Category: News

THE power and importance of the local media in giving a voice to people throughout the county was highlighted at the annual Merriman Summer School which was staged in Lisdoonvarna last week.

Ennis woman Fiona Stack, who is general manager of Radio Kerry, showcased the significance of the local media in her lecture to the 45th Merriman Summer School that had as its theme ‘Thriving at the Crossroads: Rural Ireland in a Globalised World’.

Ms Stack said that local media fulfilled an important part of community life in rural Ireland, because it has “always been more answerable, had to be more responsible, had a sense of being around for the long haul”.

“Local media provides access to groups and voices that would never make it onto the national radar,” said Ms Stack. “All local issues are discussed and debated more, whether its concerns over cutbacks, local authority meetings, changes planned in local development plans, public meetings, or attempts to attract industry or tourists,” she added.

“It provides an important connection for exiles, a daily link to home and a means by which even if you do have to go away you can still stay part of the conversation, and when you do come home you can slip straight back in. Those links abroad can be called on for practical networking purposes for the benefit of an area.

“For anybody that doubts it, rural Ireland still has energy, still has community spirit, still has laughter, still has a future and still has many many stories to tell,” she added.

Ms Stack was one of number of keynote speakers at the Merriman School, which was chaired by former Director General of RTÉ, Bob Collins.

CABIN crew aboard a United Airlines flight to Shannon on Saturday were forced to handcuff a drunk American passenger who engaged in “obnoxious” and “threatening” behaviour, a court has heard.

Stephen Herring (40) consumed alcohol and ambien, a form of sleeping, prior to boarding the flight from Newark to Shannon on August 18. He was arrested in Shannon after failing to obey the directions of crew.

Mr Herring, with an address at 1216 Hawthorn, Heuston, Texas, appeared at Ennis District Court on Monday, charged with three offences under the Air Transport and Navigation Act. He pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour with intent to cause a breach of the peace; being intoxicated to such an extent that he might endanger himself or others, and, without justification, causing serious annoyance having been requested by the crew to cease such behaviour.

Insp Kennedy explained that Mr Herring had become difficult and refused to comply with crew during the flight. The court heard that Mr Herring was restrained in handcuffs. “He was arrested in Shannon. He was clearly intoxicated,” Insp Kennedy said.

The court heard that Mr Herring co-operated with gardaí and expressed remorse for his actions.

Mr Herring has no previous convictions in the United States or in Ireland. Insp Kennedy said he had dealt with a number of cases where passengers had engaged in difficult behaviour on flights.

He said that in most cases, a passenger’s behaviour forced a flight to divert to Shannon, causing huge cost and disturbance to all involved.

Insp Kennedy said this case was different as the United Airlines flight was scheduled to land in Shannon.

He said “obnoxious and disagreeable” of the type Mr Herring had engaged in, can cause “huge anxiety” to passengers.

Insp Kennedy added, “This would not be on the more serious end of the scale of incidents like this.”

Solicitor Aoife Corrigan said her client had come to Ireland for a weeklong holiday. She said Mr Herring had obtained Ambien from his doctor, due to a fear of flying. Mr Herring consumed some alcohol on his flight from Texas to Newark prior to taking the sleeping tablets.

Ms Corrigan said, “He completely blacked out. He doesn’t remember anything until waking up on the plane with handcuffs on.”

Ms Corrigan said family and friend were shocked to learn of Mr Herring’s behaviour. She said she had received 15 character references on behalf of her Mr Herring.

She added, “This is totally out of character. He is very ashamed and very sorry for his behaviour.”

The court heard that Mr Herring could possibly be banned from traveling with United Airlines again. Judge John O’Neill said he could understand “the anxiety of passengers, never mind nervous passengers”. He described Mr Herring’s behaviour as “obnoxious”.

Judge O’Neill added, “I would not have enjoyed being a passenger on that plane observing his behaviour.”

He said that if Mr Herring paid € 500 to the children’s charity, the Clare Crusaders, then he would strike out all charges.

THE lack of a dedicated helicopter landing pad in Kilkee is putting lives at risk by delaying how quickly injured people can be airlifted to hospital. At present, the most suitable place for the Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter to land is at the first tee of Kilkee Golf Course, which must be cleared in full before a rescue operation can take place. A site for a dedicated helicopter landing pad was identified by locals more than 10 years ago but nothing has been done in the meantime to make the site a workable option. Following a number of high-profile accidents in the locality in recent weeks, Manuel di Lucia of the Kilkee Marine Rescue Service, believes that the site, which is in public ownership, could be made ready to receive emergency helicopter traffic for as little as € 30,000. “I don’t think that it’s good enough that here in the Kilkee area, where we have had some very serious incidents over the last couple of weeks, yet we don’t have a designated landing pad,” he said. “This wouldn’t cost a lot of money at all. For as little as € 30,000, they could put together a very workable landing pad which would not interfere with overhead wires and houses. “I think we need to invite the chief pilot from the Shannon-based coast guard helicopter, someone from the coast guard and someone from the Department of Transport down to meet with someone from Clare County Council to assess the site and see if it still fits the needs of the modern rescue helicopters. “This site would be closer to the rescue centre in Kilkee and it would be much easier to get there, so it would speed up the time it takes to get an injured person to hospital.”

A NORTH Clare man has been laid to rest almost three years after going missing in the River Lee in Cork.

Brecan Mooney (31) died after falling into the River Lee during heavy floods on November 19, 2009.

It is thought that Mr Mooney was swept into the river by strong winds as he crossed the Christy Ring bridge in the city centre.

Despite an intensive 21-day search conducted by rescue services, family and friends, Mr Mooney’s body was never recovered. Attempts to locate the body were hampered by dangerous water and weather conditions.

An inquest into Mr Mooney’s death returned a verdict of accidental death due to drowning.

In September 2011, Mr Mooney’s family were informed that the remains of a body had been discovered in the Lee.

The length of time the body had been in the water, along with the fact that the vertebrae could support a body of similar weight and height to Mr Mooney’s, indicated that they were the remains of the missing Clare man.

His identity was confirmed when the results of an 11-month series of DNA tests were made known to the family on Wednesday, August 15, the same day as Mr Mooney’s birthday.

Brecan Mooney had been working as a geologist with the Environmental firm White, Young and Greene and had also been studying for a doctorate at University College Cork (UCC).

Friends and former classmates came out to say goodbye to Mr Mooney as the funeral procession passed through Glanquin, Carron and Kilfenora on Saturday.

Mr Mooney was laid to rest at Shanakyle Cemetery in Kilrush.

Brecan’s father, Brian Mooney, said the burial had brought some consolation to the family.

“His teachers were on the road to say goodbye, his friends from national school. He would’ve loved it. He was terribly close to people here.”

Brian Mooney added, “We found the last few days emotionally very draining. It had an almost cathartic effect for me, almost cleansing.”

THE body tasked with dealing with disputes between third parties and landlords arising from allegations of anti-social behaviour says it has not received any complaints regarding rented properties in Clare in the last 18 months.

The Private Rental Tenancies Board (PRTB) received 2,060 applications in 2011, of which only four per cent related to anti-social behaviour.

In a statement yesterday, a spokeswoman said, “It would appear that none of these cases were from rented dwellings in County Clare.”

A spokeswoman explained that the PRTB can investigate allegations of anti-social behaviour within the limits of the act.”

She added, “The PRTB can, as a civil body, award damages against landlords, where such allegations are upheld. In order to take a case, a third party must provide evidence that they have already attempted to resolve the matter directly with the landlord. Allegations of a criminal nature, for instance drug taking, assault etc, should be reported to the Gardaí for investigation and prosecution through the courts.”

She stated, “Should a third party take a case to the PRTB in respect of these allegations, it should be noted that the tenancy can only be terminated by a landlord serving a valid notice of termination (NoT) on the tenant. The PRTB does not have the power under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to order a landlord to serve a NoT or indeed to terminate a tenancy, without the landlord serving a valid NoT.

She continued, “As a quasi-judicial body, the PRTB must operate in a totally impartial manner between disputing parties so cannot offer advice to either party in relation to their dis- pute. However, the board has authorised PRTB management to prioritise cases where there are allegations of serious anti-social behaviour, for instances where there is threat to life or the fabrication of the dwelling.”

A spokesperson for the PRTB said it was “important” for people to take cases against landlords whose tennants consistently engage in anti-social behaviour.

Landlords are required to register properties with the PRTB within one month of tenancy. Failure to do so can result in a court appearance, a € 4,000 fine and/or six months in prison.

IRELAND’S original heritage tree is returning home to Ballyvaughan with an ambitious new project by locals to reintroduce the Ballyvaughan Seedling Apple into the locality.

The Ballyvaughan Apple Tree was one of the first local species of tree identified by Irish Seed Savers more than 20 years ago, when it was classified as Ireland’s first Heritage Tree.

A number of samples of the tree were recovered and propagated by the East Clare-based organisation and have since been planted in several locations all around Ireland.

Despite this, however, the number of Ballyvaughan Apple Trees has dwindled in North Clare.

To coincide with Heritage Week, a group of locals have begun a quest to reintroduce the Ballyvaughan Seedling Apple to Ballyvaughan. A number of trees will be planted at ceremonies at Ballyvaughan Church and Fanore National School this Thursday, and an information evening will take place afterwards at the Burren College of Art.

“There is still a small number of Ballyvaughan Apple Trees in the locality but their numbers are dwindling. There are a number of very old trees, but they are dying out, and there are also three trees at the national school which were planted eight or 10 years ago,” said Conor Fahy, organiser of the tree plant.

“Thanks to the work of the Seedsavers, these trees have now been planted all around Ireland so we want to make sure that the Ballyvaughan Apple Tree survives in the area and that there are more trees here than anywhere else in the country.”

The Ballyvaughan Apple Tree produces a good supply of apples which are ideal for cooking or cider-making. The trees need to be planted alongside other varieties of apple trees to aid in propagation.

The trees were first identified by an American tree expert who was visiting the area in the 1980s and it is still unclear where the first Ballyvaughan Seedling Apple Trees were discovered.

“The exact location of where the original trees were found remains a little controversial among local residents. As they say, time is a great storyteller, and some details have become slightly distorted and exaggerated,” said Clare Biodiversity Officer, Shane Casey.

“A more recent survey of the parish, carried out by the Ballyvaughan Development Committee, has uncovered several orchards, with the poten- tial for many more specimens of the Ballyvaughan Seedling Apple to be discovered, as well as interviews with some of the older members of the community.”

Lynne O’Keeffe-Lascar of Kinvara Sustainable Living and Eoin Keane of Irish Seed Savers will be on hand at the Burren College on Thursday evening to advise local people on how best to look after the trees.

Lynne has recently completed a similar project of mass tree planting in Kinvara, while eight members of the Ballyvaughan community will also attend a course at Irish Seed Savers to train them in apple tree maintenance.

RESCUE services in Kilkee had a busy afternoon on Saturday when two separate serious incidents took place in the village.

A woman in her 60s fell from the pier wall in the village just after 1pm on Saturday afternoon, while three divers also required urgent medical attention at the same time after a suspected case of the bends, also known as Decompression Sickness or Caisson Disease.

The woman, who was walking along Kilkee pier when the incident took place, is understood to have missed a step and fallen more than 10 feet to the rocky base of the pier. Her fall was partly broken by moss and seaweed at the pier base but she still sustained a number of broken bones in the incident as well as injuries to her head.

At the same time, three divers raised the alarm with the emergency services when they reported feeling sick after aborting a dive unexpectedly following a malfunction in their equipment.

Both the Kilkee Unit of the Irish Coast Guard and the Kilkee Marine Rescue Service responded to the incidents, while the HSE ambulance was also diverted to the scene.

The woman was treated at the scene but her injuries were serious enough to require the Shannon-based coast guard helicopter to be scrambled to Kilkee to airlift her to hospital in Galway.

The three divers, who were all members of a Limerick-based subaqua club, had returned to shore and changed out of their equipment when one reported feeling unwell. One of the divers had suffered an equipment malfunction and had been forced to resurface quickly.

For safety reasons, he was accompanied by two other divers while he resurfaced. Divers who are forced to resurface too quickly can suffer from the bends, because of the quick change in water pressure. This can lead to serious injury and even death and cause an embolism or a bleed in the brain.

All four injured parties were airlifted in the same helicopter to University College Hospital in Galway where they were treated for their injuries.

PLANNING permission has been approved for the construction of new parish offices in Ennis.

St Flannan’s (Killaloe) Diocesan Trust had applied to Ennis Town Council for planning permission to demolish part of the Maria Assumpta Hall and to construct new parish offices with meeting rooms and ancillary facilities including site works and to carry out alterations to the retained portion of the Maria Assumpta Hall, Station Road, Ennis. The proposed developments are within the curtilage of the protected structures of Ss. Peter and Paul’s Cathedral and the Presbytery.

In granting permission, the council stated that the proposed development “would not seriously injure the amenities of the area or of the property in the vicinity and will be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”

Planning permission was granted subject to a number of conditions :

The roof must be finished in natural quarry slate or natural slate effect to be dark grey, or blue black in colour. The colour of the ridge tile must also match the colour of the roof;

No changes are permitted to agreed window sizes or the agreed external wall finishes;

No floodlighting of the development is permitted while any stone facing shall be of local natural stone.

The council adds, “Prior to the commencement of the development, the developer shall submit to the planning authority for agreement, full details of construction and demolition waste management plan.”

The developer must provide details on how all materials will be removed from the site; proposals to mimimise the environmental impacts of the demolition work such as dust, noise and flying debris.

Adequate temporary car parking must be provided on the site for employees engaged in construction work. The council states that facilities must be in place to avoid the parking of vehicles on road fronting the site and in the interest of safety.

All surface water generated within the site boundaries must be collected and disposed of within the curtilage of the site. It is also a condition that no works shall take place to the existing front boundary wall onto Station Road without the prior approval of the planning authority.

In his report, Conservation Officer, Risteard Ua Cróinín stated, “The proposed new build elements appear to respect the existing buildings in scale and proportion and are considered appropriate in materials and design in the context of adjacent protected structures. This office does not intend to object to the proposed development.”

Mr Ua Cróinín states that the existing Maria Assumpta Hall, which dates back to the 1950s-60s, is “of little architectural or historic merit.” PREPARATIONS are well underway for the 68th annual Scariff Show, which will be held on Saturday, September 1, in the Showgrounds Scariff. With numerous exciting and entertaining events promised, including a range of horse classes from show/ working hunter pony classes, Connemara, show-jumping, sportsman classes, as well as a sheep section and a dog section. The highlight this year is the Yearling Filly All-Ireland Championship, jointly sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland and Scariff Show. But the Scariff Show is not just an event for farmers and horse breeders. There are contests for the best in home-baking, arts and crafts, roots and vegetables, flowers and amateur photography and numerous children’s competitions including the ever popular bonny baby competition. Due to the cancellation of shows this year – Scariff Show are delighted to accommodate the Irish Shows Association by hosting the All Ireland Gain Dog Food Championship in Scariff also. This year’s show sees the reintroduction of cattle classes, with exhibits from some of the leading dairy and beef herds in the country on display.

Scariff Show attributes its longevity to the fact that it is rooted in the community and all the committee work is done on a voluntary basis.

Scariff Show schedule is available to download from www.scariffshow. com.

Scariff Show is fortunate to always have been able to count on the support of business in the community for the last 68 years said a show spokesperson this week.

Closing date for entries is this weekend. Please contact Show Secretary Joanne Allen 087 366771 or visit our website www.scariffshow.com.

COMMUNITY groups in Ennis, Sixmilebridge and Gort have put together a list of proposals which they feel could increase the traffic on the Western Rail Corridor. The West on Track organisation have compiled the suggestions of community representatives at every stop along the Western Rail Corridor and are currently in negotiations with Iarnród Éireann about implementing some of the new ideas.

West On Track spokesperson Colmán Ó Raghallaigh confirmed yesterday that a working document had been completed but would not reveal details of any of the suggestions at this time. The Clare People understands that a number of initiatives, includ- ing five-day student commuter tickets from Ennis to Galway and Limerick, are currently being examined.

Other possible ideas on the table include the creation of commuter zones between Ennis and Limerick and Gort and Galway where reduced commuter fairs could be introduced.

This news comes following figures released last week which show a continued poor performance of the route between Ennis and Athenry. The significance of these figures has been questioned by West on Track, who say that figures have been presented selectively to undermine the project.

“We refute the notion that the Western Rail Corridor consists of a piece of track between Ennis and Athenry. Some elements of the corridor have been hugely successful and there are parts which do have room for improvement,” said Colmán Ó Raghallaigh from West on Track.

“We set up a working group this spring involving people from all communities along the route and they have put together a report and, using that report, we are working with Iarnród Éireann to see where improvements can be made.

“We have representatives from Ennis, Gort, Sixmilebridge and Athenry involved in putting this report together. We have met Iarnród Éireann to discuss it and we will be meeting them again very soon.

“We believe that Iarnród Éireann is now intent in getting the very best out of the railway. It is a matter of great regret that this wasn’t there from day one but it is better late than never.

“An example of this was seen recently when Iarnród Éireann ran extra rail services on the line for the Galway Races and the Volvo Ocean Race and they also operated services late at night – this was very successful. This was one of the proposals which was put to Iarnród Éireann, they did it, and it was a great success.”

STUDENTS assessing their options after the first round of offers for places in third level colleges have been urged not to panic.

Thousands of Clare students yesterday discovered if they had secured a college place as the Central Applications Office (CAO) released details of the points required for courses in Universities and Institutes of Technology.

It is a record year for the CAO with 49,862 applicants receiving an offer yesterday.

And students who do not receive their first preference have been urged to consider all of their options.

John Burns, Vice Principal of Rice College, Ennis, said students should not feel too disappointed of they do get the points for their first choice courses.

He said, “They need to consider all of their options and review their second and third choices. If they do not get what they want for their first choice, the important thing is not to panic. What I would say is that students should seek the help of guidance counsellors and teachers. The main thing is not to panic. There are helplines like the National Parent’s Council and other supports out there.”

He continued, “If any student is upset all they have to do is call into the school and someone will be here that they can talk to.”

Mr Burns said students at Rice College were in the main happy with their results, with a number scoring over 600 points.

He continued, “We had 92 kids doing the Leaving Certificate this year. A number of students scored over the 600 points mark. The rest of the kids got what they wanted. Everyone was in good form. There was a good atmosphere around the school on the day. Career guidance teachers, the chaplain and the principal were on hand.

“The kids were very happy. Some scored very high. The paper seemed quite fair this year. The students definitely benefited from high attendance throughout the year. They put in the work and we’re very proud of them,” he added.