Category: News

ENNIS’ bid to host the 2012 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann was formally lodged with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireannn on Friday, with the working group behind the submission confident that the submission to bring the traditional music festival back to Clare after an interval of 35 years will be successful.

Securing the Fleadh for the first time since 1977 would be worth an estimated € 30 million to the county capital – a financial windfall that has seen a coalition of forces emerge behind the Ennis bid.

“We are supremely confident that we would make a great job of hosting Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 2012,” the chairman of the Fleadh Cheoil Working Group, Micheál Ó Riabhaigh told The Clare People this week.

“We are also confident that we have made a very strong case to bring the Fleadh to Ennis, the best case that we could have made. Everything that we have done in making the submission was based on the premise that we would have the Fleadh coming to Ennis. That’s not to pre-judge the deliberations of the Ard Comhairle of Comhaltas either,” Mr Ó Raib- haigh added.

The Ennis bid to host the 2012 Fleadh, was launched in April when the local committee that draws together the local branch of Clare Comhaltas, Clare County Council, Clare GAA, Ennis Town Council and Shannon Development met with Comhaltas Ceoiltóirí Éireann chiefs.

Ennis is one of three competing towns to host the 2012 Fleadh – the others are Cavan, which in August will host the festival for the second successive year, and Sligo, which last hosted the event in 1991.

The Fleadh proposal has identified 25 venues in Ennis that would facilitate the 2012 event, catering for up to 200,000 music lovers from across the world, with new Clare County Council headquarters on New Road designated as the hub of operations. Ennis previously hosted Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 1956 and 1977.

“The big work was identifying suitable venues and getting support from the hoteliers, vintners and local authorities in Clare,” revealed Mr Ó Raibhaigh.

“We are happy that everyone in Clare is very supportive of the application and everything has been done,” he added.

PARTS of Shannon Airport are at risk of being totally submerged underwater in the event of a major flooding event taking place in County Clare.

That is according to a special report on flooding in the Shannon area which formed a central part of the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment in the Clare County Development Plan which was officially published yesterday.

The report predicts that a one in 200 year flooding incident, made worse by the effect of rising sea levels, could result in overtopping or a breach in the Shannon flood defenses. In this event the report predict that two separate areas close to the international airport could become seriously flooded. A large section of land between Carrigerry and Ballycally would be flooded in the event of a major flooding event as would an area around Rinnanna South – which includes part of the airport and there Shannon Golf Club.

The flooding in the Rinnanna South area would also threaten the Oil Storage Depot at the airport. The Shannon area was chosen as a site for special study in the development plan because of the danger that rising sea level poses to the area and because of the strategic importance of Shannon Airport.

Shannon Airport was granted “gateway status” in the National Spatial Strategy and the importance of Shannon International Airport as a driver of regional growth was also highlighted in the development plan.

The development plan also makes provision for a € 900 million pumped-storage hydroelectricity plant to be located somewhere in Clare. It is hoped that by taking a pro-active approach, the local authority might attract private sector investment in such a project.

Plans for a pumped-storage hydroelectricity plant were rejected by the local people in the Ballyvaughan and Fanore area last year because of fears that the facility might negatively impact on the local environment.

Pumped storage works by using wind power to pump water up a hill into a storage tank during the nighttime and this water will be released through electricity generating turbines during the day when the demand for electricity.

The plans also suggests that Clare should aim to become Ireland’s first clean-tech county with the likes of the Shannon Free Zone, Shannon Airport and the County Council Offices being powered by renewable energy.

THE number of families seeking help from Clare Haven for the first time has doubled, compared with last year, according to the group which provides support to female victims of domestic abuse and their families.

81 families presented to the outreach clinics – which run in Ennis, Ennistymon, Scariff, Kilrush and Killaloe – for the first time during the first five months of the year, which is double the figure for the same period last year. Financial stress is a contributing factor in the increase.

Yet, despite the increase in demand, Clare Haven is forced to contend with funding cuts.

Up to the end of May, 60 families attended the refuge operated by Clare Haven in Ennis. Among those who attended were 104 children. Those figures are on a par with last year’s. 136 families stayed at the refuge during the whole of 2010. However, the demand for the outreach clinics has soared.

The increase in numbers of victims coming forward has led to some of them being referred on to centres in Limerick and Galway – to ensure they have places to stay and are not left waiting.

Services Manager with Clare Haven Denise Dunne said the service is stretched.

“The refuge is full the whole time and has been for the past two years. We have seen a bigger increase in the number of new families coming to the outreach service. This year alone we have had 81 new clients to the outreach service. That’s a huge amount in five months. We had about 40 last year so the figures have doubled,” she said.

“The total number of support visits to the end of May was 482. Every time someone comes to our outreach clinics, we have a support visit with them and do safety planning, outline their options and provide emotional support,” said Ms Dunne.

“A lot of people coming to us we refer on to St Vincent de Paul and MABS (the Money and Budgeting Advice Service),” she said.

She said that an increased level of public awareness and the media highlighting the services has played a role in more victims of domestic abuse coming forward.

“This year we have been cut [in funding] again. We have been cut every year since 2008, with a cut of between two and three per cent this year on top of previous cuts. We are striving to maintain the same service. Our service is very, very stretched at the moment. We have cut the ancillary services like talks to schools. We have put a volunteer programme in place for the past two years for things like fundarising and accompaniments which is a great help,” she said.

THE centre of Ennis town should be developed as much as possible, in an effort to attract shoppers.

That’s according to the local Chamber of Commerce, in the wake of the County Development Plan’s publication yesterday.

As part of the retail strategy, which is incorporated into the Development Plan, the challenge for Ennis is to improve its retail representation, particularly through the provision of large modern shop units in the town centre, without harming its attractive historic character.

The strategy also states that there is scope for improvement in the range of non-bulky and bulky comparison goods offered in Shannon.

It states that the growth of retail floor space should be encouraged so that the town centre can improve its quality of service in Shannon.

Among the groups to make submissions was Ennis Chamber of Commerce. CEO Rita McInerney said there are several positive parts of the plan.

“The big message is to develop a strategy that keeps a core in the town. We would be in favour of that; developing the core of the town as much as possible. There are a lot of new places opening up and we want to make sure they stay and we have to foster that,” she said.

“The one thing I picked out of it [the plan] is the commitment to develop town centre improvement strategies to make town centres more attractive for shoppers,” said Ms McInerney.

She believes that the content of the plan is achievable, but everyone must work together to ensure it happens.

“It’s implementing the elements of the plan within the timeframe that is important. A lot of work has gone into it. It’s a vision. Now we need to make it a reality. Otherwise we are going to have more businesses closing,” she said.

“It’s a combination of efforts; the local authorities in conjunction with local businesses and ourselves. We all have a job to do. We all need to get on board and work progressively,” she said.

“It is very much a balancing act. We have a unique town centre. You need to provide customer choice and diversity. We are located between two cities that have high street stores. We have to think very carefully about what type of companies we want in terms of retail. Is it viable to compete with those? There is a lot of interest in Ennis from retailers but they find it difficult to get town centre locations of the right size. We need to look at combining units in the town centre whilst keeping the character of the town centre. Everything is achievable,” he said.

“Overall the vision of the plan is very good in terms of retail. We just have to follow through on them,” said Ms McInerney.

THE headquarters of Clare County Council has been put forward as the new home for former President Eamon de Valera’s recently restored 1947 Dodge Plymouth.

The Dodge served as the state car for first, President Sean T Ó Ceallaigh and then de Valera.

The car had been stored at the de Valera Library in Ennis since 1998 until it was damaged by floods in 2009.

It was transported to a workshop in Sixmilebridge where it was fully restored.

The project was overseen by vintage car enthusiast and independent member of Clare County Council, PJ Ryan.

Yesterday, the Mayor of Clare, Cllr Christy Curtin (Ind), paid tribute to Cllr Ryan’s work.

He told the adjourned June meeting of Clare County Council that Cllr Ryan had restored the car at a 40th of the normal cost.

He said Cllr Ryan had done the county a “unique honour” by restoring the car, a comment that prompted councillors to deliver a round of applause.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said there had been a number of important vehicles in the ownership of Clare County Council that could benefit from Cllr Ryan’s expertise.

He told the meeting that a 1930s fire tender is located in the Ennis Fire Station. Cllr Meaney asked if Cllr Ryan “could take a look at it”.

Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) suggested that the car be located in the foyer of Clare County Council or in a proposed new library building.

Cllr Gerry Flynn (Ind) objected, saying that the car should remain at its present location in the de Valera Library. He said the Council could not afford to waste resources in finding a new home for a vintage car.

Cllr Meaney said the car could be threatened by floods if it remained at the library. Cllr Curtin said the Council would prepare a report on the cost of re-locating the car.

In a motion submitted to the meeting, Cllr Curtin requested that the “manager inform the Council of the arrangements for the re-location of the Motor Taxation Office and the restored De Valera’s car within Áras Contae an Chláir.”

The meeting heard that the Motor Tax Office will be re-located to the Council’s main offices on New Road within the year.

SHANNON town has been compared to a “mini Ballymun” and has become “ghettoized”, due to the development of multiple apartments.

Independent councillor Gerry Flynn made the comment during a debate on a motion in which he called for Rineanna Park in Shannon to be rededicated as a public park for the people of Shannon and surrounding area. He suggested that a rededication ceremony be arranged and that the former Minister for State Donal Carey be invited, as he was the Minister that officially opened Rineanna Park in September 1996.

In a written response to the motion, senior executive engineer Eugene O’Shea stated, “This proposal is premature as the council is currently clarifying issues that need to be finalised prior to take-over, including access from Bóthar na Rinne to the park and title of the park itself. Once these issues are resolved then a recommendation can be made for the park to be formally taken in charge by the council.”

Cllr Flynn told a meeting of Shannon area councillors, “I don’t think Shannon was ready for a mini Ballymun which is what it is. It has become ghettoized.”

He said that the development of apartments led to the town park being lost, which, he said was “an insult to the people of Shannon”.

Cllr Flynn told The Clare People , “Shannon was not ready for the amount of apartments we got in the development plan for the town centre.”

He said that several apartments in the town are vacant. “They [planners] got it wrong. The development we wanted wasn’t blocks of apartments half empty. It is turning into not a very nice place,” he said.

A NEWMARKET-ON-Fergus national school hit the national airwaves twice last week – thanks to the good spelling practices of its young pupils.

Scoil na Maighdine Muire took part in the Ryan Tubridy Show Eason’s Spelling Bee, a nationwide compe tition aimed at encouraging young people to focus on their spelling. More than 600 schools participated and the Newmarket school was one of 12 schools selected for the final stages last week.

To mark the achievement, the Tubridy Show on 2FM broadcast the Munster final live from the school last Wednesday, in which one of the school’s pupils 12-year-old Amy O’Halloran competed with students from Cork and Kerry in a spelling competition. Amy won on the day and sealed a place for herself and her school in the national final of the competition. She travelled to Dublin with her parents Des and Bernie, along with classmates, school principal Ann McMahon and Amy’s sixth class teacher Eamon Curley. She took part in the national final on Friday in the RTÉ studios. Although she was not the outright winner, Amy did her family and school proud.

She received a € 200 voucher for Eason’s and a commemorative medal for the school, in honour of her achievement.

As part of the selection process for the prestigious competition, schools were invited to write a 200-word explanation as to why they should be selected. Mark Corbett, a sixth class student, wrote a piece based on the flood in the school on St Stephen’s Day, which destroyed the library, entitled ‘Reading is a good thing especially on a wet day.’

Ann McMahon paid tribute to both Amy and Mark. “In the eight years that Amy has been in the school, she has never missed a spelling in her spelling tests. We are so proud of her and so proud of Mark,” she said.

“It was a wonderful opportunity for the school. What a high to finish the year on. We are absolutely thrilled,” added the principal.

The group, which travelled to the capital by bus, thoroughly enjoyed the day in RTÉ and all students received a special pack from the state broadcaster as a memento of the special occasion.

THE estimated 2,000 people who took part in the Tour de Burren cycling race over the weekend were able to drink the local tap water when they were finished after a decision by Clare County Council and the Health Service Executive (HSE) to lift a boil notice on the North Clare village. North Clare locals reacted angrily last year when the 2010 Tour de Burren, one of the areas biggest annual tourist events, was marred by an outbreak of pollution in the local water system. A number of boil water notices have been in place in the area over the last 12 months – the latest one lasting from February of this year until just last week. However, after the completion of the Ballyvaughan Water Supply Scheme, which collects the local water system to the Ennistymon water system, the boil water notice was finally lifted. “It is great news to have a new water supply for Ballyvaughan, we are delighted. It was a long trek for the businesses and people up here but now we have a fresh water supply coming from Licheen Lake, thanks to the council and all the work by the engineers. The funding was made available to the scheme and now the businesses have good water – we really welcome this development, it’s great news,” said Patrick O’Donoghue of the Ballyvaughan Community Development Group and the Burren Cycling Club.

“This time last year we had a boil notice and the council supplied us with a tank. This year we have the fresh water supply which is even better.”

The removal of the boil water notice applies to all water consumers on the Ballyvaughan Public Water Supply as well as people on the Muckinish, Gleninagh, Gregans, Knocknagrough and Newtown group water schemes.

In a statement last week, Clare County Council welcomed the completion of the € 5 million scheme.

“Clare County Council continues to work towards provision of sustainable services, which meet the highest standards expected and required by our customers. We are obliged to comply with the Drinking Water Regulations of 2007 as well as the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive,” it said.

“A major element in the Council’s overall water strategy is the Water Conservation Strategy, which sets out the need to conserve water in order to minimise costs of wastage as well as reducing the demand on sources. This strategy is being implemented through the Council’s Water Conservation Programme, which is continuing its work of identifying and rectifying major leakages in the water distribution system. Assistance, as always, in conserving water is greatly appreciated and contributes to a more efficient service to all.”

HE’S the Government’s assistant Chief Whip, thanks to Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s latest round of key appointments to his Fine Gael/Labour coalition, but another honour has come Deputy Joe Carey’s way this week.

All because the assistant chief whip has been voted the sexiest Clare TD in Dáil Éireann, with the Clarecastle deputy topping the poll in the Clare constituency when it comes to sex appeal.

Deputy Carey, who has been a member of Dáil Éireann since 2007, edged out his government party colleagues in the county for the title of Mr Clare Dáil Éireann in an on-line opinion poll that rates the sex appeal of all 166 members of the lower house of the Oireachtas.

The www.sexytd.com rates Deputy Carey, who turns 36 this Saturday, as the 45th sexiest member of Dáil Éireann, a rating that places him ahead of party colleague Pat Breen, who also in the top 50 with a rating of 49.

Hot on Deputy Breen’s heels is Labour’s Michael McNamara – the first time TD, who was in the same St Flannan’s College class as Deputy Carey, coming 52nd in the sexy TD roll of honour, while Fianna Fáil Timmy Dooley, much like that party nationally received a disappointing poll rating, coming at 106 in the online survey.

THREE Clare schools had their ingenuity rewarded when they collected silver awards in a national engineering competition.

Shragh National School, Kilrush, Scoil na Mainistreach in Quin and Parteen National school were given silver cert awards to mark the fact that they made it to the final and were in the top 20 schools in the country in the Engineers Ireland Xperience Engineering Competition 2011. The finals took place on Thursday last in The Helix in Dublin.

Parteen National School were entered in the final with their project entitled ‘Inventions in Sewage – the Toilet’.

Scoil na Mainistreach, reached the final in the junior category for their project entitled ‘Engineering a cleaner world with windmills’.

Shragh NS, in the same category for their project entitled ‘Wind Farms’.

Congratulating the teams, John Power, Director General of Engineers Ireland, said, “The Xperience Engineering project has a long history with schools around Ireland.

“This is the third year of the competition and each year I’m delighted with the level of interest and enthusiasm as well as the high calibre of projects that were entered.”

Last December all registered primary schools were sent out a pack from Engineers Ireland highlighting the theme for this year’s competition which was ‘Engineering a Cleaner World’. Over a four month period participants worked on their projects.

The competition is divided into two categories, the first targeting third/ fourth class and the second focusing on fifth/sixth class.

“As Ireland moves out of recession and progresses as a nation in areas including engineering, science and technology it’s important that we continue to nurture our students and provide them with the right environment to develop their talents.

“With this in mind I’d like to thank all the teachers who helped their students to develop their ideas to enter the competition.”