Category: News

CASHING in on the ‘Shannon’ brand that is instantly recognizable around the world is the way forward for the region, Shannon Development chief executive, Dr Vincent Cunnane has said following the publication of the company’s annual report.

“The ‘Shannon’ brand is instantly recognised internationally and is synonymous with innovation and entrepreneurship, due in no small part to the many ‘world firsts’ that were born at Shannon over the years,” said Dr Cunnane.

“For example the world’s first tax free zone in the modern era was developed here,” Dr. Cunnane added.

Shannon’s international reputation was further enhanced with the visit in February 2012 of the Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping.

“We were honoured to be invited to brief the Chinese Vice President and his delegation on all aspects of Shannon Development’s regional economic development remit and particularly on activities at Shannon Free Zone,” said Dr Cunnane.

“Our objective in briefing Mr Xi was to create the environent to enhance good relations between Irish and Chinese businesses and to highlight Shannon as an ideal gateway location for Chinese businesses wish- ing to trade in Europe,” he added.

This message was further delivered when Dr Cunnane was a guest speaker at the China Civil Aviation Development Forum in Beijing.

China will invest over $230bn in the aviation sector in the next five years and, during his visit to China, Dr Cunnane met with senior man- agement from the Civil Aviation Administration of China and a number of Chinese airlines, cargo operators and Chinese airport chief executives to explore potential business opportunities for Shannon.

“I was delighted to have been invited to speak at the prestigious Chinese Civil Aviation Development Forum. I was asked to address the Forum on how an airport can successfully enhance local and regional economies. Over 750 top aviation industry influencers from China and around the world were assembled. It was a unique opportunity to promote Shannon,” said Dr Cunnane.

The linkages between Shannon Development and China began in the 1980s when Mr Jiang Zemin, who was then Senior Vice Minister of State Imports and Exports Administration and later became President of China, led a Chinese government delegation to Shannon to study our Shannon Free Zone and the Shannon Development ‘model’ of a regional development company.

The knowledge gained by the Chinese delegation was subsequently used in the development of China’s very successful Special Economic Zones.

The Chinese government initially opened four Special Economic Zones based on the Shannon model, which were extremely successful in attracting foreign investment, stimulating trade and invigorating growth.

“The zones became a major driver for China’s economy, allowing private investment to flow into the country underpinned by a significant transfer of skills and technology. There are now several hundred such zones all over China. Shannon Development is very proud to have been associated with such major innovation,” said the Shannon Development report.

A GROUP of Clare artists will be relocating to the Dingle peninsula this weekend for a ground-breaking exhibition that represents the first instalment of a show that is expected to travel to a number of venues throughout the country from now until the end of the year.

Five artists, four of whom are from Clare, have been chosen to stage a group show to mark the reopening of a landmark building in Ballyferriter called Tig an Tobar as a gallery space.

The exhibition, which is the brainchild of Ennis-based artist Shelagh Honan, combines a range of different artistic mediums including large-scale projections, ‘camera obscura’, sound installations as well as painting and drawing.

‘Call It What You Will’, which has been supported by Údarás na Gaeltachta, takes place from Friday to Sunday. It will be officially opened by RTÉ broadcasting legend Michéal Ó Muircheartaigh on Friday at 7pm.

“The aim of the exhibition is to bring art to public and local spaces, to contribute to a local dialogue through a conversation of stories, images and sound that have been created specifically for this location,” says Ms Honan.

“Tig an Tobar was also once a shop and a restaurant, while there is an openness to the space that makes it ideal to craft a public art project and create a unique impression that can be the start of the space being a regular venue for exhibitions,” adds the curator of ‘Call It What You Will’.

The other Clare artists involved in the exhibition are Maria Finucane from Tulla, Fiona O’Dwyer from Ennistymon and John Hanrahan from Ennis, while the fifth participating artist is Dublin-based Mike McLoughlin.

The patron of the event is Sheelagh Doyle, who lived in Lahinch for nearly a decade before moving to live on the Dingle peninsula.

A further Clare involvement was provided by Ennis-based Christy Healy, who operates Atlantic Diving School.

Along with his son Stephen, he was involved in underwater video recording for one of the installations, as was Martin Lyall who is also based in Ennis.

IT IS waves of a different type that will be emulating from Loophead Lighthouse later this month, as radio enthusiasts broadcast through the local airwaves.

The newly promoted tourist attraction will be amongst hundreds of lighthouses and lightships worldwide to participate in a unique event aimed at promoting public awareness of lighthouses and lightships.

The Limerick Radio Club, comprising members from Clare, Limerick, Kerry and Tipperary, will broadcast non-stop for 48 hours from the West Clare lighthouse on August 18 and 19 as part of the 15th International Lighthouse /Lightship Weekend (ILLW).

During the broadcast, visitors to the lighthouse will be able to listen into communications with some of the other participating ham radio operators broadcasting from 400 other lighthouses and lightships in 50 countries.

The annual event, which is conducted under the sponsorship of the Ayr Amateur Radio Group (AARG) in Scotland, is always held on the third full weekend in August starting at 0001 UTC on Saturday and finishing at 2359 UTC on Sunday.

It also coincides with International Lighthouse Day on the Sunday, an event organised by the Association of Lighthouse Keepers whereby many world lighthouses are open to the public for the day.

Since last year however Loophead Lighthouse has opened its doors to thousands of visitors throughout the summer. Simon Kenny, Chairperson of Limerick Radio Club, said the club was privileged to be allowed to operate from Loophead this year for the very first time.

“We hope to open long distance communications with regions in Asia, through Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand. A special QSL Card (confirmation of communication) has been designed to mark the event. Club membership is open to individuals from all walks of life who are interested in radio communications, electronic construction and antenna design. The club will operate two stations, one of which will be at the entrance to the lighthouse so members of the public can listen to some of the transmissions.”

Director of Services for Clare County Council Ger Dollard is responsible for tourism in the county and believes participation in this initiative will help promote Loophead Lighthouse across the world, “while at the same time helps to promote amateur radio and to foster international goodwill”.

ALMOST 7,000 visitors have passed through the doors of the recently renovated historic Ennis Friary since the building re-opened to the public in June.

The 13th century Franciscan Friary has been closed for three years to facilitate major renovation and conservation works.

The purpose of the estimated € 100,000 works project is to provide protection for the collection of carved features which survive at Ennis Friary.

A roof has been installed over the 18th century church in order to provide protection for the collection. The OPW also plans to improve visitor access at the site.

Authorities on medieval sculpture have highlighted the importance of the Friary’s unique collection, which contain a complete set of panels representing the 12 apostles and stages of the Passion of Christ.

Ennis Friary holds a rich collection of carved stone including the Creagh Tomb, Ecce Homo and Royal Tomb Canopy and also has remains of wall paintings.

A conservation plan prepared in 2001 identified the need to protect these and other elements of the Friary. Conservation works are still ongoing at the site.

According to figures from the Office of Public Works (OPW), 6,913 people visited the Friary between June 18 and July 29.

Ennis Friary is open daily from 10am to 6pm up to October 31. The last admission is 45 minutes before closing. Public car and coach parking facilities are provided close to the site. A visitor leaflet providing background to the Friary has been translated from English into Irish, French, German, Italian and Spanish and is available on site. Admission is free until the end of October.

Guided tours of Franciscan Friary in Ennis will take place on Sunday August 12 (2pm-5pm) and Sunday August 26 (2pm-5pm). Entrance to Ennis Friary is free all through Heritage Week and until the end of 2012. For further details of National Heritage Week Events in County Clare, please see www.heritageweek.ie.

AN ENNIS man is beginning a massive drive throughout Ireland this week, something he’s undertaking to raise awareness of the Samaritans. Peadar White is about to re-enact the 1901 Motor Tour of Ireland, an event that took some three weeks to complete 111 years back.

It’s kicking off on Wednesday in Dublin and from there he will head for Waterford. After overnighting there he will be on the road again, travelling via Cork City on to the Kenmare Pass and Killarney and Tralee. On day three, he will head from Tralee to Ennis.

This Saturday morning he will set out from the Halfway on the Limerick Road and following the route of the rally to places like Kilbaha, Kilrush, Kilkee and on to Ballyvaughan. After leaving Clare it will be on to Galway, Maam Cross and Leenane. Sunday will see him go from Leenane to Sligo and on next Monday he will travel from Sligo to Enniskillen and back to Dublin. He is hopeful that some vintage enthusiasts from Clare will join him for part of the journey on this Saturday, August 11.

NOT one patient has been treated in the new multi-million euro unit at Ennis General Hospital one month after it was due to open.

It is understood that issues relating to staffing and more minor concerns about equipment are the latest obstacles holding up the process.

At the beginning of July, the HSE outlined a plan to move patients into the unit on a phased basis.

It stated that the first round of patients would be transferred to the 50-bed unit from the second week in July.

This was to be followed by reconfiguration works connecting the existing hospital and the new ward block in late July, a project that was to take approximately six weeks to complete. Once these works are completed, the transfer of patients to the first floor of the new unit was to take place.

It is now one month on from when the first patient was to be moved to the new state-of-the-art wards and there is still no life in the new hospital unit.

The HSE now say, “The 50-bedded unit in Ennis will be opening shortly on a phased basis. The ground floor will be occupied first, which will enable the first floor of the old part of the building to be vacated to facilitate the joining of the new building with the old building. Once this is complete, the first floor of the new building will be occupied.

“We are currently finalising human resource arrangements and awaiting the final pieces of equipment to be delivered to facilitate the opening of the ground floor,” it said.

Clare member of the HSE West Forum, Cllr Tom McNamara (FF) said he was disappointed that the hospital unit was still closed almost 10 months after the builders had handed over the keys to the health authority.

He accused the HSE of “dragging its heels” on the issue.

“I am absolutely amazed that all staffing issues and problems hadn’t been negotiated before this,” he said.

“We need this unit open because we need to bring confidence back to the service and give proper service to the people of Clare,” he added.

WIND energy has a key part in the future of the Electric Ireland’s Moneypoint operation, the station manag- er at the Killimer power station has told The Clare People this week. In the week that the ESB celebrates its 85th anniversary, Moneypoint manager Glenn Pope has backed plans for wind to become a key com- ponent of the ESB operation in West Clare that went into full commission 25 years ago this summer. “Wind energy is still on the cards,” says Pope. “We lodged a planning application and we still hope to press ahead and develop a wind farm on the site. “The electrical infrastructure in terms of connection to the grid is already here, and we have the space (the site extends to about 550 acres). These are all positive factors for the development of wind farms. “If all goes well with the planning application, we would hope to press ahead with this project over the next couple of years,” he adds. Plans for the € 30 million wind farm were lodged with Clare County Council earlier this year – the development would include five turbines, at 154m (506ft). The wind farm is part of Electric Ireland’s plans to deliver a third of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020, which will include more than 1,400MW of wind generation. In the early 2000s Electric Ireland, secured planning permission for a 110m (360ft) nine-turbine wind farm at Moneypoint, but never pursued the project and instead embarked on a € 368m retro-fit project that has secured the station’s future well into the next decade. The 250-page environmental impact statement submitted with the planning application says “the wind farm will have no impact on the operation of Moneypoint or levels of employment there”, where there are 230 full-time staff and a further 100 contracts workers on site.

A MAN with a Crusheen address, facing charges of allegedly having cannabis for sale or supply is due to appear in court again later this month.

Simon Bracken (45) Cappamore, Crusheen, appeared at a sitting of Ennis District Court on Monday.

Mr Bracken is charged with having cannabis for sale or supply at Ardrahan, Galway on June 13.

Inspector John Galvin made an ap- plication to strike out a new charge brought against Mr Bracken. Judge John O’Neill struck out the new charge.

Inspector Galvin sought a further application to have the existing charge brought against Mr Bracken under the misuse of drugs act adjourned until August 20.

He requested that the accused be remanded to appear again at Ennis District Court on August 20.

Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey told the court that this was her cli- ent’s sixth appearance in court in relation to this charge.

She said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had not issued directions.

Ms Godfrey said her client would consent to a further remand but that an application may be made if directions are not known by August 20.

Inspector Galvin confirmed that the DPP had not yet issued directions in respect of the case.

Asked by Ms Godfrey if the file had been sent to the DPP’s office, Inspector Galvin said he was not in a position to answer as he himself had not been dealing directly with the case.

Judge O’Neill adjourned the case and ordered Mr Bracken to appear again at Ennis District Court on August 20.

He noted that Ms Godfrey had consented to the adjournment and that the defence had forewarned the State that an application might be made if the DPP’s directions are not known by August 20.

CLARE businesspeople living abroad are among the international investors who have expressed an interest in buying the West County Hotel. The Ennis hotel was listed for sale in July for between € 2.5 million to € 3 million.

Formerly the flagship hotel within the Lynch group of hotels, the West County was placed into receivership in February.

According to CBRE, the property firm handling the sale, “there has been a lot of interest” in the West County Hotel.

Dermot Curtin of CBRE explained, “We’ve had interest from all over the world and from people in Ireland. There has been international interest in the property. A lot of Clare people are living abroad.”

He continued, “It is more difficult to sell properties than it was in the good old days. Obviously the big thing that has changed is that is more difficult for investors to get finance from financial institutions. But are finding that there is still a good deal still in the country.

“There have been a few more sales in recent months. We’re seeing a small lift in the market. € 2.5 million to € 3 million is the guide price but we’ll listen to the market,” he said.

Formerly the flagship hotel within the Lynch group of hotels, the West County was placed into receivership in February.

It sits on a high-profile six-acre site on the southern approach road to Ennis town centre and its accommodation includes 152 en-suite bedrooms, eight separate and inter-connecting conference/banqueting suites that can cater for up to 1,650 delegates, a modern leisure centre with a 20metre heated indoor pool, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna.

The leisure club includes a gym with more than 1,000 local members. The Boru’s Porterhouse bar and lounge has a capacity for around 500 people, and the hotel also has two restaurants. The site can accommodate 450 parking spaces.

Its arrival on the market follows the recent sale of the Clare Inn, which was also part of the Lynch group of hotels that went into receivership in January of last year.

This freehold and fully-licensed hotel property is only 20km from Shannon International Airport and the Shannon Free Zone, the manufacturing and logistics centre for the Shannon region.

The hotel has been a regular venue for the All Ireland and International Irish Dancing Championships and has also hosted the All Ireland Pool Championships.

Last year the West County hosted the AGM of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and the SIPTU annual conference.

CRIMINALS in Kilrush will quite literally be in the frame for any wrong doings within the next few months, as plans for the town’s first CCTV system is finalised.

The town’s local authority has agreed to relocate funding from its own budget to install the crime de- tecting and deterring cameras in the west Clare town.

Kilrush Town Clerk John Corry said plans for CCTV in Kilrush is at an advanced stage.

He told a meeting of the Kilrush Joint Policing Committee (JPC) that the council has learnt that the project now has to go through the planning process.

This will take at least three months.

“We will go to procurements at the same time, which would have taken two months anyhow,” he explained.

Supt Gerry Wall offered some time and money saving ideas to the council, as he welcomed the initiative.

“People become used to CCTV in an area and move on to somewhere else, so we need flexibility,” he said.

He suggested that the council apply for a number of locations that far exceed the number of cameras during the planning process.

The cameras could then be moved quickly to a new location where it may be needed in the fight against crime.

“A little forecasting now would save money in the future,” he said.

The members of the JPC, made up of the council, gardaí and community representatives, are now encouraging members of the public to come to the next public meeting of the committee, to have their say about policing in the area and raise any concerns they may have.

“If they have interest in the community and have a place they believe me or my colleagues should be, this is the place for it,” he said.