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SHANNON-based company Avocent International last year recorded a 20 per cent increase in profits according to its latest returns to the Companies Office.

According to the accounts, the US-owned company recorded an increase in profits from $29 million in 2004 to $35 million in 2005.

This is based on a turnover of $150 million, compared to $139 million in 2004 – an increase of 8.3 per cent.

Last year, the company paid a dividend of $92 million from accumulated profits with the dividend now leaving retained profits at $29 million.

The company stated that a further dividend of $4.9 million for 2005, “will be paid in September 2006”.

The company occupies the flagship Shannon Free Zone property formerly occupied by Tellabs.

The accounts show that a total of 210 Avocent employees were paid $13.16 million in wages in 2005. Eighty 80 are employed in sales, 55 in manufacturing, 36 to general and administration and 39 in research and development (R&D).

The accounts show that $19 million was spent on R&D – an increase of $5 million on the 2004 figure.

According to a statement with the company accounts, “the group’s performance during the year was very strong compared to the previous year.

“The group is principally engaged in the manufacture, distribution, sales and marketing and research and development of IT Solution products for the European, Middle/East, African and Asian markets.

“In 2005, the group continued to focus on research and development and to this end, it centralised the European R&D function in Shannon. The group’s function continues to concentrate on high growth opportunities, continually investing in product enhancement and improving manufacturing efficiencies.

According to Senior Vice-President Avocent Corporation and Managing Director of Avocent International, Kieran McSweeney, “Our reported revenue and profits for 2005 reflect the continuing success of our international business out of Shannon, which we are very pleased with. Avocent International employs 160 people in R&D, finance, HR, customer care, technical support, supply chain and sales and marketing functions.

TRIGGS got her 15 minutes of fame in June of 2002. It was during that time that the golden retriever became the world’s most photographed dog as she walked beside her master, Roy Keane, himself recently returned from the World Cup in Japan.

Roy Keane’s long-standing commitment to the Irish Guidedogs for the Blind (IGDB) was continued on Monday when he featured in the launch of a new book alongside Ballyvaughan woman Emma StewartLiberty.

Written by Irish Examiner journalist, Caroline O’Doherty, Independence features 100 pen pictures of people involved in every aspect of the organisation.

From famous volunteers such as Keane, Sonia O’Sullivan and Ministers Mary Harney and Micheal Martin, to staff and volunteers such as Emma, Independence marks IGDB’s thirtieth anniversary with a unique insight into how the organisation works at every level.

After starting out breeding dogs for IGDB, Emma and her husband now help prepare young dogs through the process of dog walking.

“It is such a huge operation. There is so much more in it than most people would realise. The book has taken all aspects of guide dogs and written a small piece on each of these people,” she said.

“It is a huge thing. For the six weeks that we have the puppies, they are your life – end of story. You are with them 24/7.”

The dog-walking stage allows the dog to acclimatise to every possible situation that a seeing impaired or blind person might encounter. It helps to give the dog confidence before they start their intensive training in Cork.

“It’s a way of socialising the dogs, so that nothing surprises them,” continued Emma. “They need to be used to traffic, trains, public transport, everything. It is only when you start walking the dogs that you realise the breadth of what you have to do.”

Having lived in Ballyvaughan for the last nine years, Emma has adopted the tradition of naming one puppy in every litter after a place in Clare.

“In 2000, I got my puppy, who was a lovely dog called Quin, and he passed with flying colours. Each litter is assigned a letter of the alphabet and all the dogs names begin with that letter,” said Emma. “Normally I like to name one pup of the litter after a place in Clare, like Quin and Quilty, and another after a place in Donegal.

“You are totally heartbroken when they go but all you have to see is one working guide dog in action and it is all worth it.”

Independence is the central part of the IGDB’s fundraising efforts this Christmas and is available to buy online at www.guidedogs.ie or in bookshops nationwide.

OVER the next month, passers-by will notice a change at Lillis Travel in Kilrush. The long established travel agency will become a Falcon Travel partner and will be rebranded over the coming weeks to reflect this.

One of the longest established agents in the country, Lillis Travel was founded in 1917. Directors Brian Comerford and Marie Nolan lead a team of six experienced staff and will combine with the strength of Falcon Travel’s outstanding brand to continue to provide excellent quality of service and value for money.

Award-winning Lillis Travel has featured in the Travel Agent of the Year Awards and its co-Manager Lisa Walsh has also won a Travel Consultant of the Year Award. Affiliating with Falcon Travel increases the range of holiday destinations Lillis can offer from Shannon, and other Irish and UK airports.

Commenting on the link-up, Brian Comerford of Lillis Travel said they were delighted with the affiliation to Falcon and were proud to have the Falcon Travel sign at their premises.

“We feel that this move will consolidate our position and look forward to welcoming many more potential customers over the years.”

Falcon Managing Director Damien Mooney said they were delighted to sign up Lillis Travel as a Falcon affiliate and he looked forward to working with the Lillis team in delivering a top quality service to the Clare travelling public.

There are now 38 travel outlets around the country under the Falcon umbrella.

BOOK lovers from Ireland and the UK have been invited to take part in the inaugural Ennis Book Club Festival next March.

The event, which is being supported by Clare County Library, will be a social and literary gathering to bring together some of the 150 Library Book Clubs and 300 Private Book Clubs that exist nationwide. The Festival programme which will run from March 2-4 will also feature author visits, readings, lectures, music, workshops, exhibitions and cookery demonstrations in various venues around Ennis.

Mayor of Ennis, Cllr. Joe Reidy said the event – one of the largest of its kind in either the UK or Ireland – will provide a welcome boost to tourism while presenting a unique opportunity for book club members to meet and exchange ideas about all aspects of literature.

Throughout the three-day festival, events will be held in such venues as Glór Irish Music Centre and the De Valera Library as well as in various hotels, cafes, bookshops and restaurants around Ennis. According to Festival Chairperson, Frances O’Gorman, the programme is not confined to any one form of literature and will include poetry, drama, food, travel, and political writing as well as fiction.

“We are keen to give the book clubs an eclectic mix that won’t be found at any other literary festival and that reflects the reading passions of many in the country. There will also be a section for Irish language book clubs.”

“We are delighted that over twenty writers and a number of Book Clubs have already agreed to take part”, said Festival Committee member, Ciana Campbell. “It will offer an ideal opportunity for comparing notes and chatting with other Book Club members from all over the country. Non-Book Club readers are also invited to come along and to find out how to go about setting up a club in their own area.”

An official website providing information on various festival events has been launched. www.ennisbookclubfestival.com also provides links to other County Clare sites.

ALMOST four thousand children attended events around the county during last month’s Children’s Book Festival 2006, according to Clare County Library.

Fifteen branch libraries hosted 73 events during the month-long festival which featured author visits, storytelling, children’s puppet theatre, animal road shows as well as history, science and art workshops. Participating authors included Darren Shan, novelist and short-story writer Ré Ó Laighléis, Bisto Book of the Year winner author Aubrey Flegg and Mary Murphy – author of numerous best-selling children’s books.

There was no shortage of variety during this year’s festival with sessions ranging from song writing workshops for small groups to events aimed at large audiences of over 250 children, such as author Darren Shan’s visit to Ennis and Shannon.

Popular events included the Magic of India puppet shows by Pignut Productions and Arran Towers, Billy Teare’s storytelling sessions, magic shows by Paul Beattie, Michael Moylan’s presentations on history and science, ‘The Animal Roadshow’ with Marie Lennon and the everpopular Rap workshops.

During the workshops, participants were invited to discuss a variety of personal, social and cultural issues and to decide what positive message they wanted to convey in their rap.

Meanwhile, the ‘Design a Bookmark Competition’ – run by Clare County Library in association with Children’s Books Ireland – was held for the fourth year in a row during Children’s Book Festival 2006. Ellen Brogan from Clarecastle National School was the Junior Category winner while Ellen Roche of Kilmurry National School came first in the Senior Category. The runnersup in the Senior Category were Colm McNamara, Corofin; Daire Crowe, Lahinch; Eleanor Collins, Lisdoonvarna; Eve Quinn, Sixmilebridge; Hannah Murray, Miltown Malbay; Niamh Moloney, Crusheen; Nicole O’Riordan, Quin; Nora Casey, Lisdoonvarna; and Ronan Gardiner, Lisdoonvarna.

This year’s Junior Category runners-up were Eimear Carroll, Ennis; Hannah Casey, Lisdoonvarna; Khiva O’Dwyer, Miltown Malbay; Madeleine Jarocka, Kilrush; Orlaith Lyons, Toonagh; Máire Garry, Ballynacally; Orla Mulchrone, Ennis; Rebecca Davies, Cratloe; and Silvia Koistinen, Kilmaley. All entries were judged by Siobhan Mulcahy, Clare County Arts Officer; Carrie Stafford, Executive Librarian, Clare County Library; Patricia Fitzgerald, Assistant Librarian, Children’s Services, Clare County Library; and Sinead Nestor and Fiona Woods from the Clare County Arts Office.

“The Design a Bookmark Competition continues to gain popularity among schoolchildren each year indicated by the ever-increasing volume of entries”, stated Patricia Fitzgerald, Assistant Librarian, Children’s Services, Clare County Library.

This year’s winning designs will become Clare County Library’s official bookmarks for 2006/2007 and will be distributed through all of its branches. The winning designers will also receive a €50 book token and an award certificate compliments of Clare County Library and The Youth Library Group of The Library Association of Ireland. They will be presented with their prizes in their schools on Friday next December 1. All runners up, meanwhile, will receive €20 book tokens from Clare County Library.

Ms. Fitzgerald thanked the numerous local sponsors of events and the participating schools for their support as well as the teachers who arranged for classes to attend events during school hours.

Clare County Library regularly hosts initiatives aimed at encouraging more children to read. Earlier this year, the Library launched the Children’s Summer Reading Scheme with the aim of promoting reading during the summer months. Children aged between 7 and 12 were invited to read books by at least ten recommended authors. Other library initiatives for children are World Book Day, Children’s Book Clubs and the library also runs a very popular Schools Service.

Meanwhile, the Clare Library Service continues to regularly renew and update its stock of children’s books in all of its fifteen public libraries. Each library has a reliable and modern collection of fiction, non-fiction and reference books for children for whom membership is free.

Children’s fiction is divided into picture books, junior fiction for 6-9 year olds and senior fiction for 9-12 year olds. Reference, non-fiction, and Irish language books constitute the remainder of the children’s stock in all branches. Members may borrow a total of four books from any library branch in the county.

THE Department of the Environment has expressed opposition to a proposed road that may serve a new 42,000 seater stadium in Ennis, citing the location of a little-known battle that took place almost 800 years ago at the 12th-century Clareabbey.

In September, Michael Lynch lodged plans to construct a road-link to the Ennis by-pass that would open almost 60 acres of land for commercial development.

One of the options put forward for the lands near Clareabbey by Michael Lynch Ltd is the development of a 42,000 capacity stadium.

The company has lodged an ‘expression of interest’ in the Clare County GAA Board’s search for a new stadium.

The proposed development of a 1.5 km long single-carriageway is to connect the Clonroadmore industrial estate where the HQ of Michael Lynch Ltd is based and the western relief route of the Ennis by-pass.

However, the proposed development lies within 30 metres of Clareabbey, which the department describes as “one of the most important Augustinian Foundations in the country and is set at a strategic location along the River Fergus.

Recommending that planning not be granted, the department states that the proposed development “is located too close to the Clareabbey”.

The department also points out that the development runs through a second archaeological monument, a battlefield site relating to an important battle in 1278.

The department state, “The development, as proposed, would have an irreversible, adverse effect on the visual amenity and the context of the National Monument and the associated battlefield. This is a green area that preserves the original setting of the monuments.”

The department points out that “the lands between the Abbey and the nearby River Fergus are seen as an area of high archaeological potential.

“The River Fergus would have been an important thoroughfare in the medieval period”.

The department also states that there are several aspects of the Ennis and Environs Development Plan 2003 and the Clare County Development Plan 2005 that substantiate the case for refusal.

Officials concluded that mitigation measures aimed at lessening the visual impact of the road “are concerned with screening and not enforceable in the long term. . .

“However, this Department will be happy to advise on alternative routes that do not impact adversely on this national monument.”

A decision is due on the application later this year.

SIGNIFICANTLY more people in the Feakle area are presenting with cancer than the national average.

According to a report published by the HSE, ‘Cancer in the Mid-West 1994-2002’, the cases of cancer in the Electoral District of Boherglass were significantly higher than the national rate, while Kilnamona, Kilshanny and Kyle were found to have cancer incident rates significantly higher than the rate for the Mid West.

Leukaemia was found to be significantly higher than the national average in five areas in Clare – Gleninagh (Ballyvaughan area), Ballyea, Drumellihy (Kilrush area), Derrynagittagh (Feakle/Scarriff area) and Ogonelloe.

For all cancers combined, and for all common cancers other than leukaemia, the incidence in the MWHB area was lower than the national average.

For most of the cancer types, the difference from the national average was statistically significant.

Breast cancer was more prevalent in Ballagh (Ennistymon area) and Ballynacally than nationally, while ovarian cancer is higher than the national average in Kilmihil and Cratloe.

The report also found that cases of cervical cancer were higher in Lisdoonvarna than nationally, while pancreatic cancer was higher in Kilnamona and Killimer.

Cases of lymphoma cancer were above the national average in Kilmurry and Tullig. The number of cases of colorectal cancer in Cooraclare was significantly higher relative to the Mid West average.

Lisheen and Mountshannon had a significantly high rate of cases of prostate cancer relative to the Mid West average.

Lung cancer cases were above the national and Mid West average only in Ballynacally.

Meanwhile, a Clare county counillor has called for the abolition of charges for the testing of radon, because Irish deaths from lung cancer resulting from exposure to the gas are among the highest in the world.

Internationally, between six and 15 per cent of deaths from lung cancer can be attributed to exposure to radon, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

In Ireland, 13 per cent of lung cancer deaths are blamed on the gas. Clare has been identified as a high risk zone.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP), called on the Government to drop the €50 charge for radon testing in high risk areas, including Clare.

Cllr Meaney said, “Charging €50 for a radon test means that many households are simply not getting their homes checked.

“I am asking Government to take a small practical step to reduce the risk from this naturally occurring radioactive gas.”

ALLEGATIONS of a very bad hair day for an Ennis woman are to be heard at Ennis Circuit Court later this month.

The 44-year old woman is seeking damages from a Clare salon for personal injuries, loss, damage, inconvenience, embarrassment and expense following a perm that went wrong three years ago.

She says she suffered a bald patch of 18cm by 15cm after a hair treatment.

Already, the woman has spent €2,372 on doctor’s fees, medical reports and specialist conditioners on which €1,560 has been spent.

According to documents lodged with Ennis Circuit Court, the woman attended the salon on May 26, 2003 and agreed to use a home-grown perming solution to have her hair straightened.

The documents state that the woman’s scalp began to feel hot and irritated, after the solution was applied to her scalp.

Later that day, the woman’s scalp became itchy and the next day her hair started to fall out. She also noticed a bad smell coming from her scalp.

The woman then went to her local GP and he, “noticed the scalp to be red, flaky and irritated with exclamation mark hairs. A diagnosis of acute eczematous reactions, possibly secondary to the perm solution, was made”.

The woman then went to see a consultant dermatologist who concluded that the woman, “experienced quite a severe irritation on her scalp leading to a development of a large patch of alopecia on her scalp following the application of the perming solution.

“She felt that both the scalp and the alopecia were recovering and that she would have perfectly normal hair within a few months. The advisor was of the opinion that the alopecia and scalp hair irritation were most likely caused by chemical burns and the application of the perming solution to her scalp but she felt she was recovering well from that.”

The document continues, “The woman notes that her hair has regrown, it is of a different quality than the pre-damaged hair and the woman has been depressed as a result of the matters complained of.

“The woman also notes that her hair is still much dryer than it used to be and has required specialised conditioners. The scalp still remains intermittently quite itchy, particularly at night and it upsets her sleep pattern.”

The case is listed for trial at the next civil sittings of Ennis Circuit Court.

THE Poor Clare Sisters have backed down on their threat to end their 48-year association with Ennis over plans by a developer to construct a four-storey apartment block close to their monastery.

Last year, Ray Staunton and Kieran Flanagan secured planning permission for a four-storey apartment block on a site adjacent to Glór. It is to be separated from the Poor Clares by the new inner-relief road constructed by Ennis Town Council.

In opposing the plan, the Poor Clares, through architect Michael Leahy said, “Given the very serious nature of overlooking directly into the convent garden premises, we cannot see how the development as proposed can be allowed to proceed.

“The present location of the Poor Clare convent was chosen in order to be near to the Franciscan Friary, which provides the priests for masses for the Poor Clare convent and church. The sisters have indicated to me that they could not continue their contemplative lifestyle if the project in its present form proceeds and would have no alternative but to leave the present location.”

Outlining the Poor Clares’ “serious concern” over the project, Mr Leahy said that the sisters’ move to an alternative location if the apartment block did proceed “would represent a major loss to the people of Ennis”.

Mr Leahy said, “In addition to their life of prayer and contemplation, the nuns offer religious services to the people of Ennis, providing daily mass, Eucharistic elevation and benediction. They also provide sympathetic listening to anyone who cares to call and provide for specific persons with particular problems. For Ennis to lose this wonderful resource would be a very significant loss.”

However, the council granted permission after the developers met the Poor Clares’ concerns by agreeing to mitigation measures to prevent overlooking of the Poor Clares property.

Abbess, Sister Bernadine told The Clare People yesterday, “Our concerns have been met through a promise to plant trees and put in place screenings”.

Sister Bernadine said that there was no threat whatsoever on the sisters’ behalf to leave their current home.

She said, “None whatsoever. We are very well supported here by the community. We are in our own little world here and this is where we are meant to be.”

THE tax-payer is facing an estimated €1 million bill after Ennis Town Council sold a prime town centre site without first resolving a dispute over access to the property.

After five days in the High Court, the Kennedy family from Francis Street in Ennis is to receive €300,000 compensation arising from its dispute with the town council. The local authority has also agreed to pay the Kennedy’s legal costs.

According to James Kennedy, the council’s bill is expected to rise near to €1 million with an estimated €600,000 legal costs as well as costs to technical witnesses.

“I understand the bill will go to around €1 million and it would have been avoided if the council had got off its high horse and started dealing with people directly.

“This took three and a half years to resolve, but it could have been resolved in three hours before any High Court proceedings were brought. It’s bit of a cod that it ever got as far as the High Court. I was always open to negotiation and never gave any impression otherwise, but the council it appears is used to intimidating people.”

The High Court case stemmed from the council issuing proceedings against the Kennedys claiming that they were slandering the title of land the council sold to developers, Ray Staunton and Kieran Flanagan for €1 million in 2003. Planning permission was secured for a four storey apartment building on the site last year, but work hasn’t started because of the dispute. The .445 acre site is adjacent to Glor and was part of 3.5 acres the Kennedys sold to the council under threat of Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) in 1997.

One of the conditions was that the council would provide an access road from Mary Kennedy’s bungalow. Planning permission was sought by the Kennedys for the access road, but was refused by the council over traffic safety concerns.

Mr Kennedy said the settlement obliges the council to provide an access road to Mrs Kennedy’s bungalow three metres from the original proposed route.

This new route does not cut across the lands sold by the council to Mr Staunton. The site sold by the council to the developers will have to be moved by three metres and it is not known if this will affect the planning permission granted.

In a short statement last night, the town council said that it had agreed to pay the Kennedys €200,000 plus costs. Mr Kennedy said: “The agreement states that we are receiving €300,000.”

Former mayor, Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) said he was ‘gobsmacked’ that the council would pursue the Kennedys if there was an agreement to provide access.

“I wasn’t even aware that the case was going on. I would be worried if the pay-out by the council would have a negative impact on the budget for next year,” he said.