Category: News

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.

THE move by ESB International to explore the possibility of developing wave energy sites off the west coast of Clare is further evidence of the county’s key and historic role in harnessing electricity for the nation.

That’s message sounded out by Clare’s first citizen, Mayor Christy Curtin, this week in welcoming the decision of ESB International to conduct marine surveys off the coast of Doonbeg at Killard Point.

The project, if developed from the feasibility to construction phase, could pave the way for wave energy technology to power up to 2,500 homes in Clare every year.

“This is a new dimension to energy generation,” said Mayor Curtin, “and it’s a vast resource that we have on our doorstep here in Clare. If this resource can be harnessed for the people of Clare, it would show that the county can lead the way like it did with Patrick McGilligan’s Shannon Scheme in 1929 and the development of Moneypoint Power Station in 1986.

“The Shannon Scheme and Moneypoint were major infrastructural projects that brought jobs to Clare. Wave energy has the potential to bring more jobs to the county if this project can be brought to fruition.”

ESB International (ESBI) has applied to the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government for foreshore licences for both Killard Point and Achill, with the findings from the feasibility study determining which is the best location for the WestWave project.

The application is seen as the first step towards developing a five megawatt wave energy project.

The foreshore licences will allow ESBI to deploy wave measurement buoys for a minimum period of one year to assess the wave climate at each site. The company will also undertake hydrographic surveys at each site to assess the sea-bed conditions. The proposed works will provide baseline data on wave and current resources at each site, as well as determining design and installation methodologies and informing route selection for cables associated with a wave energy project. The survey work will also provide information for environmental studies of the area. These activities will take place over a one to two-year period following receipt of the licences.

The project is in line with ESB’s strategy to develop 150MW of electricity from ocean energy by 2020 and the Government’s strategy to generate 500MW from ocean energy.

SHANNON wants to welcome President Barack Obama to the airport town, like it did Presidents Kennedy, Clinton and others in times past, but it could yet have its own president to come as one of its own.

That’s because longtime honorary ‘Shannon man’ Pat Cox has revealed that he is now prepared to give “serious consideration” to contesting the race to succeed President Mary McAleese in Áras an Uachtarán.

The former Progressive Democrats and independent politician has been out of elected politics since retiring from the European Parliament in 2004, but is now on the cusp on announcing a dramatic return to the hustings.

“I have been surprised and shocked by the huge volume of calls I’ve got on standing,” Mr Cox said on Saturday in giving the clearest indication yet that he could be contender in the autumn election.

Cox was a Progressive Democrats TD and MEP from 1989 to 1994, before he controversially moved to the independent benches ahead of the 1994 European elections when he beat his former Progressive Democrats party leader for a seat in European Parliament.

The 59-year-old was born in Dublin, but raised in Shannon where his family settled and lived for a number of years. “I have great affinity for Shannon,” he said in 1989 after the

people of Clare helped

elected him to the Eu

ropean Parliament.

Now, Cox, who built

up a formidable repu

tation in a 15-year

stint in Europe that

culminated in a two

year term as President

of the European Par

liament from 2002 to

2004, is paving the

way for a possible re

turn to national politics by mounting a presidential bid.

“It wasn’t on my radar screen at all,” said Mr Cox, “but I’ve had so many mails and calls and so on, I certainly would take some time to consider it. It is a very big issue to do with life, family, duty and responsibility, but I’m prepared to ask myself the question this week that wasn’t even on my mind a week ago.”

WHEN food science graduate Deirdre Collins was taking home a day’s pay of just € 40 from her stall at the farmers market, the day when she would launch her healthy burgers on the UK market and employ five people seemed a long way off.

But from that humble beginning in 2009, the enterprising Clare woman has stormed ahead and last weekend she was in London at one of the UK’s most prestigious fairs to showcase her products.

“I graduated in food science so I know a bit about what goes into food and, more importantly, what I don’t want to go into my food. I started really reading labels and you wouldn’t believe all the things that are added to foods which are supposedly healthy. So I decided to start making my own,” she told The Clare People .

From selling the product at markets and often taking home little or no money for a lot of work, Deirdre decided to take the idea up a notch. “We moved on to cooking them at agricultural shows as a healthy alternative to fast food and one that coeliacs and vegetarians can eat.”

Now with her own company, Dee’s Wholefood Burgers have launched in the UK after a lucrative distribution deal was agreed with Marigold Health Foods. The official UK launch of the brand took place in London’s Olympia in April, when food buyers from across Europe descend on the Natural and Organic Products trade fair – one of the health food indus- try’s key annual events.

Widely recognised as being one of the most successful business ideas showcased on the 2009 season of Dragons’ Den, Dee’s Eat Well, Be Happy range has been steadily growing in popularity among a diverse customer base of vegetarians, vegans, coeliacs and anyone keen to follow a healthy balanced diet.

A TRIAL involving an East Clare doctor has heard details of how an “intensive” course of treatment failed to halt the spread of a malignant tumour in a 15-year-old cancer sufferer.

It is alleged that Dr Paschal Carmody (62), of Ballycuggeran, Killaloe, defrauded the family members of two cancer patients concerning photodynamic therapy treatment at his clinic in Killaloe.

Dr Carmody has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

On Friday, Ennis Circuit Court heard expert evidence from Dr Finn Breathnach, a former consultant oncologist, who treated the late Conor O’Sullivan in 2001 up until prior to his death in November 2002.

Conor’s parents, Derek and Christina O’Sullivan, attended Dr Carmody’s clinic in Killaloe in June 2002.

The court heard that Conor had been referred to Dr Breathnach at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin because of severe back pain brought about by a tumour.

A biopsy carried out in March 2001 revealed that damage had been caused to Conor’s sacrum by a highly malignant tumour, a condition known as ‘Ewing’s Sarcoma’.

Dr Breathnach said that the sacrum lies between the two halves of the pelvis and is such an important bone that it cannot be removed.

Dr Breathnach said the pain was so severe and dehabilitating that it had forced Conor to miss school and to give up playing sport. “He couldn’t concentrate because of the constant pain,” he said.

Dr Breathnach said that it was decided that Conor be treated with a course of chemotherapy as per an agreed European-wide protocol of highly detailed patient treatment guidelines.

He said that the treatment had been progressing “reasonably well” up until May when further tests showed that a residual tumour was still present.

Subsequent tests showed the tumour “had strengthened and was highly resistant”. Dr Breathnach said that it was almost as if the tumour “ignored the chemotherapy”.

The tumour then spread throughout Conor’s body and, despite what Dr Breathnach said was a heavy course of radiation therapy, it was decided to end Conor’s treatment in June 2002.

Dr Breathnach said a board of medical experts at the hospital had come to the conclusion that Conor’s tumour was “not cureable”.

Conor died, aged 15, in November 2002.

The court also heard from Rosalyn Carroll, a faculty administrator at the school of medicine at the National University of Ireland, Galway. The court was told that Ms Carroll was working at the university when Dr Carmody was a student there.

Under questioning from Counsel for the State, Stephen Coughlan BL, Ms Carroll said photodynamic therapy had “never existed” as a course in undergraduate medicine at NUIG.

Counsel for Carmody put it to Ms Carroll that Dr Carmody had been a student of a doctor with an interest in photodynamic therapy.

The trial continues.

A BID to bring Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann back to Ennis for the first time since 1977 officially got underway on Saturday.

Members of the Fleadh Working Group presented the case for Ennis to host Ireland’s largest festival of traditional music, dance and song in 2012 to the standing committee of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eireann (CCE).

Speaking at the presentation, Labhras Ó Murchú, Director General of CCE, hailed the Ennis bid, describing it as an “exceptional and impressive presentation”.

The presentation, which took place at the offices of Clare County Council in Ennis, was backed by a network of organisations including local authorities, Shannon Development, the Vintner’s Federation of Ireland, local business groups, the GAA, the Gardaí and the emergency services.

The working group’s proposal document states that 200,000 people would visit Ennis during the event, which is estimated to be worth up to € 20 million to the Clare economy.

The document has identified 25 venues where events could be held while the working group say that Ennis town centre will be pedestrianised during the course of the weeklong festival.

The bid to bring the Fleadh to Ennis was initiated by the local Abbey branch of CCE.

Branch chairman Risteard Ó’Conail said, “We understand the dedication and hard work required to stage Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann but we are confident that, with the assistance of all 18 branches of Comhaltas in Clare together with the support and goodwill of many other organisations and individuals throughout the town and county, we can make it a huge success.”

The hour-long presentation heard video testimonials from well-known musicians and singers including Maura O’Connell and Martin Hayes, while members of the working group outlined the details of the Ennis bid.

Mayor of Clare Cllr Christy Curtin (Ind) told the meeting that the rich tradition of traditional music that exists in the county made Clare the ideal venue for the Fleadh. “We own it, we love it and we cherish it,” he added.

County Manager and working group vice chairman Tom Coughlan said no effort would be spared to make the 2012 Fleadh a success.

Working group chairman Mícheal Ó Riabhaigh said, “We would be honoured to have the opportunity again to host Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann and to share our cultural and natural treasures with the 200,000 music lovers that make the Fleadh the greatest tradtional arts festival in the world. Our goal will be to build on the benchmarks set by Tullamore and Cavan and to have it said of Ennis, It was the greatest Fleadh ever.”

Gerard Lynch of the finance subgroup told the meeting that the cost of running the event was likely to be € 700,000. He said that the group are aiming to secure € 250,000 through corporate sponsorship. Mr Lynch said this process would have to be completed by mid-June. Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann was first held in Ennis in 1956. Ennis faces competition from Sligo, Mullingar and Kilkenny.

A COMMUNITY transport initiative which makes it possible for 3,600 passengers to get about every month is under threat because of rocketing fuel prices.

The Clare Acessible Transport (CAT) initiative may have to apply the brakes and cut routes if something is not done to help them with the cost of keeping the fleet of buses on the road.

“The cost of fuel went up by 20 per cent on the last quarter of 2010 alone. The increase on this time last year is now 30 per cent which is a significant cost for an organisation like ours, as it will be for all sectors of public transport. The positive thing is that the demand for the service is so great that we should be growing. But we can’t do that unless we can fund the service,” said Laura Ward, Manager of CAT.

The not-for-profit public transport service now has nearly 4,000 registered members and makes an average of 3,600 single passenger journies each month.

The service is for anyone who wants to join, but the eight easy-access buses are particularly helpful for those with mobility difficulties because of age or an existing condition.

It is also a vital link for people living in isolated areas which might never merit a commercial bus service and scores of CAT members who might otherwise have to be cared for in hospitals or nursing homes can live independently using the routes to get to doctors and other appointments. The service provides transport all over the county.

As an ‘on-demand’ service it ams to cater for the routes which its members want and can pick up and set down in areas where no other public transport is likely to go.

Putting up the cost of membership and journeys could put the cost of travel out of the reach of some members, as many have signed up to CAT because they cannot afford their own transport. But the company’s pleas for help with fuel costs which are outside their control have so far gone unanswered.

“We have been lobbying on the issue but so far, there has been no response. Staff here have done everything they can and have been extremely dedicated and flexible to try to keep the service going but if this continues we will have no choice but to cut routes,” Laura said.

CAT staff are also already struggling with the fact that they still do not know what their funding levels will be for the coming year and they have no help with the capital cost of adding to, or maintaining, a fleet which is coping with some of the worst roads in the county.

“We urgently need support for capital funding as well. We have got to the point where the organisation is very strong, the demand from the community is there – there are waiting lists in Shannon. We should be growing,” said Laura.

THE number of people signing on the unemployment register in Clare fell for the second month in a row last month – but March still represents the fifth highest Live Register figures in the history of the county.

A total of 10,623 people were on the Live Register in Clare last month – a drop of 189 people on the February figures. The latest figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that the number on the Live Register in Clare shrank by 260 peo- ple or 2.3 per cent since the highest figures on record were recorded in January of this year.

However, it is still unclear whether the drop in Live Register numbers since its all time high in January is the result of an increase in employment or an increase in the number of Clare people who have been forced to emigrate in search of employment abroad.

The standard seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the county remained at 14.7 per cent of the workforce in March.

This latest decrease in the numbers signing on was largely down to a sizable decrease in the numbers signing on in East Clare with the Tulla regional office recording 1,517 people on the Live Register last month – an overall drop of 51 people or 3.2 per cent in just a month.

A similar decrease was recorded in Ennistymon when there were 1,697 people signing on – down 50 people from the 1,747 who signed on in February of 2011 or a drop of 2.8 per cent.

A large decrease was also recorded in Kilrush where 1,458 people signed on the Live Register in March – 43 fewer people or a drop of 2.8 per cent on the February figures.

The news was not as positive in Ennis last month with the county town lagging behind the rest of the county in terms of reductions in the Live Register figures.

The official figures for March showed that 5,998 people signed on in Ennis last month. This represents a month on month drop of 47 people or 0.7 per cent in the numbers signing on in the county town.

SIX years ago this June, The Clare 10k took it’s first tentative steps. As we begin to look forward to the event on June 25, it is the hope of the organising committee that we will welcome back many old faces and say hello to many more new ones.

2010 saw our biggest numbers to date and we are confident that 2011 will see another rise in participants.

Over the coming weeks we will furnish you with training plans, tips on how to stay healthy and more importantly information for the day itself.

Clare Sports Partnership have come on board for 2011 and with their links to the sporting community we will follow the progress of six people who will run 10k for the first time.

It is now 11 weeks until The Clare 10k so there is no more time to be wasted. Get your training gear out, put that extra daylight to good use and get ready for The Clare 10k.

For more information check out www.clare10k.com.