Category: News

NORTH Clare is in danger of becoming an unemployment blackspot if action is not taken to reverse worrying jobs trends in the region.

Almost 74 per cent of all new people signing on the live register in the last quarter of 2013 signed on in the Ennistymon office.

Fears have also been expressed locally about the growth in the number of long-term unemployed in the area, with the overall number of people signing on in North Clare growing by almost 300 per cent over the last eight years.

These figures do not take into account the number of people emigrating from the North Clare area, meaning the over number of actual jobs lost in the area could be far greater than the official figures suggest.

The overall number of people signing on in Clare rose by 302 people between September and December of last year. Over the same time period, the number of people in the Ennistymon area office grew by 223 people, meaning that 73.84 per cent of all live register increases in the county came in the Ennistymon area.

While much of this can be explained as a result of seasonal factors, with a number of large tourism sector em- ployers located in North Clare, the continued stagnation of the county’s building industry is also a major problem in the North Clare area.

“The Government needs to be cognizant of the fact that it needs to create job, not just on the city areas but in the regions as well. Opportunities are going to have to be developed for smaller, local employers who can offer four or five sustainable jobs. There is no point getting a factory into Ennistymon, Miltown Malbay or Lisdoonvarna that could be gone in five years,” said Ennistymon businessman and Senator, Martin Conway (FG).

“The recession has hit hard in North Clare. A lot of the people who are long-term unemployed in North Clare are that because of the collapse in the construction industry. It is really difficult to get employment in the area at the moment – particularly for young men.”

The number of people singing on the live register in North Clare doubled between 2005 [637] and 2008 and 1,214. The numbers signing on have fluctuated seasonally between 1,500 and 1,700 over the last fours years. It has been suggested that the repair work in North Clare following the storm might help a number of the long-term unemployed in Clare back into employment.

THE proposal to build an interactive tradition music visitors centre in Doolin received a setback this week as an Bord Pleanála overturned the recommendations of its own planning inspector, in forcing the developers to pay for the development of pedestrian access from the proposed centre to Doolin village.

Plans to construct an interactive visitor centre including retail space, service building, as well as car and coach parking were approved by Clare County Council in August of last year. A condition on the planning was to compel the developers, Tradtime Limited, to give a special contribution of € 30,000 to Clare County Council to develop pedestrian access to the site.

In her assessment of the appeal, an Bord Pleanála own inspector, Louise Kiernan, recommended that the condition for the special contribution be lifted, describing it as “unwar- ranted”.

“The planning authority are looking for too much,” she said in her report.

“They are getting lands for free as well as provision of a footpath and lighting across the site frontage and they are still looking for a large contribution towards a footpath link.”

In a rare move, the bord of an Bord Pleanála, decided to overturn the decision of its own inspector.

“Having regard to the nature of the proposed development, the likely lev- el of usage and associated volumes of pedestrian movement associated with the proposed development it is considered that in the absence of the provision of a suitable and safe pedestrian linkage between the site and the central area of Doolin the proposed development should not proceed,” they said.

“Accordingly, it is considered that the imposition of a financial levy as a special financial contribution towards the funding of such pedestrian linkage and footpath is appropriate.”

NEW jobs and the first countywide music education programme are on the way after Clare secured over € 400,000 from a funding project supported by rock legends U2.

The successful Clare bid will see music teachers employed to work in school and out of school settings, teaching music to children and young adults around the county.

The overall aim is to provide the first countywide music education service in Clare.

‘Music Generation, the U2 and Ireland Funds’ supported National Music Education Programme initi- ated by Music Network, announced earlier this month that South Dublin and Clare had been selected for participation in the fourth and final round of the programme.

Clare Music Education Partnership will receive close to € 435,000 in seed funding which will enable high quality, accessible music education programmes to be provided for children and young people in their local communities. Clare / Limerick Education and Training Board (formerly Clare VEC) is the lead statutory agency for the programme.

Meetings have already taken place between representatives of Clare Limerick ETB, CMEP and Music Generation.

It is expected that the programme will start to roll out towards the latter half of 2014. Clare’s bid for Music Generation funding attracted support from a number of local agencies including Clare County Council, LEADER, Family Resource Centres, Clare Youth Services and Maoin Cheoil an Chláir.

Acclaimed musician and scholar Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin also lent his high profile support to the bid along with University of Limerick’s World Academy of Music.

It is thought that the Clare will collaborate with local private music providers and the successful Limerick City Music Generation Project.

Among the aims for the programme are the establishment of a Clare County Orchestra and Clare Children’s Choir. It is hoped the funding will create employment opportunities for Clare singers and musicians.

For further information log onto the Clare Music Education Partnership Facebook page.

In July 2009 U2 and The Ireland Funds announced a € 7 million donation to support the cause when national funding to roll out successful pilot schemes was impacted due to the current economic climate.

Music Generation will provide three-year seed funding to establish local services, which will be sustained by Music Education Partnerships on a long-term basis.

SHANNON looks set to once to be a strong player in the world aircraft leasing industry following news of a multi-billion-euro takeover by Irish company AerCap.

It has emerged that Shannon based company AerCap have just agree a € 4.3 billion deal which will see it buy out American giant International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC).

The takeover, which is likely to be finalised between April and May of this year, will dramatically swell the number aircraft on the books of AerCap from its current number, understood to be in the region of 380, to a massive 1,300. This would make it one of the biggest aircraft leasing companies in the world.

Although the corporate headquarters of AerCap are currently in the Netherlands, it is understood that the impact of the merger will be heavily felt in Shannon. The company formed following the collapse of Guinness Peat Aviation (GPA) and its global business is headed by Aengus Kelly, who previously worked at GPA in Shannon.

Meanwhile, Shannon Airport recorded an increase in passenger numbers for the first time in five years in 2013, the first year since it came under local control.

A total of 1,400,032 passengers flew through the Clare airport last year, an increase of just over 5,000 on the 1,394,781 who used the facility in 2012.

The increase was achieved despite a difficult start to 2013 as month-overmonth passenger numbers continued to decrease in the immediate wake of the airports de-coupling from the Dublin Airport Authority.

However, strong growth from June onwards saw the airport halt the fiveyear slide in passenger numbers.

“Last year was always going to be challenging, not least at the beginning of the year as we emerged from the State airports group,” said Shannon CEO Neil Pakey.

“After a slow start in terms of passenger numbers over the first five months, trends improved considerably as the year drew on and the second half of the year was very positive.

“We are very confident that we will now achieve real growth as we move into 2014 and beyond.”

The increase in the latter half of the year was more pronounced on transatlantic routes where 22 per cent growth was achieved, thanks to new services to Chicago and Philadelphia.

THE community spirit continued into Carrigaholt as neighbours worked together to ensure people got to work, school and to the shops.

Local postmaster Pat Gavin, whose family was one of six marooned on a temporary island in Kilcredaun as a result of the storm and sea swells also praised the work of Clare County Council.

“Fair play, Clare County Council have done everything they can given their resources, but central Government have let us down,” he told The Clare People . “Part of what happened was due to neglect, even though I accept some flooding would have occurred,” he said.

The postmaster added he was referring to promises from the Government two and a half years ago that work would be completed at the seawall at Kilcredaun Irish College.

This work was estimated at the time at € 90,000. The sea wall was torn away in the storm and the college flooded as the people living there were segregated from the rest of the county by floodwater.

According to a Clare County Council report this week, restoration and reconstruction work on this part of the peninsula will cost € 622,000.

Mr Gavin said the generous spirit of neighbours, who loaned him a four-wheel drive, means he can now get to the post office every day.

Up to 250 yards off the main road remains under water as just 30 per cent of the water has receded. Clare County Council has put gravel on an old track so that the people living in Kilcredaun can now move around again.

Meanwhile farmers are struggling as their land remains under water. Even when the water recedes, they will have to reseed it in a bid to undo the damage of the seawater.

ALLEGATIONS of aggressive and intimidating behaviour by people visiting Drumcliff have emerged amid calls for less restrictive access to the graveyard.

Fears that vehicles would damage graves led to the permanent locking last year of one half of the cemetery’s gates. There have also been reports that groups of people were observed drinking and behaving aggressively in Drumcliff on Christmas Day.

The issues were disclosed at the January meeting of Ennis Town Council as councillors discussed a motion tabled by Cllr Paul O’Shea (Ind).

Cllr O’Shea proposed the gates at Drumcliff be unlocked every second Sunday “to enable loved ones to transport tools, equipment, plants and flowers so as to maintain their loved one’s graves.”

Administrative officer Betty Devanny stated in her response that access to Drumcliff cemetery has been restricted since November 2013, with exception give to undertakers, grave diggers, memorial sculptors, caretaker and those with mobility difficulties.

She continued, “This is necessary to prevent possible damage occurring to the kerbing, grave surrounds, and grave markers from vehicles accessing the cemetery which hap- pened on a regular basis while the gates remained unlocked. It will also provide for better management of the cemetery.”

Ms Devanny said only one side of the double gates are locked so it is possible for people to bring tools and flowers to graves. She states extra staff would be required to facilitate Cllr O’Shea’s request. “In the current economic downturn and a staffing embargo in place, it is not possible to facilitate this request,” she added.

Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) told the meeting he had witnessed incidents where vehicles drove at speed around the graveyard. “When the gates were left open, it was abused,” he said.

Cllr Mary Howard (FG) said she saw people drive through the graveyard on Christmas Day and park up for 40-50 minutes. “There is no room to maneuver and damage will be done,” she warned.

Cllr Howard told the meeting she also witnessed the same group of people “drinking and being aggressive” on Christmas Day.

Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Mary Coote Ryan (FG) said she recently saw two carloads of people enter the graveyard in a “very intimidating fashion”.

“There are some people who do misbehave and cause trouble for others,” she added.

Town manager Gerard Dollard said the changes at Drumcliff were introduced for the better management of the facility.

IT MAY be one of the worst villages hit by the storm but the high winds and waves did not damage he community spirit in Kilbaha.

On Tuesday three young mothers returning from the early school run decided to begin a tidy up at the year -old playground that had fallen victim to the storm.

Suddenly passers bys joined in and other parents returning home with their children at 3pm joined the group with shovels, wheelbarrows and children willing to give a helping hand.

Farmers and local contractors joined the impromptu clean up with tractors and mini diggers and what could have taken weeks, according to local woman Ailish Connolly, took three hours.

As many as 30 adults and 20 children were involved in the clean up, with council workers and Rural Resource workers staying around to help.

“We are so privileged to be in a community like this where the methil is alive and kicking,” said Ms Connolly adding that there was time for the odd seaweed fight and some merriment.

The mother of three who is part of the playground committee said an engineer is expected next week to access the damage, but she is hopeful that the community will be able to do the repair work themselves.

Already farmers have pulled the buckled fencing into place using their tractors.

As clean ups are planned for neighbouring Ross and Rhinevella on Saturday, the community remain concerned about the impact the storm will have on local tourism.

Many of the roads have been com- promised which is a concern ahead of the launch of the Wild Atlantic Way next month. The Loop Head peninsula has been included in the bus tour of the west coast of Ireland so proper roads are essential.

TWO Clare surfers, who took to the water during the height of the Storm Catherine last week, are in the running for this year’s Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards.

Lahinch surfer Ollie O’Flaherty and Peter Conroy from Miltown Malbay both braved massive swells on Mullaghmore Beach in Sligo last Monday, during the height of the storm.

The waves on the day were between 20 and 30 feet in height but they were also incredibly powerful. Because there was a extended period of time between each wave, a massive volume of water is inside each wave making them incredibly powerful.

“It is kind of an addiction. It’s something you have to build up to over. You can’t just wake up one day and decided to go out and surf 30 of 40 foot waves. You have to build up to it,” said Ollie.

“There were maybe 18 or 20 seconds between each wave, which is unheard of in this part of the world. This means that even if the waves are not 60 foot, they are incredibly powerful and travelling very fast.”

According to Peter, it takes years of experience before surfers can safely take on big waves like those produced during Storm Catherine.

“It is all about stepping stones. You have to comfortable just being in big waters like this never mind surfing. You have to know what the sea is doing. You have to realise that the sea is in charge, not you. We catch the waves, we play on the waves but if the sea wants to catch you, you are dead,” said Peter.

“It [the Billabong nomination] is a list of the best waves that have been surfed in Europe so far this year and mine and Ollie’s are up there. This will be knocked down to a shortlist of five later this year so for the mo- ment this is really a recognition that us Irish guys are putting it on the line for big wave surfing.” A final shortlist of five surfers for this year’s Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards will be announced in March.

HUNDREDS of people descended on Lahinch and Liscannor over the weekend to help in the biggest cleanup operation ever undertaken in the county.

More than 200 people took part in a two-day clean up of the Promenade organised by the West Coast Surf Club on Friday and Saturday. With people travelling from all over Ireland to take part, the club was able to send groups to Liscannor, Kilmacreahy and Cregg to help with the clean-up operations in those locations.

Both the Old Course and the Castle Course at Lahinch reopened for business last Friday following a major clean up by volunteers on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week. As of yesterday, 14 holes are playable on the Old Course with all hole playable, excluding bunkers, on Castle Course.

Two time major winner, Greg Norman, also mentioned the storms impact on Lahinch and Doonbeg on Twitter last week.

“Amazing photo of waves and wind pounding the beautiful town of Lahinch in Ireland last Thurs. My course at Doonbeg is okay,” he said.

Meanwhile, the gym at Lahinch Seaworld reopened for businesses yesterday and management are hoping the the pool facility will be open to the public again from next Monday, January 20.

According to Cliodhna Fawl of the West Coast Surf Club, locals and people from all over the coun- try have been doing their bit to get Lahinch back on its feet.

“People travelled from Dublin and all over Ireland to help with the clean up. We had about 80 people working with us on Friday and another 100 people came on Saturday, so we got a lot of work done,” she said.

“We collected a massive amount of rubbish and debris from Lahinch and we were able to send out groups to other areas on Saturday. A lot of debris and stone was removed from Liscannor, we still have some work to finish in Cregg which we will hopefully get to soon.

“We would like to thank Clare County Council and Clean Coast for providing the gloves and bags and to John and Jessie who drove up from Ennis with lots of food for all the workers.”

Lahinch Seaworld is hopeful of reopening fully from next Monday, but no official date can yet be given as it takes the pool between seven and fourteen days to warm up after a complete shutdown.

“The gym reopened today and we’ve had a great crowd in already this morning. People have been very supportive,” said Joe Garrihy of Lahinch Seaworld.

“We are working on the heating system at the moment and we should be able to turn that on tomorrow with a view to reopening next Monday but we will have to wait how long that will take to heat up the water.

A ROADWAY used by more than a million tourists each year to travel between the Cliffs of Moher and Lahinch will not survive a month, if urgent work is not carried out.

The road, which is located on the Lahinch side of Liscannor village, was badly undermined during last week’s storm and, according to Patrick Blake of the Liscannor Har- bour Committee, will not survive another large swell.

With large sea swells expected in February and March, the road will be lucky to make it to the summer of work is not carried out soon.

“We have a very serious problem with the road which has been completely undermined and the Cliffs of Moher road is in danger of being closed. A stone wall that was protecting the road has been totally wiped out. If I was driving on that road, and a lorry was coming in the other direction, I would not keep going. It is that dangerous. All that is left there is mud holding the road together and it is a drop of 30 or 40 feet. We have a high tide coming in February and a couple in March and that could be the end of it.

“The pier [in Liscannor] itself, which is over 200 years old, has also been badly damaged. The power of the tide also created a couple of very large craters, which will have to be repaired.

“The Clathane Road is also very badly damaged. Farm land is not even flooded, it is covered with stones. The storm came like a Tsunami and wiped everything before it.”

More than 200 people turned out in Liscannor last Saturday to help restore the local pier and harbour following the devastation brought by Storm Catherine.

“It was like a group of locusts moving across the place. They swept across the place going unreal hard work all the way. We have five tractors there and they removed tonnes and tonnes of seaweed out of the way,” continued Patrick.

“The work done was amazing. We had people from the Surf Club in Lahinch and people coming from all over the country to help. It shows how people come together in a crisis. It was an amazing day, the atmosphere was so positive and everyone coming together to help.”