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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.

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.

PATIENTS’ lives are being put in jeopardy every day because Non Consultants Hospital Doctors (NCHD) are being forced to work up to 40 hours straight before undertaking complex medical procedures.

That is the opinion of one Clareborn NCHD who says that he himself has carried out spinal taps and other complex procedures while severely sleep deprived. The doctor, who has asked not to be identified, also says that a number of NCHD’s are suffering from depression brought about by the mental and physical pressure of the job and a mass emigration of Irish doctors could soon take place.

“When you hear people calling them Junior Doctors it gives the impression that they are young people and inexperienced. The reality is that a lot of the most senior people in hospitals, and the most senior people in hospitals at night are NCHDs,” he said.

“The person who would look after you if you present with a heart attack at night is a NCHD, who could easily have been working for the previous 40 hours straight. If you go into A&E with a severe headache and you need a lumbar puncture [spinal tap], that will be done by a NCHD. The hospitals are pretty much staffed by NCHDs at weekend and out of hours. I myself have done lumbar punctures after being awake for 30 hours straight; it is not best practice but it’s the situation that we are placed in.

“I don’t think a lot of people believe the working hours. Under the European Work Time Directive we should be limited to 48 hours and we should never work more than a 13 hour shift.

“The hours that NCHDs are doing varies a lot. If you are in a peripheral hospital, which has only four medical registrars, they will often have to do two 24-hour shifts per week on top of their normal working week. So they will frequently be doing 80 or 90 hours weeks. Sometimes people will do on-call for an entire weekend and you would work 72 hours straight.

“It sounds preposterous, but it happens. I’ve done it myself. I’ve come into work on a Friday morning and I’ve left on a Monday afternoon. I’ve nearly crashed the car driving home on a number of occasions, just falling asleep at the wheel. I’m sure we’ve all made countless errors that we don’t even realise.

“After working 24 hours straight the first thing that goes is your patience and your ability to deal with people. The next thing then is your concentration. After a while it get too much, I’ve seen doctors burst into tears, quit, walk out, everything. If you go into hospital and you are met by a doctor, a lot of those doctors have been working for 24 or 36 hours before they see you.

“Mistakes are being made all the time; it’s almost an accepted practice now. There is a culture that you are supposed to perk yourself up and get on with it. I have seen people make mistakes and I have made mistakes myself.”

A number of recent cases of NCHDs suffering from depression, including a spate of recent suicides, have prompted the doctors to take their recent action.

“It is inhumane and people [NCHD’s] have drawn a line under it because of recent events and we are not going to put up with it anymore. There have been a couple of suicides in recent times and I think really sparked the campaign,” he continued.

“Burn out is a huge thing. Some people take on all the hours as a challenge. Some of the senior doctors encourage this; they say it’s a right of passage and things like that. So there is a bit of peer pressure involved.

“I think this [protest] is a desperate, last attempt for a lot of people. If this doesn’t work I think we will see a lot of doctors packing up and leaving the country. No one wants to leave but a lot of people feel they don’t have a choice. Morale is at an all time low.

“A lot of people are moving to other areas of medicines, becoming GPs and things like that. People are getting burned out, a lot are getting depressed and some are even emigrating. People who have families hardly ever get to see their children. When they come home, they are exhausted. A lot of people are emigrating but nobody really wants to.”

MEMBERS of Ennis Town Council have backed a call for the use of Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) to deal with the behaviour of what was described last week as a “small group of untouchables”.

ASBOs were introduced in Britain in 1998. They were designed to correct minor incidents that would not ordinarily warrant criminal prosecution.

In a motion tabled at the October meeting of Ennis Town Council, Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said the council should recommend a “planned pilot scheme of greater usage of Anti Social Beahviour Orders (ASBO) for the Ennis town centre area by the Gardai and Court Services”.

He said the orders could be implemented against criminal and public order offenders.

“Following a half year review, if the pilot is successful, the scheme would be extended to other areas to deal with scourge of this behaviour by a perceived small group of untouchables,” added Cllr Flynn.

Cllr Flynn told the meeting Ennis has a very low crime rate in comparison to towns like Killarney.

However he said the behaviour of a small group of people is putting the reputation of the town at risk.

“I think this would be the start of a campaign of no messing in Ennis,” he added.

Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) said attempts to deal with anti-social behaviour had not been helped by repeated cuts to Garda budgets and the closure of stations around the county.

“My sympathy does go out to the gardaí. They are doing their very best,” he added.

Cllr Guilfoyle told the meeting there had been a number of disturbances in Ennis Courthouse over the past year.

He also spoke about an incident that occurred on the Kilrush Road in August when a man in his 20s was brutally assaulted while on his way home at night.

Chairman of the Ennis Joint Policing Committee (JPC) Cllr Paul O’Shea (Ind) said he would support the use of ASBOs in Ennis.

He said, “There is a lot of fear among the community because of this small group of untouchables.”

Deputy Mayor, Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) told the meeting the gardai are doing the best they can with limited resources. “I would urge anyone that has any kind of problem to ring the confidential line to the Garda,” he added.

In response to Cllr Flynn’s motion, town clerk Leonard Cleary said it would be referred to the Joint Policing Committee. “Ennis Town Council is working with the gardaí on an ongoing basis in relation to the specific current items raised in this motion,” added Mr Cleary.

A JUDGE has ordered the dismantling of a cannabis grow-house in East Clare that was the subject of a garda raid two years ago.

Judge Gerard Keys made the order at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court as he adjourned sentencing of Bridgetown man Sean Mason.

Mr Mason (37) pleaded guilty to cultivation of cannabis without license after gardaí discovered a “purpose built” and “sophisticated” cannabis grow house at his home in Ballybrack, Bridgetown on October 29 2011.

Outlining details of the operation earlier this month, Garda Francis Brennan of Ennis Garda Station told the court the search uncovered incubators containing 72 young cannabis plants.

One building was fitted out with a tiled floor equipped with drains to take away water and ventilation and lighting systems.

Gardaí also discovered cannabis resin in a lunchbox and a black plastic bag containing cannabis off-cuts.

Mr Mason accepted responsibility for the cannabis growing operation and told gardaí he used the drug for medical reasons.

Garda Brennan said gardaí did not accept Mr Mason’s reason for growing cannabis.

Judge Keys adjourned sentencing to hear the Director of Public Prosecution’s (DPP) view on the seriousness of the offence.

On Thursday, Counsel for the DPP, Stephen Coughlan BL told the court that Mr Mason had grown cannabis for medical reasons.

He said there was no evidence this was part of an organised crime set up.

Adjourning sentence, Judge Keys ordered the complete dismantling of the areas of the premises altered for the growth of cannabis.

He said he wanted to ensure the building could not be used again for cultivating cannabis plants.

“I want it dismantled in such a way to satisfy gardaí that it cannot be used for the growth of cannabis,” he added.

The case was adjourned for mention to the final week of October.

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.

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.

THE members and supporters of the County Clare PB&S Association of New York City have much to celebrate at their annual ball this year.

Not only is it marking the 125th anniversary of the organisation, it is also celebrating Clare’s All Ireland Senior and Under 21 Hurling win with special guests former All Ireland winning manager Ger Loughnane and current All Ireland winning manager Davy Fitzgerald.

Since the Clare Association was founded in New York in 1888, its officers, members and friends have joined together each year to celebrate their Clare heritage and remind themselves of the purpose and goals of the association.

This year on Saturday, November 9, at Riverside Church in New York City, Sixmilebridge and Kilkee natives will be honoured as Claremen of the Year.

Association President Catherine Hogan said, “In a year where we celebrate our past, we honour our future. We are extremely pleased to announce our Claremen of the Year for 2013 are Kevin Grady and Tony Nolan.

“Kevin, a native of Sixmilebridge, County Clare, is a resident manager in Manhattan; and Tony, a native of Kilkee, is president of Allcom Electric Inc. Both these young men are relative newcomers to the association but have from the very start lent their support to many an association undertaking.

“They take great pride in their native county and are already proud members of the association, willing to lend a hand to any cause they are asked. We see them doing great things for the future of the association. We are proud to claim them as our own, and add the names of two great Claremen, Kevin Grady and Tony Nolan, to our honour roll this year,” she said.

Ger Loughnane will be returning as Master of Ceremonies for this year’s event.

Partial proceeds of this year’s event will be donated to two charities Share a Dream Foundation, County Limerick, and YWCA Special Needs Programs, White Plains, New York.

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.

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.