Category: News

SHANNON suffered a major jobs blow last week when it was revealed that one of the longest serving companies in the Free Zone will close its manufacutring facility in 2014.

On Thursday it was announced through a public relations firm in Dublin that Kraus and Naimer would shut down the manufacturing arm of its operation in the industial estate early in the new year. “Production at the facility, which supplies electrical switchgear, will cease at the end of January 2014,” a statement issued by through FleishmanHilliard revealed.

The announcement was made to the total workforce of 63 by senior management from the company’s parent group in Austria.

The employees were told that “the closure is due to the business sus- taining losses for the last number of years, which have been driven by the impact of weak customer demand due to the global recession.

“The decision follows previous efforts to restructure the facility and a move recently to enter short working time arrangements,” the statement continued.

“It is with deep regret we have had to make this decision which has been made due to ongoing and unsustainable losses incurred at the Shannon

facility,” said Ted Naimer, Global President at Kraus and Naimer.

“We will be entering into a process with staff over coming days in relation to an orderly winding down of the facility, and thank them sincerely for the contribution they have made to the company,” he added

Kraus and Naimer established its facility, which is involved in the manufacture of a variety of electrical switches for industry, in Shannon in 1973.

SIPTU, which had been in talks with the company about strategies to maintain its operation in Shannon, said workers are shocked and angered to learn of the company’s decision to end production.

The union says further talks are due to take place at the company next week.

It will explore all avenues open to maintaining employment and if necessary trying to secure the best redundancy deals possible.

A NORTH Clare man has been ordered fix the defects in his car after a court heard it made the same loud noise as a jet plane.

At Ennis District Court on Friday, Fiachra Roche (21), with an address at Rinamona, Kilnaboy, pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle which was not fitted with an exhaust silencer or other device suitable and sufficient for reducing to a reasonable level, the noise caused by the escape of exhaust gases from the engine.

The offence is contrary to the Road Traffic (construction equipment and use of vehicle regulations) Act 1963 as amended

Garda Rosaleen O’Connor of Ennis Garda Station told the court she stopped Mr Roche’s car on the Limerick Road in Ennis on April 23, 2013.

She said the car did not have a silencer fitted to the exhaust which the court heard emitted a decibel level of 115.

Asked by Judge Patrick Durcan to explain further how loud the noise was, Garda O’Connor said it was equivalent to the sound made by a jet flyover at 1100 feet.

Defence solicitor Angela Byrne said her client was “extremely surprised” to learn his car was responsible for such a loud noise.

Ms Byrne said her client had not yet fitted a silencer due to the cost but intended doing so in the coming weeks.

Judge Durcan said it appeared there was “jet flying around Clare.”

He said he was putting the case off to next week to allow Mr Roche time to remedy the defects with his car. Addressing Mr Roche, Judge Durcan said;

“You have to get your finger out of your mouth, I want action.”

He described the offence as ‘very irritating behaviour”.

“I’m not going to have this young lad zooming around County Clare, waking the graveyards, waking the dead”, he added. Judge Durcan said the car would go through an “NCT outside the court next week.”

He told Mr Roche that if the defects are not remedied he would have to “save money for a bicycle or a pair of runners.”

The case was adjourned to Ennis District Court to December 12.

THE BOOK of evidence has been served on a man charged in connection with an alleged stabbing in Shannon last year.

Darren Lindsay (22), with an address at Cronan Grove, Shannon, appeared before Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

The accused is charged with assault causing harm to a man at Cluain Airne, Shannon on September 30 (2012).

Inspector Tom Kennedy applied for an amendment to be made to the charge sheet concerning the location where the alleged offence is alleged to have taken place.

Defence solicitor Oonagh Moylan objected to the amendment, saying it changed the nature of the charge.

Judge Patrick Durcan said he was overruling Ms Moylan’s objection and granting the amendment.

Garda Irene O’Flynn of Ennis Garda Station gave evidence of serving the book of evidence on solicitor Oonagh Moylan for her client Darren Lindsay.

Inspector Tom Kennedy said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) consented to the accused being returned for trial to the next sessions of the Circuit Criminal Court.

Legal aid was approved for Ms Moylan and one junior counsel. Judge Durcan delivered the alibi warning to the accused and made the order returning the man for trial.

IT WAS a weekend of star gazing in West Clare as Stereophonics front man Kelly Jones married long time love Jakki Healy in a ceremony at St Senan’s Church Kilrush, followed by reception at the five star Lodge in Doonbeg.

International stars from the world of music, film and television travelled to the bride’s ancestral home of County Clare to celebrate her marriage to the Welsh singer.

Ms Healy’s mother hailed from Kilshanny, while her father is an Ennistymon native, with the illustrator growing up in London.

On Saturday crowds gathered out- side St Senan’s Church to wish the couple well and spot the numerous celebrities in attendance.

Among the well known faces causing excitement for the crowd were Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood and The Jam’s Paul Weller.

“I was only a few feet away from Ronnie Wood, although I wasn’t sure if it was him or Rod Stewart at first, I always get them mixed up,” said one excited local woman.

“They were all really nice, waving and smiling,” said another bystander referring to guests that included members of Stereophonics, Notting Hill star Rhys Ifans, actress Anna Friel, Wayne Rooney’s wife Coleen, actor Dougray Scott, his wife actress Claire Forlani and television present- er Amanda Byram.

The guests were bussed to the Lodge Doonbeg for a five star reception, but the party didn’t stop there with many of the guests making a weekend of it in West Clare.

A post wedding party was held in Tubridy’s Bar and Restaurant in Doonbeg on Sunday with family and close friends, including many famous faces enjoying food, drink and local music provided by Patrick Roche.

Kelly Jones also took to the stage at the popular Doonbeg watering hole to sing Dakota and a special rendition of “My Girl” to his new wife.

Again the couple and their guests happily posed for photos with staff and local people as the celebrations continued into the evening.

PLANS to redevelop a large area of Ennis’s historic market area have gone out for public consultation.

Ennis Town Council is inviting submissions and observations from members of the public for the proposed development, which would involve the building of semi-enclosed spaces in Garraunakilla. Details of the planed facelift to the Market are contained in a report to members of Ennis Town Council. “The structure will continue to have multifunctional uses, housing at times a car park and at others, a market. The structure consists of two adjacent pavilions with a plexi-glass roof covering the central corridor”

In his report Town Clerk Leonard Cleary states, “The spaces adjacent the structure and in the surround- ing streets will be remodeled and upgraded to improve the pedestrian environment with new paving, lighting, drainage and street furniture and trees. This work will extend from the junction of Market Place with Barrack Street, to the junction of Market Place with Lower Drumbiggle Road; lower Drumbiggle Road from it’s junction with Market Place to its junction with Garraunakilla; Garraunkilla from it’s junction with Market Place to Lower Drumbiggle Road. This work will involve providing a shared surface area on Market Place from its junction with Barrack Street to its junction with Lower Drumbiggle Road.”

Richard Rice of Healy Partners Architects was commissioned by the Council to explore the possibility of developing covered markets in Ennis.

His report strongly recommended the northern elevation of Garraunakilla develop appropriate retail activity. It also recommended the inclusion of a covered area and a kiosk if Garraunakilla is retained as a Farmer’s Market.

The report on proposed changes to the market area of Ennis recommended major improvements to access and the appearance of the town’s main market trading area.

The Council has set a June 2014 deadline for work to start in Garraunakilla and Barrack Street. Submissions on the Garraunakilla development can be made up to and including Monday, January 6.

ENNIS Street Radio, organised by Ennis Chamber and supported by Ennis Town Council, was launched on Friday evening last at Glór Irish Music Centre.

Councillor Michael Guilfoyle of Ennis Town Council was on hand to officially launch the Street Radio, which is in its third successive year.

Councillor Guilfoyle said that Ennis Town Council were delighted to support the initiative to bring a festive atmosphere and good cheer to the streets of Ennis during the Christmas Shopping Period.

As part of the Christmas Shop Local Campaign, Ennis Town Council are providing Free Parking in public carparks on the street from 9am12pm for December until January 6. There is also free parking all day in Cloughleigh Car Park. Free parking up to 12pm daily to January 5 will be available at the following off-street and on-street locations:

Off-street – Abbey St Car Park; Bindon Street Car Park; Cornmarket Car Park; Friars Walk Car Park; Friary Car Park; Lower Market Street Car Park; Market Place Car Park, Parnell St Car Park; Woodquay Car Park (all € 1.30/1 hour or € 2.60 for 2 hour from 12:00-5:00pm).

On-Street: Abbey Street, College Road, Drumbiggle Road, Gort Road, Harmony Street, Kilrush Road, Lower Market Street, Market Place, McNamara Park, Mill Road, New Road, New Road Car Park, Newbridge Road, Simms Lane, Station Road, and Turnpike Road (normal parking rates apply after 12pm).

Speaking at the Launch of Ennis Street Radio, President of Ennis Chamber thanked Ennis Town Council for their support and that of Ennis Street Radio Ger Sweeney.

Ms Madden added that the businesses of Ennis have really come behind the Ennis Street Radio, giving away thousands of euro worth of prizes and vouchers to shoppers as a way of thanking them for their custom over the year and particularly at Christmas which is a very important time for retailers and hospitality. Businesses in Ennis will also be open on the Sundays in December as well as Late Night Opening from December 18 to 20 and on December 23.

Ennis Street Radio is sponsored by Ennis Electrical, Ozone Gym, Clean Ireland Recycling and the Irishshop. com. As well as on the streets, Ennis Street Radio can be listened to live on www.visitennis.ie or by downloading the Ennis APP.

THE FIRST details of what location in Clare have been infected by Ash Dieback have been confirmed.

At last night meeting of Clare County Council it was confirmed that an area of forestry between Ennistymon and Lisdoonvarna has been infected with the contagious fungal disease.

It was also confirmed that three other positive cases of Ash Dieback or Chalara fraxinea have been found in trees bordering the M18 motorway.

The Department of Agriculture confirmed to the Clare People last month that a total of seven positive cases of the disease have been found in Clare. However, despite a number of inquires, the department has consistently declined to give any detail of the exact location of the outbreaks.

Yesterday’s information represents the first detailed confirmation of where outbreaks have taken place since it arrive in Ireland almost 13 months ago.

“Ash dieback disease has been found in at least three location close to motorways in Clare and in one plantation between Ennistymon and Lisdoonvarna,” a council spokesperson said yesterday.

The information was in response to a motion put forward by Cllr Brian Meaney (FF) who said that people with ash plantation in Clare were “ex- tremely concerned” about the spread of the disease.

At present there a total of 75 ash plantation through county with the average size of these plantation less than 10 hectares in size.

The number of instances of ash dieback in Clare has more than doubled over the last six months with Clare trees now the third most infected in Ireland.

According to figures obtained from the Department of Agriculture, a total of seven positive cases of ash dieback, or Chalara fraxinea, have been recorded in Clare so far this year – up from just three cases in May.

Coincidentally, strong hurling counties have, to date, been hit hardest by ash die back. The last three All Ireland hurling champions – Clare, Kilkenny and Tipperary – have the three highest instances of ash dieback in Ireland.

The Department of Agriculture has declined to give exact details of the location of infected trees in Clare and other counties. This follows confusion earlier this year when the department appeared to release contradictory information about the location of infected trees in Clare.

NELSON Mandela’s inspirational fight for freedom touched the lives of people around the world including that of a young priest from Scariff.

One of the closest friendships Mandela shared during the 18 years he spent imprisoned on Robben Island was with Fr Brendan Long, a native of Scariff who served as prison chaplain.

Aged 28, Fr Long was appointed chaplain to Robben Island in 1962 after a term at St Mary’s Cathedral.

Every Sunday, Fr Long would take a ferry from Cape Town to the island to hold services for the inmates.

As the prisoners’ beliefs varied, non-denominational services were held and confessions for Catholic inmates were heard,

In a 2003 interview, Fr Long recalled how the future President of South Africa would read aloud passages from scriptures.

“He once said to me: ‘If I were a communist I wouldn’t have read scripture,’ He read with great pride a psalm entitled ‘Let every creature praise the Lord’, Fr Long told a South African newspaper Mail and Guardian.

The article states “The chaplain’s weekly trips to Robben Island usually ended with a joke about them getting together for a party in freedom, little thinking this would ever come about. Their friendship continued after Mandela was transferred to Pollsmoor prison on the mainland in 1982 and his release from detention on February 11, 1990”.

Fr Long returned to Ireland in the mid nineties but his friendship with one of world’s great Statesmen endured beyond the confines of Mandela’s captivity.

Mandela, who passed away on Thursday, received an honorary doctorate from the National University of Ireland Galway in 2003.

He used the visit to Ireland to catch up with this old friend from Scariff who was one of the guests at the ceremony.

Reporting on the occasion, the Irish Independent described the “poignant scene” as Mandela greeted Fr Long.

Fr Long recalled meeting “the humble, highly intelligent, very spiritual Mandela and man with the very, very warm handshake”. Fr Long passed away in April 2009.

A WOMAN who parked across two disabled parking bays in Ennis Courthouse acted in an “ignorant” and “insensitive” manner, a court has heard.

Judge Patrick Durcan was speaking as he imposed a € 750 fine on a mother of seven who was found to have illegally parked in disabled parking bays on May 22, 2013. Judge Durcan also disqualified the woman from holding a driver’s license for a period of six months, by way of ancillary order.

“Obviously this is an ignorant and insensitive person who would park across two disabled parking bays”, added Judge Durcan.

The woman was not present in court for the brief hearing. Judge Durcan said that he recently had to adjourn a case from Gort District Court to Ennis District Court to cater for a disabled person attending the court.

The woman who received the fine later appeared in court. Solicitor Tara Godfrey told Judge Durcan the woman was in a “very distressed state”. Judge Durcan refused an application to fix recognizance for an appeal as the case had already been dealt with.

Ms Godfrey said she would file a new application with the court requesting recognizance be fixed in the event of an appeal.

A CONSTRUCTION company, who objected to plans by Clare County Council to sell land in Shannon for the creation of a crematorium earlier this year, have lodged its own plans to build a crematorium in Clarecastle.

Fenloe Properties Ltd have lodge plans with the local authority to construct a chapel and crematorium furnace on lands at Ballaghfadda on the Kildysart Road.

The plans also include a cemetery, remembrance and memorial gardens and a car park – with a planning decision not likely to be made until February of next year.

In October of this year a solicitors letter was sent by Fenloe Limited to Clare County Council – regarding plans by the local authority to sell land in Shannon to an unnamed developer for the creation of a crematorium.

The council had already granted planning permission for the development of a crematorium on that site in 2007 – but this project never came to fruition.

A council spokesperson confirmed yesterday that it had received a letter from Fenloe Properties and because of that letter – the matter had not been discussed at the November meeting of Clare County Council.

“The Council is in receipt of correspondence and the matter is being dealt with.

An extension of planning permission has been approved by the Council.

The disposal of the lands was deferred by the elected members at the November meeting,” said a council spokesperson.

In 2007, former County Councillors Tony McMahon (LAB) and the late Sean Hillery (FF), lodged plans to build a crematorium beside Illaunamanagh graveyard in the Shannon area.

At the time concerns were expressed about the rezoning of public lands, future ownership of the land, the disposal of waste at the site.

The proposal was appealed to An Bord Pleanala in 2009 but planning was granted – contrary to the recommendation of the boards own inspector.

However, plans to construct the Shannon crematorium were never activated and the project appeared dead until reactivated by an unknown developer earlier this year.

Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND), who had opposed the sale of the Shannon land in 2007, said yesterday that he would keep an close watch on the Clarecastle plan.

“At this point I don’t know enough about this [planned Clarecastle crematorium] proposal, but if the land is suitable zones and meets with the requirements set out in the planning process then I would be in favour of it,” he said.