Category: News

AN EAST Clare woman interrupted two burglars who broke into her home in broad daylight on Friday morning last. The woman, who lives in a house in Drewborough in Scariff, was out the front of her house painting at around 11.25am last Friday, April 5, when the incident took place.

She walked into her house and discovered two males in one of her bedrooms. The males, who were aged in their mid to late teens and were wearing baseball caps, fled the scene. They had entered the building after forcing a rear window.

A burglary also took place at a house in Lisdoonvarna over the last two weeks. The house, which is located in Rooska, was broken into some time between 6pm on Sunday, May 24, and 6am on Saturday, April 6. Glass was broken on the front door to allow access to the house and a box containing some cash and personal belongings was taken.

A number of incidents of theft and criminal damage were reported in the North Clare area over the weekend.

A boat located on the pier in Ballyvaughan was broken into some time between 10pm on Friday evening and 7am on Saturday morning. Noting was stolen from the boat.

Last Thursday, April 4, a number of cars were broken into close to the Poulnabrone Dolmen. Two rental cars belonging to tourists from New Zealand and Germany were broken into and handbags, wallets, cash and passports were taken.

More than 600 metres of cable was also stolen from a telephone pole in Tubber at some time between Midnight on Monday, April 1, and 5am on Tuesday, April 2.

Two tonnes of fertiliser was also stolen from lands at Ballypottery in Corofin at some time between 3pm on Tuesday, April 2, and 11am on Wednesday, April 3. Anyone with information on any of these incidents is asked to contact their local Garda station.

CLARE’S rivers have been devastated by pollution over the last 15 years with nearly half of the county’s formally pristine waterways now polluted.

That is according to a survey released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week, which also calls for an investigation to be carried out to determine the exact cause of the rapid deterioration of the county’s waterways.

The survey has been criticised by the Clare branch of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) who say that the information is out of date and does not reflect the massive improvements made in water standards over the last five years.

According to the EPA survey, there were a total of 45 ‘high status’ or pristine river sites in Clare in 1998. This number declined to 32 in 2006, with a further decline to just 24 pristine sited in 2009. This represents a drop of more than 46 per cent in the number of high quality sites between 1998 and 2009.

Broadford, Lough Graney and Owengarney each currently boast three high status sites each with the rest of the pristine sites located throughout the East Clare water sys- tems and the rest of the county.

The Clare Chairman of the IFA, Andrew Dundas, yesterday described the EPA report as scaremongering and out of date.

“The EPA information does not take into account the massive amount of work that was done on farms building in recent years – especially in the years between 2006 and 2008 when 2.5 billion was spend on Irish farms,” he said.

“Farming is now a very highly regulated area and many of the changes suggested [by the EPA report] are already in place. We have had the introduction of the Nitrates Directive and farmers must now undertake a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) before they undertake any drainage work can take place.

“This is scaremongering and the information is just not up to date. The report also identifies rural septic tanks as a main concern and we all know that that issue is being changed dramatically.

“Farmers see themselves as the caretakers of the environment and it is in our interest to ensure that pollution does not become an issue in our water systems.” The Clare People contacted the EPA in relation to this story but no comment was available at the time of going to print.

AN ATTEMPT to rescue the three bottlenose dolphins who are trapped in shallow waters in Bunratty will be made later this week.

The dolphins, who are part of a school who normally live much farther down the Shannon Estuary, have been stranded in the fresh water areas for 10 days now, and could succumb to liver failure if they are not returned to salt water soon.

A rescue mission is likely to be conducted this Wednesday or Thursday, to coincide with low spring tide. The low tide will make it easier to catch the dolphins but it also increases the chances that the one or more of the animals might get beached in the shallow water.

According to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG), the dolphins currently appear relatively healthy. The animals have been creating quite a stir in Bunratty since they appeared on March 31, but there have also been reports of young people throwing stones and other missiles at them.

“In my opinion something will have to be tried this week. They are healthy at the moment but with the low tide coming on Wednesday, something will probably have to be tried,” said Simon Berrow of the IWDG.

“The longer this goes on the more stressed the animals will get. They are in fresh water and that is damaging their kidneys right now and it will also start to damage their skin as well.

“We have also heard reports of kids throwing stones at them when they get close to the shore and we would appeal to anyone who comes to visit the dolphins, not to engage in this sort of behavior.”

The dolphins were discovered on March 31, in murky water close to the old bridge over the Ratty River and Durty Nelly’s Pub.

The last time that dolphins became stranded in this area was in 1995, when Clare recorded one of its finest summers in recent memory. Some locals are hopeful that the return of the dolphins are a sign of a good summer ahead.

Hurling fans are also hopeful that the return of the dolphins to Bunratty may also be on omen suggesting a hurling season similar to what took place in 1995.

CLARE’S fire fighters fought back a fire within feet of a family home, and kept multiple outhouses and sheds from burning to the ground during a week of unprecedented numbers of “wild land fires”.

There were up to 50 fires in bog lands, forestry and open ground since last Wednesday, stretching the 77 personnel of the county’s fire service to capacity.

Some of the fires took up to eight hours to get under control.

Fire chief Adrian Kelly described the cause of the fires as “hand of man”, explaining, “It is very difficult to see how they started naturally.”

The weather was not condusive to fires starting on their own, with many starting during night hours, he told The Clare People .

Early estimations set the cost of the call outs at more than € 30,000.

There were as many as 30 call outs to gorse fires in Clare during the last weekend alone – 12 on Friday, six on Saturday and another half a dozen on Sunday.

Fire Brigades from Ennis, Shannon, Killaloe, Kilrush, Ennistymon, Kilkee and Scariff have attended fires this week in areas including Shannon, Doonass, Coore, Twomilegate, Ennis, Cahermurphy, Doonbeg, Ogonnelloe, Connolly, Doolin, Tulla, Portroe, Kilmaley, Whitegate, Ballycuggeran, Doora, Killaloe, Ballymacurtaun, Booltiagh and Crusheen. On Wednesday night, every available fire fighter in the county was deployed as a result of gorse and forestry fires.

During the week-long inferno people lost property and livelihoods in the form of burnt down forestry, to numerous blazes.

Angela Naughton, Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer, warned that life and property were put at risk by the fires.

“The highest risk period for quickly spreading fires occurs between March and June, when ground vegetation is dead and dry following the winter period. Fires have spread quickly this week due to the dry vegetation, low humidity and strong easterly winds which fed the fires,” she said.

“We would like to remind landowners that it is an offence under the Wildlife Act to burn growing vegetation between March 1 and August 31 in any year, on any land not then cultivated. The sad fact is that if this simple rule was adhered to, many costly and dangerous wildfires would be avoided,” she added.

Landowners burning gorse, scrub, or vegetation must inform the Fire Service at least one day in advance on 999 providing details of the location, time and duration of burning. More and more people are doing this according to Mr Kelly.

The fire chief said that during the last week the fire service was “put to the pin of its collar with so many different fires going on at the same time”.

He said a huge amount of credit must go to the county’s dedicated fire fighters who save numerous properties. The county’s most senior fire service member also advised, “If people see anything suspicious in their area they should contact the Gardaí straight away.”

CLARE men are bearing the brunt of the recession in the Banner County, with a large difference in the number of men signing on the live register compared to women.

In 2006, the number of women signing on the live register in Clare was almost equal to the number of men. In January of that year 1,878 women (46.4 per cent) and 2,185 men (53.6 per cent) signed on in Clare.

Figures obtained by the Central Statistics Office show that both genders have been effected negatively by the recession – the increase in the number of Clare men signing-on over the last seven years is far higher than the number of women.

In January of 2013 there were 3,990 women signing on the live register in Clare, an increase of 112.46 per cent since 2006. In the same month there were 6,093 men signing on in the county – an increase of 178.85 per cent over the same period.

The Construction Industry Federation (CIF) believe that this gender difference has been brought about as a result for job losses in the construction area. The CIF estimated that 8, 500 Clare construction jobs have been lost since 2006, with the majority of these jobs losses coming in male dominated trades.

“In 2006 and 2007 we estimate that there would have been around 10,000 people working in construction sector industry in Clare. It is very hard to get an exact figure at the moment but we would estimate that that is now down to around 2, 500 jobs,” said Conor O’Connell, local spokesperson for the CIF.

“We have been saying this for years; the decline in the construction industry is responsible for the lion’s share of people who are unemployed. Other sectors have been hit, but nothing like the hit that construction has taken.

“We are looking at a lost generation. Every week we are seeing people made redundant who probably won’t work again in the industry. There is no easy way of saying that, it is very difficult for people. It is very difficult to see an upturn.”

Patrick DEEGAN
Ballymacahill, Barefield, Ennis. Funeral mass on Tuesday inThe Church of the Immaculate Conception, Barefield at 11 o’clock followed by cremation in Ringaskiddy Crematorium, Cork. House private. May he rest in peace.

Patrick STAUNTON
Moymore, Lahinch and formerly of Lissatava, Hollymount Co Mayo. Peacefully at Cahercalla Community Hospice, Ennis. Funeral mass onTuesday at 12 o’clock at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Roundfort, with burial after in Roundfort cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Mary MALONEY, (née Healy)
of Circular Road Ennistymon. Unexpectedly. Laid to rest in Ennistymon (new) cemetery. May she rest in peace.

John MARRINAN
of Marine Parade, Kilkee. Peacefully. Laid to rest in Lisdeen Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Seán DOWNES
of CrossVillage and formerly of Tullig, Cross.At Ennis General Hospital. Laid to rest in Kilballyowen Cemetery, Cross. May he rest in peace.

John O’BRIEN
of Gortnalough, Firies, Co Kerry and formerly of Annagh, Miltown Malbay. Laid to rest in Kildimo Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Bernard PRIEST
of Steele’sTerrace and late of Fergus Park, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Joan SUMMERLY, (née Magrath)
of 13 Brookville, Claureen, Lahinch Road, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Nora COSTELLO, (née O’Connell)
of Derryard, Doonbeg. Peacefully. Laid to rest in Lisdeen Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Maree DUFFY
of 51 Cronin Gardens, Shannon. Laid to rest in Illaunamanagh Cemetery. Donations, if desired, to Irish Cancer Society. May she rest in peace.

Andrew (Andy) FAWL
of 94 Shalee Drive, Cloughleigh, Ennis. Laid to rest in Cashel Cemetery,Tipperary. May he rest in peace.

Maura FLAHERTY
of No.5 Hillcrest, Mullinary, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan and Kilrush. Late of Tullycrine, Kilrush, at Glencarron Nursing Home, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh. Laid to rest in Prospect Cemetery Glasnevin. Donations in lieu, if desired, to Carrickmacross Cancer Care. May she rest in peace.

Paddy NEYLON
of Roughan, Kilnaboy. In his 95th year. Laid to rest in Laughtagona Cemetery, Corofin. May he rest in peace.

Conor HARTY
of 2, Dun an Oir, Shannon. Late of 2 ,The Path, Garryowen, Limerick. Laid to rest in Illaunamangh Cemetery. Donations in lieu, if desired, toThe Motor Neurone Association. May he rest in peace.

Martin SHANNON
of Gortbavarna, Maurice’s Mills. In his 96th year. Laid to rest in Inagh Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

THIRTEEN proved lucky for one Clare teenager as he or she won € 20,000 through prize bonds.

The 13-year-old’s winning ticket was purchased in 2000, making it a likely baby present.

The Clare Prize Bond holder won the weekly Prize Bond Star Prize of € 20,000 with the winning Bond number CQ 270577.

There were over 9,000 prizes awarded in Friday’s Prize Bonds weekly draw, amounting to over € 500,000.

The lucky Clare teen will be notified of the big win through the post.

Prize Bonds are a State savings product which, instead of paying interest, offers bond holders the chance to win cash prizes every week.

All winnings are tax-free, and Prize Bonds can be cashed in at any time after the minimum holding period of three months.

In addition to a € 1 million prize awarded on the last Friday of every month there are weekly draws where the top prize is € 20,000.

Other weekly cash prizes include five at € 1,000, 500 at € 100 and over 8,000 at € 50.

JOBS could be under threat in Lahinch as employers face a marked increase in parking costs in the village, that’s according to locals who may have to pay for parking spaces they currently get for free come January 1st 2014.

A number of local businesses are set to lose access to unlimited car parking spaces at Liscannor Road car park from January of next year following plans to centralise the way parking fines are managed in the county.

Local representatives have accused Clare County Council or of handing out “diktats” to the local business community, by introducing measure that they feel will put employment at risk.

More than 70 free car parking permits have been issued by Clare County Council for the car park in recent years – with some local businesses currently in receipt of as many as seven permits.

The move is being put forward by Clare County Council, who have directed the Ennistymon Area Office to write to every business in Lahinch to inform them of the possible change.

The council is currently streamlining its parking procedure in Ennis, Kilrush and Lahinch in an attempt to save costs by managing all all parking appeals centrally from Ennis.

“The system has worked well up to now and the only reason we are introducing this is to suit other areas. I cannot see that these employers will be able to absorb these extra costs,” said Cll Richard Nagle (FF).

“This is inevitable going to incur increased costs for the people at Lahinch. This never came to us before now, this never came before [a meeting of ] Clare County Council, I feel that this is very heavy handed that is coming to us as a diktat from Ennis.”

At present, local permit holders cannot use car parking facilities at the Lahinch promenade. The proposed change would see local workers forced to use the Miltown Road car park on the southern edge of the town.

“This is a seasonal area, in Ennis the businesses are operating five or six days a week, all year round. The permits should reflect that.

“I take the points of the car park on the Miltown Malbay road, but there will be many days when it’s raining and employees will walk all the way down to work from this car park and the Liscannor Road car park will be totally empty,” said Cllr Joe Arkins (FG).

The proposed change to the parking system in Lahinch will not be brought in until January 1, 2014, at the earliest. Local councillors have asked that their opposition to the change be relayed to the officials at Clare County Council.

A KILRUSH business and almost 50 per cent of the jobs have been saved in an 11th hour plan.

John O’Dwyers Builders Providers and DIY Store in Kilrush will remain open despite an announcement that it was to close its doors at the end of the month with the loss of seven jobs.

Owner, John O’Dwyer said that thanks to the support of staff and loyal customers the shop will now remain open in a smaller retail unit.

The shop size will be reduced from 7, 500 square feet to 3,000 square feet, and staffing numbers will be reduced to three.

The yard and store will remain the same.

The Kilrush shop will stay open six days a week from 8am to 6pm, closing Sunday.

“We are hoping to stay until things improve and then open the shop back in the main building,” Mr O’Dwyer told The Clare People .

“We reduced the cost of keeping the store here to sustain the business here. We had to get our overheads down,” he said.

Mr O’Dwyer paid tribute to the staff who agreed to “keep the shoulder to the wheel” to keep the shop open.

He said that the four staff who had to be let go were also happy to see the shop remain open, as it gave them hope that the business would improve and expand giving them their jobs back in the future.

“I would also like to thank all the customers for their supportive over the last three weeks [when the closure was announced] and for their good wishes,” said the business owner.

“It is not going to be easy but we are going to give it a go.”

Seven months ago the Ennis store closed due to the down turn in the economy but the Miltown Malbay and now the Kilrush store continue to operate.

A FINAL decision on revised plans for the construction of a long-awaited Crusheen stop on the Western Rail Corridor will be made tomorrow, April 10.

A decision on the development, which includes a new 90-metre platform, a 17-bay car park, a telecom and equipment room and a bicycle shelter, is expected from planners at Clare County Council tomorrow afternoon.

A campaign to create a Crusheen stop on the Western Rail Corridor has been underway for more than a decade.

Government funding of € 1.5 mil- lion was allocated for the development when the Ennis to Galway section of the Western Rail Corridor was reopened on 2010.

Clare County Council previously granted planning permission for a station at Crusheen in June of 2011. However, a fresh application for a revised plan for the station was submitted to Clare County Council in September of last year.

The main difference between the current proposal and the one granted planning permission in 2011 is a reduction in the number of parking spaces sought – which has been reduced from 47 to 17. A platform shelter which was part of the 2011 planning permission is not mentioned in the current planning application.

PEACE has broken out between Clare County Council and home owners in the Ard na Deirge estate in Killaloe – who have agreed to work together to resolve the seven-year impasse at the unfinished estate.

More than 80 local people turned out at a protest at the site last week. A second protest, which was due to take place at the Ennis offices of Clare County Council today, April 9, has been postponed indefinitely.

Three properties in Ard na Deirge were purchased in 2006, before the contractor behind the development went into receivership.

The buildings on the estates are partially completed but services, such as water and sewerage, are not currently operational.

AIB took control of the development, through a receiver, and an investor is currently in the process of completing the purchase of the estate.

Local couple Michelle Burke and William Buck, who have been paying almost € 1,400 a month in mortgage payments for their Ard na Deirge since 2006, organised last Tuesday’s protest in the hope that the bond for the property would be used to complete water and sewage works and allow them to move into their home.

“We were very happy with the meeting with Clare County Council. We are really hoping that they can do something to resolve this situation. The bond is there to cover costs if a developer goes bust and that is what happens here,” she told The Clare People yesterday.

“We can’t be left the way we are. It was an initial meeting [with the council] and they are going to ex- amine what options are available to them. They are not working with us in any kind of formal way but it was a positive meeting.

“Our hope would be that they could draw this bond and use it to complete the sewerage, lights and roads. We would have to completed the property ourselves. It is a bit of light at the end of the tunnel, hopefully. It was a positive meeting and the lines of communication are now open,” she added.

A council spokesperson yesterday confirmed that last week’s meeting had been positive.

“We had a very useful meeting last week with the three house owners involved. The current complex situation was reviewed and a number of different scenarios were discussed,” said the spokesperson.

“While no decisions have been made at this point, the council is willing to uses its good offices to progress matters to a satisfactory solution for all. Towards that end, a number of other meetings have been scheduled with other stakeholders. We will continue to work with the householders involved to aid an overall resolution.”