The Clare People Archive

A LEADING consultant psychiatrist has hit out at the lack of forensic psy- chiatric services available outside of Dublin.

Clare-based psychiatrist Dr John O’Mahony made the comments in court on Friday, as he gave evidence in the case of one of his clients.

He told Ennis District Court that there was a “paucity of places in Ire- land” for those requesting the serv- ices of a consultant psychiatrist.

He spoke out in the wake of the rev-

elation last month that two people in Clare had waited for six months for appointments with a forensic psy- chiatrist.

“The HSE for all its promises of change, this country sadly is deficient in facilities for the condition this man sadly suffers from,” he said.

‘The forensic mental health service is sadly deficient in this country…in- adequately funded. If you live outside the Pale, there is little in terms of an adequate forensic mental service.

“T’ve a very clear idea of what this man needs. I know where it can be

got but the HSE has chosen not to provide this outside Dublin.

“West of the Shannon there’s no fo- rensic mental service,’ he said.

He said that forensic psychiatrist Dr Ananth Pullela had provided a serv- ice in Limerick up until recently, but that was a “one-man and not a mean- ingful service”.

David Mulcaire, of St Senan’s Road, Ennis was re-appearing in court on theft charges. He has been in court on several occasions on the charges and is currently an inpatient at Ennis General Hospital.

Previously the court heard that Mul- caire suffered a serious brain trauma in 1999, when he was hit in the head with a concrete block.

Two psychiatrists gave conflicting evidence on that occasion on whether he was fit to plead. He had pleaded with the court not to send him to the Central Mental Hospital in Dun- drum.

Dr O’Mahony said on Friday that the issue centered on “fitness to plead” and said Mulcaire required “an intense level of care’’.

He said he had discussions with

Nationwide Health Resources prior to the court sitting that morning.

“They are willing to do an assess- ment of Mr Mulcaire next week.”

He pointed out that a specialist was to travel from the UK to carry out an assessment on Mr Mulcaire this Neto) e

Judge Joseph Mangan said that Mulcaire had “departed from the criminal sphere to the psychiatric sphere”.

He adjourned the case until the end of March, remanding Mulcaire on continuing bail.

A KAYAKING accident brought tragedy to a well-known Ennis fam- ily at the weekend when it claimed the life of a 45-year-old man.

The body of Tomas Mannion from Ennis was pulled from the water at Lough Derg on Saturday afternoon, some hours after a search for his body was launched.

Affectionately know as “Moses”, Tomas was a son of prominent Ennis travel agent, Tom Mannion.

He had been missing since Febru- ary 13, but the alarm was not raised until last Saturday when he was re- ported missing by his family.

A search immediately got under-

way. Mr Mannion’s body was taken from the water at Scariff Bay at lunchtime on Saturday, after some of his personal belongings were discov- ered. He had been kayaking and was wearing a lifejacket.

In his younger days, Mr Mannion was a keen sportsman and had won several titles in hurling and football in the underage ranks. |

He played on the Eire Og side in the All-Ireland Feile hurling final in 1975, while he won Harty and Croke Cup medals with St Flannan’s in 1979. He was also a keen athlete.

Tomas’ brother, Gearoid, yesterday paid tribute to all those involved in the search and recovery of the body.

“The gardai, all the branches of

the rescue services, the landowner – they did a great job and we are very thankful for the work that they did,” he said.

Paying tribute to his late brother, Gearoid said, “Tomas was a gentle soul and treated everyone that he met with respect.”

Describing Tomas as someone who liked adventure, Gearodid added, “There was a calmness about him and everyone that knows Tomas would appreciate what I am saying.”

Gardai in east Clare say the inci- dent was being treated as a “tragic accident”.

FINAL preparations are well under- way for Ennis Musical Society’s dou- ble whammy of entertainment.

Instead of performing one show, this year, Ennis Musical Society will present a double bill of shows run- ning over four nights in March.

Musical director Cormac McGuin- ness, chorus mistress Mary Curly and rehearsal pianist Dylan Walsh, are busy adding some last minute sheen to this year’s toe-taping num- bers.

Instead of performing one show, this year, Ennis Musical Society will present a double bill of musi- cal entertainment over four nights in March.

Shows on March 4, 6 and 8 will reunite performers past and present as they bring the audience on a trip down memory lane, singing hits from shows the society has produced over the past 50 years.

On March 5 and 7 there will a be a change of direction for the second half of this double bill, when Ennis Musical Society will pay tribute in

verse and song to the great Irish en- tertainer, Percy French.

Ennis Musical Society PRO Fr Feargus McEveney ofm explained, “Mary Curly, Dylan Walsh, under the direction of our musical director, Cormac McGuinness have everyone going full steam ahead to make sure a certain amount will be ready by the time last year’s producer, Alan Kin- sella, comes down to set some of the solos and choruses of the production due to open in Glor on March 4”.

Among those appearing are award winning singers Maretta O’Hehir

and Edel Heaney, society stalwarts, Anna Monahan, Emer O’Flaherty and Mary Heal.

They will be appearing alongside stars from the past such as Vincent de Placido, Tom Lillis and John Lil- lis, and a host of other great perform- ers backed by the chorus of the musi- cal society.

Songs from shows such as the ‘Mer- ry Widow’; ‘La Belle Heléne’; ‘Show Boat’; ‘Oklahoma and ‘My Fair Lady’ etc, will be enough to ensure a most enjoyable evening of musical jnatesssO)u leh

DR Edward Walsh, founding Presi- dent of the University of Limerick, has been announced as the guest speaker for the Ennis Chamber of Commerce President’s dinner. Outlining details of the Gala Din- ner, President of Ennis Chamber Michael Evans said “We are delight- ed to welcome Dr. Walsh to Ennis on Friday March 7 to the Old Ground Hotel to present the Business Com- munity with his thoughts and ideas for the Mid West Region, particu- larly in these times of change.” CEO

of Ennis Chamber Rita Mc Inerney added “The President’s Dinner 2008 is the business social event of the year in Clare and we have the hon- our of Halifax as our Sponsors. En- nis Chamber wishes Halifax every success with their Ennis Branch in oy Du OCCLUDED ame

Dr Edward M Walsh was founding president of the University of Lim- erick, the first new university estab- lished by the Republic of Ireland: a post from which he stepped down in 1998, after a 28-year term.

Dr Walsh has served as founding chairman of the Irish Council for

Science Technology and Innovation, the National Technological Park, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Citywest’s Grow- corp and the National Self-Portrait Collection of Ireland.

He has also served as chairman of the Conference of Heads of Irish Universities and of Shannon De- velopment. Dr Walsh is involved in guiding the development of various initiatives including DCU’s new Re- search Campus at Citywest and the Ryan Entrepreneurship Academy.

Halifax is the retail arm of Bank of Scotland (Ireland), one of Ireland’s

most successful business banks. Halifax has 40 branches throughout the country and offers a very differ- ent banking proposition to the other banks and is the first new high street bank in Ireland for over a century. Commenting on the sponsorship, Ciara Flynn, Branch Manager, En- nis, said: “We are delighted to spon- sor the President’s Dinner and look forward to working with the Cham- ber on this event and in the future. The Mid West Region is one with significant potential and we at Halli- fax are delighted to be part of such a thriving and vibrant town as Ennis.”

THE driving force behind the Ennis Tidy Towns committee, Donal Grif- fin, has resigned after 13 years as Chairman.

Mr Griffin announced his decision at the AGM of the Ennis Tidy Towns Committee on Thursday night.

He said he was very proud of the progress made by Ennis in the annual Tidy Towns competition. The princi- pal highlight of his time, Mr Griffin stated was Ennis being named Ire- land’s tidiest town in 2005.

He also highlighted the challenges faced by a growing town like Ennis in trying to maintain the high stand- ards achieved so far.

Last year Ennis was again success-

ful in the Tidy Towns competition (1) Gold Medal status (2) County Award (3) Category G & H Building a Bilingual Society Award and (4) Notice Nature Biodiversity Award.

In his address Mr Griffin said En- nis’ had achieved global recogni- tion for its achievements in the Tidy Towns.

He said, “Our success has been recognised locally, regionally and nationally and internationally. We peaked in 2005 winning Ireland’s Ti- diest Town. In 2006 we won Ireland’s Tidiest Large Urban Centre. As a town with over 25,000 population we are unique in these achievements. Winning a Silver Award in 1997 in the Entente Florale and Gold in 2002 put us on the map internationally. We

also entered and won Pride of Place Award in 2003 which is an All-Ire- land competition”

Mr Griffin said partnership be- tween Ennis Town Council, Shannon Development, Clare County Council and FAS along with the important role played by resident’s associations and schools, was at the heart of En- nis’s success.

He said, “I would like to thank all the schools both primary and sec- ondary for their involvement and for their interest in the environment. In particular for inviting us to give a presentation on the Importance of Caring for our Environment”

“I congratulate Scoil Chriost Ri on being awarded two Green Flags one for waste recycling and one for ener-

gy conservation and Ennis National for achieving a green flag for waste recycling last year. Ennis CBS is, I believe, is in the process of applying for a waste recycling green flag this year’.

Mr Griffin said many challenges lay ahead for Ennis.

He said, “In trying to maintain the high standard achieved to date, En- nis 1s facing many new challenges in 2008 such as a rapidly increasing population, the planned drainage of the Fergus, the completion of the inner relief roads, the upgrading of Market Street and the laneways, etc. It is vital that we hold on to our Gold Medal Status which we have for the last seven years and that we continue to develop”’.

IN SEEKING to distinguish the En- nis Book Club Festival, organizers have introduced some novel events to this year’s programme.

Standing out among the numer- ous readings, workshops and writer interviews are less obvious features of a literary festival, like Chocalate tasting, cookery glasses and speed dating.

Anyone looking to indulge a sweet tooth can head along to Chocalat on Barrack Street for any of the number of chocolate tasting sessions taking place there over the weekend.

The event itself ties in with the ap- pearance of Joanna Harris, author of the mega selling Chocalat, long side Irish writer Roddy Doyle at glor on

Sunday night.

TV gardener Diarmuid Gavin will offer his tips on the best books for gardening earlier that day in glor while tv chef Neven Maguire will give a cookery demonstration, also on Sunday.

The festival will open on Friday night with a speed dating style net- working session for book club mem- leTouce

But the main attractions for the festival, which runs from February 29 to March 2, are the writers them- oa Aone

From the Godfather of Irish crime fiction Ken Bruen, to the acclaimed American poet Richard Tillinghast, the festival has again succeeded in drawing a diverse range of writers.

Galway writer Bruen will read from

his work in the Old Ground Hotel on Sunday night. His novel *Priest’ – the fifth in the mesmerizing Jack Talyor series – was recently shortlisted in America alongside books by Michael Chabon and John Banville, for the prestigious Edgar Award.

The three-day festival will also feature Roddy Doyle, a Dublin dramatist, screenwriter and Booker Prize winning author of “The Com- mitments’, “The Snapper’ and “The Van’; British author Joanne Harris, who wrote the best seller ‘Chocolat’; Hugo Hamilton, winner of the Roon- ey Prize for Irish Literature; Morgan Llywelyn, an esteemed author of his- torical fantasy, fiction and non-fic- tion books; Dermot Bolger, the au- thor of eight novels and winner of the Samuel Beckett Award; and Nuala O

Faolain, Irish Times columnist and author of ‘Are You Somebody?’; Ne- ven Maguire, an award winning ce- lebrity chef; and Lorna Landvik, au- thor of the best selling novels ‘Patty Jane’s House of Curl’ and ‘The Tall Pine Polka’.

Author and former hostage Brian Keenan will also speak at the festi- val. The Belfast native who was held hostage by Islamic Jihad in Lebanon for four and a half years will par- ticipate in the Sunday Symposium to talk about memotr.

Keenan is the author of four books including ‘An Evil Cradling’, the 1991 winner of the Irish Times Lit- erature Prize for Non-fiction.

A full programme of events is available from www.ennisbook- clubfestival.com

MALIGNANT cancers remain by far the most common cause of specified illness and death claims in Clare, ac- cording to the latest analysis of pay- ments made to customers of the Irish Life insurance company last year.

The analysis found that malignant forms of cancer accounted for 48 per cent of Clare death claims while heart-related illness accounted for 21 per cent of death claims in the coun- ty. This was roughly in line with the national rates of 47 per cent and 22 per cent respectively.

Accidental death accounted for 17 per cent of Clare death claims which was over twice the national rate of 8 per cent.

The average age for death claims in Clare was 59 while the average age for specified illness claims was 53 compared with the national averages of 58 and 47.

The average age for death claims in Clare males was 61 while the average for females was 56. The average age for specified illness claims in Clare males was 52 while the average age for female claims was 55.

Commenting on the results of the survey, Martin Duffy, Head of Un- derwriting at Irish Life, said that the company paid out more than €78 million in death and specified illness

claims last year.

“Cancer still remains the greatest single killer in Clare and unfortu- nately the number of cancer-related specified illness claims continues to rise nationally,” he said.

Mr Duffy added that the fact that 16 per cent of accident-related death claims were related to alcohol “re- flects a worrying trend” if this were to continue.

2006 was the first year when malig- nant cancers exceeded heart-related specified illness claims and this pat- tern was maintained in 2007.

The national survey of 392 speci- fied illness claims shows that Irish Life paid out a total of €24.7 million in 2007 — or an average of more than €63,000 per claim

The company paid €54 million in respect of 1,055 death claims nation- ally last year — or an average of just over €51,000 per claim.

The largest single death payment was just over €1 million in respect of a 50-year-old male professional who died of pancreatic cancer while the largest single payment in respect of a female was for €467,000 in respect of a professional who died of breast cancer.

An analysis of National 2007 Death Claims also revealed that alcohol was a contributory factor in 16 per cent of all accident claims.

A PRIVATE company has secured a licence from the Department of Transport to provide a town-wide bus service in Ennis for the first time.

The unidentified company secured the service even though Bus Eireann submitted a proposal to the depart- ment to operate a Service.

In response to a Dail question from Timmy Dooley, the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, said, “I can confirm that my department re- ceived a proposal from Bus Eireann to provide bus passenger services in /Syeebacy

“On 20 November, 2007, the pro- posal was noted by my department and the company was advised ac- cordingly.

“The introduction of this new serv- ice 18 an operational matter for Bus Eireann.

“On 29 January, 2008, in accord- ance with the Road Traffic Act 1932, my department issued a licence to a private operator for an Ennis town Sos ata Gon

“All licences issued have standard conditions associated with them and compliance with those conditions 1s the responsibility of the service op- erator in each instance.

‘A condition of all licences includes the requirement whereby the service must be in operation in its entirety within four months from the date of

issue of the licence.” Deputy Dooley told

HUNDREDS of Doolin locals and music lovers turned out on Sunday to celebrate the lives of a group of remarkable local men. Almost a year to the day since his passing, family and friends of Jack Garrihy turned out to lay a wreath on his grave and pay their final respects.

Jack’s grandson, Jack Garrihy Jnr, placed a wreath on the grave while son Eugene read a poem from the mortuary card and Michael O’Connell sang a song over the grave.

Earlier on Sunday, Pat Sweeney had laid the commemorative wreath on the Russell family grave, taking over from the duties done up until now by Jack Garrihy.

While the wreath was being laid, Gussie McMahon sang a song written about the Rus- sell brothers and local musicians played at the fea ee Mery (OL

The ceremony was the culmination of the Russell Traditional Music festival which was this year dedicated to the memory of Jack Gar- UU Ons

A NEWMARKET-ON-FERGUS couple has claimed that if planning permission is granted for a grey- hound-training operation near the village, it will expose agricultural animals to a serious risk of death by marauding packs of greyhounds. Last year, Clare County Council eranted planning permission to Leo McNulty to retain seven greyhound kennels, a training track, 11 enclosed eCoyea meu etomreDeLGmr- Mees noaYd eLO)UN NCO Mus) OF:1 O00 R-e

tion unit incorporating 20 kennels.

However, the plan encountered stiff local opposition. A number of ap- peals have now been lodged with An Bord Pleanala.

In an appeal to An Bord Pleanala, consultant for Gerard and Joan Mc- Mahon, John Garrett stated, “It is our very firm belief that this devel- opment is not in keeping with the ex- isting rural character of this area, has and will affect neighbours’ ability to enjoy the residential amenity of their existing properties, exposes agricul-

tural animals to serious risk of death by marauding packs of greyhounds should an escape occur and limits the future development potential of sig- nificant areas of surrounding areas.”

Mr Garrett states, “The council, subsequent to the granting of per- mission, is seeking a management system and noise survey. Having re- gard to the community’s experience to date, it is our respectful submis- sion that this approach endangers the rural community contrary to the common good.”

As part of the decision to grant planning, the council required Mr McNulty to carry out a comprehen- sive noise survey of the dogs on site.

However, Mr Garnett said, “It is our submission that the condition is aspirational in nature and provide no specific measurable, achievable or realistic proposals that will serve to protect the community at large where there is already unease regarding this development as a result of noise from the development in so far as it has been constructed to date.

Mr Garnett continued, “The add1i- tional 20 kennels represent a further development with the potential to ex- acerbate an already serious problem for the community.

“It is our respectful submission that the adverse experience of several neighbours should take precedence over the specialist noise surveys which formed part of the planning application.

“The application has attracted a number of negative submissions which we believe all have merit.”