Month: September 2006

A YOUNG man is fighting for his life

in hospital with serious head injuries

after a weekend brawl in Kildysart. Vincent Hehir (32), a father-of-five, was attacked as he socialised on Sunday night. The incident has left the small rural community in deep shock.

Gardaí say he sustained a number of blows in a fracas involving up to five men. One of the blows knocked him to the ground and he hit his head. He was then kicked to the body.

Mr Hehir, a native of Glencanane, Kildysart, moved to London a number of years ago where he has managed a bar.

He was home visiting his family in Kildysart over the weekend.

Gardaí received a call after 11pm on Sunday and discovered Mr Hehir lying on the footpath in an unconscious state on Main Street, having sustained serious head injuries.

He was removed to Ennis General Hospital and was taken from there to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick, where he underwent a CATscan. He was taken back to hospital in Ennis yesterday (Monday) morning, where his condition was described last night as critical.

Vincent’s wife Mairead flew in from the UK at lunchtime yesterday, to be by his hospital bedside as he remained on life support in the intensive care unit.

An incident room has been set up at Kilrush Garda Station. Detectives and members of the Clare Scenes of Crime Unit attended the scene yesterday.

Gardaí have spoken to a number of people who were in the young man’s company in various pubs in the hours leading up to the assault and are still keen to speak to others.

“We have not established the full extent of his injuries . . . A number of witnesses have come forward,” said Clare Chief Superintendent Liam Quinn.

“There was a bit of a brawl. We are appealing to anybody who can assist us to contact Kilrush Garda Station,” he added.

EVIDENCE of Clare’s growing multiculturalism emerged this week when English was found to be the minority language among one class of junior infants.

Such was the influx of non-national children beginning their education at the Holy Family Junior School that English was no longer the first language in one class leading to the class being re-structured.

School principal Sr Betty O’Riordan declined to comment but confirmed the school was in discussion with the Department of Education.

The Department said it was aware that many children now enrolling in schools did not have english as a first language.

“The latest figures indicate there are over 22,000 newcomers pupils in primary schools and over 12,000 in post primary schools. However the Department would not have any information on enrolment patterns emerging in individual schools around the country in 2006/07”

Under Department of Education guidelines non-Irish children are placed in age appropriate classes, unless their standard of English language is deemed to be so low as to prevent them from successfully following the curriculum of their peer group. In such cases, school authorities may place them in classes one level/year below.

It is recommended that such placements are monitored closely with a view to bringing children into class with their peers as their level of English language improves.