Month: November 2006

AN inquest has heard how a man, who had been abused as a child by a priest, wrote ‘goodbye’ notes to his family before he took his own life at his west Clare home.

Peter McCloskey (37), a separated father-of-three, died at Moveen West, Kilkee, on Sunday, April 2 last.

Dr Deirdre Curtin, a counsellor, recalled, in her deposition, that Peter had been referred to her through the Rape Crisis Centre in January of this year. She met him weekly for counselling, over 11 weeks.

She received two text messages from Peter on the evening of April 1, 2006. One of those said, “Thanks for trying to help me. I have to leave you of our contract now. There is nothing more 2 do or say.”

The other message said, “Goodbye millie go Hopper. I have 2 endi.”

Dr Curtin was at a funeral and when she got the messages – which were sent within 100 minutes of each other – she rang Peter’s mobile and left voice messages for him.

“I was concerned for Peter’s safety. The two text messages had alarmed me,” she said.

She rang the psychiatric services in Limerick and then she recalled Peter saying that he liked Kilkee and maybe he was there.

She rang Kilkee garda station and was put through to Kilrush. She was told that two gardaí who were to liaise with Peter were both off duty.

She later spoke to a garda and asked him to check that Peter was okay, given his previous psychiatric history.

Dr Curtin received a phone call later from that garda, to say that Peter had died tragically while he was at home.

The inquest was told he had lived alone in the dormer style two storey house. He was found dead on his couch and a number of goodbye notes, addressed to various family members, were found near his body.

Coroner Isobel O’Dea said, “I’m mindful of the text messages sent by Mr McCloskey. I’m satisfied there was an intent by Mr McCloskey to end his life,” and returned a verdict of suicide.

COIS NA hABHNA, the Clare Comhaltas cultural centre in Ennis, will be one of the main beneficiaries of a €65 million development programme being undertaken by Comhaltas which has designated the Clare venue as one of eight regional centres for the promotion of Irish cultural traditions.

The building on the Gort Road in Ennis is at present undergoing major renovation which will be completed in time for Fleadh Nua 2007.

The old church in Kilrush, which has been donated by the Church of Ireland to Comhaltas, will also benefit as an outreach centre under the Development Programme.

The programme, which is being grant-aided by the Government and supported with buildings from a number of sources, will be the most expansive programme ever for the propagation of cultural traditions in the history of the State.

The initial grant-aid for Cois na hAbhna and Kilrush will be in the region of € 2.5m. The other seven regional resource centres will be based in Dundalk, Dublin (Monkstown and Clontarf), Cashel, Gurteen (Co. Sligo), and Mullingar as well as several outreach centres.

The Programme is rooted in the community and will be sustained and developed by a number of imaginative and complementary projects. It will involve the decentralisation of several Comhaltas elements i.e. education, archives, merchandise and performance outlets. It will be driven by regionally based “meitheal” teams.

Cois na hAbhna development board chairman, Frank Whelan, said the programme would enable them to build on the solid foundation bequeathed by the great men and women of the past.

It was good news for the cultural movement and they looked with confidence to the future. Describing the programme as a huge boost for Ireland’s cultural indentity, Comhaltas Director General, Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú said it would empower the meitheal of volunteers to develop cultural potential at community level, which might otherwise remain dormant.

“The result of the new Comhaltas Development Programme will in time impact on every region of Ireland and throughout the Irish Diaspora. This is an official acknowledgement of the successful and valuable work done by the thousands of Comhaltas volunteers at community level for over half a century,” he said.

CLARE hurling star Gerry Quinn has expressed concern for the fate of the rare ‘Yellow Hammer’ bird in an objection to contentious plans by Meteor Communications to erect a 50 ft mast at Rockvale, Tubber.

The objection lodged by the Corofin auctioneer is just one of 23 separate objections against the Meteor plan. One of the objections includes a petition of 75 names.

The Rockvale Action Group, formed in opposition to the mast, has described it as “undesirable and unnecessary”. They say it will devalue houses and land in the area.

“The area between Lough Bunny and Lough Skearden is important for migrating birds. The rarest bird in the area is the Yellow Hammer and is on the amber list of endangered birds,” according to Mr Quinn.

“If such a development was allowed, could the council guarantee the preservation of the natural heritage just listed? Such a development must contravene many conservation acts and cannot be given the goahead.

“I am appealing on both professional and private grounds. I own a site less than 200 metres from the mast. All property in the environs of such a mast would be seriously devalued and therefore would be a serious injustice to all property owners.

“As an auctioneer myself, I believe a figure for this could be up to 30 per cent within 400 metres of the mast, which I note under the development plan this is a non compensatable ground for refusing such structures. Who is liable to compensation the property owners for this devaluation?

“I have serious concerns for the preservation of two significant monuments Cillin and Boston Castle.”

However, in its own submission, Meteor state, “We have purposely chosen a location that will have the least visual or environmental impact by proposing to locate the structure behind existing farm buildings to screen the structure from the surrounding public roads as much as possible.

“The zoning is classified as a ‘vulnerable landscape’ in the Clare County Development Plan. However, none of the named diverse range of important habitats are applicable in this location as it is on ordinary agricultural land and is not an important habitat.”

“In summary, the proposed location provides the optimum location for the site in order to provide a consistent and contiguous level of service to the Aughrim area and R460 road and surrounding roads whilst minimizing the impact on the environment.”

A decision is due on the application next month.

THE Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Michael Martin has brought before the Dáil, legislation that will bring about the transfer of 40 staff from Shannon Development to Enterprise Ireland by January 1 next.

The move will reduce Shannon Development numbers from 175 to 135 and allow the company to concentrate on securing foreign direct investment for the Shannon Free Zone and promoting tourism in the region.

On unveiling the Industrial Development Bill 2006, Minister Martin told the Dáil: “Shannon Development and Enterprise Ireland are well advanced in identifying the number of posts to be transferred. Shannon Development staff and their representatives are engaging positively with the process and I understand that a strong level of interest is being expressed by staff in transferring to Enterprise Ireland.”

Minister Martin said that the bill provided “a statutory guarantee to the staff who are so designated that their pay, conditions of service and pension arrangements shall not be diminished by virtue of the transfer”.

He added: “The specific activities that Shannon Development will undertake will be selected on the basis of its potential to generate significant economic impact locally, regionally and nationally.

With the more focussed remit that it now has, the company will be in a position to meet the new challenges the region faces.”

In response to the bill coming before the Dáil, Pat Breen (FG) confirmed that Fine Gael supported.

He said: “It is unfortunate that so much time has gone by since the Minister originally made the announcement 16 months ago that he was stripping Shannon Development of these traditional enterprise creation functions.

“The original decision was made in July 2005 amid widespread criticism, and last month Deputy Martin chose to do a part u-turn on the issue and decided to allow Shannon Development to retain its enterprise functions within the Shannon Free Zone.

“Not only has none of the enterprise strategy group recommendations been implemented, but it has taken a year for the legislation to catch up. It shows that enterprise creation in Clare is in a mess.”

THE Government has been urged to set up a special tourism marketing budget for the local authorities of counties in the west of Ireland.

The call came from north Clare County Councillor Martin Conway (FG) for a three-day all-island Tourism Conference which took place in Ireland over the weekend.

“This initiative is necessary in order to create a level playing field between urban and rural tourism in Ireland,” said Cllr Conway in Ennistymon over the weekend. “Recent trends have seen a ballooning of tourist numbers traveling to Ireland on short city breaks, particularly Dublin, while growth has not been as dramatic in rural parts of the country.”

Cllr Conway believes that this trend could be targeted at specific markets and could have a significant impact on tourism in Clare and in the western area generally.

“With low-cost airlines such as Ryanair developing new routes, particularly into Shannon, the importance of marketing in regions where Ireland would not have experienced large tourism traffic is becoming increasingly important.

“Markets such as Italy, Spain, Germany and Eastern Europe have significant further growth potential.”

Conway went on to say that this new scheme could be driven by a tourism development officer and that it would support the new culture of balanced regional development with Ireland and the EU in general.

The weekend’s event was the 18th conference hosted by the Clare Tourist Council, in conjunction with Clare County Council. The annual conference is organised for tourism industry officials, along with members of local authorities, county enterprise boards, partnerships and all public and private bodies involved in the promotion of tourism.

This year’s conference was entitled ‘Promoting Co-operative Tourism Marketing’ and was attended by hundreds of delegates from each of the 32 counties.

Junior Minister, Síle De Valera, officially opened the conference in what will be one of her final official engagements before she steps down as Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science on December 8.

Among those addressing the conference were Fáilte Ireland’s Director of Marketing, Paul Keeley; Katherine Webster, Director of the Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience; and Eamonn O Neachtain, Bainisteoir Réigiúnach, from an Daingean, who briefed delegates on ‘Cultural Tourism in the Gaeltacht’.

The Clare Tourist Council hosted its first national tourism conference in 1989 and subsequent conferences have addressed a wide range of tourism issues such as tourism and the environment and the role played by local authorities in tourism.

SHANNON Development has announced the appointment of a new tourism officer for the county after a long campaign by local tourist interests for the post to be filled.

Shannon Development Regional Manager for Clare, John Quinlivan yesterday said that the appointment of Siobhan King would give an even greater focus by Shannon Development to the promotion of tourism in Clare.

The scale of the challenge for the new tourism development is underlined with recent figures from Shannon Development’s tourism subsidiary, Shannon Heritage.

The figures show that the region’s tourism operator failed to capitalize on the record growth in passengers at Shannon Airport last year.

According to accounts returned by Shannon Heritage, visitor numbers at the company’s visitor attractions, including Bunratty Folk Park, dropped last year from 629,233 in 2004 to 625,615 last year.

This was against the background of record growth at Shannon Airport where 3.3 million passed through the airport in 2005 – an increase of 900,000 on any previous year.

However, Mr Quinlivan said: “A tourism officer for Clare will help co-ordinate the efforts of bodies such as the Clare Tourism Forum and the Clare Tourist Council. Siobhan is a great addition and will be totally focused on the job of promoting Clare

He said: “It’s estimated that €4 million is spent annually by the tourism industry in Clare in promoting the county and Siobhan’s appointment will only enhance that penetration.”

Mr Quinlivan said that the appointment was tied to Shannon Development’s restructuring and the appointment could not be made before now as a result.

Ms. King has been an employee of Shannon Development for the past 21 years. She first joined the company in September 1985 and has held a number of key positions in the company since that time.

“I am delighted to take up the position of Clare Tourism Officer and look forward to working with everyone involved with tourism in the county. An essential part of the role will be to ensure that Clare maintains and grows its tourism market share, in addition to being a key ingredient in the Shannon Region Tourism portfolio,” said Ms. King.

Ms King will begin her new role officially from January ’07, but will be meeting with key tourism officials over the coming weeks.

FRESH evidence has emerged in the case of a young man from a Clare family, who was kicked to death in London last year.

Wayne Kelly (21) died outside a London pub in April of last year, after he sustained 21 injuries.

He had been celebrating a win in the Grand National at the Welsh Harp Bar in West Hendon when he was involved in a row with bouncers outside the pub.

Three bouncers were later arrested, but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) informed his family last June that no charges were to be brought.

It said that post mortem results showed that Wayne died from head injuries sustained in a fall, which they could not prove happened in an assault.

However the Kellys have now been given Wayne’s clothes and discovered blood stains on the back of his jeans and t-shirt, while there were two holes in the t-shirt..

The inquest into his death, which was due to take place this month, has now been adjourned, as further forensic tests are to be carried out on the clothes.

Wayne’s father Martin hails from Clarecastle and his mother Tina (Murphy) is from Cloughleigh.

“The couple has lived in London for the past 27 years, where they have four other children.

The family has pledged to fight for justice for Wayne and have held a march during the summer – attended by 600 people – to highlight their dissatisfaction with the way the case has been handled and have hired a lawyer to help them in their fight.

Another march will take place in the area where Wayne – who was known as ‘Smiley’ – died, next Saturday week, December 9.

“We are not giving up on anything. It is nearly a year and eight months down the line and we still have no answers.

“It is getting worse, but we are going to fight this all the way until we get justice for our son,” his father told The Clare People .

“We looked for Wayne’s clothes back. When we laid them out, we noticed all the blood. There was nothing about the blood in the paperwork.

“This isn’t just a spot of blood. It is a pool of blood.

“There were two holes on Wayne’s t-shirt and it was a brand new t-shirt he was wearing that night. We know Wayne was murdered. Hopefully this will lead to progress in the case,” he said.

THE DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has appealed the leniency of a three year sentence handed down to a 19-year old for the dangerous driving causing death of two Kilkee girls.

At Ennis Circuit Court last month, David Naughton (19) was jailed for three years after he pleaded guilty to the dangerous driving causing death of two girls, Stacey Haugh (16) and Lorna Mahoney on October 17, 2003.

Imposing sentence, Judge Con Murphy said that Naughton was on a campaign of dangerous driving on the night in question.

Naughton was 15 at the time and bought the green 1984 Opel Kadette that he crashed for €60 on the day of the accident.

Mother of Lorna, Geraldine Mahoney yesterday welcomed the DPP decision to appeal the sentence to the Court of Criminal Appeal.

She said, “I’m relieved that an appeal has been lodged. The bottom line is that three years is not long enough for two lives lost.”

Mrs Mahoney said that Naughton had “shown no remorse and did everything in his power to avoid being caught”.

Mrs Mahoney formally requested the DPP to appeal the leniency of sentence earlier this month through her solicitor, Eugene O’Kelly.

In the letter, Mr O’Kelly stated, “Our client feels strongly that she and her family have been let down by the continued inept handling of the case by the State.

Focusing on Naughton’s extradition warrant which prevented Judge Murphy considering imposing a sentence higher than five years, Mr O’Kelly asked, “Why was the Extradition Warrant incorrect and who was responsible for ensuring its accuracy? This error had the most significant impact on the length of the sentence imposed and was wholly within the Prosecution’s control.

“Our client would like the Court of Criminal Appeal to review whether or not Mr. Justice Murphy had the jurisdiction to depart from the terms of the Extradition Warrant and, therefore, commence his sentencing procedure with the correct maximum sentence under Irish law.

The letter continued, “Mr. Naughton had done everything in his power to avoid prosecution for this offence including failing to appear while on bail for the first time.

“His attempts to avoid prosecution added considerably to my client, and her family’s, distress and eroded their faith in the legal system . . .”

A LITTLE known Shannon-based aircraft engine leasing firm employing just 16 people recorded a net profit of $46.7 million last year.

According to accounts filed to the Companies Office by Shannon Engine Support Ltd (SES), the company increased its net profit by 30 per cent on the $35.7 million net profit enjoyed in 2004.

SES, located in the Shannon Free Zone, employed just 16 people during 2005. Staff received on average a salary of $112,500 with the overall salary payout being $1.8 million.

The accounts show that of the 16 staff, seven work in customer support, four in marketing, two in finance and three in administration.

With the $46 million profit, the company now has accumulated profits of $185 million.

Turnover increased from $86 million in 2004 to $100 million last year. The largest proportion of the company’s business is carried out in Europe where last year it recorded sales of $46.7 million. This compares to sales of $26 million in Asia Pacific and $17.4 million in the US.

In relation to ‘Other Reserves’, the accounts state that the company has capital contributions totaling $308 million.

According to a statement attached to the accounts, SES had a successful year.

It goes on: “Demand for the company’s products as measured by the utilisation level of its portfolio of aircraft engines has been very strong throughout 2005 and is expected to remain at similar levels for the foreseeable future.

“The principle risk that the business faces is a downturn in the global aviation industry, in particular a slowdown in global passenger traffic as a result of an economic slowdown or an external shock.

“It is expected that the business will continue to develop and that the company is well positioned to benefit from any challenge in the aviation industry.”

The accounts confirmed that the company did not pay a dividend in 2005.

A WOMAN’S nightmare of seeing her husband plunge to his death while performing a circus act with her, was recalled last week.

The inquest into the death of Vitaly Kharapavitski (26), a Berarussian trapeze artist who died while performing with the Russian Royal Circus in Scariff, heard that he had been performing with his wife Sasha, when he fell some 20 feet to his death.

Vitaly and Sasha had been suspended on a cage attacked to a cable and hoist, when the accident happened at the GAA field in Scariff, on August 28 last.

Ennis Coroner’s Court heard a deposition from Vitaly’s wife Sasha, who accompanied him in the act. She said he put up the equipment that evening, with his assistant. “My husband is very careful and makes sure everything is safe,” she said.

The equipment in which they were performing should be changed every five years and had been changed three years ago.

“I was in a harness, suspended underneath. He was in the cage. He was leaning out of the cage. Suddenly I fell to the ground. I did not hear anything, or see anything,” she explained. She heard someone saying he had no pulse. “I knew he was dead,” she said.

Eddie Moloney, who was one of 300 people at the circus, recalled in his deposition, the steel cable either snapping or coming loose. The cradle fell 15 – 20 feet, bringing the couple with it.

“His head crushed under the steel cradle and some of his limbs had been trapped inside it,” he recalled.

Patrick Doyle, who was close to where the accident happened, said it appeared to him that the man threw his wife clear, saving her life in the process.

Ringmistress Michelle Courtney said the act had been rehearsed an hour before the show and “all went well.”

“They are normally very meticulous in everything they do and if there is any doubt, they wouldn’t have performed,” she said.

Dr James O’Driscoll, who carried out a post-mortem examination on Mr Kharapavitski’s body, said death was due to cardiac respiratory failure, associated with the fracture of his skull into multiple small pieces.

Coroner Isobel O’Dea said it appeared that Mr Kharapavitski “pushed his wife out of the way and her injuries were less severe.”

She said the Health and Safety Authority had carried out an inspection on the circus, where the equipment for the act was set up.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.