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A close shave for Catherines charities

Ceremony puts domestic abuse in the dock

Hansel and Gretel take to the Ennis

The smallest items cause the biggest grievance

Waving the Purple Flag to lure UK tourists?

A COURT has heard that a man’s nose was broken and teeth were damaged during a pub incident in GR

THE Labour Party revival in Clare has seen the formation of a new branch in the west.

It once had a party stronghold in west Clare, providing the first female chairperson of Kilrush Town Coun- cil, but in the last number of years the party had lost support and mem- bership.

At an open meeting of the party in Kilrush last week however, the latest branch of the party has been formed.

Constituency Chairman Michael Corley reminded the meeting that,

“west Clare has had in the past a strong tradition of Labour Party rep- resentation down through the years, there have been strong and dedicated representatives pushing for a fairer and more equal society for the peo- ple of Kilrush and the rest of west Oren

Labour councillor Tony McMahon said the turnout was a testament to the level of concern that people have for the social fabric of the commu- nity. “Everyone here is concerned about the problems that affect Kil- rush and west Clare and I believe that it is in the hands of individuals com- ing together in this community that

these problems will be solved. I en- courage everyone here to be proud of this step taken in bringing together a force for positive change in Kilrush and West Clare.”

A spokesperson for the party said that the formation of new branches throughout the county overcomes the perception that Labour is an urban and east coast party.

‘The Labour Party is ready to pro- vide a new leadership and direction to Ireland where the insanity of give- away tax-breaks and the protection of the wealthy at the expense PAYE workers, small business owners and the most vulnerable in society will

not be an option. We believe in a so- ciety where fairness and equality are the guiding principles of how a gov- ernment should plan for its people,” he said.

A wide range of topics were dis- cussed in the meeting including “Government attacks on rural life’, the proposal to cut Government sup- port for the Rural Transport Pro- gramme, and the high rate of unem- ployment and youth unemployment in the county.

More than 10,000 people in Clare are without jobs at the moment and the number of people under 25 with- out work is almost at 2,000 in Clare.

AN Ennis man who was jailed for four years last month for a drugs of- fence has been handed an additional jail term for criminal damage.

Michael Clune (24), of John Paul Avenue, Ennis, pleaded guilty to a criminal damage charge arising out of an incident a year ago.

Ennis District Court was told on Friday that an apartment door was damaged. The accused admitted to gardai that he had been in the apart- ment.

The court was told that Clune is currently serving a four-year sen- tence, handed down in the circuit court last month for a drugs offence.

Defending solicitor Tara Godfrey said that her client was “acting un- der the influence of controlled sub- stances and alcohol” on the night in Ltn Coyne

“Unfortunately my client forced open the door,” she said, adding that the accused believed this was the apartment he had been in, earlier that night.

‘He had been drinking and had been anxious to get back into the flat where the party was on,’ she said.

Judge Joseph Mangan imposed a four-month jail term, to run consecu- tively to the four-year term Clune is currently serving.

He fixed a bond in the event of an appeal.

THERE was All-Ireland handball success last week for Tulla’s Co- lin Corbett and Niall Bolton in the 60×30 Secondary Schools Junior Doubles Championship.

Representing St. Joseph’s Tulla, the Tulla pair had a hard-fought semi- final win (21-11, 14-21, 11-7) over Pol Clarke and Niall Allison from Omagh on Wednesday last in Mull- baheea

Then in the final, the Clare pair came from behind to beat Wexford’s Galen Rioradan and Padraig Foley in a classic encounter — winning thee a breaker to claim the title on an 8-21, 21-20, 11-9 scoreline.

In the Intermediate Doubles event, Jamie Lynch and Christopher Phil- pott of St. Joseph’s Tulla qualified for the All-Ireland final also, with a relatively straight-forward semi-final win in Abbeylara, Longford on Sun- day week last.

The Kilkishen duo beat Christopher

McKenna and Terry McElvanney (St. Macartan’s, Monaghan) 21-7, 21- 8 to qualify for the decider, but went down in that final by 11-21, 18-21 to Cian Connolly and Mark Nally (Ros- common CBS) on Sunday in Ballina, Tipperary.

At Primary Schools level, there was further Munster success for the Banner County in the Cumann na mBunscoil team championships. Clare took both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ team events on Staurday at Dungarvan and Cappagh respectively to further un- derline the county’s current strength at this grade.

The *A’ team won a round robin event beating both Cork and Water- ford and the team consisted of Fergal Coughlan, Brian Fahy,Jamie Keane, Kevin Conlon, Clodagh Nash, Gary Cooney, lan Murray and Shane Hunt.

The ‘B’ team had an 84-76 win over Cork and the winning team was Cathair Agnew, Jake Kearney, Eoin O Hara, David Sheedy, Barry

Loughnane, David Gleeson and Eoin Wnts Ene

Away from the court, County Hand- ball Board Treasurer Willie Roche was recently recognised for his great work in Clare and Munster handball over a long period. Willie was a re- cipient of a Munster Handball All- Star Award as ‘Official of the Year’, a very well deserved accolade for one of the mainstays of Clare hand- ball, especially at underage level. A national handball promotional/fund- raising event was held in Croke Park last week. The “Ultimate Showdown’ saw prominent handballers from across the country team up with a leading hurling, football or camogie player from their county. Clare were represented by Diarmaid Nash and county hurling goalkeeper Philip Brennan.

PARKING charges in Ennis have been frozen at the current level of €1.20 under Ennis Town Council’s budget for 2010.

Announcing the decision at last Thursday’s budget meeting, Town Manager, Ger Dollard also signalled the council’s intent to carry out a “major review of parking arrange- ments and charges in 2010”.

In his report, Mr Dollard stated that while parking income for 2009 is ahead of budget, “income from traffic fines is substantially down on anticipated budget levels for the year’.

He continued, “This would sug- gest a higher levels of compliance with parking regulations despite the temporary reduction in spaces due to works on the Ennis Flood Relief Scheme. These spaces will again be available for 2010. It 1s proposed to undertake a major review of park- ing arrangements and charges in 2010 and present separate proposals for consideration of council. No ad- ditional income has been assumed in the draft budget from such a re- aoa Ale

A proposal from Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) to reduce parking charges and to introduce free parking on Fridays from 2pm onwards was rejected.

Describing the budget as “very dif- ficult”, Cllr Flynn said new parking initiatives were needed to halt what he called the “drain” of shoppers from Ennis to Limerick and Gal- way. He claimed that the creation of 60 extra car park spaces in Parnell Street would generate a turnover of €1,100 per space.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said Cllr Flynn’s proposal could not be in- troduced as councillors seeking to alter the budget had to also identify

matching proposals that would either raise revenue or reduce costs.

Cllr Flynn countered by rejecting Cllr Meaney’s claim that his propos- al was a “populist” one.

“T’m not being populist. I’m trying to be positive to promote the town,’ he said.

Mr Dollard told the meeting that the council has allocated €210,000 from its own resources to the 2010 roads programme.

He added, “The overall situation regarding roads will need to be re- viewed when road grants are notified in 2010 as there is evidence of sig- nificant work required as a result of the serious flooding that occurred in mid-November.

On the issue of the Ennis Inner Relief Road, Mr Dollard stated, “An arbitrator has been appointed under the Compulsory Purchase Order for the acquisition of the land required. It is expected that the arbitrator will report in mid-2010. Provision has been made in the draft budget under the provision of loan charges for this project. Loan approval will be required from the department to progress this scheme.”