Category: News

HISTORY was made in Ballyvaughan yesterday as passengers from both sides of Galway Bay travelled between Ballyvaughan and Galway city centre in minutes on the first sailing of the Ballyvaughan Bay Hop.

The fast ferry made the crossing in perfect conditions with everyone present adamant that they would use the service into the future.

Present on the 12.30pm crossing was Mary Unglert from Unglert’s Bakery in Ennistymon, who went to Galway for the day for a spot of shopping with her mother and daughter.

“This is a service that is definitely needed and a permanent link from Ballyvaughan to Galway would be great. With the business that I am in, we wouldn’t need to use it but for anyone who is commuting from Clare to Galway, this is ideal. This can also help to bring more tourists from Galway into Clare,” she said.

“I’m not worried about getting seasick, we’re on ferries and boats the whole time and we like going out to Doolin from the Aran Islands so there’ll be no problem with that.”

Doolin resident Dolores Delaney is hopeful that the Ballyvaughan Bay Hop will be made into a full-time, year-round service.

“I have been waiting for this to happen for years and years. I think it’s wonderful. My husband and myself are going to have a bit of lunch in Galway, do some shopping, have a little walk around – then we are coming back on the 6pm boat,” she said.

“This is a great way of beating the traffic. Sometimes it can take us more than two hours to get from Doolin to Galway. I can guarantee that I would use this service at least once a week, maybe even more.”

There was also some exciting news from Dave Brocklebank from the Burren Yoga Centre, who believes that he can incorporate the Ballyvaughan Bay Hop into the yoga packages that he offers through his business.

“We run yoga courses all year around and, as part of that, we take people on different trips. For us, this would be a fantastic thing, to be able to take people over to Galway city as part of their course,” said Dave.

“We would be able to support the service but, more than that, this surface would help to support our busi- ness, by providing another attraction to bring people to the Burren Yoga Centre.”

The Ballyvaughan Bay Hop is the brainchild of Ballyvaughan resident Gwen Ryan, who is hopeful that a full-time, year round service will be available soon.

“I am thrilled that this is happening. It is brilliant to see the positivity of everyone around here. The response has been so encouraging. This really does present so many opportunities for the area,” said Gwen.

For more information or to book, visit www.ballyvaughanbayhop.com.

THE owners of a missing ferret in Ennis say they have been plagued by pranksters since they launched a poster campaign to find the animal.

Daniel Drzeweecke and his girlfriend have appealed for help from people in Ennis to help find their pet ferret – Ceara – who has been missing in the town for the past two weeks.

Daniel says the couple has received numerous helpful phonecalls from members of the public.

However, pranksters have rung the couple with false sightings. They also received a call from a person who claimed they had found their beloved pet dead.

Daniel explains, “We have got many different phonecalls, some prank calls. Sometimes it’s a joke or a prank.

“Once somebody called and said they had found the ferret dead. But it was actually only an old piece of clothing, a piece from a jacket.”

Ceara, who is microchipped, has been missing for the past two weeks since getting free while being brought for a walk near a fountain in the Mill Road area of Ennis.

The couple are asking anyone who sees Ceara not to be afraid to approach her.

Alternatively, they can contact Daniel on 085 1465752, Julija on 085 1316651, Egle on 085 1315841 or any local vet, pet shop or dog pound. Daniel says that any information is useful.

The couple have had Ceara for three years.

According to Daniel, ferrets are an increasingly popular pet.

Daniel has not given up hope of finding his ferret.

He explains, “I was talking to some other ferret owners and they say that ferrets go missing a lot.

“One person told me that their ferret was missing for a month before they found it again. They enjoy their freedom.

“They are not really a pet. They are able to live outdoors and kill their own food. She can handle the outdoors.” AS the switch to digital television gets closer, SAORVIEW targets half a million affected homes with onscreen message across RTÉ One, RTÉ Two, TG4 and TV3. Latest figures show there are 491,000 households with an estimated 800,000 television sets in Ireland that must switch to digital to avoid blank screens when the old analogue signal is switched off on October 24th, 2012. Starting this week, in a drive to ensure that affected homes know how to respond to the changeover, a brief on-screen message will appear at regular but infrequent intervals on sets receiving the old analogue TV signal. The message does not appear on sets already receiving a digital television signal. Almost a million households already subscribe to a digital service and therefore need take no action unless they choose to switch to the free SAORVIEW service. Commenting on the reason behind the on-screen caption, Mary Curtis, Director of Digital Switchover, SAORVIEW said: “Understandably, lots of people have been asking how they will know if they must get ready for SAORVIEW and digital television. The answer is straightforward. If you have an old analogue television and aerial, you will need to convert to digital otherwise you will lose your free Irish channels next October. By transmitting this message periodically on analogue sets, we hope to prompt viewers to take taking action sooner rather than later. SAORVIEW is available now so we are advising those affected not to wait until the last minute particularly as upgrading to RTÉ Two HD (High Definition) will make sports viewing more pleasurable this summer”, said Curtis.

The on-screen caption gives viewers the basic information they need to get SAORVIEW. As most will already have a UHF aerial, they simply need a SAORVIEW Approved settop box or a SAORVIEW Approved TV (which has the digital tuner built in). The caption also directs analogue viewers to the SAORVIEW website and call centre if they have any questions about getting SAORVIEW. Once sets have been upgraded to receive SAORVIEW, viewers can sit back and continue to enjoy Irish TV for free.

In addition to the caption, a date reminder “bug” will appear on these same TV sets. In welcoming this initiative Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte, said “The ‘bug’ which those still using the analogue TV network see on the top left corner of their TV screens will appear until they switch to a digital TV network will allow us to make it very clear to them that they need to take action and change to a digital TV service if they are to avoid losing their TV signal on Wednesday 24th October. Along with the information booklet which will be delivered to every home in the country at the end of June, the introduction of the ‘bug’ to analogue TV screens is an important part of our communications campaign to encourage people to get informed and take action. These initiatives, along with the decision by RTE, TG3 and TG4 to introduce reminder captions to analogue TV viewers, will serve to remind people that they need to move to a digital TV service of their choosing in advance of Wednesday October 24th and that they can take action now. We hope that analogue TV viewers will understand the reasons for the introduction of these devices and that it will prompt them take action sooner, rather than later”.

The date reminder in the top lefthand corner of the screen will be permanently on screen in the countdown to analogue switchover date, October 24th.

IN A WEEK when the retail and motor trade were severely hit in the county, there was good news for the hotels industry.

As many as 170 jobs were saved when the Clare Inn hotel was purchased for what is believed to be more than € 1.8 million by Dromoland Castle Hotel.

The value of the Clare purchase was further compounded by the interest in the 188-bedroom hotel from the time it went on sale.

Selling agents Savills Commercial said there was a lot of interest from home and abroad in the 8. 5 hectareor 21-acre site.

“An asking price of under the million mark would have drawn a lot of people to put an interest forward,” said a spokeswoman for the company.

In the end, Dromoland Castle Hotel paid just over twice the asking price of € 900,000.

The three-star hotel, which was owned by the Lynch Group, went into examinership in July 2009.

It first opened for trade in 1968, with 123 guest bedrooms. In the 1990s, it extended to 183 bedrooms and has an extensive range of facilities.

Now Dromoland Castle plans to develop its new sister hotel even further. Between € 250,000 and € 500,000 is expected to be spent on the refurbishment of the Clare Inn.

Each hotel will continue to trade separately and serve distinct markets, but the informal relationship between the neighbouring hotels, which has existed for years, will likely become more structured.

Dromoland Castle Hotel continues to be one of the most successful in the county, with latest accounts showing that it had accumulated profits of € 11 million at the end of 2010, with net assets totalling € 21.7 million.

REGINA House has been embracing all that is positive about aging for 40 years. This weekend staff, residents and their families celebrated the service the Community Nursing Unit, Residential and Day Care Services have provided in Kilrush and West Clare for four decades.

The building on the Cooraclare Road began life as a welfare home in 1973, the first of its kind in the country.

It provided care to people who were mobile but in need of a little care so that they could live independent lives.

As the years passed, so too did the needs of the residents and the community and, subsequently, the role of Regina House also changed.

Today, the unit provides 30 beds for long-stay residents.

It also provides two outreach palliative care beds for Milford Hospice.

The attached day care centre provides a get-together and facilities for older people from Loophead to Lissycasey and from Labasheeda to Quilty.

When the centre is not in use at the weekends, it becomes a treatment room for the out-of-hours GP service Shannon Doc.

The community physiotherapist is also based there, with carers groups using it at night for meetings and training exercises.

On Saturday last, the 40-plus staff, along with residents, service users and their families, celebrated Regina House’s 40th anniversary.

Following an address by Director of Nursing Anne McNamara, a cake was cut to commemorate the day by John Woulfe, the longest resident; Mary O’Dwyer, who has just recently retired from Regina House after 37 years; and Mary Hassett, the longest serving member of staff.

The party organised by the Health Promotion and Standards Group, with the support of the staff and the director of nursing, included a blessing by Fr Sheedy PP followed by refreshments and entertainment by local schools, the community and family members of former residents.

While those present were celebrating 40 years of change at the HSErun Regina House, they were also celebrating a philosophy that has remained constant – “to embrace a positive approach to flourishing in later life”.

“We promote independence, health and well being and we aim to provide a safe therapeutic environment where privacy, dignity and confidentiality are respected,” the HSE said of the home.

THE Office of Public Works (OPW) has been urged to leave the historic 13th-century Ennis Friary visible to the public when it closes for winter.

The Friary, which had been closed to the public for three years to facilitate restoration works, re-opened last week.

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.

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 pro- vide protection for the collection of carved features, which survive at Ennis Friary.

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 contains a complete set of panels representing the 12 apostles and stages of the Passion of Christ.

One Ennis man, whose father kept the keys of the Friary at his nearby business on Abbey Street, welcomed the re-opening but urged the OPW not to repeat the mistakes of previous years.

Cllr Tony Mulqueen (FG) said, “I spoke to the OPW and I asked them not to put up those horrible hoarding boards that were up for the past few years. Everyday, particularly during the summer, you could see tourists standing outside trying to get a look in. It was a disgrace because this is one of the town’s main tourist attractions.”

Cllr Mulqueen added, “It’s a relief to have it open again but I’m not sure about the timber frames they have around the windows. I think it would have looked better if they’d been toned down a bit to blend in with the rest of the building. But I’m delighted it is open.”

Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Peter Considine (FF) said, “I would encourage anyone interested in discovering more about the origins and early days of Clare’s county capital to pay a visit to the Friary during the summer months.”

A NEW roadmap for the development of Shannon into an international gateway has been laid out by Clare County Council in the terms and conditions of a new development plan for the town.

Taking on from where the 20112017 Clare County Development Plan left off, the new Shannon Town & Environs Local Area Plan has set out its goals for the development of Shannon, with the promotion of the airport and its hinterland seen as the key driver in the town’s progress over the next decade.

The local plan has pledged to play its part “to facilitate the development and expansion of Shannon”, which could now be in the offing as the airport prepares to take control of its own destiny with independence from the Dublin Airport Authority in the coming months.

And, part of these expansion plans for the airport envisaged in the council blueprint include the development of “an international air freight cargo hub” and “the development of innovative initiatives that harness the potential of the airport including a residential flight school, global logistics centre for humanitarian aid, unmanned aerospace systems and a centre for space collaboration”.

As part of paving the way for these ambitions plans for the airport, what has been termed a “core strategy” of the local area plan is to “ensure that sufficient lands are zoned at appropriate locations to meet all envisaged land use requirements of the area over the lifetime of the local area plan”.

The local area plan has also pledged “in collaboration with other agencies, to prepare a high level Strategic Plan, to identify key priority projects and developments capable of being accommodated at the Shannon Airport lands, Shannon Free Zone and Westpark”.

The draft goes on to highlight Shannon as “a key hub” both for national and international air travel, “a gateway to Ireland’s primary tourist locations” and “a driver” for county and region’s economic development.

“In this regard the plan will seek to ensure the growth and development of Shannon Airport and to harness its full potential, in line with national, regional and county development policy. The designation of a Strategic Development Area encompassing the airport lands reinforces this commitment,” it says.

‘Strategic Development Areas’ are areas identified within the plan area where specific planning and development objectives, land use policies and or master development plans have been identified for the future development of such designated area.

RAIDIÓ Corca Baiscinn has entered a new era, with a new manager overseeing proceedings at the community radio station.

Conn Ó Muíneacháin has been appointed station manager, taking over from Conan Brophy.

Mr Ó Muíneacháin is an experienced broadcaster who comes to the south west Clare station with a wealth of knowledge from the world of media.

Since 2006, he has run his own media production business based in West Clare, supplying radio programmes to broadcasters such as RTÉ and Clare FM, as well as podcasts and video for the web.

In 2007, his company, Edgecast Media, won the Grand Prix at the Irish Digital Media Awards in 2007 for An tImeall, the first podcast in the Irish language.

Originally from Kerry, Conn has lived in Ballyncally for over 20 years with his wife and three children.

Mr Ó Muíneacháin’s predecessor was delighted with his replacement.

“These are exciting times for RCB as we develop new programming ideas, and look towards studio refurbishment. I have enjoyed my time at RCB and hope that Conn will enjoy working here as much as I have,” said Mr Brophy.

“I’m very excited at the prospect of taking on the role of station manager at RCB. I feel the community radio sector in Ireland is strong and growing in popularity, and RCB is at the forefront of providing interesting and different programming,” said Mr Ó Muíneacháin.

“I’m looking forward to this role, and in particular to working with the volunteer broadcasters who bring such unique skills to RCB, and enable our listeners to listen to truly innovative programming.”

A PEDIGREE cow from Barefield has become an internet sensation around the world in little over a week, after her curiosity got the better of her and he strayed from the long acre around Ballyalla to go ‘shopping’ for some bathroom ware.

That’s the story being told and viewed around the world in a threeand-a-half-minute YouTube clip that has gone viral in the past week as nearly 10,000 internet users a day log onto the young heifer’s interest in shopping.

It’s all to do with the Charolais heifer belonging to a local farmer that strayed into the Ennis Supply shop on the Gort Road last Saturday week, was filmed on a mobile phone and posted on the internet and, as of Monday night, had nearly 70,000 people viewing the footage.

“It’s amazing really,” Ennis Supply owner Stephen Flaherty told The Clare People this week. “I’m not from the YouTube age and I didn’t even know that it was put up on the internet, but the fact that it was and has had so many hits in unbelievable.

“It was on Saturday afternoon and the heifer just walked in the front door of the shop and walked around for about 15 minutes.

“She did no damage and we were eventually able to guide her out of the shop.

“She belonged to a local farmer, who farms at Ballycoree, and strayed from a field when a gate was left open and she eventually made her way up to us. While she was walking around, a young fella by the name of Damian Corry, who works with us on a Saturday, started filming him.

“When we got him out, I thought that was the end of it, but now loads of people are calling me to say they’ve seen it on the internet.

“I suppose you could say it’s some advertising for the business,” added Mr Flaherty.

A NORTH Clare man was recovering in hospital yesterday after an accident during the An Post Tour de Burren cycling race in Ballyvaughan. 49-year-old Martin Clancy came off his bike at the foot of Ballyella Hill in Fanore on Saturday morning, sustaining head injuries in the collision. The Ennistymon native, who is currently living in Ennis, was attended to by a doctor who was taking part in the race before being airlifted to hospital in Cork. The Clare People understands that Mr Clancy was fully conscious in hospital yesterday (Monday), and is expected to make a full recovery.

Mr Clancy was one of an estimated 2,200 cyclists who took part in the various stages of Saturday’s Tour de Burren, the largest number ever to take part in the seven-year history of the event.

“There was a doctor in his own party who attended the gentleman, and from this point on our emergency plan was activated. The medical team on site requested immediate transfer by helicopter to Cork University Hospital, and we tasked the Coast Guard to co-ordinate this,” said John Sweeney from Clare Sports Partnership, one of the organisers of the Tour de Burren.

“Conditions at the time were dry and no other cyclists were involved. We would like to wish the gentleman a speedy recovery and also we would like to thank all who attended at the scene and to Doolin Coast Guard for their help and co-operation.”

Besides the single accident, this year’s Tour de Burren is being hailed as a great success by the organisers. Due to strong headwinds, this year’s tour was considered to be the most difficult in the event’s history.

Irish cycling legend Sean Kelly was one of those who took part in the event, which has become a key part of Clare’s sporting and tourism calendar.

THE future of rural Ireland will be up for debate at this year’s Merriman Summer School, which takes place in Lisdoonvarna this August. The line-up for the summer school was confirmed yesterday with the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney (FG), set to speak as part of the event.

This year’s school is being directed by the Chairman of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and former Director General of RTÉ, Bob Collins, who has chosen ‘Thriving at the Crossroads: Rural Ireland in a Globalised World’, as the theme.

“For a long time, the focus of Ireland’s identity was its rural, its agrar- ian base. Frequently romanticised, regularly misunderstood, it had an important part in the shaping of ourselves and of a sense of our ideal selves,” said Doireann Ní Bhriain of the Merriman Summer School.

“The world that gave us that approach is long gone. The face of the country has been transformed. Urban life and the urban experience dominate the international media and shape contemporary identities.

“And yet, rural Ireland continues to exist. Its landscape still proclaims its beauty. Its people make an impact on the life on the country. Its fields produce food that is consumed in many lands.”

Alongside Minister Coveney, the summer school will also feature Professor Kevin Whelan of the Univer- sity of Notre Dame, Professor Chris Curtin of NUI Galway, Dr Ruth McManus and Eddie Downey, Vice President of the IFA.

Some of the specific topics earmarked for discussion include how the new virtual community relates to rural Ireland as well as questions about the future of farming, food, landscape, tourism, sustainability and the environment.

“This year’s school sets out to offer a positive but realistic perspective on the reality that is rural Ireland, It will look at the possibilities and potentials of the future,” added Doireann

The Merriman Summer School will run from Wednesday, August 15 to Sunday, August 19, at the Pavillion Theatre in Lisdoonvarna and other venues in the locality.