Month: March 2013

THE arts community in County Clare will once again be feeling the pinch this year with further cuts in the amount of funding being available by the Arts Council.

Clare County Council’s Arts Office will be the worst hit of the pillar projects with its funding being cut by just under 7 per cent – from € 75,000 to € 70,000. Glór will also be badly hit with an annual funding cut of almost 5 per cent – down from € 90,000 to € 86,000.

The total Arts Council finding for Clare’s four main arts projects – including the council’s Arts Office, Glór, The Willie Clancy Summer School and Salmon Poetry – comes to just € 278,000. This is in stark contrast to neighbouring County Galway, whose main arts projects will receive a staggering € 2.7 million, including € 820,000 for the Druid Theatre Company and € 470,000 for the Galway Arts Festival.

County Clare Arts Officer, Siobhan Mulcahy, says that Clare is holding its own in terms of arts funding and believes that the quality of the artistic community in the Banner is our biggest asset. “Clare has done relatively well with both Salmon Publishing and Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy remaining at the same level of funding as they received last year. This is the context of an overall decline in arts funding from the Arts Council, so to hold their own in the current climate is a sign of their resilience and is an acknowledgement by the Arts Council of the importance of these organisations locally, nationally and internationally,” she said.

“Cuts to Glór and the Arts Office of Clare County Council are indicative of the overall funding cuts applied to local authorities and venues this year. Whilst both continue to provide quality and ongoing services to Clare artists and the people of Clare, such cuts are a significant challenge.

“However, from the point of view of the Arts Office, the greatest resource we have is the number and quality of artists of all disciplines in the county and we consider ourselves fortunate to have such a pool of artists with which to work. It should also be noted that whilst annual funding is down, increased funding has been made available to arts festival and events in the county this year with funding for the Gathering and funding through the Culture Connects Programme of the EU Presidency.”

TWO Limerick brothers have been fined € 500 each after they were caught illegally attempting to import rhino horns worth almost € 500,000 through Shannon Airport three years ago.

Jeremiah O’Brien and (33) and Michael O’Brien (28) were stopped in Shannon Airport on January 13 (2010) due to their demeanor and the size of their luggage. Ennis District Court heard on Friday that customs officers seized eight rhino horns from the brothers who had returned from Faro, Portugal.

Jeremiah O’Brien, with an address at 22 Roche’s Road, Rathkeale, Limerick, pleaded guilty to the illegal importation of four rhino horns valued at € 231,760.

His brother, Michael O’Brien, also with an address at 22 Roche’s Road, Rathkeale, Limerick, pleaded guilty to the illegal importation of four rhino horns valued at € 260,400.

Denis Twohig of the Revenue Commissioner’s Investigations and Prosecutions Unit told the court that it is an offence to import rhino horns without license.

Evidence of valuation was given by George Mealy of Mealy’s Fine Art Ltd. Mr Mealy, a Castlecomerbased valuer and auctioneer, told the court that at the time the brothers were stopped rhino horn was valued at € 20,000 a kilo. He said the same quantity is now worth € 60,000. Mr Mealy said, “It’s worth more than gold at the moment per ounce.”

Judge Patrick Durcan accepted jurisdiction on the basis that the offence was germane to the breach of the regulations and not the value of the horns.

Defence solicitor John Cussen told the court that the horns were antique, dating from the 1960s, and not from a freshly killed rhino.

He told the court that the trade in rhino horn is fuelled by a “superstition in the Far East” that rhino horn is an “aphrodisiac that enhances sexual performance”.

He said the brothers acquired the horns from a Portuguese antique dealer named Hernandez. He said Mr Hernandez had entrusted the horns to the O’Briens who were to mount them on a board in Rathkeale before returning with them to Portugal.

Mr Cussen said the brothers are antique dealers who travel frequently throughout Europe. He said their circumstances are not good and that their families live in caravan parks in France and Germany. They have no previous convictions.

Mr Cussen said the brothers wished to apologise to the court. The brothers faced a maximum fine of € 1,250 and/or 12 months in prison.

Judge Patrick Durcan said, “In my relatively short time as a judge, this is one of the most interesting and intriguing cases I’ve had to deal with it.”

State solicitor Martin Linnane said, “I’ve never come across a case like this before.”

Judge Durcan said he was satisfied the horns were antique. He said the brothers had made no efforts to conceal the horns and that their actions had not in any way harmed a worldwide campaign aimed at protecting rhinos from poaching. Noting their guilty pleas and good record, Judge Durcan fined each man € 500 with three months to pay.

DRIVING disqualification orders have become one of the main strategies employed by gardaí in the effort to prevent crime in Clare.

People convicted in Clare courts are facing the prospect of losing their license if it is found they used a car in the commission of an offence.

Chief Superintendent of the Clare Garda Division, John Kerin said last week that the gardaí are now requesting judges to make disqualification orders on conviction.

However, Mr Kerin warned that many are choosing to ignore the orders. He explained, “In virtually every case we have here in Clare where a person is convicted of a crime and they use a car or a van, the Inspec- tors or Supers that are in court, on the conviction, are asking the judge (to disqualify from holding a license) and the judge is automatically making the disqualification order.

“But I can honestly say as well that most of those people who are disqualified will be driving another car the next night and we’ll have them in court again the next day for driving while disqualified.”

He continued, “That’s happening time and time and time again. It’s not that easy to police. Those orders, they were being ignored for years, but they are now very much part of our everyday work. They are one of our strategies to reduce crime.”

Chief Supt Kerin was speaking at a discussion on crime and policing in Ennis last week. He was responding to comments from Jim Corbett, Chairperson of the Spancil Hill Community Alert.

Mr Corbett said that cars and vans have become “tools of the trade” for offenders committing burglaries in rural area.

He said that automatic disqualifications should be imposed in all cases where people use cars in the commission of burglaries.

Two men who convicted of a burglary in a rural area of Clare were last week were each disqualified from holding a driver’s license for a period of five years.

Judge Patrick Durcan said he was of the view that both defendants used the car as an aid in the commission of a serious offence. Judge Durcan remarked that burglaries have become “all too prevalent in rural Ireland.”

He said home burglaries have the effect of damaging rural Ireland by creating fear and suspicion.

In a separate case, Judge Durcan commented on that the fact that thieves and robbers now required people to store stolen property for them “adds a new dimension” to the crime of burglary in Clare.

Levels of crime have fallen by 33 per cent in Clare over the past five years. Burglaries in Clare are down 163 over the same period.

However, there were 364 break-ins in Clare last year.

KILKEE is the cheapest place to own a home in all of Ireland, according to the house tax guidelines as set out by Revenue.

According to Revenue’s controvertial new property valuation guide, all properties in Kilkee have an average guide value between € 0 and 100,000 – or the lowest valuation possible.

Revenue’s interactive pricing guide divides Clare into 156 different pricing areas. Each area is giving a specific price guide for apartments, terraced houses, bungalows, semidetached houses and detached houses built either before or after 2000. Kilkee is the only area in Clare, and indeed in Ireland, to receive the lowest possible valuation (between € 0 and € 100,000) in each of the categories.

This guideline valuation would seem at odds with the state of current property prices in the West Clare town. According to the Daft.ie property site, of the 83 properties currently for sale in Kilkee, 55 are on offer at prices in excess of € 100,000.

Indeed, over a quarter of the total stock currently for sale in Kilkee is valued at € 200,000 or more with a large number of properties in the area with valuations close to half a million euro.

The valuation system has come in for much criticism since it went live last week but a revenue spokesperson has stressed that the prices are only a guideline and homeowners must pay what they believe to be the market value of their home.

“The guidance is primarily based on the market value of properties sold since the year 2010 in the area, adjusted for average price movements in the interim,” said a Revenue spokesperson.

“This guidance will be helpful in the majority of cases but there are always properties in an area that differ from the average.

“Self assessment requires property owners to honestly assess the market value of their own property. If a property is smaller or larger than the average for the area, is in a significantly poor state of repair or has exceptional or unique features, these will have to be factored into the assessment.”

While the local prices differ de- pending on the type of property in each area, the Revenue’s valuations have identified a 29 area ‘golden zone’ stretching from the hinterland of Ennis down through South-East Clare and into Limerick where they believe properties are generally worth more. Ennis itself is divided into four areas with the northern quarter, identified as Ennis Urban No.1, generally having a higher value than the other three quarters of the town. Tue19March13

A NORTH Clare farmer who threatened his brother in a dispute over money has had the charges against him struck out. Last month Gus Howley (56), of Ballytigue, Lisdoonvarna, pleaded guilty to threatening his brother at Larrakea, Kilfenora on November 8, (2012).

He also pleaded guilty to causing € 1500 worth of damage of his brother’s car.

Mr Howley brought a slash hook with him but broke it on the way to a site where his brother Michael was working. Michael Howley was on a scaffold and rang the gardaí because he feared for his life.

Gus Howley had come to the site “in a fit of rage” after money owed to him by his nephew was not repaid. The court previously heard that Gus Howley’s nephew has moved to the United States.

After hearing the case at Ennis District Court last month, Judge Patrick Durcan urged the family to make peace. He adjourned the case pending the outcome of family negotiations.

The case came back before Ennis District Court on Wednesday. The court heard that meetings had taken placed between the brothers.

Asked by Judge Durcan if there was “black smoke or white smoke” arising from the meetings, Ennistymon based Garda, Noel Carroll said, “We have white smoke.”

Garda Carroll told the court that Gus Howley apologized to his brother at a meeting in Ennistymon Garda Station. Michael Howley accepted the apology and the brothers agreed to put the incident behind them, the court heard.

Defence solicitor Jim Finnegan said, “They shook hands and peace has broken out between the brother’s concerned.”

Mr Finnegan said his client had brought € 500 compensation to court. Judge Durcan told Gus Howley that he accepted his word he would pay his brother back for the damage caused. Describing Gus Howley as a “decent man”, Judge Durcan commended the brothers for working out their differences. He struck out the charges against Gus Howley.

He said, “I’m satisfied you won’t offend again.” Judge Durcan also praised the role played by Garda Carroll, saying communities in West and North Clare are “lucky” to have a guard of his quality.

FLIGHTS in and out of Shannon Airport dropped by 17 per cent last month, when compared to the same period the previous year it was announced this week. Coinciding with those figures was the announcement that Shannon’s early morning Heathrow flight is to be put back to a later time. According to figures released by Irish Air Traffic Control, the drop of traffic into the Clare airport was significant when compared to the other State airports, who also suffered a drop in numbers.

Shannon was down an average of 44 commercial daily movements when compared to February 2012.

Dublin had a drop of 1.6 per cent while Cork was down 2.1 per cent. However Irish air traffic is set to increase over the next seven years, according to the latest air traffic forecast published by Euro Control.

There was mixed reaction this week to the news that Shannon’s daily morning flight to Heathrow will now fly on a later schedule. Previously the flight left Shannon at 7.30am, landing in Heathrow at 9am. From March 31st the flight goes back to 8.45am meaning passengers will not now be in London until 10.15am.

The switch will affect many people in the Mid-West region who commute to London every week for work, the change meaning they cannot be in their offices before at the earliest, 11.30am on Monday mornings.

The remaining two flights to London Heathrow, at 12.50pm and 5.10pm remain unaffected.

The change may offer an opportu- nity for another airline to come into Shannon and offer an alternative early morning flight into London. The Aer Lingus slots at Heathrow have long been a source of envy from other airlines, not least Ryanair who are said to covet the routes in and out of Heathrow, which would have been an attractive part of their purchase of Aer Lingus, which they are still pursuing.

Shannon Airport will fall under the complete control of the ‘Newco’ in three months times, with a new CEO expected to be appointed in April.

MEMBERS of the St Mary’s Catholic School Marching Band in Phoenix will perform at a number of schools in Clare today as they prepare to return home following a week long visit to the county.

The band were among the guests of honor at events to mark the 25th anniversary of the twinning of Ennis and Phoenix. The band is made up of students from 9th to 12th grades. The members follows in the footsteps of other Phoenix groups such as the internationally acclaimed Phoenix Boys Choir and The Phoenix Children Chorus who have performed in Ennis in recent years.

Today they will perform at Barefield Primary School, Scoil Chriost Rí, Cloughleigh and Colásite Mhuire, Ennis before performing a farewell concert at the Temple Gate Hotel.

St Mary’s High School Band follows in the footsteps of other Phoenix groups such as the internationally acclaimed Phoenix Boys Choir and The Phoenix Children Chorus who have performed in Ennis in recent years.

The band return to America on Wednesday. Mayor of Ennis, councilor Peter Considine paid tribute to the band at a civic reception in the town on Friday. He also acknowledged the success of a student exchange programme between Ennis and Phoenix. The Youth Ambassador programme has been a very popular initiative of the twinning relationship between Ennis and Phoenix. Since 1988 over one hundred second level students have participated in annual exchange programmes between Ennis and Phoenix.

Cllr Considine said, “Secondary students each year from Ennis travel to Phoenix as youth ambassadors where they are home hosted by Phoenix families whose children have earlier been house guests of Ennis families. Ennis ambassadors meet up with other youth ambassadors from other Sister Cities programmes and the experience and friendship gained from those meetings, will create long standing friendships in years to come.”

THE Mayor of Ennis says he hopes the twinning arrangement between the town and the American city of Phoenix will last beyond the proposed abolition of Ennis Town Council next year.

Councillor Peter Considine was speaking at civic reception in Waterpark House on Friday held to mark the 25th anniversary of twinning of Ennis and Phoenix.

Since the formation of the twinning relationship in 1988, civic and community leaders from both sides of the Atlantic have visited each other on exchanges and have developed strong ties and personal friendships.

The reception was attended by a large delegation from Phoenix including 35 members of the St Mary’s Catholic High School Marching Band.

There were also performances by young musicians from Barefield National School and Maoin Cheoil an Chláir.

Recalling his first visit to Phoenix in 1976, Cllr Considine paid tribute to the links forged between the two communities over the years. He also expressed hope that the ties would be maintained in the future.

Cllr Considine said, “Once gone these ties are nearly impossible to recreate. Thankfully both Ennis and Phoenix see the benefit of twinning and continue to provide support.

“Even though this council will be finishing up in 18 months time, certainly both the commitment of the elected representatives from this council and the executive is very strongly in favour of this commitment and I hope it will continue into the future.”

He added, “In celebrating our 25th anniversary, we are also celebrating ties that were forged by emigration from Ireland to America and the contribution made in every field by the Irish in America. This Irish/American connection has a long and strong future judging by the links between both our communities.

“The Irish have a close a relationship with the American people that is certain to maintain and enhance that connection. At a time when opportunities were denied to them at home, American provided a road to material progress to millions of Irish men and women. Here they would develop as far as they’re abilities would allow them.”

Cllr Considine said, “At the same time their achievements in their new home provided a source of inspiration for those who stayed in Ireland, clear proof of what they themselves could achieve.

“The economic ties between Ireland and America remain very, very strong. Since the 1960s, America has been responsible for most of the inward investment to Ireland. It was vital in the creation of employment and the building up of our industrial sector.

“Both countries have been working trading partners since colonial times. Likewise, tourism and cultural exchanges are lively and flourishing.”

PLANS to develop a 70,000-squarefoot retail development on the outskirts of Ennis have been turned down by An Bord Pleanála.

Michael Lynch Ltd had sought permission for the (1) Demolition of all structures on site including 5 residential units, office block and all ancillary buildings; (2) Provision of a public plaza fronting on to the Limerick Road (3) A retail development and 610 parking spaces.

The developers had said the project would create 300 jobs in construc- tion and between 180 and 200 permanent jobs.

Planning permission for the proposed € 34 million project was refused last year by Ennis Town Council. That decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanála who last week upheld the council’s decision not to grant planning permission.

An Bord Pleanala cited the number 1 reason for the refusal of the proposed development on the Clare Road as that the quantum of retail space, particularly the scale of the non-bulky comparison element, and its location outside and remote from the town centre of Ennis as well as the lack of any connectivity with the retail core.

The report states that such a development “would fail to provide for synergy with the established shopping centres and would adversely affect the vitality and viability of the existing town centre”.

The decision went on to say that having regard for the Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities to apply the Sequential Approach in a realistic and flexible manner, the Board was not satisfied that no alternative site in the town centre or edge of town centre was considered suitable, available and viable.

The Board stated that the proposed development would be premature pending the upgrade of the Clareabbey Wastewater Treatment Plant. In upholding the Council’s decision, the Board also stated that the proposed site is a flood zone and is rated as “high to moderate flood risk” in the Ennis and Environs Development Plan 2008-2014.

The decision was welcomed by Ennis Chamber of Commerce who had opposed the project. Chamber President Michelle Madden, “Ennis Chamber is pro-development and welcomes increased competition and enhancement in the retail offering of the town. However such developments must be of the correct scale and take place in a sustainable manner which ensures that the businesses and employees who have invested their livelihoods in Ennis are maintained”.

Any application to the High Court for a judicial review of the decision must be made within eight weeks.

Ennis Town Council is currently drawing up plans to guide the future development of the site of Ennis National School. The Kilrush Road site will become vacant when the school moves to a new location in Ashline later this year.

THE Brothers of Charity in Kilrush have called for a change of attitude when it comes to traffic management in the town.

A delegation from the organisation called for more pedestrian crossings and safer footpaths in the West Clare town at this month’s meeting of Kilrush Town Council.

Antonio Cebas, an employee of the Brothers of Charity, told the council that a number of changes have to be made to make moving around the town for pedestrians, and especially for people with a disability, safer.

“There has to be a change in mindset that includes all pedestrians and cyclists as well,” he said.

Service-user Kathleen O’Leary has been a campaigner for better pedestrian access in the town for a number of years. She was joined by other services-users at the council meeting and they outlined the challenges they face on a daily basis as they move around the town.

The group highlighted the need for zebra crossings on Toler Street and Francis Street, as well as Fahy’s Road and O’Gorman Street.

Crossing from the Square and the town hall to any of the surrounding streets is all but impossible for pedestrians who may have even a slight disability, a fact that was recognised and accepted by the council mem- bers and executive.

All in attendance agreed that outside the library is also problematic.

Ms O’Leary also raised concerns about the condition of certain footpaths in the town.

“I had a bad fall there and was in the hospital for a few days,” she said.

Other members of the delegation raised concerns about speeding in the town and how they are afraid to cross the roads in the evening.

Town Clerk John Corry asked the group to report any loose cobbling that they come across to the council so it can be addressed immediately.

“It would also be useful if you were to make a complaint to the gardaí as well [in relation to the speeding],” he added.

Cllr Ian Lynch (FG) added that it was a shame that citizens of the town had to come into the chamber to tell the council what it already knew and had been highlighting for years but with no success.

He said the council was also struggling to get the Road Safety Authority to see its point of view in relation to certain road safety issues in the town.

Ms O’Leary asked when the group would be meeting again with the council, adamant that some changes should be made soon.

No date was set, but the council agreed to discuss the matter at its next traffic management meeting.