Category: News

WHEN YOU hear the word Chernobyl, images of the hundreds and thousands of innocent people affected by the tragic nuclear accident quickly spring to mind. Next perhaps, you might think of the scores of Irish volunteers who regularly visit Belarus and, when ever possible, bring young children home to Clare for a much needed holiday and the therapy of simple fresh air.

When you hear about Chernobyl however, you don’t often imagine a cramped warehouse in a quiet corner of Ennistymon and the endless sorting of box after box of donated goods. But that is where much of the real work of the Burren Chernobyl Project takes place, where the ordinary heroes of the charity work round the clock to make it all possible.

Linda Kelleher and Ann Marie Jones work in the Ennistymon office of the Burren Chernobyl Project. After joining the charity just six months ago the pair have been busy preparing for the first shipment of the year to Belarus and organising this summer’s many volunteer trips to orphanages in Chernobyl.

“I just wanted to do something that was of value, something that you could give back to the community,” says Ann Marie.

“I’ve done a bit of voluntary work with charities before. It’s quite fulfilling and it is very rewarding to see all the donations of clothes and bed- ding and everything. I was amazed at how much people will give.”

Both Linda and Ann Marie have been blown away by the generosity of local people who have been donating to the charity. “We made some posters when we got here, it was the first thing we did. We were looking for donations and straight away, within the same week, they were in. People were very generous,” said Linda. “We get a lot of phone calls during the day. Mainly it’s people wondering how they can help and wondering about getting to Gorodishche or Cherven, which are the main two orphanages that we deal with out there. “They want to know how to go there, what they need, how to sort out visas and what they could do there.” Both Linda or Ann Marie have yet to visit Belarus, so they always recommend that a potential volunteer talks to someone who has been over there before they decid to go. In the coming weeks the Burren Chernobyl Project is hosting a number fundraising activities including their big sponsored walk on Easter Monday and a charity concert. “We have the sponsored walk coming up on Easter Monday which we organised and put up posters and do the advertising for that and we also take part,” continued Linda. “We’re hoping to go out ourselves, even over a weekend trip, just to see the orphanages and get a feel for what’s going on. We have had a volunteer come in and speak to us about what actually happens and her knowledge was brilliant; about how it’s very sad and upsetting but it’s very rewarding.”

AN Ennis man charged with punching his friend has been told by a judge that he must enter a treatment programme for drug and alcohol abuse.

Cathal McNamara (19) with an address at Old Military Barracks, Kilrush Road, Ennis, appeared be- fore Ennis District Court on Friday, accused of striking another man at Lifford Road on February 20.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that gardaí arrested the accused, who was found to be intoxicated, at the scene. The court heard that the man is currently serving a prison sentence imposed at Ennis District Court last month.

Solicitor for the accused, Tara Godfrey, told the court that her client had been involved in a physical altercation with a friend. She said the two men are still friends.

Ms Godrey said her client had tried to turn his life around. She said Clare Youth Service and Slainte drugs and alcohol counselling service had written letters to the court on her client’s behalf.

“He had made progress but has slipped off the wagon,” she added.

Ms Godfrey asked Judge Joseph Mangan not to extend the period of detention. She said that her client is able to avail of treatment services in Limerick prison and is “drying out”.

“Any period beyond that would be counter-productive,” she added.

Judge Joseph Mangan remanded the man on custody until his release date of June 3. He added that he wanted to see if the man has commenced a full treatment programme of drug and alcohol abuse.

Judge Mangan added that it would be “a shame” if the man wasn’t on good behaviour for the rest of his sentence.

WELL-KNOWN Clare horse trainer Noel Glynn was carrying the hopes of an entire county in Saturday’s Grand National, but at the same time he was the victim of a theft at his home in Spancilhill, Gardai have reported.

Clare Crime Prevention Officer, Sgt Joe Downey, revealed that sometime between10.50am and 11pm on Saturday, when Mr Glynn and his family were in Liverpool for the Grand National, a number of items were stolen from his Durra House home. These included a sum of money, a car, a safe and a shotgun.

It was just one of a number of burglaries in the county over the past week, two of which were aggravated burglaries.

Last Saturday between 10pm and 10.30pm four men with balaclavas burns into a house in Kilferagh, Kilkee. “They intimidated the elderly occupant and demanded money from him,” Sgt Downey revealed. “They occupant was not injured but is very traumatised by this incident,” he added.

Meanwhile, in Ennis on April 4 at 9.15pm, a house on the Clare Road in Ennis was broken into. “He intimidated the elderly occupant to obtain money,” revealed Sgt Joe Downey.

“He searched and ransacked all the rooms in an effort to locate any valuables. A suspect has been ar- rested for this crime and enquiries are ongoing. The occupant was not injured but very traumatised by this incident,” he added.

Meanwhile Kilkishen residents are being asked to co-operate with gardai and keep a close eye on neighbours who live alone following a meeting in the village last week.

A break-in locally and concerns about crime prompted the Kilkishen Development Association to call a public meeting to see what coan be done to make the village a no-go area for burglars and other criminals.

“We had a very active community watch group in Kilkishen some years ago. It had been considered that that could be revived but after a discussion it was decided that asking people to be aware and co-operating with the gardai is a better route forward rather than having local patrols,” said Development Association chairman, Mike Hogan.

The Association is appealing to local people to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity or strangers calling to doors and to report anything untoward to the Gardai in Tulla.

“We would ask people to be concious of looking out for people who live alone locally and particularly elderly people. The break-in shows that we need to be alert. Being concious of what’s going on in the village is a good way to deter crime.” Mike said.

AN EAST Clare man has received a suspended sentence after engaging in abusive behaviour towards gardaí in Ennis last year.

Keith Quigley (22) of Callaghy, Tuamgraney, pleaded guilty at Ennis District Court on Friday to engaging with abusive or insulting behaviour towards gardaí in Ennis town centre on September 20, 2010.

The court was told that on the night in question gardaí were called to Francis Street following a report of a “public order situation involving a number of people”.

Mr Quigley was not involved in the public order incident, the court heard.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court Mr Quigley was told by gardaí to leave the area but only moved a short distance away.

When Mr Quigley failed to leave, Inspector Kennedy said, Gardaí arrested him.

Solicitor for the accused Tara Godfrey told the court that her client was a 22-year-old single man. She ex – plained that her client lived 30 miles from Ennis and that on the night he had been waiting in Francis Street with some friends for a taxi home.

Ms Godfrey said an incident occurred that her client had no part in. She said her client accepted that he should have moved away when told to do so by gardaí.

“It was largely a misunderstand – ing,” she added.

The court was told that the man had previously been fined for a public order offence.

Judge Joseph Mangan passed down a two-month sentence, suspended on the condition that the man forthwith enters a bond to keep the peace and to be of good behaviour.

He also imposed a fine of € 500.

THE voice of Robbie Williams filled the packed halls of St John the Baptist Church in Ballyvaughan last Tuesday morning as the family and friends of Deirdre McCarthy said goodbye to their very own angel.

Deirdre made her short final journey from the small local church that she knew so well to the windswept graveyard at nearby Bishop’s Quarter Cemetery following what was one of the largest and most emotionally draining funerals in recent memory.

Clearly still in a state of shock, the family of the 43-year-old were comforted by the hundreds of friends, locals and well-wishers who packed into the small church. So great was the number that people had no choice but to stand close to the alter in all three isles of the church, while outside special speakers were set up so that those who could not gain access could still take part in the ceremony.

A number of family members, including Deirdre’s younger sister Helen, took part in an emotional service which was led by local priest Fr Richard Flanagan.

Music was also a large part of the Mass, as it had been in Deirdre’s life, with a lone female singer leading the hymns.

Following the service, Deirdre was carried from the church by her brother Tom and her brothers in law to the sounds of her favourite song, ‘Angels’ by Robbie Williams.

The wind began to rise as the funeral procession made its way along the coast road from Ballyvaughan to the McCarthy family plot in Bishop’s Quarter.

There were tears at the graveside as Fr Flanagan led the large crowd in a decade of the Rosary before saying a last few words over Deirdre’s final resting place.

Light spatters of rain began to fall, obscuring the tears that so many shed on the long journey home from Bishop’s Quarter.

Deirdre McCarthy is survived by her mother Helen, brother Tom and sisters Helen, Christina, Bernie and Ann, as well as a large extended family in the North Clare area.

CLARE has become the pilot county for a new service which aims to offer community support for people who have suffered a crisis or who are recovering from, or going through, depression.

And according to the facilitator of the service, that’s everyone.

The Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAC) is a system developed in the States which aims to give people the tools to help themselves and others to recover from a crisis.

“Our target audience is everyone because there is no-one who has not suffered loss, gone through grief or stress or had some kind of crisis in their lives, which means we are all in recovery. That’s particulalry true now, with people who have lost their jobs, carers, people facing financial difficuties – there are all kinds of stresses which we have to deal with,” said Liam Minogue, the project coordinator for Clare.

The project is currently available in Ennis and East Clare and will shortly be rolled out in West and North Clare. It is funded by the philanthropic organisation, the Genio Trust and Clare, Tipperary and Limerick have been chosen as the three lead centres for the programme.

People taking part in the programme work with trained facilita- tors to develop a plan to identify the problem, take control and use various tools to cope with stress in the future. The programme offers vital support from peers and helps participants develop a daily maintenance plan to keep the momentum of recovery up.

“The first step to recovery is empowerment,” said Liam. “What people need to realise is that you can’t do it alone – we need support and our aim is to have trained facilitators in every community who can help anyone who wants to avail of this programme.”

To that end, there are training programmes planned for people interested in becoming facilitators. First, however, there are courses coming up for those who want to be trained in peer support.

The course – like all of the programme – is free and takes two days with the next one planned for Limerick on April 28. Clare people are welcome to take part.

“By the time this pilot project ends in October, we want to have trained groups throughout Clare. We want trained people to organise peer support groups in their communities so that everyone has access to this programme,” said Liam.

Anyone who would like more details or information about times and places of meetings can contact Liam on 085 8267778.

THE NEWLY formed Burren Ecotourism Network (BEN) hosted its first conservation event in north Clare over the weekend when a number of local volunteers completed a beach clean-up at Ballyryan, on the coast road between Doolin and Fanore.

The Burren region became Ireland’s second official ecotourism destination earlier this year when it was granted official accreditation last month. This is the first major event undertaken by the group since it received official ecodestination status and hopes are high locally that the new development could mean an increase in the number of ecotourist attracted to visit Clare.

More than 40 geologists from Leeds University volunteered to join the weekend’s clean-up and future conservation events will involve local schools as well as members of the wider community.

With their help, more than a quarter of a tonne of rubbish was collected from the beach and taken for disposal to the Central Waste Management Facility at Ballyduff beg.

“It was great to be involved in preserving the Burren Landscape,” said Dr Jeff Peakell from Leeds University.

“We have been coming to the area for 20 years and witness the increased volumes of tourists and inevitable impacts on the landscape. We ourselves have a ‘leave no trace’ policy and are happy to be part of this new exciting initiative by the Burren Ecotourism Network.”

The Burren Ecotourism Network is made up of a large group of local businesses and other organisations, each of which have an interest in protecting the Burren and creating a sustainable future for people and businesses of north Clare.

Local members who also took part in the clean-up included representatives from the Burren Painting Centre, the Boghill Centre, Kilfenora Hostel, Heart of Burren Walks, Burren Outdoor Education Centre, Burren Fine Wine & Food, Burren Coaches and the Cliffs of Moher.

RESIDENTS in Fergus Park have “significant concerns” over plans by the Office of Public Works (OPW) to build a new river walkway at the rear of the estate, a meeting has heard.

Speaking yesterday, Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said that residents are opposed to the new footpath and handrail to be installed as part of amendments to the River Fergus lower (Ennis) certified drainage scheme.

The changes were discussed at yes- terday’s monthly meeting of Ennis Town Council.

In a letter to the council, Brendan McDermott, OPW flood project management services, said it has been necessary to amend the original scope of the drainage scheme.

Mr Long said, “This work is due to commence shortly and these amendments will have an impact on your property.”

According to the notice, reinforced concrete floodwalls with natural limestone cladding will be constructed along the visible faces, along the left riverbank in the Fergus Park to Knox’s bridge. Works will also include the reinstatement of surrounding ground while all existing surface water outfalls are to be fitted with a tidefex valve.

The notice adds, “New footpath and hand railing to be installed. Wall and footpath approximately 1.25m above garden levels.”

Cllr Flynn said local residents were concerned about the development. He told the meeting that the nearby CBS primary school had successfully objected to the walk being extend- ed along the rear of the premises.

“A lot of the residents don’t want the river walk,” he said.

Cllr Flynn called for the river wall to be improved at the 1916 memorial near the Club Bridge. He said he had heard of an incident where a man had fallen over the wall at the weekend. Cllr Flynn said the wall should be raised or railings should be installed.

The notice of works for the Fergus (lower) draining scheme was welcomed by Cllr Peter Considine (FF).

FRIDAY was a special night for one of Clare’s best-known musical clans as four generations of the O’Donoghue family shared the stage in Ennis. Paddy O’Donoghue (83), his son Cyril, granddaughter Leanne O’Donoghue and great-granddaughter Aoibhinn Begley performed together at ‘The apple didn’t fall far from the tree’, the first in a series of concerts due to be performed at Glór, Ennis, which celebrate Clare musicians who have inherited their love of music from their parents. The family performed the ‘Rose of Killagh’, a song that appeared on bouzouki player Cyril O’Donoghue’s 2008 album. “Leanne actually sang on the album when she was 10. It was great to get everyone together on stage. Four generations, it’s unusual that you’d get them altogether,” explained Cyril. Paddy O’Donoghue, a founding member of the Tulla Céilí Band is one of Clare’s best-known musicians. Cyril said Friday was a very proud night for his father. He added, “He was delighted, over the moon of course. He brought his first album three years ago. He has been sick so it was great to get to get the album done. There was a book of his music that came out a few years ago, Ceol an Chláir .” Cyril, who now lives in Shannon, recalled how he learned to play music from his “father and grandfather and all the musicians around east Clare”. He added, “The whole family is nearly involved in music. We’ll always be playing something. You come into the house and there are instruments all over the place.”

MEMBERS of Smith O’Briens GAA club in Killaloe are to spearhead a new initiative to build a community centre in Killaloe, thanks to a novel venture that will see up to a thousand parishioners help fund the project.

In what has been labelled as “the community helping themselves”, a fundraising scheme has been devised whereby people in Killaloe, Bridget own and O’Brien’s Bridge will become “investors and stakeholders” in Killaloe Community Development project.

“What we’re doing is having an investors draw,” said community activist and former county councillor Tony O’Brien.

“The whole concept is tailored to try and suit the fact that we’re living in a recession.

“We are going out into the community to try and get a thousand people to become part of the draw, by contributing € 4 a week to the development fund. That works out at € 17.33 a week and € 208 over the year.

“For that we will have a draw every month giving away € 3,700 in cash prizes. There will be 20 prizes from the top prize of € 1,000, two € 500 prizes, two € 250 prizes all the way down to eight € 50 prizes,” added Mr O’Brien.

The launch of the community centre initiative comes as planning permission for a Care Centre in Killaloe has been lodged with Clare County Council.

The facility in Shantraud, Killaloe, will include shops, offices, staff and parking facilities.

“The parish badly needs a facility like a community centre,” continued Tony O’Brien.

“There is no facility for community groups, for the youth and the elderly. The plan is to develop under the umbrella of the GAA, but it will be a community facility that will be open for everyone.

“The idea of the draw is that the community are investing in a facility for themselves. If we managed to get a thousand members, we would raise over nearly € 500,000 for the project over three years,” he added.