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JUST hours after the first email was sent that a protest was to be organised, hundreds had gathered at the courthouse in Ennis.

The news had also spread via text messages, phone calls and local radio.

Armed with white flowers, flags and hankies the people of Clare took time out to make their feelings felt.

Some rallied behind a banner, as members of an organisation or charity; others spoke out for the children and parents of Ireland; while more stood quietly among the crowd, only too familiar with the outrage being debated.

It was a hot, sunny afternoon in Ennis with a long weekend approaching, yet people of all ages, creeds, gender and race gathered in dignified low tones.

Fear, anger and frustration reigned in the crowd, at the High Court decision to release 41-year-old Mr A, who had pleaded guilty to plying a 12-year-old with drink before having sex with her.

Before the decision could be successfully appealed to the Supreme Court, the people of Clare gathered before their courthouse fearing the release of other offenders.

In Dublin, the Dáil sat in an attempt to bridge the gap in the legal system that could see these offenders set free.

Following the 20-minute “show of concern” in Ennis, the people went about their business, after leaving their flowers at the courthouse door.

Collette Reddington, Director of Clare Haven House said she was not surprised by the turn out, as it was a measure of the strength of people’s feelings.

“If you can get some sort of goodness out of a situation like this, it is that you can bring all these people together with one voice and they are all saying ‘no, this is wrong.’”

The decision, she explained, seemed to be a retrograde step following all the hard work by organisations caring for the well-being of children and women.

“You sometimes feel powerless, but I think coming out here today like this really shows that people really really feel strongly about that,” she said.

Among the crowd were Clare’s only two women county councillors, Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) and Cllr Madeleine Taylor-Quinn (FG).

As the people walked away, Cllr McCarthy told The Clare People that the Supreme Court decision was a slap in the face for society.

“Certainly society has been let down. Decent honourable people are suffering because of this, and will suffer,” she added.

Cllr Taylor Quinn said she was concerned that children would now face cross-examination under the new emergency legislation.

“I think the evidence presented both by the medical people and the gardaí should be more than adequate to actually proceed with the prosecution.

“The thought of any minor who is a victim of abuse being put up on the dock in court and cross examined, is to me, frankly, unacceptable,” she said.

“The law seems to be very much on the side of the perpetrator and very much against the victim.” Of the number of sexual abuse cases reported, 3.5 per cent end up in prosecution, but only 2.5 per cent end up in conviction.

“NOW that the girls are going to be questioned on what they wore, why they were drinking, why they were talking to the man, they are not even going to go to the guards.

“It took two years with me fighting with myself to go to the guards. The only reason I went was because there were other people involved. I couldn’t think of myself, but there are a lot of people that aren’t going to go and I don’t blame them.

“If I had my choice over again, I wouldn’t go through it. I wouldn’t go to court.”

The angry words of a young Clare woman, who had been through the legal system under debate on Friday.

A number of years ago, she reported a family member for sexually abusing her as a child. But, while she does not regret reporting the abuse, she regrets the ordeal of the prosecution.

“I know from experience, you fight so damn hard to get it to the DPP. It took me nine hours sitting in the Garda station to tell my story,” she told The Clare People .

“Nine hours is a hell of a long time to sit there and pour your heart out.

“Then they decided whether to charge him or not, whether it was worth it,” she added, with tears of frustration in her eyes.

“Then you have to go and sit through a court room, where you are humiliated and treated like you are the perpetrator.

“If I murdered somebody, I wouldn’t be treated as badly as I was in court and that is wrong.”

The young woman, now in her twenties, explains how she lives every day with the ordeal of her young life.

“We live with this absolutely everyday of our lives,” she said, referring to all victims of abuse.

“Then you hear people like this, allowing them back out on the street with a pat on the back saying ‘off you go it wasn’t that serious’.

“You fight so hard to put them in prison and they turn around and let them back out. There is no justice in that. “I was told to stop crying in the court, or the case would be thrown out,” she explained.

“I wasn’t wrong to bring him to court, but there are days I still wake up and feel I did the wrong thing because I was treated so badly,” she said.

Following her day in court, she failed to get a conviction.

CIE TOURS is the latest company reputed to be showing an interest in buying the Shannon Great Southern Hotel, as part of the Great Southern group package.

The transport company originally sold the hotels to Aer Rianta and business sources have revealed they are now interested in buying them back, as a strategic addition to their steadily growing tour business.

If they make their interest public, CIE will be in the running, along with multimillionaire builder, Bernard McNamara and Choice Hotels, who form one of the groups interested in making a bid.

The group was officially put up for sale last week, but it is understood that the sale could be delayed until July 7, two weeks later than the original deadline.

It is expected that the sale will raise €200 million for the Dublin Airport Authority, which inherited the business on the break-up of Aer Lingus.

The Shannon Great Southern, along with the hotels at Dublin and Cork Airports, are the three hotels in the group to break even.

Galway, Killarney and the luxurious Parknasilla in Kerry – the Taoiseach’s favourite holiday spot – all need major investment and have accumulated losses of €40 million.

The Galway hotel has as many staff as it has bedrooms, while the Corrib is one of the worst performers in the group.

The eight hotels are being offered for sale on an individual basis, or as a portfolio. It is understood there have been more than 100 enquiries received by the advisers.

Shannon independent councillor, Patricia McCarthy, said that given the fact that Shannon was one of the hotels not making losses, it would make sense for the Shannon Airport Authority to have it in their ownership.

“It is catering for a niche market and doing well. It has a strategically very important position being next to Shannon Airport,” said Cllr McCarthy.

She added that the future of the 50 staff was a high priority.

“There is a very high quality and level of service and that should be maintained. I would not like to see any erosion of wages or skills. A minimum wage job just would not be good enough.”

The three-star hotel has a brisk business as the airport “is busy night and day now. There are flights coming in at every hour,” said Cllr McCarthy.

There are 400 permanent workers in the group and part-time employees make up the equivalent of another 300 full-time jobs.

A DRUGS charge against an Ennis man has been dismissed in the District Court.

Brian Greene (30), of Cornmarket Apartments, Mill Road, Ennis, was charged with possession of heroin on July 15 last year.

Sergeant John Brennan told Ennis Court that he obtained a warrant to search the home of the accused. He said that he knocked on the door and got no reply.

“I was aware the tenant was in the apartment. My colleague used a sledge hammer to open the door. The door was locked and there was a chain on the door,” said Sgt Brennan.

A second door, inside the exterior door, was also locked and that was also struck with a sledge hammer.

He said he could see two people sitting in the living quarters of the apartment and his colleague found a syringe and “a very small amount of brownish powder” in the sink.

The tap was running and the accused denied flushing anything down the sink and said he did not see anyone flushing anything down.

He asked the accused why the front door was locked, and was told, “There are people after me . . for security.” He told gardaí the items in the sink were not his.

Defending solicitor Tara Godfrey said there was a party in the apartment the previous night and music was blaring when the gardai called. Sgt Brennan said he had no recollection of loud music.

His colleague, Det Garda Seamus McMahon said he found syringes “lying virtually everywhere in the apartment.”

He recovered a corner of a white plastic bag, containing brown powder, in the kitchen.

Ms Godfrey applied for direction, on a number of grounds. She said that possession was not proved against her client.

Judge Joseph Mangan granted her application and dismissed the case.

THE decision to give the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) permission for a new runway at Dublin Airport has been criticised in a submission by a member of Clare County Council to An Bord Pleanála.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said the decision by Fingal County Council directly contradicted stated Government policy.

“We are approaching a first-quarter review of the National Spatial Strategy (NSS) that will show that there has been no delivery of the objectives requiring balanced regional development,” he said, in his submission.

“Currently, the Greater Dublin Area accounts for 48 per cent of national gross value added and more than 40 per cent of national employment. Shannon Airport could comfortably handle more than three times its current throughput.

“An Bord Pleanála are required to have regard to Government policy and must rule that capacity in Shannon be utilised to arrest the growing economic imbalance between the Dublin/Belfast region and the rest of the country.”

Cllr Meaney said that the biggest problem facing the development of population outside Dublin was transport infrastructure and the insufficient rollout of broadband.

“The correct approach would be to develop a high-speed rail rib from the east to Shannon Airport. This high-speed rail link would be an integral part of the Shannon Airport facility, with baggage check-in and other pre-flight requirements undertaken en route.

“I am aware that this is already being done in Germany with great success and there is no reason why this innovative concept cannot be applied here.

“The development of Shannon was built around new and innovative ideas with commitment at a political level.”

On the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) lodged with the scheme, Cllr Meaney criticised the lack of alternatives put forward by the DAA.

“Most significant is the argument used that expansion of Shannon ‘would require significant surface area access to infrastructure projects to be implemented (road/rail), in order to allow those who wish to travel to the Greater Dublin Area to reach their destinations’.

“This does not address the fact that Dublin Airport is currently deficient with regard to rail access to those travelling to the Greater Dublin Area,” he said.

THE seaside village of Liscannor has honoured a local man and maritime legend.

The 125th anniversary of the invention of the world’s first working submarine by the Clare-born John Philip Holland was marked at a ceremony yesterday. Junior Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister, Tony Killeen, unveiled a bronze sculpture at the site of a new hotel in Holland’s home village of Liscannor. The sculpture is the creation of Clare artist, Shane Gilmore.

The €3.5 million Cliffs of Moher Hotel is located just miles from the world-famous tourist attraction and will lead to the creation of 40 new jobs. The facility features 23 bedrooms, a public bar, 70-seater restaurant and the bronze sculpture commemorating Holland.

It is the second hotel in as many weeks to be opened by The Atlantis Holiday Group. Two weeks ago, the Clare-based tourism body opened the €8 million Tír Gan Éan House Hotel and Holiday Complex in Doolin, leading to the creation of thirty new jobs.

John Philip Holland was born in Liscannor in 1841. His father, John Holland Senior patrolled the headlands of County Clare as a rider with the British Coastguard Service. The young Holland was a teacher in Ireland until 1872, when he emigrated to the USA, where he taught in Paterson, New Jersey, until 1879. He drew up plans of submarines and in 1881, with funds from Irish associates, launched a small submarine called the Fenian Ram. He was later awarded a contract to build a submarine for the US Navy.

In 1900, the Navy bought the Holland VI for $150,000, about half of its design cost, and later renamed it the USS Holland. The vessel could travel 800km on the surface of the sea and 40km submerged. One US newspaper described it as “Uncle Sam’s Devil of the Deep”. Other countries, including Great Britain, Japan and the Netherlands, purchased Holland’s submarine designs. He died in August 1914, just months before a German submarine sank a British vessel at the start of the First World War.

“John P Holland is a figure of pride for many people in County Clare and unveiling a commemoration to this historic figure is our way of ensuring that his contribution to Liscannor and the wider world does not go unrecognised,” said Paddy Maher, of Atlantis Holiday Group.

PLANS by Ennis developers, McCarthy Brothers, to construct 120 residential units in the Ballybeg area of Ennis have been thrown into question.

Local resident, Jim McEnery, has lodged an appeal against Clare County Council’s decision last month to give the contentious scheme the go-ahead.

The proposed development comprises of 40 three-bedroom homes; 47 two-bedroom homes; five fourbedroomed homes and 28 apartments.

The council granted planning permission on the basis that the proposed development would not seriously injure the amenities of the area.

However, in the comprehensive appeal, Mr McEnery claims that the proposed development would seriously injure the amenities and depreciate the value of property in the vicinity”.

Describing the area as a “rural haven of tranquillity”, he maintains that if permission is granted for the present development, the use, enjoyment and amenity of his property will be irretrievably lost.

The location of an amenity area beside his property could also result in untold sociable behaviour and the diminution of privacy and he claims it is neither fair nor just that the applicant should make substantial financial gain at his expense.

Mr McEnery’s appeal has also raised concerns over the infrastructure serving the development.

He maintains that the Ballybeg Road, as it exists in its present condition, is incapable of accommodating the volumes of traffic that would be generated by the construction of 120 residential units.

The layout of the development also comes in for criticism and Mr McEnery believes that the proposed layout is an attempt to maximise the number of houses within the development and represents an over-intensive use of the site.

On that basis, he believes that permission should therefore be refused.

A decision is due on the appeal in September of this year.

TWO people have been charged as part of an investigation into an attack on two men in Shannon six months ago.

Two Lithuanian brothers – Arturas and Aivaras Segzda – sustained stab wounds in the incident, at Rossbracken, on December 5 last.

David O’Loughlin (19), of Finian Park, Shannon, is facing four charges while Jessica O’Leary, of Cronan Lawn, Shannon, is facing five charges. Both appeared at Ennis District Court last Friday.

Mr O’Loughlin is charged with two counts of assault causing harm; possession of a knife and possession of a knife with intent to cause injury.

Ms O’Leary is accused of two counts of assault causing harm; possession of a screwdriver and possession of a screwdriver with intent to cause injury. She is also accused of obstruction.

Solicitor William Cahir, for David O’Loughlin, said his client is currently serving a sentence and he was remanded in custody.

Ms O’Leary, an unemployed single mother, was released on her own bond of €100 on the application of solicitor, Una Moylan.

The cases were adjourned, for preparation for a Book of Evidence.

A TULLA man and his flug-tag crew found on Sunday that Red Bull doesn’t give you wings.

In fact, Emelyn Heaps and his home-built plane were grounded when they tried to take part in the Red Bull Flug Tag event in the River Shannon in Limerick city at the weekend.

An angry Emelyn told The Clare People that after rebuilding parts of his plane three times, when it came his turn to fly, “I was told that the tide had gone out. How hard would it have been to calculate what time the tide goes out?”

With a background in aeronautical engineering, Emelyn currently holds the distance record for the Flug Tag flight, after taking part in the event in Dublin five years ago.

A team of six worked to build his plane “Record Breaker” in a bid to beat Emelyn’s record.

“We arrived with the plane on Saturday, but weren’t told until Sunday that the launch trolley was too heavy. The Clare Scaffolding Company came to our rescue with aluminium poles to make it lighter and we rebuilt it.”

When the carriage was rebuilt, organisers then told the team that the river authority were not allowing trolleys to go into the river. “This despite the fact that there were already trolleys in the river from earlier flights,” said Emelyn.

They re-built their magnificent flying machine’s trolley a third time “but then we were told, sorry lads, the tide is gone out. You can’t go.”

The crew had planned to launch their “Lying Air” flight captained by Michael O’ Query, offering flights to anywhere in the world for €1 plus €300 Government tax.

Emelyn said that he was “bitterly disappointed and very embarrassed. I roped a lot of people into working on this with me and they were expecting a day of great craic. The Red Bull people said they would ‘look after’ us, but the only useful thing they did was to point out where the pub was.”

The plane cost about €1,000 to put together “but it took a lot of time from people who helped. I’m so angry because of them.”

A spokesman for Red Bull said that it was the health and safety team who pulled the plug on the Tulla team.

“It was such a hot day that the water level went right down with the tide. There were two teams left and we pleaded to even let both of them go together, but there was no go. We were gutted for them.”

The spokesman said that Red Bull would be contacting both teams in the coming days to try to find a way to ease the disappointment.

WORKERS’ representatives at Shannon Development have expressed concern about a new group that has come together to promote the west of Ireland.

The new entity, known as the Atlantic Way Group, includes many well-known names in business, politics, education and public administration.

The role it intends playing has already come under scrutiny in the Dáil.

“There is deep concern amongst staff over the role that the Atlantic Way Group will perform. It appears to have the same policies as Shannon Development,” a workers’ representative spokesman at Shannon Development told The Clare People .

“There would appear to be more than enough organizations doing the work that the Atlantic Way claims it will carry out. Is this just another unnecessary layer of bureaucracy?”

The official launch of the Atlantic Way Group is expected in the near future. Its mission statement says that, “it does not seek to do the work of any other group or organisation whose remit is to achieve stated objectives, but it will assist, profile and work towards supporting their objectives in an overall context”.

The group describes itself as, “a movement comprised of a number of committed people, representative of key private and public sector bodies, which seeks to maximise the development potential of the West by supporting and promoting best practice in every aspect”.

It sets out its principal aim as bringing “coherence, coordination and a sense of urgency to infrastructural development, excellent technological services, quality employment, lifelong education and quality of life.”

Those involved in Atlantic Way include former MEP, Pat Cox; Care County Manager, Alec Fleming; President of UL, Roger Downer; Shannon Development’s Chief Executive, Kevin Thompstone and the development body’s Chairman, Liam McElligott.

The group came under Dáil scrutiny, when Labour’s Ruairi Quinn quizzed Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister, Micheál Martin, on whether it would receive State funding. He also asked what role it would play and whether this would overlap with Shannon Development.

The Minister said that Shannon Development “facilitates and supports the Atlantic Way initiative, as it is consistent with the company’s focus on balanced regional development.”

He confirmed that this support included “a small financial amount, approved by Shannon Development as a support for the proposed launch of Atlantic Way and a range of practical non-financial supportive actions.”