Category: News

THE ban on cutting turf on two east Clare bogs has been lifted following the publication of a new National Peatlands Strategy – but the much contested ban on cutting at the Tullaher Lough and Bog in West Clare still remains.

Restriction turf cutting will now be allowed on a total of 45 bogs, including two in east Clare, which had been deemed to be Natural Heritage Areas by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

The situation at the Tullaher Lough and Bog in less clear however, as it is classified as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a bad on turf cutting will remain in force – for the time being at least.

The National Peatlands Strategy also included a biodiversity for the Doonbeg Bog. The bog received poor ranks in term of its Habitat Quality and Ecological Diversity, receiving an D and E grade respectively.

These negative marks could work in local turf cutters favour as the bog could now be seen as a site of lesser ecological importance and less become less important to protect.

The new National Peatlands Strategy plan is pending European approval, but local turf cutting campaigners are hopeful that it may herald the beginning of a u-turn in government policy towards raised bogs and lead to the lifting of restriction at Tullaher.

MARTIN Clancy has lived all his life in Cloughanhincy, Quilty.

He and his wife Silvia reside on the family farm and happily planned to see out their lives in this picturesque part of the county.

Today however the 82 year old lives in fear of a wave from the Atlantic invading his home again.

“In the way things are going, if they don’t do something we are going to have to move,” he said speaking from his bungalow on Wednesday.

He was particularly worried about the next high tide, timed for early Sunday morning on February 1.

“I won’t be around here. How can we stay here? I mean you would be frightened,” he said.

As a farmer and a man from the west coast of Clare, Mr Clancy has battled with the elements all of his life, and has learnt to live with them, but January 7 last was one of the most terrorising experiences of his life.

“22 years ago we were badly flooded, “ he said referring to when the river burst its banks and the sea “came in” in the early 1990s.

“That time was bad, but this is really a disaster altogether. It is fright- ening now,” he said.

The mild spoken man said the community looked for proper coastal protection then and “they didn’t do it.”

If he and his wife are to continue living among the friends and neighbours they have known for a lifetime, then the € 2.58 million requested by the council from central Government for coastal protection work must be allocated, and the work completed as soon as possible.

A TEENAGER has pleaded guilty to the robbery of a 73-year-old woman in Shannon.

The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, entered the guilty plea after being arraigned at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court yesterday (Monday).

He admits stealing the woman’s handbag, which contained € 40 at the time. The charge relates to an incident at Tullyvarraga, Shannon, in July 2012.

Jurisdiction of the case was declined in the District Court after Judge Patrick Durcan heard details of the robbery.

The court heard woman was walking on the footpath when the accused came up behind her and grabbed the bag.

A Detective Garda gave evidence the victim gave chase but in doing so, fell and broke her pelvis.

A 17-year-old boy has already pleaded guilty to handling stolen property arising out of the same circumstances.

In court yesterday, Counsel for the 16 year old, Elaine Houlihan requested a probation report be prepared in respect of her client.

She said the court was required to seek probation reports where juveniles are concerned.

She said reporting restrictions also applied given her client’s age.

Judge Carol Moran asked if would have to consider the imposition of a prison sentence in respect of the robbery charge.

Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Stephen Coughlan BL, said, “When you hear the evidence in the case you may consider a prison sentence.”

Counsel for the 17-year-old boy, Pat Whyms said his client was charged with a handling offence.

He said there was no evidence linking the boy to the original robbery.

He said the court would not have to consider a prison sentence in respect of his client.

Judge Moran adjourned the cases for sentence to March 3.

He directed a probation report be prepared in respect of the 16-yearold boy.

THE people of Cloughnainchy were well aware of coastal erosion and the problems it would eventually cause them.

They had warned the council and their TDs many times during the last decade, but no one was prepared for the destruction the high tide and ferocious winds of January 6 would bring.

The sea invaded 14 homes and it swept away an acre of land out to the sea.

“We couldn’t see the ocean, we can see people walking on the beach now,” said Danny McCarthy, speaking from the back upstairs room of his house that looks in the Atlantic Ocean.

“The ministers and the TDs haven’t a clue as to what is going on or how we are suffering here, and it has been highlighted since 2011 that this was happening then,” he said.

“Erosion is on going, and that is why there was an appeal in 2011, because the area was vulnerable.”

Gerry McCarthy who lived across the road 25 years ago but moved a short distance away said, “We thought it was rectified when they put the culverts in, but this is more serious, this is the Atlantic Ocean.

Martin Clancy is one of the senior members of this small community and he has lived in the area for more than 80 years. He said that he re- members lobbying the council in the early 1990s for coastal protection work, following a similar flooding. “There was [coastal] land to build on at that time. We looked for something to be done and it wasn’t done. All they gave us was one culvert, and we were fighting for it hard. And we fought then for the second one because it wasn’t able to take all the water. We are waiting a long time for that,” he said. “Then we looked for something to be done along the beach, outside the boundary wall of the land. There was a whole lot of land at that stage that they could have built on but they didn’t and now it’s gone – the boundary wall, the land and some of the [private] land inside the wall is gone itself,” he added. Clare County Council has applied for € 2,581,250 to undertake the long overdue work. In its application to central government it proposes the construction of coastal protection over approximately 800 metres centred around rock armour construction. “This section of coastline is in close proximity to 15 to 20 vulnerable private residential properties and it also is required to provide protection of the integrity of the local public road network,” the council said. Two weeks on from the storm and no decision has been made by the Government on the application for funding.

EVERY day Tony must park his car in his neighbours drive and jump over the sand bags to enter his own home.

The pensioner, who does not wish for his full name to be used, fears that if he lifts the sand bags his house will once again be invaded by water from the Atlantic.

Like his neighbours the Clancys and the Cusacks, Tony’s home is not on the sea front, but across the road from those homes that look on to the sea.

On June 7, he was not therefore expecting the storm to bring the high waves crashing through his neighbours’ homes, across the street and into his house and garage.

Thousands of euros of damage was done to the home he shares with his wife, as washing machines, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners and other household electrical goods fell victim to the water.

Two foot of seawater surrounded his home on that fateful morning, a sight he had not ever expected to see.

In the chaos that ensued as emergency services and local authority workers tried to assist, it became clear no one had expected the amount of water that invaded the homes.

“I had difficulty getting sand bags. In the end I had to fill my own using the coal bags we had,” he said.

COMMUNITY activists in Doonbeg have warned that the village and surrounding lands all the way to Cooraclare will be under water if a membrane of land holding back the sea breaks.

The land barrier at Doonbeg Bay was compromised in recent storms that did more than € 800,000 worth of damage to infrastructure of the area.

Tommy Commerford and Tommy Tubridy, both local publicans and local community activists, have now warned that if repair damage and reinforcement work is not carried out soon, the damage to the area will be more severe if there is more bad weather.

“Unless a reinforcement barrier put in there, if the sea breaks it, and it is breaking here already, you are going to have the whole area flooded right down,” said Mr Commerford pointing to land at the edge of the bay just metres from the village on the Dun- more Road.

During the storm on January 7, the land was flooded up to 150 metres from the village, reaching the 50 kilometres per hour sign at the bridge.

“The whole area down to Cooraclare will flood because it is a pure low land caucuses, shragh, land. It is a pure bog land if the membrane goes. “The membrane is only about five metres in parts of it and if it breaks it will sweep the bridge away going down and it will sweep into Shragh and down into the townlands of Cooraclare,” warned Mr Commerford. He said the county council must now look at how best to protect the land bank, as when it is compromised the financial cost and the cost to people’s lives will be significantly more. “Definitely the council need to reassess that whole area. It is a dangerous position,” he said. Two houses along the road were flooded during the storm, but reinforcement works carried out further up the bay saved more homes. The men point to armour rock just metres away that saved their homes and land, previously put under water. “That is what they wanted to do at Doonbeg Golf Course. If that was done at Doonbeg Golf Course there would have been no damage done there,” said Mr Tubridy. There are also concerns for an area across the bay at Rhynnagonnaught. The road leading to the houses in the area was compromised in the storm, and if it is not underpinned it will be completely washed away in the next storm, marooning the residents on an island similar to what happened at Kilcredaun on the Loop Head peninsula.

Clare County Council has requested € 547,500 from central government for the work.

Whitestrand and Doonmore, also experienced € 237,500 worth of damage.

Not only was the sea wall compromised, but holes were also blown open on walls across the road from the sea wall so fierce were the waves and the wind.

Local farmers and neighbours began removing stones from the road at Whitestrand last Wednesday.

As much as 6 to 7 metres of farm land and fencing was also washed into the sea as a result of the storm.

This area will also need to be reinforced with rock armour of galleons the men maintain.

LIVING in a house overlooking Farhiy Bay in Baltard, Doonbeg is a blessing most of the year, but the storm and high tides at the beginning of the New Year made it a precarious place to call home.

Gearoid Greene along with his wife and five children were shocked as the spray from the storm and high tide of January 7 beat off the back of the house.

What made it all the more surprising was the fact that the house was far above sea level, looking down on the sea from a great height.

Shortly after 8am as the storm took hold the family were in fear of severe damage to their home and even considered moving while the storm abated.

The winds and strength of the sea blew in the stones from the periphery wall into the garden, leaving the back of the home, which faces on to the sea, exposed.

Wiring securing electric poles were also up rooted, in damage never witnessed in the area before.

As well as dealing with the clean- up of the storm and the rebuilding of the secure wall, this farming family must also contend with reseeding land covered by seawater, when and if it eventually dries, in time for this year’s harvest.

The cost of the bad weather continues to be counted.

FARMERS with land around Farihy Bay in Doonbeg are facing the possibility of a serious fodder shortage next winter as hundreds of acres of farmland remain water logged as a result of damage to a nearby sluice.

The sluice was installed by the Land Commission to channel water from the land when it would inevitable flood during extensive rainfall.

Heavy rainfall, coupled with storms and high tides resulted in land covered in salty water in the last fortnight.

A blockage coming from the back of the sluice means that water cannot flow freely and drain the land, leaving up to an estimated 300 acres of prime farm land flooded with sea water.

Thomás Flanagan and Gearoid Greene are just two of more than a half a dozen farmers affected by the break down in the infrastructure.

The farmers had employed a digger to clear the sluice of rocks lodge in the large concrete pipe, but to little or no avail as waves continue to carry debris over the sluice, which then lodges at the back of the sluice and eventually gets stuck in the stones of the main flow pipe blocking the water again.

Even high land that is not susceptible to flooding is not accessible to the farmers. Mr Flanagan explained that he cannot access prime grazing land which lies high above sea level as the access road has been washed away in the storm and the surrounding land remain water logged. At least 70 acres of Mr Greene’s land, which he would have used for silage in the spring, remains under seawater, the salt content of which continues to burn the land. He said he was very concerned about how he will access fodder for his cows next year.

“There will be houses in danger if this water rises again and the sluice is not sorted,” said Mr Flanagan.

“You don’t mind if you get have rain for a day or two and the water builds up once or twice a year; it will go eventually, but the problem we have here is the bits of rubbish get stuck between the stones and it blocks the stones. It will slow down the flow every time,” he said.

“About 80 per cent of the water went down when we cleared the sluice, but it is filling again. And if we get heavy rain it will be as bad again,” said Mr Flanagan.

In the 1990s their fathers paid to have the sluice repaired, but the cost of repairing the public infrastructure this time will cost significantly more, the farmers have warned.

The farmers fear that the repair of the sluice will fall between Clare County Council and the OPW and are anxious that one of the bodies take responsibility and rectify the problem immediately.

These full time dairy farmers rely on the income from their farms to support their young families, and while the sluice remains damaged their livelihood remains under threat, they explained.

A WEST Clare man who claims he walked 17 miles between Ennis and Kilrush while in a “drug haze” after he was arrested for breaking into a car has been ordered to comply with the Probation Services.

Sam Johnson (19) was arrested by gardaí after breaking into a car at Considine’s Terrace, Ennis on October 12, 2013.

Mr Johnson appeared at Ennis District Court on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to two charges of illegally interfering with mechanically propelled vehicles.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court a resident of Considine’s Terrace contacted gardaí after she discovered her car had been moved from its original position to the middle of the car park.

Mr Johnson, with an address at New House, Cooraclare, was arrested after gardaí discovered his phone and a specimen of blood in the car. He was later released.

Insp Kennedy said gardaí received another report later that morning of a car being broken into at the Cross Roads Pub, Knockalough, Kilrush Road.

The court heard the owner had parked his vehicle at the pub before getting a lift to work in Meelick.

Insp Kennedy said Mr Johnson was seen in the car and arrested soon after.

Insp Kennedy said the accused was disorientated and intoxicated and was unable to give an explanation for his behaviour.

The court heard Mr Johnson has paid compensation of € 200 for the damage done to the car at Knockalough.

Mr Johnson has no previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Fiona Hehir said her client was still high on drugs and had no phone when he was released.

She said Mr Johnson walked from Ennis to the Cross Roads Pub.

“He was in a drug haze. There is no other way to explain it”, she added.

Ms Hehir said her client has not taken any drugs since the incident and is meeting with a drugs counselor.

The court heard that when asked by gardaí why he had broken into the car at Knockalough, the accused, said, “I wanted to buy the car.”

Insp Kennedy said the distance from Ennis to Knockalough was around 17 miles.

Asked by Judge Durcan if he accepted Mr Johnson’s version of events on the night, Insp Kennedy said, “No.”

“I don’t know how he got to Knockalough but I can assure you he did not walk it”, he added.

Judge Patrick Durcan said these were very serious offences. However he said Mr Johnson was in full time education and is taking steps to deal with substance abuse issues. Adjourning the case to April 2, Judge Durcan ordered a pre-sentence report from the Probation Services.

A DUBLIN man who allegedly struck another person with a glass on the night Clare welcomed home the county’s All-Ireland champion hurlers will have his case heard in the Circuit Court.

Judge Patrick Durcan refused jurisdiction of the case after hearing details of the alleged assault at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

Darren Brady (39), with an address at Abbeyville Green, Swords Manor, Swords, Dublin, is charged with as- sault causing harm to a man at Dan O’Connell’s Bar, Ennis on September 29, 2013.

Garda Cormac Kelly of Ennis Garda Station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

He said Mr Brady made no reply to charge after caution.

Inspector Tom Kennedy said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed summary disposal of case.

Garda Kelly outlined a summary of the alleged facts to allow Judge Patrick Durcan consider jurisdiction.

A medical report outlining the alleged injuries suffered by the man was given to Judge Durcan.

Garda Kelly told the court the alleged injured party was in the bar with his girlfriend.

He said it would be alleged Mr Brady started to behave inappropriately towards the woman.

Garda Kelly said, “He (alleged victim) asked him (Mr Brady) to leave her alone at which point he head butted the alleged injured party and struck him in the head with either a glass or a pint bottle”.

Judge Durcan refused jurisdiction. He said he was doing so based on the alleged evidence and the injuries allegedly suffered by the alleged victim.

Insp Kennedy said the case would now be referred back to the DPP. He told the court that a book of evidence would also be prepared.

Mr Brady is also charged with two public order offences arising out of the alleged incident at the pub.

He was remanded on bail to appear again at Ennis District Court on March 12.