Category: News

KILKEE woman Marina Keane has ruled herself out of the race for the Dáil, but hasn’t ruled out running in the future.

The 30-year-old solicitor is heavily involved in the Fianna Fáil party in Clare and was approached by party officials to run in the forthcoming election.

While she did consider contesting the election – in the aftermath of sitting TD Tony Killeen announcing his retirement from politics last week – she decided over the weekend that she would not run.

“I’ve ruled myself out. I’ve made the decision not to go. I did give it serious consideration after Tony Killeen stepped down. I did come under pressure last week and was asked to stand. There is an appetite there for a candidate from west Clare and I think people did want a west Clare name on the ticket, but you have to take personal circumstances and work circumstances into account,” she told The Clare People .

She has chosen to concentrate primarily on her career as a solicitor, in the short-term at least. She currently works as a solicitor with Michael Houlihan’s office in Ennis, having graduated from Blackhall Place four years ago.

“I’m still young enough and I am fairly early starting out in my legal career and I want to progress that. I also want to work on reform within the party. I’d like to work with the party on a national level. There has obviously been some damage done to the party over the past couple of years. We need to work on communications in the party,” she said.

Marina grew up in a Fianna Fáil house in Kilkee. Her father Pat has been a county councillor since 1991 and is a former mayor of Clare. She has been a key member of his election campaign team for several years. It’s not the first time that Marina’s name has been linked to the political stage. Her name was mentioned as a possible candidate in the 2007 General Election, but she similarly took the decision at that time not to stand.

She became a member of Ógra Fianna Fáil in Clare at the age of 19 and is currently a Kilrush Comhairle Ceantair representative to the Comhairle Dáil Ceantair.

She is highly regarded in Fianna Fáil circles in Clare and recently worked on the party’s county strategy, aimed at bringing about reform. She has also worked on various subcommittees in the county.

“That’s something I would like to continue to work on in the future; reform in the party,” she said.

“I would never rule anything out. However, my priorities are now on progressing my legal career and working in the Comhairle Ceantair,” she said.

“I’d never say never. It is something that might arise in the future. You can only assess things as they arise,” she said.

PLANS to introduce new charges at the Lees Road Sports and Amenity Park are an attempt to “stop a couple of cute hoors” from not paying for the use of facilities there, a meeting has heard.

The comments were made last week by councillor Brian Meaney (Green) as Ennis Town Council heard calls for and against the introduction of charges for use of the Lees Road cross-country track.

Draft byelaws containing the new charges have gone out for public consultation, as confusion exists over what area of the 29-acre woodland site the charges relate to.

While the cross-country track follows a path through the woods, Town Clerk Eddie Power explained that the track also encompasses a “green landscaped area” at the rear of astro turf pitch and synthetic running track.

Speaking at the January meeting of Ennis Town Council, Mr Power said that some clubs and individuals are using the lighted area to train but were not paying for it.

Clubs and individuals are currently charged for the use of the synthetic running track, playing pitches and astro turf facilities but not for the cross-country track. Mr Power said new charges are being considered in the interests of fairness and consistency.

“Organisations are using that area because it is free, deliberately. Clearly that’s unfair,” he said.

Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) said that given the availability of shower and dressing room facilities, the proposed € 2 charge for individuals is “not a whole lot to pay”. He added, “I may not be too popular asking people to pay € 2 for a facility we’ve never had before.”

Cllr Peter Considine (FF) said he supported no change in current system of charges but later added that he had “serious concerns” if lighting at Lees Road was facilitating night-time access to the cross-country track.

Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) proposed that the council consider introducing a new method of payment for use of facilities at Lees Road. He said there had to be a “charge of some description” for the cross-country track.

Cllr Meaney asked if the track in its current form could accurately be described as a cross-country running track.

“Until we correct the design deficiencies, I don’t think we could charge for it. Unless people wanted to give a voluntary charge,” he said. Cllr Meaney said the charges were an attempt by the council to stop “a couple of cute hoors” from not paying. He added, “We have to find a different way of dealing with it.”

AN INCIDENT in which a quilt was set on fire while a woman was lying on it was described yesterday by a judge as “unique”.

Judge Carroll Moran made the comment after hearing that were it not for gardaí who fought smoke and fumes, two people would have been killed in an apartment fire in Ennis. The woman lying on the quilt when it was set alight suffered what was described in court as “horrific” injuries.

Michael Keane (44), of Cappamore, Barefield, admitted setting alight a quilt, which created substantial risk of death or serious harm, at Childers Road, Ennis, on July 2, 2008. He also admitted causing harm to Josephine Moloney and pleaded guilty to arson, on the same date.

Sergeant Mark Murphy told Ennis Circuit Court that gardaí received a call indicating that people were trapped in a house fire. On arrival gardaí heard a male voice calling.

“Visibility was nil. Garda Derek Williams couldn’t see. He was using touch. Because of the smoke and heat, his only sense was touch. He went in at least three times. He had to come out to catch his breath,” said Sgt Murphy.

He said that the accused was living in the apartment and Ms Moloney was co-habiting with him. Both had been drinking and an argument took place in relation to a missing mobile phone.

He said that Ms Moloney lay on a quilt on the floor in the bedroom and the accused threatened to set fire to it, if he wasn’t given the phone. He then set fire to a thread of two inches on the corner of the quilt with a cigarette lighter.

“He stamped out the flame. He said he thought it was quenched. He then went in to the bathroom and read The Irish Times for 10 to 15 minutes,” said Sgt Murphy.

When he came out of the bathroom, Keane smelt smoke and saw that the living room was full of smoke. He called Ms Moloney and tried to get water from the bathroom to quench the fire, said Sgt Murphy, but “he didn’t make the bathroom. We assume he fell unconscious at that time”.

Keane and Ms Moloney were both rescued from the house and were tak- en to hospital with serious injuries.

Ms Moloney (41) sustained serious injuries. She suffered second degree burns to several parts of her body, including to her face, ear, neck, chest, arm, hand, abdomen and thigh.

Judge Moran said: “I have been sitting as a judge for over 13 years and have been doing crime (cases) for most of that time. I really haven’t come across a case like this before. It’s quite unique. I really don’t know how to approach this. I’ll sleep on it.”

He adjourned sentencing until March.

AN inability to effectively collect payment and perceived unfairness were the main arguments against increased charges at the Lees Road Sports and Amenity Ground, put forward at a meeting in Ennis last week.

Speaking at the January meeting of Ennis Town Council, Councillor Johnny Flynn (FG) described the facilities available at Lees Road as “first rate”.

However, he added that it would be unfair to introduce charges for the cross-country track at a time when many people are experiencing financial difficulties.

Cllr Flynn said he opposed the charges as the area to which they would apply was not fenced off. He claimed this would make it “virtually impossible to police”.

He said the fact that the charge doesn’t grant an individual or team “exclusive” use of the track was another reason for leaving the current system unchanged.

He said, “The cross country track has generally been available and has been free.”

Cllr Flynn, who submitted a motion calling on the council not to introduce new charges, said it was important the council do nothing to discourage people from taking up walking or running.

Outlining her opposition to the proposed charges, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) questioned how the area would be policed and how the charge would be implemented on a fair basis to all.

Clr Howard also expressed concern over how the council would distinguish between clubs and individuals when charging for the use of facilities.

She said she had discussed the proposal with Clare Sports Partnership and Marian Athletic Club and other users of Lees Road.

In a statement yesterday, John Sweeney, co-ordinator with Clare Sports Partnership, said he had “no comment to make regarding Lees Road at this point”.

Responding to comments from Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) that charges should exist given the availability of dressing rooms and showers, Cllr Howard said that most walkers and runners using the cross country running track go straight home afterwards anyway and “don’t use the showers”.

Cllr Paul O’Shea (Lab) told the meeting that he was also opposed to the charges.

A CLARECASTLE man who scored a multi-million euro windfall during the property boom has said he will run as a candidate in the forthcoming General Election.

73-year-old JJ McCabe told

RESIDENTS have echoed calls made by the mayor of Ennis for certain details of a lease agreement between Ennis Town Council and Clare Youth Service over a new youth and community building to be made public.

The centre, which is under construction at Cloughleigh Road, has been the subject of two public protests, while last year almost 90 people attended an unscheduled meeting at the Council Chamber in Waterpark House, presided over by then mayor of Ennis, Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind).

Residents in the Cloughleigh area are opposed to the location of the building and were also disappointed by the council’s approach to the consultation process that led to the site being chosen.

While Ennis Town Council is the contracting authority for the € 531,581.70 construction project, it is intended to lease the building to the Clare Youth Service who will deliver a range of programmes to teenagers and young adults ranging from 13 to 21 years.

The lease agreement was raised at last week’s meeting of Ennis Town Council. According to the residents’ spokesperson, Geraldine Dinan, many people living in the area were surprised to learn the matter had come back before the council.

She said residents had met with the council on three occasions between September and December 2010, to discuss concerns over the “general running” of the building.

“We were surprised that it came up at the meeting. We would’ve hoped that we might’ve been informed about the lease,” she said.

Ms Dinan explained that residents did not have an issue with the length of the 10-year lease but added that many elderly residents are worried about the proposed opening hours of the building.

She said, “Most buildings like this are in the middle of a town or in the middle of the community, but this one is different. The concerns are not unreasonable. We would hope that they would be taken into account.”

Speaking at the January meeting of Ennis Town Council, mayor of Ennis Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) repeated his call for details of the building’s opening hours to be brought before the council before the lease is signed.

“We gave a commitment to residents in opening hours,” he said.

Cllr Brennan added, “I would insist that we see the lease. I was the one who insisted that the terms on conditions be brought before the council…We gave a commitment to people about the conditions and they are the people who elected us.”

A LOCAL councillor is advocating the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle after surviving a major health scare last year.

Pat Daly, a Fianna Fáil member of Clare County Council, suffered a stroke while at work in Ennis in September 2010.

Cllr Daly, who has worked for 18 years as a personal assistant to the outgoing Minister for Defence and Clare TD, Tony Killeen, was subsequently diagnosed as having an irregular heartbeat.

He recalled, “I was at work and coming up to lunch hour, I got a bit of dizziness and my voice slurred and I couldn’t speak straight. I put it down to a cold but I wasn’t 100 per cent sure. I went home, my wife was there, a few neighbours came in and medical people. My wife rang the ambulance. I was hospitalised and I was diagnosed with a stroke. I was out of work for almost three months.”

He said, “It was a desperate shock, traumatic. I didn’t expect it. The family were great. Brothers and sisters and their family and my own family, my wife, two sons and a daughter. They were great in the hospital and when I came home.”

The 56-year-old father of three was treated at Ennis General Hospital and is currently on a course of the blood-thinning agent, Warfarin.

The Ennis native admits he was fortunate to survive the incident. He said, “I was very lucky because I made a full recovery and a lot of people don’t.”

Cllr Daly explained that his lifestyle has changed since his recovery from illness.

He said, “There’s been a big change in my life. You have to watch the diet. I eat a lot of fish now. I go walking. It’s the best form of exercise, walking. I’m watching the diet and drinking plenty of water.”

Cllr Daly is now encouraging more people to stay healthy and active.

He explained, “I wasn’t a great man for walking. People in their late 40s, 50s, 60s, they don’t get enough exercise and they need to walk a couple of miles every day, which I do now. I played a game of golf on Sunday morning – that was all I did. I thought that by playing golf on a Sunday morning, I was fit. But you need to do more. You need to do a bit of walking.”

Cllr Daly, who topped the poll in the Ennis area when he was first elected to Clare County Council in 1999, receives regular treatment at the outpatient’s clinic at Ennis General Hospital. “It’s a fantastic facility, a great facility,” he said.

TOURISM is a global industry. If the Irish tourism sector is to play its part in the recovery of the Irish economy in 2011, a number of factors beyond the control of Irish business, the Irish public and even Irish politics will have to be counted before the much hoped for return of the international tourist can take place.

Despite the global nature of tourism, there are a number of resolution which, according to Michael Vaughan, head of the Clare branch of the Irish Hotel Federation, could help the local tourism sector in the year to come.

“We need the British people to rediscover the value and confidence to travel to Ireland again because we have lost as much as 25 per cent of that market. As well as lending us their money they could do better still and come over here and spend some of their money with us again. That would be a huge boost to us. Germany and America in 2010 seems to be good prospects – America really seems to be bouncing back and while it’s hard to know for sure there seems to be an increase of as much as 10 per cent on last year so far which is a good sign. Germany also has a renewed buoyancy so if we work to make sure that the product is right and the price is right they we could see a bounce in the German visitors for next year,” said Michael.

“In terms of what the government could do they could always spend more money promoting the country. Every euro that is spent promoting tourism brings € 4 back into the economy which is a good return. I’d like to see a better regime when it comes to local authority charges when it comes to businesses. That is a big ask I know, because local authorities are strapped for cash at the moment.

“I think a good summer weatherwise would be a big boost for the tourist sector. I know that is asking the God above to do us a favour but that would be a real boost for us. A good summer always makes a big impact for us, at least you can guarantee a few good weeks of trade.

“What could happen and what we would very much like to see is that people who have money might come out and spend that money. There are people in the country who have money. We would hope that these people would come out in the national interest and spend a bit of money in whatever way they see fit – whether they would be buying a bowl of soup or sandwiches in a cafe or whatever. There is a lot of money out there but people are thinking that they shouldn’t be spending money because there is a recession. But it’s a strange situation, spending money is exactly what we need them to do.”

As well on a national level and international, there are things within the county of Clare itself which could bring about a boost for the local tourist trade in 2011.

“The town of Ennis is critical to us and we’d like to see a big festival in the town. There has been a lot of talk about getting the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann back to the town but either way we’d like to see more activity. I’d like to see more going on at Glór especially if it could be expanded to let it take conferences.

“That would be a huge boost to the county for us to be able to take conferences of about 500 people in the county. If we could also see the coming together of tourism interests to help each other out,” continued Michael.

“I’d like to see that proposed bridge down in Kilkee being built. Loop Head and west Clare generally is such an undiscovered part of the county and it would be great to have an iconic tourism project located down there. The people who have brought Loop Head to the forefront in recent deserve their just rewards and they deserve to continue on and to see the benefit of their labours in the months and years ahead.”

GARDAÍ are hoping that after eight years, there may still be some information which can help them solve a brutal Clare murder.

Relatives of the late Sean Poland are mourning the eighth anniversary of his death. They are also appealing for anyone with information about the car-dealer’s death to come forward.

Gardaí are hoping that the time of year may jog someone’s memory of the New Year’s Eve eight years ago when Mr Poland was shot at his home.

The 39-year-old was shot dead during an armed raid at his home in Blackwater on New Year’s Eve 2002. Several arrests have been made in connection with his killing but noone has ever been charged. Mr Poland’s partner Joanne Lyons, 42, was tied up by the killers, who arrived at the house just minutes after the couple returned home from a night out. It is thought a deal made by Mr Poland in a city centre pub earlier that night may have been linked to his killing. The gang also escaped with about € 1,000 in cash from Mr Poland’s home. The attack shocked the country and sparked calls for greater control of firearms. It is believed criminals from the city were responsible for the murder and more than 20 people have been arrested to date by gardaí investigating the killing,

In 2004, gardaí in Limerick had arrested nine people in connection with the murder of the 39-year-old man.

The seven men and two women were arrested in early-morning raids across Limerick city. They were questioned and released without charge.

The previous year, two men and a woman were arrested but also released without charge.

Sean’s sister, Marie Horgan says that they are still hoping for a breakthrough in the investigation especially with the establishment of a dedicated cold case unit to look into old crimes.

The family make the appeal on each anniversary and last year, Sean’s brother Ray appealed for anyone with information about the killing to come forward.

“I know for a fact that somebody knows something. I would appeal to them to come forward with that information because we still don’t know who did it or the reasons why,” he said.

“Sean was an innocent man and. He was only 39 years of age and he should still be alive today. Some people deserve it, but he didn’t, and, really, there has been no closure for us,” he added.

Ray said that Poland this time of year was particularly difficult for him and his family.

“It is tough and the pain is still there. A lot of other cases seem to have been solved in the meantime but we haven’t got any answers. There doesn’t seem to have been any movement at all,” he said.

A Garda spokesperson confirmed that the murder investigation remained open, but said there had been no significant developments over the past 12 months.

“If anyone has information they can contact us in confidence,” he said.

Anyone with information about the murder pf Mr Poland can contact Henry Street Garda Station at 061 212400 or the Garda confidential line at 1800 666111.

MORE THAN most, north Clare filmmaker Alan Cooke has spent a lot of time pondering what needs to be done to secure Ireland’s future in 2011.

The Emmy award-winning filmmaker has spent much of the last two years researching the post-Celtic Tiger fate of his country and asking both what went wrong and what needs to be done to put things right for the future.

For Alan this is not a question of banks and budgets, but more a question of rediscovering out spirit and identity.

“In these times, we question the fabric of what we are. We wonder if there is a future in our country. We look at forces bigger than us trying to rip away the fabric of our values and decency. But I resolve as I hope others will that this decade we will find our way back to something ancient and old,” says Alan.

“I hope we will find that our communities turn to each other and grow stronger. I wish in 2011 that we realise there is something that they can never take from us. Our spirit is ancient. We are of royal blood from Celtic kings. We are not fools or filled with shame.

“I hope we can create a resolution that we can fight to bring Ireland to what it can be. We can resolve in 2011 that we can shed all of the hurt from the last decade, we can rise above the corruption and scandal in the Church, the government and the banks.

“I am going to go out and make a film about this country – to capture its beauty, its majesty, its power and the strength of our people. In 2011 I hope we can show the world how we are loved in our culture and our words and art.

“It is my job in this decade as it is the job of other Irish artists that we must lead and shine a light that the whole planet will turn to see. When I travel this land I see the incredible joy in people in the original nature. I see their dancing. I see their music and their words and stories.

“In my epic new film I hope to create something that represents the best in all of us. I resolve this and make a solemn oath that what is good in us will rise. All of the hurt of the last few years will be wiped away forever. Bless us all in 2011 and for the future we can take to be ours and make this country great again.”

To learn more about Alan’s new film or to make a donation to help fund the production visit www.thespiritofirelandfilm.com.