Category: News

DUSTY the Dolphin has become jumpy and wary of human contact, following a number of high profile incidents with members of the public in Doolin last year.

Members of conservation group, Dolphin Day Ireland, spent the weekend in Doolin warning members of the public not to get in the water with Dusty. This follows a number of dangerous interactions with members of the public last year – with one person being hospitalised after swimming with the dolphin.

Vanessa Fagan-Vanhorn of Dolphin Day Ireland says that last year’s incidents have taken a toll on the Clare dolphin.

“She is definitely more jumpy and easier to startle then she used to be. The incidents of last summer do seem to have had an effect and her behaviour has changed. I was last swimming with her in October but I have been swimming with her in Doolin for more than eight years now,” she said.

“What was noticeable in October was when I put my hand into the water, she flinched. After a moment she recognised me from the camera that I bring with me and after that we swam together for two hours.”

Recent storms in Doolin have blown away all the warning signs, advising members of the public not to swim with Dusty. Dusty was not sighted in Doolin for a number weeks during the storms of January and February, leading to concerns that she might have left the area or been injured in the storms.

“Dusty has never left Doolin. She has been there right through the winter and through all the storm. I don’t think she will ever leave the area. She is very territorial and she has made it her home,” continued Mrs Fagan-Vanhorn.

“Really, people should sit on the rocks and enjoy watching her from there. It’s not that people want to cause her harm but they just don’t understand the species. People desperately want to have the experience of swimming with a dolphin and sometimes that gets the better of them.

“On a positive note there has been a big change in people’s understanding of dolphins, which is a result of last summer’s incidents. People seem to have more of an understanding that dolphins are wild animals.”

A BALLYVAUGHAN grandmother, who was given a symphysiotomy without her knowledge or consent while giving birth to her first son in September of 1965, says the “stonewalling” of the Irish state has forced her to take her case before the United Nations Committee Against Torture.

Details of the life and medical history of Ellen Moore were last week presented to the UN court in Vienna and Mrs Moore says the attitude taken by the current government and Minister for Health, James Reilly (FG) have forced this latest action.

After meeting with Mrs Moore and other members of the Survivors of Symphysiotomy (SOS) group last October, the health minister agreed to lift the statute of limitation involving symphysiotomy and allow sufferers to gain compensation through the courts.

The minister also agreed to release the second half of the Walsh Report, which probed the use of symphysiotomy’s in Irish hospitals, public. Neither of these promises have, to date, been kept.

“They have been stonewalling us and neglecting us. We worked so hard for the statute of limitations to be lifted and now it looks as if that that will not now happen. We were told in a meeting with Minister O’Reilly back in October that that we would receive the second half of the Walsh Report in two weeks – that still hasn’t happened,” said Mrs Moore.

“They [the Government] say one thing in public and they do the complete opposite in private. They are hoping that we will just go away. There are a lot of older women in the group and many of them have already died without receiving compensation.

“This isn’t just for us, this is for the next group of people who have something done to them without their consent. The state is not owning up to anything.”

This symphysiotomy procedure, which involved breaking a woman’s pelvic bone during labour, was carried out on an estimated 1,500 Irish women in the 1960 and ‘70s but fewer than 200 of these women are still alive.

A BUS company that aims to make Ennis one of the country’s tourism capitals says it intends to double its workforce in the town over the next 12 months. Dublin Coach commenced its daily Dublin to Ennis service in December 2013.

The company employs in excess of 100 people nationwide, with 27 of those jobs in Ennis.

Owner John O’Sullivan says the rolling out of new tourism products will see the company hiring more staff in 2014. “As of today we have 27 based in Ennis and we see that as growing significantly over the next 12 months. The tourism products haven’t kicked in yet and we expect that to double,” he explained. Mr O’Sullivan told The Clare People

NEW charges have been brought against a Polish couple charged with offences arising from the discovery of an alleged cannabis grow-house in West Clare earlier this year.

Jagoga Gajewska (19) and her partner Adam Wrobel (22), both with a former address at Lislanahan Lower, Kilkee appeared before Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

They are both charged with offences relating to the alleged discovery at Lislanahan Lower, Kilkee on January 13. On Wednesday, the court heard that new charges have been brought against the pair. Mr Wrobel and Ms Gajewska are charged with knowingly permitting premises at Lislanahan Lower, Kilkee on January 13, to be used for the manufacture, production and preparation of a controlled drug.

Mr Wrobel is charged with possession of cannabis, which at the time had a market value of € 13,000 or more. He is charged with possession of a cannabis plan and cultivating without license, plants of the cannabis genus, contrary to the misuse of drugs act.

Garda Eoin Daly of Kilrush Garda Station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in respect of both accused. Counsel for both accused, Alice Harrison applied to have the legal aid certificate extended to cover the new charges.

Judge Patrick Durcan granted the application. Insp Tom Kennedy requested the matters go back to April 2 to allow time for the preparation of the book of evidence.

Counsel consented to the application and to time being extended for the service of the book of evidence.

She told Judge Durcan that Mr Wrobel has secured bail in the High Court but has been so far been unable to take it up. Ms Gajewska has taken up High Court bail, the court heard. Judge Durcan adjourned the cases to April 2.

A JUDGE has refused jurisdiction of a case where it is alleged a man confronted another man with an iron bar on a main street in Ennis last summer. At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Judge Patrick Durcan said it appeared to him that alleged incidents of this nature are becoming “too prevalent in Ennis”.

He was speaking after details of an alleged assault that took place on Carmody Street on July 1, 2013 were outlined in court.

James Galbraith (37), with an address at Lissanisaka, Claureen, Ennis is charged with assault causing harm to Dylan Dinan.

He is further charged with the production of an iron bar while about to commit assault.

Insp Tom Kennedy said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed summary disposal of the charges in the district court on a plea of guilty only.

Defence solicitor John Casey told the court his client would be pleading guilty.

Insp Kennedy said the alleged in- jured party was a passenger in a van when noticed the accused behind him at around 1.30pm on the day in question.

Insp Kennedy said it would be alleged that when the van stopped, Mr Galbraith came towards it with a crowbar and started to assault Mr Dinan.

Judge Durcan refused jurisdiction. “In my mind this type of stuff is becoming too prevalent in Ennis”, he said.

The case was adjourned to April to allow time for preparation of a book of evidence.

AN ENNIS based dentist has said his safety and that of his family’s has been “diminished” since a man threatened to kill him almost two years ago.

The doctor outlined his concerns in a victim impact statement read out by Garda Michelle Holian at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court last week.

Earlier this month, Eoin Hannan (41) was found guilty by a jury of making the threat against the dentist at his practice in Merchant’s Square, Ennis on May 11, 2012.

Mr Hannan, with addresses at Kilrush Road, Ennis and Shear Street, Kilmallock, Ennis was also found guilty of two counts of engaging in threatening, abusive and or insulting behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace.

The jury acquitted the accused of making a threat to burn down the dentist’s practice. Mr Hannan had denied all charges, which arose from visits he made to the surgery on May 10 and May 11, 2012.

Mr Hannan denied making the threats to the dentist. He said, “I told him ‘I am a bullet’ and I left as fast a bullet.” He also said: “I told him to take his drills and get off my island.” Mr Hannan appeared before Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday fort sentencing. In the victim impact statement, the dentist said his general well-being and safety has been diminished and compromised since the threat.

He said he has increased security meaures as his dental practice. He said he no longer feels comfortable walking the streets of Ennis on his own because “the threat on my life still stands.” He thanked his family, friends and gardaí for the support he has received.

Defence Counsel Michael Collins told the court his client still “vigorously protests his innocence”.

The court heard Mr Hannan, who suffers from a form of bi-polar disorder, has previous convictions for robbery, public order offences and possession of knives and other articles.

“I am not a criminal. I do not regard myself as insane in any way”, he added. Judge Gerald Keys adjourned finalisation of sentencing to April 24. Mr Hannan was remanded in custody.

THE Minister for Health James Reilly has said that there will be a new Maternity Hospital on the grounds of the University Hospital Limerick, Dooradoyle, in four years.

The Minister for Health said the relocation is earmarked for completion in 2018.

The first public meeting of the new mid-west hospitals group board, outlined that one of its key objective was to secure capital for a new maternity unit on the Dooradoyle campus.

There was no confirmation as to the timing of the project forthcoming at the meeting last month.

The minister has given a four-year projection for the hospital and Clare TD Joe Carey (FG) believes that is a realistic and feasible timeline.

“The Minister for Health has confirmed the co-location plan is underway and that the hope is for it to be completed by 2018,” he said.

“It has been accepted and recognised by the HSE and Government that the University Maternity Hospital in Limerick, needs to move to a modern purpose-built unit on the grounds of the University Hospital, Limerick.

“Co-location of maternity hospitals with adult acute services is the optimal solution for the provision of hospital-based maternity services, as it can provide access to the full range of medical and surgical specialties and clinical support services in sufficient volume and complexity to provide added value,” he said.

“I am pleased that work is on-going to develop a brief for the co-location of both facilities and would hope this will progress swiftly and efficiently.”

A TOTAL of 67 applications for repossession came before the Clare County Registrar at Ennis Courthouse on Friday.

The vast majority of the cases were adjourned to July with 23 of the 67 cases adjourned because the banks and financial institutions can’t locate the homeowners or have their registered letters returned.

In the cases before the court, the largest number of repossession applications came from Ulster Bank at 26; 17 from the EBS; and eight from the AIB; with a single application from the Bank of Ireland.

In one case, Ulster Bank was seeking to proceed with the repossession application.

That application, heard before County Registrar Pat Wallace, involved a West Clare man who owes Ulster Bank € 128,428.35. The figure includes arrears of € 26,011.

The court heard that 10 years ago, the man received a loan for € 110,000. He later got a top up loan of € 15,000.

The man, an unemployed machine operator, said that he missed a repayment in December because he had to carry out roof repairs. He said he outlined his difficulties in a letter to the bank.

The man told the County Registrar, “I am not working. I’m on so- cial welfare.” The man said that after missing the December repayment he received a letter from the bank saying his monthly payment had jumped from € 195 to € 668. He said the value of the house was now somewhere between € 65,000 and € 70,000.

The court heard the man was made redundant four years ago. He told the County Registrar that he is now considering renting out the house. Mr Wallace said that would be a good idea.

Mr Wallace told the man he was adjourning the application for two months but wanted to see some progress the next time the matter came before the court. He said the property is in negative equity. “If there is no repayments, there is no point hanging around,” he added.

Mr Wallace adjourned the case to July. He said, “I’d like you to do something concrete and increase the payments. If you got a job, you might surmount this debt.”

MORE than 110 Bur ren locals, including 60 local businesses, have come together to help force the creation of better broadband services in rural Clare.

The group have formed a co-operative style organisation to bargain directly with broadband providers, and entice them to build a better broadband network in the Bur ren area.

The group will meet with representatives from Airwire today, March 18, who have al ready committed to building one new signal boosting repeater station in the Burren region. Group organiser and owner of the Bur ren yoga Centre, Dave Brocklebank, believes that if he can prove an even greater local demand he will be able to negotiate for better broadband right across the area.

“It’s not rocket science to boost these signals but the companies don’t do it because they don’t see a market for it in the more r ural areas. But if we get together and show them there is a market then we can get repeaters stations built all over the Burren,” said Mr Brocklebank.

“I am a member of the Burren Ecotourism Network and I used that as a platform to get it going. At the moment we have maybe 60 businesses signed up around 50 individuals. I think if we can get a couple of hundred people to sign up we should have proved the demand for them to build repeater stations right across the Bur ren. The more numbers we get the better chance we have of getting the service boosted.”

Airwave will conduct a technical survey in the Burren area tomorrow with a view to constructing a new repeater station. This station will receive a direct, heavy duty, internet connection, which is will then transmit to the local area.

“These stations receive a di rect connection, so the signal strength will not degrade no matter haw many people are using it. Something like this will help maybe 15 or 20 users in that area, so we need to entice the providers to build more of these in the Bur ren,” continued Mr Brocklebank.

“The aims here is to get more and more people to sign up and then we can boost the signal for the entire area. This is just the beginning; if this works for broadband and can see us getting together again to work for other services.”

To sign up to the broadband initiative visit www.bur renyoga.com/ broadband.

CLARE gardaí will be loosing their hair on the streets of Ennis on Friday but it’s all in aid of a good cause.

Members of the force, including Clare’s most senior Garda, Chief Supt John Kerin, will participate in a ‘Shave or Dye’ event in O’Connell Square, Ennis on Friday, March 21, between 12 noon and 4pm.

A total of 18 members of Ennis Garda Station will take part in the event, which is being held to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society.

The Shave or Dye event is part of a nationwide campaign run by Today FM aimed at raising funds for the Irish Cancer Society.

Ten gardaí are expected to shave their heads on Friday. A further eight have opted to dye their hair purple – in recognition of Ennis’s bid to renew its Purple Flag status.

Last February, Ennis became the first Irish town to receive the Purple Flag. The award aims to broaden the appeal and improve the standard of nighttime destinations.

Over 35 English town and city representatives attended the workshop in Ennis on October 23. The Purple Flag award is seen as the benchmark for good evening and nighttime destinations. At present, over 40 towns and cities in UK and Ireland have been awarded Purple Flag accredita- tion.

Friday’s Shave or Dye event is supported by Roots Hair Salon, The Temple Gate Hotel and the Rowan Tree Café and Hostel.

Students from Rice College secondary school will also be giving their support on the day.

Community Garda and event organiser Deirdre O’Doherty said Gardaí are grateful for the support they have received from the business community.

“A couple of businesses have helped us out and if anymore want to come on board they are more than welcome. We’ll be at the Square up to 4pm. We’re hoping to do the shaving at around 3pm so there should be a good crowd around,” explained Garda O’Doherty.

People can contribute on the day or by logging onto the www.mycharity. ie web page.

Funds raised through the event will go towards the Irish Cancer Society.