Month: November 2009

THE managing director of a north Clare-based electronic display man- ufacturer said yesterday that the company is aiming for break-even this year after sustaining its worst ever year last year.

Paul Neville of Data Display Hold- ings Ltd was commenting after com- pany filings showed that it incurred a pre-tax loss of €898,000 to the end of December last year. This com- pared to a pre-tax loss of €69,094 in 2007.

Established in 1980, the Irish- owned company is based in Ennisty- mon and employed 167 at the end of December last.

The company includes the New York Subway, the London Un- derground and the French SNCF amongst its customers, with 92 per cent of its products exported.

Revenues last year dropped 27 per cent from €19 million to €13 mil- lion with Mr Neville conceding, “It was probably our worst year ever.”

He said, “This year is much bet- ter and I believe that we have turned things around and we are heading for usr Gao te

“We were affected earlier by the re- cession, but we are hoping to recover a lot quicker.”

He said that the sales this year are up 10 per cent on 2008 revenues.

“We are leaner now, but we haven’t let anyone go. That is some achieve- ment ina very difficult environment,” he added.

Mr Neville said that the order book looks reasonable for 2010.

“The environment is still very chal- lenging. That is what you are dealt with and you get on with it.”

Mr Neville explained that the com- pany has grown organically since etree

Data Display paid dividends of €35,600 to its shareholders last year.

The directors’ report attached to the accounts state, “In common with the economic climate in general, the group experienced a drop in turnover as some significant customer projects were delayed in 2008. The directors anticipate a return to profitability in PAU Oia

The company had an operating loss of €761,696 compared to €113,543 the previous year.

The accounts show that at the end of December last, accumulated prof- its stood at €2.49 million while shareholder funds amounted to €6.7 million.

A MAN rang his sister to say “good- bye” moments before jumping to his death from the Cliffs of Moher, a court has heard.

The detail emerged yesterday at the inquest into the death in June of a 47- year-old taxi driver from Clare. The Coroner’s Court in Ennis heard that the man also rang a close friend to say that he was going to “end it all now’.

The court heard that following a short search the man was pronounced dead after his body was brought ashore at Doolin.

The deceased’s sister told the court that when her brother rang, he told her he was standing on the Cliffs of

Moher. The woman told him not to do anything.

She told the court that her brother ended the call by saying “goodbye”.

The inquest heard from a family friend who received a call from the man to say he was standing on the cliffs and that he was going to “end it all now”.

The inquest heard that the friend immediately contacted the emergen- cy services.

Michael Hayes, a ranger at the Cliffs of Moher, told the inquest that on the day in question, he saw a man holding a phone, walk towards the viewing area at the cliffs. “I heard him saying ‘it’s not your fault’,’ Mr BEAT NCE

Mr Hayes stated that he saw the

man jump and that there had been no time and no way to prevent him from eCeyunhcanrey

Bernard Lucas, member of the Doolin Branch of the Irish Coast Guard, told the court that the man’s body was recovered from an area of eround “well above the shore” at the base of the cliffs.

Garda Mervyn Forde told the court that he had received a call about a “possible suicide” at the Cliffs of Moher on June 24.

After meeting with rescue services and contacting a local priest, Garda Forde stated that the man was pro- nounced dead at the Doolin Rescue Soins

A post-mortem report prepared by pathologist Dr Elizabeth Mulcahy found that death was due to multiple traumatic injuries consistent with a fall from a height.

County Coroner Isobel O’Dea told the court that the cause of death was multiple injuries consistent with a fall from a height.

Ms O’Dea expressed her sympathy to the man’s family and his “wide circle of friends” and also praised the work done by the Doolin branch of the Irish Coast Guard.

Inspector Michael Gallagher ex- tended his sympathy to the man’s family, adding that the deceased was “well known and will be sadly missed”’.

THE continuing difficulties posed by flooding led to the early adjournment of an inquest at the Coroner’s Court in Ennis yesterday.

County Coroner Isobel O’Dea ad- journed the inquest into the death of a Tubber man after being told that a garda due to provide a statement would be unable to attend as he was currently on vital flood relief duty.

After initially calling a temporary adjournment, Ms O’Dea then stated that she was adjourning the inquest entirely. She told the court that the garda in question was assisting with flood relief efforts and would be un- able to attend.

A jury had earlier been sworn in for the inquest into the death of Michael Conroy who died following a tragic accident at his farm on July 12, 2009. Prior to the adjournment, the inquest heard details of the incident that led to Mr Conroy’s death.

Inspector Michael Gallagher read

the deposition of Tim Walsh who had been visiting the deceased’s home when the accident occurred.

The Coroner’s Court heard that Mr Walsh, who lives in the American State of Massachusetts, had been in Ireland to see his sister.

The inquest was told that Mr Walsh arrived to Mr Conroy’s farm on July 12. Mr Walsh stated that Mr Conroy wanted to show him a new tractor. He said that when Mr Conroy turned the key, “the tractor jumped forward”.

He said that Mr Conroy was stand- ing beside the tractor. “I think the big wheel ran over his chest,’ said Mr Walsh.

The court heard that Mr Conroy’s daughter identified her father’s body to gardai later that day.

No further depositions were heard and Ms O’Dea adjourned the in- quest.

A COURT has heard that a man threatened to break a traffic warden’s face while he took photographs of cars parked on a green area in Kil- Met ep

Aidan Carrig (34), of St Patrick’s Terrace, Kilrush, pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour on November 5, 2008.

A traffic warden told Kilrush Dis- trict Court that a complaint was made to the town hall in Kilrush in relation to parking on the green at St Patrick’s Terrace, on November 5 last year. He said he was asked to go there and take photographs. He went to the area and while there, he encountered Aidan Carrig.

“He threatened me to smash my face if I used the photos as evi- dence,’ he said. He said the accused later apologised to him.

Defending solicitor Eugene O’ Kelly

said his client’s behaviour was totally out of order and that the traffic war- den’s job “is difficult enough without people speaking to you in that man- ner”.

He said his client’s recollection of what was said was somewhat differ- ent. “There was reference to putting the camera where the sun don’t shine,” he said.

He said his client did not realise he was doing wrong by putting his car up on the green. “The width of the roadway is insufficient for the number of cars parking there. Had he been asked not to park there, he wouldn’t have parked there,’ he said.

He said his client reacted very bad- ly and does not have any animosity towards the traffic warden.

The court was told the accused has a number of previous convictions and a one-month jail term was im- posed. A bond was fixed in the event of an appeal.

A COURT has heard an allegation that a young man called to a neigh- bour’s house in Kilrush looking for a ‘top-up’ of money, telling the man ‘You don’t need me as an enemy.”

Arising out of this, Martin Blunnie (21), of Beech Park, John Paul Estate, Kilrush, was charged with assaulting John Naughton, on April 17, 2009.

John Thomas Naughton told Kil- rush District Court last Wednesday week that he was at home at Beech Park, on April 17 last. He said there was a knock on the door at 8.20pm and his wife answered it.

He said that Martin Blunnie was at the door and was looking for a loan of €20. “I told him I had no money to give him. He said he wanted a top- up. He had €50. He said, ‘You don’t need me as an enemy. I’m a big man’ and kicked me to the leg. My knee was bleeding,’ Mr Naughton told the court.

The case was adjourned on that date for a week after Mr Naughton told the court he did not have his read- ing glasses with him. Judge Joseph Mangan told him to return, with his

glasses, last Wednesday, so that he could read a statement.

However, on the adjourned date, Superintendent Michael Comyns said Mr Naughton wished to with- draw his statement.

Solicitor Joe Chambers, on behalf of Mr Naughton, said, “I’m satisfied

his attitude to this is solely related to the fact the defendant’s mother is in hospital.”

The case was then struck out by Judge Joseph Mangan.

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

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.

A WEST CLARE man who has failed to comply with court recom- mendations relating to his farm looks upon his animals as his children.

That was the view of the man’s so- licitor in the wake of a court hearing that the accused has not complied with three of four court recommen- dations made over a year ago.

In September 2008, Patrick Shan- non (56), of Carrownacalla South, Kilrush, pleaded guilty to four charges of cruelly ill-treating ani-

mals. On that occasion, the court heard concerns about the welfare of animals on the farm.

A veterinary inspector told the court that animals on the farm were thin and hungry and were confined by an electric fence. On that occa- sion, Shannon undertook to rec- tify the matter and the case was ad- Selubence MUM ERM iso .@

Superintendent Michael Comyns told the court last Wednesday that four recommendations were to be complied with, but all have not been. All animals were to be tested and

this was done. However, the other recommendations — cattle were to be divided into sections, strip grazing was to be stopped and the cattle were to be sold — were not complied with.

Defending solicitor Michael Ryan said it was a very difficult case. He said the court would benefit if there was to be an assessment by the pro- bation service.

“Mr Shannon is farming for many years. His family are farming in that area for 100 years. He has a great love for the animals. He regards WaCe OO MEZISM OUISIO ODE (GNK=IO MAIN SlomNy-nTOn

Mr Ryan said he did not believe there was a “willful” disregard of the court’s order. “He has very strong views on strip grazing. He feels if he sells, prices are horrendous at the moment. There is a certain common sense in that. He’s not refusing to sell them. He’s refusing to sell them en masse,” he said.

Judge Joseph Mangan said, “Pro- bation report or not, he will have to tidy up his act. We are talking about severe penalties if he doesn’t get his act together.’ The judge asked the defendant was he undertaking to

take down the electric fencing on the farm. He replied, “I block graze and I give them silage.” Asked would he undertake to comply with court or- ders, he said. “There is flooding there at the moment.”

The judge then told the solicitor, ‘He is looking at a prison sentence.” Shannon then said, “I’m not a person who does bad things. I have no bru- cellosis. I have no TB.”

The judge replied, “You are doing a bad thing now” and adjourned the case for two months for preparation of a probation report.

A PROPERTY agent charged in con- nection with the misappropriation of almost €80,000 in rents has been re- turned for trial to the circuit court.

Fiona Lillis (36), of Lisduff, New- market-on-Fergus, is facing 61 charg- es, arising out of a lengthy Garda investigation into missing rents on properties in Shannon and Quin.

She is accused of 49 theft charges and 12 charges of deception, in rela- tion to €76,540, between December 17, 2007, and September 30, 2008.

The charges relate to the owners of six properties. She is facing 45 theft charges and four charges of deception in relation to one property owner, Richard Dineen, totalling €59,570, relating to rent and rental deposits for accommodation at Kin- cora Apartments, Shannon.

Another six charges – three theft charges and three deception charges – relate to Adrian Kelly, in relation to a property at Dun na Manach, Quin. The other six charges relate to Kin- cora Apartments, Shannon.

The book of evidence was served on the accused at Shannon District Court on Thursday and she was sent forward for trial to Ennis Circuit Court, which will sit in February AUTO