Category: News

MORE than 100 people turned out in Scariff last night for a public meeting to debate plans to close the local Teagasc office in East Clare.

The office, which is ear marked for closure later this year or early 2012, is cur rently being used by more than 450 far mers in the East Clare area to process thei r document ation for a large amount of far m schemes and as a venue for t raining courses and other communit y activities.

This latest threat of closure comes after the closure of the local Teagasc office in Ennistymon last year and the relocation of all local Depar tment of Agr icult ure services from Ennis to Limer ick – leaving Clare as the only county in Munster wit hout an office of the Depar tment of Agr iculture. The Clare People underst ands that the majority of the staff currently employed at t he Teagasc office in Scariff will be relocated to Ennis with a new extension planned for the Ennis office to cope with the influx of numbers. “There is a ver y big catchment area for the Scar iff office. Besides all of the schemes that are administered from this office t here is also a number of courses administered from the office as well – some by Teagasc but others from FÁS, Clare Development Agency and the VEC so there is huge amount of activity goi ng on in these offices at the moment,” said East Clare farmer and member of Clare Count y Council, Joe Cooney (FG). “If this office is closed hundred of East Clare farmers will be forced to t ravel to Ennis, Limer ick or to Loughrea to access the services they need.

“This is going to be a big set back to far mers i n t he area – not alone the farmers but the other local people who use the office on a regular basis,” he added.

The Clare and Galway area manager for Teagasc, Brendan Heneghan, at tended t he meeting and it is hoped that he will be influenced into reconsidering t he plan to close the office.

“This is somet hing t hat has been proposed – we have a member from Teagasc coming to the meeting tonight as well as our four Oi reacht as members so we are hoping t hat t his is not set in stone,” conti nued Cl l r Cooney.

“There is suppor t to retain this service. I don’t think it adds up to close this ver y good new office and come into Ennis and have to build extensions in building in t here.”

CLOSE to 550 people turned up in the early hours of Saturday morning to see dawn break over the Lees Road sports and amenity park in Ennis at a walk aimed at raising greater awareness of suicide.

The ‘Darkness into Light’ walk and run, organised by suicide crisis centre Pieta House, got underway at 4.30am with participants following a 5km route through a forest path lit by electronic candles. The walk finished at around 6am as the sun began to rise.

Coordinator Tom McEvoy hailed the walk as a great success and said Pieta House plan to hold the nationwide event on annual basis in Ennis.

He said, “We’re weren’t sure what kind of turnout we would have but it went beyond anything we could have anticipated. No wind, no rain and a fantastic dawn.”

There was an early start for many of those who took part with participants traveling to Ennis from Kilrush, Miltown Malbay and Scariff to make the 4.30am start time. And according to Tom, some of those who walked and ran, did not get any night’s sleep beforehand. “We had people who came straight from night clubs, people who were at the Rose of Clare. We had one man who ran in his suit and black tie. We had a massive cross section of the community taking part.” The opening address was delivered by Tom, while there was also contributions from Pieta House member, Noleen Devlin and Ennis Parish administrator Fr Tom Hogan. One participant described the walk a “very emotional occasion”. Tom, whose brother died as a result of suicide in 2007, said there was a positive response to the event. He said, “The first runner to complete the course, Frank Landy, said he’d done a lot of 5km and 10km runs but that this was the most memorable event he said he’d taken part in. He said normally he’s used to dodging runners but this time he was dodging trees.” Tom also thanked all participants and volounteers.

PRESIDENT Barack Obama might not set foot in Clare during his historic whistle-stop visit to Ireland later this month, but Kilrush Town Council could be set to fly the Banner flag when the leader of the free world visits his ancestral home in Moneygall.

It’s all to do with a link between President Obama and the West Clare capital that will be debated at this Thursday’s monthly meeting of Kilrush Town Council as the lo- cal authority moves to celebrate one of its most famous sons during the presidential visit.

President Obama was a member of US Congress for Chicago before becoming president – the first congressman with Irish links since Kilrushman Thomas Cusack represented Chicago in Washington.

Fianna Fáil councillor Tom Prendeville is behind the move for Kilrush Town Council to “gain an audience with President Obama”, while also using the occasion of the presidential visit to honour “a native of Kilrush who lived the American dream and distinguished himself in business and politics”.

Thomas Cusack was born in Kilrush in 1858 and emigrated to America with his family three years later. They settled in New York, but as a five-year-old he was orphaned and moved to live with relatives in Chicago.

It was there that Cusack eventually set up business in advertising, becoming a pioneer and world leader in outdoor billboard advertising, while also immersing himself in Democratic Party politics.

From 1898 to 1901, Cusack served one term as a member of Congress before returning to full-time advertising. Now, 85 years after his death, Kilrush Town Council are finally moving to honour his achievements in time for President Obama’s visit to Ireland.

“This council should honour the fact that the last Congressman with links to Ireland was a Kilrush man,” said Cllr Prendeville. “At a time when Ireland and Moneygall prepares to welcome Barack Obama back to his roots, this council should give public recognition to the fact that Barack Obama was following in the footsteps of Thomas Cusack by his election as Congressman for Chicago, which ultimately paved the way for his subsequent election to the office of the United States of America.

“It’s right to honour him and to do it during President Obama’s visit is appropriate and it would be great if we could mark this man in the presence of President Obama,” he added.

AN ENNIS man has been charged with assault causing harm arising out of an alleged incident in the town last December. Patrick Francis Doherty (32), of Bay 1, Ballaghboy, Quin Road, Ennis, is accused of assault causing harm, at Rocky Road, Ennis, on December 23, 2010. He is further charged with criminal damage at Ashline, Kilrush Road, Ennis, on December 24, 2010. A garda that he arrested the accused that morning at Ennis Court house and charged him. The accused did not reply to charge after caution, the court heard. Defence solicitor Daragh Hassett sought an adjournment until next month. Inspector Michael Gallagher told the court that the DPP has directed that the case be dealt with in the district court. The case was adjourned until next month.

COUNCILLORS in Ennis have backed a proposal that would see the need for specific Traveller accommodation sites removed from the next Ennis and Environs Development Plan.

Under the planning and development act (2000), Clare County Council is legally required to make provision in its 2008-2014 development plan for the provision of Traveller accommodation in the Ennis and Environs plan area. However, with the role of the council’s Traveller Accommodation Advisory Committee (TAAC) coming in for recent strong criticism,, councillors say there is no longer a need to provide specific Traveller accommodation sites in Ennis.

TAAC Chairman, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said yesterday that he had thought “long and hard” about his proposal but had concluded that the policy had been a “disaster” for Travellers, local communities and, for financial reasons, Clare County Council. Repeating a view he expressed last week that the committee represented a “fantastic waste of time”, Cllr Meaney said there had been a “complete lack of engagement” from the Traveller community in accommoda- tion policy.

Cllr Meaney had previously told the May meeting of Ennis Town Council that Travellers’ representatives had not attended one TAAC meeting in the last 12 months.

At yesterday’s meeting of councillors in the Ennis West electoral area, Cllr Meaney said Travellers could be accommodated through the provision of social housing stock, a process he described as more “efficient” and “egalitarian”.

Cllr Meaney said that the motion would be sent in as a submission to the Ennis and Environs Development Plan. He said a decision on whether or not to include a provision for Traveller sites would ultimately be made by the County Manager and the council’s planners.

Seconding Cllr Meaney’s motion, Cllr James Breen (Ind) said the council had been to the forefront of providing Traveller accommodation in Ireland. However, he added, “We have done enough for the Traveller community and now it is time to cry stop.”

Cllr Breen said that some sections of the Traveller community did not respect the fact that they are getting accommodation “gratis”.

Cllr Tom McNamara (FF), chairman of the Ennis West electoral area com- mittee, said that there was already an adequate supply of Traveller accommodation sites in the Ennis area. He said that not all of the four sites are currently being used.

Responding to Cllr Meaney’s comments, Colette Bradley, Manager with Ennis Community Development Project (CDP), said two Travellers’ representatives attended TAAC meetings in late 2010.

Ms Bradley said both representatives had “contributed very well” to the meetings and that this had been noted by other committee members. She said she was “surprised” by Cllr Meaney’s comments.

A COURT has heard allegations that a man threatened to kill his brother-in-law at Shannon Airport last week.

Martin Joyce (20), of St Patrick’s Mews, Clarecastle, is accused of threatening to kill Michael Ward, at Shannon Airport, last week.

At Ennis District Court on Friday, Detective Sergeant Kevin O’Hagan applied to remand the accused in custody. He said the alleged incident was of a serious nature and he said that gardaí believed witnesses may be interfered with if bail was granted.

Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said that her client and his family went to the airport last week by bus en route to a pharmacy in Shannon.

She said he was at the airport with the purpose of getting a cab to the town centre.

The accused told the court that he was talking to another individual at the airport when Michael Ward approached and started “mouthing off”.

He said he did not go to Shannon to cause trouble. He denied making any threat to Michael Ward.

“He’s my brother-in-law,” he told the court.

He denied suggestions that he was acting in an aggressive manner at the airport.

Ms Godfrey applied for bail on behalf of her client.

“My client could not have gone down to Shannon with the expectation of meeting the Wards.

“He was looking for a taxi in the vicinity of the airport,” she said.

She said her client has a constitutional right to bail. However, Judge Joseph Mangan refu

sed bail and remanded the accused in custody for a week. He said he was making this decision based on the State’s evidence and also based on the gravity of the charge before the court.

AN Ennis man who is studying horticulture was un-successful in his attempts to grow a cannabis producing plant, a court has heard.

Rory Mythen (25), with an address at Fergus Manor, Ennis, appeared at Ennis District Court on Friday charged with the cultivation of a cannabis plant.

The court heard that when Gardai entered 18 Fergus Manor in August 2010, they discovered the plant along with a small amount (value € 20) of cannabis.

Solicitor for the accused, Daragh Hassett, told the court that his client and his girlfriend had co-operated fully with Gardaí. He said the canna- bis had been for his client’s personal use. He added that the plant discovered by Gardaí “was on its last legs” and would not have been able to produce cannabis.

He said the “ultimate irony” of the incident was that Mr Mythen’s area of expertise was horticulture.

Mr Hassett told the court that his client, who has no previous convictions, had purchased cannabis seeds over the Internet. He said his client had been accepted to study horticulture at college and that cannabis “no longer plays a part in his life”.

Judge Joseph Mangan ordered that the man and his girlfriend make a donation of € 200 to the court poor box. He dismissed the charges under the probation of offenders act.

A JUDGE has described the taking of ladies’ handbags from pubs as “a particularly mean type of theft”.

Judge Joseph Mangan made the comment as he imposed a two month suspended sentence at Ennis District Court on Friday.

Carrie Brigdale (21), with an address at Cappamore, Barefield, and currently living in Cork city, appeared in court, charged with taking a black ladies handbag, valued, along with cash at € 220, from Ciarán’s Bar, in Ennis on December 22 (2010).

The property was subsequently recovered and Ms Brigdale pleaded guilty to the offence.

Solicitor for the accused, Tara Godfrey, told the court that her client had suffered with a significant heroin problem in the latter half of 2010.

She said she is now receiving treatment and counselling for her addiction.

Handing down a two month suspended sentence, Judge Mangan said the theft of handbags was “a particularly mean type of theft”.

He ordered that the defendant enter a bond to keep the peace for two years.

THE number of people signing on to the live register in Clare reduced in every social welfare office around the county last month.

For the first time in more than three years, the numbers signing on the live register last month was lower than the numbers signing on for the corresponding month in the previous year – indicating that the unemployment level in the county may finally be coming under control.

Hope has also been raised that the numbers signing in Clare could fall below 10,000 for the first time since September of 2009 when the May figures are released next month.

In total, 10,419 people signed on to the live register in April, a reduction of 205 from the number who signed on in March. Last month was the third straight month that the number signing on reduced in the county.

The largest reduction was seen in Ennistymon, where 1,610 people signed on last month – a reduction of 87 on the previous month. These reductions were echoed in Ennis, where 5,871 people signed on – a reduction of 80 on the numbers signing on for March of 2011.

Similar reductions were also seen in Kilrush and in Tulla.

These latest reductions means that the numbers signing on in the county has fallen by more than five per cent since the beginning of the year.

A 36-YEAR-OLD woman lost her life when her car left the road and struck a tree near Shannon in the early hours of Saturday.

Aileen O’Brien, who lived in Raheen, Limerick, and worked at Servisair in Shannon Airport, died when her Peugeot 206 smashed into a tree at Hurler’s Cross, shortly before 5am.

The tragic accident occurred on the main N18 Limerick to Galway road, just a few miles from her place of work.

She was pronounced dead at the scene. A post mortem examination was later carried out at Limerick Regional Hospital.

Gardaí are investigating the possibility that she may have swerved to avoid an animal on the road.

Ms O’Brien is survived by her husband Wayne, parents Stephen and Margaret, her brother Denis and sister Ciara. She will be buried in her native Pallaskenry tomorrow, Wednesday. Ms O’Brien was the first person to die on the county’s roads so far this year. She had recently told her family that she and her husband were expecting their first child.

Gardaí in Shannon are investigating the accident and are appealing for witnesses to contact them on 061 361212.