Category: News

CONSTRUCTION work on a new € 6 million pier in Doolin will get underway in a matter of days and is expected to be completed by the middle of next year.

Kilmaley-based construction company, L&M Keating, will officially sign contracts with Clare County Council later today, April 22, with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin (Lab), set to turn the sod on the project at 2.30pm.

A new pier for Doolin has been in the pipelines for more than a decade but the development was subject to an extended planning process following objections by local surfers who felt the pier would damage local waves.

“I am delighted that construction of this vitally important piece of infrastructure will commence shortly following years of open debate and extensive consultation with users of the pier, as well as the local community,” said Clare County Manager Tom Coughlan.

“The local authority has invested considerable time and resources into ensuring that the Doolin Pier project is one that benefits all users of the existing pier. Once completed, this project will have significant, positive economic and social consequences for the people of North Clare and the wider region.

“For example, the construction phase of the project will create jobs as will the increase in business that will arise as a result of the Pier’s completion.”

The completed pier will be used mainly to facilitate ferry activity between North Clare and the Aran Islands and the Cliffs of Moher during the tourist season while the existing pier will be available to accommodate other activities, both leisure based and otherwise.

The new pier will also ensure that Doolin is accessible in all tidal conditions, which will be of particular benefit to Doolin Search and Rescue as well as the ferry operators.

Senior engineer and Doolin Pier Project Manager, Tom Tiernan paid tribute to the council’s consultants, led initially by Malachy Walsh and Partners, and to Punch Consulting.

“The next stage of the pier project is construction which will get underway almost immediately. We anticipate that the project will be completed around mid 2015,” he said.

BRUCE Springsteen may has robbed the Banner county of a future political leader.

Kilrush local election candidate, Joe Coughlan (Ind), who famously presented The Boss with a giant sized Irish passport during his sold out Thomand Park concerts in July of 2013, has decided to call time on his election campaign, after meeting Springsteen once again in Nashville last week.

Mr Coughlan originally announced his decision to run for a seat on Clare County Council in February of this year. Launching his campaign he said that it was time for him to either “put up or shut up” and said that he was “tired of seeing people running again and again” for election.

However, after being offered the opportunity to meet The Boss in America last week, he has decided to pull the plug on his political career.

“I’ve been in Nashville for a couple of days and I met him [Springsteen] after I saw him in concert last Wednesday. It hit me after I met him over in Nashville, this is the kind of thing that I wouldn’t be able to do if I was elected,” he said yesterday.

“I didn’t ask him about it [the election], but to be honest I didn’t want to run for just for the sake of it. If I was going to be a politician then I wanted to be 100 per cent committed to it.”

Mr Coughlan famously presented Bruce Springsteen with an oversized Irish passport during his concert in Limerick in July of last year. Later that evening, he was invited to share a drink with The Boss in the Basement Bar of the Adare Manor Hotel.

“I think I’ve started to see the reali- ty of what running for election would look like. People here did encourage me to run and if I was a councillor I’d like to be able to make most of the people happy, but the way things are I don’t think I’d be able to do that,” he said. “I have a good life, I have my business. I think it [being a councillor] would have taken up too much of my time.” Mr Coughlan did not rule out the possibility of running for election in the future and said that if the amount of wages paid to county councillors were increased, and he could give up his day job, he would consider running for election in the future.

NEXT year’s INTO conference is to be held in Ennis, providing an economic boost to the county town.

Held during the Easter holidays every year the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) attracts up to 2,000 people for the three-day conference.

This year West Clare man Sean McMahon will take over at the helm and inaugurated as president of the union, and next Easter the annual conference will be held at Treacys West County Hotel, Ennis.

Approximately 850 delegates representing 32,000 primary teachers in the Republic of Ireland and 6,000 teachers in the north will attend.

Spouses, partners and families often travel with the delegates, while more attend for the exhibitions that take place during theses events.

Welcoming the announcement that Ennis will be the location for the 2015 INTO conference, incoming president Mr McMahon said it will not only bring more visitors to Clare for the Easter holidays, but will also be a chance for teachers across the country to see what the county has to offer n terms of tourism.

“We would hope that when they see what is here they would come back with school tours too,” Mr McMahon said.

This year it will be Kilkenny under the microscope as the delegates attend the Lyrath Estate for the event.

A total of 20 delegates from Clare are attending the conference this week.

The conference opened yesterday afternoon Monday and was addressed by the current INTO president, Brendan O’Sullivan.

This morning’s session (Tuesday) will feature an address by the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn TD and an address by the Minister for Education in Northern Ireland John O Dowd MLA.

This year’s INTO Congress will be dominated by educational and indus trial relations issues of concern to teachers.

These include pay and conditions of employment, fair taxation, the funding of schools, school leadership, small schools, promotion for teachers, special needs teaching, tackling disadvantage and school patronage.

CONTRACTS to begin construction work the M18 motorway, which will provide a completed motorway between Ennis and Galway, will not be signed this week, despite repor ts circulated to the contrary.

This is the latest in a series of false starts for the completion of the motorway, which is expected to create as many as 2, 000 jobs in direct and indirect employment during the construction phase.

The motorway has for some time been heralded as a possible saviour for construction in the county with a number of the county’s smaller sub-contractors expected to tender for valuable contracts once the proposal receives the green light.

It is also expected that the motorway, when completed, will provide significant advantages for Shannon Ai rpor t, opening up the market for tourists to use Shannon as their destination air port for visiting Connemara in the closure of all commercial flights out of Galway Air port.

A spokesperson from the National Roads Authority (NRA) told The Clare People yesterday that contrary to recent reports, contracts for the € 550 million motorway extension were not to be signed this week.

This is another delay in a series of delays which have plagued the motorway since it was signalled that it would go ahead in this year. Indeed, when the announcement of the completion of the motorway was made last October, it was envisioned that constr uction work would already be underway on the motorway at this stage.

It is still expected that, providing contracts are signed in the next number of months, that the motorway will be up and running before the end of 2017. It is not yet clear what issues are preventing contracts from being signed for the completion of the motorway.

The NRA are understood to be in ongoing negotiations with the prefer red bidder, but the identity of the prefer red bidder has not yet been made public.

A SENIOR official has re-iterated Ennis Town’s Council’s “significant concern” at having to foot a near € 500,000 legal bill in respect of cases taken against it in relation to national legislation.

The council was forced to defend two separate legal challenges taken in the High Court concerning the deregulation of the taxi industry and new casual trading byelaws.

Ennis Town Manager and Director of Service Gerard Dollard said it remains the local authority’s view that it should not bear the costs alone.

Mr Dollard’s comments are contained in the statutory audit of the Ennis Town Council’s financial accounts for the year ended December 31, 2012.

He states, “The cases referred to relate to challenges to national legislation and are cases that have been taken against the council. The council has no choice but to defend cases taken against it. Both cases have involved extensive High Court hearings. The council has had detailed discussions with the relevant government departments and also made every effort to operate the cases on the most cost effective basis possible. It remains the council’s view that costs relating to cases such as these should not be funded solely by the council.”

The auditor states the council was involved in two cases as a defendant in regard to challenges taken on matters relating to national legislation. One case related to the Ennis Casual Trading Byelaws 2011, which represented a challenge to the Casual Trading Act 1995 and in particular the status of casual trading on market rights.

The auditor states the council incurred legal costs of € 147,000 in respect to that matter. The council is also involved in a High Court case regarding the deregulation of the taxi industry some years ago.

The report states that a number of sample cases are being heard including one involving the town council.

The legal costs in this case are estimated to be in the region of € 300,000 and € 450,000.

In January, Mr Dollard said the council would receive € 200,000 from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Department of Transport towards the cost of the court hearings.

Mary GUERIN (née Harrington)
, Drewsboro Road,Tuamgraney. Funeral mass today (Tuesday), at 11.30amat St Joseph’s Church, Tuamgraney, with burial afterwards in St Cronin’s Cemetery. Family flowers only please, Donation if desired to Raheen Community Hospital. May she rest in peace.

Susan BANNON (née Keane)
, Loughville, Lahinch Road, Ennis. Formerly of Connolly and London. Laid to rest in Mullagh Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Berna LYONS
, Sunset House, Strand Line, Kilkee. Peacefully at The Galway Clinic. Reposing onTuesday evening 15th April at Lillis’ Funeral Home in Kilkee from5.30pmwith removal at 7pmto Kilkee Parish Church. RequiemMass on Wednesday at 11.30amfollowed by burial in Lisdeen Cemetery, Kilkee. Family flowers only please, donations in lieu toThe Clare 250 mile cycle. May she rest in peace.

Seamus WALSH
, Broadford/Shannon. Peacefully at Milford Care Centre after a short illness. Being laid to rest onTuesday. May he rest in peace.

Michael HICKEY
, Bridge Street, Scariff. Laid to rest in the NewCemetery, Moynoe. May he rest in peace.

Kathleen BARRY (née Benson)
, Bridgetown. Peacefully at Milbane Lodge Nursing Home Newport. Laid to rest in Bridgetown. May she rest in peace.

Mary CORRY (née Grace)
, Coolin, Coolmeen. Laid to rest in Kilfiddane Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Mary CUDDIHY
, Birmingham, England, and formerly of Bouladuff, Inagh. Laid to rest in Moohana Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Kathleen GEANEY (née Gissane)
, Knockanpierce, Nenagh/Killaloe. Formerly of Cross Roads, Killaloe. In the loving care of the staff of Nenagh Manor Nursing Home. Laid to rest in Old Abbey Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Michael James KELLY
, London and 18 St Patrick’sTerrace, Kilkee. Laid to rest in Lisdeen Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Kieran MULKERE
, Drumsallagh, Crusheen. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. Donations, if desired, to Cancer Campaign. May he rest in peace.

Ann (Nan) GOONAN
,Whitegate. In the gentle care of the Staff of Portumna Retirement Village, Portumna, Co Galway. Laid to rest in Clonrush Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Teresa HYNES
, Mullagh Road, Miltown Malbay, Laid to rest in Ballard Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Karen RYAN (née Mc Cormack)
,The Hill, Loughrea/Inagh, Boston, Massachusetts. Laid to rest in Mount-Pleasant Cemetery. Donations, if so desired, to Galway Hospice Foundation. May she rest in peace.

David OWENS
, Dal Geish, Scarriff Road, Killaloe. Suddenly. Funeral Mass held in Killaloe. May he rest in peace.

Peter GUY
, Formerly of Ard na Greine, Ennis/ Clifden. Laid to rest in Banogues Cemetery, Galway. May he rest in peace.

PJ MURPHY
, McHughVillas, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Peggy MCDONAGH (née McMahon)
, Knockdromagh, Ennistymon. Peacefully at The Galway Clinic. Laid to rest in the Old Cemetery, Ennistymon. May she rest in peace.

Stephen MALONE JNR
, 6 Dalcassian Drive, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. Donations, if desired, to the Irish Kidney Association. May he rest in peace.

THE actions of a mystery guitarist, who played a half hour long guitar solo on a small rocky outcrop in the Ennistymon cascades, have been described as “reckless” and “highly dangerous” by Clare’s most senior water safety official.

Clare County Council Water Safety Officer Liam Griffin, yesterday appealed to members of the public not to copy the bizarre incident, which he said could easily have lead to a fatality.

The incident took place on a rocky crag in the centre of the famous En- nistymon Cascades, beside the Falls Hotel, earlier this month. A man was seen to enter the cascades underneath the bridge in Ennistymon and play a Slash-style guitar solo in the centre of the river for around half an hour.

While no one was hurt in the incident, a photograph of the guitarist was released on social media last week – prompting Clare’s Water Safety Office to issue a warning.

“This behaviour is both reckless and highly dangerous. I would appeal to the public not to imitate these acts as repeat acts of this nature will lead to a fatality,” said Mr Griffin yesterday.

The guitarist has been identified as a member of Clare band ‘Los Paddys de Los Pampas’ who intend to use footage of the guitarist for an upcoming music video. Band spokesperson Paddy Mulcahy, yesterday declined to identify the guitarist and claimed that the incident was safe.

“I can understand him [Clare Water Safety Officer, Liam Griffin] not wanting to encourage folks to play on the waterfall, but what we did was perfectly safe,” said Mr Mulcahy.

“Of course we don’t want kids playing there, but recording a video of a guitar solo is different to playing. If we were running across the waterfalls just for a laugh, I’d say that would have been a bad example for people. But we went there for a single purpose, did it quickly, and then left.

“The video is a scene for an upcoming music video. The guitarist wanted an epic scene for his guitar solo in the middle of the song, so we decided the most amazing looking place we have on our door step was the falls in Ennistymon.”

THERE is “disquiet” in Clare and other jurisdictions over the operation of the Go Safe speed van system, a Judge has said.

Judge Patrick Durcan said concern exists nationwide at prosecutions taken by Go Safe for speeding offences.

The privately-run Go Safe has operated speed camera vans in Ireland since winning the Garda contract in 2009. The cameras operate on sections of road, which have a history of collisions occurring where speed was a contributory factor.

In recent months, Judge Durcan has been critical of Go Safe and has struck out a number of speeding charges brought against motorists in Clare.

Last month, he adjourned eight cases to May 2 after requesting the State look at the legislation underpinning the prosecutions brought by Go Safe.

After hearing evidence in one alleged speeding case, Judge Durcan raised concerns over the evidential basis of photographs taken by the vans’ cameras of alleged speeding motorists.

Ennis solicitor Daragh Hassett represents one of the people whose case has been adjourned to May. His client is contesting the charge.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Mr Hassett told Judge Durcan he would be making submissions to him on May 2 about Go Safe.

Mr Hassett said his client is “troubled” as to how Go Safe cases are being prosecuted.

Judge Durcan said Mr Hassett’s case would be treated as the lead case and he would hear submissions on May 2.

Judge Durcan said there is “disquiet throughout the county” and many areas of the country over Go Safe prosecutions.

Judge Durcan said he was also aware of what he called “startling admissions” made by a director of Go Safe in a Dublin court recently.

Go Safe was recently the focus of an RTÉ ‘Prime Time’ investigation, which uncovered allegations that motorists may have been wrongly fined for speeding offences.

PLANS have been lodged with Clare County Council which could see major developments in a number of key companies in the Shannon Industrial Zone in the months ahead.

EI Electronics, which currently employs more than 500 people at large campus in Shannon, has applied to construct a link building between two buildings in the Shannon Industrial Estate – a development which would also involve a major increase in the parking capacity in the local area.

Fabricated Products Shannon Ltd has also applied to planners for permission to extend its own factory facility and to create new office space in its Smithstown site.

It is not clear whether these enlarged facilities will lead to extra full-time employment in the Shannon area but a number of jobs are expected to be created during the construction phase of both projects.

The EI Electronics development in particular has raised hopes for the possibility of more jobs coming to Shannon.

The plans include a proposal to create an additional 138 parking places at its factory, which could indicate a future employment growth for what is already one of Clare’s biggest employers.

The EI Electronics proposal also includes plans to connecting properties known as Units 40-46 and Units 55-56 in the Shannon Industrial Estate by the construction of a link building.

The new building will be constructed across an existing access road preventing through access and generating a cul-de-sac at both sides of the building.

Other miscellaneous items including the provision of speed ramps and company signage on entrance gate are also included in the proposal.

Meanwhile, Fabricated Products Shannon Ltd has lodged plans for the construction of an extension to its existing factory including the construction of new offices, ancillary toilets and to relocate entrance gate including ancillary site works.

A decision on both proposals is not expected until June of this year.

ENJOY it while it lasts is the message for sun worshippers this week as the county is set to bask in sunshine and warm temperatures.

The fine weather is expected to last this week and into next as high pressure dominates our short term forecast. Temperatures could reach as high as 17c this Saturday.

Already, this April has been one of the lowest on record for rainfall and that trend will continue past the Easter weekend.

According to founder of Irish Weather Online Mark Dunphy, however, we shouldn’t be making any long term assumptions based on a fine Easter.

“Long range forecasts are rarely accurate,” he told The Clare People on Monday evening.

“Basing long range weather prospects on the chances of another hurling All-Ireland or behaviour of animals or nature in general is also a flawed science.

“Nature responds to weather and does not signal long term prospects. Therefore, I cannot give any insight on the long range prospects only to say that it appears that it will remain largely dry but overcast times up to and including Bank Holiday Monday.

“It is looking less settled and a little cooler next week,” he added.

Happily coinciding with the school holidays and fine weather is the reopening of The Loop Head Lighthouse in West Clare.

The popular tourist attraction will reopen to the public this Saturday (April 19), Clare County Council has announced.

The local authority, which manages the facility in conjunction with the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL), says the historic lighthouse will remain open daily (10am to 6pm) until the end of September.

THE legal community has paid tribute to the late Albert O’Dea who served as District Court Judge in Clare for 17 years.

Judge O’Dea passed away in Galway last week.

He was appointed District Court Judge for Clare in October 1983 and served until his retirement in July 2001.

Ennis District Court paused shortly after 3pm last Wednesday to remember Judge Al O’Dea.

Leading tributes, Judge Patrick Durcan said that while he had not known Judge O’Dea, the retired judge was spoken about affectionately.

The judge said words like kindness, flexibility and courtesy were mentioned frequently about Judge O’Dea in conversations he had last week with legal professionals and members of the judiciary.

He said Judge O’Dea was a man who served the people of the Clare “with a myriad of great qualities”. Judge Durcan expressed his deepest sympathy to Judge O’Dea’s family.

President of the Clare Law Society, William Cahir said Judge O’Dea was a “gracious” man and all members of the legal profession in Clare were sad to learn of his death.

State Solicitor for County Clare, Martin Linnane said Judge O’Dea’s family originally hailed from Carron in North Clare.

He said Judge O’Dea loved Clare and was a “gentleman” to appear before.

“I was very saddened to learn of his death. In my mind he was still a very young man,” added Mr Linnane.

Inspector Tom Kennedy appeared before Judge O’Dea as a guard, sargeant and inspector.

Insp Kennedy said he wanted to extend the sympathies of gardaí and particularly retired members of the force to Judge O’Dea’s family.

“He was very compassionate. There was no doubt about that.

“He had a great temperament,” added Insp Kennedy.

Ennis courthouse manager Josephine Tone said staff always spoke with great warmth and affection about Judge O’Dea.

In a statement, President of the Law Society, Clare solicitor John Shaw, said Judge O’Dea was “the epitome of courtesy and a true gentle person”.