Category: News

THERE’S was no chance for President Barack Obama to echo the famous words of “seeing old Shannon’s face again” – used by President John F Kennedy on the runway of Clare’s international airport as he left Ireland in 1963 after his historic State visit.

The airport link was still present in Moneygall on Monday on the double. President Obama spoke of drinking Guinness in Shannon when he made a whistle-stop visit to his ancestral home during his brief one-day stay in Ireland, while a former Scariff Garda told of his brush with the Kennedy clan at the airport 44 years ago.

Garda Mick O’Dwyer was on duty in Shannon in 1967 when President Kennedy’s wife, Jackie, daughter Caroline and son John Jnr left Ireland through the airport after holidaying in Waterford.

“There was a massive crowd and we were trying to hold them back,” he re- called of the Kennedys’ visit.

“She (Jackie) had a hold of the two children by the hands and the young fella, John Jnr, had a small plastic bucket with seashells and a book. He passed by me and this little book entitled Spr ings of India n Wisdom

THE first step towards the establishment of the first all-Irish secondary school in the county is being taken by the Clare Vocational Educational Committee, on foot of a mounting campaign by Irish language enthusiasts.

As part of this process, Clare VEC has embarked on a wide-ranging consultation process with members of the public on the future status of Ghaelcholáiste an Chláir in Ennis, an arm of Ennis Community College that has catered for the needs of those wishing to receive secondary education through Irish for nearly two decades.

The move by Clare VEC is in direct response to a decision taken last year to accept in principal a proposal to create a new standalone secondary school in Ennis where every subject would be taught through the medium of Irish.

“The Gaelcholáiste currently shares resources with Ennis Community College such as the science lab and music rooms. But it is short of space and, because of its reliance on the facilities of the community college, it is challenging to provide an Irish-speaking environment and the provision of all subjects to Leaving Certificate through Irish,” a VEC spokesperson

“Clare Vocational Education Committee is exploring several options to further develop and expand Gaelcholáiste an Chláir if there is sufficient demand,” the spokesperson added.

As part of the VEC survey to take place between now and deadline date of June 17, respondents are being asked their views on whether the Gaelcholáiste “should establish independent status and move to its own campus”, or whether the school “should remain as it is, operating within Ennis Community College”.

This project to establish all-Irish secondary education was born in 1993 when Ghaelcholáiste an Cháir opened. Since then the school has built up to a full 6 year secondary cycle with an annual intake of approximately 30 pupils.

The project was initiated by parents and involved polling parents of potential pupils as well as supporting the Vocational Education Committee and Department of Education to find the way to fund the project.

THE Government decision to follow through on a pre-election promise of abolishing the airport travel tax can kickstart passenger growth at Shannon Airport, if airlines that use Clare’s international airport are up to the challenge.

Shannon Airport Director, Mary Considine, has put it up to Ryanair, Aer Lingus and other carriers to boost passenger throughput to deliver muchneeded growth to the airport.

In a statement to The Clare People , Ms Considine said that the scrapping of the travel tax and the airport authority’s new growth incentive scheme for airlines are the carrot for increased numbers in Shannon.

“These initiatives are an extremely important and timely boost for our efforts to develop new services at Shannon Airport and support our existing routes,” said Ms Considine.

“The Growth Incentive Scheme will be of particular benefit to Shannon as airlines will be rebated all passenger charges for every new passenger they deliver once the airport surpasses the 1.755 million passenger mark we achieved last year.

“The air travel tax change in the Government Jobs Initiative is a further significant development. Its suspension, subject to the airlines delivering additional passengers, is another real incentive for them to grow passengers,” she added.

The controversial travel tax of € 10 was introduced by the Fianna Fáil/ Green Party coalition in 2009, only to be reduced to € 3 in the dying days of the government in Finance Minister Brian Lenihan’s 2010 budget.

After its introduction, Ryanair immediately scaled back its operations in Shannon with the loss of 100 jobs, while passenger numbers reduced from a peak of 53 routes delivering 1.9m passengers down to only 300,000 passengers per annum. Now, under the new growth incentive scheme, airlines using Shannon will be rebated € 12.65 per departing passenger for every passenger delivered over and above the threshold of 1.755.

“We are confident that 2011 will see an increase in passenger numbers at Shannon Airport,” said Ms Considine. “I have no doubt airlines will be keen to take advantage of this given the financial benefits set out in the incentives package. Ultimately, this will be good for the airport and for our region.”

Reacting to the news, Ryanair spokesperson Stephen McNamara told The Clare People that the suspension of the travel tax was “a welcome move by the new Government towards change and reform of Irish tourism. “Hopefully the DAA cost obstacles can also be removed to enable Ryanair to deliver rapid tourism and jobs growth in response to today’s welcome announcement,” he added.

AN 18-YEAR-OLD man has appeared in court, charged with wilful neglect of a baby in Shannon.

The charge has been brought arising out of a lengthy garda investigation, after the authorities’ attention was drawn to injuries sustained by a 10-month-old baby boy last December.

The baby was taken to hospital with serious injuries, including a burn mark, two broken arms – one of which was broken in three places – and a broken leg. He had also sustained bruising to several parts of the body.

Earlier this year, gardaí prepared a file on the matter for the DPP, who directed that the case be brought to court.

Larry Connors, of Cronan Lawn, Shannon, is accused of wilfully illtreating, neglecting or abandoning a child or allowing the child to be neglected, at Town Court, Shannon, between December 15, 2010 and Janu- ary 3, 2011.

At Shannon District Court on Thursday, Garda David Laing told the court he charged the defendant that morning.

He said that he did not reply to charge after caution.

Inspector John Galvin told the court that the case will be tried in the circuit court, on foot of directions from the DPP.

He said that there was no objection to bail and sought an adjournment until next month, for service of the book of evidence.

Inspector Galvin sought bail conditions; that the accused stay away from the baby’s mother and her immediate family; reside at Cronan lawn, Shannon; sign on twice a week at Shannon Garda Station and abide by a curfew.

Defence solicitor Jenny Fitzgibbon said there was no issue with any of the bail conditions set out by the State. Bail was granted and the accused will appear again in court next month.

A MAN in his 50s has appeared in court, charged with more than 200 alleged offences of a sexual nature.

The 57-year-old accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of the alleged offences between February 1, 1982 and November 30, 1992, at a number of locations around the State, including County Clare. The alleged victim is a female. A number of the charges are alleged rape, while several others relate to allegations of indecent assault.

At Shannon District Court on Thursday, Detective Sergeant Kevin O’Hagan gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

He told Judge Joseph Mangan that the accused was arrested last Wednesday evening and brought to Shannon Garda Station, where he was later charged.

The accused did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody, to appear again in court later this month. The case was adjourned for preparation of the Book of Evidence by gardaí.

A NEW attempt to spark a jobs revival in West Clare is to be kick-started and spearheaded by a Clare County Council task force that has charged itself with responsibility for breathing new life into the region’s economy.

The West Clare Economic Task Force move to take a lead role in stimulating growth comes just as one member of the county council has called for a Dragon’s Den-style approach to promoting new business ventures in the county.

“There’s still people in Clare with money,” said Cllr Gabriel Keating in a rallying call for the county’s rich-list, “and there are still people in Clare with good business ideas that would be worth investing in. The scope is there for West Clare to have its own Dragon’s Den,” he added.

It was at meeting of the West Clare Economic Task Force that Cllr Keating’s call for “a think-tank of the major agencies in job creation be brought to west Clare” received the unanimous backing of the council, which has paved the way for a major seminar that takes place in Kilrush next week.

Kilrush Town Manager Nora Kaye has told The Clare People that “all the key players” will be at the meeting that takes place in Kilrush Golf Club on May 25.

“We want people who are thinking of expanding their business, people establishing a business, or people with business ideas to come, because all the main players will be there, such as the banks, credit unions, Enterprise Irelande, Leader, Shannon Development, Chambers of Commerce, FÁS and the VEC,” said Ms Kaye.

“It will be a one-stop-shop. If people have an idea or have questions, they will be able to get all the information they need. It’s a plan to kick-start development and jobs for west Clare,” she added.

The finer deatails of the task force think-tank were sounded out at last Thursday’s meeting of Kilrush Town Council, just as former town mayor, Cllr Tom Prendeville called on the council to spearhead its own campaign for local economy.

“This council, in conjunction with its Community Development Fund, should invite ideas, suggestions and recommendations for Bright Ideas for Kilrush to help the tourism products of the area, boost trade in the commericial sector and encourage entrepreneurs to create sustainable employment,” said Cllr Prendeville.

THE old Our Lady’s Hospital site in Ennis has emerged as a potential location for an ambitious multi-million euro project to have Clare serviced by a new state-of-the-art private hospital. The Clare People has learned that hospital services could return to the Gort Road site nine years after the closure of Our Lady’s Hospital that served as the county’s psychiatric hospital for 134 years.

Shannon Development have confirmed to The Clare People that they are willing to do business with the hospital promoters. “We would have to go to the planning authority to see if it would be suitable as a site for the hospital,” Shannon Development’s Regional Manager for Clare, Finbarr Broughan reavealed. “If a proposal to build the hospital comes, yes, it’s something that we would be interested in,” he added.

In 1998, Shannon Development purchased the 65-acre landbank at the Our Lady’s site from the Mid Western Health Board for £2.44 million, while Clare County Council subsequently purchased 31 acres for £900,000. The Clare People understands that behind-the-scenes negotiations having taken place about the feasability of using the Our Lady’s site for developing Clare’s answer to the Galway Clinic.

These fresh moves come in the wake of the Bord Pleanála decision to reject plans submitted by developers John Stack and Pat Bonner to build the 100-bedroom hospital at Woodstock on the Shanaway Road on the outskirts of Ennis. The Clare People spoke to John Stack on Monday, but the Lisdoonvarna-based builder declined to comment specifically on negotiations.

The € 50m hospital project was given the go-ahead by Clare County Council last October, when councillors voted by 28-3 for a re-zoning of land at Woodstock, after local authority planners proposed that the application should get the go-ahead after the developers reduced the scale of the proposal.

‘HONEST’ Tom Steele never stood for political office, content instead to nominate Daniel O’Connell for office ahead of his famous 1828 election victory, but a man hailing from Steele’s Terrace in Ennis has launched a bid to succeed Mary McAleese as president of Ireland.

Dermot Mulqueen heralded his Áras an Uachtarán ambitions this week as he set about getting his name on the ballot paper to contest the October election to become the country’s eighth president.

“My first objective is to secure a nomination,” Mr Mulqueen said in launching his campaign to become Clare’s third president after Eamon de Valera and Dr Patrick Hillery.

“The British and Irish states have taken away my good name. The Irish city and county councillors can give it back by allowing me to contest the Irish presidential election as in independent candidate,” he added.

Mr Mulqueen’s entry into the Áras an Uachtarán race opens up the prospect of an unprecedented three candidates with Banner County creden- tials contesting the presidency.

Michael D Higgins, who was born in Newmarket-on-Fergus, is seeking the Labour Party nomination, while Pat Cox, the former Progressive Democrats Munster MP and TD whose family links are in Shannon is emerging as favourite to be the Fine Gael nominee.

To get his name on the ballot paper, Mr Mulqueen must secure the back

ing of 20 members

of the Oireachtas

or at least four city

or county councils

around the country.

As an independent,

his hopes of secur

ing the nomination to

contest what’s shap

ing up to be the larg

est presidential field

in history rests with

receiving support

from local government.

Key to his chance will be the backing of Clare County Council that sits less than 300 yards away from his home on Steele’s Terrace. Clare has a tradition of backing independents to contest the election – giving Derek Nally their imprimatur to take part in the 1990 election and also backed Dana Rosemary Scallan’s presidential bid in 1997.

MONEYLENDERS are preying on Clare families who feel under pressure to finance Holy Communions and school tours at this time of year, the Chairman of the MABS, Paul Woulfe, has told The Clare People. Mr Woulfe, who is also the Manager of the Ennis Citizen’s Information Centre, said that in some cases people will feel compelled to turn to illegal moneylenders.

“People will (go to moneylenders), of course. They are looking for any form of credit. Some of these moneylenders are charging 40% interest rates,” he said, adding that parents are struggling to pay the costs associated with Holy Communions while activities such as school tours are also imposing a burden on families.

He described the cost of some school tours as ‘exorbitant’.

THOUSANDS of visitors are set to descend on Lough Derg starting from this weekend, with plans well advanced to make Killaloe the honourary capital of Ireland in 2014.

And the organisers of the Brian Boru 1,000-year commemoration festival are making the strongest bid to have Skyfest held on an inland body of water for the first time that year.

Killaloe businessman, and chairman of the Brian Boru 2014 committee, John O’Shea outlined the plans for the celebrations at a joint meeting of the Killaloe and Tipperary North local authority members last week.

Kicking off the events, it’s planned to have a march of thousands of ‘warriors’ who will walk from Killaloe to Clontarf.

“The march is meant to recreate the march of Brian Boru as he led his warriors off to do battle at Clontarf but these will be modern day warriors – walkers and athletes who will raise money for charity,” said John.

The committee are also well ahead with plans to have Killaloe made the honourary capital of Ireland from Friday, April 25, 2014 until Sunday, April 27 in celebration of the fact that Killaloe was capital for the 12 years of the High King’s reign. The committee hope to hold a Mass in remembrance of Brian Boru that Friday, followed by a Civic Ceremony to possibly unveil a monument or launch a commemorative coin or stamp.

The Saturday would see the cel- ebrations take to the lake with water-based activities and sports and, in the evening, a salute to Brian Boru on the lake with music on a floating stage, Riverdance, Machnas, re-enactments ending with a phantom longboat sailing up Lough Derg, a poignant remembrance as the ghost of Brian Boru makes his final voyage.

The final day, Sunday, April 27, will be a family day with music, parades, re-enactments, sports and lots of fun.

“This weekend should bring the O’Brien clan back to Killaloe to see the birthplace and home of their kinsmen,” John told the joint meeting.

The noble O’Brien clan, direct descendents of Brian Boru, are the third largest Irish clan with an estimated 700,000 members spread throughout the world and the 2014 committee aim to let every one of them know there is a welcome for them in Clare.

“When you live abroad, nothing means more to you than your sense of Irishness, your heritage and a longing to return to the land of your ancestors. 2014 is the time to welcome home the O’Brien clan,” said John. Negotiations are also underway to have the spectacular Skyfest fireworks display come to Killaloe that year. “This would be the first time that Skyfest was held on an inland waterway and I believe we have a very good chance of bringing it here,” John said.

All of the elected members pledged their full support for the celebratory plans.