Category: News

A BALLYVAUGHAN grandmother who says she was ‘butchered’ by doctors when giving birth to her first son in 1965, is appealing to the Health Service Executive (HSE) to locate records of the birth, The Clare People reported in May.

Elizabeth “Ellen” Moore says that she has wanted to die on a number of occasions over the past 48 years following her symphysiotomy, which has left her in near constant pain and completely incontinent.

This procedure, which involved breaking a woman’s pelvic bone during labour, was conducted without her knowledge or permission in September of 1965. Mrs Moore has recently obtained all her medical records from the HSE under Freedom of Information, but records of the birth of her first son and the controvertial symphysiotomy have been lost. Ellen, who has five grown up children now living in Shannon and East Clare, says she wants the records so she can finally explain to her children why their mother was the way she was.

“My family are so supportive, they always have been. Sometimes I just curl up on the bed and hope that the pain will go away. It is difficult, [but] I had to get up every morning. I had five children, I had to keep going,” she said.

“There were times when I wanted to die, I wanted to get into bed and never get out of it, after I’d had an accident down the town or something.

“Nobody can give me back the years of my life. I should have had a good life, I should have been able to go places and do things but I’ve been tied to pain. I think if I felt sorry for myself, I’d start to crack up.

“It is so strange that they don’t seem to have the records I want considering all the other records that they gave me. I am still hopeful that they can be found. If I could get my years back, if I could look at these and ask what they were doing. I was butchered, that’s what happened, like a lot of other women.

In April, Ellen and other members of the Survivors of Symphysiotomy (SOS) group received the news they were waiting for. The Government passed a bill which would see some redress provided to the victims of symphysiotomy. It is unclear what form this redress will take and whether the full release of HSE records will be part of the redress process.

IT WAS Bah Humbug and goodbye to any curse that Biddy Early might have over the Clare hurling on the last Saturday of September when the All-Ireland was won, but there was no keeping the bould Feakle woman down in the earliest days of October.

All because while the county was still on a natural high following the All-Ireland final victory over Cork, the county was preparing to enter the stratosphere with the news that a new form of cannabis has been named after famous Banner witch, Biddy Early.

The seed, one of five new strains developed in recent years by Magus Genetics in Holland, was described as growing to between 1.8 metres and 2 metres high and is ready for harvest in early October.

Selling and buying cannabis seeds is currently legal in Ireland but cultivating these seeds for person use of sale is a criminal offense. The Biddy Early strain has been specially bred to allow it to grow outdoors in a European climate.

Biddy Early is synonymous with Clare hurling because of the 81-year curse which the East Clare woman placed on the Banner county.

According to the Marijuana.com website, the Dutch company chose the Biddy Early name because her connection with witchcraft.

“Biddy Early is named for a 19th century woman accused of witchcraft, whose story became the subject of folk ballads and entered Irish legend. Magus, from the Latin for ‘priest’ or ‘sorcerer’, felt kinship with Biddy Early’s plight given the similarity between the witch hunt hysteria in times past and the current war on drugs.

“Biddy Early is the first variety that Magus Genetics specifically formulated for outdoor gardening in temperate regions. Although an even mix of sativa and indica, this plant exhibits the strong lateral growth typically seen in sativas.

“Biddy likes to branch out. The branches are very elastic and pliable, easily trained or tied like vines to suit the available space. Outdoors, this suppleness makes the plant storm proof or resilient to harsh weather,” the website stated.

The seeds are no longer available from Magus Genetics who have transferred distribution rights for Biddy Early to another Dutch company, Serious Seeds.

IT WAS announced in early January that the West Clare town of Kilrush would be central to the national Famine commemoration, as it had been selected to host the main event.

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan announced that the maritime town would be the host location for the National Famine Commemoration Day, on a date later announced as May 12.

The annual observance in Ireland commemorating the Great Famine has been organised officially by the Government since 2009. The main commemoration event is held in a different place each year, rotating among the four provinces of Ireland.

Events at the main venue usually include lectures, arts events, and visits to places connected to the Famine.

Local events also take place countrywide, while a minute’s silence is encouraged for schools and workplaces. Kilrush planned a very successful 10-day event.

Then Mayor of Kilrush, Cllr Mairead O’Brien, welcomed the news stating, “Kilrush has historically been very closely linked with and was greatly affected by the Great Irish Famine. It is fantastic to see this link being recognised nationally.”

John Corry, Kilrush Town Clerk, said, “It is a huge honour for the town to host this event in the year of the Gathering and I hope that many visitors from near and far will visit our great town during this Commemoration.”

Kilrush is recognised nationally as one of the locations worst affected by starvation, disease and emigration between 1845 and 1852. The famine years brought much hardship to Kilrush. Evictions, fever and cholera reduced the population of south-west Clare to such an extent that it has never again attained its pre-famine numbers.

Famine author and Clare-based Historian Ciarán Ó Murchadha, who supported Kilrush’s bid to host the event, said, “I can state without any fear of contradiction that although all of Clare suffered grievously, no part of the county endured as much as Kilrush town and Kilrush union, and for such a prolonged period. That being the case, I am delighted to learn that Kilrush will host the next National Famine Commemoration event.”

THE long-running saga of Blake’s Corner in Ennistymon look an unexpected twist in May when a vigilante painter struck at Clare’s most dangerous traffic junction, with a zebra crossing being painted at the notorious Blake’s Corner in Ennistymon.

The zebra crossing was painted in the early hours Tuesday morning, May 21, on the Lahinch side of dangerous junction. The identity of the vigilante painter is unknown, but some local people have started using the new zebra crossing.

Blake’s Corner has been the site of ongoing difficulty for Clare County Council, who have had to shelf long-awaited plans to create a new traffic flow system at the junction. Local group, Saving Ennistymon Heritage, opposed the new junction on the ground that two listed building, known as Blake’s and Linnane’s, would have to be demolished as part of the joint National Roads Authority (NRA)/Clare County Council project.

The process has been stalled for the last two years as Clare County Council have been unable to secure funding from the NRA to complete an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed development.

More than two million people use the tiny junction every year to access the Cliffs of Moher and Lahinch beach. Council engineer Tony Neville yesterday describe the vigilante action as a “dig” against the council.

“We have to take it out. It is emulsion so white spirits won’t take it out. We are scrubbing it at the moment,” he said.

“It is a bit of a dig. We have to condemn it and to note that is dangerous. People are using it and it is causing confusion. If anyone has information we would urge them to contact the gardaí.”

Local councillor Joe Arkins (FG) said that the action was a direct prompt from the local community, aimed at the council.

“The community are prompting us to take on certain works here. We have a real problem there [Blake’s Corner] and the sooner we can apply outselves to solving this the better,” he said.

In an official statement yesterday Clare County Council urged local people to forward any information on the new crossing to the Gardaí. “We will be removing the zebra crossing as soon as possible. If any member of the general public is aware of the identity of the person or persons who did this, they should report it to the Ennistymon Area Office or directly to the gardaí. Unauthorised surface markings can cause confusion for road users and can be hazardous for both pedestrians and motorists,” said senior engineer Tom Tiernan.

AN ALLEGATION that planning has gone wrong because of the role that politicians play in the process was levelled in October, with the charge coming a former chief planning officer with Clare County Council.

Brendan McGrath, a consultant planner with Clare County Council, said that clientelism has become endemic in the Irish planning system and has come to supersede the public good as a planning consideration.

In his new book, ‘Landscape and Society in Contemporary Ireland’, Mr McGrath conceded that “something has gone wrong” in the Irish planning system, which he argues does not serve the common good.

“The political system functions to support individual landowners. Clientelism gets in the way of consideration that are more supportive of the broader community. It [political interference in planning] is an obstacle to the common good, which is what the planning system should be about,” he said.

“Even at a very local level clientelism is not helpful. The decisions are not made with the landscape in mind, instead decision are made because of who owns what land. That is not about the wider best interests.

McGrath argues that it is not individual politician who are to blame for this process but rather the planning system, which allows for rampant clientelism.

“It’s not as though politicians are looking to make lots of money on these things [planning decisions], but it is putting personal interests before decisions that effect more people,” he said. “If things were being run properly, if there was no clientelism, the real planning arguments would hold sway rather than these local influences that get in the way.

“Councillors have a duty to the people that they represent, so if someone comes to them an says they want something zoned X, Y or Z, then the councillor is quite entitled to take that on board.

“When these type of considerations override the way that decisions are made then it is contrary to proper planning and development. That is the order of the day in local government where zoning decisions are made.

“Even with simple planning application, when the decision lies with the county manager. But even in these situations representations are made to managers and to their offices. And on occasion these representations can be given excessive weight.”

Brendan McGrath’s book, ‘Landscape and Society in Contemporary Ireland’, was published in the first week of October by Cork University Press.

HUNDREDS of members of the leisure centre at Woodstock Hotel learnt for the first time they could be out of pocket to the tune of between € 200 and € 400 following the shock closure of the four-star hotel last Friday.

This fear was raised by a number of leisure centre members who contacted The Clare People and voiced their anger that membership fees for the pool, spa and gym facilities were accepted into the weeks leading up to the hotel’s closure.

“We don’t know if we will get our money back,” one member of the leisure centre told The Clare People . “We paid money in good faith, but now don’t know if there’s any comeback and our money could be lost,” another member added.

Membership rates for the leisure centre ranged from € 200 to € 400, while it’s believed that over 100 people may have already paid their fees for 2013.

No spokesperson from Fort William Ltd, the operating company behind the management of Woodstock, was available for comment but a former employee revealed; “There is going to be a director’s meeting called on January 23 and the directors will have to give a statement of affairs at that meeting.”

It has also emerged that many of Woodstock’s 60 employees were only given a half-hour’s notice of the emergency meeting that announced the closure of the hotel.

Staff were called to a meeting at 3pm where they were told that the hotel was to cease trading with immediate effect.

The hotel had built up a reputation as a popular wedding venue over the last number of years, but it’s understood that no wedding was due to take place the weekend of the story, while none are booked in for the following weeks either.

Woodstock Hotel was developed in 2000 as a standalone development separate to Woodstock Golf and Country Club which was designed by renowned golf course architect Dr Arthur Spring and opened in 1993.

This year, Woodstock Golf Club celebrates 20 years and is unaffected by the latest demise of the adjacent Woodstock Hotel.

THE accolades keep coming for Davy Fitzgerald after the Clare manager was announced as Clare Person of the Year.

The Sixmilebridge man was named the recipient of the annual award given out by the Clare Association Dublin. It was a bumper year for Fitzgerald and Clare hurling. The former Clare goalkeeper guided Clare to the All-Ireland hurling title. The Banner captured a fourth title after a thrilling victory over Cork in a replayed All-Ireland final.

Fitzgerald was last week honoured by RTÉ when he was named Manager of the Year, while his Clare team won the ‘Team of the Year’ award.

“It’s been a fantastic year for Clare and for Clare hurling and we’re delighted that Davy is the Clare Person of the Year,” says Association PRO Gerry O’Reilly.

The Clare Association Dublin 2014 Yearbook was launched in Dublin earlier this month in Glasnevin by businessman and former Clare Person of the Year, Martin Donnelly.

Readers can expect the usual great mix of stories, reflections on events throughout 2013 and several personal accounts of what the year’s great sporting accolades have meant for parishes and county alike.

“To much applause, Davy Fitzgerald was revealed as this year’s successful nominee following a year in which he, together with his players and management team, brought so much pride to the county,” stated Mr O’Reilly.

The Clare Association Dublin Hall of Fame Award 2014 was also announced as going to another very worth recipient, Fr Harry Bohan.

To mark another successful year’s running of the Martin Corry Memorial Walk, a cheque was presented to Mary Crawford-Barry, Principal of St Joseph’s Secondary School, Spanish Point.

Details were also announced of the upcoming Annual Dinner Dance. The event will take place on January 25, at The Clyde Court Hotel (formerly The Berkley Court Hotel) from 8pm. The presentation of the Clare Person of the Year and Clare Association Dublin Hall of Fame awards will be made on the evening and entertainment will be provided by the Brian Boru Band. Tickets are available from any member of the committee. (Liam O’Looney 087 2377957; Gerry O’Reilly 086 8498192; Pauline Cummins 01 8531037; Mary Barry 087 2244343).

IT WAS Clare manager Davy Fitzgerald who memorably told the Troika, Angela Merkel, Mario Draghi and anyone of our European partners who were watching the Clare homecoming celebrations in Ennis on September 29 that “the recession can go to hell”.

Well, come October it was revealed that the recession did just that around All-Ireland time and that the words of Clare’s All-Ireland winning manager were proving prophetic.

Early estimates of the spending power of the Clare public during those heady September days into early October suggested those memorable celebrations were worth € 1m to the local economy alone.

Meanwhile, while players’ attention turned to the club championship in October, it was also time to look forward to the end of year celebrations.

The team holiday destination of Mexico was decided in October, while as part of the fundraising drive for this trip of a lifetime for players and mentors an official team and team calendar were organized dur- ing the month to go on general sale around the county and beyond.

The Clare Hurling Supporters Club asked members of the public to be wary of pirated versions of pictures or calendars on sale, as none of the proceeds of this merchandise would be going to the hurlers’ holiday fund.

Chairman of the Clare Hurling Supporters Club PJ Kelly told The Clare People that the fundraising for the player’s holiday fund would be stepped in October and continue for the rest of the year.

“Of course the players and man- agement deserve a holiday for all their incredible achievements and the sacrifices they made this year,” he said.

“We would ask the Clare public to get behind the team as we try to raise money for that trip. With this in mind we will be making an official team photograph with the Liam McCarthy Cup available for sale shortly. It will sit perfectly beside the pictures of the 1995 and 1997 All-Ireland winning squads,” said Kelly, a former treasurer of the Clare County Board and father of All-Ireland winning goalkeeper Patrick Kelly.

THE number of civic receptions and other civic functions ordered by councillors at Clare County Council skyrocketed in 2012 – reaching its highest level on record, it was revealed during the first week in February.

Councillors ordered eight different social events in the year, compared to just three in 2011.

These eight ceremonies included four civic receptions, two civic recognitions, one mayoral reception and one civic welcome.

Figures obtained by The Clare People showed that the number of civic ceremonies asked for by elected members has increased year on year since the beginning of the recession.

According to Clare County Council’s own annual reports, councillors hosted three civic receptions in 2006, four in 2007 and five in 2008.

In 2009 there were six ceremonies, including four civic receptions and two civic welcomes, with seven events in 2010, including five civic receptions and two mayoral receptions.

This number fell to just two civic receptions and one civic recognition in 2011 before the eight different events which were hosted by councillors in 2012.

The events were generally hosted in the offices of Clare County Council, Áras Contae an Chláir, and involved an amount of food and drink and sometimes entertainment. It was unclear what the costs are from staging these civic events.

The largest civic reception held in 2012 took place on June 14 when President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, was officially welcomed to Clare following a motion put forward by Cllr Christy Curtin (Ind).

Other ceremonies in 2012 were held for the Inagh Camogie Team, the Environment Committee of the Committee of the Regions and a civic welcome to those taking part in the Shinty Hurling/Camogie International Festival.

There were also events to honour the Samaritans for 30 years of service in Clare, to the unveiling of a plaque in memory of the passengers from Clare who were on board the Titanic, a reception to honour Keeva Corry who won the Under 11 and Under 12 World Dancing Championships and a civic recognition ceremony to honour Noel Pyne who has competed in the South of Ireland Championships each year for the past 50 years.

IT PROVED to be a bumper Christmas for returning emigrants, with Shannon Airport recording a 21 per cent increase in passenger numbers over the festive season.

Some 43,000 passengers will have flown in and out of Shannon over the Christmas period from December 21 to January 2 – up almost 8,000 on the same period last year when over 35,000 travelled.

This makes it the first Christmas in five years that passenger numbers at the airport have shown an increase.

“We are having a very busy Christmas,” said Niall Maloney, Airport Operations Director at Shannon Airport.

“This is the busiest period of the winter season and we also had our free Santa Flights with Ryanair so it it’s all hands on deck.

“An airport is an emotional place anyway as families and friends reu- nite or say goodbye but it is particularly so at Christmas. This weekend is probably the happiest of the year, though, and the buzz is fantastic as there are so many flying in to be home for Christmas.

“The arrivals area is where it all happens, particularly for US and London flights as they are full of people flying back from the States or, via London, from the likes of Australia, the Middle East, Far East and elsewhere,” he added.

The boost in passengers numbers in Shannon over the Christmas period comes at the end of the airport’s first full year of independence.

On January 31 last year Shannon was formally granted its independence from the Dublin Airport Authority – a move that came into affect on the back of a pledge by the Fine Gael/Labour government to put a new blueprint in place for the airport after the 2011 General Election.