The Clare People Archive

PRESSURE is mounting of the De- partment of Communications, En- ergy and Natural Resources to cough up some of the estimated €10 mil- lion in funding needed for the devel- opment of Doolin Pier.

At yesterday’s meeting of the North Clare Area of Clare County Council, Cllr Martin Lafferty (Ind) tabled a motion demanding that the Govern- ment department not be “let off the hook” in relation to Doolin Pier.

Cllr Lafferty also accused former junior marine minister John Browne of misleading locals when, on vis- iting Doolin last year, he placed the blame for the delays with Clare County Council.

“The people of Doolin were an- noyed with Clare County Council for not putting in an application to the Department of the Marine for funding. Clare County Council put in loads of applications but they kept saying that the money wasn’t to come from the Department of the

Marine,” he said.

‘Then last year, just before the elec- tion, junior minister Browne came down and upset a lot of local people by saying that there was no proposal before his department on the pier and putting all the blame back on Clare County Council.

“I don’t think that the Department of the Marine should be left off the hook on this. They should give a cer- tain amount of funding towards this. Doolin is a commercial pier and is used by fishermen as well as by trav-

ellers to the Islands. If they don’t pay it then it will be the rate payers of Clare who will have to pay it.”

An agreement was reached last week to co-fund the development of Doolin Pier between Clare County Council and the Department of Com- munity, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs This arrangement would see Clare County Council pay some €2.5 mil- lion towards the development.

Cllr Martin Conway (FG) raised fears that parking charges could be used as a means of recouping the

€2.5 million.

“IT would hope that that €2.5 mil- lion is unconditional and that we won’t see car parking charges and the like put in as a means of recoup- ing that money,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cllr Richard Nagle (FF), welcomed the news that the new lifeguard facilities in Lahinch would be in place before the begin- ning of the 2008 Summer season but said that he was disappointed that the rest of the promenade masterplan had fallen behind schedule.

TWO elderly men living alone fell victim to a conman who called to their homes posing as a priest and demanded money in Bodyke and Broadford on Sunday afternoon.

The man, wearing a priest’s collar, called to the two homes, shortly after

2pm on Sunday, claiming he was the new priest in the area.

In the Bodyke home, he ordered his 73-year-old victim to change his trou- sers in order that he could take pos- session of his wallet, which were in the trousers he was wearing. He took the wallet which is believed to have contained at least €200 in cash.

An 85-year-old man was targeted in the Broadford area a short time later. The ‘priest’ told him he was “the last of the old priests” and also sought the man’s wallet. Gardai believe he didn’t succeed in taking hold of that man’s money.

Gardai believe the man is in his 40s and are appealing for anyone who

may have seen a blue Volvo car in the Bodyke or Broadford areas on Sun- day afternoon to come forward.

“This was a devious crime. These were two vulnerable people. We have received two reports from two men who live on their own. We are satis- fied the motive was monetary gain,” said a garda source.

THERE are now more Clare teenag- ers driving to school and college than those cycling.

According to the most recent report from the 2006 Census, 134 students aged between 13 and 18 drive to school and college each day, com- pared to the 126 who cycle.

The statistics show that only 15 teenage girls out of 4,047 female students cycle each day to school or college.

Yesterday, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said that many of the students may be breaking the law as they would be on provisional driving licenses and must be accompanied by a qualified motorist.

“This is an issue for the gardai to enforce, but I also believe that driv- ing should be taught in schools.”

Cllr Meaney added, “From an en- vironmental point of view, it 1s not a sustainable activity to have more students cycling to school than those OTe Ybatem detour

“Schools also need to look at their own models where students must bring one large school bag and may- be a gym bag to school and that mili- tates against students cycling.”

One of Clare County Council’s top officials and county engineer, Tom Carey, 1S one of the relatively small

number of people who cycles to work Oye: uss cAU er amok ice

The census found that out of 49,138 people at work and school, only 536, or just over one per cent, go to work by bicycle each day.

The census found that out of the 49,138, 34263 or 69 per cent of peo-

ple use a car to travel to work or school each day.

Nine per cent of people walked to work or school, while eight per cent drove a lorry to work.

The figures also showed that of chil- dren aged between five and 12, only 87 out of 12,601 kids cycle to school, with 2,429 walking to school.

Mr Carey said, “I would like to see more people cycling and I try to give a lead in that area.”

Ennis Town Council recently put the county’s first cycle lane in place on the Tulla Road in Ennis and Mr Carey said that it would be wrong to conclude there were more students driving to school than cycling due to the number of cycle lanes available.

Mr Carey said that a cycling strat- egy for Ennis had recently been put in place, while a road safety working eroup in co-operation with gardai was developing cycling courses in school.

Mr Carey said that the provision of cycling lanes was not as simple as painting a line on the road.

He said, ““Guidelines and standards have to be adhered to.”

He added that a cycle trail between Shannon and Ennis geared for tour- ists has been put 1n place.

MICHAEL Browne looked at the big picture minutes after Tulla’s latest chapter with a happy ending. Clare hurling. There hasn’t been much to cheer about in 2007, but maybe it’s about to change. Browne certainly We DA ecmcee

“It’s fantastic to have a Clare team back in a Munster final. It’s a while

since we’ve had it and now we have two teams in Munster finals, with Clonlara and Tulla looking forward to big days. It augurs well for Clare hurling to have teams in Munster fi- nals.”

Not that Browne was thinking of Munster finals before this day. You see, not thinking too far ahead has been a tenet of their hurling year so far.

“Everything we have done this year has been unchartered. We have tak- en it one game at a time. We never talked about the Munster final before this game. We never talk about the next match before any game.

“It was extremely worrying to only go in three points ahead. That was the big drive at half-time. We had dominated, we had totally outhurled them in the first half, yet we only had

a three-point cushion.

“The big danger was that we were going to end up getting caught at the post. It was very tight until the goal went in. There was an element of luck with the goal — we worked very hard for it, but it did come back off the post and then in off a defender. But you take those and it was crucial for us today.”

Factor in Tulla’s hunger, when most

within the county felt they would have nothing more to give after the county final. Wouldn’t really care about giv- ing it either, went another line after their 74-year famine ended.

Nothing could be further from the truth, all because Munster club hurl- ing has been an easy sell. “The easi- est job ever was to motivate them for Munster,” says Browne.

“Since this team has won the Clare final, they have been so focused and very determined that they’re going to represent Clare with pride at the highest level. They’ve shown it now — they’re prepared to do that, not alone are they prepared but they are able also.

“This game showed that we are extremely fit. We are an extremely strong and physical team, but the fit- ness is also there. We were able to battle it right out to the end. Having said that, this team showed character as well.

‘There was never a way we were going to overcome Waterford cham- pion easily. Ballyduff had pride and they came here with Waterford pride riding on their shoulders and they weren’t going to come and lie down and die under the Clare champions. They didn’t and we knew there was going to be a spell in the game when they were going to dominate.

“They dominated at the end of the first half and then again in the first half of the second half. We just had to keep working, keep fighting and keep at it in hope that our chance would come. It did with those two goals near the end.”

Only after victory would Browne looked ahead to the final. “We’ll sit down on Tuesday night and begin to think about it again, and plan and plot and see what we can do for that Oyen

They’ll come up with something — they have all year.

JIM McInerney gathered his selec- tors around him outside the dressing at half-time. With Michael Browne and Raymond Stewart he chewed the fat of the first half. Pat O’Connor, who’s acted as a consultant to the team over the past few months threw in his tuppence worth too.

‘“T was worried,” admits Jim, “be- cause we were only three points ahead and we should have been a lot more ahead. We were trying to fig- ure out why we only had six points scored with all the play and posses- sion we had. We should have at least nine or ten points scored at half-time, but these things happen in games. We didn’t let it get to us and we went out and performed in the second half.

“We dominated the end of this game. Ballyduff Upper brought

their full-forward to midfield and he played a very good game there. It took us a while to get to grips with him, but Declan Murphy destroyed Stephen Molumphy and then we switched him over on Brian Kearney and he cancelled him out. We were in trouble until that switch, but then we TaD UI oxe ms aCe)ee Com OMA SCoMONONK ORM

It’s why supporters rushed to con- eratulate McInerney after the game. As manager he has led Tulla to the promised land in Clare and within 60 minutes of the provincial title. The stuff of dreams, he readily admits.

“Everyone knows that the Munster Club is a great competition to play in. Lads from Tulla don’t get many opportunities to play in a Munster final. This is our first and now that we have that chance, we’re going to go all out for it. We are giving this a serious lash.

“IT would have always felt that we were good enough to win a county title, but to get this team to reach that goal was a huge task. However, when you get on a winning streak anything can happen. You just keep on rolling and we’re still rolling, So roll on two weeks time in the Munster final.”

You can tell McInerney is relish- ing the prospect, because his side have nothing to lose and everything emcee Bute

“It’s a game of hurling — there’s no established club left in the final. Loughmore-Castleiney are like our- selves. We have as good a chance as them, we have a strong, fit team and we ll give it a rattle.”

Same as it has been all year.

THERE are always uncertainties when facing into a Munster cam- paign. The fear of the unknown and the precarious history of Clare football clubs in Munster contrib- ute to this feeling but this year, O’Callaghan’s Mills had an added point to prove. A year previous, they had qualified for the Munster junior quarter-final by virtue of the fact that Clare champions Kilmurry/Ibrickane had a senior team but the East Clare side went down disappointingly 0-8 to 0-3 to Cork side Adrigole.

This time the Mills were backed by an impressive run in the Clare junior A championship but after a five week absense since the county final against Kildysart, manager Mike O’Brien knew that they had would have to re- produce their championship winning form if they were to have a chance on Sunday.

“We are really delighted with the win. It was definitely a tricky one because we had to go down to their backyard and they had just won their county final last week while we hadn’t a competitive game in five weeks. So we didn’t really know how good or sharp we would be but it all worked out for us in the end. We had a great start and from there we controlled

the whole way through really.” Challenge matches against interme- diate champions Ballyvaughan and Galway side Gort certainly helped their sharpness as they hit the ground running from the opening whistle and opened up a Seven point lead. “The good start put any doubts to sleep really” admitted O’Brien “but again, going down we were confident that we would do it. Eoin Pewter’s goal after 3 minutes gave us a great start. Then we got a few points to go 1-4 to nothing up and it really settled iS Leading by 1-5 to O-2 points at the break, the Mills knew that all they had to do was continue playing to their strengths and frustrate their Waterford opposition but things be- gan to go against them as they con- ceeded a dubious second half penalty which was followed soon after by the sending off of Steve Donnellan. “They were two decisions which were crucial to the game in one sense. The penalty we felt wasn’t jus- tified at all. Their man even said it was no penalty but you have to live with those things and get on with it. Immediately after it, we went a man down when one of our lads got a straight red so we had to regroup, we got behind it and we kept them to a point after that before we got three

points ourselves to finally win out.

“Our fitness really told at the end. We had a few physical sessions done over the past few weeks with Ger Keane and he had them in tip-top shape going into it and that fitness really told in the end.”

Now O’Callaghan’s Mills find themselves in the unique position of being only 60 minutes away from a Munster junior final when they face Tipperary side Moycarkey-Borris in the semi-final in two weeks time. And with the added bonus of home advantage, the East Clare side are more than capable of achieving that momentus feat.

“It is a great opportunity to get to a Munster final.” stressed O’Brien. “It’s something that a Mills team has never done in the past and I suppose very few teams from the east have done it in football, if any so it’s a great opportunity to create history. It’s ahome game so we will look for- ward to it with good hope anyway.”

The rise of East Clare is confirmed with Clare’s only remaining repre- sentatives all coming from the east. Tulla and Clonlara in a final and the Mills flying the football flag for Clare in the junior semi-final. Vive la revolution.

A LONG-AWAITED flood study report on the greater Ennis area is recommending the freezing of devel- opment on 210 acres of land in the towns and its surrounds.

The consultants’ report also recom- mends spending €15 million to carry out works on barrage, river channel and an N18 bridge upgrade.

The recommendations in the study report, entitled “Ennis Main Drain- age: Lower Fergus Floodplain Stor- age Areas’, recommends that the “flood risk designation” be extended in the Ennis and Environs Develop- ment Plan, the removal of “other settlement lands” designation from development exclusion zone and the keeping of open spaces at existing ground levels.

The consultants discounted a sepa- rate option costed at €32 million which recommended the relocation of the barrage at Clarecastle. They stated that it would have severe 1m- pacts on pristine undeveloped areas and may be blocked by the Minister for the Environment, John Gormley.

The option discounted also rec- ommended an exclusion zone of 40 AYO Kone

The environmental appraisal of the

options included the potential 1m- pacts on fish, bird, vegetation, water quality, archaeology and recreational Viston

The consultants discounted two other options costed at €10 million and €7 million respectively.

Developers have been eagerly await- ing the publication of the report and how it impacts on proposed develop- ments on the environs of Ennis.

One of those developments im- pacted upon includes the Stephen Harris €50 million retail park on the outskirts of Ennis with the publica- tion of the flooding study one of the reasons why the plan has been put on hold.

However, it 1s not known in the presentation made to _ councillors from the Ennis area how the flood- ing study will impact on the Harris plan and other planning applications currently before the council.

In a statement earlier this year, the council stated that the flood manage- ment study “will have a significant influence as regards what is appro- priate and feasible from a develop- ment point of view in the lands in the vicinity of the Lower River Fergus”.

The report was conducted against the backdrop of severe flooding in the town in 1995 and 1999.

AN elderly Ennis man charged with sexually assaulting a neighbour over a three-year period has been cleared of the charges by a jury.

The man was before Ennis Circuit Court last week facing 19 charges of sex assault on dates between March 1975 and May 1978.

The alleged victim was aged be- tween 12 and 15 years at the time and said she had been assaulted by the accused when sent to his house on various messages.

The court heard evidence that the accused was alleged to have touched

the then teenager on her breast and private parts and to have shown her pornographic pictures on playing cards and in magazines. He was also alleged to have shown her a photo of himself naked, taken in his bedroom with an instamatic camera.

The accused had pleaded not guilty to all charges. The jury heard that the alleged victim made a complaint about the accused on Christmas Day, 25 years after she claimed the as- saults had started.

The jury of nine men and three women cleared the man of all charg- es after deliberating for almost four hours.

THE Munster Rugby Supporters Club and An Post are carrying out separate probes in to the apparent disappearance of around 300 tickets for last Sunday’s Heineken Cup clash between Munster and Clermont Au- vergne at Thomond Park in Limer- ae

The club had to cancel and reissue the tickets when as many as 10% of tickets dispatched to members were not delivered. The club received its ticket allocation on Friday Novem- ber 9 and posted the tickets to almost

3,000 members on the same day.

Late last week however, when their tickets had not arrived by post, con- cerned members began contacting the club’s Cork office prompting an immediate investigation of the mat- ae

In an email to members last Thurs- day, the MRSC said, “Following concerns earlier this week, we had hoped that tickets would be delivered later in the week but that does not ap- pear to be the case. An Post has been contacted and the concerns of the club regarding delivery have been expressed.”

A meeting took place in Cork early on Friday morning to finalise details for the cancellation of the estimated 300 original tickets and the re-issuing and collection of replacement tickets prior to Sunday’s game at Thomond Park which, although still under re- construction, had been passed to ac- commodate 12,000 fans. Extra staff were also drafted in deal with phone calls from concerned members.

Members were then asked to col- lect their tickets at Musgrave Park in Cork or at the Munster Rugby Store on Sunday morning. Some fans had to queue for up to an hour in O’ Con-

nell St in Limerick and some still did not receive tickets in time for the game which Munster won 36-13.

The MRSC was unwilling to com- ment any further on the issue in the absence of the full facts but it is known that on Friday staff retraced their steps on the day the tickets were dispatched in an effort to locate the tickets.

Several people who had not been in a position to check their emails dur- ing the week were not aware of the problem and were too late applying for replacement tickets.

An Post has confirmed that all the

items posted by the Munster Rugby Supporters Club last week were processed for immediate delivery. “A thorough investigation was initiated following a call to a local Cork de- livery office Thursday afternoon and a senior An Post manager worked closely with the customer concerned. Everything we received, we deliv- ered’, a spokesman said.

In a follow up email to members, the MRSC said, “We wish to thank members for their co-operation in this matter and assure you we are looking into the matter in conjunc- tion with An Post.”

BELIEF, structure and organisa- tion were the predominant threads which emerged from the “Together, Raising the Banner’ camogie forum on Saturday. Held in the conference room of the Auburn Lodge Hotel and chaired by Sponsorship and Finance manager of the Camogie Associa- tion, Sinead O’Connor, the five hour seminar was the most ambitious and Open camogie discussion ever to take place in the county and boasted a distinguished and legendary line-up from the GAA and camogie world. First to address the large attend-

ence was secretary of the Clare county board, Pat Fitzgerald who outlined the need for camogie to regularly interact and communicate with all county boards in Clare in order to ensure fixtures can be ar- ranged smoothly. The Sixmiulebri- dge man also stressed that equitable competition was needed along with a firm fixture list and that fairness was a priority when dealing with clubs across the county.

Trust, belief and honesty was Cyril Farrell’s advise to Clare camogie. Speaking openly about his past ex- periences as manager of both the Galway senior hurling team who won two All-Irelands under his leadership as well as the St Raphel’s schools camogie side who captured eight All-Ireland Senior A camogie championship titles, the current RTE pundit entertained the crowd with stories and guidance emphasising the need to find the right blend of tactics suitable for the team in order to pro- duce the best results.

Former All-Ireland winning player and manager Donal O’Grady high- lighted the importance of the role of the coach and manager in manufac- turing successful teams and advised the use of a liason officer to ease the burden placed on current managers in the modern game.

After a break, the forum then switched to the past experiences of currnet players and managers in cam- ogie and GAA. Dual Cork player and director of camogie Mary O’Connor spoke about what ingredients are

necessary to become an inter-county player while also dwelling on her background as a dual inter-county player which is particularly relevant to the current crop of Clare players. Five time All-Ireland winner Emily Hayden compared Tipperary’s rise through the ranks to Clare’s present situation while current All-Ireland winning Wexford manager Stella Sinnott spoke of Wexford’s march to the title this year after several fruit- TASS (ore Dace

Former Clare player Seanie McMa- hon drew upon his experience with the Clare senior hurling team while Catherine O’Loughlin and organiser Deirdre Murphy spoke of Clare cam- ogie’s immediate future and provided suggestions for the progression of the game in Clare.

The closing address was provided by the President of the Camogie As- sociation, Liz Howard who along with summarising the main points of the seminar, highlighted that or- ganisation and belief were key to success and reiterated Seanie McMa- hon’s statement that if the county is to move forward that everything has to take a back seat to the Clare team winning. A fitting end to an original and successful venture and more improtantly, major food for thought ahead of the Clare camogie AGM in mid December.