Month: August 2011

ANY takers out there for one of the most famous houses in the county – probably the most famous in fact as it’s the cottage belonging to the ‘Wise Woman of Clare’ who was said to have put a curse on the Banner’s senior hurlers.

It’s Biddy Early’s cottage in Feakle that’s been put on the market for € 75,000 by its owner – well known solicitor Billy Loughnane.

“I spent many years back in the 70’s restoring the cottage,” revealed Loughnane, “but that couldn’t last forever and it fell into disrepair again. I had sought State funding to develop it but no one was interested.

“I would be absolutely delighted if someone could take over the cottage — it needs a new energy. I’d only be happy though if whoever did take it over did so for the right reasons and actually has a real feel for who Biddy Early really was,” he added.

The Ennis and Scariff-based solicitor acquired the cottage from his fa- ther, Dr Bill Loughnane, who served as a TD from 1969 until the time of his death in 1982.

Loughnane Snr had bought the house form local man Jim Fitzgerald in the 1960s.

Biddy Early lived a colourful life, winning fame as noted herbalist and healer in the 19th century while she married four times, while after her death in a local priest remarked, “we thought we had a demon amongst us in poor Biddy Early, but we had a saint, and we did not know it”.

Legend had it that while she was on her deathbed the 76-year-old ordered that her famous ‘Blue Bottle’ that carried her healing remedies to be Carter’s Lough, which the her cottage overlooked.

Legend also had it that she placed a curse on the Clare hurling team, but Biddy Early historian Eddie Lenihan says “she was a good woman and there was no curse, because she was dead ten years before the GAA was founded. She was a woman who healed people ”.

A 10-YEAR-OLD Kilrush boy who suffered serious burn injuries five years ago will lead out Ireland at the Aviva Stadium next week.

Kyle Carmody and his brother Evan (11) will be flag bearers when Giovanni Trappattoni’s side take on Croatia in an international friendly in Dublin on August 10.

Their appearance alongside the boys in green is the result of the family’s association with Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin.

From November 2006 to January 2007, Kyle spent three months receiving treatment for burns he suffered when his pyjamas caught fire at the family home.

Dad Flan explained that the incident is thought to have occurred when Kyle threw an item into the ashes of a fire and then went to retrieve it. Kyle suffered burns to 12 per cent of his body. “It’s one thing that we’ll never forget,” said Flan last week.

After receiving what Flan described as “top class treatment” from the staff at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Kyle, a student at Gaelscoil Uí Choimin, Kilrush, made a full recovery.

Flan said, “He’s doing well now. He’s into all sports, swimming everything. They are very big into skateboarding at the moment.”

The incident resulted in Flan starting an annual five-mile charity walk around Kilrush in aid of the hospital. Last year the event raised € 6,250 while in May, the second annual walk and cycle raised € 9,222.

Flan had hoped to invite former Ireland goalkeeper Packie Bonner to Kilrush for the event but the Donegal native was unable to attend.

He added, “Anne Moody from Hen- ry Street in Kilrush knows Richard Fahey [director] from the FAI. Bonner had to go to Scotland that same weekend so they asked if Kyle would be interested in being a flag bearer. He and his brother could carry the flag between them.”

Flan said the family are looking forward to their big day on the international stage. “They are thrilled to bits. It’s a huge honour for the family and to get to meet the Irish team will be great.”

Flan thanked all cyclists who helped raised money for Crumlin at the May fundraiser. He also thanked all local businesses that supported the event.

SECTIONS of the Ennis and Clarecastle sewer network will be upgraded and extended in parallel with a proposed development at the Clondroadmore Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), a meeting has heard.

David Timlin, Director of Environment and Water Services with Clare County Council, told an oral hearing in Ennis that money is available for the works.

It follows concerns raised at the hearing by Senior Inspector with An Bord Pleanála, Mary Kennelly and Board representative, David Kelly.

The board had sought clarification from the Council regarding the intended upgrading works for the wastewater collection system in Ennis.

In his response read out at the hearing, Thomas McKeown, associate partner with JB Barry and Partner’s Consultant Engineers, said reports in 2002 and 2011 had “identified the requirement for sewer structural rehabilitation and for upgrading and extension of the wastewater collection system in Ennis and Clarecastle”.

The Ennis Clarecastle Main Drainage Preliminary Report Addendum (July 2011) states, “It is recommended that sewer rehabilitation and sur- face water separate works be carried out in order to maximise the capacity and extend the design life of existing and upgraded wastewater treatment infrastructure, to reduce the energy costs associated with pump station operation and to provide adequate infrastructure for future development”.

Mr McKeown explained that work carried out by the Office of Public Works (OPW) on the River Fergus certified drainage scheme (phases one and two) will “assist towards the objective of reducing the surface water component in the combined sewer network and reducing the hydraulic load to the waste water treat- ment facilities for the town”.

He continued, “This will also reduce the constituent volume of storm water entering the Clonroadmore treatment plant and will reduce periods of overflow.”

Mr McKeown explained that the “preliminary report addendum 2011 includes a recommendation for foul and surface water sewer rehabilitation in Ennis at an estimated cost of € 1.89 million excluding VAT.”

Both Ms Kennelly and Mr Kelly expressed concern over the implications of funding not being available for the sewer network upgrade.

Mr Kelly said the board had to establish if the Council could meet water surface regulations in the absence of funding for the wastewater collection system in Ennis and Clarecastle.

Mr Timlin told the hearing that the funding is in place and that the Council had already identified the “highest priority” sewer network areas in Ennis.

Responding to a question from Ms Kelly, Mr Timlin said, “Clare County Council will fund this work if necessary. It will be done in parallel with the Clonroadmore upgrade.”

Ms Kelly told the hearing that completion of the sewer upgrade works could be attached as planning condition to the Clonroadmore project.

SINCE 2006, planning applications for large residential and commercial schemes in Ennis have been refused because of inadequate capacity in the public sewer, a meeting has heard.

The comment was made by Andrew Hersey, Executive Planner with Ennis Town Council, at an An Bord Pleanála oral hearing in Ennis on Thursday.

The hearing was held to examine information submitted to the Board by Clare County Council in relation to a proposed upgrade of the Clondroadmore Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Ennis.

In his submission as a representative of the planning authority, Mr Hersey recommended to the board that permission be granted to the proposed development.

He explains that the plant, which has been in operation since the 1970s, has a design capacity for a population equivalent (PE) of 17, 000 and its cur rent loading is circa 26, 000 (PE).

He added, “There is therefore a shor tfall of treatment capacity. I note that in order to comply with conditions for a discharge authorisation license as issued by the EPA, it is necessary that the capacity be increased.”

Mr Hersey states that Ennis is designated as a hub town in the National Spatial Strategy 2002-2020.

He states that the strategy identifies three levels of capital invest ment in hub towns, “the highest priority being investment in water, wastewater and road infrastructure”.

Mr Hersey explains that while public water has been upgraded through the opening of the Dr umcliff water treatment facility and the road infrastructure has been upgraded with the Ennis bypass, “There has been no investment in wastewater infrastructure to date.”

Mr Hersey states that the population of Ennis is expected to grow to approximately 33, 000 by 2022, an increase on the cur rent population of 8,747 persons.

He adds, “At present there is not the capacity on the sewerage system of the town to facilitate the delivery of growth.”

The submission continues, “Since 2006 planning applications for large residential and commercial schemes have been refused in the basis of inadequate capacity in the public sewer and prematurity pending the provision of sewerage facili ties in the town.

“This cannot be the case into the future as the town cannot grow and reach its target population projections as planned until this wastewater treatment plant is upgraded.”

Describing the proposed upgrade as an “essential component of this town’s infrastructure”, Mr Hersey states, “Without it, future development in the town will stagnate and the success of the town as a hub town for the mid-west region will ultimately fail.”

APPROVAL for a proposed upgrade to the Clonroadmore Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is “urgently” needed to cater for future commercial development in Ennis, a senior official with Clare County Council has said.

David Timlin, Director of Environment and Water Services, said last week that cer tain wastewater license conditions issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “cannot be met until the plant upgrade is completed”.

Mr Timlin was speaking in the West County Hotel at An Bord Pleanála’s oral hearing into the Council’s application to upgrade the Clonroadmore WWTP.

Addressing senior inspector Mary Kennelly and board representative David Kelly, Mr Timlin said, “The capacity of the main Clondroadmore Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) urgently needs to be upgraded to provide for the current and predicted growth in domestic population and in the commercial and industrial sectors. As a water services authority, Clare County Council is acutely conscious of the need to urgently address the present sewerage deficiencies in Ennis.”

He continued, “The existing plant at Clondroadmore is already considerably overloaded. This proposal for the upgrade of the Clondroadmore WWTP will provide for the treatment of the wastewater loading arising in its catchments for the short term to medium term, in a sustainable and economic manner.”

Mr Timlin explained that the proposal forms par t of a “coherent plan for the provision of upgraded facilities to treat all wastewater arising in the entire Ennis agglomeration”.

Mr Timlin said the overall plan is contained in the preliminary report addendum for the Ennis Clarecastle Main Drainage, which was submitted to the Depar tment of Environment, Heritage and Local Government on July 7 last.

He said that a previous 2002 study had recommended the provision of a completely new single treatment plant to serve Ennis and its environs on the site of the Clareabbey wastewater treatment works, to replace both existing WWTPs and main pumping stations. An Bord Pleanála granted planning in 2003 and there followed, Mr Tim- lin explained, a period of detailed planning “including cost benefit analysis, public private par tnership assessment and national development finance agency approvals”.

He added, “However by March 2009 the enti re approach to the scheme had to be reviewed. The high front loaded capital costs associated with a vi rtually entirely new system could not be justified as against maximising the inherent value of the existing infrastructure, mainly dating from the 1970s and 1980s.

Mr Timlin explained that the proposed upgrade would enable the Clonroadmore plant to cater for a population equivalent of 30,150.

He added, “There will only be a small increase to the existing footprint of the facility, without extend- ing the boundary of the facility.”

Mr Timlin also stated that the upgrade is requi red “immediately, due to overloading and non-compliance with the waste water treatment discharge authorisation license and the water framework di rective requi rements as set out in the Shannon River Basin Management Plan 2010.”

He continued, “In summar y, Clare County Council as water services authority is conscious of the duty to meet all legislative requirements … Compliance with this requirement urgently requi res the proposed improvement works at the treatment facility. Indeed certain licence conditions which required compliance by December 31 (2010) cannot be met until the plant upgrade is completed.”

AN AMERICAN couple whose newborn son passed away at the Cliffs of Moher in 2006 are aiming to raise money for new emergency medical services at one of Ireland’s most popular tourist destinations.

According to TJ Waters, Chairman of the Ennis Sister Cities Board, the Stokes family are looking at the possibility of providing funds for a form of emergency vehicle to transport injured people from the Cliffs.

Kelly and Delia Garcia-Stokes’ newborn baby, Nicolas, passed away at the Cliffs in July 2006 after Delia went into premature labour.

Delia gave birth in a room at the Cliffs but sadly Nicolas died before the family could reach a hospital.

The Stokes family part funded a first aid facility at the Cliffs known as Nicolas’ Room, named in honour of their son.

In 2009 Councilman Claude Mattox of Phoenix City Council in Arizona, presented a cheque for $25,000 to the then Mayor of Clare, Councillor Tony Mulcahy, as a donation to first aid services and facilities at the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience.

Phoenix, which is twinned with Clare’s county town Ennis, is home to the Stokes family. Earlier this year the couple visited the Cliffs to make a donation of $25,000 as part of their ongoing commitment to medical facilities at the centre.

First aid treatment and assistance to over 200 visitors has been provided from “Nicolas’ Room” since the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre opened to the public.

24 staff at the tourist centre have received advanced first aid training and the room is equipped to the level of a cardiac ambulance.

In addition, thousands of visitors have benefited from the wheelchair loan service, which is also operated from the room.

Ennis is twinned with Phoenix and, according to Mr Waters, the funding of new medical services at the Cliffs would be “very worthwhile, particularly at a time when funding is so tight”.

Mr Waters said the family are also keen to initiate an exchange programme between members of the emergency services attached to Clare County Council and their colleagues in Phoenix. He added, “That is something that might help in the future.”

THE fate of Clare’s oldest construction firm, McInerney Holdings, took another twist on Friday when the board of directors of the company that was set up by O’Callaghan’s Mills man Thomas McInerney in 1909 resigned after a proposal to put the troubled house-builder into liquidation was rejected by shareholders.

Last week, McInerney Homes, which represents the Irish divisions of the construction company, was placed in receivership after the Supreme Court rejected an appeal to a previous High Court decision that refused to approve a rescue plan for the firm that had been proposed by the directors.

Had the plan been adopted, US private equity firm Oaktree Capital had pledged to invest € 54m in it and a related firm in order to keep them going.

McInerney’s directors said afterwards they were disappointed at the ruling. They pointed out that it meant that a € 54 million investment – that would have saved 100 jobs and resulted in a € 2 million payment to trade creditors – could not now go ahead.

Rebel shareholder David Nabar- ro, who owns 21.45 per cent of the group, was co-opted on to McInerney’s board after an extraordinary general meeting in Dublin city centre on Thursday.

Mr Nabarro succeeded in rallying enough support among shareholders to defeat the board’s motion to wind down the company through a voluntary liquidation. Of the 50 per cent of shareholders who voted, some 73 per cent rejected the motion.

Addressing the egm, chairman Ned Sullivan said the plc “has run out of cash, has no assets of worth and no bank facilities”. Its main Irish businesses were in receivership, the British businesses had been sold as had its Club business in Spain. Its remaining Spanish businesses had been placed into insolvency procedures, he said.

Mr Sullivan said the directors had exhausted “all possible efforts and options” to rescue the group.

“In this situation, it is not realistic to consider that there is any equity value for the shareholders,” Mr Sullivan said.

The company celebrated its centenary in 2009 and, until the recession took hold, the McInerney Group remained one of Ireland’s leading construction companies.