Category: News

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.

THE courage of the brave crew of the Kilrush lifeboat was acknowledged at the weekend when the RNLI picked their station to receive a new lifeboat.

And a woman who deeply admired the bravery of lifeboat crews will now always be remembered in the Clare town after the new boat was named for her.

The Edith Louise Eastwick was blessed and launched for her maiden voyage at the weekend having been bought with money left by a Baroness in her will.

Baroness Majorie Von Schlippenbach passed away in April 2003 and left the money with the stipulation that the boat which her legacy bought would be named after her late mother.

As a child, the Baroness lived in Eastbourne, where her mother often told her the story of a lifeboat of the local RNLI, which had been funded by a friend. Whenever she saw the boat Mrs Eastwick would tell her daughter of the life-saving service which the lifeboat crews provided.

Accepting the Atlantic 85 lifeboat in Kilrush, Lifeboat Operations Manager John Lambe said, “We are extremely grateful to the Baroness for her gener- osity in funding our new lifeboat and to Tom MacSweeney for officially naming her. On behalf of our crew, station management and fundraisers here in Kilrush, I offer my sincere thanks. This lifeboat is the vessel that will carry our volunteer crew out to sea and on it they will save lives.”

Speaking to The Clare People , Pauline Dunleavy, Station Officer at Kilrush, said it is “a fantastic vote of confidence in the station here by the RNLI to give us this new boat. We’re just a small station but we’re absolutely thrilled to have the Edith Louise Eastwick.”

RNLI trustee John Coyle said that there is “not a day goes by without our volunteers risking their lives to save others. And let us not forget the sheer hard work and ability of our fundraisers. To raise essential funds in challenging times never ceases to amaze me.”

Maritime journalist Tom McSweeney performed the naming. He told the gathering that “working in the national media, I am aware that not every call for help [at sea] makes headlines but I know that each time a lifeboat launches the crew set out in the knowledge that they may have to use their training to deal with the most challenging of rescues.”

THE quick thinking of one local doctor saved the lives of five elderly women in Kilkee on Sunday evening.

The five women were still being treated at the Mid West Regional Hospital in Ennis yesterday evening following a major gas leak at a house on Railway Road in Kilkee just after 6.30pm on Sunday evening.

Four of the women, whose names have not been released, were found unconscious at the house after the quick thinking of the ShannonDoc doctor on call alerted the emergency services to the potential tragedy.

The five women, who meet each Sunday for a chat and a catch up, were saved after one of the women left the gathering early, complaining of a sickness.

When she returned home, her husband called ShannonDoc, who quickly sent out a doctor to assist the woman.

As soon as the doctor saw the sick woman, he realised that a serious tragedy could be about to take place and raised the alarm.

When the emergency services and the fifth woman’s husband arrived at the house, they found the women unconscious and removed them from the house before bringing them to the Mid Western Regional hospital in Ennis for treatment.

Ambulances from Kilrush and Ennis attended the scene, as well as a rapid response advanced paramedic unit from Ennis. Gardaí cordoned off the area while fire crews, wearing specialist breathing apparatus, searched the house for the source of the leak.

Fire crews established that the gas was leaking from a bulk tank at the rear of the house. They remained at the scene for several hours until technicians made the gas tank safe.

It is not thought that any of the women are seriously ill but it is likely to be later this afternoon (Tuesday) at the earliest before they are discharged from hospital.

DOONBEG will play host this weekend to fundraising efforts which are expected to realise € 50,000 towards educating children in Nepal.

The Clare branch of the international Indreni Children’s Charity will host a series of fundraising events over the weekend, which will culminate with a gala dinner and concert by the Chieftains on Saturday night.

A golf classic will take centre stage on Friday at the golf club, while a si- lent charity auction will run throughout the weekend and a raffle for a BMW will also take place.

Indreni provides a home and private education for 30 previously abandoned street children in Kathmandu, Nepal.

It was founded in 2006 by Ram Hari Khadka and commanded interest in Clare the following year when Keith Molony from Ennis encountered Mr Khadka.

He set up a branch in Clare and todate € 30,000 has been collected in the county for the organisation.

According to one of those involved in this weekend’s events, Pat Connellan, the aim is to raise € 50,000, which will go towards educating the children.

Pending the success of this weekend’s events, there are plans in place to run a similar event on an annual basis.

“Hopefully we will do it every year. This is the first time this has been done anywhere.

There has been good support from the people of Clare,” he said.

He explained the background to the Clare link with this organisation. “Keith met Ram Hari while trekking in Tibet in 2007. From that day on, Keith started funding it himself.

“A few more of us got involved last year. People are paying so much a month.

“We raised money and went over to Nepal in October. A group of us spent time with the children and helped out. It showed us where the money is going,” he added.

“It’s not a case like Chernobyl where the children are brought over here.

“The biggest thing is paying for their education because education is a long term solution to so many problems.

“The initial plan is to make enough money to build a school.

“This weekend we hope to clear € 50,000 and that will go towards sourcing the land,” he said.

For more information on the event, click on www.doonbeggolfclub.com or www.indreni.org.