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A HOST of amateur North Clare actors will make their major television debut next Monday in the PJ Curtis film ‘The Road of Souls’.

The film, which was shot on location the Burren in 2011, features a mixture of professional and amateur actors including many members of the hugely successful Corofin Drama Group.

The short film, which was written by Curtis and is partially biographical, tells the story of Patrick, an 11year-old boy and his interaction with a stranger who comes to the Burren in the 1950s.

“It was a memorable experience having a film crew here to turn my little story into something bigger,” said PJ.

“I’m really looking forward to the television screening as it will give people throughout Clare a chance to see the film. It’s a fitting tribute to the cast and crew that worked so hard on the production.”

The cast is lead by a young Clare actor Emmet O’Doherty who plays the role of Patrick and also includes locals Michael Keane, Peter Daffy and Maura Clancy.

The film is the first such work for writer and music producer PJ Curtis and originally appeared in a collection of his short stories entitled ‘The Music of Ghosts’.

PJ himself won a Best Script Award for the film at the 2012 LIT Film Festival. Later this year, PJ’s novel ‘A Nightingale Falling’ will get the big screen treatment as it is set to become a feature film.

‘The Road of Souls’ is produced by Mixed Bag Media, who financed the film along with some assistance from Clare Arts Office. It will be screened on RTÉ 2 on Monday, April 22, at 23.35pm. It will then be available on the RTÉ Player for a further two weeks. To see a trailer for the film visit www.mixedbagmedia.com.

CLARE County Council says a contractor appointed to oversee the maintenance and operation of the M18 motorway will be responsible for dealing with illegal encampments along the route.

The Council has been urged to liaise with the National Roads Authority (NRA) to tackle the issue to “avoid a lacuna in the legislation whereby neither the local authority or the NRA may not be in a position to take offenders to court”.

The view was expressed by Cllr Joe Arkins (FG) in a motion submitted to the council’s April meeting.

Cllr Arkins stated that motorway exists where the acquisition of land exceeded the amount required, “has left opportunities for illegal parking”.

In a reply to Cllr Arkins’ motion, Anne Haugh, Director of Services, states;

“The NRA is taking over responsibility for maintenance and operation of the motorway network within the next two months.

“This means the N18/ M18 from Gort to the junction at the Radisson Hotel near Limerick and the N19 from Junction 9 on the M18 to the entrance to the airport and incorporates everything between the boundary fences.

“The NRA has confirmed that dealing with unauthorised parking within the motorway curtilage is among the responsibilities of the contractor to be appointed by them to implement their new role.”

Ms Haugh continues, “The 1993 Roads Act provides for a robust defence of the National Road Network against unauthorised parking or encampments in this regard the Section 69 of the act makes it an offence to place or retain a temporary dwelling on a national road, motorway, busway, protected road or any other prescribed road or prescribed class, sub class or type of road.

“An authorised person may remove the temporary dwelling from any of the road classes referred to in the previous sentence – bearing in mind that the definition of a “road” elsewhere in the same act effectively comprises everything between the boundary fences – note also that slip roads roundabouts etc associated with motorway junctions are deemed to be part of the existing motorway.

“An authorised person is defined as a person authorised in writing by Roads Authority for the purpose of Section 69 or alternatively a member of An Garda Síochana.”

Ms Haugh concludes with confirmation that, “Both the NRA and Galway County Council are being asked again to give priority to land related issues associated with the Gort / Crusheen motorway with a view to offloading whatever may be deemed to be surplus to requirements for the future.

“Both authorities are being made aware of councillor’s concerns in this regard in context of the foregoing.”

A GARDA was kicked in the stomach and punched in the face during a “vicious and vile assault” at Ennis Garda Station last year, a court has heard.

Ennis Garda Claire McDermott also had clumps of hair ripped from her head when she was attacked by Ann Marie Molloy (24) on May 14 last.

Details of the assault were heard at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

Ms Molloy, with an address at Bay 2 Ballaghboy, Quin Road, Ennis, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault causing harm to Garda McDermott on May 14.

She also pleaded guilty to charges of provoking a breach of the peace and intoxication at Lifford Road on the same day.

The court heard that gardaí were called to Lifford Road after Ms Mol- loy was observed standing close to the River Fergus.

Inspector Tom Kennedy explained that Ms Molloy was arrested and brought back to Ennis Garda Station as she was intoxicated and behaving in an aggressive manner.

Sergeant Mark Murphy of Ennis Garda Station, said Ms Molloy calmed down initially after she was brought to the station. However, Mr Murphy added, Ms Molloy’s mood changed after she discovered she would be charged.

He said Ms Molloy kicked Garda McDermott in the stomach, punched her in the face and pulled out clumps of her hair.

Garda McDermott suffered a cut to her chin and bruising to her her eye.

Three gardaí were required to bring Ms Molloy unde control.

Sgt Murphy said, “Garda McDermott was clearly shaken by it.”

Ms Molloy also pleaded guilty to the theft of a wallet from a customer at an Ennis Cinema on February 12 (2013).

She also pleaded guilty to the theft of € 150 from the wallet of a member of staff at Supermac’s, O’Connell Street, Ennis on February 18 (2013).

Defence Solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client had a “difficult upbringing” and comes from a large family of six brothers and six sisters.

Ms Godfrey said her client suffers from health problems. She requested that the case be adjourned until to allow Ms Molloy engage with the Probation Services.

Judge Patrick Durcan said, “This was a vicious and vile assault.”

He said it was his view that a person who commits such an offence “deserves to be incarcerated for a lengthy period.”

However he said he was willing to adjourn the case to allow for a presentence report from the Probation Services. The case was adjourned until June 12. A MAN charged in connection with a public order incident on the Kilrush Road in Ennis has had his case adjourned until June. Anthony McDonagh (26) is charged with engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace at Maiville, Kilrush Road Ennis on February 28 (2013). Mr McDonagh, with an address at 37 Maiville, Kilrush Road, Ennis is also facing a charge of being intoxicated in a public place.

The case was adjourned until last Wednesday to allow for directions to issue from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that the State has not received the directions. He said a counter allegation has been made in the case and this is currently the subject of investigation.

Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said a complaint has been made to the Garda Ombudsman.

Insp Kennedy requested that the case be adjourned until June 5. Judge Patrick Durcan agreed to the adjournment, but said that the “DPP needs to get a move on.”

A MAN who wrote graffiti on a statue of Clare’s most famous politician was not entitled to express his views in such a manner, a court has heard.

Aidan Cahill (26) used a blue marker to write on a bronze statue of Eamon De Valera near the grounds of Ennis Courthouse on April 4 (2013).

Mr Cahill, with an address at 3 Glenview Close, Tulla, was found by gardaí in possession of a blue marker near the memorial to the former President of Ireland.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Mr Cahill pleaded guilty to graffiti of the monument, which is the property of Clare County Council.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that Mr Cahill had a number of previous convictions including for criminal damage and assault.

Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client is “extremely sorry” for what he had done. She said Mr Cahill has since washed the graffiti from the statue. She said Mr Cahill had entered an early plea and admitted his responsibility. Ms Godfrey said it could be proffered that Mr Cahill is taking the “blame for some other blue markered villain” and their “blue shirted views.”

Judge Patrick Durcan said this was a monument of national significance to someone who played a significant role in the development of the Irish State. Judge Durcan said irrespective of whether or not Mr Cahill had views on Mr De Valera, he was not entitled to deface the statue.

Judge Durcan said he found it “absolutely reprehensible” that someone would use the statue as an “outlet for their rage.” He added; “This is an issue where someone very central to this country has been defamed.”

Noting Mr Cahill’s early guilty plea, Judge Durcan imposed a threemonth prison sentence. That sentence was suspended for 12 months on condition Mr Cahill be of good behaviour and refrain from entering the park that surrounds the De Valera monument.

CAMPAIGNERS against the construction of Ireland’s largest fish farm off the North Clare coast will get a chance to have their concerns heard in public as an oral hearing into the controversial salmon farm is now likely to take place.

The Department of Agriculture is currently deciding whether to allocate a license for the massive fish farm, which could create as many as 500 jobs if it goes ahead. A formal request was made by Galway City Council to the Department of Agriculture last week for a full oral hearing on the matter to take place and it is understood, because of the complex nature of the proposal, this request is likely to be granted.

The proposed fish farm, which will be located a number of miles off the Fanore coast, has divided opinions since it was first proposed in November of last year.

Indeed, the farm has even led to government agencies going to war, with Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) who proposed the farm, going toe to toe with Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) who oppose it.

Both organisation have submitted a large amount of technical data on the possible effects that the farm could have on the wild fish in the area and the nearby spawning rivers. Both sets of expert data contradict on a number of key points – most significantly on the amount of water pollution that the farm will create and the damage that sea lice will cause to native stocks.

More than 2,000 anglers and en- vironmentalists took protest against a proposed organic fish farm last month.

BIM claim that the fish farm would be a major employment boost in the North Clare area and could create as many as 500 local jobs. These claims have been contested by organisation such as IFI, who say that the likely number of jobs created will be closer to 40.

MORE than 20,000 healthy Clare ash trees are currently being planted at various locations around England – in an effort to find a cure for ash dieback disease or chalara fraxinea.

Its is hoped that some of the native Clare tree could contain genetic components that might help them fight the disease or could even make them immune. If this proves successful, the Clare trees could eventually be used to restock much of the ash population in Northern Europe, which has been devastated by the ash dieback in recent years.

The Clare trees, as well as a number from Donegal, are being planted in various locations in the South East and South West of England – where the disease is already well established.

This was revealed in a draft strategy to combat the disease published jointly by the Irish and Northern Irish departments of agriculture yesterday.

The news that Clare trees could provide a possible solution to the ash-dieback crisis is cold comfort for foresters in the county. Two positive finds of the disease have already been identified in the west and east of the county and it is considered likely that more trees in the area are effected.

“We are basically waiting and holding our breath. There is noting else we can do. We are basically doing whatever the forestry services tell us at this point. We are not making any of the decisions, we are just doing what we are told,” said one Clare forester, who asked not to be identified.

“They [forestry services] are sending out letters and contacting foresters. Where the disease is found there is felling, and there is also felling at associated sites. At the moment this is mostly young trees, maybe two or three years old.

“The forestry services are now actively going around and checking sites off their on bat and they had put in place a tractability system to try and identify infected trees.”

There has been some criticism of the measure of the way in which the disease was allowed to enter Ireland. Before the disease was discovered in Ireland, no attempt was made to ban imports of ash saplings from counties where the disease was already present, because it was deemed to be against the EU fair trade rules.

However, now that the disease has reached Ireland, a ban on saplings from these locations has been implemented.

CLARE’S rivers have been devastated by pollution over the last 15 years with nearly half of the county’s formally pristine waterways now polluted.

That is according to a survey released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week, which also calls for an investigation to be carried out to determine the exact cause of the rapid deterioration of the county’s waterways.

The survey has been criticised by the Clare branch of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) who say that the information is out of date and does not reflect the massive improvements made in water standards over the last five years.

According to the EPA survey, there were a total of 45 ‘high status’ or pristine river sites in Clare in 1998. This number declined to 32 in 2006, with a further decline to just 24 pristine sited in 2009. This represents a drop of more than 46 per cent in the number of high quality sites between 1998 and 2009.

Broadford, Lough Graney and Owengarney each currently boast three high status sites each with the rest of the pristine sites located throughout the East Clare water sys- tems and the rest of the county.

The Clare Chairman of the IFA, Andrew Dundas, yesterday described the EPA report as scaremongering and out of date.

“The EPA information does not take into account the massive amount of work that was done on farms building in recent years – especially in the years between 2006 and 2008 when 2.5 billion was spend on Irish farms,” he said.

“Farming is now a very highly regulated area and many of the changes suggested [by the EPA report] are already in place. We have had the introduction of the Nitrates Directive and farmers must now undertake a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) before they undertake any drainage work can take place.

“This is scaremongering and the information is just not up to date. The report also identifies rural septic tanks as a main concern and we all know that that issue is being changed dramatically.

“Farmers see themselves as the caretakers of the environment and it is in our interest to ensure that pollution does not become an issue in our water systems.” The Clare People contacted the EPA in relation to this story but no comment was available at the time of going to print.

CLARE’S fire fighters fought back a fire within feet of a family home, and kept multiple outhouses and sheds from burning to the ground during a week of unprecedented numbers of “wild land fires”.

There were up to 50 fires in bog lands, forestry and open ground since last Wednesday, stretching the 77 personnel of the county’s fire service to capacity.

Some of the fires took up to eight hours to get under control.

Fire chief Adrian Kelly described the cause of the fires as “hand of man”, explaining, “It is very difficult to see how they started naturally.”

The weather was not condusive to fires starting on their own, with many starting during night hours, he told The Clare People .

Early estimations set the cost of the call outs at more than € 30,000.

There were as many as 30 call outs to gorse fires in Clare during the last weekend alone – 12 on Friday, six on Saturday and another half a dozen on Sunday.

Fire Brigades from Ennis, Shannon, Killaloe, Kilrush, Ennistymon, Kilkee and Scariff have attended fires this week in areas including Shannon, Doonass, Coore, Twomilegate, Ennis, Cahermurphy, Doonbeg, Ogonnelloe, Connolly, Doolin, Tulla, Portroe, Kilmaley, Whitegate, Ballycuggeran, Doora, Killaloe, Ballymacurtaun, Booltiagh and Crusheen. On Wednesday night, every available fire fighter in the county was deployed as a result of gorse and forestry fires.

During the week-long inferno people lost property and livelihoods in the form of burnt down forestry, to numerous blazes.

Angela Naughton, Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer, warned that life and property were put at risk by the fires.

“The highest risk period for quickly spreading fires occurs between March and June, when ground vegetation is dead and dry following the winter period. Fires have spread quickly this week due to the dry vegetation, low humidity and strong easterly winds which fed the fires,” she said.

“We would like to remind landowners that it is an offence under the Wildlife Act to burn growing vegetation between March 1 and August 31 in any year, on any land not then cultivated. The sad fact is that if this simple rule was adhered to, many costly and dangerous wildfires would be avoided,” she added.

Landowners burning gorse, scrub, or vegetation must inform the Fire Service at least one day in advance on 999 providing details of the location, time and duration of burning. More and more people are doing this according to Mr Kelly.

The fire chief said that during the last week the fire service was “put to the pin of its collar with so many different fires going on at the same time”.

He said a huge amount of credit must go to the county’s dedicated fire fighters who save numerous properties. The county’s most senior fire service member also advised, “If people see anything suspicious in their area they should contact the Gardaí straight away.”

CLARE men are bearing the brunt of the recession in the Banner County, with a large difference in the number of men signing on the live register compared to women.

In 2006, the number of women signing on the live register in Clare was almost equal to the number of men. In January of that year 1,878 women (46.4 per cent) and 2,185 men (53.6 per cent) signed on in Clare.

Figures obtained by the Central Statistics Office show that both genders have been effected negatively by the recession – the increase in the number of Clare men signing-on over the last seven years is far higher than the number of women.

In January of 2013 there were 3,990 women signing on the live register in Clare, an increase of 112.46 per cent since 2006. In the same month there were 6,093 men signing on in the county – an increase of 178.85 per cent over the same period.

The Construction Industry Federation (CIF) believe that this gender difference has been brought about as a result for job losses in the construction area. The CIF estimated that 8, 500 Clare construction jobs have been lost since 2006, with the majority of these jobs losses coming in male dominated trades.

“In 2006 and 2007 we estimate that there would have been around 10,000 people working in construction sector industry in Clare. It is very hard to get an exact figure at the moment but we would estimate that that is now down to around 2, 500 jobs,” said Conor O’Connell, local spokesperson for the CIF.

“We have been saying this for years; the decline in the construction industry is responsible for the lion’s share of people who are unemployed. Other sectors have been hit, but nothing like the hit that construction has taken.

“We are looking at a lost generation. Every week we are seeing people made redundant who probably won’t work again in the industry. There is no easy way of saying that, it is very difficult for people. It is very difficult to see an upturn.”

Patrick DEEGAN
Ballymacahill, Barefield, Ennis. Funeral mass on Tuesday inThe Church of the Immaculate Conception, Barefield at 11 o’clock followed by cremation in Ringaskiddy Crematorium, Cork. House private. May he rest in peace.

Patrick STAUNTON
Moymore, Lahinch and formerly of Lissatava, Hollymount Co Mayo. Peacefully at Cahercalla Community Hospice, Ennis. Funeral mass onTuesday at 12 o’clock at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Roundfort, with burial after in Roundfort cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Mary MALONEY, (née Healy)
of Circular Road Ennistymon. Unexpectedly. Laid to rest in Ennistymon (new) cemetery. May she rest in peace.

John MARRINAN
of Marine Parade, Kilkee. Peacefully. Laid to rest in Lisdeen Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Seán DOWNES
of CrossVillage and formerly of Tullig, Cross.At Ennis General Hospital. Laid to rest in Kilballyowen Cemetery, Cross. May he rest in peace.

John O’BRIEN
of Gortnalough, Firies, Co Kerry and formerly of Annagh, Miltown Malbay. Laid to rest in Kildimo Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Bernard PRIEST
of Steele’sTerrace and late of Fergus Park, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Joan SUMMERLY, (née Magrath)
of 13 Brookville, Claureen, Lahinch Road, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Nora COSTELLO, (née O’Connell)
of Derryard, Doonbeg. Peacefully. Laid to rest in Lisdeen Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Maree DUFFY
of 51 Cronin Gardens, Shannon. Laid to rest in Illaunamanagh Cemetery. Donations, if desired, to Irish Cancer Society. May she rest in peace.

Andrew (Andy) FAWL
of 94 Shalee Drive, Cloughleigh, Ennis. Laid to rest in Cashel Cemetery,Tipperary. May he rest in peace.

Maura FLAHERTY
of No.5 Hillcrest, Mullinary, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan and Kilrush. Late of Tullycrine, Kilrush, at Glencarron Nursing Home, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh. Laid to rest in Prospect Cemetery Glasnevin. Donations in lieu, if desired, to Carrickmacross Cancer Care. May she rest in peace.

Paddy NEYLON
of Roughan, Kilnaboy. In his 95th year. Laid to rest in Laughtagona Cemetery, Corofin. May he rest in peace.

Conor HARTY
of 2, Dun an Oir, Shannon. Late of 2 ,The Path, Garryowen, Limerick. Laid to rest in Illaunamangh Cemetery. Donations in lieu, if desired, toThe Motor Neurone Association. May he rest in peace.

Martin SHANNON
of Gortbavarna, Maurice’s Mills. In his 96th year. Laid to rest in Inagh Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

THIRTEEN proved lucky for one Clare teenager as he or she won € 20,000 through prize bonds.

The 13-year-old’s winning ticket was purchased in 2000, making it a likely baby present.

The Clare Prize Bond holder won the weekly Prize Bond Star Prize of € 20,000 with the winning Bond number CQ 270577.

There were over 9,000 prizes awarded in Friday’s Prize Bonds weekly draw, amounting to over € 500,000.

The lucky Clare teen will be notified of the big win through the post.

Prize Bonds are a State savings product which, instead of paying interest, offers bond holders the chance to win cash prizes every week.

All winnings are tax-free, and Prize Bonds can be cashed in at any time after the minimum holding period of three months.

In addition to a € 1 million prize awarded on the last Friday of every month there are weekly draws where the top prize is € 20,000.

Other weekly cash prizes include five at € 1,000, 500 at € 100 and over 8,000 at € 50.