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TWO farmers found themselves be- fore a court after an animal that had not been tested for tuberculosis was passed on from one farm to another.

Henry Keane, of Kilfearagh, Kilkee and Eugene Baker, of Clountabon- nive, Connolly, pleaded guilty to one charge each arising out of movement of a seven-year-old animal.

Counsel for the Department of Ag- riculture Lorcan Connolly, BL, told Kilrush District Court that an ani- mal was moved from Baker’s hold- ing to Keane’s holding despite not having been tested for tuberculosis in the previous 12 months.

He said that Baker allowed it to be moved, while Keane received it into his holding.

Solicitor Michael Ryan, for Keane, said his client does not have any pre- vious convictions. The court heard that Baker was convicted in Febru- ary 2008 of charges of a similar na- meter

Mr Ryan said Keane has bought

and sold thousands of cattle over the years and there had never been a problem before. He said that Baker was recommended to him by a long- standing business associate and he said he had bought cattle in good faith.

‘He is bewildered that he is here in court because of this. He didn’t check that particular record. Subsequently the animal for this card passed the test,’ he said.

Baker was represented by solicitor Eugene O’Kelly, who said his client is living in the back of his jeep as his house went to his wife as part of a separation.

Mr O’Kelly said the test certificate was out by 14 days and it was an oversight on his client’s part. “There was no difficulty with the animal. When the test was done, it passed,” he added.

A six-month jail term was imposed on Baker and a bond was fixed in the event of an appeal. Keane was fined €300 and ordered to pay witnesses expenses of €250.

Farmers face into an even bleaker midwinter

A SHANNON man who was con- cerned about teenagers gathering outside his house slapped a 14-year- old boy in the face, fracturing his nose, a court has heard.

Father-of-two Mark Murphy (39), of Cul na Gréine, Shannon, admitted assaulting a 14-year-old boy causing him harm, on March 21 last.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told Shan- non District Court that the boy was outside the accused’s home. “Mr Murphy got annoyed with the boy and hit him into the face and frac- tured his nose,” he said.

Defending solicitor John Callinan said there was a “somewhat longer story”’.

He said his client, who has never come to Garda attention before, has had difficulties with regard to teenag- ers gathering near his house. He said he has complained to gardai about damage to his car. “Things were so bad that two-and-a-half years ago he installed CCTV,” he said.

He told the court that his client had never seen the 14-year-old boy be- fore that day. He said his client had a few drinks while watching a rugby

match and youths had gathered out- side his house.

‘He had no idea that the boy was only 14. He was taller than Mr Mur- phy,” he said.

The accused is very remorseful and was in a position to offer compensa- tion to the victim, said Mr Callinan.

Judge Angela Ni Chonduin ordered that €500 compensation be paid and

this was done in court. “You don’t take the law into your own hands. Young people hang around. I do ap- preciate this man got a bad fright. He paid for it,’ she said and dismissed the charge under the probation of of- oe(oucm lee

NEXT Thursday, students from the Ennistymon CBS will ‘Go hungry for Gloria’ as they take part in this year’s annual Concern Fast.

Two fifth years from the school, Daniel McInerney and David Car- roll, were chosen to visit Kenya last year in recognition of the schools long history of supporting Concern.

The students were joined by teacher Gerry Sexton on the trip, which took them to see the good work being done on the ground by Concern in aviulere

A host of students from the school will join more than 250,000 young

people from secondary schools all over Ireland on December 3.

Last year, the school raised more than €5,000 through their participa- tion in the fast.

Liam Slattery, Cathal McMahon and Thomas Nagle were the top col- lectors for last year’s fast.

This year’s trip to Kenya saw the students and teachers in Ennistymon join the Irish National Debate Cham- pions in their visit to Concern com- plexes in Kenya.

The trip allowed Concern the op- portunity to thank schools for their JON KG MAY LO)e QUE MBAUUNCCDU-HKSDOTcMmClUDUDO roam Nels ele

“Kenya spans an area about 50

times the size of Ireland and the pop- ulation has grown rapidly in recent decades to nearly 38 million,” said Gerry Sexton.

“IT feel that Kenya is at a crossroads. Almost every sphere and sector of life is in crisis. Over 10 million peo- ple face hunger and starvation. That number is set to increase as the cur- rent crop season has failed.

“Urban life is facing imminent dan- ger. Water shortages have persisted. We saw hundreds of water tank- ers bringing water to every part of the city; to those who could pay of course,” he said.

“In the slums of Mukuru and Ko- rogocho, we saw long queues of poor

people waiting with large containers to get water. Even this water is often contaminated and water related dis- eases are areal problem.

‘Most poor people survive on less than a euro a day with the average wage being €7 or €8 a day for those fortunate enough to have a job. HIV and TB have become huge problems for the population.

“Commodity prices are at an all time high. Most basic goods, such as food are beyond the reach of many. Agriculture faces collapse. Tea farm- ers are uprooting their crop,” added Mr Sexton.

The Concern Fast takes place on Dien lelo wer

Gormley: ‘Not much in the kitty’

THE talents of an extraordinary young dancer, whose life was tragi- cally cut short, will be remembered at a competition in her honour in SUED Om io.e

Kitty Leyden and friends are or- ganising the third annual dance competition to honour step and sean

nos dancer, Margaret Brohan who died aged just 19.

Dancers will compete for a cup – which is being put up by Margaret’s family – and afterwards there will be a céili for everyone who wants to take part.

“Tt will be a great night – there’ll be music, sandwiches – it will be a real party and any money we have over

will go to two special causes,” said Gia

Remembering Margaret’s fabulous talent, Kitty – herself a noted dancer – said that she was “so lovely and so very talented. She was a step-dancer and a self-taught sean nos dancer. She had a style all of her own, no-one could beat her. She was just lovely, a lovely dancer and a lovely person. She had a smile for everyone.”

The competition takes place in Murray’s in Tulla and Andrew Mac and friends will provide the music, while adjudicators are Mairéad Ca- sey and Susan Lee. Entry on the night is just €5 and any money made will be divided between the Clare’s School Club – which has competitors in the special Olympics, including one girl from Tulla – and the Debra WeOETiemestvelae

The entire community of east Clare and dancers all over the country were shocked and saddened to hear of the death in November 2003 of Margaret

in a car accident in Pittsburgh, Penn- sylvania. Margaret was just 19 and her exceptional talent was becoming widely noticed. She spent the summer as a resident dancer in Glor in Ennis where she was spotted by

GENEROUS Clare people haven’t said ‘Bah Humbug’ to charities despite the recession. Operation Christmas Child – also know as the Shoebox Appeal – saw 5,600 boxes sent to children in need for people in Clare up to Monday of this week. And the appeal closing date has been extended until tomorrow so there is still time to get shoeboxes into the main warehouse in Elevation Park in Ennis, Curves or Shoe Zone. Clare co-ordinator for the appeal, Louis Duffy, said that while there are fewer boxes this year than last year, the average donation in each box is up. Louis reiterated the position of the Irish Operation Christmas Child on the controversy about handing out religious information with the boxes. “We are instructed not only that no religious item or information is to go in but that we are to take anything we find in a box out. People are wel- come to come here to the warehouse and see for themselves what goes in,’ said Louis. Meanwhile, Niall Mellon, founder of the Niall Mellon Township Trust led the Clare volunteers onto site in Wal- lacedene in South Africa last week as part of the Niall Mellon Township Trust’s eighth Building Blitz. Over 950 volunteers paraded into site, all kitted out in their coloured team t-

shirts, hard hats and tools. The vol- unteers were greeted with open arms by hundreds of delighted residents. The ‘Walk In’ marks the first day of this year’s week-long build, where the Clare volunteers, together with others from around the country, will construct over 200 houses for fami- lies in Wallacedene. Despite the car- nival atmosphere, all the team mem- bers were building within minutes. In the face of global recession, al- most 3,500 people have volunteered this year with the Niall Mellon Township Trust. This record-break- ing figure comprises of 1,500 Irish and 2,000 South African volunteers and brings the total number of peo- ple who have volunteered with the charity to 8,500, since Niall Mellon first launched his house building in1-

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And Concern Worldwide has launched its 40th annual Christmas Fast, which takes place this year on Thursday, December 3 and aims to raise more than €1 million for the poorest people in the developing world. Throughout 2008, the gener- ous people of Clare raised a total of €765,419 and Concern is hoping for continued participation in the fast this year.

‘The Christmas fast has always en- joyed immense support from Clare and we hope to see this enthusiasm continue in its 40th year,’ said Phi- lomena Daly McDarby from Corofin, who works with Concern in Ireland.

LESS THAN six months after she took up the post as head of policing in Clare, Chief Superintendent Mary Fitzgerald has announced that she 1s Kom Kein Ker

Chief Supt Fitzgerald arrived in Clare in June, having previously been the head of the Garda Reserves. Her retirement will take effect on Der ilelo mes

It means that further changes are due in Garda management in the Clare Garda Division — which in- cludes the districts of Ennis, Shan- non, Kilrush, Killaloe and Ennisty- mon. Ms Fitzgerald was the third person to fill the role as chief super- intendent since Liam Quinn retired in December 2006.

He was replaced by Gerry Mahon, who, in turn moved to Limerick and was replaced by Kevin Donohoe. Chief Supt Donohoe was head of the Clare Division between December 2008 and June of this year. Chief Su- perintendent Mahon will also retire in the coming weeks.

The latest batch of retirements have emerged in the wake of several gardai opting out of the force this year for various reasons. Nationally, 708 gardai have retired or declared their intention to retire this year, in- cluding up to a dozen in Clare — in- cluding two garda sergeants.

The retirements include three as- sistant commissioners, 12 chief su- perintends, 26 superintendents, 31 inspectors, 166 sergeants and 466

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The numbers are the highest in 13 years and are far higher than levels recorded in recent years. There were 259 retirements last year and 184 in 2007. There were just 200 recruits to the force this year — there is currently a moratorium on job creation in the public service. Residents in rural parts of the county have expressed Losier u MDA MB Keo OLMmN DELO) INOKMmOercI Mmm ele retirees will not be replaced, due to cutbacks across the board and fear that community policing will suffer as a result.

Meanwhile, Detective Garda Ter- ese Flannery has been appointed the juvenile liaison officer (JLO), based at Ennis Garda Station. She succeeds Garda John O’ Neill, who recently re- tired from the post.

The role of the JLO is to deal with young offenders, under the age of 18.

A KILRUSH Town Councillor has called on the Minister for Commu- nications and Natural Resources to look to the future by integrating the ESB Power Station in Moneypoint with renewable energy resources.

Fine Gael Councilor Ian Lynch claims that the future of energy and the economy of west Clare is in bio- energy, specifically energy derived from seaweed.

“When we think of green energy the vast majority of us will think wind and wind farms but there is no doubt that Kilrush is located in a prime position, due to its geologi- cal location and the current national erid infrastructure at Moneypoint, to maximise several of our natural resources such as wind, tidal, hydro and on the rare occasion solar en- ergy, he said.

‘“T want the minister to go one step further, I want the minister to think outside the box use initiative and diversity to ensure the future of all those currently employed at the sta- tion but also to firmly grasp the pos- sible opportunity that Kilrush has to

offer in becoming not only a national leader but possibly a European lead- er in the production of biofuel thus creating an opportunity for Kilrush, west Clare and possibly for the econ- omy to regenerate and strive.

“The production of biofuels has reached advanced stages through the global industry of green energy. The production of biofuel from seaweed and algae presents Kilrush with an opportunity to make its mark and en- sure its future,’ said the councillor.

“The cultivation of algae and sea- weed for harvesting and converting into bio fuel is advancing at a rapid rate. The potential of this as a fuel of the future is astounding and the possible benefits are immense to the local and national economy,’ he ex- je e-Nelexen

Algae naturally absorbs carbon and is currently being used in several coal burning plants through out the world as a filtration system he added.

“Filtering carbon dioxide using such a method will eliminate the need to develop the Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) facility at Money- point, the 235km pipeline, 50km of which would be under the sea, and

the storage site at Kinsale which is put at about €3 billion and over the 25 year lifetime of the plant,’ he added.

‘Harvested seaweed and algae can then be processed in to meal and bio fuel providing not only a system of reducing CO2 emissions, it produc- es employment in the cultivating, harvesting and processing process which in turn offers two additional new industries creating meal product and a biofuel product, not to men- tion the return of seaweed collection from our local beaches creating em- ployment and adding to the tourist potential of these attractions.”

“The cultivation and harvesting process can both take place at sea adding an additional advantage by ensuring that the new industry pros- pects is not competing with farm land as with the traditional wind farm method but it also allows the current lands at Moneypoint to be maximised as a possible dock land for the export of these new products,” he explained.

CLOSE on 50 certificates were formally presented in Ennis Adult Education Centre to learners who took part in Clare Campus Skillnet courses. They were conferred by the Further Education and Training Awards Council of Ireland following courses of studies completed in the Ennis area in management develop- ment, presentation skills and English as a second language

By tar the biggest individual busi- ness representation was from the Old Ground Hotel, Ennis. All non-nation- als, this major group took its course in English as a second language in- house as well as at Ennis Adult and Community Education Centre.

They were joined for the occasion by the hotel’s manager, John Maher, as an expression of appreciation of their achievements.

Clare Campus Skillnet collabo- rates with County Clare Vocational Education Committee in the delivery of a diverse range of courses from basic skills to project management and green belt masters in technology management.

Its courses are original in that they are devised as the result requirements identified by local businesses and en- terprises who form a local network.

Clare Campus Skillnet Network 1s about 18 months in existence. In that time it has delivered programmes to network members in Clare that,

among other subjects, covered man- agement development, health and safety, manual handling, project de- velopment and softer skills such as presentation programmes and stress management courses.

What happens is that the network of local businesses and enterprises defines its own training needs and sets out a programme of training and education activities.

In this regard, deep appreciation has been expressed of the steering group comprising Barry O’Brien and Kevin Moore, Vitalograph; Corey Downes, Billpost; David Deighan, Shannon Development; Michael Byrne, Acton BV; Alan Flynn, Old Ground Hotel; Carmel Mitchell, Loyalty Build, and Richard Morton, Time to Market.

“Without this group, we would have been floundering without direction,” acknowledged Dr Sean Conlan, edu- cation officer with County Clare Vo- cational Education Committee, who formally presented the certificates. He also thanked Clare Campus Skill- net Network’s co-ordinator, Sinead Mellett and the network’s adminis- trator, Ina Reddan.

Dr Conlan went on to say that at this time of great challenge for all businesses, when unemployment has risen dramatically, the learn- ing agenda comes into more focus for everybody. Those receiving cer- tificates on the occasion, he urged, should see the occasion not as an end of the road but rather the beginning

of a new learning route.

“Then, maybe together, we can learn our way out of this recession and be well prepared to take advan- tage of the upturn when it comes, as it surely will in a year or two or ab Reromean OComcT-n (Gm

That was what Clare Campus Skill- net was all about as it set about putting together a funding application for the coming two years. Priority areas had been identified nationally as transfer- ability of skills and key competencies

for lifelong learning. This was what the organisation would be working on in the coming weeks with a view to getting a budget to continue the work at local level into the future.

Looking at the broader picture, he noted that at the last count there were 123 training networks in the Skill- nets programme overall, showing it had come a long way since its incep- tion in 1999 as a pilot project in en- terprise-led training.

The success of the concept of busi-

nesses, small and large, identifying and delivering in a shared way on their own training needs had ensured that the Skillnet Training Networks Programme had become a key player in training and learning delivery in Ireland.