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AS MANY as 325 procedures, including surgeries and out patient appointments were cancelled in the region’s hospitals last week as a result of industrial action by junior doctors.

The union representing doctors and the HSE are to begin talks today (Tuesday) with a view to avoiding further strike action.

The six hospitals that make up the University of Limerick Hospitals Group, including Ennis Hospital, the University Hospital Limerick and the University Maternity Hospital Limerick all cancelled operations, clinics and out patient appointments on Tuesday last. The HSE would not provide a breakdown of how many patients from each hospital were affected. It said however that all patients affected would have their appointments rescheduled.

Urgent care for areas such as oncology, dialysis and emergency is was provided and the Emergency Department in Dooradoyle remained open as did the local injuries units in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s, according to a HSE spokesperson.

Discussions between the Irish Medical Organisation, the union representing the doctors who are protesting about long working hours, and the HSE were suspended on Thursday but are to continue today, Tuesday, with a view to avoiding any further strikes in the country’s hospitals.

In a statement the IMO said, “Before the talks resume both sides will continue to work together on verifying the position of individual hospitals in relation to the number of hours being worked by NCHDs.”

It added that “progress has been made and the IMO will continue to engage in the process next week”.

A JUDGE has issued a stark warning that more lives will be lost to addiction if drug treatment services in Ireland continue to be under resourced.

Judge Gerard Keys was commenting following the death of Ennis man James Sherlock Jnr earlier this year.

The 24-year-old wheelchair-bound amputee was found unconscious by his brother near the green of the eighth hole of Ennis Golf Club in August. It is thought Mr Sherlock had spent a period of time squatting in the area.

Mr Sherlock, formerly of Childers Road, Ennis, was a heroin addict who lost both his legs as a result of complications arising from his addiction.

He lived rough for a while in an abandoned squat in Ennis and was awaiting sentence for setting fire to the Lakes Nursing Home in Killaloe on August 20, 2010. Judge Keys had adjourned sentencing for the purpose of ascertaining what help Mr Sherlock could get to deal with his drug addiction and what accommodation could be found for him.

“It is with a great degree of sadness that I read in the newspapers the circumstances of the death of James Sherlock,” Judge Keys said at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday.

“He was a troubled young man with huge problems and with little or no adequately-resourced facilities to assist him in dealing with his drug addiction and the medical complications which arose there from. In this court I said this man cannot be abandoned,” added Judge Keys.

He continued, “I am now compelled to say that until the problem of drug addiction in this country is tackled and a sufficient number of properly resourced facilities put in place by the State, there will be more deaths of this kind and our prison population will increase.

“I passionately believe that if a sufficient number of properly-resourced facilities for drug addiction were established it would radically reduce crime levels, reduce our prison population and save lives.”

He conveyed his sympathies to the Sherlock family.

At James Sherlock Jnr’s funeral in Ennis last August, parish priest Fr Tom O’Gorman also spoke of the dangers of drug addiction.

“Drugs led him [Jimmy] down the wrong path and the shackles that they hold on people can lead to death,” Fr O’Gorman told mourners.

A TOURIST who almost lost his sight in a “brutal” unprovoked New Year’s Day assault after coming to the aid of a woman in Ennistymon has been praised for his “gallantry”.

Dublin man Richard Mullen and his wife were returning to their holiday home in the early hours of January 1 when they came across a “young woman pinned to the ground by a thug” on Circular Road, Ennis District Court heard on Thursday.

Mr Mullen told the court he saw a young man standing over a woman with his hands over her throat. Mr Mullen said that after helping the woman to her feet, he received a blow to the head from William Donovan (20).

“I went down like a sack of spuds”, the 62-year-old recalled.

The court heard that after returning to Dublin, Mr Mullen received treatment for acute glaucoma caused by a swollen eye and almost lost his sight.

Passing sentence, Judge Patrick Durcan said he had never come across such a brutal assault in his time on the bench in Clare. He said Mr Mullen had required complex medical treatment to save his sight.

“He (Mr Mullen) was set upon in the most appalling, brutal and thuggish fashion,” said Judge Durcan who had considered refusing jurisdiction of the case.

Mr Donovan, with an address at Clancy Park, Ennis, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and other offences including burglary at Wilsons’, O’Connell Street, Ennis on March 22 (2013).

He also pleaded guilty to stealing clothes, cash and a mobile phone from a man who had gone for a swim in Dough Beach, Lahinch on August 28.

Mr Donovan, a father of one, stole an Apple laptop, four Nikon cameras and € 87 from Wilson’s.

He also pleaded guilty to breaking the window and stealing a jacket from a Citroen Berlingo parked behind Wilson’s.

Detective Garda Claire O’Shaughnessy said CCTV footage and DNA evidence from blood found on the broken car window were used to identify Mr Donovan. She said Mr Donovan had not admitted breaking into Wilson’s

Another man has also been charged in connection with the burglary, the court heard.

Storeowner Richard Wilson recalled finding doors to his premises smashed open on the morning after the burglary. He told the court the burglary had an effect on he and his wife. “I was very conscious of security before but even more so now,” he added.

Mr Donovan has 42 previous convictions. On March 28 he committed a string of offences in Ennistymon and Lahinch that included the theft of two Jack Russell terriers.

Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client apologises unreservedly to the victims of his crimes.

She said Mr Donovan had significant problems with drink and tablets in the early part of the year.

She said Mr Donovan had taken steps to address his problems and had cleaned up his act since March.

“I would ask the court to accept this is a man who has changed”, added Ms Godfrey.

Judge Durcan said the devastation Mr Donovan visited upon Wilson’s was akin to something you would see in war-torn Libya and Syria.

“He broke down doors and gates and smashed his way in the very worst John Wayne manner you’d see in the movies of the Wild West”, he added.

He imposed sentences totaling 14 months on Mr Donovan. Recognances were fixed in the event of an appeal.

A MAN who placed stone boulders across the main Ennis to Kilmaley road has been told his actions could have resulted in someone being killed.

The warning came at Ennis District Court on Wednesday at the sentencing of Eoin Kerin (28) who placed the boulders on the Kilmaley Road on November 23 (2011) after a night of drinking.

Last October, Mr Kerin, with an address at Beechpark, Ennis pleaded guilty to charges of criminal damage and intentionally placing a dangerous obstruction upon a road.

A van was damaged when it hit the rocks on the night. The case had been adjourned on a number of occasions and Mr Kerin appeared at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

Outlining the facts of the case to Judge Patrick Durcan, Inspector Tom Kennedy said the van driver could not avoid the boulders. Gardaí were called and the boulders were cleared from the road.

However Insp Kennedy told the court the rocks and boulders were put back on the road within 15 minutes. Mr Kerin was spotted in a field near the road. He admitted the offences to gardaí.

“What he did was absolutely hugely dangerous”, said Insp Kennedy.

Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey told the court that her client had paid compensation to the injured party. She said there is a low risk of Mr Kerin re-offending.

Ms Godfrey urged the court to adjourn the case for a long period.

Judge Patrick Durcan said someone could have been killed as a result of what Mr Kerin did.

“It is a case that troubles me. It is a serious matter”, he added.

Judge Durcan adjourned the case for a brief period to consider sentence.

When the case resumed, Judge Durcan imposed a fine of € 500.

He said, “I have to convict your client. I have to bear in mind that somebody could’ve been killed. It’s a terrible thing to do.”

Recognances were fixed in the event of an appeal.

LAHINCH is in mourning today following the sad and sudden passing of one of the great figures in Irish surfing, Tom Buckley.

Tom, who along with his wife Rosemary founded of Ireland’s first surf shop in Lahinch in 1989, passed away over the weekend while on a boating holiday in Greece. Along with establishing Ireland’s first surf shop, Tom was a key member of the Lahinch-based West Coast Surf Club and encouraged thousands of young people to take up the sport over the last 25 years.

Known affectionately as ‘the Bear’ or sometimes ‘Buckaroo’, Tom’s first experience of surfing in Lahinch came as a wind-surfer in 1988 when he accidentally caught a wave.

“It was pure fluke that I happened to get everything right. I just happened to arrive in on the surf in Lahinch, in the right direction and at the right part of the wave. It was a great rush. A really great rush and I was hooked. Simple as that,” he told The Clare People in an article published in 2007.

“The sail wasn’t doing anything, it was just pure wave power that was taking me along. To be honest, it was a long, long time afterwards before I managed to get a surf board to do the same thing.

“People started surfing in Lahinch from around 1970. It would have been mostly Limerick people really and the lifeguards were always into surfing. But as for who was the first, I’m not sure. I personally know of at least three people who are completely convinced that they are the first people ever to surf Lahinch.

“In those days, before there were lessons, we had to teach ourselves. We used to watch a lot of videos – that was about all the lessons that we had. We would see someone in a video doing something new, and we’d try it ourselves the next day and probably end up in the water. It was a tough way to learn. We used to just go out there and pray, try this, try that. It was all trial and error.”

Tom is survived by his wife Rosemary and their grown up children Eileesh and Thomas. His remains will be flown home to Ireland later today (Tuesday), or Wednesday with the funeral expected to take place over the weekend.

THE construction industry in Clare may finally be on the road to recovery, but only just. New figures for commencements in the county reveal a year-on-year decrease of just 0.66 per cent for the year until the end of August.

While the number of commencements continues to decline in the county – Clare recorded the lowest percentage decline of any county in Munster and was well below the national average decline, which was just over 10 per cent – hopes are now high that a slight increase in the number of commencements for the final quarter of 2013 could see the Banner country record a yearly increase in building commencements. If this takes place, this would be the first increase in building commencements in Clare since the recession started in 2007.

While the number of planning application continue to fall in Clare, this may not indicate a slowdown in the real activity of the construction industry. Commencement orders are considered a much more accurate way of gauging construction activity, as it is a measure of actual builds rather than possible builds.

In total, work began on 150 properties in Clare between January 1 and August 31 f this year. This is down slightly on the 151 properties for the same period of 2012.

The combined number of planning permissions being made to Clare County Council, Ennis Town and Kilrush Town Councils fell by 15 per cent so far this year. This also represents a slowdown in the rate of decrease, as the number of planning application fell by a massive 32 per cent for the first eight months of 2012.

Only five counties Dublin, Roscommon, Meath, Longford and Wexford recorded an increase in commencements, with Clare the sixth best performing county in Ireland.

While the trend in Clare is still towards fewer houses being built year-on-year, it looks likely that the construction industry in Clare may be about to turn the corner.

A LIMERICK man has appeared in court charged in connection with a burglary of Tinarana House in Killaloe earlier this year. Jeffrey Lee (41), with an address at Cosgrave Park, Moyross, Limerick, was brought before Ennis District Court on Thursday. He is charged with entering Tinarana House as a trespasser on dates between August 17 and September 24 and committing theft therein. Detective Garda Bernard Casey gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. He told the court Mr Lee made no reply to charge after caution. Inspector John O’Sullivan sought to have the accused remanded in custody with consent to bail. He said bail would be subject to a number of conditions; Mr Lee must reside at Cosgrave Park, Moyross, stay out of County Clare and Ballina, County Tipperary, and observe a curfew between 11pm and 7am. Mr Lee must also provide his own bond of € 100 and an independent surety of € 1,000. Judge Patrick Durcan remanded Mr Lee in custody with consent to bail to appear against at Ennis District Court on October 16. Legal aid was approved for defence solicitor Tara Godfrey. The property is the home of Gary McNamara and his wife, Michelle. He is the son of Dolores McNamara, the Limerick woman who won € 115m in the Euromillions lottery draw in 2005. The period mansion is located on 270 acres on the shores of Lough Derg. Tinarana was previously owned by Dr Paschal Carmody and his wife, Dr Frieda Carmody. Dr Carmody was acquitted in Ennis Circuit Criminal Court earlier this year of the final remaining charges relating to obtaining money by deception from the families of terminally ill cancer patients.

A NORTH Clare parish priest is offering to conduct “downsized” weddings for couples who have been putting off taking the plunge because of the recession.

Lisdoonvarna priest, Father Conor Cunningham has offered to open up traditional Sunday mass for weddings and has also offered his services free of charge if couples decide to partake in a private church ceremony involving the bride, groom and their witnesses. The offer comes as marriage rates continue to drop in many parts of the country. According to Fr Cunningham, financial difficulties brought about by the recession should not prevent willing couples from getting married.

“I have noticed, and other priest friends of mine too, that some couples are putting off their sacramental marriage because they think a wedding day has to be an expensive occasion. It doesn’t have to be,” he said.

“If any couple in our parish wants to get married in Christ, money and the economic climate definitely should not be factors in their decision. Why not get married at any of our regular parish Sunday masses with your friends, family and neighbours around you and supporting you in prayer?

“Parishioners would be thrilled and privileged to be present. Or even in a quiet liturgy with Jesus, the priest and your two witnesses on any day that suits? I would be privileged to facilitate such weddings anytime, and it would be totally free of cost and pressure.”

Sunday marriages are prohibited in many diocese as the church authorities feel that priests, who could say mass five or six times on a given Sunday, should not be put under pressure to conduct weddings as well.

Fr Cunningham’s idea to combine traditional Sunday mass with weddings ceremonies has been well received in North Clare. While no Sunday marriages have yet been scheduled, a number of couples have recently renewed their vows on a Sunday, as part of the regular mass schedule.

Mary GRIFFIN
, John Street, Kilrush. Laid to rest in NewShanakyle Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Nancy QUINN
, 158 Finian Park, Shannon. Funeral Mass today (Tuesday) at 1pmin St Peter and Paul’s Church in Shannon. Burial afterwards in Illaunamanagh Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Maura MCNAMARA (née O’Brien)
. Ballinclea Heights, Killiney, Dublin, North Clare. Laid to rest in Holy Rosary Cemetery in Doolin. Donations to Alzheimers society if desired. May she rest in peace.

Michael (Mick) DALY
, 6WolfeToneTerrace, Roxboro Road, Limerick/ Clonlara. Late of Yardfield, Clonlara. Laid to rest in the Bridgetown Church Grounds. Donations, if desired, to the Alzheimer’s Association of Ireland. May he rest in peace.

Martin CASEY
, Chapel Drive, Kilrush. Laid to rest in the NewShanakyle Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

John GALLERY
, Parliament Street, Ennistymon. Laid to rest in the Old Cemetery, Ennistymon. May he rest in peace.

Edmund MARSHALL SR
, 44 Abbey St, Ennis. Memorial Mass was held in Ennis Cathedral on Friday last. May he rest in peace.

Maura MCDONAGH
, MeadowCourt, Clonroad, Ennis. Late of Marian Avenue. Peacefully. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Brian MCMAHON
, Caherminane, Kilfenora/ San Francisco. Died tragically in San Francisco following an accident. Laid to rest in Noughaval cemetery. Donations if desired to the Clare Crusaders. May he rest in peace.

Gerry GARVEY
, Roslevan, Ennis. Peacefully. Laid to rest in Clooney Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Fergus BARRON
, Clonskeagh/ Ennis. Formerly of Bord na Mona and former President of the Irish Amateur Swimming Association. Peacefully at St Vincent’s University Hospital. Laid to rest in Shanganagh Cemetery. Donations in lieu to MS Ireland. May he rest in peace.

Marty KEANE
, Benedin, Lissycasey. Laid to rest in Lissycasey. Donations if desired to Cahercalla Hospice. May he rest in peace.

Eileen MC MAHON (née Carey)
, Lough South, Doolin. Laid to rest in the Holy Rosary Cemetery, Doolin. May she rest in peace.

Peter John KELLY
, 74 Rossbracken, Shannon. Laid to rest in Lemenagh Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Padraigh MARKHAM
, Boloughra, Lissycasey. Suddenly. Laid to rest in Kilmihil. May he rest in peace.

Martin MC DONNELL
, NewYork and late of Moyhill, Maurices Mills. Laid to rest in Rath Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

John O’DWYER
, Rinneville, Carrigaholt. Peacefully at Milford Hospice. Laid to rest in Kilballyowen Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

A FATHER of 10 whose reckless behaviour sparked a violent disturbance at a roundabout in Ennis last year has claimed he is ready to make peace.

Bernie McDonagh Snr (46) has said he bears no ill feeling to the Doherty family after tensions between the former friends and neighbours spilled onto the streets of Ennis last October.

Mr McDonagh, with addresses at Ashline, Ennis, and Nashes Boreen, Cork City, told gardaí, “I’ve no illfeeling towards the Dohertys but they’d want to sort themselves out.”

Earlier this month Ennis Circuit Criminal Court heard Mr McDonagh told gardaí that he would be willing to sit down and talk with the Dohertys.

“Peace is the only way forward,” said Mr McDonagh, who is related to the Doherty family through mar- riage.

Bernie McDonagh Snr last week received a four-year prison sentence for his role in the incident at the Maid of Erin roundabout on October 14, 2012. He pleaded guilty to driving recklessly against the flow of traffic in a manner likely to cause harm. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal damage.

Mr McDonagh Snr drove his car the wrong way around a roundabout nine times in pursuit of a Hiace van containing members of the Doherty family.

His son Bernie McDonagh Jnr (21), with address at Ashline, Ennis, and Nashes Boreen, Cork City, also received sentences totalling four years at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday.

Father of one Bernie McDonagh Jnr, with an address at Nashes Boreen, Cork, pleaded guilty to the production of a Stanley knife during the course of a dispute; violent disorder and assault causing harm to John Doherty.

Olympic boxer Kieran Joyce gave evidence on Bernie McDonagh Jnr’s behalf earlier this month. Mr Joyce, who competed for Ireland at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics, told the court Bernie Jnr was a “very respectful young fella” and talented boxer. He said Mr McDonagh Jnr coached kids at the Sunnyside boxing club in Cork City and had hopes of competing at the next Olympic games.

JAIL terms have been handed down to three men involved in a major public order disturbance in the centre of Ennis last year.

Passing sentence at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court last week, Judge Gerard Keys said, “A message must go out from this court that this constant feuding must stop.”

He was speaking as Bernie McDonagh Snr (46) (Ashline, Kilrush Road, Ennis and Nashes Boreen Cork), his son Bernie McDonagh Jnr (21) (Ashline, Kilrush Road, Ennis and Nashes Boreen, Cork City) and brother Christopher McDonagh (38) (Childer’s Road, Cloughleigh) all received prison sentences for their involvement in an incident at the Maid of Erin roundabout on October 14, 2012.

Father of 10 Bernie McDonagh Snr drove at speed the wrong way around a roundabout, nine times, in pursuit of a Hiace carrying members of the Doherty family.

He rammed three vehicles including a garda before eventually being restrained using pepper spray. A young child was in Mr McDonagh’s car at the time.

The court heard Mr McDonagh was the victim of a brutal assault in 2010 when he lost his finger after being attacked with a machete after pick- ing up his children from school. The court heard the incident at the Maid of Erin was sparked by a violent altercation at a wedding in Ennis days earlier.

In a victim impact statement, a female garda described how she suffered severe psychological trauma following the violent incident.

“It was my belief that I was going to be seriously or fatally injured,” she added.

Judge Keys said the men acted as if they were “above the law” on the night.

Sentencing Mr McDonagh to a total of four years in prison, Judge Keys said the accused displayed a “total disregard for law and order”.

“You conduct on this occasion can only be described as outrageous,” he added.

His son Bernie McDonagh Jnr (21) also received sentences totalling four years.

He arrived with two others to the Maid of Erin and “savagely attacked” victim John Doherty with a Stanley knife.

Mr Doherty was slashed repeatedly in the back and neck. “I felt like my time was up. I prayed to God for strength,” said Mr Doherty in his victim impact report.

The McDonaghs were ordered not to have any future contact with the Dohertys.

Father of six Christopher McDon- agh received a 16-month sentence for the production of an iron bar and violent disorder.

The court heard gardaí were surprised at Christopher McDonagh’s involvement. He was described in court as a devoted family man who had never bee in serious trouble before.

A 17 year-old who produced a hatchet was ordered to remain under the supervision of the Probation Services. His case was adjourned to 2014.

During that incident, Garda Martin O’Brien, a former League of Ireland referee, was used as a human shield between the boy and the person he approached.