Month: May 2014

THE cheapest farm in Ireland has gone on sale in the Burren – with a large number of bidders expected to show an interested in purchasing a house, farm buildings and a 166 acre farm for just € 250,000.

The farm, which is located at Glencolumbkille in Carron, has being brought to the market by Colm Farrell Auctioneers, at an asking price of just over € 1, 500 per acre. This is in marked contrast to the average price per acre of land received for farms in Clare last year which was in excess of € 6,500.

Indeed, according to figures obtained from the ‘Irish Farmers Journal’, last year’s average price in Clare was more than 20 per cent below the average for 2012, which was just over € 8,500 per acre.

The sales agents describe the property as having “some of the best views of natural landscape in the world” and have also stressed that the € 250,000 is a minimum price, and the property could be sold for a lot more.

“The lands are of mixed quality ranging from grazing land to rock outcrop and water supply is from natural sources only. The residence is in need of major refurbishment but because of its existence, it provides one with permission to reside in one of the most desirable locations in the world of natural scenic landscape,” said a spokesperson.

“The farm also has some farm buildings with livestock handling facilities. One has to visit this farm of beauty to appreciate what it really is and what it has to offer in this wonderful part of the world.”

The property is located around three miles from Carron and about 10 minutes from Kinvara.

After a lull of a number of years, farm land has begun to be bought and sold again in recent months. Indeed, there was almost 3 per cent more land sold in Clare in 2013 compared to the 12 months of 2012.

THE school’s Green Flag initiative reached a significant milestone this week when the 100th school in the county was given the environmental award.

Four Clare primary and secondary schools were awarded Green Flags for the first time bringing the number of local schools now holding the international award for environmental action to the century mark.

Run by An Taisce, in partnership with local authorities throughout Ireland, the Green Schools award scheme is an international environmental education programme and management system that acknowledges long-term, whole school action for the environment.

St Patrick’s Comprehensive School in Shannon; Coore NS, Kilkishen NS and Scoil Mhuire in Meelick were presented with their very first Green Flag at a special An Taisce Green Schools Awards ceremony in the Radisson Hotel in Galway.

A further 32 schools successfully renewed their Green Flags following work on new themes including energy, water, travel, biodiversity and global citizenship litter/waste.

The schools include Clondrinagh NS; Úlla Beag Preshool, Killaloe; Doolin NS; Scoil Mhainchín, Ennistymon; Ennis Educate Together NS; St John Bosco Community College, Kildysart; St Senan’s Primary School, Kilrush; Lakyle NS, Whitegate; Moyasta National School; Gaelscoil Iosef Naofa, Moy; St Clare’s School, Ennis; Annagh NS; St Mary’s National School, Feakle; St Enda’s National School, Lisdoonvarna; Scoil na Mainistreach, Quin; Moveen NS; St Colman’s NS, New Quay; Kilmurry NS; St Aidan’s NS, Shannon; Tubber NS; Bridgetown NS; Clohanes NS; Colaiste Muire, Ennis; Knockanean NS; Mol an Óige NS, Ennistymon; Ogonnelloe NS; Stonehall NS; Sixmilebridge NS; Flagmount NS; St Flannan’s NS, Inagh; St Joseph’s NS, Miltown Malbay and Rockmount NS.

Mayor of Clare, Joe Arkins said, “The Green Schools programme continues to be a phenomenal success in Clare with 100 schools now flying the Green Flag. It is estimated that this amounts to a significant cost savings of € 135, 505 for Clare schools. Comhgairdeas do na scoileanna sin ar bronnadh a gcuid Brat Glas.”

Joan Tarmey, Environmental Awareness Officer, noted that Clare’s Green Flag schools have shown significant savings in generating less waste, and reducing energy as well as water consumption.

“While water conservation has never been more topical, one primary school, Clohanes NS, is leading the way and has been just awarded regional winners of the ‘Water School of the Year’ in the southern region. Sponsored by Irish Water, this is the first time such awards have been run. They achieved a 74 per cent reduction in the average litres used per student per day through introducing measures such as urinal sensors, push taps, water experiments, table quizzes, poems, posters and water saving tips.”

A TOTAL of € 435,868.80 is to be paid out to councillors who will not be returning to Clare County Council next week.

The eleven Clare county councillors who have left the council, either through retirement or losing their seats, can expect a retirment gratuity payment up to a maximum of € 61,112.12.

Dual councillors, those sitting on both a town and county council, will only receive a gratuity payment from the county council, although some may be entitled to a payment for time served on the town council prior to joining the county council.

Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind), who annouced her retirement from the council prior to the local election, will receive the maximum payment of € 61,112.20 for 35 years service.

Councillors that have served on the council since May 2000, are entitled to a percentatge of their annual sal- ary for every year served since then.

An ex-gratia payment is also added on to this payment for every consecutive year served prior to 2000, up to a maximum of 20 years.

All councillors must also be over 50 years of age to collect their windfall.

For Mayor of Clare Joe Arkins (FG), and councillors Brian Meaney (FF), Tony Mulqueen (FG), Pascal Fitzgerald (Labour), Sean McLoughlin (FG), Oliver Garry (FG), Sean McLoughlin (FG) and Pat Keane (FF), the payment is expected to go some way towards easing the disapointment of losing their seats at the weekend.

Cllr Arkins is expected to receive € 47,541.43; Cllrs Meaney, Fitzgerald and Garry can expect € 33,448; while Cllr Keane will receive € 53,255.27; Cllr Mulqueen € 16,724 and Cllr McLoughlin € 8,362. Meanwhile Cllr Sonny Scanlon (FG) and Tommy Brennan (Ind), who will also retire from the council, are to receive € 57,540.75 each, and Michael Kelly (FF) is to get € 33,448. TODAY Day will st a rt ple a sa n t a n d h e a t u p t o 17c bu t c h a n c e o f a fte rn o o n sh o we rs.

GARDAÍ in Clare are urging car owners to exercise greater vigilance when leaving their cars unattended.

The advice comes following a spate of breaks-ins to vehicles in East Clare and Ennis earlier this month.

A Toshiba laptop was stolen from a car that was parked in the Erasmus car park on College Road in Ennis on Saturday May 17. The break in occurred between 8.20pm and 2.30pm.

A red Mazda 323 hatchback (98-C2395) was stolen from the back of a house in Linnane’s Terrace in the Kilrush road area of Ennis between 5pm on May 20 and 8pm on May 22. Gardaí have issued the warning ahead of Crime Prevention Day on Thursday, May 29.

“Our primary aim is to raise awareness within our communities on methods that can easily be adopted to prevent crime, reduce the fear of crime and to promote community safety” explained Crime Prevention Officer, Joe Downey.

He continued, “Statistically speaking € 220 is the average value of property stolen from vehicles in the past twelve months, apart from the added hassle of getting a broken window replaced and a possible insurance claim. Criminals make a decision to steal from a vehicle based on a judgment of: what goods they are likely to get; how quickly can they carry out their task; the likelihood of being caught”.

Sgt Downey said vehicle owners need to be extra vigilant when leaving their vehicles unattended even outside their home.

The following advice is recommended; do not leave property visible from the outside; when not in your car always lock it, even outside your home or in the driveway; park in a well lit area during darkness and at other times in busy areas where it can be seen or in a CCTV monitored area; report any suspicious activity immediately to the gardaí.

THE ACTIONS of unknown thieves who stole a set of toddler swings from the Crusheen playground have been described as “despicable” by the local community.

The Crusheen Playground Committee believe that the swings, which were taken at some time between Tuesday evening, May 20, and Thursday evening, May 24, were deliberately targeted by criminals – rather than as a random act of criminality.

Sean Nihill of the playground committee says people in the area are devastated, not by the value of the items stolen, but that anyone would steal from children in a premeditated and planned way.

“They screwed out both the infant swings.

“There was no damage done to the swings and they would have needed specialist equipment to do it.

“It is our opinion that it was a premeditated thing, they would have gone there to do it. It’s despicable,” he told The Clare People. “Two members of the playground committee were there when I arrived on the scene and we reported it to the gardaí and they say they will look into it.

“It’s not the value of the crime and what was stolen, it’s the impact of it. What kind of person would steal from children like this?

“What happens now when parents come to the playground with their toddlers? How do they explain to their children that some bad man stole their swing?

“How do you do that? It’s a big loss to the community, especially to children arriving to find swings missing,” he added.

The playground, which was officially opened in November of 2012 after years of local campaigning and fundraising, attracts larger crowds of children from Crusheen as well as from the wider area – with families travelling to the facility from east Clare and south Galway.

The playground is surrounded on each side with a small, four foot high, wall and there is currently no way of locking and completely securing the playground at night.

The local playground committee is appealing to whoever took the swings to return them as soon as possible.

Gardaí in Ennis are also investigating the incident.

GABRIEL Keating has hailed himself as “the comeback kid” after retaining his seat on Clare County Council. The Fine Gael councillor emerged victorious from a tightly fought battle for places in the eight seat West Clare Electoral Area.

Despite not reaching the quota, Keating was elected on the 11th count courtesy of votes received from former Fine Gael man Ian Lynch’s surplus.

In doing so, Keating pipped his party colleague Oliver Garry to the final seat.

Such a scenario seemed improbable after the first count, which left Keating with a mountain to climb, but the West clare man never had a moment’s doubt.

“It’s a wonderful feeling. It’s a wonderful achievement. This morning I was at 911 and I jumped to 1590. It’s unbelievable. They’re calling me the comeback kid,” beamed the Cross native as he savoured his triumph at the end of a long weekend in Treacy’s West County count centre.

He continued, “I never thought I was gone. I worked hard for the five years. I put in a great effort. I opened up West Clare to tourism. Loop Head, the whole place came alive. I’m so delighted to be able to do it for the people of my parish. It’s a great honour for me and for my family. They mean everything to me.

“We had storms and we had floods and we had a whole lot things,” said Keating in reference to storm that battered West Clare earlier this year.

“But I can tell you I rode this storm today,” he declared to loud cheers.

Meanwhile, PJ Kelly (FF) was returned without reaching the quote in the West Clare electoral area.

The veteran campaigner was returned for an eight successive election, making him the longest serving councillor on Clare County Council by some distance.

The Lissycasey councillor joked that it had been “cheeky” of him to run for an eight election but also said that there was lessons to be learned from the election.

CATHAL O’Reilly, the candidate denied by Sinn Fein less that 48 hours before he was due to stand in the Ennis Local Electoral Area for them, still managed to secure 392 votes and poll stronger than sitting councillor Brian Meaney (FF).

Senior members within the Sinn Fein Party in Clare maintain how ever that his vote would have been significantly higher had his “resignation for Sinn Fein not been accepted” on Wednesday.

“We were looking at different figures to that. To me that was the core vote that we could have got had we run a paper candidate and not had a campaign around it. We were garnering more support, certainly the figures we were talking about were higher than that,” said Director of Elections for Sinn Fein Finbarr MacGabhann.

The Ennis butcher, was forced from the party after disparaging comments he posted to Facebook three years ago about the Traveller community, people working in particular shops and other groups, were brought to the attention of the party.

Mr O’Reilly’s name still appeared on the extensively long Ennis ballot paper as the Sinn Féin candidate, but by then the party said he was no longer one of its members.

Mr MacGabhann said Sinn Fein was surprised by the comments.

“It was a shock. To see the things he said, the things he said about people, about minorities, about people going about their daily life in town was a shock.”

It did not affect the other two candidates running in West Clare and Shannon, as they were able to compartmentalise their campaign, he said.

Mike McKee was elected to the Shannon area for Sinn Fein, while first time candidate Noeleen Moran received a first preference vote of 1,023 out of West Clare.

IT didn’t turn out the way he wanted but first time candidate Felix Omorodion has vowed to seek election again.

The Nigerian Eucharistic Minister exited the race for a seat in the Ennis Electoral Area after the fifth count.

But Omorodion, who stood as an independent candidate, was pleased with his performance.

“I enjoyed the experience. This is my first time running. I’m very grateful to God I was able to make the fifth count,” said Felix in the count centre at Treacys West County on Saturday afternoon.

“I wanted to serve my community. To give hope for the hopeless, a voice for the voiceless. I wanted my community to have a voice and hope. But unfortunately it didn’t work out the way I wanted,” he added.

He enjoyed the experience so much that Omorodion already has one eye on the 2019 election.

“Oh yes, I would like to go again in the next five years. I have learned a lot. I will keep on learning from colleagues and honourable councillors.

“My friends and family all sup- ported me. They were very happy to seem me going through it. It is a very difficult time and period but still, by the grace of God, God has taken me so far,” he said.

TONY Mulqueen was taking defeat in his stride on Saturday night after losing his seat on Clare County Council.

Mulqueen was eliminated on the 9th count and despite being surprised by his early ejection, Mulqueen wasn’t feeling too despondent.

“I didn’t see it coming. I had a good canvass. I had a good team. Everything seemed to be on course. That’s politics. In 2004 I was short by 41 votes. I was elected in 2009 and I was rejected this year. That’s politics. That’s life,” recalled the local businessman.

Standing in a quiet corner of the West County Hotel, away from the count centre, Mulqueen said he would analyse the vote to see where it all went wrong

“I think this election was so tight and with such a large number of people that the number two votes I might have got from other candidates – that hadn’t gone over the quota – those votes weren’t coming back to me,” offered Mulqueen, who was one of six Fine Gael candidates in the Ennis area.

“That’s life. There is no one dead. I’m alive. I welcomed into the world this year my second grandchild and I’m happy with that. I’m fine,” he added.

Mulqueen also did not shut the door completely on contesting again in 2019.

He said, “I’ve a huge interest in politics. I only got involved in politics late in life after my family had grown up and I could give it the time. For five years, I worked at it. I worked hard at it. I was elected during a recession in 2009…We’re maybe com- ing out of recession now, who knows. Who knows what will happen in five years time.”

Commenting on his steady showing in the Ennis electoral area, Labour candidate Dermot Hayes accepted it was always going to be difficult for the party to win a seat in Clare.

The local community activist was eliminated on the 16th count after taking in 671 votes. “As they say on the pitch, the wind was well against us”, remarked Hayes on Saturday. “At the same time we should have been proud of ourselves that we went out there and fought away. We’ll still be active in the community. I will always remain active in the community.

“We have to sit down and regroup and see what we are doing. Populism is grand but the reality is that hard choices had to be made, whether we liked it or not”, he added.

ENNIS man Michael Guilfoyle said he is bowing out of local politics after losing his seat in the Ennis electoral area on Sunday.

Guilfoyle was eliminated from the running after the 15th count in the West County on Sunday morning.

“That’s the end of the politics and you’re the first to be told that. Actually, you’re the second, my wife was the first,” Guilfoyle told The Clare People . “I was first elected in 1985. I enjoyed every bit of it. I like to think I achieved something for the town of Ennis. I’d like to think I’ve given something to it. I’d like to thank my family for all their support.”

Guilfoyle admits he is disappointed with his final total of 630 votes. He had pinned his hopes on picking up votes from outgoing councillor Tommy Brennan who retired from local politics.

“Where Tommy Brennan’s vote went, I don’t know. Frankie (Neylon) and myself were hoping for some piece of it. We didn’t get it. Personally, I think they all stayed at home when they knew Tommy wasn’t going!” he says.

Having regained his seat five years ago, Guilfoyle now finds himself a spectator to local politics.

Speaking minutes before his elimination was confirmed, Guilfoyle voiced his concerns over the new structure of local government.

“If you have councillors in Kilmaley, Kilnamona and Quin, they will concentrate on their own area and Ennis will be the fall guy. That would be a concern for me,” he declares.