The Clare People Archive

DESPITE being battered by an unprecedented series of storms this winter only 35 Clare residents have been granted humanitarian aid from the government under the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme.

This is in stark contrast to Limerick where a total of 531 people have received assistance under the same scheme.

According to figures obtained by the Department of Social Protection, just over € 70,000 has been paid to the 35 Clare residents to date in 2014.

This is despite Clare being the hardest hit county in the devastating series of storms which struck the western seaboard in January and February of this year. Damage was inflicted to scores of houses in North and West Clare which caused severe floods, which flood waters yet to fully recede in some areas.

A total of € 888,916 has been paid out through the scheme for the first five months of 2014.

Of this total the vast majority, € 518,104, was paid to Limerick – the home county of Finance Minister Michael Noonan (FG).

A further € 104,263 was paid to Waterford with the remaining € 250,000 being shared by 14 counties including Clare.

It is unclear whether Clare’s low level of successful application is due to a lack of applications from Clare or a high level of refusals.

A spokesperson from the Department of Social Protection yesterday encourages any Clare person who has not submitted an application to do so as soon as possible.

“The Department of Social Protection is continuing to engage with Local Authorities and other bodies to ensure that all households that require assistance are identified and provided with access to supports,” said a spokesperson.

“The Department is encouraging anybody, affected by the weather events of earlier this year, who has not yet contacted the Department to do so by contacting their local Community Welfare Service, details of which are available on the Department’s website.”

The storm damage in Clare was estimated to cost the county in excess of € 35m for repairs and some parts of Clare are still suffering the effects of the high winds and flooding.

LARGE crowds will gather in Spancilhill at the weekend to celebrate one of the landmark occasions in Irish rural life.

The annual Spancilhill Fair begins on Monday June 23 with horse traders from across the country expected to descend on the fair green.

A busy programme of events is also organised for the days prior to the world famous fair.

Michael Duggan of the local organizing committee says huge numbers of people are again expected to attend this year’s event.

“For the fair, we’d get massive crowds.

“It’s midsummer. You have people planning their year around it. It’s one of those big landmark events in rural life in Ireland”

“The horse trade would not be fantastic anymore but you’re still getting big crowds every year”, he adds.

The festivities kick off on Friday June 20 with a music session in Duggan’s Pub from 9.30pm.

Local historian Joe Queally will lead a walk through Spancilhill area on Saturday.

The walk starts at 6pm from Duggan’s pub and finishes with a singsong afterwards. No charge applies but contributions will be donated to Cahercalla Hospice.

The ‘Eve of Fair Family Fun Day’ on Sunday, June 22 will feature a vin- tage horse drawn carriage, donkey derby, tug of war and lots of other fun activities.

Michael says. “The day before has become a big part of the whole occasion.

“The family day is a good way of introducing a younger generation to Spancilhill and what it’s all about”.

Gardaí will oversee a traffic management plan in the area during the fair. Michael is appealing to those coming to the fair to park in the allotted car parks and keep approach roads to the fair green clear.

The first charter for the historic fair was granted by King Charles over 300 years ago. In the past the fair lasted for a week or more with people coming from all over the world.

In recent times it has evolved into a one-day show and fair where the leading horses in the country are presented.

Buyers from all over Europe are still attending and purchasing horses that have gone onto make their name on the international stage in both the show jumping and pony circles.

In 1913 it was recorded that 4,000 horses were present and a feature of that fair was the purchasing of horses as cavalry horses for the British, Belgian and French armies. 1,175 horses were purchased on that day on behalf of the British army.

OVER 100 people sought help from an Ennis based relationship counseling service last year, according to new figures.

Figures from ACCORD – an agency that provides counseling and other services for the Diocese of Killaloe – show that seven counsellors from the Ennis centre delivered a total of 785 Counselling Hours to 110 clients who were experiencing difficulties in their relationships in 2013.

A spokesperson for ACCORD said the level of State funding it has received since 209 has been reduced by approximately 40 per cent and a further cut of 15 per cent is expected this year. The figures come as ACCORD prepares to open a new office at the Carmody Street business park in Ennis on Friday.

ACCORD Ennis (formerly known as the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council) is one of 58 Accord centres throughout Ireland. It is the administrative centre for counselling, marriage preparation and relationship and sexuality education schools programme for the Killaloe Diocese, which incorporates both Ennis and Nenagh Accord centres

The first meeting of Accord Ennis was held on September 17 1970 and was chaired by Fr Willie Walsh, who worked with the centre until he was ordained Bishop of Killaloe.

Bishop Walsh continued to support the work of the centre and worked as National President of ACCORD until his retirement. Accord Ennis celebrated 40 years of its existence in 2010. During the 1970’s and 1980’s the centre was located at the Social Service Office in O’Connell Street in Ennis but services were provided around the county in Kilrush, Shannon and Scariff.

In 1988 when the new “Clarecare” building was opened at Harmony Row, Accord Ennis moved to this new location.

Last year nine Facilitators from the Ennis centre delivered 12 Marriage Preparation Courses to 210 couples, choosing to get married in the Catholic Church.

A spokesperson stated, “The Primary Schools Relationships an d Sexuality Education Pilot Programme was launched in the Clare area in 2013. Success in this work is evident from the large number of schools who have booked the programme for their 6th Class students in 2014. While the demand for Accord services continues to grow, we are always seeking to recruit new volunteers”.

Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Kieran O’Reilly will open the new office at the Carmody Street business park at 7.30pm on Friday.

CLARE County Council will spend more on average on road maintenance and business and tourism development than most other counties in Irelan but less, per person, on housing in 2014 than any other county in Munster.

According to figures obtained by from local authority watchdog, Public Policy.ie, Clare County Council will spend just over € 91 per person on housing this year, compared to € 387 per person in Dublin, and the national average which stand at just over € 160.

In contrast to housing however, the local authority will spend more on average on road maintenance and business and tourism development than most other counties in Ireland.

A new analysis of spending trends across all local authorities in Ireland has revealed that Clare County Council will spend a total of € 98.4 million on services in the county this year, or roughly € 840 per person in Clare.

The councils spend on housing for 2014 will amount to just over 10 per cent of its entire budget for services. The lions share of the housing budget will be used to fund rentals accommodation schemes or leasing programmes. This will amount to more than 30 per cent of the housing budget or 3.5 per cent of the overall services budget.

The smallest slice of the housing budget will be spent on the administration of services for the homeless in Clare which will account for approximately 0.4 per cent of the overall housing budget or € 400,000.

Clare is one of highest spending local authorities in Ireland when it comes to development management – which includes, heritage, tourism and the development of the local economy.

Clare will invest near € 95 per Clare person on development management this year – nearly twice the national overage of just € 59.

The lions share of this budget will be spend on tourism development and promotions with more than € 5 million, or 5.1 per cent of the entire budget, earmarked for this area in 2014.

Clare County Council will spend less than the national average on both environmental services and recreational space in 2014. A to tal of € 12.78 million will be spend on environmental services in Clare this years with the largest section of this being on fire services as well ad street cleaning and aftercare for the Central Waste Management Facility at Ballyduff beg.

The majority of the county’s recreation and amenity’s budget will be spent on the library services in 2014 – which will cost almost four per cent of entire services budget.

MOTORISTS accused of speeding offences on Clare roads have been told their cases will not be dealt with until a High Court case on the Go Safe speed camera network is resolved. At Ennis District Court on Friday, Judge Patrick Durcan ad- journed 17 speed camera prosecutions to September 19.

A total of 18 people faced prosecutions for alleged speeding offences allegedly captured by cameras mounted in Go Safe vans.

Judge Durcan struck out a case against one person following an application from the State. The privately run Go Safe has operated speed camera vans in Ireland since winning the Garda contract in 2009.

The cameras operate on sections of road, which have a history of collisions occurring where speed was a contributory factor.

In recent months, Judge Durcan has been critical of Go Safe and has struck out a number of speeding charges brought against motorists in Clare. On Friday, Judge Durcan told all those who had answered summons issued by Insp John McDonald, that the law with regards to issuing of fixed charge penalty notices is the “cause of some controversy in the land”. He said a colleague has sent a case to the High Court seeking clarification of the law under-pinning the speed camera system.

He said he was adjourning all cases until the issue in the High Court has been dealt with.

He told those people facing prosecutions their cases were adjourned to September 19. He told them they are not required to be present in court on the day.

There was a brief exchange when the Judge told a Cork man facing a Go Safe prosecution he would get “brownie points” for being present in court on Friday.

To laughter in the court, the man replied, “Which points?”

Judge Durcan said, “Brownie points, a different category of points to the ones concerned with here.”

Five Go Safe Inspectors were present in court for the adjournments. As they left the courtroom Judge Durcan asked them to convey to Inspector McDonald “that it is a total waste of time and public money you guys turning up here until after September 19. Any prosecutions before then will be adjourned.”

“I don’t like to see State money wasted seeing five strapping men sit here all day,” he added.

THE number of people signing on the Live Register in Clare continues to plummet, with figures for Clare last month the lowest since February of 2009.

The lion’s share of the reductions were recorded in the Ennistymon and Kilrush areas with an increase in the number of people employed in the tourism sector believed to be contributing to the reduction.

There was a total 8,585 people signing on the live register last month, a drop of 154 people or just under 2 per cent on the 8,739 who signed on in April.

When seasonally adjusted and compared to same month in 2013, the figures show a even more remarkable reduction of 933 or 9.8 per cent.

Should the reduction in people signing on the live register continue at the same rate the number of people signing on the live register in Clare will reach Celtic Tiger levels by mid2017.

The number of people signing on the live register in the Ennistymon area fell from 1,403 in April to 1,331 last month. This represent a month on month fall of 72 people or more then 5 per cent.

There was also good news in the Kilrush area where the number fell from 1,271 to 1,198 – a drop of 73 people of 5.7 per cent.

Each of the Clare areas recorded a reduction with the numbers signing on in Ennis falling by three to 4,848 and the numbers in East Clare falling by six to 1,208.

Despite this good news, the number of vacant commercial units in Clare has risen in the first three months of 2014.

A total of 863 of the 7,062 com mercial addresses in Clare in the first quarter of 2014 were vacant – a vacancy rate of 12.2 per cent.

Frank DAFFY,
Harbour Village, Killaloe, Formerly of Corofin. Laid to rest at Mount Jerome Crematorium, Dublin. Donations if desired to ICU Limerick Hospital. May he rest in peace.

Noreen O’GORMAN
, Pella Road, Kilrush, At St Joseph’s Hospital Ennis. Funeral Mass on Tuesday at 10amat St Senan’s Church, Kilrush. Burial afterwards in Old Shanakyle Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

John SCANLON
, Crawford Street, Kilrush, Funeral mass onTuesday at 12pmat St Senan’s Church, Kilrush, followed by burial in NewShanakyle Cemetery. Donations in lieu to the Palliative Care Unit, Regina House, Kilrush. May he rest in peace.

Steve SOUTHBY
, Laghtagoona, Corofin, Funeral MassTuesday at 11amat St Bridget’s Church, Corofin. Burial afterwards in the New Cemetery, Corofin. Donations if desired to cancer research. May he rest in peace.

Evelyn KELLY
, Lahinch, Clare. Laid to rest in Kilmacreehy Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

James (Sox) McINERNEY
,Ardkyle, Sixmilebridge. Peacefully at the University Hospital, Limerick. Laid to rest in Feenagh Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Stephen MCKNIGHT
,Walkinstown/Kilrush, At St James Hospital. Laid to rest in Bohernabreena Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Bridget (Bridie) MORONEY (née Good
win) formerly of Parteen. Peacefully at Kiltipper Woods Care Centre, Dublin. RequiemMass on Tuesday at 11amat St Patrick’s Church, Parteen with Funeral afterwards to Mount St Lawrence Cemetery (Extension). May she rest in peace.

Merlyn QUINN (née Lyons)
, Castleside, Bunratty. Peacefully at Milford Hospice. Laid to rest in Bunratty Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Mary KEOGH- MOLONEY,
Scart, Kilkishen and late of Ballysheenmore. Laid to rest in Ballysheen Cemetery, Sixmilebridge. May she rest in peace.

Noreen NORMOYLE MPSI (née Roche)
, Normoyles Pharmacy, 47 O’Connell Street, Ennis, Peacefully at University Hospital Limerick. Laid to rest in Drumcliff Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Flan O’GORMAN
, Glasgowand formerly of Moveen East, Kilkee. Peacefully in Glasgow. Funeral will take place in Scotland, a memorial Mass will be held in Kilkee Church at a later date. May he rest in peace.

Eddie COTTER
, Clare Road, Ennis/Kilmihil. Peacefully. Laid to rest in St Michael’s Cemetery, Kilmihil. May he rest in peace.

Kathleen KELLY (née Linnane)
, Scoole, Corofin. Peacefully in her 95th year. Laid to rest in Dysart Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

John (Johnny) O’CONNELL
, Querrin, Kilkee. Suddenly. Laid to rest in Lisdeen Cemetery Kilkee. Donations in lieu toWest Clare Mini Marathon Fund. May he rest in peace.

Margaret TOBIN (née O’Shaughnessy)
, Furnacetown, Feakle. Formerly of Dromod, Bodyke.Laid to rest in the newcemetary Moynoe. Donations if desired to Milford Hospice. May she rest in peace.

GARDAÍ are investigating early morning armed robbery at a business in Ennis town centre yesterday.

The incident occurred at around 7.30am at the Xtra Vision store in the market area of the town.

A man carrying a weapon entered the home entertainment and electrical goods store and made away with a quantity of cash.

A member of staff was opening up when he was set upon by the assailant at the front door of the premises.

It is understood the man who carried out the robbery was carrying a hammer. It was unclear yesterday if the victim suffered any injuries in the ordeal.

Gardaí in Ennis are investigating the robbery and are looking at CCTV footage from the area.

The incident follows a similar robbery at a family-run shop in Ennis last month.

At around 11.30am on Wednesday, May 21, a man went into a shop at the top of O’Connell Street in Ennis brandishing a knife and demanded money.

He was wearing a hoodie and a scarf to cover his face. He stole a sum of money from the till and then fled the scene on foot. No one was hurt in the robbery.

On May 27, Cassidy’s Pharmacy in Ennis was the scene of a raid occurred at around 2.30am.

Two raiders, believed to be males, used a sledgehammer to smash in the reinforced glass paneling on the front door of the premises.

The thieves filled bags with stock, mainly brand name men’s fragrances and cleared several shelves before leaving the scene in a black Volkswagon Golf.

Gardaí have urged business owners in the town to be vigilant and take appropriate security measures such as lighting and security cameras to protect their premises.

CLARE County Council is to write to Health Minister, James Reilly (FG), demanding that A&E services are reopened in Ennis until a new state of the art building is opened at the Limerick Regional Hospital.

This comes in the wake of a damning report of services at the Limerick facility by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) which described the Limerick A&E as “not fit for purpose”.

At last night’s meeting of Clare County Council, councillors voted unanimously to contact the Department of Health demanding both the temporary reopening of A&E services at Ennis General Hospital and the fast-tracking of funding for the promised state of the art A&E services at Limerick General Hospital.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) also confirmed that local Fine Gael councillors held a meeting with TDs Pat Breen (FG) and Joe Carey (FG) yes- terday morning – and requested they secure a meeting with Minister Reilly and Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

It was also claimed at last night’s meeting that the Limerick A&E was “cleaned up” during a recent visit by Minister James Reilly, with 35 people on trolleys on the day before the meeting and only 10 during the meeting.

Last week’s HIQA review found serious delays and risks for patients and staff due to persistent overcrowding in A&E in Limerick.

It also found that there were delays in transferring patients from the Emergency Department to the Intensive Care Unit and the High Dependency Unit, partly due to the absence of a single clinical governance structure.

The report found that there was just one toilet in the Emergency Department for all patients, adults and children, and there were no single rooms to isolate patients with communicable diseases.

“The review also found that people in Clare were not using the minor injuries units in Ennis General Hospital.

In a statement to The Clare People

A NUMBER of high profile positions were divided up at last Friday’s AGM of Clare County Council with the power-sharing ar rangement extending far beyond the appointment of Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

Following the abolishment of local councils in Ennis, Kilr ush, Kilkee and Killaloe – and the redrawing of the electoral boundaries to abolish a stand alone council district in north Clare – there will be four separate Municipal Districts, who will each have a yearly chair person.

The power-sharing arrangement agreed between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Technical Grouping of Independents and Sinn Fein will see a Fine Gael chai rperson elected in Ennis this year, with a Fianna Fail councillor taking the West Clare and Shannon and a Fine Gael councillor taking the top job in East Clare.

The Ennis Municipal Chair person will be a Fianna Fail councillor in 2015, followed by a councillor from the Technical Group, Fine Gael and then the Technical Group.

Sinn Fein’s Mike McKee will serve as chair person of the Shannon Municipal District over the next five years, as will Independents PJ Ryan and Gerry Flynn.

The Fianna Fail councillor, understood to be Cathal Crowe, will be the first chair person later this month, followed next year by a councillors from the technical group, Fine Gael, and then two councillors from the technical group.

The chairperson of the West Clare area will be councillors from Fianna Fail, Technical Group, Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Technical Group over the next five years respectively. In East Clare it will be Fine Gael, Technical Group, Fin Gael, and then two from Fianna Fail.

There was a host of other appointments made at last Friday’s annual general meeting with Pat McMahon (FF) and Bill Slattery (FG) appointed to the Regional Assembly.

All of the appointments were uncontested and received cross par t support.

COUNCILLOR John Crowe (FG) is the new Mayor of Clare – the first Sixmilebridge councillor to be elected as Clare’s first citizen in exactly 100 years.

Crowe will be assisted in his duties by Deputy Mayor Tony O’Brien (FF), who returned to council chamber today after losing his council seat in 2009.

Cllr Crowe is the first Sixmilebridge Mayor of Clare since James O’Regan was elected in 1914. O’Regan was the father of the late Brendan O’Regan, who pioneered many developments at Shannon Airport including both Duty Free and the Shannon Free Zone.

Speaking just after receiving his chain of office, Cllr Crowe became visibly emotional when he thanked his family and supporters.

“This is my proudest day as an elected member. I look forward to representing my family, the ‘Bridge and the people of Clare,” he said.

“I wasn’t sure that I would be elected as a councillor this time around, never mind being afforded the hon- our of representing all of you as Mayor of Clare. I accept this honour knowing that I follow in the footsteps of so many councillors who have done great work for this county in the past.”

Crowe’s elevation to the office comes 100 years ago to the month that James O’Regan was made mayor in 1914. James and his son Brendan are synonymous with Shannon Airport – with Brendan leading many innovations in Irish and international aviation in the 1960s and 1970s.

“Brendan O’Regan’s spirit and innovating thinking are in this chamber, as his believe in local people. These are characteristic which are very valuable this day,” continued Cllr Crowe.

“Make sure you support our airport, because without our airport we have nothing.”

Cllr Crowe was formally proposed as Mayor by his party colleague Joe Cooney (FG) and seconded by Independent Shannon Cllr Gerry Flynn.