The Clare People Archive

THE show might have changed, but the dedication to rehearsals remains the same for Ennis Musical Society.

Under the direction of musical di- rector Cormac McGuinness, chorus mistress Mary Curly and rehearsal pianist Dylan Walsh, preparations are already well underway for the Society’s annual show.

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.

The decisions to break with tradi- tion was taken at a meeting of the society was taken at a meeting of the group back in November 2007.

Ennis Musical Society PRO Fr Feargus McEveney ofm explained

the cast have been busy putting in the hours in preparation for March.

He said “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 pro- ducer, Alan Kinsella, 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 neKossOu lone

Patrons and supporters of the soci- ety are invited to attend to make sure to keep dates between March 4 to 8, free so as not to miss a great night, if not indeed two great nights.

The 75-year sex offender at the cen- tre of a political storm last year is set to be released from prison next weekend after serving five years and three months in jail.

Bachelor farmer, Joseph Nugent, from Dromellihy, Cree is due for release from the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise on Saturday, February 9.

The possible early release of Mr Nugent was the subject of separate representations to the Munister for Justice from Minister of State Tony Killeen and Fine Gael Deputy, Pat Bue

Last year, Minister Killeen apolo- gised to Mr Nugent’s two victims af- ter a Freedom of Information request found that his constituency office made two separate representations in 2005 seeking early release for Nu- gent on the grounds of his “age, bad health and fear for his life”.

Minister Killeen said that he did not have any knowledge of either let- ter sent to the then Minister for Jus- tice, Michael McDowell.

In October 2006, Deputy Breen ta- bled a Dail question enquiring into the possibility of Mr Nugent being eligible for an early release.

In response, Minister McDowell said: “In view of the very serious na- ture of these offences, I am not pre- pared to authorise any form of early release in this case.”

Nugent is now in the last week of two concurrent sentences of six years and one sentence of three years in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise.

The cases against him involved two young boys. Imposing a sentence of six years in November 2002, Judge Brian McMahon said he had acted in a “premeditated and predatory na- ture for his own self-gratification and beastly pleasure” and that the abuse on a neighbour, who was aged eight when the abuse started involved the use of physical violence by an adult on a young child.

In the ensuing political controversy, Deputy Breen blamed the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell and sections of the media for causing an unnecessary storm.

He had a phone conversation with one of Nugent’s victims and in a let- ter to a second victim, who he also met, Deputy Breen stated that the issue “would never have been the subject of public debate 1f it had been handled in the normal way.

“However, the Minister for Justice in his Dail reply provided unusual and extensive detail about the case which clearly identified those in- volved. This directly led to it becom- ing a public issue because certain sections of the tabloid media saw an opportunity to create sensational headlines without showing any re- gard for the pain and suffering it would cause to the victims.

Critical comments by Cllr Madeleine Taylor Quinn and Joe Carey ITD, two of Deputy Breen’s general election running mates, prompted Deputy Breen to issue a letter threatening libel proceedings.

At the time, Deputy Breen said that he tabled the Dail question after be-

ing approached by a relative of Mr Nugent to inquire into the question of early release.

“IT was not making representa- tions on behalf of Mr Nugent and I wouldn’t be in favour of an early release in the case. It was a terrible case.” he said

Deputy Breen said that he was aware that Mr Nugent was a sex of- fender but wasn’t aware of all of the facts in relation to the cases.

NO AER Lingus flight between Bel- fast and Heathrow is booked out be- tween now and the end of the month, despite some seats being offered at eee

Airline boss, Dermot Mannion said last week that the airline’s bookings on the Belfast routes have improved, although no official figures are yet available for the Belfast/Heathrow route.

After a slow December for the air-

line flying from Belfast Internation- al, with just over one quarter of the Seats full, Mannion said the airline had “a good January in Belfast and the figures are improving al the time. The Aer Lingus brand has now been brought to the attention of the entire public in Northern Ireland and we’ve been very well received. These are very early days.”

The airline boss was speaking at the launch of its partnership with US budget carrier JetBlue. The deal will allow customers to book JetBlue’s 40

routes across the US on the Irish car- rier’s website and vice versa.

The service will be available on both airline’s websites from April One

Mannion said he is “confident” that the new service between Belfast and Heathrow will prove a success.

But customers wishing to fly from the Belfast airport to Heathrow in the slot which replaced the Shannon/ Heathrow flight can find availability any day this month, indicating that none of the flights are fully booked.

Mannion said that the partnership with JetBLue will “bring Dublin as a destination and Shannon as a des- tination to a very large database of customers that we don’t have access to at the moment.”

Aer Lingus pulled it’s Shannon to Heathrow flights last month, despite a huge swell of opposition to the move from the business community and the travelling public.

The airline said that moving the routes was a commercial decision, despite the fact that the route was

well supported out of Shannon and profitable.

But there has been some specula- tion that the decision might be recon- sidered in light of the slow take-up on the route out of Belfast.

According to figures published in a national newspaper last week, fllights from Belfast to Amsterdam took off in December with just 27 per cent of the seats filled, Aer LIngus Belfast to Barcelona flights had 44 per cent of seats filled and the Geneva route sold 39 per cent of seats.

A GROUP set up in Shannon last year to integrate newcomers to the town is Set to expand.

‘Le Chéile na Sionna’ has sought to encourage people from a multitude of nationalities to get together and mingle.

Since its inception a year ago, the eroup has attracted people from a wide range of nationalities to join vheR

Representatives of a number of countries, including Egypt, France, Germany, Mauritius, England, Neth- erlands, Pakistan, China and Africa, have attended the monthly meetings

and regular social gatherings organ- ised by the group.

Now, 12 months on, the group is poised to expand, through its link with the Shannon Family Resource Centre. Its co-ordinator Marie Ro- land is hopeful that Le Chéile’s scope can now be expanded.

“Le Chéile will be coming under the umbrella of the family resource centre. We will be looking for fund- ing, through the resource centre,’ said Ms Roland.

“We are encouraging people to get involved. We are hoping to expand the programme further,’ she added.

The group was set up by Trish Fal- lon-Barry, who is welcoming new

members to join.

“The more diversity the better. People can make it their own club. The group includes all different na- tionalities and traditions. It has real- ly taken off and has been very posi- tive,’ she said.

‘People have interacted with each other in the group and network and offer friendly advice to each other,” she added.

Le Chéile participated in last year’s St Patrick’s Day parade in Shannon, where it won the ‘Best New Entry’ section.

It hopes to enter an entry again this year, to include a wide variety of na- aCoyet- Lele

“We are encouraging people to come along and show a splash of diversity for the parade. They are a part of the Shannon community, a welcome part,’ added Ms Fallon- Breas

The dates for the forthcoming meetings of the group are tonight (February 5), March 4, April 1, May 6 and June 3. The starting time is oe 0) 080

The group also meets at the food court, SkyCourt, every Saturday, from 2pm to 3pm.

Anyone interested in joining the eroup, or taking part in the parade, should contact Ms Fallon-Barry on 087 6743796.

A VALUABLE piece of specialised gymnastics equipment is being left outside rusting in the rain, as there is no storage available for it in Shan- nte)eF

The Shannon gymnastics club bought a €17,000 linear trampo- line in November and was under the impression at the time that storage would be available at the local lei- sure centre.

However, the storage is not avail- able and the equipment has been left O)ULMB NOMA slomod (one lo OLR

The club, which was formed 10 years ago, trains at the leisure centre. However, in recent years, a number of its members have achieved nation- al honours, with the result that they

are in need of improved facilities.

There are currently 80 members signed up, seven of who recently made the Irish team. One of its mem- bers, 12-year-old Becky O’Donnell (from Kildysart), will travel to Por- tugal in March to represent Ireland in an elite junior open competition. Last year she competed in Lithuania and was placed in the top ten in a world cup event in Poland.

Club coach Elaine Ryan said the success has become a struggle, as facilities are not satisfactory.

“It (the trampoline) is outside in the rain, wrapped up. It would be mas- sive work to get it in and back out,” said Ms Ryan.

“Over the past few years, the club has raised over €42,000 which was spent on specialised equipment, to

allow the club to develop at high competitive level,’ she said.

She also said that the other equip- ment is being damaged, because it is not located in a permanent, suitable No NLELOR

“The equipment is left in open ar- eas because there is no storage at the leisure centre. If we were to take out all of our equipment, it would easily take an hour,” she said.

“Very expensive equipment is get- ting damaged at an alarming rate, due to lack of storage, but the club has nowhere else to go,’ said Ms Ryan.

She said the club needs a tall build- ing. While many warehouses are too expensive to rent, the club would be willing to pay an affordable rate for a building.

“Realistically we need a permanent residence. We would be willing to oy Nas ean

“It is crazy that there are so many empty buildings around Shannon that would be ideal. Even part of a building would be a dream.

‘There is a huge demand for gym- nastics in the area and the coaches work very hard to meet the demand,” said Ms Ryan.

DEMANDS are to be made for the post of a development officer for Shannon to be filled.

The post was vacated last April, when Padraig MacCormaic’s con- tract was not renewed.

At the time, local residents were concerned that the post was not go- ing to be immediately filled. At the time, it was indicated that the job

would be re-filled at a later stage.

However, almost ten months on, Fine Gael councillor Tony Mulcahy is now calling on Town Manger Ger Dollard and Clare County Council to confirm a date for the re-instatement of the post.

“As far as I was concerned, we were given a commitment by the manger last year. While the post had to be discontinued for some time, we were led to believe it wouldn’t be forever,”

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“The post of development officer has to be reinstated,” the councillor rE HLGe

Mr MacCormaic had been deeply involved in several key projects in S)it-NevelOssMmeNClOOMEOT:Mmm OD Mmn ODDS COMEBDOMEENAT®

post.

He had forged strong links with the local community and the business sector.

‘He was involved in plans to draw

up the extension of the boundary for Shannon and did a huge amount of work on the bus shelters and the Shannon website, Shannon.ie,” said Cllr Mulcahy.

“The town benefits from having a development officer liaising with groups and attracting businesses,” he AYOCe(oxen

“We don’t have a full-time town council in a town of its status. It isn’t acceptable,” he said.

A WEST Clare man is pioneering a campaign to take alcohol out of Soa F

Richard Hall from Doonaha West has begun the campaign by writing to the GAA, local print media and the providers of sports wear.

The gold pin pioneer maintains that something must be done to guard and protect children from the “perils of alcohol’.

“We are fully aware of the problems of alcohol in our society, in particu- lar the problems that face our young children day after day. As a society we must do all we can to protect our

younger generation. We are going to need them for our own welfare, in the future,” he said.

In his appeal to the GAA Mr Hall proposed that the sporting organisa- tion would display the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association’s (PTAA) emblem in Croke Park, as close as possible to the Guinness advertising.

He also suggested that the emblem be incorporated on to team shirts when requested by players wishing to wear it.

“There are many GAA players and team trainers/managers who are members of the PTAA and, as members of the Pioneer Associa- tion, | am positive that they would

be very pleased to see the benefits of membership of that organisation be- ing promoted to young and upcom- ing players and stars of the future,” he said.

“Why does the GAA not create a pioneer cup competition in football and hurling for both male and female players? The stipulation being that in order to play for a pioneer team, the player would have to be a member of the Pioneer Association,’ he said.

Mr Hall has also contacted the two largest producers of GAA jerseys. He asked about the viability of putting the pioneer emblem on the jersey at the manufacturing stage.

“If not from a financial point of

view then would you consider such a Suggestion as being a means of pro- moting the benefits of alcohol absti- nence. You could possibly produce a small number of shirts with the pioneer emblem on at the outset, to judge the market.”

“Your promotion of the Pioneer Association would be seen, I am pos- itive, aS a genuine step in the right direction in combating alcohol prob- lems amongst the youth of today and such action could only enhance the opinion of your customers in regards to your products.”

He has also approached a soft drinks company about sponsoring a pioneer cup.

KILMIHIL is the latest west Clare community developing a life saving programme for its citizens. Following on from the success of the Kilrush meeting the community met to organise the Kilmihil Public access Defibrillator Programme. The brain child of Kilrush RNLI man Ian Lynch five years ago Kil- rush will soon have a number of defi- brillators, as will Kilmihil, to be fol- lowed by Cooraclare and Cree. Supported by local GP Dr Michael Harty, who outlined the medical benefits of early CPR and trained de- fibrillator personnel in the locality, it is hoped local people will be trained

in using defibrillators as early as Xoeartaas ce

A mass CPR training course will also be organized for west Clare. As many people as possible can attend the two-hour course, which is pro- vided, free of charge by the HSE.

From the course it 1s hoped that more will come forward and volun- teer for the three to five hour defibril- lator-training course.

LM Keating Ltd has already agreed to sponsor one defibrillator for Kilm- ihil, while the community hope to provide a second.

In Kilrush it is hoped to have five defibrillators by this time next year. To date ESB Moneypoint and the Kilrush Credit Union have agreed to

sponsor one each.

The importance of a defibrillator in remote communities and at sporting venues was highlighted last month when a young Cork schoolboy was revived by the machine after he col- lapsed following a_ cross-country eeTOon

In county Clare, a grieving mother has raised €37,000 to purchase de- fibrillators and facilitate cardiac resuscitation training for sporting clubs, following the death of her 16-year-old son from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.

Brid Manning began the campaign after her son Robert died while play- ing rugby in the front garden of his Cratloe home.

Defibrillators work by _ sending shock waves to kick-start the heart. According to health experts, quick access to the machines greatly im- proves the survival rate of the pa- OL

Registration forms for anyone from Kilmihil who may be interested in becoming involved with the local programme are available at local outlets.

The forms should be completed and returned as soon as possible to allow training sessions to be organised.

A committee to organise a rota, funding and training will be formed from the information received on the registration forms. For information ring 0872862304 or 0863633998.

THE man, who is bringing a case to the High Court to ensure a right of way to Doughmore Beach remains open, has spoken out as to why he has under taken the mission.

Cree man James McNulty, was eranted permission by the Attorney General to take a case in respect of the public right of way to the beach from the Caherfeenick Road, last year.

‘For many years now I have been in- volved with the local efforts to ensure that public access to the public beach was maintained via the Caherfeenick Road resulting in a High Court case taken with the fiat of the Attorney General against Doonbeg Golf Club Limited to clarify once and for all whether or not an established public right of way exists between the end of the Caherfeenick Road L-61041

through Doonbeg golf course to the public beach at Doughmore Bay,” he ene

“My reason behind instructing my solicitor to take such a case are sim- ple. For far too long both Doonbeg Golf Club and Clare County Council have insisted that the only one who could make such a determination is the courts.

“After receiving the permission or fiat of the Attorney General proceed- ings are winding their way through the High Court system sine 2006, but I have now decided to speak out fol- lowing the comments made my Cllr Patrick Keane and Oliver Garry who recently suggested that they reached their decision on the basis that the recent extinguishment proposal was improving public access to Dough- more and that it was not interfering with matters currently before the High Court.”

Mr McNulty argued that he and his Wife were part of the original mem- bers of the Carrowmore/Caherteen- ick Right of Way action group.

“Although Doonbeg Golf Club has repeatedly (gone) on public record stating or suggesting that the golf club reached an “agreement” with this particular action group, neither my wife or I were party to any high court agreement with the golf club,” |aTemncy-H (6

A High Court Agreement exists however between five local people and Doonbeg Golf Club allowing them access to the beach through a “new” right of way that is also off the Caherfeenick road.

This allows the five named farmers (one since deceased) vehicle access to the beach from November to Feb- UCD aYs

Mr McNulty is not one of the five.

““T would like to say in relation to the

Attorney General High Court case that in 2000, I was offered and given my own private right of way across the golf course to the beach, by way of a letter from Doonbeg Golf Club in 2000. Unfortunately at the time I simply could not understand why lo- cal people and members of the public should have to give up something that they always had, used, and enjoyed over the years,” he said.

“Some years ago and out of pure frustration I instructed my Dublin solicitor to issue legal proceedings in the High Court to establish and ensure “forevermore” that public ac- cess to the public beach at Dough- more beach would be guaranteed by a High Court ruling to all members of the public I took this legal action at a personal financial cost to myself and my family, to ensure local people and members of the public could continue to access their public beach.”

AN AMBITIOUS plan to establish the mid-west as a region of excel- lence and expertise in the area of en- ergy efficiency will be unveiled later WT Le1e).e

Junior Environment and Energy Minister Tony Killeen will launch Ireland’s first Regional Climate Change Strategy at the Mid West Re- gional Authority’s (MWRA) annual

conference in Adare on Friday.

And the importance to the region was highlighted by Authority Ca- thaoirleach Lilly Wallace who urged every individual in the mid-west to CCM doles bum oy Nu mB OMusxO LUCID OrcamNalomKorealO) IM dependence on fossil fuels as well as reducing carbon emissions by five tonnes per person.

“The economic and environmen- tal costs of doing nothing are far too great. Carbon costs alone for the

mid-west are calculated to be €62.2 million by 2010, and €94.5 million by 2020,” she said.

Explaining the reason behind the Adare conference, MWRA _ Direc- tor Liam Conneally said the author- ity decided to produce a strategy designed to enhance the mid-west’s energy, environmental and _ eco- nomic sustainability in response to increased concern about climate change and the Government’s recent

carbon budget.

Mr Conneally said that the ‘Mid West Climate Change Strategy’ had been developed as a working docu- ment ensuring the sustainability of the region’s energy needs, while playing a substantial role in support- ing the Government in achieving Ire- land’s Kyoto commitments.

He said the mid-west was well placed to exploit its substantial re- newable energy resources of wind,

wave, wood and energy crops.

“Much is already being done to establish the mid-west as a centre of excellence for the development and delivery of renewable energy technologies, and energy efficient buildings. The future development of this region as a region of excellence and expertise in the energy area will bring opportunities for communities, entrepreneurs and third-level gradu- ates,” he added.