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THE Bishop of Killaloe has been asked to intervene after a “septic relationship” developed between some parents and the principal of a small West Clare primary school. Dr Kieran O’Reilly has been asked to mediate on issues at Labasheeda National School, details of which were aired at Kilrush District Court on Tuesday.

Martin Tubridy (55), with an address at Quarry Vale, Mounthshannon, Labasheeda, was found guilty of assault causing harm to Liam Woulfe at the school on December 9, 2011. Mr Tubridy, a father of two, denied the charge.

The court heard that Mr Tubridy punched Mr Woulfe in the face after complaining about the treatment of his son. The court heard that some parents had withdrawn their children from the school because of alleged disputes with Mr Woulfe.

Judge Patrick Durcan said this was a case where there were “no winners”. He said, “I want to say how saddened I am to see such divisions in Labasheeda over a septic relationship between the two parties.” He said he found the entire episode “distressing” and warned that the dispute threatens the future of the school and the local community. Judge Durcan added, “I know this kind of thing can sound the deathknell for a school and the deathknell for a school is a deathknell for the local community.”

Mr Woulfe, who has been principal of the school for 17 years, said Mr Tu- bridy drove to the school after hours on the date in question. The court heard that Mr Woulfe had been talking to another parent in a classroom at the time. Mr Woulfe said he went out to Mr Tubridy and asked if he could come back to meet him again. He said Mr Tubridy told him he had put his son outside of the classroom and that he (Mr Woulfe) had been “at him all week”.

Mr Woulfe said, “He struck me and hit me in the face.” He added,“I recoiled back into the classroom. I was obviously shocked and dazed.”

The court heard that Mr Woulfe suffered a swollen nose, black eye and a broken tooth as a result of the assault. His injuries were disputed by defence solicitor Patrick Moylan who said they had not been noted in a dental report handed into court. Mr Moylan said Mr Woulfe had exaggerated the extent of his injuries.

Mr Moylan said in court that parents had withdrawn their children because it had been alleged that Mr Woulfe had behaved in an “aggressive” manner towards them.

The court also heard that Mr Tubridy’s wife made a complaint to the of- fice of the Bishop of Killaloe.

Mr Woulfe admitted issues had arisen in his dealings with the Tubridys. He described their behaviour in a previous meeting as “aggressive and over the top”. He said that 2011 had been a “difficult year” at the school.In his evidence, Mr Tubridy denied this and said it was Mr Woulfe who behaved in an aggressive fashion. Mr Woulfe denied Mr Tubridy’s version of events.

Parent Caroline O’Shea, who was in the school at the time, told the court she saw the assault. Mr Tubridy said she could not have seen what happened as the glass on the classroom door is opaque. He claimed Mr Woulfe grabbed him by the back of the neck and he reacted by pushing him away. He told the court that he drove to the school to meet Mr Woulfe because his son was very upset.

Judge Patrick Durcan said there had been “bad blood” between the parties. He said he did not accept Mr Tubridy’s version of events, describing it as “improbable.” Judge Durcan said he accepted Mr Woulfe’s and Ms O’Shea’s evidence. He adjourned the case for just over an hour to allow for discussions between the parties.

On the resumption of the case, Supt Gerard Wall told the court that Mr Tubridy had offered a “full and unconditional” apology to Mr Woulfe.

Judge Durcan said he accepted a proposal to invite Dr O’Reilly to mediate on the matter. He adjourned the case until April 9, 2013 and ordered Mr Tubridy to pay € 400 compensation to Mr Woulfe and Ms O’Shea.

AN TAISCE has recommended that the proposal by the National Parks and Wildlife Service to build a carpark at Mullaghmore be withdrawn, because it’s “premature” ahead of the implementation of a Burren Management Plan and because it could “lead to future demand for expansion” of visitor facilities at the site.

The environmental watchdog made its comments in a submission to Clare County Council planners on Thursday last and in it the NPWS has been advised to withdraw its controversial application pending proper public consultation and the publication of the Burren Management Plan.

“Any consideration of new car parking provision should be undertaken only as part of the current 2011-2018 Management Plan for the National Park and surrounding area,” says An Taisce spokesperson Ian Lumley.

“The current Management Plan does not make any provision for a car park at this site.

“If parking provision is deemed desirable in or near the core area of the National Park, a careful site selection evaluation is required identifying a number of site options and considering site suitability on a number of criteria. State ownership is not sufficient grounds to justify location selection of this site,” he adds.

The National Trust for Ireland has also echoed the Burren Action Group (BAG) fears that provision of car park facilities could signal further development. “A further concern is that any car park provision made will lead to future demand for expansion and ancillary services including toilets,” says Mr Lumley. “This is an additional reason why the site suitability of any car park provision needs to be properly considered in the first place. We recommend that this application be withdrawn and that any proposal be put forward after appropriate public and stakeholder consultation on the updating of the Management Plan for the National Park and provision of a Management Plan for candidate Special Area of Conservation designated area.

“Any car parking provision needs to be based on an overall visitor accommodation strategy, and any site proposed needs to be based on a selection process examining a wider number of location options, than those currently considered,” he adds.

CLARE tourism will be damaged internationally, while both private and State-run tourism operators will be the big losers if Clare County Council gives the green light for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to develop car park facilities near Mullaghmore.

This claim is a major plank of the Burren Action Group (BAG) submis- sion to the planning authority, opposing the controversial NPWS application, that has been secured by The Clare People this week.

In a hard-hitting submission, BAG says that the car park proposal “makes no consideration of tourism practice in the area and does not appear to inform itself as to the policies of other statutory agencies or of the objectives of the County Development Plan”.

According to the BAG submission, permission for the car park facility would “endanger the reputation of the Burren” and “poses a risk to investments of other tourism operators” throughout North Clare.

“Substantial inter-agency efforts helped secure Geopark status for the Burren and efforts are ongoing to achieve a UNESCO World Heritage Site listing,” says the BAG submission.

“Smaller operators have undertaken international marketing activities through the Burren Ecotourism Network and have developed an accreditation scheme for green tourism that has been adopted as the Irish standard and has been approved by Fáilte Ireland.

“News of the existence of a statemanaged facility that is operating contrary to the precautionary and sustainability principles will harm the area’s reputation and the international perception that it is a prime ecotourism destination.

“The application runs counter to the objectives and principles of ecotourism, is contrary to the objectives of the County Development Plan and will endanger the tourism investments of both private and statutory tourism providers.

“It is not compatible with the area’s reputation for ecotourism and thus poses a threat to tourism operators in the wider Burren,” the submission to the Clare County Council planners adds.

IARNRÓD Éireann has come in for fresh criticism over the length of time it has taken to create an online booking system for the Western Rail Corridor. At present, it is possible to view timetable information for services between Ennis and Galway but not to price a ticket or make an online purchase.

This was identified as one of the main areas for reform earlier this year and prompted Iarnród Éireann to commit to developing an online system. The delay in developing a system was described as “perplexing” by North-West MEP, Jim Higgins (FF), last week.

“I cannot understand how you can book most buses in the country on line, but not the train. I wonder if this was a train on the east coast, would a solution to the online booking problem have been found by now,” he said.

MEP Higgins was also critical of the time taken to travel on the Western Rail Corridor when compared to a car journey. “I’ve raised this issue before, and I will raise it again. To drive between Galway City and Limerick takes one hour and 25 minutes but on the train, it takes two hours and 15 minutes,” he said.

Iarnród Éireann confirmed last week that journey times between Limerick and Galway on the Western Rail Corridor will be reduced by as much as 15 minutes in the coming months.

Latest passenger numbers for the Western Rail Corridor show an increase of 6 per cent for the first nine months of 2012, the first positive passenger number trends since the service was established.

Meanwhile, the future of the proposed development of a new train station at Crusheen remains unclear. A final planning decision on the station was due in early November but no decision has yet been released.

GARDAÍ are to continue to investigate the circumstances of an alleged nightclub assault in Ennis, a court has heard.

The investigation relates to a North Clare woman who is alleged to have assaulted another person with a glass at the Queens nightclub, Ennis.

Nora McCormack (23), with an address at Glanquin, Kilnaboy, is charged with assault causing harm at the Queens on May 13, 2012.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Inspector Tom Kennedy said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), had directed summary disposal of the case.

Insp Kennedy told the court that the alleged injured party would allege that she was struck by a small glass allegedly thrown by Ms Mc- Cormack.

Insp Kennedy said the person had to receive four stitches for the wound.

Solicitor John Casey said his client was prepared to take a certain course of action based on a version of events.

However he said no CCTV was available of the alleged incident. Mr Casey told the court that CCTV would back up his client’s version of events.

Mr Casey told the court that CCTV was a requirement for all pubs and nightclubs.

He added, “I find constantly when I look for CCTV, unless it is the Garda system, there is never CCTV footage.”He said his client did not agree with the version of events outlined by the alleged injured party.

Mr Casey said his client had never been in court before and had come back from America to deal with the case.

Inspector Tom Kennedy said he would be anxious to look into the matter of CCTV.

Judge Patrick Durcan adjourned the case until Friday to allow for disclosure matters to be resolved and for him to consider the jurisdiction.

He also requested further details of the injuries to the alleged injured party. On Friday, Mr Casey told the court that gardaí are continuing to investigate the case.

He requested that the matter be adjourned until January.

Insp Kennedy said the person had not suffered any permanent scarring.

Judge Durcan said he “reluctantly” accepted jurisdiction. He adjourned the case for mention until January 23, 2013.

CLARE County Council is to write to the Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan (FG) asking for some clarity in relation to the proposed scrapping of town councils in Kilrush, Ennis and Shannon.

This follows a motion put forward by Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND), himself a member of Shannon Town Council. Cllr Flynn said that the further centralisation of services would lead to poorer services being delivered to the people of Clare.

“It is quiet clear that the minister [Hogan] is seeking to centralise services in the county. All you have to do is look at what has happened with the centralisation of services so far and see the total disgrace which came from the centralisation of education services and the hardship which has come about to students and their family through the new system for third-level grants,” he said.

“We need to ask the minister ex- actly what his intention are and what he plans to do. There are a lot of staff working in these local offices around the country.

“Some of these people, under the Croke Park agreement, would be protected but some would not be protected.”

The motion was seconded by Cllr Patricia McCarthy (IND), also a member of Shannon Town Council.

“I think it is important that some clarity is brought to this situation sooner rather than later,” she said.

VICTIMS have told how they battled addictions and attempted suicide after the abuse they suffered at the hands of Ennis man James ‘Tony’ Maher.

One of the men stated that he was afraid to speak up after he was first assaulted by Mr Maher (69).

Detective Garda Beatrice Ryan read out the man’s victim impact statement in Ennis Circuit Criminal Court. The man stated, “It’s sad that I was always blaming myself and family for what this paedophile was doing to me.”

The man first met Mr Maher through his involvement with the Banner GAA Club. He recalled how he started to drink alcohol heavily at an early age.

He stated, “At 15, I was hospitalised for drink and I tried to commit suicide.”

The court heard that the man again tried to kill himself aged 18 and almost ended up taking the life of another person.

The man stated that he had battled addictions to alcohol and gambling.

He described Mr Maher, of Clonroadmorebeg, Ennis as a “monster” and said the abuse had a “dramatic effect” on his life.

He said he had never told his wife and children about the ordeal he had suffered. The man said his life had been robbed. “I hope that if there is a God, he (Mr Maher) will burn in hell.”

Another victim of Mr Maher read his victim impact statement in court yesterday.

He told the court that he was 11 when Mr Maher first assaulted him. He said the incidents had a “horrific impact” on his life.

He said he sank into a deep depression after Mr Maher “robbed” him of an ability to trust anyone. The man, whom the court heard grew up in poor circumstances in a rural part of the county, said he had attempted suicide.

He added, “I suffered enormous pain and I will always remain scarred by the actions of this man.” Mr Maher will be sentenced on January 14, 2013.

CLARE Haven’s refuge service provides emergency accommodation to women and children experience violence in the home.

While staying in one of the organisation’s six units they receive oneto-one support, medical assistance, legal assistance including a court companion and financial direction including help accessing housing and social welfare payments.

Childcare services are also provided to help care for the children and liaise with the child’s school where necessary.

Clare Haven also provides support services that include a drop in centre in Ennis and outreach centres in Kilrush, Shannon, Scariff and Killaloe.

During these visits women meet privately with support workers.

“It is important to note that when a woman come to us we don’t tell her what to do. We outline her options.

“We will support them around what they want to do,” explained Ms Dunne. Often this support can take years, with many women returning to the services years after they first made contact.

Domestic abuse is not a straight forward issue with a straight forward solution, according to Clare Haven’s manager, and the support workers work with the woman at her own pace. The service also provides a 24hour helpline.

While 73 women and their children stayed in the refuge so far this year, it is not as high as other years, not because there are less cases of abuse but there are less follow on services.

Accessing homes for these women is proving particularly difficult in the last 12 months, so they have to stay longer in what should be temporary accommodation at Clare Haven.

This causes somewhat of a backlog in the refuge adding to Clare Haven’s problems.

“The volume of women needing support has increased so much in the last number of years,” said Ms Dunne. Yet the funding continues to be cut. Clare Haven has to fundraise every year to ensure its doors stay open, with the Clare 10K providing most of its charitable funds.

It also relies on one-off donations from the public and the donation of goods especially food, clothes, baby goods such as nappies, and underwear (new) to help the families survive until social welfare payments come through.

“That [donations] keeps us going,” said Denise, outlining how they have had to cut their school’s education programme and awareness programmes in the community.

“We’re left with the critical service. If they cut us any more, the board will have to look at cutting back services next year,” the manager warned.

“We are a critical service in this county. By cutting funding you are cutting the service.”

“16 Days of Action and Awareness on Violence against Women” begins on November 25 to December 10.

The purpose of this campaign is to raise awareness on the whole issue of violence against women.

FURTHER discussions are expected in the coming weeks over plans to erect a memorial in Ennis to Irish people who fought in wars in South East Asia.

Councillors and officials from Ennis Town Council held preliminary discussions with representatives from business groups and American war veterans in recent weeks.

It follows a contentious proposal tabled at the July meeting of Ennis Town Council calling on the authority to commemorate Irish men who fought in the Vietnam War.

The motion, tabled by Fine Gael councillor Johnny Flynn, provoked strong opposition.

Cllr Flynn said the council should consider marking the contribution of soldiers of Irish descent who served in the United States armed forces during the Vietnam War.

Cllr Flynn said, at the time, that such a memorial would send out a positive signal to ex-soldiers about Clare as a tourism destination.

According to Cllr Flynn, the Vietnam veteran tourism market num- bers close to 1.9 million people.

It is estimated that 2,500 Irish people served with the US armed forces in Vietnam.

However, some councillors were wary of the proposal.

Cllr Paul O’Shea (Ind) said that Vietnam is a “sensitive issue”, while Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) has expressed concern about the actions of some American soldiers during the war.

However, it is understood that following recent meetings, councillors are close to agreeing on a memorial for Ennis.

It is thought that any memorial would honour Irish people who fought for the Allied Forces in conflicts in South East Asia from the 1950s to ‘70s.

Meetings have also taken place with representatives of a group of Vietnam veterans who have been travelling to Clare in recent years to attend the Ennis Trad Festival.

The talks are still at a preliminary stage and no decision has yet been taken.

Friars Walk in Ennis has been mooted as one possible location for any memorial.

THE courage shown by pioneering author and broadcaster from Clare, the late Máiréad Ní Ghráda, will be celebrated in Glór in the coming weeks thanks to a series of workshops that built around her most acclaimed piece work.

The workshops on Ms Ní Ghráda’s play called ‘An Triail’ comes in the wake of the move by the Department of Education to include the work on the current syllabus for the Leaving Certificate Irish exam.

The workshops are being provided by Irish language enthusiast Fidelma McDonnell, starting this Wednesday and continuing for six weeks – a programme that’s seen as the first step towards a fully-blown production of the play in Glór next year.

“The play’s storyline features a single mother in 1960s rural Ireland who was forced to go into a Magdalene Laundry due to pressure from family and society around her,” reveals Ms McDonnell. “This theme was very controversial to write about at the time and Ms Ní Ghráda showed great courage in raising this subject through her writing.

“It is a great thing for a playwright from Clare to feature on the Leaving Cert and it will bring her work to the forefront of people’s consciousness once again,” adds Ms McDonnell.

Ms Ní Ghráda, who hailed from Kilmaley was the first female pre- senter on Ireland’s first national radio service, then known as 2RN that started broadcasting in 1926.

An Triail is thought to have been based on an incident near her home that Ms Ní Ghráda remembered from her youth: the victimisation of a pregnant young single girl while the man involved escaped condemnation.

While some people were shocked at the “filthy immoral” drama others saw it as being ahead of its time. Tomás MacAnna, who produced the play, praised it as the precursor of women’s lib. It still ranks with Brendan Behan’s ‘An Giall’ as the most successful play in the Irish language.