This article is from page 14 of the 2006-02-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
MEMBERS of Ennis Town Council were left waiting by the two leading figures in Clare GAA this Monday, who were to brief them about plans for Cusack Park.
County board chairman, Michael McDonagh and secretary, Pat Fitzgerald, pulled out of the meeting nearly a half an hour after they were due to be in the council chamber in Waterpark House.
Councillors were told by way of a letter last Thursday that the chairman and secretary of the GAA board would give “a briefing session” on Cusack Park’s future.
“The chairman and secretary of the Clare County Board of the GAA will attend to brief the members of the potential development of Cusack Park. I would be obliged if you could arrange to be in attendance,” said the Town Clerk, Eddie Power’s letter.
This meeting was arranged after it was revealed by The Clare People last week that a consortium made up of businessmen Noel Connellan, Sean Lyne and Bernard McNamara had made a sensational offer to take Cusack Park over from the county board.
The consortium pledged to deliver a 42,000 capacity stadium on a 15-acre site on the Quin Road within 18 months of receipt of planning permission from Clare County Council, in return for possession of Cusack Park, which would then be redeveloped as a shopping centre.
However, when the county board officials failed to show, the Mayor of Ennis, Frankie Neylon, had to apologise to members.
“I have to apologise for bringing you in here at 3pm,” he told the monthly meeting. “We were supposed to be joined by our friends from the county board, but as you now know they didn’t arrive to address the meeting as they were supposed to,” added Mayor Neylon.
Fianna Fáil councillor, Tom Glynn, who grew up adjacent to Cusack Park on Francis Street then asked the meeting, “did we get any reason why they failed to show”.
In response, Mayor Neylon said “you know as much as I do Tom, they just didn’t arrive.”
When contacted by The Clare People on Monday night, board chairman, Michael McDonagh apologised for the no show.
“I take responsibility. We are going to meet them at a later date, once we get in all the proposals for Cusack Park. The matter will be debated and everyone will hear what we have to say,” said the chairman.