional when we start, during and on the finish of the cycle.”

The cycle begins this Wednesday from from Stephen’s house in Dundalk this Wednesday and the group intend to finish in Liscannor on Friday evening.

Anyone who wants to contribute to such a worthy cause can click onto www.mycharity.ie and click on Sponsor a Friend and type in Eoin Doohan, or make their way to Ennis Golf Club on Friday morning and greet the cyclists and maybe contribute there.

AROUND 150 Irish people will soon be offered the chance of receiving a unique “Burren transplant” of orchid rich Burren land, thanks to a groundbreaking new conservation scheme.

Acres of orchid rich Burren habitat will be destroyed in the months ahead to make way for the extension of the M-18 motorway. Two local conservation groups, the BurrenBeo Trust and Conservation Volunteers Galway, have come up with an ambitious plan to transplant large sections of this land to public and private gardens all over the country.

The Burren is one of the world’s leading habitats for orchids. Twenty four of the twenty eight species of Irish orchids are all grow within the Burren, making it, by far, Ireland’s richest habitat for the rare flowers.

The two group are inviting appli cations from members of the public who wish to receive a free transplant of this unique Burren land. The groups are also in negotiation with a number of local authorities with a view to transplanting larger sections of the habitat into public land.

“The road is being built and all the compulsory purchase has already been done, so there is nothing to be lost from trying to preserve as much of this unique habitat as we can,” said Brigid Barry of the BurrenBeo Trust.

“The Burren is such an amazing habitat for orchids. It contains 24 of the 28 Irish orchids and we know that the land marked for transplant con- tains at least 15 species, but I would suspect that there are more.

“There are basically no orchids in Irish grasslands. There may be swamps in parts of the country where you might find two or three species or orchids, but noting like we have in the Burren.”

In order to obtain a free four foot squared Burren transplant, landowners much have a suitable, free draining limestone area when the land can be transplanted to.

“Orchids just don’t exist outside the Burren, they just don’t, it is such an important habitat for orchids in Ireland,” said Peter Butler of Conservation Volunteers.

“They will not survive the construction of the motorway, that’s for sure, so this is about conserving as much as we can. But we’re not giving it away for people to put in a pot in their garden. They will need to have suitable, free-draining, limestone ground.”

Anyone interested in obtaining a free Burren orchid transplant should email volunteer@burrenbeo.com.

A GARDA investigation is continuing following a “sinister” attempt to set fire to Ennis Courthouse last week. A homemade petrol bomb was fired through a window of a downstairs courtroom at the rear of the building in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The break in activated an alarm and gardaí and a unit of Ennis Fire Brigade arrived at the scene at 3.45am.

Only minor property damage was caused to the courtroom, which is home to the Family Law Court.

The courts were on the August holiday break and no disruption was caused to administrative court business.

A bottle containing a cloth and traces of an accelerant were discov- ered in the room.

Gardaí have commenced an extensive investigation.

The scene was the subject of a forensic examination on Thursday and gardaí have carried out door-to-door enquiries in the immediate area.

Gardaí are also trawling through CCTV footage from the grounds of the Courthouse and from Newbridge Road, New Road, Lifford Road and parts of the town centre.

They are also appealing for anyone who may have been in the area on the night to contact them.

Detective Inspector John Galvin from Ennis Garda Station, who is leading the investigation, says there were an “unusually high number of people” in the town at the time attending a debs ball.

“There were a lot of people and cars in the area because of the debs. There were quite a number of cars tipping about.

“You would have had parents collecting their children.

“We can see it on the CCTV, people in tuxedos and dresses going along the road.

“If this was two weeks ago there would not have been a sinner on the street.

“We would ask that anyone who did see anything unusual to contact us at Ennis Garda Station,” he explained.

Det Insp Galvin said the incident is being treated as “arson”.

Gardaí have yet to establish any motive for the crime.

Among their avenues of investigation is whether there is any significance in the bottle being thrown through the window of the Family Law Court.

“We’re looking at that but we don’t know yet if that is of any significance,” Det Insp Galvin said,

He continued, “We’re keeping it in mind during our investigations but the reality is we don’t yet know. We don’t what the motive was.

“An incident like this has never happened at a courthouse in my lifetime. It’s a most unusual sort of offence and at the moment we do not have a motive. I find it quite sinister.

“This is the seat of justice in Clare and for the people in Ennis, it is an iconic and historic building.

“There was relatively minor property damage but it’s the sinister aspect to this that makes it quite serious,” Det Insp Galvin added.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Ennis Garda Station at 065 6848100.

The normal court schedule returns this week at Ennis.

PLANS to construct a massive € 5 million graveyard and crematorium in Ennis have risen from the ashes with developers, Fenloe Property Development, appealing a decision made by Clare County Council last July to An mBord Pleanála.

The developers have lodged an appeal with the national planning authority which, if successful, could see the creation of a 4,000 plot large graveyard, as well as a crematorium just outside of Ennis.

The site, which is located at Ballaghfadda between Ennis and Clarecastle, is currently zoned residential and a material contravention of the Clare County Development Plan was required in order for the planning to go ahead through the normal planning process.

However, a planning application for the facility was already at an advanced stage when the matter went before the July meeting of Clare County Council, and the CEO of Clare County Council, Tom Coughlan, stated before the debate that planing would almost certainly be granted if the councillors had voted for the re-zoning.

A number of issues were raised in relation to the proposed Clarecastle site including the potential for pollution reaching the local water system, the traffic management of the site and a previous planning application for 250 houses on the site.

A number of procedural issues were also raised in relation to the proposal, including the proposal being advertised in the national and not the local media – with some claiming that more locals would would have made submissions on the proposal if it had been advertised locally.

The matter was put to a vote with 11 councillors voting to grant the material contravention and 15 voting against it.

The planned crematorium would see the construction of a a gated entrance, car park, chapel, offices, store, crematorium unit and furnace, memorial gardens and a large cemetery. The case is due to be decided by December of this year.